“I demand to know what’s going on!”

I looked at Prince Blueblood as he stomped his right hoof against the marble floor, “You know as much as I do,” I lied to him, “The Princesses are negotiating with the Storm King and his empire. I am sure we will get some more information soon.”

He stared at me for a long moment before he sighed and shifted his ears, “...I apologize, Lord Page. I’m just worried for my aunts.”

“I know,” I agreed with a nod, “But if there are any ponies that can handle themselves, it’s Celestia and Luna. I’m completely convinced they will outlive us all.”

Blueblood frowned and nodded, “Yes… yes I suppose so,” he admitted, “Still, if you get word, could you let me know?”

I nodded, “I will,” I agreed.

At the same time as everypony else. Prince Blueblood might not be as useless and annoying as he pretended to be to get out of responsibility, but it was a close thing.

He nodded, leaving the office.

Grey Velvet entered through the side door and put a stack of papers next to me, “Would you like some tea, Sir?”

“...Yes, yes please…”

If I wasn’t already married, I would have proposed to her on the spot.

She moved to bring a tray with a kettle and a cup back to the desk as I looked to her.

“So, what’s next on the agenda?” I asked as she moved to pour me a cup.

“Nothing scheduled until the afternoon, when day-court starts,” she said with a smile, not bothering to check her notepad,”Would you like to review the list of applicants, sir?”

I shifted my wings, stretching them for a second with a small groan, “Anything special?

“Nothing that stood out to me, sir, other than a couple that noted their reasons as ‘Invasion related damages’.”

“Awesome,” I sighed and then sipped the tea, “No, I’ll think it’ll be okay, we’ll handle things as they come. If you want to take a break, Velvet, it’s fine. I think I’ll take a walk for a bit.”

Velvet nodded but glanced towards the window with an uncertain look on her face, “Are you sure, sir? It’s scheduled to be raining today.”

“I’m in a rather rainy mood,” I admitted and got up, stretching my wings for a second. I had spent hours doing today's paperwork and barely moved at all.

Grey Velvet bowed slightly and headed out of the room, sorting some papers I had signed during the morning.

I looked after her for a moment before I stretched my wings again, “Amber?”

“Yes, sir?” a voice asked from behind me.

I glanced back to her, “Any word back yet? From the… expeditionary force?”

“Not yet, sir.”

“Let me know, please?”

Amber nodded and her wings buzzed softly against her back for a second, “Of course, sir,” she said, “Are we going outside?”

“Just along the wall,” I said, “Just feel like getting some air. No need to bother anypony in the legion.”

Stupid two guard minimum. After the invasion they had been a lot more humourless about me sneaking out with just one guard.

With that, I left the office. Amber didn’t hide again, instead she moved to walk along next to me. I glanced to her, “Worried about something?” I asked as we reached stairs leading onto the exterior walls and I started up them.

“No, sir.”

I frowned briefly at her before letting it go as I pushed the door open. I gave the pegasus guard standing outside it a nod when he saluted, “As you were,” I said and moved past with Amber. The weather outside was really horrible, it wasn’t windy but it was pouring down heavy rain across the city.

Even with the rain pouring down, I could see ponies moving around with umbrellas and shield bubbles or even just wrapped in raincoats.

Just because it’s raining, dinner isn’t going to buy itself, is it?

I ignited my horn, projecting a weak shield bubble around amber and myself to keep the water away as we walked along the top of the wall, overlooking the city below.

“...It was to stay out of the rain, wasn’t it?”

Amber blinked at me innocently, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, sir,” and brushed what rain had landed on her before I cast the shield off her carapace, with small lines of magic from her horn, as she shifted a bit closer to make sure she stayed firmly inside the bubble of the shield as the rain poured down outside it.