From Prince to King

The morning sun shone across the sky, turning its original blue home a light mix of orange and pink. The moon was still slightly visible, but only just. The cart flew through the air, assisted by horned men, piloting it with their magic. The Everfree Forest stood docile yet threatening under them, teeming with creatures and mysterious plant life.

“Equestria works differently than Marvalia, in more ways than one.” A horned man was lecturing someone who looked to be his son, judging by their resemblance. “Their monarch, Princess Celestia is immortal. So, there is no need for worry over the next ruler in line. Also, the weather is able to controlled, unlike in Marvalia. Pegasi manipulate the weather by moving the clouds around and setting them off. The only similarity is the moon and sun being raised by the Princess.”

“You told me this already, Father,” the youth responded, annoyed.

“Yes, I know, but I’m making sure that you remember. Also, you will be staying in the third floor hall in the guest quarters. The room is at the end of the hall, be sure to remember.

“Yes, Father…”

“King Caesar, we’re nearing Canterlot,” a pilot sounded out from the front of the cart.

“Splendid! Czar, help the pilots carry the luggage, will you? Some of the others came down with an illness and couldn’t come,” King Caesar said.

“Yes, Father,” Czar responded.

The cart came to a stop as it reached the ground. Not one hundred feet away was Canterlot Castle, standing there in all of its glory. Upper crust citizens were walking about the city, as prim and proper as they could be. It was another thing Czar hated about this place. it was so…

Czar shuddered, the thoughts of the disturbing things about this place getting to him. He went toward the back of the wooden cart and magically levitated a few packages of luggage. Czar sighed as he walked with the other unicorns into the castle’s front gates.

***

Plop. Czar fell onto the bed, which was white and fluffy.

This is the only exceptional thing about this place, Czar thought with a sigh. Everyone here was holding themselves as if they had a broomstick formally shoved up their ass. Their noses were always in the air and they strutted around flaunting their lush swagger. The only time they spoke it was about their purses lined with bits or some ‘party’ going on at even more stuck up person’s house. By party, they meant some lackluster get together with expensive champagne and other meaningless refreshments.

Czar leaned on his elbows as he surveyed his room once more. Everything was white and pure, the only decoration being a sun carved over the entrance to a balcony. The guests’ quarters were in the Dawn wing, if he recalled correctly.

Czar remembered his father telling him about the three different wings: The Dawn wing, the Dusk wing, and the Twilight wing. The Dawn wing was prominently on the white color scheme, while the Dusk wing was mainly colored black and blue. The Twilight wing was the color of twilight: purple. The color scheme was inspired by the royal sisters: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Before Luna’s banishment, the two ruled Equestria peacefully and in harmony. The castle’s builders took it upon themselves to decorate three different sections of the castle, all inspired by the sisters. The Dawn wing on the east was where Celestia woke and rose the sun, and the Dusk wing was where Luna stayed, and it was where the sun set, introducing the night. The Twilight wing was where the sisters met and interacted. It was where the most activity in the castle took place and it was also where the throne room was located.

Yeesh, how can I remember all this? Czar thought, I must have listened to him lecture me for over three hours…I need rest. Czar crawled under the covers after kicking off his shoes. Screw acting un-royal, I’m sleepy…

***

“Come on Czar, really? We didn’t even arrive an hour ago and you’re already turning in.” Caesar sighed while rubbing his forehead in frustration, his hand tracing the base of his horn.

Father, leave me be; I’m tired, dammit. Instead of letting those words pass his lips, Czar sat up and scratched the back of his head.

“It was a long trip,” he sighed.

“I know that, but you don’t see me passing out, do you? Now, let us go meet the Princess, we have things to discuss.” Caesar left the room with Czar following.

White…White…Hey, look, more white…Wow, some more white… Czar was fuming with aggravation that radiated throughout the pure white halls. They encountered few of the castle’s inhabitants, but other than that, the trip was dull. Until, that is, Caesar reached his destination.

Czar was taken aback by the sudden change in color scheme. The repetitive white halls were replaced by the wondrous lilac, purple, and violet Twilight wing. Czar actually took interest in the new surroundings, and drank in as much of the vibrant colors as he could.

“King Caesar, sir, the throne room is this way,” a servant said, who appeared out of nowhere.

“Ah, thank you, good sir,” Caesar replied. The two were led through more ornate, grand doorways until they reached a unique passageway.

Two doors stood firm and magnificent. One door was white, the other blue. The white door boasted a symbol of the sun; the blue door had a symbol of the moon. The doors barely reached the ceiling, which was around 50 meters above Czar. The servant turned the knobs and pushed the doors open.

Czar’s jaw dropped as he witnessed utter beauty. In the large room, two thrones sat next to each other, one for Princess Celestia, the other for Princess Luna. Tapestries and other resplendent decorations thickly ornamented the room. All around, murals of the royal sisters plastered the walls. Large, ornate windows interrupted the murals, bringing in beams of sunlight into the room.

And all this merely magnified the beauty Czar was observing. Princess Celestia was sitting in her throne, conversing with a servant. Her prismatic hair flowed as if it were alive, augmenting her dazzling magnificence. Her eyes were a light pink that looked all-knowing, wise, and full of love.

Gah, what am I thinking? Czar shook his head to disrupt his trance. He did his habitual motion of covering his eyes with his silver hair, which casted a shadow over the top portion of his face. He used this tactic to survey his surroundings and other people without being noticed. Using this, he was able to study Celestia and ponder why she put him under that stupor. Was it the curves of her body under her gown? Was it her sparkling, prismatic flowing hair? Was it her flawless, pure skin?

The Princess looked over to Caesar. “Ah, King Caesar.” She dismissed the servant, and descended the few steps at her throne.

“Your Highness,” Caesar bowed out of respect, as did Czar. Celestia returned the gesture.

“A bit early, aren’t you? Ah, no matter. You found your rooms, correct?” Celestia asked.

“Certainly,” Caesar replied. “You have heard of my son, am I right?” He gestured his arm towards Czar.

“Yes, you mentioned him.” Princess Celestia studied Czar’s appearance. After a few seconds, she said, “Why must you cover your face like that? Can you even see through all that hair?”

“Er, sorry, Your Highness,” Czar brushed his hair aside with his fingers, showing off his sharp, gray eyes.

“My, your eyes, they’re beautiful,” Celestia remarked, “they blend perfectly with your hair.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Czar bowed out of respect, and due to the fact that his cheeks grew a light pink.

“Please, it’s unnecessary to call me ‘Highness’ all the time. Please, just call me Princess Celestia.”

“Of course, Your Hi- I mean, Princess Celestia.” Czar replied. That’s a first; a monarch irritated by being called ‘Your Highness.’ Father so enjoys having his royalty being flaunted about.

“Better,” Princess Celestia smiled and ruffled Czar’s hair. “Shall we carry on? We have much to talk about…”

“Yes, we shall,” Caesar and Celestia left the throne room, with Czar willingly following behind, only due to the presence of Celestia.

***

The wind blew carelessly throughout Canterlot. The white, twisty, curved buildings covered the city; at least, the good part of it. This corner was untouched by the glam and shine of the rest of the city. This is where the menial tasks were carried out. Industrial parks and factories were packed together like a gray city. The fumes that were created were sent through a magical filter placed on top of each building, which disrupted their harmful pollutants, converting them into harmless, breathable air. A lot of the rejected and violent citizens of Canterlot and nearby cities holed up and formed in abandoned factories, making this the all-around unwanted side of Canterlot. Celestia did her best to scrub out the violent people and help them to change their ways, but it was to no avail. They stayed in their places and didn’t try to expand, but they were still festering in their negativity.

Despite all that, Czar found this place enjoyable. He was perched on top of a three story tall building that was once a factory. What exactly the factory produced, however, was a mystery to Czar, because nothing but dust, rodents, and more dust called this place home. The building was on the edge of the so-called ‘unwanted’ side of Canterlot, where he could both witness the arrogant tightwads and the roughhousing ruffians go about their day.

Eugh, I absolutely hate this place! Czar screamed in his mind. All day, he has to listen to his father go on and on about politics and the make-up of Princess Celestia’s monarchy.

“It’s pretty damn simple, Father,” Czar muttered to himself, “Celestia reigns, decades pass, Celestia’s still reigns, centuries pass, and guess what, she still reigns. I don’t see why you need to lecture me on this every damn second…”

Celestia…what about her was so amazing? Did she have some enchantment cast on her to swoon everyone that witnessed her?

No, that can’t be right. Caesar, for the most part, remained unmoved by Princess Celestia’s appearance.

Czar stood and stretched his limbs. Trying to get the thoughts out of his head, he turned over to the white and pure Canterlot city. He could barely see the citizens, and for that, he was glad; he couldn’t take it anymore. After he escaped the grasp of his father by being granted by Celestia to go explore the city, he overheard gruelingly boring conversations.

Why can’t you talk about what really matters, Czar began to think to himself, as if he rehearsing what he were to say to the entire city, you can do so much more. You can learn about history, read great stories or create them, find love…but instead, you only look at your cash filled purses and find a way to stuff more in there. You insult those less powerful than you. You waste your life on these meaningless material things, and for nothing…

Czar turned his head to the door that led him to the roof. He sat up and approached the open door, and peered down the stairway. The stairs were rusty and old and the walls were gray and the paint was peeling.

I must tell Celestia about this, I guess. She might be able to find a good use for it. Czar descended the stairway and reached the third floor. It was void of anything except dust. It was spacious and gray with a stairway that led to the lower floors. He brushed a stray hair that was tickling his nose and turned his toe. He wasn’t going to leave. Not just yet. He was going to enjoy his freedom a little bit more.

With a swing, Czar’s legs dangled over the lip of the rooftop edge once more as he surveyed the piece of Canterlot. He examined the so-called “border” the building rested on. A walkway, with business offices on either side descends about a quarter mile, until it reached the abandoned factory. The offices stop there, then a hill adds a small divide. Few working factories are scattered throughout the mess of gray, and not one house is seen.

Czar now dubbed this place a new escape for him. No royalty, no tightwads, just himself. Czar enjoyed it in any way he could.