• Published 14th May 2023
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Eclipse - Hiver



Page is stuck. He never wanted to be a Prince. Ponies plot against him. Mostly for his own good.

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Chapter 27

The train was already waiting as we arrived.

Celestia exited the carriage before me, and I followed her down onto the grass covered ground next to the narrow platform. The air was filled with the smoke and steam of the engine and the yells of ponies getting things loaded and stowed away.

"Your majesty, Princess," Moon Glow said as she got to attention with a salute, "Everything is ready, you are free to board. We'll be ready to leave in another couple of minutes."

I nodded to her with a smile, "Thank you, Glow."

She nodded before she hesitated, "...There seems to have been a mistake in Canterlot however. They only sent one royal rail carriage."

I shared a glance with Celestia. A mistake, huh?

"I think we'll manage," I told Glow with a smile, "Princess Celestia can have the bedroom, I just need somewhere to hang my tail."

She nodded, "Of course, sir," she said before she flinched as there was a crash of something falling to the ground and ponies yelling at each other, "If you excuse me, I need to go deal with that," she said with a small sigh.

"Don't let us keep you," I said. As she moved away, I glanced at Celestia.

She looked back at me, "You know vacations and teaching wasn't the-"

"I know," I answered and sighed softly, "And when we get back, we're going to have to deal with it. But not now. Let's just enjoy the day or so we have left until Canterlot."

Celestia hesitated for a second before she nodded, "You are right," she agreed before she smiled, "Shall we investigate our shared carriage then, my Prince?"

I gave her my best elegant bow, wings spread, "We shall, my Princess."

So we did. Moving onto the platform, we just went towards the fanciest looking carriage

Allowing Celestia to board first, I gave the Solar and Nocturnis guards standing on each side of the door a nod before following her inside.

Inside was just as comfortable looking as the one that brought me to this place. All overstuffed couches and fine wood paneling. Actually, looking at the book selection in the bookshelf, it may actually be the same one.

Celestia crossed over to the small bar and pulled out a bottle of brandy. Removing the cork, she sniffed it and poured a pair of small glasses.

I glanced around towards the ceilings as I took the offered glass in my magic, "Hmm."

"What?" Celestia asked as she laid down on the largest couch.

"Not a lot of perches to hang from here," I said before I crossed over to peer into the bedroom, "...But the one I used on the way out here is still installed in the bedroom."

Celestia smiled a bit, "Wouldn't be the first time we shared somewhere to sleep."

"What, used to stallions hanging around in your bedroom?" I teased as I jumped onto the couch, settling down facing her.

"Maybe not in such a literal manner," Celestia teased, her wings raised, "But it has been known to happen."

I laughed, "Known, right. The populace would have a stroke."

"I'm sure they would have plenty of strokes."

I just laughed and shook my head before looking up at her with a fangy grin, "Bad Princess."

She winked and sipped her drink with a playful smile of her own.

Grinning back I sipped my own, leaning against the backrest of the couch and resting my head against it as I looked up at her, "...It's been a nice month," I said, "I learned a lot too. I liked it."

"It has been very nice," she agreed and then touched her necklace with a gold covered hoof, "But it's back to reality again."

I felt the silver circlet on my own head before I nodded, "Maybe now I can get Sparks or Sunny to tell me what's going on in Nocturnis. They refuse to tell me anything but 'it's going fine'."

"Would not count on it until you return," Celestia pointed out.

"Likely not," I admitted and then shrugged, "...It can't be that bad. if the place burned down, they'd likely tell me. And at least the rain period should be well over by the time I get back."

"Is the rain truly that bad?" she asked and smiled at me, sipping her drink.

"Oh?" I asked with a smile, "It is. I bet that if you go out into it, it could keep even you from getting too hot. Assuming you didn't drown."

"Hmm," she said, touching the flowing waves of her mane with a hoof, "Been a long while since my mane got all wet and clingy."

Now that was an attractive mental picture.

"You know, you could do that if you glowed instead."

"I could," she agreed with a small smile, "But who would be able to see it?"

I shook my head, "Trust me, nobody would be able to see it in the rain either. Even ignoring the massive cloud of steam you’d put off if not using a dissipating spell, you can barely see a hoof before you when it's at its worst. You should visit sometime."

"It would be an interesting thing to experience," she agreed before she smiled, "It sounds a bit cozy actually."

"It can be," I admitted before I flicked one ear, "But until we figured out the right way to build roofs, it was incredibly loud. Especially to these ears. In the end, we had to build silencing spells into the wood."

"I can imagine silencing spells can be useful.”

“Very useful. Are the roofs in Canterlot similarly enchanted?” I asked, “Or the walls? Cities can be loud at times.”

Celestia smirked, “So it can be. I know Luna uses a silence sphere for it.”

“And you?”

She smirked at me and sipped her drink, “They can be quite useful. When things get too loud.”

“What about the train then?” I asked as I took another sip, looking up at her.

“I don’t know…” she admitted and made a show of looking me over, “Maybe we’ll find out tonight?”

“Bad Princess.”

Celestia smiled innocently, “Going to have a stroke?”

I laughed and took a swallow from my drink, “If Cadance heard us, she definitely would.”

The goddess of the sun grinned at me.