"Father, where's Triswitch?"
From across the table, King Orion looked in surprise at his elder daughter. "Triswitch?" he asked. "It's…a small stretch of land just inside our northern border, beside Gildiffon. They're peaceful folk, some of them practice magic as a pastime. In fact…I think the duke is staying in the castle. Why?"
"Oh…no reason," Celestia said quickly. "I think I heard one of your advisors mention the name."
At this, the king's eyes grew warm. "You know, Triswich will be yours someday, along with all of the lands of Equestria."
"I understand, father," Celestia looked away, her expression darkening. The king knew well what was on her mind.
"Now, Celestia, you know that I wouldn't make you take lessons if it weren't for your own good."
"Embroidery is useless." She crossed her arms, choosing to scan a drapery on the wall instead of look at her father. "Dancing is dull. Courtly manners are abysmal. If I am princess, I should be worried about the state of our nation, not which finger I lift when I take a sip of tea."
"I'm sorry, Celestia."
"You never had to learn all of this nonsense." Her voice shook with restraint. "You trained as a knight from when you were just a boy. You learned the way to lead from experience out there, not from being stuffed away in a castle."
"You're not a fighter, Celestia," the king said gently, almost playfully. "I remember when you were just a little thing, you never demanded anything of your dear blessed mother, nor of I. You never fussed, not like Luna does. You simply haven't the heart of a fighter."
"I'm not a fighter, but I am a leader," she replied powerfully. "If my country will be strong, I will need to be strong. A princess must be active in the affairs of her nation, and understand the burdens of her duties—not the burdens of needlework.
"The burdens of our duties include doing that which we don't want to, for the sake of our people," the king said. "There are certain…expectations from our people. They would no more want to see you neglect your needlework than see me neglect my courtly jousts."
"You don't enjoy the jousting?"
The kind chuckled, shaking his head. "I'd much rather be reading. But our duty is to our people, and keeping their favor has sacrifices which must be made."
"I still don't understand how embroidery will help me rule," Celestia murmured.
"There is a great queen of yore, from centuries past, who could stitch codes into handkerchiefs during war," the king said thoughtfully. "A great many messages were sent in this fashion to her king who was in battle miles away. From her hard work, the army was saved from an ambush that awaited them, and the war was won."
Celestia narrowed her eyes skeptically.
"Look, my cherub, if it means so much to you I shall tell your nurse that tomorrow, you have the day off."
Later in the evening, Celestia returned to her room and remembered the rose given her by the kind boy. She had placed it in a vase beside her window; upon seeking it, however, she found only the stick as which it had begun.