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A Princess' Steed

Chapter Four

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Written by Arian Mabe (Amethyst Mare)

Commissioned by Chris Silverhoof

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"Kevin, could you please come over here for a moment?"

Celestia perched at the head of the breakfast table, levitating a cup of tea before her muzzle as Kevin bustled about the kitchen, trying to make his equine lips whistle a tune as he busied himself.

"Yes, Celestia?" He addressed the alicorn informally, more at ease with her presence than he had been on their initial interactions. "Can I get you another cup of tea?"

"No, no..." She waved him off with a hoof, her rainbow mane and tail particularly sparkly for a morning at the beginning of the Equestrian week. "I thought you may like to sit and talk for a bit. I made a second stack of pancakes."

"Oh, that's so kind of you..." He gulped and fumbled over his words. "It would be r-rude to refuse, I'm sure."

Kevin eyed the other plate of pancakes set beside the princess and the one across from her, one with blueberries and one with strawberries. The stallion's lips quirked into a smile as he stood beside the table, which placed him at a better height for him to eat as his body did not seem to take to sitting on his haunches very well.

Chuckling, he inclined his head towards the blueberry covered stack, some of his confidence returning.

"I take it that that one belongs to Luna?"

Celestia chuckled and shrugged.

"You got me. What can I say? That pony does love her blueberries."

As Kevin dug into the strawberry covered pancakes, eating directly from the plate as he did not have any magic, the door to the princess' kitchen opened, permitting entry to a certain blue alicorn princess. Luna plodded in with heavy eyelids drooping over her eyes, tail clamped down firmly over her hindquarters. The moon on her hindquarters gleamed less brightly and her dark blue rump had the fur ruffled up as if she'd been in a scuffle of some kind. Even the waving nebula of her mane was less lively than usual.

Sitting up straight, Celestia gave her sister a sheepish smile, ears pricked and swivelling to catch every sound.

"Good morning, sister," Celestia chirped a little too brightly. "Did your nightly guarding duties run smoothly for you?"

Luna sighed and plopped down in the spare spot at the table.

"It seemed like every pony had a nightmare last night," she complained, levitating a forkful of pancakes, complete with whipped cream, up to her mouth as she talked. "Honestly, I was galloping from one end of Equestria to the other. There were also some very interesting dreams coming from Canterlot castle too."

Celestia choked on her tea and set the cup down, clapping herself on the side with her own wing. Luna smiled sweetly.

"Something in your throat, sister?"

"No, nothing," Celestia said through gritted teeth. "Nothing at all, dear sister."

Just how had Luna gotten into her dream last night? She'd thought she'd thrown up enough wards to keep the princess away while they were less than becoming for a princess of Equestria. Finding her resolve, Celestia held her head high and brushed away the notion that Luna had seen her do...that with Kevin, if only in a dream.

"Well, Kevin, I was wondering if I could possibly take you away from your usual chores later on today?" She ploughed on regardless, ignoring her sister's death stare. "The books in my private library need sorting through." She winced. "Twilight has been having some rather intense study sessions in there, or so it would seem from the resulting chaos."

Kevin bobbed his muzzle happily, seeing nothing out of the ordinary from the request.

"Of course! I'm happy to be useful wherever you need me. Could you show me how you'd like them to be sorted beforehand?"

"That would be perfect, thank you, Kevin."

"Not a problem."

Kevin swallowed his last bite of pancakes and smiled warmly, ignorant to Luna's stare, which had not moved from him since Celestia's request.

"I'll tidy these up then and be on with the usual chores if you don't need me for anything more, princess."

Celestia threw out her hoof, gently stalling the pony as he hustled to clear up the mess that he'd only, in part, created.

"That shall not be necessary. We shall ensure that all is left tidy on our departure."

Kevin's ears flicked, but he wasn't about to turn down the chance to evade kitchen cleaning duty; at least the suits of armour did not break if he accidentally bumped into any one of them.

"That's very kind of you, thank you. I'd better hurry up and get to my duties." A flicker of doubt crossed Kevin's eyes. "I'm not sure what chores I have on my schedule today, so I'll have to hurry."

Celestia shooed him off with a smile and a tip of her wing.

"Go, go," she urged softly. "I'll see you to sort the library in the afternoon, have no worry about it. I'll ensure the castle taskmaster is also aware that your presence has been requested elsewhere, so do not concern yourself with the details."

The grey pony smiled and practically pranced away, light on his hooves as his youthful body displayed his exuberance for him. Celestia stifled a chuckle as Luna looked on, eyes warily narrowed.

"Until this afternoon, Kevin," Celestia called after him as he departed, his prance breaking into a light trot. "I shall send word."

"Of course. And thank you!" He shouted back belatedly, skidding into the corridor as the kitchen door swung closed behind his hooves.

Silence fell between the alicorns as the stallion left, Luna's eyes never once leaving Celestia's face. Meticulously, the princess avoided looking at her sister, knowing she'd see there more than the usual sleepy bags beneath her eyes.

"Celestia."

She flinched from the sound of her own name, standing with a shuffle of her wings. Guilt pulled at the corners of her mind - was she doing wrong? - but she pushed it away, locking it down for closer inspection at a later date. Celestia drew herself up tall and pushed her chest forward, as regal a smile as ever painted on her lips.

"I have my morning meetings to attend to, Luna. I trust you shall enjoy your breakfast in peace and quiet this morning? I know you do not enjoy my chatter. There's fresh coffee in the pot, if you'd like to stay up a little longer too. I know how you like a rich brew."

When Luna did not reply, Celestia chuckled faintly and sheepishly backed away, heading for the same door that Kevin had exited through. She ducked away as the princess' eyes burned into her back, the silence unnerving even her enough to try and make a hasty escape.

Although Luna was not done.

"Celestia?"

Taking a deep breath, the mare put her head back around the door as Luna paused, eyes misted over with concern.

"Yes?"

Celestia braced herself, unconsciously tucking her chin down towards her chest. The princess of the night shook her head and laid both hooves flat on the table, taking a deep breath.

"Don't get hurt."

Celestia met her eyes compassionately, sending out a wave of love and warmth, carried by her magic, that she knew her sister would feel.

"I will do my best, Luna. But sometimes the greatest risks in life have the greatest rewards."

*

Sorting the library books back into their rightful places should have been a cinch, but Kevin sweated as Celestia sat on a plush cushion before a round reading table, a scroll unfurled before her. Her library was small, a single room with books lining every wall, but it was softly lit with no windows to the outside world. The only light came from the glow of the lanterns set around the bookcases and walls, presumably protected so that the flames would not cause any damage to the books if an accident was to occur. He would have asked her why she shut herself away from her sun, but the princess seemed so at peace with herself while he bustled about - was Twilight really so messy when she studied to leave the princess' library in such a state? - that he could not bear to disturb her.

Though there was one question that preyed on his mind, tickling the tip of his tongue until he could not keep his mouth shut any longer. Besides, Celestia had a cup of steaming tea set before her in a pink china cup and was surely taking a break from her reading when he finally found his courage and spoke.

"I thought you had meetings to attend this afternoon?" He said, by way of making conversation, though the words felt thick and ungainly in his mouth. "Did something change?"

The princess lifted her head and smiled pleasantly.

"I have postponed them. There has been news of Timberwolves appearing from the Eastern forests and I must read the reports carefully before attending the town hall later." She grimaced. "The ponies of Canterlot are a little worried that they will start encroaching on the outskirts, although that is, of course, far from their natural hunting ground."

"Wow, Timberwolves..." Kevin mused, carrying a stack of books carefully in the flat of his back to return them to their rightful places. "I sure hope I don't meet any of those out here."

"Oh, you won't. Not unless you'd like to go and see them. They really are magnificent creatures. Luna deals with them almost every week now in some shape or form."

"She does?" Kevin's ears wiggled and perked up, curiosity brightening his eyes. "Do you think she'd maybe show me what they're like - from a distance, I mean?"

Celestia rolled up the scroll with a rustle of paper.

"If you are interested in the Timberwolves, Kevin, I'd be more than happy to take you out to the Everfree forest myself at any time. You don't have to go with Luna."

The stallion lifted his head, confusion clouding his gaze.

"But you said Luna always dealt with them? I don't mind staying up to see what she does. Or maybe Luna doesn't want company," he added as an afterthought, ears drooping. "I wouldn't want to intrude on her night time solitude. She seems to like her space."

"I know one pony who you could never intrude on."

"Who?"

Celestia did not answer immediately, instead studying her teacup as if another beverage would magically appear. Of course, she could summon a fresh cup, or even a pot, of tea whenever she wanted one, but that was hardly the point.

Kevin scuffed a hoof across the floor and glanced at the stack of books he still had to put away, torn between his duties and wondering what the alicorn was thinking. It would have been so easy to turn his back and cheerfully chat about something else - it was not a tactic that he had not used in his old life to get out of more than one awkward conversation - but something kept him rooted in place, waiting. He held his breath, sides trembling with the force of keeping his massive lungs full of air that he wasn't willing to let out.

Not yet.

When Celestia finally spoke, his heart leapt into his throat, beating so swiftly that one beat became the next with no interlude between.

"Perhaps I'm the one who'd like to spend more time with you."

Kevin braced, front legs splayed.

"What do you mean?" He asked, unable to keep the hesitation out of his voice. "Is this why you asked me to help take care of your personal library?"

Celestia smiled. Squinting, Kevin tipped forward. Was that the hint of a blush colouring her cheeks? No, it couldn't possibly be...

"I like you Kevin," she said simply, unable to quite meet his eyes as she said the words that made him want to grin like a fool and flee with his tail clamped down. "And I'd like to get to know you better, if you'd also like that."

"I would like that," Kevin forced out, tail swishing as if to thwart invisible flies. "I just... Me? Why me?"

He frowned.

"Is this because I came from another world? Do you have questions about that? I'm more than happy to answer anything that you'd like to ask of me, only I don't know what you want to know."

It would have made the most sense for Celestia to be interested in his old life and the times he'd lived through, even if it would not have been the answer he'd truly hoped for. To his relief - evident, through the heaving sigh that rocked his whole body - it was not the answer he received.

"No, no, Kevin," she said gently. "That is not what I intend to do. I would, of course, enjoy knowing more about you and where you've come from, but it is the pleasure of your company that I desire."

Her eyes twinkled.

"I believe the fillies and colts are calling it a 'date' these days. Is that so?"

Kevin gulped, ears ringing as if he had been clouted across his skull. He shook his head, cursing how the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. If nothing else - and he could not deny the racing of his heart - it would be rude to turn down a request from a princess! Twilight had taught him that much!

"I..." He coughed and tried again. "I would love to..." He blushed. "Look, if I'm honest with you, I am surprised that you'd even ask me that. Are you serious?"

"Oh, very much so."

"Then I would be delighted to join you this evening, Celestia."

The alicorn smiled, ears perked, as her grin stretched nearly from ear to ear. For a moment, Kevin stared, wondering if his muzzle was capable of the same expression. And what had he just said? He was going on a date with a princess! The stallion hid his terror behind what he hoped was an impassive mask. Did he even want to? Could he not? What did he have to lose? She did seem incredibly kind and compassionate about her subjects... And she did have a particularly nice body too, even if he was not well versed in how the pony form was meant to look, if there was any particularly desired figure. Kevin shivered. Yes, there was definitely some attraction there, from his side at least.

Celestia spoke, dragging him from his thoughts.

"That is everything that I wanted to hear... And I was sitting here thinking you were going to deny me the pleasure of your company!"

The princess could not keep the grin off her muzzle either as she stood, scroll levitating in the air before her. She tied it closed neatly with the red ribbon it had come with and stepped away, neck arched and ears pricked sharply. Foolishly stuck in place, Kevin dipped his head in the clumsiest yet quickest bow he could manage. Celestia giggled and put a hoof over her muzzle.

"No need for that around me, Kevin. May I meet you at the main entrance to the castle this evening?"

Too tongue-tied to speak, Kevin nodded mutely.

"Then it's settled. I'll check my schedule and ensure there is time aside for us." She paused. "Plenty of time. I'll send a runner-pony with the exact time, so that we may not miss each other, but, for now, I must attend to my meetings. Not that I wouldn't rather stay here in your very pleasant company."

Stepping to the door, Celestia threw him a cheeky look back over her shoulder, half-hiding her muzzle with one of her wings.

"I know which pony I'll be thinking of! Until then, I hope you have a pleasant afternoon. You are relieved of your duties for the remainder of the day."

And, just like that, the princess was gone, leaving only a white feather in her wake, which drifted slowly down to the carpet. Hesitantly, Kevin stepped up to it and lowered his head, blowing at it lightly. It scooted away, but he hurried after, catching it delicately between his teeth as he tried not to smile too widely.

He was going on a date. Sure, he'd been on dates before, but sometimes... He shook himself, careful not to dislodge the precious feather from his lips. Sometimes a date was more special. A date with Celestia was more than just casual fun.

He shivered. Who knew - maybe there was even something there? He liked her well enough, though had not spent quite enough time around her to be able to tell just how much. Covert glances as she went about her duties as a princess of Equestria could only tell him so much, after all, but, even as a human, he'd never been one to admit too easily to his feelings.

But that was all set to change. He may not have known in his mind what his heart thought of the white alicorn as yet, but he was going to find out. And very soon too.

Kevin stifled a whinny, half-rearing as his tail whipped in a happy swish, hooves too jubilant to stay still.

He was going on a date with a princess!