The ice pony carriage cut through the sky, led by three of the most skilled pegasi ice ponies heading north. Howling winds weren’t enough to keep them talking amongst themselves of the bombshell news of their Princess having chosen a special somepony.
“It was just a matter of time! I said it the minute she ran away!” Said the lead pony.
“Everypony was saying it! Even the bloody penguins were squawking about it!” Said the pony directly behind him.
“Well I was the first one to say it! It’s like one of those fairytales!” The lead pony rebutted.
“Of course it is! It’s always a princess and a prince getting together in the end!” Said the pony at the rear.
“Not always!” Cried the lead pony.
“Yes always!”.
“Well our Queen wasn’t a princess!”
The bickering of the carriage drivers mirrored the conversation their passengers were having over what had transpired mere minutes ago.
“Mother, we cannot simply leave Father with Smolder.” Sapphire protested.
“Why not, sweetheart?” Lady Frost asked. “He has had the opportunity and the privilege to speak to all the other suitors that have come calling for you.”
“But I’ve never taken any serious interest in those suitors, none of them were-“
“Smolder?” Lady Frost interrupted.
“This is completely nonsensical. Smolder has done nothing but confess himself to me and-”
“And? Do you believe that your father will harm Smolder?” Lady Frost interrupted. “Earn the resentment of his only daughter for not accepting her choice in a special somepony?”
Sapphire stumbled over her words. Her mother’s attempts to skew a conversation were masterful at times.
“I believe… that father’s overzealous reaction may cause Smolder a considerable amount of stress, especially with this new group of magma ponies emerging.” Sapphire countered.
“Weren’t you the one who antagonized him by kissing Smolder so… lovingly?” Summer asked.
Sapphire was quick to take hold of Summer’s arm. Dragging her closer to whisper into her ear.
“You are my personal bodyguard, not to mention my friend, why are you siding against me?”
“I wasn’t the one making foolish decisions!”
“Foolish decisions? Who confused cooking oil with baby oil and couldn’t get her armor on?”
“Well who tried to suck the tongue out of their colt in front of her parents!”
“Well who got caught in the broom closet because she forgot to lock the door!”
“Ladies! Ladies, please!” Lady Frost intervened.
The two mares sat fuming at one another. Lady Frost smiled at the idea of this sort of conversation taking place in front of Charles.
“Let’s just take a moment and breathe.” Lady Frost suggested. “It’s clear that tensions are high for an array of reasons, so let me just settle some of those nerves.”
Shifting her focus to Sapphire, Lady Frost placed her hoof over her and held eye contact with her.
“Sapphire, sweetheart, you know as well as I do that your father will not harm Smolder.”
“Yes, but-”
“But,” Lady Frost continued, refusing to let her get a word in. “There are some things that will need to be discussed concerning your etiquette and public appearance to the rest of Equestria when you are together.”
“We only just-“
“And with every budding new romance, you will be tempted to act upon impulse, but a princess must conduct herself in a manner most upstanding. Your father will surely be instructing Smolder of his need to remain platonic and a gentlecolt in all instances that are not of a private nature.”
“You’re inferring that we would be involving ourselves in immoral acts unbecoming of two royal figure heads in public?” Sapphire questioned.
“You were ten seconds away from becoming intimately involved with his royal head.” Summer mumbled.
“And how many other mares have become familiar with Bleak’s?”
Lady Frost had a difficult time trying to keep Summer from setting the carriage on fire and Sapphire from freezing it solid from their tempers flaring at each other's accusations. Luckily, she was able to place herself between the two of them and provide a moment of respite.
“This petty sniping at one another will end right this second!” Lady Frost commanded. “Comparing relationships is a fool's errand and neither of you fully understand the hardships each other faces trying to make it work.”
There was a mutual understanding between Summer and Sapphire from her words. While one had more freedom within the relationship, the other was more accepting of the colt’s lineage, and this was enough to have them settle down.
“Now then,” Lady Frost began. “If I may interpret your father’s actions in a way that will put your mind at ease?”
“The interpretation being?” Sapphire asked coldly.
“That he is attempting to fill the role of a father figure for him?” Lady Frost offered.
Sapphire’s demeanor quickly softened, not having realized that this was a potential possibility and an excellent point made out to her.
“With their being so few true Kings to speak of, along with those Smolder had once called father, I would hedge my bets that he is trying to fill that role for him in some way. To offer advice and tutelage of what it means to be a good King and perhaps an upstanding gentlecolt in that respect.”
The young princess shifted slightly in her seat, a small smile forming through her placard demeanor.
“Does this mean that father approves of Smolder?” Sapphire asked.
“He’s had enough time to accept the sort of colt Smolder is. I dare say he is very much like Scorch was when he was that age.” Lady Frost remarked.
“Yeah, right.” Summer said with a snort.
“Believe it or not, Smolder’s father wasn’t always the Mad King we more commonly view him as. There was a time that even Charles looked up to him.” Lady Frost remarked.
“Did he really?” Sapphire asked curiously.
“Scorch was one of the most powerful and well respected colts of our age. Bound by duty and pride, that flame pony had no equal and it annoyed your father to no end.” Lady Frost continued.
“Was Lord Tundra jealous or something?” Summer asked.
“You could definitely make that argument, but it was a sort of rivalry between the two of them. Back then, being a prince meant having to prove oneself a capable and powerful leader. Your grandfather was inclined to have your father surpass Scorch lest he be bested by his own rival.” Lady Frost detailed.
“Bested by his own rival?” Sapphire asked.
“Well Scorch’s father, the Wise King Phoenix.” Lady Frost replied.
“We’ve never been at war with the flame ponies, why would they even be rivals? We’re pretty much on opposite sides of Equestria.” Summer questioned, rolling her eyes.
“Back in those days ponies were very concerned with valor and honor. It spoke directly to flame pony pride, causing Scorch to prove himself time and again to show the might of his kingdom.” Lady Frost said despairingly.
“Would that not have been in his character, mother? All the talk of pride and power he boasted, would he not have flourished in such times?” Sapphire questioned.
“Very few knew who Scorch truly was behind that fierce exterior. Your father and I are quite possibly being the only two left besides Wingston, bless his soul. Yet there is a reason we compare Smolder to his father more than we do his mother, Snowflake.” Lady Frost remarked.
Sapphire looked expectantly at her mother, wondering what her response would be.
“His kindness.” Lady Frost stated.
“The Mad King? Lord of the fiery doom he swore over all of Equestria?” Summer asked not believing it.
“If you only knew the sort of colt he was, before all that Mad King business at the end, you would be amazed at how much of Scorch shines through in Smolder.” Lady Frost insisted.
“And what? His mother was fire and brimstone?” Summer asked in snort.
“Summer!” Sapphire admonished her.
“You cannot have a colt as powerful as Scorch and not have a mare that could tame that wild fire.” Lady Frost pointed out.
“If Smolder is like his father, then I’m sure they’re both oblivious to any flirting directed their way.” Summer remarked.
“To be honest, Scorch was more the hopeless romantic in that sense. Glow was the one who didn’t come around until later to Scorch’s advances.” Lady Frost corrected.
“Truly?” Sapphire asked. “Smolder’s mother did not explore a relationship with his father until much later in their lives?”
“Oh it wasn’t that much later in their lives, only a few years older than you are now, but courting back in our days was much more… more serious than it is today.” Lady Frost explained.
“Dating commoners wasn’t a normal thing back then, huh?” Summer asked.
“Quite right, while not unheard of, it was custom for the prince to choose a noble mare from one of the houses that had been instructed on all royal customs. Glow and I were not such noble mares and were the rare exception to that particular custom.” Lady Frost explained. “While your father was quite taken with me, Glow wasn’t all that interested in Scorch from the get go, and it wasn’t until he became king did she begin to come around.”
“Marry rich.” Summer noted, nodding her head in approval.
“Hardly!” Lady Frost said defensively. “Those two were the most star crossed lovers I had ever met.”
“How so, mother?” Sapphire questioned.
“Well… that is kind of a long story, sweetheart. My recollection is terribly one sided and parts of-”
“We’ve got another five hours before reaching the Frozen North.” Summer estimated looking down out the window of the carriage. “And I’m certainly not going to talk about my love life.”
Lady Frost felt a sudden churn in her stomach. Having to remember Scorch and Glow was not the happiest of memories near the end of their lives, but the butterflies were beginning to settle remembering the beginning of their meetings.
“Very well then,” Lady Frost stated. “Let me tell you about the Mighty King Scorch and the sunbeam that lit up his heart.”
I could feel the cold frost of Lord Tundra’s mane blow past. Beckoning me to follow him into my own castle. Even with his subdued demeanor, I could sense a similar strength and power that I had only ever felt from my own father. It was humbling.
I followed him in silence. The ponies within the castle made way for us, offering their well wishes and regards as we passed. The further we got, the more I noticed that Lord Tundra was seeking seclusion from the rest. I felt a panic set in knowing that my interest in Sapphire would be his most pressing concern and I was desperately looking for an excuse to not be turned into an ice cube.
Lord Tundra brought us to the viewing balcony that overlooked the courtyard. It was recently built after the great dragon Char had run its claw through the side of the castle trying to tear it apart.
He seated himself on the balcony, allowing me a view of the Ashen Fields one last time before claiming my life. I could feel my nerves already stretched thin from my lack of sleep and the intense negotiations with the magma pony. I knew I had one chance to plead my case and I was racing to find the words that would make the situation better.
“I wanted to-“
“I’m in love with Sapphire!”
I blurted the words out in fear. Unable to contend with the mounting pressure of having to try and hide what was obvious to him. I pivoted quickly, facing him directly although keeping my head bowed out of respect and not having the courage to look at him at that moment.
“She’s amazingly awesome and very super cool!”
My words were failing me. My nervousness to explain my reasons for liking her were coming out completely and utterly pathetic. I raised my head up to meet his eyes for only a brief moment before bowing my head again in respect.
“Please let me prove to you that I’m good enough to be her special somepony and earn your blessing!”
In all the ways I had thought of phrasing my request to earn his blessing, I had chosen the worst way to express it. It lacked any confidence or dignity, but the wild desperation for his approval was all too apparent.
Lord Tundra found himself at a loss for words. A vague recollection of old customs of nobility resurfaced in his mind of asking the mare’s father for his blessing before courting. It was clear that Smolder had taken the time to review these old customs in the effort to present himself in a respectable manner.
His memories of his own courting of Martha had him realizing that he had never asked Martha’s father for the right to court her. Privilege and status allowed him to supersede such customs as her family wasn’t part of the nobility side of things. There wasn’t ever any disapproval from Martha’s parents, but his failure to honor such traditions only proved how removed they were when he was a young colt.
Noticing that Smolder was still bowing his head to him in awkward silence, he realized that his response would and could shatter his world. Not one to disappoint, Lord Tundra found himself clearing his throat to provide him the harsh news.
“You earned it when you threw yourself in front of an Elder Dragon to protect my Sapphire.” Lord Tundra remarked. “You’ve had my blessing for a while now, Smolder.”
Looking up in disbelief, I felt Lord Tundra placing his icy hoof upon my head. He tussled it to and fro in a playful manner.
I stared at him confused, trying to understand what Lord Tundra had said. Lord Tundra took notice and smiled.
“Don’t look so surprised. If I had any doubts of your character or intentions with my Sapphire I would never have allowed her to come here in the first place.” Lord Tundra explained.
It appeared that Smolder was still processing the acceptance he surely wasn’t expecting of his relationship with Sapphire. Lord Tundra was beginning to feel annoyed that Smolder truly saw him denying him outright for his approval of dating his daughter.
“While I’m sure you were expecting a more animated response to your request, I can assure you that I’m not going to declare war on you over this.” Lord Tundra jested. “Of course if your father was here he would be heckling me saying I win again, Charles.”
“He would say that to who?” I asked.
“To me.” Lord Tundra replied.
“You?”
“Yes, me.”
“But who’s Charles?” I asked.
“Who’s Charles?” Lord Tundra repeated. “I’m Charles.”
“Your name is Charles?”
“Yes,” Lord Tundra said defensively. “Why?”
“Well…” I trailed off slowly.
“Well what?”
“Charles just doesn’t sound as cool as Tundra.” I admitted.
“And Smolder is better?” Lord Tundra snapped back.
“Better than Chuck.” I mumbled looking away.
I could feel the ice creeping across the floor beside me, knowing that my remark had not gone unnoticed. At this point I was too afraid to look back, hoping that he would simply allow it to slide, but I heard Lord Tundra chuckle.
“Your father used to call me that whenever he and I got into our quarrels.” Tundra explained. “He knew exactly how to get under my skin and it always irritated me to no end.”
“You and my dad fought a lot?” I asked.
“Well it wasn’t... fighting persay.”
Even Lord Tundra found himself hard pressed to say those words. Vivid memories of their own insecurities as young colts swam through his mind realizing that their fights always ended in black eyes.
“In all honesty,I trusted no pony more than your father, he even saved my life once or twice… he was like a brother to me.”
This admittance from Lord Tundra didn’t come easy for him again. It was difficult to say knowing the events that had transpired in their later years, but it was the truth.
“You were his best friend then?”
The surprised and yet hopeful look from Smolder told Lord Tundra everything he needed to know.
“I was,” Lord Tundra began. “Your father had no siblings, same as I. We both lost our mothers early in life, we were both burdened by royal duty, and were expected to be each other's rivals. Yet, even though your father excelled in many facets, he never once held it over me, and treated me as his equal.”
Memories of his youth floated to the surface of his mind. The days of courting Martha, his rite of passage, the death of the Phoenix, seemed all but yesterday to him now.
The youngest son of Scorch seemed hesitant to ask, but Lord Tundra was already gathering his thoughts of how to explain.
“Lord Smolder,” Lord Tundra began. “Let me tell you a bit about your father and better understand the colt he really was.”