The Royal Canterlot Family

by CartoonNerd12

The Blazing: Part One

Apple Jewel and Asher watched their egg at a distance from the pedestal it laid on. The two months was almost complete, which meant that any day now the egg would soon hatch and their offspring would emerge.

Jewel had fretted for the last couple of months as she made sure she was prepared to be a good mother to her child. Asher had to make sure to calm his wife down whether she expressed a new worry or concern, but sometimes he worried about being a good father too, so they had to rely on Spike and Applejack to help them out.

"I can't stand this waiting around anymore!" declared Jewel. "We have everything ready! The nursery, the toys, the diapers, so why won't our baby hatch?!"

Asher patted her back, "It won't be long now, Mom told me I was born at the end of the month during a full moon. Our baby might do the same."

"But a full moon won't be for two more days!" she groaned.

Asher started leading her out of the room, "Come on. Let's go to bed and see what happens tomorrow."

She sighs, "I guess you're right." She looked back at her egg before she started to go forward. But before she left the room, the egg shook. "Wait a minute." She went toward the egg.

"What?" he questioned.

"It moved! The egg moved!"

"Are you sure? Maybe you thought you did because you want so badly for it to hatch."

"I'm telling you, I saw it moved!" She stared at the egg and gently said, "It's okay, sweetie. Mommy knows you moved, but Daddy needs convincing."

When the egg did nothing, she let out a soft groan and told her husband, "Maybe you were right…" She started going, but this time, the egg shook more and Asher gaped.

"Honey, look!"

She looked back and gasped as the egg kept on shaking. She uttered, "It's happening… It's finally happening!" She shouted out, "Mom! Dad! It's happening! Aunt Twilight, Uncle Flash, Star, Whirl, Screwy, Gem, Dignity, Fire, everybody! My egg is hatching!"

There was a rustling, and the entire family that had been either asleep or preparing for bed arrived on the scene in excitement as the egg was shaking more than ever. Asher ordered.

"Stand back! It's about to happen!"

The group watched on in anticipation as the egg began to crack and slowly, the shell broke away. A tiny blue head with blond fuzz emerged with big green eyes that resembled Spike's green eyes. Once the entire shell broke, the body was revealed on the tiny babe. She had a pony body with all four hooves, but she had scales instead of fur. She had wings that were her father's and she had a dragon tail to go with it.

Jewel and Asher were in awe of their little creation while Applejack and Spike were shedding tears and holding on to each other in pride.

Jewel slowly approached her daughter and uttered in joy, "She's… she's beautiful…" She gently held the hybrid in her arms as the crowd awed.

"So what's her name?" Screwball came up.

Asher replied, "We made an agreement that if it was a boy, he would have been named Match, but since it's a girl, her name is Turquoise."

The crowd awed again.

"Princess Turquoise. How positively regal." commented Celestia as she and Sombra entered the room.

"Our first great-grandchild, Celestia. Where has the time gone?" he joked.

She smirked, "You know exactly where it's gone."She pointed to his gut.

Their daughters, in-laws, and grandchildren all laughed at that.

---

As the days followed, every royal in the castle stopped by to see the new princess that hatched from an egg, but the most visitors Turquoise received were her grandparents - Spike and Applejack - and her great-aunt Twilight, who was conducting a study on the amalgam's genetics and attributes.

Spike adored his little granddaughter so much that he would end up cuddling and taking care of her while his daughter and son-in-law rested from all-nighters. Applejack was just as happy spending time with her granddaughter that she didn't care if she was the first of her sisters to be a grandparent. In fact, her sisters - particularly Rarity and Pinkie Pie - were feeling little jealous for not having a grandchild yet.

"It's not fair, Applejack. Why do you get to have a granddaughter this soon?" Rarity said as she was visiting the nursery with AJ holding the baby and rocking her in a rocking chair.

"I guess it's just one of those things, Rarity," she shrugged, "But don't forget, Jewel and Asher knew each other as long as Spike and I knew each other when we wed. The reason we didn't have Jewel right away is because we weren't sure how to have children, but eventually we figured it out and now, we're grandparents."

"I suppose I should be glad that Dignity is currently engaged and that Gemstone is in a steady relationship, so it won't be long until I have grandchildren to spoil."

AJ smirked, "And you know everything there is to being spoiled."

Rarity gave a deadpanned expression, "Very funny."

"Hey, as long as you're waiting for your own grandkids, why don't you hold mine in the meantime?"

Her eyes widen, "Really?"

AJ smiled and handed Turquoise over, causing the unicorn to gush.

"She is just an absolute cutie!"

Her sister slightly frowned, "You used to say that about Spike."

"Well, it's obvious that the sweetie took after her grandfather with her adorableness!"

The Earth pony's brow furrowed further, "You were aware that Spike had that crush on you, right?"

Rarity cringed, "Well… not at first… but later, it did become obvious. But I didn't have it in me to break his heart."

"So you just led him on?!"

"I didn't! I just… alright, maybe I did lead him on a bit… I was very flattered by his attention, but I wasn't sure how to break it to him, which is why I'm glad he looked your way before he got his heart broken… I suppose I should finally apologize to him for making him think he had a chance when he didn't…"

"You don't have to."

The mares turned in surprise to see Spike coming in with a bottle while keeping a straight face on.

Rarity was stunned before looking downcast, "Spike, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you…"

Spike went to his wife and wrapped an arm around her as he faced Rarity, "It's okay, Rarity, you don't need to apologize. Maybe if I hadn't fallen in love with Applejack, maybe it would have hurt when I discovered that you had feelings for Fancy, but that's not the case. AJ and I had a connection since the moment I was hatched, but I didn't realize it until the suitor situation happened. I'm glad how things turned out… I'm happy and you're happy."

Turquoise started gurgling and squirmed in Rarity's arms as if agreeing.

The adults smiled as Spike said, "Even little Turquoise likes it this way." He handed Rarity the bottle and she used her magic to feed the baby.

The grandparents watched on in pride.

---

But while the grandparents were having a sweet moment, the parents were having a moment of dread when Asher told his wife about a letter that his mother sent regarding Turquoise's hatching and how Torch responded to it.

"Mother wrote that even though she has power over all the dragons, Grandpa still has influence over her. He told her that since that our child is part of his blood and that she has dragon qualities, she should be brought to live in the Dragon Lands where she can learn more about her proud heritage and to go through the Blazing Ceremony."

"Blazing Ceremony? What's that?"

"You never had that and neither did your father since you both didn't know about dragon customs and lived in a different place all your lives. You know how your cousins in the Crystal Empire went through a Crystalling?"

"Yes?"

"Well, it's like that with the Blazing. When a dragon hatches, they are blessed into the tribe as they are marked by the embers that are from a fire that the other dragons made."

"What if we don't want that for our daughter?"

"Actually, I would like for our daughter to go through the Blazing."

"So… you would want us to move, then?" she said with concern.

"No. I know how important Equestria is to you and your family and frankly, I feel more at home here because I don't have to act so tough in front of other dragons anymore. But I worry about what Grandpa would do if we refuse to move."

"He has no say over our lives. Remember how we thought I was going have stay in the Dragon Lands because I was a disgrace? But when he found out I was royalty, he couldn't touch me?"

"Yes, but because you have now mated with me and we have a child, he could do something to make sure his great-grandchild understands the dragon way."

"What should we do?"

"Nothing at the moment. Mom is waylaying him as we speak, so I'm hoping she'll get him to understand that he has no right to invade on our lives."

---

"Dad. You maybe the child's great-grandfather, but my son is the father and it is up to him of how his daughter will be brought up." Ember pointed out to the large dragon.

"YOUR SON HAS TURNED HIS BACK ON EVERYTHING HE KNEW! I WILL NOT HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION TO DO THE SAME!"

"What are you doing to do? Go to Canterlot to take the hatchling by force?"

"IF THAT IS WHAT I MUST DO!"

Ember gasped. She didn't think her father was capable of doing such a thing, "Are you serious?! Dad! If someone had tried to take me, you would have burned them to a crisp!"

"I AM DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE OUR HERITAGE IS PRESERVED!"

Ember had to think fast. She couldn't let her granddaughter be taken from her parents and home, leaving her son and his mate in devastation. So she told her father, "At least let me give them a warning that if they do not surrender the child, then you would come and get her yourself."

"Very well. They have two days to decide and if they do not surrender the hatchling, then I will destroy their entire city until I get her."

"You would invoke the ponies' anger?"

"My anger outweighs their own. If they dare oppose me, they could not defeat me!"

"Fine, Dad. If this is what you want…" She started flying away and hoped there was some way to get out of this…

---

"No! No!" Jewel cried, "He can't!" She sobbed as her husband held her after hearing the distressing news

Asher scowled, "Mom, you are the Dragon Lord. Surely you would know that what he plans to do is against Dragon Law."

"Unfortunately, it isn't. If it was any other dragon that wasn't his blood, he would be severely punished, but since Turquoise is part of his mighty line… I don't think we can stop him…"

Asher let out a roar that nearly frightened both his mother and wife. He shouted, "Let him come! I will not be bullied into this! I've spent half a lifetime living in his shadow following his commands, but now he threatens to take away one of my most valuable treasures! My daughter will be raised here with her mother and me! Mom, you go back to him and tell him we will not be intimidated by his threats, for I will not give up my child!"

Jewel wrapped her arms around her husband in joy just as Ember was smiling.

"Well said, my son. My father likes getting his own way, but he has no right to do this… It won't be easy standing up to him, but today you have shown you are a true dragon."

Asher smiled back, "Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that."

"He gave you two days to decide."

"But I have already made my choice."

"Yes, but we can use this time to prepare ourselves and by the end of the second day, I'll tell him what you said."

"Every word?"

She smirked, "Every word. But first, you better tell your in-laws what's going on so they can help. Because once my father gets your answer, he will not waste a second to come here and take Turquoise."

---

"Too bad Aunt Twilight was called away to Griffonstone and that she needed Uncle Discord and Screwy to help repair the kingdom as part of the treaty." said Whirl Wind as he, Dignity, and Fire Spark were setting up a catapult on one of the castle balconies.

Dignity nodded, "They certainly would have made things easier by using magic on the ex-Dragon Lord."

"Well, we have to make do with what we have." said Fire. "Mom is too busy to answer the letters we sent her through Uncle Spike, so we have to be ready for anything."

"We only get one more day." said Dignity.

"That's why we need to make it count." said Sky Blitz as she made her way to the balcony with Mauve and Dawn Twirl as they went to their colts.

Dawn said to her fiancé, "I am really impressed with how you're helping your cousin like this."

Fire Spark replied firmly, "We have always been family, and when someone threatens one of us…"

Whirl finished, "They threaten all us."

Mauve said with fear tinting her voice, "Still, to go against a giant dragon…"

Dignity assured her, "As scary as it is, my love, we must do this. Apple Jewel is going to need all of our help to make sure Turquoise stays here."

Sky's nostrils flared, "I tell you, if some jerk tried to take my kid away, I would make them wish they were never born."

Fire said calmly, "As jerky as Torch is being right now, he is still Asher's grandfather, so we should try to make sure we don't hurt him to the point we could jeopardize his life."

Whirl countered, "Uh, we should be more worried about him hurting us to the point he could kill us! Did you not hear how big this guy is?! Why else are we setting up catapults around the castle?!"

Shining Armor then appeared and inquired, "Speaking of, are you boys almost done?"

Fire Spark replied, "Almost, Uncle Shining."

Dignity said, "Yes, and we really are grateful that you came all this way from the Crystal Empire to help us."

Shining nodded, "When we heard about Torch planning to take Turquoise away, Cadence and I couldn't just stand by. But we couldn't let Skyla and Flurry Heart come, so I came by myself to help plan the defenses."

Fire mentioned, "Between you and Grandpa's force field spells, we should be able to prevent Torch from coming into the city and the castle."

Shining pointed, "But it won't stop him for long. If he's anything like Ember, Asher, Jewel, and Spike have told me, then my force field's not going to be able to hold. That's why we have guards at the ready and these catapults."

"Too bad our cousins on Marendelle won't be able to join us." Dignity said.

"By the time they get here," said Whirl, "the battle would already be underway and they wouldn't be able to get past the force field."

Fire gestured, "It's best they stay where they are."

Shining Armor ordered, "All right, let's finish up here and then I need to brief you all on the emergency plan in case all of our defenses fail."

They exchanged worried looks.

---

Jewel stared at the crib where her daughter was peacefully sleeping and felt tears escaping her. She didn't know what she would do if she failed to protect her baby tomorrow. Even if she could lay another egg, what was to stop Torch from taking that child too? Suddenly, she felt anger rising in her and snarled, showing off her fangs. She went to the window that displayed her great-aunt's beautiful night. She refused to let Torch make her feel despaired as this was her child and she would fight to her last breath to have her daughter stay with them.

"I was hoping to find you here."

She turned to see her husband entering the dimly-lit nursery.

"Where else would I be at this moment?" she questioned.

He smiled, "Nowhere."

She went to him and wrapped her hooves around him.

"I love you…"

He rubbed her back, "I love you and our daughter. You're the only things that matter to me now. My grandfather may be family, but I won't let him do this to us. Our daughter deserves to live in a place where she can be herself no matter what, to have parents who will love her forever, and family members who care for her well-being… I promise you this. We will succeed tomorrow in stopping my grandfather."

Jewel went to gently pick up their offspring and held her up for Asher to hold her too. They stay huddled as they braced themselves for the outcome of tomorrow.

---

Applejack woke up the next morning to notice her husband was not in castle. She was concerned that Spike decided to go face Torch head-on since he ranted when Ember told them what her father was planning to do. She found Jewel and Asher and asked them if they had seen him.

Asher replied, "My mother left us a note saying she and Spike went off to do something that could help with the battle."

"Really?"

"I'm sure Dad will be fine, Mom."

"I'm more concerned he didn't tell me this before we went to sleep last night."

"Maybe it was something he decided to do in the middle of night and that's why he and my mother were gone before dawn."

AJ still looked concerned but gave in, "I guess so. I just hope he isn't doing anything so reckless." She went out of the room.

Jewel shook her head, "Ever since he saved her from that Nightmare and almost lost his life, Mom had always worried for him and is afraid to lose him."

Asher gave a small smile, "I can't say I blame her. I almost lost you to my stupidity, so I know how it feels. And it's all the more reason why I'm so angry at my grandfather. I almost didn't have Turquoise without your love." They embraced and he asked, "Are you sure you can handle her alone?"

"I'd rather be the last line of defense if everything else goes wrong."

"All right." He kissed his wife's head and then went to the crib where Turquoise was awake. Upon seeing her father, she cooed happily. That brought a smile on his face as he kissed her temple. Just then, he heard a rumbling sound and noticed that objects in the nursery wobbled. He scowled, "He's here."

Comments

[Godslittleprincess]

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