Heritage
By Alaborn
Standard disclaimer: This is a not for profit fan work. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright Hasbro, Inc. I make no claim to any copyrighted material mentioned herein.
Chapter 4: Father and Son
Prince Blueblood stared at the young stallion who looked so much like him, and saw the tiny colt he gave away fifteen years earlier. In the time since, he had worked to make himself a better pony, one worthy of being called a prince, a noble, a stallion, a father. Yet he could never forget his son.
He had known exactly where to find Blue Seas. He had arranged for the foal to be adopted by the Goldens in Ponyville, a loving family unable to have foals of their own. But he never visited. He recognized that he was in no position to be a good father when Blue Seas was born. And afterward, he knew that he had a real family, one that loved him dearly.
Still, he often thought that one day, he might see the kind of stallion his son had become.
He just didn’t expect it to be this day.
His musings were interrupted by a sharp pain in his ear. It was a sensation any pony with a unicorn mother had experienced. He moved his head in the direction of the telekinetic tug, and saw his wife staring at him furiously, a faint coating of magic on her horn.
“Now,” she whispered.
Prince Blueblood grabbed the nearest servant. “Take this young stallion to Full Sail immediately,” he ordered. “Once he introduces himself, he will know why.”
The poor waiter looked stunned, but weakly nodded.
Capella pulled Prince Blueblood into a nearby sitting room and closed the door. She looked like she wanted to slam the door, but she understood very well the importance of not making a scene.
“What was that?” she hissed.
“That was... my son. From before our marriage.”
Blueblood gauged his wife’s reaction. Her piercing glare told him she wasn’t satisfied. “Capella, I told you about my youthful dalliances before we married, and that I might have any number of foals,” he continued. “I know it didn’t make you happy, but you accepted it.”
“You also told me you did not have contact with any of these mares. You lied to me!”
“I assure you, I did not lie. I have not been in contact with any of these mares from the past, nor their foals,” Blueblood stated.
“You knew his name, Blueblood! That is only possible if you kept in contact,” Capella said.
“Dear, listen to me. I have not been in contact with the colt, nor his mother, after our night together. But I know his name. Think about how that is possible.”
Capella’s foul expression faded, replaced by a determined one. Capella was brilliant, far smarter than Prince Blueblood. And one thing she couldn’t refuse was a riddle. “It’s impossible. The foal’s name doesn’t come to the mother until she gives birth.” She stared intently at Blueblood, looking for some clue, as she pondered the conundrum.
Blueblood maintained a neutral expression, one practiced in many meetings with rival nobles and foreign visitors. After a minute, he saw her eyes open wide.
Then she started laughing. Capella laughed so hard that she had to sit down, bracing herself against the arm of her chair.
Prince Blueblood hated seeing his wife angry at him. He had thought that was the worst possible feeling. But now, seeing her laugh at him, feeling emasculated, he revised that assessment.
“Are you just about done, dear?” Blueblood said.
Capella sat up and brushed the tears from her eyes with one fetlock. “Yes. But I can’t help but laugh. Motherhood is such a joyous occasion.”
“Yes, quite,” Blueblood deadpanned.
“You know, all while I was pregnant, I thought I was the luckiest mare in the world to have such an understanding husband. But now I know why! I have to know, though; how in the world did you get knocked up by a seapony?”
“She was a diplomat’s daughter, I think. But to me, she was just an exotic conquest. I didn’t even need to woo her; she was ready to go.”
“And you didn’t use protection? How could you forget such a basic lesson?” Capella asked.
“At the time, I was an arrogant ass. I was Prince of the Unicorns, and so it was barely worth my time to learn about pegasi and earth ponies. And other races? Totally unnecessary to learn. I might be the only pony in history to be so stupid.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Capella said. “On one of my expeditions to Maredagascar, one foolish stallion had to endure the shame of being sent home with one of our supply ships. We have no fraternization policies for a reason. But only after that happened did ponies actually listen.”
“That doesn’t make me feel much better.”
Capella paused. She realized that laughter was just what she needed to feel better about this situation. “Look, Blueblood. You and I are going to have a long talk later,” Capella said. “But for now, I want you to talk to your son.”
Azure Spark was dancing very energetically to the beat of the DJ’s music. The others were dancing at a somewhat slower pace while occasionally stealing glances at their friend’s embarrassing display.
“He really needs to get out of the water more,” Wave Crasher commented.
“Let him make a fool of himself,” Roller said.
“Say, has anypony seen Blue Seas?” Sea Star asked.
They glanced around, and then shook their heads.
“He knows where we are,” Wave Crasher said. “He’ll find us.”
“If she doesn’t get to him first,” Roller replied, motioning with his body.
Over in one corner, a young unicorn mare was watching them, enraptured by their group. Too young to be an athlete, too old to be a flag carrier, she was in that awkward place between filly and mare.
“Ugh, I hate young crushes,” Sea Star said.
Blue Seas was still in shock when the stallion he thought to be his natural father was pulled away. One of the servants nudged him, catching his attention. “The master of the house will see to you,” he whispered.
“But I need to talk to him!” he protested, pointing to Blueblood.
At this point, a trim earth pony stallion, probably a bit younger than his father, was brought to him. He still had a champagne flute in one hoof. “Let us find someplace quieter to talk. May I have your name?” He sipped his champagne.
“It’s Blue Seas, sir,” he replied.
The stallion nearly choked on his champagne, but recovered. “I see. Let’s definitely find a quiet parlor.”
Blue Seas followed Full Sail to a small alcove. Bookshelves overflowing with books lined two walls. Several overstuffed chairs and small tables were arranged around the room. They sat down in seats near each other.
“I imagine you’re wondering why you’re talking to me,” Full Sail said.
“Yes, sir. I mean, I met the stallion who I think is my father, and then he got pulled away.” Blue Seas fidgeted nervously in his chair.
“Don’t worry. I will make sure you speak to him tonight. As for me, my name is Full Sail. I am one of Prince Blueblood’s oldest friends, and one of a very small number of ponies who knows your name. And judging by what we witnessed at the party, his wife was not one of those ponies.”
“You know my name, and, uh, anything else?” Blue Seas said hesitantly.
“I know how Blueblood got to experience the joys of motherhood firsthoof. And when I’m alone with him, I make sure he never forgets. It’s a best friend’s privilege.” He paused. “Other than that, all I know is your name, and that you were left with a family in Ponyville. And Blueblood hoped you would have a good life.”
“It’s just.... I don’t know. There’s so much I want to know,” Blue Seas said.
“I’ll go find Blueblood.”
Blue Seas waited alone in the sitting room. Perhaps it was a parlor, or a small library. He couldn’t decide. To further distract himself, he inspected the books on the shelves. They looked old, being bound in fabric, and many books discussed sailing and the seas. He wondered if there were any accounts of seaponies in the library. After all, there was a seapony city nearby. But before he could answer that question, the door opened.
Prince Blueblood entered cautiously. He stood, allowing Blue Seas to get a better look at him. Again, he was struck by their physical similarities. He also noted Blueblood’s build. Many of the unicorns he had seen this weekend among the guests, the noble class and such, were either so thin as to appear breakable, or soft around the middle. Blueblood, on the other hoof, was fit and muscular. He wouldn’t be mistaken for somepony who worked on a farm, but he kept in shape.
Blueblood took a seat on a chair facing him. “Hello, Blue Seas,” he said.
“Hello,” he replied. Blue Seas had long wanted to meet his birth parents. The idea had been in his thoughts for years. But now, seeing his father, his tongue was betraying him. He couldn’t find the words.
“You seemed confident I was your father. Why was that?” Blueblood inquired.
“I, uh, used a heritage spell. So I knew the cutie mark of my father.” He saw that Blueblood looked relieved when he said that. “How did you know?”
“I cradled you in my forelegs after you were born. There is no way I could forget that connection.”
Blue Seas stared at his father solemnly. Finally, one word came to him. “Why?”
Blueblood sighed and started. “I spent years concerned only about myself. Anypony I met could be classified by how useful they were to me. And for the young mares, I was only concerned about my own pleasure. My name, my title, my looks... because of those things, they were eager to go along. I cared not for any consequences.
“But then I shared an evening with a seapony mare. I didn’t see it at the time, but she was exactly like me. And it wasn’t until I experienced the... consequences of my behavior, that I realized how bad of a pony I had been. I knew I had to learn how to be a pony before I could earn the title of father.
“Meanwhile, there was a fine young couple in Ponyville, the Goldens. They loved each other and their town. They were everything a family should be, but I suspected they were unable to have foals of their own. And so I asked Twilight Sparkle, just recently made a princess, to give you to this family, one that could raise you much better than I.”
“Why didn’t you want me to know about you?” Blue Seas asked.
“Canterlot society is... unpleasant, in so many ways. The way the nobility treats commoners is reprehensible. The way they treat each other is worse. But the worst is how they deal with bastard foals. Once acknowledged, a foal becomes many things. A subject of rumors, a political pawn, a reason for blackmail. But never is the well-being of the foal considered.
“I could have opened you to this treatment. But I chose to give you to a good family, where you could have a normal life. And I already see something to be proud of. Fifteen years old, and an athlete in the Equestria Games?”
“Not a very good one,” Blue Seas said.
“Nonsense. You are in rare company just being here,” Blueblood said. “You are a swimmer, right?”
Blue Seas nodded. His cutie mark made that obvious.
“I rather enjoy swimming myself. Though I suppose your talent comes from your seapony heritage.”
“Who is my mother?” Blue Seas asked.
Blueblood frowned. “I suppose that question was inevitable. I would prefer you not ask it.”
“I just want to know,” Blue Seas implored.
Blueblood sighed. “Her name is Melodia Starsea. She was, if I recall correctly, the daughter of a diplomat. She spent about two years in Canterlot, and then, I assume, went home.”
Blue Seas waited expectantly. When Blueblood remained silent, he asked “What was her special talent?”
“I don’t know. I don’t recall her cutie mark, or where she lived, or really anything about her. We didn’t care about each other, except for an evening’s fling. She was just one of many mares I treated like an object, rather than treating like a pony. It is a mistake I now regret.” He paused. “Knowing how ponies like that are, I think it would be a mistake to seek her. But you are an adult, Blue Seas. If you wish to pursue her, you are free to do so, even if it is a mistake.”
“I... now I’m not sure,” Blue Seas said. He had had visions of a vague family reunion, like having two different happy families. But now, he realized how unrealistic that was. “But can I, you know, keep in touch with you?”
Blueblood gulped. “I... I want to get to know you more. I want to know how your parents are doing. But I have a family, and duties in Canterlot, and....” He looked at the sorrowful eyes of his son. He had only seen that look once before, the time he pushed him away, into the magical grasp of Princess Twilight Sparkle. It was an image that still haunted his memories.
Prince Blueblood looked Blue Seas in the eyes. “I’ll do whatever it takes to stay in touch with you,” he stated. He levitated a calling card out of his tuxedo pocket and placed it in Blue Seas’s. He then stood up, and raised a foreleg.
Blue Seas stood up and walked over to Blueblood. His father reached out and pulled him into a tight hug. Blue Seas returned the embrace.
“Keep making your parents proud, Blue Seas,” Blueblood whispered.
Blue Seas wandered the tent in a daze. He barely noticed the flashing lights and bass beat of the music as he maneuvered through the dancing ponies. He finally bumped into somepony, who placed a hoof on his shoulder.
“Blue Seas? Is something the matter?” Wave Crasher asked.
“I just met my father,” he replied. “My birth father.”
“Do you need to talk?”
“I need a drink,” Blue Seas replied.
A drink helped a little to calm Blue Seas’s nerves. He headed to the dance floor, but his heart wasn’t into dancing. His thoughts kept turning to the stallion who had given him life. He turned down offers from his half-seapony friends to depart early, replying that there would be plenty of time to talk after the party.
Still, he tried to enjoy the evening. Out on the dance floor, he was just another young pony, enjoying the music and the company of friends and fellow ponies. Nopony cared about his unusual family history.
The crowd thinned as the night wore on. Couples and groups of ponies departed, to spend one last night together before returning home. A few of his new friends headed off on their own, but Blue Seas had one constant companion. Sea Star was always at his side.
Late in the evening, Blue Seas was sitting at the bar, drinking from a tall glass of water. He was tired and sweaty from an evening of dancing, and he didn’t dare think about the condition of his new tuxedo. The crowd’s energy was noticeably lessened, and many other ponies shared Blue Seas’s desire for rest.
Sea Star took a seat next to him. “Has the dance floor finally defeated you?”
“Yeah. I don’t get a lot of practice at home. Unless you count square dancing.”
Sea Star laughed. “That’s got to be embarrassing.”
“Family traditions, you know?” Blue Seas thought about the dancing going on inside the manor, waltzes and the like. He had never done any formal dancing. Had he instead been raised by his natural father, he would no doubt have learned to dance.
Blue Seas looked up when Sea Star rested a hoof on his withers. “You’re staring off again. Want to head back to the village?”
“Yeah,” Blue Seas said.
The waltz ended, and Prince Blueblood and Capella stepped off the dance floor. They walked over and joined the host and hostess at their table. “It’s amazing how familiar this feels,” he told Full Sail.
“Not quite as ancient as a normal Canterlot party, but close,” Full Sail replied.
Blueblood nodded as he surveyed the remaining crowd. Once everypony had a chance to eat and meet, the younger crowd, the athletes and coaches, migrated to the tents outside. That left various older dignitaries inside. It really could have been any Canterlot ball.
“I do believe it is time to turn in,” Blueblood said. Capella nodded.
“I will have my staff take you to the guest quarters,” Full Sail said.
“And we will catch up over breakfast tomorrow,” Marina added.
“Again, we thank you for your hospitality,” Capella said.
“What kind of friend would I be if I let you stay in a five star hotel?” Full Sail said with a laugh. The earth pony stallion motioned with his foreleg, bringing over two members of his staff. He sent one off with orders, and then communicated with the other.
“Bluebell is still dancing in the tent outside,” Full Sail said.
“If you can call that dancing,” Blueblood muttered.
“Let her have her fun, dear,” Capella said. “There will be plenty of time for formal dance practice.”
“Be that as it may, she also needs her rest. I’ll go get her,” Blueblood said.
Blueblood left the mansion and trotted down the path. He saw a long line of carriages waiting to take the departing guests back to town. He looked again. Was that Blue Seas stepping into that carriage?
He shook his head. Blue Seas had his own life, his own family. He did the right thing, protecting him from the troubles of Canterlot, from the embarrassment over the circumstances of his birth.
It was so much easier for him to believe that before he met his now-grown son.
He entered the large tent, now sparsely occupied by guests. He spotted Bluebell on the sidelines, obviously worn down from the long night.
“Come along, sweetie. It’s time we all retired for the evening,” Blueblood said.
“But I’m not tired,” Bluebell protested.
Blueblood gave her a look. “That’s right. You’re not tired. You’re exhausted.”
Bluebell pouted, but followed as her father departed. The walk back to the mansion was slightly uphill, and she found herself leaning into her father for support. “Maybe it is time to retire,” she admitted.
“Did you have a good time?”
“Oh, yes. It was so much more enjoyable than the normal Canterlot soiree. And the guests were such good company.”
“Mm-hmm,” Blueblood muttered.
“And there were these colts with the cutest manes, all blended together!” she recalled with a smile.
Blueblood froze. “No!” he sputtered. “I mean, you shouldn’t be talking about colts until you’re older. Like, thirty years old.”
Prince Blueblood sincerely hoped that his daughter’s reaction was a passing crush. There was one conversation he did not want to have.
Blue Seas lay sprawled on his bed in his dormitory room. He felt his gut rumble as it dealt with the consequences of his unusual meal. But it was more his mind that was preventing him from resting.
Sea Star finished packing away his tuxedo. “Thinking about your father?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“You know, Blue Seas, you mentioned meeting your father, but you didn’t say who he was,” he said.
“I think you met him during the Equestria Games. Prince Blueblood.”
“Your father’s somepony famous?”
“I guess. I really don’t know how the Canterlot nobility works.” Blue Seas knew only that his father wasn’t a prince in the same way that Twilight Sparkle was a princess. He would have to learn more.
“Are you happy you met him? Was it everything you expected?”
“I don’t know. I still don’t know what I was expecting,” Blue Seas said.
Sea Star hopped on his own bed. “Try starting at the beginning. Why were you looking in the first place?”
“I guess... it was a feeling that something was missing, you know? I have my family, but a part of me came from a different family, and I just wanted to see them.”
“And what did you think you’d see?” Sea Star asked.
Blue Seas thought about his question for a moment. “A family. Another happy family, like mine. But instead, it felt... awkward. I soon realized how foolish I was.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Blue Seas nodded. He recounted the details of his brief meeting with his father.
“Do you think he’ll be willing to talk to you in the future?” Sea Star asked.
“I think so. I have his calling card. All night, I’ve been thinking of things I’d like to ask him. But I don’t know if his wife would approve. She looked... upset.”
“I don’t know what kind of advice I can offer here. I think you should go home and talk to your parents, the ones who raised you, first.”
Blue Seas stared at the ceiling. “Yeah. I could use their advice.”
Sea Star turned out the light. “That’s what family is for.”