Author's Note

“If you write internet fan fiction, take care that your chapter names do not give away too much information.” A. Lincoln

86-Chapter 86

“Welcome back, Taj, and thank you so much for handling the bridge opening for me. That was not how I expected it to go. At least you missed the illness going around here in Canterlot.”

She would have responded to the terroristic bombing with magic; unable to do that, he had dove in (literally) and helped the survivors.

“My pleasure, dearest.”

He nuzzled slightly against her – no more than was proper and decent. They weren’t in the privacy of their rooms.

“Other than being away from you for these days.”

He had volunteered to preside over a ribbon cutting far across the country in Coltifornia. In theory he would save Celestia from needing to travel, with full entourage, so close to Hearthwarming. When the bridge had suffered explosive demolishment during the opening ceremony, he had lingered. Officially he was working with the EBI as they investigated the blasts. In point of fact his continued presence had proven comforting to the ponies.

“I shall make it up to you somehow,” she said and winked her sultriest, hoping Hoovwißt wasn’t looking. “How did the locals react to you?”

“I think my species was quite a novelty to them, but they were of course disappointed not to have your callipygian Highness—”

“I hope that’s not what my ponies like about me,” she muttered.

“—to cut their ribbon for them. Of course their attitude improved in consideration of the foals I saved after the disaster on the bridge.”

“Well done, that, my Prince. Here we are.” She turned her head and accepted a single kiss on her cheek. “We can brunch together after morning court.”

“Of course, your Highness.”

—

“Have you made any progress towards explaining matters to your student?”

“No.” Celestia looked uncharacteristically glum, despite an expertly toasted cheese and jam sandwich ready for her brunch. She poked it with a hoof, uninspired. “Every time I try, either she won’t speak to me, or she’s acting up like a spoiled foal.” Her lips twisted to a bitter chuckle of self mockery. “Or I chicken out. I could have pressed the issue when she said we would speak later. Her parents even offered to tell her for me, when I told them what had happened. I refused, I must do this. Is there anything I should know about the bridge incident that will not be in the EBI report?”

“I may just have understated the degree to which my initial welcome was a bit chilly – the Duke of Coltifornia is now terrified that I must think the explosion was a personal attack aimed at me. What did the parents say?”

“They forgave me, of course.” Celestia grimaced – she hadn’t forgiven herself. “They remember the panic in Canterlot as young fillies and colts vanished. And the greater panic as the bodies were found and rumor spread about their condition. What is your opinion on the blast?”

“I agree with your investigators, it was intended for you. I was there instead, and the opposing forces probably decided that using the charges for the wrong target was better than leaving them to be found. The panic in the streets was why her parents agreed to the treatment in the first place, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. The suppressant was one of several ploys we used, attempting to keep young ponies safe. It turns out that it was the only effective one, but we did not know until he was caught and fully investigated. His final three victims were still alive when we captured him. It took a very persuasive interrogation to extract their location from him. Tragically they did not live long after they were rescued. I saw your picture on the cover of the paper, you were great.”

The photo showed the prince swimming for shore with no fewer than five small foals standing on his back. By the time the picture was taken, the young ponies had almost forgotten their brush with death and were enjoying their yak-ride to safety. And by the time he reached shore with his charges, any hesitance their elders had felt in their welcome of the royal consort was well and truly evaporated; he was a hero now.

“Thank you, I thought it a rather good likeness. Did the survivors succumb to their injuries?”

“No, they committed a triple suicide and used dark magic to slay him in the prison where he awaited execution.”

“Ghastly,” the yak said. “And so the young princess’s parents were more grateful that she had escaped that danger of old, than any concern about her delayed, ahem, blooming now.”

“Yes, they were very gracious and understanding about it; almost blaming themselves for not checking with me when the panic was over.Though there is obviously something Twilight Velvet isn’t telling me. Everypony has their secrets.” Celestia sighed. “Even me. But I almost wish they had been angry, raged, yelled, told me that I bucked up. Had they struck me, I would know that I deserve no less for my failure.”

“You did, as you say, buck up, dear. But all ponies love you, your Highness. Perhaps not as fervently as do I, but nevertheless nopony would hold such an oversight against you. You must make things right with your student; surely, she too, will see that you meant well and made an honest accident. Aging the apology before you give it will not improve matters.”

“Perhaps she will appear in Canterlot for the Hearthwarming festivities.”

“You know that she will not. Unless you command her presence.”

“What then do I if she refuses? Arrest her for not hearing me? I think that would only increase the weight of my unintended sins against her.”

“What if you revoke your banishment of her lover? That bait she’d not easily resist.”

“Indeed not, but if I thought it safe to have him among us, I would have never sent him away at all. It breaks my heart that I must keep them apart. I don’t enjoy what I must do.”

“Why do you believe you must part them? You told me but little of the prophesy. From where did it come?”

“Tell nopony of this; I could have died for shame just confessing to Twilight. When I was young and foalish, long before yaks had a country of their own, I broke the law and consulted a forbidden oracle.”

Tajrahaz held his tongue. Surely she did not mean the abomination. And if she did, he didn’t really want to know.

“Many things she told me, far more than I can disclose. But now that I am old and foalish, I realize that everything she told me either has come to be, or yet may be; nothing has been provably wrong. I must away, love, meetings await.”

As far as he could tell, she hadn’t looked at the clock behind him once during their meal and conversation. But she had risen with exactly seven minutes to visit the powder room before meeting Lord of the Something-or-other for a semi scheduled quasi informal two minute demi chat on the way to the meeting. Probably the chat would resolve the issue at hoof and the two hours of debate to follow would be rendered mind-numbingly moot.

—

Dinner, their next encounter, was tedious, diplomatic, long, and no opportunity to continue their conversation. By the time ambassadors and functionaries departed the hour had grown late indeed.

“I will have to welcome you home for real tomorrow,” Celestia groaned when they finally had the royal suite to themselves.

“At your convenience, love.”

He rolled over and wiggled closer to Celestia so he could lie back to back with her without prodding her with anything she was too tired to enjoy.

“Might this dismal seer lie about some matters?”

“Lie? No, not exactly. She tells the truth in the service of deceit.”

“Cursed advice.”

“Yes, I cannot tell you how much I regret my rash action. But the worst part is, knowing what I learned, I cannot simply ignore it.”

“I know nothing of magic, naturally enough.”

She nodded her head in agreement. Yak mages were few, and far between.

“But this much even I can understand, as you ponder your reaction to the seer’s words, you had best be correct.”