//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Crowning Death // Story: Hurting // by SevenLies1Truth //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Crowning Death Prince Daze suddenly woke up from his deep slumber, he didn't know why but he could guess something bad was about to happen because whenever he woke up like this, he just knew bad things would happen. Looking around the room, he could see that his Mother was lying on her bed and that it was still nighttime outside. He was about to go to sleep again when suddenly, his mother began to struggle for breath in her sleep. Daze's heart began to hammer, not now! It couldn't happen now! He ran over to her bed and began to shake her awake with his hoof, he needed to save! She had to fight it! His mother seemed to wake very slowly and he could see tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry Daze but I've been fighting for so long and I can't fight it anymore." She spoke slowly, struggling to speak on each word. Daze knew that the only thing he could really do was shout for help and so he did. "ANYONE PLEASE HELP!" He shouted, as loud as his lungs allowed him. His mother seemed to offer a weak smile when she heard hoofsteps coming up the stairs. The door flung open and in walked Celestia, her father and a palace guard. "What ever is the matter Prince Daze?" Celestia's father asked him. He couldn't tell him the truth so lied. "I don't know, there's something wrong...with...my...mother." He responded looking at the tall alicorn. Celestia's father walked towards his mother and looked at her. Her muzzle was pale and her eyes were bloodshot. She was still struggling to breathe. "I've never seen something like this...it's almost like something's trying to kill her but on the inside." Celestia's father stated. "She's dying!" Prince Daze shouted, deciding to let them know the truth. She was dying and there was nothing they could do about it! Celestia's father didn't look surprised instead he seemed to look sad. "Stonelight, hang on. I don't think there is anything we can do for you, my dear..." The only words of comfort that the king of Equestira could offer. Daze walked up to his mother and lay his muzzle on her back. He whined softly as tears fell down to the ground. "Daze, do not worry. I'll be alright." His mother's words of encouragement were not enough. He lay there for a long time and those words would be the last that she would ever whisper to him, as she drew her last breath. Daze could see the hidden pain hidden in her eyes. As he finally saw that his Mother was dead. He knew that there was no cure, not anymore and Prince Daze fell to the floor in complete defeat. Celestia had been watching the ordeal silently and she was quite upset. The pegasus who she had become quite fond of, now lay there dead and she didn't know why. The palace guard was shocked and had to go out the room so he could tell the other guards about what had just happened. Her father just stood there, thinking. "Celestia, Daze, I need to go and talk to Celestia's Mother, there is a lot that needs to be done, no doubt Daze, Bridletain will need a King, now that their queen is dead. Oh this is such awful news." Her father walked out of the room and now only Celestia and Daze were in the room. "Erm Daze?" Celestia asked, walking near him. Daze turned to look at Celestia and she could tell that he was hurting so much but she needed to know, why his mother suddenly died. He knew, why for some reason, she could just tell. "You knew your mother was dying. How and why?" She asked gently, placing her hoof on his. He seemed hesitant to answer but did anyway. "Do you remember that story that my mother told us about the Prince and The Witch?" Celestia nodded, she wondered why that silly little fairy-tale was important. "Well, the story is true. It's a story about my family's past and the curse it still affects us even now, several generations down." Celestia was shocked, she had not expected an answer such as that. "I didn't think it could be true, so the curse was killing your mother?" "Yes. The curse has affected my family in many different ways. My mother has been sick for a very long time and she could never get better. My father went insane and killed himself. My uncle...he started to murder other ponies because he claimed that it was the only way to free himself from the curse and he was hung. I don't know what happened to my grandparents though. I'm the last descendant Celestia. That means one day I'm going to be some horrible monster..." "Daze, you don't have to be the last descendant! You could marry somepony!" "Who though Celestia?" "Marry me, when we're older. That way I can save you!" Daze gave a weak smile but shook his head. "No Celestia. I'm not going to marry anyone. There's a bit more to the curse that story, It would also start to affect you if you married me so don't and I can't give pass this curse on, I might as well accept my fate and become the monster that the curse has depicted me to be, please don't tell anyone else about this Celestia please." Celestia was quite distraught now, she wasn't going to let him become a monster! One way or another she was going to find a way to break the curse. She nodded though, she wouldn't tell anyone else about his curse. *** The next days were a blur of activity. Prince Daze decided to hold the funeral at the palace and his crowning. Celestia didn't see him for two days straight because she had been helping with preparations for the funeral. All she knew was that Prince Daze had been moping around in the room, just staring at a blank wall. She headed up to the room and walked in. He was still facing the wall. "Daze, the funeral is going to happen a bit, I think you'll want to go to it." Daze turned around and tears were still falling from his eyes. "I know Celestia and then my crowning will begin. I won't be a prince anymore, I'll be a king and I don't want to be. I am going to be the last ruler of my family in Bridletain." Celestia watched as he made his way down the stairs ready for the funeral. Celestia thought that the funeral was quite beautiful, all of the town's folk came to pay their respects and said that she had must have been a good queen. Daze didn't say a word throughout because he was dreading his crowning. He did have to go up and say a few words about his mother though. When Daze walked up to the front of the great hall, Celestia knew that his speech were going to cause both him and her to cry. "My mother was one of the greatest mares I knew. She was lovely and kind and loved her kingdom. However she was taken from us far too young. I lost my father too at a young age. I want to be a good king and make my mother proud. That's all." The ponies clapped politely as Prince Daze headed back to Celestia. For the rest of funeral, they sang classic songs from Bridletain that Celestia thought were beautiful. The funeral had been held in the morning and once the mourners had gone, the maids and waiters had got the great hall ready for Prince Daze's coronation and crowning. Afternoon came quite quickly and Prince Daze got ready at the end of the hall. The grey unicorn was nervous, Celestia could tell but she thought he looked quite handsome because he wore the amulets of Briddletain that the king was required to wear. Daze still looked sad but Celestia smiled happily as she went to the front and the sound of a piano could be heard, it had been one of the first instruments that had been invented and Celestia was sure other instruments were going to follow. As the music began, Prince Daze walked down the hall, where hundreds of spectators had gathered and gasped in awe as he walked towards where her father and mother stood. They were going to place his mother's crown on him. Her father picked up the crown with his magic and put in onto Prince Daze's head. "I now present King Daze of Briddletain!" Her father announced. After her father's words, Prince Daze's crown began to glow and surrounded him in a white light. Celestia gasped as it seemed to swirl around him and he was lifted up into the air. When the light had vanished, Prince Daze landed had a strange set of wings that were sort of covered in armor and were a darker grey. Celestia gasped, Prince Daze had become an alicorn! Also he had his cutie mark, strange black arrows pointing in different direction, she was quite confused but decided to worry about it later. Everybody in the great hall seemed surprised but then they all started to clap and bow down in front of the new king *** King Daze was leaving, two days later than planned and without his mother Celestia saw that King Daze was about to step onto his carriage. She ran and ran down the stairs she had to ask him, she loved him as a friend in fact, he was her best friend, probably the first friend she had ever had. "Daze! Wait don't go yet!" She shouted, getting closer to him. Daze gave a sad smile and asked the transport horse to stop. "Why not Celestia?" He asked. Celestia had noticed that he had started calling her by her full name and she didn't know why. "Take me with you! Please I could help you?" Her hidden meaning was clear to both of them. "No Celestia, you have to stay here. I don't want you to see me changing." "Oh, promise me one thing that one day we will see each other again, maybe later this year?" "Of course." Daze bowed and smiled but still with sadness in his eyes. "I'll hold you to that promise." Celestia responded, she watched Daze tell the transport pony to go and him head off into the sunset. She stood there for a long time watching the horizon, wondering when they would meet again. Maybe even the same year.