Chapter 1

A young mare galloped through the busy streets of Canterlot, leaving quite a few scowling high-class ponies in her wake. She shouted apologies as she ran, the fabric of her cloak rippling in the wind.

Crystal Sky was a pretty, fifteen-year-old unicorn mare with a crystal-blue coat and a long, curly, sky-blue mane that sparkled like there was silver glitter in it (which there wasn't). Her eyes were a lovely shade of violet and sparkled like frost on a frigid winter's morning, and her cutie mark were three sparkling crystals (two of them sky blue and the third violet) surrounded by wisps and curls of delicate white cloud. She wore a dark indigo cloak with a sapphire-and-amethyst clasp, and her perfectly curled tail streamed out behind her as her manicured hooves clattered on the marble paving bricks of the streets. White silk saddlebags embroidered with her cutie mark were strapped to her back.

She owned the Star Boutique, one of the finest boutiques in Canterlot. It had been the family business for over ten years. Impressed by Crystal's designs, the alicorn princesses Celestia and Luna had chosen her to be the new royal tailor, while keeping her shop. The former tailor had retired after many years. Right now, Crystal was going to the palace for a royal gown fitting with the princesses. I'm so late, I'm so late!

Crystal's horn glowed with sky-blue as she galloped along, and suddenly, she vanished in a bright flash. The young unicorn reappeared in front of the royal gates of Canterlot Castle, where the Princesses lived. Two white pegasus guards stood on either side of the gates, their expressions flat and professional. They crossed their wings across the entryway as Crystal approached.

"Halt! Who goes there?" they demanded together.

"Crystal Sky, the new royal tailor and owner of the Star Boutique," she replied coolly, pulling down the hood of her cloak with her magic. "I'm here to fit the Princesses' new gowns."

The guard to her right peered at her as Crystal magically opened her saddlebags, revealing that they were filled with dressmaking supplies: scissors, thread, needles, pincushions, many fabric samples, measuring tape, etc. She'd enchanted the bags to hold as much as she wanted while feeling lightweight.

"Very well," said the guard to her left. "You may enter, but don't let the cold air in."

Crystal nodded politely to the guards and trotted past them and into the entry hall of the castle. She was scheduled to meet the Royal Pony Sisters in Celestia's apartments. If she remembered correctly, it was in the east wing.

The young unicorn spotted the door immediately. It was a set of gilded double doors, painted soft white with yellow-gold suns and a fancy border. Lifting a hoof, Crystal knocked on them.

A warm golden aura surrounded the doors, and they opened, revealing the two Royal Princesses of Equestria. Princess Celestia, the elder sister and Diarch of the Sun, was a bit larger than her sister. She had a snowy white coat, and her magically rippling mane and tail were in soft pastel colors - powder pink, sky blue, and misty green. Her horn was longer than the average unicorn's, and her large wings were neatly folded. Her cutie mark was, naturally, a sun. She wore a gold crown with a violet jewel, a matching royal torc, and gilded golden horseshoes.

Princess Luna, the younger sister and Diarch of the Moon, was a dark blue alicorn. Her mane and tail, also rippling in their own magic breeze, were night blue, and glittered with faraway silver stars. She also had wings and a long horn, of course, and her cutie mark was a silvery crescent moon against a background of indigo darkness. She wore a gleaming black crown, a matching torc with a crescent moon, and fancy silver-blue horseshoes.

"Welcome, Crystal Sky," Celestia said warmly, smiling. "I suppose you are here for the fitting. Please, come in." She opened the door wider, allowing Crystal to walk inside after a respectful bow.

Princess Celestia's apartments were brightly lit and decorated in a sunny, daytime theme. Warm morning sunlight streamed in through the many large windows, and the walls were painted in pastels, like Celestia's mane, or white. There was a bedroom, a dressing room, a sitting room, and a kitchenette. Celestia and Luna led Crystal into the dressing room.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Your Highnesses," Crystal said, levitating her dressmaking supplies out of her saddlebags. "I got so wrapped up in my work, I lost track of time."

"It's quite all right, Crystal," Luna said. She gave a little laugh. "I know that feeling."

"What a lovely fabric," Celestia commented as she admired a sample square of gold-patterned white silk Crystal had laid out. "It reminds me of my coronation gown, doesn't it, Luna?"

"Indeed, sister." The Night Princess reached out and touched another square of fine silk, this one midnight indigo with an intricate, swirly pattern of silver. "This reminds me of my own gown. It was so long ago."

Celestia smiled. "I'd like one of my gowns made in this fabric, please. . . ."

Crystal trotted out of Canterlot Castle, humming happily to herself. The Royal Pony sisters had each requested six gowns made of the finest silk that complimented their coat and mane colors. They'd left her the choice of which gown designs would be used, which was a real honor.

The Star Boutique was very close to Canterlot Castle, about only a street away. Next to the boutique, connected to it by a set of doors, was the Blossom Bake Shop, owned by Crystal's one-year-younger sister, Sugar Blossom. She had opened the bake shop, the best in Canterlot, shortly after Crystal took over the family boutique.

Sugar Blossom came out through the front door of her bake shop when she spotted Crystal. She was also a unicorn, with a pure white coat and a softly curling, pale blue mane and tail with swirls of rainbow colors in them, much like cotton candy. Her eyes were a pretty shade of magenta, and her cutie mark was a flower made of colored sugar crystals.

"How'd it go?" Sugar asked. She smelled like cake icing, and Crystal guessed that it had been another busy day for her.

"Wonderfully," Crystal said, beaming. "Each princess ordered six gowns!" She unclasped her cloak and levitated it into one of her saddlebags.

"What an honor, sewing for royalty," Sugar said. She herself had just been made the dessert caterer for every royal event in Canterlot Castle. "Would you care for a little afternoon snack?" She gestured to her bakery with a hoof.

"Of course," said Crystal, following her sister inside. "What's on today's menu?"

Crystal walked into the backroom of her boutique ten minutes later, levitating a small basket of sweets behind her. Sugar had been generous enough to give her that basket of baked goods to eat while she worked. It was filled with Crystal's healthier favorites: miniature fruit tarts, semisweet lemon cake, and the like.

The backroom was a big room in the back of the Star Boutique. All four walls were lined with fine fabrics, ribbons, and threads of every color imaginable. In the middle of the room was a long, wide wooden table cluttered with what Crystal liked to call "organized chaos". Two sewing machines, scraps of fabric, pincushions, dress patterns, sketches, and much more lay strewn across the smooth tabletop.

The light blue unicorn took a sip of her favorite lemongrass tea and set the basket and teacup on a nearby table. Her assistant and younger cousin, Emerald Drop, was sitting at the worktable, working with a sewing machine. Emerald Drop was an eleven-year-old unicorn filly with a light misty-green coat, a curly white mane highlighted with streaks in different shades of green, and light green eyes. She had just earned her cutie mark, which was a sparkling green emerald. Her magic was quite strong for a filly her age.

Emerald looked up from her sewing as Crystal magically pulled a few spools of fabric from the shelves. "You're back, Crystal! How many gowns did the Princesses order?" she asked.

"Six each," Crystal answered her cousin, hanging her cloak on a hook by the door. "That's great business! Even the princesses get their dresses from here." She took her saddlebags to the table and started to levitate the contents out.

Emerald's green eyes widened. "Six gowns! That's wonderful! Have they chosen the gown designs yet?"

"No, it's up to us. Emerald, I'd like you to help me design these. The Princesses did choose the fabric, so we're all set with that."

A wide smile blossomed on Emerald's face. "Really, Crystal?" she practically squealed in excitement. "You'd let me do such an important thing?"

"Of course," Crystal replied, using her magic to place a sketchbook in front of Emerald. "Now, time to brainstorm ideas! Oh, and do you want a fruit tart while we work?"

Two hours later, Crystal was preparing afternoon tea for her and Emerald to have while they worked. She boiled lemongrass tea leaves for both of them, pouring the steaming tea into two delicate, blue-and-white porcelain cups. She added the desired amount of honey and set the teacups, teapot, and a small plate of tea cakes on a tray. Then Crystal picked up the tray in her magic and carried it back to the backroom.

Emerald was still hard at work, finishing up a design sketch of one of Princess Luna's gowns. Her horn glowed with a misty green magic, and the piece of paper floated in front of Crystal. "Do you like it?" the young filly asked.

"I love it!" Crystal exclaimed after looking over the sketch. "It's perfect. I'll start making it. Do you mind making another design?"

"Not at all." Emerald gladly took another piece of paper and started sketching while Crystal went over to the shelves of fabric.

She chose a fine, dark blue silk brocaded with silver thread in fancy patterns, and another silk that was the same shade of dark blue, but sparkling with silver glitter. Like stars.

Suddenly feeling inspired, Crystal Sky grabbed Emerald's sketch of Princess Luna's gown and started making adjustments to it.