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#Post#: 132--------------------------------------------------
Glory Bound Redux
By: Richtor Keyes Date: December 22, 2013, 6:43 pm
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Richtor shuffled hurriedly through his shelves, cabinets, and
other various containers and boxes as he searched for something
specific amongst his belongings. He was looking for a pair of
pins that were given to him as a gift a long time ago; a
congratulatory present by his own piano teacher for a job well
done during his Senior recital some years ago. Frustrated,
Richtor dropped everything in his hooves with an exasperated
huff and glanced about his room, frowning as he realized he'd
much rather prefer his much smaller room back in Ponyville. At
least it would be easier to find something, he thought to
himself. The unicorn stared blankly at the tiled floor, trying
to think of some way to make this easier... Showing a minor
twitch of annoyance, Richtor looked up and strained in thought
as he brought his magic to life; a soft, golden glow emanated
from his horn and seemed to encompass just about everything
around him. Richtor struggled for a few moments as he began to
open everything and circulate all of his belongings around the
room, keeping a strained eye out for those pins. While the
unicorn was exceedingly exceptional at multi-tasking, he hardly
ever used his magic outside of his music. He couldn't manipulate
and hold the weight of so many differently sized objects at once
for very long, despite it being a common unicorn 'trick'... Just
as he was about to hit the end of his rope, he spotted a thin
blue-speckled box float into his view. Richtor immediately
grabbed it, but in his haste, the magic cut out and everything
fell to the ground with a rather loud thud. The unicorn bit his
lip as he kicked a few things out from under his door, quickly
heading outside to escape the mess before his mother saw it. At
this point, he'd much rather face his mother's wrath than be
late to Honey's.
The unicorn frowned deeply at the thought... If there was one
thing he learned not to do growing up, it was leaving his room
in a mess. His mother had some sort of penchant for keeping the
house spotless, and more often than not, Richtor drove her
absolutely mad with his constant uprooting and touching, since
he hardly ever used his magic. Yep... He certainly had it coming
when he came back later. Despite his guaranteed ill-gotten fate,
he couldn't help but smile sheepishly at the thought of going
out with Honey Dew again. He might have even considered it an
official date, although he wondered if Honey Dew would agree.
After all, they had just met the other day... Regardless,
Richtor would certainly enjoy her company once more. He decided
that he was going to be a bit more relaxed today, hoping that it
would help her relax as well. After the alley-way incident, he
figured that Honey deserved to unwind a bit. With the apartment
in view, Richtor opened up the box he had grabbed, revealing
only one of the two pins that were supposed to be inside. He
stopped for a moment, conflicted as to whether he should still
wear it or just not even bother with the idea all together. The
one he had hoped was in there was a slightly large silver treble
clef, much akin to Honey Dew's on her headband. He thought it
would go well together, but instead, he fastened the other to
his lapel: a small section of piano keys that was a direct
representation of his cutie mark. Slightly disappointed, Richtor
pocketed the small box and swung around the other side of the
apartment to reach Honey's room a bit more quickly. While he
wasn't late at all (in fact, she didn't quite specify a time),
Richtor would have preferred to be earlier rather than later.
A flower stand across the street caught Richtor's eye as he
began to make his way up the steps to Honey's room... Pausing
for a moment, he contemplated taking an extra minute to run down
and get something for her to show as a small gift. Considering
it a fine idea, Richtor backtracked to the stand and started to
look for something that Honey might enjoy, at least for the
night for as short as these things lasted. But that's when he
started to second guess himself... What if it was too cliche`?
Or what if she somehow found it offensive? Just about every
single mare Richtor knew wanted to be completely lavished by
gifts, and while he knew better than to think the same of Honey
Dew, he questioned the validity of 'gifts' at all. In fact, she
had gotten rather upset at him for not letting her pick up part
of the restaurant bill the other night. She might think it
unnecessary, or even overbearing. What if--
"Uh... Hello? Are you okay dude?"
Richtor blinked, his thoughts dispersing like a popped bubble as
the merchant in front of him spoke, concern etched across his
face. "Wha-- Oh! Yes. I'm fine. I'm just having a hard time...
choosing..." Richtor quickly apologized, but as his eyes
wandered past the merchant, his gaze fell upon a rather vibrant
violet flower
HTML http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/purple-pansy-sarah-couzens.jpg.<br
/>The unicorn almost immediately considered buying it as it
reminded him of Honey's own violet eyes. Before Richtor allowed
himself to reconsider again, he quickly purchased the flower and
tucked the stem behind his collar to leave as a surprise when
she would answer the door. ONE flower wouldn't hurt... Would it?
Richtor rolled his eyes at himself, cursing his own thought
process as he made his way back up to Honey's room and quickly
knocked on the door before his mind became trapped again.
#Post#: 133--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Honey Dew Date: December 22, 2013, 6:45 pm
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To her dismay, everything Honey Dew had tried to rid herself of
the bruise around her eye had proven futile. Ice packs, keeping
her head elevated, witch hazel, arnica... The swelling had
reduced dramatically, but the area around her eye was still
purple, though its color had been reduced along with the
swelling. She'd hoped it would go away entirely by evening,
before her... date at the castle with Richtor, but that wasn't
the case. Just one more night's rest would have gotten rid of
it...
Sighing quietly, Honey stepped away from the mirror in the
bathroom and into the main room, not bothering to put any kind
of make-up or perfume on. No need to be fake, was how her
thought process went, especially since that's how Richtor seemed
to prefer it. However, that thought process was also why she
decided she would be bringing her sword along with her. She sat
on the edge of her bed and pulled its familiar weight to her
before unsheathing it slightly, the gleaming, polished blade
that showed reflecting the same image she'd seen in the bathroom
moments ago. Amethyst eyes peered back behind her veil of wavy,
black hair, expression serious even though the situation didn't
demand it.
The blade was just as much a part of her as her horn was. To
lose it would be like losing a limb, and that was something she
could only hope Richtor would understand... and that he wouldn't
be too put off by her bringing it along with her. As she stared
at her reflection in the blade, she heard a knock on the door
and immediately her stomach churned in anxiety while her heart
raced a little bit. It was finally time. Sheathing the blade
with a click, Honey stood and strapped it around her waist, then
first levitated her headband onto her head, followed two large
fans into two holsters on the katana's belt before stepping over
to the door.
She took a deep, calming breath before pulling the door open to
greet the pony on the other side, a slight smile on her lips in
greeting. The smile faded into a look of mild shock when she saw
the flower that had been brought along, examining it as she
brought a hoof out to it. "It's beautiful, Richtor," she said,
gently setting her snout into the flower and sniffing. The smile
came back in a coy expression as she took in the flower's scent,
most of her snout now hidden as she glanced up to him. "Good
evening, Rich. It's good to see you again," she told him,
searching his eyes for a moment. "I must say I wasn't expecting
a greeting like this... You chose wonderfully." At that, she
levitated the flower's stem into her hair, tucking it underneath
the headband where the flower's petals hid the treble clef
underneath. "How have you been these last couple of days?"
#Post#: 134--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Richtor Keyes Date: December 22, 2013, 7:38 pm
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Richtor slightly bowed his head in greeting, his troubled
thoughts immediately dissolving the moment she opened the door
and gave him that smile. "Likewise, Honey Dew, it's good to see
you as well." The stallion couldn't help but grin a bit
bashfully at her response to the violet flower... He wasn't
quite sure what to expect or what her reaction would be, but
Richtor was almost visibly relieved that Honey took an immediate
liking to it. He especially made note of her coy expression. It
seemed she liked flowers after all, or at least that particular
kind he had picked out specifically for her. "I'll be honest, it
was spur of the moment," Richtor added, watching Honey tuck the
flower underneath her headband. "I saw it on my way up here and
I picked it up. I'm glad you like it~."
He took a moment to look the mare over, a little surprised to
see that the nasty blow to her eye had nearly healed. It wasn't
so much the bruise on her eye that caught his attention,
however, but the pair of weapons she had attached to her hip.
Richtor thought to himself for a moment as he recalled their
earlier discussion at the restaurant the other day. It seemed
that the sword was indeed not for decoration as he initially
believed, but he didn't really seem all that bothered by it.
Instead, he turned his attention to Honey's question and ignored
the weapons for now. "I've been relatively decent, Honey Dew.
I've been spending majority of my time helping my mother around
her house, keeping everything neat and tidy. Although I'm
certain to get an earful when I return, though." Richtor huffed
slightly at the thought... He certainly wasn't keen on going
home any time soon, and knowing his mother, she'd be waiting.
"I've more or less just been relaxing, taking a break from all
the composition stuff." He paused, offering a subtle, yet wide
grin. "And if I may be so bold, I was certainly looking forward
to being with you again. You look great, by the way... How have
you been holding up?"
Richtor's eyes drifted down to the sword again, still unsure of
what to think about it, but he made no particular effort to say
anything. At least not yet. He knew of a few ponies that would
roam the streets of Canterlot or Ponyville that were armed, but
most made an effort to conceal their weapons. While it wasn't
the sword in of itself that bothered him, it was the prospect of
bringing it out on a... date. And to further accelerate his
point, he wasn't too sure if the guards would even allow her
into the castle sporting weapons of her own. In any case, Honey
Dew must have a reason to bring it in the first place, so
Richtor wasn't just going to question her outright. So...
Trapped within his own thought process again, the stallion
decided to wait and see if the topic would bring itself up.
#Post#: 135--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Honey Dew Date: December 22, 2013, 7:38 pm
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As Richtor looked her over--unbeknownst to her--Honey stepped
out of her room and into the hallway with Richtor before turning
and listening to what he said in response to her. She retained a
mostly neutral expression as she listened, until he mentioned
liking her appearance and having looked forward to seeing her
again. She allowed another bashful smile to spread on her lips,
a strange sight for a pony wearing a katana around her waist.
"I've been good, Rich," she responded, now beginning to lead him
out of the hotel and into the streets of Canterlot. "If a little
bored. Not really knowing what there is to do in Canterlot has
been... A little disorienting, especially with not knowing where
to really start looking..." She shrugged a bit, smiling to
Richtor as she walked a little bit closer to him. "But I have
been looking forward to our date. Time has been moving so slowly
ever since we parted ways. But we're both here now, and I'm
glad," she told him, smiling a little bit over to him.
By this time, they'd left the hotel and were out in the streets,
Honey walking side by side with the stallion next to her towards
the castle towering over the rest of the city. "It is a
beautiful night. I can't wait to see what the royal garden is
like, especially on a night like tonight." There seemed to be
genuine excitement in her voice as she said that, her gaze held
up to the starry sky above them. "And the rest of the castle
too, of course," she added, looking down to Richtor a moment
after saying that.
Eventually they wound up walking up to the castle, and Honey
felt both excited and a little hesitant to go near the guards at
the front entrance. She was well aware that they might not
appreciate her wandering with her katana, and she had spent much
time trying to figure out what she was going to do about that.
However, not knowing their reaction to it, all guesses and
hypotheses were made null until that time came. So, she she
could continue walking up to the castle with Richtor, not
knowing what would happen just yet...
#Post#: 136--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Richtor Keyes Date: December 22, 2013, 7:39 pm
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Richtor followed quietly as he listened to Honey Dew, although
he couldn't help but chuckle slightly when she mentioned the
word 'date'. He quickly spoke up, though, not wanting Honey Dew
to think that he was laughing at her expense. "You know, I was
wondering if it was okay to call this a date... And I think you
just answered my question." Richtor grinned as he glanced over
to the mare, noticing she had moved a bit closer, and yet
another smile... He was starting to get good at this, he thought
as he mused to himself. "I'll be quite frank, though, even when
you know your way around Canterlot, its novelty quickly wears
off. And you could easily cut that time in half if you're not a
fancy politician or unnecessarily wealthy."
The stallion looked up at the sky as Honey continued to speak,
commenting on the night's beauty... And she was certainly right.
This night in particular seemed to be devoid of all clouds,
allowing the stars and the moon to shine through unimpeded, and
a light, cool breeze rolled silently through the streets. It
would certainly make for a awe-inspiring scene once they reached
the castle... "I must digress, though," Richtor said after
moving slightly closer alongside Honey Dew. "Even Canterlot has
its hidden gems if you know where to look." He glanced back at
Honey Dew again and gave her a slight nudge. The stallion
wondered if Honey would catch his simple implication as he
grinned again. "I hear the garden is quite breathtaking this
time of year..."
It was about that time that the pair started to approach the
castle... As they walked up to the massive front arch, Richtor
couldn't help but wonder himself what the guards would say about
Honey Dew being armed. Neither word nor breath had been uttered
to address her weapons along the way. He fell into an
uncomfortable silence as he locked eyes with one of the guards,
hoping that Honey would have a good plan to explain herself.
While it wasn't illegal to carry weapons, it would certainly
arouse suspicion inside the castle grounds.
Inevitably, one of the guards barred their progress underneath
the front entrance. The pegasus meticulously eyed the pair
before he spoke, his wandering eyes last glancing at Honey's
katana at her side. "Early night visitors? Or are you lost? What
business do you have?" His voice was rather gruff, but he didn't
sound challenging or hostile like most of the other guards when
they spoke.
Richtor blinked, a bit unsure of what to say exactly... He had
never been to the castle at night, so he wasn't quite sure what
the protocols were, much less how he should respond if he were
to ask about Honey's weapons. "Yes sir, we're visitors. We're
here to take a look at the castle before we return to
Ponyville."
The guard quirked a brow in surprise, taking neither pony into
consideration as to being Ponyville folk. He dismissed the idea,
but then he pointed at Honey Dew's katana and the other two
holsters. "I'm not sure what Ponyville citizens have use for any
kinds of weapons like those, but I must ask regardless: due to a
recent string in crime, we are now required to hold any and all
weapons until you return. Would that be a problem?"
#Post#: 137--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Honey Dew Date: December 22, 2013, 7:40 pm
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Just as she feared... The moment they got close enough, one of
the guards halted the pair, his gaze visibly held on the katana
at her flank. She was afraid of what was going to be said next,
but she stood straight, her posture proud and stoic as the guard
spoke. She continued to stare at the guard while he asked their
business and Richtor responded, before he aimed a hoof at the
weapons belt around her flank and addressed that.
She remained silent for a minute after he spoke, gaze faltering
slightly at his request. She didn't want to let go of her
katana, especially to some pony she knew not. The thought
terrified her, especially knowing the possibility of something
happening to her blade while out of her supervision... But she
also wasn't here alone. Richtor was here, wanting to go into the
castle with her, to enjoy the night together. Was she really
about to be so selfish as to deny him that, and ruin the night
so soon after it had begun?
A feeling almost akin to dread churned Honey's stomach as she
slowly began to unbuckle the weapon's belt from around her,
obviously looking upset at what she was now having to do.
"Unfortunately, yes. It is a problem," she began, gaze still
lowered to the ground in front of her. "I have these weapons
because I am a Samareai. They are not for death, but for
protection, and each unique blade is practically an extension to
each Samareai's body."
She levitated the weapons belt off of her body before gently
setting it on the ground in front of her. Upon doing so, she
knelt down before the blade in a humble bow before picking it up
with shaky hooves and, very slowly and reluctantly, offering it
to the guard. "As such, I request you treat this blade as you
would another pony's life. Please treat it with respect, and do
not pull it from its sheathe. It is a difficult enough thought
that I am giving it to somepony I do not know; I do not desire
to return to find my wishes and my honor spit upon..."
#Post#: 138--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Richtor Keyes Date: December 22, 2013, 7:41 pm
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As conditioned as the guards were to not show any slight of
emotion and to stick to their royal duties regardless of the
situation at hoof, the pegasus seemed to be having a rather
difficult time keeping a straight, neutral face. Honey Dew's
reaction to his simple question caught him completely off-guard,
and it was clear that he was concerned. Samareai...? Is that
what the kids are calling it these days? The pegasus shook his
head, thinking Honey's actions to be extremely exaggerated. "At
least you understand a weapon's purpose, young lady. If it will
make you feel any better, I will personally hold it until you
return. Besides, I'm still on duty for another six hours. I
won't be going anywhere anytime soon."
Richtor, on the other hand, could practically feel Honey Dew's
stress as she hesitantly, nigh unwillingly gave her sword over
to the guard. He chose not to say anything, but he knew this was
ultimately going to happen when they approached the gates. While
he didn't quite understand the mare's seemingly exuberant
actions, he definitely knew a bit more than the guard as he and
Honey had discussed the subject before, and he definitely knew
better than to question Honey's intents. Just as the guard was
about to take the blade, Richtor suddenly spoke up. "Surely
there must be another way, sir. I see non-Canterlot personnel
travel through here all the time with their weapons hoisted
around their hips or back. And with the amount of traffic that
comes through here during the day, there's simply no way for all
of the guards to keep up with things like confiscating weapons.
What's the alternative?" The stallion stated matter of factly as
he recalled his numerous trips to the castle during the day.
The pegasus scowled... Not only was he uncomfortable with this
mare, he was now having his orders questioned by her companion.
At this point, he just wanted to be left alone. But a job's a
job. "You speak of the reserves, young colt. And you are
correct; we cannot keep up with each and every pony that walks
through here..." He sighed and stretched his neck, but he was
really looking at who all was close by. Satisfied, he leaned in
to speak more quietly to Honey Dew and waved over a nearby
unicorn guard. "Okay, look, miss, I really want to help you. But
you've got to promise me something: Don't do anything stupid.
The alternative, quite simply, is to place a magical lock on its
hilt. You may carry your weapon with you, but if you try and
remove the blade, an alarm will sound. It would be removed when
you leave. Would that be a problem?"
#Post#: 139--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Honey Dew Date: December 22, 2013, 7:42 pm
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The guard's words didn't make her feel better like he'd hoped.
The point was that she was giving her sword to a stranger--that
she was having to get rid of it entirely. It was for something
worth it, but it didn't make it any less difficult. Just as she
was about to hand over the katana however, Richtor spoke up,
causing her to pause and glance over to him. His words gave her
hope, and after Richtor finished speaking, she glanced back over
to the guard expectantly.
She seemed to brighten a bit when he mentioned helping her and
explained what the alternative was. "No. That actually sounds
like a wonderful idea," she responded to him, now extending the
blade out to the unicorn guard that had been called over. Even
if she had to draw her blade, then that would mean something bad
was happening, and the alarm would only aid her in the end.
She patiently waited for the spell to be cast, then returned her
sword belt around her waist before bowing deeply to both guards
who'd helped her. "Thank you both. I swear on my name and honor
that I will not be a problem." After addressing both guards, she
then headed inside with Richtor. Once inside the castle and out
of the guard's line of sight, she immediately turned and threw
her hooves around Richtor's shoulders, hugging him tightly for a
moment before speaking. "And thank you too, Richtor. I know you
might not understand why I decided to bring my blade, but it
means a lot to me that you spoke up and helped me as you did."
After that, she pulled away from him, leaving a kiss planted on
his cheek before turning to examine the castle's foyer. "It's as
beautiful and awe-inspiring as I'd imagined. I don't imagine I'd
actually enjoy living here, but I'd gladly marvel at its
grandeur." She paused for a moment, glancing around a few
seconds longer before looking back to Richtor, genuine
excitement in her eyes. "I want to see the ball room. Lead the
way for me, Richtor~?" she asked, moving beside him to gently
press her side to his at the same time.
#Post#: 140--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Richtor Keyes Date: December 22, 2013, 7:43 pm
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Richtor let out a small surprised 'oof' as Honey Dew pulled him
into an unexpected tight hug... He chuckled to himself, but the
stallion was once again surprised as she gave him a small kiss
on the cheek. He stood dazed for a moment, tapping his hoof
lightly against the ground in a shy form of embarrassment, his
face burning bright red. With a wide smile, Richtor focused back
on reality... "Indeed, Honey... It certainly is beautiful and
awe-inspiring." The unicorn simply repeated Honey Dew's words,
but he wasn't looking at, or talking about the foyer. Instead,
his cobalt eyes remained glued to Honey, happily watching her
expressions as she rolled through various stages of wonder and
excitement. "Of course, the castle is beautiful and
awe-inspiring as well," he decided to tack on as soon as Honey
Dew had returned to his side.
Paying his own comment no mind, Richtor glanced between the East
and West wings a few times, attempting to recall which path led
to the ballroom. He also wasn't quite certain if some paths
would be blocked off during the night... "I think the night only
increases its majestic splendor, although they like to keep some
parts of the castle lit up as bright as day." Richtor glanced
over to Honey Dew, smiling even brighter than before and started
to head off into the East wing. The were met with a rather
elongated hallway, lit by torchlight and full of stained glass
windows depicting all kinds of scenes from Equestrian history.
The castle seemed to be full of them, and this wing was no
exception. Massive, elaborate chandeliers decorated the entirety
of its length... Some even caught the beginnings of the
moonlight from the upper windows, scattering a silver glow all
throughout the hallway. Richtor proceeded along the path,
keeping close to Honey Dew... He rather enjoyed the closeness
that she offered, and he was going to hang on to that as long as
he could. After a couple minutes, the unicorn slowed to a stop
as he glanced around, re-familiarizing himself with his
surrounding. "Believe it or not... This feels much different
from the day. If I recall correctly, the ballroom should be
here."
He casually opened a rather tall, intricate door, holding it for
Honey Dew as she passed through. There were no lights or torches
in this room, but the rays of moonlight dancing along the walls
and floor were more than bright enough to identify it as the
room they were looking for. "Ah... Here we are... I've played
here once before... Looks so different during the night, but
breath-taking nonetheless." Richtor paused, looking towards the
front of the room as if reliving a memory. "And after you've
looked around a bit... Look up." To Richtor, at least, the
ceiling was the most impressive part of the room for some
reason. The chandeliers and lamps that hung in this room put the
ones they had just seen to shame. They, too, caught the
moonlight as it splashed it across the room. The ceiling also
seemed to be a massive mural, hoof-painted to what looked like
the finest detail. If Honey Dew remained in place long enough,
he would drape a gentle hoof over her neck. "So... What do you
think?"
#Post#: 143--------------------------------------------------
Re: Glory Bound Redux
By: Princess Celestia Date: December 22, 2013, 10:13 pm
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It had been quite some time since her sister had been redeemed
and returned to her rightful place as co-ruler of the country,
but still some ponies seemed rather reluctant to take their
problems to anypony but Celestia, despite her efforts to even
try and redirect things to the night court... especially when
night had already fallen and her sister was due to take over.
Then again change can be a scary thing, and after a full
millennium of looking to Celestia for guidance, she couldn't
blame them for being a bit slow to adapt.
"It's been two months now," the earth pony following the
Princess through the halls of the castle continued, doing little
to hide the irritation in his voice even after his audience with
her had been extended to this later hour than is normally
allowed due to the threat of his small town's population
starving, "and those pegasi still sit up on their clouds doing
nothing but laugh at us. Our crops are running the risk of dying
and bearing a pathetic harvest this season because of their
complaining. They don't even seem to care that that their
killing their own source of food, instead looking like their
hoping the barren fields will force us to do what they want!"
"I understand your frustration, Mr. Tiller," Celestia replied,
keeping her tone diplomatically neutral and hiding her growing
fatigue over handling these matters when this should be the
start to her off hours, "but I'm afraid the most we can do about
this is to send a royal mediator to try and work this out
between you and the weather teams. They will be informed of the
situation and sent as soon as they are ready." A pause in their
traveling and a glance casted towards the blue earth pony mare
keeping pace beside them signaled for her to jot down Celestia's
promise, the mare nodding and getting to work with a pen against
a pad.
"Mediator? I think a detachment of guards would send a stronger
message that they shouldn't be putting our lives in danger over
a few bits." The pony expressed his unhappiness with the
Princesses decision, though he did so in a half grumble knowing
that her word was final. Sighing then trying to bow to show
respect the stallion then readied to finally leave his countries
leader alone, "Thank you, Princess. I will very eagerly be
awaiting the mediators arrival." He was then given permission to
leave after a nod, a nearby guard taking it upon himself to
escort the pony out.
"... Well maybe they wouldn't be striking if you weren't trying
to cut their wages off at all four of their knees... Again." The
blue mare commented, looking up from her notepad and sticking
her tongue out at the now well out of earshot Mr. Tiller just as
he was disappearing around a corner. Celestia didn't mind the
mare speaking her mind, the pony being encouraged to do so after
becoming a common assistant of hers. The Princess let her eyes
flick back and forth for a moment as if expecting somepony else
was sneaking up and preparing to jump out of a shadow with a
very lengthy form for to read.
"Please tell me that's everything for tonight, Pen," she said to
her assistant, voice soft as though she was going to jinx her
chances of rest by talking any louder, "if I have to listen to
another noble try and explain why his family shouldn't be paying
taxes I'm worried I might just raise the sun and leave it there
until they stop whining."
"Umm..." Pen hummed, shuffling papers with the hopes of giving
good news, face grimacing though when she found something
neither of them wanted to see, "... No, actually... A couple of
barons are arguing over a dispute and were hoping to see you,
and just you, today..." Celestia sighed and closed her eyes as
if the act would somehow change what shed been told, the crown
on her head beginning to feel like a lead weight. "You know...
This could easily wait until tomorrow," Pen began, earning no
argument from her boss, "how about I run defense and tell them
you were... 'Pulled away on urgent business' and won't be
available until tomorrow?"
Celestia cracked open an eyelid to look down at her assistant,
the alicorn then glancing at the few guards nearby who only
nodded. "... Shame that. Being pulled away and all," she said,
the other ponies present murmuring in agreement over the bad
news the barons will be recieving, "though I'm sure they'll
survive a few hours more without being able to yell at each
other in front of me... Thank you, everypony." Pen and the
guards then smiled and wished her a good night as she walked off
to find somewhere quiet that would let her take her mind off of
the day.
Oddly enough, Celestia actually felt a little less tired now,
the freedom to actually do what she wanted to do allowing her
some respite on its own. She debated simply heading off to bed,
but decided shed instead take a quick walk around the quieter
sections of the castle first, avoiding any areas where shed be
running the risk of being dragged into something of course, as
she found the simple silence to be quite relaxing on its own.
Her slightly restricted all access tour took her past the usual
highlights of the castle, the stained glass windows showing some
of Equestria's most important moments in history, the gallery
where a number of priceless works of art were displayed, and
eventually a brief trek to the gardens... which was then avoided
as she could have sworn shed heard unhappy voices saying
something about fences and how somepony should try and "pretend
this bush is your estate and this tree here is mine" coming
from that direction. Deciding to make herself more scarce, she
reset her heading to the ballroom, it being nearby and a
wonderful sight to behold on its own.
Reaching the ballroom and opening the door with her magic,
Celestia blinked away some of her growing tiredness as she
stepped inside, eyes of course first going upwards to appreciate
the mural painted across the ceiling. Distracted by the art, she
failed to notice the current occupants doing the same until her
hooves had carried her further inside and close enough to catch
the very last bit of what one of them had said, his words having
been missed but the sound of his voice alerting the princess to
their presence. "Good evening," she greeted them, her putting on
a small but friendly smile, "enjoying the ballroom? It's quite
beautiful during the late hours, wouldn't you agree?"
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