A/N: Short-feeling Chapter, not even sorry

Here you go!

Stay classy, readers!

EDIT: IGNORE THE SECOND UPDATE! FF.N Reuploaded this chapter for some reason, so I deleted the extra, but I'm sorry for the confusion (Shakes head) Damn it all, FF.N...

Chapter Thirteen

Thunder and Lightning!

Clover was studying her book on etiquette in her room at Canterlot Castle when there was a knock on her door. Glancing out the window to see that her Cousin Luna was going to raise the moon soon, she frowned.

"Enter," she called cautiously; the door opened, exposing a member of the Celestial Guard being flanked by the two Reapers who guarded her door.

"Princess Clover Breeze," the unknown Pegasus greeted reverently as he bowed lowly towards her, his Generic Spell activated, giving him a brown coat to gleam against his golden armor. Her own Guards had their Spell up, looking dangerous and intimidating as they flanked the other Guard.

"What news do you bring?" Clover asked calmly, her horn gleaming as she levitated her book onto her desk, a bookmark holding her place.

"Princess Celestia and her Honorable Sister sent me to get you, Your Highness," he informed her, still bowing, and Clover nodded as regally as her lessons had taught her, climbing to her shoed-hooves with grace. "They're awaiting you in the Solarium, Your Highness."

"Very well, thank you," Clover told him calmly, nodding her head. He ducked his head a bit, stood from his bow, and saluted smartly, before turning and leaving her to, no doubt, return to his post. Clover let out a slow breath. Her lessons on "Proper Princess Behavior" were annoying, but obviously working, and she was proud of her progress if nothing else.

"Come along, then," she told her Guards easily. "Can't keep my Cousin's waiting, can we?"

"No, Your Highness," the replied, Generic voices monotone with a strangely echoing quality that had the young Alicorn smiling a bit. She really did love the fact that she had managed to work so many little details into her Guards spells. From the corner of her eye, she saw Marwolaeth slithering through the shadows silently, but otherwise she paid the Power no mind.

The walk through the Castle as it began to wind down for the evening was surprisingly soothing. Her Guards kept the serving ponies at bay, not that they were ever very quick to approach Clover, something that had honestly left her a little depressed in the beginning. In Ponyville, most tended to ignore the fact that she Reigned over Death, but, here in Canterlot? It was the first thing on ponies' minds when they saw her, right after her striped pelt.

It was surprisingly lonely.

As they reached the doors to the Solarium, where Celestia Raised and Lowered the sun, and where Luna did the same with the moon, the Guards (A set of Castle Guards only), pushed the door open, earning a polite nod from the Princess as she strode through the door, her shoed hooves making soft clicking noises against the flooring as she walked.

The Solarium was something akin to a closed balcony, with depictions of suns, moons, and stars on the floor, walls, and ceilings, and a pair of Alicorn statues, one with the sun balancing on its horn, the other with a moon. Standing on the actual balcony were Celestia and Luna, their horns glowing with their magic as they handled their Powers, and Clover sat silently out of the way, watching as it slowly became night, admiring the beginning twinkle of stars as it happened.

"Hello, Clover Breeze," Celestia greeted easily, smiling softly as she looked down at the younger Alicorn, the golden light surrounding her horn dimming rapidly with the suns departure, while Luna's gleamed brighter for a moment before dissipating like mist as the darkly coated Mare turned her attention to Clover, smiling slightly at her.

"Good evening, Cousins," Clover greeted warmly. "It looks like yet another beautiful night, Luna." The quieter, personality-wise at least, Alicorn nodded with a pleased look, and the three of them silently observed the sparkling stars and constellations for a few moments, before they were forced to look away and get down to business.

"A recent letter from my Most Faithful Student has arrived today, with yet another Lesson of Friendship," Celestia informed Clover easily, smiling. "Currently, Twilight Sparkle and her fellow Elements are visiting the settlement of Appleloosa, where they have had a minor run-in with the Buffalo Tribe, Tribe of Thunder Which Comes From The Ground, whose Sacred Stampeding Grounds go right through the Orchards there. Thankfully, the Elements of Harmony have once more prevailed through the Magic of Friendship, and an understanding between the Settler ponies and the Tribe has been made."

"This is wonderful news, Celestia," Clover told her sincerely, tilting her head. "But what am I to do about it?" The older two Alicorns smiled and shared a brief look, before Luna began to speak.

"We believe that thou art prepared to go forth and Bless the Truce between these paired assemblages. Their commitment to Friendship, in the face of such shared enmity, deserves the attention of a Princess of Equestria, and thou art in need of experience outside of Our purview, Cousin." Clover blinked, mentally translating Luna's words into modern language. So, they wanted her, as the least experienced of the three of them, to go to Appleloosa and give a Royal Blessing to the Truce between the two groups, making it a legitimate Truce and not just an idea of one.

"I accept this assignment graciously, Cousins," Clover replied carefully, trying to put her lessons to good use. By the soft, proud looks she gained, she was succeeding, and she couldn't help but beam, her wings fluttering happily behind her before she managed to get them back under control. "When do I leave?" she asked politely.

"Just before Sister's Sun is Raised," Luna told her, nodding.

"We know it's very early, which is why we called you here now," Celestia told her gently. "The Carriage will have to make a few rest stops on its way, as it is a day's journey from here to Appleloosa, and you will be spending the night, so we though best to inform you so you'd be better prepared for the journey." Clover calculated what she would need, before nodding firmly and climbing to her hooves.

"I shall go and gather some light baggage for the trip, then, and get a good nights sleep," she informed them with a determined look, before giving the sky one slightly longing look. "And it's such a good night for Star Gazing, too," she sighed a little mournfully, earning a sweet smile from Luna, who settled a hoof gently on her shoulder.

"We shall save a Night to Gaze with thee once Our Duties have relented a degree, Young Cousin," she reassured kindly, and Clover smiled warmly up at her.

"Good night, Cousins," She told the two, earning likewise replies before she turned and left, her Reapers joining her as she walked back towards her rooms.

"What to pack," she mused once alone; Marwolaeth rose from her shadow silently, smiling as she draped herself across Clovers back like her very own undead cloak, but Clover ignored the feeling as she had learned to do, well accustomed to the Power's antics.

"The quilt is a good choice, Dearest," the Power whispered, the sound of wind through an empty house; Clover hummed, levitating the homemade quilt into her saddlebag, along with an extra cloak and some writing materials. After thinking for a moment, Clover added a pair of thick, slow-going books as well, to keep her at least distracted on the flight, before glancing towards her balcony windows and sighing.

"I better hit the hay while it's still early, so I'm not completely useless in the morning," she decided, climbing into her bed to do just that. "Goodnight, Marwolaeth," she murmured as she cuddled under the thick, soft comforter, a small yawn escaping.

"Good night, Dearest," the Power murmured, the moan of a grief-stricken widow over a casket. Closing her eyes and slowly trying to relax, Clover eventually drifted off to sleep, her dreams a mix of apple trees filled with stars, and the sound of a train whistle blowing.

She was woken by one of her Reapers what felt like only a little while later, groggy-eyed and nearly catatonic as she lethargically shuffled down the halls towards the waiting Carriage, which was so different from the usual Royal Wagons that she woke up enough to stare wonderingly at it. Two Pegasi Reapers, Generic Spell up, were proudly standing at it's front, ready to start pulling the gleaming cart, the whole thing gleaming softly like bone, with flack etchings of graves, jagged stripes, and gnarled, creepy trees, the Deathly Hallows mark displayed proudly on its sides and, as she circled it, it's back as well. The inside of the Carriage was black silk and stone, with bone buttons.

As a whole, the entire Carriage oozed ominous and deadly and Clover was giddy to see it fly.

"We are Please that Our gift to thee is so well-received," Luna's voice announced from off to the side, and Clover giddily spun around, beaming at her softly-smiling Cousin, a sleepily blinking, yawning Celestia trying to smile from beside her.

"Thank you!" Clover squealed, leaping forward to wrap her forelegs around first Luna's neck, and then Celestia's, making the older Alicorns chuckled fondly.

"Off with you, now, Clover Breeze," Celestia urged kindly, smiling as Clover obeyed, hopping up into her—HER!—Carriage along with a Unicorn Reaper and an Earth Reaper, another set of Pegasi taking up a rear-guard outside the Carriage.

"Lift!" One of the Pull Pegasi ordered in an ominous hiss; as one, the Pegasi lifted, the Carriage lifting with them and, waving at her Cousins as they moved away, Clover gleefully rubbed a hoof along the silk lining of Her Carriage.

This was going to be an awesome trip!

~(Line Break)~

Clover took it back.

The trip was awful!

First of all, about half an hour in, her body remembered that she was tired, and she tried to get some sleep. But there was turbulence when the Pegasi hit a colliding bit of airwaves, and then they were forced to fly higher to avoid an emergency-scheduled thunderstorm, only for the sound of thunder and rain to disturb Clover as well. Added in the mildly-uncomfortable aura her two in-Carriage Guards radiated every time she accidentally touched them when she shifted around, Clover finally gave it up as a pipe dream and sat up to read her books…

Only to discover that Radi had decided that he wanted to come, and had chewed through one of the books, and used the other as a toilet, while his natural static made her quilt a little too frizzy for comfort.

By the time the first rest-stop came around four hours later, Clover was exhausted and cranky, but striving for patience as she stretched her legs while the Pegasi rested. Radi was hiss/chirping happily as he perched on the Unicorn Reaper's horn, cocking his little head this way and that as he watched Clover shake out her half-asleep hooves, making her huff in reluctant amusement as she observed her Reapers very deliberate stillness, the tenseness of his body as he tried not to upset the electrical chick.

"Radi, leave my Reaper in peace, you silly thing," she sighed, horn glowing as her magic plucked the little bird up, making him hiccup a little burst of lightning as his tiny wings flailed, startled. She carefully sat the little bird on her back, directly between her wing-bases. He chirped and snuggled in with a soft buzzing noise, pleased. Clover rolled her eyes and continued to pace for a little while.

Half an hour later, the Pegasi called a return to place, and Clover sighed as she climbed back into the Carriage.

It was going to be a long day…

~(Line Break)~

It was almost time for the Moon to Rise by the time they reached Appleloosa, and Clover had a small headache from the stress of trying to nap, take care of her infantile Familiar, and ignore the stoic presence of the two ground-bound Reapers sitting stiffly next to her the whole way.

A headache that quickly dissipated at the sound of cheering from the small Settlement, and Clover smiled brightly as she waved at the mix of ponies and Buffalo, especially at six familiar Mares and a baby dragon that were all but leaping as they waved.

"Presenting, Princess Clover Breeze, Guardian of the Dead!" One of the Pegasus Reapers barked as soon as the Carriage was down, the lot of them bowing deeply as the young Alicorn stepped down onto the ground, Radi chirping curiously from just behind her crown as he peered around them.

"Good evening," Clover greeted the townsponies, all of whom were bowing. The Buffalo all had a hoof settled on their chests, bowing their massive heads respectfully, before straightening once more. "It is truly a pleasure to ave been given this opportunity to Bless such a Union of Friendship," Clover added sincerely, smiling in the same, gentle way Celestia and Luna did, her lessons firmly in mind. "Please, all of you, stand. This is a wonderful occasion," she informed them, watching the smiling Settler Ponies get to their hooves, some of them straightening their Stetson hats and their cow-pony vests carefully.

"Princess Clover Breeze," a familiar voice greeted warmly, and Clover turned a much brighter smile on the Mane Six, as they were affectionately called in Ponyville.

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle, and Friends," Clover greeted, nodding genially at the smiling Mares. "And Assistant," she added with a wink to Spike, watching the little dragon flush, pleased as he grinned. "Do you have the Treatise?"

"I do," Twilight told her, happily levitating a roll of parchment from her saddlebag towards the Princess, her own magic quickly claiming it from the Unicorn. Unrolling it with practiced ease, Clover began to read, nodding along absently as she observed. It was a rather cut-and-dry Truce Agreement, from what she could tell, with a few of the usual extra conditions (Such as the Clause where the Settlers would have to move their trees again should the Tribe suddenly expand, and the one where the Tribe would have to pay for any damages done to the Settlement during their Stampede, little things like that). Nodding her head, she accepted a quill from one of the stoic Reapers and neatly signed the Truce herself, making it truly Official, before signing it with a flash of magic, stamping her Sigil onto it for authenticity. In another flash of magic, the scroll copied itself twice, one copy disappeared, the other two floating to the respective Leaders of each party.

"So It Is, So Shall It Be," Clover announced, her magic shooting up into the air, much like a firework, and exploding dramatically, her Cutie Mark filling the sky menacingly, casting herself and her Reapers in a ghastly green light. The Ponies, Elements, and Buffalo all gasped and drew back instinctively, all of them feeling the chilling grasp of Death brush along their spines in a deadly promise, before the light died down and all was warm and alive again, and Clover smiled happily out at them all.

"The Truce between Appleloosa and the Tribe of Thunder Which Comes From The Ground is Blessed!" She declared proudly; instantly, their unease forgotten, the crowd cheered and hooted, the bellowing cries of the Tribe resonating deeply with the many yowls of 'yeehaw' and 'whoo!'. Beaming, pleased, as Pinkie shot confetti and balloons as a immediate party started, Clover couldn't help but think that, maybe, the horrible trip was worth the outcome…

Even if her role only lasted about ten minutes compared to the twenty-hour trip.

Watching as her Cousin's did their jobs, and the stars (many, many more than she saw back home, she gleefully noted), Clover smiled happily to herself.

She was doing pretty well at this Princess thing now-a-days, if she did say so herself.

Pretty damn well indeed.

A/N: Ta-da!

So, on a completely random note, I kinda got the song "You'll Play Your Part" stuck in my head (I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN THAT FAR IN THE SERIES UGH) and I wondered how I would get Clover in there…

So…

Here you go!

(I'm starting after Twilight sings it because I am lazy XP Also, I OWN NOTHING BUT ADDED PARTS THAT ARE CLOVERS LINES THAT'S ALL))

Celestia:

Your destiny's uncertain

And that's sometimes hard to take

But it will become much clearer

With every new choice you take

Luna:

Patience is never easy

I understand wanting more

I know how hard it is to wait

To spread your wings and soar

CLOVER!

Sometimes the Future is murky

And sometimes it feels too hard

When your every decision

Lays heavy on your heart…

But there's a Bigger Picture,

And no matter how small you seem

You'll play a big part of it

Just Believe~ Me

Cadence:

And you stand here for a Reason

You're gifted and you are strong

That Crown is upon you head because

You Belong

(All Four of Them)

Know that your Time is coming soon

As the Sun Rises, so does the Moon

As Love finds a place in every Heart

As Death is the End to every Start

You are a Princess; You'll play your part!

And that's it. She doesn't get anything else, she's just got that slightly-longer solo and the Chorus, but what do you think?

Reviews Are Awesome~! ^-^