Crown of Winter

by CartoonNerd12

Chapter 37

As they got closer to the barrier surrounding the dark castle, Screwball felt strange as she knew this was a huge moment for her. This is it… The moment we find out if Mothy is here or not…

Once a guard let them in the huge yellow gates, Screwy looked around and saw so many guards by tents as they stayed close to the locked castle doors.

Twilight, Discord, and Fluttershy went to question the lieutenant in charge.

"Thank you for coming, your highnesses." he said.

"We came as quickly as we could," Twilight replied. "Now what's this about a disturbance that's been going on?"

"You know how we have magical enchantments surrounding the castle windows? Where the spell is 'That those with evil in them are not permitted through?' Well… I don't know how, but we had a breach with that last night. We are positive a changeling escaped, but how they escaped is a mystery."

"That's very odd…" Fluttershy commented.

"It certainly is when we know all changelings are evil." said Discord.

Screwball slightly scowled at that, Not all changelings… Then her eyes widened. Wait… Could it be…? She started walking around, knowing full well that even if a changeling managed to get out the castle, they'd still need to get past the guards and barrier. And in order to do that… She quickly addressed the lieutenant, "Sir! Could the changeling be impersonating one of your men?"

The lieutenant's eyes widened, "I didn't realize…" He quickly shouted, "Men! Line up this instant!"

Discord proudly rubbed his daughter's head, "Good work, Screwy. If that changeling is trying to get away, then he has to be impersonating a guard."

The lieutenant went down the line, "Now, I am going to ask you each a question and if you answer it correctly, then we'll know you're not the impostor."

"Sir, yes, sir!" they all called out.

After a couple of rows, he got to a bat-pony guard that seemed nervous. Right as the lieutenant was about to ask, the guard made a break for it!

Screwy knew what to do as she flashed herself to tackle him and his disguise came off. When she got him flat on his back and got a good look at him, she held in a breath.

It was like everything stopped moving in that one moment. It was him. It was really him…

Tears of joy were threatening to escape from her, but she knew she had to keep herself under control. So many factors were at play: her parents and aunt were present, so were several royal guards, but most importantly, Mothball would not remember her.

"Please! Let me go!" he begged.

Oh no, you don't… I already lost you once to a different timeline. There is no way I am letting you out of my sight this time, Mothy… You told me to find you and now, I did…

"How did you escape?" she asked him, playing it cool.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I was hanging near my bedroom window when I noticed I could get through it. And…" He squinted and asked, "Are those swirly eyes?"

"They are." She suddenly felt conscientious. Just because Mothball liked her eyes in the other timeline didn't mean he would like them in this timeline, but then her fears melted away the minute he said.

"I had a dream about swirly eyes… I didn't understand it, but I felt like they were important like I somehow felt safe with them watching me… Could it have been your eyes?"

She gave a small smile, "It's possible… Mothball."

His eyes widened in shock, "How did you…?"

Before she could reply, two guards seized him. She yelled, "Unhand him!"

"Sorry, Your Highness. Orders from the queen. He must be brought before her."

---

Twilight examined the changeling as she reviewed what she told him, "So your name is Prince Mothball, you're twenty-five years old, and you managed to escape the castle because the enchantment let you out."

"I really don't know how I did it." he responded, "But I had to live there my entire life. I just wanted to see what it was like in the outside world even for a day. I know you don't trust my kind and you obviously don't trust my mother, so why should you trust me?"

Discord pointed, "Exactly! So I say… we toss him back into the castle with the rest of those heartless monsters!"

Screwy shouted, "No! That's not fair! What has Mothball even done? Sure, he escaped the castle, but that's because the enchantment let him! Think about it! It doesn't let any those with evil in them be set free! And has Mothball been convicted of a crime? I don't see how. The changelings were imprisoned over twenty-five years ago, which meant he would have been born after your wedding." she said that to her parents and aunt.

They glanced at each other in bewilderment, knowing she made a good point.

Screwball continued, "Don't let him go back in there. Instead, give him a chance at a normal life…"

Discord gestured, "Screwy, we are talking about the child of the villain that almost hurt our family…"

"Need I remind you of what could have been?"

Fluttershy told her husband, "She's right, honey… In a strange way, we actually owe Chrysalis the lives we're living now…"

Twilight said, "Hate to admit it, but it's true."

Screwball pointed out, "And don't you think Mothball is innocent? Just because his mother should be punished doesn't mean he should be, too."

The adults gave stone faces.

Screwy sighed, "All right, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but Mom, Dad? Can I speak to you alone?" She went out of the tent and into a different tent where they followed her.

Fluttershy asked, "What is it, honey?"

"You are aware of how in the other timeline, that Mothball did help me and the cousins get this time back?"

Discord said, "Yes, well, that was when he wasn't living with his mother, but here… he does…"

"I didn't want to tell you this, mainly because I was afraid of how you'd react, but Mothball was more than just a friend to me…"

Her parents raised their brows.

"We… fell in love…" she quickly looked down.

Fire burned in Discord's eyes as he bellowed, "WHAT?!"

Fluttershy covered her mouth in shock.

Screwy quickly spoke, "We were falling love the whole time I was there and we were afraid we'd never see each other again! And just before time reset itself, he told me to find him, even if it took me a thousand years! And now… that I found him, I don't plan on letting him go…"

Her parents were shocked at this confession.

"You two may not realize it, but you cast a pretty big shadow when it comes to being in love with the one you want. For a while there, I was jealous of that love, and because of that, I did something I will regret for the rest of my days."

Fluttershy's eyes widened, almost afraid to ask, "What did you do?"

"I… broke up Gem and her coltfriend…"

"YOU DID WHAT?!" both parents yelled.

"I don't know what came over me, but I couldn't help feeling upset and admiring their love at the same time. Thinking I would never have that love made me feel like I had to do something to stop it…"

Her mother was on the verge of tears, uttering, "Oh, Screwball…"

"But the moment we got back, I made sure to fix it. Seam and Gem are back together now and seeing what happened to you two in that other timeline made me realize I can't mess around with ponies' lives. So I am not going to do that again…"

Discord wiped his forehead, "That's a relief."

Fluttershy gave a small smile, "Well, I certainly am glad you learned your lesson."

"See? I did something very bad and you're willing to give me a second chance. But you won't even give Mothball a first chance! Let him live among us and you will see he is not the changeling you think is."

"But what if he's not the changeling you think he is? Then what will you do?" Discord inquired.

She sighed, "It'll be hard, but I will move on. I made a vow to help those find love even if I can't. But can we at least see if he is a different changeling than the one I fell in love with?"

Fluttershy smiled, "I think we can do that."

"Say what?! Honey!"

She glared at her husband, "I gave you a second chance…"

He was stunned to silence, knowing she made an excellent point.

Fluttershy continued, "Discord, we made an agreement with the others that our children would be free to lead their own lives now. You were a prisoner of stone and Mothball was a prisoner of the castle. If our daughter wants to see if this changeling can give her the happiness she needs, then we need to give her that…"

Discord stood silent as he stared into his daughter's pleading eyes. He couldn't resist that face. It was longing for the love she craved, the love she had already experienced. It pained him to find out that his daughter fell in love, but he couldn't deny her the one thing she wanted. With a heavy sigh, he said, "All right. We'll go to Twilight and… let the changeling come with us…"

Screwy gasped happily as she threw herself around her daddy, "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Daddy!"

Discord tightly embraced her, knowing that moments like these wouldn't come so easily once his daughter started dating.

---

While Screwball had been talking to her parents, Twilight was talking to Chrysalis through the peephole with Mothball by the Queen of Canterlot's side.

"Honestly, Chrysalis, I didn't think you were pregnant during the time you kidnapped us. I hate to bring up a disgusting question, but by any chance is Blueblood …?"

"Puh-leez! Blueblood loved himself more than other ponies. He was better off as a snack! And besides, I was pregnant long before I offered him an alliance."

"Really? You didn't show it."

"Hello! I am queen of the changelings! I give birth every so month! Of course, I don't show it!"

"But Mothball looks just like you. The other changelings don't."

"That's because he is a prince!" she said in a sickly-sweet tone. "He is a special kind of changeling…"

Mothball muttered, "Not that special…"

"Just so I get this straight: the rest of the changelings are given birth by you alone, but Mothball needed a…"

"Father. Yes." The queen dully said.

Twilight felt like gagging, but remembering her training, she kept a straight face on. By then, her sister, brother-in-law, and niece came to them.

Fluttershy whispered to Twilight's ear and her eyes widened, saying, "Really? Okay, then…" Then she faced the changeling prince, "Well, Mothball, since you are not a true criminal against us the way your mother is, we have decided to grant you a chance to live with us in Canterlot."

"WHAT?!" both Changeling Queen and Prince shouted in shock.

Screwball went up to the prince, who couldn't help but stare at her swirly eyes. She thought with content, I just know it's you… It'll take some time, but we will get back to what we were…and what we were always meant to be…

Mothball was thinking, I have never met this mare before in my life and yet, why does it feel I have?

---

Screwy was back in the castle with her cousins in the girls' room, and she told them how she found Mothball after all, much to their delighted surprise.

"The good news is he's going to stay here in the castle while we help teach him right from wrong and to think for himself. The bad news is it's going to take some time for him to get to know all of us again."

Cotton exclaimed, "Aw, poor guy! He has time amnesia!"

Fire Spark motioned, "Which was to be expected if he ever did exist here."

Starling said to Screwy, "Just remember to take it slow and try not to rush him."

Screwball said dryly, "Says the mare who's getting married in a few days to a guy she's only known for a month."

Star smirked, "Touché."

Every pony laughed.

Comments

[Skye Mist]

Haha! The ships can never have too much!