Florid Deal (My Little Pony Fanfiction)

Prologue

Once Upon a Time, Princess Celestia sat among Princess Luna and Duchess Evening Primrose to discuss her latest news with them. Her decision of finding a proper successor was as exciting as it was unsettling to the Duchess. The young Alicorn was more worried about what the future ruler would do to her territory.

-"As you may know, we rule Equestria with equal power," Celestia continued and wrote a note with her quill, "I truly expect us all to work together on this search,"

Evening scrunched her nose as her green-colored magic rose her teacup to her mouth. She never spoke to anyone if she didn't have to, now looking for an heir? 
The gentle dahlias on her flower crown withered slightly.

The Duchess was an intelligent mare as well as she was beautiful. Her wings had a yellow gradient as well as her hooves, and her mane was constantly dyed different colors to conceal her dull, snow-white mane. Her emerald eyes were gentle, but also piercing.

Her oddest feature had always been her horn, which was bent forwards and also had a purple gradient. 

In her younger years, it had been straight. 

But things change.

Of course, one could not forget her Cutie Mark.

She had been marked with the gift of nature, now in charge of its well-being. Sometimes nicknamed "Mother Nature."

Celestia turned to Evening, "...What say you, cousin?"

-"Of what?" Evening turned to her with a slight grimace.

-"Should you stay in the Everfree Forest?"

She didn't ponder, "Who else would tend the trees? Or the flowers? I have to stay,"

-"Do recall we only evicted Discord not long ago,"

-"That should not be a problem now," Evening replied between sips, "He's stone anyway, what can he do now?"

Celestia frowned, "Enough to keep up worried,"

No later after, they were dismissed. The Duchess left without much to say. Not like she ever had anything to speak of anything. She was an alicorn, but she had never been acknowledged as an Alicorn Princess. Not like Celestia ever saw her as such, they had always been distant and cold.

The streets of Canterlot cleared slowly as she walked through them on her way back to the Everfree Forest. Ponies always thought highly of her though she never saw herself worth more than a loaf of bread or a sugar cube.

Finally, a young foal crossed her path and tapped her hooves gently.

Evening bent down to take a closer look at her: She was, without doubt, someone of a royal background. Her aura was impeccable and serene as she looked up at her.

-"Princess Evening Primrose!" She exclaimed.

-"Duchess," Evening corrected, curiously studying the little pegasus, "Where are your parents?"

The foal pointed away from them and into the crowd. Evening sighed and tiredly smiled, then tilted her head to the side as if dismissing the crowd's curious murmurs. She kept going as she had been before, but this time letting flowers bloom over the stone she stepped in. Some cut the magical dahlias growing out of the ground, while others wisely kept their distance.

Princess Celestia watched from afar with her sister as their cousin made her final arrival at the train terminal. She knew Evening had changed over the last few centuries that she had roamed Equestria. Though she wasn't older than Celestia, she was just as powerful and majestic. Which was not what originally worried the Sisters, but rather her late temper. Or lack, thereof. Evening had been unusually quiet for her usual self. She was quiet, but not this quiet. Luna at some point joked Evening Primrose was married in secret.

-"Sister, should we keep watch on Eve's plans? Everfree is a magical forest, don't you think she could be a potential danger?" Luna asked before setting out to raise the moon.

Celestia shook her head, "I don't think she should worry now,"

-"So you trust her?" Luna raised a brow as she stretched her hind legs and wings.

-"No,"

-"Well then?"

Celestia chuckled softly, "Whatever she does won't go unnoticed until danger comes forth we should not do more than we have to,"

-"Alright then..." Luna finished and jumped out of the balcony.

As the moon began to rise, Celestia could not keep herself from wondering if she was right to not give her cousin a higher position in her kingdom. She could not help but imagine Evening trying to smile at everyone and keeping the grass green. Surely, Evening would go mad by the third day.

While Celestia wondered to herself and Luna returned home, Evening sat on the train bored out of her mind. This happened more often than one might think, which is disappointing since Evening was a powerful flier. I say often because Evening Primrose held the title of the Queen of Laziness and Loophole Finder. Celestia always said that if she didn't work hard, she wouldn't get anywhere. Much for Evening's amusement since at least she spent all day keeping things alive while Celestia bathed in attention.

Luna had scolded her once for commenting such out loud, "Watch it! If my Sister hears you, she'll kill you!"

-"With what will?" Evening had boldly replied.

Luna had stopped in front of her for a minute, closing and opening her mouth as if to speak. Evening had smirked with triumphant sass while she waited for an answer. Luna had then snorted and they both laughed out loud. They laughed for a solid five minutes before Celestia caught them and they had to explain why they were suddenly laughing in front of the castle's stained glass.

Finally, the train arrived at Ponyville.

Evening Primrose tightly closed her wings and cast an invisibility spell as she began to walk among the ponies waiting outside. Though successful, some ponies could feel her magical presence whenever she stepped near them. 

Some internalized it and didn't think much of it, but the most curious souls decided to investigate. Those who dared to follow her magical trail would wind up in the heart of the Everfree forest. Just before they'd turn back home, they would see her: A magnificent Alicorn making flaming lilies bloom in a glowing pond and trees bowing before her. She would then turn and spot them from out of the darkness, then acknowledge them with a nod before going back to whatever she was doing.

Those few would later on go back home and tell everyone what they saw, just to be shut down by their peers. But those who believed started the legend that an Alicorn Princess lived in the woods, away from all civilization. A truly beautiful and mysterious being that disappeared when you turned your head. 

No one had ever found her if they searched, they only found her by chance. But there is only so much ponies can tell, and there is only so much that can be revealed.