Chapter 2: Duty Calls
I woke up before Celestia raised the sun. I quickly bushed my mane and tail and packed my saddle bag.
"Ember, time to get up." I said loud enough for him to hear. All I heard back was a moan, so I used my magic to set him on my back. I left a note for my parents and hurried off to the castle.
Ember yawned on my back as I trotted through the sleepy Canterlot. Hardly anypony was awake, execpt for the night guards dotted here and there through out the city. It wasn't long before I got to the castle and quietly got my way in. Though Canterlot was still in bed, most of the castle was busy doing something. Ember finally was awake and sitting on my back like a normal dragon would. I had come in early plenty of times before, so I was used to dodging rushing ponies trying to getting something done. I searched the castle for Luna, eventually finding her on the balcony watching her moon go down.
"Luna, I'm here." I informed her. Luna quickly turned.
"Oh! Arua Bliss, am I glad to see you." Luna smiled.
"You wanted me to come early?" I asked.
"Yes, I have a list of things for you to do, I spilt up the duties between myself, you, and Ember." Luna explained.
"WHAT?!" Ember yelled. "Princess, she made me come, please, please don't make me do anything." Ember begged. Luna smiled.
"It's not my duties, one of the castle's bakers is sick, and I know how great a baker you are." Luna offered. "Just make sure the gem stones stay out of the batter." Luna winked at Ember.
"Aura, teleport me to the kitchen! Please? Ember begged.
"Hang on." I grunted. Ember sighed and slouched onto my back. "And what are my duties?" I asked.
"Your list is right here." Luna said and levitated a scroll. She saw my saddle bags and levitated everything out and neatly piled it in her magic and gave me the scroll, which I took with my magic and read it. It was mostly writing letters to other species that Luna or Celestia would sign later. There a few things to check on things, but by the looks of it, I could be done by lunch. I rolled my scroll back up and put it in my saddle bag.
"Can I atleast have my quill and ink?" I slightly begged. Luna gave me back my quill and ink and set it in my saddle bag.
"You know when breakfast is, I'll see you then." Luna said and flew off. I sighed at her taking the books I brought, but I was going to return then to the library anyway.
"Now, Aura?" Ember begged. A shook my head and teleported to the kitchen. Ember quickly hopped off my back and into the kitchen where he stared to bake immediatly. I quickly hurried to start the duties Luna wanted me to do. I only took a break to watch the sun rise. Once the sun was in the sky, I quickly went to the dining room for breakfast. The princesses and Ember were already there, getting ready to eat.
"Nice to see you join us, Aura." Luna said. I smiled and took my place next to Ember and an empty seat. Soon, Discord took his place next to me. It reminded me that I needed to meet Discord at the Draconequus statue.
"So what's for breakfast? I'm starving" Discord complained.
"Today is a busy day, so I just asked the chefs to make oats and flowers." Luna answered. Celestia was busy frantically writing letters. As if on cue, the chefs came out and served us. Discord groaned at the oats, but ate them anyways. I gently ate the oats while Ember wolfed them down. After Dicord finished, he looked hungrily at the bowl. I had eaten most of my oats, so I used mymagic to switch our bowls.
"Thanks, Aura." He whispered to me, and I just nodded in response. One of the chefs came out and took the all the empty bowls. I stood from the table.
"If you excuse me, I have some things it need to finish." I said.
"Aren't you going to stay for one of my cupcakes?" Ember asked as a chef set the platter on the table. I sighed and levitated one off the platter and trotted out of the room. I returned to my work space and continued to write letters as I nibbled on the cupcake.
I finally finished all the tasks that Luna had me do before noon. I would still be able to be with my parents before they left for Saddle Arabia. I quickly delivered the letters to Luna and found Ember, he was stacking muffins on a platter.
"Ember, time to go." I said. He jumped down from the counter and took a smaller platter of muffins, cookies, and cupcakes and jumped onto my back. I took a cookie from his platter and munched on it as I left the castle. His baking skills were tremendous, he made excellent everything. He also could cook very well, with the occasional help from me. I trotted faster than I normally do back to my house, hoping to catch my parents before they left. Thankfully, they were still there, discussing the Big Dipper.
"Shooting Star! Star Dust! I got sweets!" Ember happily yelled. They quickly came over and took a muffin with their own magic.
"I'm glad you could come back, Aura." My mother said.
"I'm sorry for leaving you here." I apologized.
"Don't worry about it, we understand that you had your own things you needed to do at the castle. Duty calls." My mother laughed. I smiled and nodded. Ember hopped off my back and put the sweets on the counter.
"So what's for lunch?" My father asked. I thought for a moment, and quickly hurried to the kitchen.
"For the ponies, dandelion and jelly sandwiches with rose padel soup and for Ember, gem stone pasta." I said and began cooking. I boiled two pots of water, one for the soup and the other for the pasta. Soon enough, I was on the road to a meal. It wasn't long before the meal was done and served. We all ate in silence, because we were all starving. Everything was polished off.
"Thank you, Aura, but we must get going now. Our balloon will be leaving soon and we can't miss it." My mother explained. I nodded slowly.
"I understand." I choked up.
"Now, now, Aura. It'll be fine. Just keep your head on." My father advised.
"But do you really have to go?" I asked.
"Aura Bliss, that is very selfish of you." My mother scolded.
"I'm sorry, it's just..." I stammered, but my mother cut me off with a hug. I fought back tears, crying wouldn't solve anything, and after my mother hugged me, I realized that the ponies in Saddle Arabia needed them more than me. My mother stepped back. "I'll go get your bags." I said and ran to get the bags. I easily levitated the bags and hurried back.
"Thank you." My father said and tried to take the luggage. I pulled them back.
"I got it, I'll walk with you. Spend just a little more time together." I said. My mother smiled at me and Ember crawled onto my back.
"Well we don't want you to miss your balloon, so let's go!" Ember said. I smiled at Ember's excitement for everything he does, most of the time. My parents also smiled while they started to leave my house. They led me to the balloonist. I set their many bags into the basket. We had a group hug before anything was said.
"I'll miss you guys." I said softly.
"We'll miss you too." My father whispered back. Sure, I have been living on my own for a while, I moved to Canterlot by myself when I was 11, and a nanny came to help me live until I was 18.
"Listen you two, it's time to go." The balloonist said while Ember burped up a letter. He quickly read it.
"Aura! There's an emergency at the castle, you need to get there ASAP!" Ember panicked.
"By Mom and Dad! Love you! Good luck, the normal!" I quickly said and ran straight for the castle. My parents yelled something after me, but it was incomprehendable, and I didn't have time to return and hear what they said. "Ember, what did the letter say was the emergency?" I asked quickly.
"She didn't say." Ember said, holding onto my name for dear life.
"Hang tight, Ember." I ordered. I finished the journey via teleportation spell. I tried to rush my way in, but Shining Armor himself stopped me from going in. "Let me in." I growled.
"Sorry, I can't there is an emergency in the castle. I was instructed to only let authorized ponies in." Shining Armor told me.
"Oh for Celestia's sake! Ember, where is the letter?" I asked rather loudly. Ember lifted the letter up, which I levitated in front of his Shining's face.
"Can I go in now?" I groaned. Shining Armor's face got red and stepped aside.
"Sorry for the inconvenience." He nearly whispered. I proudly walked in, but immediatly ran to the throne room, where I saw not only Twilight, but Cadence and Celestia. I had completely forgotten that Cadence was coming from the Crystal Kingdom and she was to arrive today.
"Where's Luna?" I quickly asked. Twilight huffed at my calling the princess only by her name. I just shrugged her off. I soon noticed Spike was on her back as well. Ember glared at Spike.
"Right here!" Luna called and flew in and took her place.
"So, what is the big deal?" Cadence asked.
"Bigger problem, why is she here?" Twilight asked indicating to me.
"You know what? Let me give you a piece of my mind!" I yelled back to her.
"Girls! Behave yourself and get along!" Luna ordered. I slouched down, but Ember continued to glare at Twilight.
"This is a princess summit! Do you see wings on her? I don't!" Twilight pointed out.
"Okay fine! If you want to resort to petty insults, then fly to me. Oh wait, you can't. You useless alicorn!" I insulted.
"ENOUGH!" Celestia yelled in her royal Canterlot voice. She first looked at Twilight. "I am disappointed in you, Twilight. I know you are better than that." Celestia scolded. Then, she glared at me. "As for you! Leave!" Celestia nearly yelled.
"What?! Are you kid..." I started, but saw Luna giving me a pleading look. I let out a sigh. "Fine, just because I am not an alicorn does not make me unimportant or clueless." I pointed out and left the throne room. Luna chased me out, ignoring Celestia's calls to her. Once we got out of the throne room, Luna closed the door.
"Aura, please do me a huge favor." Luna begged.
"And that is..." I asked her.
"Allow me to explain, there was a threat against the castle. Celestia believes it is Discord. I know you are not comfortable with talking to him, and he was thrown in the dungeon for now. As we speak, Celestia is trying to convince Twilight to put him back in stone, but you and I both know that his magic is useful. I also know for a fact that he is not the one who is guilty, it's someone else. So you and Ember need to figure it out. Are you fine with these tasks?" Luna said. I nodded.
"Yeah we can do it." I reassured her.
"Thank you so much." Luna smiled. "I have to go now, before I'm missed." Luna returned to the throne room.
"Come, Ember." I said as I teleported to the dungeons and found Discord.