Author's Note

The Cherry Gardener's POV

A Day Planned For: 2

This was the day, when nothing could be allowed to go wrong. It is the day before the Cherry blossom was expected. The Princess invited was to arrive early for Lunch.

This year, Luna had been invited. Just like Celestia had been over the year before. Cadence and Twilight Sparkle had been over the years before, respectively. Celestia had been a very pleasant guest to have over. She had been such an understanding Pony.

Now I had been entrusted to prepare the room for Luna, the younger sister of the Princess Celestia, who was here the year before.

Others were entrusted to supply the quilts on which the Ponies would rest, while looking up in wonder or bewilderment. Some came with their own picnic packed, others had either been promised Picnic by us, others or expected to buy it, when they arrived. To us, this detail changed little to nothing. We still made sure there was enough to go around for all.

The paths were constantly observed and scrutinised in order to ascertain that they were looking their best at all times. The work had already begun. It is a hard job, and one that could not be found lacking.

The one thing out of our hands, weather. We are Changelings, not Pegasi. There is not a Pegasus in our midst. None of us knows how to properly handle weather. We are bound to rely on the weather services of neighbouring communities, since we couldn't perform. At least, none of us in the Hive I am part of.

We of my Hive are Cherry farmers, not weather workers. I'm comfortable with it, as if it had been my choice. It is the Hive I had been born into, nothing more to it, I can do nothing about it. Though I do enjoy the sight of the Cherry blossom, which incidentally is about to come to pass.

I had controlled and counted all the quilts several times over. I have three full sets of quilts in order to cover the entire space dedicated to this event around the trees. I had to have three sets in order to please each and every Pony who chose to attend. There is the special quilts for the once who chose to have the luxury option, the standard for any Pony and the economy class for the once who were for some reason short on bits. I am not to judge them. Some even chose to buy these just as a blanket to have theirs clean, when they went home. There are the VIP quilts ofhorse, but these are separate from the rest of the rest, they are not counted among the standard quilts or lots for visiting Ponies.

Upon the night before the day came, every Changeling who was seen had covered the holes, while otherwise staying true to who we are. It is the holes that make the deepest impact, or it is what our Queen had said. I am not the one to question our height and mighty Queen, I am merely a lowly servant, after all.

She may be the first Queen of our Hive, yet it is on her shoulders all responsibility lay. I know this is weighing down heavily on her, so I give her the benefit of a doubt. There may be others who are entrusted to advise her on they respective specialities. I admit, I am none of these trusted and honoured individuals. At least not yet. Maybe the honour will fall upon my shoulders one day. I don't know, as much as one may dream and strive for it, but I never act out on such dreams. I merely do my best to fulfill my role and carry out the orders given me.

Maybe it isn't a chance that we came here, if so, she chose to have this exact position in order for our Cherry trees to thrive, and with them our Hive. Either way, I am supporting her with everything I have.

Not a single blanket is dirty, missing or in any other way defect. The grasses are in perfect order and the picnic baskets are all packed. All the supplies are present and accounted for and in perfect order, nothing could go wrong, if it was only up to the planning and preparations on my part.