It had been an especially harrowing week for the Memoriae. Her strength had all but been exhausted by the time she had finished casting her spell with the help of her magic mirror and then it had taken an even larger toll to trap the Celestial sisters in the Everfree forest. The experience hadn’t robbed her of a great amount of her powers, energy she couldn’t rightly regenerate without rest which proved exceptionally elusive now that she’d assumed the role of sole ruler over Equestria.
An aggravated sigh tore its way from the Princess as she glared hatefully at the stack of scrolls meant for her to inspect, answer or write into law. If it wasn’t frustrating enough that she hadn’t managed to get a good night sleep in several days, the fact that she had to put up with this tedious and unending volley of work was absolutely absurd! She was a Princess! Royalty! She shouldn’t have to do these sorts of things!
“Your Highness?” Memoriae’s eyes snapped angrily to the guard who’d spoken. Said stallion flinched beneath the mares withering stare but was undeterred. “T-The Captain has told me to inform you that he is patrolling Ponyville and will be gone for approximately five days.” He spoke though it was quite obvious he was uncomfortable with delivering the information. Maybe it had something to do with the look of horror and then anger that appeared on his monarchs face. Yeah, that could have been it.
"He did WHAT!?” The Princess was suddenly standing, wings flared out as her voice rang inside the chamber as she processed the news. “Why was I not told sooner? What sort of Captain abandons his post without telling his ruler?” She was spitting with rage and it was a wonder how the messenger managed to squeak out. “He did your Majesty…He wrote you a letter…two weeks ago…You never got back to him.” Memoriae’s irritation climbed higher as she gave the unfinished stack of scrolls – nearly as tall as she was – a glare that should have lit them on fire. Actually...they did catch fire a moment later and the Princess looked rather smug about their timely demise.
Fine! It didn’t matter. His memories, like everyone else’s had been altered so there was nothing to worry about. There wouldn’t be any reason for him or anyone to go looking about the Everfree Forest so she was safe… “Whatever. I’m going for a walk. Have somepony clean this mess.” She mumbled, stomping like a teenager throwing a tantrum toward the exit and swiftly made her way outside to the gardens.
The princess was furious but for the life of her she didn’t know how to remedy the situation. Having one of the guard, the Captain of them of all ponies, in Ponyville where she could not continue to influence his mind was disastrous! He would be much too close to where she had hidden the two celestial sisters and it bothered her endlessly that she was powerless in this regard. She could not send a missive ordering him back to Canterlot without just cause or it would look suspicious. She would need a different course of action if she was to get the results she wanted.
Just as she came to this decision a displacement of magic urged her eyes too move from the ground to the path in front of here where a scroll shimmered into existence. Before the magical aura surrounding it could fully dispel, Memoriae’s own magic kept it levitating and unfurled the crisp note. “We, the citizens of Ponyville, do hereby cordially invite…Princess Memoriae to a…cake banishing party?” What foolishness was this? The princess looked over the note, trying to discern whether it was supposed to be a joke or if there really was some kind of cake banishing party. Honestly, what even was a cake banishing? Why would anyone want to banish cake? If they wanted to banish anything why not frogs or bees?
But no matter. She’d go. It was the perfect excuse after all. Wasting no time Memoriae teleported to her room and swiftly brushed the thick curls into order and neatly adjusted her crown before taking flight from her balcony toward Ponyville.
Memoriae hadn’t any idea what to expect as she glided on warm thermals toward her destination, Canterlot fading into the distance and the errors of her stay there drifting from her mind. Of all the things to be invited to, what exactly was a Cake Banishing Party? It couldn’t be a birthday party because they would most definitely need cake for a birthday hence why banishing it wouldn’t be plausible. Were they celebrating the banishment of a cake? That just seemed silly.
Her thoughts were happily consumed by just what awaited her in Ponyville that the Princess completely forgot why she had accepted the invitation in the first place. She would finally have what she’d always longed for. Friends, ponies to share in her laughter who would let her experience their joy and who would not forget her for greater, more powerful beings. She had all that she ever wanted, even if what she wanted wasn’t as easy as she’d initially believed.
She hadn’t done much with her royal title and shipments were backed up and others grew disconsolate with her poor ability to run things smoothly. She actually cringed a bit, remembering the dozens of scrolls she’d incinerated in her fit of rage.
“No. No more thoughts of work!” She whined, shaking her head to dispel the haunting guilt that pressed in around her. “They’re throwing a party and you have to be happy! Happy!” Demanding the emotion to appear didn’t make it come nor did it fully fend off the guilt coiling in her belly but it would have to do. Ponyville was within sight and if she wasn’t mistaken the figure waiting for her just outside of the little town was none other than Dawn Star, the head guard.
Dawn Star…Oh nuts! The Everfree Forest! That’s why she’d come so quickly!
It took all she had not to crash as she lost altitude and landed in front of the regal white guard who greeted her kindly. Her smile was full but forced, uneasy and maybe even a little suspicious of his motives. Had any of them realized? Did they know what she had done? No, the mirror should be safe. The Princesses should still be there, sound asleep and undisturbed. Everything would be just fine.
“Hehe, hi Dawn Star, fancy seeing you here…” She trailed off weakly and was more than a little grateful a red little mare that came ambling up beside the stallion, effectively making herself a distraction as she handed a necklace to him. It was nice and shiny and she felt a bolt of envy strike her. She wanted one! Why did he get a necklace? Memoriae was about to voice her complaints when she heard the mare - by the name of Cherry - say that there was one for her too. And it was prettier than Dawn Star’s! Her eyes brightened gleefully, “Really?! I get one too!” Excitingly dancing on the spot and looking less the majestic ruler and more the excitable filly that she was at heart. “Well what are we waiting for? Lead the way!”
