Eclipsed

     It had been two months since she first abandoned her papers in an effort to get out and fix her condition, cure her of the black cloud constantly hovering over her head. Her depression hadn't really gotten any better though, and she had been getting increasingly worried, yet felt oddly....detached, she supposed was the correct term, from her emotions.

     Celestia had put off her formal official written resignation for two months now. With Andromeda on her impromptu and rather suddenly taken vacation, the castle was slightly less busy, though Orion seemed to miss his absent sister. he was also acting wierd, like disappearing in any free time he got. In the meantime, Celestia had been going out to more posh, snooty,high society events with Rarity, getting herself some socialization and Rarity more Canterlot Fame points. She was literally the talk of the town, and everypony important knew her as a wonderful guest and a marvelous dress designer.

     Her dresses were now officially designer label dresses, she'd become so popular. But now that Rarity was becoming more busy than ever with her business booming and the bits practically flowing from noble pockets to her coffers, she found herself back at square one. She was bored and lonely, but then Prisma began approaching her and asking to learn how to rule. Celestia had gladly accepted to teach her niece, when she resigned Prisma could fill her place.

   Her official form of resignation-she liked to call it the 'retirement writing'-was nearly complete. Then she'd have to go through it again for more errors before sending it in and hoping Luna didn't lose her temper and go all Nightmare Moon on her again. Actually, she'd be praying that Luna's temper would hold, which was ironic because she was the pony everypony else prayed to.

   She sighed and set the papers in their folder on her desk before trotting to the blazing fireplace and idly using her magic to change the color of the flames. Her white fur seemed dyed by the light, so she held out a hoof and watched it. First purple, then navy, then gold, then black, then orange, then green, then cyan, then teal, then red, and so on until she could no longer think of any more colors to make the fire be.

    On the other side of the door, a hoof kissed the wood repeatedly. "Come in," she called, adding some seemingly genuine cheer to her tone and a gentle smile that she hoped didn't look too fake to her face to hide her depression. A flowing, ethereal double-rainbow mane poked its way slowly through the doorway, followed by a long black horn and the rest of her niece.

    "Hi auntie Tia! I'm here for my next lesson!" she said cheerfully. Somewhere in the vast space that was Celestia's mind, a loud smack could be heard as a mental hoof met a mental face. How could she have forgotten that she had agreed to let Prisma help her with Day Court? Sometimes she surprised herself with the types of things she always had managed to forget completely.

   "Oh! Let's hurry, it won't be too long before the lines start forming and we'll have ponies to help!" she said quickly and cheerfully, and added under her breath, "and sniveling, nasal-voiced, stupid, snotty, and other words that all amount to annoying; nobles to beat upside the head with the secret royal sceptre."

  Prisma didn't hear her under-the-breath elaboration at all.

* * * * *

    ".....and so you see, Princess, I just need some of the guard dispatched to deal with the manticore that's been terrorizing my farm," concluded the prostrate green earth pony mare in front of them. Prisma spared her regal aunt a glance, and , catching Celestia's approving nod, turned her head and focus back to the bowing pony and spoke to her.

   "Please, bowing isn't necessary. Now, about the manticore. I will dispatch a squad or two of guards to go with to your property with you. They'll also accompany you home, Ms. Horseradish.They will take care of the manticore and any other Everfree monsters lurking near your home and your farm, I promise. Thank you for bringing this matter to me, and have a good day."

    Dismissed, the mare turned and trotted out of the petition hall. Celestia sidled up to her niece and whispered "Nice touch, thanking them. Remember to dismiss court for lunch." before moving back to her previous position next to her niece on the golden dias.

    The next petitioner was one of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire to be exact. "Princess, we're requesting permission to recruit some new members. The ponies in question are Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. With your approval, we'll notify them of their new status."

     Celestia answered her. "Of course. They'll be excited, I'm sure." Spitfire chuckled. "Yeah, I bet Rainbow'll be doing her whole 'ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh' thing she does when she's excited. See ya, Princess."

* * * * *

    "That's the last of them, Princess." a guard said as his colleagues closed the petition hall doors. "Of course, corporal. Have a  wonderful night and sweet dreams." Princess Celestia replied. The guard bowed to them and exited the room as thestral patrols began to take to the halls.

    "Nice going, Prisma. Soon you'll be able to run court on your own without anypony's help. Of course, you'll have to pick your own royal advisor." Celestia teased.

   "Yeah right. Goodnight auntie." Prisma said, giving her aunt a nuzzle as she walked down the hall to her quarters. She passed a door where her Legion of Light rank blues had just been replaced by Luna's thestrals.

   Celestia sighed and began the trek to her own nickels. Dimes. Quarters. Whatever.