You pause a few seconds, tilting your gaze back up tentatively to the princess. "I'd planned on traveling to Canterlot proper to have made my appearance, giving us both time to... prepare, but I was traveling through Ponyville tonight and decided to enjoy some of the festivities before making my way further towards the capital. I hadn't expected an appearance from royalty this far out, but..." you trail off, unsure of how to continue from there.