The Mare Who Became Queen

by misskoifishpony


Love Will Guide Us Safely Through

Chapter 3: Love Will Guide Us Safely Through

There was a line of formally dressed waiters along the wall of the feast hall. The waiters watched King Xerxes and the massive group of mares, sitting along an extremely and almost impossibly long table.

One of the waiters was our narrator in disguise. She turned to us. She smiled and whispered "The next night, Xerxes arranged a glorious feast for his candidates. He spared no expense on their dresses and jewels, after all, they were in the presence of royalty. Each mare was placed on the dining table, and rotated from one chair to the next every two minutes or so. The reason why was because of the King's very short attention span. If any mare impressed him, he would make her queen...as you already know. But so far, no mare hasn't even come close to that."

The mare sitting next to King Xerxes at the head of table was a grey coat earth pony with flat purple hair that matched her bland personality. In fact, you could say that she was as dull as a stack of rocks. So, it came no shock to him when she bluntly stated...with a lifeless expression on her face,

"I like rocks."

He rolled his eyes and plainly mumbled "You don't say."

"Any kind of rock really."

"Yes well, unfortunately for you my dear, you do not rock. So bye-bye!"

King Xerxes pulled down the tall lever to the side of his chair. This activated the spring in the grey earth pony's chair. His majesty sent the expressionless mare across the room, and yet, she didn't seemed to mind it. Instead, she showed signs of accepting it.

"Tsoori!"

The pink belly dancer pony exclaimed as she raced to catch the grey earth pony.

When the poofy haired pony caught the calm mare, she proclaimed in a worrisome tone, "Are you alright?! C'mon sis, speak to me! Please tell me that you're not dead!"

"It's fine sis. I'll live."

Meanwhile, King Xerxes's patience was wearing thin. His claw was squished against his forehead, and he kept grinding his teeth to no end. He snarled at his advisor; standing helplessly next to him, "Please, tell me that she was the last one."

Hamana desperately tried to smile and soothe her furious King, "N-Not to worry sire, she was the...thirtieth to last."

Xerxes barked out "There's still more!"

Hamana ducked her head down to his feet and hid her head underneath her hooves. Xerxes could see his pathetic confidant quivering in fear. He felt pity for her and groaned, "Bring on the next one."

Meanwhile, Esther was placed just five seats away from His Majesty. She couldn't eat her wonderful meal; she was far too nervous to eat. She kept seeing, in the corner of her eye, mares flying across the room one by one. She may have not wanted to be Xerxes's queen, but she didn't want to be sent across the room either. Why did he have to be so cruel in his rejections?! So far, this King Xerxes is acting just as ruthless as he was foretold to be.

However despite this, Esther wasn't actually too scared in seeing the King up close. Every so often, the shy pegasus would sneak a peek of Xerxes at the head of the table. Despite his unusual appearance, he didn't look like a monster to her. She found his looks to be rather...interesting. Quirky even. The only truly terrifying feature about him was his un-amused scowl. It was full of judgment and skeptical criticism. Esther did find it strange that the King's unique looks didn't frighten her away. But it made her rather...curious of him. Especially his scowl.

She felt that King Xerxes wasn't having fun at his own party. Every pony deserves to have fun, even the grumpy king. She felt sorry for him. This was a unsettling dilemma for her. Esther was scared, curious, and sympathetic about the King. Ponies weren't kidding when they said that his palace was a mad house.

Before she knew it, her seat was right next to His Royal Highness. It all went by so fast that she didn't feel ready. Her head felt light and her heart was pounding in her chest. She was at a lost for words.

Meanwhile, Xerxes was leaning away from Esther and staring out to one of the windows. Trying to find amusement in viewing the night sky. He groaned in a deadpan yet tired tone, "Your name?"

She whispered while trying to cover her red face behind her mane, "E-Esther, y-your majesty."

Oh great, he thought, a mare with a dull name. Seriously, the grey one had a more interesting name than this one!

"Um, your m-majesty? Is something wrong?"

His ears perked up. No mare so far has ever initiated the conversation; that was usually his burden. Not only that, none of the mares have ever asked anything about him. Right off the bat...she could immediately see his struggle. In a matter of seconds, she could read him like an open book.

He quickly turned around to face her, and...his eyes widened. She was a little buttercream pegasus...with wide yet sweet teal eyes...and with long lotus pink hair. An innocent blush caressed her cheeks so well, and her outfit...was simply divine on her.

She was wearing a sheer yet flowing orange skirt with light orange beads. With the skirt, she had a red and orange stripped saddle. There were sunset topazes embedded into her tail and mane. She even had a oval shaped, sunset topaz on her forehead. A delicate yet sheer orange veil on her muzzle. And to top it all off, she had yellow and orange feathers on top of her head. The King couldn't believe that this mare had such a bland name. It must have been some cruel form of irony.

"Um, your highness?"

King Xerxes slapped himself across the face and shook himself out of his idiotic daze. He couldn't let himself get caught up in her appearance. It was going to take more than just a pretty face to win his heart.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine."

He cleared his throat before continuing, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that...you seemed so down."

He leaned forward and asked "And...how is that important to you?"

"Well,...every pony deserves to have fun at a party. Especially at their own party."

King Xerxes was stunned by the mare's words. He uttered out without really knowing it, "Y-You don't say."

"Or am I wrong, Your Highness?"

"N-No. Surprisingly, you were correct my dear."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For you being miserable tonight, Your Majesty."

Her concern was real. He could feel the sincerity in every word. His heart suddenly felt...warm...deep inside his chest. This beautiful mare was concerned about him.

"D-Don't worry about that my dear. Right now...I'm actually feeling better."

She gave him a surprised yet sweet little smile. She then exclaimed, "Really? Oh, that's wonderful."

He didn't think it was possible, but her face looked even lovelier when she smiled. He could feel the warmth, building inside his heart, and coursing into his cheeks. However, he tried to ignore it; in order to continue his conversation with this mare, "Tell me Esther, are you having fun at my little boring soiree?"

"Well, I...to be honest, I've been anxious all night."

"And why have you been so anxious?"

"Because I was going to meet you, Your Highness."

Xerxes's face reddened. She was anxious to meet him! She wanted to meet him! His heart pounded wildly against his ribs. So far, no mare tonight has ever shown to be interested in meeting him. Yet she was...

"Oh dear, I shouldn't have said that out loud. Forgive me, Your Majesty."

A smile slowly formed on his face. He scooted his chair closer to hers. He leaned even closer to her on the table, which slightly shocked Esther. In a smooth tone, he commented, "There's no need for you to apologize my dear. I must confess that I've been anxious to meet a mare like you all evening."

Then, he took one of her hooves into his paw and sighed, "Quite a pity that we didn't meet sooner."

This made the shy pegasus's face reddened and she turned it away from Xerxes. This bashful act made Xerxes smile even more. Esther's mind was racing; she couldn't understand why the King was suddenly taking an interest in her. She mumbled, "Well I um..."

Hamana interrupted their moment with, "Sire, the other mares were wondering when..."

Xerxes whispered in a hasty tone, while still holding Esther's hoof, "Hamana! Can't you see that I'm busy?!"

Hamana looked over the King's shoulder, and saw His Majesty holding the hoof of the young maiden before him. The young mare's face was flushed, and her eyes were wide and innocent. Then, she turned her gaze back to Xerxes. She grinned brightly, knowing that her plan was working. She bowed graciously and stated, "Hamana's apologies, Your Magnificence. Please, do continue."

"But wait! I..." Esther proclaimed to Hamana, who was leaving their side of the table.

"What is it my dear?" asked King Xerxes.

"Um, don't you think it will be unfair to make your other guests wait? Your highness?"

"Please Esther, call me Xerxes. Also, don't worry about the other mares. They'll be fine. They can wait for as long as I want them to. After all, it is my party."

"That is true." She soon began to regret her previous concerns for His Royal Highness's enjoyment at his own party. Now, he's using it against her. She could feel the prying eyes of the other guests on the back of her neck. Esther was overwhelmed with the feeling of stage fright.

"But enough about me, tell me more about you. What are your likes? Your dislikes? Your dreams? Your passions?"

Esther could feel how much the King emphasized the word "passions". She was also feeling uncomfortable with how close his face was to hers, and how his paw was still holding her hoof.

However despite this, she was still able to converse with him, "Um, well...I like animals. I don't have any pets or anything. But, I like to take care of any little creature whenever and wherever I can. Whether it's a rat on the street or a misunderstood cobra, every living thing deserves love. At least...in my opinion anyway."

"And your opinion is very poetic. I must say my dear, I'm quite impressed. I didn't know Saddle Arabia had such a saintly animal rescuer."

With a wave of his free paw, he magically summoned a golden halo above Esther's head. She awed at the little gold ring above her ears. It have may been just a small example of the King's magic, but it was enough for any pony to marvel at it.

"Oh I-I don't know about that. I just...like being around animals. That's all."

Then, she shooed the little halo away. The little halo flew out of the window like a dove.

"And I bet that they love being around you."

Esther looked up slightly from her embarrassed state. She was surprised to find his face just inches away from hers. She could fully see his exotic yellow and red eyes. There was something different about them. Before, his eyes were unfocused and hard to read. But now, they were locked upon her eyes. She also noticed that His Majesty brought her hoof closer to his chest, as if trying to bring her body closer to his.

Esther struggled to wiggle her hoof free, but his grip was too tight. No pony had ever hold her hoof for this long. She began to feel nervous. Her nerves turned into sweat trails on her forehead, on her back, and on her neck. She just prayed that His Royal Highness didn't notice. Esther felt like she needed to change to the subject.

"I uh...also like g-gardens." Her mouth felt so dry when she spoke.

"Well, what a coincidence! The palace just happens to have the biggest and most luscious garden in the entire kingdom. Come, I'll show it to you!"

"No! I mean...that won't be necessary Milord."

"I told you my dear, call me Xerxes."

"Okay, um, Xerxes. Anyway, it's alright. We can...see the garden some other time."

"Oh very well. But I'll hold you to it." Then, he added a cheeky wink and smile at the end of his statement.

She gulped at the King's response.

Oh dear. I just asked him out on a date. Didn't I? She pondered to herself.

"Any other interests?" He asked with an eager grin.

Esther couldn't believe how much Xerxes wanted to know about her. He, King Xerxes, the creature known for his selfishness...was gentle and friendly to her. It was hard to believe such a thing, yet the great Sun Goddess had always taught her ponies that any creature was capable of good. So maybe...just maybe. Not only that, she had never meet some pony who wanted so much detail from her. She felt embarrassed because she always felt like her life wasn't terribly interesting. She always felt like her personality and interests were just as dull as her own life.

She stuttered "M-Music. I l-like music."

"Really?!" he exclaimed joyously, "Do you sing or play any instruments?"

"No, I don't play any instruments. But...I like singing. But, I'm not very good at it."

"Nonsense! I'm sure that you're a marvelous singer."

"I appreciate the flattery Your Highn-I mean Xerxes, but..."

"I know! You can sing us a song! Oh, it'll be great!"

"What?! No, Your Majesty! I.."

Xerxes jumped out of his seat and instantly poofed made him and Esther disappear. The guests witnessed a grand Proscenium stage magically appearing on the other side room. Little by little, lights, microphones, and curtains showed up on the stage.

Then, the guests saw their King and Esther magically appearing on the stage. Especially, in the center of the stage. The spotlight was heavily focused on them.

Xerxes tapped the mic repeatedly. His majesty announced in an excited tone, "Ladies and well...mostly ladies. For tonight's entertainment, may I introduce the one and only...Esther!"

Xerxes immediately clapped like a giddy foal, while making room for the terrified Esther. With a snap of his tail feathers, he poofed up some red velvet theatre seats in front of stage for every pony to sit in.

His Majesty placed himself in the center of the front row. He waited with great anticipation for the sweet mare to sing. He had a feeling that her singing was just as lovely as her speaking voice.

Meanwhile, poor Esther was standing in front of the mic...with her knees shaking like a leaf, and her eyes staring into the eyes of her audience.

All that she could think to herself was...Me and my big mouth.

Esther unintentionally held her breath. Her back was stiff yet weak at the same time. She felt faint. She wanted to faint. in order to escape this public humiliation. But, her body wasn't listening her.

She kept wishing that Moriyah was here. If her cousin was there, she could have helped Esther escape all this. She could have dragged her away from the King. Instead, Moriyah had to guard the outer palace walls with the other guards.

If her cousin was here...she could comfort Esther, and give her courage. The yellow pegasus tried to remember from her cousin's wise words.

Whenever you feel scared or alone, just sing the song. And you'll never need to be afraid...

Those words echoed in Esther's mind for some reason.

Why was that? she wondered.

She had to give it shot. After all, King Xerxes was expecting a song. She'll have to change some of the lyrics dealing with Celestia, but...

It will work. She told herself.

She brought herself closer to the mic...took a deep breath in...closed her eyes...and sang beautifully...
The battle is not ours
We look to love
For it will guide us safely through
And help us rise above
So do not be afraid
We need not run and hide
For there is nothing we can't face
When love is on our side

She took his breath away. This sweet and beautiful creature took his breath away. He couldn't believe it. In a matter of a minute, his heart skipped a beat. He lingered on every note. She made the lyrics linger within him.

For some reason, the word "love" lingered in him. King Xerxes had never given that word any consideration. It was a foreign concept to him. He never thought in his wild dreams that any form of love would appear to him. However, it was understandable. He was the kind of creature to never seek love and love others in return. It was in his nature to be chaotic, powerful, manipulative, and have fun at the expense of others. Those kind of qualities can only earn terror and fear.

Yet here he was...daydreaming absurd fantasies about Esther. Walking out in the palace garden together underneath the desert sun...sweetly holding each other's hoof and claw; awhile, staring into the each other's eyes. And eventually...it would lead to a soft but warm kiss. Usually, Xerxes would scoff or gag in disgust at something like this. But with Esther...she was the exception. Just the thought of kissing her made his wings flutter.

This Esther had accomplished what no pony could. She had cared for his well being, she was able to read him without even trying, and she wanted to meet him. She wanted to get to know him. And to top it all off, she sang a song just for him.

This pony was the kindest, and the most compassionate soul he had ever met. He just couldn't let this mare slip through his fingers.

King Xerxes knew what he had to do.

"I have made my decision!" he announced to the audience.

There was great silence in the feast hall. The king slowly walked to the stage. He stared at Esther with determination in his eyes. His smile even looked determined. Esther looked completely bewildered.

Once Xerxes was by her side, he gently took her hoof into his paws. This made Esther blush once more.

He proudly proclaimed, "You, my dear and wonderful Esther, shall be my new queen."

In response, she whispered "W-What?!"

He turned back to the audience, while still holding her hoof, "All hail Queen Esther!"

The audience stood from their seats and stomped their hooves joyously. They happily cheered "All hail Queen Esther!"

The pink belly dancer pony shouted while jumping out of the crowd "This calls for a celebration song!"

Then, she sprung herself and her sister Tsoori to the center of the stage. After that, the pink pony randomly pulls an accordion from behind her back and yells into the microphone, "Hit it sis!"

With the accompaniment of her sister's accordion, Tsoori sang dryly...
Rocks are cuddly
Rocks are cute
They're never nasty or mean
Esther will give a home to all the lost rocks...

Then, her sister sang loudly at the end...
When she becomes queeeennn!

Their performance was meet with the awkward silence, random coughing in the background, and desert crickets chirping outside. Even the king was uncomfortable with their song selection.

He gently called out to the pink mare, "Um Simcha?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" said Simcha with a smile.

"Maybe you should sing a...different...song for the parade tomorrow? Sound good?"

"Okie doki loki Kingie!"