Teatime - A Novel Of Twilight & Celestia

by bigbear

Chapter 33 - At The Gala

The last of the foreign ambassadors and hereditary princes had been announced. Only the two ruling princesses remained. Twilight stood in the hall just beyond the doorway leading to the Grand Ballroom. Celestia was not there. “She wants her entrance to surprise everypony, even me,” Twilight thought.

The Grand Ballroom of the Castle of the Crystal Empire was larger than the one in Canterlot Castle. Blues dominated the castle’s color scheme. Royal blue floors polished to a mirror finish supported faceted cobalt pillars. Indigo tapestries hung from gleaming white walls. Canterlot Castle had a red carpet leading from the entrance to the dais. This castle had an amethyst one.

Most guests were announced as they entered via the large double doors in the left wall. They walked the amethyst carpet to the center of the room. There they turned right, and then walked to the dais to pay their respects to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. A few of the most important guests would have a more impressive entrance.

The most striking element of the Grand Ballroom was the enormous crystal staircase. The VIPs were announced at the top. They made their way down to the amethyst carpet and promenaded directly to pay their respects. Then they took their place before the dais with the Princess and the Prince. The last two guests introduced were Twilight and Celestia.

“Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Day!” the seneschal called.

Twilight could hear murmurings from the crowd that filled the Grand Ballroom. She stood tall and emerged at the top of the crystal staircase. The murmurings fell to silence. Twilight began her slow walk down the stairs. Her cape and train flowed majestically behind her. The Grand Ballroom was filled with ponies and other sentients in their colorful best. Spike and the girls had secured positions in the front of the crowd at the base of the crystal staircase. They all had big welcoming smiles.

For much of the assembled crowd, this was the first time they’d seen their new Princess of the Day in such a manner. She was taller than many remembered, more regal. They’d known her as royal student, heroine, and junior to the other princesses. Now her countenance and demeanor, as well as her attire and adornment, were of a ruling princess.

The impression hit the assembled like a lightning bolt. Many were stunned into silence and immobility. Others “oohed” and “aahed” at the display. Then the crowd seemed to recover their wits. First a few, then more, and finally the entire audience bowed low to honor her.

Twilight reached the bottom of the stairs. She nodded in appreciation to the prostrate crowd. They rose. She smiled at her friends standing nearby. They all grinned back at her. Maybe it was their connection through the Elements of Harmony or the intensity of their friendship but their happiness seemed to make the girls glow. Pinkie raised a hoof and waved her greeting wildly.

Rather than proceed up the amethyst carpet to the dais, Twilight turned back to look up the stairs. She was not the only Princess of the Day here tonight and she wanted everypony to know she and Celestia were a team. She nodded to the seneschal to proceed. “Her Royal Majesty, Princess Celestia, Princess of the Day!” he called.

Celestia stepped onto the balcony at the top of the crystal staircase. For her first few steps, she had on her “court smile” while she looked about. When she spotted Twilight at the base of the stairs, Celestia’s eyes lit and her ‘just for Twilight’ smile emerged.

Twilight’s eyes went wide at the site of Celestia. “Oh Rarity, you magnificent mare,” she thought.

Celestia seemed to float as she descended. Her gown was of the same crystal spider silk as Twilight’s own. It didn’t need a cape or train, Celestia’s mane and tail flowed about her as always.

The colors of Celestia’s gown were also asymmetrical like Twilight's. The yellow of the sun faded into a red of the sunrise, and finally to the sky blue of the day. But while Twilight’s half of the sun was on her right, Celestia’s was on her left. When Celestia got to the base of the stairs, she reached out a wingtip. Twilight reciprocated. They each made the slightest brush against the other's feathers. Twilight took up position next to Celestia and the images on their gowns meshed. It was as if the sun was being held between them.

Twilight and Celestia proceeded down the amethyst carpet, paid their respects to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, and took their places.

“Welcome all to the Crystal Empire and to the Hearts and Hooves Day edition of the Grand Galloping Gala!” Cadance said. “We are here, in the presence of the Crystal Heart, to celebrate all the ponies we love: partners, family, friends, and more. May the light and love you share here tonight lift you all year long!” The crowd gave a great stomping ovation and the maestro struck up the band.

Being royal guests at the Gala was very different from being the hosts. In previous years, Celestia, and later Celestia and Twilight, had to spend long stretches in receiving lines greeting dignitaries and other important ponies. Tonight they were free to roam the ballroom floor as they wished. Also, being royal seemed to come with a built-in shield against guests barging in on them. If either Twilight or Celestia initiated conversation, guests were more than happy to engage with them. A few were tongue-tied when dealing with the risers of the sun and rulers of all ponydom. But most of the sapiens that got into the most exclusive party in Equestria knew how to handle themselves with royalty.

During a break in the conversation, Twilight and Celestia grabbed a bite at the buffet table. Twilight was happy to get some punch to wet her throat. Celestia eyed large slices of a multi-layer cake.

She stroked a wingtip over Twilight's feathers to get her attention. “You look very beautiful tonight.”

“You look wonderful too,” Twilight replied. She’d barely suppressed a shiver from Celestia’s touch. “Rarity and Starlight did an amazing job on the gowns.”

Celestia nodded. “They certainly did.”

At the talk of the gowns, a nearby unicorn cocked an ear. “Hello Sunburst,” Twilight said to Starlight’s fillyhood friend. “Starlight tells me we have you to thank for obtaining the fine cloth our gowns are made of.”

“Oh yes, your highness,” Sunburst replied. He was a magical researcher and trainer who took care of Cadance and Shinny’s daughter Flurry Heart. “I found notes about crystal spider silk in the Empire Archives.” He gazed at Twilight’s flowing cape and train. “Even with the silk, I wasn’t sure Starlight could make those move with the thaumic flow.”

“I’ve found there’s little that friends can’t do together when they put their mind to it,” Celestia interjected.

“I especially like the story the gowns tell together,” Sunburst said. “From the dawn of a clear day to sunset on a stormy evening.”

“I don’t think…” Twilight stopped and noticed she was standing on Celestia’s right side this time. The sky blue on the right of Celestia's dress joined with the sky blue trim on her dress to create a different image than before. The scalloping on the edge of the “twilight purple” on her gown now resembled a storm cloud. “I didn’t think they would be so beautiful together from both sides, but they are,” she continued. “Rarity is extremely talented.”

Twilight looked across the floor and spotted Rarity and Applejack dancing. By her memory, the band had played six pieces so far. The two friends had been together on the dance floor for each one. Twilight smiled at the thought. Love was in the air for some ponies tonight.

Sunburst had excused himself and Celestia had stepped away from the buffet. Her muzzle was pristine, but she left several empty plates behind.

“Enjoying the cake?”

Twilight looked to the sound of the teasing voice. Nopony would talk to Celestia in that tone.

Nopony except another princess.

“Yes, Cadance, it was quite delicious,” Celestia replied.

The pink alicorn and co-host of the Gala stepped up to Twilight and Celestia. “I could have another couple sent up to your room later this evening?” Cadance teased again.

“I would never turn down the generosity of the Princess of Love on her day,” Celestia continued. She seemed determined to try and keep Cadance from one-upping her.

“Cadance are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“Twilight, you’ve grown so much!” Cadance squealed as she gave her a sisterly wing-hug. While they were embraced Cadance whispered, “I think there’s so much love happening here I’m getting a little loopy.” Louder she said, “The Crystal Heart is working overtime tonight.”

The Princess of Love was sensitive to the feelings ponies had for each other. She also had the power to subconsciously remind ponies why they felt in love in the first place. The magical prompt was often enough to help those in emotional trouble find the courage to connect with those they loved.

Twilight knew the Crystal Heart gathered the love and light from every pony in Equestria. It recycled it back across the land through the aurora. The heart was also Cadance’s mark and she was mystically connected to it.

Between her sensitivity to the emotions in the Grand Ballroom and the love flowing through the Crystal Heart, Cadance was not her normal self this evening. Twilight looked around for Sunburst and motioned him over. “Princess Cadance could use some help finding the Prince. Could you please take her to Shining Armor and be sure they stay together until she feels better?”

“Of course, your highness,” Sunburst replied. “Princess Cadance, please follow me.”

“All right Sunburst,” Cadance replied. “Where’s your friend Starlight? The two of you are so good together…”

After Cadance walked away, Celestia said, “I’m sure she’ll be alright.”

“Sunburst and my brother will take care of her,” Twilight replied. Nopony seemed to be demanding their attention at the moment so… “Celestia, would you like to take a walk with me?”

“That would be lovely,” Celestia said. The two alicorns slipped away from the festivities and headed toward one of the side doors.

Comments

[njits23]

Aaah, twas a two-part dress. Now the colour scheme makes a lot more sense, especially since they magically interact.

“Starburst and my brother will take care of her,”

I think that'd be Sunburst. Sure, the sun is a star, but that doesn't work that way with names.

[bigbear]

8206349 Fixed. Thanks for the catch.

[Arzoo]

8207266
8206349

This is where you answer, "no problem, largemammal!"