Crystal Note - Where life leads us

by TalkingToMyself

Home alone - Part II

Crystal Note sat on the small balcony near the top of the eastern tower. The room she’d been given for her stay had a balcony as well, but she sought out the height and solitude of the top balcony tonight. She didn’t mind the coolness of the night as she watched the last few lights from the city in some distance. It was already past midnight and the sea of lights from earlier had shrunk considerably. Crystal Note looked up at the sky again where the full moon stood in an ocean of glittering stars. Intuitively, her eyes searched for common constellations and she quickly found the North Star. Even though she was far away from home, she could still see it clearly and it gave her some comfort that her three charges could see it as well. Although she hoped that her fillies were already in bed at this hour, otherwise they’d risk falling asleep in class tomorrow.

This balcony was one of her preferred spots in the Canterlot Palace. The long set of narrow stairs repelled most of the unicorns and earth ponies to climb up so far, and any pegasus who would wish to join her would have to do so by flying up from the outside, giving the mare more than enough time to retreat. She’d found this balcony during her first stay at the Canterlot Palace and ever since cherished the solitude it offered as well as the stunning view, day or night.
A soft sigh escaped as Crystal Note thought back to those years, when she had filled in as an ambassador for Princess Cadance and the Crystal Empire. It had been a joke, at first. She had been a travelling musician back then and frequently visited the capital of the kingdom, so Princess Celestia had started inviting her to the palace under the mantle of diplomatic reasons. In truth, all they ever did was chat and the two royal sisters enjoyed getting a private concert ever so often, as much as Crystal Note enjoyed having another place where she was always welcome. Today, she smiled at how insecure she’d felt in those days and how good it felt that everypony in the palace wanted to reassure her. She had made a lot of friends in the palace alone, mostly in the royal staff but also with a few of the ponies who frequently arrived for courts or audiences.

What had started as a joke became a convenience soon. Princess Celestia and most of all Princess Cadance encouraged her to take a more active role in politics, even if she rarely did more than watch and listen whenever she joined a meeting of the court. She’d write a report to Princess Cadance and add her own recommendations and thoughts, for which the Princess of the Crystal Empire was always grateful. However, in her heart Crystal Note was never a politician. While it helped occasionally to throw the nobles of Canterlot off loop with her down-to-earth way of thinking, she never liked when other ponies tried to pull her into their plots or even tried to influence the Princesses through her. While it was true she talked a lot with Princess Celestia and Luna, they barely ever talked about politics. Celestia preferred light and easy stories about the ponies and places Crystal Note had seen on her travels, while with Luna she often ended up with stories from the past or deep in thought on how much everything had changed over the long years they had missed.

Still, Princess Cadance kept calling her into her service as an ambassador frequently and Crystal Note always complied and tried to do her best. She was deeply grateful for her Princess, not only for what the Princess did for the Crystal Empire, but also for all the support she received, even though she lived out of the Empire and was the only crystal unicorn. Unbeknown to Crystal Note, Princess Cadance also made sure to share Crystal Note’s revelations with the ponies of her empire. By doing so, even those who were still appalled by the thought of accepting a crystal unicorn as part of the Crystal Empire could see the effort and work Crystal Note put into helping the Crystal Empire, even if she wasn’t a part of it right now. Just like when she had been an earth pony filly back all those years, her deep need of belonging and being beneficial for the ponies she cared for filled her with desire to always conquer any task she was given by Princess Cadance.
So much that even today, she still followed the call of her Princess and the Crystal Council, despite the fact that three fillies back home needed her.

As she sat on the balcony and stared into the night, Crystal Note was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t notice the shadowy form that gently descended on her. She only heard the flap of powerful wings when someone landed next to her, taller than Crystal Note and with a coat and mane that matched the beauty of the night.
Reflexively, Crystal Note bowed to the alicorn princess who had joined her
“Princess Luna!”
The princess giggled at her surprised expression and didn’t even try to hide a smile, satisfied that she had managed to surprise the crystal pony
“Greetings to you as well, Crystal Note. It is quite a night for stargazing, if I may say so myself.”
Crystal Note smiled and nodded
“Your night is beautiful as always, Princess. But I don’t think you came just to hear that from me. You’re usually not one to brag.”
They giggled at their friendly banter and Luna sat next to her friend from the Crystal Empire
“You have a long day behind you and an even longer one ahead, Crystal Note. Don’t you think you should get some sleep?”
Crystal Note nodded but didn’t move, her eyes glued on the stars in the sky. Luckily, Luna still had a trump card in check
“Crystal Note, what would Velvet Heart say if she knew you’re staying up all night long?”
As expected and hoped, the crystal unicorn let out a little groan that ended in a giggle
“She would never let me hear the end of it and then Sweetie Tooth would haggle for a later bedtime… again.”
Both friends laughed softly this time even if Crystal Note ended on a soft sigh
“I know it’s only been two days, but by all stars, I miss them so much already.”

Luna nodded and stayed at Crystal Note’s side, sharing comfort and company. Of course the princess knew all about the three fillies. Even if Crystal Note decided to live in the Crystal Empire from now on, they still shared letters and took any opportunity to meet and talk
“I remember the night we first met, Crystal Note. In my mind’s eye, I still see the young, fearful mare who was plagued by doubt and insecurity and whose fate seemed so uncertain back then. Now look at you, Crystal Note. You’ve come very far since that night.”
Crystal Note blushed at those praising words, but with a smile
“I couldn’t have done any of it without your help, Princess.”
“You’ve overcome your fear and your past, you use your special talent and your magic to bring happiness to other ponies and brighten their days. You’ve taken three lost fillies into your heart so they will never have to feel that fear themselves. And now, you’re even working on helping an entire nation to let go off old fears and move on.”
Crystal Note’s blush doubled and the smile faded
“Now you’re just trying to give me a big head, Luna. The Crystal Council did all the work, I’m just here because they asked me.”
“You’re making my point, Crystal Note. You’re here, not for your own gain, but for the benefit of your home.”
Crystal Note looked away from the stars and turned her head towards the princess
“Rose Quartz thinks I’m the best pony for this task. That’s why I’m here. Could you say no if your sister asked a favour from you?”
Luna gave a wry little smile
“I could, but I would not. Celestia and I disagree frequently, but my sister does not like to pull rank on me. If she asks something of me, I always know it is very important to her.”
Crystal Note just nodded silently.

Luna flexed her wing to nudge the mare next to her
“Would it ease your mind if I told you the three of them are sleeping peacefully? There is nothing to worry tonight, Crystal Note. Go get some rest.”
Crystal Note giggled and stood up
“And here I thought you’d be happy that ponies enjoy your night.”
“I am, but not if it leaves them deprived of sleep. We’ll need all our strength tomorrow to endure the torture that is known as day court.”
Luna grinned and Crystal Note just chuckled more
“I take that you’ll be joining in tomorrow as well, then?”
“Indeed. Let’s see if I can get those indecisive nobles make up their minds before Nightmare Night arrives.”
The both laughed, though Crystal Note ended in a soft yawn. They wished each other a good night and Crystal Note began the long climb down the stairs and back to her room. By the time she arrived, her mind was already back with her three fillies, but Luna’s reassurance helped her not to worry this time. In her mind, she could clearly see them snuggled up together in Glass Slipper’s bigger bed, and soon she fell asleep herself with a smile on her face.