I stared up at the dark ceiling, wide awake.
Tomorrow was the first day. Celestia was leaving early tomorrow morning and then the majority of her duties would land on me. I had spent the last couple of days going over the schedule and Celestia promised to give me a set of notes but mostly she just wanted me to just figure things out.
While it was nice that she thought I could do this, this was the same mare that thought that releasing Discord was a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love Celestia, but at times she wasn’t the brightest alicorn.
Sun powers aside.
If I stay awake and stare up at the ceiling and am bored enough, the night will last forever.
The door creeped open and Luna moved inside carefully, peering in my direction, “Still awake?” she asked and crossed the room to climb into the bed next to me.
“What was I thinking? Luna, I’m an idiot,” I groaned and covered my eyes, “I can’t do this.”
“You’ll do fine, My Page,” Luna said and settled down next to me to look down at me, “I’ll help you any way I can and I’m sure Twilight will do the same.”
Pulling her close, I hid my face in her mane.
“…no, seriously. I can’t do this. Luna, if I do this we’ll be at war in fifteen hours. You know how I feel about politics. This won’t end well. I’ll snap and set some sort of ambassador on fire.”
Luna shook her head, “No you won’t. You can’t really use fire spells, remember?”
I glared at her, “Be serious!”
“I will, when you are,” Luna countered with a smile, lifting her head to look at me, “Page, you will do fine.”
Swallowing, I took a deep breath, “…I’ll try.”
Luna hmmed and scooted up to bump her nose against mine, teal eyes almost glowing in the dark, “And how about at the end of every day you finish without starting a major incident, you get a surprise…” she purred.
I blinked at her.
Luna really should be a motivational speaker. Morale completely restored.
XXXXXXXXX
“And here is today’s schedule, Lord Page,” Grey Velvet said and set the calendar before me on the desk, “Today is relatively light and easy.”
Picking it up, I read through it.
The morning was pretty much paperwork followed by lunch and then open court followed by a meeting with some sort of group and then paperwork until dinner.
“Not as bad as I expected,” I admitted and shifted my wings before sipping my tea, “What is the meeting about?”
“The funding of Canterlot Hospital for the next year,” the unicorn said with a smile, flicking through her clipboard, “But it is just a preliminary meeting before the real one next week.”
I slowly nodded, “Oh. So, I’ll just be deciding how much money will be spent on ponies in case of life and death. No pressure.”
That got a smile from the unicorn, “I hardly think Princess Celestia would leave you to do this if she didn’t think you could do it, Lord Page.”
I looked at her and then sighed and sipped my tea, “That doesn’t mean I have to agree with her. Tomorrow's schedule?”
“Right here,” she said and turned the page.
Picking the calendar up, I flipped through it. Meeting, court, meeting. Paperwork, budget meeting. Inspecting the royal guard.
Ambassadorial dinner, ambassadorial dinner, meeting about trade agreements.
New griffon ambassador arrives next week.
Hmming, I turned the next page. Yep, there is the reception to greet him. More meetings.
She was right, today was easy. Some of the other days were basically packed from sunrise to sunset.
“Question, Miss Velvet… how many of these do I ‘have’ to take?”
“As many as you want to, My Lord. It’s up to you.”
I slowly nodded and turned back to the first page again, “Let’s keep it like it is right now. As for the griffon ambassador’s arrival, make a note that we should serve griffon food. I noticed that last time all we served was pony food.”
Velvet raised an eyebrow, looking uncertain, “…Like what, My Lord?”
“Fish for example. I’m sure we will be able to find somepony that can handle it?” I asked, closing the calendar.
She cringed a bit and then nodded, “Of course, Lord Page. I will attempt to find somepony…”
“Perhaps a griffon? They would know it the best.”
“Of course.”
Thanks for the update!!
Yes!!! First to read!!! Muhahahahahahahahaahahahahhahahahahaha
Huh, it was apparently bad form when the griffons fed the Princesses griffon food by "mistake", but that was what happened to the griffons with pony food at their last ambassadorial reception. Double standards? Or subtle power plays that Celestia makes all the time?
I'm really hoping that things turn out well with the new ambassador. At the very least I hope that he'll be pleasantly suprised at his meal.
8656133
First to get disliked too it seems
8656172
Apparently, the primary difference is that, while griffons will eat anything considered "pony food", (most) ponies don't eat fish. Thus, while a meal of "pony food" would be acceptable by everyone at the table, a meal containing fish would be culturally repulsive to the ponies.
Page breaks this by being an (ex-)omnivore, and thus perfectly happy (perhaps a bit too happy) to eat the fish.
What I like best about this chapter is where Luna comforted her fiancé after he struggled with thinking that momentarily taking Celestia's place was a bad idea.
8656449
Doesn't change the fact they could have provided some food like that. Page would have appreciated it. Though that may have been why Celestia didn't, to avoid the public image of Blank Page eating meat, something he is likely to not consider or ignore.
this is going to go really good..
No, they're more like EOD spells....
It would be funny if by the end of Celestia's vacation, many ponies would prefer him for some meetings, appearances, and some other tidbits.
"New griffon ambassador" well that alone is going to be interesting to see. As I have and most likely will, I have really enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next one.
8656733
You know what, I wouldn't be surprised and yes, definitely funny.
Luna as a motivational speaker would help anyone get out of bed in the morning or to get things done in general!
8658778
Smexy motivation.
9369979
Yeah, the catch is that you're on the bottom
10483042
Weather or not you want it
8658778
A 'good' nights sleep and then promises of fun
Page could stand to make more non Pony friends...
He thinks that now wait till he gets one of those "surprises"
10968508
Yeah, but there aren't a lot of options in Canterlot. You know being the Pony Capital and all.
11316472
Pretty sure there will still be more than a hoove full.
Sushi for the Ambassador?
Priceless
👍
Wonder if the other nation ambassadors will learn of a page temporary ruling. A big chance for a nation, with opportunities and potencial threats.
He is a rather offensiv Alicorn in many matters.