//------------------------------// // Chapter 27 // Story: Brotherhood and Sisterhood // by CartoonNerd12 //------------------------------// The princesses were sitting as the maids started to put makeup on them. Each of them had a different look and style. Rarity's hair was up in curls with foundation to make her skin darker with red blush. Applejack had blue eye shadow and her hair was down but had slight curls framing her face. Rainbow Dash's face was powdered white and had a fake beauty mark on her right cheek. Twilight's hair was put up in a bun and her lips were painted pink. Pinkie was given bright red lips to go with her painted white face. And Fluttershy's hair was put in a crown braid then the maid added light blush to her cheeks. Fleur exclaimed as she inspected each of them, "Wonderful. You're all looking beautiful and perfect." Dash questioned, "Then why does it feel so weird and gross?" The lady sighed before she made for the door, telling them, "I am going to meet with my husband so that we can prepare for tomorrow's lesson. I expect you to cooperate as the maids finish with your looks while I am gone." "Yes, your ladyship." they said. On that note, Fleur left leaving the girls to themselves and the maids. Pinkie took the first step and introduced herself to her maid, "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your name?" The maid was taken aback by the princess's friendliness, and stammered, "It's… it's Derpy, your highness." "Hi, Derpy! I really like your eyes!" The golden wall-eyed girl blushed, "Thanks… that means a lot…" The girls smiled at this making Twilight ask the other maids, "What are your names?" The other maids were surprised as Derpy was and timidly told their names. "I'm Coco Pommel, your grace." she curtsied to Rarity. "Sugar Belle, your highness." she told Applejack. "My name's Night Gilder, princess." she said to Rainbow Dash. "I'm Miss Cheerilee, your royal highness." she curtsied as well but to Twilight. "And… I'm… I'm…" the maid turned away feeling embarrassed now. Fluttershy touched her arm and softly told her, "Just stay calm and tell me your name." The maid looked back to see the princess's nice smile making her relax and said, "It's Wallflower Blush, your highness." "How lovely. It's nice to meet you." Night Gilder inquired, "If you don't mind my asking your highnesses, but why do you wish to know our names?" Cheerilee added, "I must be inclined to agree, as we maids are not allowed to socialize with royalty." Applejack stated, "Let's just say we know how it feels when others work hard to please their employers." Rarity motioned, "Exactly. Which is why we want you girls to feel comfortable around us no matter what." The maids glanced at each other in bewilderment wondering if it was possible to do such a thing. Twilight noticed their hesitation and said, "Perhaps it would help if we told you a little more about us and in turn you can do the same." Applejack beamed, "Now that sounds like a fine idea," and asked the maids, "don't you think so too?" The maidservants were still unsure. Rarity volunteered, "Why don't I go first, that should help get things in motion." The maids listened intently. Discord took out his father's king piece and said, "Checkmate." Tirek raised a brow before amusingly commenting, "Impressive. You managed to take out my king without once moving your queen. Instead you sacrificed half your army; that certainly caught me off guard." "It's all about misdirection, Father." the eldest prince stated without emotion. The king smirked and released a small chuckle, "And here I thought you lost all your drive for hurting others. The fact you wanted to protect your queen more tells me that you would do anything to make sure your wife never gets harm by anyone." Discord didn't say anything. Tirek smirked further, "I thought so." he stood up and made for the door. He motioned for his son to follow. The prince obeyed and walked close behind his adopted father. King Tirek went down the hallway as he said, "Our lessons will continue after I meet with your brothers. Instead of once a week with all of you, I will meet with you one day of the week. Is that clear?" "Yes." "Good. And you will tell them so, correct?" "Yes." "Fine then. I shall let you go back to your regular studies, but do not forget what we went over just now and I expect you to follow through in the days to come. Which means you should spend less time with your brothers and focus more on yourself and the one that matters to you the most." he turned back to look at him. Discord was stunned to say the least, and uttered out, "I… I cannot be near my brothers anymore?" "You can still be near them, as your image requires it. It's your sentiment of bonding with each other is what I discourage but I forbid you to say that to them. Do you understand?" he glared. Discord quickly replied, "Very." "Then I bid you a good day, and I shall see you at dinner tonight." he turned in a different direction. Discord waited until the king was completely gone before he leaned against the wall and sighed deeply while crouching down. Turmoil raged in his body and mind, not sure of what he should do. The maids were surprised by how ordinary these princesses were. Their interests were so common that it's hard to imagine these girls were of noble birth. Ultimately the new princesses decided to hide the fact they were maids themselves before getting married since the king and Lady Fleur wanted to keep that secret, it was important they didn't provoke them especially if it was going to cause more harm than good while they live in the castle. When Rainbow finished saying what her favorite things to do was, Pinkie asked, "Now what is you like?" Sugar Belle answered, "I like to spend time in the kitchens and make my own bake good creations." Derpy said, "I like to help carry packages and letters and deliver them to whoever needs them." Wallflower smiled, "I like to visit the gardens and help plant some new flora and fauna every spring." Cheerilee told them, "I go to the library at night and look for new things to teach the children that live here in the castle." The princesses gawked at this information, with Fluttershy questioning, "There are children here as well?" Cheerilee replied, "Certainly, their parents work here so they have to live with them until they're old enough to take their place." Night Gilder said, "That's how it was with us." Rarity inquired, "But surely you and they have the freedom to go if you do not wish to stay." The solemn expressions on the maids' faces told the girls otherwise making them feel upset. Discord finally made it back to the library where his brothers gathered around him and bombarded him with questions of what his lessons with their father was like. "Did he use the cane on you?" questioned Soarin. "Did he lecture you on and on?" asked Spike. "What were his lessons to you?" inquired Capper. Discord moved away from them and said without looking at them, "He told me the reason why I was chosen to be an heir." Their eyes widen in surprise. He continued, "He wants me to revert back to my old ways…" They gawked with Flash shouting, "You can't be serious!" Discord turned around with a staid expression on his face, "It's how Father wants it." Soarin said in concern, "But you won't do it, right?" The first prince scoffed, "Do you think I want to? But you know I have no choice. None of us have a choice. Just now, he told me that he was meeting with us one day a week instead of once a week." The brothers made worried looks wondering why their father would change his mind like that. Discord looked around and realized, "Where's Fancy?" Capper told him, "Lady Fleur came by and the two of them went off to discuss something." No sooner had he said that, said couple came back and Fancy stated, "Ah, Discord, good, you're back. My wife and I were just meeting about an important lesson for the princesses that will need to be done in time for the banquet." Spike asked, "What lesson is that?" Fleur answered, "Dancing lessons." The boys glanced at each other in confusion. Fancy took over, "As such they will need the right partners to dance with, and as you are their husbands, it's only fitting. And if anything, this works very well into your own lessons since married princes need to attend royal events with their spouses by their side." Fleur added, "Both spouses need the proper conduct of how to do this. Just look at me and Fancy, we've attended every social event at each other's side and not once have we looked bad." Fancy took her hand as he mentioned, "It's a team effort to make your partner to look good in the eyes of noble society. But in this case, you need to make your wives stand out as they'll be officially introduced to the court and hardly anyone will know anything about them since they think they are Lady Chrysalis's daughters." "But can't we just let them be themselves?" Flash questioned, "Why force them to pretend to be something they're not?" His brothers voiced out agreements. Fancy sighed, "While I see your point, you know your father wants to keep their true backgrounds as quiet as possible." Fleur spoke, "I will say this as much as some of your wives still need help in learning the basics; they are quite well-behaved and proper just like any princess should be. You should be very proud." They were stunned to hear Fleur compliment their wives like that. Fancy himself was smiling. She kept going, "There's great potential in each of them, I've yet to see what their best strengths are in being a princess, but I look forward to knowing. Now if you'll excuse me I must get back to them." she curtsied, "Good day, your highnesses." before leaving the room. Fancy voiced out, "Well, it's good to know that everything is going well with the princesses." The boys smiled. "I don't have anything else to teach you today, so you may go now. However I would like to have a word with you, Discord." The princes exchanged looks before the five younger brothers had to leave the oldest alone with their mentor. Fancy went straight to the point, "What exactly happen with your lessons with your father?" Discord took a deep breath, "He told me the real reason I was chosen to be an heir." "Oh?" the tutor raised a brow. Discord explained, "He saw a boy that had the potential to become powerful by manipulating others around him. I know I should be flattered he thought that way about me but for some reason it feels wrong…" Fancy made a small smile, "That's because you understand that power is not something to be played with but rather to use it responsibly." "But is he right? Have I changed so much that I'm losing a part of myself?" "Discord… I have watched you grow since you were chosen and while it's true you're not the same as you were then, but you still have a tendency to be mischievous and cunning making you a trickster that your brothers try to put up with." The prince released a small laugh. "The point is, you are better now and it should stay that way." He sighed, "Alas, Father has told me he wants me to act like when I was young." Fancy frowned at this, "Did he now…?" "He had me playing chess with him to see if I was still crafty enough to trick my opponent. Suffice to say, I won." "Interesting…" with him thinking, What is his majesty up to? "But also… he wants me to spend less time with my brothers… he thinks they're too much of influence on me. But please to don't let him know I told you this. He prohibited me to tell my brothers this but he never said anything about you…" Fancy was pleased at Discord's astute reasoning and nodded, "I'm glad you told me this. Rest assure, I won't reveal I know, I'm just sorry that we cannot tell your brothers." Discord admitted, "You know, this just maybe the first time in my life I don't have an idea of what to do next. How can I move on knowing Father wants me to be something I was once was while at the same time I don't lose my bond to my brothers?" Fancy touched his chin in thought, "How indeed… One suggestion could be I let your brothers know after all but should Tirek catch on to them being aware then that's only going to cause more harm than good… The way I see it, we play your father's game until a proper solution can be found. I know it won't be easy but there's nothing else we can do right now." he put a hand on Discord's shoulder. The prince was grateful for the touch and put his own hand on his long time mentor and father figure's hand to show it. Fancy give him a gentle smile before moving back to let the eldest heir go. Words didn't need to be exchanged knowing what they'll have do next. Discord slowly moved away and gave the kind noble a glance before leaving. Fancy Pants was left alone and thought to himself. Something strange is going on here. Why would the king want Discord to return to his old self? He has told me he wants Spike to be king next so why encourage Discord? I must wait and see if the other boys will get the same treatment before I decide what to do about this… But one thing's for sure, I won't let them get hurt from this new development, not if I have anything to say about it… For my sons, I will do anything for them… With that belief in mind, he left the room hoping that he will succeed in whatever is to come, good or bad.