(October 22nd: 6th Day Since Neil's Discovery)

Given how well the morning had progressed, Celestia couldn't help but smile. Like clockwork, she felt the pull of her Sun an hour before dawn, which woke her up from another set of pleasant dreams constructed by Luna. Even a year later, every night felt like a blessing compared to the intermittent nightmares she had persevered during her time alone.

In return, she always used that extra hour to prepare a veritable feast of breakfast foods for her sister after a long night of work. The first few weeks had left the castle staff a little strained with her actions. It was unbefitting for a pony of her station to do something as menial as cooking a meal, more so when she had a professional staff to do it for her.

But in time, they understood it was a way for her to inadvertently provide for, interact with, and share time with Luna. Time that was marred yet again by another perceived failure on Luna's behalf.

It was a minor ongoing problem that had recently popped up, though it might still prove to be a blessing in disguise. Either way, Celestia could tell it vexed her sister to no end every night. That problem went by the name of Neil, or to be more specific, his dreams.

Every single morning since he was found, Luna would vent her frustrations at his wispy, almost malformed, reoccurring nightmares. They both knew the likely cause. It was the chaos magic circulating throughout his system.

Over the last week, Luna had admitted more than once that she could see faint images at the edge of his dreams. Even rarer, she sometimes caught momentary glimpses of the themes haunting Neil. But, her ability to manifest the nightmare into a cohesive structure so that she may enter?

Every attempt to touch his wispy, almost malformed dreamscape with her magic caused it to collapse as if flour were sifted through a sieve. Then, his dream would either reform instantly, creating an entirely new vision that soon devolved into another nightmare. Or it would remain shattered, forcing Neil to rest with nothing but a black void for company on his nightly journey.

It was no different from Luna's few attempts to contact Eris through a dream. Luna's dream magic and Eris' chaotic nature were wholly incapable of mixing. A shame, really. Despite Eris' nature, Celestia could only imagine what her dreams must have been like.

Besides that little hiccup, breakfast went smoothly as court gossip and other idle topics were discussed. The main subject of discussion that morning, the royal delegation from Yakyakistan, was also why she had missed their shared meal yesterday evening.

Not only had Princess Twilight and her friends kept Ponyville relatively intact, but the delegation was so impressed they even revoked the traditional declaration of war after each visit! Soon enough, however, breakfast ended as it always did, with a sleepy Luna stuffed from a freshly home-cooked meal and teleporting straight to her bed.

Before Celestia could even attempt to do any cleaning, the castle staff were already doing their jobs. Robbing her of another small but meaningful pastime. With a smile and a 'thank you' to her staff, she stood up from the table and leisurely left the room.

She hardly noticed as her assigned guards for the day, Lieutenant Hammer and Major Bow, took up positions beside her as she walked. It was quite unfortunate that no matter how nice the day, there was always work that needed doing. In this case, a pile of ever-growing paperwork required her signature and sorting by the end of the week. With a full hour before the start of today's Day Court, perhaps it was best to get a start on it now?

Without thought, her hooves took the well-trodden path toward her private office while her mind focused on the various aspects of her schedule for the day. As far as she knew, today's workload would be fairly easy. Raven had yet to mention any ambassador or dignitary meetings scheduled for today. If everything worked out, she could also earn some free time after her court duties. If everything worked out.

After ruling Equestria for centuries alone, the predictability of the average minor emergency popping up or a petition becoming far more complex than it initially seemed? It usually happened twice a week, robbing her of her valuable scant free time.

The thought of teleporting briefly fluttered to the forefront of her mind to save a minute or two of her precious time. Still, in the end, she disregarded it. She barely had the opportunity to walk freely nowadays, let alone fly, and she was almost to her destination. Just one last corner and her office came into view.

Most ponies wouldn't expect the vast majority of her work to be done behind such plain, unassuming doors. But after centuries of opulence and extravagance, a small touch of normalcy did wonders for her well-being.

In the blink of an eye, she directed her magic towards the door handles and opened both doors moments before she would have run into them. As was routine, both of her guards peeled off as she crossed the threshold, taking up positions at either side of the door until she decided to leave.

Everything was as she left it the previous night, except for two essential things. First, as was the regular routine, Raven sat on the single chair in front of her desk, enjoying her morning tea. She was immaculately groomed, as was expected from her personal assistant.

Still, no matter how good her ability to hide her emotions, Celestia already noted multiple signs of stress. The subtle roiling of her pink levitation spell as she daintily hovered her almost empty teacup and the stiffness of her back hinted at an interruption already in her daily schedule.

The other important change was her pile of unfinished paperwork. Every morning, it would grow, of course. But today, sitting at the very top, were two unusual-looking items.

One was an envelope sealed with blue wax. Off the top of her head, Celestia only knew of three ponies in Canterlot that would choose such a colour. Judging by the illustriously decorated and fragrant envelope, her choices narrowed down to a single stallion. Had Blueblood uncovered yet another conspiracy by the nobles to slip tax breaks through the Lunar Court again?

The other piece of paper, a long, thin bill that seemed to be curling at the ends, looked far too mundane to be placed on her desk.

"Good morning, Raven," She greeted as the doors closed behind her with a light click. "I see you've met with Blueblood this fine morning. May I ask what sort of plot my Nephew has uncovered today?"

"The Prince never mentioned anything of the sort this morning, Princess," Raven said after finishing her tea. "No, today it's a luncheon invitation."

"An invitation?" Celestia's curiosity was piqued immediately. It was uncommon for her Nephew to send her a formal invitation. Those invitations were reserved for events Blueblood believed she needed to be at. Brushing aside the bill with her telekinesis, she picked up the envelope and turned it to view the front... And to her mild surprise, it wasn't addressed to her. No, this invitation was addressed to Neil of all ponies.

For a moment, she wondered why her Nephew felt the correct way to send Neil an invitation was through her. Afterwards, she remembered who else was in the hallway during their fateful first meeting and smiled. "It appears Neil is going to have a very eventful luncheon. Do you think my Nephew will introduce his full entourage?"

"Do you expect him to do anything less than a full first impression?" She asked, her skeptical tone hinting at the answer they both knew.

That did not bode well at all, knowing how volatile Neil's frayed attitude was. "Do you think it would be improper of me to join? Just to make sure events do not erupt into arguments that would ruin their time together?"

Raven's professionalism broke as the mare gave an apologetic look, spelling doom for that hopeful idea. "That's not possible, Princess. Tax Break has scheduled a lengthy presentation just before noon today, so your lunch has been rescheduled for one o'clock."

Celestia passed her desk and sat in her centuries-old, worn, but very comfortable chintz chair. "Perhaps we could reschedule?"

"Unfortunately, we've already rescheduled his presentation once already," Raven answered her with a commiserating head shake. "To do so a second time in a row would be very rude."

Celestia sighed as she placed the invitation on her desk. "If that is the case, then I hope my Nephew can show some form of restraint."

"...I'll draft the funeral arrangements after lunch, then." Raven offered seriously, almost causing Celestia to snort as her telekinesis shifted to the bill.

Knowing what Neil and Private Bulk had planned to do the night before, she had been expecting such a thing. And knowing her own tolerance towards the occasional glass of wine or champagne, she had expected Neil to build up a long list of drinks. What she was surprised to find out as she reviewed the bill was the amount of drinks containing hard liquor and the overall cost written at the bottom.

There wasn't a chance in Tartarus of making a dent in her personal account. Still, the total was far steeper than she was expecting. It almost equalled the cost of his cloak, a quality article of clothing from a high-end boutique!

As much as she would have loved to get started on her paperwork, a much more pertinent task needed her attention. Reluctantly, she stood up from her chair and shuffled the envelope and the bill under her wing with her magic. "It seems I need to speak with Neil this morning. I'll see you at Day Court in forty five minutes, Raven."

"Of course, Princess," Raven nodded while hopping off her chair. "Your full schedule will be available for your perusal before Day Court begins."

"Thank you, Raven," She said while opening the doors for her most trusted aide. Celestia followed closely behind the unicorn.

As she exited her office, she noted the confused side glance from Lieutenant Hammer due to her earlier-than-expected exit before her guards slipped into their positions at her side. She mentally chuckled at that. Spontaneity was one of the few things that kept life interesting for an old mare such as herself.

Raven Inkwell veered to the left towards the throne room at the end of the short hallway. Knowing her, she was likely to drop in unannounced and help direct preparations for today's court session. She, on the other hoof, turned right, back towards the dining hall she came from. Even further along that path was the bridge attaching the infirmary to the castle's central section and Neil's temporary room.

But then she paused mid-step. As much as she would have enjoyed the walk, she had much to do and insufficient time to be appropriately rationed. She gave each of her stone-faced guards a slight glance before offering a warning. "Prepare yourself; I'm about to teleport all of us."

By the time her words were said, her horn had already accumulated the magic required to cast her spell, and that's just what she did. In a flash of gold, their surroundings changed. Gone was the extreme opulence from over one thousand years of doting ponies, only to be replaced by simpler yet still extravagant purple stonework and the main entrance to the Castle Infirmary.

She gave each of her guards another, more motherly scan this time. She knew few ponies were accustomed to the feeling of teleportation, most of them being well-trained mages. Most ponies felt disorientated or nauseous from the sudden shift, making them unsteady on their hooves.

Her current guards were standing firm, however, even if their last experience with teleportation would likely have been during boot camp. The Major even gave her a nod to affirm his status as she finished.

With time ticking away, she pushed open the swinging double doors to the infirmary with her magic and entered. The transition back to white marble, with simple wood accents, felt calming as she looked over the room. The wall to her right had three arched windows, allowing plenty of morning light to bathe the waiting area. There were another three sets of simple double doors, each with a little golden plaque which read staff only, surgery, and patient recovery. Finally, the front desk was nestled between the employee lounge and surgery doors, which she approached.

Usually, when she entered a section of the castle unannounced, there was an underlying frantic excitement or a sudden jolt to look proper and professional if they were caught reading or filling out paperwork.

The mare behind the desk, Head Nurse Prim Rose, instead looked at her expectantly as if she had been waiting for an appointment. This expectation threw her off just a tad, but she didn't show it as she smiled at the Head Nurse. "Good morning, Nurse Rose; I've come to visit Neil. Are visitors allowed?"

"Of course you may, Princess. Also, there's a package here addressed to you from the Element of Laughter." The Nurse informed her as she placed a colourful, confetti-laden box on the counter with a bow on the lid. She also set a card down next to the package.

That would explain Nurse Rose's lack of surprise. But, why would Pinkie leave this here when she visited Ponyville the previous day?

As much as Celestia enjoyed the decorations on the box, she whisked away all the loose confetti with her magic. Having little pieces of paper lingering within the infirmary wouldn't do. Next, she picked up the card in her magic and opened it.

Inside the card was a simple message written in coloured pencils with child-like enthusiasm.

To: Princess Celestia
Open box in case of an Adorable Emergency!
From: Pinkie

Odd, but not nearly the most outlandish experience she ever received from a party pony. That crown belonged to Sir Cake-A-Lot and the gala festival of five fifty-eight... Never before had she woken up from a party only to be covered in so much delectable cream. Taking both items, she placed the box onto her back for safe transport and the card under her left wing to keep it separate from the bill and the invitation.

"Thank you, my little pony," She told the Head Nurse with an appreciative nod. "On the off chance I don't see you on my way out, I hope you have a wonderful day."

As she turned to head further into the infirmary, she heard Head Nurse Rose call after her, "You as well, Princess Celestia, and don't let Neil give you any of his usual attitude!" That was the hope, though she expected some venting no matter how much she disliked his choice of vocabulary.

Her magic captured the pair of swinging doors labelled patient recovery and gently pushed them aside, allowing her and her guards to pass through. After that, the route was easy to follow. All she had to do was walk along the outer wall and bask in all the natural sunlight allowed into the hallway by the multiple windows facing out towards her beautiful Sun.

She turned the corner two minutes later, expecting to greet Private Bulk. Instead, she paused mid-step as she caught sight of Sergeant Amber Sight of her sister's Lunar Guard, standing at attention beside Neil's door.

Both confused and intrigued, she regained her momentum and walked up to the Thestral. "Good morning to you, Sergeant Sight."

The mare immediately gave a strict but formal nod in return. "Sun Princess."

Sergeant Sight may have been alert, but Celestia could still see the strain in her eyes. However, she didn't know whether that was from tiredness or the bright sunlight. "I fear this may sound rude, but I was expecting to see Private Bulk standing here this morning. Nothing happened to him or Neil last night, correct?"

"Correct, Princess. Both Neil and Bulk returned to the castle unharmed." Sergeant Sight informed her in perfect Canterlotian. "Neil is in his room with an entourage, Bulk included."

Hearing that Neil and Bulk returned safely to the castle allowed a moderate amount of relief to flood her system. However, that froze the moment Sergeant Sight mentioned an entourage.

Immediately, Celestia's mind went back to the conversation she had with Bulk while Rainbow and Neil worked on his flight training exercises. Bulk implied he would take Neil to the Brass Bells for a relaxing night of drinking and stress relief.

Did he take Neil to another bar, instead? Or did they change locations after running up the bill? If so, why wasn't there a second bill to greet her? Unless this entourage offered to pay for their drinks?

Is that what Bulk meant by stress relief? She couldn't deny the faint twinge of emotion at the audacity of another mare taking advantage of either stallion in such a state. It was unbecoming of a mare! Not only that, but she would need to do some damage control.

She had to find out how many of her little ponies now knew about Canterlot's newest Alicorn and see if they would be willing to keep it a secret. And she would only do that by entering his room and talking with these mares...

"Thank you for telling me, Sergeant Sight," She offered while covering her emotions with a calm smile. She did, however, stand a little taller. "As the Moon wanes in the morning light, the Sun shall illuminate the darkness. Go and get some rest, my little pony."

Sergeant Sight's eyes widened, almost comically, before she saluted. "May your vigil be forever peaceful."

Celestia returned the salute and allowed the tired mare to take off and fly down the hall.

Once the Sergeant was out of sight, she turned to Lieutenant Hammer, "As of this moment, you are to guard Neil until relieved by Private Bulk Order. At that point, you may return to my side in the throne room. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course, Princess," He answered professionally, breaking away from her side and taking up the Sergeant's recently vacated spot.

With that minor complication taken care of, she faced the door to Neil's room and steeled herself for the after-effects from a night of stress relief. At the same time, Major Bow took up his position on the other side of the door.

She only hoped the ponies inside hadn't woken up and resumed having sex. That was always an awkward experience, watching ponies in various states of arousal breaking off from their lewd activities to offer bows or curtsies. With one final, subtle, calming breath, she opened the door.

Her nose was assaulted with the scent of heavy drinking, a potent mix of both alcohol and salt lingering in the air. But the pungent smell of estrus and semen was missing entirely from the room. Hopeful, she stepped into the room... And had to keep down the urge to coo at the sight before her.

Sleeping on the oversized hospital bed designed for a Minotaur, was Neil and three other stallions. A rare sight to behold outside of the stallion barracks. Neil was at the bottom of the pile, with his wings and rear legs haphazardly sprawled out while he slept on his side.

The other three stallions positioned themselves around the Alicorn, whether intentionally or not, to protect him during the night. She immediately recognized Bulk's pine-coloured coat, as his large size covered Neil's entire back end like a muscular blanket.

A red wing belonging to Corporal Squall Rider covered Neil's shoulder from behind as the pegasus curled against his back. She spotted Bulk's head using Squall's flank as a pillow. Finally, Sergeant Calm Water protected Neil's front, acting as the little spoon to Neil, who held the blue unicorn as if he were a large plush.

She also spared a small amount of attention to note two hospital tables in the room. The first was parked out of the way, up against the wall beside Neil's nightstand. It had Neil's breakfast on top and two grass-green pills beside a glass of water, which she recognized as hangover medication.

The second table was pushed into the northwest corner of the room. It was laden with multiple history texts and Princess biographies.

'Open box in case of an Adorable Emergency!'

She failed to stifle a giggle as the random thought, coloured with Pinkie's energetic voice, popped into her mind and drew her back to the cuddle pile. She didn't know how a party pony like Pinkie, or any party pony, could predict such an event? Nor did she ever want to know, lest she lose one of life's few remaining joyous mysteries.

Heeding the thought's advice, she slipped the lid off the box with a few deft feathers to reveal... a journalist's camera stored and ready to use. She quickly fished out the compact device and positioned it in front of her muzzle with her wings. She wasn't an expert by any means regarding new technology. That was usually relegated to scholars, court mages, and Twilight.

However, over the years, she'd seen hundreds, if not thousands, of reporters using this style of camera. She quickly emulated their movements and captured the whole scene in the frame of the lens.

Once satisfied, she pressed the red button on top, and a mechanical click sounded a fraction of a second before the flash went off.

Sergeant Calm's back leg jerked, but none of the stallions noticed the bright flash. It was tempting to take a second and a third photo at different angles just to cement this adorable moment for her personal photo book(and Pinkie's, once Neil went public as an Alicorn). But, she also didn't want to abuse his privacy too much, so the camera returned to its box with the lid on top.

Now came the part she disliked, reprimanding. Raising her voice to a mild shout, she called out, "Good morning, Gentlestallions!"

Three of the four immediately jolted back to consciousness, but Neil didn't. His response was to give a loud, snort-like snore in defiance of her call as he slept on.

All three guard ponies quickly assessed their situation, and once they spotted her, they acted on their training. Only two ponies managed to hop off the bed and stand at attention in her presence. Sergeant Calm wiggled against Neil's grip and gave up shortly after with a feeble attempt to salute instead.

"Now that three of you are awake, good morning, my little ponies. If I recall correctly, Sergeant Calm Water and Corporal Squall Rider are off duty for today," She offered, looking at the two brothers before focusing on Calm, "So you have no need to stand at attention."

Celestia watched as two of the three awake stallions dropped their stance immediately. Neil must have also felt Calm relax in his sleep because he unconsciously pulled the blue unicorn into his chest fluff.

Sergeant Calm opted to go with the flow and snuggled into Neil's chest, which was adorable in its own right. She was so very tempted to take out the camera once more. But she couldn't. She still had to address the remaining stallion, currently awake and at attention, with a perfectly good clock on the wall behind him.

"Private Bulk Order, I dislike doing this, but I have to ask. What time is it?"

"I currently don't know," He stated, his first words allowing his charming country twang to bleed through before correcting himself to Canterlotian, "My apologies, Princess."

"Apology accepted. However, despite how admirable it was to cover Neil's flank from prying eyes in his sleep," She started, noting how his thigh covered his groin from view at this angle. However, two steps to the right would allow her to see how well he stacked up to or exceeded other stallions if she were so inclined. But she didn't. Multiple nurse reports revealed that mares staring at that specific area of his anatomy triggered an adverse reaction for unknown but likely cultural reasons. That was the hope, at least. "I still expect you to report at the proper time for your shift. Sergeant Sight was forced to cover for you while you overslept."

"My apologies, Princess, it won't happen again." He stated with conviction.

"As much as I believe your word, I have doubts." She admitted, looking directly at Neil. "However, I do not blame you, not really at least. Judging by the bill I received this morning, Neil enjoyed himself last night. All I need to know is, did it help him, and should this become a regular occurrence?"

"Permission to speak freely, Princess?" He asked, to which she gave him a nod. "It, uh, took a while, but Neil eventually told us some stuff. It doesn' feel right sharin', though, since it's private. Just, uh, know that he drank a lot."

Squall chose that moment to add his own two bits while watching his brother's situation with a grin. "If any other stallion drank that much, I'd say they have a bit of a problem, Princess."

"Good to know. I do not wish to jeopardize your friendships everypony. If the trip to the bar helped, it helped, despite all of the bits spent." She informed all three stallions before turning to Bulk with a warm smile. "Now, I believe you should make yourself presentable for the rest of your shift, Private Bulk."

Understanding his dismissal, Private Bulk saluted, a gesture she gladly returned. He quickly left the room after that, and she wouldn't be surprised if he was already guarding the door once she left the room.

Once the swinging door stopped, she addressed the remaining two guard stallions. "Calm Water, Squall Rider. Neither of you are required to stay while I talk with Neil. But if you do, I would like to offer you both an opportunity afterwards."

"Well, Calm's stuck," Corporal Squall joked while sticking out his tongue at the elder sibling. "So I guess we're staying Princess."

Celestia was about to say something else but held herself as Neil started to shift. At first, it was a simple wing flutter, followed by a long stretch of his back legs, and finally, a not-so-subtle nuzzle into Calm's mane... "Abby, your hair smells... different?" He mumbled. A second later, the Alicorn took a long, audible sniff, then sneezed, bringing himself another step closer to consciousness.

Even with the mention of an unknown mare named Abby, Neil's unconscious actions were adorably cute as she watched the full-grown stallion act like a sleeping colt. Calm's reactions only enhanced the picture, but after Neil's sneeze, she took pity on the blue unicorn.

Magic swelled around her horn and the smaller stallion at the same time. She fully enshrouded Calm in her magic before releasing it all in a single short-range blink. In a dazzling flash, Calm found himself standing beside his brother, who couldn't hold in his mirth any longer and laughed.

It was likely a combination of the flash, Squall Rider's laughter, and the loss of his cuddle partner that finally dragged Neil into the waking light. And a likely hangover, judging by his pained groan soon after.

Neil's now free hoof immediately went to his forehead as he attempted to open his eyes. "Who fucked with my head?"

"I believe that would be the excessive amount of alcohol you drank last night, Neil." She informed him with her best bedside manners.

He paused, then attempted to open a single eye this time. He failed to keep it open for long, but in the few seconds he held it open, he focused entirely on her. She could even tell the moment he recognized her from the dilation of his pupil only a fraction of a second before he closed his eye again.

She couldn't understand why, but his first reaction to her presence was always one of fear, and today was no different as he hastily rolled onto his belly. That wasn't his only sign of alarm, as his ears folded towards the base of his skull. Even his wings joined the display for the first time as they flared out to cover his entire back half.

"What are you doing in my room Celestia?" He asked, both clearly in pain and without patience this morning as his hoof lightly massaged one eye, then the other.

"While I would like to say I came for a social visit, the truth is I'm also here on business. I have a few things to give you, Neil, starting with these," She told him as her wing unfurled, holding Blueblood's invitation and the bill between separate pinion feathers.

It took Neil a few seconds longer to open his eyes and keep them open in the brightly lit room. But once he was able, a tempestuous wing shot out and grabbed them both from her feathers. She was mildly impressed by how far his wing training had advanced. However, the effect of his emotions on that control was just as disconcerting.

Neil quickly looked at the invitation and just as quickly flung it onto the bed in favour of the bill. He used both wings to straighten out the slim piece of paper and started reading each item down the list.

"Before you ask, you have no need to worry about the bill. The Brass Bells has already been paid through my personal account."

Despite his hangover, he still had the mental faculties to read and ask questions simultaneously, "And that means what, exactly? That I owe you money now?"

"No, you don't owe me a single bit. In truth, the Brass Bells is a place for guard stallions to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the castle, the staff, and most importantly, myself. Even I'm not allowed to enter the Brass Bells without an invite." She explained before catching Squall Rider's eyes light up at her last words. Knowing precisely what he was planning to do, she continued, "And if I was offered an invite, I would probably decline to respect the privacy of my guards."

As Neil reached the end of the bill, he fed the paper through his feathers until he reached both ends, then folded the entire thing in half, twice. He made the bill's length much more manageable as he placed it on the nightstand while revealing his dexterity, which was impressive for a former Earth Pony. "And the point?"

"The point is that I am unable to spend my money there, normally." She said softly, spelling out the point for him. "I enjoy the fact that you can spend it for me and support my retired guards through your patronage."

"... Does that mean I can leave the castle and go drinking now?" He asked calmly after a pause, though his perky ears betrayed the hope behind his request.

A request she was more than willing to give, within reason. "I could be persuaded to allow you out of the castle if you take some friends with you and drink responsibly."

It would have been mildly comical, watching his ears go up then down if he were an average pony. Instead, a small well of melancholy settled in her chest as his ears angled back aggressively. To think such small concessions brought up his guard once more...

After allowing him time to think in silence, his eyes eventually narrowed with determination as he answered, "Fine. Do I just tell you when I'm leaving? Or do I have to schedule that in advance as well?"

"A few hours in advance should be plenty of time to assign a proper guard detail." She informed him, focusing on his eyes and ears as he considered her offer.

"Fine," He eventually conceded before pushing on. "Is there anything else?"

"Two quick things, and then I'll leave so you can enjoy your breakfast and get ready for the day. First, your invitation," She told him, pointing the tip of her wing at the envelope.

Neil didn't even look at it as he answered. "I'm not going to join you for a luncheon."

"I regret to say I'm busy with Court during lunch today, so I'll be unable to attend. That is an invitation from Prince Blueblood, my nephew. You can tell by the compass insignia pressed into the blue wax seal." She hoped that her lack of attendance might have sparked an interest. Instead, mentioning her nephew's royal title raised his eyebrows with curiosity.

"Prince Blueblood?" He asked immediately, "You mean there's another Alicorn stallion?"

"Prince Blueblood is a unicorn," She corrected him, though she didn't want to put out his spark of hope. "Though he dearly wishes to ascend into the form of an Alicorn one day. To be precise, he is the direct descendant of Princess Platinum, the last ruler of Unicornia."

"So he's a prince of an old, frozen-over kingdom," Neil groused. "Why does he want to meet with me?"

"I have no idea. However, if I were to guess, my Nephew is excited to meet another stallion. Being the lone prince surrounded by princesses can be quite tiring for him at times," She concluded, not knowing exactly why her nephew offered Neil an invitation.

Intentionally or not, her answer seemed funny enough to earn a snort of laughter from Squall Rider. This earned him a look from everypony in the room, and the pegasus bashfully looked aside after meeting her eyes.

Still, Squall's levity did the trick since Neil gave the envelope a second, more inquisitive look.

"And the last thing?" Neil asked bluntly.

She pointed to the table beside his nightstand. "If you look over to your breakfast, you'll see two green pills. Once you take them, they should clear up your hangover in five to ten minutes."

He didn't look, but she caught his right eye twitch once before his eyes hardened. Slowly, he turned to face Squall and Calm before asking. "Is she telling the truth?"

Squall Rider was quick to jump to her defence. "Of course the Princess is telling the truth. I've got a bottle of 'em at home, so I recognized them when I woke up."

"He needs them at least once a week as well," Calm added, earning a small whap to his side from his brother's wing.

"Okay," Was all he offered for their assistance before returning to her. "And since that was the last thing, you're done now?"

"I believe that was everything I needed to cover," She admitted before giving him one last chance to express some of his grievances, "Unless you have something you wish to tell me?"

"Nope," Was all he said to her before turning to Squall and Calm. "I'll ask Bulk to send a message the next time I go out drinking unless you send a message to me first."

It looked like Squall was going to answer, but Calm beat him to the kick. "We'll work something out. Until then, we should leave and let you have your breakfast, in peace," He said, that last part clearly directed at his younger brother.

"Yeah, see ya later Neil!" Was Squall's parting words as they both started walking towards the exit.

Celestia had a feeling her farewell wasn't going to be reciprocated. However, it was still the polite thing to do, "I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, Neil."

He remained silent as she exited the room.

Once outside, she noted three guards standing in full armour outside Neil's door. Two of them quickly fell into place by her side, leaving Private Bulk standing at attention in front of the door.

She gave the pegasus a quick but courteous nod and a polite smile. Afterwards, she turned and walked towards Sergeant Calm and Corporal Squall, basking in the sun pouring through the closest window. Once within five feet of the whispering duo, their conversation paused as they looked at her. Calm was exactly as his name implied, whereas Squall was curious.

"Gentlestallions, about that opportunity I mentioned..."

~~~***~~~

Neil watched and waited for the door to close as it swung back and forth. Each apex of the door's swing felt it was in sync with the throbbing pain originating from the inside of his skull. However, the moment it fully came to rest was when he allowed his anger and frustration to vent into the empty air.

"God damned Celestia..." He growled under his breath as he hopped off his bed and closed the small distance between himself and the table holding his breakfast. "Of course, she leaves the fucking hangover meds until last. Probably did it intentionally, too."

After all, any politician would love to catch their opponent on a bad day. Without thought, he clamped down on the two green pills with his lips, twisted his head back, and released his hold, allowing gravity to do the rest. A few gulps of water afterwards, and Neil looked at the clock.

Five to ten minutes from now... He would have preferred Bulk to be there and confirm what they were, but he didn't really believe the pills were some sort of poison. Celestia had a week so far to slip something into his food if she really wanted him dead. On the plus side, if this did kill him, at least he'd never have to suffer any more hangovers.

With his fate sealed, one way or the other, he turned to the large salad bowl on his table. Today's breakfast appeared to be porridge, but this time, it was coloured a light shade of purple-blue, which sparked a touch of curiosity within him.

He gave the mixture a small sniff and pinpointed a berry-like sweetness to it. Almost like a pie, though he couldn't say exactly which kind. In the end, he hopefully settled on blueberry, hooked his nose under the table, and dragged it to his bed.

It wasn't blueberry, though the taste was still exquisite like most pony food. Neil took his sweet time to savour the meal. Not to say that he was lax, however, as he also took the opportunity to practice his fine wing control. He fed himself with his right wing, but at the same time, his left wing was stretched over the bed as he slowly went over the only simple pen trick he knew with a fork.

His han- wing-eye coordination was far from perfect since he dropped the fork multiple times. It still amazed him how flexible his feathers could be. When dormant, they were just regular straight feathers. However, bending them in such a way should have snapped the shaft.

But, it didn't. In fact, he may have been a bit too focused on possible evolutionary paths to allow such movement, without magic, that it caught him by surprise when his spoon came up empty. He promptly fumbled his form and dropped the fork. Again.

Pausing his wing training for the moment, he looked to see the entire salad bowl was more or less empty. As well, though he could still feel and hear the blood rushing along his ears, the thrumming pain he associated with it was also gone. A quick glance at the clock revealed less than ten minutes had passed.

With breakfast now finished, Neil's thoughts shifted towards his daily obligations. He was getting sick with his current path of nonstop research. It was always either a book so dry that simply dropping it would make the tome crumble into dust, or it was written as a whimsical, happy-go-lucky fairy tale. So far, any books he found with a rock-solid, professional foundation were scarce.

He also had the threat of training hanging over his head if Rainbow came through on her promise from yesterday. However, she didn't specify a time or place, giving him a little wiggle room to sneak out of her training regime if he wasn't in his room. Whether or not she searched the entire castle for him, he placed the odds at 50/50.

Which finally brought him to the gaudy-looking envelope lying on his bed. Celestia had painted her nephew as a lonely stallion looking for another peer willing to complain about the Princesses. But something about Squall's reaction painted a different story. One that he couldn't quite figure out.

Picking up the fork with his right wing and the letter with his left, he pried the wax seal loose with the silverware. He momentarily pictured a vaguely blue, pompous-looking stallion decrying his lack of decorum and proper respect with such an act, which earned a snort.

If Blueblood was an elitist bastard like he imagined, he'd just walk out immediately.

After placing the fork on the table, he pulled out the invitation which was little more than a card. The entire cover of the card was taken up by an embossed image of a gender-less unicorn rearing up on its hind legs. The style reminded him of a flag image or maybe a British family crest. Either way, the crest was unique because the unicorn was encircled by jewels and medieval weaponry, hearkening back to when the three tribes were more warlike when dealing with each other.

Flipping the cover open, Neil was half expecting something as fancy as the cover. Instead, he was greeted with simple but illustrious hoof? writing, written in excessively loopy unified script:

Salutations Neil,
It is with great pleasure that I, Prince Blueblood Platinum, Direct Descendant of the Platinum Line, Heir to the Throne of Unicornia, and Equestria's Unrivalled Arbiter of Aristocratic Excellence and Peerless Prowess, do request the pleasure of your company at our esteemed and private luncheon on this day, the twenty-second of October, the year of our Princesses 1001.

The guard stallion assigned to your personal service should know the way to my private dining hall. If not, reveal this invitation to the nearest castle staff and request their assistance.

In the bottom right corner sat a detailed blue ink stamp that looked like another compass, almost identical to the compass in the wax seal.

Neil flipped the card closed. Whatever grand impression this Blueblood was trying to make, he failed. Aristocratic Excellence and Peerless Prowess sounded like an elitist asshole to him, though more of the posh, British variety. On the other hand, this was an otherwise unknown royal who might give Neil some insight into the Princesses. And he could avoid the torture of his upcoming flight training.

With a relieved groan, Neil stood up on his bed and took the time to stretch out his limbs and work out any remaining kinks in his muscles. After that, he hopped off and made his way towards the door.

If he was going to act stupid and attend this lavish luncheon, he needed a second opinion. And the only opinion he remotely trusted in that fashion was Bulk's if the stallion was at the door like he was supposed to be. His memory was hazy after a certain point. Still, a glimpse here and there showed the pine-coloured pegasus had been just as tipsy as he was later on in the night... Or was that Squall?

~~~

When it was time to leave, Neil had the inclination to believe that the private dining hall had meant another room set aside within the palace. Perhaps a space just as grand as Celestia's but not nearly opulent enough to upstage the princess. That assumption started to crack when, instead of taking him over the skinny bridge directly connected to the palace, Bulk escorted him through the ground floor entrance hall of the infirmary wing.

From there, Neil followed as Bulk matched his speed with all the other guards patrolling the grounds at a sedate pace. When confronted with the same fork in the path from the day before, Bulk opted to go with the other option, which slowly expanded into the main walkway alongside the palace.

He didn't mind the warmth of the daytime sun heating up his cloak and, by proxy, his back. Or the gentle fall breeze that kept him relatively cool everywhere else. But the constant shimmer of gold from all directions was another reminder of how trapped he was inside the castle.

He was almost looking forward to entering the palace, even if that meant walking through the main entrance.

Then again, as they neared the grounds before the large double doors, he spotted a small quartet of fancy-looking, well-dressed mares. It was clear they spotted him and Bulk when they walked through the gate and when the first mare gestured with her muzzle after speaking, drawing the attention of the other three. However, the four mares were polite enough to wait for him to be a certain distance away before fluttering their eyelashes enticingly.

For the second time that day, Neil tried not to think about the swooping, voluminous curls that Bulk had given him when the pegasus offered simple styling with his mane and tail.

Sadly, he might also have to deal with the group since their speed increased to intercept him and Bulk as they entered through the main doors.

This was when his assumption about the luncheon was proven wrong for the second time, as Bulk walked by the large doors without a glance. Neil looked at the open doors and the inviting interior just beyond before mentally shrugging. He was slightly tempted to look back as well, just to see whether or not the mares were put out or perturbed at their missed opportunity, but opted not to.

Putting the group of mares aside, this turn of events also left him in the dark. Where else would they go for this luncheon if not the main palace? Taking stock of their current trajectory, the path continued onward, following the wall of the palace until it curved to the right.

At that point, the path branched off in two different directions, though both stayed the same width which was odd. The right branch curled around the wall, and disappeared. By what Neil knew of the grounds, he was sure that path would eventually lead to the training grounds?

The other branch continued straight at first, but it slowly curved to the left in the distance and vanished into a copse of short-looking oak trees. Above which, he could see a vast, low-sloped manor house roof, far larger than the manors constructed just beyond the castle gates.

Neil allowed the silence to last another minute between them as he listened for anyone following closely behind them. Once he was almost sure the mares hadn't followed, he gave a surreptitious glance back to confirm they were relatively alone when he asked, "Where exactly are we going?"

In response, one of Bulk's wings quickly unfolded and pointed to the mansion enshrouded in trees. "The building over there is the ancestral home'a the Platinum line, called The Platinum Estate."

Meaning they were almost there as the castle wall vanished from his peripheral vision, and they transitioned onto the left branch of the cobblestone path.

For curiosity's sake and his mental map of the grounds, Neil looked to his right. In the distance, jutting out of the palace wall, was Celestia's large balcony leading off the throne room. Below that was the decorative wall encircling the training grounds. He couldn't see them, but he knew just beyond that was the hedge maze.

The estate he was just about to visit was the only missing piece to his mental map if he also discounted the multiple buildings he'd seen built into the wall, similar to the guard barracks.

It wasn't long before they breached the treeline and slipped onto the naturally shaded estate. Looking around, the trees were thick and healthy, and the leaves were still a vibrant green even with the slight autumn chill. It appeared, at first, as if he immediately transitioned into a forest.

But, the longer he looked, the immaculate, almost manicured appearance of the trees and the perfectly positioned bushes revealed it to be little more than a facade. A show of wealth to put on for guests and hide the upcoming eight-foot tall perimeter wall and the polished golden gates, which were conveniently left open.

After passing through the two-foot thick marble wall, they passed another ten or so trees before the forest abruptly stopped, revealing a relatively large clearing mostly taken up by a majestic, ancient-looking medieval-styled stonework manor that could have been ripped straight out of Britain.

Neil's eyes danced across the large structure, hopping from one oak-framed window embedded into the stone to the next. Eventually, however, he settled upon the entryway, which had one of the two large doors open.

Standing in the doorway, dressed in what appeared to be a pony version of a cyan ball gown, was a mare that struck him as vaguely familiar. Though he couldn't remember off the top of his head seeing a mare with that particular shade of pale pink fur. The styled blue mane with a pale pink horn poking out of it hinted at a memory. Still, it was when he locked onto her sunny yellow eyes, no longer full of shock, that he remembered.

She was the maid from the day Celestia captured him. A small bubble of stress popped as relief spread through his chest. It was good to see nothing terrible had happened to the poor maid, though he was a little confused about why she was here. If she was here as a maid, wouldn't she be required to be in uniform? Or did the prince require a more lavish dress code?

At the very least, he was thankful that the ball gown covered her entire rear end. There wouldn't be any accidental flashes today if the whole staff was dressed like that.

"Good morning to you both!" She greeted as they reached the small stairway leading up to the doors. "I'm Dainty Doily, and I'll be escorting you to the dining hall today. Do you have your invitation, Sir Neil?"

He did, and the envelope that held it was currently stored underneath his right wing. However, instead of traversing the stairway immediately, Neil casually glanced to his left to gauge Bulk's reaction.

The pegasus guard was as stoic as all the other guards they had passed on the way here, without any hint that something was off.

That was good enough for Neil as he looked to Dainty again and ascended the steps. He was still wary, however, as he reached the top. The mare in front of him had not only been informed about him as part of the castle staff but also saw him without a cloak that day. Still, he was worried about being seen by a stray pegasus flying overhead or something else while he was in public.

Once he was within reach of the door, his wing ruffled about underneath his cloak, causing multiple small tremors in the fabric until he managed to pinch the envelope between his two largest primary feathers. After that, he pushed half of it out from under his cloak, ready for Dainty to take with her telekinesis.

It took a few seconds for her to clue in. Still, the moment she did, the envelope was surrounded by her tingly, sunny yellow aura as it brushed aside his feathers and created a buffer against his chest. Without further delay, it zipped the short distance between him and Dainty.

She quickly extracted his invitation and gave the front only a second long glance before nodding to herself. "Thank you, and welcome to The Platinum Estate," She curtsied and stepped aside simultaneously. Allowing him more than enough room to step inside. "Prince Blueblood has been eagerly awaiting this meeting with you and was quite pleased to find a space this early in his schedule."

Neil slowly entered the grand hall as she spoke, with Bulk behind him. Looking around, he didn't know what to focus on first.

For the first time, his hooves stepped on a well-polished, but not at all slippery wooden floor. At a glance, he guessed it was oak, maybe even from the same trees planted outside, but he couldn't be sure. Also, unlike a human-made floor, there weren't any gaps or seams that he could spot. It was like the floor was one giant slab of wood, including the knots and other imperfections that added character.

The first three feet of each wall, which wasn't covered by fancy hand (hoof?) crafted wood furniture, was clearly built up from the same stonework that covered the outside. It may also be connected to the foundation itself. After that, however, the stone somehow melded smoothly into rich, dark-stained oak panelling that reached all the way to the ceiling.

From which hung a large, circular crystal chandelier. It held a significant spherical light source in the centre through unknown means, which filtered through each crystal, creating a dazzling display while evenly distributing plenty of light to show off all the life-sized portraits hung tastefully on the walls and the rest of the room.

Everything screamed old wealth and rich character, but in a distinct way, far different from the castle that Neil couldn't quite comprehend. He took notes on the off chance he ever won the jackpot if- when he got back home.

Pulling his eyes away from the grand display, he settled once more on Dainty, who waited patiently with a cheerful, almost proud smile on her muzzle. "If you would kindly follow me, the dining room is just over this way."

She deftly spun in place, lifting the skirt of her dress an inch or two off the ground before she came to a stop facing the far right corner of the room. Neil followed her gaze, and nestled near the corner was a particular pair of carved doors depicting a feast between a pair of unicorns and, judging by the beak-like faces, a pair of griffons. When her dress ruffles settled back down, she hopped off, lazily trotting in that direction.

Neil followed since he had nothing else to do, though it was a short distance to cover. Once they reached the doors, her yellow aura spiralled along one of the door handles until it was covered entirely, and she silently opened it up for him.

At the same time, Bulk decided that was as far as he would go and automatically posted himself at attention in front of the door frame, just on the other side of Dainty.

"Uh, Bulk, what are you doing?" Neil asked, not at all expecting this particular turn of events.

"I'm standing guard, as I'm trained to do." He answered in his Canterlotian accent while his eyes glanced to Dainty.

... Which made absolutely no sense. Bulk acted like himself in front of other maids and guards, so what was the difference now? Something didn't sit right with the situation, but he was too deep now. "Dainty, would it be okay if Bulk joined us for lunch?"

He was initially met with a look of confusion before her eyes brightened, and her smile returned bigger than ever.

"Of course, he can! I'm sure Blue- Prince Blueblood wouldn't mind hosting a plus one. Come on in, both of you," She offered as she opened the second door with her aura and briskly trotted in.

The first thing Neil noticed as he entered was that the wood panelling did not transfer into the dining area. No, the primary material used in the design of this large, open room was stone, stone, and more stone. Even the arched ceiling, which looked far too tall compared to what he saw on the outside, was made entirely of the greyish-blue slate. The floor was still wood, at least, this time stained a reddish hue.

A pair of long tables ran along the east and west walls, both of which were at least thirty feet long and covered by a white and red patterned tablecloth. Each seating position was already prepared with the finest-looking silverware and dinnerware Neil had ever seen. Even the plates looked to be made of purple and pink crystal, which perfectly matched the glasses. It all looked odd to Neil, but he still assumed they were worth a small fortune combined.

At the far end of the room was a smaller but even more lavish-looking table set perpendicular to the other two, creating a stretched 'C' shape. It was covered with a royal blue tablecloth and loaded from end to end with multiple dishes. Some Neil recognized, like the cheese wedges set aside on their platters. Still, he had no clue about the rest other than that they appeared vegetarian.

Dainty stopped near the blue table, just to the left of the lone, unclaimed seating position he could see that had been set on that side of the table. She quickly and efficiently transferred one of the chairs from the red and white table to her left and the entire placement to the blue table.

Neil was mildly impressed as he watched her work, as he slowly closed the distance with Bulk behind him. After she was done, instead of trotting off to the kitchen like a servant, Doily pranced around the table and sat down, joining the other three ponies on the other side.

Judging by his squared chin, the pony she sat beside was the only stallion at the table. He was a unicorn with a pure white coat and a golden brown mane. His attire was a simple tux collar but with a blue bow tie that matched the tablecloth. This, Neil presumed, was Prince Blueblood.

Seated next to him was an Earth Pony mare with a puffy, eye-catching two-tone pink mane. From what he could see, she wore a purple dress, which did nothing to hide her eggshell white coat that matched Blueblood's almost perfectly. The thought that they might be siblings popped into Neil's mind for a moment. Even their eye colours were similar shades of blue, though her eyes were a darker sky blue.

Last but certainly not least was the most imposing of the ponies there. Her greyish-white form was draped in a golden dress that matched Bulk's armour perfectly. But that wasn't enough to hide how stiffly the unicorn sat, similar to how Bulk usually stood at attention.

The way her amethyst eyes, framed with war-god red locks of hair, stared at him also cemented his idea that she was a guard. It felt like she was studying him for weaknesses, something he didn't care for.

"Welcome, Sir Neil. Please have a seat," The stallion offered boisterously once Neil was close enough. "My wife, Apple Frosting, decided to pull out all the stops and cooked up a feast for us to enjoy." He all but bragged while gesturing to the white and pink mare beside him.

"It was nothin'," She shot back while blushing, the barest hints of a Southern accent still clinging to her voice.

"If this is nothing, then I fear to see what the kitchen would look like after you put some effort in Honey Apple," He teased, giving the mare a quick peck on the cheek.

That was the wrong thing for the prince to do, as the guard mare who had been watching him the entire time cleared her throat authoritatively.

"Ah, right, introductions first. But before that, please sit, both of you," Blueblood quickly gestured to the two chairs closest to Neil and Bulk.

A little confused, Neil gave Bulk a mental apology and extended his wing out of his cloak towards the chair across from Dainty. This left the original chair, the closest to the guard mare, for his pegasus guard.

Once they were both seated, Blueblood continued. "Now that we are all seated, I want to introduce you to my herd. On my right is Dainty Doily, one of the brightest maids, if not the brightest, in the entire castle. You've briefly met before, from what I've heard." He said, gesturing to the lightly blushing maid, who gave Neil a slight nod.

"It's good to see you doing better than how you were feeling that day." She added.

After a second, Blueblood continued. "On my left is Apple Frosting, my favourite patissier in the castle, who also sneaks me my favourite snacks out of the castle."

"He means a pastry chef," Apple Frosting quickly corrected him before correcting him with too much information. "And ye know darned well my plot doesn't count as a snack. It's a full-on experience, Bluey."

That brought a hint of rose to Blueblood's cheeks, but otherwise, he continued on as if his wife hadn't just dropped some bedroom topics. "And sitting near the end is Major Crystal Shield, my final wife and one of the best guards in all of Canterlot, in my personal opinion."

"For an Alicorn vexing the Captain, I was expecting... more," She stated while giving him a small, polite nod.

A small silence fell over the table after that as Neil looked at each pony across the table. He didn't know exactly what was happening, except that Blueblood was looking at him expectantly. Was he supposed to introduce himself? They already knew his name and what he was, so what was the point?

Mentally shrugging, he went along with it anyway. "As you know, I'm Neil. To my right is Bulk. I'm going to be blunt with you. I have no idea why I'm here or why you invited me."

If Blueblood took any offence to his bluntness, the stallion didn't show it at all as he answered. "To be candid, this is a celebration in your honour, Sir Neil. After all, you're an Alicorn. Not only that, you're the first male Alicorn. It's been years since I've been this excited, and it's all thanks to you!"

Brushing aside all the bullshit about what he was and how that somehow earned this stallion's adoration, Neil opted to focus on the last part. "What do you mean by, all thanks to me?"

"Why, passing on my title, of course!" The Prince stated with unbridled excitement. "It's been my burden and a burden on my herd for years. But now you're here! Please, let's all dish up. While we talk about the fine details, there's plenty of food to enjoy."

In that regard, he was absolutely correct. At least fifteen different dishes were set across the table, and that wasn't counting the side dishes. Of which, he could only name a few, like the standalone wedge of gouda or the spaghetti dish with what appeared to be some sort of white cheese sauce and herbs. In fact, whether pasta, salad or something else, it seemed as if the common theme among the dishes was cheese...

Apple Frosting must have guessed his thoughts because she piped up while dishing her plate. "When ye work in the kitchens, ye tend to hear certain things. Fer example, a new Alicorn showing up outa the blue with a taste for cheese pastas?" She paused long enough to give him a teasing grin before filling up the rest of her plate.

"So when I heard ol' Bluey here invited ye for vittles, well, my specialty may be desserts, but I think you'll find everythin' here to yer likin', includin' this."

She then took a spatula to what he initially thought was a vegetarian lasagne baked in a dark purple crystalline casserole pan. After carving out a decent-sized chunk, she lifted it up to reveal a baked macaroni and cheese, almost exactly like he requested that first night he ate with Celestia.

... Neil may have only eaten a few hours ago, but his stomach vetoed the thought of a light meal right then and there with a deep, rumbling growl.

This earned a chuckle from Apple Frosting, "Well, at least one of ye appreciates my cooking," She joked as she sat down with a full plate.

She wasn't the only one. A quick glance revealed that Neil was the only one without an ounce of food on his plate. Even Bulk had started now that most of the mares, the Major included, had finished dishing themselves up. He seemed to be holding his plate with his hooves while his wings used spatulas, spoons, and knives to portion out his plate.

Neil didn't think his wings were that dexterous yet, and he still hadn't unlocked the magnetic properties of his hooves, so he knew that was out. But as he thought up a possible solution, the entire edge of his plate was suddenly surrounded by a yellow aura.

"I can dish up your plate for you if you like?" Dainty offered as his plate levitated a few inches above the table. "Just point out what you would like to try."

Somewhat reluctantly, Neil pointed out three of the main dishes at first. The baked macaroni, which felt like Apple had made specifically for him, was the first thing added to his plate. After that, he chose the spaghetti dish and ended with a salad resembling a Caesar and taco salad hybrid for the main dishes. With only a tiny sliver left on his plate, he then pointed a hoof towards the one cheese he recognized.

"An excellent choice, if I do say so myself." Blueblood chipped in uninvited. "That particular cheese was made in Minos at one of their oldest and most respectable creameries. The current Minotauren ambassador's brother works there, and brought it as a personal gift to myself after years of working together to better our two nations."

Blueblood wasn't done after that miniature monologue, as he quickly pointed out a second wedge of white, somewhat flaky-looking cheese. "But don't let that deter you from some of Equestria's finest cheeses. That is a cloth cheddar made specifically in Trottingham and one of my favourites. Though I must admit, the crown for my absolute favourite has to go to Prance for their most delectable brie," He finished, pointing out a third wedge that looked like a bunch of poutine cheese curds that were compressed together (but just starting to come apart along the outer edge).

Unfortunately, with the addition of the gouda to his plate, it was already full. But Neil made a note to try them both on his next plate. If he was allowed to stick around for a second plate, as Dainty gently placed it down in front of him.

Neil gave her an appreciative nod, "Thank you," To which she offered a happy, "You're welcome!" He extended his wings to take up a fork and a knife, which were probably the wrong choices for these types of food.

Before he dug in, though, he turned to Blueblood. "I still don't get why you invited me to this celebration of yours. I'm going to be blunt right now. Like hell am I going to take your title of Prince. I don't want it, and I don't need it."

The sound of cutlery scraping against plates and the small talk between Apple Frosting and Major Crystal Shield ceased. Every single pony in the room looked at him, and silence reigned supreme for an entire second... Before Blueblood let out an oddly girlish giggle, which evolved into outright laughter.

"Oh, my-. You think-," He managed to say, in-between gasps of breath. Apple Frosting also joined the scene, chuckling as she watched Blueblood's inability to control himself.

Dainty continued eating but seemed to lighten up even more from the nearby source of laughter.

Bulk and Crystal took the opposite approach, hiding their emotions behind their professional, if passive, guard masks.

This went on for a good minute or two before Blueblood finally managed to calm himself down. "Oh my, I haven't laughed like that in ages," He confessed, grabbing a napkin in his baby blue aura and dabbing at the corners of his eyes.

"Ages ye say?" Apple Frosting asked, a teasing glint in her eyes as she zoned in on Blueblood. "I seem to remember a little feather of ours that had you'n Crystal laughing uncontrollably just a week ago."

That slight hint of rose already gracing his cheeks from his indecent display of boisterous laughter fully blossomed into a blush at her suggestive reminder, all but confirming the indecent meaning behind the message. Neil had just enough time to also confirm the faintest blush on Major Crystal's cheeks before Blueblood continued with a slightly more serious tone.

"Yes, well... Sir Neil, even if I wanted to pass on my title of Prince to you, I can only pass my crown down to my eldest unicorn colt by ancient law. Or, if I were to sire only fillies, my eldest unicorn daughter," He corrected a touch condescendingly.

"The title I'm referring to isn't official by any means, but it's a title I've won year after year in service to my dear Auntie Celestia. In my wild youth, I dare say it served me quite well," He admitted with a smile that hinted at many fond memories as he shared a look between all of his herd-mares? Herd-Mates? Wives?

"But now, with a loving herd, it has become rather cumbersome at times, I must admit. Of course, I'm talking about the Most Eligible Bachelor in All of Equestria award."

Neil had been expecting something profound. Something life-altering. Something that he would have to deny outright, in no uncertain terms that would likely sour his reputation for all the ponies in the room, except perhaps for Bulks. And then Blueblood revealed this entire celebration was about some stupid bachelor award?

Neil's mind experienced a disconnect as he tried to process that tidbit of information as if his operating system suffered from a momentary freeze.

Which allowed Blueblood to continue on, "You being an Alicorn, of course, would make you a shoo-in for the award even with your... less than appealing colouration."

"That ain't fair, and you know it," Bulk jumped into the conversation between bites, to defend him. "Neil didn' choose to be born with those colors, just like the rest'a us."

"I know, and I don't mean to blame the poor colt. But to be born with such dreary monochrome colours..."

"Blueblood, Dear," Dainty chirped sweetly, "You're voicing your inner opinions out in the open again."

"Oh, right, sorry, Neil. But I'm just trying to say a streak of navy blue dye in your mane and tail would help out so much, given," He gestured with a hoof in Neil's general direction.

"Wait, are you saying I'm ugly?" Neil asked, somewhat shocked at the accusation. The amount of side-eyes and blatant amorous stares he received from some of the mares on staff alone had hinted otherwise, let alone the few looks he received from upper-class mares.

"Oh, Celestia, no! You're an Alicorn. Your build is the pinnacle of physical beauty for a stallion. I daresay, even Crystal was quick to comment about your horn length and wingspan when she finished her shift yesterday," He added, shooting a quick, teasing side eye to the guardsmare, who remained impassive while eating. "Only your stamina needs some work, which is odd given you ascended as an Earth Pony, correct?"

Neil quirked an eyebrow at that tidbit. There were a lot of guards yesterday, and most of them were in armour. But he couldn't remember too many mares working at the same time he was.

"Yeah, but which is it?" He answered before switching away from the topic of his ascension. Besides, a small, vain part of him was curious whether he was ugly or not. "Am I ugly or good-looking?"

"Bright colours that compliment one another are the pinnacle of visual beauty, with the only exception to the rule being white for obvious reasons," He stated imperiously before pointing at a portrait of Celestia on the wall. "While black and all shades of grey tend to be seen as darker thanks to the likes of Sombra and other villains throughout history."

Which evoked a certain male stereotype in his mind. Greasers, bikers, and a few other fictional characters popped into his mind before shifting toward real-life examples like Paul and other womanizing teammates from high school hockey.

"Ye got bad colt vibes comin' out the wazoo," Apple Frosting dropped, voicing his own thoughts for him out loud. "And plenty of rumours runnin' about the kitchen at least to back it up."

Before he could stop it, a single word slipped out that voiced his entire opinion on the matter perfectly. "Fuck."

Blueblood dropped his silverware at Neil's blunt exclamation, looking visibly shocked, though he was the only one. Dainty and Crystal flinched, though the maid's reaction was far more apparent. Bulk seemed to have built up an immunity to his word choice as he ate slowly.

Apple Frosting, however, had the oddest reaction of all as she pointed and laughed, "Hehe, just like that!"

The urge to slam his head into the table was there whether or not he'd get a face full of food, but he resisted. Instead, he tuned out the mare's almost cackling and focused on eating.

Once the prince regained his composure, he took Neil's silence as a hint and gave the Alicorn a momentary reprieve.

A reprieve that Neil took gratefully since it allowed him time to actually enjoy his meal before him. Apple might have mentioned this wasn't her specialty, but it was just as divine as all the other pony food he tried.

As the minutes ticked by, one obvious thing about Blueblood was that he constantly engaged others at the table for conversation. He discussed topics with everyone else while leaving Neil alone with his food. When a topic went stale or someone (mainly Bulk) didn't know how to answer, he would deftly switch to something new and engaging.

Somehow, he was also oblivious to the compliments and mild insults he would throw out to everyone at the table. However, Dainty was there to chime in if something egregious came out.

Even with those faults, the longer the Prince talked, the more he grew on you. Yes, he was snobbish and sounded mildly spoiled. In fact, Neil was positive the prince was spoiled rotten at one point, but Dainty was there to call him out on his bullshit.

A part of him wondered how long that dynamic had been going on. Overall, Neil rated the prince as chummy, like a drinking buddy, once their filter disappeared.

Eventually, the topic went back to the bachelor award, which caught Neil's interest.

"... And that's why I remain the Most Eligible Bachelor in Equestria, even though I already have three mares in my herd. It's not common knowledge outside of the castle; otherwise, I would lose standing with the nobility. But, it's a hit to my reputation I'm willing to take. It all depends on the date Neil is willing to reveal himself to the general public."

Neil suddenly found himself the centre of attention again, this time with a mouth full of spaghetti that he quickly swallowed before answering. "I don't."

"Pardon me, but you don't plan on revealing yourself?" Blueblood asked, slightly confused at the idea.

"Nope, I plan to go home and for-" He tried to explain before being cut off.

"Blue," Crystal Shield interrupted, alert as her purple aura turned almost static-like along her horn. "The perimeter wards tripped. We have an-"

She was also interrupted as the entryway to the dining hall slammed open. Standing in the door frame, slightly panting, was a light blue pegasus with a familiar rainbow mane and tail. Neil noted she was without her flight suit today, as her red eyes locked onto him.

"You're late for flight training!" She yelled, her raspy voice echoing throughout the hall.

... It would seem today's torture session was inevitable.

Author's Note

Well, another chapter finished. I don't feel like I jumped the shark with this one. Then again, it was only fancy dialogue, and some insight into the basic routines in the castle.

But hey, we had some fun with Celestia's POV, had a small glimpse at what Luna's dealing with, another hint at the timeline, and took blackm-photographs of a mortifying cuddle pile that Neil shall never, ever, find out about.

After which, was Neil's first meeting with Blueblood. And the poor maid wasn't put to death for seeing state secrets! Hooray!

And, since Neil allowed Bulk to gussy him up a bit it would be a shame not to share these here:

And no lighting/shading:

Alas, no more imagining studly images based off of Neil's rump in the cover art.

... Unless you want the NSFW versions. <.<
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