Presenting Princess Cadance
Being a princess is never easy. Foals would dream about grand parties, luxurious food and every pony bowing and looking up to you. The truth is, There is a lot more than what fairy tales and stories tell us. A princess must be willing to serve and respect. To be able to talk and represent a kingdom’s core values, and to be the strength and light to guide the way even when all seems lost. These were the mental attributes that make up a true leader of an entire land. Then there are the not so glamorous parts of being royalty, such as treaties and negotiations to go into and sign, long lengthy meetings to attend and trying to keep a straight face while nobles and politicians bicker like school fillies on why life isn’t fair.
These were the not so glamorous tasks Princess Celestia had to endure daily. It was one of the reasons why she wasn’t in her bedroom chambers in the private areas of the castle. It was another reason why a certain young alicorn was feeling very bored. Those politicians and late meetings always kept her teacher and auntie away, leaving the pink, bored alicorn with absolutely nothing to do. Instead, she was lying on her back, legs in the air and a bored look on her face as she lay on top of Princess Celestia’s cushion bed. She tried to keep the boredom at bay. She had done so much reading that she thought her eyes would drop out of her sockets. She had done so much magical practice that she thought her horn would explode. Her foal-sitting duties were also off, as Twilight Sparkle was at the School for Gifted Unicorns, learning magic or whatever the curriculum says bright and promising unicorns should learn.
Cadance huffed and blew off a piece of her mane. She stared at the empty cage, Phoenix feathers lying inside it. Philomena had also gotten bored and started pecking at the cage's door, wanting to be free to stretch her wings. Cadance had allowed her to fly through the window. At least the Phoenix had something to do, being able to fly around the castle. If she gets caught by one of the castle guards being out without Auntie's permission… She didn’t want to think about the consequences of that.
She sighed and rolled over onto her stomach and watched as the flames of the enchanted fires danced in the fireplace. The boredom was eating at her. She would go crazy if she didn’t do something other than lying around as the sun outside moved slowly across the sky. She had to get rid of this plaguing boredom before it becomes infectious. Can boredom even become a disease? She giggled to herself at that crazy thought.
She then caught sight of Celestia’s closet, where her auntie's regalia was. Even though many common ponies thought she wore just one set of regalia, there were in fact several sets of the same. They needed to be maintained and polished by professional goldsmiths and craftsmen of the Castle in case they lose their shine and become dull. A smile flashed across Cadances’ face as an idea came into her head. She didn’t think of the consequences if some pony found her doing what she was about to do. She just wanted the boredom to go away.
She got up from Celestia’s cushion bed, her horn lighting up and opening the closet. As she expected, rows of chest plates were hung up, horseshoes were on the bottom shelf and crowns on the top one. They were many sizes too large for her, but she can manage somehow. She levitated four horseshoes and fitted them to her tiny hooves, a heavy chest plate was placed around her neck and a big crown was set upon her head.
She then looked at herself in the mirror, smiling at the image she saw in front of her. What she will look like in a few years, all grown up and with her own regalia, she didn’t know. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of what the future's got in store for her. She was just a member of the royal family for now. A foal-sitter to a gifted and promising purple unicorn under the tutelage of Princess Celestia herself. She then turned around and raised a hoof. The horseshoe was heavier than she expected and she wobbled for a second. Unfurling her wings, she balanced herself and tried to maintain a strong posture.
“Citizens of Equestria,” Cadance pretended as though there was a crowd before her, “Gaze upon the future Princess of Equestria, Princess Cadance. When there is spite, I will bring love. When there is cruelty, I will comfort with compassion. I will melt every heart of ice and let the darkness embrace the light. No matter if it is my Auntie’s sun and moon, love will be there forever and ever.”
It seemed her teachers’ lessons on good vocabulary and pronunciation was handy.
Princess Cadance tried, albeit wobbly at first, to walk like how Celestia walked. There was always grace and beauty when she saw her auntie walk, a sort of confidence in every step. She was the Princess of the Sun and Moon. It was as if the darkness retreated with every step she took. There was precision and stride in her hoof steps, but not too clunky that the sound of her horseshoes on the marble floors would echo around the castle too loudly.
Cadance took a deep breath and held her neck up high. The crown on top of her head weighed her down and she found herself losing balance again. With a straightening of her wings again, she held herself steady. She didn’t want to pretend that she was a giraffe while she walked, but wanted to still be proud and a figure a pony must respect. She practised walking in the oversized horseshoes. Her steps were steady and well-timed. Well distanced and she balanced her weight from one horseshoe to another. She soon found a steady rhythm and began walking around the perimeter of Celestia’s room. She didn’t notice the door creaking open and a certain tall, white alicorn come into her room.
“I see you found something to do to keep you occupied,” The white alicorn said with no tone. Cadance froze midstep in terror. She turned around too quickly, causing the crown on her head to become lopsided. Celestia walked into her bedroom, a stern look on her face. Celestia took off her regalia, crown and horseshoes and put them aside.
“Auntie, I can explain,” Cadance shook in her place. Celestia towered over her niece with a neutral face.
“Well, I’m sorry to disturb you, Princess Cadance,” Princess Celestia said as she bowed her head and kneeled onto one leg. Cadance stopped trembling and her eyes went wide. Celestia raised her head and gave her niece a wink.
“I didn’t know Equestria had gained a new princess while I was away with my royal duties,” Princess Celestia kept her act going, “Might I ask who you are?”
Cadance smiled at her auntie’s jesting and puffed her chest out proudly, “You may call me Princess Cadance, Princess Celestia.”
“Please, call me Celestia,” Celestia smiled, “We are both princesses, are we not?”
“Of course, Celestia,” Cadance beamed, “May I ask how was your day as ruler of Equestria?”
“I’m afraid the job of being a princess to all your beloved subjects does keep a princess on their hooves,” Celestia gave Cadance her professional formal tone, “One cannot simply sit on a throne all the time. A princess engages with her subjects every day, and maintain a positive outlook.”
“I certainly agree,” Cadance smiled.
“Would you care to accompany me for a walk around my chambers?” Celestia giggled, breaking her formal look, “I would like to be in the accompany of an equal for now.”
“Most certainly,” Cadance smiled.
The two walked together around Celestia’s room, chatting about how Celestia’s day went and what Cadance learned from her mentors. It was during this time Celestia taught her niece how to walk properly. She observed how Cadance grew more confident in every step she took and her strong posture became more consistent. Sure, her size was far greater than her small niece for the time being, but Celestia knew that someday, Cadance will have her own subjects to lead and be ready to be an example to others. It was only a matter of time. Celestia mentally chuckled at that. How time flies.
Celestia sat down on her cushion bed, ready to sign some last-minute treaties and documents. There was a little polishing up to do with the final paper on a trade deal with the griffons, a plea for funding and plans on what to teach Twilight Sparkle next. Her jobs were numerous. Proof that it wasn’t always easy being a princess of an entire kingdom. The sound of metal on the soft carpet would distract her from her work, and she found herself looking up to see Cadance still practising on her regal walk.
There was a soft sound of pecking on the glass and both alicorns looked towards the window to find Philomena at the window. Celestia got up and opened it, allowing her beloved Phoenix to fly in and land on her back.
“Welcome back, my old friend,” Celestia smiled and nuzzled her pet on the beak, “I presume my niece let you out to stretch your wings?”
Philomena gave a happy squawk and went over to Cadance. The Phoenix cocked her head from one side to the other, confused at the young alicorn’s costume. Why was Cadance wearing her master's things?
“Allow me to introduce you to the newest princess of Equestria, Princess Cadance,” Celestia continued the act. Philomena, being a mischievous bird and knowing her master well, caught onto what Celestia was getting at and bowed her head. Slowly, so as not to get caught off balance by the crown again, Cadance bowed her head to the phoenix.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Philomena,” Cadance giggled and both bird and pony raised her head. Philomena nuzzled the top of Cadance’s head before hopping into her cage.
“I saw a few feathers lying around again,” Cadance said to her auntie, “Is it her rebirthing cycle soon?”
“It’s getting close yes,” Celestia smiled as warmly as the sun to her Phoenix, “I have lost count of how many times she had undergone this natural behaviour now.”
Soon it was time for her to lower the sun and raise the moon. Cadance and Celestia walked towards the balcony and her niece watched as she lowered and raised the two celestial objects in the sky. She always noted how Celestia’s face seemed to flash a moment of sadness as she looked up at the moon. She looked up, still in Celestia’s royal regalia, to see the spotted pattern of the face of a pony on the surface. She always wanted to ask what it meant, but always thought it was something of a private affair for her auntie.
They walked back into the bedroom, Celestia lying back onto the couch and smiling as she watched Cadance from a distance, trying to act all regal and proper again. She was still a long way off, needing to know the ins and outs of Equestria’s complex political system, the art of negotiations and to keep a straight face when the nobles become unruly. Celestia has caught sight her of niece almost collapsing from exhaustion when she was invited to one of many town hall meetings.
Twilight returned later in the evening, always wanting to gt a few extra hours of reading at the castle’s library before it’s closed for cleaning by the night staff. Celestia smiled as she watched the two of them do their usual ritual of greeting. Celestia doubted that it was not going to go anytime soon, even when Cadance became a real princess. Twilight hugged her teacher and foal-sitter before dashing off back to her room in the castle, something about wanting to ace a certain upcoming magical theory test.
Celestia sighed as the tiredness of a long day began to work into her and she turned towards her niece. She put the pile of paperwork yet to sign on her desktop and smiled at her niece.
“So, Cadance,” Celestia smiled as she looked across the room to her niece, “How was your afternoon being a Princess?”
“It was difficult,” Cadance smiled awkwardly at Celestia’s regalia she still wore, “I don’t think I’m big enough to fill these horseshoes yet.” Cadance then gave a small yelp in surprise as she was levitated into the air, the regalia leaving her and was put back into the closet. She came to rest between Celestia’s forelegs and was now being nuzzled by her loving auntie.
“You’ll grow in time, both literally and figuratively,” Celestia smiled, “And don’t worry. You are going to make a fine princess one day.”
“Are you sure?” Cadance asked as she looked up into her auntie’s loving eyes.
“I’m not only sure,” Celestia smiled, “I am most certain.”