One month.
That’s how long it took me to fully recover from my wounds. A day after I woke up in the hospital, I asked a doctor about how bad my injuries were. Apart from the obvious blood loss, my right wing was shredded to the point that they had to reconstruct it. Even then, they couldn’t completely repair the damage that was done to the membranes, so I had to stay at the hospital to make sure that I recovered fully.
During that time, Princess Celestia would visit me every few days to check up on me, though she wouldn’t tell me who adopted me. Though the more I see her, the more I’m sure just who is adopting me. At the end of the month, I was finally discharged from the hospital, and now, I’m heading to someplace call Canterlot with the princess and her personal guards with her.
When we arrived at the palace after half an hour of travel, I was in for a surprise when the guards bowed towards us with mutterings of ‘your majesties.’ I send a quizzical look towards Celestia, which got me a not-so-innocent smile in return. Though I still followed her as she led me deeper into the castle. After a few minutes, she finally stopped at a large, blank door that is across from another large door with a sun embedded in the center. She opened the door and entered. I followed her, rather hesitantly, into the room and gasped at what I saw.
The interior of the room was maybe the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. A large bed, which looks like it could hold a pony five times my size on it, with a yellow blanket and pillow on it, a dresser with a mirror against one wall, a closet that’s empty, and a nightstand with what appeared like a princess’s tiara on it. The tiara was silver in color with what looked like fire red rubies embedded in it. After I came to my senses, I shot a questioning look towards Celestia.
“Welcome to your new home, Sunny,” she said with a smile, causing my brain to flatline. I had the feeling she was going to adopt me, but it was still shocking to find out that I’m being adopted by someone who most likely has more important things to do that take care of a child, especially if said person is royalty.
“Why?” I asked when I finally recovered minutes later, completely confused by her motives.
“Two reasons, the first is because there are bylaws that allow an alicorn to be adopted into the royal family,” she explained.
“And the second?”
“Because I wanted to.” For the second time today, my brain flatlined at what she said. I was certain she wouldn’t have the time to take care of a filly.
“Don’t you have more important things to do than take care of me?” I questioned.
“I don’t normally have a lot to do during the day,” she admitted, “Even with day court, I still have plenty of extra time to spare.”
Well…that answers several questions… I thought to myself. Taking one last look at the room, I turned my attention to Celestia and did the first thing that came to mind: I hugged her.
“Thank you...Mom,” I muttered into her fur as I embraced her, tears of joy flowing down my face.
We sat there for a couple of minutes in each other’s embrace, letting the tender moment last. However, much to my disappointment, Mom released me from her embrace before levitating th- no, my crown onto my head. “Come on, Sunny,” she told me, “It’s time to meet the nobles.” I gave her a nod before following. She led me through the labyrinth that was the castle, somehow knowing where to go. Eventually, she stopped at a large door flanked by two guards, who saluted upon seeing us. Mom opened the door with her magic (have to learn how to do that soon) and led me inside.
The throne room was a large room that had windows that depicted different events in what I assumed was Equestria’s history. I honestly couldn’t help but look at the windows in wonder. I managed to pry myself away from the windows and continued to look at the room. At the end, there was a large golden throne with a Sunflower Yellow felt pillow next to it. Mom walks onto the throne while I sit down on the pillow. Now that I was here, a burst of nervousness flowed through my very being, overriding the excitement that flowed through me moments before.
“There is no need to worry, Sunny,” Mom said as I look at her in shock. Did she read my thoughts…. “No, Alicorns are able to communicate telepathically with each other, though you are able to stop transmitting your thoughts and block outside thoughts,” she explained to me, causing me to mouth ‘ooh’ in understanding. After a few minutes, the first noble was sent in to meet me.
“How do you even put up with them?” I questioned Mom when Day Court finally ended. While I was in Day Court, several nobles made an attempt to bend me to their wills, which, thankfully, mom stopped as soon as it started.
“When you have the patience I have, quite easily,” she told me before I released a yawn, “Looks like it was a long day for you.” I was about to ask what she was talking about before I felt myself levitate off the ground, causing me to yelp in surprise. I was deposited on Mom’s back a few moments later.
“Mom~!” I complained, “I’m not tir-” a yawn forced it’s way out of my mouth, causing Mom to look at me with an eyebrow raised with ‘Really?’ plastered on her face. “Fine.” I said with a pout, defeated. Mom giggled at my antics before continuing the trek to my room. We arrived a few minutes later, where she tucked me in before giving me a gentle nuzzle, one that I happily returned.
“Good *yawn* night, Mom,” I managed between yawns.
“Good night, Sunny. Sweet dreams,” she told me, planting a kiss below my horn before turning off the lights, leaving the room shortly after. A couple of minutes passed before I finally managed to get to sleep.
When I woke up again, I was expecting to be in a comfortable bed with my adoptive mother over me, smiling fondly down at me.
What I didn’t expect was some kind of metal ring on my horn, my wings bound to my barrel, my muzzle tied shut, something cold around my neck, and all four of my legs bound together. The moment I realized this, my eyes snapped open as I started to struggle in a panic, my eyes darting around frantically in an attempt to figure out how to get out. After I managed to calm down enough, I started to scan my surrounding. I was in some kind of empty room with a window and a door. The window is boarded up while there was no doorknob on the door, so even if I somehow managed to get free of my bonds, I wouldn’t be able to escape anyways. Suddenly, I realized something.
D-does Mom even know that I’m gone? I asked with a bit of fear.
Back at the castle….
I was walking to my daughter’s room to wake her up (since we didn’t know when her birthday was, I decided for today to be it, the day that she came into my life) to give her birthday gift. However, when I got there, instead of finding my daughter, I found a note instead.
Dear Princess Celestia
If you want to ever see your daughter alive again, you will bring a total of 10,000 bits to ~~~~~~~~. If you don’t, we’ll kill her.
You got twenty-four hours. Get us the bits, or she dies.
As I read the note, my anger started to rise more and more. By the time I got to the end, I was fuming in rage as heat radiated off my body.
“GUARDS!” I yelled using the Royal Canterlot Voice, a pair of guards scrambled into the room.
“Yes, your majesty?” They said with a bow.
“I want you to get a squad of guards, we have a hostage situation on our hooves,” I ordered, barely able to keep the rage out of my voice. They saluted before going off to complete their task.
Don’t worry, Sunny, I thought, I’m coming.