Trotting towards the closed door, I carefully pushed it open and slipped through into the throne room. Keeping to the back, I kept out of sight, sticking close to one of the pillars close to the main doors, behind most of the crowd and general hanger-ons.
Celestia was on her throne like normal when she held court, in this case she seemed to be handling an application for a loan from the crown.
I settled down to watch. Normally those were handled lower down and only reached one of the Princesses to sign or if they were large enough to demand personal attention.
I mostly ignored what was being said to observe Celestia. She had the same smile on as I had seen her use a thousand times before. The friendly half professional, half motherly smile she used in public. What she was really thinking behind it was impossible to determine.
Not without having seen her dreams in any case.
She was lonely.
I also happened to know that Thunder Cloud had a thing for her even if there was no way he would ever dare do anything about it.
Not that I could blame him really. I mean, look at her. If the size, snow white coat and northern lights mane didn’t make it clear enough, the fact that she controlled the sun kind of made it abundantly clear to anyone that learned of her...
She was as much of a Goddess as my Luna.
Of course, I didn’t have the kind of feelings for her as I had for Luna. If it wasn’t for Luna… then maybe in time. Celestia was one of my best friends after all.
Sunset was silly, but she wasn’t completely wrong. Just not in the way she thought she was.
I couldn’t spend the next couple of months with Luna. Fine. I just have to find some other way to occupy my time between my dream duties and writing.
I really should introduce Thunder Cloud to Celestia. He already has a thing for her, he just needs to get to know her as a person, not as a Goddess and I think she would enjoy his company.
Yes. That I could do.
The horn sounded and the Court was over. Ponies started to file out as Celestia stood up from the throne, her wings held high and to the side, showing their entire span.
I just waited until the last pack of noble hanger-ons moved past and the doors closed before I moved away from the pillars and onto the soft carpet along the middle of the room to approach the throne, “Celestia.”
“Page,” she said, her smile shifting slightly in a way only somepony that knew her well would be able to tell, turning more real, “Welcome back.”
“Thanks,” I said and smiled up at her, “How’s Canterlot?”
“As well as can be expected.”
I just nodded at that. I knew exactly how busy she must be, especially now with Luna out of the country.
“Twilight arrived with Starlight Glimmer,” Celestia said, “She explained everything in greater detail than Rainbow Dash did.”
I just snorted at that, “I should have written it down?”
“Remind me to teach you and Twilight how to send messages without dragon fire,” she said in amusement, “But we got the general idea on what went on. Well done, Lord Page.”
“Sunset was the one to knock her down.”
“So I heard. I intend to go see her tonight,” Celestia said and flicked her ear, “Want to get something to eat?”
I nodded and moved up next to her, “Please.”
I had rather missed the chefs of the castle while in Ponyville. Spike was good and all, but he wasn’t world class.
By the time we arrived at her private dining room, the food was already on the table and nice and warm.
Celestia smiled at the ponies attending, the chef standing by the door, “Thank you, Silver Bright. It look lovely.”
“My pleasure, Princess.” The unicorn with the grey, almost silvery coat answered with a bow.
“We will be dining alone tonight,” Celestia continued, “Please?”
“Of course, Princess. Just let us know if there is anything you require.”
Moments later, we were alone in the room and Celestia sank down on one of the thick pillows by the table before she visibly relaxed, her forehead thumping against the table.
I let my illusion go and stretched my wings. If she was so sure we were alone that she could do that, then nopony would see them.
“Are you okay?”
Raising her head again, Celestia nodded, “I am. It has just been… a long day.”
“Ah.” I agreed and sank down across from her, “Want to talk about it?”
Celestia shook her head and filled her goblet from one of the bottles of wine, “It’s nothing special. Just… small thing after small thing. I’m glad you all made it back safe.”
“We all have those days,” I agreed and then smiled, “Thanks. It really is good to be back.”
“Sorry you missed Luna.”
“Me too,” I said and then frowned up at the large Alicorn, “Lots of things to do?”
“Running Equestria had gotten so much easier with Luna back,” Celestia admitted with a small smile, “Always so much to do when she isn’t around.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
It's a trap! Don't volunteer, Page
“Anything I can do to help?” Famous last words
Missing an S there at look.
7988111 Suddenly he's balancing the budget of the kingdom for the 7th night in a row with eyes sunken deeper than Twilights ever been when he suddenly wondered, "What happened?"
Celestia: yes, you can do my taxes.
7988126
7988111 farm3.static.flickr.com/2044/2369948824_e1d0287710.jpg
7988126 yes, you could register this fiscal years' taxes... for Canterlot and Ponyville
Discord? Where are you?
7988156
He has abandoned the doomed timeline, obviously.
7988167 Doomed?! How?
7988126 wouldn't she not have to pay taxes as she kind of is the government?
Oh no! Page is becoming the Alicorn of... Shipping!
Famous last words, Page.
7988174 depends on the government... I think the Queen of England pays taxes...
"Now kissu." *Clack clack*
"Page, why are you holding small action figures of myself and another pony?"
"Shipping practice."
"Unfortunately, Page, the shipping companies charge too much for packaging and transporting me. Even with the resources of the crown, you couldn't ship me with a solid gold airship."
"I can't tell if you're ignorant of what I meant by shipping, trolling me, or making an incredibly profound and sad personal observation." *Clack clack* "Well, I can scratch one off, but I haven't made formal wedding plans yet."
*Sinister smile.* "Who said anything about you making plans? Now kissu."
in an alternate timeline: "i should introduce him to her!"
Cadance pops infront of him and knocks him over.
"NO, SHIPPING IS MY DEPARTMENT, STICK TO DREAMS LOVERBOY!" then she pops out without anybody but page noticing
wait shes doing crystal princessing now though...
What's this, hints of original plot content on the way, filling the gaps before canon events try to assert themselves?
Wonderful, you shook the crackers in a ziplock bag of salt, didn't you?
Also, I understand Page promised to help his friend out but this doesn't factor Celestia's feelings, and how she'd view this
7988168
There are stories with "doomed timelines" which are timelines that have been made obsolete due to time travel, or a paradox, or fate. Various entities that are outside of time (like deities or other time travelers) abandon the doomed timelines. Cease interacting with it. It's usually automatic for them, like using a spell to "see" into the future. If you saw future A, but changed something and now see future B, your spell has "abandoned" the doomed timeline of future A, since it will no longer interact with it.
Anyway, Discord vanished after the showdown with Tirek. The trunk was never opened. Twilight's Crystal Palace never made. No cutie map... and so on.
7988223 Paying taxes could very easily go the other way depending on how things are organized. I know the Roman emperors didn't differentiate between their personal wealth and the wealth of the government so all taxes were paid directly to the emperor, and I'm fairly sure many monarchs did the same thing through much of history. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Celestia and Luna ran things the same way to streamline things a bit, especially since the princesses don't seem to have the kind of greed some historical monarchs had so there's no real motivation to separate the accounts.
Of course, if that's the case the phrase "do my taxes" means go collect them, which would basically make Page the head of the IRS.
7988311 Wasn't Discord still a lawn ornament in this timeline?
7988197 7988110
"Page? What have you done!" I believe you just offered your soul for the duration of the time Luna is away. Luckily you offered it to someone motherly like Celestia, unluckily you also offered to a monarch struggling to keep up the work load.
7988126
Much like Rammy, I love your jester.
7988156
An excellent Question.
7988167
Obviously.
7988168
I don't think it's doomed. Though that does raise the original questions: Where is Discord and Why hasn't revealed himself.
7988110 "I'll turn you white, change the colour and length of your hair then cast a growth spell on you."
"um...why?"
"Take over for me."
As my grandfather told me when I joined the army,
"Whatever you do, never volunteer!"
7988356 that would be an extremely trollestia act. I love it!
7988190
He better back off before Cadance bitchslaps him for stepping on her turf.
Page is walking into the trap most others do, pair a immortal mentally with a mortal. Subconsciously she likely views her ponies as children or would at worse feel as if she's cradle robbing them if only to get some decades of joy out of it. Add onto that any relationship would need a minimum standard 'socially' for it not to be some major scandal and may result in her playing favoritism of any tribe of pony, imagine the 'fads' that would come out with parents grooming a type of foal to what they think is the Princess's ideal stud or stallion.
But on another hoof he'll need his own lessons and psychological help as time progresses with his friends growing old and passing on, that would be a kick to the balls emotionally. Also what will he do when he runs out of book ideas that he barrows without intentions of returning? Or someone coming up with similar styles like his 'groundbreaking' works.
7988110
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw11067-Its_a_trap.png
R.I.P Blank Page.
7988115
Dammit. How didn't I notice that?
7988315
Discord joined forces with Tirek as canon, but never got the chance to be betrayed. He ran away... somewhere.
Lucky him that Cadance isn't in Canterlot to 'help' his plans huh?
derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/1/29/537511__safe_solo_shipping_photo_image+macro_princess+cadance_parody_reaction+image_ponies+in+real+life_car.jpg
....thus Blank Page slowly loses his will to live due to massive weight of paperwork Celestia gives him that day!
Celestia: You're going to be a Prince eventually....learn to suck it up!!
7988653 one day somehow we going to get a chapter less than 500 words from this story... Aren't we.
Bonus points for Page if he can get Thunder Cloud to use that, "I want to make you squeak." line.
7988572
It's been mentioned earlier in the series that Celestia has had many relationships over the years.
That moment when you ask if they need help just to be polite because you don't really want to help, and they say yes. And after that, you don't really have a choice so you help.
7988110 To late, now he will regret what he said.
7988744 True, though the question is do these ponies live by equine standards of 25-30 years or humanish? Though the way they see relationships has been flipped on their heads with Page now in the immortal class, but that only means for a good while they will have more experience over him in fields until he adapts.
You FOOL! Page, you utter FOOL!
Luna: "How did my sister die!?"
Doctor Slaughter: "It would seem that Prince Page offered to help her with her work. The shock of anypony being that utterly stupid was what killed her."
Luna: "Is this confirmed?"
Doctor Slaughter: "As reported by the guards who witnessed their conversation and her collapse, yes."
Luna: "Page....you idiot! "
7988223
Well...yes but officially no. The Crown is exempt from taxation, but the Queen voluntarily pays money to HM Revenue and Customs to compensate for that exemption.
this story is defiantly turning out to be interesting.
but I have one question how are you planning on handling the key's needed to open the crystal box Twilight has?
7988810 This is so true it actually hurts a bit...
Good luck Page... you'll need it...
Ooooh.. you just had to ask, didn't you, Page?
Still waiting for dark magic to rear its ugly head again. Luna being surprised he could just drop it and walk away is too juicy a Chekov's gun not to follow up on.
Page and Celestia: Best Siblings Ever.
Page, you fool! You just gave an open ended offer to volunteer!
I'll make sure to have something suitably inappropriate to say at your funeral.
9082408
Yas. We shall embarrass the death out of him.
Oooo... really shouldn't have said that Page