The Noblesse Oblige Part I

by Aquarian_Sage

M'lady

“You know, when somepony goes through the trouble of using such powerful magic to get in here (during visiting hours I might add), they typically have a destination in mind. Do you have somewhere you need to be?”

Well. He had made it this far.

He spoke knowing not one sound would get out.

Celestia’s eternal smile was replaced by a slight frown as she analyzed the seal.

“Shall I undo the spell, little one?”

His nod was all she needed.

The alicorn lit up her horn and tapped it against his muzzle.

As she pulled away, a translucent red ribbon of enchantment followed her horn.

He opened his mouth freely for the first time in a month.

Celestia gazed in disdain at the ribbon of magic before dispelling it.

At last he could feel himself gain control of his voice.

“The princess,” he croaked.

“I’m sorry. Could you please repeat that?”

“Princess!” he repeated again with more force.

The queen processed his word for a moment before she understood. “You wish to see Princess Blueblood?”

“Yes,” he nodded vigorously, not having faith in his neglected voice to carry the point across.

“Hm, well, I have matters that need attending to at the moment, but I shall not be long. I will personally take you to her the moment I finish. In the mean time, stay by me.”

Noble Heart bowed deeply to his queen, letting his horn tip touch the floor.

“Follow me,” she commanded gently.

They made their way to the throne room, where petitioners were lined up well out the door.

“Have you found the disturbance, m’lady?” her secretary asked, not even bothering to look up from his pad.

“Yes. Turned out to be a false alarm.”

“Ah,” he nodded. “Nice to know that everything’s right as rain. Here’s your last petitioner.”

“Yes, thank you, Steady Hoof.”

Noble Heart waited patiently for Queen Celestia to hear out the peasant, trying to think about what he was going to say to his aunt once he saw her. Perhaps it would be best if he organized his argument for the return of Nightmare Moon through his books and scrolls…

“Everypony, may I have your attention, please!” Celestia called out to her subjects. “The time for petitioning is over and I must rest for the night.”

Groans and sighs answered her.

“I will see you tomorrow at our usual time. Good night, my little ponies! May the moon and stars guide on your journeys home!”

And the peasants filed out.

Noble Heart glanced at his queen from the corner of his eye.

For somepony who had been forced to do battle with the moon, she certainly bore no ill will towards it.

“Well, little one, it’s time to see the princess.”

“The princess?” her secretary questioned in surprise. “But don’t you want to eat?”

“I’d love to, Steady Hoof, but I’m afraid I have a promise to keep, so off to Princess Blueblood I go.”

The stallion shrugged. “Of course, my queen. I’ll see you tomorrow morning then. Good night.”

“Eat well, Steady Hoof. Bye.”

The pair walked down the halls of Castle Canterlot. “So…” she prodded. “Is there any reason in particular you would like to see the princess, or were you hoping she’d undo that zipped-lips spell?”

“Both,” he croaked.

“I see. I suppose I’ll drop you off and get to my meal. I’ll have Princess Blueblood arrange a place for you to sleep tonight.”

He looked at her desperately. “Stay,” he begged.

“You would like me to stay?” Celestia asked. “My. It must be very important if you need a queen for support.”

He nodded.

They reached Princess Blueblood’s apartment and Celestia knocked on her door. Noble Heart was glad she found him when he did. The last drops of the sea had evaporated, so there was no way he would have found his aunt in this maze.

“Blueblood?” she gently called. “Blueblood, my love, it’s me.”

“Enter, my queen, though you need not permission.”

The two ponies stepped into the chambers only to find Princess Blueblood in the middle of wrapping herself up in a robe.

She bowed as deeply her knees would permit her. “My queen, to what do I owe the honor?”

Celestia embraced and kissed her decrepit niece, and helped her properly tie her robe. “I am not here for my sake, but on behalf of his,” she pointed to him with her wing.

“Ah,” Blueblood smirked, adoration in her voice being replaced with conceited amusement. “And to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Noble Heart dropped his panniers, pulled out ‘Predictions and Prophesies,’ and opened to the page that held the damning prediction. He could now feel nausea swell in his belly, but he ignored it.

The princess tugged the book from his magical grip and levitated it over to her. As she read the passage, she laughed a joyless laugh.

“And you expect me to believe this tripe?” she sneered. “Half of these so-called prophesies never came true, and those that did are so vague that any fool with half a mind could see that you could fit any period in history to them. What proof do you have that the Mare in the Moon is going to come back?”

“Blueblood,” Celestia warned. “I would like to remind you to behave. He’s a colt, not a challenging duelist. Be kind.”

But both Platinums essentially ignored her. Whether she saw it or not, this was a duel, and they both needed to fight it.

Noble Heart fished through his saddle bags again and this time he pulled out his moon charts. He unfurled the scrolls one by one on the floor in front of the queen and princess. He then pointed to where the Mare in the Moon was and where she was not.

“Artistic liberties,” Blueblood waved off his silent explanation.

Noble Heart scowled, but he didn’t give up yet. He pulled out the anthology containing the ‘Story of the Heavenly Sisters’ and showed it not to the princess, but to the queen.

Celestia’s breath hitched in her throat. “Just where did you get this?” she murmured as she drank in the pictures of the worst moment of her life.

“Library." He didn’t dare say more, now keeping focused on standing steady, despite his spinning head.

His aunt chuckled. “So now you know. Have you told anypony else?”

He shook his head.

“Good, good,” she nodded as she lay back down in bed. “It’s nice to see a Platinum who isn’t a complete idiot.”

Celestia shut the book and stared at its cover. The golden unicorn with emerald eyes stared back.

“Now tell me, boy: with the apocalypse upon us, what will you do?”

Noble Heart shrugged. He had never really gotten this far in his planning, but he wasn’t too bothered by it. The hard part was over. The rest would come along.

“You don’t know, eh? Pity. You seemed to have everything else in the spades when you have time to think things through.”

He shrugged again, unsure of what else to do.

“May I keep this?” Celestia murmured, her eyes reverent to the tome.

Noble Heart thought it over: on the one hoof, it technically belonged to his parents, but on the other, who would refuse their queen?

Eh, he liked the queen better anyway. He nodded and instantly regretted it, feeling his stomach churn by the movement.

“Will you not speak to your Lady when she speaks with you?” Blueblood snapped. “Bah, such callous disrespect these days.”

He glared at his aunt for a moment and then vomited all over her rug.

Author's Note:

Please point out any typos.

Comments

[LordBucket]

“It’s nice to see a Platinum who isn’t complete idiot.”

who isn't a complete idiot.

“Now tell me, boy: with the apocalypse upon us, what will you do?”
Noble Heart shrugged.

Think you need an extra carriage return there.

He looked at her desperately. “Stay,” he begged.

I realize you need Celestia to be present for the conversation between Noble Heart and the Princess, but it's not necessary for him to command her like you have him doing here. After she escorts him, it would be perfectly reasonable for her to stay out of simple curiosity. Surely Princess Blueblood wouldn't send her away.

“May I keep this?” Celestia murmured, her eyes reverent to the tome.

Would the Canterlot library not have a copy?

[Aquarian_Sage]

6552236

Would the Canterlot library not have a copy?

It's explained later. But if you've already read all the chapters to both Part I and II, I'll tell you. Nopony realized that the Platinums (not even the Platinums) even had a copy of the Tale of the Two Sisters, so their copy of the book escaped the 'Luna/Nightmare Moon purge.'