//------------------------------// // Chapter 19: A Scandal!? // Story: The Singing Heart // by Toonsgirl //------------------------------// Chrysalis laid across the floor, her hoof over her head. Her eyes were tight but she was still awake. 'Why doesn't Discord notice me?' The noblewoman silently asked herself. She had expected the King to see her once she screamed and faked a faint. Apparently, he was too busy with his daughter, again. 'I better get his attention back onto me!' She gave out a very loud moan and put her hoof across her face. She also turned her sides, just to make it look like she was whimpering in pain. Discord could not believe his eyes! He did not know who this colt was but he had a feeling that Screwball knew him! She ought to give him an explanation and after that, he'll ground her and toss the boy in jail! He was about to speak when Chrysalis' moan cut him off. He turned to his suitor and rolled his eyes. Oh he heard Lady Chrysalis, all right. From the corner of his eye, he had spotted the changeling faking her faint and moaning loudly. But Discord was in the middle of yelling at his daughter and had no time for Chrysalis' shenanigans! Just then, he heard the hoof steps appearing. As quick as a rabbit, the monarch snapped his fingers to hide Mothball back in the closet. Discord shuddered at the thought of what would happen if any pony saw Mothball. The last thing the king wanted was one of his servants dumping questions on him. Or Worse, tell anyone they saw a boy in the nursery! Rainbow Dash and Flash galloped inside the room, quick as lightning. Screwball had moved over to the side thus they would not trip over her. "What's going on?" Flash Sentry asked. "Who screamed?" The two soldiers scanned their eyes around the room, trying to find the source of the commotion. They frowned that they could not see any bring suspicious other than Lady Chrysalis lying on the ground. Captain, Lieutenant," Discord calmly ordered. "Could you please carry Lady Chrysalis to her chambers?" Flash and Rainbow studied the black figure on the floor. The noblemare had her hoof over her eyes. Her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. At a closer look, her body seemed to twitch just a tiny bit. The slit eyes were tightly shut. More loud moans escaped from her mouth. The two guards shared each other silent smirks knowing that Lady Chrysalis was pretending. They lifted her up and Discord poofed them to her chambers before Lady Chrysalis could wake up. He also shut the nursery door and flashed Mothball out of the closet. Mothball looked a bit flustered and shocked at having been switched from the closet to the room back and forth. Discord scratched his goatee in a mocking manner. "Now where was I? Oh yes! You are in deep trouble young filly! Who is this boy? And why is he here? Who said he could be here?" "Well um...," Screwball stammered. She knew what tell her father, she had been practicing all day! So why was it hard for her to speak now? Screwball's friend took pity on her seeing at how she was just as nervous around the King as him. "My name is Mothball and Miss Fluttershy said I could stay here!" Discord's eyes were widened a bit before they narrowed dangerously. His eyes began to glow yellow. "Miss Fluttershy!? Why had I known-" Growling dangerously, King Discord lifted up his arm and snapped his talon fingers. In a bright flash, the buttercream pegasus appeared into the nursery. "Eep!" Fluttershy squealed, stumbling a little on her left leg. She would have lost her balance if she had not put her right leg down and distribute her weight on both legs. "Miss Fluttershy! I demand answers now!" Discord roared. The mare jumped at the sound of his voice and hastily turned around, looking frazzled. What was he talking about? One minute she was playing with the princesses, the next minute, she was teleported to a different room unexpectedly. "What-oh!" Fluttershy turned around and gasped when she noticed the young boy. "You met Mothball, haven't you?" She said with a nervous smile. Mothball blushed in embarrassment and stared at his hooves. "Yeah we met," Mothball mumbled, staring at the floor. His face turned red in embarrassment. "Obviously!" Discord snapped, gnashing his teeth. "How did he find you?" Fluttershy asked Mothball. She did not think that the king of all equines, would enter in the nursery. Usually it's either her, Miss Pinkie or Miss Applejack that come into the nursery, not the ruler! "He opened the closet," the colt mumbled again. "Figures!" Screwball grumbled underneath her breath. She had tried so hard to avert this situation from happening! "How I discovered him isn't important! What I care about is why is there a boy in the nursery?" Discord barked, his face inching near Fluttershy's face. The mare shrank a little at the sight of his cold stare. Fluttershy could not put her hoof on why Discord was so upset at seeing Mothball. The only possibility she could think of was that maybe he had quite a shock for discovering the boy. "I know this so sudden, but Mothball had ran away from an enemy and needed a place to hide. Screwball found him first, before she introduced me to him." Her tone was soft and calm but, it was not enough to decrease the King's anger. "How could you let a boy sleep in a nursery?" the Royal yelled, extending his arms up in shock. "He wanted to be here!" Fluttershy argued, not letting Discord's anger scare her. "Why, so he could make moves on her!?" the King snapped, referring to the two teenagers. Fluttershy looked a bit taken back by her majesty's comment. His anger was understandable but this was not such the case. She knew Mothball would never do anything to Screwball that she and Discord would be concerned about. "Your majesty, he wouldn't-" the nanny shook her head in disbelief. "Of course he would!" the monarch interrupted. He knew how colts act when they see a pretty filly! "No I wouldn't!" Mothball said in an inaudible tone. His mother had taught him to always be respectful toward girls. "Do you have any idea what would ponies say if they heard about my daughter having a boy in her room!? Her reputation would be ruined! She would be a huge laughingstock!" His majesty roared. His roar was so loud that it blew Fluttershy's mane in the air! "King Discord, I didn't think-" Fluttershy stuttered before Discord interrupted her again. "You didn't think!? What do you mean you didn't think!? Haven't you thought of her honor!? Have you no sense?" "I do have sense!" Fluttershy said, in a desperate tone. She tried to tell him about Starlight Glimmer only to be cut off from him again. "If that were true, you would not act so irresponsible! Who is the sovereign here? I am! I set the rules and I expect rules to be obeyed! They're not just written to children! They're for the staff, too! Apparently, out of all the rotten nannies I had, you are the most difficult one! You are irresponsible, thoughtless, wimpy, and senseless!" Fluttershy's eyes watered up and her bottom lip trembled. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything of this to happen!" the nanny whispered before running out of the nursery in tears. "Miss Fluttershy, wait!" the little princess called, chasing after her. She gave her dad a glare before leaving the room. Discord stopped gritting his teeth. A wave of shock and shame washed over him, as he realized what he had done. He slapped his head with his paw. Great, he made her cry...again! "Stupid Discord! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" "Um, Your majesty?" Mothball uttered, timidly. "I know you don't believe her, but...it is true. I did run away! I'm running away from Starlight Glimmer!" Discord swished his head toward the boy with a shocked and confused look. "Starlight Glimmer!?"