Saving Equis

****
Canterlot Castle
Princess Celestia

My day had been rapidly going downhill, a fact that unfortunately wasn’t a new fact of late. But today it seemed especially so. Ever since afternoon court had started the redundant petitions had come out in full force. It was leaving me actually pondering if they had saved them all for this one afternoon. In the last two hours alone I had had no less than ten questions on pastry standards, two on hay standards, and one from a small filly on proper hay consumption. All of which could have been answered by their clients, bosses, the agricultural board, or in the filly’s case, her mother. This was stretching even my sense of disbelieve!

However, I wasn’t complaining that they trusted and valued my thoughts…It was my job after all.

But, sometimes, especially of late, I wished Luna got these questions instead. Of course, it was partially my fault that she didn’t, hadn’t, definitely still didn’t…Maybe. It was hard to say since I hadn’t spoken more than ten words to her in the last couple of days, and only slightly more than that the week before. Still, that was beside the point. Sharing the dimness our citizens occasionally experienced wouldn’t go unappreciated. It might even break her slump.

Nothing else had helped her.

Ari’s absence on the two week mark had been interesting to say the least of that fiasco. It was also around that time that her words slowed down to an obligatory trickle, ponies began talking as the change of mood flowed into her court, and I had started receiving the most dreadful questions.

‘Is Nightmare Moon returning?’

‘Can’t you do something?’

And the answer was no on all accounts. Although she was my little sister she was her own pony and I held about as much sway as nightmare moon did over her now, namely none.

Her feelings aside, the three week mark was here and that would change something, I hoped against all precedence that it would. If not improving her consonance then it might quiet the citizen’s unrest over the matter. Questions around Ari were just as common as questions on my sister’s health.

Those would only increase with time as well…

Yet, at this most fortunate moment I wasn’t being questioned on his home country, age, or some other inane fact they wished to know that I didn’t have knowledge of. We only knew he was taken from another world by a god, was then confused by said god, and held our intelligence in low standing as a result. Neither of us was going to admit that to our ponies.

Celestial heat filled my core as the thought of his insults spurred my magic outward, a fact that was only noticed in the small beads of sweat that formed on the guards nearest to my throne, and the previously nervous colt that had just stepped before the five steps leading up to my throne.

Now he was more than simply nervous, he felt the magic I had unwilling released and was unsure what he had done to cause it. His eyes darting across my face as I maintained the smile and clear eyes, they always assumed it was something they did.

I took a deep breath in and focused on him once more, mentally chastising myself for ignoring the concern he thought needed my insight on.

Noticing my full attention on him he stilled his tail and gulped.

“Good afternoon Quiet Hooves. How may I may I help you this fine day?” And it was a fine day, the Canterlot weather team was showing off the full rays of my sun this summer afternoon.

“Urm, I was wondering,” my current petitioner shifted his namesake hooves from side to side with nary a sound, looking around the room with wide eyes and splayed ears. “I mean, you would know,” mother, please bless me with your patience and understanding, “If there was a possibility, perhaps…” The aquamarine colt trailed off once more and I fought the sigh that was rising in my throat. “Do you…,” a red blush started up his neck, “Have any tips on courting?”

Had I been drinking I felt sure I would have expelled it onto his face, for the moment I could only stare at the colt with a rigid smile stuck in place.

And here I had thought only the mares were into that line of questioning…Actually perhaps they had just gotten more elaborate in their method of questioning. I could see quite a few noble mares tittering behind fans, their eyes clearly shinning from curiosity.

“Is that truly your question Quiet Hooves?” The warmth rose to turn his muzzle and splayed ears an interesting purple red, all but confirming the truth of my suspicions. “I can assure you there are plenty of books on the topic and an audience with Princess Candace would glean you more information for your situation than my words could.”

His neck straightened as he cleared his throat loudly. Several fillies in the crowd were whispering to each other now, a fact that I couldn’t help but smile wider at.

That could be his reason.

Doors opened and closed in the halls as his struggling bravado met my even gaze. Quiet Hooves had heard the as well, his ears swiveled their direction. But he didn’t back down.

“B-but I was hoping to hear your tips since, uh,” his pause occurred as my herald narrowed his eyes in the colt that was here for ‘personal advice’, “Well, you had to have done something to catch his interest. And I was wondering what you do to get their -his- attention?”

Perhaps he truly wanted to impress some fillies now that he was free having an obligatory herd.

However, Loud Script would have to screen my petitions more closely; this appeared to be just another Ari based question. One that was based off of one of the many theories surrounding Ari, they had developed as a result of our tight lipped status on any information regarding the Alicorn stallion.

Many believed that I had found the stallion and ‘wooed’ him into visiting our country, contrary to the impossibility of that fact. With only one day away from court and that day being filled with signing paperwork and attending meetings I would never have time to even find him, much less court him.

“Quit Hooves I see your intention,” flicking my eyes to the two fillies that were now watching the colt’s flank with interest, and back to the sincere colt before me. “With my years of experience and my young niece so far away I can see your reasoning in asking me. However I am afraid most of my ‘tips’ would be rather outdated for today’s times.”

A few giggles came from the crowd at my statement, most likely assuming that I was simply keeping a tight muzzle.

“I-I see.” His gaze went to the yellow carpet that his soundless hooves scuffed it.

But I meant my words. No stallion was expected to fend off other stallions to secure their mare, or mares as my father’s time had seen, nor were any mares seen as mare like or even liable to heed the call of their instincts and follow through with mare challenges over the limited stallions available. The ponies of today were much too…Subdued. It was a very peaceful time compared to the ‘good old days’ as my sister put it, however it wasn’t bad. No, our society had progressed far more than I expected. Even if at the cost of Luna and I becoming among the few that could recall those times of conflict, that had access to such genetics that bore those impulses that the time of the Great war and following century held in importance.

That was worth it though, not only for the happiness I saw around me once more, but for the arrival of Ari.

My heart sped up, the fact unnoticeable on the outside, even by my nearby guard ponies.

“So, you don’t have any tips that might help me? Even the ones that you used to get Ari’s attention?” At least his question wasn’t on how many tiers of cake was standard or some such pastry related question.

“As I said, none of the rules of courtship I once followed would help you attract a filly’s attentions.” A smile grew somewhat as I continued, “The best advice I could think to give you would be to be yourself.” His expectant expression fell, as did many of the noble ponies watching me closely. “It would be the wisest course of action in my opinion.” A sigh came from the colt and my heart went out to him, but I had no better advice. Too many relationships failed from false expectations, the same advice I had passed onto my niece and the former captain of my guards, and they were happily married.

Quiet Hooves held his tongue in silence as the room waited for his acceptance of the advice, the hallway growing louder with whispers as the ponies behind the doors waited for their turn.

And somewhere out there was Ari.

It was a common topic I went to these days, the only Alicorn stallion, albeit a misguided one. The prospect of breaking his foundation of lies made my stomach churn with butterflies. But, my butterflies soon disappeared when I thought of all the positive change I had been responsible for, it hardened my believe that I could definitely steer him in the right direction, get to the bottom of the god’s ploy, and hopefully gain a stallion out of the whole debacle. He was sure to apologize after he heard what was really going on!

Buzzing whispers grew outside, the hallway erupting in hooves and doors in movement.

Quiet Hooves, the nobles in attendance, and my guards all turned back to the set of doors. My Herald stepping back from the door he had stood beside, lest it burst open, and somehow I held that expectation that it would from the racket outside.

It was quite possible that anything could happen with the way life had been going.

And the fact that a rabble appeared to be rising outside was not outside the realm of possibility at the moment, it only brought forth the urge to bury my face in my hooves.

What now?

Excited voices competed amongst one another in a rare show of break from the Canterlot decorum, and my ears truly perked as it grew in volume. No mask needed for my curiosity.

Heads turned to watch the flock of pegasi descending down at the gate and ears swiveled back at the colorful mob of ponies that followed the flock of pegasi.

They were coming inside the castle like that?

Not that I didn’t long to ‘break their masks’ as Lulu put it, but I knew I wasn’t the cause of this unrest. Or at least I saw no cause for it. The weather was right on schedule. My aetheratic connection to the sun was as strong as ever and it was still an appropriate time to have the sun up.

As the obvious surroundings failed to enlighten me to the state of my ponies, I tried to review the morning’s paper in my mind. It was sketchy, overshadowed by the many questions I had heard, and what I did recall held no answers. The weather was as I said and thought it to be, sunny and following the summer’s schedule to a ‘T’. Gossip was tame this week, with only several mares being called out for wearing chartreuse when magenta was in this week. It was a column I only perused for the sake of nipping a problem in the flank before it grew to gala sized proportions and became a court issue. I had never been more grateful for the necessity of wearing only the official crowns, pedatyls, and shoes. The politics of fashion was nearly as intimidating as the reality of international politics.

I had enough to fret over without keeping an up to date wardrobe, like what had my ponies in a tizzy.

The un-noble like noise coming from the entrance hall made Quiet Hooves impossible to hear if he did have any further questions on love, a topic that my sister would be the first to tell everypony I had no business talking about. The inability to continue the questioning was but a small mercy in the face of what I could only describe as a discordian style mess that sounded to be approaching the court.

Surely it was for me, the problems always ended up here, Ponyville and Appaloosa holding second and third place in that respect.

Now chariots were arriving.

Louder and louder they grew, my solar guards trying in vain to shush what sounded like all of Canterlot coming my way.

I steeled my nerves, praying that it wasn’t related to my student’s new independent research. Reminding her to not abuse her liberties as my student didn’t happen often, but my law hadn’t even escaped her and that had led to a visit from the apple family which all parties agreed would never happen again.

Had I misjudged her control once more?

Voices ceased as almost as soon as they reached a crescendo behind the closed doors, shocking the audience and Quiet Hooves into silence as well.

Doing a once over of myself I found nothing wrong. Yet I still had the nervous colt before me, twiddling his small bowtie as he glanced between the deathly silent hallway and me. As if to ask if should continue.

One problem at a time, “I’m sorry Quiet Hooves. I am afraid I haven’t any better advice for you, although if you were so inclined I would recommend a trip to the Crystal Empire. My niece is quite skilled at the art of love and would love to have a private meeting over your particular situation.” She would also go overboard if she fell in love with your predicament. “However, I would highly recommend approaching the filly or fillies and asking them out on a date first, as yourself of course,” the fillies that had been ogling him blushed as I caught their eyes. “I think you would find the trip to be unnecessary.”

Colts these days were certainly more fragile than when I was a filly, if a colt liked you then they just said so. No need for fear or hoof hopping. But now he needed assurance that the fillies wouldn’t scorn him, and that the world wouldn’t end with a ‘no’.

“T-thank you,” his eyes found theirs and I couldn’t help but grin as the blush spread to them. They quickly found mine as he burned bright red. Sensing the end of his question, one of my guards made her way around the outside of the room to check on the status of my antechamber or what was left of it. “Ah, I mean, thank you for your time Princess Celestia. I am most honored to receive such wise advice from your highness!” It came out as a rushed, almost apologetic garble of rehearsed words that made my real smile wane somewhat.

Right, etiquette hadn’t changed much in the last millennia.

As he bowed the door cracked open, but it wasn’t my guard that exited.

“You are most welcome Quiet hooves,” the fake smile hurt a little, “I wish you a good day and luck with those fillies.” He remained bowed, ‘showing his respect’ as my father and various other council members had explained and hammered in long ago, but that mattered little to me. I knew they respected me without bowing; there was endless ways they made that fact clear.

My eyes had trouble staying with the current petitioner as what appeared to be the city guard’s captain, Captain Strong Shield, which came trotting briskly over to Loud Script. My eyes followed his seeming glowing expression as everypony was trying to inconspicuously watch their exchange as well, even the bowed colt before me. No pony noticed as I leaned forward slightly to try and catch the words that were making my herald practically prance in place.

It must be good news then.

“You may rise,” Quiet Hooves rose and stepped to the side, sitting precariously on the edge of the filled bench to watch the antics.

My guardsmare didn’t join the captain.

Where was my guardsmare and why wasn’t Strong Shield patrolling the Canterlot skies with his squadron?

My attention shifted from the now excited captain that stepped back to guard the cracked door, ready to push it open, to the even more enthused herald that was practically hyperventilating as he tried to speak. As if to further pad my curiosity he opened his mouth and nothing came out. His wide eyes flicked from his open mouth to me to the door, back to me, and finally to Strong Shield. Something akin to horror was taking a hold of his eyes as he could only manage a squeak.

He hadn’t looked this panicked since his first day.

Not a whisper broke the scene as he all but shoved the captain through the crack and slammed the door with his magic.

The thud echoed around the chamber, causing my guards hovering outside the windows to peek in and the remaining Solar guards around my throne to look at each other with slightly raised brows. As a unit their eyes asked me to give the word for them to help, but I raised a hoof at their uncertainty.

It couldn’t be a threat; those either tended to barge in, rain obscene liquids onto my coat, or impersonate my family.

We were still free of screaming and chocolate rain so I was pretty confident it was good news of some kind, despite the disappearance of my guardsmare. That would be explained soon, Loud Script was just nervous, and that meant it was something big.

Perhaps it was a fertility cure for the stallions had been discovered by accident, Twilight may have found the cause. Oh, that would lighten my heart tremendously! Not that the amendments hadn’t provided hope but finding the cause for such a trend and subsequent cure was more prevalent in my mind. And in the minds of everypony really, the ministry of health had been working hundreds of hour’s overtime since the news first went public, even more once Ari’s suggestions had come in.

The urge to open the door and deal with the ponies directly was rising as only muffled voices reached my ears through the door that was too effective at blocking out noise for my current taste. The sounds rose and fell in pitch as different stallions spoke, leaving my tail itching to express my anxiety.

Eventually something happened.

A deep baritone spoke clearer as a creak started, reaching our ears as the door was enveloped in a familiar golden field, and I resisted the urge to look at my horn as I knew I wasn’t a foal anymore. Somepony else was opening the door.

“I still don’t understand why you have to announce me.”

Neither did I, this male didn’t sound like any noble I had heard recently or any ambassador that I had met before, yet he had nearly enticed a mob from the sounds of it. The suspense was killing me.

Loud Script piped up, clearly uncomfortable with the moment, but still digging in his hooves at the petitioner’s break of protocol. I smiled at his words despite my frustration, “No, no, no! It is my job! A-and, and…Now just tell me your proper title and I can-.”

“There is no need,” a clop echoed into the court, “They know I am coming.” My heart raced as the mysterious male spoke the last part. My mind immediately went to Ari; hope fluttering in my stomach as he was the only one that came to mind, no ambassadors were set to arrive till the fall.

And they clearly had magic; the only one I was expecting with magic was Ari.

It swung open under his magic.

Just in time I had straightened my posture and steeled my composure, before my widening eyes was Ari. Wearing only some wrappings and a lumpy saddle bag he stood in the doorway in a state of wonder.

He was tall, taller than me, and most definitely taller than all of the ponies around him.

My eyes were still stuck on him as he slowly entered the court. No matter what eyes flickered to me or what my mind whispered at me I could only watch him gaze around the chamber with big eyes. Yes, the letter came to my mind, but his insults paled under the crescendo of emotion I felt at the sight of another new Alicorn, never mind a stallion. His eyes were turning back from my guard mare, who had fainted in the hallway from the look of the fan levitating in front of her muzzle by a concerned noble mare, then back to look at me.

Blue, that was all I saw for a second as our gazes met.

A deep blue that spoke of troubled thoughts and shocked expectations. It was expected, I knew he would be confused…And, shocked, we were both shocked. Those blue orbs held mine as they were widening, just as his nostrils were. My own urge to scent the air rose as I saw his obvious interest, any other time I would have thought he was taking in the scents of the room, but he held my gaze as he did the deliberate action.

I was stronger than that…And yet I couldn’t help it.

The urge to breath forced me to.

Gulping in deep breathes as the air I had been holding escaped me with a ‘whoosh’, the result intake filled my nose with his spicy scent as it traveled down the aisle to me on a breeze from the open doors held by the enraptured onlookers.

Sooner than I wanted his eyes broke contact with mine, traveling over my form as I fought to stay still for the inspection. My instincts were at war with my reality. I couldn’t bare my wings for his inspection or inspect him quite as boldly as I wished to as a princess, I had to be collected, and show him just how intelligent I really was.

Ari thought of me as dim in his letter.

That thought proved enough to calm my hormones, a splash of cold water on his otherwise interested inspection. Was he really interested in this ‘dim’ mare? His wings weren’t flared up to impress me, his ears weren’t relaxed in their position of interest, and he held his body so tensely that I could see his muscles flex. Yet he dared not move from his spot in front of the open door. Separately I might have assumed he was simply polite or coltish but together it painted a different picture.

Fear, the nostril flaring wasn’t interest at all.

With my spirit plummeting, I figured Inspecting Ari in return couldn’t hurt. He probably wouldn’t even notice in the world the lies the god had trapped him in.

Beyond his eyes and masculine muzzle he was a dark black in both coat and mane, no undertones of chocolate were present, although he did look a little battered. That readily apparent fact made my stomach clench, matching the wide eyed looks he was receiving from many mares. All clearly wondered who would challenge an Alicorn stallion. My father had all beings tripping over themselves to keep in his good standing. Yet, those were bandages wrapped around his forelegs, all the way up his pastern and doubling back around his knee.

Further enforcing the battered look he showed the room of dressed up elite, his chest and apparently under carriage held a criss-cross pattern of bare skin that had me puzzled. Those weren’t patterned after any paws I knew of…Unless…It wasn’t an attack he had suffered, but a disease he had acquired here. Yes, that could make sense, made more sense actually, especially since he wasn’t from this world. His defences would be different. I had heard of mange in Diamond Dogs before, mites in Gryphons, but neither of those conditions caused such unusual markings. It was strips of fur missing, not patches seen in mange, and from what I could see his exposed skin wasn’t red with irritation.

No disease left it looking so perfect…

Maybe it wasn’t from this world, they could be very old after all, and his fur could have just not grown back properly. Yes, that would make sense, the most sense anyway.

It was a rationale I could stomach until I asked him about them. Then I would have to ask about his lack of certain features.

Unlike his other features I had listed, which all were within the expectations of a pony, he had certain oddities about his body…Despite Luna’s noting of them and those two ponies confirmation of them his key features still didn’t quite click. Like looking at an abstract painting for the first time I was thrown off guard by the sheer contrary nature of his species compared to his features. Most evident was his mane that hung limply on his neck and withers, not even showing a flicker of magical output. Which made my composure slip in the form of the corners of my eyes starting to scrunch. I looked over his form quickly once more, and found exactly what I had first seen. He was clearly well fed based off of his musculature and he was every bit an adult. Yet, he was as limp as a foal in both his mane and tail, and appeared even more foal like as my perusal lead my eyes to his bare flank. It bore no cutie mark just as my sister had described, a fact I will admit some doubt to as I had never seen a blank flanked adult before. As if to complete the strange package that was Ari, his equally limp tail was oddly cut short while his mane remained long. Usually stallions either went all short or all long in their mane cuts, such as the military based ponies and male models for opposing extremes in the styles. The mane style must be from his home world as well…

Luna was right…My jaw almost dropped at my admittance, my mask returning. Luna! It hit me like a buck to the chest.

My sister would want to meet him and that he had said he would be meeting with both of us. He was standing here waiting to meet us and I was eyeing him up like I had never seen a stallion before! If I could have sunk down and covered my face I would have. The eyes of every noble were on me even as I tried to still my racing heart.

The news would have a hay day over my behavior, more gossip would spread, and the questions…I suppressed the groan, only showing a wide smile at the patient stallion.

His nostrils flaring again didn’t help the matter, nor did his suddenly active tail.

I knew I should have sped up the production of a second throne. Rounded Stone’s pride had been important then, but we needed a united front now!

My eyes strayed from twitching tail of Ari to grand clock on the back wall. I still had a little over an hour left before court was officially over and that left me at a crossroads.

Did I talk to him here?

One look over the shuffling crowd that had spilled into the court room, hugging the walls, and filling up the hall was enough to decide for me. Court would end early, not only did Ari appear uncomfortable with the ponies pressing in on him from all sides, my presence especially if the signs were what I believed they were, but Luna would be more at ease if the nobles weren’t watching us as well. Her royal ‘we’ was hard enough to break in private let alone in public.

I could only hope he didn’t hold her rash comment against her still, we didn’t need that on top of a fear of me.

Glancing quickly to my right I caught the eye of Quick Thrust, one of my fastest solar guards, and coincidently the last guard to wake my sister earlier than her appointed time.

“Wake my sister.”

A quick nod escaped him, only his eyes betraying the fear such a task produced. My guards had recovered from their shock, as had every pony else, including Ari. His eyes still watched me, yet not quite as shocked as before, and a flat line on his muzzle told me all needed to know about his mental state.

Damage control time, I had been letting my control slip, my eyes wandering over his body in such an obvious manner that no royal should be caught doing. “Good Afternoon Ari,” by some chance I didn’t let my nerves butcher his foreign name as it rolled off my tongue with practiced ease. Everypony hung on my words, eyes turning to the stallion, and unaware of my struggle.

I hadn’t been idle the past weeks; it wouldn’t do if I blew a fuse before he could explain his comments. And several facts needed time to digest, such as the implications Azure Heights had left with us. The implications appeared to be false, at least if his lone presence held true to his relationship status, which I hoped so. Although my niece claimed to love Shinning Armor knowing she would outlive I didn’t see that as fair, when he was withering with age she would look not any older than she had on their wedding night. I couldn’t see an Alicorn with a normal pony anymore, not that I would stop her heart. It would just take her longer to realize that fact.

He nodded his head in return, looking at the ponies that were frozen with a raised eyebrow, “A good day to you as well Celestia.” Silent gasps started from some of my more stringent council members as he stepped forward slightly, not addressing me with my title, and furthering the ‘disrespect’ by not bowing.

I only could smile wider at his familiarity, somewhat relieved that he felt comfortable enough to drop the pretences that royalty was expected to maintain. If only I could so bold.

He paused as a small wave of scandalized whispers started.

But several of the braver pegasi stallion guards stepped forward and gave him shooing motions with their wings and big smiles. My mask almost slipped as he laughed, “I see that it is…Encouraged, dare I say okay if I approach the throne then?”

A hush came over the room as they several nobles tensed, a few crouching.

“Yes,” one of my feathers twitched disobediently as I looked at slight curve happening on his muzzle. An errant breeze brought his spicy scent to my muzzle once more, my muscles loosening at his easy smile.

It held my eyes as my instincts started whispering again and I almost forgot to continue, only the words of the letter collaring my excited instincts now. He thought I was stupid already, no need to feed the lie. “Please-,” a shudder seemed to rack the castle for a second, and I cursed my sister in that moment.

Not aloud of course, no need to be rude.

Ari didn’t know what to make of the noise that echoed from hall behind me. A clamor of hooves clattered down towards us as metal met marble, under the clatter a panicked Quick Thrust was trying to speak, and my sister’s faint old Equus reached me. My possible suitor didn’t hear the voices evidently as he was paused with a back hoof poised in the air, ebony wings were half unfurled as if to take flight, and ears held pricked in the hallway’s direction.

Raising my voice above the noise behind my throne I steeled my disappointment in his change as I addressed the stallion, “My apologies Ari, I sent a guard to wake my sister and she seems to have taken your arrival with a great deal of…Enthusiasm.” I watched with a restrained sigh as his wings tucked in, very slowly they twitched as the tenseness locked in his eyes remained glued to the corridor with what I swore was an eye twitch and mutter. But as I blinked I didn’t see any sign it had been there at all.

His leg didn’t lower to the floor though.

“Did you have a pleasant trip?” I spoke over the din of metallic clip clopping, hoping to distract him before his nerves got the better of him. Mentally adding the question that I was dying to know, just what had the god told you to get you so nervous?

The noise of what sounded to be my sister and half a squadron of armored guards approaching grew quiet, as if she had felt my earlier mental face hoof and was composing herself. I hoped she was. We didn’t want to scare him away, an act that wouldn’t be difficult at this rate, and there wasn’t a second chance or other ‘fish in the sea’ as fillies said now a days.

He was the only one.

Keeping his hind leg perched in a lazy hold; he plastered a smile on his muzzle as he went to answer me, his ears held in a tense upright position. I wanted to frown at his attempt to hide his nerves, at his nerves in general. We weren’t as scary as this god might have him believe. “Oh, I am sure you know how it is, beautiful views,” I swore he looked me over as he said that, “and good weather for days.” His eyes didn’t match the curve of his lips, the tips of his ears twitched faintly even in the quiet of court, and his feathers were still out of place. My observation must have been noticeable, “Oh, sorry about this,” he turned his head to his wings, “My startle reflex is a little strong is all. In a moment or so they should go down.”

Startle reflex…Odd bald patches, and covered forelegs…Oh, it suddenly clicked. A possibility besides the god putting fear in him, that whatever had happened to him must have left a bigger impact than the surface level bald patches.

It made my stomach settle at least.

Yet my intuition said there was more to it than some PTSD. Like Discord’s sweetly worded lies his words betrayed his meaning, they didn’t flow in the easy going attitude he was aiming for with the smile…But, my sister could have really spooked him, in this moment or in a previous one, she wasn’t always forward about everything…And the crowd did seem to hold his attention more than I did. A fact I struggled not to ruffle my feathers at that, my internal voice piping up at the prospect that his many signals of fear could have been unrelated to my presence. That he really was single since no ordinary mare would be able to compete with an Alicorn stallion’s lifespan. And that he would be very open to me in a more private setting.

My day court, castle, and presence were all new to him, that was all, and something had traumatized him at one point. That was all this was.

He was simply off guard, “Do not fret Ari; I assure you that no offence is taken.” I said with the softest smile I could produce. Although you could stop flexing your flank, put down the hoof, and step closer. “As I was saying, feel free to approach,” the restraints of the noble’s expectations closed in tighter on my posture, the expected words hard to produce as my mind wanted to ease his discomfort somehow; I needed to get away from them for all of us to really talk. “When Princess Luna arrives we shall adjourn the day court to have the meeting you booked with us over a fortnight ago.” At that he smiled wider, feathers dropping into place, and eyes shining.

Many noble mares and stallions exchanged glances, assuring me with there would be multiply editions of the paper tonight.

And night court was still to come…

My poor sister, I could imagine her turmoil.

Stiffly he nodded, stepping forward even as his whole body seemed to protest with its initial jerky steps. Black ears tracked the pegasi guards at his blank flank, his nose twitched faintly, and the corners of his eyes appeared taunt from here. My eyes tracked his slow progress, noting how he never relaxed his muscles, and put his forehooves down softly as if he was afraid to ruin the quiet that the normally gossiping nobles usually struggled with.

Appreciation of their silence aside, I could identify a mask quite easily and my otherworldly visitor was clearly wearing one, and badly. Of course it could also be PTSD, but that was still my assumption, he hadn’t said anything to indicate it.

Still, I had seen foals with better poker faces.

Bandaged hooves were just a step from climbing the small set of stairs leading up to my golden seat when he paused, ears going forward as Luna’s voice came closer, clearer to the quiet court room.

“Keep up!” There was the little sister I knew, “We must not leave our guest waiting.” Her slump appeared to have been forgotten as my guard had to break into a fast trot to reach the door first. With Quick Thrust holding the door for her, Luna and her wide eyed chamber guards entered without any announcement. Loud Script having forgotten his job as the magnitude of this event had taken hold of him as well.

A luxury I couldn’t afford with the magnitude of aftermath this historic event would produce.

It was only by sheer will that I had not broken my composure to either bare my wings for his inspection as my inner voice reminded me would be best when meeting this new male or alternatively correct him for his presumptuous previous insults before.

His own restrained interest and nervous air had helped my instincts tremendously.

Now I was caught in a crossroads, unsure as to how this meeting would end. She had called him fake to his muzzle and entered his mind when he apparently did not need her services. Not that he knew about them, but he surely knew the transgression by now.

A silent gasp seemed to hold the room.

Both Ari and my eyes met with Lulu’s as she froze mid-step, her own blue eyes widening nearly as much as Ari’s did. Somewhere a choking sound was made. But my eyes were locked on my sister’s eyes, silently pleading with her to not mess up this encounter with an emotional outburst.

Her blue eyes didn’t see me.

Nostrils flared on both parties as they showed about the same restraint to my mirth and regret. A scowl threatened to break through as they began a slow circle and forced Luna’s trailing guards to move with them. Luna had more of my sympathy as she had just woken up to the news that our otherworldly stallion she had clearly been interested in was finally here and had walked into a court room so packed it reminded me more of a hoofball stadium in Fillydelphia than Canterlot’s esteemed court room.

She didn’t hold much weight in his insults.

As if they had coordinated the introduction they both proceeded to initiate an inspection of the other, Black and blue wings beginning to unfurl as they began the oldest displays of interest and power. My own voice pestered me to join and twitched my feathers as I watched them. Internally I was cursing my inability to join in under the eyes of the nobles.

The nobles were mostly watching the event with awe, some unhinging their jaws at the wingspan of the stallion.

But my worries were only expanding at the sight.

Was he more interested in her than me? Had he not been restraining himself but didn’t find me attractive? Did the god ruin my chance with him?

Shaking my head at the thoughts I reminded myself that they were probably both overwhelmed and I knew nothing about him, he could have had a mare and foal waiting for him that he was snatched away from. He could be in a relationship.

Their display did bug me despite that reminder.

It was still uncouth, improper, and so much more that Lulu had never cared for.

She had chosen, freely, to take up mother’s mantle, especially knowing that the most petulant of nobles were diurnal. Although she wanted more ponies to enjoy her time she didn’t quite enjoy all ponies, a fact that had even the most eccentric nobles enduring long waits to see me.

The fact still held true as my ears heard the hooves of some of them now.

Dozens of delayed appointments with various council members flashed in my mentally constructed schedule, all of which were slightly different shades of the elite eccentrics; unfortunately they were none of the types that favored night court.

And the ivory horn that proudly jutted upward in the shuffling crowd made my head hurt in realization. Of course he would have heard.

I agreed with my sister on some things and this foal of a colt was one of them. The fact being that he possessed all the maturity of a foal and only slightly more restraint than one. But he was simply the most extreme of his lineage...So far, I didn’t doubt the possibility of whatever poor mare was paired with him would bear another one. He was fertile, a fact that I didn’t need to inquire about. He had announced it to me in court. An act that was one of many that forced me to remind myself what his family had done had been integral to many historical significant events in Equestria’s history and at the time honoring them with more privilege had seemed to work to calm them. His family had always been rather loud in their complaints.

“AUNTIES,” the exclamation captured every pony’s attention as the crowd parted, Luna twitched an eye at the confident form approaching from the rapidly clearing path, her inspection our guest forgotten as she realized who was approaching. Meanwhile Ari observed us all with a raised eyebrow and fading blush. The meaning in his blush didn’t reach me as Blueblood tossed his mane and shot Ari a smile.

Faust, help my patience. "