Sunset Shimmer wanted to throw herself off of the edge of Celestia's balcony.
While she had done her best to ignore the intruder in her room, Sunset's attention kept focusing back on the alicorn mulling about the room behind her. In the past two hours, she had gotten through only two pages of her book, her attention span suffering greatly with the added presence.
Cadence had been wandering around her new room, setting things up for herself. Her possessions had arrived not too long after Celestia had left, and she had unpacked what little she had and set herself to the task of making the space her own. The bed had been made, nightstand adorned with a lamp and a few romance novels, while a picture of her and and few other ponies sat beside them. All in all, there was very little that Cadence had brought to the castle with her. Of the few possessions she owned from her home, she had left most of those behind.
The alicorn stood back, and looked at her corner of the room. The sight made her smile. It was like her own little slice of home transported to Canterlot. She turned back to look at Sunset, and see how she liked it, but upon turning around, she saw that the unicorn was aggressively nose-deep into a book. Thinking better about disturbing her, Cadence opted to just go take a late night walk instead. Silently slipping out of the room, Cadence softly walked down the hall.
The castle was oddly deserted at night. It was a strange juxtaposition to see the emptiness of the corridors that bustled with activity during the daytime. Sconces along the halls signalled that perhaps there had been a time when the building was active at night, but now they lay dormant on the walls. It was no matter though, as beams of moonlight drifted in through the windows and lit Cadence's path in a pale light.
As she turned a corner, Cadence let out a small, startled gasp as she almost walked into another pony. The castle was so dead, the presence of somepony else was almost unnatural in a way.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry," Cadence apologized, putting a hoof on her chest.
The pony whom she almost ran over nodded in forgiveness. "It's quite alright, your highness. Not too many ponies expect to see me wandering these halls at this hour."
Cadence smiled in reply. "May I ask why you are, as you put it, wandering the halls at night?" she asked kindly.
The pony, who Cadence now noticed was a unicorn with a grey-blue coat and pale purple mane, nodded and gestured to a bench by the window. "Why don't we take a seat, your highness, and I can explain myself," she suggested. "It's not often I have another pony to speak with, let alone the newest princess of Equestria."
Cadence's smile softly dimmed at the last part. "Oh, I don't think I'm all that special," she said. "I mean, I'm barely a princess yet. I haven't done anything!"
As the two sat down, the unicorn sitting beside Cadence tutted. "But you have! I heard that was a very brave thing you did in that town of yours. Showing an evil pony the path to light and love is no easy feat," she said. "And yet I'm told you didn't even hesitate in walking right up to them."
"I guess," Cadence said, shrugging. "But that's enough about my story. What about you?"
The pony extended a hoof, which Cadence took in a simple hoofshake. "My name is Eventide, seneschal of the Night Princess," she said, introducing herself.
Cadence raised an eyebrow in confusion. "The 'night princess?' Who is the night princess?"
Eventide smiled. "She is... away... for some time," she replied. "Quite a long time, if I am to understand it correctly."
"But who is she?"
There was sigh, and Eventide leaned back a little on the bench. "The Princess of the Night was Princess Celestia's closest companion. They ruled Equestria together. As Celestia would take court and serve Equestria during the day, those duties would fall to the Princess of the Night at sundown," the unicorn explained. "They ruled in harmony together for many, many years. Then, something happened, and the Princess of the Night had to leave." Eventide paused for a moment, gazing out the window solemnly. "The Night Princess never returned."
Cadence listened to the story in fascination. She had never heard it before, and it piqued her interest.
"Princess Celestia has kept a seneschal however, ready for when she eventually returns to us," Eventide went on. "And thus, here I am. Awaiting the return of my princess." The unicorn smiled at Cadence as she finished her story.
"I've never heard of this," the alicorn said, wonder showing on her face. "So I assume this 'night princess' is like Princess Celestia? She's immortal too?"
Eventide nodded. "Yes. As are you!"
Cadence's demeanor fell as the reality of her new situation was once again brought to her attention. "I'm not really sure how I feel about that," she said softly, looking down at her hooves. "I mean like, it's something that a lot of ponies seem to want and wish for, and now I have it. But I don't know if I want it."
She felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "Immortality is hard to comprehend," Eventide said. "It's right there in front of you, stretching on forever. It is empty, and it is up to you to fill it up." There was a pause as Cadence absorbed what the seneschal was saying. "I know it seems daunting. That's because it is. And it will take you quite a long time before you feel comfortable about it. Some ponies have told me it took Princess Celestia herself hundreds of years to become accustomed to the fact."
The pink alicorn sighed. This was indeed her reality now. She hadn't expected this on her first night as a princess, but the subject of her immortality was bound to come up sooner or later. That moment just happened to be at almost midnight in a dark corridor with a mysterious seneschal of a long-lost princess of the night.
Eventide seemed to read her mind. "I know this seems like a lot to take in, and this is your first day as an official princess," she said, kindness in her voice. "But the sooner you're able to begin the adjustment process, the easier it will be in the long run."
Cadence smiled dryly. "And if not, at least I have eternity to get used to it," she said, only a hint of mirth betraying her dismal look. The comment earned a sympathetic look from Eventide, but the unicorn said nothing. Instead, she choose to stand, and turned away, walking up to a window. Silence fell upon the two ponies as they both gazed through the stained glass at the pale surface of the moon.
"You should go and get some rest," Eventide finally said, her suggestion shattering the stillness of the silence. She turned to look back at the alicorn. "It's been a long day, and from experience, they only get longer before they get shorter." Cadence gave her a confused look. With a small smile, Eventide clarified. "Things may get harder at first, they will get harder, but you'll get used to this new life soon. I promise you."
"Thank you so much," said Cadence. "It's been wonderful to be able to talk to you, and learn so much more about this." She waved a hoof around. "I hope to see you again soon."
Eventide smiled. "I'm happy to talk. I'll be around." With that, the unicorn turned and continued walking down the hallway, heading back to whatever mysterious task the Seneschal of the Night Princess did.
Now alone on a bench in the hallway, Cadence decided to take Eventide's advice and get some rest. She stood, yawning, before turning hoof and walking in the opposite direction of the unicorn, back to her suite and her bed. Her walk back was relatively uneventful, however as she gazed out the window, she could have sworn that a face on the moon gazed back at her.
The trip back to her room was uneventful, the maze of corridors slowly becoming more and more familiar to her. Soon she was at the door to her half of the suite. Cadence paused, taking a deep breath and preparing for whatever was to come before pushing open the door. The sight before her, however, was not quite what she was expecting.
The light that Sunset Shimmer was reading by had gone out, and the unicorn was slumped over the desk asleep. The open book was acting as a surrogate pillow on the hard wooden surface. Cadence almost chuckled at the view. Sunset, for the first time since they had formally met, was quiet and calm.
Not wanting to disturb her suite mate, Cadence quietly took off her regalia, and placed it on the dresser by her bed. Then, she climbed into her own bed, and pulled the covers over her.
Soon, the soft snoring of Sunset lulled her to sleep, and Cadence too was in the realm of dreams.
A knocking on the door roused Princess Celestia from her late-night paperwork. "Come in!" she called out, magically opening the door. The mare who stepped through the door was not one she saw often at all, and wasn't one whom she expected to see tonight.
"Good evening, Princess," Eventide said, bowing slightly. "I hope I'm not intruding."
Celestia smiled. "Of course not, Eventide," she replied. "It's good to see you! What brings you here." She tidied up the papers on her desk before turning around and facing the visitor.
The unicorn sat on a cushion by the foot of Celestia's bed. "I ran into Princess Cadence earlier tonight," she said. "She was having the typical first night thoughts."
The alabaster alicorn slumped in her seat. "Please tell me she isn't-"
"Right now I think she's doing fine," Eventide hurridley assured her. "She didn't seem too uncomfortable with the concept, only perplexed."
Celestia sighed. "Please keep an eye on her, Eventide," she said softly.
Eventide nodded, before standing up. When she reached the door, she paused, and then turned back around. "Princess, if I may," she began. "It wasn't your fault."
Celestia swallowed back a few tears as she turned back to her paperwork. "I need not be assured, Eventide."
With that, the Seneschal of the Night Princess left the room, and Celestia continued to sign papers by the candlelight.