Green Grass bounded into the library, shedding his snow covered cloak with a happy shout and bouncing twice around the lobby statue before he could calm down enough to speak. Twilight simply watched the happily hopping stallion with a cryptic smile, having received a somewhat vague letter earlier that morning which was the most likely reason for his ebullient outburst. Finally, he completed his dance of joy and skidded to a stop at her hooves with an envelope clutched firmly in his teeth.

“Here you go, Twilight. Two box seats to this month’s opening performance of Don Rocinante by the Canterlot Royal Theatre, along with the reception before the event. It’s a week before my thesis defense, and you deserve a reward for all the hard work you’ve put in to help me.

“I had to pull a lot of strings and even called in a favor from an old school fiend⁽*⁾. He said they’ve been sold out for weeks, but he got a lucky break and here they are! I’m just a little puzzled about where the seats are located inside the theatre. Box P, Seats 3 and 4. I’ve never heard of Box P. I hope it’s not near the bathrooms.”
(*) Not a typo. Some of Green Grass’ school companions were not nice ponies.
—

Twilight squealed in glee. “Oh, that’s the Princess Box. She just loves the theatre, never misses an opening show. Greenie?” A loud thump drew her attention to the unconscious tutor sprawled out on the floor, and she tisked a few times, shaking her head slowly.

He should have known better than to try to outthink Princess Celestia. Maybe I should bring a bucket of water for him on the night of the show, just in case.

The tutor fairly leapt off the floor with a piercing shriek, darting out of the library lobby for the bathroom where the screaming was soon replaced by the sound of running water. A few minutes later, the dripping stallion returned, sitting down with a squishy thud next to Twilight.

“Princess Luna says hi. She’s looking forward to meeting us at the reception before the performance.”

A happy excited squeal outside the library heralded the rapid arrival of a second happy pony. Rarity bounced into the library almost as excited as Green Grass, only without the laps around the statue.

“I have the most wonderful news! Green Grass, you’re here too! What a pleasure to catch you two lovebirds together. Remember when you said⁽¹⁾ you were trying to get tickets to that event this month in Canterlot? Well, I just happen to know the performer, and she not only sent me tickets for you two, but an entire row! All of us can go with you, won’t that be exciting! You do know you’re all wet, darling?”
(1) Well, not actually to Rarity. From Ditzy to Dinky to Sweetie Belle, to Rarity actually, but it’s almost as if he mentioned it right in front of her and asked for assistance.
—

“Rarity, that’s fantastic! I didn’t know you had that kind of political pull with the Canterlot Theatre.”

“Theatre, Twilight?” Rarity blinked in confusion. “Sapphire Shores is playing at the Coliseum. See?” The produced tickets were promptly compared and to the fashionista’s chagrin, only the dates of the performance matched.

“The Princess Box!” she gushed, giving Twilight a hug. “You both simply must attend! You must! I shall make you both outfits suitable for the occasion, and the two of you will simply overwhelm the entire local scene with fashion. But what shall I do with the extra tickets for Sapphire Shore’s concert?”

“I have an idea about that,” said Green Grass.

“BEST BIG SISTER EVER!!” Sweetie Bell leapt up and down in her seat even more energetically than the rest of her unicorn magic class and their friends, spread out across the front row of the concert and almost close enough to Sapphire Shores to touch. Rarity had been assigned the ‘goalie’ position at the end of the row, in parallel with Cheerilee at the other end and a few other ‘responsible adults’ scattered among them with the forlorn hope of keeping the class reasonably contained, or at least to protect the concert from the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“What?” shouted Rarity back. She was almost deaf from the speakers⁽²⁾, blind from the spotlights⁽³⁾, and befuddled by the music⁽⁴⁾, but contrary to her expectations, it actually was quite enjoyable. Still, she wished that somehow she were able to be at the theatre with Twilight and her coltfriend. If nothing else, for moral support when he got up the nerve to confess to their little scheme.
(2) Earplugs just so do not go with this outfit.
(3) What? Sunglasses at a night concert? Whatever for?
(4) Really, darling. Just because I design for her, does not mean I listen to her music. Very often.
—

The reception hall next to the Canterlot Royal Theatre was quite neatly packed with a full list of who was currently who, and associated with whom, all of which were carefully grouped with excruciating detail according to social scale and current plots or schemes within the court. Or at least by their preference for hors d'oeuvres.

The Earl of Pine Valley had just finished verbally dispatching a social inferior when he spotted one of his most recent foils milling about among the rest of the lower strata of the upper crust. Flashing a signal at the poor wretch, he shrugged off two other potential conversational targets and adjusted his ever-present monocle before trundling ominously up to Baron Chrysanthemum with a dignified smile suitable for addressing a peer of a somewhat lower station in life.

“I say, Beany old chap. Terrible stroke of luck there with your youngest colt. My little Bee is going to make a fine bride. I’ll make sure you get an invitation.”

“Thank you, M’lord. The wife and I are looking forward to the occasion. I believe more than one of my children may be taking notes, as to properly deplete my inheritance on their own weddings.”

“Oh, you’re welcome to jolly well try, old chap. Because this is going to be the social event of the decade, I’m providing my little Bee only the best of everything. We’d rent out the Grand Ballroom at the castle if it were available, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to settle for an outdoor location, probably the Coliseum. Only way to hold the invitees and the orchestra, I’m afraid.”

Baron Chrysanthemum looked a bit put off at the comment. It might have been possible for him to rent the Coliseum and a full orchestra one time, but any more than that and there would be a lot of bean soup for lunch and dinner. “Oh yes, ha, ha.”

“Been meaning to ask you about something here, Beany.” The Earl leaned a little closer, his monocle glinting in the lights. “What’s this I hear about your youngest colt, now? First the rumor mill says he’s all gone for the youngest out of the Twinkle house, then nothing. What news do you have?”

The Baron shrugged with a vague look of distant crogglement normally associated with nobility who had attempted to ‘cross horns’ with the Princess. “In the end, not much more than you, I’m afraid. We visited the lad once, and he seemed to have her well under his control. Remarkable young mare, she is indeed. No wonder the Princess picked her as a student. Anyway, not a day after our visit, we get an invitation to take tea with the Princess⁽⁵⁾.”
(5) “Tea with the Princess” has slowly over centuries taken the place of public executions and floggings across Equestria. Many opponents of cruel and unusual punishment would prefer to reverse this process.
—

The Earl’s eyes went wide with faux surprise. “How terrible.”

“Shocked us to the core. When we arrived, the Twinkles were already there, and we had a pleasant conversation before tea.”

The Earl of Pine Valley minutely adjusted his monocle. “And then?”

“The Princess quite plainly and with little beating around the bush informed us that we were not to interfere in the romantic interests of either our son, or the young lady. No names were used, of course, and the conversation is to be held in strictest confidence⁽⁶⁾.”
(6) “Strictest confidence” is most often interpreted as “Do not flash this around, or you may receive an invitation to Tea with the Princess.”
—

“Of course,” murmured the Earl.

“I’m not quite certain what to make of it, except I’m quite certain she was deadly serious. Perhaps she has some diplomatic post or such planned for the lad. Only time will tell, I fear.”

“You are going to look simply marvelous next to the Princess this evening,” whispered Green Grass for the seventeenth time to a nervous Twilight Sparkle, standing next to him in an iridescent plum-colored gown that flowed off the shoulder with threads of silvery light woven through her elaborate manestyle and two small deep-blue earrings providing counterpoint. High-shinned shoes that looked more royal than common in the deepest shade of purple finished the outfit, along with a matching deep purple shoulder bag fitted with a silver clasp. She made quite a striking contrast to Green Grass, who was positively resplendent in a cream-colored tuxedo with a pastel tie and golden shoes, his dusky mane and tail tied back in a fashionable golden weave and ponytail.

“I feel like one of Rarity’s dressmaking dummies,” she hissed back. “At least it’s comfortable. She left it adjustable enough around the waist⁽⁷⁾ that it would fit even if I were preg—” Twilight stopped and glowered. “I’m going to kill her.”
(7) It also had hemmed lines for wingslits, thus proving Rarity’s instincts for planning ahead.
—

“No, you’re not. You’re going to kiss her hooves in gratitude because otherwise you would have to live through being strapped into one of those monstrosities.” He tilted his head microscopically at a baron’s wife who trundled past, with her corset obviously under enough tension that the Royal Guards providing security should have dragged her away before the inevitable explosion of overstressed fabric and cellulite.

“This is why I always hated going to these things when Princess Celestia made me attend,” she groused, tugging gently at her neck piece. “Being at the Princess’ side during the whole evening is the only thing that makes them tolerable. I mean, I wish I could stay with you during the reception, but protocol states the Princess must be escorted to social events.”

“I’m certain the Princess will be delighted to have you at her side this evening, Twilight. You two will have much to talk about.” Green Grass forced a smile while sparing a nervous glance at the entrance where Celestia and Luna were due to arrive at any minute.

Twilight Sparkle paused in her adjustment of the pinching neck piece to gently run a hoof across her ears and flicker a faint smile.

“Thank you for the earrings, by the way. They’re authentic moonstones, aren’t they?”

“You’re welcome, and yes. I thought you deserved something special for the occasion. I’ve been dragged to as many of these events as you, only more as spouse shopping trips than entertainment, and I know how bad they can get.”

“Did your parents ever consider an auction?” Twilight Sparkle’s eyes glittered with laughter as Green Grass suddenly began to examine his cream-colored tuxedo with exaggerated motions.

“Rarity didn’t stick any price tags on me, did she? Whew.” The stallion swallowed and grinned back warmly. “How about this? We both stay with our escort, smile, nod, and count facelifts. First one to a hundred wins.”

“Very funny. Better make it two hundred.”

“As you wish, M’Lady.” Green Grass bent down into a dramatic bow, straightening up with a calm face. “It has been a great help for my nerves to consider this as a theatre within a theatre. Your role in tonight’s performance is that of the Beautiful Student, mine is of the Handsome Young Lord. You taught me how to perform at my best, and I shall not embarrass you in front of so many of the court.”

“But what are they going to think? I mean, I’ve never been to a social event with a stallion before. They’re going to see us, and talk, and make up things about us.”

Green Grass took her hoof in his and stared into her beautiful (if slightly wide and frightened) eyes. “Twilight, I could not care less what any of those overstuffed poltroons think. You shall be the most beautiful mare at the reception, with the exception of our escorts, the Royal Princesses, of course.”

She blushed and fanned herself lightly in the way that Rarity had instructed her. “Oh, you flatter me.”

“I’m afraid I’ve also deceived you, but only with the best of intentions. You see, I had an insightful discussion with your friend, the designer, about Princess Luna.”

Both of Twilight’s eyebrows lowered ominously, and only an experienced unicorn teacher would have been able to detect the faint prickle of magic being drawn upon for imminent violence.

“I’ve been so tied in knots about actually meeting Princess Luna in the flesh, as it were,” he continued hastily, “that when I told Rarity about it, she suggested—”

The blare of trumpets and the rattling of armored hooves outside the door announced the arrival of both Princesses, and the conversation abruptly terminated, although from Twilight’s glare it was going to be more of a long pause then a stop. The Princesses of Equestria proceeded regally into the pre-reception area, where Twilight Sparkle and Green Grass bowed to meet them. It took the hyperventilating tutor a bit longer to get to his hooves afterwards, but he managed to stagger forward without tripping and get through the lines he had rehearsed all day. “Good evening, Your Highnesses. My name is Green Grass, and I am pleased to present my partner for the evening, Twilight Sparkle. May we have the honor of escorting you to the event?”

“How wonderful to meet you at last, kind sir.” Princess Luna stepped forward. “Will you be my escort for the evening’s entertainment, Lord Green Grass?”

“Ah, if only I could, My Princess,” he said, flinging caution to the wind and departing from the script Twilight had so studiously written. “I’m afraid I’ve already been spoken for this fine evening by a most delightful young mare of your acquaintance. If we could please move along, I think your Herald⁽⁸⁾ is about ready to introduce us to the reception.”
(8) By fortuitous coincidence, the elderly Royal Guard who served as Princess Celestia’s Herald was also named Herald. Naming traditions among ponies in the Royal Guard have yielded other confusing gems such as General Specific, Private Captain, and Flight-Leader Falling to name a few. Then there was their baseball team...
—

The Royal Herald stepped out from the entranceway and struck the heel of the Spear of State on the floor three times. All discussion inside the reception stopped, although there was still an undercurrent of quiet whispers. There had been a great deal of secrecy about tonight’s guests, and the rumor mill had been working overtime. Finally, the elderly pony called out the introduction.

“Announcing Her Highness, Princess Celestia and her consort, Lord Green Grass.”

In the shocked silence that followed, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of a monocle rolling across the floor.