Humble beginnings
“I’m sorry, this just isn’t right.”
Princess Celestia always tried to be easy to tailor for. But today Ribbon just couldn’t seem to get it right. Was she getting too old?
“I’m sorry, you’re highness. But if you could just have a little more patience with me--”
“I’m sorry, Ribbon, but the gala is tomorrow. Just get me into something decent.”
“You’re highness doesn’t want to try and see if anything old fits, does she?
“No, it would break tradition.”
“Well, alright. I’ll try my best.”
When the gala did come around, Celestia had settled for something simple but elegant. Ribbon was a good tailor, but Celestia had made her choice.
She needed a new tailor. And she needed one soon. But she wanted some-pony who was young—experienced, yes, of course—but young.
Ribbon wouldn’t mind, Celestia could tell the strenuous work was getting to her. She would be happy to retire or go to work for someone with a lesser workload.
She called one of her aides and let her know that on the morrow she would go to the School of Royal Tailors and choose a new one from the ponies who had just graduated.
Surely someone there would be who she needed.
One year earlier…
Ruby was just sitting in her tree that day. Nothing unusual had happened, it was an ordinary, beautiful day and she was content to just sit in her tree and sew.
The town of Clopville was small, so no one really needed any tailoring done very often.
But when the occasion came up, they always called on Ruby.
Ruby Throne...a small pony for her age, dark, wine-red and a multicolored mane that was blue and lighter red. She was sweet, needed glasses, and was probably the best-dressed pony in Clopville.
But she didn’t ‘strut her stuff,’ so to speak, instead, she quietly offered to do any tailoring needed, and she didn’t parade herself around, making her fashion skills known.
But for her, she wanted a challenge.
Something to keep her busy. She had big dreams—always had.
So, a few weeks ago, she had decided, hey, why not just send in an application to the School of Royal Tailors? She didn’t have anything to lose.
So she had, but she had very big doubts. The School of Royal Tailors usually only accepted ponies from it’s hometown—Canterlot. And small-town ponies like her had hardly a chance.
But on that day, she found out she was wrong.
“Ruby! A letter!”
Ruby jumped down off the tree and ran into the front yard, where her sunshine-yellow sister held a fat envelope with her unicorn.
Ruby Throne’s entire family was unicorns. She rather liked that about them.
“For me?”
“Yes, for you, silly!” she thrust it toward her sister. “Open it!”
Ruby took it and did just that.
She read silently for a moment, then gasped and looked up at her sister. She pushed her glasses closer to her face and squinted at the page. She gasped again and looked again to her sister.
“What, what?” Lemongrass could hardly hold it in.
“I’ve...I’ve been accepted.”
“Accepted?” Lemongrass frowned. Then, realization filled her face. “Oh! Accepted! To the school? Really?”
Ruby just nodded.
“Are you kidding me?! Ruby, that is amazing! When do you leave?”
“Um, I am to leave tomorrow morning and start school on Monday.”
“Aren’t you excited?!”
Ruby looked at her sister and a huge smile broke forth. “I am, very much.”
“Oh, Ruby, you’re so modest, even in your exciting moments of glory. And don’t worry about Clopville. We can make our own clothes.” she grabbed her sister in a hug and together they celebrated.
The next day, after she said most of her goodbyes, Ruby approached her sister.
“I made this for you.” she blurted, and thrust a bundle of red cloth at her sister.
“For me? Oh, thank you.” Lemon shook out the cloth and gasped.
It was the most elegant gown she’d ever laid eyes on. Not even Ruby wore such finery as this.
She looked up in astonishment at her sister.
Ruby smiled. “For when you come to visit.”
“Oh...oh wow, oh, Ruby!” Lemon hugged her sister.
Ruby found a strange satisfaction in the fact that for once in her life, she’d stunned her sister to silence.
She said goodbye a few more times before leaving, and then went to the train station.
Her train was early, so she boarded first and waited for it to leave.
When it did slowly pull away from the station, she realized where she was going.
She was going to the biggest city in Equestria...the capital of Equestria. The ponies there would be more sophisticated.
Ruby was nervous. Would her country roots prevent her from impressing these stylish ponies? Would there be any friendly faces?
She dearly hoped she’d make a friend or two at the school. She’d always heard that the ponies of Canterlot were rather opinionated...and they would judge you from first sight.
Lemongrass had told her to just be herself. Smile at those ponies and not dwell on what they might be thinking.
Ruby sure hoped that Lemon was right.
She still wasn’t sure if she’d survive the first day.
When Ruby exited the train, she just had to stop in the middle of a crowd of bustling mares and stallions and just gaze at everything around her.
The city was absolutely amazing. Everywhere she looked she saw high-class mares in stunning dresses and tall stallions in equally amazing finery. For a moment, Ruby wondered if her skills would be enough for this place. They’d been almost too fine for Clopville, but what about here?
She shoved the thoughts out of her head. Lemongrass had told her not to think that way. And she wouldn’t.
She still stood there like a statue. Everything about the fashion and the streets of the city both excited and terrified her.
On a street corner stood a cream-colored mare in a long, purple dress. Her dark mane was put up in a fashionable up-do, and the stallion at her side wore tails and a monacle, which Ruby loved. She’d always loved monacles.
But, as I said before, Ruby was a small pony, and therefore other ponies on the station started jostling her, almost knocking her over.
“Move, little mare!”
“Out of the way!”
“Don’t stand right in the middle of the platform like that!”
Ruby gathered her bag and tried to find a way out but the crowd was so thick and she had no clue of how to navigate such crowds.
The ponies were getting more and more agitated, urging her to move.
A hoof touched hers and she looked up, fearing to find another disapproving face. Instead, she looked up into kind, dark eyes.
“Come with me.” the stallion said, and she obeyed.
He expertly led her through the tangled mass of ponies and when they finally reached the street, Ruby felt she could breathe easier.
“Thank you ever so much sir.” she said, looking back at the pony. It was just now she realized he was a soldier...or something like that. He wore armor.
“You’re welcome, miss. You in from the country?”
Ruby blushed and nodded. He smiled, putting her at ease. “Don’t worry, not all ponies here will size you up from the first minute of knowing you. Some of us are just plain polite.” he winked.
Ruby couldn’t stifle a giggle.
“What’s your name?”
“Ruby Throne, sir.”
“Enough of this sir stuff, Miss Throne. I am Glacier Fjord. You may call me either of those names but not both together. It sounds too cheesy that way.”
Ruby laughed again. “Okay. I like Fjord.”
“Then Fjord it will be!” he announced gallantly, and she grinned.
“Where are you headed, Miss Throne?”
Ruby was slowly gaining her confidence back. “If I call you Fjord, you call me Ruby.”
He nodded and she continued, “I’m headed to the School of Royal Tailors. Do you know which way it is?”
He grinned again. “I can do better than telling you. I’ll take you there.”
She blushed again, and looked down to hide it. “Thank you so much.”
He led her expertly through the crowd and soon they were on their way to the School of Royal Tailors. Ruby was glad to have a friend within minutes of arriving, even if she’d most likely never see him again.
Unless she became Princess Celestia’s new tailor one day far off in the future. But would he remember her by then?
Ruby pushed the thought away, deciding to enjoy the moment.
And enjoy the kindness of this handsome stranger.