Chapter 14 - Royal Tea
“I’m glad you could make it.” Princess Celestia ears twitch as you approach, her eyes slowly opening. She turns her head towards Shining Armour. “Thank you for your assistance, Captain.”
“Of course, Your Highness.” Shining Armour bows before the princess. “If you will excuse me, I have to get back to Cadance.” With that, the captain turns and leaves the enclosed garden.
“Cadance?” You ask, watching the unicorn disappear into the hedge.
“Princess Cadance is Shining Armour’s special somepony.” Princess Celestia answers with a smile.
“A Princess, huh? Lucky guy.” You chuckle absentmindedly. Turning back towards the table, you catch Princesses Celestia’s gaze.
“And my niece.” The princess adds, looking directly into your eyes.
A feeling of dread engulfs you. Panic grasps your mind but before you can figure out your next words, Princess Celestia’s face lights up. She brings a hoof to her mouth, releasing a soft laugh into it.
“Yes, he is very lucky.” She finally says, still chuckling. Princess Celestia motions with her wing to the empty chair.
“Very funny.” You try to sound unamused, but your smile betrays you. Sitting opposite Princess Celestia, you take in the spread laid out on the table. A selection of cakes and sandwiches presented neatly on a three-tiered silver platter, two teacups and a teapot stand before you.
“It was a little. Tea?” Princess Celestia smiles. Her horn lights up, engulfing the pot with her magic and pour out a cup for herself and for you.
“Oh, let me-”
“Now, now. You are my guest. Besides, the pot is still hot. You might burn yourself.” You watch her work her magic, gently pouring the tea before replacing the pot.
“Thank you.”
“I must apologise, my knowledge of human consumption is very limited. I do hope these will suffice.” She motions to the platter.
“As long as there are no flowers or grass, it will be fine.” You smile, reaching for one of the sandwiches.
Princess Celestia pauses, eyeing the food. Before you can grab one of the sandwiches, she ignites her horn again and spins the platter round, changing the ones in front of you.
“There.” She smiles at you.
You smile, taking one of the newly rotated sandwiches. Silence descends as you each take bites out of your chosen snack. You can’t help but stare as Princess Celestia closes her eyes, nibbling at the sandwich and taking the occasional sip of tea to wash it down.
She places the teacup back down and sighs peacefully. “So, what shall we talk about today?”
“Good sandwiches.” You comment, finishing yours off. “You wanted to know more about me, right? That is the reason you invited me here.”
“It is.” She replies softly. “How are things in Ponyville?”
“Pretty good. Everyone’s really friendly and I haven’t run into any issues.” You pause for a moment. “I seem to have a lot of time on my hands. Not much to do with it though.”
“And what would you like to do with your time here?” Princess Celestia takes another sip of her tea.
What would I like to do? You feel the princess’s eyes, as you ponder for a moment. “I don’t know. Anything to distract me, I guess.”
A weak smile appears across your face. Resting your hand on the table, you glance back at your host, your eyes lingering. Princess Celestia hovers one of the cake slices to her mouth, taking a bite and placing it on her plate. You follow her example and decide to try one. Soft and delicate, the flavour is more subtle than Pinkie’s cupcakes and not as sweet either.
“How many friends have you made?” The princess inquires, catching your gaze.
“Friends?” The question catches you off guard. It sounds like something a parent would ask a child after their first day of school, not a ruler asking her guest. You avert your eyes. “I, I don’t know.”
How many?... Can I even call them friends? As you contemplate her question, several ponies come to mind. The crusaders, Scarlet Memo, Spike. Making friends wasn’t something I was planning on doing. Quite the opposite.
“Well, I think you should try to make lots of friends.” Her smile shines across her face. “I’m sure they could offer plenty of distractions.”
You frown at the idea. “Friends aren’t something I’m looking for, Princess.”
“Why?” Princess Celestia tilts her towards you.
“Because… Because if I avoid making an impression. Making friends. No one will miss me and get hurt when I leave.” You mutter, avoiding her stare. That’s the reason, right? I’ll go home and no one will get hurt.
“Ah yes. Very logical.” The princess slowly nods knowingly. “Spoken like one without a heart.”
You glare at her; the words sting in your chest. You can be many things, but heartless?
“Have you considered that you may be here for a reason? That your arrival could be more than an accident?” Her question hangs in the air. Your eyes soften as you consider her words.
“You’re not the first to suggest that.” You slowly answer, looking back out into the secluded garden. “And there have been…”
“Have been…?”
“It’s just, there have been an awful lot of coincidences. More than you could consider to be normal.” You rub your chin, thinking for a moment. Your chin still in hand, you turn your head towards Princess Celestia. Her serene face doing little to hide the curiosity in her eyes.
“Let’s see.” Releasing your chin, you start counting down the coincidences you can recall. “I appeared just in time to save Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo from being devoured by Timber Wolves. Ponyville just happens to be super friendly and accepting towards an alien creature. You just happen to be willing to help me without hesitation. There just so happens to be an empty building that I can move into, which just so happens to help the mayor with her problems. On top of that, it just so happens to be a potentially working forge, something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Equestria. And not just any forge, but one built by ponies for a creature of my size. And to top it off, a strange book that just happens to detail the methods needed to smelt ore and craft items from metal. That’s… eight different things in the span of four days.”
You release a heavy sigh, lowering your hand and catching your breath. Shaking a little from your rant, you finish your tea off before refilling it.
“That is quite the number, yes.” The princess takes another bite out of her cake. “As I understand, the workshop was built several months ago. I remember the Historical Preservation Society being in an uproar over it. As for my citizens in Ponyville, I like to think that they would be accepting of any creature. Were there no other factors involved?”
The crusaders and Big Macs voices echo in your memory. “Thinking about it, I wasn’t alone. Maybe it helped that Big Mac, and the crusaders were there.”
“So, it wasn’t just a coincidence. You had help. And more importantly, you weren’t alone.” The princess gives off a happy aura, beaming at you. “Regarding the size of the workshop, I can only make a guess. Our magic interferes with the forging process when using metals. Because of that, we outsource all our metallic requirements. That also means we have no plans for such buildings that would be scaled for a pony. I assume the plans used were for larger creatures, such as Minotaurs. They happen to be a little larger than you, maybe the builders failed to scale the workshop down adequately. I don’t know about this book though, perhaps it would be better to ask Twilight.”
“I did drop it off at her library before coming here. She wanted to make a copy for her collection.” You say absent-mindedly, taking in what the princess has told you.
“You know, I don’t like how much that all makes sense.” You conclude. “It also explains why there is only one set of train tracks in the station. Cities back home can have upwards of eight easily.”
“Wow, that does sound impressive. You are correct though, that is why there is only one set. There are very few trains travelling across Equestria.” Princess Celestia smiles at you. “As for your first encounter. Maybe it was a coincidence, but it also proves that you have a good heart. You heard a scream and ran towards it; in a world you knew nothing about. You made a choice. And whether by chance or fate, that choice has left a lasting impression on this world.”
You look at Princess Celestia, a confused expression crossing your face.
Ok, I may have saved them, but a lasting impression on this world? That’s a bit extreme.
“Consider this.” The princess straightens herself up and turns to you. Her casual aura replaced by one of authority and professionalism, drawing your attention much like a teacher and her students. And just like a teacher, she begins her lecture. “If you had not chosen to rush in and save the fillies, they would be lost. In turn, their families and friends would be distraught, potentially turning towards a darker path.”
You watch Princess Celestia silently, furrowing your brows and trying to comprehend her words.
“I can see you don’t fully understand. Why don’t we analyse the scenario and see how things could have changed?
“First, Applejack. She would have lost her sister. No doubt she had warned them about the dangers in the forest, but they ignored her and ventured in anyway. She would end up believing that the truth only brings pain, losing her desire for honesty and wander the world alone, never trusting another again if only to spare herself more heartache.”
Applejack…
“Rarity would close herself off after Sweetie Belles death, refusing to accept it. No longer a passionate seamstress, she would try to replace her own sister, seeing her presence in every little thing. A hoarder trapped in her own mind. She would lose her generous soul, becoming selfish and cruel, shunning the world.”
Rarity, huh…
“And Scootaloo. I understand that she and Rainbow Dash are not sisters, but the bond they share is just as powerful. Rainbow would end up turning her back on the world. She would see it as a brutal and unforgiving place where you can only rely upon yourself. Abandoning her sense of loyalty to never get hurt again.”
Dash… A sharp pain fills your chest, her words lingering in your mind.
The princess continues, her voice shaking slightly. “And those are just the immediate effects. From there, it would get worse. Unable to cheer her friends up, Pinkie Pie would lose her joy and laughter, falling into a deep depression. Fluttershy would discover how savage the world can truly be. Her kindness would turn to hate for the very creatures she loves. And Twilight.” Princess Celestia pauses, thinking for a moment. “Twilight would lose herself in her books, looking for a way to undo what’s happened. And who knows, she could succeed, but by then the damage would have been done and the magic would be lost.”
Would it get that bad? I know people face grief in different ways, but that all seems quite extreme. “And you know this would happen?” You ask quietly, the ‘what if?’ events sticking like a bad song.
“No. It is merely an educated guess. It might seem extreme, but it is also a likely scenario.” Princess Celestia sighs into her teacup before taking another sip. “Do you see? By choosing to help, you already made a lasting impression. And in the process, forged some very strong bonds too. So, how many friends have you made?”
You gaze up towards the sky, soft wispy clouds lazily float along, revealing distant outlines of birds. You catch sight of the occasional pegasus travelling across the sky and smile.
I made friends… I have friends here… A warming embrace surrounds you, your eyes closing to the sound of the garden, with the distant rumble of the city beyond the private walls. For the first time since you arrived, you feel strangely at peace with your situation.
The princess chuckling softly, lifting her teacup. “I knew I made the right choice.”
Your smile fades as you open your eyes and slowly turn to face her. “Right Choice?” You repeat. “What ‘right choice’?”
The conversation flashes in your mind. ‘How many friends have you made?’ ’Perhaps you were summoned for a reason?’ ’You already made a lasting impression.’
“... Did you summon me?”
Princess Celestia stops moving. Her teacup floating inches from her face. Her eyes focus on the liquid within. You remain unflinching, staring at her, waiting for her answer.
“No.” She finally answers, a discernible frown crossing appearing. “I did not summon you.”
Princess Celestia remains immobile, lost in thought. The cup still floating in her magic.
“But?” You press.
“But…” She sighs, exposing her concern with a slight hint of sadness. “I cannot deny the possibility that you were summoned.”
“Then what did you mean by ‘right choice?’” You push on.
“Leaving you in Ponyville.” The cup gently floats back down to the table. “I could have bought you here to Canterlot, but I decided against it. I thought it would be better for you to remain there, with those you already knew.”
You scan the princesses face, trying to get a read on her. “Why did you agree to help me so quickly?”
Princess Celestia lets out a weighted breath. “The last time a foreign creature came to Equestria, chaos followed. I did not want a repeat of that, so I decided to offer a friendly hoof.”
“So, you were testing me.”
“In a way, but I was sincere about helping you get home.”
You continue to stare, unwavering. Her thoughts appear to weigh heavily as you watch the sadness spread across her body. Her wings slump down, her body hunches over.
“I’m sorry.” She finally says, in barely a whisper. Her apology catches you off guard. She continues, her voice resonating with sorrow. “We can’t locate where you came from. I sent some of my researchers to the clearing you spoke of, and there’s nothing there. No magical residue, no trace of a summoning spell. Nothing. I don’t even know if you can go home.”
Her words crash through you, shattering your mind with a reminder of the harsh truth. “So, I could be stuck here?”
The princess slowly nods in response.
That can’t just be it can it? It’s only been a week after all. There’s still time. Maybe something will come up. I can’t be stuck here. There must be some way to get back to Earth.
“Just another failure to add to my résumé.”
“Eh, it’s only been a week. With how things are going, the answer will probably fall in our laps.” You chuckle softly, trying to lighten the mood while simultaneously disguising your worry.
Princess Celestia doesn’t react, her eyes unfocused and her breath shallow, lost in her own thoughts. She continues to sit still; her mane appears to fade. You watch the shadows slowly crawl across the ground while birds softly chirp away above.
“Canterlot is pretty amazing. I don’t think there are any cities on earth quite so unique.” You change the subject, hoping to distract the princess from her thoughts.
“Long before my sister and I were crowned as Equestrias rulers, it was actually a small mining town. This mountain used to hold vast untold riches. Using those riches, it grew into a beautiful city. Those caverns were exhausted and sealed up a very long time ago. Eventually, this castle was also built. I ended up moving here one thousand years ago after our previous home was…” Princess Celestia hesitates, it’s clear that the memory of those events still haunts her. Taking a deep breath, she continues. “After I banished my sister to the moon.”
“Wait, I read about that.” You gasp dramatically. “It really happened?”
“Yes. Although I think that tale has been greatly romanticised compared to the actual events.” The princess smiles sadly.
“Damn… You don’t look a day over two hundred and thirty-seven.” You joke.
Princess Celestia raises her head, looking straight at you. The world suddenly becomes very still and quiet. You stare back in anticipation. The short moment of tension feels like it lasts a lifetime. Just as you consider apologising, she bursts out in a fit of laughter, turning her cheeks rosy.
After a few moments, she finally catches her breath and calms down, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
“You are awful. But thank you.” She beams at you, her eyes sparkling once again.
You spend the rest of the engagement sharing memories and laughing at silly events. How you met your significant other, how Princess Celestia and Princess Luna used to be devoted pranksters. One time, Princess Luna found a huge bug that she claimed was a prince due to his size, but Princess Celestia doesn’t like bugs, so Luna decided to eat it instead.
====================
“Thank you for keeping me company today.” The princess chimes happily as the engagement draws to a close.
“My pleasure, Princess.”
The two of you raise from your seats and head to the exit of the small garden. Motioning for the Princess to enter first, you pass through the hedge tunnel, her flank swaying as she walks, causing her tail to swish softly from side to side, almost taunting you. You chastise your thoughts as she emerges first, greeted by the two guard ponies, as well as Shining Armour. The three ponies bow as her highness appears out of the tunnel. She gives a light nod in response as you appear behind her.
“There is one thing that I am wondering.” The princess suddenly asks, turning back towards you. “Your reaction to the news was, not what I was expecting. You ended up making me feel better instead. Are you going to be ok?”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m definitely going to have a mental breakdown later.” You answer, hiding behind sarcasm. She tilts her head, looking worried. With a smile, you hastily add, “I’ll be fine, Your Highness.”
“I see. Well, should you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me.” The princess reaches out to you, her wings twitching slightly.
You bow in response. “I won’t, Your High-”
“No.” She interrupts you. Her voice sounding sharp, almost harsh. You look up at the princess. In a split moment, she closes the distance between you and wraps a wing around your body, giving you a soft squeeze. Shakingly, you raise your arm and wrap it around her and squeeze, returning the hug.
As quickly as it happened, it was over. Princess Celestia pulls away, smiling at you.
“Captain Shining Armour, please make sure my friend makes it safely to the train station.” The Princess ignites her horn, bathing herself in golden light. “Take care of yourself, my little human.”
And in a flash, she disappears.
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Found a grammar error or three.
Seem to have an extra 'that' here.
The striked through 'resum' portion is not needed.
At the beginning of the word 'simultaneously' the underline tag is misspaced.
I wonder if the 'foreign creature' Celestia mentioned was Discord, another human, or something else?
I'm still enjoying the story and thanks for the chapter.
10990169
I have no idea where those italics or underlines came from lol They aren't on my home copy XD
Glad you are still enjoying it, I was a bit worried with this one
Bro straight up did regicide
