Majesty: Queen of the Castle

by Paradise Oasis

Three's a company

And so, the three companions continued along the path, as the sun continued to set. But while the first two were quietly trying to watch and observe their surroundings, their newest companion just couldn't seem to be able to keep her mouth shut.

"So wow, you're like, a princess?" Wind Whistler asked, zipping around over the other two's heads. "That's so cool! -Tweet!- So, are you out here on some kind of quest? Like maybe to rescuer a handsome prince from an evil witch or something? Oh, this is going to be sooo cool!"

"Yes, thank you." Was all Majesty managed to get out, as the crazy motormouth kept going and going. "But I'm not on any sort of quest or adventure. I've actually left home to find myself, and to get away from my overbearing mother, the queen."

"Find yourself? Well, that silly! -tweet!-Why would need to find yourself? You're right here!" Windy giggled. "But if you're not really doing anything, -tweet!- why don't the two of you come and help me try to find the cuteasaurus?"

"Do enjoy hearing yourself talk? Is that why you never shut yer trap, kid?" Applejack growled at the Pegasus flapping around in circles over their heads. "And would you please stop that annoying whistling? I'm I have to listen to it for another minute, I swear I'm gonna jump up there, and break your tweeter!"

"Geez, isn't little miss apple picker a grumpy pony today?" Wind Whistler asked, sticking her tongue out at Applejack. "Are you always so grouchy, or did you just get grouchy in your old age?"

"Better a grumpy old mare, than a young bubble-headed filly with her head stuck in the clouds. " A.J. Snorted. "I wonder, are you even capable of taking anything seriously? "

"Hey, I can, like be totally serious when I need to, Applebutt." Wind Whistler stuck her tongue out at the earth pony. "But I also love laughing and joking and having a good time! I'd rather be dead than be a super-serious stick in the mud like you all the time!"

"Would the two of you please stop arguing for a moment? I can't even hear myself think!" Majesty yelled in exasperation, turning her attention towards the rapidly setting sun. "It'll be getting dark soon, and we're going to need to set up for the night."

The three ponies continued trotting along the path, until they spotted a wilder, less-traveled pathway which seemed to go off the main one. Wind Whistler stopped at poorly maintained dirt road, calling out to the others.

"Hey, what about, like, going this way?" The blue Pegasus urged them, stopping Majesty and A.J. in their tracks. "It looks like this might be a bit more exciting!"

With an audible sigh, the other two ponies turned and followed their winged companion down the gown over path, getting their hooves stuck in thickets and brambles. The two fillies nearly stumbled over one another, trying to navigate a nearly invisible path.

"Applejack, watch where you're going!" The princess snapped. "You've already stepped my tail twice!"

"Sorry, your highness, but I can't see anything." The earth pony replied, squinting her eyes in the dark. "Hey, I think I see a clearing up ahead!"

Sure enough, the trio of mares came into a clearing in the forest, where they found a most unexpected sight. All around them were features in the landscape that clearly weren't natural.

"Wait, is that... a wall?" Majesty asked, not believing her eyes. "What is a brick wall doing out in the middle of the forest?"

"Oh wow, it so totally is!" Wind Whistler agreed. "And I think I see a house over there all covered in vines... and without a roof!"

The three of them started looking around, and found ruined shops, broken down buildings, and the foundation stones of houses long gone. It was obvious some kind of community had been here long ago, but it was clearly long abandoned by now.

"Oh boy, I think I know where we are." Applejack said nervously, looking around as the last rays of sunlight vanished. "The lost village of the ancients, it's supposed to stand somewhere in the woods about a day's journey away from Dream Castle."

"Well, wherever we are, it's too dark to keep going." Majesty told the other two, lighting her horn up so they could see in the darkness. "Let's get a fire going, and get out our bedrolls out before it gets too late."

The three ponies quickly gathered some dry kindling together, and it wasn't long before they had a small fire blazing. The trio had built their camp in the remains of a large circular building, where only half of the large outer wall still stood. Gathering around the fire, the three of them helped them selves to the rations of oats and fruit in their saddlebags, while Applejack snuck whatever extra bits of food she could out of the other two's bags.

"So the lost village of the ancients, huh?" Wind Whistler asked, cocking her head curiously. "I heard my mom mention this place before in stories, but who the heck were the ancients?"

"They were supposed to be a mighty nation of ponies who lived in Ponyland, long before the coming of the humans or the elves and gnomes." Majesty explained, her eyes softly glowing in the firelight. "They had a powerful and mighty civilization, but lost their greatness in a series of wars with the monster races. Our ancestors came to settle these lands, conquered the ancients, and drove them out of Ponyland. But all of their great wisdom and magic was lost, and all that remains are these strange ruins they left all over Ponyland." She looked around at the crumbling walls around them. "We know so little about them or their way of life... heck, we don't even know what they were actually called."

"Ohhh, how mysterious!" Wind Whistler exclaimed. She then looked over at Applejack. "Hey A.J., you seem kinda quiet. Something, like, on your mind?"

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about how creepy this place is... how it almost seems familiar." A shiver went down the young filly's spine. "I don't know why, but this place reminds me of a dress shop for some reason."

"Really? I thought it was a temple or something." Majesty stated, surprised. "You been here before or something, Applejack?"

"Not that I can recall. Just like you two, I've been living in Dream Valley as long as I can remember." A.J. Shrugged. "But still, I can't shake the feeling this whole town is familiar somehow."

"Anyway, we need to figure out what we're going to do tomorrow." Wind Whistler stated, trying to pull the conversation back on track. "So where in Ponyland are we headed first, Princess?"

"Yeah, I agree, we need to figure out where we are going." Applejack agreed, stuffing another hoof full of oats into her face. "Maretonia? Bright Valley? Or Y'all thinking about heading ta the royal Paradise, the capital of the whole Ponyland confederacy?"

"Actually, I was thinking about Flutter Valley." Majesty replied, a smile spreading across her face. "I've always wanted to see the Flutter ponies!"

"Ohh, I like it, the Flutter ponies are all so pretty!" Wind Whistler agreed eagerly. "It would be an awesome place to start are search for the cuteasaurs!"

"I don't know about this girls, I've heard the Flutter ponies don't exactly take kindly to visitors." Applejack sighed. "Still, if you both want to go there, I'd recommend stopping off at Misty Mountain for some supplies, first."

"Sounds like a plan to me, at least we know where we're going now." Majesty trotted away from the fire, climbing into her sleeping bag. "So we'd better get some sleep now, we have an awfully big day ahead of us tomorrow!"

The three girls turned in, as the fire slowly died away. But as the darkness engulfed the encampment, the three slumbering mares shivered in their sleep, as if a thousand phantom eyes were watching them from the darkness...

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