As Celestia brought forth the dawn, the sunlight hit Blueblood’s face and he began to stir. He grumbled, shifting...only to feel some extra weight. When he opened his eyes, the haze made it hard to see, but he felt the extra weight around his neck. As he tried to shift and look, his vision slowly clearing up, he spotted the source of the extra weight...Blue Spice was acting as a cling on neck pillow. “...Saffron.” He whispered, unsure how to deal with, or even make of, the situation.

She groaned, but didn’t wake.

“Saffron.” Blueblood said a little louder, using magic to nudge her.

This time, she began to wake. “Uhg. What? Yes Blu-” She stopped, turning, eyes going wide at seeing Blue Spice wrapped around his father's neck. “Psst. That’s adorable.”

“How did this happen?” He asked, still whispering.

Saffron smiled as she levitated Blue Spice off of his father, taking the still sleeping foal into her arms. “My father and I share a small apartment, we share a bed also, and sometimes Blue Spice crawls in, and makes himself comfortable. Usually as a cling on neck pillow.”

“...He gets that from you.”

“Shut up.” Saffron giggled, giving a playful hit to Blueblood, followed by a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll go make some breakfast.” She said, getting out of the bed, placing Blue Spice in his crib, then heading off to the kitchen.

Blueblood chuckled as he got out, then felt a tap on his side, and nearly screamed at seeing Hopper next to him. “I...am putting a bell on you…” Blueblood grumbled, calming himself.

“Just thought I’d give you the heads up.” Hopper said, taking joy in scaring his friend.

“Heads up on what?”

“You’re the new neighbors. And I managed to talk with the staff of at least four blocks worth of the neighbors and they all said that their ‘masters’ are coming over today for a surprise visit around five.”

“Thanks for that. Go tell the staff that came with the place, I’ll tell Saffron… By the way, how many neighbors, and how many are on staff?”

“Six neighbors. The Sparkles live the furthest, the La Trutins, live across from this place, the Maralots next door and a trio of mares living on the other side of next door, they have only a maid that lives and works there, so four, Sassy Saddles, you met her shopping yesterday, A rather odd mare names Tree hugger, Harshwhinny, and the maid Zesty Gourmand.”

“Zesty...wait, wasn’t she a well known critique? What’s she doing working as a maid?”

“Your wife and the Elements of Laughter and Generosity happened. The elements helped her and her father rebuild their relationship and got the whole of the dining district to colt-cot her and her tastes and rating system. Personally, makes those elements my heros, lunch is fun again, but she got sued like crazy by angry readers and reviewed restaurant owners. Lost all her money, and here she is.”

Damn, she’s either not gonna come, or make a big bitch out of herself because of what Saffron indirectly did to her… Blueblood thought, making a mental note to keep an eye out for her. “Alright, the last two?”

“The home of the Heartstrings, their daughter has moved to Ponyville, but the mister and misses still reside there, and a mare named Moondancer living in...I’m just gonna call it a shack on the other end of the street. Only income is from her parents, which I have no idea who they are, and until a year ago was a shut in till...something happened. Guessing a midlife crisis.”

“Alright then, the staff?”

“Hopper, pegasus personal-”

“The ones not you…”

Hopper just grinned. “Savvy Quips, the chief, I imagine your wife is meeting her now, the twins, Zebra’s too, Agora and Addie, maids, the groundskeeper, Radish Radish, a Minotaur surprisingly, and the security guard, Minowhisp, a griffon. Oh, and the surprise addition that came in this morning, Quick Whit, personal tutor and nanny for the foal when the paperwork was put down that a foal was living here. Pegasus, married, son living somewhere I don’t know as an author.”

“You know that about her and how?”

“Was talking with her before coming here.”

“Ah. Good...well, go tell the staff to set up for a party. Looks like I’ll be teaching Saffron about the basics of being a noble and royalty, public interactions.”

“Yeah...good luck with that bud.” Hopper said, giving Blueblood a quick pat on the back before heading off to find the staff.

“...This is going to be a challenge…” Blueblood muttered, off to find his wife.

“Alright everypony...body, meh.” Hopper said, Before him was the staff. “Guests are coming so us, being new to the neighborhood, have to impress. I need theme, anyone?”

“Flowers?” Minnowhisp asked. The gryphoness small for her race, brown body fur with red tipped white feathers.

“To predictable. Anyone else?”

“Well, how about food?” Radish suggested. “Bosses wife used to be a cooking mare, might be nice.”

Hopper thought it over. “Well it’s fitting. Plus if that Zesty mare shows up and if she makes a scene, at a party where good food is the theme, and the food will be good, that will just add to her humiliation. If she’s smart and does show up, then she’d know best to keep her head down. Alright, let’s go get the backyard ready. Anyone here who wants to help cook, feel free, but follow the misses and chief's orders to a T.”

With the staff a bustle either cooking or getting the yard ready, Blueblood was left with his son in the lounge. Saffron was aiding the chief cook as many of her recipes as possible, so Blueblood was left alone with his son. “So...how come you don’t talk yet?” Blueblood asked his son, who merely shrugged. “Alright...Well, you start school in a year. Looking forward to that?”

Blue Spice looked confused.

“You don’t know what school is yet huh?” Blue Spice shook his head. “Alright...Well, School is a place where foals go to learn things and since you’re a unicorn, learn magic and how to use your horn proper. I’m sure you’ve have little episodes where you want something and your horn lights up and your mother ends up chasing you all around the house right?”

Blue Spice shook his head.

“Well, that can’t be right? At your age magical spikes and fluxes would be at their highest. If not just starting to settle.” Blueblood began to ponder this predicament. While his bloodline isn’t known for magic, they aren’t known for any health issues regarding their magic either. “Can you at least light it up?”

Blue Spice closed his eyes, scrunching his nose and looked almost constipated as he tried to get his horn to at least glow. After about five minutes of trying, the foal simple plopped onto the floor, giving up. “Now don’t do that, that’s no way for a gentlecolt to act-.” Blueblood caught himself in a hypocritical situation. Not too long ago he himself acted nothing like a gentlecolt. It may have been years since those days, but he image is still tarnished, his nobility and wealth only sustained by his adoptive relations to the Princesses. While his own industry still thrived, and most have moved past his previous actions in his past, he himself knows one slip up of speak up of the past will start the cycle again. Still, it was best if his son knew how to be proper, and not spoiled like he was.

First thing was first though, he wanted to get Blue Spice checked out, he was old enough to be able to use magic, but could not even make his horn glow. Blueblood checked the time. Seven forty-three. Guests would arrive at five. Little over nine hours. There’s time. He figured, levitating the foal to his back, not even realizing what he had just done. When he placed his foal to his back he froze. It was an odd feeling. Not unwelcome, or unwanted, just...new to him. A new feeling all together Blueblood never experienced before. A sense of fatherly pride, and protectiveness.

Ponies placing their young on their backs has for years a means of keeping them safe, when on the move or just to give peace of mind to the parent. Blueblood knew once Saffron saw this, she’d want to take a picture… he wouldn’t mind that, now that he thought about it. Blueblood had to prove himself not just a proper husband to his new wife, and father to the son he never knew about, but also to himself. He had a whole past life to correct, and it would be many years before he could prove it to himself. It was like starting over again, like he tried after that night with Saffron all those years ago, but this time, he wasn’t hung over, and he wasn’t going to be alone.

After breakfast he told Saffron about Blue Spice and she agreed his lack of magic was worrying, so, they took a carriage ride to the foal doctors. Once there Dr. House, an old, grumpy, and rather rude, but brilliant nonetheless, he accepted them and began the tests after hearing his and Saffron’s claims. Two hours later, he came into the room. “Well, I can tell you two without a doubt that physically, your son is a perfectly healthy colt.”

Saffron gave a sigh of relief, but Blueblood knew better. “And magically?” He asked, making Saffron tense up all over again.

“Magically, your son is abnormal.”

“Abnormal...how?” Saffron asked, feeling worried.

“Well, his mana pathways are, how to put it… smaller, than normal.”

“Smaller?” Blueblood asked.

“Yes. Think of it like how when you have a hose and you apply pressure to a spot along the way while the water is flowing through it. That pressure makes it harder for the water to come out properly. In your son’s case, it’s like you apply pressure to the whole hose, making the water slow, like leaks. Now, sooner or later he will be able to use magic, but I can guarantee he will be no Starswirl. It will be hard for him to use basic tellikanisses. I can warn you though now however, as there is no magic flowing at the moment at all, when it does first come out, it will be all his years of what should have been surges coming out all at once. It won’t be pretty.”

“I see.” Blueblood saying, knowing that will be a rather bad day, not only will all those years of unreleased magic burst out all at once like a bomb, but Blue Spice will also be scared while it’s happening, in pain likely also. Two combinations that, when a unicorn as young as Blue Spice experiences them, during a moment like that, it will be far worse than predicted. “Will there be any kind of warning signs when the time arrives?”

“If you mean aside from your child almost exploding with enough magical energy to move the sun and moon? Yes.” Dr. House said sarcastically. “He will get very twitchy, jumpy, and hyper. He will also not eat much, as pent up mana in large amounts about to be released can cause stomach pains and/or lack of appetite. The earliest tell tale sign to look for however will be a negative reaction to other sources of magic. This includes yours as well.”

“How so?”

“Well, in the past reactions from foals with similar conditions have had reactions ranging from headaches to full on migraines rivaling that of severe head traumas. Just keep an eye on him whenever he is in the room when one or both of you are using magic. Once we know his burst is about to come out, we can prep him to stay safe and unharmed hear at the hospital.”

“Thank you doctor.” Saffron said.

“I do have to ask...do you know why Blue Spice doesn't talk?” Blueblood asked.

Dr. House merely looked at the foal, not having moved from his seat near the back of the room, looking at an image of the equine digestive system. “Well, nothing was abnormal in his MRI’s. All I can think is that it must be Psychological. I can recommend a therapist if you’d like.”

“Will that be too mu-”

“Thank you, we accept.” Blueblood cut in before Saffron could finish. Saffron herself felt and looked conflicted.

“Great, I’ll send a letter to her to expect you both and give you an address and name in a bit.” Dr. House said as he exited the room.

Once he was out, Saffron spoke up. “Blueblood, a doctor was one thing but a therapist? Isn’t that a little...much?”

“You not a fan of their work?”

“No, not that…”

“If it’s expenses you are worried about remember Saffron, it’s no big deal right now.”

Saffron tried to hold her breath, only to let go in submission. “I guess I’m just really used to being on a budget all my life.” She admitted. “Medical wise, dad and I got by pretty well, luckily. When I had Blue Spice that was our first medical bill… Heheh. Father about had a heart attack and cursed you for three nights straight.”

Blueblood couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Speaking of, where is he? Your father I mean?”

“We opened a restaurant in Manehattan a year ago and even though it’s also run by some family, two cousins of mine, and my aunt and uncle, father's brother and sister in-law, he has to show them the recipes and proper ways to cook slowly. He’s a real tight ass about that.”

“Ah. When will he be back?”

“He left a month ago and has been sending letters to our P.O box weekly. Assuming he doesn’t see the papers about our wedding, and that’s a rather big prayer, he won’t be back for two more weeks.”

“And if he saw?”

“I won’t be surprised if he’s at the house now.”

Everything was going well. Tables were set, backyard was prepared. Food was almost done and what was ready was spread out. Hopper had to admit, giving orders to the rest of the staff reminded him of his time in the Guard before he accepted Blueblood’s offer. That is, it was...until…

“Where is my daughter and grand foal you %*#(%*&#(%&*#*(&%&*#&%*#&%*#!!!!”

“Sir please! Prince Blueblood and Princess Saffron and the young Prince Blue Spice went out for a bit but will be back soon!” Hopper yelped, dodging a tray of triangle cut cucumber sandwiches.

“Royalty or not, he owes me bits! My Daughter bits! I will have his @*&#(*#*$ Testicals!”

Author's Notes:

Ending was the result of my writers block, but, I admit I also wanted some comedy. Don't sue me.