I awoke to the sound of a choir of birds outside my window, 'Aw hello, did you girls do that just for me?' the birds nodded their heads and blushed a little. 'Thank you it was beautiful you girls have really improved in your vocals, especially you Mr's Robin'
'Oh you're too kind Solitaire' with that said all the birds flew off to do their own thing, chatting amongst themselves in the mean time.
"Well time to get up for the day" I mumbled to myself. I slipped out of my comfy bed and headed into my bathroom for a shower. I locked the door and checked nopony was in my bathroom. It was an odd habit of mine but in the past I have been caught out by finding Cadence sat on the toilet when I needed it. Let me just assure you it was awkward, but at least she understood it was an accident and didn't tell anypony. I quite liked Cadence, she such a nice friend. I also like Shining Armour, her husband; he's like a brother to me and makes Cadence happy. I always see her smiling when he's with her. After my check I was happy that nopony was hiding in the bathroom, so I turned on the shower, letting it run to heat up, and stepped in to a pleasing and soft jet of hot water. I picked up my usual shampoo using my magic and proceeded to clean myself thoroughly. I then rinsed off all the shampoo and started to apply the conditioner. The conditioner was a new bottle so was harder to lift than the other one. My magic wasn't particularly strong, well I was alright at healing magic; I ran a sort of unofficial veterinary clinic/animal nursery in my room. So far nopony other than Cadence and Luna knew I was doing it. I left a note asking if it would be alright if the nice cleaning ponies wouldn't clean my room. I think they took it well as nopony bothered me about it; I did my own cleaning, etc. Oh yeah back onto my original point, enough reminiscing Solitaire, I scolded myself. My head began to hurt slightly so I lowered the conditioner bottle. It was more of a bucket really. I didn't really like going into Canterlot to buy things but I couldn't pluck up the courage to ask anypony. I asked Cadence and she told me to go and be more social. So I picked the bigger tubs so I didn't have to go into the city as often as I would. Once my head had stopped hurting I once again lifted the conditioner bottle/tub and rubbed it into my coat and mane. I rinsed off all the soapy water and then climbed out of the shower and reached for the towel with magic to dry myself. When I had finished with that I took out my comb from where it had been carefully placed on the side and combed my mane thoroughly. I was ready to go; on my way out I stopped in front of a mirror. I was, as ever, an Alicorn colt with a chocolate coloured coat and black mane with natural; yellow, deep green, and several different shades of brown, highlights. I shuffled my wings slightly and stepped out of my bedroom door into the corridor. I walked along the well lit corridors of the palace and started to make my way to the dining room. It wasn't a long walk but the way was difficult to remember for those that had never been here before. I arrived at the dining room after about two minutes walk and knocked. I knew I did really have to knock, it's just I wanted to make sure I wasn't interrupting anything. I heard a sigh from within, "Come in Solitaire" I heard Celestia call. I opened the door and ran to Celestia giving her a hug. "Morning mummy" I whispered to her now self conscious of all the ponies in the room. Now would be a good point to tell you Celestia isn't my biological mother. She adopted me immediately after I was born as my father had died in a mining accident and my real mum had died in childbirth to me. Celestia took me in as I was an Alicorn with no other relatives. She had told me of course that I wasn't biologically her son, but that she always said she loved me and I loved her. She was so caring and considerate. I released Celestia from my hug blushing and took my place at the time in between Luna and Celestia. A pony laid my usual breakfast on the table and I quietly picked up a spoon and started eating. I was shortly interrupted by Luna nudging me in the side with her foreleg. "Hey, Solitaire do you want to go and get some ice cream today?" she whispered to me. I smiled hugely and nodded my head vigorously. Luna and I had been best friends since we met after the nightmare incident. We talked and I'm going to admit I was rather shy and not particularly talkative towards her. Shining Armour then said something in her ear and Luna's face looked confused. "Would thou like some...Ice cream with I?" I smiled as I had done today and went to my favourite Ice cream parlour. Ice cream is one of my weaknesses, I just love all of it, with my favourite being mint choc chip. We continued eating and Celestia asked if I had any plans for the day. "Um no not really, Luna said she would get some Ice cream with me." I answered nervously "Oh...is it okay if I do that?" I asked quietly, hoping she'd say yes.
"You don't have to ask me anymore you know you're a big stallion now and can do what you like" Celestia spoke gently to me, aware of my shyness and slightly immature nature.
"Oh okay" I smiled slightly. Before telling Luna I could go.
We finished breakfast and I started back to my room as usual minding my only business and avoiding everypony in the castle. Blueblood then stopped me in one of the corridors, "So where do you think you're going, I didn't manage to tell you back there that you aren't part of this family" it was always the same every time and I was as usual terrified of Blueblood. "You have no right to be within these walls, you are nothing but a common pony that the Princess took pity on." He snarled. I was shaking now scared of what he was going to do. The other servant ponies wouldn't help as they were all deathly afraid of Blueblood and even if they wanted to we were in a secluded part of the castle that was used normally only by me. "I am going to put you back in your place." He drew closer to me before turning around and bucking me into a wall. "You deserve that!" he yelled before kicking me as I lay sprawled on the ground. I couldn't move or scream I was too scared. I just lay there frozen in fear taken all that Blueblood threw at me.
"Blueblood!" somepony yelled, "Get off him now!" Bluebloods onslaught of blows stopped as he turned to see who had stopped the fight.
"Oh umm, Princess Luna, I was just...I..." Blueblood tried to think of an excuse, "Maggot deserved it, trying to impersonate out family." He finally finished, confident Luna would take his side.
"Solitaire?" Luna questioned, I groaned slightly "Blueblood leave now and I'll deal with you later." She sounded really pissed. Blueblood whinnied nervously before galloping off. Solitaire are you alright?" Luna asked worriedly. In response I coughed leaving sticky red blood on the floor. "Come on I'll take you to your room" with that said she helped me stand and took me back to my room and my animal friends.
We arrived and she opened the door carrying me in and dropping me on the bed. I groaned slightly before getting to work on healing myself. I did the internals first, just to stop me from coughing blood every time I tried to speak. Before I could make any real start however Celestia entered my room angry. She then blinked and glanced around at all the animals in my room. I glanced worriedly at Luna. "Solitaire why did you attack Blueblood?" Celestia nearly yelled. She then saw the state I was in, "Oh are you okay!" she trotted up to me and started to heal my injuries. I was shaking with fear at what Celestia had said, why did she think I attacked him? When Celestia had finished healing me she was calmer now after noticing me reaction to yelling. "So what happened between you and Blueblood?"
"He...he said I wasn't part of the family and that...that I shouldn't be within these walls and...And then...then he told me I deserved to be beaten...he then bucked me into a wall and hit me..." I started crying at this point from the harsh treatment that Blueblood had given me all these years.
"How long has this been going on?" Celestia asked now worried herself at the treatment of her adopted son.
"Since I was five" I murmured.
"Oh, dear I'm so sorry, I should've noticed, it's been fifteen years of this and I didn't notice." She hugged me tightly.
"Wait until I get my hooves on him!" Luna nearly yelled, "And the cheek of then trying to blame you for it, oh he's going to get a piece of my mind." Luna then left to find Blueblood and tell him exactly what she thought. I stopped my weeping and noticed Celestia's face was ashamed, "It wasn't your fault mommy, I should have said something" I told her quietly trying to lift her mood. She smiled knowingly at me; she could tell what I was trying to do.
"Solitaire?"
"Umm yeah?" I replied nervously.
"Why are there so many animals in your room?"
"Oh, I umm... help them when they're injured and run a nursery for the animals that were in the same situation I was in and I try to do what you did for me." I hoped she wouldn't make me get rid of them; they were like a second family to me. A bright flash then occurred at my rear. I jumped in fright and ended up hovering next to Celestia, the light seemed to follow me wherever I went.
"Solitaire, Solitaire...SOLITAIRE" Celestia didn't yell she just spoke more firmly to make me listen. Still quaking from the light following me she said, "Take a look at your flank" I did just that and stared in amazement to the fact I had just gained a cutie mark. It was a rather odd cutie mark but I was pleased all the same. It looked like a forest with all assortments of creatures running out of it and birds flying everywhere. "I got a cutie mark..." I turned back to Celestia my face dumbstruck. "Yay" I managed before I ran to Celestia and hugged her. "I think you found your true talent" Celestia spoke with a hint of pride in her voice.
"So you're not mad at me for having these animals in my room?" I asked hopefully.
"So long as you're happy I don't mind a bit" she said smiling. "Are you okay now because I have to go and work for a bit, I'll see you at dinner tonight okay?"
"Okay, have fun"
"You too." She then left to do some important work stuff and left me to mull over what had happened. I kept checking my flank every so often just to make sure it hadn't disappeared. Nice it was still there. I really should be more mature in the way I am. I wondered if Luna and I would still be going out for ice cream. I thought like that for around five minutes before becoming bored and moving to talk to the variety of animals I had in my room and that had joined me since Celestia had left. They all congratulated me on the appearance of my cutie mark and I then proceeded to care for the ones that were currently wounded. Thankfully not many were injured at the current time, only three birds had a broken limb and a couple of local hedgehogs had been malnourished of late but thankfully nothing serious. At the moment though, the thing that concerned me most was the little Alicanto egg that had yet to hatch. I was worried I wouldn't be able to provide the gold and silver it needed to grow to a point it could gather its own. Ah well I could cross that bridge when I came to it. So now with nothing left to do I sat and just got to know the lives of the newer animals staying with me. They told me of points of interest nearby the palace and of their own eventful lives. It was really interesting to find out about a different species life, it was just simply fascinating. After a good half an hour I heard a knock at my door and opened it to see Luna standing there looking thoughtful, "Oh hello, well are you ready for the ice cream?
We walked to the ice cream parlour in near silence. Luna had something on her mind but I didn't want to be rude and just blurt it out and asking her. I was also really excited it had been ages since I last had some of Mr Sunday's amazing ice cream. When we arrived we sat at our usual seat in the parlour/cafe, "Luna is something wrong?" I asked cautiously "that is if you don't mind me prying?" I quickly added to the end letting her know she didn't have to answer.
"Celestia and I think you need a...a break from the palace, we think that you would enjoy a stay in Ponyville?" I thought to myself about the different things going on at the moment in my life and the potential dangers of going to Ponyville.
"Okay...who am I going with?" I asked already half knowing the answer.
Luna sighed, "We can't send anypony with you as we are all really busy due to the lead up of the Grand Galloping Gala so you'd be on your own, but Shining Armour has agreed to go to Ponyville with you to see his sister who will sort out your accommodation" I again mulled over the new information and then realised the amount of new animals I could meet and get to know.
"Okay... I think I'll go, but only if I can take the Alicanto egg with me, it's close to hatching and I don't want to leave it on its own." I murmured slightly.
"That's a yes? Okay Shining said you could leave tomorrow if that's okay with you? What's an Alicanto?" Luna asked slightly confused.
"Oh it's a very beautiful bird that feeds on gold and silver, nasty miners try to follow them to find the gold they store for over the winter. One such fate befell two of them and I am currently looking after the egg. It's rather uncomfortable to sit on to keep warm" I explained eager to share my knowledge of the creatures around us.
"Oh" said Luna surprised at my outburst of knowledge. Mr Sunday then came over and we ordered our Ice cream, mint choc chip for me and chocolate for Luna. We chatted about different things but mainly about Ponyville, its occupants and way of life. Luna seemed to enjoy it and spoke of the ponies that were her friends there. I recognised some of the names as elements of harmony. The ice cream then arrived and I started liking my lips in anticipation. Mr Sunday laid it on the table with care for both of us. Luna and I looked at each other before each grabbing a spoon and diving into the Ice cream bowl. It was as good as ever and I savoured every moment of it knowing I wouldn't be back for a while. We finished up our ice cream before paying and leaving, I had a lot to do before tomorrow and I had to get it done quickly. We returned to the palace and I gave a farewell and a goodbye hug to Luna as she wouldn't be able to see me off tomorrow before I walked to my room and started to organize everything. I made sure all the animals were happy and knew I was going away for a bit before I then started to pack everything I would need for my stay in Ponyville, I didn't know how long I would be staying so I packed everything I would need for a few months. I silently hoped to myself there was a place for me to wash the few clothes I might wear. I packed a new tub/bottle of both shampoo and conditioner (for which I went to the shops for) and packed them in the trunk I was taking. That night I slept worrying about the ponies in Ponyville, I knew Luna and Celestia said they were nice but what if they hated me or called me names. I blocked the thoughts from my mind before then falling into a comfortable sleep.
"Okay I think that's everything" I mumbled to myself before clamping my jaws on the chest and dragging it to the carriage we were taking to Ponyville. It was the day I was going to Ponyville and we had to leave at six in the morning to make it in the early afternoon. It was easy for me to drag the trunk as I was quite physically strong, just not magically. I didn't like carrying things with my mouth in public because I would often be laughed at for it, especially Blueblood. I managed to drag the trunk to the carriage with no difficulties and was greeted by Shining Armour, "Hi Solitaire, how have you been?" the question was obviously addressing Blueblood but I feigned ignorance.
"Everything's good Shining, what about you and Cadence, are you getting along well?" I asked back
"Oh yeah everything's fine and we should really be off as Twilight's expecting us at one and if I know Twilight she might be annoyed if we're late" he suggested glancing at the clock tower to check the time. I nodded and hauled my trunk into the carriage before we both entered as well and took a seat; after a time I began to fall asleep.
I awoke to the sound of my name being called gently, I opened my eyes to see Shining Armour looking at me intently, "Finally, we're landing in a couple of minutes I thought I'd give you some time to wake yourself up." I nodded my head sleepily and raised myself into a sitting position while rubbing my eyes with my hoof. When I was sufficiently awake I turned and looked out the carriage window out onto the surroundings. I saw a dark sinister forest at the side I was looking out of so moved to look out of the other window. Through that window I saw the whole of Ponyville and I have to admit it seemed really peaceful from up high. I also saw a another smaller, less sinister looking patch of trees near the summit of a nearby hill, as well as a ordered looking wood that looked very much like a orchard of some kind. I was awed by its size, miles on miles of trees all ordered healthy looking, the pony that owns it must be proud, I thought to myself. I then got a closer look at the town as we started losing altitude and prepared for a landing. I saw a small cottage on the outskirts, in between the nice patch of trees and the scary forest, it was hidden and I didn't spot it from higher up. I gazed upon a building that was obviously based on the architecture in Canterlot as the building was white and majestic looking; I would have thought it looked out of place if someone were to have told me, however in the surroundings it seemed quite normal and an integral part of the village, a kind of landmark. Shining Armour pointed a huge tree out to me and told me that that was where his sister Twilight lived. We did a final circuit of the village as we spiralled in to land, we flew parallel to a house that seemed to be made of clouds, I wondered how stable the house was as I knew that Cloudsdale was built out of clouds but I didn't imagine a small village such as Ponyville would have such an architectural and engineering master piece such as the one we passed by, it even had rainbow falls coming of the side. I imagined the owner as some eccentric billionaire that had settled for the quiet life after a career in investments. I smiled slightly; this place seemed so culturally diverse, I wondered if that would make it easier for me to fit in. A jolt broke me from my day dream and I realised we must have landed.