The Princess and The Wizard
It was mid-afternoon in the royal city of Canterlot when light shining through one of the small narrow windows fell directly on great wizard Meadowbrook’s work. He turned to look annoyingly at the light which made his workspace entirely too bright for him to focus.
He stood himself up and walked over to the window. He stopped for a moment to look out of it as he rubbed his eyes which were still adjusting to the bright scene. From his small office which overlooked the castle courtyard, he was able to see several of the Princess’s servants as they played their role in maintaining the beauty and grace of Celestia’s beloved garden.
He shut the thin curtains without a second thought and returned to his desk. After all, his spells weren’t going to craft themselves.
Meadowbrook had learned much from studying as the protégé of Starswirl the Bearded, the once promising young unicorn had been hand chosen by Starswirl when he was still a young stallion and spent his life learning in the shadow of one of the greatest wizards in the history of Equestria.
Over the many years, Meadowbrook had become a powerful wizard and spell-crafter in his own right. Though, while Starswirl had focused his study on magic which affected the surrounding world, becoming obsessed with perfecting a time casting spell, Meadowbrook was more interested in magic affecting ponies directly. He devoted his life to studying magic that could change anything about a pony, from their hair to their attitude.
He had lived in the Royal Castle for years now, serving as Celestia's principle magical advisor after Starswirl had passed. However, just a few months ago, the great wizard decided to craft a spell which could aid in the training of royal guards and other service ponies. He wanted a spell which could alter the mind of a pony, allowing them to be more susceptible to persuasion.
After several months of research, he still wasn’t very close. He had crafted one spell which he believed could work, but it worked in the sense that it made the pony, or more accurately victim, essentially incapable of thinking for themselves. He knew that if it fell into the wrong hooves, it could be used to brainwash ponies.
He returned to his seat and old wooden chair bellowed and moaned as he sat. He began to shuffle around his papers, trying to regain his focus.
Suddenly, a knock came from the door.
“Come in,” he said indifferently, his eyes still glued to his work.
The door slowly crept open revealing the always regal Princess Celestia. She slowly stepped in, her long radiant hair still waving lazily.
The wizard turned his head ever so leisurely. “Oh, hello Celestia.” He had long ago abandoned any formalities with the Equestrian ruler.
She stepped over to the experienced wizard, hovering over his shoulder and allowing her eyes to fall on his papers.
“Something I can help you with?” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
The Princess continued to look over his notes until she picked her head up and snickered to the aged unicorn. “Are you still working on these spells?”
“What, spells involving ponies?” He took issue with the suggestion. ”As a matter of fact, I am.”
“Hmph,” she taunted. “You don’t really think ponies are so susceptible to magic, do you?” she asked while walking over to the window and brushing the curtain out of the way to look over the courtyard. “You are a powerful wizard, you should focus on your talents on something more…” She titled her head, searching for the word. “…Practical.”
The Princess always had her doubts in Meadowbrook’s preferred area of study. She never truly believed a unicorn, even one as powerful as Meadowbrook, could take control over another pony’s mind.
“You certainly underestimate my abilities, that’s for sure,” he addressed to the Princess’s rear.
She continued to look out the window, disregarding the unicorn.
“So, don’t you have some big…oh, I don’t know…press conference later? Shouldn’t you be preparing yourself for that?” he suggested subtly.
“Oh, those things are a piece of cake. I’ve been doing them for so many years, I don’t have to prepare for them any longer.”
Meadowbrook nodded turning his head back to his work, hoping the Princess might leave him in peace.
Suddenly the Princess turned around, allowing the curtain to fall back in place. “Say,” she said approaching the wizard with the biggest grin. “If you think your abilities are so powerful, why don’t we try something interesting?”
He turned his head back up to the royal figure. “Something interesting?”
“Yea,” she said turning away and nodding. “We’ll have a bet, you try and make me do something embarrassing at the press conference.”
Meadowbrook shook his head in confusion. “What, why?”
“Well, I say you can’t possibly alter a pony’s mind, let alone, that of an alicorn, and you seem to think your can. So let’s have a bet, I say there’s no way you can do it.” She smiled ever so wickedly.
The wizard looked at her with intrigue, stroking his ever growing white beard. The Princess would always play tricks on him, which usually resulted in interrupting his work, and now he had a chance to get back at her. “Well, what do I get if I win?”
“Ha,” she laughed. “Okay, let’s see. If you win I'll…” She searched her mind for a moment before picking up her head and smiling. “Bake you a cake.”
“You’ll bake me a cake?” he said in disbelief.
“I will bake you a cake.”
“Fine. So, what am I supposed to make you do?”
“Something embarrassing, I don’t know… make me cluck like a chicken.”
“Cluck like a chicken?” he repeated while chuckling.
“Oh, it doesn't matter. It’s not like you’ll be able to do it,” The Princess was so certain that the wizard had for so long exaggerated his abilities and couldn’t really take control over a pony’s mind, that she knew there was no risk of him actually winning.
He smiled. “Okay Celestia, you’re on.”
——————————
Meadowbrook awoke from his early night’s rest and slowly stumbled himself down to the castle’s kitchen for his morning coffee. He walked up and poured himself a cup from the pot which he knew was fresh. He always timed it out so he’d get a fresh cup, otherwise the heat from the pot would ruin the taste, leaving a sour and bitter brew.
He took a sip as he attempted to walk over to one of the tables when he noticed something tall on the table which blocked his view. He shook himself a little to wake up and see what was taking up so much space.
Newspapers. Stacks and stacks of newspapers. They were stacked several feet on the kitchen table and as Meadowbrook looked around he noticed them stacked all throughout the kitchen. He stepped out from the kitchen for a moment and found them stacked throughout the halls as well. Just loads of newspapers.
He stepped back into the kitchen with the most perplexed look on his face. He set his coffee on the table and pulled out the empty chair, tugging one of the newspapers off the top of the stack to take a look at it.
He sat down at the table and had small sip of the still crisp coffee before he looked over the paper. His eyes immediately shot to the top of the paper and Meadowbrook nearly choked on his coffee when he read the headline.
‘Princess Celestia Clucks Like A Chicken Uncontrollably During Press Conference.’
Meadowbrook couldn’t contain himself and burst out laughing as he now realized why newspapers had been littered throughout the castle. The always reserved unicorn had to hold the paper up as he turned his head to the floor and laughed harder than he every had in his life.
All of a sudden, an annoyed Princess Celestia came into the kitchen and trotted up to him, she waited impatiently for him to stop his laughing fit and notice her.
After a moment, he was able to regain control of himself. He picked his head back up and finally noticed the Princess standing over him.
“Your Highness,” he said in a mocking cordial tone while still chuckling and giving a pseudo bow.
“Here.” She grit her teeth as she slammed down a small chocolate cake with flower petal icing.
