Crown of Winter

by CartoonNerd12

Chapter 1

Fourteen years had passed since Twilight was crowned queen of Canterlot. The young queen managed to rule the kingdom with wisdom as her parents did before her. But she also ruled with kindness, generosity, honesty, loyalty, laughter, empathy, and courage, which she got from her sisters Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Sunset Shimmer, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle.

All of them were married and had children of their own. In fact, most of the children were now full-grown, which was a dilemma for Twilight. She knew the royal line had to continue, but the question was how? All their lives, the children grew up together, from playtime to private tutoring, so they never had a chance to be around other fillies and colts their age. And that was a problem for Twilight.

She gathered her five older sisters in the throne room one afternoon while they were visiting from the Everfree Kingdom. She wasn't sure how they were going to react to her idea, since they had once been forced to meet suitors and were almost forced into arranged marriages. Had it not been for the magical underground kingdom where they could meet with their lovers in private, who knows who they could've gotten married to?!

But luckily, there was a choice this time. When their mother, Queen Celestia, made the suitor proclamation, she only did it to protect her girls from an evil Changeling Queen who had cast a curse on their father, King Sombra. Chrysalis could track them down when they had fallen in love and cast the curse on them as well. Fortunately, everything had worked out in the end and in return, they had their father back. Then over time, more good stuff happened to the girls.

The little filly maids - Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle - were adopted into the royal family and were their new sisters. In time, they grew up, found their true loves, and had children of their own. Their cousin Cadence was cursed as a Breezie by the evil Lord Tirek, but thanks to Twilight's magic and Shining Armor's everlasting vow of love, they broke the curse. Now, Cadence and Shining Armor were living happily-ever-after with their teenage daughter Skyla and her little sister Flurry Heart. Finally, they found their long-lost sister and Twilight's twin, Sunset Shimmer. She had been taken by Starlight Glimmer when she was just one year old. At first, after they saved her from her controlling guardian, they locked Starlight away just as she had locked Sunset. But after a dreadful sleeping curse was cast across Equestria by the Sirens, Umbrum, and Nightmare Moon, Sunset found two diaries by Starlight and she understood her former caretaker. Once the curse was lifted, Sunset forgave her and Starlight repented at last.

Twilight told her sisters of her plan and immediately could see that their reactions were less than pleased.

Rainbow was the first to speak, "Whoa, whoa! Are you telling us that you want our kids to go through the same thing we had to go through?!"

Rarity said, "Darling, I must agree. This is something I thought we would never go through again, and with our children, no less."

"But it'll be different this time!" Twilight insisted. "Instead of just members of royalty, it could be any pony that comes to call!"

Applejack cringed, "Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, it's great for the kids to make their own choices and have more options, but what happens if they choose someone that's wrong for them?"

The other girls muttered in agreement.

Rarity mentioned, "They could accidently choose a Blueblood!"

The sisters winced at the memory of being held captive by their greedy distant cousin.

"Which is why we'll be keeping a close eye on any suitor or mare that comes along," Twilight pointed.

Fluttershy said, "You know they're not going to like this, Screw Ball especially…"

Pinkie nodded, "Cotton wants to find love on her own, like how Cheese and I met."

"Yes, but you got lucky. In fact, we were all lucky. Spike was our friend since his birth, Fancy and Flash were trusted employees of the castle, Discord reformed, and Soarin' and Cheese were decent guys trying to make a living. All they wanted was our love, but suppose we met someone who was just using us to get into the royal family?"

They glanced at each other.

"Exactly. And since our children are known throughout Equestria, who knows how many con-stallions and mares would try to use them? This way, they'll get a chance to meet ponies and fall in love while we'll be around to make sure they don't get hurt."

Rarity gestured, "So it'll be like a mare-meets-stallion or a stallion-meets-mare, but we're arranging the conditions of which they can meet?"

"Right." Twilight smiled.

Dash touched her chin in thought, "Uh. I guess… it could work."

"But we won't force them to marry some pony they don't love, right?" Fluttershy asked.

"Precisely."

Applejack sighed, "I guess the thing to do now is tell the kids."

Twilight countered, "Actually, the next thing to do is tell our husbands."

"Oh…" they all said.

---

Whirl Wind, Fire Spark, and Dignity were walking down the street carrying stacks of books.

"Sheesh, Fire! How many books did you check out?!" Whirl grunted.

"All the books I could find on scientific discoveries, methods, theories…"

Dignity cut in, "Just why do you need to return all of these today?"

"Because we won't be in Canterlot for long, and I would hate myself for not returning a book on time."

Whirl rolled his eyes. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past them and all the books fell down. Whirl looked up in fury to see a pegasus mare flying above them, laughing away.

He yelled, "Sky Blitz!" She laughed as she came down to face them. Fire and Dignity glared at her as Whirl spoke directly to her, "You knocked all of my cousin's books down!"

"Not even! They're the library's and they deserved to be treated with respect!" Fire pointed.

She mocked in sincerity, "Oh, I'm sorry, Your Highnesses. I was only practicing my speed for when I get into the Wonderbolts."

Dignity mentioned, "Isn't your mother, like, the captain? Couldn't she get you in?"

Whirl smirked, "But that would mean she would need Mommy's help because she can't get in herself…"

Sky's cheeks burned red, "I could so get in! And I certainly don't need my mom's help!" Then she had a smug look, "Unlike some ponies I know…"

This time, Whirl Wind's face turned red and he gritted his teeth, "I get stuck in the Cloudsdale weather machine one time…"

"And why was that? Oh, yeah. Because you're a sloppy racer!"

Fire blurted, "Hey! Whirl could totally spin circles around you now! We're not little kids anymore!"

Whirl declared, "That's right! And I want a rematch of that race!"

Sky challenged, "Name the time and place!"

"This afternoon at four, at the Wonderbolt derby! Be there or be square!"

"You're on!" They both spit on their hooves to shake on it.

Dignity gagged at the sight. When Sky Blitz left, Whirl turned to face his cousins and Dignity gestured, "Must you be so revolting when challenging a pony to anything? You should have been more civilized about it."

Fire nudged his cuz, "You know it's been like that for them ever since they were kids."

"You know how my parents would bring me to the Wonderbolt derby and see Dad and Aunt Spitfire perform. Sky and I were young and decided to hang out. Of course, we mostly annoyed the heck out of each other, but hey, it was fun."

"Except I can see she became more annoying," said Fire as he gathered up his books.

"Yes, what she lacks in courtesy, she makes up for it in aggravation…" Dignity's eyes cast on a tall unicorn mare with striking features.

His cousins noticed and Fire said, "Lady Fleur-de-lis's daughter…"

Whirl said, "Mauve."

Dignity sighed, "Mauve… A lovely name for a lovely pony…" Then he felt a punch, "Ow!"

"Oh, come on! That didn't even hurt! Look, if you like the girl, go over and say hello!"

"What?! But-but-but I wouldn't know what to say to her!"

Fire suggested, "You could try something like…'Hello, Mauve. My name is Prince Dignity. Would you like to talk?'"

"Puh-leez, like she won't know who he is…" Whirl scoffed.

"I'm just trying to boost his confidence."

Dignity sadly sighed, "It doesn't matter, she could never go for someone like me…"

Whirl nudged him, "You kidding? Of course she would! But in case she doesn't… You'll always have your cousins by your side…" he started a song cue, "Good pals, blood brothers… Me and two others…"

"Whirl Wind!"

"Dignity!"

"Fire Spark!"

All sang, "One team!"

They sung together as they picked up the books and headed down the street, "Three friends, none closer… Get mad? Heck no, sir! Not us, three-strong, a permanent team… Three guys out poundin' the pavements of Canterlot… Princes with one Equestrian dream… To stay this lazy and play like crazy! Whirl Wind, Dignity, Fire Spark, one team! True friends, no phonies… Me and my bronies…"

A crowd sung around them, "Whirl Wind, Dignity, Fire Spark, one team!"

The trio sang, "Three bums, none better… Not one go-getter…"

Fire sings, "Unmotivated in the extreme…"

Whirl sang, "Folks say, "Hey, go act like princes in Canterlot"…"

Dignity drones, ""Grow up"…"

Fire sung, ""Go earn the city's esteem!"…"

They sung, "We say, "Tough noogie!", "No way!", "Let's boogie!"…"

They sang with the crowd, "Whirl Wind, Dignity, Fire Spark, one team!"

The guys sang again, "Three guys out passing the badge in Canterlot…"

The crowd of ponies sung, "Canterlot… Three letting off some musical steam, oh!"

The trio started finishing, "That's our finale, 'kay guys, let's blow this alley!" They sang with the crowd, "Whirl Wind, Dignity, Fire Spark and…" They sang to the crowd, "How'zat so far?"

They sung back, "Not bad!"

The trio sang, "'N it's…"

They all sung, "Six eyes with one impertinent gleam… Whirl Wind! Dignity! Fire Spark! One team! Whirl Wind! Dignity! Fire Spark! One team!"

There was cheering as the boys headed into the library.

---

The girls were in the bedchamber that their mothers had when they were young. At some point, the cousins wanted to hang out together and their mothers decided to give them their old room. They wasted no time making the room their place. Now the cutie mark tiles were marked with their cutie marks: Cotton's cotton candy with fireworks, Screw Ball's baseball and screw, Apple Jewel's jeweled apple, Gemstone's three circle gems, and Starling's blue star. They even had the cutie marks of their cousins - Skater, Snow Pea, Apple Butter, and Little Button - whenever they came to visit from Marendelle with their families.

The girls were in the middle of the floor having fun with makeovers and were wearing their tiaras, talking and giggling away. Screw Ball was humming as she looked herself in the mirror. For some pony who was half draconequus, she didn't look like it except her swirly eyes. They were the only thing she had to prove she was her father's daughter. She looked nothing like her parents, but hay, with a chaotic offspring, nothing made sense. And if that wasn't enough, thanks to her parents, she had a royal title. She was Princess Screw Ball, but she mostly liked to call herself the Princess of Chaos.

Apple Jewel joined her and smiled into the mirror, showing off her fangs, which she inherited from her father. It was interesting that Jewel looked like her mom, but she also had dragon breath and teeth. As half-beings, there were certain things that happened to ponies but the girls were immune to. When the sleeping curse hit back when they were kids, they were able to stay awake, even if they got drowsy because of them being half-pony. Behind them, Gemstone, Starling, and Cotton were busy shining each other's hooves.

Of course, being a princess wasn't all fun and games. The girls each had duties to perform, mainly to help their parents.

Cotton exclaimed, "This is the life!"

"You said it!" Screwy proclaimed.

Gemstone pointed, "What could possibly happen to interrupt our happy lives?"

They just giggled.

Little did they know…Meanwhile, in the throne room….

"WHAT?!" the husbands all shouted out with their mouths gaping open.

Twilight declared, "Just hear us out!"

"But didn't we go through this before?" Soarin' asked and the guys all agreed.

Rarity said, "Yes, but this time will be different. They won't go through the same rules as we did."

Fluttershy pointed, "They'll be free to marry whoever they love."

Discord pointed an accusing finger, "But you're bringing in strange colts we know nothing about! Besides, Screwy is too young to get married! And that is my final word on the matter!"

Rainbow uttered, "Good. Because we can do without your opinion."

He gritted his teeth, "Why, you…" But Fluttershy managed to calm him down.

"Discord, I'm just as concerned for our daughter as you, but Screw Ball is grown-up. Even you can't deny she's a young mare now."

Discord whined and said in baby talk, "But I don't want to! Screwy is my baby girl!"

Applejack shouted, "Land sakes! Stallion up, won't you! Look, our kids aren't kids anymore, and we got to accept that."

Twilight said, "It's important for the royal line to continue. Starling is next in line after me since her brother gave up the position as the oldest. What happens if none of them has heirs? We would need to rely on the others to have children of their own. Just think, Discord: Screw Ball's child could very well be the next heir."

"Hmm…" Discord went deep in thought.

Fluttershy whispered, "You do realize you made a risky move there…"

"It was necessary. You don't want Discord getting in the way of your daughter's relationships, do you?"

She sighed, "No, you're right. This may be the only way he'll cooperate…"

Discord finally spoke, "Alright, I'll play along. But any colt my daughter chooses has to be run by me, got it?"

"That's the idea. We make sure any pony our children choose are virtuous enough to be accepted."

That brought smiles to the guys.

Flash said, "Great, cause honestly, I'm a little worry of who Star chooses…"

His wife reassured him, "Don't worry. I know exactly how you feel."

Applejack gestured, "Now do we tell the kids?"

Twilight nodded, "Now we tell the kids."

Author's Note:

Song featured was Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim from the Aladdin Broadway Musical.

Comments

[Skye Mist]

Me and my bronies…"

Haha!
Meta.

[Godslittleprincess]

Aww, they grow up so fast.
Also,

All of them were married and had children of their own. 

Since when did Sunset get married and to who?

[Godslittleprincess]

Starling is next in line after me since her brother gave up the position as the oldest.

By the way, OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH! I! TOTALLY! CALLED IT!

Will she get wings when she has true love's kiss?

[moonlit scribe]

YESSS! A SEQUEL TO THE FAIRY-TALE SERIES BY CARTOON NERD! BEST DAY EVER!

[Godslittleprincess]

The trio sang, " Three bums, none better… Not one go-getter…"

Well, no wonder your parents are so worried about your futures.