Sun's Fire

by Discordia5

The Gala... Invitation

The Gala... Invitation

It had been an Equestrian tradition for generations and would be for generations after. The founding of Canterlot was a joyous occasion and was celebrated every year. However, only the crème de la crème attended and it was usually a bore anyway. The planning for it had to happen anyway, so Solaris was always preoccupied by catering plans, decoration, guests, seating, and everything else. Artemis tried to help in any way he could, but it was honestly a job for more than two stallions. Solaris had to juggle that along with his meetings with Eris, which was becoming a bit of a hassle as well. Eris was starting to get suspicious and unfocused when it came to her lessons. Perhaps, because he wasn’t really focused on her lessons either. He walked the length of the courtyard and with a scroll floating in front of his face. A quill made small checkmarks on everything that had been done. Artemis was overseeing the supplies and deliveries, but he also kept an eye on his brother. He made sure that he stayed on track with the Gala and with Eris. If his suspicions were correct, Solaris wouldn’t have told her about the Gala and she would be suspicious about his activities. The problem with his older brother was that he was so concerned about other ponies’ feelings that he didn’t think about other ponies’ feelings! For the past several minutes he had been looking over at Solaris impatiently waiting for him to leave for Eris’, but there was no movement. “You highness?!” a colt called.

Artemis pulled his attention away from Solaris and back to the task at hand. “Yes, yes, that’ll do,” he said and hurriedly waved his hoof. “If you’ll please excuse me for a second I must have a word with my brother.”

He walked away before the colt could answer and walked up beside his brother. “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere?” Artemis asked.

Solaris looked over at him for a second then made a few more checkmarks before answering. “Perhaps, but it’s down to the line, Arty, I don’t think I’ll have time,” he said.

“Really?” Artemis asked. “And I suppose she’ll completely understand considering you haven’t told her a thing and you’ve been absent from your visits for a few weeks!”

Solaris put down the scroll and sighed. “What do you want me to do, Artemis?” he asked, his voice turning into a growl. “Tell her and then say she can’t come? Or worse tell her and invite her along?!”

Artemis wasn’t expecting such an angry answer from his brother, but he supposed Solaris was under a lot of stress and he hadn’t even told Eris about the Gala. He had no idea how to bring it up, but knew he had to or have her overreact or get the wrong assumption. It must have been hard for him. “Go,” Artemis said and picked up his scroll.

Solaris looked over at Artemis and his eyes widened. “Arty, I can’t ask you-!”

“Of course you can,” Artemis stopped him. “We’re brothers after all and you have Eris to think about now.”

Solaris smiled and Artemis smiled back. “Go on, I’ll take over from here,” he said.

Solaris nodded and took off without another word.

Eris paced around her cave and kept watch at the entrance of her cave, he was usually there right after he raised the sun. Lately he had been coming more around early afternoon sometimes later, but never this late! She was starting to get nervous she had a right mind to fly down to Canterlot and give him a piece of her mind. Regardless of the other ponies she would do it! Her wings flapped and she was about to take off until she saw a speck getting closer to her location and knew it was Solaris. She growled as he kept coming. She should’ve been ecstatic or at least relieved that he was coming at all, but all she could think about was how he had little to no explanation for his absence and that he was absent at all. She marched away from the entrance as he got even closer. Eris heard Solaris land, but didn’t even acknowledge his presence. “Hello Eris,” Solaris said nervously.

She didn’t respond. “Come on, Eris, don’t be mad,” he pleaded.

Eris’ growl grew deeper and louder. Solaris stepped back a bit, a little taken aback by her behavior. He had never seen Eris this upset, it was rather frightening. “I’m not mad,” she growled, her voice sounded absolutely unearthly. “I’m not mad, I’m, I’m confused.”

Solaris was really starting to get frightened now, besides the effect on her voice she sounded way too calm! “I’m confused as to why you came today,” she said and started to pace in front of him.

Solaris couldn’t see her face, for one thing she was in the deeper part of the cave where there was little light and her hair perfectly covered her face, so he couldn’t tell what she was thinking at all. Solaris cleared his throat before speaking. “Well, I wanted to see you, of course, and to tell you something,” he said.

“Oh wonderful, I do hope that it is something worthwhile of my time!” Eris continued to growl.

Solaris didn’t like this side of Eris. It was so menacing, so horrible. She seemed so much like the monster that she was trying so hard not to be. Now he stood his ground and took a deep breath. “Eris the reason why I haven’t been coming around as often was because I was preparing for something very important,” he said.

Eris finally turned around and he saw her eyes glowing horribly angry and red. “More important than me I suppose,” she hissed.

“No, of course not!”

“Then I suppose you’re attending to someone else besides me and that ‘important thing’?”

“No!”

“Then what is this thing you’re planning for that takes up so much of your valuable time or I suppose the time you spend with me isn’t valuable at all as it can easily be traded for your ‘planning’!”

“Eris, stop it!” Solaris shouted.

Eris froze and her eyes returned to normal, she stopped speaking at least. “Look,” Solaris started. “I know these few days have been hard for both of us, but I am a prince and I have other duties that come first, surely you can understand that?”

Eris crossed her arms and leaned against the wall of the cave. “And what if I don’t?” she asked.

Solaris glared at her and as much as he wanted to be brutally honest with her, he also knew that her feelings came first as well. “Then I am deeply sorry for my inattentiveness to you as well,” he said. “But it is true.”

Eris looked down at the floor and she looked a little shamed, at least she felt apologetic. “So what is this thing then?” she asked hurriedly.

Solaris blinked and sighed, it would have to come out eventually. “Me and Artemis have been preparing for an event that has been celebrated for several years now,” he explained. “It’s called the Grand Galloping Gala.”

Eris looked up at that. So he had been preparing for a party? Seemed like a weak excuse to be skipping out on their daily visits. “It’s not just some party as you might think, it celebrates the founding of Canterlot, it’s very important to the gentry,” Solaris continued. “We must do all we can to impress them.”

So he was planning it for hoity-toities? That explained it. Much like how she tried every day to impress him. It took time, patience, practice, and care. “I see,” she said.

Now for the hard part, he was going to tell her that she couldn’t attend. That was fine by her, she didn’t want to go to a boring royal party anyway. Being a unicorn was so boring anyway and tedious besides, using magic all the time instead of her hands, absolutely lazy if you asked her. Before she could even get word in about her opinion about it, however, Solaris interrupted her. “And I’ve been doing some thinking while I was coming here and you can feel free to say no, but I think it’s a good idea,” he said.

Eris drummed her claws along her arm impatiently. “Well, I was thinking that I could introduce you to my subjects, you know as you in your normal form,” he explained.

Eris froze and her eyes widened. He wanted her to go, more importantly he wanted her to go… as herself! It was stupid, insane, absolutely ludicrous! She loved it! How could she have ever thought that Solaris would disappoint her?! How dare she even think that something else was more important than her! Solaris was always thinking about her just like she always thought about him! “So what do you think?” he asked.

Still she didn’t want to just drop her façade right then she wanted to keep her somewhat grumpy demeanor up. “What exactly are you asking me, Solaris?” she asked.

She lapsed into his real name that meant she was really serious. He had to word this right. Solaris cleared his throat again and gave an elegant bow. “Eris, will do me the honor of having me escort you to the Gala?” he asked.

Eris smiled and it was so full of joy that Solaris almost burst out laughing. “Oh yes!” she squealed and scooped Solaris up into her arms. “Yes, absolutely yes!”

Solaris smiled from ear to ear and hugged her back. “Eris, you are the most amazing thing to happen in my life, how could you think that I would just leave you?” he asked.

Eris blushed and let him out of her hug. “Well, I mean, I’m not exactly the best candidate for courtship,” she began. “I mean look at me.”

Solaris frowned at her, a little disappointed that she still couldn’t get passed that. “You are so much more than your looks, Eris,” he said. “Why can’t you see that?!”

Eris shrugged, a little ashamed of herself as well. “It’s kind of hard to get passed.”

Solaris sighed and nudged her towards a puddle on the floor and they looked down at their reflections. “Do you want to know what I see?” he said.

Eris looked over at him in confusion. “I see a talented, intelligent, playful, passionate, and beautiful female that does everything with all her heart,” he started. “She can be a bit irrational and chaotic, but she always wants to have a good time.”

Eris looked down at her reflection and tilted her head at it. She couldn’t see it, no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t get passed how different she looked compared to Solaris. Now Solaris… Solaris was handsome, brave, intelligent, dignified, regal, majestic, everything that she wasn’t. How could she ever hope to be equal to him? “Eris,” Solaris said and turned her back towards him. “I meant what I said, I would be honored to have you as my date to the Gala, don’t ever think differently.”

Eris looked down in shame and embarrassment. She couldn’t look at him now, it was too much to take in. “Eris?”

She looked up and suddenly she felt something strange against her mouth. Something warm and tender and Solaris’ face was too close! Why was he so close?! Then her mouth moved and was reacting back to the very new sensation. Eris’ eyes closed softly and she returned his kiss. They stayed that way for a few more seconds before parting. Solaris blushed and Eris gulped. “So that was…” Solaris started.

“Nice,” Eris finished.

“Yeah, nice,” he said.

In all seriousness it had been amazing. He had never kissed anypony before and that his first real kiss had been Eris, well that made it all the more special. Eris was on a whole other planet! The kiss still lingered on her lips like sugar. It made them all tingly and warm. She could barely speak. The sun was starting to set then. He really had gotten there pretty late. “I must go,” Solaris whispered.

“Y-Yeah,” Eris replied.

Solaris turned away, but his eyes never left her. She waved slightly as he opened his wings. “So, I’ll pick you up tomorrow night,” he said and took off.

Eris smiled and watched him leave as always and watched him lower the sun below the horizon. Tomorrow night? What was she going to wear?!

Author's Note:

Whoo! Two in one day, that's a record! Anyway, just a short-er chapter here, because I didn't want to fit this and the rest of the Gala in one chapter, so here's this. And I'm tired. All I know is, I'm going to have a lot of fun with the next few chapters... You know what's coming up people... I know you do. [Insert evil chuckle here] Anyway, enjoy!

Comments

[Swift Agies]

Have some RAINBOWS!!!
Also, if you need an editor/proof-reader, I'd be happy to help you out.Just PM me and I'll look the story over.

[mattstheman]

4916695 So, are you helping with the editing or proofreading or whatever now?

[Swift Agies]

4933140 yeah...

[mattstheman]

4933225 Is that a yeah as in no or a yeah as in yeah. I yeah, what you doing?

[Swift Agies]

4933406 Be patient my friend.

[mattstheman]

4933636 Dude, I'm editing

[mattstheman]

4933789 I was just wondering if you were

[mattstheman]

4933794 Well, to see if you were editing/proofreading

[Swift Agies]

4933827 I am proof reading and reporting what I find that I think should be fixed

[mattstheman]

4934049 okie dokie loki. Just wondering if I would be working with you. Doesn't seem to be working together on a deeper level but who knows?

[Swift Agies]

4934080 what?

[mattstheman]

4934089 As in we probably won't be working together, i.e. talking to each other. You'll probably be proofreading after I have finished editing to see if I missed anything, but we personally probably won't be talking to each other

[Swift Agies]

4934122 I don't mind talking to someone. Its better than going through it alone... *sigh* I need friends

[mattstheman]

4934137 Ha I know that feel.
:)
Sure we'll talk if you want. Later though

[Swift Agies]

4934141 Kay.