Quiet Snow

by EverCloud-Productions

Chapter 5

[A Year Later]
[November]

The rays of sunshine flow through the windows throughout the castle signifying the evening after a bright sunny morning. The guards, maids, and other workers make their way around the palace halls, whether it be doing house work or guarding the restricted areas. I've now been living in the Canterlot for a few years now, I'd say it had to be around late January. I don't really get to spend New Years with everyone else, because I was still mainly kept in my room. But Cadence would be with me for the countdown, so I wasn't totally alone. I've gotten used to maneuvering the halls and the areas of the castle, and basically know all the guards and workers names by heart, plus it wasn't long until the guards put me through some tough workouts to get me back in shape. I'm about 18 now, as my birthday was the week prior...but I didn't bother to tell anyone, so I spent my birthday alone in my room. There were some guards or maids who would come by and give me gifts and food, but other than that I don't really get to celebrate any holidays in the castle. Mainly it was because there were always noble ponies around the palace. I wasn't upset about being in my room so much, hell if anything I was the king of being a hermit back home.

I was walking around the garden when an idea came to mind. I made my way back to my room, closed the door, and looked out the window.

I just have to find a way out of the castle, and then out of Canterlot.

Well the first part was soon answered. I remembered that when they first found me and drug me through the dungeon; some of the cells had a big enough window for me to slide through. How did I know? Well I was just fooling around, and tested to see if my arm would fit out the cell window. It did...along with my shoulder. Well that was one escape method down. Now just had to figure a way out of Canterlot without being seen. As I was thinking of a plan, a knock was at the door. I hustle over to the door to open it. There I saw Cadence, smile as big as ever.

"Hey Adri! Just wanted to know if we are still on for our game of tennis later?" Shit, I completely forgot she wanted to play tennis with me today.

Maybe I can make up an excuse.

"Uh, N-Not today Cadence, I'm just not feeling well today." Her smile fades to a slight frown. "But we can go tomorrow. Promise." She eyes me up and down with a bit of a squint to her eyes, almost as if she's trying to pierce into my soul to find the truth. She can read ponies really well, better than anyone I knew both here and back on Earth. It scares me sometimes how fast she can catch me lying, and it was best not to make her angry. I've had my fair share of those moments already, and its only been a few months.

"Okay! See you tomorrow." She said with a playful tone. She happily trots away as I close the door. And almost instantly...I regretted that decision.

I need to stop making promises.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Who is it now?

I open the door to see Silver Star with a note attached to his helmet. I take the note from him with a thank you. Adrian, I will be out at a meeting for a few hours. Will be back soon. XO Celestia.

First note from Celestia that she put XO. Looks like our friendship is really growing close. Too bad I'm about to put it in jeopardy.

I wait until I see Celestia and Luna leave, and then I make my move. I take a look at the clock...yup 5:05pm. The time that everyone is usually switching positions or doing house work, I have to be quick, but careful. I crack the door open to see a guard walking past.

Ok, doesn't look like he seen me.

I wait for him to walk past, and swiftly head out, making sure the door closed quietly. After a lot of ducking and dodging around each of the hallways, I finally made my way to the dungeons. I walk into a cell with the big window, and without hesitation slip through. I stand to my feet take in a big breath of fresh air, but then I quickly realized I have no time to waste.

It felt like I've been walking forever, when I finally found a trail to walk on after I left the castle; but the only problem was I had to duck into the bushes every time I saw a pony walk my way. It had to be almost seven o'clock judging from the amount of light outside now, and I was getting pretty tired from all the walking, until I came to a cottage. It was right next to the Everfree Forest. My first thought when I saw this, Who would be crazy enough to live next to a dangerous forest? My thought quickly answered when I saw a yellow Pegasus walk out the door. I couldn't duck in the forest, because my feet were killing me. I would've been too slow to move...so I just stood there. She hasn't seen me yet which was good. Maybe I can ask her where I was.

"Excuse me mis?", I yell out jogging towards her. Instant Mistake. I stop just behind her, as she turns around. She jumps and shrieks. Her eyes wide as all hell, almost like she seen a gho-wait a minute. "Can you tell me where I am?" Silence. "Ummm...Mi-" She interrupts me with a scream of sure bloody murder. And just like that, she zips out of sight before I could even blink.

WELP! That's enough of this adventure.

I slowly stand to my feet and quickly turn to head back to the castle.

I was able to slip back into the castle without being detected, and managed to slip back into my room. So far so good. Only one noticed me, but other than that it went pretty good. As I was relaxing my feet after that terrible walk back, a knock was at the door. Of course it was Silver Star again, with a note attached to his head. I shook my head and chuckled on how ridiculous he looked. Every time he gave me a note from Celestia, he would always stand in attention and just let the note hang from his helmet. He looked like a little puppy with a ridiculous hat on. I took the note and gave him a good ole pat on the head.

Meet me on the balcony. Same time we always meet. XO Celestia.

"Well this could either go good or terrible." I said to myself looking at the note. I wave him off and head to the balcony.

I sit at the edge of the balcony like I always do. Admiring the view along with the sunset. It was cold outside, but I didn't mind. They didn't make my any coats to wear, but this was kind of comforting.

"Adrian." Celestia's calm voice calls out. It made me jump, almost causing me to fall. But it shouldn't have. We've met here plenty of times before, why did it make me jump now.

"H-Hi Princess." She doesn't say anything and just sits on the bench. I sit and watch her, wondering if she was going to say anything to break the silence. Nothing. I turn back and look at the view again. It didn't feel right. I know she has something to say, I just don't know when or-

"Come sit with me." She says as her magic tugs at my shirt. I walk over and sit next to her on the bench, still with the same uneasy feeling. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course Princess" I sit up waiting for the question.

"Was she nice?"

"W-What?"

"The pony you met today...was she nice." She continued to look not at me, but out at the view towards the balcony with a straight and stern face.

What was she...OOOOOOHHH SHIT!!

"What do you mean?" I say flustered. Celestia gets up and walks towards the edge of the balcony a little bit.

"I know you left the castle, Adrian." My heart drops.

"Princess I-"

"And you deliberately disobeyed my orders to stay out of public."

"But princess I-"

"Now because of you there's a public panic in Ponyville, and EVERYONE WILL BE ON HIGH ALERT!"

I fucked up. It was at this point I felt our bond that we've been forming melt away. I couldn't say anything. She was furious. I basically just tossed out the Princesses trust...and that's something you can't get back. "Well?" She spoke up looking at me with a furious look. \

"Princess I-I..." I had to tell her. I know I always told her how I felt about being in castle by myself. But something in me just broke. "I had to Celestia."

"You...WHAT??" This was the first time I had forgone her title and used just her name. Like I said before, we've been formal in our friendship, but never to the level of nicknames or the forgone any professional titles.

I stood up, not batting an eye at Celestia. I can feel her furious eyes on me with every second that passed. "Every time you go to a ball or go to a meeting, I'm always stuck in the castle by myself. Locked in my room, or just forbidden to even go the castle gardens." I walked closer to her anger starting to show on my face.

"But that doesn't mean you disobey my order! You know what could've happened to you. They would've ended up lock you away somewhere and I had to come find you-"

"I'M ALREADY IN A GOD DAMN PRISON CELESTIA!" I yell looking directly into her eyes. With my growth spirt, I went from being a little shorter than Celestia, to having a good two three inches on her not counting her horn; so looking into her eyes to make a point went well in my favor. I can tell she was taken a back from my sudden out burst, but she doesn't show it. Still standing strong with the look of anger on her face....but she's silent.

"How cou-"

"Having me locked in my room whenever you have a meeting, or an appearance. Not allowed to leave the castle grounds. LOCKING ME AWAY ON NEW YEARS?!?!?! THAT DOESN'T SCREAM PRISON TO YOU??" The sky turns to night and a heavy cold wind starts to blow. She turns and walks away from me, stopping near the door before she falls to her knees. I hear sniffs, was she crying? I walk slowly to her and kneel by her side to see tears flowing heavily down her face.

"Oh stars, Adrian," She says her voice shaky, "You're right....I have been locking you away like a prisoner." I walk in front of her and kneel down so we're face to face. I stroke her mane, letting her get the rest of her cries out. I hug her, one that she doesn't return. "Why? Why are you still nice to me?" She was right. Why was I still nice to her, even though every bone in my body is screaming in hatred and resentment. Why did I hug her even after she admitted to locking me away like a prisoner on house arrest.

"I don't know why," I tell her not letting go, "Every fiber of me is telling me not to forgive you, and a big part of me still has some resentment towards you for what you did." She sniffs and her sobs get more and more quiet. "But even though I didn't want to accept or like it. I still have this tiny glimmer of trust in you that just won't go away." I feel her breathing get close to normal, I end the hug and put my hand on her chin, signaling her to look at me.

"Yes I purposely disobeyed, but even you knew it had to happen sooner. I didn't know how long I was going to be shut in, and neither did you." Her eyes widen. She knew as well she didn't know how long it would be until she reviled me to the public. "I-I....I didn't", she said with a light break in her voice, "but you shouldn't of come back if I-"

"Stop." Through all the hate and hurt I was feeling in that moment...it still hurt me to see her doubt herself, calling herself a bad person.

"It's ok to not have a plan sometimes, princess. But you're still the person we all look to for guidance. You know how many times I came to you for advice?"

"Too many to count." she says with a sniff and a chuckle. Seems like she's calmed down now. I put my hand on her cheek, and she leans into it nuzzling my hand.

"You're a wonderful pony Princess, if anything this will make you even stronger as a leader, I'm sure of it." I said.

"Thank you, Adrian...I'm glad I have you here" I help her to her hooves, and she wipes the remaining tears from her eyes. "It'll take a long while for things to go back, just as long as there's no more secrets." Celestia nods. I look her over and notice that she's shivering a little bit, it was almost as if she was trying to hide the fact that she was getting cold. Guess Cadence's people reading skills are starting to rub off on me.

Pony reading? Nah, that sounds way more creepy.

"Come on let's head back inside, it's getting cold out here." We walk back inside and stand in the hallway, letting the heat warm us up. Without a word, I start walking back towards my room. I hear Celestia start to walk back to her room as well.

"Same time tomorrow princess?" I said, breaking the loud silence in the hallway.

"Yes...and Adrian?" I stop walking and turn to face her one more time.

"Hm?" She smiles, and from where I was standing it almost looked as if she was...blushing?

"You can call me just Celestia, when we're in the castle." She said, her face having a light red tint. I chuckle with a slight smile, and once again start to head back to my room.

"Sure thing...Celestia."