Majesty: Queen of the Castle

by Paradise Oasis

A Question of Conscience

When Queen Majesty reached that point in her narrative, suddenly dropped my levitated quill, and stared into space.

"Uh, my queen... I don't mean to interrupt you, but..." I stuttered, trying to comprehend what I had just heard. "...did you just say you and your traveling companions actually butchered those bat ponies?"

"Yes Tornado, we destroyed them." Majesty sighed, reclining back on her throne wearily. "I didn't really have a choice, it was either us, or them. We had to defend ourselves from being eaten, and the only way to get them to stop attacking us, was to stop them... permanently."

"Yes, I fully understand, and approve of, slaying foes that threaten Ponyland." I agreed. "But, why slay them so brutally? Why show so much cruelty in dealing with the thestrals? Why be as viscous with them, as they have been with their pony victims?"

Upon my saying this, Queen Majesty rose from her throne, trotted down to stand beside me, while putting a hoof on my shoulder.

"Oh, Tornado, Tornado Tornado... you are so very intelligent, my good historian, but also very naive." My queen sighed again, her voice filled with a world- weariness that sounded far older than she looked. "Sometimes, when dealing with a cruel foe, one must be as cruel as your enemies, in order to send a message that it is not wise to attack Ponyland." Majesty looked away. "By destroying these bat ponies so viciously, we let the other enemies of Ponykind know that they cannot attack us in such a cruel and viscous manner."

I stare at my queen in disbelief for several minutes, trying to make sense of what I had just been told. This really didn't sound like our great monarch at all, and had me really questioning her troublesome words.

"Ummm, is that really the reason you took such a brutal measure, my queen?" I ask, pushing the issue. "Might there have been more to it than just sending a message?"

My queen looked away from her, turning the question over and over in her head for several minutes, before turning back, and replying;

"Yes Tornado, you are indeed correct. There was more to why I was so brutal with the vampire ponies." She nodded, approving of how perceptive I was. "It was also my anguish over what had happened to the pony friends, and how I had failed them."

"So... you still felt guilty over failing to protect them, then?" I replied, understanding dawning on me. "You struck out so harshly at the thestrals, because you didn't want them to harm to do to your friends, like the bounty hunters who killed the pony pals." This led me to a further disturbing thought. "That's why you deal with the enemies of Dream Valley so harshly, it's to prevent history repeating itself."

"That is only part of the story, my good historian. But there is more to it than that." The queen looked at me sadly. "This was only the first tragedy that led me down a more violent path, and made me into the monarch mare that I am today."

"Then, what was it that turned you into such a stern and ruthless ruler, great Majesty?" I asked, curiously. "What was it that turned you into the stern and... harsh ruler that you have become?"

"I believe the best way to tell you that, is to tell you what happened next." Queen Majesty looked away for a moment, trotted in a circle, and sat back down on her throne. "After we defeated those bat ponies, the girls and I continued down the path, back towards the spot where we had first lost our stallion friend. We were determined to help our stallion friends find Tornado, and the four of us were hoping to catch up with them before we started our search."

"Wait a minute, my queen. There is a question I have, from something you told me about earlier in the story." I asked, being bold enough to interrupt my queen. "Who exactly was it who ordered the Sweetheart Sister bounty hunters to attack the pony pals? Who exactly was this mysterious figure, who seemed to have it out for Ponylanders? I mean, I know Equestrians and Ponylanders don't exactly get along... okay, we are all extremely hostile towards each other... but this kind of hate is a little worse than one would usually encounter."

"The pony who did this, Tornado, was a mare more evil than you can possibly imagine." My queen shivered, as if recalling a traumatic memory. "She was a unicorn high up in the Equestrian government, who manipulated her nation into never being at peace with Ponyland. This mare had used her insanely strong magic to unnaturally extend her life by centuries, and obtained her place in the government by treachery." Majesty shook her head. "She was a powerful foe, one who gave me more trouble than any other enemy I have ever faced."

"A pony that powerful!? That sounds incredible!" I sputter out in disbelief. "But, what mare could be so incredibly powerful, that they could possibly challenge you!? I mean, you're a mare you can turn wicked ponies into pillars of salt! Even without the golden crown, what unicorn could possibly given you a run for your money?"

"Let's just say, it's a mare who had an unhealthy obsession with equality for all ponies, and the superiority of all ponies over other species." My queen replied, closing her eyes. "And she was determined and ruthless enough, that she came dangerously close to carrying out her twisted, fanatical goals."

At the mention of the words 'pony equality', I suddenly felt my blood run cold. That phrase is blasphemy here in Ponyland, and there was one powerful villain who made even the concept of equality poison in the hearts and minds of all Ponylanders, and I realized who my queen was speaking of. Levitating my quill and parchment up once more, I prepared to take down the next part of Queen Majesty's incredible tale...

Comments

[FleetlordAvatar]

Starlight Glimmer survived?!?! But as Majesty implies she eventually defeated her, that might no longer be the case.