Epilogue
Edited by TuxOKC
Queen Chrysanthemum sat tall and proud upon her obsidian throne. Its crooked form was imposing, the polished stone gleaming in the fae light. The citadel that was her home still bore the scars of the civil war. It sat upon a mesa overlooking a sprawling floodplain. Jagged mountain peaks jutted along the western horizon. The magically preserved heads of her enemies decorated the parapets.
As she sat, parchments and scrolls floated at eye level. They were arranged in the air so she might scan them at a glance. Next to her a scribe was reading back to her one of the many reports filled with bad news. Rebuilding her kingdom had been a slow and painful process. Riots were not uncommon. Food was scarce. Bandits were attacking caravans. More and more soldiers were being sent to watch the main trading routes. Neighboring kingdoms were becoming inquisitive. This meant more soldiers were needed to mind the border.
The scribe was going into the boring details of yet another hive community in need of supplies. War had a funny habit of ruining farmer’s fields. It was going to take years to pull the kingdom out from its famine.
“Enough,” she commanded, flicking her gaze over the paper before her. It was all the same. “Give these to the appropriate changelings to have these issues addressed. Order them by urgency.” Gathering them into a neat stack, she floated them over to another ink spotted scribe. “Is there anything else? And do not give me anymore bad news. There has been nothing but bad news every day.”
“Ah, I think I might have something, Your Majesty,” said the scribe. She dug into the large stack of scrolls at her side. “Another letter from the Crystal Empire. It bears the Royal Seal and a second seal. It arrived just today.”
“I have no interest in what Cadenza has to say,” huffed Chrysanthemum. She paused, blinking her eye as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Wait. A second seal?”
“Yes, ma’am. It bears a new seal. The mark is a tree with the letters RC over it.”
“Give it to me,” she demanded, her horn flaring. The changeling felt a taste of her power as she overwhelmed his own magical grip. “Leave me.”
The scribes scurried from the throne room without further word. The guards standing at the double doors pulled them closed. The booming sound echoed through the throne room. Chrysanthemum considered the letter in her grasp. For a long while, she tapped it against her chin, wondering what words lurked within.
Breaking both seals, the queen unfurled the parchment, noting its unique quality. She could smell the ink. Smiling despite herself, she began reading.
Dear Queen Chrysanthemum,
You have been invited to the 11th birthday of Crown Prince Reign Cloud. Join the Crystal Empire as we celebrate his special day and look forward to the promise of many, many more. You are not required to bring a gift. If you choose to bring one, keep in mind it will be given to the less fortunate. The Prince has asked that all gifts be intended to give aid and comfort to those who have lost homes and/or family last year. The healing starts with helping those in need. Thank you!
You have a special reservation awaiting you and accommodations will be provided. Please let us know how many of your court will be joining you. There will be a limit set at fifty. You are allowed twenty personal guard.
Prince Reign Cloud is anxious to know if you will be coming. He is hoping to meet with you. Please respond as soon as it is convenient for you.
Mi Amore Cadenza, Empress of the Crystal Empire
Beneath the eloquent script of Cadenza’s hornwriting was writing that was not hers. The scrawl was foalish, she felt, and her heart caught itself in her throat.
Please come. I don’t want to regrit not taking the chance to get to know you. Please come to my birthday. Momma says you do love me. I was mean to you. I am sorry. I was afraid of you and thoght you were going to take me away from Momma and Poppa. Please come to my birthday. I think it wold be nice to get to know you. Don’t you think so?
Cinserely, Prince Reign Cloud
The queen’s sour mood vanished. She ran a loving hoof over her son’s words, taking note of the errors and finding them endearing. Glancing at one of the scribe’s tables, she took up an inkwell with a quill. She fished out a blank sheet of her best parchment and made a reply worthy of her son.
To My Little Morsel,
I am both flattered and honored to be invited to partake in your birthday celebration. I will come.
Forever Yours,
Chrysanthemum Regina
Her horn flared. “Fang!” she bellowed in a voice that shook the walls. A shadowed corner shimmered. Her faithful guard appeared. “Send this letter, assemble my personal guard, find a local toymaker and buy whatever he has, get me my dressmaker, pick out a competent group from my court to go to the Crystal Empire, and get me a drink!”
“As you command!” Fang half turned before pausing, a confused expression on his face, “Ah, what for?”
Chrysanthemum thought of what day of the month it was. Ticking off the days in her head, she considered how much time there was until Reign’s birthday. Three weeks and a day, she mulled to herself. “My son has invited me to his birthday. I will be going.”
His eyes brightened. “I’ll get right on everything, My Queen!”
Queen Chrysanthemum buzzed her wings. “Summon my court at once! My son’s birthday is going to be just perfect!”
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Scarheart · 110k words · 382 25 · 5.7k views
- Bucking Nonsense · 3.1k words · 983 19 · 11k views
- BlabideeblahMLP · 4.3k words · 59 7 · 2k views
- Arreis Of Avalon · 6.9k words · 258 3 · 4.8k views
- Scarheart · 143k words · 237 20 · 14k views
- Suke · 35k words · 20 1 · 530 views
- Aquillo · 2.2k words · 36 0 · 1.4k views
- Silent Quill · 59k words · 695 15 · 13k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.183 seconds
Total duration
1,008 users online
1,493,956 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Is it going to be the kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small?
8417690
Well, since he was small...
dont make a sequel just make a quick short story on the birthday. otherwise i enjoyed it! Incredible what a lifetime of pain will do, and how things change when that pain is gone
The scribe seems to have changed genders while giving Chrysalis the letter.
8417708
Whoops!
8417708
they'er changeling it happens
A cute moment to end on, and certainly so to have some very good news after a dour time.
And here I thought for sure Cadance was gonna knock up Chrysanthemum with Sombra!
Or will he be the surprise birthday gift.
Congratulations on completing a story , now onto the one that hooked me. My daughter Chrysalis
Loved this story.
If you don't feel up to a full sequel, I'd still love to see maybe a one-shot with Reign and new sister Flurry Heart.
Love it but some chapters need some work to make them read more better ather then that pless tell me there going to be a more in this world you billed.
D'awwww~ This epilogue and especially Reign's part of the letter, make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :>
I wouldn't mind a sequel, but I think a short story would be better.
'It was going to take years pull the kingdom out from its famine' - years to pull
I like this story very much Scarheart, thank you for taking the time to write it!
8418981
It was a pleasure to write and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
8418982
The pleasure was mine in the reading. You are a good story teller, and I'm enjoying several of your workes at the moment. God luck with all of them!
great ending <3
...Just perfect!
Hoping there is more to come 🎂
Congratulations on finishing a great story. Thank you for entertaining us! I always admire people who can stick with their works and see them through. Great work!
Wonderful
Well, that was certainly a way to draw the queen from her lands. And it would seem like Reign is honestly looking forwards to that.
A very good idea, ending the story in such a positive, hopeful note. A promise of good things to come.
I understand you being indecisive about the sequel - indeed, this story took a long time to write. But... I certainly would love to see how much further this could go, were you so inclined by bestowing further words upon us
Life has it's ups and downs. Chrysalis may be in the downs, but at least with Reign Cloud she's not in Hell downs. Heh... We take what we can right?
*Sighs deeply and takes a long pause*
Now, that I finished reading this story I can give it around 4/10 (for the effort and actually finishing it) and a change from an early 'like' to the current 'dislike'.
Honestly, aside from expectations based on the first few chapters I haven't enjoyed this story at all. The issue here starts with the description/annotation aided by presumably incorrect tags and the ending that feels too disjoined from the rest of the story.
It's the story of Reign Cloud for the most part (which is not exactly obvious from the description/fic's name, even if it may seem otherwise) and if it is intended to be so, there should be more emphasis on it in the description (at least it should be strongly considered now, when the story is complete) and it should have 'Slice of Life' and 'Drama' tags instead of 'Adventure'. And I won't even say anything about the shorter version of the description, cause its even worse.
Before the latest 3 or 4 chapters came out, I used to refer to this story as "barely anything happens ever - the fanfic". I mean 'Adventure', right? Chrysalis would arrive, the boring introduction arc would finally end and we would finally have something we have waited for... Except, nope, not really. Have a few dramatic reveals, a few fighting scenes, another sad/supposedly heartwarming/whatever moment and it's the end. Credits roll on and all that. There's even a strong personal feeling of disjointment between the first few chapters coupled with ending and the rest of the story. Like they do not really need each other and may easily stand as separate entities for the most part.
Also, I, for the most part, second a 'nioniosbbbb' review on the last chapter, and it haven't changed much by reading the epilogue. Sadness and disappointment it is.
*sighs again*
Still, congratulation on actually finishing your story! Most fanfic authors never manage to do so, after all. And GL with your future endeavors, whatever they may be.
P.S.
Someone may ask me - have you really believed that only to be a first arc? Why, yes, actually. One of my favorite HP fanfics goes on 50+ decent length chapter to describe like a week or so. Surely, it was never properly finished (the author has given a short conclusion recently) but it was both highly enjoyable to read and my first introduction to glaring pacing issues and the necessity of timeskips.)
8421081
I agree. There are a lot of mistakes I made, which is why it took me so long to finish. I feel like I let a good story get away from me.
;_; y u end stowy
Good ending to another awesome story o(≧▽≦)o
It would be cool to see what happens at Reign's birthday party with the queen their without having to disguise herself just to see him, it would be interesting experience for both of them
(o´∀`o)
Awesome story and can't wait to see what u can come up with next (*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ)
8442733
Ah, thank you. I couldn't tell if she just went by silently or if she phased through them. Shining Armor's distrust of her would be warranted if she did that for fun.
Cartoons.
I do hope there's a sequel.
Ok, after rereading it, I thoroughly enjoyed it again. most of my half remembered questions were answered in some way or another save one:Cadance's pregnancy.
I got the feeling Chrysanthemum wanted Cadance's focus to be on Reign, so she cast a spell on Cadance. But I'm not sure what the spell did. Either way it is impressive that the spell stuck to Cadance, but...
Unless I'm completely off and the Queens Marking ensures that he can only impregnate her. I got the impression that maybe a week goes by max when Emerald SPire enters the empires and everything going down. So Cadance being impregnated in that short of time, and just when the climax starts, strikes me as too much of a coincidence.
Although I think Reign perceived the fetus before then, so my other theory is that Cadance was ALWAYS pregnant and the spell was a well crafted dormancy spell. In any case the timing of it all is just too suspicious for me.
But again, I did enjoy reading through this a second time! Now if only you could finish one of the other 2 Chryssie fics!
It's a 10 out of 10 for me. I truly loved this story and I admit that I would love to see a small sequel featuring the birthday party to see Reign & Chrysanthemum bond a little more. Keep up the good work 👍
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
ITS TO CUTE I'M GONNA DIE
I bet that'll be the most adorable celebration. And it'd be his first birthday without being in constant pain!