//------------------------------// // A Queen's past // Story: The Ice Pony and the Dragon // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// Far from the Glacier Mountains in Canterlot, Twilight and the others entered the throne room seeing Celestia and Luna, "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" Twilight called. "Twilight, girls, I'm glad you made it," Celestia looked around seeing one short of their group, "Where is Spike?" "I'm afraid some pegasus made off with him." Twilight answered in worry. Both older princesses of the land were shocked, "Oh dear, it's worse than we've feared." Luna said in worry. "You think Spike's kidnapping and the weather in Ponyville are connected?" Rainbow asked as the others listened for their answer. "We do, and there's only one who be behind these incidents." Celestia answered. "Who?" Fluttershy asked in concern. "Queen Gywneira." Luna answered. "Queen Gywneira?" Rarity asked puzzled. Celestia began to tell the legend, "This is a tale that dates back over a thousand years ago." Celestia begn explaining to them when Gywneira told Spike through their perspective. After she finished Twilight spoke up, "That sounds so sad." she noted on how Gywneira was treated. "But what does this have to do with Spike?" Applejack asked in confusion. "I'm afraid we do not know." Luna admitted regretfully. "But we do know is Spike must be rescued from her." Celestia stated. "Of course." Rarity agreed. "We'd do anything for Spike." Twilight added still in worry. "Then I must request you all take caution." Celestia warned them. "We don't know what interest the Queen has in Spike, but you can be sure it is no good." Luna added. "Bring your elements of harmony with you for protection," Celestia warned them as Twilight nodded and brought out the elements for her and her friends, "And be extra careful. Her realm has many dangers." "You have our word word princess." Twilight promised as her friends nodded in agreement. "Then you all must go at once." Celestia sent them off as they did so. Upon their departure the princess of the sun looked down as her younger sister turned to her. "You still feel regret sister?" "Yes. She fled before you and I could do anything to help her. If we had gotten to her sooner we could have prevented her isolation." Celestia sighed in guilt as Luna couldn't help but feel the same. Meanwhile back at the Ice Palace, Spike was finishing another bowl of gems, much to the Queen's surprise, "My what a healthy appetite you have." she chuckled. "Well I do have a large stomach," Spike admitted, "And you know I hate to admit it, but for somepony who had me abducted, you have been very hospitable." "Thanks you." she smiled at his compliment. Spike ate another smaller gem, " Normally if I want some I'd scrap some leftovers from Rarity." he admitted. "You poor dragon." Neira rubbed his top spine. "Well it's not so bad. I have grown accustomed to normal food." he admitted. "Yes, but only gems can truly make a dragon grow healthier." Neira explained the common fact. "I know, but it's not always easy finding them." Spike replied. Neira motioned to her snow unicorns, "If you require anything my snow unicorns will bring it, including more gems." Spike gasped, "Really?" "Of course. Whatever you would like Spike, I will have my servants bring to you." she assured him. "Wow, that's really nice of you, Neira." he admitted. She smiled, " You're very welcome now allow me to show you to your quarters." she led her through a hall. "My what?" he asked. "Your quarters of course. I had a room set up just for you." she explained. "But I got to get home." Spike said in worry of being away too long. "I'm afraid that will be impossible," she answered, "For at this time of night the weather around here makes it impossible to see through, even for my pegasi guards." "Terrific." Spike said in sarcasm. "Fear not I promise you will be very comfortable here." she promised him as she opened a foor revealing a beautiful ice crystal like room. "Wow, you mean I get to stay here?" he looked around the room. "Of course." she nodded. Spike jumped onto his bed, "Wow this feels a lot comfortable than my basket bed." "May you have a pleasant night, my dear Spike." she said as she closed the door upon her departure. Spike looked around the room, "Well not much I can do. Hey maybe I can write a letter to the Princess or Twilight." he looked around for some ink, "There must be some in here." he looked through a desk in his quarters. Outside the room Neira was talking to the windigos, "What do you intend to do now, my liege?" "It's simple," she began, "I continue to make him feel appreciated and welcomed here so much he'll never want to return." "But what if others come looking for him?" another asked, "The group he associates with will no doubt be on their way here." "And I hope they do," Neira retorted, "Because when they arrive, he himself will tell them who he'd rather be with." she smirked. "But what if he chooses to leave with them?" another windigo pointed out. Neira scowled, "Then I will be forced to take desperate measures. And I'm really hoping it doesn't come down to it." "What do you want us to do?" one of them asked. "Keep an eye around the castle and see to it Spike doesn't... wander," she instructed. The bowed their heads before going off. Neira thought, " Soon I will never be lonely again, and neither will he.' Meanwhile, the girls were on a train ride leading to the Crystal Empire where they'd have to continue on hoof. They trekked through the snowy lands further from the Crystal Empire, "I hope Spike's all right." Rainbow said. "Yes who knows what tortures this queen could be inflicting on him." Fluttershy added in equal worry. "Don't even think about that." Twilight warned her already on edge enough as it is. "I know, Twilight," Rarity began, "We're all worried about dear Spike." "That's why I want us to get there as soon as possible and rescue him." Twilight added. "Don't you worry, Twi. We'll have Spike back in Ponyville safe and sound in no time." Applejack promised. "And then we can get started on that surprise party we were planning." Pinkie added in excitement. Twilight smiled, "Yeah. So come on." they continued on. Meanwhile back at the palace, Spike had found some ink and was using his flames to thaw it, "There perfect," he took the quill and began writing, "Dear Princess Celestia. I am writing to tell you I am perfectly fine. Queen Gywneira is very nice and hospitable. I'm sorry to worry Twilight and the others with my disappearance, but I promise you I am completely unharmed," he was about to continue to write only for the parchment to blow away from him, "Hey come back here!" he tried to grab it only for it to slip underneath his door. He went out of his room to retrieve it only for it to fly out a window, "No!" he groaned. He sighed and looked around, "And there's no other parchment in here. Guess the letter's out of the question now," he was walking back to his room, only to see a glow coming from another room, "What's that?" he asked himself as he opened the door to see a large chalice on a pedestal with glowing blue water inside it. He walked to the Chalice, before making a stairway of books to reach the top of it, "What is this?" he looked into the water and started seeing images forming in the liquid. He saw a younger Gwyneira back when she was just a pegasus entering the Glacier Mountains, 'Neira?' he thought as he watched the young filly look around the the mountains. At first she looked sad and scared at the same time while singing about being looked down upon and accused of being a freak. Suddenly she started using her magic freely with no limits or restrictions and started singing happily about being free. As the past Neira started using her magic to create her palace, Spike saw her smiling and thought, 'Wow so that how she made this whole palace? She looks so happy.' he saw as Neira stood on the balcony of her newly created castle feeling she was finally free. "Enjoying the show?" Neira's older voice asked. Spike jumped in fright as he saw the alicorn was right behind him, "Neira! I'm so sorry. I just saw this thing from behind the door and couldn't stop myself." he panicked while apologizing only for Neira to lay a wing on his shoulder making him look up at her. "Curiosity can kill the cat, Spike. But it is not a sin." she explained. Spike calmed down as he looked back at the chalice, "What is this thing?" "This is where I preserve all my memories." she explained. "So it's some kind of window to your past?" Spike asked curiously. "In a way, yes. What you saw was the day I ascended to my full alicorn form." she explained. "You were sure pleased." Spike noted from the memory of what he saw. "It was the first time I used my powers without fear of hurting somepony, and I felt like I was finally free of my burdens. I could finally be myself," she explained and looked to him, "Don't you ever feel you're being restricted?" Spike looked down, "Well Twilight does set up a lot of rules. Too many for comfort actually. But I learned some of them are to keep me from going overboard." "Touche, but here you won't have as many restrictions as you did back there." she tempted him. "You mean I can do whatever I want?" Spike asked hopefully. "As long as you don't melt my home." she warned him. Spike chuckled, "Oh don't worry my flames aren't that big any way." "Then there's nothing to worry about." she said. "That's a relief." he said in relief, as Neira escorted him out of her memory room. "Now off to bed, Spike. You've had a long day." "Yeah," Spike yawned, "Well goodnight, Neira." he left for his room. The alicorn watched and spoke with a smile, "Goodnight, Spike."