Chapter 1
Sharp Point wiped his brow and sat down on one of the club's chairs. The sun was blisteringly hot today as it lounged about overhead, drifting through the sky. If he had his choice, he would have been at home, relaxed in his easy chair instead of sitting outside on a golf club house patio. He didn't even like golf, but he certainly couldn't say that to the pony who invited him here.
Carefully straightening his collar and tie, Sharp Point looked to the large clock on the wall. He was about twenty minutes early, which was good, but he was also starting to sweat, which was bad. Wiping his brow and fanning himself with his straw hat helped, but he was really beginning to wish this was a nice, cold, winter day instead of a exhausting, boiling, summer one.
“There you are Sharp! I'm glad you could make it.”
The familiar voice rapidly put all such thoughts out of his mind. The iron lawn chair screeched across the tiled floor as he immediately rose from his seat and spun around. Not even taking the time to look at the owner of the voice, Sharp Point quickly made a courteous bow.
“I would not have missed it for the world, Your Highness.”
Princess Celestia gave a small sigh and smiled as she motioned for him to rise and looked around.
“It appears the other ministers don't quite share your enthusiasm for the game. Perhaps I should have tried to push the sun back a bit more. It is rather warm today.”
Sharp Point did a small double take as he rose. He was surprised to see his Princess out her royal attire. Her golden crown was replaced by a off-white bunnet and her vestments and golden slippers were replaced by a bright red skirt and sandals. Noticing his eyes locked on her clothes, Princess Celestia smiled as she spun around to show off her attire.
“Not used to seeing 'the Royal Highness' without all of her gold decorations?”
Sharp Point immediately shook his head as he felt his face begin redden as he blushed with embarrassment.
“N-no! Well... Perhaps... Your Highness. I haven't typically seen you outside the-”
Princess Celestia laughed lightly as she cut him off and used her magic to pick up her bag.
“Relax Sharp. The whole point of our getting out here is to relax.”
Sharp Point quickly nodded and fetched his bag, its rented clubs rattling around as he threw them over his shoulder. The almost militaristic manner in which he obeyed her commands and followed her lead made Princess Celestia sigh again, but she didn't let it bother her. It took every new adviser and minister a while to get accustomed to her presence.
The soft, carefully tended grass made no sound as they started towards the first hole on the course. The Saunter Springs Country Club was as well known for its quality as it was for its more frequent players, especially the Princess, whom Sharp looked up to, as they neared the first tee.
“Forgive me, your Highness, but should we wait for the others?”
Princess Celestia shook her head as she placed her bag on the ground.
“I already looked around, and even spoke with a few of them. It seems that of all my staff, you're the only pony who will play today in this heat.”
Sharp Point nodded, but as he thought about it, it seemed rather unlikely to him that anyone would refuse a direct invitation from the Princess and, as though she had read his mind, Celestia answered his thoughts.
“It's not too surprising really. They all have families at home and they're around me all day every day. I can't imagine them wanting to leave the comforts of home for a game of golf in this heat.”
Sharp Point nodded again, but his face clearly showed that he didn't understand. With a smile, Celestia carefully placed her ball down and pulled out one of her clubs.
The dull sound of the old wooden club striking the ball echoed across the largely empty field. It was a beautiful drive, the true result of a polished skill that comes from playing regularly.
“That was an amazing drive, Your Highness!”
While there was an honest compliment in his words, Celestia could just as easily hear the political formality in his voice. With another smile, Celestia graciously thanked him and motioned for him to proceed.
Sharp Point carefully selected his a driver that was similar to Princess Celestia's and examined the ball in front of him. How hard should he drive? Surely the Princess had the skill to beat him, but should he even try to win or should he carefully monitor his score and keep it a certain distance hers? A bead of sweat ran down his face and the grass crinkled under his hooves as his mind raced in circles until at last Celestia called out to him.
“We still have seventeen more holes to go, Sharp. They don't all have to be perfect.”
Sharp gave a lighthearted laugh and forced a quick smile. He was obviously taking too long. With a bit of a rush, Sharp swung his club and drove the ball high into the air.
Though he couldn't see the light that grabbed hold of his ball, the tale-tell sound of magic being cast and the ball's perfect flight into the hole told Sharp immediately that Celestia had altered his drive into a hole-in-one.
Confused, Sharp looked back to his Princess who smiled as she placed her bag on her back and began walking toward her ball.
“Do you know why I asked you out here Sharp?”
Sharp gulped as he shook his head, grabbed his bag and trotted after her. Celestia's smile never wavered as she continued walking.
“I want you to relax. It's just a game. We're supposed to have fun.”
Sharp Point quickly nodded, but Celestia didn't believe him.
“It's very important that my advisers and ministers can speak openly and freely, to and around me. There will be days when you have to tell me things you know I won't want to hear and discuss things you know I won't want to talk about. But you can't do that so long as you keep me so high up on a pedestal away from you.”
“But you are the Princess, Your Highness.”
Celestia smiled, but breathed the frustrated sigh that she found herself breathing around every new adviser.
“Yes, and you are my adviser. We have our stations, but that doesn't mean we can't have our friendship as well.”
Princess Celestia stopped as she looked from her ball, now at her hooves, to the hole, a decent distance away. Sharp Point said nothing as she looked back to him, then towards the hole.
With a mischievous smile, Celestia pulled out the same driver and lined herself up. As she prepared her swing, her eyes looked back to Sharp. He swayed side to side, as she had noticed he often did when he was nervous, but he didn't say anything.
“Is something on your mind Sharp?”
Sharp cleared his throat and swayed a little more.
“Well... Well... I don't know much about the game—certainly Your Highness knows far more than I—but I was just noticing your club choice was a bit unorthodox not to say that-”
“Are you saying my club choice was wrong?”
Sharp froze instantly, like a foal who had been caught trying to steal from the cookie jar before dinner, to which Celestia had to fight hard to avoid laughing. Being careful to give a very gentle smile, Celestia lowered her head to his and looked him right in the eye.
“The answer is yes.”
Sharp slowly nodded his head and Princess Celestia nodded back before she placed her club back into her bag.
“I'm sorry, that was a bit mean. But that is exactly what I wanted you to see. I want you, as my adviser and as my friend, to be able to tell me what you thought the moment I grabbed that club.”
“F-Friend?”
Celestia nodded as she looked him right in the eyes.
“We're both part of a team, Sharp. Everypony thinks I run the government by myself and that's simply not true. I have Luna, I have my ministers, my advisers, and I also have you. We're all part of the team. And just like any sports team we have our ranks and our positions, but we still need to be friends, ready to support each other and have each others' backs when facing the challenges that confront Equestria.”
Seeing the light in his eyes at the notion of being “friends with the Princess”, Celestia smiled and looked to her bag, placing a hoof to her chin in mock contemplation.
“Now, which of these do you think I should use for this?”
Celestia tilted the bag slightly in his direction, but still held it straight enough that he couldn't see all of her clubs. Much to Celestia's enjoyment, Sharp Point walked up closer to get a better view.
There was a certain amount of joy Sharp Point felt as he walked up closer to Princess Celestia. He of course didn't want to get too close, she was still the Princess after all, but she was clearly showing him that he wouldn't lose his job for being a little bit more relaxed around her.
As he looked into the bag, Sharp thought for a moment before placing a hoof to his own chin, though his was not in mock contemplation.
“Truth... Truth be told, Your Highness... I honestly know too little about this game to be of much help here. I know... I know this is a putter...”
Celestia hid her grin as Sharp motioned to the wedge in the bag.
“But I'm afraid I don't truly know which of these would be best for this situation.”
Again Celestia looked at him with widened eyes.
“Are you saying you don't know?”
This time Celestia couldn't hold back her laugh as Sharp once again froze at her accusing tone.
“I'm- I'm sorry, that was mean of me. But you did the right thing. Never be afraid to tell me you're not equipped to handle a situation. I would far rather you tell me you don't know as opposed to pretending you do and making a bad decision.”
Sharp Point smiled nervously as he nodded again. Finally Celestia pulled out one of the clubs.
“For here I'd use... hmm.... I'll go with a four iron. That should work.”
This time Celestia actually struck the ball with the intent of sending it towards the hole. As it sailed through the air, Sharp Point couldn't believe he was ever worried about whether or not he should lose on purpose.
Though he understood that Princess Celestia wanted him to relax, Sharp Point couldn't help but tremble a little bit as he lined himself up with his ball. A few practice swings seemed to get most of the jitters out of his nerves, but he still couldn't even look at his Princess casually before he would find himself slowly leaning from one side and back to the other.
As he was gearing up for one last practice swing, Princess Celestia called out to him jokingly.
“Sharp, there's still sixteen holes after this one. While I wouldn't mind watching my sister raise the moon, I will get hungry eventually.”
Sharp forced a weak laugh as he looked back to the ball.
“Relax... We're supposed to be relaxing... I can do this... just relax...”
With a dull knocking sound, Sharp sent his ball on a curved path away from the hole. Watching his ball bounce in the tall grass at the edge of the course, Celestia snickered as she grabbed her bag and waited for Sharp to grab his.
“I do appreciate it, but you really don't have to worry about trying to make me look good out here Sharp. It's just a game after all.”
Sharp sighed as he placed his driver back in the bag.
“If only I were, Your Highness. If only I were...”
Celestia at first smiled, but then sighed as she realized that although he was significantly more relaxed now than he was when she had joined him, his reply wasn't quite in the playful spirit that she had been using all game.
As they proceeded to where his ball had landed, Celestia decided to carry the conversation elsewhere.
“Have you heard about Princess Cadence's new ball this winter? She appears to be going all out with this one.”
Sharp Point immediately perked up as his attention was diverted from the game to the more businesslike manner presented to him.
“I remember hearing something about that earlier, yes. I believe she intends to rival the Grand Galloping Gala. It will be quite an undertaking, if I do say so myself.”
Sharp stopped as he looked to his Princess to gauge her reaction. But Celestia continued walking as though there was nothing significant about their discussion. With a small chuckle, Celestia examined a puff of clouds in the distance.
“She can have the Grand Galloping Gala. I'd rather not keep it.”
Sharp nodded as Celestia felt her chest swell a little bit with pride.
“She has come a long way, hasn't she, Sharp?”
“Indeed, Your Highness. Are you planning on attending? I'm quite certain she would be thrilled to have you.”
To Sharp's surprise, Celestia shook her head.
“I wish I could, in fact she has already sent me an invitation, but that will be her night, as it should be. I would only overshadow her.”
Celestia smiled a rueful smile as she sighed and set her bag on the ground.
“I do wish I could go. She and Shining Armor are such a good match for each other. It's always so nice to see them...”
Sharp nodded as he looked down to his ball on the ground.
“Do you intend to send somepony as a representative then? To show your support without your presence?”
Celestia looked to her adviser for a moment before grinning.
“That's a very good idea Sharp. I could easily get a set of tickets, is there any special somepony you would like to go with you?”
Sharp dropped his club on the ground as he spun to face his Princess, but her face clearly told him that this wasn't a joke. Brushing the ground with his hoof, Sharp began to sway back and forth again.
“Your Highness, I would hardly be fitting for such a-”
“Oh nonsense Sharp. I'm sure you'll do perfectly fine.”
“Well... I don't have anypony to go with either...”
Princess Celestia gave him a warm smile as she sat down and waited for him to reach for his club.
“Don't worry, Sharp. I'm sure you'll meet a very special somepony in due time. And it will be worth the wait.”
Sharp slowly smiled as he looked into his bag, rattling around for another club that might fit the situation.
“I would certainly be interested if you happen to know of another alicorn princess who might be looking for...”
Suddenly Sharp froze. His eyes went wide as he realized that his internal joke was voiced out loud. Princess Celestia sat behind him. Her own eyes were wide for a moment, until the sarcasm in his voice sank in. Sharp had made a joke, a weak joke perhaps, but she couldn't be happier. However, despite Celestia's obvious joy with his progress, Sharp turned pale while she laughed into her hoof.
“Y-Y-Y-Your H-Highness, I am so so-”
Princess Celestia waved her spare hoof in between laughs.
“Don't apologize now Sharp, that was good. That was good. Yes, I suppose Princess Cadence did stay fairly low-key, but that was her decision, not mine.”
Sharp nodded rapidly. His color had returned, but Princess Celestia could easily see that he was still quite nervous. Rising from the soft green grass, Princess Celestia walked over to Sharp and put a wing over him, pulling him closer and whispering in his ear as she took the wedge from his hooves and replaced it with a more appropriate three iron.
“But I'll put in a good word for you with the next 'alicorn princess' I see.”
Princess Celestia moved back and sat down as she watched him line himself up. Sharp was making progress in being more comfortable around her. He still had a long ways to go before he would truly be himself around her, but they still had plenty of holes left to go.
The glass gave a light resonating ring as the ice cubes swirled around in Sharp Point's lemonade. Princess Celestia and Sharp Point were both quietly observing a young mare across the patio from them as she looked towards the clock and straightened her business attire. She was at least twenty minutes early, which was good, but now she was starting to sweat under the boiling hot sun, which was bad.
“Did you really watch me like this too, Your Highness?”
Princess Celestia smiled as she sipped on her drink.
“Actually I was a table closer. It never ceases to amaze me how close I can get to the new advisers before they actually notice me.”
Sharp Point sighed as he lightly stirred his lemonade again.
“We do have a lot on our minds during moments like these, your Highness.”
Princess Celestia stifled a giggle at her companion's mock irritation.
“Yes, yes you certainly did.”
Sharp Point gave a playful snort as he looked back towards the mare.
“I'm so bad with names, what was her name again?”
“Penny Pincher, the new financial adviser.”
Sharp nodded as Princess Celestia leaned in with a mischievous grin.
“She isn't an alicorn, but should I put in a good word for you anyways?”
Celestia chuckled as Sharp blushed and looked to his Princess in disbelief.
“You... ah, you still remember that comment, eh?”
“Of course. Accidental or not, it was the first real sign that you were opening up to me.”
Pausing to take a sip of his lemonade, Sharp pondered on his Princess's words.
“You really like it when we start being ourselves around you, don't you, Your Highness?”
Nodding, Princess Celestia took another sip from her drink and placed it back on the table.
“That's right. Though I still think my favorite moment from our game was the look in your eyes when you fell in the water hazard.”
“You pushed me, Your Highness.”
Princess Celestia put a hoof to her chest as her face began to fill with a mock innocence.
“Nonsense dear Sharp! I didn't mean to hit you with the bag, honest! I thought you were further down the range!”
Both ponies shared a snicker at the ludicrous conversation they were having before Sharp Point sighed and looked to the clock.
“Well, it's still early, but should we get going?”
Still chuckling, Princess Celestia smiled as she looked at the clock and rose from her seat.
“I suppose I should. Sharp, would you mind sitting out this game?”
Sharp nodded and said nothing, but he didn't have to. Princess Celestia already knew what he wanted to ask.
“I find that most advisers and ministers open up a little bit more when it's just the two of us out there. That is the point of this after all, to get her to relax around me.”
Sharp Point smiled and nodded.
“Of course, Your Highness. Have fun and please don't be too cruel.”
Princess Celestia look back over her shoulder at him with a smile as she adjusted her bunnet and grabbed her bag.
“It's all in good fun, Sharp. It's all in good fun.”
Princess Celestia's red skirt waved in the light breeze as she walked towards Penny Pincher. Sharp couldn't hear most of their conversation, but Celestia almost seemed to look at him when she said the familiar line.
“I already looked around, and even spoke with one of them. It seems that of all my staff, you're the only pony who will play today in this heat.”