It was five fifty, three minutes until Sunrise, a sage green unicorn with a gray mane and tail, and a cutie mark of a quill dipped in an ink bottle with a scroll beside it, stood a top a massive tower, which was part of an even more massive building called the Arch-Library, patiently waiting for his pocket watch to read five fifty three. As the seconds ticked by, the unicorn, dubbed Iscariat Faust, took the few remaining minutes to gaze down at the vista beneath him, for still bathed under the soothing curtain of night, Equestria and its citizens slept peacefully, as they have for eight hundred years. Not one of them knew what it was like to live in constant unrest, they all slept without a care in the world, breathing in deeply the sweet aroma of flowers and cool spring water unhindered, and that was fine for Iscariat. If he had the power he would go out of his way to shield all from the unpleasantries of life, but he also knew that that would be just as hurtful as allowing them to experience the pains that shadow life, for to truly live then one must take the good with the bad. Such was the lesson Iscariat learned over the last eight hundred years, but while he could accept it, what he could not abide was the price it tolled, and as the clock finally read five fifty three, Iscariat took one final glance at the Moon and wished Princess Luna good morning.
Putting his pocket watch away in his black vest's left pocket, Iscariat splayed his fore hooves, bit down on his lip, and focused on both the Moon and the hidden Sun. Blazing to life in a gray magic aura, Iscariat's horn conjured forth two gray glowing spheres, one the size of a tennis ball whilst the other the size of a basketball, and both rested parallel to the other with the smaller one above the bigger one. Focusing hard on the two spheres, Iscariat gently had them spin clockwise to each other, and as he did the Moon slowly inched its way down towards the horizon to the west, while at the same time to the east the faint light of the Sun could be seen melting away the thin veneer of night. Iscariat took in shallow breaths, grinding his teeth and making the occasional grunt as he moved the two celestial bodies to their proper place, inch by inch. Eventually, with a great deal of effort, Iscariat had at last risen the Sun, and lowered the Moon, another day had begun, though for him it would hardly be routine, because today he would be on a date with his marefriend.
Taking out his pocket watch once more, Iscariat smiled that he was right on schedule; "Seems all that practice is paying off," Iscariat said happily aloud, as he proceed down the tower stairs, and into the library proper. Traversing through the, sometimes, confusing halls and corridors, Iscariat reached his bed chamber door, and with a gentle nudge he pushed the door open. A subtle creek littered the air due to the aging hinges, but it was thankfully not loud enough to disturb the sleeping mare on Iscariat's bed, and as he tip toed over to the bed he paused for a moment to simply admire the sight before him. Wrapped snugly in his thick, gray wool covers, her head resting on a pillow where he himself previously occupied, was the Princess of the Sun herself, Princess Celestia. Iscariat always found it amusing how Celestia showed no shame when they slept together, she always snuggled close, her head resting against his, and her fore hooves wrapped around him in a soft, but tight embrace; going to the bathroom was a nightmare sometimes, as her vice grip made it nearly impossible.
Soaking in the serenity of the moment, Iscariat quietly approached Celestia, and with the softest touch, he shook her shoulder. At first nothing happened, she just continued to sleep, oblivious to the world around her, but the second Iscariat let his guard down, placing his face inches from Celestia's, her eyes shot open, and she pounced on him like a Bengal tiger, with the strength to match. Crashing down onto the floor together in a heap, Princess Celestia wasted no time in applying her prodigious strength, clamping Iscariat betwixt her fore hooves, and completely at her mercy; just the way she liked it.
"Um, your highness, tis it not too early for such...um carnal actions?" Iscariat asked, his face all a flustered, and his heart's pace quickening.
"We rarely get moments such as these," Princess Celestia replied, as she leaned in close and pecked him on the lips. "So I will take them wherever, and whenever I can."
Iscariat knew that arguing with her was like drawing water from a stone, so instead he chose to play along, and planted a few kisses of his own, starting at Celestia's neck and working his way up. For ten minutes they lounged upon one another before, at last, Celestia loosened her grip, and then rose to her feet while still locked in passionate kiss with Iscariat.
"So, what is on the itinerary today?" Princess Celestia asked, as she levitated her yellow bathrobe towards her, as well as her yellow towel, and scrub brush.
"Well I already raised the Sun, woke you up, made out with you...which wasn't on the schedule by the way," Iscariat said, as he referenced from a small black book he pulled out of his right pocket.
"I didn't see you complaining," Princess Celestia snickered, and then stuck out her tongue.
"That being said, can we please just follow my schedule today, please," Iscariat said, as he then put his book back in his pocket, and then proceeded to tidy up his bed.
"Fine, I'll just take a quick shower," Princess Celestia said, as she walked out of the room, purposely dragging her tail along Iscariat's right side, causing him to shiver uncontrollably, and Celestia to snicker fiendishly.
"And I'll get breakfast ready," Iscariat said, as he shook off his shivering, and regained his composure.
Due to the Arch-Library containing a vast collection of one of a kind pieces, from art work to unique artifacts, as well as an uncountable amount of books, archaic and contemporary alike, the kitchen had to be annexed from the main building, and as a further precaution it had an enchantment placed on it that could instantly drain all oxygen from the room, while at the same time teleport anypony still trapped inside to safety. The kitchen had seen little use during Iscariat's term as Curator, not because he couldn't cook, but because he never saw the need to, especially when he could go weeks without eating anyway, so long as he had a cup a water every two days to keep himself hydrated. In any event, despite its relative lack of usage, Iscariat kept the kitchen well stocked, and above all kept it clean for fear of fires or the like. Now, due to Iscariat's more rustic taste, the kitchen wasn't the most modern for its time, featuring wood for all of its construction, iron wood to be exact, stained to a gray finish, but while dull it did sport a stone fireplace on the far end of the room, in respect to the entrance, and on the two adjacent walls were two pairs of cabinets, a top set for china and eating utensils, and a bottom set for cooking instruments such as pots and pans. On the left side there was a pantry housing all kinds of foods and spices, both exotic and common, some of them weren't even from Equestria, while on the right there was an ice chest for all the various types of seafood Iscariat has taken a liking to since his last trip abroad, for a sink he had a raised stone basin, atop an iron wood pedestal with a steel water pump beside it, and next to that was his island counter top boasting a solid granite top.
Donning his white apron, Iscariat immediately got to work, first he lit the fireplace with a simple spell, next he took out a cast iron pan with a three foot handle, and placed it upon the roaring flame. As the pan heated up he shuffled into the pantry and came out with four eggs, a loaf of bread, some red onions, a stick of butter, pepper, salt, parsley, and just before the pan reached optimal heat, Iscariat extracted from the ice chest two slices of king salmon. With all the ingredients gathered Iscariat used his skill in the culinary arts to whip up a delectable dish of poached eggs, roasted onions, and grilled salmon with a sprinkle of parsley for added flavor. After quickly cleaning all the dishes he dirtied, Iscariat levitated the two plates, along with a bottle of cider and two cups, and traversed through a single corridor to the dining room, situated between the main building and the kitchen. The dining room was small and cozy, a silver chandelier loomed over the adjustable red wood table in the center, the floor was solid oak stained to a maple brown finish, and upon the walls were exquisite, satin tapestries stitched by Clover the Clever herself, each one depicting an important moment in her life.
Resting the plates on the table, one on the left and the other on the right respectively, each with a silver dish cover to contain the heat, Iscariat took a step back to view his handy work, making sure the plates were centered before he began to lay down the silverware and glasses. Once the plates and utensils were all placed perfectly, and the cider was chilling in an ice bucket, Iscariat was ready to undergo the hardest task of all, folding the napkins to the proper shape, size, and length. Napkin folding was such a meticulous task, and required all of Iscariat's attention, so much so that he failed to notice Celestia sneaking up behind him, and then almost shocking him to death when she rested her hoof upon his shoulder. Princess Celestia laughed her flank off as Iscariat screamed out in terror, ripping the napkin he was folding in the process, and causing his blood pressure to shoot through the roof as his heart kicked it into overdrive. A tad upset at Celestia's immaturity, Iscariat sharply turned around, but the moment he did he lost his train of thought, and instead merely said, "Why?"
Standing before him was a still soaked Celestia, her entire body from horn to tail was dripping wet, leaving puddles upon his wooden floor, and who knows how many halls and corridors would now need a mopping to prevent any rug staining or wood rot.
"Your highness, why are you soaking wet?" Iscariat asked in disbelief.
"Oh, I am?" Princess Celestia retorted haphazardly, as she tossed back her mane with a flip, inadvertently sprinkling large clumps of water onto the precious tapestries, and causing Iscariat's heart to skip a beat or two.
"Yes, yes you are," Iscariat said, as he rubbed his temples ferociously.
"Guess I failed to notice," Princess Celestia replied, as she innocently played around with her drooping mane. "Perhaps you can help me to dry off."
"Your highness...This isn't on the schedule either!" Iscariat blurted out, taking out his black book to emphasize his point.
"Oh you know you want to," Princess Celestia teased, as she materialized her yellow towel beside Iscariat.
"That's not the point, you promised we would follow my schedule today," Iscariat said, as the yellow towel danced around him, begging him to grab it.
"I had my hooves crossed," Princess Celestia said with a sly smirk.
"That doesn't even make sense," Iscariat said, brushing the towel aside as he rubbed his temples again.
"Oh don't groan, look we are spending the day together, aren't we?" Princess Celestia retorted, as she took hold of Iscariat's black book, and tossed it out the dining room door. "Why plan everything to the finest detail, let's just have fun, and the rest will sort itself out."
"But...but...but I worked really, really hard on this. I wanted it to be perfect," Iscariat said, his voice slightly cracked, and his eyes threatening to spill over.
"It already is," Princess Celestia whispered sensually, as she walked over to Iscariat, swaying her hips in perfect rhythm to the movement of her feet.
"Your highness?" Iscariat said, as Celestia embraced him wholeheartedly, her wet mane draping over him, its sweet aroma soothing his spirit, and awaking his inner passion.
"I love you, Iscariat Faust. I love spending time with you, schedule or no schedule. All that matters is that I'm with you, and you with me," Princess Celestia spoke into Iscariat's ear, as she then proceeded to gnaw on said ear.
"Ah...your highness," Iscariat grunted out, as his breathing grew shaky, and his nerves rang with pleasure.
"Shh, you don't need to speak. Let's just have some fun now," Princess Celestia said, as she ran her right hoof along Iscariat's back, and then gently forced him down onto his back.
Iscariat and Celestia stayed in the dining room for two hours, after that they both took another shower, and while Celestia chose to remain in the buff, Iscariat, on the other hand, adorned another vest, a brown one this time. In spite of all the setbacks Iscariat and Celestia were at last ready to go out on their date, however due to the nature of their respective positions they couldn't just go waltzing across Equestria, and not expect some kind of blowback, political or otherwise. Fortunately there was a solution, and it was one they have been employing ever since they started dating months ago. In the center of the main Library chamber there was a grandfather clock, the Great Grandfather clock, which towered above all the bookshelves, and inside this antique timepiece was a one of a kind device designed by the First Curator, the Omni Porter . Inside the clock, at its very peak, situated right below the clock's windup gear was a small, rectangular locker of sorts, and inside that was one tiny, crystal clear opal in the center of a hexagonal array, shining brightly like a lone candle in a sea of darkness.
Very carefully Iscariat levitated the opal out of its socket, then gingerly rested it in a velvet lined jewelry box, and from that same box he levitated another opal, this one light pink, and placed it in the vacated socket. The light pink opal immediately started to glow, an as it did the array around it redesigned itself from a hexagon into a rhombus, and with that simple alteration Iscariat was satisfied and promptly shut the door on the opal. After he climbed down from the clock's gear room, he quickly secured the jewelry box inside his desk, then while holding hooves, he and Celestia walked towards the Arch-Library's main entrance, and finally got their date under way. As they stepped outside into the warm light of the afternoon Sun, Celestia's eyes were instantly captivated by the colorful foliage, the beautiful melodies sung by the birds, and the aroma of salty ocean air mixing with the numerous flowers scattered across the landscape. Lost in the moment, Celestia dashed on ahead towards a flower bed of daisies and soaked in their wonderful aroma, but that was only the beginning, for as she went farther down the path she came across a ledge that boasted a spectacular vista.
From her vantage point, Celestia saw a landscape unlike any she has ever seen before, the ocean could be seen to the far right, its crashing waves and powerful breeze could be heard for miles, to the left there were dense jungles skirting around massive mountains that seemed to breech the heavens themselves, and in the center meadows and fields with flora and fauna mixed together in perfect harmony. The amount of vitality these lands possessed was a sight to behold, Celestia's horn and body both radiated in the presence of all this magic, it nearly made her pass out from sheer overload, but thankfully Iscariat was there to keep her grounded.
"Impressed?" Iscariat asked, as he took his place at Celestia's side.
"Very, where are we?" Princess Celestia retorted, her eyes still gorging on the vista before her.
"This is the Far East, one of the Nine Realms that make up our Universe, and on a personal note, my favorite realm of the bunch," Iscariat replied with a smiling grin.
"I can see why," Princess Celestia said, as she leaned in close, and rested her head against Iscariat's.
"Don't get me wrong it has its quirks, but all in all it is a nice place to visit, and who knows, maybe live too," Iscariat said with a laugh, but Celestia quickly shot her head up at that last remark.
"Live? You mean as in permanent residency? As in not living in Equestria? As in not being able to see each other anymore?" Princess Celestia inquired, her face expressing deep concern.
"Well not right now, but maybe when I retire I might just choose to build a home here," Iscariat said, but upon hearing that Celestia firmly took hold of him, a few tears running down her face as the very notion of Iscariat leaving Equestria cut deep into her heart.
"I don't want you to," Princess Celestia blurted out, her voice shaky, devoid of all the mirth it once irradiated. "Please, don't leave me alone."
"Your highness..." Iscariat softly spoke, as he wrapped his hooves around in a soothing embrace. "I know you miss her too, but she will return, and when she does you can be a family again. Until that time I will be by your side, just as you have always been by mine. I'm not going anywhere, promise."
Hearing those words raised Celestia's spirits, and brought a smile to her face once again. Seeing no reason to rush things, they both held each other tight for quite some time, the warmth of their love bringing great joy to their hearts, as well as dismissing any dark thoughts the other might have had. Eventually they parted, but as soon as they did, Celestia with a devious smirk pushed Iscariat away before then leaping off the edge of the cliff they stood on, and took flight.
"What was that for!?" Iscariat wailed hot headily.
"Come on slowpoke, catch me if you can!" Princess Celestia shouted with a giggle, as she flew towards a nearby field of flowers.
"No fair, you can fly, and have a head start!" Iscariat said with a groan.
"All is fair in love and war!" Princess Celestia replied, as she performed a few barrel rolls for fun.
"But we are already in love, and this isn't war!" Iscariat retorted, once again rubbing his temples.
"Don't over think it! Just dive in!" Princess Celestia said, as she then flew out of ear shot.
Sighing deeply, Iscariat brushed off his frustration, brandished a smiling smirk, and then took off after Celestia. Showing no fear, Iscariat leaped off the ledge they were viewing from, he plummeted several feet per second, the air rushed around him, the wind roared in his ear the faster he went, and just as he reached the ground he caught hold of a tree limb then another, and another until at last he landed safely. Without losing a beat Iscariat darted off down the path before him, using his magic to further invigorate his stamina, to anyone catching sight of Iscariat all they saw was just a green blur, and it wasn't long till he was right on Celestia's heels, much to her surprise. Not one to just roll over, Celestia copied Iscariat's little invigoration trick, and was once more opening the divide between them, however, Iscariat wasn't a one trick pony. To her surprise Iscariat came to an abrupt halt, Celestia merely snickered, confident in her victory, but her assumption wasn't just premature it was flat out wrong, for just as she was about to fly off over the horizon she immediately stopped, while still in midair.
Perplexed by this impossible phenomena, Celestia tried everything she could to resume her momentum, but nothing she did worked, and then it dawned on her. Conjuring a mirror she looked behind her, and instantly confirmed her suspicions, for in the reflection she saw Iscariat, his horn enshrouded in his normal gray aura, and in front of him was a small gray construct in the likeness of Celestia.
"Oh you sneaky little...That is grand scale cheating Iscariat! Using gravity magic to catch me is like swatting a fly with a sledge hammer," Princess Celestia whined, but only because she was on the receiving end.
"Please, you would have done it first if I hadn't beaten you to it," Iscariat retorted with a chuckle, as he then pulled Celestia towards him.
"You may have me, but I lose only on my terms," Princess Celestia replied with a fiendish smile, as her horn began to ignite in its trademark yellow aura.
"Hmm, what are you..." Iscariat began to say, but before he could finish he felt himself being inexorably pulled towards Celestia at high speed.
Crashing into each other, Iscariat and Celestia rolled uncontrollably downhill into a large patch of blue morning glories, while all the while laughing up a storm like a couple of school fillies. Even after all that they were still far from spent, an the moment they regained their footing Celestia pounced on Iscariat, peaked him on the cheek, and then rushed off through the flower patch, Iscariat not far behind. Dodging and weaving randomly, Celestia easily made circles around Iscariat, while at the same time tripping him up every so often so as to steal a kiss. For half an hour they frolicked in the flowers, Iscariat giving chase and Celestia setting him up for ”clever" traps, and through it all not once did they stop laughing. Eventually they both were too exhausted to continue, and with one final pounce, Celestia and Iscariat fell into each others arms, and there they both laid, staring deeply into the others eyes, nothing else mattered to them.
"It's getting late," Princess Celestia said, as she noticed the Sun slowly creeping towards the West. "We best be getting back home soon."
"Not really, in fact, I doubt that much time has passed back home," Iscariat said with a slight smirk.
"What do you mean?" Princess Celestia asked with a perplexed expression.
"Simply put, one week in the Far East is one day back in Equestria. The two realms have different temporal densities," Iscariat explained, causing Celestia to adopt a sly grin.
"Well..." Princess Celestia said, as she leaned closer to Iscariat, resting her head upon his chest. "I guess there is no need to rush."
"Was it not you who said, let's just have fun, and the rest will sort itself out?" Iscariat replied with a grin.
"Indeed I did," Princess Celestia said sluggishly, her eyes nodding off to the soothing rhythm of Iscariat's heartbeat.
"Considered it sorted out," Iscariat softly spoke into Celestia's ear, as they both slipped into peaceful slumber.
Grand Galloping Gala (Part One)
"Tonight is the night, and I expect nothing but excellence. Am I understood?" Far Seeker said with a stern tone, as she circled her young son, her amethyst eyes locked on to his gray ones.
"Yes, mother," the young colt replied, his body as stiff as a board, not a single hair on his gray and black mane or tail was out of place, and his sage green coat was brushed to near perfection.
"Though it is impossible for thou, I dare to hope that thou won't disappoint me, Iscariat," Far Seeker said, as she sharply turned towards the manor servants, her silver mane and tail gracefully flowed with the rest of her body, her flawless black coat shimmering like the night sky, and her unique cutie mark of an alabaster viper, coiling around a cerulean crystal ball, served to further emphasize her underlying cunning and viciousness. "I leave him in your...capable hooves. Do not embarrass me."
Humbly bowing to the Lady of the manor, as she took her leave, the servants immediately began to tend to the young Lord, not that he needed much attention, his coat, mane and tail were as close to perfect as any pony could achieve, but close enough wasn't good enough wherever Far Seeker was involved, and so they combed him five more times. Whilst two maids handled the combing, one maid dug through Iscariat's many fine outfits, inside his dresser and closet respectively, until she found the perfect one; a velvet, violet vest with gold trimming and copper buttons, as well as a black, tweed cloak with the family crest; a sorcerer's pointed hat, atop of a magic tome, stitched in silver thread on the back. Once his attire was chosen, the maid proceeded to iron it with her magic until it was devoid of any creases, following that, together with her sister maids, she gently clothed Iscariat, and then lightly sprayed him with cologne.
"There, now thou looks like a right smart gentlecolt," said one of the maids, a pink and blue Unicorn, as she smoothed out any latent wrinkles, and plucked any unsightly strands of hair off of Iscariat's cloak.
"Indubitably, the young Lord is sure to be the toast of the town," another maid, a powder blue and white Unicorn, said as she lightly combed Iscariat's mane with a fine tooth comb.
"Of course he will, he is our great Lady's son," the last maid, a red and orange Unicorn, said with a beaming smile.
The maids' praises, while honest, were not registered by Iscariat, who boasted a soulless expression, his hallmark, as the manor staff came to call it; well out of Far Seeker's ear shot of course. Once the maids were satisfied with Iscariat's attire and hair, they elegantly backed away, stood beside one another in a neat row, and then promptly bowed to him, as he, in turn, bowed his head in gratitude before walking out of the room and down the hall. Solemnly walking down the hall, Iscariat kept his head held level, not looking to the left or right, constantly forward, his posturing crisp and clean, and all the while bearing that same expressionless stare. As he turned a corner into the main hall, Iscariat was immediately greeted by Far Seeker, dressed in a dazzling golden satin dress, with a black silk shawl draped over her shoulders, and crowning her illustrious horn was a stunning platinum, etched, magic ring with four flawless diamonds set on each side. Upon locking eyes with his mother, Iscariat stood at attention, as she commenced to circle him, inspecting every minute detail of his person, grasping his head with her magic, turning it every which way despite his discomfort, which he took great care to conceal, and even going so far as to conjure a ruler and measure the length of his hair and sleeves; absolutely nothing was over looked.
"Passable," Far Seeker said, rather unimpressed, but still satisfied, if only minimally. "Now, where are my beloveds, it is time to leave. Oh, there they are, hurry along babies, or we will be late."
Cocking his head to the side, Iscariat saw three snakes, a cobra, a black mamba and a rattle snake slithering towards them, each one hissing in a soothing matter, as they collided around Far Seeker, and rubbed their heads against her cheeks, causing Far Seeker to actually smile warmly in a way Iscariat never enjoyed. Socrates the cobra, Plato the black mamba and Archimedes the rattle snake were Far Seeker's pride and joy, having raised them all from eggs when she was Iscariat's age, tending to their every need, nursing them back to health should any fall ill, truly nothing on this planet could draw out her affection more than these three serpents, not even her own son, and she made it a point to make Iscariat know that. Just standing there, completely silent, Iscariat watched his mother petting and playing with her pets, the care and attention she gave to each one, taking great steps to not favor one over another, it made Iscariat's insides twist and turn, his eyes to slightly dampen, until finally, without warning he lost his posture for half a second.
"Did I say you could move?" Far Seeker snapped back, both she and her serpents shooting daggers at Iscariat.
"Sorry mother," Iscariat replied, his voice flat, and his head held low in shame.
"Well we best be off regardless," Far Seeker said, as the manor butler opened the doors for them, revealing a waiting stage coach just beyond the manor gates.
"Have a good evening Milady, and young Lord," the butler, a white and black Pegasi said, bowing his head respectfully, as he shut the doors behind them.
Stepping out into the Moon lite night, the manor gates magically parted at Far Seeker's approach, revealing the family stage coach in all its glory, as well as the two, giant stallions required to pull it. Even by noble standards, the Faust Family stage coach was truly luxurious, rivaled only by the royal stage coach, its construction was a marriage between solid ebony wood, stained to a chard brown finish, and a pure gold filigree around the door and window trim, the door's handle was constructed of the finest silver cast in the shape of a python, the windows were molded from diamonds, and the wheels' spokes were fashioned from copper in the form of three boa constrictors coiling around one another. However, as impressive as the stage coach was, its two drivers were also as note worthy, both being twin Earth Ponies that towered most other ponies at an inconceivable height of seven foot nine, to Iscariat they appeared as legendary giants that Star Swirl himself was reputed to have fought in ancient times, but one couldn't be further from the truth where these two were concerned. Knox and Danforth were their names, identical in almost ever regard, both wore black and white three piece suits, consisting of a black tweed jacket, a burgundy satin vest, and a white cotton, button down, long sleeved dress shirt respectively, both had green eyes, both had brown coats, both had steel gray manes and tails, and they both even had the exact same cutie mark; an escutcheon made of green dragon scales. The two brothers flanked the coach's door like a pair of guards, assisting Far Seeker and Iscariat inside before gently shutting the door, and then coupling themselves to the coach, though they did not move until Far Seeker instructed them to.
Sitting in the stage coach as straight as an arrow, Iscariat kept his eyes forward, refraining from looking out any of the windows, keeping his breathing low and quiet, and restricting all movement wherever possible. His mother paid him no mind, she merely sat beside him, dotting over her three pets with such affection, Iscariat could feel his insides turning again, his mind spinning with vertigo as the coach rocked back and forth with each revolution of the wheels.
"Keep thy head up! Is that how thou plans to meet her, with such a disgusting lack of posture?!" Far Seeker said, casting a sharp gaze at Iscariat, as she softly petted Socrates' head.
"No mother, sorry mother," Iscariat replied, as he snapped back to attention.
"Now you listen to me, tonight is to go off without a hitch. Not one single mistake shall be tolerated, or excused," Far Seeker said, her brow lowering with each passing second, and her eyes altering in form to match those of a serpent.
"Yes mother, no mistakes," Iscariat said, his body as still as stone.
"Oh I know there won't be any mistakes," Far Seeker said, as she turned towards Archimedes, and with a simple nod of her head the rattler uncoiled from her left fore hoof, slithered along her shoulders, and then wrapped tightly around Iscariat's neck.
For a brief moment Iscariat's air way was closed shut, his head bobbled from side to side as he fought the urge to pass out, "I must maintain my posture," he said to himself, and just as he came close to falling off his seat, his throat was unobstructed once again, allowing air to flow properly.
"Humph, I confess myself mildly impressed, thou actually retained consciousness. Perhaps thou are not a complete failure," Far Seeker said, as she cracked a half smile at Iscariat, before she drew his attention to the solid silver necklace now dangling around his neck. "Archimedes will accompany thou for the entire evening, consider him a silent observer for the time being. However, I would not get too comfortable with the notion, for any mistakes on thous part will constitute a most unpleasant experience, and just so we understand the gravity of my words...Archimedes, constrict."
At Far Seeker's command the necklace began to shrink, tightening around Iscariat's windpipe, until, for the second time, his air way was sealed, and his body starved for oxygen. Far Seeker haphazardly watched as Iscariat's face dimmed to a pale blue, as his eyes slowly lost their light, and as his body commenced to slump and go limp.
"Enough," Far Seeker softly said, absolutely no sense of urgency in her tone as Iscariat quickly came back from oblivion. "I trust my point has been made transparently clear, or would thou like another demonstration? We still have plenty of time after all."
"No!" Iscariat blurted out, gasping for air, before he realized that his composure was gone, which served only to raise Far Seeker's ire.
"Did thou just raise thy voice to me?" Far Seeker sharply said, Socrates and Plato both sharing in their master's offended glare, bearing their fangs, and hissing viciously.
"Forgive me mother, it was an oversight," Iscariat said, trying his best to restore his composure and posture, while all the while his left hoof trembled of its own accord.
"There is no forgiveness in this world, have thou not learned that yet?!" Far Seeker shouted, as she then slapped Iscariat, hard across the face, knocking him onto the floor.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for my ignorance, and lack of retention," Iscariat said, holding back his tears, and remaining perfectly still, however that only made him an easier target as Far Seeker smashed her right rear hoof on his head.
"Shut up, and listen," Far Seeker retorted, her hoof still lodged a top Iscariat's head, pinning him down onto the floor with sharp increments in pressure. "Thou are the greatest disappointment of my life, and a shame upon my noble heritage. Yet, through my selflessness and compassion, I continue to stomach thou. I feed, cloth, and provided for thy everyday, and in spite of all my generosity thou dares to use that tone with me! Never forget that without me thou are less than a fraction, of a fraction, of a fraction of the concept known as nothing."
"Yes, mother," Iscariat replied, just as Far Seeker stomped on his head one more time, before levitating him onto the seat across from her, and then tossed him a rag, instructing him to wipe his face.
After a half hour of riding, the stage coach arrived at its destination, Canterlot Castle, a breath taking sight with pony nobles of all races, from Cloudsdale to Trottingham flocking towards its great doors, this was the first time Iscariat was ever brought this close to the structure. The castle always seemed like this truly magical place, its numerous towers reaching up into the clouds, a waterfall pouring down upon it to provide all the irrigation for its gardens and fountains, and of course the beloved Princesses themselves resided within, granting it an almost divine sensation. As the Castle came closer into view, Iscariat felt a terribly heavy lump fall into the pit of his stomach, his breathing became shallow, and his head spun; "I don't belong here," he said to himself.
"No, thou certainly does not belong here, but it can't be avoided," Far Seeker replied, having easily read Iscariat's mind without even making eye contact.
As the coach came to a halt, Far Seeker gave her pets one final kiss, before they transfigured into two, solid, golden bracelets, Socrates on the left and Plato on the right respectively, each one boasting a pair of parallel tiny diamonds; representing their eyes. Stepping out of the coach together, Iscariat and Far Seeker were quickly approached by two elderly unicorns, one, a stallion, wore a white and gold hooded robe made of velvet with a golden necklace attached to a medallion molded in the shape of the Sun, and the other, a mare, wore a silver and dark blue hooded robe made of satin with a silver necklace attached to a lunar crescent medallion. For a split second, Far Seeker's expression devolved into a heavy scowl, but faster than a bolt of lightning, she adopted a warm, and shimmering smile that could blind even a star. Spreading her front fore hooves out, Far Seeker embraced both unicorns in a soothing hug, as she followed up with a light kiss on the cheek for each one.
"Father, mother it is so good to see thee," Far Seeker said, as she released her parents, and then glanced at Iscariat, her eyes devoid of any anger or judgement, and instead radiated kindness and sincerity. "Come now Iscarait, don't be rude, say hello."
"Yes, mother," Iscariat said snapping to attention, and then walking up to his grandparents, who were still shrouded by their hoods, their eyes seeming to glow gold and silver respectively, causing a shiver to run up Iscariat's spin. "Good evening, grandfather Ignatius. Good evening, grandmother Ophilya."
"Princess Celestia is waiting for both of thee in the grand audience chamber," Ophilya said, cracking a smile at Iscariat, but then quickly devolving to a solemn expression when locking eyes with Far Seeker.
"She is especially interested in meeting thee, Iscariat," Ignatius said, as he lightly tapped the silver necklace around Iscariat's neck, and then subtly winked at him before shifting his gaze to his daughter.
"Why would her highness desire that?" Iscariat asked, his head cocked to the right, and his left eyebrow raised high.
"Tis not our place to say," Ignatius retorted, staring at Iscariat from the corner of his eye, while maintaining the buckle of his attention on Far Seeker.
"Indeed, her highness' reasons are her own," Far Seeker concurred, as she too cast a sidewards glance at Iscariat. "Well we best not keep the Princess waiting, come along Iscariat."
"Yes, mother" Iscariat replied, snapping back to attention, and assuming his place beside his mother; exactly three inches apart, and one inch behind.
Ignatius and Ophilya bowed as Iscariat and Far Seeker proceeded onward, then with a flick of their horns they vanished in a wisp of gold and silver smoke respectively, and as their vapors faded into the air they came together briefly an formed a smiley face that stuck its tongue at Far Seeker; Iscariat snickered. Following closely beside his mother, Iscariat marveled at the exquisiteness of Canterlot castle, its doors were simply massive, molded from the purest gold, and boasting a pair of platinum emblems, depicting the Sun and Moon respectively. Beyond that giant threshold was an equally humungous main hall with marble columns, chiseled by master artisans, visible throughout at precise intervals, each one as unique as a snowflake with some being plain, and others possessing delicately sculpted flowers and song birds. Upon the walls were murals, as well as one of a kind tapestries, featuring the royal family, and one caused Iscariat pause; a mural weaving the tale of Princess Luna's first crafted star, a star all ponies have come to know as Lucifer. The mural was so beautiful, its surreal interpretation of the event gave it uniqueness among all the other classical works daunting the walls, Princess Luna's very form was a mixture of vapors and gases, not unlike the stars she governed over; Iscariat found it difficult to look away, and without warning, he came to a halt.
This one simple action brought everypony in the main hall to freeze out of shear shock, for Iscariat Faust, son and heir of the immaculate Far Seeker, Duchess of Equestria, had just fallen out of step, completely obliterating their entrance; the shame was incalculable. Far Seeker was beside herself, her eyes were wide open, her mouth was gawking like a Venus flytrap, and all the while her ears twitched at every single snicker directed at her from the other nobles in the room. Iscariat, however, did not care about any of that, he was completely enthralled by the mural, its every brush strokes and fine textures called out to him, almost hypnotically, and before he knew it he found himself approaching it. Up close the mural's beauty was only enhanced, while not lacking for detail at any distance, up close Iscariat could truly appreciate the artist's masterful work. Princess Luna was situated off center, her form was wispy and gaseous, like a puff of smoke, her hooves were reaching out to a sphere of swirling hot gases, and around them both was a mass of starry clouds, featuring random breaks to portray far distant planets or passing asteroids.
Iscariat was so enraptured by the mural, so lost in his musing that he failed to notice his horn igniting of its own accord, and as quick as a whip, cast a spell. With a loud pop, and a blinding flash, the entire hall was transfigured into a nebula, complete with protostars, swirling pockets of hot gases, and even a fully developed star in the center of it all; its gravity controlling all rotation and maturity rates. Excluding Far Seeker, all the nobles in the room were petrified with uncertainty and confusion, their once smug expressions had faded away, and now the fear of god was clutching their very souls. For a few moments, Far Seeker allowed herself to enjoy the trembling of her fellow nobles, the terror on their faces was like a fine wine, and she savored every sip, a subtle smirk creeping up her face. When the confusion reached its crescendo, and Far Seeker had had her fill, she inched towards her son, her horn glowing a vibrant violet, and her posturing impeccable.
"Fret not everypony, my magic will quell this," Far Seeker regally spoke, a mere foot from Iscariat.
"It is quite alright, allow us the honor," a voice gentle spoke from behind Far Seeker, causing her to halt in her tracks, and cease her spell weaving.
"Your majesty," Far Seeker said, her eyes wide open as Princess Celestia majestically walked past her.
In the murky light, Princess Celestia's body glowed incandescently among the other stars, her flawless form simply radiated power, and garnering Far Seeker's envy. Iscariat, in all this time, was oblivious to what he was doing, and when Princess Celestia reached him, she couldn't help but snicker at his adorable stupefied expression. Resting her right fore hoof on Iscariat's shoulder, Princess Celestia leaned down towards his left ear, and said, "This is our favorite mural too." Awakening from his art appreciation, Iscariat's breathing grew heavy, his eyes widen as they took in his surroundings, and with a hard gulp, he sharply turned his head to the left.
"Princccess Ceeelestia?" Iscariat stuttered, his eyes twitching uncontrollably.
"Tis a pleasure, Iscariat Faust," Princess Celestia said, as she offered her hoof to him.
"Your highness," Iscariat retorted, taking Celestia's hoof, and then kissing it respectfully.
"Hmm, thy mother has spoken much of thee, and we are pleased to state that all her tales...fall utterly short," Princess Celestia said with a beaming smile, as she cast a glance at the illusion still in effect around them.
"Surely thy majesty jests, this is merely an accident; a mistake," Iscariat said, his tone quite low, and his head held even lower.
"Perhaps, but not even Star Swirl, as gifted as he was, was born an absolute master; thy mother was no different," Princess Celestia said, raising Iscariat's chin with her right hoof, and then directing his gaze to the illusion surrounding them. "Intended or no, this spell is praise worthy, and we know that our beloved sister would be touched to know that her mural inspired it."
"Thank you, your majesty," Iscariat replied with a respectful bow, then with a flick of his horn, the illusion melted away, and the room returned to normal.
"Yes indeed, thou will make a fine Wizard one day," Princess Celestia said with a smile, and then following through with a warm wing hug.
"Thank you again, your majesty," Iscariat said with a flushed expression, and a sidewards glance at the floor.
"Ke...hehe, hehe, hehehe!" Princess Celestia snickered at Iscariat's priceless expression, and in an unexpected turn, she picked him up in her levitation field, and then embraced him in a tender hug, Iscariat's head resting above her heart. "There is no need to be embarrassed, little Iscariat. Tis only natural for children to be bashful; don't grow up too fast."
"Oh, what have we here?" a mare queried as she entered the chamber, a small filly by her side. "Dear Aunt, have thou taken my advice an merely opted to adopt this wonderful child, instead of undergoing through some cliche ceremony?"
Iscariat, as well as all the others in the chamber, immediately set their gaze on the new arrivals; Princess Celestia's adopted niece, the Grand Duchess of Canterlot, Scarlet Letter, and her beautiful daughter, Young Lady, Wall Flower. Both mother and daughter were unicorns, but not just any unicorns, they were crystal unicorns, the only ones to ever be born outside of the Crystal Empire; which itself has been lost to ponykind for more than one thousand years. For this reason their family has enjoyed a level of prestige not even Iscariat's family, which was ranked third among all other noble families, could boast, and that boiled Far Seeker's blood more than anything else on Equestria. Now Scarlet Letter was a mare the same age as Iscariat's mother, twenty-five winters old, her sleek crystal mane and tail were both a stellar magenta with white and aquamarine highlights, her coat was a plush crimson, and her deep, bright, honey eyes were sweet enough to eat. However, as if her beauty and crystal birth was not enough, Scarlet pushed the envelope even further by revolutionizing ladies fashion, donning attire that some would consider distasteful; her outfit consisted of a sleeveless, two buttoned, orange, silk blouse which left her chest partially exposed, a short, frilly, black, satin skirt that road high up her legs, hovering just over her kneecaps, and a pair of cotton, yellow and white stockings complimented by a pair of golden horseshoes.
Grand Duchess Scarlet Letter was truly the apple of any ponies eyes, both stallion and mare, but her daughter was not too far from the tree, though she had a much more unique charm to her. While her mother was the pinnacle of refined beauty, Wall Flower was nothing short of a hot mess, even at this very moment, as she stood beside her mother, her personal servant, a stallion by the name of Glyph, was only now brushing all the knots out of her elegant, but tangled, mane. Young Lady Wall Flower, heir to the prestigious House Brier, was an alabaster crystal unicorn, nine years of age with a long, straight, violet mane and tail, and her eyes were the purest blue Iscariat had ever seen. Similar to her mother, Wall Flower boasted a one of a kind outfit, though hers was far more wrinkled and suffering poor placement, her teal blouse being the worst offender, appearing to be poorly cut, with sleeves resting an inch too long over her fore hooves, as well as all the buttons matched to the wrong slits leaving the top one shamelessly unbuttoned. Proceeding her mangled blouse was a navy blue skirt with the seams of such poor quality that the majority of the black thread was blatantly unraveling, and the placement was simply terrible, riding much too high up her waist causing a hideous scrunching of her already revolting blouse.
Lastly, as if to crown this failure in fashion, atop her head was a beautiful ebony, chess queen like, crown studded with tiny sapphires, however in spite of its beauty the crown suffered from many flaws plaguing the rest of Wall Flower's attire. Apart from the poor placement, being much too far back that only those behind could get a clear view of it, the crown was grossly asymmetrical with the right side having three sapphires clustered together, and the other side boasting only one. To most of the nobles in the room, Far Seeker chief among them, Wall Flower's attire was not only foul, but down right painful to look at, and yet, to Iscariat, the shear lack of any real effort on Wall Flower's part spoke volumes to him; "She is a child, what did they expect?" he said to himself with a slight hint of envy. As the impact from Scarlet Letter and Wall Flower's conjoined entrance settled down, the rest of the nobles felt it prudent to proceed at last into the ballroom, granting Princess Celestia time to greet her honored guests more properly. Iscariat still gracing her side, Princess Celestia approached the others in the center of the main hall, a mountain of memories appeared to flash before her wizened eyes, Iscariat could almost feel the incandescent warmth radiating from the Princess's body as she reminisced into her rich past.
"Hail your majesty," Scarlet Letter and Far Seeker spoke in perfect unison, and then each following through with a bow that took years to refine.
"It warms our heart so to see both of you, together," Princess Celestia spoke, as she reached out and hugged both Scarlet Letter and Far Seeker with her wings and fore hooves, and then planted a gentle kiss on one of their cheeks respectively, causing both to flush redder than a radish. "We once remembered when you two were inseparable, what became of that strong bond, we ask?"
"Your majesty, with the utmost respect, perhaps this is not the place for such a...personal conversation," Far Seeker humbly retorted.
"I concur, dear aunt, tonight is about the children after all," Scarlet Letter said, desiring nothing more than to change the subject.
"Ah, too true. Forgive us, we tend to forget you are not children anymore," Princess Celestia said, dipping her head slightly with a sigh, as she then, slowly, relinquished her embrace, and then focused on the two children among them. "Now then, we are to understand that these two, precious youths, are meeting for the first time?"
"Yes, your majesty," Scarlet Letter and Far Seeker spoke in unison once more.
"Very well, then we will discuss this further in private," Princess Celestia said, as she flagged down two guards.
"Your majesty?" the two stallions spoke, their golden armor gleaming in the bright light like two miniature suns.
"Ladies Scarlet and Far Seeker will be joining us in the royal lounge for a spell. We would like you two to escort the children to the ballroom, and see to it that they are not hassled or unnecessarily disturbed, are we understood?" Princess Celestia said, eyeing her guards with a serious glare not often seen by the common, or even uncommon pony; Iscariat trembled at the sight.
"Transparently, your majesty," the guards said, appearing to be unfazed, but Iscariat noted a subtle streak of sweat bead down their respective heads.
"You have your orders, ladies?" Princess Celestia said, as she directed Far Seeker and Scarlet Letter down an a adjacent hall, but not before turning to both Iscariat and Wall Flower, a smile beaming on her face. "We hope this years Gala brings new joy and laughter to your lives, so please indulge to your hearts content, and may you leave with greater satisfaction than when you arrived. Until then, we bid you both good evening."
"Good evening your majesty," Iscariat said with a proper bow.
"Indeed, good eveeeening!" Wall Flower said, as she tried to replicate Iscariat's bow, only trip over her own four feet, and land face first onto the marble tile.
Not even hesitating, Iscariat rushed over, and assisted Wall Flower to her feet; everypony gazed with held breath as the two youths then peered into each others eyes for the first time. For what felt as an eternity, Iscariat just stood there, holding Wall Flower's hoof, it was incredibly soft to the touch, not unlike fine silk, and yet her body was comprised of crystal; "Fascinating," Iscariat spoke aloud causing Wall Flower to blush heavily.
"We believe that is our queue to leave," Princess Celestia replied with a sly grin, as she lead the two mothers out of the main hall.
"Glyph, do be sure to make thyself available to Iscariat, as well as Wall Flower, okay?" Scarlet called out to the young servant, who had held back at the entrance when his mistress and lady approached the Princess earlier.
"As you wish, mistress," Glyph replied as he wiped his glasses clean, and then bowed at her departure.
Glyph was a unicorn colt, ten winters old, the same age as Iscariat, his mane and tail were a hopelessly messy and short, brunette, his coat was a dark, pale blue as sleek as the oceans surface, and his eyes were a bright teal with a greenish hue. As Wall Flower's personal servant, Glyph was awarded with higher quality of clothing than his more common brethren, his black overcoat was made of soft velvet with white silk interior for greater comfort, his white, inner shirt was the finest cotton blend with gold studded cuff links, his vest was dark purple, comprised of tweed, and featuring pure copper buttons polished to a mirror shine, and even his glasses were of high quality made of solid silver for the frame, and flawlessly, hoof molded, crystal glass for the lens. Iscariat had never seen a servant so well outfitted, least of all one so young, and even as Glyph simply stood there, awaiting to be of service, Iscariat felt a tad unease, for in Glyph's eyes Iscariat saw something glimmer back, something indescribably; perhaps nothing more than his imagination, but still...?
"Um...Lord Iscariat...thou may let go of my hoof now," Wall Flower stuttered out, her face now even redder than before.
"Oh? Oh!" Iscariat retorted as Wall Flower's words sunk in. "My apologies, I did not mean to...Uh never mind, first things first, are thou okay? Thou suffered quite a fall."
"Thank you for thy concern, but I am fine," Wall Flower said, as she regained color in her face, as well as her confidence. "Anyway, let us forget about that, the Gala awaits."
"Of course, may I have the honor of escorting thou in, Lady Wall Flower?" Iscariat asked, as he offered his hoof with a gracious bow.
"The honor is all thous, Lord Iscariat Faust," Wall Flower retorted with a proper curtsy, though her clothing made it anything but. "Come along Glyph, do not dawdle."
"Yes, milady," Glyph said, as he approached, and then assumed the appropriate distance of ten paces behind.
With their guard escort, courtesy of Princess Celestia, Iscariat and Wall Flower, shadowed behind by Glyph, at last entered the Gala proper, and were greeted with a round of thunderous applause, as well as an announcement befitting nobles of their status.
"It is my esteem pleasure, and honor, to introduce our final guests of the evening! Please, join me in welcoming Young Lady Wall Flower, daughter of our esteemed Grand Duchess Lady Scarlet Letter, as well as heir to the illustrious House of Brier, and niece to our exalted excellency herself, Princess Celestia of Equestria! An her escort for the evening, making his first ever public appearance, I give to you, Young Lord Iscariat Faust, son of Duke Stock Merge and Duchess Far Seeker, heir to the Noble House of Faust, and direct descendant to the greatest sorcerer Equestria has ever known, Star Swirl the Bearded!"
