Every year, Crystal Wishes and Silent Knight have a dream: their foals, friends, and family all gathered under one roof to celebrate Hearth’s Warming together.

Despite their best efforts, something always gets in the way. One year it was an outbreak of pegasus pox, but usually it’s just the fact that everypony has plans already in place, commitments to their own families, and other such unfortunate obligations.

This year, however, their dream is coming true. It just might not necessarily be how they imagined.

Welcome to the 2018 Quill & Blade Hearth's Warming story! This takes place well after the events of the main stories and includes some spoilers. Co-Written with Crystal Wishes.

After sending its troops to the Nordanver front, the Canterlot Royal Palace finds itself understaffed and many new recruits have their training rushed to compensate. One guard, however, will turn out to be more trouble than they bargained for.

It was Belltoll's first night in the royal guard, and on the night of the Grand Galloping Gala no less. Stubborn determination had gotten him this far. It was unfortunate that same determination would also lead to mass chaos, catastrophe, and an early midlife crises.

PLEASE NOTE: This story takes place within the Quill & Blade alternate universe written by Anzel and Crystal Wishes.

2nd place winner of the Quill & Blade Super Summer Jam Writing Contest (2018).

Chapter One edited by Crystal Wishes. Chapter Two edited by Pearple Prose. Thank you to both of you.

This story is a sequel to Sunny's Days

Sunny Day is pretty happy with her life. She finally has the command she worked so hard for, and the view from atop her wall is amazing. It’s everything she wanted, but many ponies still view her as immature and wild. What more does she have to do to prove her worth and show them all she’s as serious as anypony else?

Elsewhere in Canterlot, Azurite used to be happy with her life. The tragedy that occurred during the recent Summer Sun Celebration changed everything, and now she’s struggling to get her hooves moving in the right direction again. All she wants to do is help other ponies like they’ve helped her, but her own fears keep getting in the way.

The paths before these two mares rarely touch, and yet wind closer together than either will ever know. Achieving their goals will ultimately rely on learning the same lesson: sometimes you just have to believe in yourself.

This story takes place between Sunny's Days and Three of Hearts. Knowledge of either is not required to enjoy the story but will add clarity.

Quill & Blade Universe

This story is a side story to Crystal's Wishes

Being the pony everypony should know comes at a cost, but Au is willing to pay that price. She'll pay any price to stay in the spotlight.

If only the spotlight weren't so fickle.

Crystal and Silent had several plans for spending Hearts and Hooves Day together:
1. Give, receive, and eat lots of chocolate
2. Find ways to keep the foals entertained and quiet
3. Enjoy a romantic home cooked meal on colorful placemats
4. Laugh at how the dining table was covered in crayons, toys, and applesauce
5. Find Dream Pop in the living room with an invitation to join her for Hearth's Warming

...

Wait, no, that last one was definitely not on the original list—and yet that was the only one that did happen.

Written by myself and Crystal. This story is set within the Quill & Blade Universe and takes place after the events of Trials of a Royal Guard.

This story is a sequel to Lovey Dovey and the Business Pony

After having Lovey Dovey around for a week, Magnate knew that he couldn't go back to the dull life he led before. When she claims she's moving in with him, however, he comes to the realization that his first impression of her was right: they are very different ponies. Lovey is certain about their relationship, but is he?

This story is a side story to Crystal's Wishes

Sunridge Sweets is home to some of the best cupcakes in all of Canterlot. It's also where Red Velvet has spent the near entirety of his life—all eight months of it. Everypony calls him cute, adorable, and downright cavity-inducing, but how he feels about himself is a whole other story. And this is that story.

Velvet Step remembers her grandfather.

But her grandfather seems to be having trouble remembering her.

Azurite isn't your normal sort of royal guard. Patrolling, protecting, and policing are fine for some ponies but they weren't for her after a routine call went sideways. Now, while struggling with the injury of her partner, she does her best to help others as a pony relations warrant officer in the palace. The palace, however, isn't quite the bastion of pony professionalism that she imagined and she soon finds her heart pulled in two different directions... toward a stallion and a mare.

Three of Hearts is an unconventional comedy-romance story that isn't afraid to take some of the most common tropes and turn them on their heads.

Quill & Blade Universe
Cover art designed and created for Three of Hearts by the super talented and ever sweet Painted Wave.