Harrowed Crown

by DawnFade

The Prince

The Royal Journal of Prince Harrowed Crown
A hundred and twenty days until the summer solstice.

Court was so boring this morning that I almost wished somepony would destroy the world. First my father drags me away from the royal harem and sends me here, and now I am forced to sit through hours of painfully slow proceedings. It's clear that the old bastard is angry with me for some infinitesimal transgression he has perceived through his stupid old eyes.

To his credit, I did not sense any animosity in his farewell speech. And what a speech it was! He put a lot of effort into that one, going on about how I was to broaden my knowledge of the royal duties as performed by other leaders and that by doing so I would expand my mind and gain a new perspective which would ultimately allow me to rule more effectively when the time came.

No amount of words, regardless of their sincerity, can excuse sending me to this dull and lifeless place. Can you believe that they don't even have a royal harem? I almost wish you were a real pony, diary, so that you could share in my consternation.

Furthermore, they were mortified when I asked where their harem was! They acted as though it was a crime or otherwise indecent thing to request! Clearly, these ponies have much work to do if they want to be as powerful as my kingdom one day.

I am tired of standing still. Tomorrow, I shall attempt to slip away and wander the city. Perhaps a pretty young mare may be willing to teach me why it's called the City of Glass and Flowers after we have a few glasses and she reveals her flower.

Prince Harrowed Crown.

---

The Royal Journal of Prince Harrowed Crown
A hundred and nineteen days until the summer solstice.

Escaping the clammy grasp of the steward's lecturing was easier than I thought it would be. Clearly yet another way that this kingdom is inferior to mine. They have no real security around here. Ponies come and go as they please. Everypony is relaxed and easy-going. It's like they have never been under threat before.

I saw the king bump hooves with several of his subjects today. They would bow at first, of course, but then he would chuckle warmly and welcome them up onto his dais. How is he even alive if all it takes to get within knife-range is a bow? Truly, this is the land of idiots.

After slipping away, I found that my hopes of leaving the castle and looking around the city were dashed. There were simply too many ponies at the gates for me to pass through undetected. Instead, I resigned myself to exploring the extensive gardens. They were as you would expect, full of glass sculptures and flowers of a million kinds. Hardly anything new or interesting.

However, something else caught my eyes, something more beautiful than any amount of flora. She flew down gracefully, an alicorn with no equal. The very sight of her tore my heart asunder, I am not ashamed to say. Those wings, white as the clouds, fluttered on the breeze as she lightly kissed the ground with her hooves.

She was a Princess, that much was clear, a member of this kingdom's royal family I had yet to meet. For good reason, if they were aware of my activities back home.

As soon as she landed, I approached her. I introduced myself and was as charming as I could possibly be, yet she didn't return any of my advances. Tomorrow, I will try to find her again. And the next day, if that's what it takes.

Prince Harrowed Crown

---

The Royal Journal of Prince Harrowed Crown
A hundred and three days until the summer solstice.

She drives me mad! I bring her gifts, I share dinner with her, I talk to her constantly yet she does not reciprocate my actions!

In frustration, I threw a servant mare across my bed when she asked how my day went. Fortunately, she was not even nearly as resilient to my charms and quickly learned to enjoy my fury-fuelled attentions.

Then she had the nerve to still be in my chambers when I awoke! It was despicable, almost as if she hadn't been trained in the art of royal lovemaking.

Even the supple servant didn't quell my hunger. She was just a distraction from my true goal.

The Princess's eyes haunt me whenever I close my own.

Harrowed Crown

---

The Journal of Crown
Ninety I don't know solstice

I may have to do something drastic. I am going insane. Yesterday I spent all afternoon chuckling and talking to a chair in my room, imagining she was here. I knew she wasn't but I ignored that. It's not healthy. If she isn't mine soon I don't know what I'll do.

HC

---

Journal

A hooded pony approached me in the gardens after yet another failed courting attempt on the Princess. She said she knew what my problem was and she could help. I'm desperate. I begged her for her assistance.

She was clearly a unicorn, but I thought I saw the shuffle of wings beneath her cloak. A Princess? Maybe. But not my Princess.

I don't even care who she is or why she's helping me. I stopped sleeping a few days ago, I think. Time is a blur, a haze of pain and hunger.

Asked her anyway. She said she was doing what's best for Equestria. I don't know what that distant, tyrannical land has to do with anything and I don't care.

She said to meet her in a week's time.

---

Short meeting. Night. Gardens. Flask with purple liquid. Calm, friendly voice from dark hood.

Everything will be alright, as long as my Princess and I drink it. She will love me if we drink it.

Agreed before she finished talking. Dinner tonight in my chambers with my Princess. Not the first time. Has maintained friendly persona all other times.

Please let this change that. I can't even make sense of the world around me anymore.

I know when we are together, when she loves me, everything will be better. I will sleep again, with her at my side. We will marry and live forever and ever.

Comments

[DawnFade]

215980
Thank you :D
That music fits pretty well, in my opinion.

[statoose]

I enjoyed the journal-entry style. Just a personal nitpick, I didn't like how Harrowed Crown's personality was depicted, but again, that's just me. For what this is, it is very well done. The subtlet change in his's journal entries - becoming more rushed-sounding - towards the end was a nice touch.

The way it ends rather suddenly works quite well. It lets the reader put everything together in their head, making the impact stronger.

[Silent Storms]

Oh you posted it now, very nice. Glad you took my suggestions. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the story! Keep up the good work Dawn.

[andrewmyles]

Looks very promising! I'll definitely track this.

[Borg]

This prince seems like a nice guy. He'd be a good king, I can tell.

I wonder if we'll get some more insight into why Tia/Luna feels this is necessary?