Twilight Sparkle, Princess-Regent of the Crystal Empire

by Eltirions

Chapter 3: Veils

Luna slipped off her regalia and rested herself on her bed. She considered.

The Crystal War had been short but brutal, and a wake-up call for Equestria. One that Luna held the nation had sorely needed. But that didn’t make the loss of her niece and cousin-in-law hurt any less.

Luna sighed. The Dream Realm was quiet again. Nightmares of Sombra had roamed wild and free, and Luna had spent most of her time in the Dream Realm combating them, but now they were mostly gone.

She slipped back into the Dream Realm again, and searched for her friends. Twilight and Flurry were both sleeping in the Crystal Empire, as was young Spike. The rest of her friends were in Ponyville.

Luna’s eyebrows rose, and she let out a chuckle. Apparently Star Tower’s charm was irresistible for Rarity. Good for them, even better if it turned serious. Rarity deserved something after all the work she had put into the campaign for thestral rights. And Star Tower, while more a friend of Celestia than of Luna, had nonetheless gone out of his way to explain what had changed in the fields of magic during her banishment.

The rest of Twilight’s friends were fast asleep as well, and nothing they dreamt of required her intervention. That was excellent.

Luna wandered around for a few more minutes, then returned to the physical world. She laid her head on the bed and closed her eyes.

|-x-X-x-|

Star Tower stirred. His back was stiff, and something was on top of him.

Memories of last night flooded back to him as he looked at the white coat and purple mane of the mare he was laying under.

One: Rarity was really fucking amazing with her tongue.

Two: apparently she liked anal more than vaginal sex.

Three: he wanted to do this again sometime.

Rarity wasn’t awake. In their current position, any movement was likely to wake her up. From experience, Star knew that mares didn’t like to be awakened roughly.

As gently as he could, he levitated Rarity up, then teleported off the couch. Before Rarity could drop he caught her again, and he lowered her onto the couch. She mumbled something.

Star slipped back onto the couch, and immediately Rarity latched onto him.

He wasn’t complaining.

She stirred again. ‘’Mmm…’’

Star remained completely silent. The smell of last night’s activities filled his nose. He’d cast a spell, but, well.

Rarity’s perfume cut through the stank, but it too was tinted with it. Still, Star enjoyed the slight refreshment, and she really did have a very nice perfume. Maybe Crystal would like it as a birthday gift.

Star cast a glance at the clock. In the darkness, it was barely visible, but he thought it read… 09:21? On a Saturday, that was disgustingly early.

Rarity stirred once again. Her eyes fluttered open. ‘’Star?’’

‘’Morning,’’ he whispered back. ‘’Sleep well?’’

‘’Very.’’

‘’Good.’’ Star hesitated, then placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. ‘’It’s early.’’

Rarity’s eyes searched for the clock. ‘’How early?’’

‘’Not even ten.’’

‘’Early,’’ Rarity agreed. She swiped some of her mane out of her face.

‘’Breakfast?’’ Star suggested after a minute.

‘’Comfy,’’ Rarity replied, and that was fair.

Star nodded. ‘’Of course.’’ He felt like that sentence needed something extra.

Rarity smiled at him. ‘’Last night was amazing, darling.’’ She sighed dramatically. ‘’Though I fear I shall be walking with it’s effects for some time.’’

Star couldn’t help but grin a little at that. ‘’Aim to please.’’

That earned him a swat of her hoof, and then another kiss. Worth it.

|-x-X-x-|

Twilight woke up to find Flurry was pressed against her side, still asleep. In hindsight, she should have expected Flurry wouldn’t want to sleep in her old room again. The filly had slept with Twilight for the first two weeks after she’d arrived in Ponyville too, but then she’d moved to another room.

Twilight kept still so Flurry wouldn’t wake up. She glanced at the tactically-positioned clock: it was nearly 10 AM.

Flurry stirred. Slowly, her eyes opened. "Good morning, auntie."

‘’Good morning, Flurry,’’ Twilight whispered to the foal. ‘’Did you sleep well?’’

The filly yawned. ‘’Yeah, I had a really nice sleep.’’

‘’That’s good to hear.’’ Twilight gently rose from the bed. ‘’It’s time for breakfast, Flurry.’’

‘’’kay, auntie.’’ Flurry rose as well and jumped off the bed onto the floor.

Together, the two of them walked from Twilight’s bedroom to the same room they had used for dinner. When they got there, Spike was already there, eating from a bowl of emeralds.

‘’Morning,’’ he greeted them.

‘’Good morning, Spike,’’ Twilight replied as Flurry walked over to him and gave him a hug.

‘’Hi uncle!’’ Flurry chirped.

Spike ruffled Flurry’s mane. ‘’Good morning, Flurry.’’

Twilight and Flurry both sat down in chairs. Breakfast was pancakes, simple and delicious. Not as delicious as Spike would have made them, Twilight mused, but still very good.

‘’Auntie?’’

‘’Hmm?’’ she looked up from her food to see Flurry looking at her.

The filly shifted a little. ‘’Are we still going to have a snowball fight today?’’

‘’Of course, Flurry,’’ Twilight replied. ‘’I promised, didn’t I?’’

‘’I know. Just checking, ‘cause sometimes Mommy and Daddy promised things too but then they couldn’t do it,’’ Flurry explained herself.

‘’Well, at least today that won’t happen,’’ Twilight proclaimed. ‘’And if I am - somehow - inconvenienced, then Spike will be happy to join you, won’t he?’’

‘’Sure,’’ Spike agreed easily. Almost too easily, but Twilight didn’t mind.

‘’Your Highness?’’

Twilight turned around to see a crystal mare with a beige coat and a orange-red mane tied up in a bun standing in the doorway, wearing a sleek business suit. Her steward, Note Keeper.

Twilight suppressed a sigh. It was barely ten; surely there was nothing so pressing?

‘’Good morning, miss Keeper,’’ she greeted the mare.

The mare nodded tightly. ‘’Good morning to you too, Princess Twilight, Princess Flurry Heart, Prince Spike.’’ She raised a stack of documents from her saddlebags. ‘’I’m afraid there are some documents that require your attention, your Highness.’’

Twilight inclined her head. ‘’Of course. And my schedule?’’

‘’Nothing has changed so far,’’ Note replied.

‘’Good. I’ll finish up breakfast, and then I’ll take these in my study.’’

‘’And Princess Flurry Heart?’’

That brought Twilight up short. She’d essentially left Flurry with her friends while they had been in Ponyville, but that wasn’t possible now, obviously.

Flurry could spend the day with a nanny. Twilight was sure there was one somewhere. But that didn’t sit well with her.

‘’What do you want to do, Flurry?’’ she asked, turning to the filly.

‘’Well…’’ Flurry’s face scrunched up as she thought. ‘’I wanna play in the snow, but the other foals will only be there after lunch.’’ She looked at Twilight. ‘’Can I stay with you?’’

‘’Are you sure?’’ Twilight pressed. ‘’It’s not going to be very exciting.’’

‘’I don’t care,’’ Flurry replied, and that was that. And Twilight had to admit that it was reassuring that Flurry was interested in the hows of ruling a nation at such a young age.

‘’That’s that then.’’ Twilight turned back to Note and smiled. ‘’Was there something else?’’

‘’No, your Highness. I’ll be waiting in your study.’’ The mare bowed, and left.

A few minutes later, breakfast was finished. Twilight, Flurry and Spike all made their way to Twilight’s study. Note Keeper, just like she had said, was already waiting inside. ‘’Your Highnesses,’’ she greeted them with a nod. ‘’Princess Twilight, here is the documentation on the Empire’s finances that you requested from the Treasury.’’ She placed a big stack of papers onto Twilight’s desk. ‘’Following that, there is a report on the Empire’s agricultural products and food supply, and then a inquiry from the mayor of Crystal City about the state of the military.’’

Twilight let out a sigh as she sat down in her chair. Spike had his own chair as well, and Twilight quickly created one for Flurry with her magic. ‘’Right then,’’ she muttered. ‘’Thank you, miss Keeper.’’

Time to get to work.

|-x-X-x-|

Breakfast had been lazy and drawn-out, and after it Rarity had left with a wink and a promise to return later that day. Star was already looking forward to it.

Crystal had just given the two of them a smirk, before continuing with her breakfast. She really had learned so much from him.

Now, Star sat in a very comfortable chair in Twilight’s study. He sighed as he relaxed, waiting for the guests he had invited to arrive. There was still a lot of paperwork, but first Star wanted to speak with the important ponies in Ponyville.

Mayor Mare and Royal Guard Commander Tempest Shadow. With Twilight not present, they were the two highest-ranking officials in Ponyville. Star had read about them - S.M.I.L.E kept good files on everyone in Ponyville - but he hadn’t met either of them in person.

There was a knock on the door. ‘’Yes?’’ Star called.

‘’We’re here, brother,’’ Crystal replied from the other side.

Star opened the door with his telekinesis. ‘’Thank you, Crystal,’’ he said as the three mares walked in.

Both the Mayor and the Commander looked like just Star had expected them to. Tempest was wearing her ceremonial armour, and Mayor wore a simple but sleek business suit.

‘’Ladies,’’ Star greeted them with a nod. ‘’Crystal, you may go if you wish.’’

‘’I do,’’ Crystal quipped, grinning at him before she turned and left. Star watched her go with amusement. He’d do the same in her position.

‘’Good morning, Royal Magician Spellweaver,’’ Mayor Mare said as she sat down in a chair.

‘’Sir.’’ Tempest saluted before sitting down as well.

‘’I won’t beat around the bush,’’ Star said immediately. No sense in that, he reasoned. ‘’I’m here as a replacement for Twilight while she rules the Crystal Empire.’’

‘’I understand, sir,’’ Mayor said, shifting slightly. Was she uncomfortable? And why? Probably just the newness of him, Star concluded.

‘’Commander Shadow,’’ he addressed the other mare, ‘’what is the state of the Royal Ponyville Guards?’’

‘’Sir,’’ Tempest replied. ‘’Currently, the regiment has a little over a thousand soldiers in it. The funds from the new military budget have allowed for us to buy new uniforms and equipment, but money is still a problem despite the money Princess Twilight had allocated for us.’’

Star nodded. ‘’I’ll see to it that those funds remain as they are. Is there anything pressing you need? I might be able to wrangle more money from Canterlot, and if not, I have some money myself.’’

The Spellweavers were far from the richest family in Canterlot, but they were still very wealthy, and Star - through writing books and smart investments - had added to that as well. He had more than enough money for a one-time donation to the military.

‘’That’s very generous of you, sir.’’ Tempest inclined her head in thanks and acknowledgement. ‘’As I said, the increased budget has helped alleviate the most pressing needs, but there is still something we lack: an adequate place to train.’’

Star frowned. ‘’Where are you training now?’’

‘’Applejack has allowed us to use a part of her family’s land,’’ Tempest replied.

Fucking great. Star shook his head. ‘’That won’t do. How much would a training facility cost?’’

‘’It doesn’t have to be big,’’ Tempest mused. ‘’But it needs to be good. Maybe… at least fifteen-thousand bits. Maybe twenty.’’

That was far less than Star had expected. At least an extra zero. ‘’And if I gave you double that?’’ he asked, ignoring Mayor’s shocked gasp.

Tempest’s eyes gleamed. ‘’That’d be very good, sir.’’

‘’Then you’ll have it,’’ Star declared. ‘’Mayor Mare, is there anything you need money for?’’

It took the mayor a second to respond. ‘’The current budget is enough, but barely,’’ she replied. ‘’A general donation for any emergencies would be appreciated.’’

‘’Forty thousand bits?’’ Star suggested.

‘’More than enough, sir,’’ Mayor replied succinctly.

‘’Brilliant,’’ he said. That was one problem solved. ‘’Now then…’’