Ms. Glimmer and the Do-Nothing Prince

by scifipony

44 — The End is Neigh I: Good Morning

Author's Note:

It should be The End is Nigh, but it is pony... Do you have a proper sense of dread, yet?

Day 599

Predawn orange and red lit the bedroom. I blinked, opening my eyes to a skylight filled with puffy clouds with colored highlights and chiaroscuro shadows. This wasn't the gold swirled pale blue ceiling over Sunset's bed.... Warm breath tussling the fur on my chest hastened my recollection.

I froze.

I lay on my back, my fore and back legs relaxed above me. Without moving, I glanced to the right to find Sunburst nestled against me, his face against my withers, his muzzle extended across my ribs. Somehow he had shoved his legs between me and the bed, but not entirely under me. In his sleep, it looked like he wanted to stay warm.

I grinned. Even his awful case of bedhead didn't change that. He used mane glue, and sleeping had smashed his crest in bizarre ways reminiscent of broken stalagmites. With a bristly mane as a foal, his mane looked to have grown into one of those limp right- or left-sided cascades of hair nopony desired.

I felt trusted. I enjoyed bodily contact. A lot. I wanted to go back to sleep, for those reasons and that I still felt exhausted.

Regardless, I had priorities. I carefully disentangled us. I avoided jostling him or the books that had joined the pony party as we moved in our sleep. I slipped off the mattress, took one long gaze at my old friend to burn the image into my memory, then slinked from the bedroom, strapping my messenger bag on.

The doors to the guest suite clicked softly closed under the frogs of my hooves. I stretched, thinking how my shoulder felt warm and my muscles tight. My healing bruises felt tight, also, but the sensation of needing to scratch an itch in my shoulder made my shoulder more worrisome. Something was worse than usual.

"Ms. Glimmer?"

I jumped. Don't believe anypony that said I'd shrieked as I spun to face an old dark stallion. A hoof to my pounding heart, I asked, "What?"

"Did you get any rest?" Proper Step asked.

"I didn't ride him," I shot back a little too quickly to be believed. "J-just up late. Studying. Really."

His dark brown eyes flicked over me, noting my unruly hair (I immediately tied it into a colt bun), stopping on bruises. Probably counting to see if I'd accumulated more, but pausing on the griffon wound, he asked, "How did you sleep?"

My rebellious body produced a yawn, and with a hoof over my mouth. I stretched again, getting twinges from the wound and the bruises. He noticed. "Not as well as I'd have liked, but oh well."

"You shouldn't rely on the vigor of youth. Maybe you should visit Dr. Flowing Water—"

I wasn't stupid. "Make me appointment for between first and second period." I'd then at least have Sunburst's lesson to think about during the exam.

The stallion frowned, but nodded. He held his notebook, once again stuffed with news clippings, a crushed scroll, and parchments. "Tell me what I need to know," I said, trotting toward the palace kitchens, thinking I need a wake-me-up. "I have to do my morning trots and train with Blueblood before Sunburst's class. No news about Blueblood, I hope?"

The ensign had sent news of an apple farmer setting the Everfree near the deer tracks ablaze last evening, but nothing since. "Mildly comforting. Blueblood?" I prompted since Proper Step had winced at his name.

He floated a clipping with a photo of us at the Running of the Leaves, him stretching me out. "How this photographer—Photo Finish is it?—managed to catch me with my tail moved aside that way is astounding, but that the Inquisition published a princess picture so compromising is more so." I grinned wolfishly. Maybe I did have the right stuff to attract stallions! I liked the picture, though it twisted the situation. It showed the real me. I hated when ponies thought I was actually nice or proper. "What's with the headline, Royal Engagement?"

"Speculation sells papers. Despite the images of you two hoof fighting, they're pushing the narrative you're romantically involved."

"They're right," I observed. He'd essentially proposed to me. "Make a full color print of that photograph. For above the sofa, for my guest parlor, should I ever be assigned a suite in the palace."

He snatched the paper back as I walked through the servant's entrance, past cupboards and pantries, toward the ten burner stove with tea kettles. Tables with hay, grains, and berries were attended by ponies in white smocks who whinnied as the two of us approached. "More importantly, the princess sent an update."

"Four bags of black tea; strong. Sweeten with fifty percent orange juice in a to-go cup." I really need that first, but couldn't wait. "What'd she say?"

My chargé d'affaires looked around us.

Also looking, eyes narrowed, I whispered, "Berry juice hay infusion with green tea for him."

Ponies, whose ears had cocked our direction, scrambled to give us space. He said, "You noticed—"

"Paid attention, to get away with my filly schemes. Yes. Her Majesty said?"

He floated a scroll. It had blackened edges and had been delivered via Spike.

I don't think the Fawn herd leader Great Leaper has authority for all the Golden Stag, so she won't agree to Our apologies and a magic wall between our domains. I'm ordering the cruiser Tomorrow overfly the Everfree this afternoon, a month earlier than usual, skimming the forest canopy to demonstrate I'm not cut off from support, and for reconnaissance of their positions. Take precautions.

"Take precautions!?"

I spat, then levitated a handy checkered towel to the floor to wipe away the spittle. "Did either of the two idiots read a copy of this?"

"Yes," said a severe voice. I turned to see a silvery icy blue unicorn trotting in. "I've been—"

Two things could have happened.

I could thank her. Because of Captain Ice Sickle, I'd gotten practical experience working with the Equestrian military. I'd learned I could defeat a griffon more than once—I wasn't a one trick pony. Applying myself, keeping my eye on the goal, I'd done my best for Canterlot and Ponyville.

However, my shoulder ached.

That was enough to tick me off, so I chose the second alternative. I'd seen Carne Asada lose her cool. I remembered well how the dear-departed ruddy-furred night wing—with a red bow at her dock and her bright dragon eyes and nubby fangs—hissed like a boiler before exploding.

With the Doña fully in mind, I bellowed, "Bow before the Crown Princess of Equestria!"

The unicorn's legs locked up. Pony reflex, I presumed. Her steel horseshoes skidded across the gold-speckled grey granite loudly. Everypony within earshot froze. A pot clanged on the floor and splashed. The fleshy sound of dozens of ponies lowering themselves to one knee filled the silence.

The Captain of the Army, either because of her pinnacle rank amongst her peers, her late middle-age, or her complete and utter shock, lowered herself last and slowly. I appreciated she kept her eyes locked with mine. I let a feral grin slip across my lips. I chose to think she thought she could be worthwhile to her princess. Confidence looked good on any pony. I deplored yes-ponies.

"Everypony but her," I pointed, "As you were."

I walked over as kitchen activity resumed, pots clanking and knives studiously chopping. When I towered above her, I craned my head down so we were nose to nose. She preferred coffee. I looked into her eyes. "Speak."

"Ms. Glimmer, I apologize—"

"To flapping Tartarus with formalities! Tell me what you'd tell Celestia!" The strain on my shoulder and the griffon wound forced me erect. I rubbed it as I said, "Stand. I made my point. I expect you to tell me what I need to know to fight, no matter what."

The old mare licked her lips, looked at the ponies resuming their kitchen tasks, then took a couple deep breaths. "Ma'am. We sent an advisor for Berrytwist to join the Eagle's Stoop, the best we could do considering you transferred the Ensign under your chain of command."

Had I? Good to know.

"I had Sky High promote her to Lieutenant Junior Grade, long overdue and obvious considering the leadership she demonstrated. Because of the rank of her advisor, we gave her a brevet promotion to Lieutenant Commander to ensure the chain of command remains unambiguous. The Stoop recovered no bodies, but evidence implies the platoon of black pegasi her crew scattered were not ponies, but neither were they some species of Golden Stag. Your intuition ran into coincidence to the benefit of Canterlot."

"Uh? Thank you? What about the fires?"

"We've confirmed deer tracks."

"Golden Stag?"

"Some sort of Fawn, but the farmer's reactions could give the Golden Stag actual cause to retaliate. Sky High called up The Prince of Manehatten, a pegasus carrier to protect the rail lines from attack or sabotage. We have no hoof soldiers posted in the city garrison this time of year, so I need you to order out the pegasi guard and the Night Watch to protect the rails as we summon troops, until the carrier arrives and whatever else in service can be flown here and take up station keeping. I want to deploy earth pony and unicorn guard throughout town and at the bottom of the Ponyville Incline."

"I so order. About Berrytwist: You didn't ask me to relinquish her command."

"The broke-horn is well trained, and Sky High admits he hasn't fought a frigate, or any ship of the line, in two decades. Please pass on your command to trust my advisor."

I nodded, then looked to Proper Step. "Do that, also."

"One last thing," she said.

I almost groaned, thinking homework, but nodded.

"You made a lot of mistakes, Captain Glimmer, but the situation on the ground mostly canceled them out. You need to learn why."

Ice Sickle let it sink in that she had used my rank before adding, "When this tempest in a teakettle blows over, Sky High and I will begin teaching you what you actually need to know."

She saluted and stood there. I understood.

"Dismissed."

She trotted off.

"More classes. Worse than homework. I am embarrassed with riches!" I muttered, not really unhappy as long as at least some magic study would be involved.

A unicorn servant brought my warm orange tea drink and Proper Step's wake-up in thermal bottles. I thought about what happened. Funny that the Do-nothing Prince had a pegasus carrier named after him.

How did the obvious naval term broke-horn apply to the tall purple unicorn?

I chugged my warm drink before my morning trot. A pegasus guard shadowed me as I approached the edge of Mistmane Botanical Gardens. I noticed the guard at Sunset's tower fly off. I felt vindicated seeing staff stripped to protect the railroads. How much did the interior of a castle need protecting? Really? However...

I stopped the young golden stallion with cornflower eyes and two-toned blue mane sticking out of his helmet. "Flash, is it?"

"Yes, Ms. Glimmer. Flash Sentry."

"Twilight Sparkle lives outside the palace. Have her escorted inside the castle wall as quickly as possible. Wait! Duchess Moon Dancer, also."

He saluted and fluttered off.

Peace descended on the gardens. No ponies, just leaves rustling. The weather team had filled the sky with scattered rain clouds, making the breeze brisk and invigorating. That wondrous smell before a rain filled the air. What was it called... petrichor? My brass clattered on flagstones. Fully caffeinated, my drug of choice masking my nagging exhaustion, I trotted with my head and tail held high past the late season sunflowers with spicy heads that had begun to droop.

Fifteen minutes got me deep into the gardens, past the burnt-down pavilions, past the seapony fountain, and close enough to the southern curtain wall that I understood the gigantic scope of the curvy marble-faced structure. Truly a monument to unicorn technology that begged the question, why? It was a bailey wall, with a ten pony length separation between two walls, each with a walkway atop that a pony could pull a weapons cart along. The sweeping structures that protected the walk from rain met at buttresses what were in fact guard houses. As far as I knew, ponies rarely patrolled the interior. Generally pegasi were posted at the guard stations on the outside wall, but not today. The captains and I had assigned them elsewhere.

Celestia had secrets. Of course my lack of historical knowledge did not a secret make, but I wondered. Castle Canterlot, for all its elegance, was built on the high ground and was truly Fortress Canterlot. It was the safest place in Equestria.

The Golden Stag were a clue as to why.

I had confidence that I had managed to protect everypony I could think of. However, along with the nagging ache in my withers, I had a nagging feeling I'd missed something important. Notice, my dear reader, I wasn't exactly clueless. Unfortunately, I'd steered myself on a collision course toward what I'd failed to deduce.

Comments

[Just_Me123]

Sounds ominous. Well, we will have to see where the story goes.