//------------------------------//
// Angel of Music Part Two 
// Story: The Royal Canterlot Family 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

The girls had told their parents that Snow Pea was going out for a sleigh ride to get some fresh air after the incident the day before. The blizzard had stopped, but the sky was gloomy and dark gray clouds still hung over the kingdom in the morning. Snow Pea knew that the weather reflected her lingering fear of meeting Bright Star’s ghost again, even though the dread was significantly less now. She walked outside the palace and stepped onto the sleigh that was waiting for her.
One of the steeds hitched to the sleigh asked, “Where to, Your Highness?”
Snow Pea masked her anxiety as she told them calmly, “To the cemetery, please.”
The steeds looked at each other in confusion, but complied with their princess’s orders. They trotted away from the town and onto the snow-covered trail, pulling the sleigh with them. 
Snow Pea sang to herself, “In sleep, she sang to me…In dreams, she came…That voice, which calls to me…and speaks my name…”
Moments later, the sleigh came up to the cemetery gates. The cemetery itself became daunting amidst the snow and the cloudy weather. However, that did not deter Snow Pea for long and she stepped off the sleigh. 
She told the steeds, “Thank you, sirs. Wait for me over there.” 
She gestured at a snow-covered patch by the trees situated by a curve on the path a few feet from the gates. The steeds nodded and took the sleigh over there. Snow Pea faced the gates again and took a deep breath. She mustered every bit of courage she had and opened one of the gates. After she stepped inside, she saw the snow covering the ground and gravestones. Despite the circumstances, Snow Pea knew she would have no trouble finding Bright Star’s resting place. Like the other members of the royal family, her great-grandmother would be inside a special mausoleum that was constructed for them. 
She magically pulled out a map from her cloak and said, “Now to find the royal mausoleum.”
Suddenly, a wind blew the map away and she gave chase to it. When she caught it after a minute, she gasped when she found herself in front of the very mausoleum she was looking for! She gulped to contain her growing fear, which caused light snow to start falling. She slowly treaded up the stairs and reached the doors. She stood there for several moments, being conflicted about whether to open them or not. 
She thought to herself, I have to do this. For my sake and the ponies of Marendelle. 
She took another deep breath and unlocked the doors with the key she found while everypony was sleeping. She expected to find Bright Star there, but to her surprise, there was only an empty space, save for an altar with the royal crest hanging over the decorated table. She sighed in defeat and locked the doors. She sadly traipsed down the stairs and had just reached the ground when…
“Wandering child…so lost, so frightened…yearning for some guidance…”
Snow Pea knew that voice anywhere, so with growing hope in her heart, she faced the mausoleum again. Even with trepidation clinging to her soul, Snowy sang, “Ghost or ancestor? Friend or phantom? Who is it there staring?”
Bright Star’s voice sang, “Have you forgotten your angel?”
“Angel, oh, speak…What endless longings…echo in this whisper…”
“Too long you’ve wandered in winter…far from my motherly gaze…”
“Wildly, my mind beats against you…”
“You resist…”
To her surprise, the doors opened by themselves and a golden glow morphed into the radiant queen of the past. Both Snow Pea and Bright Star sang as this happened, “Yet your/the soul obeys…” There was Bright Star, with her luminescent white coat and shiny black mane styled in a French braided crown twist bun. When Snow Pea saw the former queen’s blue eyes, a smile grew on her face. She no longer had any reason to be afraid. The joy in her heart was enough to stop the snowfall and the cloud lightened up just a bit.
They sang together as Snow Pea walked back up the stairs, “Angel of Music, you/I denied me/you…turning from true beauty…Angel of Music, do not shun me/my protector…Come to your/me, strange angel…”
Snow Pea could hardly believe it. She was right there in front of her great-grandmother and wasn’t the least bit afraid this time.
The crown princess exclaimed, “Oh, Bright Star! I’m so happy to see you!” She reached out to touch her, but an invisible barrier prevented her from doing so.
Bright Star warned after she flickered for only a few seconds, “Careful, dear! I’m afraid you can’t touch me.”
“Oh.” Her face fell as she said, “I’m sorry I got scared the first few times I saw you.”
“You have no reason to be ashamed. It was new for you to see ghosts, especially so close to Hearth’s Warming.” Bright Star then chuckled, “If any time was appropriate, it would’ve had to have been Nightmare Night.” 
Snow Pea chuckled with her, “Don’t I know it.”
“The reason you were seeing me in the first place is because the holiday is coming up. It’s a time for family and bond-building. Naturally, I wanted to build a bond with you, even though it had a rocky start.” 
“Bright Star, did my pseudo-cide…?”
“Cause you to develop a sixth sense? Yes, it did. Rarely do ponies ever have that ability. It is both a blessing and a curse. Snow Pea, as a bearer of the sixth sense, you will encounter not only friendly ghosts, but malicious ones, too. You must always be on your guard and prepare to defend yourself if worst comes to worst.”
Snow Pea then worried, “What am I going to tell my family? They were worried about the prophecy before and now they’re going to worry about this.”
“It seems to me you’re worried yourself. But about what? That your family’s going to fret over you again, or that they won’t believe you?”
Snowy realized that she was right. If her family couldn’t see ghosts like she could, then why should they believe her? Maybe they would say that she thought this up so she could have the attention she got before the prophecy came true. Or maybe it wasn’t the family she was worried about at all.
Snow Pea clarified, “My family would pretty much believe me, but what about the Marendellians? Will they believe me?”
Bright Star suggested, “Perhaps it’s best that they don’t know about your sixth sense. But if you want to prove to your family that you can see ghosts, tell Love Tap first.”
Snow Pea was surprised that Bright Star would suggest telling her grandmother before her parents. Love Tap was usually the last pony to believe such a thing. 
The unicorn asked, “But why her? I mean, I know she’s your daughter, but why would she believe me?”
Bright Star explained, “I watch my family from the cosmos like the alicorns and draconequui can. All good ponies who have passed on have this ability. Back when Love Tap was a teenager, she had a budding interest in history, especially the royal history. She wrote down whatever information was available on her family tree. For my husband and me, she asked her papa about his past and mine. Luckily, I told him everything he needed to know about me before I passed on. Whatever Lincoln Log told her about me, she wrote in her special book. 
“It’s been lost to her for a long time, but it’s in the secret chamber that can only be accessed by pushing a panel at the bottom of the bookcase with a statuette of Marendelle’s first king.”
Snow Pea nodded, “Marendelle’s first king. Got it.” 
“If you tell your grandmother about the book and show her where it is, she’ll be convinced that I spoke with you. My time here runs short, but I and every past ruler of Marendelle will always be with you. Remember that, my dear Snow Pea. Remember that.” With that, she faded away in a myriad of golden sparkles. 
Snow Pea was sad that Bright Star had to go like that, but the former queen was right. She and everypony who had ever ruled Marendelle would be with Snowy. She felt comforted by her great-grandmother’s words and a sunbeam shone through the clouds as proof of her joy. 




It was sunny when Snow Pea returned to the palace and made her way to her grandparents’ suite. 
She knocked on the door and asked, “Hello?”
To her luck, Love Tap’s voice responded, “Snow Pea, darling, come in!” 
The crown princess opened the door and found that only Love Tap was there reading a book. 
Snow Pea asked, “Hey, Grandma. Where’s Grandpa?”
Love Tap answered, “He’s having fun in the snow with the young colts and fillies of the kingdom.” She then chuckled, “He hasn’t had the chance to play ever since you and the others were small.” 
She took a deep breath to prepare herself for telling her grandma about her newfound sixth sense. She had to start somewhere, but what? Then, she got it.
Snowy asked, “What kind of book are you reading?”
Love Tap said, “A romance novel. I was getting tired of reading history books, even those from different lands. It’s good to try something new once in a while.”
She had to word her next question carefully, so she asked, “Would one of those things involve writing a history book about the royal family?”
Love Tap was surprised to hear her ask that. “Why, yes. I’ve written about my family’s history. Unfortunately, the record’s lost, so I decided to give up on writing altogether. How could you possibly know about that?”
Here goes nothing, Snow Pea thought to herself. She then said, “Because Bright Star told me.” When Love Tap gave no expression, Snowy explained, “Grandma, something else happened before I got rid of the Windigos. When Lil and I got back to the caves with our cousins, they were still freezing from the curse. I had to stop it before it was too late. The prophecy said I had to destroy time, so I thought that it was the day I was born. So…” Her voice broke when she explained, “…I used the gem on the tiara to destroy it.”
Love Tap put her hoof to her mouth in shock and breathed, “Snow Pea…”
Snow Pea continued, “I was dead, but then I saw the draconequui and the alicorns in the heavens. They told me I had to go back and save Equestria. They also helped me figure out how to fulfill the prophecy and bring an end to the Windigos. They used all of their powers to bring me back to life, but because I was dead momentarily, I now have a sixth sense. And it’s because of this sense that I was able to speak with your mom. She told me about your book and she told me where to find it.”
Her grandma was silent for a few moments until she took a deep breath and said, “If you know where I last saw my book, then I’ll believe you.”
Snow Pea nodded and told her, “Fair enough. It’s in the secret chamber only accessible through the bookcase with Marendelle’s first king on top.” 
Love Tap was stunned. Her granddaughter knew every secret passageway and chamber in the entire castle – except for the one in Button Mash’s study. Perhaps Snow Pea had truly spoken to her mother, but her heart wanted more proof. She needed to find the book if what Snowy said was true. 
The former queen said with a firm posture and her head held high, “All right, then. Lead the way.”




After Love Tap told Snow Pea that the bookcase was in the study, the two mares made their way there. Luckily, Button and Sweetie Belle were out doing charity work around town. 
Snow Pea gasped as she pointed to something, “There it is!”
Sure enough, there was a statuette of Marendelle’s first king on top of the bookcase. 
Love Tap began to tell Snow Pea, “All right. To open the secret chamber, you must –“ She was interrupted by a click and saw that her granddaughter had already pressed the panel at the bottom of the bookcase. 
Snowy turned to her and said with a smile, “Got it.”
The bookcase slid to the right and a dusty hallway was revealed to view. 
Love Tap said as she stood in front of the chamber, “It’s dustier than I remember.”
“Let’s go find your book.”
As Snow Pea was walking into the hallway, Love Tap tried to stop her, “No, wait! Snow Pea! You don’t need to find the book! I believe you about my mother! Snow Pea? Oh, that girl!” She then followed Snow Pea into the chamber. When she found her granddaughter looking all around with her magic lighting the chamber, Love Tap explained, “You won’t find it here. I accidentally tipped the podium where I put it, and when I fixed it days later, the book was gone.”
“Have faith, Grandma,” Snow Pea told her. “Have faith.” She looked in the nooks and crannies until…She gasped in delight, “I found it!” 
Love Tap’s heart quickened with joy when Snow Pea used her magic to pull the book out from the crack in the wall. 
The former queen exclaimed as she held the book, “My book! I can’t believe you actually found it! After so many years, I thought it was lost forever.”
Snowy said, “A rat might’ve taken your book after it fell from the podium.”
“Oh, Snow Pea, there’s so much to learn from these pages. Come. Let’s read this in the library.”
When the two of them reached the entrance, however, Button Mash was gaping in front of them. They didn’t know what to say until Button asked, “We have another secret passage?”




Love Tap, Button Mash, and Snow Pea sat on the futon in the library and the crown princess magically opened the book to Bright Star’s section.  
Snow Pea pointed to the illustration accompanying the words, “That’s how Bright Star looked when I saw her in the cemetery.” 
Button Mash said, “I just can’t believe you talked to her like she was actually there.” 
Love Tap said, “I’m glad Snow Pea was determined to find the book, or my mother’s memory would’ve died with me.”
Snow Pea suggested, “Well, for her sake and yours, let’s share her memory together.” She looked down at the book and read aloud, “’Bright Star was born in Hollow Shades to Oakwood, a village carpenter, and Glistening Mist, a guide. She was named after the bright star that shone the night she was born. After Bright Star became a teenager, her parents passed away from an illness. Determined to make her mark in the world, she traveled all over and took various jobs before finally coming to Marendelle to be a bookkeeper’s apprentice. It was in the bookshop she worked at where she met Lincoln Log, who was then heir to the throne.’”
Love Tap smiled, “Father created a song just to woo her.”
Button Mash remarked, “He was really lucky to be able to do that.” He told Snow Pea, “I wish I did it for your mother.”
Snowy suggested, “You could still do it for her.”
Her grandmother then told her, “And you have won the right to keep this book. You wanted to find it so much that you deserve to have it.”
Snow Pea put her hoof on her chest and smiled, “Thank you so much, Grandma. I will treasure it always. Oh, say, I have an idea! Why don’t I use my sixth sense to get some more information from the past rulers?” 
Button Mash agreed, “I think it’s a great idea.”
Love Tap suggested, “Oh, and get as much as you can from King Saber! He’s an elusive one.”
Button smirked, “Especially since there are rumors that he was also the famed masked hero X Marks?” 
His mother shrugged with a grin, “Well, yes.”
All three of them laughed at that.




Hearth’s Warming was soon upon the kingdom of Marendelle. By that time, Snow Pea had gotten over her fear of ghosts and sometimes paid visits to the cosmos when she was asleep. She enjoyed the time she spent with her ancestors and even got interesting facts about them to put in her book. She decided to share these stories with her family on the holiday. Her chance came when she, her family, Rock Salt, and Zealot sat by the fireside with hot cocoa in their hooves and blankets draped over some of them. 
Zealot marveled, “I’ve never really had a Hearth’s Warming before, but I can say now that this really is the most wonderful time of the year.”
Apple Butter wrapped her hoof around him and said, “I’m glad you like it as much as we do.”
Button Mash asked his daughter, “So, Snow Pea, did you find out whether or not King Saber was X Marks?”
Snow Pea flipped through her book as she said playfully, “Let’s see…” When she got to King Saber’s section, she grinned, “Yes. Yes, he was.”
Cinnamon Swirl hoof-pumped, “I knew it!” 
Love Tap said, “I’m glad you’re using your sixth sense for something useful. Maybe someday, you can use it to help an entire kingdom.”
Snow Pea chuckled, “Oh, Grandma. Why would the fate of a kingdom depend on my ability to see ghosts?” 
She shrugged, “You never know.” Suddenly, she saw Snow Pea’s eyes widen as the crown princess looked to Love Tap’s left. She had no idea what it was until she felt a familiar presence near her. “Snow Pea, are my parents here?”
Snowy nodded with a small smile, “Uh-huh.”
Even though no one else could see them, Snow Pea saw Bright Star and Lincoln Log – with a brilliant amber coat and a rich brown mane and beard to compliment his warm brown eyes – standing near the fireplace and wrapping their hooves around each other in content.