In Service to the Princess

Quicksilver's eyes widened as he saw the Royal Guards standing outside his apartment. He saw one of them raise his hoof again and heard the resulting knock.

Oh, crap!he thought. What the buck are they here for? What did I do? He took a few deep, calming breaths before opening the door. "Good morning, gentlecolts," he said brightly.

"Are you Quicksilver?" the guard on the right said. Both guards were white pegasi, with blue eyes and blue tails. The plumage on their helmets matched their tails.

Silver thought this might be his chance, but then, he thought, they probably knew who he was, and lying about it wouldn't get him anywhere. "That's right," he replied, leaning against the doorway, elbow propped on the door frame, trying to sound casual, and knowing he was failing miserably. His heart beat a tattoo against his ribs.

"We have been ordered to bring you to Canterlot Castle by Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia," the same guard informed him tonelessly.

Silver gulped. What could Princess Celestia possibly want with him? He hadn't committed any crime that he was aware of, he had paid his taxes, and so far as he knew, hadn't done anything to warrant the attention of the princess. He tried to think fast, but his brain wasn't very helpful. Then, he got it. He started laughing. "Great getup guys! Wow, you actually had me going there for a second. Who put you up to this? Lightning? He's a real joker, that one."

The guards looked at each other. "Princess Celestia has 'put us up to this,'" the monotone guard said. "She requests your presence at Canterlot castle, immediately." He emphasized the last word.

Quicksilver kept chuckling for a while and trailed off awkwardly. "Ummm--have I done something wrong? Am I in trouble?"

The two guards exchanged glances, as if debating how much to say. "You aren't in trouble," the one on the left assured him. He had a kinder tone than his partner. "We have simply been ordered to bring you in the presence of Princess Celestia. She did not deem it necessary to inform us of what she wants you for."

"Well, as long as I'm not in trouble..." Silver said hesitantly. He stepped out of his apartment, glad he hadn't even turned on the stove, then looked back at his coffee longingly. "Is it okay if I bring my coffee?" he asked.

The two guards exchanged glances again. "I don't see why not," the one on the left said with a shrug. His partner just rolled his eyes.

Silver quickly poured himself a cup and added a bit of cream and sugar before he joined the guards. "Okay, I'm ready!" he declared.

The guards didn't say anything, just headed down the hallway with Silver trotting behind them. He couldn't help but notice how they were both roughly the same height, muscular, and their armor covered any defining features, like their cutie marks. Then, he wondered if Princess Celestia could tell them apart, or if they even had names. Maybe they all had numbers or something. Maybe Princess Celestia just addressed them all as 'hey, you!' He almost laughed at the idea, but stifled it, and very briefly wondered if they were all chosen for their similar appearances, or if they actually dyed their manes and coats, kind of like a uniform.

He drank his coffee as they walked. They couldn't be that bad, he decided. They had let him bring it after all. He didn't think he'd be in a fit state to see the ruler of Equestria if he hadn't even had a single cup of coffee. He was also glad he had already gotten ready for work. He was even wearing his EPS uniform.

As they left his apartment building, he saw a plain-looking coach waiting outside, a brown earth pony harnessed to the front. Monotone opened the door for him and his buddy preceded him inside. "Get in," he said flatly.

Quicksilver did as he was bade, getting into the coach and sitting beside the other guard. Monotone climbed in after him, and once he was settled with Quicksilver in the middle, he tapped on the glass at the front of the cab to tell the driver to get going.

They all sat in silence as the coach took them to their destination.

The route they took to the castle wasn't exactly direct. They went down several side streets. Quicksilver was curious as to why the princess wanted to see him if he wasn't in trouble for something, and why they went to such pains to not be seen.

They traveled through many back streets and alleys, places that even Quicksilver, after living for years in Canterlot, hadn't even known existed. Quicksilver peered out the window as the coach trundled along.

Finally, after what seemed like half an hour, they reached a postern gate in the castle wall. It was overgrown and mostly obscured by some kind of climbing plant with dark green foliage and tiny blue buds that were closed tightly, despite the bright daylight. Quicksilver didn't recognize it, and he wouldn't have even realized there was a gate there if he hadn't been led right to it.

He and his guards got out of the coach, and once they were standing on the cobbled street, it drove away.

Monotone tapped his hoof on the gate in a pattern. Horse Code, realized Quicksilver. After a moment, the gate swung open, somehow unencumbered by the climbing plant.

Monotone passed through in silence, followed by Quicksilver and the other guard, who closed the gate behind them. Silver didn't see anypony else, and wondered who had opened the gate. Why all this cloak and dagger stuff? he wondered.

He found that they were in some kind of garden; maybe the kitchen garden. There were all kinds of vegetables, berries, and fruit trees growing here. They didn't head toward the kitchen though. Instead, they went behind the castle and through some kind of servant's entrance.

Quicksilver looked around in awe as they walked through what may have been the guards' barracks, and out into a corridor. The corridor was lined with huge windows that allowed the sun to spill inside, lighting it naturally. The flagged floor was covered in a plush red carpet that gave a little under Silver's hooves.

He could hardly believe this wasn't some kind of trick or prank. He was half-expecting the coach to take them somewhere out of the way, where they could dispose of him without being seen. The only reassuring thought he had was that they'd be going to a lot of trouble for a guy who obviously only had a hoofful of bits to his name, so they had to be the real deal. Besides, the guards' armor looked like it was real gilded plate, and obviously wasn't fake. Same with the way they talked and carried themselves.

They went through a few corridors that all looked the same, lined with huge windows facing both East and West, so the sun would always illuminate them through the day, and the moon would illuminate them by night.

Finally, they stopped at a door that was made of some kind of light brown wood emblazoned with Princess Celestia's cutie mark. Quicksilver wasn't a carpenter, so he had no idea what kind of wood it was. Two guards, a gray unicorn, and a light tan earth pony, were stationed on either side, facing forward. Neither of them so much as blinked when Quicksilver and his guards approached. This time, when the guard knocked, it wasn't Horse Code, just three firm knocks.

"Your Highness, we have brought the pegasus Quicksilver as you commanded," Monotone called.

"Excellent. Please show him in," came a clear, feminine voice.

The unicorn guard's horn lit with golden magic and opened the door for Quicksilver. Monotone and his partner sank to their forelegs in a bow before Princess Celestia, who was coming around a large desk. Realizing this was the ruler of Equestria, Quicksilver, too hurriedly sank to his forelegs, looking up at her as she approached.

She was even more beautiful in person than any of the posters or pictures he had seen of her could even depict. Her pastel green, blue, purple, and pink mane billowed serenely in an unfelt breeze, and her alabaster coat looked pristine in the morning light. She was quite a lot taller than he had imagined, and she wore a kind smile.

"Thank you, Bright Shield and Strongbow," she said, nodding in turn to Monotone and his partner. Well, that answered that question. "Quicksilver, please come in. Would you like some coffee or tea?" She had reached the door by now and Quicksilver scrambled back to his hooves. The princess stood aside to allow him to pass by her.

Looking at Bright Shield and Strongbow, Quicksilver said, "Uh, thanks guys," though he didn't know what he was thanking them for, and followed Princess Celestia into what was obviously her study. A large desk made of the same wood as the door occupied a decent portion of the room, and bookshelves stuffed to the brim with books and scrolls lined the walls. He looked at his mug, which he was still carrying. "Coffee would be great," he said a little weakly, realizing that the princess not only knew his name, but had also addressed him directly.

"Hoplite," Celestia said, addressing the unicorn guard. "What is going to be said within this room is to be considered a state secret," she instructed.

"Your Majesty," the guard protested. "I can't allow him to be alone in there with you. We don't know anything about him!"

"I know everything about him," she countered. "Are you refusing to obey my command?"

Hoplite gulped audibly. He was walking on eggshells, he knew. If he refused to follow his Princess's command, he could be dismissed, or worse, charged with treason. "No. Of course not, Your Majesty. I am merely concerned with your safety, as is my duty."

"You need not be concerned. I know I am perfectly safe with him." She turned her head to look at Quicksilver, who had stopped just inside the study. "Isn't that right, Quicksilver?" she asked sweetly.

It was Quicksilver's turn to gulp. "O-of course!" he stammered. "Your Majesty," he added quickly.

Hoplite looked skeptical, but he nodded. Procedures for state secrets meant the room would be sound-proofed by magic, and guards were to be sationed ten feet away from the door, as a precaution. "As you command, Your Highness," he said gravely. He glanced to his earth pony compatriot and nodded once.

Celestia retreated into the confines of her study, and closed the door, locking it by magic, and casting the sound-proofing spell. "There," she said. "Please, Quicksilver, have a seat," she invited, gesturing to a table off to the side of the study, near a huge window that reached the ceiling and bathed it in the golden glow of the morning sun.

Quicksilver took a seat as indicated, and the princess sat across from him. She poured him a cup of coffee from a silver pot, and added just the right amount of cream and sugar, placing it before him with her magic.

"Ah, Your Majesty," Quicksilver started as Celestia poured herself a cup of dark brown tea. She held a hoof up to stop him.

"I truly dislike titles, Quicksilver. Please, call me Celestia."

Quicksilver's brain ground to a halt. He was suddenly on a first name basis with the ruler of Equestria? "Uhh...Pri--Celestia," he stammered. Get a hold of yourself! he commanded himself. "I was just wondering why I'm here," he said, after taking a deep sip of coffee to get himself together. Very vaguely, somewhere in the corner of his mind, he couldn't help but think this was the best coffee he had ever tasted.

"An excellent question," Celestia said cheerfully as she added a lump of sugar and a bit of cream to her tea. She levitated the cup before her in the golden aura of her magic, dipping her muzzle into the cup delicately and sipping, smacking her lips softly, contentedly, in a somewhat un-princesslike way. "First, though, the matter I am about to discuss with you is one of a...personal...nature to me. It is something that, should you refuse, must not leave this room. May I have your assurance that you will not discuss anything you are about to hear with anypony?" she asked, placing her teacup on the saucer set on the table before her, having drained it in one sip.

Quicksilver was a little dumbstruck. State secrets, he thought, recalling the exchange between the princess and her guards. She was going to great lengths to be sure he was the only pony that heard...whatever it was she was about to say to him, or request of him, by the sound of it. He briefly wondered what would happen if he said no, but figured if he did, she would thank him for his time and send him home. He wondered if that would be the easier option. After all, until this morning, he'd been a normal courier pegasus. What could the Princess possibly want to request of him that was so personal?

After a moments' debate in his head, curiosity finally won out. Celestia waited patiently for him to decide, drinking another cup of tea as she waited. "I promise," he said at last.

Celestia smiled radiantly. "It seems that so far, I was right about you," she said.

"You know me?" he asked. "You told that guard, Hoplite, that you know everything about me."

Celestia smirked. "I know enough. I know that you were born in Cloudsdale, that you're 27 years old, still a virgin, and that you've been working as a courier for seven years," she said.

Quicksilver flushed hotly. "How do you know I'm still a virgin?" he demanded.

"I have my ways," replied Celestia, smiling enigmatically. "I also know that you are a good listener, and very kind, which are two qualities that I hold in very high regard. Which brings me to why I summoned you here. I am...looking to fill a position. One that has not been held by anypony in more than a millennia."

"What kind of position?" blurted Quicksilver.

"I was just getting to that," chided Celestia gently. "This position requires the utmost discretion. Few ponies even know that it exists, since it has been such a long time since I've taken one." She paused, looked out the window behind her at the gardens it overlooked.

"The truth is, I have been ruling Equestria alone for nearly a millennia. It is a job that I love, and that brings me great gratification; however, being a ruler naturally requires that I...keep a distance between myself and my subjects." She did not look at Quicksilver as she spoke. "You may think it is impossible to be among so many ponies, and still be alone, but I am, because being the ruler of Equestria requires that I fulfill my little ponies' expectations for me. Sometimes, it can be a very lonely existence." Now she returned her pink eyes to Quicksilver's clear, blue ones.

He thought, vaguely, that those eyes seemed familiar, that he had seen them before, but obviously, he was sure if he had been in Celestia's presence before, he would have remembered it. "Wait a minute," he breathed as the realization hit him. "It was you. Last night! You're Sun Chaser!" He didn't know how it was possible, because Sun Chaser had been a regular-sized pegasus mare, but he knew it had to be her.

Celestia looked taken aback, and Quicksilver was amazed he caught her off-guard. A slow smile spread across her muzzle. "Very perceptive," she said lightly. "I will stop beating around the bush and get to the point, Quicksilver. There are things I need that only a stallion can provide me. What I am looking for is a consort." She paused a moment, allowing that statement to sink in.

"Why me?" asked Quicksilver, a shock running through him at the implication.

"Is it not apparent?" she asked. "I am looking for somepony that I may be comfortable being vulnerable with, Quicksilver. Yes, in that sense as well," she said, catching the look he gave her.

"B-but I--"

"I do not require my consort to be experienced in all areas. That, in particular, can be taught. What I need is somepony who can listen. Somepony who can be supportive. I am not as perfect as everypony makes me out to be, and carrying on that façade...it has taken a lot out of me in this past thousand years." she confessed. Even though she sat straight, and her posture never slipped, he could see how tired she was in her eyes.

"What, exactly, would my duties be?"
inquired the gray pegasus. He could hardly believe he was even having this discussion.

"You would be duty-bound to guard my secrets," Celestia informed him, "you would support me and be somepony I can talk to, and you would attend to my needs. It is not an easy job, I won't lie to you, but you would play an essential role in my happiness and well-being."

Quicksilver's mind was racing a mile a minute. He could hardly fathom what Celestia was telling him. Even though she had given a reasonable explanation as to why she had chosen him, he couldn't imagine she would want him, a simple courier, as her consort. "When would I start?" he asked in a daze.

"Right away," replied Celestia. "Your things from your apartment will be brought here, to the castle."

"What about my job? My friends?" He thought particularly of Lightning.

"Your resignation will be sent tomorrow morning, and you will not be a prisoner, here. You may come and go as you please, so long as I do not require your presence."

"What if, when the time comes, I can't--"

Celestia held up a hoof to quiet him, and Quicksilver shut his muzzle. "There's no need to ask all of these 'what-ifs.' If, for any reason, you feel as though you cannot perform any of your duties, simply let me know, and you may return to your life, so long as you keep the promise you just made to me," she said gently. "I understand this is a very big thing I ask of you, but I have every confidence in you. That is why I chose you, after all."

Quicksilver was thankful that Celestia expressed her confidence in him, but it was still a huge decision to make. His whole life would change with one simple word.

What do I have to lose? he thought. He thought of his job. He'd been doing the same thing for seven years. He was good at his job, and he liked it, but he didn't love it. It wasn't really what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, he just stuck with it because he couldn't think of what he would do instead. He had wanted to join the Wonderbolts when he was younger, but that ship had sailed, a long time ago. He was nervous about part of his job being pleasing the princess in bed, but he was reassured that if he didn't think he could do it, he could just go back to his old life.

"Do you need time to think about it?" Celestia asked, watching the gears turning in his head with her wide, beautiful magenta eyes.

"No," said Quicksilver firmly. "I've decided. I'll do it."

"Excellent," Celestia said, favoring him with a brilliant smile.

"I just had ah--one more question. It's kind of personal," he said.

"Ask me anything," Celestia invited.

Even though she had given him the invitation to ask anything, Quicksilver fidgeted in his seat nervously. "Uh...can you, you know...get pregnant?" he asked uncomfortably. Part of him couldn't believe he had even asked that, but he felt like it was a valid question for somepony in his position.

"No," replied Celestia, closing her eyes briefly and bowing her head. "I do admit, it would complicate things greatly if I could. I consider my subjects my children."

"Ah, okay," he said, trying not to sound too relieved. He didn't want to think about the possibility of foals.

"One more thing," said Celestia. "This thing I ask of you is of a highly personal nature, but I do not expect that I be the only pony you be with," she told him.

"You mean--" he started, and the princess nodded. Quicksilver boggled at that concept. He didn't even have a marefriend. He could scarcely even imagine being with Celestia like that, let alone her and somepony else.

"If there's nothing else," Celestia said brightly before Quicksilver had an opportunity to think on that more, "I have adjourned court for the day. I would be pleased to show you around the castle."

"I'd love that," Quicksilver said. He and Celestia stood and headed for the door, which Celestia opened with her magic. As they exited, she headed down the hall to where Hoplite had stationed himself.

"You and Claymore are dismissed. Quicksilver here is to be treated as my personal guest, and to be given access to all areas of the castle. Please spread the word to the other guards and members of the staff."

If Hoplite was the least bit confused about his princess's orders, he gave absolutely no indication of it, seemingly having learned his lesson. He nodded once. "It will be done," he agreed at once. He moved off to join the earth pony guard, Claymore.

"Now then," said Celestia brightly after seeing the two guards off. "Follow me," and Quicksilver fell in beside her.

He was amazed by the opulence of the palace as Celestia led him to where she and the castle staff all resided. She showed him to his room first, and he was amazed by the size of it. The sitting room alone was probably the size of his entire apartment. All of the furniture was hoof-crafted and of the highest quality. He thought that his stuff would look like junk in comparison.

Celestia waited patiently as he explored his quarters. The bedroom featured a huge four-poster bed that he couldn't help but test out. He sank into the feather mattress, feeling like he could just fall asleep then and there. He never realized just how hard his bed at home was.

He joined the princess out in the sitting room. "Is everything to your liking?" she asked.

"Yeah! This is better than anything I could have expected," he replied. He felt dizzy, and followed Celestia in a daze, like he was expecting to wake up any minute. He doubted it was even past 10 in the morning, but he felt like he'd already been here all day.

Celestia showed him her own chambers, just upstairs from him; the dining hall, the gardens, and other points of interest. He tried to pay close attention to what she was showing him, but he felt like his brain was overloading, and he wasn't sure he was going to remember much.

As though sensing this, Celestia said, "If you get lost, any member of my staff would be more than happy to help you. Everypony will treat you courteously, and they will be happy to do as you ask," Celestia assured him. "You play a very important role to my well-being and happiness." She paused in the middle of a hallway, and Quicksilver almost ran into her.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day to settle in and let things sink in a bit? I realize this must be terribly overwhelming for you, and that I have quite unceremoniously turned your life upside down.

"The castle is your home now, and you may go wherever you wish. There is no area that is restricted to you. Feel free to explore as you will, but I ask that for the time being, at least, you remain within the castle grounds. I have several things that I must sort out in regards to you before I feel comfortable letting anypony see you coming and going. You are, however, by no means, a prisoner, and if you do try to leave, nopony will stop you. I hope you understand."

"Sure. I understand," Quicksilver said. He realized how delicate this whole thing must be. "But uh, when will I be able to see my friends?" he asked, thinking of Lightning. He knew his best friend would be worried when he didn't show up for work that morning. "What will I tell him when I do see him?"

"Those are the things I must see to. While I was fairly certain that you would accept, I was reluctant to plan too far ahead, in case my judgement of you hadn't been correct. Things should be arranged by this evening, and you may see your friend tomorrow," Celestia replied.

Quicksilver looked down at his hooves, filled with a raging tempest of conflicting emotions. He felt Celestia's hoof gently caress his cheek, and he looked up to her, into her kind, pink eyes.

"I am sorry to disrupt your life like this Quicksilver. I want you to realize that I am so very grateful to you for your willingness to do all of this for me. This is no small thing I ask of you, and I greatly admire your fortitude, and how well you've taken all of this."

"I...it's...okay," he said. He was going to say it's nothing, but he knew it wasn't, not to her, and not to him. "I just need some time to think," he said. "I appreciate that you think so highly of me, even though you don't really know me. I mean, you know all about me, but you don't really know me," he said hurriedly.

Celestia nodded once in understanding of his meaning. "Take all the time you need. However," she hesitated a moment. "I do hope you would be willing to join me for dinner tonight."

Quicksilver considered for a moment, then nodded. He'd have all day to get his thoughts and emotions sorted out. "Sure, I'd be happy to join you for dinner," he agreed.

Celestia's smile was as radiant as her sun. "Wonderful. Dinner is at seven in the dining room. I have much to attend to until then, but if you need me for anything, do not hesitate to ask a guard for me, and they will bring you to me, wherever I happen to be, but I'll likely be in my study for most of the day."

Quicksilver nodded. "Alright," he said.

Celestia bowed her head and nuzzled him, cheek to cheek. "Thank you," she said softly, then she departed.

Quicksilver watched as she disappeared down the hallway, toward her study, watching as her tail flowed in the solar wind. He never imagined he'd ever meet the princess, let alone have her nuzzle him like that. He blushed as he remembered that eventually, they'd end up being much more intimate than that, even, and that she had technically kissed his cheek the night before, as Sun Chaser.

He stood there for a moment, thoughts jumbling in his head. Eventually, he started moving again. He still felt like he was in some very surreal dream. The magnitude of what he agreed to just refused to sink in. He didn't know if it would even sink in tomorrow or next week.

Up until now, he had been a normal guy. He thought his life was over when he decided not to persue his lifelong dream of joining the Wonderbolts. He wasn't living his destiny like most other ponies did.

He never thought there would be ponies who knew delivering packages would be their destiny, but most everypony at EPS had some kind of cutie mark related to mail. There were a few with letters as their cutie mark, some with a stamp, or packages. He looked back at the sleek silver 'S' shaped lightning bolt on his flank. He knew flying fast was what he'd been born for, but that didn't work out.

But now...he was to be consort to the ruler of all of Equestria! He would know her like nopony else did. He was deeply honored that she would choose him of all ponies to be the one to tell her troubles to, to take comfort from, to...please her. He blushed. It wasn't like he couldn't imagine it, and it definitely wasn't like he didn't find her...well, glorious.

She was by far, the most beautiful mare he'd seen in his whole life. She was so slender, so graceful, so beautiful. Wait, he'd said that already. Well, it bore repeating anyway. He'd have been lying if he'd said he didn't sneak a few glances at her generous rump when she was showing him around the castle. Worse still, he was sure she knew he was looking. You'd have to be gelded not to appreciate that plot, he reminded himself. Or gay. He was neither. Well, he didn't think he was gay anyway. He shook his head. That was irrelevant.

He didn't really pay attention to where his hooves carried him as he was lost in thought. He didn't pay any of the guards or members of the staff any mind, and if they paid him any mind, he didn't notice. He ended up in one of the gardens Celestia had shown him on their tour. As he walked out into the brilliant sunlight of the clear, cloudless morning, he felt the sun's warmth embrace him. Her sun. Now that he had met her, had spoken with her, it became that much easier to see her as the pony who rose the sun at dawn, to see her almost as its avatar.

He wandered around the gardens for a while, taking in the exotic plants, basking in the sun beside a tiny gurgling stream, and clearing his mind from all the scattered thoughts. The truth, as he understood it, was that he was Celestia's consort now. He wasn't sure why she chose him, exactly. He didn't think he was particularly good-looking. He was maybe a little tall, but still not nearly as tall as she was, but he decided the best approach would be to take things one at a time. It really didn't do any good to wonder at possibilities or concern himself with things that haven't come to pass yet.

He was still nervous about being intimate with her, but he knew that was his inexperience talking, and his fear that when the time came, he wouldn't be able to please her. But, as she had pointed out, that particular skill could be taught, and he knew there was no use worrying about it. In fact, he thought, maybe she had chosen him because of his inexperience. That way, she could mould him, teach him the way she liked
It.

"Quicksilver," a familiar voice called.

Silver, who had been laying in the grass with his head rested on his forehooves, looked up, his ear twitching when he heard his name.

Bright Shield was standing a ways away, looking consternated. "There's a 'Lightning Strike' in the foyer, demanding to see you." Now, he wasn't monotone, like he had been that morning. In fact, he seemed a little panicked.

"Oh no," groaned Silver, getting to his hooves. He trotted over to Bright Shield. "Lead the way," he said.

The two of them all but galloped to the foyer, where Lightning Strike was hovering above a group of guards. "No! I'm not leaving until I see Quicksilver!" he shouted stubbornly.

The guards all seemed hesitant, as though they weren't sure what to do. "Come down!" A guard that he recognized as Hoplite (at least he thought it was Hoplite. He was a gray unicorn, but all of the unicorn guards looked the same) called. "Quicksilver has been sent for. Don't be so brash!"

"Lightning!" he called from the balcony that overlooked the foyer, behind where Lightning was hovering.

Lighting Strike looked behind him. "Quicksilver! You're okay! I came by your place this morning when you didn't show up for work and saw a bunch of these bozos unloading your stuff from your apartment. What the buck is going on? Did you not pay your taxes? I told you to pay your taxes! Don't sign anything! I'll get you a lawyer!"

"I paid my taxes!" returned Quicksilver. "Um, I uh, I live here now, bud," he said, not sure how to explain when Lightning inevitably asked why.

"I see you've met our new Royal Messenger," Celesia said, coming through a doorway off to the side.

Quicksilver nearly sagged in relief.

"Royal Messenger," repeated Lightning. He landed beside Quicksilver and grabbed him in a rough bro hug. "Why didn't you say something? That's great, buddy! Congratulations!"

Silver winced as Lightning gave him a noogie, his wings flapping uselessly as he tried to get his friend off of him.

"We still had a few details to hammer out this morning," Celestia said, approaching the two friends. "But now, it's official."

"Princess Celestia asked me not to mention it to anypony before she announced it officially," Silver jumped in, earning a discreet wink from the princess.

Lightning finally extricated himself from Quicksilver, grinning hugely. "Just don't forget us little ponies at EPS, bud. Wait till I tell everypony! Royal Messenger! Our Quicksilver! You're really doing your name proud, bud!" He leaned in closer to his friend and said, "Maybe now, you could ask Penny Lane out. How could she say no to the big shot Royal Messenger?"

"Duhh," replied Quicksilver stupidly. He thought he heard Celestia giggle.

"So, how 'bout it, bud? This calls for a celebration! Or are you too good for the Trough now?"

"Can I take a rain check on that?" He glanced at Celestia and she inclined her head. "I uh, actually promised the Princess that I would have dinner with her tonight."

"Woah-ho! Dinner with the Princess!" exclaimed Lightning. Quicksilver was amazed that his friend didn't even seem to realize they were standing right next to her. "Well, I definitely can't keep you from that!"

"Um, Princess Celestia," he said, looking up at her. "This is my friend, Lightning Strike. He's been my buddy since Flight Camp. He's actually the one who suggested I get a job at EPS."

Lightning's eyes widened, his pupils shrinking in shock as he finally realized he was in the presence of the ruler of all of Equestria. He sank to his forelegs in a deep bow. "Your Highness!" he exclaimed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lightning Strike," she said warmly. "It seems you've caused quite a ruckus," she said, looking at all of the guards still assembled in the foyer below.

Lightning got up and rubbed the back of his head with his hoof. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "I just saw them taking Silver's stuff from his apartment and followed them here. I was worried, that's all."

"It's good to see somepony that will go to such lengths for a friend. You could have gotten yourself into quite a lot of trouble, just now," pointed out Celestia.

"I'd do anything for Silver, and if he was in trouble, or in jail or something, I would go right with him," declared Lightning. "Uh, I'm not in trouble, am I?" he asked.

Celestia laughed. It was a light, musical tone that Quicksilver really liked. "For your dedication to your friend, I will let it go, this time. Guards," she called. "You're dismissed." The guards all saluted and departed. "In the future, if you would like to visit Quicksilver at the castle, you may make arrangements with the Seneschal."

"Thanks, Your Majesty," Lightning said sheepishly. "You really are as nice as everypony says you are," he added.

"Thank you." Celestia accepted the compliment with a tilt of her head. "Quicksilver, take a few moments with your friend, and when you're done, please meet me in my study."

"Of course, Your Highness," Silver said hastily, hoping she wasn't going to punish him instead.

Celestia departed, her tail billowing about her legs as she walked.

Quicksilver turned his attention back to his friend. "That was pretty reckless of you. Even more than usual. What got into you?"

Lightning rubbed the back of his head with his forehoof. "It's like I said! I saw them taking your stuff, and I was afraid something happened to you. I know it was pretty foalish to follow them all the way here, but I had to know that you weren't in trouble."

Quicksilver's expression softened. He was touched about his friend's concern for him. "Thanks, buddy."

"So, I should get going," he said. He was all dressed up in his work clothes, his messenger bag full of deliveries. "I still have to get my work done, and I'm going to have to bust my rump to get all of this delivered by sunset. You think tomorrow we could celebrate? We could go somewhere nicer than the Trough if you want."

Quicksilver grinned, remembering how Celestia had said he could see his friends tomorrow. "Sure. I'll meet you at the EPS office at sunset tomorrow." He hoped Celestia wouldn't mind.

"Great! Congrats again, bud!" With that, he left, thankfully, remembering the no-fly zone.

Quicksilver turned and trotted through the doorway Celestia had left through and made his way to her study, butterflies fluttering around in his stomach. When he got to the door with her cutie mark on it, the guard just opened it for him. He must have been under orders to let Silver in when he came.

He found Celestia at her desk, an open scroll floating before her in the golden grip of her magic, a long, red feather quill scratching over it, as though of its own accord. When he entered, she lay the parchment over her desk, scattered some fine sand over it to help the ink to dry, and rolled it up, affixing her seal to it.

"Am I about to make my first delivery as royal messenger?" he joked.

Celestia laughed. "No, I haven't had a royal messenger in over a millennia. I send messages by phoenix fire." She beckoned to the majestic red bird sitting on a perch beside her desk. Quicksilver hadn't even noticed it there, even though it was huge. Celestia held the scroll by the window and the bird, apparently a phoenix, spread its large, graceful wings and flapped once, engulfing the letter in a golden orange flame. It sped out the window, toward its intended destination. Celestia held her foreleg up for the majestic bird, who perched atop it, ruffling its magnificent red feathers.

"Phoenix fire is much more secure, not to mention distinctive. Messages sent by phonix fire cannot be intercepted." The phoenix trilled proudly. "Thank you, Philomena," she said to it, lowering her head to nuzzle it gently on the top of the head. Philomena the phoenix returned the affectionate gesture before spreading her wings and returning to her perch.

"If you hadn't guessed, Philomena is my pet phoenix. I've had her for a very long time. Phoenixes are quite magnificent and fascinating creatures. When they grow old, they lose all of their feathers, and once they die, they renew themselves in a brilliant flash of flame, becoming beautiful and majestic once more," Celestia explained.

Quicksilver thought that a phoenix was quite a fitting pet for the solar monarch. "That's pretty amazing," he breathed. Then he remembered why he was here. "You wanted to see me?" he asked, trotting over to the desk.

As if sensing his nervousness, Celestia giggled. "You're not in trouble, Quicksilver. I truly think your friend's actions were admirable. Not many would go to such lengths for a friend. You are incredibly fortunate to have him."

"Yeah, I am," admitted Quicksilver.

"I had to use your cover story a little sooner than I anticipated, but all is well. While you reside here, you will be known as the royal messenger to everypony outside the castle. As I do send messages day and night, it would make sense to have one in residence here."

Quicksilver nodded. "That makes sense," he agreed. "Um, I hope you don't mind, but I told Lightning we could celebrate my new job tomorrow, after work. At sunset."

"I don't mind at all," replied Celestia. "You will be doing a great deal to help me, so I certainly don't mind returning the favor."

"Great. Thanks, Your--Celestia." It was going to be hard remembering to address her by her title when they were in public together, and by her name in private. He hoped he never got them switched up, or ponies would wonder why he was being so familiar with the princess.

Celestia smiled. "You're very welcome. I just wanted to let you know of your public position here. I still have a fair amount of work to do."

"Okay, so I'll see you at dinner then," Silver said, recognizing that Celestia was dismissing him. Celestia smiled and nodded.

Quicksilver left Celestia's office and wandered around the castle for a while until he found his room again. His father often told him that the best way to learn how to get around a new place was to get lost, and he had plenty of time, so he didn't bother asking somepony to help him.

When he got to his room, he found all of his things from home there. It wasn't much. He wasn't a very sentimental kind of guy, and he didn't really keep much aside from what he needed.

Realizing he was still wearing his work uniform, he took it off. "No more EPS for this pony, he said. He'd throw out his uniforms later.

He spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking his stuff. He had a few trinkets and knickknacks that he held onto, chief among them being a small, wooden music box that had belonged to his mother before she passed away, and a photo of him as a small colt with his father. They were both beaming happily and waving Wonderbolts pennants. This had been one of the very few times his father had smiled, especially after his mother died.

He put the music box and photo on the dresser in his bedroom, touching the lid of the music box lightly with a forehoof. They were just objects, he knew, but having them here, it felt like his parents were with him, even though his mother had passed on and his father still lived in Cloudsdale. "I hope you're proud of me, Mom," he said.

He finished unpacking his things and asked a butler if he could help him with the trash. "You needn't worry about that, Sir. We will attend to it," the butler assured him.

A few butlers and maids came and cleared out the empty boxes, leaving Silver's room clean and uncluttered. "There is a perk to this job," he said to himself. "I don't have to worry about housework."

In the end, he'd kept his uniforms, remembering that Celestia had said he could go back to his old life if things didn't work out. Sure, he was liking it now, but he'd only had a couple of conversations with the princess, and not about anything personal, either. Aside from the things she had said to him this morning, he knew next to nothing about her, aside from what he'd already seen, and that she had a pet phoenix named Philomena.

His stomach grumbled loudly, and he remembered he hadn't even had breakfast yet! Coffee only went so far. There was a knock at his door, and he saw a maid standing on the other side with a magenta coat and a pink mane.

"Would you like some lunch, Sir?" she asked.

"Would I!" he exclaimed. He asked for a daisy sandwich on oat bread, carrot chips, and some hay juice.

"Coming right up!" the maid chirped. As she turned to leave, she ran her tail along his chest, making him blush. He reasoned that it hadn't been on purpose and went back into his room to wait for his lunch.

Lunch had been delicious, and delivered by the same mare that he'd talked to before. She had winked at him before she left this time, and he wondered what was up with her.

"Sorry for all the dust," he apologized, assuming something had gotten in her eye.

She looked at him oddly. "Of course. Just ring if you need anything, Master Quicksilver. My name's Nina."

Silver was pretty sure he could get used to castle food, and all the helpful ponies.

Tired, and still a little dazed, he spent the afternoon reading, and ended up taking an impromptu nap on his comfortable feather bed when he dozed off. When he woke up, the sun was descending below the horizon, and the sky was ablaze in oranges, reds, and deep purple. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets he'd ever seen.

He figured he should get ready for dinner, and jumped in the shower. He turned the hot water on as high as it would go, which turned out to be considerably hotter than his apartment's shower. He yelped, scalded, and turned it down so it was still very hot, but at a more reasonable temperature.

He went through the motions of bathing, washing himself well so he'd look nice for Princess Celestia. He was a little nervous, because this would be the first real conversation he'd have with her, and he hoped fervently that he wouldn't say something stupid. He didn't even know what they were even going to talk about!

Once he was done cleaning himself, Quicksilver turned the water on cold, this time experimenting until it was so cold, he could barely stand it. He found it soothing and invigorating, getting the last vestiges of sleep out of his system.

"Relax," he commanded himself. "I'm sure we'll just talk about whatever. I doubt she expects you to be a great conversationalist or anything." He thought of those ponies he knew that seemed to know everything about everything. They always had such interesting stories, and he always wished he could be like that. He shook his head. No, he was there to listen to her, not to regale her with things she more than likely already knew everything about. History? She'd been there!

He stood under the cold water a little longer than he usually did, trying to calm himself down. "Just be yourself, buddy," he told himself. "That's all she needs you to be."

Finally, he got out and groomed himself. "The most important thing," he said to his reflection, "is that she's happy. If I can make her happy, that's all that really matters. Everypony needs a friend. Especially a princess."

He made sure his mane, coat, and wings were straight and presentable. By the time he left his room, Celestia had already risen the moon, but he still had plenty of time to get to the dining room.

He walked through the halls, the castle surprisingly quiet, as though all activities ceased at moonrise. He passed a few guards, and this time, he paid attention. While most of them just regarded him warily, a few looked at him with outright contempt. He wondered what had gotten under their armor.

After a few moments, he got to the dining hall, finding the grand, double doors standing open. There was a long, polished mahogany table, with candelabra set every couple of feet, giving the room a soft, gentle glow. Two places had been set, one at the head of the table, the other on the right-hoof side. Celestia wasn't there yet. In fact, he was quite alone.

He hadn't anticipated getting there before Celestia, but it was quite apparent which place was his, so he cantered into the dining room, his hoof steps echoing on the bare, flagged floor.

Abruptly, the big double doors closed with a resounding slam that echoed through the entire cavernous room. Startled, Quicksilver jumped and looked behind him, seeing nopony there. The windows were closed, and there was no wayward breeze. Besides, it would take more than a breeze to close those massive doors.

Quicksilver's eyes darted around. "When all other possibilities have been eliminated, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth," he reminded himself, quoting Sherclop Holmes. "Hello?" He called. "Is anypony there?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but it wavered a little as he said this.

A form coalesced directly in front of him from the shadows. Silver yelped, trying not to scream like a filly as it resolved into something that resembled a pony, but it was all wrong. It wore silver armor, like that worn by the royal guards, but instead of a plume on the helmet, there was something that resembled a bat wing. Purple leathery wings were furled at the creature's sides, and it regarded him disinterestedly with golden, slitted eyes, like a cat's.

You--," stammered Quicksilver. "You're a bat pony!"

"How astute. I see that Princess Celestia at least requires a grain of intelligence from her consort," the bat pony said dryly, in such a way that Silver couldn't tell whether or not he was being sarcastic.

Quicksilver decided the bat pony was being sarcastic and flushed angrily. "Hey! Cut me some slack! Bat ponies are supposed to be a myth!" he exclaimed.

"That is true," the bat pony conceded, but sounded as though he did so reluctantly.

"Who are you?" asked Quicksilver, his fear fading away slowly.

"His name is Gilded Bracer," Celestia's voice said. Silver nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't even heard her come in.

"Celestia! Holy mother of Faust, don't sneak up on me like that!" Quicksilver exclaimed, holding his chest as he tried to force himself to breathe.

Celestia exchanged a glance with Gilded Bracer and laughed. The bat pony's expression didn't change.

"Seriously, you could give a pony a heart attack that way," groused Quicksilver, but he started laughing despite himself. It was pretty funny, after all. For his part, Gilded Bracer looked like he thought he was surrounded by foals.

"Gilded Bracer was the captain of the Night Guard," Celestia started.

"Was?" interrupted Quicksilver.

"It was a long time ago," said Bracer, to Silver's surprise. He glanced at Celestia, as though asking her if he could continue. Celestia bowed her head in acquiescence, and Bracer returned his catlike gaze to Quicksilver. "But that is the past. I have experience as a consort. Not Princess Celestia's," he said, seeing Silver take a breath to interrupt again. "I have expressed my willingness to Princess Celestia to help you become acclimated to your new position. I will come for you in the morning after breakfast." With that, the bat pony nodded cordially to Celestia, and left the dining room.

"I apologize if he startled you, Quicksilver," Celestia said after Gilded Bracer had departed. "He wasn't always that way." The two of them started toward the table. Lunch felt like it had been a long time ago.

"That way, as in his charming personality, or that way, as in his appearance?" asked Silver as the two of them sat on the plush cushions on the floor.

"Both," replied Celestia evenly. Her expression seemed a bit pained. "There is much about Gilded Bracer that I am not prepared to talk about right now," she said as butlers brought out the soup course. The soup was a creamy tomato with a little dollop of sour cream and a sprig of parsley. It looked delicious.

Even though Silver was bursting with questions about the bat pony, such as how he had been before, why wasn't he captain of the Night Guard anymore, and whose consort had he been, if not hers, the finality in her tone told him that particular discussion was over, at least for now. "Soo, how was your day?" he asked, trying to find something safer to talk about.

Celestia plucked the parsley out of her soup with her tongue and chewed thoughtfully. "Good " she decided after she swallowed. "Although I didn't have court today, I had several arrangements to make in regards to you, I caught up on correspondences with several other heads of state, and had a wonderful lesson with my personal protégé, Twilight Sparkle. I also had several preparations to make in regards to the Summer Sun Celebration."

Silver's eyes widened at the mention of Twilight Sparkle, and he remembered the lavender unicorn mare from yesterday. "Twilight Sparkle?" he murmured.

"You know of her?" asked Celestia, seeming pleasantly surprised.

"She left a lasting impression," replied Silver, rubbing at his face where she had planted her hoof. "Anyway, it sounds like you've had a busy day," Silver remarked. He had dipped his muzzle in his bowl and eaten some of his soup as Celestia talked.

Celestia laughed lightly. "Every day is a busy one," she told him. "But it is a labor of love."

"Are there ever days when you hate your job?" Quicksilver asked out of genuine curiosity. He thought ruling a country had to get exhausting, and dealing with nobles and ponies clamoring for your attention and complaining to you about their problems, and expecting you to fix them had to be difficult. It almost gave him a panic attack just thinking about it, and that was what Celestia had been doing since Faust knew when.

Celestia had levitated her bowl in front of her and sipped her soup, somehow managing to not stain her lips red. "It is sometimes a difficult job, but I love all of my little ponies, and making them happy is one of the things I enjoy about what I do. Some days seem longer and more tiring than others, but I never hate my job."

"Wow. That's a pretty big statement," Silver pointed out. "You love everypony? Even the criminals?"

"I love everypony, especially those who have nopony else who loves them, no matter what they've done," Celestia replied.

Quicksilver thought that was actually pretty deep. He had, himself a philosophy of at least being friendly to everypony he met. Loving them all, no matter what, was easier said than done. He and Celestia finished their soup in silence as he thought about what she had said.

"How was your day, Quicksilver?" asked Celestia as the butlers cleared their bowls and brought in the next course.

"Pretty good," Silver said as they were given two large salads. Princess Celestia's salad was absolutely huge, and she eyed it hungrily. "I just wandered around and thought about everything that's happened today. I think I'm over the shock, if I don't think about it too much," he admitted.

Celestia laughed and tucked into her salad. Silver was pretty sure he'd never seen anypony eat so much. He found his own salad pretty filling, and it wasn't even half as large as Celestia's.

They spent the rest of dinner eating and chatting idly about nothing in particular. Celestia asked him to tell her a bit about himself, which he did, wondering how much she already knew.

When they were done eating, after two more courses, Quicksilver sat back on his haunches, his belly full. "I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my entire life," he sighed, patting his distended stomach with a forehoof.

Celestia giggled. "I tell the staff that they needn't be so elaborate, but they insist on it," she said. "Would you care to walk it off with me in the gardens?"

"I'd love to," Silver said honestly. He really enjoyed Celestia's company, and he wasn't ready to part ways with her yet.

The two of them stood, and Quicksilver followed her out of a set of glass doors in the back of the dining room into one of the lush gardens. He could hear a bird trilling somewhere, and the crickets were chirping at full volume.

"Nightingales," Celestia said. "They only sing their song after sunset. They were a favorite of my sister's."

Silver was surprised. "I didn't know you had a sister," he remarked.

"Few do," Celestia said softly. "She's been...away...for a very long time." The alicorn bowed her head sadly.

Quicksilver was left to ponder the meaning of her words. Did she mean away, as in another city or country, or away, as in she had died? He wasn't sure he should even ask her. Celestia was looking up at the moon, unshed tears glittering in her magenta eyes like sparkling diamonds. "I'm sorry," he said at last, finding that to be the most appropriate thing to say, either way.

Celestia shook her head. "It's been a very long time since my sister...had gone," she said. "But it is still something that pains me, to this day."

Silver's ears fell against his head. Celestia had been in such good spirits, until now. He went up to her and gently nuzzled her neck comfortingly. He was hoping he wasn't overstepping his bounds, but he hated seeing her so sad. He was surprised when he felt her reciprocate his gesture, and closed his eyes as he felt her warm tears against his coat. He enjoyed the softness of her coat against his, the warmth that radiated from her, and her light, sweet scent. When he opened them again, he noticed a trailing vine of light blue flowers with dark green foliage. Silver started as he recognized them. They were the same flowers crawling all over the gate the guards had taken him through just that morning, except now, instead of being tightly closed, the buds were in full bloom. The blossoms were assorted shapes, some completely round, some shaped like a crescent moon, others, like stars.

Celestia pawed at them with her forehoof in agitation.

"What are they?" he breathed. "I saw them by the gate when they brought me here this morning. I've never seen anything like them before." They were beautiful. The tips of the petals were a darker shade of blue that lightened to almost white toward the black, white speckled bud in the middle.

"Moonflowers," she replied, a hint of contempt in her voice. "They've spread like weeds from our old castle, deep in the Everfree forest, even all the way out here, to Canterlot. The border of the Everfree in Ponyville is practically overrun by them. They only bloom at night. During my sister's...absence all these years, they did not bloom, even at night."

"Why not?" asked Quicksilver, fascinated. He wondered if the 'our' she used was in the royal sense. He remembered vaguely from history class that in days long past, the princess had referred to herself in the plural, referring to herself and all of her kingdom.

"Because these flowers were made for her, by her lover," Celestia replied.

"You don't seem to like them very much," Silver observed. Her answers only seemed to raise more questions.

Celestia sighed. "I do not necessarily dislike them. They are beautiful, and they were a token of love from a stallion that I admired very much to my sister, who loved him just as much as he did her. More than anything, they sadden me, because they remind me of her."

Quicksilver was taken aback. He wondered if anypony had ever seen the princess that vulnerable, that sad. He hesitated, not sure what to do, then draped a comforting wing over her back. Because of the difference in their heights, his wing didn't go all the way over her back, but Celestia leaned into him and gave him an appreciative smile all the same.

"Thank you," she told him. "I have borne this for so long, that I'm afraid I've become quite overcome by it."

"Well, what are friends for?" he asked, nuzzling her cheek gently. She returned the gesture, and Quicksilver felt her warm tears against his cheek. I can do this, he thought. It was a little daunting, being the only pony that would see Celestia like this, in those times when she was weak or broken, but he was amazed she had held up a thousand years with nopony to talk to, nopony that could see her vulnerable.

They wandered the gardens until the air started to grow chilly, then went back inside. Quicksilver walked Celestia to her chambers, stopping outside her door.

"Thank you, Quicksilver. You've already been indispensable." She bent down to his level and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek before going inside. Silver watched her go rather dumbly, and it was a few minutes before he shook himself and headed back down to his own room.

It was his first day as Celestia's consort, and he already knew more about her than possibly any pony in Equestria, maybe even including the personal protégé she'd mentioned at dinner.

He found the moonflowers quite romantic, and he thought it was a shame they caused such strong feelings in Celestia.

When he got back to his room, he brushed his teeth and got ready for bed. He knew one thing was certain, tomorrow was going to be an interesting day. He was supposed to see Gilded Bracer again in the morning, and he was going to see Lightning in the evening. He didn't know what would happen in between, but he wouldn't be bored. "This could be a good thing," he told his reflection in the mirror. "If I could make one pony happy, that would be wonderful. If I could make her happy, I'm sure it would spread all across Equestria."

As he made his way to his feather bed, he thought this was what his life was missing. Some ponies were content to get up in the morning day by day and do the same things, over and over. Like Lightning. He was perfectly content with his life. Silver had used to think there was more out there for him, that it wasn't enough to just wake up, go to work, go to the bar, go home, go to bed, and wake up the next day and do it all over again. He felt like he should be out there doing something worthwhile, that somehow, he should be making a difference. Now, as Celestia's consort, he was making a difference, at least to her. He didn't need anypony to know what he did or give him acknowledgement or praise. Just knowing he made a difference to her, that he could help...that was enough.

He looked over at the picture and the music box sitting side by side on his dresser. "Good night," he said to them, before pulling his blankets over himself, and despite the fact that he was in an unfamiliar bed, falling asleep almost immediately.