Back on Duty

Gregory woke up to the feeling of a raspy, equine tongue licking his chest. He was on his back and Celestia was sprawled across his legs, pinning him down. Her head had been lying on his belly and she had been snoring softly when he fell asleep. By the feel of his muscles, they had probably not moved even a little through the entire night. The fact that she was still in pretty much the same position proved it.

She must have heard the change in his breathing, because Celestia froze and glanced up just in time for their eyes to meet. She would have been hidden by the blanket, but her large horn kept it high enough for Greg to see her face. The mare flashed him a grin and he patted her muzzle with a sleepy hand.

"Morning..." he said and stretched as best he could without dislodging her.

"Morning," came the reply.

"The salt?"

"Mhm."

Gregory relaxed, letting his head fall back down to the pillow and gazing up at the ceiling. Memories of the crazy previous evening flashed through his mind and he smiled to himself. After a minute, Celestia went back to licking his chest in little arcs, alternating between different directions. It was pleasant and they were on holiday, which meant they could afford to stay in bed for a while longer. Most hotels on Earth only served breakfast until a certain hour, Gregory recalled. He didn't know if Equestrian ones did the same, but he was positive they would be open for Princess Celestia, no matter how late she decided to show up.

His hand sought out her head and his fingers wrapped automatically around her ear. As he began to scratch the mare sighed in pleasure.

"So, what's the plan for today? Later today, I mean. I kinda like this right now."

The tongue vanished from his skin while Celestia answered: "There is a lake near here, fed from a waterfall. It is not nearly as big as Neighara, but it also isn't as crowded."

"Sounds lovely."

Celestia continued from the memory of her previous visits. "It's about two hours' trot, maybe three with your slow, human legs."

"Hey! I only have two!"

She chuckled at her own good-natured jab. "I know, it is such a deficiency."

"Well, if I had four legs, I probably wouldn't have these fingers your seem to enjoy so much!"

To prove his point, Greg increased his grip on her ear, which made Celestia almost purr in delight. "Two is plenty," she hastily corrected. "We can go slowly and take in the scenery."

They both laughed at the back and forth and then Celestia laid her muzzle back down on Greg's chest. He lifted his head and adjusted the pillow so he could look at her. After a short silence he poked a finger at her nose. She automatically licked the spot.

"Any political stuff?"

The mare emphatically shook her head. "Absolutely not," she assured him. "This is a vacation, Gregory. If I learned anything from the whole 'Earth' debacle it is that I need to take some time off every once in a while."

"Don't forget fingers. You also learned you can't live without fingers."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Yes. I like how fingers feel, but do not let it get to your head, Gregory. I can get other fingers than yours. More fingers can be arranged."

In lieu of a reply, the man brought his other hand to her head so he could massage both ears at once.

"Oooooh..."

He chuckled at the way her eyes slid closed and her tongue lolled out but didn't relent his pressure. After a few moments Celestia's hind leg began to twitch in rhythm with his scratching.

"Just like a big puppy," Greg commented.

All Celestia could do for a reply was poke her tongue out at him.

An unusual sound caught his attention and Greg stopped. "What was that? Are they having a festival or something out there?"

He got up on his elbows to try and see out the window, but Celestia pushed him back down with her muzzle. "Don't! Just... ignore it."

Curious now, Greg nudged her head out of the way and once again lifted himself. "If it's some kind of a holiday it might be fun," he pointed out.

"It is not."

"How can you know?"

Greg immediately realized how silly his question had been. With her lifespan and memory there was no doubt Celestia knew each and every custom her subjects might have developed. If she said there was no holiday here today, then there probably wasn't.

"Well, maybe it's a wedding or something."

With a long-suffering sigh the mare let him go. Greg was halfway to the window before he remembered that it was quite low for his height. He diverted and grabbed a pair of pants before he treated the ponies outside to a very unwelcome sight.

"Oh."

It was an impromptu celebration, but not an official one. Celestia was right. The ponies were gathered specifically around the inn, and especially for her visit. There was a number of signs bearing her cutie mark being held aloft, especially by younger ponies. There was also a large banner stretched above with the words 'Welcome, Princess Celestia!' It looked as if a few stands had already been set up, selling various foodstuffs. Most of the ponies gathered down below were farmers, by the look of it. Greg saw a number of stetson hats, a good many overalls and a lot of muzzles chewing on grass stalks.

Well, maybe not a lot of that last, but there were a few. Most of the revelers - that was really the best word for them - were talking excitedly among themselves and glancing every now and then expectantly up at the inn.

"I don't remember it being this bad the other times," Greg muttered.

True, the pair hadn't been able to get many vacations in the hectic months and years after Celestia's 'Earth adventure', but there had never been an impromptu festival in her honor before.

"These smaller places do not get to see me as often as they would like. I am sorry, but even when you live this long you cannot always make time for everypony," Celestia answered him. "Besides," she continued, "remember Las Pegasus last Autumn?"

Greg did and he understood what she meant. "You shouldn't have given in and started signing autographs. You knew they would just keep asking for advice and help and you'd end up working all the time."

The Princess sighed. "Do not remind me. Luckily you dragged me away after an hour. You see now why I simply had to go to Earth?"

"Yeah, I think I do."

At least when they had gone to bigger cities there had been organization. Wherever Celestia opted to stay made sure to organize crowd control to keep ponies in order. There were carriages when they needed to move about, so they have been able to keep at least a semblance of relaxation and privacy. Now, they were entirely on their own. Someone must have let slip that Celestia was staying here and they had all come to see their favorite Princess.

"Do not get me wrong, Gregory," Celestia continued, as if guessing his thoughts, "it is not a bad thing to be adored. You know how much I care for all of my little ponies."

"I know, but even so you deserve some time off every once in a while." Greg thought quickly. He examined the crowd once more, putting his face right up near the glass to get as wide a field of view as possible. Several ponies pointed up in surprise, but at least there didn't seem to be any fear. "It looks like they're mostly waiting in front. Tell you what, I'll go down to the kitchen, get them to pack us some food, and then we'll sneak out the back, okay?"

Celestia lifted her head, letting the blanket slip off. The mischievous sparkle was back in her eyes and she grinned in delight. "Sneak away from them?" she repeated.

"Yeah! I mean, they look like they're enjoying themselves. It's turning into a good little party. They probably don't need you to have a good time." Greg walked back to the bed and wrapped his arms around the mare's withers. "If they're still going by the time we're back, we can join them for dinner. It'll be just like a festival, right? I'll make sure you don't start answering questions or solving everyone's problems."

Her smile widened. "You can be the bad pony and I will still look like a good pony. I think I like this idea, Gregory."

Greg laughed at her interpretation. "Sure, let's do it that way. I don't mind being the bad guy if it gets you off the hook."

He got a kiss as a reward. "Thank you, Gregory. You are a good human."

Gregory hadn't been aware just how out of shape he had gotten until that day. He knew a hike would take some effort, but he had completely underestimated just how much teeth-clenching, sweat-dripping, stubborn-headed determination it would take to get to the top of the waterfall. Celestia was very careful not to make any jokes or observations on that point and she called for plenty of breaks, even if she did disguise them as 'looking at the scenery'.

"We should do this more often," the mare remarked at some point and Gregory nodded, sending more droplets of sweat flying from his face.

"Yeah..." was all he managed.

'Not athletic' was one thing, but this was ridiculous! Yes it wasn't an easy hike, especially when the original forest trails were made by four-footed ponies, but he shouldn't be this spent after a few hours! It was barely lunchtime! At least it was over. The way back was mostly downhill and their packs had gotten a lot lighter as the couple emptied their water bottles and ate their sandwiches.

His plan to sneak away had been a spectacular success and no one had noticed them going, except for the kitchen staff whom Gregory had sworn to secrecy beforehand. That meant they were completely alone out in the forest. As he caught his breath, Celestia set up the blanket for their picnic and started to spread out their remaining food. A few sandwiches with flowers, which Greg couldn't eat and some potato pie.

"I will take these," Celestia offered magnanimously and levitated the former up to her mouth.

"Thanks."

They sat side by side and looked over the lake. The noise of the waterfall was prominent, but they were above it so all they could see was faint mist spreading away from them from where it landed. Further out the water was still as a mirror, almost perfectly reflecting the blue sky. That reminded Greg and he pointed.

"Looks like Luna did a good job with the sun today."

Celestia nodded. "Yes. She really has come a long way. You know, I never could leave, even for an afternoon, before. There was always some kind of an emergency."

Greg just nodded in silence, mouth full of his pie. It wasn't the best he'd ever had - that honor went to Pinkie Pie - but at least this one wasn't over-sweet. His eyes roamed further, toward the city off in the distance. "That's Baltimare?" he asked.

"Mhm!" Celestia swallowed before adding: "These villages were here before Baltimare was a city. It used to be just a few huts for fisher-ponies."

"I rarely see ponies eat fish, though."

The Princess chuckled softly. "Those were different times. Food was somewhat scarcer. Besides, they traded most of it with the griffins across the bay to the East."

Greg stood up and walked right to the edge so he could widen his field of view. "So, they settled from behind us that way," he pointed, "and then they went further north? Um, what was it again..."

Celestia remained quiet for a few seconds to see if Gregory would remember his geography, but when the silence stretched she answered: "Fillydelphia."

"Yeah!"

She shook her head. "No, that actually became a city before Baltimare. More fields that way, so farming families pushed further, earlier. There was also some fear of the griffins and ponies didn't want to live this close to them."

"Oh. Okay." Greg gaze returned to place nearer to the lake and he pointed: "That's our inn?! Jeez, no wonder I nearly died! I had no idea how far we were going!"

Celestia laughed at his mock-anger, especially once she saw the proud glint in the man's eye. "Aw, poor two-legs can't walk this far. Want me to carry you?"

"Hey! Mind your manners!" Greg pointed out sternly, raising a finger.

The mare just showed him her tongue, but Greg tapped her nose in warning. She mock-snapped at him, grinning.

"Such a disobedient pony. I wonder why I didn't send you away the first week I had you!"

She put her head to one side and gave this some thought. "Perhaps it was because I am pretty?" Her eyelids fluttered to show off her big, magenta eyes.

Gregory exhaled and shook his head, but he was smiling. "Goof."

"Loon."

They both laughed and Greg sat back down, leaning against the pony. He picked up another piece of the pie and bit off a chunk. Celestia went back to her sandwich, but didn't yet put it in her mouth. Instead she pointed a wing and spoke: "How about this: we will rest here for an hour or so and then we will keep going - slowly - that way." Her primary feather was extended in the opposite direction they had come from. "We might as well finish the circuit around the lake and the land goes downhill either way. We can take it slow and return to the inn right around sunset."

"That sounds good."

"Although, if you wouldn't mind delaying dinner a bit longer, I know of a few... ahem, 'secluded' spots along that route. Nopony would find us..." Her wing wrapped around Greg's shoulders and her feathers brushed across his belly.

"Yeah, m-maybe," he replied, blushing a bit.

"Oh, we should refill a few bottles from the stream. I do not recommend drinking the water from the lake."

Greg had to focus a little to hear the burbling of the nearby brook. Of course, something had to be feeding the waterfall.

"Good idea."