A soft clopping knock at the door stirred me from sleep. "Yeah?"

"Sir," came the soft voice of the maid that had an interest in me. "Sir, you wanted to be ready for court, sir?"

I looked to the window where gloomy darkness met my eyes. "It's not even morning yet."

The door swung inwards a shy inch. "To be ready, sir, we should start now. May I enter?" Water Lily entered with a towel over her midsection on top of her usual maid's attire. "We have to get you washed and dressed. You have to make a good impression."

Easy sat up with a groan in her bed. "The sun isn't even out yet!" she complained bitterly.

Water smiled at me. "I am aware of that, but it takes time to properly prepare. Mister Langerman, will you allow me to continue?"

As much as an hour or two of sleep sounded nice, Water Lily was likely not wrong on the matter. I slid to my feet and stretched for the ceiling. "Alright, what do we need to do?"

Water brightened at my motions. "I won't let you down. Come with me." She turned back for the door.

"Hey, wait!" Easy hopped down and trotted towards us. "We're both going, aren't we?"

Water's left ear fell. "Are you? Oh, well, I would be happy to help you too, madame?" She didn't sound nearly as enthusiastic.

"Make me pretty like one of those hoity-toity court mares." Easy pulled herself up as tall as she went, horn held high. "We have impressions to make."

Water shook her head before she advanced on the door. "This way, sir, madame." She led us towards what was becoming a familiar bathing room. "We don't have time to draw separate baths. In you go." She pointed at the tub. "I'll launder Mister Langerman's clothing while you bathe."

And so we were cleansed. As it turned, Easy was willing to help clean my back if I returned the favor. I also discovered that hooves were not nearly as uncomfortable as washing tools as I imagined them to be, or Easy was capable of a gentle touch. Either way, we emerged cleaner than we had entered.

Easy was smirking as Water dressed me. "You're no minotaur."

Water tilted her head at Easy as her horn continued its work of dressing me. "You sound confident."

"I've seen things." Easy put a hoof to her chest. "You have too. It's kind of obvious once he takes his clothes off."

"Whatever he is, it's nice." Water nodded firmly. "What I wouldn't do to be so smooth and elegant." She sighed as she pulled things into place. "You're looking quite sharp, sir. The seamstress truly outdid herself."

I was dressed in bright greens and yellows, with hints of blue peeking through from clothing under the surface. "Your seamstress works quickly. Who's even paying her?"

Water waved off the concern. "We have no time for such worries, sir." She turned to Easy, measuring her with her eyes. "You aren't an unusual size. Please wait here." She trotted off, speaking something under her breath.

Easy frowned a little. "Did she just call me common?"

I reached and patted Easy Breeze on the head gently. "She's saying she can get you a pretty dress without too much trouble."

"Mmf, at least there's that." She crossed her arms as she settled on her haunches, looking quite pouty.

Water Lily returned with two dresses floating beside her, one to the left and the other on the right. "Which do you prefer?" she asked Easy, turning each in place for easy viewing. "The one on the left is made to be graceful movement. The one on the right is quite attractive, but is a bit extravagent--"

Easy pointed at the one on the left. "As if I'd bury myself in silks."

"I had a feeling you'd think so." Water carefully set aside the denied dress and brought over the other. "Stand still just a moment." She quickly had Easy Breeze dressed, pulling hooves through sleeves and sliding it into position with practiced ease. With one last pull, she had the unicorn's horn free and poking through a bit of a hood atop the dress. "You look quite fetching, madame."

"Yeah? Where's a mirror?" She turned in place before she spotted one and trotted up to look at it. "Woah! Who's that mare in the mirror?" Easy blew herself a kiss with a grin. "If it wasn't me, I might have to ask her out."

Was she...? I mean, it wasn't my place to tell a pony who they were attracted to, I just hadn't thought, in such a regressive time, such a thing would be so casually tossed out there. Of course, I realized, maybe she was just narcissistic, and liked herself. That would fit with what I had seen.

Water didn't seem to take much mind of it. "I'm glad you approve, Miss Breeze. Now, for a scent." Her magic glowed as a small series of little canisters floated into view. "I brought a selection for you to choose from."

And so we emerged from the bathroom, smelling pleasantly and wearing clothes worth seeing. I had a light pine scent. Easy Breeze had accepted a floral aroma. Water Lily looked quite pleased with herself. "Now you are ready. You should go to the courtroom--" She pointed the way down the hall. "--before it opens. Seating is first come first served for most. It won't do to be placed in the back, sir, madame, if you want to make a good impression."

"Thanks." Easy nodded at Water. "You're a top-rate maid."

Water seemed to accept that compliment with a reddened smile. "I do as I am bid, madame." She looked to me. "I trust you are also pleased?"

"I couldn't be more." I scratched her under her chin, an act she seemed to enjoy by the way she tilted her head up a bit and closed her eyes. When ponies trusted you, they could be just the most adorable things. "Alright, Easy, let's go make some friends."

As Water had promised, a line had already formed. We were about tenth in it and others were showing up regularly. The pony behind us was a familiar face. "Why, aren't the two of you looking sharp this morning," greeted Soft Word with a smile. "Already prepared to wade into the deep end, I see. Wise, taking her with you." He glanced towards Easy as he said the last part.

I wasn't going to be with Celestia while court was going on. "Why do you say that?"

Soft put a hoof at his chest. "If you make too good an impression, there are ponies without shame that will make a move. Having a lady at your side signals you aren't available for such graceless advances. It will spare you some awkward moments." He nodded to himself as he leaned to the side, getting a peek at the doors ahead. "You'll know it's about time when things get brighter. She raises the sun just before court."

Easy's face wrinkled. "I'm not with him."

"It matters little." Soft reached out a hoof but didn't touch Easy, just making a patting motion in the air. "What you present is more important much of the time than what you actually are. I'm certain many think you two are quite the item, and trying to tell them otherwise will only convince them all the more."

I reached to give Easy a reassuring pat, but she ducked away from it. "Stupid," she hissed. "That will just convince them more!"

The hallway suddenly brightened. Sunlight poured through the vast windows, making all the ponies, and everything else, easier to see. Soft nodded as he stood up. "They'll be opening the doors any moment now."

Barely before he had finished speaking, the doors did open, and ponies began to filter in. The guards that stood on either side of them nodded to each that came but did little more, at least until it was my turn.

Both of them looked up at me skeptically a moment. One glanced to the other, who pulled out a clipboard with a wing and flipped through the pages. "Ah, proceed." They both backed away a little.

Had Celestia left word to look for me? That was kind of her, and a lifesaver. I wasn't sure what I would have told either of them if it came down to that. "Good day," I offered as I passed them.

Easy hadn't been challenged. "Hmmph, sure, pick on the hairless stallion." She rolled her eyes as she descended down the bowl of the amphitheatre. "Let's get some good seats. I hear sometimes the show gets good."

The first row's seats had little cloths of different colors across them. "Reserved," I decided out loud, and directed Easy to the second row. There were some reserved seats there too, but there were also free ones, and we found two to settle on. I felt a presence on the other side and saw Soft Word had settled in beside me.

"Good to see you again. I admit, I can't help but be fascinated by you, sir. What brought you here today?" His eyes left me suddenly. "Save that for later. The magistrates are entering."

From behind the main area of the amphitheatre came a set of six ponies. Four mares, two stallions. They all had the look of importance about them. The mare at the lead looked older and had a monocle over one of her eyes. She moved with a sure pace towards one of the larger chairs there on the stage, but she did not settle into it. She stood before it as the others took up their own positions.

Celestia came in behind them, wings unfurled and head high. She dwarfed them easily and I wondered if that was why she was at the back. If she had come in first, the others would have been hidden by her mass. She moved in front of the largest of the seats, a proper throne. As one, all the important ponies settled down without any audible cue.

One of the stallions turned to the others. "Before we begin, there is a matter that needs addressing."

The elder mare frowned. "This is most unbecoming. Let us greet the day properly before jumping ahead."

Celestia extended a wing towards the stallion. "We will open the proceedings properly, then we will hear your concern first." This was apparently good enough, as the stallion went quiet. Celestia smiled to the gathered and still gathering crowd of court attendees. "It is, as always, a pleasure to see so many faces eager to make positive changes in--"

"--The greeting," hissed the elder mare.

"Yes, yes, of course. With every day, we have opportunity. Let us bow our heads in remembrance of those who sacrificed themselves for this gift." All the ponies, even the ones walking, dipped their heads and things went quite still indeed.

Soft suddenly nudged me with a hoof and pointed to the ground. Ah. I lowered my head to match the others.

Celestia brought her jeweled hooves together. "Let us begin. Sir Stride, I believe you had an issue in need of discussion?"

The stallion from before stood up in his chair. "Yes. If it pleases the court, I would see that greeting stripped." There were collective gasps and murmurs rippling through the room. "It has been no few years without any such 'sacrifice'." He gestured a hoof at Celestia. "She is invigorated by the task of the sunrise. There never will be another sacrifice in the name of it, so why do we keep that old ritual around?"

The elder mare sneered at him. "I knew you'd bring that up! So quick to forget the past. Just because we found another way means those that bled and died for us are worth nothing?!"

Another mare, a young-looking one with a kind smile, stood up. "The welcoming of the day takes but a moment, what harm is there in showing gratitude?"

I had expected matters of state, maybe land disputes, but we hadn't even gotten past the opening ceremonies before arguments began.

Author's Notes:

Ah, a new month, and with it, new chapters!

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