She felt like burning up, her cheeks, her ears, no her entire head burned in her embarrassment. It had been close to a thousand years since she had lost control like that. But worst of her feelings came from having been witnessed, not only by the pony stallion behind her, but over a dozen of her guard as well, when she finally let all the weeks pent up frustration and anger loose.

Charging her horn she undid some of the damage she had done to her private dining room. She spared a look of regret towards some of the paintings on the walls. Gifts from long dead friends, and some from priced artists through the millennia. All now ruined and would never be the same even if she would have them restored.

Boris stood proud and tall behind her, a farce much like her own rigid form. Some of her anger had been mollified by his simple little apology. It had at least calmed her down enough to think clearly. At which she decided their meeting was at an end.

She had a pony she wanted to meet, and wring some answers from.

Their path cleared she pushed the doors open, one of the doors had popped out of the mortar and stone and was dragging across the floor, bunching up the carpet and wrung it to a stop. Brass armoured ponies shot to attention into a quick at ready position. Their lamelled armour scrambled nosily. They looked ready to pounce.

“Stand down,” some of her anger resurfaced. Her anger was not directed at them, she knew they were only acting upon orders, orders from Shimmer Shield. Why was it that all of her anger, frustration, and mounting irrationality was all because of him and his overbearing protectiveness. It was as if he forgot just who was the elder and without a doubt the wiser of the two. She knew without a doubt that his actions was only meant to help and protect her, but his mounting opposition to her way of handling Boris was becoming too bold. Ever since Boris arrived every old servant brave enough to speak to her had only him on their tongues. Do this do that! Think of the opportunity! Take advantage! But worse was those who took to trying to manipulate her.

Sweet Mane and Shimmer Shield was the culprits of that. Sweet Mane’s well-meaning advices sought to endear her towards Boris, to forget circumstance, duty and honour. Sweet Mane was surely not the first throughout her long life that had tried to find her a partner for either this or that, but never like this. And Shimmer Shield simply wanted to dictate what she should and should not do. And this latest betrayal of trust was her last straw.

She had placed two guards, Boris’ own assigned guards, simply as a reminder, a peak to the Alicorn that he was not and never was truly alone. A subtle reminder of his position. They were not there to protect her, she did not need the protection of her guards, but more over she wanted to project an air of trust towards Boris. An Image now ruined thanks to one stubborn fool!

“Take him to his room,” the two assigned guards jumped into action and closed formation behind Boris who at her words was already on his way away.

“You,” she pointed at a pony who startled at her attention, “bring food to his quarters. You where is Shimmer Shield?”

“In the barracks my Majesty,” the stallion answered with a hurried bow. She nodded at the guard before turning to the rest.

“The rest of you back to your duties.”

To her chagrin her tone must have slipped as the diminutive forms of her guards all but ran away. Maybe it was also thanks to her previous display that quickened their steps.

Putting it behind her she made her way down to the barracks in the lower part of the palace.

And waiting on her was none other than Shimmer Shield.

The old stallion looked uncomfortable where he stood struggling not to shift in discomfort under her stare. The fact that he was cowering before her told her exactly what he thought about what he had done. But that he still was able to stand there and confront her for his choices against her told her he was expecting her. And she knew precisely what anger filled shouts and reprimands would do. But she had one thing going for her, and that was Shimmers devotion towards her. She wanted him to hurt, and she knew precisely how.

She remained there just looking at him, letting her disappointment in him flood from her before she quietly walked away.

She paused for a moment when she heard the door swing shut. It let her know she had succeeded.

That had been… unexpected.

I sat in my room, bowl of porridge empty on the desk beside me. A dictionary and a children’s book lay open before me. The moon shining brightly outside, Nightmare Moon’s visage splayed on its surface, deep and imposing.

Celestia was a bit more affected by my presence, and all that it entailed, than she had previously led on. Sure I knew she was not happy about the rumours but she had appeared to not be that affected by it.

Thinking about everything, I could imagine just how it must feel. I had only met a few handful of ponies and only had one meaningful conversation, and it had been about me, or rather what my presence could possibly do. Do for both me and Celestia.

It gave me an idea of how lonely the princess really was. Sweet Mane did not come out to me to be someone to spout nonsense, especially to just anyone. It was obvious to me that she meant well, and she had over, probably, several years in her monarchs presence noticed certain things that not many would. I knew in my foreknowledge that Celestia was heartbroken at her actions against her sister, Luna.

Luna was probably the only pony Celestia could fully relate to and when she was gone, who else had she?

It stood to reason Celestia forged many friendships throughout her long reign, but none that would last. Immortality was a cruel in such way. You were doomed to see everything change around you, faces coming and going until everything even in memory became a blur. Surely she could not have remembered them all, and it must weight on her; as far as I understood the princess it would be a thing that would.

How many friends did she have until she simply stopped getting to know ponies in a worthwhile way? Did she even bother making friendships with normal ponies anymore? Could it be that she long ago assumed the role of observer, putting up walls and distancing herself?

It seemed to me that her good moods and friendly dispositions were for the most part facades. A mask to show, and make others around her comfortable. Ones often used to hide her real thoughts and feelings. And I just so happened to drop into her world, disturbing her daily life. Shunting it off track from her carefully laid out plans to subjugating the darkness in her sister.

How much time was left until Nightmare Moon was freed?

I took my eyes from the bright moon and returned them to the books. The tale was about an earth pony dreaming to fly. I had not actually not managed to translate even the first sentence of it, and what little I knew about it was from looking at the pictures that went with it. The pictures was in a very reminiscent style to the animation from when Twilight read it at the start of the Friendship is Magic series. Maybe it was the same book?

I sighed and closed the book. My mind was not into it; I could not concentrate on the task long enough to do the arduous task.

My mind could not release the image of the snarling princess.

I climbed up onto the bed, not bothering with the covers as I folded my legs under me. Taking a few tries before I got it right and made myself comfortable. I laid my head down staring at the moon. My mind swirling with today’s events, wondering what I could have done better. But in time sleep took me with far more ease than I feared.

Author's Note

Short but I felt it was a good cut off for the chapter.

And I think a smaller but more often realeases are prefered to larger slow releases.