Mind of a Princess

by AppleJared


Arrival

By the time Discord left head space, I was at the foot of the mountain where the encampment was located.

When I lived in Canterlot, I used to talk to the guards on occasion. There was one commander that always seemed to care more than the others under him. He used to tell me stories of the most dangerous missions he went on before he became commander of the castle guard. One day, I asked him how he dealt with being afraid and he always said, "Just put one hoof in front of the other and repeat." So on the base of that mountain, I looked up towards the smoke with more fear than I have ever had in my body, and put one hoof in front of the other.

The mountain itself had a steep incline. I felt like I was climbing more than I was walking at the beginning. About halfway to the encampment it started to decrease its incline and allowed for more of a walking stance. The snow outside was getting thicker as time went on, and it was already pitch black outside. The only lights that guided me were the moon and the fires within the compound. The temperature tended to drop after the sun went down, but usually I would have found a cave by now. The temperature drop was much more drastic when I was still outside as compared to when I was getting ready to sleep in a cave. This cold is getting more than uncomfortable, I could get seriously ill if I am forced to stay out here. I flicked my tail to get rid of the snow on it, and whip in on my body to try and get it off of me. I have to shake my mane about every thirty seconds to keep the snow out of it.

Did I have any second thoughts? Wishes to just stay down in the valley and try my luck? Sure. Going up to meet whatever lives on this mountain could have spelled out instant death. I could have hurt myself and never even made it up. But the roar of my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten in more than two days, and I ran out of water in the hours prior to getting to the mountain. I would starve if I stayed in the valley, and I wouldn't go out that way without trying everything else first.

Ironically enough, I think the worst part of the absolute downpour of snow was the visibility. I could barely see what was in front of me, and often I couldn't see at all. This became a serious problem when I came upon a dip or hole, or even when I tripped over rocks on the ground. It also didn't help that I couldn't tell much about my destination until I was pretty close to it. When I got within a certain distance, I could finally visually tell a few details that would tell me quite a bit on those who lived in the encampment.

The place was well positioned for battle, located on the top of a plateau on the side of said mountain. The defense walls tower at what seem to be 50 feet high. The sentry spires are about 75 feet high on the same wall. Smoke pours from the inside of the encampment and light from the fires brighten up half of the mountain in the dark. I could hear communication from the bottom of the mountain but I couldn’t hear the language. As I get closer however, I can see that the sentries are definitely Equestrian in breed, even if they don't live in Equestria. It’s a good start. There are some tribes who do not live under the Sisters' rule, who often kill those who wander into their territory. I can only hope for the best. The defense walls were made of giant wooden stakes about a foot in diameter. The tops of what used to be large trees had been cut off and sharpened to a point to deter climbing over their walls. Two towers, one on the right and left corners respectively, faced towards the outside world and held the watchful sentries. It seemed as though the back corners of the wall went into the mountain itself, therefore not presenting a need for sentry towers.

The sentries saw me about 50 feet away from the main gate and asked who I was. I opened up my wings, to show I was an alicorn. Their eyes grow wide and jaws drop. They immediately left their sentry towers on the walls of the outpost. A minute later, the large wooden gate swung open to show three guards and an old stallion in elder’s attire come out to meet me. The elder introduced himself as Grey Head.

No hoof shake. No formalities. Grey Head looked me over a few times and asks for my name.

“Twilight Sparkle.”

“I’ve never heard of you before, Twilight Sparkle," he said. "We do not keep up with regular Equestrian news often, if that is where you hail from. Regardless, let us go inside. It’s too cold to stay out here long.”


I followed them inside the giant log walls. It felt like I had stepped hoof in a history book. There were ponies inside the compound for sure, but they dressed different than we do now. Their clothing represented a fashion used hundreds of years ago, but since their clothing was geared towards resisting the cold it was difficult to tell what era it was popular in. The sentries' and guards' armor however had a style that became popular during the early Sisters' reign. There were what seemed to be regular ponies inside the walls living in pre-modern houses as well. Something looks a bit off as well, but before I had time to get a closer look...

I was taken into a small house and asked to sit in a conference room. The house itself was only slightly larger than the other huts, but it paled in comparison to what I believed to be a community center. The room I was escorted to seemed to be a very small banquet hall, with enough room to sit twelve ponies. I took a seat at the end of the banquet table, and saw the guards were still in the room, silent. Then the guards left and the elder came into the room and shut the door.

“In all of my years," he said. "I have never seen an alicorn face to face. I have heard of them, and what they look like. You have the wings and horn to match the description” he said.

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least he knew what an alicorn was.

"To be honest, I've never seen a village like this in real life," I said, warming up to him. "It's like I'm in the past, or a part of the history books I used to read!" I said excitedly.

Then he turned and looked at me with an anger on his face.

“But you are very small for an alicorn, at least for the description I have been told! In fact we have heard of a near-by changeling hoard, AND HOW CAN YOU PROVE YOU ARE NO CHANGELING??”


I felt shock, that he would say such a thing. And then I felt...

Confidence.


For the first time in years, I felt confidence. Not the kind of nervous confidence one gets before a public speech, or before going on a date. No. I was in control. A princess would not be intimidated by some old fart who got upset at something. A princess would reprimand him and remind him who was boss. Last time I checked, I was a princess.

I placed my front hooves on the large wooden table and slowly got out of my chair. I looked at him with eyes that said he needed to be quiet.

I spoke calmly and quietly as I said, “Grey Head, I’m not sure who you think you are or what you’re planning to accomplish with screaming. Last time I looked at myself, I had a horn and wings. That makes me an alicorn. I see you have a horn, and that makes you a unicorn. From what I can tell, you probably think you are a powerful unicorn...”

His face gave way to a smirk. He was oozing arrogance.

I continued. “...but even with all of the guards, all the unicorns, and all the power you could muster, I would destroy you in a duel.”

The smile on his face faltered into an unease. He put a hoof on the arm of his chair for support. I suddenly had the upper hand. My mission was clear. Secure a place to stay while also not inciting violence.

After giving him time to think, I went on. “I mentioned earlier than my name was Twilight Sparkle. That was a half truth. My name is Princess… Twilight Sparkle. It comes with being an alicorn, in case you didn’t know. Can I expect your cooperation… or do I still need to prove who I am to you?”

Grey got out of his chair faster than what I previously believed was possible. “Of course not, princess! No, no such action need be taken! My sincerest apologies for my ignorant words. I’ve just never seen a real princess before! What is it you have graced us with your presence for?”

“I am not on royal duty, but instead attending to a personal matter.”

“My Princess, what personal matter could possibly bring you out to the permafrost region?”

“I am on a journey. That is all I can say.”

“Of course, your majesty. How can we aid you in your journey?”

“I just need a place to stay for one night. Maybe two if the weather does not relent tomorrow.”

Grey bows his head in respect. “Consider it done, Princess.”

“Great. Now if you could just show me to--”

Grey stopped me from leaving the tent and quickly exclaimed, “Princess, wait! I know who you are, but it would mean the world to me if you could introduce yourself to my people. We have truly never had a princess in our village before.”

I looked at him, nodding in agreement. “Of course.”


Grey lead the way outside, where a the entire village waited to see what was to become of the alicorn that had entered their village. Grey Head shouted towards them, “Our guest has a message for us!”


Terror.

Complete Terror.

Every speck of confidence I had in the tent suddenly flew south for warmer weather. The fact that I lost my magic abilities hit me like a sack of bricks. Reality set in the form of panic.

I stood outside in the freezing cold holding an entire village as an audience as they waited for me to show my royalty. Ice was forming on my back fur and yet I was too nervous to be cold. I was clueless as what to do. In a last minute effort, I silently called upon Discord for help. Surprisingly enough, he answered.

“Oh hello Twilight. It seems you are in a pickle, aren’t you? I’m usually not a fan of pickles, oh no, not at all. Quite disgusting if you ask me. However, this particular pickle is most delicious, and it is one I shall savor.”

“Discord, how can I show them who I am??”

He responded very cool and collected with, “Try the same way you showed me.”


Suddenly my horn lit up and through the blizzard the whole town could have seen the dark magenta it gave off. I opened my wings and I was off of the ground. I could feel my magic return to me as power started to flow through my body. In short, I became an Alicorn again.

Then something strange started happening. The entire world around me dissolved and it felt like something else was taking over. My legs and neck started to feel weird and then I blacked out for about 15 seconds. I came-to while still in the air with a white aura around me. My eyes were clearly turned white and I felt… different. As soon as I realized that my magic was 100%, a thick pillar of pure white light shot from my horn and into the sky. It kept up for about 10 seconds and something inside me made me shout

“I am your Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

I could feel myself descending, but my mind was still in the clouds. As I landed back on the ground, I noticed I was taller. I took a look at myself and I was thinner, yet larger. I looked like Luna and Cadence. Before I could jump up for joy or really take in what had just occured, I looked at the ponies of the village. It hit me that they had been looking the entire time and saw my transformation. The entire population, even the guards, were bowing… to me.