Chapter 4
“The Smallest Gifts”
Platinum returned to the capital building. She stomped her way up to Celestia who kept her expression neutral. Platinum pointed an accusing hoof at Celestia. “You! I’ve done your silly little errand! Now I demand compensation!”
Celestia simply stood there as all in the crowd awaited her answer. Celestia finally nodded her head. “You want your gift? What if it’s not something I can give?”
“What kind of insane logic is this?” Platinum shouted. “At the very least you’d have the decency to make sense when you taunt me!”
“I am not jesting or taunting,” Celestia said firmly. “I am speaking of my gift, the fact I cannot give it to you. My gifts go to those that most need them.”
“That’s it!” Platinum cried. “I’ve dealt with you for long enough!” She slammed her hoof into the ground. “I’m sick of all these games and misdirection! I don’t have to put up with this nonsense anymore!”
She then turned and stormed out, not looking back. Celestia said nothing, simply stood there. Inquire and Clover almost got run over by the Princess running by. Inquire looked at her. “Should we do something about her?”
“What does she need our help for?” Clover said with a huff. “She’s already shown that she’s a selfish brat. For the first time in her life she’s been told no. I think she should just take it like a mare.”
“Clover,” Inquire said before his beloved walked away. He watched Platinum round a corner. He looked back at Clover and spoke, “I’m going to talk to her, there’s something else going on here.”
“Do what you want,” Clover said slowly. “I for one am tired of dealing with her.”
She then left Inquire in the hallway. He just sat there for five minutes, pondering what was right. Clover was right, Platinum was a spoiled brat, she needed to be taught a lesson. But why did Inquire feel guilty about not helping her?
“Perhaps it is because your heart sees there’s more to the story.” Inquire looked up to see Celestia walking towards him. She smiled down at him. “Inquire; you worry for Platinum, do you not?”
“It’s just,” Inquire spoke unsure. “I don’t know, it’s like she’s keeping something inside. Like there’s a reason for her being what she is,”
“Inquire.” Celestia lowered her head to meet the knight’s eyes. “Go to her, she needs an ear to her problems.”
“Clover won’t like it,” Inquire pointed out.
“Let me worry about Clover,” Celestia spoke firmly. “It’s time you gave a gift you cannot hold in your hooves.”
“What’s that supposed to-” He was cut off when Celestia suddenly teleported away.
Inquire knew what he had to do…
__________________________________________________________
He heard sobbing as he found Princess Platinum’s room. He knocked on the door. “Princess? It’s me, Inquire.”
“What do you want?” A weak voice spoke from the other side. “Have you come to mock me as well?”
“I just want to help,” Inquire said honestly. “At least let me hear what’s on your mind.”
….
“Come in.”
Inquire opened the door, there on the four-poster bed was Platinum herself. She looked like a mess, her mane in disarray and whatever makeup on her face smered from having put her face into the silk pillows she had. Her blue eyes were puffy from tears.
“Milady,” Inquire spoke up. “You look terrible.”
“I’m well aware,” Platinum said, closing her blue eyes and wiping her tears away. “I’m just very upset.”
“If I may be so bold milady,” Inquire asked earnestly. “Something is on your heart is it not? You can confide in me.”
Platinum was about to protest, but a look from Inquire stopped her. Then she sighed and spoke, “I never told anypony here about my father, the Unicorn King.”
“I met him,” Inquire replied. “He seemed like a good stallion.”
“He was,” Platinum said with a sigh. “But he was hardly a good father. Mother was smart to leave while she had the chance. He would leave on his expeditions and not be back for weeks on end. It was always some political matter with him. When he was home however, he would always give me what I wanted. If I whined for jewels, he got me jewels. If I whined for dresses, he had them given to me. My birthdays were always events where he would shower me with gifts.”
“Sounds like he cared for you,” Inquire tried to comfort.
“It was all for naught though, the point is he was never there.” A new tear fell down her cheek. “Those gifts were only to get me to shut up! I thought I was being adventurous by coming to this country! But did he even try to contact me after I found this fresh land? No, of course not! I was out of his mane! He didn’t have to drain the bank to satisfy me! I’m a leech, and that is all I will ever be to anypony.”
“Platinum,” Inquire spoke firmly. “Get your coat on, we’re going for a little walk.”
“Not again,” Platinum complained “I already had one walk through the cold, I shan’t have another.”
Inquire’s magic wrapped around Platinum, causing her to levitate off the bed and land on his back. He smiled back at her. “Then how about a ride?”
“Why are you doing this Inquire?” Platinum asked. “You should have nothing but disdain for me.”
“Maybe I’m just a sucker for a damsel in distress,” Inquire said while walking ahead.
Awww…
“You’re still grounded Tailspin.”
Drat!
___________________________________________________________
The pair walked/rode for a few minutes out into the snowy evening. The snow was gently falling on their heads. Platinum had gotten off Inquire after a while and walked beside him. She looked over at him and asked for the twelfth time, “Where are we going?”
“To see somepony who doesn’t think you’re a leech,” Inquire spoke as snow fell on his hat. He came to a small hut on the edge of the village.
“Who lives here?” Platinum asked.
“Like I said.” He knocked on the door. “Somepony who believes you are worth something.”
The door was answered by a brown earth pony named Doctor Sundial. He looked at Inquire with a smile. “Well hello there Inquire, fancy seeing you out so late.”
“Good to see you Doctor.” Inquire gestured to Platinum. “This is Princess Platinum, she was the one who gave Klutzy the flower.”
“Oh you were the one?” Sundial gave a wide smile. “Well I can’t thank you enough for the kind gesture.”
“It was nothing,” Platinum said, trying once in her life to sound humble. “It was only a simple flower.”
“Yes but,” Sundial continued, opening the door a little more. “You may want to see this yourself.”
Platinum hesitated a little, but with an encouraging look from Inquire she walked into the hut. It was small, only one room so there was no way she could’ve missed the sight. There sitting on her rump beside a straw bed was Klutzy. Her wall eyes were gazing down at the bed’s inhabitant. A young periwinkle colored unicorn filly. She smiled weakly up at her mother.
“Momma, there’s a princess here,” the filly spoke up.
Klutzy looked up as Platinum entered. Klutzy stared at Platinum for a few seconds before her eyes welled up with tears. She flew straight at Platinum and hugged the princess tight. “Thank you so much! I can’t ever repay you!”
“There, there,” Platinum said a little confused. “I must ask you to elaborate why you embrace me so vigorously.”
“Sorry,” Klutzy said, letting Platinum go. “You saved my little muffin’s life.”
“I did what now?” Platinum exclaimed in shock.
“Allow me to explain,” Sundial said coming up. “Muffly here,” he continued, gesturing to the unicorn filly, who was still smiling. “Had contracted a very rare disease, it could only be cured by the flower you gave her.”
“I did this?” Platinum said slowly.
“Miss Princess?” Muffly spoke from her bed.
Platinum approached the filly and stared with her blue eyes.
Muffly smiled. “You really are a nice pony, thank you very much.”
Platinum shook her head. “I don’t deserve any thanks, I’m a terrible pony.”
Muffly shook her head. “You’re very sad Princess, I can tell.”
“What are you saying child?” Platinum was taken aback.
“Your eyes, they look all sad,” she said, pointing to Platinum’s face.
Platinum wiped her eyes a little. “Forgive me, I was crying earlier.”
“Bout what?” Muffly asked. “Why are you so sad?”
“I’ve done a lot of bad things,” Platinum said. “I’ve been terribly selfish and a leech to everypony.” She looked down. “I don’t deserve any thanks from anypony.”
Muffly shook her head. “I don’t think you’re a bad pony.”
“You don’t?” Platinum asked.
“No, you’re just very sad. You want somepony to not make you sad anymore.” She kept her smile. “That’s all anypony wants really, just somepony to care about them. You saved my life, I won’t ever forget that.”
Before Platinum could say anymore, Muffly pushed herself up from the bed and reached over for Platinum. She wrapped her tiny little hooves around Platinum’s leg. The Princess was struck by how bold the little filly was. Everypony in the room stood at the scene.
Platinum slowly reached her other hoof and gently stroked the child’s mane. Tears were about to enter her eyes again. “Oh Muffly, I am not deserving of your thanks and here you are, clinging to my leg.”
“You just want somepony to care,” Muffly said with a smile up at Platinum. “Hugs can show you care.”
Platinum’s tears flowed like waterfalls. She bent down and held the little filly tightly. The filly hugged Platinum gently back as she sobbed. “Thank you Muffly, I’ll give you something in return!”
Muffly didn’t say anything.
Platinum looked at the filly earnestly. “Anything you want! Dresses! Jewels! A home in the capital! Anything to express my thanks to you!”
Muffly shook her head. “I don’t want anything.”
“But, how can I express how much I care if I don’t give you something?” Platinum asked, still confused.
“You already gave me something in return,” Muffly said cryptically. “You just can’t see it.”
_________________________________________________________
Inquire and Platinum walked a little ways away from the hut. Platinum was quiet as the pair walked in the now packed snow. “Inquire,” She spoke at last. “I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand princess?” Inquire asked.
“That little filly is living in a run-down shack,” Platinum said, looking back at the small house “Yet when I offered her all those things she said no? Why is that?”
“Maybe she already has all she could want,” Inquire speculated. “Not all gifts are things like jewelry and dresses.”
“Then what gift did I give her aside from the flower?” Platinum said to herself.
“Hope,” a voice said in front of them. Both turned their eyes to see the old cloaked mare from before. The unicorn filly from the alley was there as well. Familiarity entered Platinum’s eyes again.
“I know her from somewhere,” she said, pointing to the small white filly.
“You should know her Platinum” The old mare spoke again.
“You didn’t call me princess,” Platinum observed. “I can understand if it’s an honest mistake.”
“It’s no mistake,” the mare answered. “I gave you that name.”
“What, who are you?” Platinum blubbered.
Slowly but surely the mare lifted her hood. Under the hood was a pink unicorn with a long purple mane that Platinum shared. They also had the same eyes. This was Queen Diamond, the wife to the Unicorn King. Long ago she had left her husband after an argument broke out between them.
“It’s me Platinum,” Diamond said with a smile. “It’s been a long time.”
“Mother?” Platinum said, trying not to tear up.
Diamond looked down with a guilty expression. “I’m sorry Platinum. I’m so sorry that I left.”
“You left because father wasn’t around!” Platinum declared. “You were smart to leave!”
Diamond shook her head. “It was only a short term solution. When I left I realized just how hard it was to live alone. When I tried to come back…you had grown up.”
“Then who is…” Platinum pointed to the filly.
“This ere is yer sis, you remember little Silver right?”
“Silver?” Platinum stared at the unicorn filly. “You…left with mother, you were only an infant at the time…”
“Mom told me all about you,” Silver said with a smile. “You’re very pretty, also thanks for the blanket!”
“You two…” Platinum stared at the pair. “I gave those gifts to my own family without even thinking about it. Why are you here?”
“I couldn’t at stay home any longer,” Diamond confessed. “I came to find you in the hopes of making amends. Your father may not care, but I’m still here for you.”
“Mother…”
“Come on sis!” Silver urged. “I just learned I had a big sister who’s also really nice! You gotta let us back into your family!”
“I’m not anypony you want to be with…” Platinum said guiltily.
“That’s not the point Platinum!” Diamond ran to her daughter and threw her forelegs around her. She held her tight. “I don’t care who you were before. I don’t care what happened before. I just want my little girl back.”
“You’re still part of our family,” Silver said, hugging one of Platinum’s free forelegs. “Please Platinum”
Platinum was quiet for a long time. But then tears found her eyes again and she held her family close to her. Inquire smiled at the sight of the family reuniting. He then turned, and saw Celestia with Clover beside her. Clover looked at Platinum in genuine shock.
“She’s…crying,” Clover said slowly.
“Did you think her heartless Clover?” Celestia asked.
“No Celestia,” Clover said quickly. “It’s just, I’ve had to put up with her for so long that I never really thought she could show kindness. And here she is, giving gifts to family and making amends. I’m moved.”
“As you should be.” Celestia then walked forward, Platinum broke her embrace with her family and bowed her head. Celestia smiled and said, “Have you enjoyed the gift I gave you?”
“You were right Celestia,” Platinum said. “You couldn’t give me that gift, I had to find it myself.”
“And this gift is?”
“Kindness and generosity,” Platinum answered. “I just met one of the most selfless ponies I’ve ever known. She didn’t ask for anything after I helped her get better. She didn’t ask for jewels, or anything. Only that she gave me something, I’m still unsure about that part.”
“What you gave to her was hope,” Celestia spoke sagely. “Hope cannot be wrapped, it cannot be put in a box, it can only be given through the kindness we give each other. The greatest gift we can give each other is the love we show for one another. That can beat any jewel or castle any day of the week.”
Clover walked forward and bowed her head at Platinum. “I want to apologize Princess, for thinking less of you throughout this whole thing.”
“Clover, I want to apologize to you as well,” Platinum said with a small smile. “You have always done what I asked and I have given little to you. But I wish to give you a gift.”
“You don’t have to Princess,” Clover tried to dissuade her.
“None of that!” Platinum said firmly. “Allow me to indulge in some generosity.”
“Alright Princess,” Clover said with a smile. “Show me the gift.”
Platinum used her magic to shove Inquire towards Clover. They blushed at being so close to each other. But then Platinum took each of their hooves and put them together. She smiled at both of them. “I give you two my blessing. Inquire is without a proper home or land for your love to blossom correct?”
“I am poor your highness,” Inquire explained. “Despite my royal title I doubt I could even afford a dowry.”
“Then worry not,” Platinum said with a smile. “You two shall have the most wonderful wedding I can plan. I will also make arrangements for a countryside home for the both of you.”
“Princess,” Clover said in awe. “There are no words that can express your generosity.”
“There is one word,” Platinum looked at Celestia. “Hope.”
_________________________________________________________
Platinum changed after that. Every winter when her birthday came around she pulled a complete reversal. Instead of her getting presents she gave to those who couldn’t afford to live normally. She became the Giver, a generous soul who gave hope to those who have none.
Inquire and Clover eventually got married, they decided to build a small community on an island to the east. That island would become Manehatten.
Posy and Big Ginger would get married as well, Celestia presiding over the ceremony. The 21 canon salute didn’t go as planned however, for some reason all of the gunpowder had been replaced with confetti.
Nopony knows where Celestia went after her job was done in Equestria. She would return years later to become our Princess. But she would always treasure the memories of those she met.
Platinum would spend the rest of her days ruling Equestria with the other tribe leaders. Diamond and Silver would live with her as well. The King eventually came to Equestria, asking for forgiveness as well. Platinum was happy to oblige, just enjoying having her family around.
Platinum’s generosity would eventually come to define Hearth’s Warming. Since Platinum’s birthday was so close to the holiday we started to give gifts on that day.
These days we have a lot of commercialism to Hearth’s Warming. In the end it’s not about the gifts, the tree or decorations. In the end this holiday is really about one thing.
Giving hope to those who have none,
That’s how it got started,
And that’s how it will continue
For all the days to come,
Merry Hearth’s Warming,
Thank you for listening…