At the Gala

Word had already spread fast around the Kingdom about the Ball this year. Every single maiden received personal invites to the Gala to meet with the King. Everyone was excited about this turn of events. Usually only Royals and rich merchants went to the Gala, but this year everyone was invited and every maiden had a shot to be the King’s new Queen.

A gray Pegasus mare with yellow cross-eyes flew up to the door of Madame Cinch’s House and rang the doorbell. Iris of course opened the door to greet her, whom she instantly recognized as her old childhood friend.

“Oh Hi Muffins!” Iris said with a wide smile, “I see they already have you working hard at the Royal Palace. Nice Uniform! You’re a mail pony now right?” she asked.

“Announcer actually but just for today. Usually I’m picking up trash around the Palace.” Muffins replied.

“Why only today?”

“Because they need as many ponies as possible to pass out invitations and since I’m from here they had me deliver the invitations for the village since I know the area pretty well”

“Invitations? For what?” Iris inquired.

The gray mare cleared her throat, pulled out a scroll, unfurled it, and began to read aloud, “By the Order of King Discord himself, every eligible maiden in the Kingdom is invited to attend this year’s Grand Gala and present herself before his Majesty!” she said in a loud, clear voice as she handed Iris a golden envelope.

Iris clapped her hooves together and took the envelope from her, “Wow Muffins! That was great!” she praised the Pegasus.

Muffins blushed and looked down her hooves, “Awe thanks Iris, that means a lot”

“Ah Muffins before you go, just what do you mean by ‘eligible maiden’?”

“Oh… well the King really wants a Queen, so every mare in the Kingdom that is of legal age and single is invited to present themselves to his majesty and choose a lucky girl to become his new Queen”

“But he is a King! Shouldn’t he marry a Queen or a Princess? Why not Princess Celestia or Princess Luna? They are the most beautiful ponies in the world!”

“None of the Royal ladies he has met really appealed to him. Besides, the King doesn’t really care about looks anyway, he just cares if he can meet a girl that can make him happy”

“All men say that but in the end they always want a prettier girl. Besides I highly doubt he’ll pick me anyway”

“Why? If anything you have the best shot! Your beautiful, smart, funny, you have super soft fur, you’re the fastest runner, the best tracker, and your loyal to your friends. Seriously I don’t understand why you think so low of yourself”

“You know why Muffins. Because I’m a freak! I’m a pony/werewolf hybrid. I don’t look like other ponies. I have fangs, a wolf tail, and large freaky wolf ears! Everyone looks at me like a monster”

“I don’t”

She gave her friend a warm smile,” Thanks Muffins”

Her cross-eyed friend gave her a great big smile back.

“Anyway I’ve never been to a Gala before, what happens there?” Iris asked.

“OH the Gala is amazing! They serve the most delicious food; play beautiful music all night long, and at midnight they have the most awesome fireworks show EVER!”

Iris stood still pondering over the idea of going to the Gala. She eventually answered “I’ll think it over Muffins, I should let you get back to work, this is a big village after all!”

“Don’t worry about me I’ll get through the entire Village before dinner. See you around Iris!”

Iris closed the door behind her and carried the envelope with her around to the backyard.

Madame Cinch was in the backyard with her daughters, helping them practice their archery skills, if you want to call it that. Diamond Tiara was having trouble keeping the arrow straight in her bow. As she released the arrow it landed a mere foot in front of her. She threw the bow down to the ground and stomped around in frustration. Silver Spoon on the other hand could at least keep her bow straight, but she kept closing her eyes in fear as she released the arrow, the arrow flies and hits the tree behind the intended target. Cinch smacks her hoof to her face at her daughters’ embarrassing display.

“Girls” she screamed, they looked up at their mother in fear “This is ridiculous! This isn’t that hard. Diamond Tiara a lady must always keep her emotions under control. Silver Spoon quit being a coward and keep your eyes open when you aim”. Looking into her daughters’ faces, which were filled with a mix of fear and shame she felt pity and let out an exacerbated sigh.

“Here let me show you again how it is done,” she said as she stepped in Silver Spoon’s spot. She took out an arrow and pulled it into the bow. She closed one eye as she took aim at the target. She released the arrow, it lands right in the middle of the target. “See girls it is not that hard, just like in real life, as long as you maintain self control you will always hit your target.”

Iris stood by watching the whole scene, as horrible as her cousins were to her she couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. She didn’t understand how Cinch could be so cold to her children like this. However they were her children, she had no place to judge on how to raise them.

Iris cleared her throat loudly to get their attention. All three quickly turned around and gave her cold looks of disapproval. “This better be important Iris, you know better than to interrupt us while in the middle of a lesson” Cinch said with cold disdain.

“Oh…I certainly know better my lady, but I thought you might want to know that we have received a special invitation from the King himself.”

“An Invitation… from the King!” both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon squealed with excitement.

“We?” Cinch asked in a suspicious tone.

“Well the invitation is addressed to residents of the household and last I checked I am still a resident here,” she said with a sly smirk.

She handed over the golden envelope. Cinch quickly took it from her and torn it open with her magic. She skimmed through the invitation.

“By his Majesty’s Royal Command every eligible maiden in the Kingdom is required to attend the Gala to present themselves before his Majesty”

“Oh my GOSH we’re going to meet the KING!” Diamond and Silver said in union.

“Get yourselves ready girls! We have much to do in preparation, this might be our only chance, if either you wins the King’s heart and marries him we’ll never have to worry about money again!”

“Just imagine… being Queen of all Equestria!” said Silver Spoon.

“Where we would get the best clothes, magnificent jewels, and hundreds of servants doing everything for us.” Diamond Tiara gloated.

Iris listened to their gushing and thought to herself, so… not that much different from now. Oh well…if the King did marry one of them at least they wouldn’t be my problem anymore.

Cinch narrowed her gaze at Iris “I take it you want to come to the Gala too…eh Iris?” she raised one of her eyebrows.

Iris glared right back at her “You read the invitation yourself, it states that ‘all residents’ of the household are invited and I think it would be rude if ‘all of the residents’ didn’t show up to the party” she said with a smirk.

Cinch leaned in closer to her face “Trust me Iris you wouldn’t like it. Its not really a place someone like you would enjoy”

“Well I won’t know until I go and see for myself, besides I already told Muffins that I would see her there. I can’t disappoint my friend like that”

“Muffins, that cross-eyed weirdo friend of yours?” Diamond Tiara mocked.

“She is not weird she is different and yes she is my friend. In fact she is the one the palace sent over to deliver the invitation. From what she told me the Gala sounds like a lot of fun”

Cinch and the others continued to stare at her coldly.

“Plus I think I deserve a night off for always working so hard around here. Doing my chores and doing everything you ask of me.”

Cinch stared at her for a while. Finally she said, “ You are…absolutely right Iris” with a smirk.

“What?” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon said at the same time.

“Say What Now?” Iris said totally baffled by Cinch’s response.

“I said you are right Iris. You do work hard around here with no complaint and you clearly want to go…so I won’t stand in your way”

Iris stood still filled with complete shock with what her Aunt said. She really wasn’t going to stop her from going? It sounds to good to be true. There had be some sort of catch this. This wasn’t like her to be this nice or generous with her.

“However…”

Yeah it was too good to be true. Of course there would be a catch.

“If you can buy your own gown and make plans for own your transportation for the Gala all while keeping up on your chores around the house. Is that understood?”

Iris initial thought was how unfair this was. Cinch knew very well that she didn’t have any money to buy her own dress and she was going to buy expensive dresses for her daughters. She didn’t even want her to ride in the same carriage with them. Clearly Cinch was doing whatever she could to keep her away and protect her precious image.

Iris took a deep breath and exhaled before she answered “Alright I agree to your terms”

“Excellent” she said with a smile.

“Ok then...um… I’ll just head out to the market and get the groceries then”

“Alright Iris don’t be out too long”

“I’ll be back in time to make supper”

Iris turned around walked though the backdoor into the kitchen.

Once Iris was out of sight Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked up to their mother.

“Mother! What were you thinking?” screamed Diamond Tiara.

“That’s not like you at all mother!” said Silver Spoon.

“Now girls I said ‘If’” Cinch said in a sly voice.

“Oh…If…” both the girls said with evil smiles.

“I have an assignment for you girls this week… how do you feel about assisting in Iris’s chores?”