The sunrise was glorious—it always was. Waves of color radiating from the horizon, streaks of blushing pink and burning orange, hints of purple and blue, and finally the white hot light of the sun as it rose majestically from the edge of the world.
Celestia dropped her head and felt the magic drain. The sunrise had been beautiful, but to the immortal princess it was simply one of millions. Slowly she turned and walked back into her study. Large windows lined the walls and the new day's light slid slowly into the room as the sun rose higher and higher. Making it rise was no easy task, and the magical strain was intense. But the day had only just begun.
The princess gave herself a moment to steady herself. Some days that was easy. Today it was not. After several minutes she was forced to adopt the serene expression that normally came naturally. Slowly, her head held high, she walked out of her study and into the hall. To gold plated unicorn guards silently moved from their places on either end of the door and fell into place a few feet behind their princess.
Silently she followed the well-known path to the throne room. She stopped before the massive engraved doors. The two guards stationed on both sides of the door levitated them open and kneeled before their princess. Celestia nodded her thanks at them and walked through. The doors swung shut behind her with a groan. She walked the pillared hall with characteristic grace and seated herself on the throne. Somewhere in the distance a bell struck the hour. Six tolls. In minutes the throne room would be filled with supplicants who had traveled from the four corners of Equestria.
In minutes the first had arrived. Two hulking stallions first walked to her throne and kneeled. One was a deep orange with a mane the color of healthy leaves. A pumpkin with green vines decorated his flank. The second was the color of honey with a mane the same shade as rich damp earth. His cutie mark was three stalks of healthy wheat. This one looked vaguely familiar.
The orange one spoke first. "Hello, yer majesty. Mah name is Howden Biggie. And this is Bartholomew Durum." He looked contemptuously at his companion.
Bartholomew spoke next. "We've come to you today in regards of a piece of property along the eastern bank of the Brandybuck River. My family has been farming that that land for five generations, but now the Biggie family has claimed the land and refuses to let us use it.
"We've got as much right to that property as you!" Howden said furiously.
Ignoring this interjection Bartholomew continued. "We came to you in the hope that you could settle this dispute, your majesty."
Princess Celestia thought for a minute. The name Durum sounded familiar. Then she remembered. "Three hundred years ago I presented all the land east of the Brandybuck River for one hundred acres to the Durum family for the growing of wheat. I'm sorry Howden, but you family has no claims to that land. I will give you thirty days to remove yourself from it or I will have you forcefully removed. The matter is settled."
Both stallions bowed again and left the throne room, Howden looking furious and Bartholomew looking triumphant. 'How did I not see it before,' the princess thought suddenly. 'Bartholomew the vision of his however-many-greats-it-is grandfather. He had that same look when I first gave them the land.'
The next supplicant, an old pink unicorn, came and creakily kneeled. As the mare rose Princess Celestia took an imperceptible gasp of surprise. This unicorn had studied under her briefly, years ago.
"I don't know if you remember me, your highness, but I studied magic under you years ago."
"Of course I remember you. How could I have forgotten Dawn Flicker?" 'Has it really been so long since then?'
"Well that's good your majesty because I have a special request."
"Then I will do what I can to fulfill it."
"Thank you your majesty," the unicorn said with another painful bow. "My grandson was just enrolled in your magic academy, and, if I may be so bold, I ask that you visit him, just to put him at rest, he's been so nervous for weeks now."
Celestia smiled. "It would be a pleasure for me to visit with your grandson." 'And soon he will be to me as old as you.'
Dawn Flicker gave a third and final bow and left the throne room.
The third supplicants entered. A pair of Pegasi entered. One was a huge white stallion with an indigo mane. His companion was much smaller with orange fur and a soft pink mane. A basket was suspended in her muzzle. Both came and kneeled.
"We came today to thank you princess," the stallion said. "Our son was just made a royal guard and to show our gratitude we made you this. His wife put down the basket and carefully took out a small sculpture and laid it at the feet of the throne. It was a miniature of Canterlot Castle, only made of cloud.
"It's beautiful thank you," Celestia said. "And I wish your son success in my service." 'Their son must be replacing Edward Pike. I hope he's enjoying his retirement. I remember when he first entered my service…
Okay so this was number two. I hope you enjoyed it. So, I know it's common practice for authors to give names with meaning…and I did too. But I don't think many people understand them, so I'm going to explain. Howden Biggie is a kind of pumpkin…creative right. Bartholomew means farmer and Durum is a kind of wheat. Dawn Flicker seemed like a good choice for an ex-student of Celestia's because all of her students seem to have time of day related names, like twilight and sunset. Also Flicker because she kind of flickered out- went from being Celestia's pupil to being an old mare no one had ever heard of. Also Edward means guard and I think pike kina speaks for itself. So yup. That's how I selected my names. Hope the story means that much more to you