Queen of the Cherry Blossom Castle

by Ponyess

Rating: everyone
Tags: Random, Alternate Universe, Anthro, Main 6, Princess Luna, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance, Changelings
Length: 3167

The Cherry trees are just about to go into bloom. A new season. The trees will only blossom for these three precious days. Time is short, preparations critical. Will the influx of Ponies serve the needs?

The Queen is anxious, time is short and the preparations critical. Will the Ponies appreciate the trancatory beauty enough to feed her Hive.

The beauty of the blossoming trees had always pleased the Queen, but there is the one crucial dilemma. As pleasing as the trees are to the eye, can they bring in the one commodity, too valuable to be paid in bits.

The trees had been pruned with the uttermost care and the grasses caressed. If only the weather was on her side. Every Changeling had been careful in preparations.

Published 2014-08-14 22:20:04 UTC
Last updated 2014-10-11 13:57:46 UTC

In Preparation, We Trust: 1

Spring had been gracious. Yet, early summer was known to play havoc with plans, in resent times. The Queen did not take anything for granted. Every detail had to go exactly according to her plans.

Cherry trees could be very fickle in their temper. If they were not treated just right, the Ponies would not be pleased and the harvest would be ruined, all in the span of the three days of the season of cherry blossom. There was no room for errors.

Each and every tree had been individually pruned, just in the right time. The grasses trimmed every three weeks in order to be just the right length and as soft as it was possible. The paths had been arranged in order for every Pony to easily and conveniently stroll about, to find the spot of choice and to be served by changelings, when ever a Pony desired her services.

Several dignitaries had been specially invited, naturally. Important Ponies were selected on rotation, making it seem random, unless you knew the rules behind the choices. This year, Princess Luna had been selected.

The growing number of Royal Princesses had become a challenge, as convenient as it could be, if used just right. A Princess had to be seen each year. Right along with a few other known high profile individuals.

If the internal problems wasn't enough, there are all the other Hives to contend with. The recent debacle of Queen Chrysalis had muddled the waters considerably, since she had made enemies of Ponies. This is what the Queen just couldn't have.

Each and every Hive had their own culture, all depending on where they were located. This Castle happened to be located squarely in the centre of the Cherry blossom district. Here, the Cherry would blossom in just these three days. A symbolism not lost on the Queen.

As a young Queen, she had gambled everything on the one off chance, getting Ponies to attend to the three days event, when the Cherry Blossom, each year.

The first day of youth full beauty. The second day of the middle age and the third of the passing of the old age, when the blossoms would all fall to the ground. The symbol of aging and the inevitable death. No Pony, Changeling or otherwise could live forever, and she knew it.

Seeing the blossoms fall to the ground always felt painful, just as the blossoms opening up gave her the greatest of hope for a bright future of her Hive.

The gamble had paid off, at least it had this far. The Hive had been thriving all these years. Only the judgement lay in the hands of the second Queen, not the first. If the Hive can survive long enough for the second Queen to confirm the commitments to the Hive where she had placed it, then she was a good Queen. Ofhorse, she had to live long enough, not only to give rise to the Queen to take over her place, she would have to raise her to be the Queen she could be proud to have taking over her Hive when the day came.

Death is inevitable, it is only a matter of when, where and how it came to pass. It would still pain her to think of this event. It was out of her hands, which is what pained her the most at this time.

A Day Planned For: 2

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.

An Offer Accepted: 3

Author's Note

Princess Luna's POV

An Offer Accepted: 3

When I saw what was coming, I was initially shocked. As I calm down in a regal manner, I make due with the surprise. Not only is it a Changeling, but an emissary and messenger. Apparently, she had a message for me, to deliver in person.

Should the guard have calmed me, or shocked me even further?

“Your highness. Princess Luna Lulamoon. I have a most urgent message to you, an invitation to the annual Cherry Blossom season. If you would choose to attend?” the Changeling pronounced in stately tones, worthy of a regal descent.

“That would indeed be me. An invitation? Like the one my dear sister Celestia accepted a year ago?” I enquired in a curious voice, as stately and regal as I could muster.

“I am most honoured to be in your presence, in order to hand over the special invitation, it is the VIP spot of the year. The very same spot your most esteemed sister was offered for the season, the previous year!” she confirmed.

“Since you came alone and openly, the guard allowed you in. Since my sister enjoyed the event, I would need more than an excuse, not to come. She was speaking very highly of your treatment of her. I will graciously accept the invitation!” I responded.

After I had signed the invitation, thereby confirming consent on attending, she soon flew off with the guard in tow. Although the guard left her, shortly after she had left the palace, in order to return to the guard duties of the day.

As I had seen the guard and Changeling Emissary and Messenger off, I was momentarily pondering. I know I couldn't turn this down. Even if it is not as if I wouldn't have a new offer in a few years. From what I had come to understand, mainly from Celestias tale, there are only so many Alicorn Princesses in Equestria. A single turned down offer would put me right back on cue in a few years. I just did not want to miss what my sister had been so lyrical about.

I could see it as a form of vacation from all the stately business at the court of the castle. Even if I would still be serving Equestria, as different as the service would be. Ponies still need to see me, royalty, every now and then.

Apparently, the quilt Celestia had been on had been something over the top. Both in quality, beauty and comfort. There is the small matter of the heavenly beauty the Cherry blossom would present, for but these three days, that is. I guess the symbolism wasn't lost on me. All the Ponies I had ever cared for, before I had been sent to the moon were since long gone as I returned, even if I had little to no care for them at the return. I have Twilight Sparkle and her friends to thank for that. As much as it pains me to remember all the once I never had the opportunity to take fare-well off.

The one Pony out of memory I still have around is my dear sister. In some ways, it is a stark reminder of the lost years. I still love her as much as before the debacle took place. Even if I managed to forget that, under the influence of emotions I am ashamed of.

Though I had the rare opportunity to see an old friend in proxy, played by Twilight on the one night, Nightmare night. That's an eery moment. I guess I have to confess, at least to myself, just how unexpected and highly appreciated this short moment really was, for the short moment.

The one awkward thing about this, aside from the initial shock, seeing the Changeling, all the memories and thoughts it pulled right out of the vault, where I had hoped to bury them. I guess that effort was futile.

I should have managed to handle this better, even though the memory of the wedding so nearly ruined by Changelings, so much alike the one I had just seen off. Although they clearly are from different hives, obeying different Queens.

The one Emissary had been a friendly hive, intent on spreading beauty, thus earning the highly sought for love from Ponies and others.

Am I particularly susceptible to this kind of reactions, merely due to my past, or is there more to it

Messages Well Reseaved: 4

Author's Note

The Royal Emissary's POV

Messages Well Reseaved: 4

I had been given the most prestigious of the invitations, this year, the Princess herself. Not only that, I had her signature, letting our Queen know she would attend this year.

Some of the Ponies on the list of invitees could be fickle to handle, yet, I had managed to perform my duty, at least this year. I had managed to ascertain the one invitee we could never afford to lose. My Queen would be most pleased with me.

Knowing there always was one, or a few invitees, who for what ever reason, or poor excuse did not show up, it is something we knew, by now. Just that we can't count on them in advance. There may be a chance to make up for a refusal or two, if we could bring home a late invitee in the stead of the one lost. Though there is but the one flight per Emissary, it is the rule our gracious Queen had set up, we are to live by it.

Maybe I could have made one or two flights in a day, even brought both the signatures home, but it is a risk we couldn't take. It is the decree our Queen had set up.

I can't recall a year, when the Princess invited did not come, even though Celestia had to make countless preparations for the millennia she ruled alone, after she had been forced to exile her very own sister.

From what I heard upon returning home, most of the invitations had already been accepted, the pile of cards all signed and piled up. Just the few who had not yet returned. Maybe this would be one of these glorious years. A year when we actually filled up our VIP spots. If it is such a year, we are to have a celebration and feast, just two days before the trees are supposed to be in bloom.

Our Queen had made her best to stay out of the Ponies politics, feeling it a wise policy on her part. She had even made an effort to stay out of the general Changeling politics. That is a small feat on her part, although it may be a wise choice in her current position. Some Queens try to win her over on their side, sending more than mere invitations, but for now she is still neutral. It had kept her out of some turbulence along the way. Staying out of Zebra politics was easy as that. The Griffons wasn't really a problem at this point, they were not looking for our support, so we did not put our hooves where we were not asked.

To us, it is merely convenient, if there were a few more Alicorn Princesses, not so much for the power they represented, but because it is easier for them to spread the burden between themselves, if there are more of them. The one Princess we had been particularly jubilant about was Cadence, when we did learn of her ascension. We knew of her and who she is, well before the time she was actually up for her role as Princess of the chrystal Ponies of the Empire. It is a good business to know what is about to happen, well before it actually happens. Most of this, we had already picked up, from the Queen of the Hive we left in support of our new Queen.

It is our tradition that the Queen produce a Princess when she feels the Hive is growing out of its confines. Doing so makes for an easy means of alleviate the burden on her part, thus we are not disloyal to her, following the new Queen, which would have been a serious breach on our part. The new Queen chooses a few loyal subjects to follow her out, along with numerous other Changelings who just chose to be with us.

Hoity Toity, Fancy Pants, Photo Finish, Octavia, all important Ponies on the list of the invitees of the year. This is the list of Ponies who had actually accepted their respected invitation.

Tender Hoof, Rarity, Saphire Shore, Daring Do, Cheeze Sandwitch, Coco Pomel, Lyra, Fluer de Lis are on the list of Ponies who has not yet returned their responses.

Apparently, Lotus and her sister had just returned their response, they would be coming as well. The Wonderbolts would apparently attend as well, even if they are likely to have a short performance, true to their spirits.

Aside from the invitees who had not yet returned their responses, we are close to booked up. I fear there will be a ruckus on the gate, when Ponies realise, they may be short on space. The quilts can only hold so many Ponies. Even if there may be a few quilts booked, without full cover for one reason or the other. Including large and bulky Ponies, like Bulk Biceps. If it gets to that, we may feel forced to enquire if lots that doesn't have full coverage would accept additional Ponies to fill the space to capacity. All for the comfort of all Ponies who chose to attend the years seasonal event.

Apparently, a few more messages are coming back, one by one, this far, no Pony had chosen to decline, with or without excuses. It is promising. Having important Ponies seen on a gathering of this magnitude would be a spectacle of proportions and very important for both us and the Ponies.

To my surprise, we have booked lots for both Donkeys and Mules, aside from a few other groups. I guess now is the time to be impressed. I may be new to this, I have only been out with a few invitations before, and none as important as the Princess herself.

If next year is as popular as it seems to be this far, the new trees are going to be too late. None of the late addition of trees are going to be in bloom for a few more years. The few in bloom at all any of the three coming years will never meat our standards for the occasion. I suspect we could have a few of them up for late admittees, if they are accepting the budget alternative. It is the best we could be offering at this point.

On the other hoof, this year is a bit above expectation, we can never expect a second year on a trend to hold. As much as I appreciate the interest.