It was a cold winter in Equestria, harsh winds and blizzards blowing almost every day across the vast expanse of the domain. We were so close now, having endured so much in the long journey. I felt my hope reignite as the Everfree encroached on the distant horizon. There was no going home now, she had come too far. The little one has had a hard trip. Her dainty little legs had been galloping with all her might, following me as I chase a seemingly impossible dream. I couldn't afford any regrets. As of now I actually couldn't afford anything. Keeping the foal of a night of passion instead of taking a foal born from without love; fleeing the city of love, Seingalt, and then fleeing further outside the region of Cheval and into the royal domain of Canterlot.
All I had was immaterial things for myself, like hopes and dreams. For my crimes, my precious “La Petite” needed what little strength I could muster to survive a cruel world. And I give all of myself willingly. If not for myself. I would like to at least find my new life in Canterlot amicable for her, just so that my little one can live happily ever after. And for just that, I could stop calling myself a terrible mother for bringing her into the world. My world.
I fear that I might have to place all my aspiration through her. My heavy burden on those tiny shoulders.
I now know love is the cruellest thing in the world, cruel in a way only a mother would know.
*Years later*
As far back as I can remember my mother use to tell me all sorts of stories. Each had their little princess and the dashing prince that would sweep her off her feet. He would take her far far away, where she would live happily ever after. My prince was going to find me someday. She promised he would. And he was going to give me all of his love and then I would be happy.
Until then, I intend to wait, patiently waiting for the prince who would take me away.
“Why!?” His hoof came swinging for my face and hit squarely on my cheek. My face bloomed with feeling and my puffed cheek tingled as I smiled at the sensation.
Mr blue pony was a prince I loved but he'd never take me away. He'd always come to me and meet me here whenever he was upset and then leave again. He would leave me here, waiting for him once again. Maybe someday he'll finally do it. Someday soon, I could walk on the ground where the other ponies play.
Someday I'll leave this room. This room atop this hulking tower, where through a crystal window I can see the other world move below.
“Why couldn't I make that pegasus mine!?” His hoof slammed around the pillow on my head, the distinct thumps having me imagine the distinct crunch I'd feel if they connected to me.
“Such a soft flowing pink mane... such a calming yellow coat and eyes so innocent and pure!” Draping himself above me he kept me at hoof’s length. He looked into my eyes with water raining into my face, the saltiness tickled my cheek.
I wanted to rise to him and see his eyes up close. I wanted to feel the warmth of his closeness to me. But I couldn't, my body wouldn't let me.
“Dammit dammit dammit!” He smashed down three more times, hitting me directly on my face. With a force of will I rose a little, just enough to make my wants known. He met me half way and held me within his arms, whimpering, his form taking me into his possession. Princes had such broad shoulders and they were so tall as to have me crane my neck to reach those shoulders. Their arms were so long as if they were made for the purpose of holding me as tightly as anypony could.
I could barely see anything over his shoulders, his dirty yellow mane were in my eyes. Hours of being together had ruined his nicely greased hair into an unkempt mess. Nuzzling, I moved the hair aside so I could see the mirror behind me on the opposite side of the room. I looked at myself and smiled, at the other me looking as happy as can be. Her eyes so big and round and mane silky and smooth giving just that little extra cheer. Water leaked out of her eyes and her mane covered the unsightly bulges and bruises. At the sight, the smile grew wider.
I could feel Mr blue pony shift and the moment to myself passed. I blew into his ear just how he liked it. I felt his body shudder with delight and his breath calmed from his whimpering. He kissed my neck. He kissed again, over and over, faster and faster along my nape. He grunted with such greed and want and growing more intense with each touch upon my body. Reaching a crescendo of passion, he bit into my shoulder, as hard as he could. He let the blood pool in his mouth and sucked greedily. A sensation across my body exploded and lingered in wavering pulses.
I gave him a small squeaky yelp with every gnash and suck and lick. He chuckled lightly to me
His blood kiss went on until the bleeding slowed and from there he moved to lick a line across my throat, leaving a dirty crimson line on my white coat. I turned away from him to look into the mirror and his arms draped itself across my waist. He had made me a necklace of rubies. Looking at him from the mirror I saw him smile as he took a hoof to my chin to turn my head back to him.
He took my lips and let his tongue dance with mine.
Am I happy right now?
Mother once told me that happiness was this nice, warm feeling. My face felt warm and all over I felt heat sting with burning sensations. They left me short on breath as every little movement tingled along my body.
“My little Lala. My precious La Petite.” He held me so tight. His body felt so warm.
That must mean that he was happy too.
Is this what it means to live happily ever after?
“I love you...”
“I love you too...”
Laying on my back I gave myself entirely to his passion.
*
Mother taught me what the most important thing in life is. So important in fact that she was willing to die for it. For love she had me. For love she saved me. For love she died to find me prince charming.
Love is the desire to keep someone inside you and hold them dear. Love is like a flower blooming inside you, like a rose blooming into a bed of petals. Love is something only another pony can give you. Mother wanted it so badly, because she knew that it would bring her happiness.
“I want it master.” Jetset loved this game. On my back with my limbs tied to the bed and my eyes blinded with silken cloth, he'd insist on winning his game of no contest. For me to just lay down and give myself to the victor, as spoils to him.
He liked it best, when he always won.
“Say it again.” The long shaft of the riding crop slid around my rump. In anticipation I flinched at its touch. I heard him laughing, the kind of laugh I'd only hear when I was like this.
“I want it master.” With a sharp crack the tip of the crop hit me and I yelped at both the sound and feeling.
“You want it where?” He whipped me again on the same spot. He tasted the rawness of the place and tenderly caressed. The tingles up my spine were having me twitch.
“I want it inside me!” My inner thigh bloomed in sensation. Tenderly he kissed where he had hit me.
“I want you to love me. Master.” Jetset chuckled at the remark and then hit me, hard, in quick succession. My rump, my chest and thighs exploded into happiness. He hit so sharply each time that I could feel blood wetting me all over. I felt his hoof rubbing against the wounds, making me flinch away at first but soon his touch felt warm. The wetness of my hot blood painted all over me like a new coat. The smell and feel of blood wafted across my body and I could feel him take a deep breathy chuckle. Tasting me without touching me.
I felt water stream out of my eyes as all at once he came inside. I yelped in reaction of the sheer girth, of how it felt too big every single time and how I could never get use to this feeling. The enormous eruption of feeling and the iron sticky wetness as my inside were forcibly stretched and seemingly ripped.
To add to my cacophony of joy, he whipped my rump once he had made himself comfortable. He just loved the feel of my raw flank. He worshipped it. He dominated it. He liked to think he owned it. And as every stroke speared through my insides I yelled and screamed and moaned.
He would hit me at every instance of speech.
“You will speak when spoken to.”
“Yes. Master” This feeling. This is what love is.
***
“Ponies are so petty for getting aroused at the prospect of demeaning you.” He pushed my head further towards him forcing himself further into my throat. Instinctively I struggled as he held me in place, letting my desperation reach its peak before he let go. At the very instant he left my mouth, he released plentifully all over my face.
“Because to demean you, would mean to treat you like a pony.” While I coughed, he took his time to deliberately increase the press of his hoof as he made ready to stamp on me. His forehoof easily covering a good portion of my back and with barely any resistance, he had flattened me onto the floor like I was an insect to crush beneath him.
“Yes... -cough- my prince.” This earned me a kick in the ribs.
“You are no pony. You do not have the right to refer to me to such titles!” For good measure he trampled all over me outright, like I was some sort of doormat.
“You are less than an animal! An object, my plaything to do with as I wish!” I coughed blood as his hooves continued stamped into my back.
He held his right forehoof over my head like I was a prow of a ship and his other hooves solidly on my back. I could barely breathe, my strength was rapidly waning. I could feel my ribs teetering towards shattering under the strain.
His horn flared into light and the distinct humming of his magic filled the air. He stepped off of me just short of me passing out and then kicked sharply at my ribs so that I would turn over.
Now on my back I could see he held six floating red and black candles. They moved slowly around me in a loose circle, widening and tightening at his whim. His eyes were wide as he focused on each candle in turn, lighting them.
At the first touch of melted wax I unconsciously shrivelled into a ball. But his magic held on me and spread me wide.
“Be still!”
Each time the wax hit something below it sizzled with an angry heat. Tiny speckles hit me all over. One even landing at the lid of my eye.
“You know... I like you like this.” His angry blue eyes calmed. His voice had calmed into a low pur. He settled beside me and absently played with my mane.
Everytime a drop of wax neared to falling at his reaching hoof, he’d teleport the droplet into somewhere sensitive. I yelped for his pleasure.
Lifting my body by the mane, he propped me on my hind legs and forced the muscles there to cramp as I stood their rearing. Rearing for far longer than any should harmlessly do so. I found myself whimpering, with water leaking from eyes as fire burned into those legs.
“You are a candle stand now.”
He was no longer rotating the candles. Instead pouring pools of wet wax into me before placing a candle there. One at the end of my stretched fore-hooves, one on each shoulder, one burning on my horn as it stood on my snout and one just balancing on the small of my back.
He knew no pony could hold this position for long, so he took it upon himself to keep his magic holding me up, muscles all over burning and my sensitive parts searing.
He stared, looking into my eyes that continued to stream a river down my cheek and across my body.
“I will admit it. La Petite, Canterlot’s precious little Lala... I’m jealous of you.” At those last words the bitter venom in his words suddenly had his magic constrict. Forcing my lungs to exhale suddenly and struggle to inhale again. My concentration on the burning on my horn broken to explode my mind with feelings.
“You are the gem of high society.” I whimpered as a drop of wax seared my left hoof.
“The pony everyone wants but never have.” A drop of more wax sizzled upon contact with my snout. The sensation being nothing short of miraculous as my body shuddered beyond even the control of magic. The candle on my rump fell over, spilling hot wax all over my tail and down between my rump, burning as it went before setting.
Seeing this, the magic was purposely diminished and I dropped to the floor twitching all over.
“Ponies would sell their futures and fortunes to own you. But you aren't for sale. What we can only hope to have is your time and what we buy is never enough.”
“Each time we meet. I die a little inside beloved Lala.” Prince Blueblood, held a hoof to my cheek and nuzzled me. But there was anger there, the air filled with it.
“Despairing at how I am supposed to be the creme du la creme. The highest upon high society. I AM A DESCENDANT OF A GODDESS DAMN YOU!”
At this final remark the flames that were beginning to burn the white carpet flared into gouts of fiery light and then diminished, leaving behind a dim orange dusk to fill the room.
“But nay... I have to be content. Despite my high title, despite my breeding, despite my charm and beauty, I am but second fiddle to you.”
Using what little strength to rise, I came up as Blueblood hooves held me close to his face.
“And you know what really drives me insane the most. The deepest despair I hold in this heart of mine?”
Once I had managed to fully rise to my flimsy feet. Blueblood held me close, water from his eyes mixing with my own.
“Like everypony... I love you too...”
*****
On the highest suite of the most extravagant hotel in Canterlot. At the zenith of the sun the whole room fills with light as if the goddess herself watches over you in that room, blessed for a moment with paradise and happiness.
If you could pay a prince’s fortune, you can taste and touch and smell and hear everything you've ever wanted in life. Whether you knew at the time or not. Everything that all of Canterlot desired could be yours for just that moment.
Pony Joe had been hearing the idle rich speak of it. For years and years they talked about that room, the passion in their normally apathetic voices. The fire and life and enthusiasm spoke volume of the significance. When he had asked about it, they only laughed at him and made a point to never speak of any details beyond its name out loud. The rest was spoken in what could be surmised as innuendo or metaphor.
The Canterlot hotel’s Celestia suite was the only certainty that could be extracted, the most expensive suite in all of Equestria.
Pony Joe had started his business content to live out his life building up a small business in the capital city. To live in the high culture, to have the honour of so many important ponies come into his place for a good old cup of Joe and his patented donuts. To maybe build a legacy to pass on to a little Pony Joe, and live for the rest of his life comfortable and happy in the knowledge that he had all his life’s aspirations come true.
But then he tasted success, perhaps too much of it. Now Pony Joe had more time and money than he could spend. His hooves didn't need to knead dough and make coffee. His mind wasn't busy with inventory and orders and audits. He was in all respects and purposes, another of the idle rich, the kind that was on the bottom-of-the-barrel rich than filthy rich, but rich enough nonetheless.
With nothing to occupy his mind, the desire to know what laid behind the Celestia suite’s door had started from a passing interest of some young ambitious colt, to a frustrating obsession of an idle and made stallion.
His life’s saving was what all it took to see the door and all he had to do was open it. If he could see behind that door, then he could have himself. He wanted to open this door and feel disappointed by the weird idea of a rich person's prospect of paradise. He wanted to feel content that he was raised in a world where such things as paradise was too good a thing to be true, like his hard life as a small business owner taught him.
But what if it wasn't? What if it really was everything anypony ever wanted? The very thing would destroy him. His business, his ideals, his dreams would be forfeit for just another taste of the sweet ambrosia.
Out of the many hardships in his life, this one could actually finally ruin him.
“Joseph. What are you doing here?” Pony Joe turned away from the door towards the elevator.
Before him was Fancypants, one of his most generous patrons. The gentlecolt walked over to him inspecting his uncharacteristic attire. At least that’s what Pony Joe thought what Fancy was looking at him for.
He probably thought it didn't suit him or he didn’t belong here, Pony Joe thought what he thought Fancy was thinking.
“What I'm doing here? Well-“ It didn't occur to Pony Joe that he had every right to be here. He paid fair and square and was given the keys to open the Celestia suite before him.
“Leave.” Usually Pony Joe would explode with outrage at such a blunt command, but there was a sincerity in Fancy that Joe knew to not be ignored. Less of a threatening command, but a heartfelt plea that only Fancy could say with a single expression of a word.
“But Fancy I-“ Still, he came for what he paid for.
“You don't want to see what’s behind that door. I promise you.” Fancy put a hoof to Joe’s chest and pushed him away from the door. He then put himself in the way.
Joe wanted to once again try to remark something. About how badly he wanted to see what everypony had been talking about for so many years. But Fancy’s next words, stopped him dead on his tracks.
“If you happen to, then I will positively kill you.” Pony Joe knew that he didn't literally mean kill as in end his life. But by the seriousness of one of the most kind and polite ponies in Canterlot, even uttering such a strong word suggests a very real possibility of seriousness in his threat.
Joe was confused, scared and had even more nagging curiosity. In his maelstrom of motivations, Joe could only utter the simplest word to express it all.
“What... ?”
“For all that’s good in Equestria, Joseph please.” Now Fancy was looking him straight in the eye and holding his hooves on Joe’s shoulders in beseechment. That did it, there was no more defiance in Joe left.
“Y-yes sir. If it’s you asking, I’ll go.” Fancy was a good pony. There was no way Joe could refuse him.
“Good lad. You have my gratitude. Truly. I’ll repay this to you, I promise.” Fancy made extra sure of Joe’s lack of involvement with reassuring pats on the back and a trip to the ground floor via the elevator.
“Thank you sir.” Joe said as the door slammed closed on his face. Fancy's back being the only thing as his received reply.
"Repay me..." Joe kinda hoped it was his life savings back. But somehow he knew it wasn't what Fancy meant. Fancy was good and kind, but he was no element of generosity.
Seingalt. That place was a lifetime away. Before I lived in Canterlot I had been raised as a Chevalier. Born from Canterlot nobility I was never truly considered a pony of Cheval. I mean just imagine it. You hear names like Lance Du Lac, Le morte d’cristo and Le fey. Names that permeate with destiny and fate and legend, and then you hear your own, a derogative idiom for living the high life... FancyPants.
But I lived there, had a childhood and became a stallion in a way that was all too fast now that I look back. Son to the ambassador of Canterlot I was raised strictly and instructed to forever be polite and courteous. For diplomatic reasons, I had to live without passion and as a result no true amount of joy. Seingalt for its entire claim to being the heart of Cheval, to being the city of love, it was in actuality as loveless as it could get. Ponies were married away like political playthings and then ravished like spoils of war. And then later live out empty lives as your purpose producing heirs had passed. If anything Seingalt was a city of the most depraved of sins, where the body held as much value as the purest gold. This lead to no ending amount of sordid affairs that no quantity of reporting and exposing could halt. It was in the culture, the voracious lust of the powerful were free to be as depraved as they wished. And their playthings condemned to fates they would never wish upon anyone they loved.
No one at all.
There was only one mare I knew to ever be known as Lala. Born as the sole heir of the dukedom of Seingalt within the region of Cheval, she was seen as one of the most important ponies in the land. She was a prize to be had, a being of true perfection to even rival Celestia’s own divine grace. She had beauty unparalleled, intellect most envied and riches lustfully coveted. Knowing her fate was to be the mother of the newest leader of all Cheval, the old duke of Seingalt named her only as “La Mere.”
She hated that name. Her birthright, her existence and eventual destiny, believing for the longest time that all she lived for was a purpose she couldn’t choose. And for that dark despair, that enticingly deep sadness where any other mare would find herself the happiest in the land, I loved her with all of my heart.
For in her, we knew to be kindred in spirit deep down.
I first met her as a young colt who knew nothing about loving a mare. I thought nothing of her at first. But in the shadows my strings were being pulled. I was coaxed to always coincidentally bump into her and we made small talk and shared jokes that we pretended were funny for the sake of diplomacy than any real sincere cordiality.
Eventually all that talking got personal, our defences came down and slowly we confided in each other. We shared all of our firsts and together we laughed and cried, almost as if we were meant to.
And then one night, it was decided that we had to part.
I didn't understand until much later. My father had been trying to have me seduce the heir of Seingalt. In doing so, Canterlot would have absolute control over yet another domain that annexed itself into the kingdom of Equestria.
La Mere would defy her father and choose me as her husband and I would rule the city of love.
But my father was a fool. The powerful make the rules and if they so wished, remake them to suit the new situation. No amount of scheming would dethrone the Chevalier from their birthright, not even an agent of a goddess.
However, the deed was done. Machinations of a conspirator or no, I loved La Mere and she loved me with all her heart.
For the last night, as if it were the last of our lives, we made love like tomorrow would never come.
We said no goodbyes in the morning.
Only exchanging a single phrase instead, words that transcended everything we held dear and all that would force us to let go.
I found myself in Canterlot General hospital. Beside me was Doctor Red Cross who I followed along the hallway. He had wanted to speak with me about his newest patient.
“How is she Red Cross?” I asked him in a hushed tone. Looking through his charts he flashed me a look of irritation and I backed away.
How embarrassing. I wanted this whole incident to be handled with the utmost secrecy, and I had accidentally spoken of it right in public at a public hospital’s corridor with dozens of ears willing to listen in. No damage was done though as he aptly held his tongue to reply. Bowing my head I followed along quietly.
I’m worried.
**
“Have you not met Lala, Fancy?” They had said. They were boasting and marvelling when I had said no, recommendations were given to me all around. I felt ill to my stomach as they talked of Lala as if she were a work of art. Talking with passion of her form and her grace and beauty and flexibility and her skill... they talked about her in every possible way. However they never truly spoke about what she was about. They were content to only add hyperboles and superlatives into the conversation and nod along in agreement. There was not a neighsayer around, not even an inkling of the usual apathetic cynical noble critique. My heart ached at their praise as jealousy prowled beside my rising dread.
But surely they couldn't mean that Lala.
I asked them to be frank with me, to explain to me plainly who Lala was. My fellow gentlecolts exchanged looks, looking at each other in turn before all of them looked at me.
“She isn’t something to be told about Fancy. She is someone to be experienced.” My heart sank. Words failed me for a long time. But surely it wasn't what I thought it was.
**
“Are you my master?”
I wasn't even close.
Before me was but a child, a beautiful child, a young little mare who held my heart in her custody at the very sight of her.
Barring a different shade of her mane and a different colour in her eyes, she was the very image of my beloved La Mere.
“Lala?” I said with barely a whisper. I spoke in disbelief and yet with such demand, a shattered spirit trying to scream with what tiny strength it could muster.
There was really no need to ask. Looking at her I just knew. This was my child. She had inherited practically everything from her mother but that shade of mane, those eyes looking back at me. They were mine, like kindred spirits calling out to each other.
By Celestia, what was she doing here!? What is this child doing in a hotel, all alone? What had been happening behind his perception? And why in all of Equestria did it have to involve somepony like this?
“Master?” I barely heard her as I held her close to me, patting her little head as I tried to comfort her. But she was calm and from what I could understand happy. She came in closer to me, drawn in by my warmth, nuzzling and snuggling.
“Are you going to take me far far away?” Had she been waiting for me? Does she know who I am?
I smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
“Yes... far away. You will never see this evil place again.” I let go of her and I walked to the door. Upon breaking contact she magnetised towards me and followed close. And as the initial shock waned, I could feel a new revelation coming to me.
She was limping. Her breathing was ragged. All over her body she had cuts and bruises. On her coat she had candle wax and blood and semen sticking on her. She was a ruined creature and yet despite everything, she still held an intoxicating beauty.
What had those monsters done to her!?
“Darling don’t strain yourself. Let me help you.” I held my daughter close to me, my forehooves holding her like she was a babe.
I sighed to myself. Well I can’t take you home holding you like this. After all, I needed legs to walk. And now that I’ve given it more thought, how would I have gotten away with having an injured filly following me in tow? The hotel would never let themselves get involved with such scandal. The guard would have been on me in seconds. If she were to be taken away she had to be gone unseen and kept secret thereafter.
Firing up my horn with magic, I realised that this was the only way I could have had her escape.
“I’m going to take you away now, my darling.”
“Happily ever after?” Her eyes had a vacant look to them. She was weak but she mustered what strength she had to smile.
“The happiest I can make you, my daughter.” I let that sink in for a moment. I was a father of a beautiful little girl that needs me.
“I love you, master.” I grimaced, the bitterness in me welling up.
“Not master, darling. Father.” I tried to reply without hate in my voice. In the end my voice was calm and measured, but my heart burned with a fire that I could not deny to have escaped through my lips.
If only a little bit.
**
They were in Lala’s room now, a private room with strict instructions that only Red Cross and whoever was with him could enter the room. As part of the private wing, each room was safely sound proof too. Red Cross had finished reading the chart and put the clipboard of paper into a stand at the foot of Lala’s medical bed.
Nodding to himself and then focusing on Fancypants, the good doctor put a reassuring hoof on his good friend’s shoulders.
“Don’t worry Fancypants, thanks to the progress of medical magic. Your daughter is going to make a full recovery.” Fancy’s shoulders visibly relaxed. Red however had not broken eye contact and that hoof on his shoulder was far from comforting now.
“But her physical injuries are the least of my concern, from what you told me I’m concerned about her mental well being.” Fancy expected something of that sort and nodded in grim acknowledgement. He bowed his head in thought for a moment and raised his head.
“ You're a psychologist too are you not, doctor?” Fancy thought it’d best to keep knowledge of her away from as many ponies as possible. Red Cross was a good pony and possibly the only pony in Canterlot he could trust enough with helping his daughter.
“Yes. I was just about to get to that. My prognosis is that she’s suffered years of mental trauma and might require long term counselling.” Fancy returned Red Cross’s awkward smirk. That tradesman smirk that meant money was going to have to get involved in the equation, a lot of money, over a long period of time apparently.
“I see... well I’m sure I can rely on you to help my daughter through this.” There was no backing down now. He'd decided to commit the moment he ascertained that she was indeed his child.
“I assure you. The love of a good father will do her a lot of good... but I'll also do what I can so that she can readjust to a normal life.” Red Cross gave his best smile and moved past Fancy to get to the door and give him and his daughter a moment of privacy.
“Thanks doctor Red Cross.” Fancy said as he was passing. Red cross carried on walking and stopped at the door.
“You’re lucky... “ Fancy turned around, confused as to what he meant.
“Excuse me?” Fancy replied almost incredulously.
“I mean you... you've been bless with a beautiful daughter. You should count yourself lucky.”
“Yeah”
**
“We've been wondering where you disappeared to.” I said, looking at the machines that measured her vitals. I scribbled the results.
She was in a stable and healthy state. My magic after all was the best in all the medical circles.
“Father took me away before you visited.” Lala was laying on her bed. Her left leg twitched as I adjusted the vibrator inside her sex. It wasn't on yet.
Just like before I'm going to make you all better.
“Do you know what father means, Lala.” I took out another little vibrator and watched it slowly slip in between her lips and disappear, save for a long white wire.
“It means he knows your mother.” To Lala that only meant one thing. That he was the prince that was meant to sweep her off her feet. She was such a silly filly, so single minded, so simple. Its what you get raising a child on the delusions of fairy tales.
“Really? Then why didn't he come to save her?” Lala sat up in surprise, as if something unfathomable was explained to be possible. I nuzzled her face and kissed her, with a placed hoof to her chest she was lying down again like a good girl.
“Because he loves you Lala. He loves you very much. I have to admit, maybe he loves you even more than he loved your mother.”
I came up on the bed standing, my erect member throbbing with anticipation.
“Are you ready?” In reply she smiled and held out her hooves to receive me.
“Yes master Red Cross.” I came down inside and hard. She screamed as loud as her voice could muster but no one was going to hear her.
I flipped the switch and let my restraints loose.
I’m going to break you and make you all better again, over and over.
I couldn't help but spread a wide grin on my face. I was going to violate the gem of Canterlot. The daughter of my best friend. And he was going to give her to me and only me.
**
La Petite was now healthy enough to come home and over the pass few weeks, she had become a regular visitor in the hospital, coming for Red Cross’s counselling sessions. We had established a route to the private wing towards the private room we alway used. It was fairly low risk as Red Cross pulled out all the stops to make sure nopony could ever be around to see them navigate through the hospital.
“Fancy can I talk to you in private?” I looked to my daughter and feared for her. I didn't want her out of my sight.
“Still worried about her? It’s okay. We'll use our private room and have her play in there or something.”
Calling Lala to follow, we began walking towards the private wing and towards the room in question.
“Lala. Can you wait inside this room for me?” Red Cross asked and she quietly complied, putting her hoof to her mouth to stop herself saying something out of impulse. She had trouble not saying “Yes master” at home too.
I gave Red Cross a suspicious look.
“It’s okay. we can talk about this in public. No pony will pass through here for awhile, trust me.” I dropped my suspicion a notch but still...
“As I continue my counselling sessions with her it's getting clearer and clearer her intellect seems to be severely underdeveloped.” This was true. I had been hesitant in finding her a tutor to educate her for fear her existence being exposed. Still... I will have to reveal her eventually. Canterlot will eventually need to know about my daughter's existence and my willingness to father her.
“I shouldn't expect that she had any semblance of an education locked up in that room.” I couldn't help but agree to this statement. One of these days I'll bring justice to everypony involved in this atrocity.
But for now I had something else to worry about. Lala needed an educator, another pony would have to be involved in the secret. For her future she needed a good education.
“Don't worry Fancypants. I know of a good friend that we can trust. He’s an excellent teacher with a vast amount of knowledge in various general fields. I'll have him visit your house regularly so that he can act as her personal tutor. Just until she’s caught up enough to join public education.”
Could a normal life for such a healthy and happy filly be so far away? Just how much did she need to catch up on? How many obstacles will I need to go through so that she can be a normal girl?
“Don’t worry so much. Her intelligence might be underdeveloped but I assure you, you have an intelligent daughter in your hooves. I wouldn't be surprised if she rises to become a complete prodigy.” I wanted to say he was lying to reassure me, but I couldn't help but want to believe and feel hope.
“A genius you say... She’d be just like her mother.” I raised my head. I could almost see her again in my mind’s eye. Our first kiss in her father’s library.
“Tell me... does Fleur know about this?” I guess he thought I was talking about Fleur. But he had a point. Sooner or later she would have to be made aware of his daughter. She was his wife after all.
“No... She hasn't returned from her trip.” Her work has her travelling all over Equestria. It'd be difficult to write a letter to her.
“I intend to tell her when she returns.” Besides, something like this shouldn't be told in something as impersonal as a letter.
It was under the pretence of holding a history lesson of King Sombra’s Crystal empire that had Fancypants let me bring along a few devices with me. I had brought a ball and chain, a slaver’s whip and a unique replica of a dark crystal.
It took a month to gain Fancy’s trust but somehow I managed it. Admittedly, it wasn't all my doing. La Petite was in actuality a certified genius. In a single day’s teaching she'd become a complete expert on any select field and master a full level. Mathematics right to high school level mastered in three days, literature had her become a high critic by the first week. The sciences (all of them) mastered within the second week. Music, art, politics, everything he threw at her she could memorise it. For all intents and purposes she was an intellectual monster, voraciously devouring knowledge like it was nothing.
And Fancy couldn't have been prouder. Giving me his highest praises he grown accustomed to separating himself from his daughter. His reason being was so that she could happily immerse herself in study, while he wasn't there to distract her. Or to put it how he saw it, distract me teaching her.
“Today’s lesson we're going to be learning about pain and pleasure.” I set the three tools before her. She looked at me and smiled.
“Yes Mr Blu- I mean Mr Know-It-All.” That’s right... all this time she’s only ever known me as a nameless blue pony. She knows my name now. She could expose me whenever she wanted.
In for a bit, in for crown. Until I'm caught I’ll enjoy her as much as life will offer her to me. I’m in far too deep to be blameless now.
“You were never taught to know the difference were you...?” That puzzled look. She really doesn't understand that there’s a difference. The knowledge might have gone in well enough, but clearly not much has actually been understood.
“Today’s lesson will be a simple... test. You will tell me if something is pleasurable or painful, as I do them to you.”
**
I didn't want to leave La Petite alone with any stallion besides Red Cross but I didn't have the choice. I would need to trust in Red’s judgement of character, because I simply cannot stay around being idle at home. I'm a stallion of social standing, my presence easily missed. If I were out of the public eye for long enough I'd end up inciting an investigation. If I wanted to assure La Petite’s safety I would need to make sure I'm not acting suspiciously enough to invite such trouble.
So here I was at the Wonderbolts Derby, idly watching pegasii fly in circles all day.
“I say old bean, I haven’t been seeing you very often as of late. Could you perhaps have fallen in with some... trouble?” Jetset, you ruthless brown nosing neophyte. I had completely forgotten how perilous politics was in high society. I had hoped to downplay myself the whole day and bring conversation about everyone else, but as ever ready with the cheap jabs, Jetset had anticipated my intent.
“In truth, I have. I decided to take a look at this Lala, you've all been referring to but I can't seem to place her. It was as if she'd vanished from the face of Equestria.” If Uppercrust was going to put myself at risk, I fully intend to counter. Plus with this subject set up I could ascertain the perverse beasts whom have been violating my child.
Come on, everypony gloat and marvel so that I can commit you all to memory.
**
“Pleasure.” I grimaced as I bit into the filly’s neck.
“And this?” I smacked her rump as hard as I could, leaving an angry red mark through her coat.
“Pleasure!” She screamed out, tears streaming in her face.
“This?” I pinched her in between my hooves.
“Pleasure.” I sighed in response.
This is boring. Dealing with her like I usually would had been beginning to bore last time. I had intended to have her fathom pain and see her face contort into suffering. But she was being... uncooperative. To her everything was pleasurable.
This either meant she was a hardcore masochist or I was not approaching this the right way. So far I've tried nearly everything, from choking, whipping, kicking, spanking and biting.
I wanted to avoid this because of how dangerous it was but it seems to be the only choice.
Despite me saying it was replica of a dark crystal used by King Sombra, this was in fact an authentic. Within held the darkness of the ancient evil king and if left unchecked it could corrupt the city into a land of darkness.
Somehow I didn't think wanting a child to feel pain would justify the royal city being demolished by dark magic. The punishment likely more severe than what had been seen in a thousand years. A scary prospect.
Wait a moment.
Fear.
I don't think Lala has ever known fear. Maybe I can be content to have her face suffer in that way.
Grabbing the crystal from the table I held the crystal up to Lala eyes, making utterly sure I don't so much as see it myself.
“Lala. I want you to look into this crystal and tell me what you see.”
“Yes master.” I focused my eyes on La Petite’s and only on her.
Her eyes visibly dilated as she looked into the crystal, her head swaying ever so slightly from side to side.
“I-I see my father. Holding me close and loving me.”
I grimaced at the conjured image. A father and daughter rutting like wild animals.
“No daddy! Don’t leave! Don’t take the happiness away...” Lala sways to the right and then faints to the side.
I drop the crystal and cover it with a cloth and move closer to the little filly.
That did it. I'm so hard right now.
“What did you see, Lala.” I slapped her lightly to wake her up. In an instant her eyes reverse from dilatation and they focused to me.
Gently I sat her up.
“Tell me.” She was sobbing and crying.
“Daddy... Father... Fancy...” She’s confused, clearly struggling with a conflict involving how she saw Fancypants.
“Daddy.” I said.
“Daddy went far far away without me and never returned. He...” Fresh tears welled up in her eyes.
“And how did that make you feel?”
“Pleasure.” What?
“H-how did the pleasure feel to you?" It couldn't be pleasure.
"It felt warm, like my heart was going to tear apart from the heat.”
“That’s what pain feels like Lala.” I said frankly. Panic flared into her eyes.
“B-But I feel happy. I...” I put a hoof to her mouth before she exploded into a panic attack.
“If you're happy then why do you have tears in your eyes? Why do you cry?”
“Tears?” I grinned. Never knew what tears were. How cute.
“Ponies cry when they are sad. You even said so yourself. Daddy was taking the happiness away.” The bit is nearly dropping. I could feel it.
“Pain, happiness, pleasure, sadness...”
**
“Lala you say? She’s old news. Get with the times Fancy, the new news is that Fleur will be gracing us once more soon.” Blueblood chimed in.
“What?” As soon as I said it I regretted it.
“So there is trouble going on at home... as I suspected.” Jetset you opportunist worm.
“If you’re not careful, your darling wife will look elsewhere and you know I'm not one to refuse a lady.” Great now with Blueblood piling on the insults, the rest of the herd will join.
“Nor I –ow-“ With her purse Uppercrust reprimands him.“Jetset!”
I sigh inwardly in relief. Jetset’s impetuous brown nosing has once again landed him to be the clique’s laughing stock.
“I jest darling, I jest.” Calming his wife, he hides the bitterness of fumbling into folly quite well or at least we all let him think so.
But playing games is the last thing on my mind now. I need to prepare for Fleur’s return.
“I think I’ll take your advice, my prince. I shall go now and prepare a welcome worthy of my beloved.”
And what a surprise I have prepared.
**
“Ow! Why are you doing this!?” Know-it-all has Lala in the corner of the room. No doors or windows were nearby for her to rush into and escape. She was trapped, completely at the mercy of his whip.
“Why? Because your pain arouses me. I want nothing more than to hold you down against your will and rape you.” Know-it-all laughed a perverse laugh, hysterical and maniacal.
“I want to taste the ambrosia of your fear and the sweet sound of your pain.” He was absolutely feral with lust. His eyes shot red and his mouth openly drooling.
“Why would you want some pony to feel this way. Pain hurts! Sadness hurts!” Lala was in tears, crying and screaming while propping herself against the wall protecting her face with her hooves.
Yes scream more. Hurt more! Let me hear your pain as I whip you until your body is covered in cuts and blood.
“Simple, because nothing makes me happier.” Lala’s eyes go wide in realisation. The tip of Know-it-All’s whip stops short of hitting Lala’s face. Suddenly Know-it-all finds himself floating and then smashing against the wall beside Lala. The impact was so hard that he felt himself indent into the solid oak. He was coughing up blood from his mouth. Turning his head to the side he could see Lala’s smile.
Nothing was more frightening in his life. He could feel fear take him so completely that his bladder was emptying on its own.
The tutoring room of Fancypant's home was filled with laughter. It was a gleeful giggling; an illation of unadulterated joy that only a child was capable of. Know-it-all was lying in the corner, his body being ravaged with angry bleeding scratches.
Lala focused her horn and willed the air to warp, to compress and in one deft wave unleashed in the general direction of Know-it-all’s corner. In a loud crack of air, not unlike a whip, the wall behind Know-it-all splintered into thin fissure in the solid oak. Blood exploded from Know-it-all’s flank as a new scratch marked him, his blood gushing from the wound, hissing like the screeching death cry of a hydra.
The wall was completely ruined, splinters all over the floor, mixing with pools of blood. Know-it-all, with skin barely attached to his body, stood.
“It feels good doesn't it? To make a pony suffer is one of the greatest joys you can feel in this world.” Know-it-all was smiling, his bloody, hacking breath, releasing something that resembled laughter.
“But pain hurts... why are you so happy? Pain is sad!” The joy in Lala had gone, replaced by the panic of confusion.
In reaction Know-it-all only laughed harder. His eyes widened at the pain but that only made him laugh even harder. With purpose, the now red pony moved his hooves, making a distinctly sloppy and squelchy noise with each agonising step.
“Pain can be pleasure, precious Lala. Pain can be happiness, giving and receiving.” Instinctively Lala backed away, confusion and fear commanding her body to flee, but she couldn’t. Deep down inside her she was intrigued. This fear she was feeling. It was making her love place so wet.
The pair met eyes and Lala froze in terror at the madness in those eyes. She recognised something in them, understood something in them that froze her stiff with the terror.
“No!” With a will into her horn Know-it-all slammed back into the wall. He screamed in pain as jagged wood and splinters stabbed into him.
“I don't want to hurt anymore. I won't let you hurt me.”
The grin in Know-it-all's face remained solidly on his face as once again he stood.
“If that’s what you want, then please hurt me. Put all your pain onto me.”
Lala hesitantly approached.
“Only if you make me happy, only if you give all your love to me!”
As if compelled by some unknown force they magnetised to each other. Their breath hot and passionate in their mouths.
**
“According to Lala, ponies had come into your home awhile back to capture her.” Red Cross didn’t look at Fancypants, content to read from his clipboard floating idly to cover the view from his face. He was grinning. Despite the precaution, Fancy wasn't looking his way, his eyes looking downwards, focused in contemplation. All he could muster was an absent nod as a reply.
Fancy could never forget that feeling. To come into his home and yell out his daughter's name only to have no reply. To wander an empty house looking for signs of life and then see a wall clearly ravaged by relentlessly cruel magic and blood staining the floor a dark, nearly black red. There were also scatterings of white blotches peppering everywhere.
Something depraved had happened. And the realisation made him sick right then and there.
“It was a good thing Know-it-all was there to rescue her. He was severely injured by the battle but somehow he managed to safely escape with her and ask me for help.” Red Cross paused for effect. He lowered the clipboard off his face and put on a mask of sincerity.
“You should have seen the state he was in. What he fought against were utter monstrosities.” Fancy’s face contorted with guilt but he made no reply. Red Cross put his hoof to Fancy’s own and looked him in the eyes.
“Fancy... I think you can now believe without a shadow of a doubt that we're willing to support you through this. Lala has grown into someone we can all love and like you, want to protect. So if something is troubling you. You can count on us to help. Let’s have no secrets between us.”
“I’m sorry Cross, it’s just... my wife returned to Canterlot recently and things...” Tears welled in Fancy’s eyes and softly he sobbed. Cross moved over to hold him to his chest. The good doctor’s face wore a grimace of distaste at the action.
“It’s okay Fancy, tell me all about it.”
**
“A daughter?” Fleur was sitting in the lecturing room enjoying one of Fancy’s own specialty herbal tea. No pony could ever replicate it and none of it was out in the world to be bought. It was a special brew that only Fancy knew how to have prepared and make. If one family reserved the choicest wines and spirits for times of celebration, Fancy saved his tea.
“Yes, she is a child of my youth, who has come to find me. I've decided to take her in and adopt her. I’m hoping that you will act as a good mother to her.” Usually the correct thing to do was to be utterly insulted that such major decisions were made without her say so, however... For Fancy to make such drastic decision, circumstances would’ve forced his hoof to do so.
Truly this stallion was lucky to marry such an understanding wife.
“Oh darling of course. I couldn't be happier. We've been trying for children for years, I was actually starting to consider adoption myself.” In truth, she was a true lady of Cheval and only blood truly marked a person as family. If she could help it, she’d want to have a child of her own flesh and blood to preserve the nobility of the family. Adoption for a Chevalier was as unheard of as much as it is frowned upon.
But she loved Fancy. There weren't many things she could tolerate a stallion to do unto her, but with him, she couldn't help but be more forgiving than most.
“Really? Do you still not want a child of your own flesh and blood? I don't want any animosity between us.” Fleur took a long sip of her tea. Her eyes closed as to not reveal anything to him. With a relaxed breath, her eyes opened and met his increasingly concerned gaze.
“Well... if you still want to, we can still try to give her a little sister.” A sultry smile marked her face.
“A little sister you say...” Fancy was blushing.
A delicate wet smack sounded in the silent room. Fleur parted her kiss from his and smiled in kind.
“ I'm sure we'll make a happy family.” Relief and joy climbed along Fancy’s spine and exploded on his face.
“Now, where is the little darling...?” Fleur strained to keep her voice measured and calm. Feeling herself on edge again, Fleur took another sip.
“She’s in the next room. Lala darling, can you come in here?”
Lala was wearing a beautiful dress. An original Carousel Boutique commission that Rarity was all too happy to make as a labour of love.
Fleur was speechless. At complete awe. It took a long moment for her clarity of thought to return as the lady stood to take a closer look at the girl.
“Oh my... Fancy darling... she’s gorgeous! Oh Fancy I absolutely adore her!” Fleur peppered Lala with kisses and held her tight, all thoughts for composure forgotten.
“Hello there little Lala, I'm going to be your mother.” Fleur smiled with tears of joy in her eyes.
Fancy was the happiest pony in the land. This couldn't have gone any better.
“You... You’re an evil stepmother.” Fancy and Fleur’s smiles vanished.
Fleur didn’t know what to make of it. Tears in her eyes now felt bitter. There was fear in them too with hate welling up inside as well.
How dare this child!
Her well of emotion exploding, the tears in her eyes were accompanied with pained sobbing. Fleur di lis galloped out of the room. And Lala with a pouting face exited the way she had come.
Fancy was livid and yet worried. Her daughter was insane. The reunion with his wife was dashed away. And her daughter hurt his beloved feelings.
"Of all the worse possible things..."
His heart was a battlefield. Indecision plaguing him as he had to choose who to chase after. But even then he still had to decide on an emotion to act upon. He just didn't know whether to laugh, cry or fume with rage.
When a good stallion suffers from a broken heart, all they can do is try to forget. Fancypants losing yet another love of his life has made himself recluse. For fear of hurting himself and those around him, Fancy had sealed himself away from the world.
His world was a single room now, filled with generations of fine wines and spirits. Fancy was normally no drinker, in fact he'd been abstaining of the stuff for most of his life. To him it never amount to anything, but a magical potion for those that want the world to laugh at them.
They can laugh all they want now. Let’s the gods and fates of his world have their cosmic joke. Fancypants has finally given up on happiness, content to drowning in misery.
Fleur was gone and he had no hope of finding her.
**
Know-it-all stood stiff like a royal guard in the making. He stood in as much dignity he could muster as he stood to attention, ever ready for his lady’s beck and call. A slave’s life was a simple life, no more thinking, no more being tested of your vast knowledge all the time, no more school yard humours to tolerate and no more asinine parents to pretend to listen to.
You just existed for the pleasure of La petite.
Today’s little game was standing guard as steel arrows connected your hind knees together and your fore knees did the same to match. Javelins then connected your thighs, a set piercing your left side and another one to your right. To add insult to injury he wore a ball gag over his snout and blinders over his face. At his request one might add.
“Know-it-all.” Lala said on the opposite side of the room. Behind her he could hear grunting and muffled screaming as the bloody blue pony clumsily shuffled her way.
Know-it-all was a good stallion, devout and affectionate once you've learned how to tame him. If he were with any mare that would treat him right, they'd easily find happiness in each other. As it stood though... their relationship was just the joy of each other’s misery. La petite’s guilty aching heart screaming out through the tortured form of Know-it-all.
If only she had given Fleur a chance. Maybe... maybe then her daddy wouldn't be in the horrid state he was in.
She seemed nice, genuinely so, none of the falsehood that her mother had told her about. She didn't seem like the kind to gaze into a mirror and wonder who was the fairest in the land. She didn't seem to be the kind to want to poison her with a cursed apple, assign a huntsman to take out her heart or keep her locked away so she couldn't attend any balls.
“Fleur de lis almost felt like a mother. Her real mother, like she would treat her in the same way as she had. As if she truly... “
“Loved you?” Red Cross was at the door, making a mock knocking motion. He wore a smirk on his face.
“MMMMMmmmph...” Red Cross made a passing glance of displeasure towards Know-it-all.
“You know... I might have taught you some medical magic, but it does not cure everything. Injuries like that could leave a terrible scar.”
In response Lala’s horn glowed for an instant. With a sudden force, the arrows and javelins impaling Know-it-all’s limbs ripped out of him.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Know-it-all was bleeding profusely and like a toppled turtle his limbs flailed about, all while he was wailing like a newborn babe. Red Cross noted the pre-cum drooling out of his savagely erect penis. The good doctor shook his head and sighed.
“Come here you perverse buffoon. Let me take a look at you.” Red Cross’s horn flared with power.
“You said love... What did you mean?” She had intended to tell him off about remarking on her personal thought, but he’d most likely counter about not speaking her mind so much. But what he said resonated something in her. Like an inkling of a revelation.
“You don’t think a mother can love her daughter? Keep still!” Red Cross smacked the injured pony on a wound he was working on. It reopened and Know-it-all whined in pain.
“I know a daughter can love a father.” La petite said. Red Cross stopped his work for a moment and walked over to Lala who was staring in her mirror. She adored mirrors, ever since she was small. Although she doesn't realise it, she was actually quite a vain girl.
“Tell me about this love of yours. Tell me how it makes you feel inside.” Red Cross kissed her cheek. So gentle, so affectionate. For some reason he just couldn't find it in him to find pleasure in breaking her anymore. Was it because now that he did it, she would contort in pain? Was it the fact that she could now fathom pain? It couldn't be love could it?
“Love is to hold someone deep inside...” Lala moved away from the mirror and climbed on her bed. She laid on her back and watched as Red Cross prowled across the room to meet her. “...and hold them dear.”
“Love is like a flower blooming inside you.” With Red on the edge of the bed she spread her hind legs and behind rubbing her hoof to herself. “It’s like a rose blooming into a bed of petals.”
Cross’s hot breath tickled her sex. She moaned as her rubbing raised an octave upon the sensation of his nearness. He kissed her lips and gave a long probing lick.
Withdrawing his tongue he appreciated her taste. He looked up to her and rose to meet her face to face. His hoof reached down while he watched her face blush and contort with pleasure.
“Is that why your cutie mark is a bed of rose petals? Love?” Lala reached for his member and began slowly rubbing it.
“Love is something only another pony can give you.” Lala rolled him over to his back and had him watch as his cock vanished inside her.
“That’s wrong!” said the floor. “That’s not right.”
Know-it-all burning with feral lust drives his ruined legs to stand. Red sighs as he sees his wounds reopen.
“That’s not the whole meaning.” Part crawling, part limping and part walking Know-it-all makes his way to the bed.
“Love is to protect the ones you love.” Know-it-all grabs the foot of the bed.
“Love is the willingness to sacrifice for the ones you love.” He lifts himself up to the bed and manages his useless legs to rest there.
“Love is to fight for the one you love.” His hooves take hold of Lala and turns her on the spot, Red Cross and Lala moan at the sudden sensation. Know-it-all’s lips greedily kiss her and held her close, his blood pouring all over her body.
“I love you Lala. I would fight tooth and hoof for you to be happy. Fancy too. Your mother did as well. And I’m sure Lady Fleur would do it too.”
Tears welled in Lala’s eyes, she could feel joy as she did so. It was so fresh and so beautiful.
“I know you would. And for every battle I’d die a little for all of you.”
Weight shifted beneath Lala and she could feel herself propel forward. Know-it-all following the momentum found himself on his back while Lala was on all fours. Looming behind her was Red Cross.
“Not to ruin to moment or anything. But I'm trying to enjoy the mare I love.” Love... Yeah it had to be. Somehow he just couldn't believe he’d do something stupid like that. He realises it too, and simply doesn't care.
“AAAaaah, Lala!” Lala lips were wrapped around Know-it-all’s erect member. She sucked greedily, her wriggling tongue making the vibrating moans in her mouth ululate.
**
“We need to find Fleur. She can't have just disappeared.” All three of them lay together. On either side of her two stallions were there, holding a hoof over her body possessively. Know-it-all had finally succumbed to blood-loss and passed out. But nothing could undo his vice-like hold over her body. Lala and Red had long since given up trying and merely enjoyed the afterglow.
“Red!” Lala nudged him, breaking him from whatever reverie he was lost in.
“There’s no need. I know where Fleur is.” Before Lala could reply Red put a hoof to her mouth.
“There’s no need to find her. Fancy has already gone to meet her. It isn't your fight to win, it’s his.” Red Cross takes away his hoof and shifts so that he could sit upright on the side of the bed.
“But it’s my fault...”
“And you can tell her that when Fancy brings her back. A stallion needs to fight for his mare.” Red Cross took out a cigarette and lit it with his horn. He savoured the taste and breathed out a puff of smoke, as if he were a sleeping dragon.
“And a princess must fight for her prince.” When the smoke cleared. Red Cross placed a simple card beside Lala’s face.
It was an invitation to the hearts and hooves ball.
“The whole of Canterlot is talking about you again.” Red said with a frankness that downplayed the sheer seriousness of situation.
“Everypony misses you. They want to see their precious La Petite once more.” Lala wanted nothing more than to rise up in protest, to take that invite and throw it away. But Know-it-all's vice-like hold kept her in place.
“If you don’t go. They’ll kill your father.” There was no choice then. She... She’d have to return to that life again.
“I shouldn't be so scared.” Lala looked up puzzled. “If I were you, I would see this as my chance to fight everypony who thinks they can just go around threatening the one I love.” Red stroked Lala’s mane, patting her head. It was reassuring.
Fancypants was exactly where he had always been, sitting around in the house’s wine cellar, losing himself with company of spirits and booze. He'd been like this for a full week now, just moping around doing nothing in particular. At the very least that was the impression he wanted to give. But he wasn't a selfish man nor was he a boorish slob. If any stallion decided to bar himself from reality and drown in despair, you'd imagine them with piles and piles of empty bottles littering the room, maybe several bags of trash and uneaten food.
But nay, like any true gentlecolt, a more uncommon breed than one might think, he’s kept himself presentable, well fed and his home tidy as to not offend any guests. This guy was such a light weight and goodie-horseshoes that he'd probably get drunk by just having alcohol near him.
There he sat on his heavily cushioned arm chair with a scotch glass on coffee table and bottle of his strongest brandy, still unopened as the day he took it out of storage. Why such an ornate armchair and table was doing in a wine cellar was anypony’s guess. Perhaps it was just his funny way of being depressed.
“I have to tell you Fancy. You got yourself quite a pony for a wife.” When he had said that she was gone, he really meant it. If Fleur de lis didn't want to be found she quite simply wasn't found.
In the end she had come looking for me, fully aware of my involvement with Fancy without anypony that should be in-the-know saying so to her.
I walked over to the room and turned on the lights. I grinned.
He even had a chair prepared for guests. I took a seat and floated the single glass to my side of the table.
“You don't mind?” He gave no reply.
Well... he’s not saying no.
I poured myself a full glass of the old buck courage and downed the whole thing. Nothing wakes you up like a good burn to the lungs.
“Did you find anything?” Fancy said, his voice was monotone, utterly passionless.
“Maybe.” I poured myself another glass. “But you're not going to like it.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
“She’s been staying with Blueblood.” At those words I heard his chair creak. I paused, just a little, to measure his reaction. He was calm.
“She’s staying at Canterlot Hotel.” I took another hard swig out of the glass and emptied it.
“Celestia suite.”
In an instant he was gone, deftly rising from his chair and upstairs to the main floor. I distinctly heard the front door slam shut behind him and the clopping of his hooves as he gallops on the city stone.
I let that random moment sink in pouring myself another drink. The bottle was empty now. In acknowledgement this time I took my time with this portion, savouring the flavour and smell. I took a sip and sighed.
“I guess you didn't want to know the other piece of information I got for you.”
**
Blueblood was snoring like the oaf he was, his hulking build postured into foetal position. From the looks of it, he probably hadn't grown out of sucking his hoof either. Fleur took the unfinished glass of scotch by their bedside and drained its contents into the sink. Opening the wardrobe in the room she took out the ballroom dress she had ordered.
“La petite looked so good in that dress.” So Fleur asked Rarity for an original as well. That mare does such fine work. She was a rising star, though she should tone down with the giant hats.
Fleur floated the hat over Blueblood’s snout while she began to appreciate the feel of the satin and silk against her coat as she let the dress ravish and caress her divinely beautiful form.
“Well... I guess I'm all ready.” Fleur walked over to the door. “Hello Fancy.” Her husband was panting hard, probably galloped across the city, no less.
“Fleur I...” It was all he could muster with his breath so completely depleted.
“Follow me downstairs, Fancy. Catch your breath you silly colt.” She said walking past him. Fancy followed close, like a good stallion should. In the elevator Fancy was still catching his breath, breathing hard like he was having an asthma attack.
“I know of Lala’s secret.” Fleur opened her purse and took out her make-up set floating idly around her.
“La Mere’s child... she looks the very image of her. Though I guess she inherited all of your good side.” Fleur took her lipstick and let her lips pucker as she applied it to lower lip.
“How... ?” Fancy wheezed out. Fleur reacted with a wink.
“A little bit of mare’s intuition and a bit of pillow talk. Though I do confess, I had to give up your secret to get the information.” Fancy looks visibly hurt. His wife had been with another stallion and she’s compromised his daughter’s safety.
Lala’s in trouble!
“ Don't panic so much darling. There’s only one stallion that’s allowed to touch me. And your daughter well... ?”
“I have to admit I wasn't ready to share you with anypony. That insult Lala threw, just gave me an excuse not to.” Fleur snapped her purse shut and nodded to herself. There was no need for more make-up. No more masks.
“But then I came to thinking. I've come to realise that I was being as selfish and immature as our little girl.”
“Our little girl?” Fancy said, finally his breath caught up with him.
The elevator doors open.
“She’s attending the hearts and hooves ball tonight.” Fancy gave a puzzled look. He'd been out of the loop for quite awhile. Fleur rolled her eyes. She was right, he didn't hear about it from Red Cross. The foal likely came running the moment he knew where to meet me.
Fleur pecked his cheek, seemingly without reason.
“All the ponies attending are the ones involved in all this.” Fancy’s eyes go wide in realisation.
“We need to hurry then!”
“Not so fast, Fancy.” Fleur stuck a leg out and had Fancy stumbling to a halt.
“A good gentlecolt presents himself at his best. Now let’s get you prepared.” Fancy wanted to protest but there was this knowing look in Fleur. Trusting in her, he relented and followed her to the hotel tailor.
“Well... here we are.” Red Cross looked up at the royal castle.
The heart and hooves ball was specially reserved months in advance for this day. It was in celebration for the three loves, friendship, kinship and courtship. Because of the legend it had devolved into a holiday for couples but in actuality, hearts and hooves had always been a celebration long before then. It was a holy day in the truest sense of the word holiday, as it was founded in memory to the ideals of harmony.
How history easily forgets itself.
For a pony to make such a public celebration into such a private affair, the pony behind it all had to hold a lot of sway amongst the nobility. Perish the thought that the nobility themselves are all in collaboration for this miracle of miracles among political moves. But then again, this whole thing was about a whole city obsessed with a single filly. Given the circumstances given by that fact, it could very well be a plausible impossibility.
“Good evening sirs, madam can we see your invitation please.” Stewards were at the entrance, but Red Cross had no doubt that royal guards were nearby should any mishap occur.
Red suddenly felt his stomach lurched. Either Red was hungry or there were butterflies in his stomach. Perhaps being stopped here would be best.
“Errr... Yes I have it here. Ah here it is.” Lala gave the steward the invitation and aptly he inspected it with a practiced eye. He only took the smallest of glances at it. There was no doubt on his face to speak of. So the invitation Fleur gave was real after all.
“Excuse me Lady Petite but this invitation says to invite you and only... one chaperone.” Lala looked at Red with venom as if this were his fault. What could he do but shrug? Red Cross hazarded guessing the person who invited her expected Fancypants to be the one to accompany her. Was it Fleur?
“You’re going to have to pick which one of us to take with you.” Red said. Not sounding worried at all. Lala gave her a look of irritation. And her face made a brief flash of triumph.
He expects me to choose him.
“Know-it-all, come with me.” Nodding in acknowledgement the blue stallion followed behind Lala as the steward let them through. Lala made a point to stop a moment to pull a face on Red.
"Have fun you two." Red said with smile, that somehow said that he had won. Irritated for reasons she couldn't understand she merely redoubled her pace to get further inside. Know-it-all scuttled close behind her.
When he was sure they were gone Red Cross looked to the steward. He reaches into his coat pocket, producing an invite for himself. Vindictively he dropped it so the steward would be forced to pick it up. As he did so Red shoved, the worm aside and moved inside the premise.
He didn’t let the steward have time to read as he hurried through. The steward called out to him but there was nothing he could do.
The invite was authentic but he was in a hurry.
**
“Ah good evening Lady Fleur, Lord Fancypants.” The steward courteously greeted.
But when the pair tried to get through the steward barred them entry.
“Um... Do excuse me my nobles but I cannot let you pass without an invitation. This is a private event you see.”
Fancy and Fleur exchanged looks and feigned insult at this display. The steward felt such a terrifying dread. He knew exactly who he was insulting. One word from them and he wouldn’t work in Canterlot ever again. And yet, he had his job to do.
“Steward, let them through. I've been expecting them.” The steward turned around, almost disbelieving. But his ears did not deceive. Princess Celestia had commanded him.
“Y-yes your highness, at once. Please enjoy your night nobles, I do apologise for the mistake.”
“Rightly so.” Haughtily said Fleur.
“Quite alright lad, just make sure to never err... make the same mistake again, eh? There’s a good lad.” To the untrained eye Fancy was looking cordial, but there was a threat in those words.
“Good evening your majesty.”
Celestia waited for them to bow the royal court manner before speaking.
“You've done well Fleur. Feel free to enjoy the ball. I must speak privately with Fancypants on the matter you thought I should discuss with him.”
**
La Petite, Know-it-all and Red Cross stood around in the waiting room, moments away from revealing their arrival. If it hadn't been for Red Cross, Lala would have walked right into the ballroom and left them all completely unprepared. As it stood now however... they were preparing with no plan in mind to prepare for.
“Well we're here now and all the nobles involved in this are all in this room. What do we do now?” Lala asked directly to Red Cross. The only pony who seemed to know exactly what he was doing.
“I didn't really think that far... I thought you'd come up with something being so smart and all.” In truth, if push came to shove he would not hesitate joining a fight. He was even willing to kill if need be. But ideally, he'd want that to be avoided if at all possible.
“You idiots! These are nobles we're talking about. One wrong move and we're charged with high treason.” Lala grimly acknowledged with a worried nod while Red smirked as if he liked the idea.
“My my, Red Cross, Know-it-all, getting a bit familiar with my daughter aren't we?” Behind them Fleur appears from the entryway to the gardens. She was wearing a beautiful jewel encrusted dress, almost matching Lala’s like a set. While Lala modestly emphasised the beauty of her face and small form, Fleur wore her dress like a lover as it caressed her curves and form as if she was born to be worshipped. Where Lala was positively divine, Fleur was a goddess.
Fleur looked to both stallions and pushed them away from Lala.
“Such manners, a true gentlecolt keeps a respectable distance when courting a lady.”
“Fleur I...” Lala looked like she was about to cry. Poor thing was probably about to break out in panic.
“Lala darling, a lady doesn't make such an unbecoming expression.” Fleur opened her purse and took out a napkin to wipe the tears away from the crying child.
“There, that’s better. Now give your mother a kiss.”
Lala moved to kiss Fleur on the lips, deftly Fleur turned her head so she'd kiss her cheek.
“ Don't drink anything.” Fleur whispered into Lala’s ear. In surprise Lala backed away, Fleur only winked in response.
“Now boys, I want you two to take good care of her tonight. I’m going in first and prepare you a grand entrance.”
**
Celestia had taken me to her chambers and had tea prepared. To my surprise it was the tea only I knew to prepare. The combination of herbs and spices, the process of preparing the water and even the special preparation needed for the pot. What was inside the unassuming teapot was a brew only I knew how to do.
“I see... this is quite serious.” Celestia took a small sip, savouring every tiny drop as it tickled her taste buds. It was a long story to take in. Perverse nobles, an underground society and even the sexual enslavement of a foal and possible murder of a mother, a noble mother no less.
“What should I do?” I had only taken a sip. My stomach was not in the best temperament to be ingesting anything. This whole situation made me too ill. I would have everypony I knew and befriended ruined for the rest of their lives. Plus the potential scandal could be potential for a social uprising. From Celestia’s perspective, what I should do was the least of her problems. She had a whole government to reform, and with all her power do so without involving violence into the equation.
“Little Lala was taken from the streets and was given shelter and fed...” I didn't like how she was telling it but I could concede that it could be interpreted like that.
“... She was given a special talent as proven by her cutie mark and was made to use it.” I really didn't like the attitude she was giving here. But considering this was princess Celestia, what could I possibly do? Resisting the urge to grind my teeth in frustration, I bitterly listened.
“The answer is simple Fancypants. You give her back to me.” I took a moment to process those words. But no matter how my memory heard it, it rang true to what I thought I heard. At first I suspected that Celestia was aware of the situation and was merely willing to turn a blind eye, but to actually be instrumental in all of it!?
“Or rather...” Celestia paused to smirk and giggle, a disgusting giggle brimming with maliciousness.
“ I'm feeling generous. I’m willing to buy her back from you.” This was a sadistic game she was playing. Knowing fully that she was easily within her power to take away my assets, my lands as well as my daughter, she instead is willing to exert her power by making her power clear, that I, in fact, had no choice but to comply with this settlement. I would lose my beloved daughter, but I could at least compromise Fleur’s safety.
“Just name the price and it is yours.” This had to be a trick as well. If this were correct I’d be within my rights to demand the royal treasury... that's it! She intends to give me the money and blame me for theft from the royal family’s vaults. I’d be executed for high treason! I'm the wild card in this conspiracy I had stumbled upon. Unlike the nobles, I couldn't be seduced into submission with addiction to the beauty of my own daughter.
“How much do you think your own daughter is worth?” I was at her mercy and she was loving it.
“How... how could you ask a parent of that? I can't, I simply can’t, she is my daughter. She mine, flesh and blood.” Celestia raises an eyebrow in intrigue. Nodding in acknowledgement she contemplates the defiance she had just heard. Flesh and blood, by Equestrian law a noble's child held with absolute custody by the father unless given away. Traditionally by marriage, though not expressly said to only be in this form.
The old, never unwritten, rules of war. I was within my rights to refuse sale of my child. This was why she was asking to buy her. It was her folly to not reform those laws. Too busy trying to take over the world first, before thinking about the stability of her own domain.
But then again, this is assuming she would play by her own rules.
“Little Lala is worth exactly one life.” Celestia began, preparing a new trap for me. Apparently she did have a sense of honesty.
For a tyrant.
“If no material can buy her from you then perhaps a trade.” So she knows I was aware of her trap. Now she’s using a trump card.
“Give yourself to me heart and all and I assure you she will live free.” For a moment I thought she was going to tell me La Mere was alive and that I'd have to pick between the two. But that was impossible. This was a trade after all, it would have to be something I myself could offer. And that was me.
“Why do you need me your highness? I am merely a shamed ambassador’s son.”
“Well... I’m in need of a new ambassador of Cheval, the ones I’ve been sending have amounted to nothing.” So this is her game. If I become the new ambassador, my knowledge of Cheval’s court would result in far more efficient diplomacy with the region than another Canterlot fop. But Celestia is cleverer than this. She knows that La Petite is La Mere’s daughter. She has direct claim to the Chevalier Dukedom of Seingalt. Celestia needs her to control the region.
I see her game. I would become ambassador and then sent off to Cheval. If I left Fleur and/or Lala in Canterlot, Celestia would have a means of twisting my arm to her whim. And if I took Lala with me to Cheval and (so that she couldn't be used for blackmail) Fleur as well. I would incite civil war on the region, leaving Canterlot the right to mobilise her military and take Cheval under Equestrian martial law, which puts the whole region in Canterlot control because it is Equestria’s central government.
She hadn't reformed the rules of war because she needed those laws. Celestia was expecting a war on the horizon.
“Well Fancy? Can I have an answer?” Celestia was smiling. Clearly amused that all my cleverness amounted to is the realisation of how complete my demise was.
“Excuse Celestia... I-I need to think on this. I will give you my answer as soon as I am able.” The princess laughed heartily and waved me away, giving me permission to leave with my head intact. But this too, had to be a trap of sorts as well. After all she may no longer have any power to take La Petite, but she was within her rights to capture me and then do as she wished upon me. Including torturing me into agreeing with her traps.
"I hope to hear your answer soon."
The answer is obvious. There’s nothing to think about. Lala and Fleur need to escape, we all do, away from this evil city, away from this life of decadence and sin.
Somewhere Celestia will never find them.
**
It was a chore to get to talk in private but somehow Fleur had managed to guile her way into having a small moment with her daughter.
“When I give the signal Lala. I want you to escape with me and run for your life. Tell no pony understand?”
“I understand.”
She didn’t really, but if Lala wanted to live happily with Fleur, along with daddy, the daughter would need to begin trusting her mother.
Fleur looked around as the nobles sense that the brief mother to daughter moment had passed. Slowly almost inconspicuously they were chatting and dancing their way towards La Petite. Drifting as natural as an oncoming wave on a beach.
“Ah Know-it-all, Red Cross. I feel so fortunate that my darling daughter has been in good hooves such as yours. Could I be hearing wedding bells in the future?” Both stallions blushed at the proclamation and the nobles stopped dead at hearing it. After all, a marriage meant that Lala would no longer be public property.
And with that fact that a pair of noponies were the eligible fiance instead of themselves. Well that could only bring all their attention drawn towards the pair of upstart stallions.
“That is a possibility...” Red Cross said evenly. Though his cool demeanour was betrayed by the rougue pallette on his cheeks.
“I would very much like that!” Know-it-all with uncomfortable zeal.to Fleur's ears.
Fleur looked to the surrounding nobles that were just beginning to build to an uproar.
Red scoffed at Know-it-all's apparent chances.
"You? You'd fit better as the family servant than her Stallion."
"Yeah? Well you're a jerk."
The rage in the surrounding nobles waned, instead pleased at the development of animosity between the two rivals. Quietly they wanted to watch them like sport, silently egging them on to destroy each other.
“Oh come now, colts. Someday my daughter will marry. But she can only marry one of you.”
Know-it-all and Red Cross exchanged a look. There was animosity that fumed between them, but was held back by their shaky camaraderie. Fighting each other was exactly what the nobles wanted of them and they both, above all else, did not want them having her.
“A toast to you both.” Fleur handed them both a drink of punch and they willingly took it. Their eyes were focused hard on each other, their wills agreeing on a delicate temporary truce.
“To love and to rivalry.” Fleur said as she raised her glass.
The pair exchanged glares as they raised their own glasses. Neither daring to take their eyes off the other.
“To love and to rivalry.” They both took quick swig and smashed the glasses on the floor. The stares they held were intense. There was an aggression in their midst as they cautiously circled each other.
A heartbeat past. Another. A third.
In an instant they were upon each other, ripping at each other’s clothes, wrestling, biting... kissing.
The surrounding nobles saw such sport in the pair watching as they laid into each other like two dogs in heat and blood lust.
“What did you do?” Lala looked on confused, though she was relieved because of it, as the distraction served to give her breathing space.
“I just put some love poison in their drinks. Everypony has been drinking it all night in smaller doses. But pretty soon everypony here will soon drink the effective dose.”
Lala was amazed at the effects of the potion. She could just imagine its effects in the bedroom.
“Lala darling, don't mind them. There are better stallions in the world than those two buffoons. Now ready yourself” Lala couldn't help but agree.
Fleur cantered over to the center of the room where all eyes could be on her. To the sound of her glass ringing to a spoon ponies turned to hear the speech she was about to present.
“I would like to thank you all for coming tonight. I would like to propose a toast for our guest of honour, the gem of Canterlot La Petite.”
“To the gem of Canterlot everypony!” Fleur raised her glass high and drank deep from her glass (of water).
“To the gem of Canterlot!” The crowd mirrored her actions to every detail and drank deep.
“Now!” Fleur shouted out and suddenly everything was a series of flashing lights.
When vision returned Lala could see several ponies with cameras at the ready for a fresh volley.
Fleur took Lala by the hoof and ran. They never looked back as the second volley of camera flashes assaulted every noble in the room intoxicated with the love poison. What they had was years of blackmail material in the making as no doubt ponies were all over each other, just getting warmed up for a binge in depravity that would shame the houses Canterlot for generation. It was the scoop of the century that no newspaper in Equestria could refuse.
“You’ve gotta be joshing Fleur, no pony can make this happen. I can’t I just can’t.” The chief handed back the piece of paper Fleur had put on his desk. It detailed a specific time, a specific place, plans of action and the needed resources to pull it off.
Fleur moved it back into the face of the chief.
“You’re Equestria daily. The go to place of all Equestria, other ponies can try to compete with you and they no doubt tried and had their degrees of success. Maybe you even hold a few rivalries with these ponies, some of them and their followers might even hate your guts and how you run things.” Fleur began, her eyes holding a steady unwavering gaze that commanded respect and above all unquestionable obedience. The chief had never thought somepony so beautiful could fill him with so much fear.
“This is too much Fleur! Too much!” The chief was about to explode, he just wanted this conversation to be over. For her to turn around, leave and leave him with his desire to forget this entire conversation ever happened.
His reverie broke as his nerves and heart leapt out of him when he heard a hard bang. Fleur had left her hoof mark indented on his hard mahogany table.
“But one thing is certain.” Her tone was commanding, demanding his undivided attention. With a gulp he looked back again at that captivating gaze.
“You have the ear of everypony in the land. When you want something said. There isn’t anyone who’s not going to hear about it.”
“The Equestrian press isn’t your personal army Fleur. They’re not mine either, despite what everypony thinks. They won’t come... and the implication of me doing this for you... I-”
“Enough snivelling! I’m willing to give you the greatest scoop in all of your careers, and all you have to do is do this favour. The ponies won’t listen because you told them. The ponies will come because they heard you, and because like any half decent rag in this land, they’ll be looking for the truth!”
“I... I’ll do it.” Initially he intended to merely say so to make her go away and stop bothering her about. But the chief began to really think about it, just contemplating the way the affirming words tasted in his mouth. It was scary, but in his heart of hearts he was excited by it. Finally some real news!
“Oh and do me another favour. Whether you want to run the presses or not, don’t do it unprovoked. If a whole week goes by and nothing happens, make the decision to change this kingdom or not. But ideally, wait for a full week before you decide. Understand you little stallion-foal?”
And with those words she was gone. It was the last time the chief would ever see, princess Fleur de Lis.
Sethisto’s eyes looked at the black phone on his desk. After a deep breath and a reaffirming nod, he picked up the phone.
**
The city of Canterlot was in a complete stand still. To eyes of ponies that were not so in the know, the capital looked like business as usual. Trade was still rampant, the economy still flourished, ponies still had their day jobs and Equestria wasn’t under attack but any malicious demons or deities to speak of. Because despite the immense insult to the honour of the Canterlot noble houses, the houses themselves, their resources and assets were in strict observation by the press due to the events of the hearts and hooves ball.
It had taken a lot of begging and scraping and bribing the press for the nobility to save face in the public eye. However, in the eyes of the press nobility was under their scrutiny, and the press were still within their rights report it, bribery or no. A printed word or two on the presses and the scandal would unmake all of Equestria.
Now, unlike the nobility, the presses actually liked the status quo. Of course they’re willing to sell souls and ruin lives for sales ratings and maximised net profit like any industry in Equestria. But unlike the uncouth machinations of the nobility’s greed, they were clever enough to consider the consequences of their actions.
After all, a noble could buy out and bull doze a whole family farm here and there, make questionable trade dealings with enemies of the state and even frame and murder rivals, all for their sake of profiting a tidy sum for that new airship the wife always wanted. There was no pony who could touch them, they after all, ruled the land and made its laws. But the press was run by the common ponies. Their dirty blood did not give them the illustrious gift of immunity from Equestrian law, because the loss of a few no named ponies wouldn’t make a mark on Equestria’s government.
This was what the common pony had in their hooves, a chance for an outright cause for uprising, a potential revolution in the making. If they decided to run the biggest story in centuries, they would either become the heroic whistle blowers of the era or traitors and slanderers of the crown and state, Equestrian terrorists charged with high treason and punished without trial with torture and execution.
It had been three days after the hearts and hooves incident. And so far the presses weren’t running the story and the nobles made no moves to give them reason to.
The royal city was frozen in a cold war of intelligence.
And it was all because of Fleur de lis. The nobles hated her and the common pony blamed her for their struggle and dilemma, for making them suffer the weaknesses of their own hearts and filling them the torment of fear and hope.
Fleur de lis was a wanted mare.
**
The La mare du lac glided across the sky like a slowly drifting it cloud. It wasn’t anywhere the fastest thing in the sky but was faster than walking. And given their destination no other airship in the whole of Canterlot would do, for only a ship of Avalon could approach the tiny kingdom without causing an international incident.
The ship had no crew to speak of, nor did it have any actual room for any. It held just barely enough room for adult ponies and their child to comfortably glide across the land, the wind in their mane and the clouds to hide them in.
“It’s been years since I enjoyed the joy of flying.” Fleur said, her mind going back to the grand galleon she had arrived in Canterlot that very first time as the ambassador of Avalon. The La mare du lac, the lady of the lake was one of the finest ships to ever be made. In truth, pretending the tiny life boat of a craft was anything like that marvellous vessel was just her entertaining the dream she had held to returning home in glory on that very ship.
However given the circumstances, it would have taken too long to find a dependable crew and the grand size of the ship made flying out of Canterlot undetected an impossibility. So in the end she had to compromise. Forcing herself to be content with the rather sluggish though very quiet emergency air-raft that were attached to the lady.
Perhaps naming it after its mother was a bad choice; a child was not its mother after all.
“Fancy darling, what do you say this ship should be called?” “Excuse me my dear?” Fancy looked confused. Why was she so occupied with something so trivial, when there more pressing matters that should be thought about? Fleur looked pointedly disappointed and merely looked onwards, quietly holding the wheel.
“Lala? What do you think?” Lala had been looking at the ground below ever since they’d left the city of Canterlot. Her eyes were focused on the trails and paths and roads, seeing something in them only she could perceive. In the horizons, towns and villages sleepily passed by.
“Lala darling?” Fancy had shaken her out of her melancholic reverie.
“Whenever I look down, I sometimes remember. We walked a long long way, passing into little towns and villages, begging for food and money when no pony could afford to.” Fancy simply didn’t know what to say. It had been the first time since she’d started talking about her mother.
When they rest on some solid earth, Fancy pointed promised himself a talk with her daughter about her mother. For all those years they’d been apart, La Mere wasn’t far from his mind. Perhaps when that talk was over, he could finally let go and look towards a real future.
“I have a name.” Fleur had noticed the somber silence and the discomfort was grinding on her stiff legs. Or maybe that was the muscle strain, it didn’t matter. “How about we name this ship, excali-“
“Happily ever after.” Lala said suddenly. Fleur smiled down and patted little Lala’s mane.
“Yes... we’ll go far far away, riding happily ever after.”
“Come on Lala, let’s give mother a rest, come steer the ship with daddy.”
“Okay!”
Fancy put on a hoof to Fleur’s shoulder and kissed him in passing. Little Lala nuzzled Fleur while she rode on Fancy’s back.
Fleur was going home with her family, towards the kingdom beyond a pony’s reach, the utopia of Avalon, the land of the fey. The future was uncertain, with many threads in fate pointing towards the outcome of war. But for the sake of their darling daughter, Fleur would not want her to see the horrors war gave.
**
Avalon was the last bastion of Cheval, the only part that Equestria could never conquer right to the end of the war, the only remnant of Cheval that never felt the touch of Equestrian occupation. It was a micro-nation beyond the touch Equestrian law and no Chevalier has any sway over it. It is the ultimate neutral ground, the only safe place Fleur, Fancy and Lala could go without inciting needless bloodshed.
As it stands now, Avalon is an ally of Equestria. Though ally, in word only. It is merely in actuality a truce necessary for Cheval to come under Equestrian rule. As the old capital of Cheval, it had the right to order the complete surrender of the rest of the kingdom, letting Equestria officially occupy it without fear of rebellion.
Celestia’s plan was to incite civil war using an heir to the Dukedom of Seingalt, so that all the factions within Cheval would be divided and infighting, to decide who would rule them. And then Celestia would then be able to truly take the land with a show of devastating force, and once and for all, truly conquering the kingdom of cheval.
Avalon is the symbol of peace this shaky peace. If Equestria decides to ever attack Avalon, the Chevalier would rise up in rebellion and face their common foe.
If Lala could find sanctuary in Avalon, Celestia would never be able to touch her. And because of Fleur’s agreement with the Equestrian press, the nobility were impotent to stop the little family from escaping to outside Equestrian borders.
That is of course, if they were lucky enough to have been bought the luxury of time, Fleur anticipated.
**
“To love and to rivalry.” Fleur shouted out. While she did this Red Cross appreciated the aroma of the drink, before he made ready to drink it.
“To love and to rivalry.” Know-it-all and Red Cross raised their glasses and heartily both drank.
Red Cross didn’t swallow, as he stared at his rival.
One heart beat passed. Red Cross began to circle and Know-it-all mirrored him.
Another heart beat passed and Red shifted to circle the opposite direction. Predictably Know-it-all mirror.
The third heart beat came and both stallions charged at each other. Red made completely sure to land on top and with his stomach lurching he kissed Know-it-all greedily, letting gravity release the liquid in his mouth into Know-it-all’s own gullet.
With the poison dealt with Red Cross made to an attempt to stand, but Know-it-all’s advances were unrelenting and he continued to struggled free. For a good while Red wrestled with the stallion, for a puny book worm the blue pony was strong when he wanted to be.
Pretty soon Red’s whole vision turned to flashing light.
He was blinded but could see well enough to see silhouettes dancing about his vision. Most of them stood still, stunned in surprise. A pair of ponies were galloping like dancing shadows as ponies in various angles warped their shadows.
Red Cross followed them, half galloping, half stumbling as he went into the gardens outside. When his vision cleared, he could see Lala and Fleur running away from the castle, already far into the darkness of night.
Red tried to follow but just when he was about to sprint into a full gallop, Know-it-all grabbed his legs making him fall over and once again he found himself struggle for his freedom.
**
“I see, is that how it is.” Celestia sat on her throne, before her two ponies were being held at spear point before her. Their heads bowed and legs bound in changes.
“Yes, this whole fiasco was Fleur de lis’s doing.”Red Cross and Know-it-all said in perfect harmony. It was thanks to her that Lala was apart from them. For all their contempt in each other, they could find a common foe in Fleur de lis. And as Red’s intuition predicted, Celestia seemed to sympathise with that hate.
Celestia had been livid throughout the whole ordeal; the reporters that had taken part in this incident had all been wearing black masks and clothes, disguising their identities. It would have been a simple matter of taking down the newspapers one by one. But she knew that her nobles were being held hostage for this. If one news reel went down, then another would run the story. She could ill afford to do anything about them. Plus by barging into news presses, guards in tow, she would only be adding herself into the line of fire.
No doubt, because of this immobilising move on Equestrian underground movement, Fleur had bought Fancypants the chance to escape.
Just how far had the princess of Avalon anticipated her moves?
“Your highness? We offer ourselves to your service. For the return of La petite to us, we intend to help you in any capacity we can.” Know-it-all said, breaking Celestia’s reverie. Red merely rolled his eyes. How very like him to sound like such a good slave.
“But I’d like to make it clear, that we are no friends of your nobility, no ally of Fancypants or Fleur de lis. We are also opposed to your treatment of our La petite and demand custody over her should we return her to you.”
No friends of Fancypants? So they don’t know about my plans with Cheval. They even seem to know La petite’s identity.
“I see... it seems to me that I’m getting too good a deal here. Letting you hold custody over La petite is a simple enough affair, as you’ve known I’ve been renting her out for awhile...” The two stallions made irritated, guilty expressions, their eyes looking down in shame and self hate.
“We want to only be with La petite.” Know-it-all said weakly.
“And we don’t want anypony having her.” Red Cross added. It was getting on his nerves how in sync they’d become in all this.
My my, young love.
“Alright. So long as you serve me loyally, I will let you both have her. However, I will need her from time to time. Do you find my conditions reasonable?” Celestia wondered if this pair were as smart as Fancypants. Can they see the trap?
“That depends... we’re only asking you for help because we’re going to need your money and power to find Lala. If we could help ourselves, we’d be going after her right now.” Red Cross could feel the jaws of a trap spring. But there was no choice; he needs her money and connections.
“Well as it stands, our objectives are the same. We both want La petite returned to Canterlot. Serve me and I will give you the means to find her. Succeed in your task and I will reward you power and riches of your own. Prove your loyalty to me and I will cement your prosperity, and the happiness of your beloved mare.”
“Why do you need her so badly?” Know-it-all questioned.
“We agree to your terms. It doesn’t matter what you want with her, so long as we’re with her to keep her safe.” Red Cross interrupted. He could tell Celestia was in no mood to be informing pawns on her plans.
“Very well, from my intelligence Fancypants and Lala and most likely Fleur will be heading towards Avalon in the heart of Cheval. You are to capture Lala before she reaches beyond the borders of Equestria and into Avalon. If you fail, you will never see her again.”
Know-it-all and Red Cross wanted nothing more than to get up and make haste towards the Canterlot border, but for some reason Celestia had not order the guards at their throats to raise their spears.
“You will infiltrate the region of Cheval as representatives of the Canterlot region. You will act as the two aides of the new ambassador I will soon be assigning there. From that position, use what resources you can to find and capture La petite.”
“Who’s the new ambassador?” All the nobles were immobilised.
“Prince Blueblood.”
**
Princess Fleur de lis, daughter of the unicorn king of Avalon, ambassador of Avalon, Celestia had assumed that the princess was merely an expendable tool, a mere gift from the unicorn king as sign of good faith towards the forging of their alliance, but how wrong the ruler of Equestria had been.
Honestly the pretty face that had abstained from her government station, so that she could pursue the superfluous life of a glamour model. From every angle of her image, she was nothing more than cardboard cut out, a background pony existing to make other ponies look better.
Celestia had thought her nothing that night when Fleur had plead for help for the daughter of La Mere’s child, and confessed the secret of her location and Fancypant’s involvement. Celestia on that night could practically see victory upon the horizon as the pieces fell into place so that the wild element, Fancypants would be dealt with in a matter of days.
Fancy was trapped so completely and utterly, the nobles had prepared his attempts to escape, readied several framings towards his name for every possible way he could try to escape his fate. But because of Fleur de lis and her move at the hearts and hooves ball, all the nobles were immobilised, all their assets and companies and funds under observation by the press.
If Celestia herself tried to make a move, she'd be easily traced back and exposed as a tyrant who used questionable methods. She needed the love of her people, for the coming war, she needed the ponies of Equestria united under her flag so that Cheval would fall to her sword and spear.
Now as things were, Prince Blueblood was one of the only pawns she could now rely on. He was the only noble that wasn't involved in the hearts and hooves incident. There was nothing for him to fear as the press didn't have anything to blackmail him with. However, he was a selfish boy, a wild element who wished only vengeance upon Fleur de lis. La Petite, had only been a passing toy for him. He would never listen closely enough to prioritise La petite’s retrieval.
Fortunately she now had the more driven and able Know-it-all and Red Cross. However they were wild elements too, neither of the two liked Blueblood and held no intention of helping him along with his own schemes, though they would likely keep up the pretence so long as it suited them. Celestia didn’t really care for what he was either. He is just a political tool, a guise for her agents to enter Cheval's inner circle. After all, it would be suspicious if she sent two ponies that she hadn't shown much faith in, and appointed them as something as honourable as ambassadors. But if she sent her "beloved" nephew, Cheval would see it as a show of faith and good nature. Since the life of a member of the royal family was being put in their hooves. Much in the way Avalon had sent their crown princess to Equestria.
Celestia was jealous of Avalon, to have raised such a capable daughter, while Celestia herself had ended up with a buffoon of a son.
Still, he had his uses.
All eyes would focus on Blueblood's fumbling while the two lovers worked in the background to reach their objective.
“Too many wild elements, too much is being placed on the hooves of fate. I just don’t like it.”
Just a simple cast list of the definite characters carrying over to the new arc, now set in the land of Cheval. A place steeped in a heritage that parodies arthurian legends and a certain legend known commonly as "the great lover."
New key characters
Princess Fleur du le fey Fleur de lis's older sister and also an ambassador of Avalon, but stationed in Cheval. A child born during the war she has become a much harsher and stronger pony than her more ladylike sister. Often times shrewd and honest, she by nature avoids and despises the guile and subterfuge needed for politics, preferring to make her needs met with power and logic. White unicorn like her sister with the same build, but her fiery scarlet mane exudes a fierceness to all that see her. Her right eye is always covered by a black eye patch, an injury she received serving the frontlines during the war against Equestria. Her name translates to "Flower of the fey (fairies)" and is admired as an incarnation of the beauty of war.
Lance du lac A noble of high standing in Cheval as he stands as heir to the dukedom of Seingalt. He is in intimate terms with Le Fey, or rather the only pony in the land brave enough to face her in the combat of conversation. Their relationship is cordial at best, but he is adamant in wanting stay by her side. Lance's name translate to "Lance of the lake", Lancelot's alternate name. A white unicorn with a midnight blue mane and silver eyes.
Grande Amour La Mere's cousin and current duke of Seingalt. His name translates to "The great love."
Returning cast La petite The young love child of Fancypants and La mere. Returning to Cheval for the first time she must rapidly understand what it means to live a normal life in a foreign land. With ponies conspiring and scheming around her, she soon will need to begin deciding for herself what she wants what's best for herself, and in doing so decide the fate of all the people in the land.
Fleur de lis. Name translates to "flower of the lily" (just fyi). Returning to Cheval for the first time in a long time she must navigate the seedy political world for the sake of the ones she loves. She is willing to do anything, from blackmail, seduction and murder to get her way. Everything in the name of love.
Prince Blueblood As a prince of Equestria he in many respects holds a power over Cheval equal to Celestia herself, passing off as a figurehead who is on par with power with the duke of Seingalt himself. Arrogant and headstrong however, he will often flaunt his power at the distaste of those who are bitterly need to serve under him. His actions, reminders of Cheval's collar held by Equestria.
Know-it-all La petite's former tutor and lover and master and slave. He holds a very close relationship with her as they share an intimate link involving each other's pain and pleasure. This has developed into a deep trust between them, that the stallion obsesses in theorising that his feelings are his love for the young mare. He travels with Red Cross his rival, so that they can find La petite and bring her under their protection. Although highly knowledgeable and skilled, he is quite naive and lacks in ambition and initiative to act. For now he's willing to accept Red Cross the leader of the pair, only until it ceases to be useful.
Red Cross La petite's former councillor, physician and master. He is close friends with Fancypants but only to benefit his own career and pocket. Fancy trusted him as the family doctor for a time and developed an attachment to La petite. A former sadist and hedonist, he finds confusion in his feelings for the young mare. Often times the aloof go-getter, he uses people and resources around him to create himself a tactical advantage. He is often times ruthless and shameless, as he holds a double standard pride should there be a need for him to throw it away. But only if absolutely necessary.
La Mere had made her choice and with nothing but a daughter and her own body. If things were going to go forward, if either of them were to survive this journey, there needs to be no pride in her heart.
Morality is something anyone can have. You can survive atrocities and bring suffering and harm to so many and have that rot and blacken you. You can live with the heavy weight of guilt on your shoulders. But honour or pride? Those are a luxuries she can no longer afford. But then again, what pride did she have in the first place. Back where she knew what life was.
From her birth she had no pride to begin with. Her body and heart was just a tool, a bargaining chip to gain favour towards the powerful that rival her family. Her in and of herself had no value, just the birthright.
But at least with this. She had the choice. This humiliation at least held meaning. Because with this act, La Petite can know peace. Her little one is spared the turmoil of struggling to survive. If it has to be her very last act on this world, she would at least make it known to her beloved daughter that she was loved.
"I don't know what to say." The pony beside her said. The room was dark. It was in the middle of the night with nothing but the moonlight to guide the pony's eyes to the figure laying beside her.The sheets were soaking and humming with sweat, blood and tears. She smelled of the scent of passion as the pony came in close to share in her warmth. There was a deep breath and a sigh.
La Mere turned and met the stranger for a kiss.
"Mare. I can't do this anymore." Tears welled up in her eyes like so many nights before. At first she thought she could be happy with her. But it was impossible. Her heart belonged to another. La Mere needed to find her Fancy.
It was the only meaning she had to offer as a reason to bringing her daughter out into this world. Better to go out to find ultimate happiness than some half measure, that would never be enough. She didn't leave to trade one tragedy for another. This was an all or nothing affair.
"But I love you. I... you've given me so much so in my life. Happiness I never thought existed." La Mere kissed her. She tasted of ashes in her mind's tongue. There was no skipping of her heart beat, no desire to be looked upon with affection.
La Mere could see it. The future they could have. Two mares raising such a beautiful daughter. She would bring her to the local school and have her make friends with so many ponies. They could visit the local farm and library together, get tea and cakes at the local bakery. It would be so peaceful and full of smiles but...
... But there would be no love in it.
The whole time she would be using her. This innocent mare with so much love to give and with herself nothing to spare any back. Pride was one thing to be rid of, but morality was something no one could throw away, lest it destroy you first.
La Mere had to leave, if not for her own sake but to spare this affectionate lover the bitterness of an unhappy courtship. And La Petite will never truly be happy with that hovering in the background of her childhood. Least of which it never brought her any.
"I'm sorry... but I just don't love you. I... I never did." La Mere held her lover close, as to hide the deadness in her eyes. Though in Mare's eyes, it was her act of affection as to have her be held close as she began sobbing into her lover's shoulder.
"All I have for you is my gratitude."
*****************
Le Fey stood upon a grand balcony overlooking the city of Seingalt. Behind her were her chambers, the very prospect of returning to an abhorrent thing. She stood there. It wasn't for any particular reason than escape. It was as if, when she stood where she stood, there was nothing. Only what laid beyond Seingalt and maybe onward to foreign lands outside this city. If only she had the craft her sister knew. Then maybe like her she could go forth and forge a path like she did.
"It was for my own protection." That was what she was told. Her younger sister dove into a nest of vipers in her place, because she herself was not strong enough to survive the cloaks and daggers. At the very least in Cheval her title and birth would ward off the worst of the political subterfuge.
Her right eye began to ache and itch. It got like that everytime her heart raced and her blood boiled. She swung her hooves to the right the instant she felt his disgusting touch.
"I'm over here." He had tapped her right flank but come on to the left of her. It was the only way she would allow him to approach, her guard down, lost in her thoughts and not paying close enough attention to him. After years in each other's lives, he'd gotten the feel of when he could and cannot converse with the walking flame of Avalon.
"Du Lac." She said simply. No emotion. No passion. Merely a show of acknowledgement. Though he knew as well that below the surface was a fight to subdue herself.
"Someday I wished you'd just call me Lance." He put a hoof to her fiery mane, enjoying the silken smoothness of it as if it were playing with fire itself.
"You've had your way. Now leave me." She held out her hoof, staving off Lance's own away from her. It was a warning. One wrong move and he'd be paying his respects to his physician.
"Don't forget. You didn't say no." Showing his ire for the first time in ages he said those words in passing as he slammed the door to her chambers with magic.
