The Blue Paradigm 6 - (MLP (EAW AU), Blueblood!SI)
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1008 starts wonderfully for one Twilight Sparkle.
The Princess of Friendship, the Element of Magic, and... well, a novel inventor both for scientific and magical devices. Twilight always had her hooves full, especially during her first years in Ponyville, but as most of the 'local' threats had gotten tackled and solved, the young alicorn had gotten more free time to employ.
Spike was always around to assist her, same for Starlight Glimmer when she wasn't busy with her paramour, and the three of them had been doing wonders to improve computing science. It had been an idea that always nagged at her ever since she was a filly: how come, after so many centuries, computers were so rudimentary?
The result of those constant thoughts had led her to create a hefty amount of calculating machines and a few interesting devices meant to render archiviation easier to achive without requiring too much ink or paper on hoof.
Still, none of that truly mattered with her most recent breakthrough: she finally got an opening on Blueblood's thick shell. It took her what? Years? Well, the mare didn't mind. Patience was the virtue of the mightiest, and she had learned this through the many adventures that had shaped her into the brave lady she was now.
Yet it did nothing to lessen the annoyance at how difficult romancing was.
Of course Twilight remembered the first time she met the Unicorn Prince. She was a little filly, never once had she visited a place as humonguous as the Canterlot Castle. And, as she got lost while looking for her mentor, she was found by him. He was friendly, even helped her with a map after showing her the way.
Yet, that tiny act was the beginning of what Twilight's own view (and obsession) for Blueblood truly began. To be honest, Twilight wasn't outright smitten to it, especially since Rarity didn't spoke too favorably of him when they last met, at the Grand Galloping Gala.
"He is such a bore, hardly cares to entertains a lady as he wishes to work, work, work."
Such a comment felt a bit annoying to her since she understood some royals had duties, and she knew that Blueblood had also started to train in the military at that point as he was soon shipped to training at the Royal Academy of the Army. Still, she understood the grievance. There's a time for everything...
...
Unless you are meant to take care of a lot of things at once.
Being a ruler is tough even when you are not sitting through the court chores. Paperwork soon doubled by Twilight's desk, what felt like an amazing opportunity to improve Equestria was soon dashed away before the maze-like woes of the political bureaucracy. Reform hardly was contemplated and changes were slow to come to Equestria due to the 'fear' of the nobility over the chances of a popular revolution or reform.
Twilight wasn't truly that unsympathetic as her family descended from some nobleponies of the late Unicorn Tribe era. Yet, the mildly-wealthy childhood she enjoyed was not through some royal title: her parents had worked from a very young age, settling together and budgeting so they could provide both her and her brother a chance to be great.
Shining was the first one to make some impressive steps by becoming the Captain of the Royal Guard, then marrying Cadance, and now becoming the co-ruler of the Crystal Empire.
Twilight had taken a slower route, but guaranteed herself a similar path. She was now an Alicorn Princess, a famous protector through her role as the Element of Magic by vanquishing several legendary threats, and... she was still single.
Not for a lack of trying, and not for a lack of... well, wanting.
Twilight always felt the urge that this would solve on its own. She thought that Flash Sentry would be the one since he was a handsome stallion, and one with attention in her regard but...
It felt like speaking with a younger version of her brother. Which was bad.
As much as the Princess of Friendship loved her sibling, she couldn't see him like that. Tartarus, she could even go as far as to say that some of his traits were not that pleasant. Even more in Flash Sentry as he was clumsy, tried to 'give her space' to make her happy, and...
...
He was a bit too much at times.
Twilight just couldn't put a hoof on why she felt so displeased by him, but as she ended up hearing about Blueblood and then visited him to thank him over Pinkie's latest adventure...
She understood what was wrong.
In a rather odd sense of things, Twilight found Flash Sentry 'too little' for her. Not in size, but in the form of his role within a potential relationship. She could remember when Shining had mentioned these doubts before Flurry Heart was born.
That he felt lesser than Cadance, that he had to show more as he did against Sombra with his impressive shield to keep the Umbrum away. They eventually reconciled by talking about it over therpay but...
Did Twilight want that?
No. It pained her to accept it, but she couldn't see Flash as someone she could date. Even more since it would feel less like a genuine attraction and more like someone moved pieces in the board to get a similar situation with her brother and sister-in-law.
...
This is where Blueblood comes along. He definitely wasn't flirting with her back during that meeting, but as he opened up with his woes, Twilight felt a sympathetic mindset take hold of her. Despite how little they spent together, the memory of that first encounter were brought back as they slowly shedded layers of formality, and the topic of his tedious work struck her just as much as he recognized hers.
He was not an Alicorn, but Blueblood acted as if that didn't matter- he was the leader of the Field Army and he was absolutely taken by his job. It was the same as hers and her duties as a princess, but where that would render any sort of work-related meeting too stiff and tense for many...
It felt good to play a game with him over the military affairs.
Twilight learned much about the troubles going through the military, and the diplomatic woes of the Changeling Lands. She knew of Stalliongrad since it was public history, but Chrysalis' current build-up was happening now. Away from any eyes, and away from any ears- all but those that were reasonably concerned by what she was doing while on the loose.
They talked, they clashed, and they brainstormed. It was an exciting meeting, and one that further push Twilight to accept one thing.
She was indeed interested in Blueblood. And it was possible this crush and romance came from well before that meeting.
Maybe it was when they first spoke with one another. Maybe it was that positive image that firmly engraved itself inside her mind, but Twilight found the latest encounter a 'reaffirmation' of something that felt like an absolute fact. And even now that she was pacing over her lab, hooves shifting books about political intrigue and military tales of old, Twilight pondered on the conversation she had with Starlight Glimmer.
"...You really like him, don't you?"
Twilight had told her the full situation without telling any details but, the way her student just spotted the interest she had over the Prince was... well, awkward.
"I- no, I mean- maybe? I just want to help him since he has a good reason to tell me this."
"And I agree with it. Brrr, I can only imagine what Chrysalis is up to... but, Twi?"
"Hm~?"
"You know about the rumors right?"
That really didn't single out a particular set of worries Twilight had been facing in a while. After all, she may be a bit dumb about love, but she wasn't stupid. And she had her ways to know gossip through Rarity (sometimes even unwillingly).
What Starlight referred to was a collection of various rumors around Blueblood. Some said that he was sharing the bed with Celestia and Luna despite the fact they were nephew and aunts, others said that he was actually the father of Flurry Heart (which held a hint of truth in regard to Shining and Cadance's private promiscuity, but the two confirmed Flurry was their daughter), there were also a few that dared to say he was into fellow stallions.
The most worrisome of them all, however, was a known fact: he was a close friend to a Princess in Griffonia. One that he visited a little before they met. Twilight was aware of history about Griffonia, but current politics were difficult to stomach. The name 'Diellza von Katerinburg' was one known somewhere in the Herzland of the Empire, but ever since the crisis unfolding after Grover V's passing, news had come out rather scarcely.
It didn't help that New Mareland, the Equestrian Dominion in Southern Griffonia, was considering greater autonomy over its politics, thus rendering news outlet on the matter even more difficult to find. Nonetheless, Twilight was willing and hoping to think they weren't together.
And, even if they were, Equestria still held 'Herding' as a legal chance to keep the game open for her.
"I am aware, but it doesn't matter. This is for Equestria's sake."
Starlight didn't believe her, rolling her eyes and smiling as she went on to handle this chore. Leaving Twilight in her private room with... well, a couple of thoughts to digest.
And a bit of an arousal to handle due to how these recent wet dreams had preyed on her for a while.
AN
And Luna noticed that~. In regard to Shining Armor, he is notorious to be 'pragmatically perverted' due to his wife's unique propensity to love (and lust).