“Come on. Fly with me.” I poked Celestia’s side while playfully jumping around her. “Fly with me Celly.” She was sitting regally upon her balcony overlooking the city after we shared an early breakfast and letting me watch her raise the sun. All this magic has gotten me charged up, and needing to act my age by moving around.

“Fly. With. Me.” I hovered in front of her and booped her nose between each word time.

She smiled patiently until I finished then gently pulled me back to the floor with her golden magic. “Dawn, I already told you I must hold court today.” It was a few days after Hearths warming but not yet the new year. During this time she liked to hold court for those who were still visiting the city during the holidays.

“Fine~. “ I pouted by sticking out my tongue and crossing my forehooves. “I’ll go find someone else.” I closed my wings and jumped over the balconies edge, spreading them just before I hit the ground.

Colts. Celestia chuckled to herself and made her way back inside. He certainly has been practicing his flight skills though.

“Now who can I find to go flying today?” I ruffled my wings as I walked through the snow covered castle garden after landing. “Twilight doesn’t have wings, yet, Dash and Flutters are back in Ponyville. Hmm…” I closed my eyes and tilted my head skyward, soaking in the morning sun on my fur while thinking. Maybe I could fly home for the day, but the guards wouldn’t be happy. After the recent incidents I now had some dedicated guards that stayed nearby but out of sight. Oh maybe one of them? Nah not the same as a friend. Oh what about the bats? All going to bed.

“Hi Dawn.” I opened my eyes at the voice and found myself getting nuzzled by a snow colored pegasus filly about the same size as Scootaloo. “What are you up to?”

“Um, hi?” Tilting my head, I was a bit confused by this overly friendly filly that had apparently made it past the guards until she spoke again.

“I’m practicing my disguise. What do you think?” Alicia stepped back and took a twirl.

It was then I noticed her magical necklace indicating she was one of Imagos changelings along with which one. “Oh, very nice Alicia. And I’m just looking for~.” I smiled. “Want to go flying with me?” I bounced on my hooves and booped her on the nose before jumping into the air and hovering there.

It took her a moment to recover before she excitedly jumped up behind me, laughing as we both took off around the castle’s airspace.

We should have taken Dawn up on his offer.How was I to know only nobles would show up this morning instead of regular subjects. Celestia internally groaned as one such noble, is this mare even a noble?, droned on about a new project that would cost taxpayers a significant sum yet make herself richer in the end. The moment was made worse when Dawn and her daughter Alicia flew past the throne room window trailed by a pair of guards. Looks fun.

Celestia sighed. “Yes, Yes. It is a very nice proposal Mrs, Rich. I will have my ponies look into it.” She gave a subtle nod to the guard that it was time for the next petitioner. After Mrs. Rich left, with much grumbling, the pony that next walked in finally put a smile on her face.

“Auntie I’m home.” Blueblood strolled into the throne room with so much swagger in his trotting unknowing ponies might have thought he owned the place. “It’s been awfully dreadful being away for so long. What’s this I hear about you getting engaged?”

Celestia stepped down from the throne and gave her nephew a hug. “So good to see you Bluey.” She then whispered in his ear. “How did the talks go overseas?”

Blueblood dropped his persona and whispered back. “Not well. I’ll give you a full report later.” He then spoke louder again as they broke the hug. “No matter, you must simply introduce this ‘love bug’ of yours later tonight at dinner.”

A few guards not in the know rolled their eyes or flicked their tails at the display.

“Of course nephew. I’ll also have to introduce my students.” Celestia gave him one last nuzzle before shooing him out of the room playfully. “Now go enjoy your afternoon, I have more ponies to see.” At least the family is all back home.If only he came with good news. Celestia recomposed herself and called for the next pony. This time a lovely mare from the city who actually needed help entered the room. At least the day is looking up.

“What can I help you with my little pony?” Celestia smiled and spoke sweetly to the mare.

“Ouch, what was that for?” Alicia looked up at me sheepishly after my outburst. The two of us had gone inside for lunch after all our playing and flying around and were laying side by side to eat however, she had just pulled out one of my feathers.

“Sorry Dawn. I was trying to preen them for you.” She gave me the puppy dog eyes and I just couldn’t stay mad at her.

“Have your moms already showed you how?” I ruffled the wing she had pulled a feather from and adjusted it with a bit of magic. “Because all of my feathers are healthy and just need some alignment.”

“No, and I don’t really need to preen my own wings.” She tapped her forehooves together and in a flash of fire changed back into her nymph form. “Not like this. And they are always perfect when I change back.”

“I see, make sure to ask them later. Also it’s kinda personal to preen some ponies wings so always ask first.” I booped her and she blushed.

As the two of us ate, well mostly I ate while she basked in my friendly love, Imago showed up to take Alicia back to the hive for her afternoon lessons. The nymphs had already started getting tutoring via the others and would be starting pony school once the semester started up.

Finishing my lunch a couple of the maids kindly cleared the table and I once again found myself without much to do. Maybe I shouldn’t have finished all my winter homework early. I rested my chin on the table and looked around the smaller dining room.

I didn’t linger long before getting to my hooves and heading back towards my room. My journey through the castle was soon interrupted by another unexpected encounter.

“Ah, Balanced Dawn how fortuitous that we meet.” I didn’t recognize Blueblood by anything other than his Cutiemark when he and his entourage stopped to greet me. “It’s about time the two prince’s of Equestria finally have a chat.”

So is he a snob like the show or only acting like the stories? I really hope it’s the latter. “Oh, hello Blueblood.” My lack of including his title brought a frown to his face but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Back from your vacationing?”

“Indeed I am.” He shook off the front however his entourage still looked a bit upset from my lack of respect. “I already said hello to auntie earlier. You shall be glad to know I will be gracing you all with my presence at dinner.” He held a hoof to his chest and one of his followers whispered in his ear. “Ah sadly I have just been informed I still have work to do now that I’m back so our chat must wait.”

The small group drifted past like a whirlwind and left me scratching my head. “Well that’s a thing that happened.” I shrugged and continued on towards my room.

Once back I found Spike napping on my bed so jumped up and joined him. Poor drake was probably looking for me since Twilight is in study mode again lately. While giving him a nuzzle Spike wrapped his claws around me for a hug which made me smile.

“Oh yes, traveling the seas were dreadful.” I could hear Bluebloods voice ring out from the dining room with Twilight at my side and Spike on my back. Twilight had her nose in a book so I was leading her along and she hadn’t even noticed the conversation.

“Yes traveling so far must have been tiring. Ah there’s my young students now.” Celestia spoke up as Twilight and I sat down across the table from them next to Shining Armor and Cadence. Didn’t know they were joining us for dinner. Imago looks amused with him.

“Huh?” I had just poked Twilight’s side to get her to put the book down. She sheepishly looked around and noticed we had arrived at dinner. “Oh, hi Princess. Who’s your guest?” She also waved to Cadence and her brother who both chuckled.

“This is my nephew Prince Blueblood. He has been traveling abroad for a while now.” She nodded towards the maids who began setting out dinner.

“Ah yes traveling the ocean, mapping unknown lands.” He flourished with his hoof then dropped the act as soon as all the maids left. “Finally.” He huffed. “I thought they would never leave.”

“Huh?” Twilight looked confused while I internally shouted. Called it! Imago looked unsurprised and probably knew from her years spent in the castle.

“Sorry for the act.” Blueblood apologized “I have a certain persona I must upkeep while around other ponies and that you all must now keep secret.”

“Wait you’ve been acting all this time? I thought you…” Twilight shook her head to prevent saying something worse then looked at Shining Armor. “Did you know?”

He shrugged. “Sorry Twilie I found out after my promotion.”

“I’m confused so is Blueblood nice or mean?” Twilight looked at Cadence then the Princess. All the while Imago was enjoying the bit of family drama.

“I can explain. You see my nephew has taken it upon himself to perform a specific role amongst the nobles by keeping the less desirable ones rallied around himself. He unfortunately must act like a bad pony.” Twilight nodded along while I just kept Spike entertained by staring dinner early with him. “Dawn you don’t seem very surprised?”

I was thrown off when Celestia spoke directly to me. “Well after getting these I decided to just ‘fly with it’ as mom would say.” I ruffled my wings.

“Ah yes I had heard rumors about a male alicorn, most of the other countries don’t believe it and even many equestrian citizens don’t think a colt could get wings and a horn.” Blueblood spoke flippantly but even I could tell there were some mixed feelings behind what he said.

“Well now that my nephew has decided to bring you all in on his act why don’t we eat and get to know each other.” Celestia raised her teacup and we all got to eating and chatting.

Author's Note

It’s coming to a point where I’ll need to re-read my story again so warn me if you spot any continuity errors.