The Young Princess of Aurora

by Changeling-Writer

Uncomfortable Tea

Blueblood apologize, both for his social faux pas and being needed elsewhere. It was clear he was making an excuse to remove himself from the situation but no one faulted him. All the Equestrian's were shocked.

The lavender alicorn moved with grace, holding her head high as she moved to stand beside her mother. She remained silent the sliver chains that framed her face wrapping around her horn where a turquoise blue jem rested against her forehead. It seemed to glow softly, flashing gently on time with the matching jewel in the Queens tiara.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. I introduce you to may daughter and heir Princess Twilight Arora Sparkle. Daughter, meet Princess Celestia and Princess Luna dyarchy of Equestria." Eventide spoke, gesturing at the named ponies.

"It is my honor to meet your Majesty's, and welcoming us to the Grand Galloping Gala." Twilight spoke softly, bowing respectfully to the royal sisters. They returned the bow glancing at one another.

"The pleasure is mine, and I believe my sister feels the same. I think now would be a good time for tea, would you like to head inside?" Celestia spoke, braking the momentary silence, stepping to the side to allow them to see the large double doors into the castle.

"Please lead the way, a cup of tea would be nice after a long trip." Queen Eventide responded, gesturing with a hoof.

After a few moments they begin down the hall once more, the foreign royals following behind the Royal Pony Sisters. Cadence seems to have vanished, leaving an unfilled silence in her wake.

There eight guards followed at a distance, golden, silver, and dark blue armor blended together as they marched. The Equestria guards watched the unknown armed and armored ponies wearily, and the Aurorian guards seemed to be watching for anything. It was not a very good first impression.

"Well have tea in my study, it should be quiet compared to the rest of the castle. The final prepositions can make quite a commotion." Celestia said, trying to break the awkward silence that loomed over the four royals.

"If you say so," Eventide responded, her voice sounding just as indifferent as the mask she hid her emotions behind. Her heir moved, as poised as her mother. But the glint of interest in her eyes as they wandered over the marble walls and tapestry.

"Mother, if I may. Having eight guards standing at a door seems like a waste. Should we send one to survey are accommodations?" The princess spoke out loud, looking over at her mother. Standing only a head shorter. Her response was a nod.

"Solar and Gale, if you could please show them to the guest rooms. I believe that they would like to put their things away." Luna said as they stopped in front of her sister's study. The nod was all she needed to know her order was accepted.

The four royals retreated into the study.

Twilight had no idea what to do, she was just following her mother's lead. Doing exactly what her mother was doing. The uncomfortable silence dragged on as she took a sip of tea. Her mother doing the same. It seemed to make the Equestrias nervous. In turn making her nervous, it was a self perpetuating loop.

Luna did her best to not squirm, her tea forgotten as she tried to act like her station required. Two tea cups lifted at the exact same moment, one in a raspberry aura, the other in a periwinkle. Brought up to lips, sipped, then rested gently against their saucers with matching gentle clacks. It was unsettling how they moved perfectly in sync.

Celectia's smile was strained as she took a sip. The gentle taste of lilac did little to fix the situation. Her eyes moved to the Queen's crown, it's jewel flashing gently in time with her heirs. It was an odd sight but she doubted that they would answer her questions. So she asked the first question she could think of. "Queen Eventide, if I may, I can't remember how long ago the last time you walked these halls. It was when you were a princess yourself, correct?"

"Your memory is right, Princess Celestia. It was after the last griffin attempt to invade some land. My mother couldn't find an advisor so came herself." Eventide responded, her tone filled with apathy. "I was brought along to assist her. Not that there was much to do. We listened and left shortly after the meeting finished."

"Yes, a peace treaty and some aid was sufficient to cool their blood. Even if the hippogriffs were rather aggressive about annexation." Luna nodded, remembering the event well. The Queen acted nearly the same, even if she was far taller now after thirty years.

"Yes, I found it foolish. Their Queen must understand that the Griffins are far too proud to happily live under another's rule. Even in destitution they will sing their own praze." Eventide responded, looking over at her child.

"From what I have learned you highnesses, the Empire has fallen far from where they were." Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, seeming to think before she continued. "However, it is prideful. Every chick at the age of 15 is trained to fight and be soldiers. An uprising would be inevitable."

"Yes, and a point that had to be explained to Queen Nova. Thankfully she agreed to minor taxation and repromations for the damage to her kingdom." Luna said with a sigh, losing her royal decorum as she rubbed the side of her head.

"Yes," Celestia smiled at Luna, "but I believe that Princess Twilight might like the tour of the castle. Would you mind showing her around?"

Both of the Equestrian's could see the widened eyes and sparkles of the desire to learn that filled the young princesses eyes. Or the slight narrowing of the Queens as suspicion peaked out from behind the mask.

"Yes sister, I believe the hall of history and the royal archive should be clear. They are closed during the Galla to prevent theft, would you like to see them princess?" Luna asked, smirking slightly. She would follow her sister's plan. Separating them might help both parties to relax.

Twilight looked over at her mother, the question unspoken. The queen seemed to deflate under her daughter's gaze before she sighed, nodding. "Be careful, and don't break anything. Take your guard with you."

"Yes Mother, please lead the way Princess Luna." Twilight nearly shot to her hooves, only the reminder that she was in front of royalty tempered her excitement. It almost made up for the fact that she hadn't been allowed to take any books on her trip.

"Right this way, I'll show you some of my favorite pieces of art." Luna's smile only grew as they left the two. Once they vanished the room once more fell into silence.

What game are you playing now Princess? The Queen thought to herself, taking another sip of tea. She would let Celestia break the silence. She didn't need to rush, she knew her daughter would spend all day, if she could, reading the books contained in the archive.

"Queen Eventide, when did your daughter ascend into an alicorn?"

Rather blunt, no beating around the bush this time?"I don't see why you would need to know that. She's an alicorn, and the heir to the Aurorian throne." Eventide responded, choosing not to answer the alabaster alicorn's question.

"I ask because I remember how difficult it was for my niece after she first ascended. It is never easy to suddenly have new magic, a different body." Princess Celestia smiled warmly, memories of raising Cadence distracting her momentary.

"She was born an Alicorn princess, learning to fly and use magic was almost second nature to her." Eventide responded, her mask remaining firm, even as her eyes narrowed.

"I… can we put down are titles, and speak openly?" Celestia asked, her magic glowing as her tiara was lifted. It was placed onto the small table soundlessly. The purple gem glinting in her golden aura.

"Alright Celestia, I will listen." However she did not remove her tiara. The crown jewel letting out it's steady glow, no longer flashing. She hadn't seen this side of the Equestrian princess before.

"I don't know anything about you daughter, I didn't even know you had a friend. But… I want to help her. I want to teach her about what she is. Being an alicorn is not just a fancy set of wings and a horn." Celestia spoke softly, her hoof running over the golden peaks of the tiara. "I want to help her learn about what she is."

"I think I know how to raise my own child Celestia, I have been doing it for the last nineteen years after all." Eventide responded flatly, raising a single eyebrow. "And unless I am as uninformed as you are, you have never had your own."

"We can't, alicorns. We can't bare children. We can't get pregnant. I have tried, and so has my sister." Celestia gave a sad smile as she spoke, "Even Cadence has tried, albeit with little more success. Being the alicorn of love seems to help."

So, you can't have your own. So you find others to take children from. Eventide took a deep breath to prevent her thoughts from spilling out. "I will be there to help her, so thank you for your offer but I know my own child."

"What about in a hundred years from now? Two hundred? A century? How will you help her when you passed, everyone she knows, in three generations where everypony she knew is gone?" Celestia asked, her voice calm as she reached a hoof across the table. Setting it gently on the Queen's chest. "She lost her father, she knows that pain already. What will it feel like when everyone you knew is gone? Who's shoulder can she lean in a kingdom of strangers?"

Eventide couldn't find a response, she remembered the months after her husband's passing. The newborn that helped her keep going. The one year old who never had a father and a mother who ran a kingdom. It hadn't been easy as they both learned what it was like with a hole in their lives. "I will think about it, and that is all I can say at this moment Princess."

Celestia's nod was the only answer, her taira returning to her head. The Queen's formal tone marked an end to this conversation. It was the answer she expected, she just hoped it would blossom into something.

Author's Note:

And off to the races, get ready for what comes next. It's going to be fun writing a twilight that's largely ignorant of Equestrias history.

Comments

[Thunder Sparks]

Interesting story so far keep up the good work.

[MooseWhisker]

She remained silent the sliver chains that framed her face raping around her horn where a turquoise blue jem rested against her forehead.

WRAPPING! IT’S WRAPPING! WRAPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!