Blueblood Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 The Canterlot Palace gardens were not open to the public at this hour. Not tonight, anyhow. Tonight was one of the nights when they were reserved for Royal Use only. That ordinance was meant to reserve them for the two ruling Princes... but technically, they allowed in Princess Bluebelle as well. Many ponies would come out here to admire the moon. And one might say that the mare was doing so... in it's reflection on the pond. Although, a more realistic observer would say that she was engaged in studying her own reflection... ~ Prince Artemis was out and about himself, enjoying the night sky, gazing up at the moon that long ago had been his prison, enjoying his peace, his silence his... Artemis turned his head slightly, and spotted the blob of white in the distance, and sighed, walking over quietly, leaning in to be behind his /dear/ niece (That's what Celeste said, but alas her birth was before Artemis's return...) "Good evening dear" ~ "Hm?" Bluebell had been often described as "vapid," which was a word that the commoners used when they didn't look as good as a noble. Of course, only half of her looks were due to noble blood. The other half came from constant effort! Hence, the attention paid at all times to it... "Oh, hello Uncle. I was just seeing how the moonlight affected my mane." She tossed her golden locks to show how the silver highlighted them... even Artemis would have to admit she used the Moon's light to great affect. "What do you think?" ~ "It looks very nice, but there are more important things for a young Princess to be dwelling on, for instance, how goes your studies?" Artemis was not one for vanity, not in himself, nor others, and despite his Niece's brilliant beauty, he was far more concerned about her education and brains, she did bare the title Princess after all.. ~ "Studies?" Bluebell got all the looks in her family... but there weren't enough brains for a sibling, so she was only filly. She was an academic nonentity, as far as grades were concerned. But, that wasn't to say that schooling was teaching her nothing. For example, she was learning the all-important art of delegation! In charming other students to write essays for her... "Oh, they're progressing quite well, I should say." It was something of a testament to her social skills that she could keep a straight face saying that. ~ Artemis just stared at her, in a look of utter deadpan irritation "I see, then you wouldn't mind telling me who invented the spell of teleportation?" He asked, starting to circle her then.. ~ Bluebelle's answer came swiftly, confidently,... and erroneously. "Starswirl the Beardless." That mare had been associated with so many spells that her name had managed to penetrate into even the Princesses' skull. It was usually a safe guess." ~ "Very good, and what is so important about Starswirl?" He asked, as he continued to circle around her.. "What is her true significance?" ~ Oh, had she got it right? Excellent! Soon, she'd have Uncle Artemis officially off her case! Except... now he had given her what amounted to an essay question. She wasn't good at answering those herself. But, as no pliable stallions were in sight, nothing for it. "Uh... if it wasn't the spells.... was it the fact that she was... er, a she?" The Princess remembered something vaguely about that; beyond was nothing but a frontier of pure ignorance. ~ "Correct, Starswirl was the first female unicorn to ever acquire the status of Wizard, it is very important for you to study about her, she is a wonderful rolemodel, for you see, alas in Equestria's darker times, before My brother and I took rule...the world was not kind to females who wished to advance their magic, since you have no such limitation it is wise to advance yours" He nodded "Not only for what it expands your mind to, but to honor those who worked hard so that you have this chance.." ~ Outwardly, Bluebelle presented the picture of the ever-diligent pupil. Inwardly, she was sighing in boredom. Really, the reward for a question well-answered was another lecture? And it was all pointless anyway. Magic wasn't her strong suit. She knew it. The tutors knew it. There was no point in letting oneself grow pale and wan in a library when the tools of beauty and social grace came more naturally to a pony. Just because some egghead in the past had done something great, now every female unicorn was expected to follow in her footsteps! The Princess' internal mood passed from boredom to anger, but she kept calm throughout, only saying, "Yes, uncle." ~ "I want you to make sure that other ponies know that you are not someone to be trifled with " He said sternly, THOUGH that was sugared with obvious affection "I do not like the thought of others thinking that you are some pretty bauble with more mane than brains" Oh he listened to rumors, he heard dreams, he knew that her best features seemed to be only skin deep. "Besides, learn the right spell and it can make your mane literally glimmer like the stars~" ~ If Bluebelle had minded the rumors, she wouldn't have leveraged them to her own advantage. Ponies were easier to manipulate if they thought they were smarter than you. Still, the idea of not being trifled with was something quite appealing to the young Princess. The part about the glimmering mane perked her interest too. "Really? I've been trying to get that effect for months. I thought it had something to do with a shampoo/conditioner combination. I experimented with... pretty much everything I could get. Including Mayonnaise." She shuddered. "I swear, the key lime shampoo actually made it fizz. Maybe it had something to do with... acid composition? They don't put that on the bottles, you have to just try it and see what happens." Bluebell wasn't without brains, or scientific skill. She just had a very narrow range of application. ~ "Oh do NOT use Mayonnaise! It is only for headlice, and if it's the brand of Key Lime shampoo I am thinking of? Oh it frizzes the mane dreadfully.." He said, turning to glance at her "Yes really, in fact it's a reletivly simple spell if you wish to learn it " True Artemis was not vain....except about his hair, then yes yes he was... Moving a hoof to lightly touch her locks "Hmm, it does look well kept but perhaps it could use a nice, creamy conditioner to add added silk?" ~ "Yes, well, that would have been helpful to know before, uncle." Bluebelle replied in mock irritation. Truth be told, she was quite happy to have discovered a point of vanity in her Uncle Artemis. The Princes could be downright oppressive with their airs of Perfection, if you didn't know the flaws... "Well, I certainly won't say no to the lesson." She smiled, narrowing her eyes as she took a quick look over her uncle's hair. "Hm... if it's texture you're going for, yes. Coconut is always popular, but I myself have always preferred shea butter." ~ "Oh goodness, I am allergic to Coconut" He wrinkled his muzzle, "Shea Butter can work wonders, come along, let's go inside and find a good spot to practice, it really is a wonderful spell, I also know one for changing mane color, I used to turn your Uncle Celeste's mane random colors all the time when we were younger~!" ~ "Oh?" Bluebelle filed that under 'useful information' as she walked in her uncle's wake. "I've never had much use for changing mane colors myself, mine works well with my coat. Of course, other ponies aren't so lucky." She tried to chuckle along as Artemis recounted his foalhood pranks, but honestly, she sympathized with Solaris in this matter. Imagine waking up to find your mane had turned puce! It didn't bear thinking about. ~ "Oh I'd always change it to match his outfit, though he did rather love the fire red I did his mane once, it looked very fetching on him, but alas he preffers looking like the pastels decided to coexist souly upon his scalp..." ~ Hm, fire red... tempting, but no. That color came with stereptypes that were not at all useful to her. She could see why her uncle would like it, though. "Interesting. Oh, the east court looks empty, why don't we try there?" ~ "Excellent idea" That area WAS always rather empty, perfect for study... "I do not care much to change my mane color, but if I can glitz it up a touch I tend to do so, a thousand years upon the moon makes one rather bored..." ~ As Bluebelle entered the court, she tried to imagine what a thousand years on the moon would be like. All things considered, she would prefer banishment to Tartarus. At least there one had others to be admired by if one took care of one's appearance. But alone... "I'm surprised you still bothered, after so many years of nopony actually seeing you. I honestly have to admire that kind of dedication to aesthetics." ~ "Darling" He flipped his mane then "We do not look good for the sake of OTHERS, We look good for ourselves~" He said, glancing at her as he kept walking through the halls, glancing out the windows "Them liking how we look is just a side benefit~" ~ Well, that was certainly a philosophy to live by, as far as Bluebelle was concerned. And upon reflection, even when alone, she would not consent to actually look bad. Or, at any rate, feel as if she was looking bad. Not necessarily the same thing. The opinions of others were a useful correction to self-delusion, in her experience. Vanity may be a vice, but it did at least value the opinions of others. "The results do speak for themselves." She said admiringly. "Now how about showing me how you did that?" ~ "Very well, first and foremost this spell requires a clear mind...and the basic knowledge of a light spell, like so" He raised his head up, horn pointing straight up, it glew with the cyan blue of his eyes, which were now closed, before turning into a bright light. ~ Right... Light Spell. She knew how to do that. Hers required a little more concentration, but soon her own horn was glowing the teal of her own irises, brightening into a white light. ~ "Now I want you to focus on that light, feel it's warmth around your horn, tip your head back just slightly, and focus on that glow, that warmth flowing through you, consuming your mane in it's brilliance" ~ Hm... this required not opening her eyes, as that would likely blind her. Just feel... the warmth spreading back behind her ears, lighting up and lifting her mane. Slowly, the glow suffused it, before releasing in a bright flash. Bluebelle's mane held the glow just long enough for her to open her eyes, and see it fade. "Oh... this is going to take more work, I think..." ~ Of course Artemis's was glowing with the radiance as he had much more practice, but he looked proud "You did well for your first time, it requires focus to get it to stick, but once it does...It really does suit you, perhaps we can perfect it before the gala, and you can make quite the entrance hn?" ~ Failure was something Bluebelle had grown used to in magic. Never before, however, had she been so motivated to overcome it. That was the power of practical demonstration, and personalized tutoring. "I'll be sure to practice it, Uncle. I'll just... need a few minutes before I try again." ~ "Take all your time dear" He'd make a magic user out of her yet, one spell at a time.. ~ After a few deep breaths, the Princess was ready again. She gathered a glow to her horn, letting it grow gently this time. Soon, however, her magic was glowing even brighter than before. Bluebell began to infuse her mane with it... and her control slipped. BAM Once the smoke cleared, it revealed a slightly singed princess... with a mane styled like a dandelion. "Ow... Uncle, how bad is it?" ~ She was doing good.....doing...He grimaced at the boom... "Oh..Oh it's.." He focused , horn glowing "Oh hold still dear and I'll fix it..don't ask how it looks.." ~ Bluebell whimpered, as her imagination filled in the gap left by her uncle's lack of description. 'Bride of Frankenpony' immediately came to mind. She kept absolutely still as Artemis began to fix her mane. ~ Artemis came closer, and closed his eyes, her mane gently glowing as he focused on repairing the damage, infusing a bit of glow in it as he went, temporary ofcourse but after that disaster... "There..." ~ Bluebelle began to relax as she felt her mane being fixed. It was one of the instinctive reactions of ponies, known as the Brushie effect. Once Artemis was finished, the Princess sighed and smiled, opening her eyes... "Thank you, Uncle." She reached back to feel her mane, the glow tingling on her hoof. "Oh..." She immediately began looking for a reflective surface, finding one on the polished marble tiles of the floor. "It's... wonderful..." ~ He chuckled "You'll be able to do that yourself soon... come, shall we go back to the lake, so you can view it properly...?" After all the floors didn't quite do it justice.. ~ Bluebelle's expression was bright and hopeful, everything a teacher could want in a pupil. "Oh, yes!" She trotted out, humming to herself. Soon... soon she would be able make herself even more beautiful; a suitable look for a Princess. Upon arrival at the lake, she looked in... and saw the stars themselves in her mane, lit all by the light of the moon. The sight took her breath away... ~ Artemis was pleased, it was good to see her so bright and hopeful, true it was for a rather vain, and frivilous reason, but...well they seemed important to her, it wouldn't kill him to let her be herself... "I take it you like it then....?" He asked quietly. ~ When she next looked up, Bluebelle's eyes were shining like her mane. "Oh, yes Uncle Artemis! It's wonderful..." To her credit, she kept her head up for a few 10 seconds before her gaze was drawn back down... "Wow... when did you first come up with this?" ~ "When I went to my first Gala" He shrugged "I..I was a rather vain child, and I wished to make an entrance, I worked on the spell tirelessly, and made quite the dazzling entrance" He thought on it a bit,and smiled fondly, it really was a lovely memory.. ~ She nodded. It made perfect sense. Of course you would want to go all out for the biggest event in Equestria... "But how did you even get the idea? What made you think it was possible?" ~ "I...might..have been staring at my reflection, trying to think, and noticed the stars behind me, and that my mane matched the night sky...and.."He flushed "Oh don't let me prattle on, it makes me sound so..." So vain. ~ "Oh, don't be so hard on yourself, Uncle. It all sounds perfectly reasonable to me!" Not, perhaps, the most glowing of endorsements. Still, vanity had its advantages. A teacher could make good use of it as a lever, and Artemis had done so. Come next Monday, Bluebelle would be paying a good deal more attention in magic class. ~ He chuckled "Well it made a striking entrance, and in time..you will do so as well " He was glad to know he had interested her "It's really a beautiful night.." His wings itched to fly...but alas his dear Niece did not seem to posess wings... ~ The lake surface reflection held the night sky. Almost nothing else could, but even then it only held a small portion. Once again, Bluebelle's eyes were drawn upwards to the night... and how it framed Artemis. "You know, it's almost an unfair advantage for you, being able to shape the background as well as the show." She teased. ~ Artemis glanced at her and chuckled.. "I do suppose that is true, but mhm when you got it, you got it" He glanced at the moon again "...Bluebelle...would..." He paused. ~ 'When you got it...' yep, Artemis had it right. Bluebell smiled, but then tilted her head, curious, as her Uncle paused. "...What? What is it?" ~ "..Would.. you like to go flying with me...?" He finally finished. ~ That... was unexpected. Bluebelle had never considered flying before in her life. It was what pegasi did... and ailerons too, she supposed. Which meant that it was royal, and she was royal... so why not? "I... would like to... but how?" ~ "It would be temporary" He assured her "Just..just till Celeste raises the sun...but I could do it.. for a few hours at least..if you truly wanted to" ~ It took a few minutes for it to dawn on the Princess. At first, she had just thought Artemis might carry her... but he was implying that he would actually give Bluebelle wings! "Oh! I... I would!" ~ A soft smile crossed his face "Very well, stand over there a bit please.."He wouldn't be able to do this EVERY night, but tonight, just a moment between them, it seemed like the perfect time to do so.. ~ Bluebell's eyes had been shining before, but not so brightly as now. For tonight, at least, she would be a full Princess. Horn, wings, beauty, no arguments from no pony! Why didn't she spend more time with Uncle Artemis? He was a really awesome relative! ~ It took a bit of focus, his horn glowing as he raised it up, spreading his midnight blue wings out, before lowering his head, aiming at Bluebelle, it lifted her off the floor, and the blue and white tinted magic swirled around her, causing a bright flash, when it cleared, she would have a lovely pair of white wings. ~ The change felt... weird. There was no other word for it in her vocabulary. How else do you describe the growing out of bones, the branching out of nerves, the overflowing sensation of becoming something new, something greater.... Once it was done, Bluebelle flapped her wings, feeling the air underneath as something almost solid, that she could just push against and be aloft. "Oh... my..." ~ He chuckled, wings still outspread "Now do remember, it's just for tonight..." He didn't want her hopes up too high.. ~ The knowledge that it was temporary may or may not have imprinted itself on Bluebelle's brain. In any case, she seemed in a hurry to go and see what she looked like. Rushing back to the lake, she saw.... Well, somepony that was not quite her. An ascended version, as it were. "That... is that me?" ~ Artemis walked over, looking down at her reflection and chuckled "Yes, yes that is you, that is all you could be ...." ~ "All I could be..." Her voice trailed off, as her gaze went from the present, to the possible future. Could... could this really be what she would become? If... she would... Bluebelle rocked back onto her haunches, wings automatically unfolding to catch her. "Whoa... uh... really?" ~ "Why yes, the world is different now, in order to be come as you see yourself now, you must understand yourself, you must find that one goal, that one destiny that seizes you, that helps you fufill your potential, that benefits not only you but all of Equestria," He said and chuckled, "Now come, we will discuss it later..~" ~ Her one goal... her destiny... up until tonight, Bluebelle hadn't thought of her destiny as being anything but the most beautiful and admired mare in Equestria. Maybe a little diplomatic work, but nothing major in her ambitions. But now, her imagination was stretching with her wings. She wanted to bite the air. She wanted to fly. "Alright. I want to get some use out of these before sunrise!" ~ Artemis bent his legs then and lept in the air, taking flight "Come along then, and perhaps come the end of the night, you might be interested in an offer I have for you" ~ The Princess had never flown before, but there was a magic in her wings. No surprise there, considering that magic had given them to her. In any case, her body knew what to do before her brain. With a bit of a running jump, she was airborne! Her wing flaps were frantic at first, tilting her to and fro as she sought balance. Eventually, however, her motions evened out, and she began to enjoy the ride. It was thrilling, to feel the wind in her sparkly mane as she sailed freely through the sky. "This... is amazing!" ~ "It is indeed, now keep your wings open, let the wind dance with you!" He turned to the side, dropping slowly and then twirling up, flying up into the light of the moon. ~ Bluebelle wasn't quite so confident as to try to mirror her uncle's moves, but she certainly let the wind dance with her! She dipped, swooped, and sailed in graceful arcs, laughing with delight. ~ Artemis watched her carefully, ready to spring into action should she show a moment of distress, but seeing her take to it so well... well he had to smile, she was quite the flyer.. ~ The joy of motion was obvious, but regaining a steady pace was a far more... awkward business. Bluebelle shed more than a few feathers with her desperate flaps to re-orient herself. "Wh-whoop! Whoa..." She got there at last, though, breathing heavily. "There! That was... fun alright..." She looked over to Artemis, smiling. "You... said something about an offer?" ~ Artemis glanced forward once she seemed to be stable "Well as you know..My Brother has a student, whom she teaches all of her magic, and skill to...one who she takes under her wing..." ~ Bluebelle nodded. "Oh, yes... Dusk." The stallion in question was undeniably a prodigy, often at the Palace, but... well, never really talked to any pony. Always had his nose buried in a book, never going out, talking to any pony, or socializing in general. In fact, it was the impression that he'd left on her of what magical scholarship was like that had repelled Bluebelle from the subject. "What about him?" ~ "...Well...I have..recently been thinking of acquiring a ...Student of my own " He said, coughing a little bit as he kept his gaze forward. ~ "Yes....?" Either Bluebelle was slow on the uptake, or not wanting to accelerate the extension of the offer. Whether that was from reluctance, or simply because she liked to see her uncle stammer like that was hard to tell ~ "....Would..you be interested...?" ~ Well, there it was. The question... before tonight, Bluebelle would have refused out of hoof. but with the stars in her mane, and on the wing... well, how could she turn down studying under Artemis now? "You make a tempting offer!" She laughed, trilling like finely-crafted bells. "Let me think... why, of course!" She swooped once again, pulling out with more grace this time. ~ Artemis was practically glowing, turning to look at her, watching her swoop "Truly? You are not just agreeing to be polite?" Then again he'd seen her manners... ~ "Uncle, I don't do that sort of thing. If I don't want to do a thing, I'll let you know, all right!" Many ponies could testify to her curtness, even biting sarcasm, under those circumstances. ~ That seemed to satisfy his worry, and his smile returned... "Oh..Very well ~! I'm so glad! I've been wanting a student of my very own~" ~ "Ahaha, really? Well, I suppose you would, being such a good teacher and all." Bluebelle had been curious, though; as far as she could remember, Uncle Sol had been going to every entrance exam for his school, looking for promising talent. Artemis had been... more reclusive. Perhaps he didn't want to horn in on his brother's territory. ~ Artemis had a more..personal style 'Yes , I mean I am uncomfortable making students compete for well..such a position..I figured it would be best to simply find someone I care about and take them under my wing.." ~ "Well, you found me, so it worked!" The Princess wheeled about in the air, full of joy.... and possibly herself. Dear old Uncle had taken on a long-term project, alright! ~ After that flight and a good nights rest, Artemis was waiting the next day, what if she didn't show? What if she changed his mind? What if he wasn't cut out to TEACH!? ~ As for the student, her mind was less on the upcoming lesson, and more on the fact that... she was no longer an alicorn! True, Uncle Artemis had said that it would be temporary... but still! She wanted to be able to show off just a little! Oh, well. Only thing to do now was to figure out how Artemis cast that spell in the first place! And that started with knocking on his door. "Hello? It's your beautiful niece here!" ~ Artemis glanced at the door, and tried to not over eagerly spring towards it, magic throwing the door open 'Good Morning my dear! How did you sleep last night?" ~ "Oh..." She yawned, almost certainly on cue. "The excitement was a little much for me, I admit. You just can't stay still with a night like that behind you. And a possibility for more in front!" ~ Bluebelle stepped with excitement into the room, though being what she was, she moved with more of a sashay than a bounce. Still, for today, she was the eager student. "So... what's on your syllabus, Uncle Artemis?" ~ "Today I figured we'd go to the Starswirl the Beardless section of the Library" He said calmly, though there was a smirk on his face..a faint one. ~ Oh, a library day... Bluebelle's enthusiasm began to drain at the mention of the old wizard's name. "Um... OK, I guess." ~ He smirked as they entered the wing....there seemed to be a table with a box on it.. "Well I got you some supplies for your studies" ~ Bluebell's sashay had long since downgraded to a shuffle as they ended up in the library. "Supplies...?" She asked, lifting her head in the very mildest of curiosities ~ "Go on and have a look~" ~ Artemis' tone caught her attention, and she finally noticed the smirk on his face. "Hm? And just what are you up to?" She asked, but with a smile returning to her face as she opened the box... ~ Inside was a rather lovely broach, it was the color of the night sky, with glittering white diamonds all around it, though in the center very carefully etched in the very color of BlueBelle's eyes, was her cutie mark "I figured I'd start with a late birthday present, and then we could go into town for lunch, and plan how we shall do things..." ~ The Princess' mouth dropped open in surprise as she saw the broach, eyes sparkling as she lifted it out. "It's... beautiful..." She said, reverently, before looking up at her uncle. "You... you incorrigible prankster!" She shook her head at Artemis, pinning on the broach. "Thank you, though, that does sound lovely." ~ "The look on your face was utterly priceless~" He smirked and chuckled "I'm glad you like it" ~ "Hm, it was well chosen. Speaking of which... where did you plan lunch?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblood Posted January 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 "Hmm, you know that trendy little place..ah the one named after I think a flower..." ~ "Oh, Sunflower, you mean?" Her ears perked up at that. "I hadn't gotten around to patronizing it yet, but I've heard good things since it opened." ~ "YES! That is the name, at first they tried to dismiss me, and then " He chuckled "Well then he looked up from his paperwork" ~ Bluebelle giggle. "Perks of royalty~" she smirked, finishing the adjustments of her broach. "Very well then, let us not miss our appointment..." ~ He nodded, before starting off, glancing back at her "Keep up dear, a student must never walk BEHIND their teacher" ~ That was first that Bluebelle had ever heard of that rule, but she wasn't about to disobey her uncle now. "Coming!" She called out, trotting to keep up with him. ~ He moved a wing and drapped it over her , gently showing her where to go "I want to keep you at my side, as it were.." Releasing her after a moment. ~ "Um, OK..." Bluebelle looked up at Uncle Artemis after the wing-hug, not quite sure what to make of it. "Have... you had trouble with keeping ponies around you?" ~ "....." His ears sort of drooped "...Dear Niece I was imprisoned in the moon for over thousands of years, my own fault ofcourse but when I returned...all of my friends, were long gone, all of those I had held close..the land has changed so much.... I do think I do" ~ A blush of shame crept over Bluebelle's face as she remembered, one second ahead of Artemis' reminder, of just how his banishment must have affected his social life. "Oh... I see." Perhaps it would have been wise to leave it there, but then again, no one had accused the Princess of excess wisdom. "Was... one of your old friends my ancestor?" ~ He glanced to her and smiled gently "Yes.. I was very close to your side of the family..that is why I wish to have you in my life..and to be my student, to honor them, for I love them and you very much..." ~ "Oh, I see..." Bluebelle had few tools for dealing with situations like this. While superficially more social, her social interaction were mostly superficial. But there seemed to be one obvious thing to say back, though. "I love you too, Uncle Artemis. Thanks... for all of this." ~ Artemis smiled, before looking forward "It is the least I could do, truly, I should tell you some stories of your family sometime, one of your great great grandfathers used to accompany me in my prankings.." ~ "What? He did?" She'd never heard of any such stories from her parents! they had left the impression of a constant stream of dignified royal lineage down to the present day. ~ "Oh yes!~ His parents turned a blind eye due to my ranking ofcourse, but we got in ever so much mischief~" ~ "Huh." Bluebelle looked away, re-thinking a great many things about what she'd known. "We're... not going to be doing anything like that, are we?" ~ "Of course not dear, you and I shall have our own unique experience..nothing that can be, nor ever shall be replicated" ~ Bluebelle wasn't worried so much about being unique as she was of keeping out of the business of pranking. It seemed... beneath royalty, to her. It was not exactly dignified, and in any case, seemed a little mean for someone in a high position. "Well, that's good- oh look, we're here!" ~ He nodded, of course he'd never mention every single prank had been on his elder brother~ "Yes, so we are" Artemis approached and spoke to the waiter of their reservation, they were both lead into the restaurant. ~ Heads turned at their entrance. As well they should Bluebelle thought as she graced them all with a brief smile before heading off to where their table was, enjoying the sounds of the whispers behind her. "And just like that, we've made this place a Canterlot institution." She said in a low tone to Artemis as they took their seats around the table ~ Artemis giggled "I do suppose we have" Being handed a menu, browsing it "Mhmm they have my favorite on here, WaterCress salad with mint, alas they do not seem to understand the vitality of hayfries to a meal..." ~ In Bluebelle's opinion, Hayfries were overrated. Actually, fried foods in general were. The attitude was a legacy of her mother's attitudes towards nutrition and 'the need to maintain one's figure.' She only shrugged and said, "Well, maybe they'll put in a special order for you. As for me, I believe the Eye of Day salad looks interesting." ~ Artemis scoffed "No, no at a fine dining establishment you order what is on the menu, though your salad does look delicious, I alas cannot stand Daisies, they make me feel " He shuttered "Afterwards.." ~ "Stomach troubles?" Bluebelle had heard that certain ponies had trouble with certain flowers, but somehow she had always thought her Uncle immune to such things. "What's the point of being an alicorn if you're still tripped up by little things like that." ~ "And for some awful reason, my coat turns to frizz" He then blinked at that and chuckled... "Oh my dear, being an Alicorn doesn't prevent the small inconveniences from happning.." ~ A frizzy coat... Bluebelle shuddered at the thought. Sobering, to think that even the pinnacle of royal attainments must still deal with such pedestrian troubles. "Still, that does seem a little excessive." She remarked, giving back the menus to the waiter as they placed their orders. "First I've heard of daisies doing that." ~ "It's just one of those things" He shrugged softly, levitating his glass of water up, taking a sip, "Mhmm" Sitting it back down "This place is very lovely, it's so nice to see this kingdom having grown so much.." ~ Equestria had certainly grown in the past 1,000 years. Even now, it had not stopped expanding, with earth pony pioneers putting down settlements in the Painted Pinto Desert. "What was it like, then, when you started? I know it all began, more or less, with just one settlement from each tribe, but that was even before you and Sol ascended to the throne." ~ "It was small" He admitted "So very small, I remember the day the tribes found us though, there we were, young, and full of inspiration " He chuckled "It was also so very close, we had so many friends and ponies we considered family, but as time went on, I'm sad to say it felt like we were less and less equals and levitated to this near untouchable state" The stallion frowned softly "When I was younger I did not care for the bowing, I always thought it was silly...granted when they seemed to stop noticing me all together I missed it..just a tiny bit..." ~ It was hard for Bluebelle to imagine just how small it was back then; she'd lived in a large city for all her life, and Canterlot was much too large for all the ponies to be on familial terms with each other. And that was just one city in Modern Equestria! "Well, I must say I would miss the bowing too." She wasn't sure if that little joke was going too far or not, but it didn't make her pause too long. "By the way... where did the whole group of bat-winged ponies come from? Are they just different kinds of pegasi, or what?" ~ He was lost in thought for a moment, before glancing at her, and laughed "Oh..! Oh them! They are actually a tad different than a regular pegasus ~" ~ "Alright... so... what are they?" ~ "They are ponies. When I spoke to one of their elders, they said they originally lived in the Everfree, and over time their kind adapted to deal with the darkness, their eyes, have acute night vision, their hearing is on par with a bats, and in some cases they have echo location.." Artemis smiled "In a way they are just like you and I, but simply have adapted...changed with their enviornments' ~ "I... see." The finer points of biological development and adaptation were not prominently featured in Bluebelle's gallery of learned facts, but she got the basic gist of it. "So... are they all that good-looking, or do you just surround yourself with the best?" ~ "Oh my" He did so love talking about appearances "Would you believe that they are all gorgeous? Though I must admit one stallion on my guard has caught my eye a tad more than the others" ~ Bluebelle was impressed. An entire tribe of universally attractive ponies? Owing special loyalty and association to Uncle Artemis.... "That's quite the coup, if you don't mind me saying so." Her eyes widened at the casual mention of a crush. "Oh...? Do tell." ~ "I could introduce you to a few " He winked, before flushing "He's..so charming, and his eyes, well they aren't piercing yellow, green rather and ..he's got this accent...." ~ Wow, there were more perks to this whole 'Student of the Prince' thing than Bluebelle had ever imagined. "I would like that, thank you Uncle!" She smiled sweetly as the waiter came back with their dishes in tow. "Accent... Prench, Roaman? I've always liked the sound of their voices. They always seem ready to drop into poetry or rise into song at any moment." ~ "Oh then I just know a few of them that would absolutely love to meet you, all charming to a fault and with impeccable knowledge on how to treat a princess" Artemis forked a bit of salad "It's this.. mix... that has this gentle roll to it, it just..it sounds like he thinks so deeply and profoundly about every word he says" ~ "Hm... sounds like a poet to me." Heh, even she was getting a little dreamy imagining it. No wonder Artemis was smitten. "Have you spoken to him, or just admired from afar?" ~ "Mhmm I've...spoked to them ofcourse... and we've hit it off rather well " He grinned, flushing a little bit more "I do think we might...court...properly soon.." ~ "Well, congratulations!" The unicorn raised a glass to the aileron, before taking a sip and starting on her salad. "I can only hope to be so lucky, I suppose. Still, with you as a teacher, I think that says good things for my odds, eh?" ~ "Oh most indeed" He clinked his glass gently to his, taking another sip "I'll help you find someone utterly charming, I assure you" ~ "Oh, thank you." It was hard for her to remember a time she looked forward to the future so much. Last week, Bluebelle's life had been a matter of high-class routine, and now... it was incredible how much could change. "Mm, it's really too bad you can't eat daisies, this is really delicious." ~ "It looks delicious, but this watercress is so top notch " He practically purred, enjoying his salad very VERY much "You are most welcome, do you prefer taller stallions or slightly more muscular? Perhaps something more in the middle...?" ~ "Well, if your coat won't frizz at a single bite, I'd be willing to exchange tries." The nice thing about eating at restaurants was being able to sample other ponies' entrees; the meal was made more social that way. "As for my tastes... well, it might be considered demanding to say both tall and muscular, but I think a Princess might be forgiven her exacting standards." She giggled a bit. ~ "Mhmm I'm willing to gamble " He said, forking her a bit on a plate, and levitated it over for her to try~ "Mhmm I can see the reasoning behind it,best of both worlds hn?" ~ Taking a select few petals on her own fork, Bluebelle levitated it over to her uncle, tasting the offered watercress. "Mmm... They must grow it fresh here; I've rarely had it at a texture like this." The Princess nodded appreciatively. "There is that, yes. There's something... I don't know, I just like looking up to a big, strong stallion." ~ He tasted the petals and tried to not melt"Mhmm they must, these are absolutely incredible..." He sighed, hating the daisy issue, but the flavor ahh..so worth it. "Mhmm it makes you feel all safe, and special hn?" ~ Bluebelle nodded, smiling at Artemis enjoying the food so much. "Yes, that's it. It's why I've found the winged ponies more attractive than any other, too; they have something more to hold you with." ~ The thought of a pair of strong wings wrapped around him made Artemis flush...a rather deep shade of red "Mhm..yes..quite" ~ It took a real strain of effort for Bluebelle to keep her giggles from growing into full-borne laughter. "Ah, I see I'm not alone in thinking that!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I hadn't imagined we'd have so much in common. I mean, I remember when you first came back-" She paused, suddenly, as her actual memories of that night came back. Another deep breath, to steady herself against the mood whiplash. "I... actually, I don't think I'd ever been more frightened in my life. Uncle Sol never talked much about you, so when the sky went dark, he disappeared and I..." She trailed off. She'd run for her parents, before remembering they weren't there for her to run to any more. "Sorry, I... didn't mean to bring that up." ~ "...." He just fanned himself with a wing and chuckled.., tilting his head "Oh, no no, it's quite alright, finish your thought ...I'm..comfortable talking about this..I promise..." ~ "Oh, alright then..." She took a drink of water. "It took a little while before Dusk Shine found those elements of Harmony, and all that while, I didn't know what was happening. I went off my head; I think most of us did." She looked back down at her salad, almost feeling... relieved. After the initial rush, the emotional weight was much less, now that she was talking about it. Maybe that had a lot to do with the fact that the big scary monster was now her favorite Uncle. "I will say, I would have given up my title for a pair of big, strong wings right about then." ~ Artemis chuckled softly at that and took another sip "I'm sorry I frightened you so, back then I was so angry...all that pain, all those feelings of being neglected, were so fresh, and I just let them consume me...I truly am sorry for causing you such fear..." ~ Bluebelle nodded, and even smiled again. "Apology accepted. You've certainly made it up to me by now!"The restaurant, while it's food was delicious, did not serve excessive portions. Soon, the meal was coming to an end, and the waiter had presented their check. "So, what were your plans for after lunch?" ~ Artemis wrinkled his nose as he paid the tab "Is it bad that my plans are "Go possibly fetch some frozen yogurt, or something slightly more substantial...?" ~ "Well, I don't mind so much myself, but I don't know what your brother would say of your teaching style!" The unicorn mare winked at him. "I won't tell if you won't." ~ "..." He just smirked softly "What he doesn't know won't hurt him..~" He said "Come along dear, let's go ..graze elsewhere hn?" ~ "Certainly." And with a tip to the waiter, teacher and student departed out into the street. "You don't suppose the waiter was eavesdropping, do you?" Bluebelle asked, once they had exited. ~ "If he was, then perhaps he could speak to the staff about Portion size" Artemis said with a slight snort, head up high "Ridiculous, back in my days when you sat down for a meal you were given a meal..." ~ Bluebelle shrugged. "I don't tend eat much in any case. Not for lunch, anyhow. Feasts are for... special occasions." She'd been about to say 'riotous peasants,' but that was probably not acceptable language. And in any case, was empirically shown to be not true, if you ever saw the Alicorn brothers eat in person. "I just ask because I've had to learn to adjust for the presence of... tabloids. And we were pretty free in our talking." ~ "It's not quite feasting, simply eating till that hungry feeling goes away.." though at the mention of tabloids, Artemis laughed "I do recall seeing one where they went " SHOCKING! Artemis's secret affair with Starswirl the Beardless!" He waved a hoof then, before chuckling "Sol and I laughed for HOURS" ~ "They had them back then?" Bluebelle was surprised. "I suppose some things never do change. What else has stayed constant over the centuries?" ~ "Yes! They were the silliest things!" He said though thought on it before wrinkling his nose "Terrible diet flavored fizzy drink? THat's been around forever...." ~ "Wow, and here I thought that was a sure sign of modern decadence." She shook her head. "Really, though, I think that if you must diet, you just have to do without the sweet stuff. Compromises never turn out well." ~ "Oh I agree" He nodded "Granted Sol and I were never good at cutting out the sweet stuff, thank HEAVENS, raising the moon burns so many calories!" ~ "I imagine it would, though I'll admit I never thought about it that way before." Another benefit to learning powerful magic, then. A little more food freedom would be nice, she had to admit. In fact, it made the quest for dessert they were now on much more attractive. "On that note, I remember you saying something about frozen yoghurt..." ~ "Indeed I did, there's a wonderful little store coming up, you can pick your own flavor, toppings, the whole works!" He loved the green apple yogurt with the soft chewie "Pochi" bites... ~ "Color me intrigued." Bluebelle said, even though she noticed that they were headed towards the more... bourgeois part of town. The store had that shiny, tiled look to it; a real middle-class aesthetic. ~ "You will absolutely adore it " Spotting the store with it's cute sign of a carton of yogurt, with a heart sticking out of the top.. "There it is!" ~ Well. 'Adore' might have been too strong a word, but Bluebelle was willing to give it an initial pass based upon her uncle's judgment. Entering the place, she was confronted with a wall of self-serving machines, each labeled with a different flavor. "Chocolate, Vanilla, apple, strawberry, pineapple, coconut... taro? What is taro?" ~ "It's a sort of root, very popular in deserts though for some reason" He was not a fan, levitating one of the cups up, tongue sticking out softly "Mhmm Pineapple...Red velvet cake..Oh their Green apple is heavenly" ~ "Hmm..." Ultimately, Bluebelle decided on half a cup of chocolate, and the other half being cherry. She was light upon the toppings, only adding a bit of fresh strawberries, with a few bits of pochi, just to see what her uncle saw in it. "That's one benefit to self-serving, one has a bit of control over what one eats." ~ "Exactly" He got one part Pineapple, one part Green apple, and one part red velvet, covering it in the Pochi, nothing else "My Treat of course dear" ~ "My, but you're certainly generous today!" Bluebelle remarked, touching a hoof to her brooch before taking a seat. With a delicate flourish, she sampled her treat with a spoon. "Mmm..." Cold, creamy, sweet... the combination of flavors was harmonious, causing a smile to spread unbidden across her muzzle. "Alright, I'll back your judgment on this place. Truly excellent!" ~ "I knew you'd like it" He said as he paid the pony at the counter, who looked happy to see him, as he maybeee came here frequently "This place is truly marvelous~" ~ The Princess nodded as she took another bite, this time with the pochi. It would have made an amusing sight, as her face adjusted to the chewy, sticky, unfamiliar texture. She swallowed, smacking her lips... "So... that's pochi, is it? I'm... not sure about it. What do they make it from?" ~ "It's actually made out of rice, pounded into a soft dough, flavored..try a piece just by itself, this flavor is strawberry~" ~ How did ponies even think of doing things like that? Bluebelle had never looked a bit of cooked rice and thought, 'You know? That would make a pretty interesting dessert item, if you hit it hard enough.' She took the offered piece of strawberry pochi, her face once again growing speculative. The fruit flavor wasn't really that strong, but she could tell that it had come from real juice. "Well... that's interesting." she said, in a tone that indicated she was still on the fence about it. ~ 'It's an acquired taste, like red bean deserts, which are amazing" He said, eating his own quite happily, it was a good day, this was relaxing, he liked a day of relaxing.. ~ "Bean Desserts?" Bluebelle asked, in a flatly incredulous tone. "Well, I'll take your word for it." She said, turning to finishing her own treat. Taking a look through the window, she watched the ponies passing on the street outside, busy with their own lives. She'd watched them before, but only from her balcony, not at street level. "They look much bigger from here..." She mused aloud ~ "....You should try watching them from the moon" He gently snarked, ~ Bluebelle blinked. "Oh, well, I guess that would make them seem tiny... but that's not exactly what I meant. More like... significant. More real." ~ "It is always good to spend time among other Ponies Bluebelle, friendship is a very strong thing indeed, and bonds with others open so many doors" ~ Bluebelle returned her abstracted gaze from the street to her uncle, humming in thought. "I suppose that's true... hm, and we could begin by you introducing me to those guards of yours, perhaps?" ~ He chuckled at that "Oh we can indeed, shall we be on our way then?~" ~ Bluebelle scooped up the last of her frozen yoghurt, savoring the final bit of her treat, before putting her spoon down and standing up. "We shall.~" She led the way out of the little shop, but had to pause, unsure of where to go next. "I... don't often go to this part of town." ~ "We'll be passing through it, and then will be back at the castle" He assured her, starting off down the street "Shouldn't be difficult.." ~ "Alright, then..." Perhaps it was silly, in fact it probably way silly, but the Princess couldn't help but feel nervous now. While no pony would likely be so stupid as to actually assault royalty in the middle of the city, she was walking unfamiliar territory without a guard escort... unless you counted Artemis. Actually, she probably should count Artemis, but... she stuck close to alicorn, just in case. ~ As Artemis walked, he noticed her fear "What is it?" He asked softly, seeing how she walked guarded, with hesitant, trepid steps, that seemed almost laced up in fear.. "Are you worried...?" He didn't understand that, this neighborhood was a touch rough around the edges, but it really was a beautiful and wonderful place.. ~ "Um, yes?" She wasn't sure if she should feel foolish or irritated at the question. "I mean, I'd be terrified to come down here alone! One wrong turn and I'd be lost, and... then who knows?" ~ "Always look up " He gestured then "The castle is always the highest point, you'll never be lost if you move towards it, and while this area of Canterlot does not sparkle, it is still Canterlot, and no harm shall come to you.." ~ "Alright..." She was still hesitant in her tone. She trusted her uncle, of course, but she couldn't help but be aware that if Artemis turned out to be overly optimistic, she had few options to deal with the consequences. At least until she learned more and better magic. "I don't know why, though... I just don't feel safe, here. As if something was... hanging over me, in the future, somehow?" ~ Artemis moved then, draping one of his wings over her "I can understand that, I too get feelings of forboding, though My brother and I are also prone to visions..." ~ Hearing that he understood, and feeling his wing on her, did help to ease Bluebelle's feelings, a little bit. "Oh? I hope there's nothing too bad in store for us, then. At least, not anything worse than, say, the return of the Nightmare, which was scary, but it turned out alright." ~ "...." He chuckled "My return was apparently a long awaited prophesy...I must admit I do not remember much about that night, but I /do/ remember my turning..." ~ "A prophesy... by who, exactly?" That had always puzzled her; had it been Sol who'd predicted it? But then... that didn't quite make sense, somehow... ~ "Well My brother and I are fraught with frequent visions, dreams...we noticed a pattern, that if we dream about a certain event it often comes true.. after my banishment My brother dreampt of a thousand years passing and the stars rushing to aid me escape.." ~ "Hm... I suppose that makes sense..." Bluebelle stopped short. "But wait, aren't you the master of dreams? So, wouldn't you be sort of able to... control the future, if that were so?" ~ "I am not the MASTER of dreams, I however cannot congure up untruths...I can ease your nightmares, or exadurate fears, but I cannot make something from nothing.." ~ "Huh." Bluebelle still wasn't sure she understood how that all worked, but now she was starting to ask herself if it was worth the trouble to find out. Well, what the heck; she was supposed to be Artemis' student, one more solid attempt... "So... you're sort of like a pony living on the edge of the Everfree? Like, you know the terrain, and can make use of it, but you don't really rule there." ~ "..That's a very good example" He praised, patting her shoulder "I know dreams, I understand dreams, but I do not control them, I can influence them however" ~ Aha, a first real bit of learning! Among a bit of esoterica, too! "I suppose those skills won't be included in the syllabus." She chuckled, as they continued on their way. ~ "Not exactly no " He snorted "It's a blessing and a curse, I did use to strongly fight off nightmares for my subjects but..." ~ "...But found a nightmare yourself?" Bluebelle finished, softly. That explained a lot. She didn't remember much from her formal schooling, but she did remember the bit about fighting monsters making you like them. Apparently, though, the obverse was also true; loving monsters make them like you. ~ "....Heh the worst kind of Nightmare..." He said softly "It started slowly over time, but it started to grow....." ~ "And then eventually, BAM! Big scary alicorn stallion calling for eternal night!" The Princess raised her voice suddenly, hoping to make her Uncle Jump a little bit. "Well, you're awake now, thank Sol. And Dusk too. Oh, we're almost home..." ~ He eeped at the sudden volume, wings fluffing up "EEEK!" ~ Bluebelle couldn't help herself, she burst out laughing. "Ahahah, your voice went all squeaky!" ~ "....Let that be a secret between you and I shall we?" He huffed, fixing his poor feathers.. ~ "Alright. I'll be especially sure not to tell your beau." Bluebelle winked as she opened the gate into the palace grounds. ~ "You best not, I need him not to think of me as a- HE IS NOT MY BEAU!" He flustered horribly at that ~ "Oh, not yet then?" A small twinkle of humor danced in her blue eyes. "Well, you can count on me to help on that end. If I think he's deserving..." The humor was replaced with a more serious affection in the smile. "You really deserve all the happiness I can help you get, after all you've done for me." ~ His muzzle seemed stained a rich red as he follow "I haven't truly done much" He stammered, but it was sweet, and it was so nice to see that under all that fluff that there was the heart of a good, kind pony.. ~ "Oh? One thousand and odd years of emotional and psychological turmoil, and you still remember to give your niece her best Birthday ever. I call that pretty worthy." She smiled as they walked through the flowerbeds. "I would like to meet him, though. When is he next going to visit?" ~ "Oh I do imagine by the next full moon" He said, a deep purr in his throat at that, before chuckling "...Why Bluebelle, ofcourse I'd remember your birthday...I'd never forget..." ~ "Oh? Well, I guess with how close our families have been... still! All the more reason for me to help! Next full moon, eh? Not too far off. Hm, and he'll be bringing those batponies with him... ~ "Oh a whole flock of them~" He purred "Oh one in particular I think you might like" ~ She turned her face up, interested and grinning. "Mhm? Go on..." ~ "One with big strong wings, and the brightest, golden eyes..~" ~ "Mmm..." Bluebelle's eyes became half-lidded and dreamy as she imagined it. "What's his name?" ~ "Cresent~" ~ "Crescent~" she repeated, rolling the name around her tongue, as if testing the feel of it. An uncle to make happy, a dreamy stallion to meet... Full Moon couldn't come fast enough! ~ "He's truly a gentleman, and in a modern way too! It's so pleasant.." ~ "I can imagine... oh! But here we are." Bluebelle only stopped just short of walking slap-bang into the closed palace doors. "Eh, let's go in, shall we?" It was only a week and a half, but the days seemed to crawl. Bluebelle had even gone so far as to actually study in an attempt to make the time go faster. Or possibly cancel out two opposing boredoms. How much actual education she got, with her mind half-distracted, was anypony's guess. She also ready a few books on manners and deportment, not wanting to come across as anything less than a lady, given that she was meeting a modern gentle colt. It would also help to serve as a kind of baseline to judge her Uncle's Beau (she didn't care what Artemis said, it was as plain as the blush on his face!) And then the day soon arrived... ~ The day arrived and the tall, large winged, emerald eyed bat pony and his entourage arrived, Crescent in tow, and Artemis quickly pointed out the stallion to Bluebelle "Oh your highness it is such a pleasure" The Head of the batponies greeted, bowing low. ~ Well! Artemis had not been pulling her leg when he talked about the universal attractiveness of bat ponies. At least, if he was, this group wasn't about the spoil the illusion! Bluebelle smiled coyly at Crescent, not wanting to be too forward, but feeling that it was only fair that he know that he had her attention. ~ Artemis blushed softly "It's always a pleasure to meet you Meta~""The pleasure is all mine" He said,drapping a wing saucily over the stallions shoulder...Crescent glanced at Bluebelle, and that face of his flushed, and he offered her his best grin.. ~ Oh, my... this Metamorphosis was certainly being forward with Artemis! Although she supposed they had been meeting for a while now, it seemed just a little less than purely gentle-colt like. But perhaps her Uncle preferred that? Anyway, her attention was on another stallion, who had caught her look and blushed. Bluebelle then decided to approach him as he grinned, making sure to take as graceful a pace as possible. Not too forward, but it would let him get a good look at her. "My uncle has said some very nice things about you, Crescent." ~Artemis flushed and the two soon quietly dismissed themselves from the current company Crescent glanced at her and smiled "...O..Oh? Has he now? How kind of him to do..and towards such a charming young lady" ~ Bluebelle brought up a hand to stifle a giggle. Oh, Crescent was really turning out to be everything her uncle had promised! "He is very kind, yes. I've been looking forward to meeting you... shall I show you around the palace?" ~ She thought about extending a hoof, since technically she was the one escorting him around her home. On the other hand, the stallion was usually the one to offer. Well, Crescent was a gentle colt, he could take the lead on this! ~ "Oh I'd love that very much..." Though he flustered then, offering her his arm, he seemed almost nervous to do so, but he did so want to be able to lead her around properly.. ~ Oh, so he was a shy type, was he? Shielding his insecurities with gallantry. Well, Bluebelle wasn't complaining! She took his hoof in hers, feeling a strange shiver go up her leg. Was that her nervousness, or something else? The feeling of destiny perhaps? She giggled. Best not get ahead of herself. "The great hall's just through these doors. It's full of tapestries, from all the centuries of our history. I think there's even one featuring your kind! Let's see if we can find it!" ~ He flushed as she led him, and perked "Truly?" Scanning the area, sometimes he forgot his own species..slowly stopping in front of a massive tapestry that had upon it a depiction of the changeling race, it was rather elegant..annnd spooky ~ Bluebelle was confused at first, scanning the tapestry for a depiction of battiness, before stepping back to take in the scene as a whole. "Hm? Oh, no I don't think this is it. You have to look closely to see, the colors of the ponies aren't right for... well, ponies." She tilted her head, looking over it. It looked like something Artemis might have commissioned for Nightmare Night, but it was good work in it's way. "You know... I don't know if I ever looked closely at this one before. I remember something about the bug ponies, when I was a little filly, but that's about it. What caught your fancy here?" ~ ".....Oh just the ah..scene! It's so...different and the detail on the wings, see how small beads have been woven in to mimic a shimmer?" Smooth recovery romeo... SMOOTH recovery.. ~ Bluebelle looked at him sideways, but decided to chalk it up to mere nervousness on his part. Many stallion were nervous around a gorgeous mare, after all; it wouldn't be fair to hold it against him! "Hm... you're right. I'll have to ask uncle who actually made this one." She looked over to the next tapestry, and her eyes brightened. "Ah, here it is!" She eagerly pulled Crescent over to show him. It displayed the exodus of the Bat Ponies from the Everfree, led by Artemis. This one looked to be in a similar style to the other one, being a night scene, but this one was much older, the threads cared for but worn. Still, it's elegance had not been lost to the ages, and the stitching details captured neatly the handsome features of the thestrails ~ "It's absolutely beautiful " He murmured, staying close to her, there was a fondness in his eyes, and yet to the untrained it might seem... detached, like the scene didn't connect.. ~ The lack of connection in Crescent's eyes did strike Bluebelle as odd, given that he was basically looking at his Prince taking leadership of his kind. Unless..."So... are you actually in service to Uncle Artemis? Or is your... community still living in the Everfree?" It would explain much if it was, actually. Particularly the way Metamorphosis bore himself like a fellow royal. Leading an independent colony would give him that attitude, perhaps ~ "Oh my king is very much in service to Artemis, I am..rather new" He admitted "To the guard, so I am not as entrenched in history as the others might be.. We do dwell in the EverFree but sometimes it is rather nice to be among others..." ~ Very much in service... well, that was one way of putting their interaction, but it seemed to Bluebelle that the service, such as it was, was mutual. She didn't comment on that. "Oh! Well, perhaps I will pay a visit to your homeland someday. I'm sure Uncle would be willing to take me." ~ "...I think such beauty in our kingdom would make even our most exquisite jewels look like pebbles.." ~ Such out and out flattery, while not displeasing to Bluebelle, did make her laugh. "Haha! Well, I should hope so, considering the work I put into it." She flipped her golden mane back over her shoulder. "But I will say, I think many of you might give me a run for my money! You all look so good, I mean, all of you! What is your secret?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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