I think that by now I should address the big, fat, ugly elephant in the room. Now I know that what I’m going to write about has been discussed, reported, debated, and studied to death. Of course, I’m referring to that fateful day in the spring in Canterlot, of events of the Garden Summit. Now, there is no doubt about it that what happened. If anything, it was rather a shock that it even happened at all. Of course, there were plenty of witnesses of what happened, but this here is to give you, the reader, my side of the story.
At this point in time, Thorax and I were roughly about half-a-year into our relationship, getting together when it was possible. Especially if it was for an excuse that certain events wanted us to be in the same place at the same time – in this case, the Summit. If anything, it was more of an unofficial get together of some of the world’s leaders to basically have the day off at the Royal Gardens. Aside from the stars of the show: the Equestrian Royal Family, I was there with Thorax, his Queen (who I think was beginning to show signs of her pregnancy) and his brother were there.
We arrived around the afternoon, just after lunch when we walked into the Royal Gardens where Celestia welcomed us from the gate. “Hello Spike, it’s so good to see you,” I remember her saying to me as she hugged me with her wing.
“Hey Princess, I’m sorry that we’re late, Pharynx had to make sure that the hive was secured before we left.”
Both Changeling Royals glanced at him, “What? How was I supposed to know that it took longer than I thought?”
“I think a rule to stick by,” Lavender told him. “Is that there is no such thing as ‘It’ll take twenty minutes tops.’”
Celestia giggled, “Nevertheless, I’m rather glad that you’ve come too Thorax and…” she trailed off when she spotted the bulge from the Queen. “Why Lavender, are you?”
She smiled and nodded, “Its happening. I’m expecting,” and nuzzled the King for a moment. “I mean it took a few tries but there’s no doubt about it.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. When are you expecting?”
“We think it’s sometime around September,” the Changeling King replied. “You should have seen the hive when they heard the news.”
Pharynx looked around, “Can we get in? I don’t think we should stay out in the open for long.”
“But of course,” Celestia waved her wing towards the gardens. In we went to see that among some of the kings, queens, emperors, princes, princesses, presidents and prime ministers, there were some familiar faces among the crowd.
And among them was the Dragon Lord, “Ember!” I waved over to her. “Hey, Ember!”
This managed to get her attention as she took flight and flew over to us. “Spike,” she took my claw and we bumped our chests. “Long time no see, where have you been since the last time I’ve seen ya?”
“Oh, keeping myself busy,” I scratched the back of my neck. “In fact, you might say that something rather important has happened to me recently.”
“Really?” she tilted her head, “And that being?”
“I think that I may or may not have found someone who, in dragon terms, that I would call a Mate.”
Her eyes widened, “Is this true?”
“Six months now, give-or-take, if anything, he’s here right now?”
“Ooh,” with a raised eyebrow she smirked and a light blush, “kinky.”
Lavender busted out laughing, at first Ember was confused until she pointed at the brothers, “You mean one of them?” Thorax raised a hoof. “Oh, now this is getting interesting. I never took you to liking males Thorax.”
“Well, what can I say? Spike has earned being my consort.”
Ember took a quick glance at me, looking me up and down before back to the King, “Can’t say that I blame you.”
Needless to say, after that it fell into the usual small talk with not just Ember, but even the other leaders as well. There was the flowery language with most of them, saying hello and how’s your country doing – that sort of thing. If anything, it was kinda dull for a while.
Then… There was Prince of Yakyakistan. Okay before I go any further, I want to say that despite how the now deceased Prince Rutherford has been portrayed recently, the guy I knew was headstrong. There’s no doubt about it. However, he was also the kind of guy that once you really get to know him; he can show that he is passionate about preserving his culture of the Yaks.
It makes me wish that I had done so before it happened.
“Hey there Prince Rutherford,” I waved over to him. “Sorry that we were late.”
He brushed his overgrown mane out of the way for him to peek out an eye. “Dragon Spike, you have grown since last time Yaks seen you.”
“Yes, I have been undergoing a growth spurt since I was thirteen. But like I said, we’re sorry that we came in late.”
“Spike hadn’t missed much. Pony foods okay, but nothing like Yak vanilla cake, otherwise, summit dull.” He peeked over to the Changelings, “Who are they?”
“You mean that you’ve never met the Changelings?” he shook his head. “Well then, this here is King Thorax, his Queen, Lavender, and his brother Pharynx.”
“Really? These are Changelings?” the Yak Prince brushed aside his mane. “Yaks thought that all of them were black, yet these three are more colorful than ponies.”
I and the other three Changelings cringed, “Didn’t anyone told you that we’re reformed?” Lavender inquired.
“Yaks are from Yakyakistan. It is the last place in the whole world to know what goes on.”
So we explained to him of the story of how a runaway Changeling became King after the overthrow of Chrysalis and showing that it was possible to give love rather than take it. After we told him all of this, Rutherford had a question: “That explains why Changelings are here, but why is Dragon Spike here? Yak thought that he was a knight.”
“Technically yes,” Thorax nodded. “However, I invited him here since I consider him one of the most important members in my court.”
“Is that so?” he asked, “What is Spike?”
“The Master Consort.”
“Who? To the Queen?”
“What?” Lavender raised an eyebrow. “No, Spike isn’t my consort, it’s my husband’s.”
There was an uncomfortable pause between us and Rutherford. “Yak doesn’t understand,” he replied. “Is Changeling King a male?” When told that he was, he then said, “Oh! Yak gets it! Spike is Thorax’s comrade in his court.”
Without skipping a beat, Pharynx replied, “What are you a moron? He’s my brother’s mate.”
It was as if something within the Yak Prince had snapped as soon as he heard the “M” word. I still remember the frown on his face as he was turning away from us. “Yaks don’t wish to speak anymore.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” Lavender flew up to him. “What does that supposed to mean?”
“Yaks don’t want to know of coltcuddlers.”
“Excuse me!” all four of us objected. Pharynx practically pushed the Queen aside until he and the Yak were muzzle to muzzle. “Did you want to repeat that again?”
“Us Yaks don’t want to associate those that are pathetically weak.”
“My brother isn’t weak!”
“All coltcuddlers are weak, that is a fact.”
“Why you oversized-” he was stopped by his brother’s hoof that pulled him away.
“I got this,” he said as he stepped right in. “Prince Rutherford, I know that this is the first time that we’ve met. But it is rather unfair that you instantly judge me over this one little fact.”
The Yak prince snorted, “There is nothing more us Yaks need to know about you.”
I then saw something in him that I never saw him before. With eyes that held back an inferno of rage, he calmly stated, “I am a King of thirty-three years of age, and have been in office for nearly fifteen years. My Queen is currently pregnant with future heirs to the throne and currently has almost ten thousand citizens. During my time, I have passed seven-hundred-and-forty-eight laws among them. I have helped overthrow Queen Chrysalis with the assistance of friends of Princess Twilight. I am responsible for not only the Hive in the badlands (in which I was able to turn it from a wasteland into a garden), but for a hundred servants, three hundred ambassadors, a thousand civil employees, and an army of four thousand, all for the sake of keeping each and every Changeling safe. I am easily jealous, naïve, boring, excitable, sensitive, a little too careful about my health and have too big of a heart. I am many things, Prince Rutherford. But weak isn’t one of them.”
He grunted as he pushed the King aside, “Leave Yaks be you fago-”
Now he went too far as I pulled on his tail, “You take that back!”
“Get off!” he quickly turned around and bucked me over hard with his horns (nearly goring me, by-the-way) that made my fly a good distance. Then just like that, he charged at me was able to stomp on my chest, knocking the wind right out of me. “Don’t touch Yak again you stallion stuffer!” Before he could breathe another breath, three Changelings instantly transformed into larger, fiercer creatures; the Queen taking on the form of a Hydra, Pharynx a bugbear, and Thorax a dragon with their claws and teeth aimed at the Prince.
Of course, this didn’t go unnoticed as the other leaders (if they didn’t pay any attention before, they certainly were now). If anything, I was panicking as I quickly realized that there was going to be an all-out war. As I was trying to get air back into my lungs, I waved a claw. “Wait!” I cried out as soon as I can get a word out and get back on my feet. “Before any happens, let me have a say.” I went up to the Yak Prince, grabbed him by the back of the neck and told him: “You know, just for today, I’m going to pardon you for nearly causing a war. And before you say anything, there are three reasons why I’m doing this.”
I held up a claw, “First of all, Princess Twilight and Celestia, the ones that practically raised me are here. For while I may be a knight, I’m technically royalty too in which you have just insulted and harmed.” His angry expression morphed to realization. “I’m going to pardon you because not only is it rude to wage war in public, but if I let it happen, Twilight and Celestia will scold me.
Then I held up two claws, “Second, you do know that you’re at a peace summit, right? In which most of the world’s leaders are in one spot. Which means that not only are Twi and Celie are here, but so is Ember, the Dragon Lord in which I’m their friendship ambassador to since, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a dragon.” I said between my teeth. “As in one that can eat diamonds, slash steel with my claws and breathe fire.” I blew a little green flame to illustrate my point, giving him a good size fireball to get it across.
While any sign of arrogance had given way to fear, I held up the third claw: “And third, just because I and Thorax happen to be together in a relationship, does not mean that we are any less noble than you are. The very fact that I’m pardoning you on this should say something, not that I’m weak to start a war but strong and mature enough to prevent one. I wonder what that says about you? And by-the-way, while I may forgive on your prejudice, but if you so much harm me or Thorax, then I will not be so forgiving.”
“Sir Spike?” I turned my attention to find Prince Blueblood there, “Is there something the matter?”
As I let go of the prince, the other three Changelings turned back to their original form. “Hopefully not,” I told him. “Blueblood, a word with you?” I practically dragged him out of earshot.
“What is going on?” the blond unicorn asked.
“Did you know that Prince Rutherford is homophobic?” I interrogated him.
His face drooped, “Oh Celestia, what happened?”
“Aside from nearly causing a war, he pretty much insulted both me and Thorax. Now that I think of it, how did you managed to talk with them, to begin with? Does he know that you’re gay?”
“Oh Spike, I am so sorry for all of this,” he facehoofed in frustration. “This is my fault, I’ve completely spaced it to warn both of you that the Yak culture doesn’t recognize homosexuality. And as a side note, I managed to do so because I’ve managed to leave that detail about myself out. Heck, as far as I know, no one in Yakyakistan knows that I have a husband. Spike, I’m so sorry for all of this. Here, let me go talk to Rutherford and see what can be salvaged.”
I looked behind me, “Yes, now if you excuse me, I have a King to comfort.”
While I helped Thorax, his brother, and his queen to walk away, Pharynx commented, “You know bro, I think I see why you like Spike now.”
The Changeling King raised an eyebrow, “How so?”
“Here you have a guy that has been nearly gored by a pair of arrogant Yak horns before getting stomped over, and what does he do? He gets up, takes him by the neck and shows off how dangerous he is by showing off his claws, teeth, and fire to put in back in his place. If I were remotely gay, I’ll have him rut me on the spot.”
Thorax, in response, wrapped a hoof around me and said, “Mine.” Then he turned to me, “Are you okay Spike?”
“I’m a lot more durable than you give me credit for,” I then looked behind me to see the Yak Prince speaking with Blueblood. “Not to say that the last meeting left a bad taste in my mouth.”