//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: First morning with the children // Story: The Singing Heart // by Toonsgirl //------------------------------// Twilight, Spike, Shining Armor, and Cadance had all slept peacefully in thier beds. When Twilight woke up the next morning, usually she would have a list of tasks or activities planned out for the day. But today, the only thing that Twilight wanted to was read a book-and not just any book but the one that Cadance bestowed to her yesterday! After a full breakfast of oat pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup, and Apple cider, Shining Armor asked everybody what they would like to do for today. "Let's finish 'The Singing Heart!'" Twilight said, a little bit too excited. Cadance and Spike giggled, since it was rare to see Twilight feeling excited. Especially a romantic historical book. "No, Twilight," Shining Armor shook his head. "We have been in your castle all day long yesterday. Don't you think it's time we should get out?" "Yeah but I want to finish my new book very badly!" Twilight argued, while trying not to whine. Spike shifted uneasily in his seat, praying that a fight won't break out. He still shivered, remembering the time when the two siblings had a big fight the day before the Royal wedding. "Twilight, we need exercise!" Shining Armor contended. "Cadance and I haven't been out since we got here from the train station!" "Understood brother but, can I at least, bring the book with me?" "Twilight, you know better than to being books with you outside in public!" Cadence could see that Twilight was anxious to get back to her book, as much as possible. She tried to think of a situation that would please both her husband and her sister-in-law. "What do you have in mind, dear?" She turned to Shining Armor. "Maybe we could go to a place that is social and where Twilight can read to us." "How about the park?" Spike suggested. "It is outside and Twilight can read to us!" The royals nodded, also liking the idea. They all cleaned up their table and left the castle for the park. Twilight found a tree that was tall, big, and round for her and her family to sit underneath. Sitting down and leaning against the tree bark, she opened the book and began to read out loud while Cadance and the boys listen with open ears. The sun shine its Rays through the window of the nursery. The fillies groaned and put their little heads underneath their pillows. With eyes tight shut, they wished nighttime lasted longer. Just then, they heard the sound of their nursery door opening. "Children, it is time to wake up," A sweet, soft voice rang out. "Five more minutes, Miss Fluttershy?" Sweetie Belle groaned, groggily. Her eyes shut tight, not wanting to open. Fluttershy giggled quietly, for the youngest princess always says adorable things. She seemed to be carrying something in her hoofs.. "Oh but are you sure, you want to sleep longer?" She asked, smiling sweetly. "I have a surprise for you all." The word 'surprise' caused the fillies to abruptly, sit up straight and open their eyes. "A SURPRISE!?" They exclaimed, so loud that it startled Fluttershy. They all sprang out of their beds toward Fluttershy. "What is it? What is it? What is it?" They shouted, bouncing. In Fluttershy's hoofs was a pile of brand new clothes for them! Fluttershy was able to transform lifeless pink curtains into adorable play clothes! Each outfit was basically a pink jumper that each filly can wear over their white blouse. Each jumper also had an aquamarine gemstone brooch. When the princesses observed their play clothes, they were speechless! "Where did you get these?" Sweetie Belle gasped. "I didn't buy them-I made them!" Fluttershy giggled. "Did you make these by yourself?" Apple Bloom asked, still studying her jumper. "Almost, I had some help from Rarity," Fluttershy answered. "Yes, I can see her signature," Screwball nodded, referring to her aquamarine gemstone. Adding gemstones to clothing was something Rarity always does whenever she designs fashion for royalty. The children wasted no time getting dressed. Each filly put a white blouse on and threw their jumper over it. When they were finished, they all looked themselves in their mirror, twirling and or smiling. They could not get over at how adorable they looked! No more boring blue uniforms that Father always made them wear! A pink blue zoomed through in the nursery door, did a flip, and threw five plates on the nursery table as if they were freebes. She also put down five cups. How did the food stayed still on the plates, Fluttershy did not know. "BREAKFAST TIME!" Pinkie Pie yelled, making Fluttershy and the princesses jump in fright. "You got eggs, Prench toast, applesauce, oat pancakes with chocolate chips and Apple cider!" The children sat down at the nursery table and began to feast. Applejack trotted inside and sighed in relief that Pinkie hadn't spill anything on the floor. "Morning your highnesses and Miss Fluttershy!" "Morning Applejack!" "Miss Applejack, Miss Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy meekly asked. "Shouldn't the children eat breakfast in the dining hall?" Fluttershy did not know how customs work in Draconia but she found it odd that the girls would eat their breakfast by themselves in their room, instead of with their father. "The children always eat meals in their nursery," Applejack replied. "But what about last night?" Fluttershy pressed on. "Oh, that's because their father was at home," The southern cook responded. "Yeah whenever King Discord is at home, the children get to eat with him!" Pinkie added. She leaned over to whisper in Fluttershy. "Which is the only time the children ever get to see him!" Fluttershy's eyes widened at that secret information. Nobody noticed Screwball, sneaking half of her portion under her table and teleporting them to Mothball who was still sleeping in the wardrobe. The smell of her breakfast woke him up and he eagerly ate them. "AJ, can we see Father before he leaves for Lady Chrysalis?" Apple Bloom asked. Applejack casted her eyes down and gave the fillies a sorrowful look. "I'm sorry sugar cubes, but your father had already left this morning." "WHAT!? Oh come on, that's not fair!" Screwball shouted. "Why does he always do this to us!?" This was not the first time that Discord had left early without saying goodbye to the children. True, he always rose in the morning, before they do, but the children were still hurt. The little princesses pushed their plates away, their appetites lost. "Who's Lady Chrysalis?" Fluttershy inquired. She recalled from last night that King Discord had to meet her, but she never got a chance to ask about Lady Chrysalis. "She's a mare that King Discord is always seeing," Pinkie Pie chirped. "A mare of high class," Applejack said. "Rumor has it that King Discord might marry Lady Chrysalis and she'll become our new queen!" Pinkie added, spontaneously. "Oh wonderful!" Fluttershy cheered. "He will have a wife again and you, children will have a mother again!" But the children did not share Fluttershy's enthusiasm and neither did Applejack. "Yes, well...," the southern cook sighed. "Why don't we hurry up so you can begin classes with children, Miss Fluttershy?" Pinkie cleared the table and carried the dirty plates and cups out of the nursery. Is something wrong? Fluttershy thought, worriedly. Why would Lady Chrysalis not be good for the King? Later Sunset Shimmer led Fluttershy and the children into the study room, believing that it would be a suitable room for Fluttershy to hold school lessons for the children. Fluttershy agreed, liking the bookshelves, the desk, and the tables with chairs. She was amazed at how many books there were! Sunset also handed Fluttershy a daily schedule of school lessons. Fluttershy took it and trotted to the front of the children, who took their seats. "Good luck, Miss Fluttershy!" She called, over her shoulder, before leaving the room. "All right, welcome to first day of school!" Fluttershy said, clasping her hoofs together. "I will be your teacher for the day and show you everything you need to know!" The children scowled and crossed their legs. Although they had warmed up to Fluttershy a bit, they still could not stand the fact that they have to learn schoolwork-even it was from a teacher like Fluttershy. "Didn't father hired you to be our nanny?" Apple Bloom asked, confused. "Father also hired Miss Fluttershy to teach us school," Screwball reminded her sister, gently. "Why it's summer!" Scootaloo scowled, crossing her forelegs. "We shouldn't be in this study hall at all!" "I know, I know," Fluttershy said gently. "But your father believed that school work is something that one must do over the summer thus they would be prepared for regular school year." The scowling faces were still present on the children. Summer school is still the last activity they wanted to do for the summer. It's bad enough they could not do anything else, except march! Fluttershy looked at the daily schedule which says: Daily lessons 8:00---------------History of Draconia Teach about the geography of Draconia 9:00---------------March 10:00-------------Reading Read books 11:00-------------Writing Write essays 12:00-------------Lunch 1:00---------------March 2:00---------------March 3:00---------------Dismiss Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and firmly pressed her lips at the activities, especially the ones that took place after lunch. The curriculum seemed water-down or messed up compared to the kind of education that she received when she was a filly. When do the children play? Marching does not count!