//------------------------------// // chapter 3 // Story: The Return of the Heart // by keithsterling //------------------------------// A few hours later, Luna exits the throne room, once again, carrying a rolled up parchment with the royal seal of the Moon Throne on it. She hands it to Cadence and tells her that the Moon Throne has given her the special permission she seeks to visit her daughter. There is one condition though; Luna goes on to explain that before she can see her daughter, she must get Grand Princess Aurora to sign her name to the parchment. If she tries to go without Aurora’s signature, they will not let her into the prison and inform the Throne of the Moon that she didn’t follow the condition. This means the special permission will be revoked and she must try again to gain it from one of the main Equestrian thrones which will not be easy. Cadence takes the parchment from Luna’s hand and promises that she will fulfill the condition of the Throne of the Moon. With that, she also informs Cadence that a room has been set-up for her by the Ruler of the Moon to stay here at the Palace. Later that same evening, a wide awake Princess Cadence walks through the moon lit hallways of the Grand Royal Palace, trying to tire herself out. Her barefeet pip plop across the tile floor. A light shines through an open door into the hallway. She looks into the room and sitting at a desk, wearing a personalized plush fleece robe, was Princess Alysia. With all that’s been going on for the past few months, Alysia has neglected her regular royal duties and her equivalent paper work. Her aunt, Grand Princess Aurora, has informed her niece that all her reports are coming due and if she doesn’t want to anger the Throne of the Sun she better get the most important reports done by morning and brought to her before morning court. An exhausted and annoyed Princess Alysia continues to tap on her holographic computer keyboard, writing out her report for her Aunt. When out of the corner of her eye, she spots Princess Cadence walking into her private bed chamber. “Leave me be your highness. I am too busy to be insulted by you. f I don’t finish this report, her grand highness will be angry with me.” Alysia said unfriendly trying to get Cadence to leave her alone and leave her bed chamber. Cadence pretended not to hear Alysia’s objection and continued looking at her personal belongings spread around her bed chamber as Alysia kept one eye on her. She would intentionally touch one of Alysia’s items to get her to react to it, but she never did, until she spotted a well taken care of, but worn, leather sword belt hanging on the wall from a peg. Inside the scabbard was an old beat-up long sword with a pear cut white diamond on the pommel. A tear comes to Cadence’s eye. The white diamond mark was the symbol for the Silverlight unicorn family and the blade belong to her late uncle Prince Justice Silverlight. “Don’t touch it!” Alysia shouts slapping Cadence’s hand away from the handle of the sword. “Ow! Do you know who this sword belongs to, your highness?” Cadence inquires as Alysia shakes her head. “It belongs to my grandfather Prince Justice Silverlight, he was grandmother’s personal guard for many years, before she married him. But grandmother and grand-auntie as well as Auntie Aurora and father don’t talk about him. I have asked Auntie Blueberry about him and she knows even less about him, than I.” Alysia comments sadly as she unsheathes the sword from the scabbard and performs a few master swords level exercises with it. “The reason your Aunt Blueberry doesn’t know too much about your grandfather is because he died soon after she was born. so she never met him when he was alive. But if you will forgive me, Alysia, for calling you a liar at the hospital. I can tell you about your grandfather. I spent a lot of time with him during the wars in Equestria after the Tree of Harmony died.” Cadence explains as Alysia agrees to forgive her for calling her a liar in exchange for learning about her Grandfather, Prince Justice. Watching through a crack in the door was Alysia’s aunt, Grand Princess Aurora. She was coming to her niece’s bed chamber to check on her progress on the reports. She spotted her cousin, Princess Cadence walking into Alysia’s bed chamber. A smile forms on her snout as she watched the two mares talking to each other. She feels it should be fine to let her niece’s reports be late, but only this once. The following morning, Princess Cadence paces impatiently back and forth in the small sitting room adjacent to the throne room. She is wearing a dark burgundy colored short sleeve dress with gold gladiator sandals and her Princess’s regalia. An hour before her scheduled appointment with the Grand Princess of the Sun Aurora Silverlight, an urgent matter came-up that needed the Grand Princess’ immediate attention. Sitting on a sofa in the room, watching her cousin pace was Princess Alysia Silverlight, wearing a black, ivory colored, elbow sleeve fit and flare dress with tan women’s gladiator sandals and her princess’s regalia. She was asked by her Aunt Aurora to keep Cadence company till she finishes up the urgent matter. “Cousin, wearing out the rug in the room willn’t speed-up the conclusion any faster. You should know about urgent matters, as you were the ruler of the Crystal Empire a long time ago.” Alysia comments offhanded as it made Cadence feel older than she really is. “I am not that old, Alysia.” Cadence said bothered as Alysia shrugged her shoulders and watches her cousin sits down on a nearby chair. “Besides, maybe you can answer one of my questions, Alysia?” Cadence inquires as Alysia smiles too much. She was firmly told by her aunt Aurora that she was not allowed to tell her cousin anything about her daughter’s crimes against Equestria, till she was present. If she did, she would be punished for it. Next to her own father and mother, Princess Alysia listens to her two aunts when they give her a royal order. “Ok?” Alysia said afraid “My question is this, Alysia, where’s my sister-in-law Princess Twilight and her Friendship assembly during the Crystal War. surely being the Princess of Friendship she got involved with trying to stop this Crystal War from happening?” Cadence asked as a relieved Alysia sighed softly as she could answer that question. “Princess Twilight and her Friendship Assembly didn’t get involved in the Crystal War until the combined forces joined the Civil War. Five years prior to that, Princess Twilight and her Friendship Assembly were silent during the Civil War in the Crystal Empire. It has always been a sore spot for.” Alysia said cut short by someone clearing their throat behind her. Standing in the doorway wearing a black 3/4 length sleeve faux wrap dress with gold heeled sandals and her Princess’s regalia was Grand Princess of the Sun, Aurora Silverlight. She just finished up the urgent matter she had to take care of and headed back to the sitting room for her meeting with Cadence. “Now Alysia, did you forget what I told you about talking about our family sore spots.” Aurora disappointed as she shook her finger toward Alysia, whose ears begin to droop. “I am sorry Auntie.” Alysia said feeling sorry as Aurora walked over to her niece and hugged her to make her feel better. “But since you brought the subject up, Alysia, Allow me to explain what the sore spot is to Cadence.” Aurora comments as she sits down next to Alysia on the sofa and puts her arm around her. “The sore spots Alysia was talking about was .when your daughter Flurry Heart threatened to take the Throne of Love from Grand Princess Blueberry. Princess Twilight and her Friendship Assembly didn’t lift a finger to stop it. she let it happen and the Crystal Empire was lost to our family when the Friendship Kingdom finally entered the Crystal War at one of the strategy meetings in Canterlot, I asked Princess Twilight why didn’t she try to stop it. the answer she gave me enraged me. She didn’t know.” Aurora said livid as she slams her free fist onto the table in front of her and she cracks it. “Auntie! Calm yourself down, your angrier is getting the best of you.” Alysia said reminded as she squeezes her aunt’s hand with hers. “As the Crystal War continued to rage in the Crystal Empire, I was able to talk to the five members of the Friendship Assembly about why they didn’t react to the threat to the Throne of Love when it first happened. Four of the members of the Friendship Assembly repeated what Princess Twilight had said. Only Miss Rarity came out and said she was sorry that the Friendship Assembly failed to help my family when they needed them the only member to take responsibility for the failure was generosity.” Alysia explains as Aurora calmed herself down and kissed her niece on the cheek to thank her for reminding her about being a member of the Silverlight unicorn family. “I see.” Cadence said miserable and wounded upon hearing that her sister-in-law Princess Twilight didn’t lift a finger to help the family that came to her aid when she asked them. “Please forgive this member of Princess Twilight’s family, your family aided my family so many times and we returned the help by not coming to your aid when you need it.” Cadence said very sorry as she noticed a change in both Aurora and Alysia’s mood when a member of the Sparkle family took responsibility for losing the Crystal Empire. “But now I must ask, what war crime has my daughter committed?” Cadence inquires as both Aurora’s and Alysia’s faces were etched with sorrow. “Murder.” Aurora said sadly as Cadence gaped in stunned silence “To force Blueberry to renounce the Throne of Love and the title of the Princess of Love your daughter executed a crystal pony maid. she promised she would kill one crystal pony for as long as Blueberry would stay on the throne. Blueberry knew that the Crystal ponies suffered enough and renounced the throne to add insult to injure, she ordered the execution of my little sister eventhough, she renounced the throne that night a Solar Guard Rescue Team got Blueberry out of Crystal City and got her back to Canterlot alive.” Aurora said coldly disembodied as Cadence was speechless. ~a moment later~ “What about my husband, Shining Armor. .He would not allow that to happen to our ponies.” Cadence exclaimed reeling from the shock of the crime her daughter committed against Equestria. “He disappeared mysteriously prior to me being forced to renounce the throne.” A calm mare’s voice said from behind Cadence. Standing in the doorway wearing a blue short-sleeve shift dress with brown gladiator sandals without her Princess’s regalia was Grand Princess of Love Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. “If being forced to renounce the throne didn’t happen a moment later. I would of immediately launched a search for Prince Shining Armor. He was my strongest ally when dealing with your daughter’s ego.” Blueberry explains as she walks behind the sofa Aurora and Alysia were sitting on. She leans over the back of the sofa and kisses her niece on her cheek. “Sister, How did you find out about this meeting with Cadence?” Aurora inquires as Blueberry walked around the sofa and sits down next to her niece and sister. “I was messaged by auntie late last night about Somnus giving Cadence the Special permission and condition . Then I remembered that this month Alysia was assigned to your court, sister. So I sent her a message asking her to keep me up to date with the meeting. So she left her radio going and I have been listening to the meeting ever since.” Blueberry explains as Alysia shook her head. “I see.” Aurora said not surprised that her niece was keeping her Aunt Blueberry up to date with the meeting. “Do you think my daughter was involved in the mysterious disappearance of her father Shining Armor?” Cadence inquiries struggling to control the quavering of her voice as the idea slowly came into her mind. “That, I can’t say, cousin, without real evidence the only thing your daughter is going to be charged with is the killing of that crystal maid and the overthrowing of the Grand Princess of Love. I would never charge your daughter with the disappearance of her father on a hunch, you know how my family works.” Blueberry explains as her eyes met Aurora’s eyes. “I ask Somnus to send his elite guard company the Night Wings, to secure the Crystal Palace and search for any kind of documents that could tie to the disappearance of Prince Shining Armor. so far, they have turned up nothing. but the Crystal Palace is huge and very ancient even in this time.” Blueberry explains as a knowing look appears on Aurora’s face. “So now that answers my question, Sister. Why our brother sent his elite guard company for guard duty at the Crystal Palace.” Aurora said realizing as Cadence’s body slumped over and tears fill her light purple eyes. Several hours later, Cadence with the scroll in hand and Grand Princess Aurora’s name on it makes her way to the prison where, her daughter is being held. Once she arrives at the prison, a good looking light magenta gray with tinges of pale light grayish fuchsia 6ft 4in Alicorn mare in her early twenty’s with a gradient of light cerise to grayish violet with light arctic blue highlight mane and tail is brought out from her cell. She was wearing an orange jump suit and white slip-on shoes. This prisoner was Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle, the ex- ruler of the Crystal Empire. “Mama!” Flurry Heart exclaims as a crafty smile forms on her face. “Mama! Our cousins invaded the Crystal Empire and arrested me for war crimes. Equestria is trying to take over our homeland and they made father disappear when he didn’t surrender the throne to them.” Flurry Heart said pretending to be an innocent victim and fakes an innocent smile on her snout. “Shut-up Flurry Heart! Your innocent act will not work on me. I’ve been here in Canterlot for about two weeks since being found in the dungeon of the Crystal Palace.” Cadence said, her tone of voice carried to the edge of indignation with the game her daughter is playing. “So you talked to those half breed Alicorns already *sneer at her mother*. So there’s no need to play the innocent victim for you, mother, you are already tainted by the foul stench of the half breed Alicorns.” Flurry Heart said coldly as she rolls her eyes. “What happened to my baby girl?” Cadence inquires feeling hurt as a dull, empty ache gnawing at Cadence’s soul. “What happen, mother? Nothing happened I just learned how superior a natural born Alicorn is to those half breed Alicorns, they call themselves true Royalty of Equestria, only natural born Alicorn should call themselves true Royalty of Equestria.” Flurry Heart said hypocritical as she assumed a posture of superiority. “No! Being born an Alicorn doesn’t make you true Royalty of Equestria. It’s the ruler’s heart that makes you true Royalty of Equestria.” Cadence said as her eyes mist over seeing how far her daughter has fallen makes her unworthy to bear the title of the Princess of Love. “What a laugh, a ruler’s heart makes you true Royalty of Equestria, Weakling sentiment. Just as bad as Aunt Twilight’s view that friendship creates Harmony, Horse feathers.” Flurry Heart said flashing a superior grin as her nose wrinkles up in disgust. “That’s the same thing father told me and that comes from a weak unicorn stallion, who could never rule without his Alicorn Princess. Dear mother.” Flurry Heart said coldly as she gestures to the guard telling him she wants to be returned to her cell as she’s done talking to her mother Cadence.