XIX Rarity
Rarity winced as her stomach threatened to eject her breakfast. Between her guilt at failing to convince Silvermane and her husband to spare Spitfire, and the need to wake up early enough to witness yet another attempt at raising the Sun, she had barely found any sleep. The darkness did not help her groggy state as she quietly observed Professor Starflare, who stood in the middle of the courtyard before a group of nearly forty unicorns.
"You look troubled, my dear," Blueblood said as he eyed her up and down. They both stood together a respectable distance from the unicorns who would attempt the raising of the Sun.
"It's nothing," Rarity lied with an awkward smile. "I believe the castle's rich food is not agreeing with me, that is all. I'll have the cooks prepare a lighter salad for lunch." She quickly adjusted her crown.
"Of course," Blueblood said with a slight nod and a patronizing smile. "Your palate must still be used to the simpler Ponyville food. Our trip there should do you some good."
Rarity turned her head and rolled her eyes. While Blueblood no doubt intended his snark comment as an insult, he was right. Seeing her old friends would do the newly-crowned princess a lot of good. Getting a better idea of life outside of Canterlot would hopefully help Blueblood gain perspective as well.
She smiled at her husband and returned her attention to the unicorns. Starflare ordered them positioned in a circular pattern, constantly checking his notes as he gave them orders Rarity couldn't properly hear. Many of the participants seemed a bit young. Most likely they were students eager to prove themselves. They were surrounded by guards, who made sure the few curious onlookers did not interfere.
"Why is this taking so long?" Blueblood asked impatiently.
"I imagine the professor needs to ensure everything goes according to plan," Rarity replied, her eyes fixated on the ritual. "I don't know much about magic this complex, but from what Twilight used to tell me, any little variable could change everything."
Blueblood harrumphed. "Whatever it takes to get this done. The sooner you and I can raise the Sun and Moon, the sooner we'll silence those ponies who still cling to Princess Luna."
"Speaking of," Rarity said as her ears perked up. "There is one matter I heard about. Apparently General Silvermane made an arrest yesterday."
Blueblood sighed. "Princess Twilight's parents, yes. Luckily, it's being kept under wraps for now. Although we should expect the common rabble to make up stories soon enough, given how public the arrest was."
"Indeed," Rarity completed. "I imagine nopony knows how to handle this situation yet?"
"They're in the dungeon for now. Do you think you can get them to make a public confession?"
"I would have to talk to them first, but they are more likely to listen to me than any of Silvermane's goons," the princess continued with a frown. "For now, I recommend you take them out of the dungeon and give them comfortable quarters."
"You would give such comfort to traitors?" Blueblood argued with a gasp.
"I would give such comfort to the family of the one princess whose throne we're currently keeping warm," Rarity corrected as she raised a hoof. "Like it or not, Twilight Velvet and Nightlight can become powerful symbols. The castle servants talk; how ever we treat them, word will get out and it will reflect on us."
"We arrested their little group of rebels and executed Luna's military leader," Blueblood replied. "I believe everypony will be too afraid to stand against us now."
Rarity's frown deepened. "Fear isn't the greatest motivator, beloved. It will only drive the resistance movement underground. Even more so, they'll use those same fear tactics against us. They will promise ponies an escape from what they'll perceive as tyranny by fighting back."
"You can't always be nice to everypony, Rarity. Traitors need to be punished."
Rarity took a deep breath. "The safety of the nation is more important than punishing traitors. By all means, keep guards at their door, but Twilight's parents should receive the same courtesy as any other important member of the nobility."
"Fine, do with them as you wish," Blueblood said as he rolled his eyes. "We will need at least some insurance that they won't try anything though."
"Of course," Rarity replied with a forced smile. At least I have this much. Maybe I can convince them that peace in the city is what's important right now.
Both husband and wife returned their attention to Starflare, who was finishing his preparation. The professor nodded at a few students before trotting toward the royal couple.
"I believe we are ready to begin," he announced.
"Good," Blueblood said. "Get on with it then. I'm eager to finally get this to work."
"Good luck professor," Rarity completed with a warm smile.
Starflare nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness. I am hopeful that today will finally bring us the results we're hoping for." He turned back toward his group. "Alright, as we practiced."
The professor's students disposed themselves in two circles, one within the other. Starflare stood in the middle and eyed a few students before closing his eyes. His horn lit in a bright golden glow as the unicorns in the outside circle did the same. Each of them directed two magical beams at the two inner circle unicorns in front of them. This created a zigzag of colorful magic that looked, amusingly, like a drawing of the sun.
The unicorns in the inner circle seemed to struggle as the beams connected with their horns. A few winced in pain, and one mare almost fell down to her knees. Most closed their eyes as they no doubt attempted to channel the energy from the outside circle's ponies. After a few seconds, Starflare's magic redoubled in visible intensity, as every unicorn from the inner circle connected to his horn with golden magical beams. The same color as Starflare's magic, Rarity noted.
The bright light from the ritual forced Rarity to shield her eyes. She felt a bit of nausea again as the base of her horn itched from all the ambient magic. The sultriness that accompanied it felt like it might singe her mane. It eerily reminded her of the first ritual she had taken part in.
The heat wave stopped as abruptly as it had arrived. Rarity slowly opened her eyes, only to see the night sky still illuminated by the Moon and stars. Starflare stood panting in the middle of the circle, while a few students fell to the ground, completely exhausted.
"What's the meaning of this?" Blueblood yelled as he stepped forward. "What failed this time?"
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," the professor weakly offered. "It was too much energy focused on my horn, and I had to interrupt the spell."
"You should have accounted for this," the prince continued, staring down the worn out Starflare.
"With all due respect, this isn't a simple matter!" Starflare snapped as he raised his head and met Blueblood's gaze. "The calculations are complex, and many variables are still unknown. Princess Celestia didn't exactly leave instructions behind."
"You dare raise your tone to me!" Blueblood continued as he stared down the professor.
Rarity quickly moved forward and interrupted him as she placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Please beloved. I'm sure they learned a lot from this experiment. You know it will take time to figure this out. Professor Starflare is doing his best."
The prince violently turned to Rarity as he pushed her hoof away. "And while he 'does his best,' Luna continues to mock us by raising the Sun and Moon!"
"Please, Your Highness," Starflare continued as he took a few deep breaths. "Research takes time. All of the academy's energy is focused on finding a solution, but you must accept that results might not be produced right away."
"I expect something concrete by the time I've returned from Ponyville," Blueblood ordered as he turned around. "Come, Rarity."
Rarity sighed and forced a smile. "A moment, beloved. I want to reassure the onlookers that everything will be alright."
Blueblood said nothing as he continued toward the castle, but Rarity could hear him sigh loudly. She frowned as he made his way back inside.
"Thank you Your Highness," Starflare said.
"It's the least I could do. I know you're doing your best under impossible circumstances."
The professor quickly looked around before continuing in a hushed voice. "Between you and me, we must consider the possibility that Princess Luna is blocking our attempts to raise the Sun."
"Are you certain of this?" Rarity asked in a whisper.
Starflare shook his head. "No, it's only a theory. This is why I'm telling you and only you."
"Duly noted," Rarity said with a nod. "Regarding the other issue, I assume no progress was made?"
"Between working on this spell and the lack of evidence, I'm nowhere closer to finding anything regarding Princess Twilight's disappearance," he answered, slowly shaking his head. "Wherever she is, the magic hiding her is beyond both myself and Princess Cadance. Perhaps I will know more once I receive her next letter. Rune magic is still my best theory, as it could shield a pony from any form of magical detection."
Rarity nodded and smiled. "Thank you Professor. I know you're doing your best."
"At least one pony appreciates my work," he grumbled under his breath.
"I'll talk to Prince Blueblood," Rarity offered. "Once he calms down, he might be more receptive."
"Thank you," Starflare said with a nod, clear relief in his voice.
Rarity gently nodded before taking a few steps toward to the small crowd that had gathered at the entrance to the courtyard. Ponies were pushing each others, trying to see what was going on. Most of them were unicorns, although a few pegasi were flying above the group. One light purple crystal pony stood at the front of the group and met eyes with Rarity. She was about to walk directly to the crowd, but glares from a few guards convinced her to keep her distance. With the recent assassination attempt on General Silvermane, she decided to humor them.
The princess took a deep breath and smiled as widely as she could. "Do not worry, everypony," she loudly announced. "This was all part of the experiment. You can be certain that everything is under control."
The Sun rose over the horizon as she spoke.
"I don't get it, Rarity," Spike said as he tried to keep pace behind her. "Why would Twilight's parents do this?"
Rarity sighed and allowed the baby dragon to catch up. "I'll be honest, Spike. I have no idea. I do intend to find out though. The last thing I need is them encouraging rebellion in the city."
"But they're safe, aren't they?" Spike asked in a shaking voice. "What happened to Spitfire won't happen to them, right?"
"Oh Spike! I promise I will do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen," Rarity gently grabbed hold of the dragon.
The memory of Spitfire's execution was still fresh in her mind. While she had refused to attend the event, she had been unable to ignore the cheers coming from the city. Did it really take so little for ponies to demand blood? No doubt the same ponies would demand that Nightlight, Twilight Velvet, and countless other ponies who showed loyalty to Princess Luna meet a similar fate. If I can save them today, it might set a precedent that'll help me save more ponies in the future. If only they hadn't been so foolish as to attack guards openly in the streets.
"Rarity? Are you alright?" Spike asked, breaking her reverie.
She smiled warmly. "Sorry, Spikey-poo. I was only thinking. Come on, let's go talk to them and find out exactly what's going on."
The two of them made their way to the quarters Rarity had assigned to Twilight's parents. As expected, two severe-looking unicorn guards stood at the entrance. Rarity adjusted the collar of her simple red dress. She brought her hoof to her head to make sure her crown was in place, but quickly remembered she had opted not to wear it for this meeting.
"Your Highness," one of the guards said as he bowed his head.
Rarity smiled at him. "I'm here to see Princess Twilight's parents. If you would be a dear and unlock the door."
"As you command," the guard said. "I will accompany you and ensure your safety."
The princess rolled her eyes. "Oh please. I've known these ponies for years. They won't hurt me. Just wait out here. I'll call out when I'm ready to leave."
The two guards shared a look but did not argue. The second one nodded and unlocked the door, allowing Rarity and Spike to step inside the generic-looking guest quarters. Both Twilight's parents sat on a large couch located underneath a tall window. Pegasus workers were busy outside, installing a metal frame around it. It seems even a comfortable prison must have bars. Rarity frowned slightly as she noticed an itch in her horn; something was blocking all magic within the room. Presumably, rune stones had been hidden within the walls.
"I expected we'd see you sooner rather than later," Twilight Velvet began with an accusatory glare.
"You're okay!" Spike cheered as he rushed toward the couple and hugged Velvet.
"Nice to see you Spike," Nightlight replied with a light smile as he gently ruffled the scales on the baby dragon's head.
Rarity could not help but smile at the affectionate display. In a way, Spike must be like another child to them. She kept her distance, knowing she wouldn't receive the same warm welcome as her dragon assistant.
Once the moment had passed, Velvet returned her attention to Rarity and sighed loudly. "I suppose we have you to thank for getting us out of the dungeon."
Spike sat next to Nightlight and silently listened to the exchange.
The princess slowly nodded. "Yes. Regardless of what you did — and we will have to talk about it — you are Twilight's parents and I will not let you rot in Silvermane's dungeon."
"There's at least that," Nightlight replied with a frown. "Although a gilded cage is still a cage. I don't suppose we'll ever be allowed to leave this room?"
"Perhaps," Rarity suggested as she took a step in their direction. "The two of you represent an important symbol. Should you publicly denounce your rebellious acts as a mistake and ask ponies to obey the crown, it would go a long way in defending your case."
"You mean do the same as you?" Velvet asked with a sneer. "Just play along for an extra bit of comfort?"
"You should do it to save lives," Rarity corrected as she stared down Velvet. "Do you truly believe a few disorganized rebels can accomplish anything against an ever-growing Canterlot military?"
"Both of our children faced worse odds and came out on top," Velvet continued as she held her husband's hoof.
Rarity exasperatedly shook her head. "Neither Twilight Sparkle nor Shining Armor ever risked innocent pony lives. Is getting Luna on the throne really worth all of this? What were you thinking?" The princess's tone rose without her noticing.
"Twilight isn't here, is she?" Velvet harshly replied as she stood up violently. "She was taken from us! Our son is gone to meet Princess Luna. Like you, he believes that this can still be resolved. Let me tell you, Your Highness," she almost spat the title. "My husband and I, we both sat calmly as more and more soldiers made their way into Canterlot. We welcomed Silvermane as she kept coming to us with false promises, we even went along with your ridiculous plan to take the throne for yourself."
"I did no such thing!" Rarity interjected as she slammed her hoof on the floor. "The second Twilight comes back — and she will — I intend on giving her the throne. Let me remind you that if it weren't for me, you'd both still be in the dungeon, and far more ponies would have been executed!"
"And for this, you married the very stallion who killed my daughter!" Velvet replied as tears started flowing down her cheeks.
"What?" Rarity gasped. She felt a bit of nausea at the thought.
"You can't be serious!" Spike snapped as he stood up and placed himself in front of Rarity. "Twilight isn't dead! And Rarity would never betray her friend like that!"
"Don't you think it's all too convenient?" Velvet suggested as she gently pushed Spike aside and eyed Rarity down. "Prince Blueblood accuses Princess Luna of murder. She flees, forcing Twilight to take the throne without even a moment to grieve. Twilight is then forced to attempt raising the moon with barely any time to prepare. Of course, it all fails, and she disappears in the confusion. Who comes out the winner in all of this? Blueblood. He even managed to rope you into his scheme; he convinced you to marry him to better cement his rule. All he has to do in exchange is let you perform the occasional act of compassion. Getting us out of the dungeon was the latest."
Nightlight stood next to his wife "The only thing Blueblood and Silvermane didn't account for was Princess Luna escaping. I'm sorry Rarity, but you're not the best hope for Equestria. Luna is."
Rarity nervously looked from Velvet to Nightlight. She tried to reply, but another wave of nausea prevented it.
"If you truly want to help Equestria," Velvet continued, "you'll help Princess Luna from the inside. If not, then you'll get nothing from us! My husband and I aren't going to become pawns in Blueblood's game like you!"
Rarity's stomach turned and she bent over, ejecting her breakfast on the luxurious purple carpet. The entire room spun as she almost lost her footing.
She heard Spike scream as he banged on the door. "We need help! Rarity's sick!"
Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes as she lay on her bed. "This really isn't necessary, Spike. I feel fine."
The baby dragon, who was standing next to the bed, firmly shook his head. "The doctor said you should remain in bed until she has the test results back."
"I'm telling you. I'm fine!" Rarity argued. "It was probably just something I ate this morning. Those strawberries tasted a bit weird."
"Still, better safe than sorry," Spike continued as he eyed the princess severely. "Doctor Shimmerheart should be back soon."
Rarity buried her face in the pillow and sighed loudly again. "I can't believe I humiliated myself this way in front of Twilight Velvet and Nightlight!"
"You're sick. It's not your fault," Spike replied as he gently patted her on the back.
Rarity got her face out of the pillow and forced herself to meet Spike's eyes. "I only wish it didn't happen in front of them. They need to take me seriously. This is a delicate situation, Spike. Their actions could validate acts of rebellion, and that'll only give Silvermane fuel to send more guards out in the streets."
"You can't worry about this stuff all the time, Rarity. This is probably why you're getting sick in the first place."
Rarity sighed again. "Just leave me alone for a bit, Spike. I need to think."
The baby dragon shook his head and crossed his arms. "No can do. I promised Doctor Shimmerheart that I'd make sure you stayed in bed."
"Ugh, fine," Rarity said as she rolled her eyes and turned around. Hopefully this charade would be over soon and she would be allowed to return to her duties.
What Velvet and Nightlight had said troubled her. Blueblood was known to be ambitious, true, but did ponies truly believe him to be responsible for Twilight's disappearance? Did they imagine her being complicit as well? It had to be expected that the Cloudsdale propaganda machine would be at work, but this was low. Blueblood was not a murderer. He was uncouth and short-sighted, but murdering Twilight? Rarity would not accept it without solid proof.
And yet, what if there was some truth to it? Blueblood had come out on top at every turn. Silvermane was also getting everything she ever wanted. No doubt they would find Cloudsdale sooner rather than later, then it would all be a thing of the past. Could she really have been manipulated all along? Even if she had, what choice did she have?
No, it was too late to doubt. She had made her choice, and she had to live with it. If Velvet's claim proved to be correct, then hopefully she could use her position to ensure a smooth transition. For now, however, the point was moot. Princess Luna was in hiding, and regardless of how anypony felt about her, she was still needed to raise the Sun and Moon.
Rarity's eyes opened wide as she suddenly stood up, eliciting a frown from Spike. "The Sun and Moon, of course!"
"What about them?" Spike asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"Whoever captured Twilight knew that Luna would be needed to raise the Sun and Moon. There is simply no way that anypony can go through all of of the planning involved without considering this fact. Nopony in Canterlot knows how to accomplish this, unless they're keeping it a secret. If the guilty party truly supported Prince Blueblood, then they would have shared the how."
"So does that tell us where Twilight is?" Spike asked excitingly as he jumped on the bed.
Rarity frowned. "No, but it does narrow the suspects. The culprit is either someone who knows how to move the astral bodies, or one who has something to gain by ensuring either eternal day or night."
"Discord," Spike mumbled under his breath.
"A possibility," Rarity pondered as she tapped her chin. "It doesn't fit his style though. He would have been bragging about it by now. Also, I trust Fluttershy when she says he's truly reformed. A good possibility would be one of Luna's followers. By taking Twilight out of the equation, they ensure that Luna must remain free to do her duty, at least until Starflare perfects his ritual."
"You really think so?" Spike asked. "If that's the case, we gotta tell Velvet and Nightlight!"
"I don't know. It's just a theory," Rarity replied with a sigh. She stared at the ceiling a moment before turning toward Spike. "I have a job for you."
"Anything, Rarity," the baby dragon answered with a nod.
"I want you to keep visiting Twilight's parents regularly. They already trust you. Just bring their meals, get them anything they want, and be there for them. Don't do anything that would get you in trouble with the guards, but try to learn what they know about Princess Luna and her plans. They might suspect that you'll repeat everything to me — that's fine. We just need them on our side."
"I can do that," Spike replied as he slowly got off the bed. "But I really don't think they know anything. They're just scared."
"In that case, they'll need a friend," Rarity completed with a smile. "Who better than you?"
Spike offered a smile of his own. "As soon as the doctor gets back, I'll get right on it."
Rarity sighed. It was too much to hope he'd forget about his mission to keep her in bed. Hopefully Doctor Shimmerheart would be back soon. She would confirm that it was simple indigestion, and Rarity could get ready to take the train to Ponyville.
After about half an hour of small talk with Spike, the door opened and Doctor Shimmerheart took a few hesitant steps inside. The smile on the small earth pony's pink face seemed to indicate that the problem was not serious, as Rarity expected.
"Doctor, please tell me I can get out of bed!" the princess pleaded as she raised her head and offered a hopeful smile. "I do have a lot to take care of."
"You're free to go along with your day, but I will need to see you regularly for the next few months," the doctor explained.
"What's wrong with her?" Spike asked as he rushed to Shimmerheart's side.
"Absolutely nothing!" Shimmerheart said with a light giggle. "Actually, the news is great. My congratulations to you, Your Highness."
Walking from the castle to the train station proved quite the adventure now that Rarity had been crowned Ruling Princess of Equestria. She now had her own bodyguard, one gray unicorn mare with a golden mane by the name of Sergeant Legerity.
The closer she got to the train station, the more ponies gathered around her. She was accompanied by Legerity and four extra earth pony guards surrounded them. Ponies waved at her and cheered their adoration, providing a welcome distraction from the doctor's news.
"Princess Rarity!"
"All hail the princess!"
Rarity turned her head to whisper in Legerity's ear. "Can't I shake a few hooves, sign a few autographs? I can't hide behind guards forever."
Legerity shook her head firmly. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but any one of these ponies could be an assassin."
A light purple crystal pony stallion from the crowd whispered a few words to one of the guards, who listened carefully before motioning for Legerity to step forward. The sergeant frowned and took a step toward the guard. A few words Rarity couldn't hear were exchanged, and an envelope was passed from the crystal pony to Legerity.
"It seems you have a gift from a fan," the sergeant said with a hint of a smile in the corner of her muzzle. She offered Rarity the white envelope.
"Hmm," Rarity mumbled as she tore it open and looked inside. She didn't even need to fully take the content out to see what it was; she would recognize Sweetie Belle's hoofwriting anywhere. It was a simple note that said, We're safe. She smiled and forced herself not to cry. Her plan had worked, and her family was out of harm's way! She raised her head and looked for the mysterious stallion who had given her the note, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Everything alright, Your Highness?" Legerity asked.
"Yes, very much so. This stallion's daughter wrote me a very touching note. Carry on, Sergeant."
They carefully navigated the crowd toward the train station. Blueblood's royal carriage was parked in front of the station. Rarity remembered he had business in the city earlier. More guards surrounded the royal car at the end of the train. Rarity smiled and waved at the crowd as she walked between two rows of guards and into the train. She stepped inside the richly decorated private car she would share with her husband and found him deep in conversation with Ambassador Antoine.
"Ah, my dear! Wonderful to see you!" Blueblood happily announced as he stood up. "I just heard the good news!"
Rarity took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Indeed, My Prince. We will have an heir to the throne."
Antoine stood as well. "My congratulations to you both! I am overjoyed to see such a bright future for Equestria!"
"My deepest thanks, Ambassador," Rarity said with a polite smile.
"All of Equestria will celebrate the birth of Blueblood the Second!" Blueblood proudly proclaimed.
If that's how he wants to name his son, I really hope I have a girl, Rarity thought. "Indeed, a wondrous occasion," she said instead.
"Well, I shall leave the two of you to celebrate," Antoine said with a bow. "I must return to my compartment and go over a few points I wish to discuss with Ponyville's mayor."
"Of course, Ambassador," Blueblood said with a nod.
Rarity offered another polite smile as Antoine left. She awkwardly looked around the car before selecting an empty bench to sit on. She met eyes with her husband, but could not decipher him. "Blueblood the Second is a terrible name," she said as she rolled her eyes.
"What else should I call my son?" he scoffed.
"What if it's a daughter?" Rarity suggested, raising an eyebrow.
"I would think it obvious that a daughter would be named after Princess Celestia,"
"We'll discuss it later," Rarity said with a sigh. "I still have to get used to the idea."
"Of being a mother?" Blueblood asked. "I'm sure you'll do a wondrous job. The servants will be there to take care of everything either way."
"It might surprise you to learn that raising a child involves more than telling servants to change diapers," Rarity argued as she rolled her eyes. "I do intend to be there for my child as he or she grows up. The last thing we need is a foal with a sheltered life in the castle."
"Of course, you want to show the heir to the throne the glorious life of a turnip farmer, or whatever it is your Ponyville friends do," Blueblood suggested with a frown.
"If our foal is meant to rule over turnip farmers, then he or she needs to at least have been on a turnip farm before," Rarity argued as she stood up.
"I certainly never stepped on a farm," Blueblood added as he mirrored the gesture and stared down his wife. "It never stopped me from ruling fairly."
"Because you're such a wonderful model of a fair ruler," Rarity scoffed as she rolled her eyes again.
"Watch your tongue!" Blueblood spat.
"You know, I'm glad you feel this way," Rarity continued. "Our child will be better off with me as the sole parental figure."
"Don't think I intend on letting you raise our child alone! He will receive the best tutors, just as I did."
The loud sound of the train's horn marking the departure interrupted their argument. Rarity settled back on her seat before the train's movement could make her lose her balance. Blueblood wasn't as swift and almost fell down to his rump. The princess suppressed a giggle.
Blueblood grunted as he sat back on his seat. Rarity turned away and looked to the window, but frowned as she found it covered by a curtain. Even for short trips within the city, Blueblood always insisted on such a level of privacy.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Rarity turned back toward her husband. "We should talk about Ponyville," she suggested.
"I imagine you have a plan of what you want to do," Blueblood said as he levitated a pocket mirror and adjusted his blond mane.
Rarity nodded. "Applejack will most likely be greeting us and offering us a tour. We should take note of any damage done to the town, and find out exactly how we can help them."
"The royal treasury isn't unlimited," Blueblood scoffed, still working on his mane.
"I'm not saying we give all of our gold with nothing in return," Rarity continued. "This army Silvermane is building will need to be fed. I don't know if you're aware, but most of Canterlot's food comes from Ponyville. The faster we help them rebuild, the faster they can supply us with apples, carrots, hay-"
"Alright. Alright. I get it," Blueblood dismissively interrupted. "Ponyville is important for Canterlot, and not just because the mayor is a friend of yours."
"More than that," Rarity continued. "If we show a willingness to help victims of battles, ponies will have more respect for us. A good leader is one who's capable of going down in the trenches as it were, and helping their less fortunate subjects."
"What nonsense," Blueblood scoffed again.
"Perhaps in Canterlot," Rarity said as she kept her eyes glued on the prince. "But in Ponyville, and in most of Equestria for that matter, ponies are used to seeing their leaders mingle with them. Princess Celestia visited Ponyville and other small towns quite regularly."
"Because she had myself and the other nobles to manage things in her absence."
"The same way we have ponies like Floribunda and Kibitz who are now doing the same," Rarity added. "I'm curious, did Celestia ever bring you along with her on any such trips?"
"Why would she?" Blueblood asked as his brow furrowed.
Rarity sighed. "To show you the world. How can you rule a land you barely ever visit? When was the last time you even left Canterlot?"
"I don't know!" Blueblood snapped. His tail whipped the air.
"Hold on," Rarity said as her ears slightly drooped. "You have left Canterlot before, have you not?"
"I'm a busy stallion," Blueblood said as he looked away. "I don't have time to gallop all around Equestria."
This explains a lot, Rarity thought as she brought her hoof to her chin. She adjusted her mane before getting up from her seat and taking a few steps toward her husband. "It is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps Princess Celestia should have been more insistent. Regardless, let us discover Equestria together. We swore to rule this land, beloved. Not just Canterlot, all of Equestria!"
He turned back toward Rarity and sighed loudly. "Alright, fine, so I never left Canterlot. It's not like I ever had a reason before today."
The princess smiled and placed a comforting hoof on her husband's shoulder. "You'll find that Ponyville is a vibrant community with a wide variety of ponies. It might seem a bit strange to you at first, but you'll see that some things remain the same. It's just ponies trying to get by and make an honest living. If you give them a chance, they might surprise you."
"You sound like my aunt," Blueblood admitted. "Always going on about how great small town ponies are."
Rarity took a seat next to Blueblood. "She was right." She smiled at him again. "I'm not expecting you to enjoy Ponyville. It's going to be dirty, and I will admit that Applejack in particular could really improve on her etiquette. I'm only asking you to keep an open mind, the same way I had to ever since I joined the royal council."
Blueblood sighed again. "Very well. If I'm going to do this, I might as well do it your way. Don't expect me to step into the mud or anything of the sort though."
"I would not dream of it," Rarity said as she shook her head.
The two of them sat in silence for a moment. "Perhaps I should call for some tea?" Rarity suggested.
Blueblood's hoof found its way onto her belly. Rarity frowned as she faced him, only to find a strangely serene smile on his face. "I'm going to be a father," he mumbled under his breath.
Rarity raised an eyebrow, but quickly allowed a smile to make its way onto her face. "We're both going to be parents."
"Yes," the prince answered with a wide smile. Probably the most honest-looking smile Rarity ever saw on his face. "An heir to the throne, and swiftly as well. I do believe our marriage was meant to be."
Rarity chuckled. "Why, next thing, you'll profess your love to me!"
Blueblood stared at her blankly for a moment. His cheeks reddened before he let out a very undignified guffaw. Rarity responded with a laugh of her own, and they soon found themselves laughing hysterically in each other's hooves.
"Prince Blueblood and Princess Rarity of Equestria," the herald announced as the royal couple stepped off the train. Rarity smiled as she found Applejack waiting for them with a group of local ponies.
"Rarity," the newly-elected mayor welcomed flatly with a nod.
"Princess Rarity," Blueblood corrected with a glare. "Your old friend is royalty now, and should be addressed as such."
Rarity quickly shook her head as she saw the frown on Applejack's face. "Please, beloved. Applejack is an old friend. We can forget such lapses in protocol."
Applejack smiled appreciatively at Rarity and took a deep breath. "Apologies, Your Highness. I'm honored to have you both visit Ponyville." While it wasn't evident to the casual listener, Rarity knew her friend well enough to hear the bitterness in her voice. Applejack tipped her head in Blueblood's direction before turning to the ponies behind her. "This my assistant Bonbon," she said as she pointed at the cream mare. She then tipped her head in a light amber stallion's direction "This here is Caramel. He's been leading a good part of the rebuilding efforts."
"A pleasure to see you both again. I only wish we could have come sooner," Rarity replied. "What happened to Ponyville is a tragedy, and both my husband and I are committed to making sure such a thing never happens again."
"This is the protection we can offer to anypony who remains loyal to the crown," Blueblood completed.
"Right," Applejack flatly said. "As long as it'll keep Ponyville safe and away from any battles, I won't support Luna." Her ears drooped even as she met Blueblood's gaze.
"We can't promise that Cloudsdale won't attack again, but Griffingard will do its best to avoid a second battle, Madam Mayor," Antoine said as he joined the conversation.
"It's easy to make promises now, but they shouldn't be fighting this war in the first place!" Caramel argued from behind Applejack. "Enough that you slaughtered Spitfire in cold blood!"
"Hush, Caramel," Applejack mumbled.
"And who are you to question the judgment of your betters?" Blueblood snapped as he stepped forward and glared at Caramel. "This war is necessary. I will not have you question the throne!"
"And I will not have you treat the citizens of Ponyville this way!" Applejack immediately retorted as she butted heads with the prince.
Rarity interjected herself between the two before her husband had a chance to reply. Between Blueblood's pride and Applejack's stubbornness, there was a disaster waiting to happen. "Please, please, let us not get into arguments! We're all allies here."
"Well said, Your Highness," Antoine completed as he bowed his head in her direction.
"Alright, fine," Applejack said as she turned away from Blueblood and nodded at Rarity.
Blueblood harrumphed. "Just remember your manners."
Rarity noticed Applejack mumbling something under her breath, but couldn't make out the words. I hope this wasn't a mistake. Please Applejack, don't antagonize him.
Bonbon stepped forward from behind the mayor. "How about we offer you a tour of the town, Your Highnesses, Ambassador." She smiled and bowed politely at both unicorns and the griffon, although Rarity noticed her eying Antoine suspiciously.
"That sounds splendid, Bonbon," Rarity replied with a smile.
Applejack nodded at her assistant. "We've already begun reconstruction, focusing on making sure we can grow enough food to feed the town. We still have plenty of ponies without a home though, not to mention all the destroyed businesses."
"I'm certain we could spare some workers," Rarity suggested as she smiled at her husband.
"We'll see," Blueblood said in a disgracefully uninterested tone as he looked around.
Applejack frowned, but did not take the bait, to Rarity's relief. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you the worst of the damage, and what we're doing to rebuild Ponyville," the mayor led the way toward the middle of the town.
Sergeant Legerity and a group of guards stepped forward and formed a circle around Rarity and her husband. The princess frowned at the sight of guards watching her even in her hometown, but knew better than to argue.
As the group made its way through Ponyville, ponies gathered to see the royal couple. Rarity smiled and waved at familiar faces, many of which used to be her customers. While some ponies responded with smiles of their own, many actively avoided her gaze. She even met a few angry glares. Do they still see me, or do they only see the crown? Do they blame me for Spitfire's death? For the war itself? she wondered as she adjusted her small golden crown.
"A good part of the southern half of town was destroyed in the battle," Applejack explained as she kept pace with the royal couple. "A few families were lucky enough that their houses could be fixed, but most have been completely destroyed."
"Where are they housed now?" Rarity asked her friend.
"Wherever there's room," Applejack answered. "We have a lot of ponies who volunteered to host refugees. Unoccupied buildings have been converted, too."
"Feel free to use my old boutique," the princess offered with a smile.
Applejack nodded. "Already done. No offense, but I didn't figure you'd use it again any time soon."
"You did the right thing, no apology is needed," Rarity said. "You can settle homeless ponies in my family's house too. They won't be back for a while." She winked at Blueblood, prompting a frown out of him.
"What about food production?" the prince asked, turning to Applejack. "Canterlot depends on your produce."
Applejack sighed. "As I said earlier, we've focused our efforts there, but entire crops were lost. Sweet Apple Acres was completely destroyed, and Carrot Top's carrot farm isn't in great shape either."
"Canterlot's army will need to be fed," Blueblood continued. "While we don't expect you to fight, we will expect you to feed our troops."
"I can't conjure food out of nothing!" Applejack snapped again. "It takes time to grow produce, and it doesn't help that so many of our fields are still filled with riffraff from the battle."
Rarity took her husband's hoof and smiled at him. "Applejack is right, My Prince. In time, Ponyville will be able to supply us with enough food to feed everypony, but they need to rebuild. The best we can do for now is to offer them help, so they do not lose the next harvest."
Applejack nodded as she took a long breath. "I should probably show you the extent of the damage. It'll give you an idea of what's needed."
"Good idea," Antoine said.
They made their way to the southern half of town, where piles of debris ruined what used to be a lovely little neighborhood. As Applejack had mentioned, few houses were still standing, although they obviously had been repaired in a hurry using whatever materials were available.
Blueblood gasped at the sight of the ruins. "I can see what you meant; this house has been completely destroyed." He stared at a house with a broken window and part of the roof patched with what looked like a broken table.
"Actually, three families currently live in this house," Bonbon explained.
"Truly horrible conditions," Antoine commented. "I must again apologize for Griffingard's involvement in this. We will, of course, help with reparations at your request, Madam Mayor."
"Whatever help you can send, I'll take it," Applejack replied, although her averted gaze and low voice betrayed her discomfort.
"I can have soldiers garrisoned near Ponyville within the week," the ambassador explained. "They can help provide security, will deter Cloudsdale from attacking again, and can offer temporary shelter to ponies who might need it."
Applejack frowned and shook her head. "No offense, Ambassador, but your soldiers coming here is what drew the Cloudsdale army to attack in the first place. I was thinking more along the lines of workers and supplies."
"We've suffered enough because of your soldiers." Caramel, who had remained silent so far, added.
"It is, of course, as you wish," Antoine replied with a bow.
Blueblood ground his teeth and turned toward Applejack. "Actually, it is as I wish. Ponyville is too important to leave unguarded. I hereby order you to assist both the Canterlot and Griffingard soldiers as they establish a camp."
Rarity gasped at her husband. "Why was I not informed of this? Why hasn't the council voted on it?"
"I'm informing you now," Blueblood replied with a smirk. "The council doesn't need to approve of military decisions."
"You know, I'm being asked to give a lot, but you haven't offered much," Applejack replied. "I don't know how things are up there in Canterlot, but in Ponyville we don't just order ponies around like that!"
"You're lucky I'm letting you keep your changeling prisoner!" Blueblood snapped. "Yes, we know you have Chrysalis locked up," he added when Applejack gasped.
Rarity winced. This was exactly the kind of situation she feared. "How about we just continue the tour," she suggested. "We can negotiate in good faith once we have all the facts."
"Fine with me," Applejack muttered as she rolled her eyes.
Blueblood opened his mouth to say something but Rarity interrupted him by raising her hoof. "We discussed this, beloved. Trust me on this."
The prince sighed softly. "Very well"
Rarity allowed herself her first genuine smile since she arrived in Ponyville as she entered the Palace of Harmony. While it had taken a bit of arguing, she had managed to convince Sergeant Legerity that she would be fine visiting Applejack and Fluttershy unescorted.
It had been Rarity's suggestion that Bonbon arrange for common citizens to meet both Blueblood and Ambassador Antoine. Perhaps meeting the victims of the battle without having her around would help improve his disposition. More importantly, she could separate her husband and Applejack. She had the opportunity to prepare him for the discussions to come on the train. Now, she had to do the same with her stubborn friend.
Fluttershy's giddy voice broke her reflection. "Rarity! I'm so happy to see you!"
"Fluttershy!" the princess exclaimed as she rushed to her pegasus friend's side and grabbed her in a strong hug. "I missed you when we arrived. It feels like it's been ages!"
"I didn't want to be in the way," Fluttershy said as her eyes turned downward. "With you now a princess, and Applejack having so many requests for you and Prince Blueblood, I figured I'd wait for you to have some free time."
Rarity chuckled lightly. "Now that's something I haven't had in a long time. At least I have Spike to keep me company."
"How sweet of him," Fluttershy replied warmly. She stared at Rarity for a moment before her ears drooped. "So, uhm, I wanted to tell you..." Her voice trailed off as she looked downward again. She sighed softly. "What you're doing is very brave. I know you don't love Prince Blueblood, but I also know you'll do anything to protect Equestria. I can see it, even if Applejack might have a harder time."
"Applejack is only trying to protect Ponyville," Rarity said. "I want to do what I can for her, but she won't be allowed to refuse every request from Canterlot."
"I can if they're ridiculous requests," Applejack's voice loudly announced from the back of the room.
"Nice to finally see you without our respective escorts, Applejack," Rarity said with a smile, ignoring the comment.
"You'll forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm," the mayor replied flatly as she joined Rarity and Fluttershy. "I have a town to rebuild, and I don't have the luxury of enjoying social visits."
Rarity frowned. "And do you really believe I have no intent of helping you? You have my word that before I leave, you'll have additional workers, resources, even grain shipments for the farming community."
"As long as I let your griffon ambassador set up some military camp in Ponyville," Applejack completed with a grunt.
"Really Applejack, why would it be so bad?" Rarity asked.
"I agree with Applejack," Fluttershy interrupted, prompting Rarity to gasp at her.
"Fluttershy, not you too..."
"You don't know what the griffons did," Fluttershy argued with a glare. "They kept me prisoner for weeks in their camp. Even worse, they kept Discord's friends trapped in a pit in horrible conditions! All of it so they could prevent Discord from leaving his Labyrinth. They're the reason I couldn't contact him to begin with!"
Rarity stared blankly at Fluttershy. "Why did they want to contain Discord?"
"To prevent him from affecting anything in Equestria. At least that's what they said. I'm not sure what they really want, but I'm scared to find out."
"I don't have any love for this Cloudsdale army," Applejack added. "That don't mean I trust the griffons. As far as I'm concerned they share their part of the blame for what happened to Ponyville. It's all well and good that their ambassador is willing to come here and apologize, but I don't want to see no griffon soldiers here."
"What about pony soldiers?" Rarity asked.
Applejack sighed. "What's so important about having soldiers here?"
Rarity sighed. "They're worried about Luna loyalists. There was an assassination attempt on Captain Silvermane. Twilight's parents were found to be part of the conspiracy against her."
"What the hay," Applejack blurted with a gasp.
"That's unlike them," Fluttershy completed. "There must be a mistake."
Rarity shook her head. "No mistake. This is what's happening in Equestria now. Ponies are afraid and desperate. It's driving them to reckless actions. I'm sure you heard about the riots in Vanhoover and Fillydelphia." She took a deep breath and stared at both of her friends, who nodded grimly. "Look, I don't like any of this anymore than you do. I need you to trust me on this. Blueblood... He's never been out of Canterlot before today. This is the one chance we have of showing him the consequences of his actions. We can't antagonize him though. I learned to deal with him. Let him believe that he's in charge, and he'll be more likely to listen to reason."
"I expect the same in return," Applejack replied severely. "I didn't want to become mayor, but here I am. This is my town now, and I expect to get the same kind of respect he demands."
"Just compromise. It's all I'm asking," Rarity completed.
"Alright, alright. I won't get him mad if I can avoid it," Applejack said. "And I'll think about allowing pony soldiers. No promises though."
"I'm glad we can still agree and put our differences aside," Fluttershy said. "Now, why don't we go have some tea? We haven't spent quality time together since this madness began, and I'm sure we have a lot of catching up to do."
"Good idea," Rarity said with a smile.
"I suppose I could use some time away from running the town," Applejack added with a smile of her own. "So, princess stuff aside, what's going on with you, Rarity?"
Rarity took another deep breath. "Well, you'll both find out soon enough, so you might as well learn it from me." She gulped as she found both of her friends' eyes glued on her. "I saw Doctor Shimmerheart this morning, and she gave me some news. I'm still uncertain how I feel about it." She took another breath. "Applejack, Fluttershy, I'm pregnant."
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I have a feeling when Twilight returns, Blueblood won't give up the throne so quickly.
That's strange I thought that Blueblood was 52th of his name.
Actually, I think Rarity, a fucking seamstress, is doing a better job ruling Equestria than Luna. Heck, if only Blueblood got out of the picture she could become the next Princess Platinum.
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Was that from the comics? I will admit that I stopped paying as close attention to them. My interpretation of Blueblood is based solely on his one appearance in the show, although most of his personality is obviously made up according to what I needed for the story.
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if I recall correctly it cam from one of Laurence Faust social media comment that said that he was Princess Celestia's nephew 52 generations removed. It is not cannon as such, it has just been used by many authors on FimFiction, and you have to admit that 52th of his name does sound impressive.
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Ah, gotcha. I actually came up with my own explanation early on in the story for Blueblood's actual relationship with Celestia, but I think I might have gotten rid of it as unecessary exposition. Essentially, in my interpretation for this story, the nobility are the descendents of the various children Celestia and Luna had over the centuries. Blueblood is the direct descendent of Celestia's latest son, and the "aunt" thing is mainly used because it's simpler than "great great great grandmother." That was just a little side thing I came up with when doing worldbuilding though.
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Everyone's face when hearing the good news.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN5DeKKO640 Meanwhile, in Canterlot.
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That's right. He's so egotistical he'll name his son Blueblood the 52nd the 2nd.
I can't imagine Rarity letting Blueblood... ugh, you know.
I'll bet Rarity did not enjoy giving herself to Blueblood...
Hmmm normally I'm fine with the deaths of characters because they normally go out in a blaze of glory or go without fear...but this story hits hard when it comes to the executions even with how short and snappy it was the pure fear being portrayed in spitfire just keeps turning my stomach and getting me thinking now I am enlisted in the military and should necessary I will lay my life down but being faced with straight up execution by guillotine none the less, yea I dont know if I could handle it myself either.