• Published 8th Jul 2016
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Love Tap of Marendelle - Godslittleprincess



The story of Queen Love Tap before she became queen. Inspired by CartoonNerd12

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How I Met Your Father

Button Mash and his brothers-in-law were making their way to the castle gym to practice their sword-fighting, and their wives were coming to cheer them on.

“I bet that Rumble wipes the floor with both your husbands,” bragged Scootaloo. “I’d do it myself, but you know.” She pointed at her stomach. At two months, it was starting to bulge.

“Oh, come on, Scootaloo,” snarked Apple Bloom. “Don’t you know that making bets you can’t win is bad for your condition. Besides, Pip’s obviously got the upper hoof here.”

“No, he doesn’t. Button does,” pointed Sweetie Belle.

“I probably shouldn’t be getting involved, but maybe you ladies should let your husbands and their skills speak for themselves,” said Pip.

“Besides, what’s a bet without stakes?” added Rumble.

Button was about to add his own two bits when he heard something that made him stop. It was the sound of a stallion’s voice singing accompanied by a stringed instrument of sorts, and although the sound was faint, Button could hear it clearly enough to make out words.

“A long, long time ago, there was a volcano/Living all alone in the middle of the sea/He sat high above his bay watching all the couples play/And wishing that he had someone, too/And from his lava came this song of hope/That he sang out loud every day for years and years,” sang the voice as Button shushed the others and motioned for them to follow him.

“‘I have a dream I hope it will come true/That you're here with me and I'm here with you/I wish that the earth, sea and the sky up above-a/Will send me someone to lava’,” the voice continued as the group made their way towards it.

Button and the others found themselves outside of a room that had the door slightly ajar. Button motioned for everypony else to keep quiet as they all leaned in to look through the opening. They saw a room with a piano and a few comfortable-looking chairs, and in two of those chairs sat the king and queen of Marendelle, Button Mash’s parents. They were sitting closely next to one another, and King Cinnamon Swirl was holding a ukulele.

“Years of singing all alone/Turned his lava into stone until he was on the brink of extinction,” sang Cinnamon Swirl, strumming on the ukulele.

“But, little did he know that living in the sea below/Another volcano was listening to his song,” Love Tap joined in with a playful smile on her face. “Every day she heard his tune her lava grew and grew/Because, she believed his song was meant for her/Now she was so ready to meet him above the sea/As he sang his song of hope for the last time”

“‘I have a dream I hope it will come true/That you're here with me and I'm here with you/I wish that the earth, sea and the sky up above-a/Will send me someone to lava’”

“Rising from the sea below, stood a lovely volcano/Looking all around but, she could not see him”

“He tried to sing to let her know that she was not there alone/But with no lava his song was all gone/He filled the sea with his tears/And watched his dreams disappear/As she remembered what his song meant to her”

“‘I have a dream I hope it will come true/That you're here with me and I'm here with you/I wish that the earth, sea and the sky up above-a/Will send me someone to lava’”

Much to their unknown audience’s delight, the king and queen sang the rest of the song in unison, “Oh, they were so happy to finally meet above the sea/All together now, their lava grew and grew/No longer are they all alone with aloha/As their new home and when you visit them this is what they sing/‘I have a dream I hope it will come true/That you'll grow old with me/And I'll grow old with you/We thank the earth, sea and the sky we thank too/I lava you/I lava you/I lava you’”

During the last lines of the song, Love Tap wrapped her arm around Cinnamon Swirl’s, and the two of them were leaning in for a kiss when they were suddenly startled apart by the sound of clapping coming from the door.

“Wow, Pop, I didn’t know you could play the uke,” exclaimed Button Mash, opening the door, revealing the group.

“Oh, it’s just a little something that I picked up from my travels in Haywaii,” replied Cinnamon Swirl.

“You’ve been to Haywaii?” gasped Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, is it as beautiful as all the pictures make it look?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Umm, if you don’t mind us asking, what are the two of you doing here anyways?” remarked Scootaloo.

“Well, Cinnamon and I thought that we’d take some much needed time off to rekindle the old romance, and we decided to do it here because it was the room where we first met,” replied Queen Love Tap.

“By the way, how did the two of you meet?” asked Pip.

“Pop ended up staying at the castle for shelter during a storm and proved his worth by bringing Gramps 40 baskets of jewels, right?” said Button Mash.

“Well, it was certainly more detailed than that,” answered Love Tap.


In that same room years ago on a dark and stormy night, Princess Love Tap sat behind the piano while her music teacher Soprano Melody stood nearby. Her father King Lincoln Log entered the room accompanied by the stallion who would later become King Cinnamon Swirl.

“Love Tap,” King Lincoln Log announced, “this is Lord Cinnamon Swirl the Adventurer of Coltugal or so he claims. He and his crew will be staying with us until the storm passes.”

Love Tap stood up to greet her father and their visitor and immediately locked eyes with Lord Cinnamon Swirl. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. Her entire body felt like it had been jolted with electricity. She couldn’t help but feel rather taken by the handsome stallion standing before her.

“I’m…enchanted to meet you, Lord Cinnamon Swirl,” said Love Tap, curtsying.

“Likewise, princess,” replied Cinnamon Swirl, bowing low.

“Thanks to this storm, the two of us are presently unoccupied,” explained King Lincoln Log. “If you don’t mind, we are going to be observing your music lesson today.”

“Of course, Father,” replied Love Tap, positioning herself behind the piano.

Love Tap played a few bars of music on the piano. Then, she began to sing along with the music, “When the warm breeze is a-calling/And the sky is clear and bright/Misty jungles sing and beckon/Lead me out into the light//I will run, I will fly/Chase the wind and touch the sky/I will fly/Chase the wind and touch the sky//Where dark caves hide secrets/And mountains are fierce and bold/Deep oceans hold reflections/Of times lost long ago//I will hear their every story/Take hold of my own dream/Be as strong as the seas are stormy/And proud as an eagle's scream”

The thunder boomed and the lightning cracked, but this did not seem to faze Love Tap as she continued to play and sing. “I will run, I will fly/Chase the wind and touch the sky/I will fly/Chase the wind and touch the sky//And touch the sky/Chase the wind, chase the wind/Touch the sky”

When she finished, Love Tap stood up and gave a bow. King Lincoln Log and Lord Cinnamon Swirl applauded her while Soprano Melody merely nodded.

“Still a touch sharp on the high notes, Your Highness, but it’s an improvement nonetheless,” critiqued Ms. Melody.

“If I may be so bold, maybe our guest would like to treat us to a performance himself,” offered Love Tap.

“Now, Love, as the hosts, we wouldn’t want to trouble our guest now, would we?” King Lincoln Log gently scolded.

“Actually, I would be happy to play a little something,” answered Cinnamon Swirl. “I learned a song from Minostria that would be perfect for a stormy night. I will just need to fetch my accordion from my room.”


“Hold on a minute,” interrupted Button Mash. “Since when can you play the accordion?”

“And how were you able to travel to Minostria?” added Rumble. “Isn’t it landlocked?”

Cinnamon Swirl sighed. “There is a lot that you don’t know about your mother and me, son, and to answer your question, Rumble, Minostria had a coast back then but lost it due to a boundary dispute with Cowatia before you kids were born. Now, are you going to let us continue our story or not?”

“Why don’t we cut to your performance?” suggested Love Tap, giggling a bit.

“So, what song did you sing for Queen Love Tap and her father?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Was it romantic?” gushed Sweetie Belle.

“Was it romantic?” chuckled King Cinnamon Swirl as he slapped his armrest. “Of course, it was.”


“High on a hill was a lonely goatherd/Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo,” sang Lord Cinnamon Swirl as he pumped his accordion. “Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo”

The song elicited a few titters from his audience, which was exactly what Cinnamon Roll had wanted. “Folks in a town that was quite remote heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo/Lusty and clear from the goatherd´s throat heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo//O ho lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay/O ho lay dee odl lee o, lay dee odl lee o lay”

Lincoln Log and Love Tap’s titters grew into giggles and snickers despite their best efforts, and Cinnamon Swirl continued to carry on singing his amusing song. “A prince on the bridge of a castle moat heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo/Mules on a road with a load to tote heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo//Bulls in the midst of a table d´hote heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo/Calves drinking shakes with the foam afloat heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo”

At that point, a crash of thunder rang through the sky, but the king and the princess barely even noticed it in the midst of their laughter. Love Tap could see why such a song would be popular during thunderstorms.

“One little girl in a pale pink coat heard,” sang Cinnamon Swirl, giving a charming smirk in Princess Love Tap’s direction. “Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo/She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo//Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard/Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo/What a duet for a girl and goatherd/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo//Happy are they lay dee olay dee lee o/ O lay dee o lay dee ay ee oo/Soon the duet will become a trio/Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo”

The king’s laughter had grown into hearty chuckles, and even the normally stoic music teacher was laughing. “Nailed it,” thought Cinnamon Roll as he sang the final chorus. “Odl lay ee, odl lay ee/Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee/Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee/Odl lay odl lay odl lay//Hoo!”

Once their laughter had died down, King Lincoln Log and Princess Love Tap applauded their guest’s performance while Ms. Melody composed herself with a few loud coughs.

“Bravo!” cheered the king. Even though Lincoln Log still didn’t believe that the stallion was who he said he was, he had to admit that the fellow was quite likable.

“That was so much fun!” exclaimed Love Tap. “But I wonder. What is a lord from Coltugal doing in places like Minostria and Marendelle?”

“Ponies don’t call me Cinnamon Swirl the Adventurer for nothing, Your Highness,” Cinnamon Swirl cheekily replied.

“Have you been to other places?”

“Of course, and I’ve learned songs from quite a few of them too if your majesties would like to hear more.”

“Could you teach me some of them?” asked Love Tap, a little too eagerly.

King Lincoln Log paused, feeling threatened. He knew better than to be so paranoid, but he couldn’t help but sense that his daughter may be attracted to this stallion that neither of them even knew.

“Love Tap, darling, Lord Cinnamon Swirl is only staying until the storm passes,” chided King Lincoln Log, protectively. “We really shouldn’t be troubling him like this.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all, Your Majesty,” assured Cinnamon Swirl. “I’d love to teach the princess a few songs if my stay permits me.”

“Well, it’s getting late, and I believe that we all should be heading to bed,” said King Lincoln Log, abruptly as he got up.

“Of course, it is. I still need to check on the rest of my crew and see how they’re settling in.”

As the three of them made their way out of the room, Lord Cinnamon Swirl and Princess Love Tap managed to steal a glance or two when the king and Ms. Melody weren’t looking.

“Do not let the two of them out of your sight tomorrow,” Lincoln Log whispered urgently to Ms. Melody before heading to his chambers.

“I hope to see you again, princess,” said Cinnamon Swirl before he and Love Tap parted ways for the night.

“And I you,” replied Love Tap.


The next morning, Cinnamon Swirl and his three closest shipmates were in the castle gym practicing their sword-fighting. Opposite of him stood the captain of his ship and his best friend since childhood Scarlet Plume while his two other friends, Tail Wind and Dogfish, faced each other nearby. Cinnamon lunged at Scarlet who easily countered him and struck him on the chest.

“You’re in a daze, my lord,” she laughed. “I can’t remember the last time that I’ve beaten you this easily.”

“It’s Princess Love Tap,” sighed Cinnamon Swirl. “I think might have stayed up half the night thinking about her.”

“You’ve met other mares before,” pointed Tail Wind. “What’s so different about this one?”

“I don’t know, but hopefully, I’ll get to stay long enough to find out,” answered Cinnamon Swirl. “Maybe I’ll run into her before our music lesson today.”

“Well, I’ve personally had enough fencing for today,” humphed Scarlet, putting away her sword. “There’s no point if your own opponent’s too lovestruck to put up a proper challenge. If any of you gentlemen need me, I’ll be in the library.”


“Wait. Wait,” interrupted Button. “Scarlet Plume? Wasn’t that my old fencing teacher and Featherweight’s mom?”

“Yes, it is,” groaned King Cinnamon Swirl, “and before you ask, yes, my other two friends were Snips and Snail’s fathers. Now, where was I?”

“Why don’t we skip to the part where you and Scarlett run into me at the library, dear?” said Queen Love Tap.

“Ahh, yes, the part where you get jealous that I’m friends with a mare.”

“I was not jealous,” Love Tap stammered, turning red. “Anyway, I was in the library reading when…”


In the library, Princess Love Tap sat by the window where she could see the storm raging on outside. She had her nose buried in a book while several more, mostly histories and adventure stories, were stacked around her. She turned her head to the sound of the library door opening.

“Lord Cinnamon!” she greeted cheerfully. Her smile soon faded when she saw that he was with a mare. The mare was a pegasus with a sand-colored coat and a long, wavy, red mane. On her head, she wore a black, flat-topped hat with a single long, red feather. “And who is this?”

“Princess Love Tap, this is my friend Captain Scarlet Plume,” Cinnamon introduced. “And Scarlet, this is Princess Love Tap.”

“Your majesty,” greeted Scarlet, bowing low.

“Pleasure,” replied Love Tap, uneasily. “I don’t mean to pry, but is she just your friend or…?”

“No!” cried Cinnamon and Scarlet simultaneously.

“I can assure you that the two of us are just friends,” blabbed Scarlett, blushing slightly.

“Oh, well, what brings you to the library?” inquired Love Tap as she returned to her reading.

“We got bored,” spat Scarlet, giving Cinnamon Swirl a rather irritated glare. Cinnamon could only shrug defensively in reply.

“So, what are you doing in the library, princess?” asked Cinnamon Swirl before he mentally slapped himself for asking such a ridiculous question.

“Well, most ponies call it reading,” answered the princess, “I call it looking through my little windows to the outside world.”

“You seem to be a fan of adventure stories,” remarked Scarlet Plume, scanning through Love Tap’s stacks of books. “Have you ever been to any of the places you’ve read about?”

“No, unfortunately,” sighed Love Tap. “I’ve actually never even left the castle grounds.”

“Why not?” asked Cinnamon Swirl.

“Well, my father doesn’t let me, simple as that.”

“It never occurred to you to sneak away?” asked Scarlet.

“Oh, I could never do that,” cried Love Tap. “My poor father would just die of worry. You see, I’m the only family he has left. Without me, he’d be all alone in the world, and I could never make him suffer like that.”

“Well, your father’s very lucky to have you,” assured Cinnamon Swirl. Suddenly, he had an idea. “Your highness, if you’re so fond of adventure stories, maybe you would like to hear some of ours.”

“Oh, I’d love to, and please just call me Love Tap or Love for short.”

“Well, only if you stop using my title as well.”


The storm continued for days, giving the two young lovers ample time to get to know one another. However, like all good things, the storm could not last forever, and one day, it was starting to calm. On this day, King Lincoln Log decided to give his daughter and guest some unpleasant news.

“Love Tap, I have just received a letter from Prince Beau Monde of Northerfroze accepting our invitation,” announced King Lincoln Log.

“Invitation? For what?” exclaimed Love Tap.

“The suitors, dear. I told you about them last week. You haven’t forgotten, have you?” The king raised an eyebrow.

“Oh. That,” groaned Love Tap, suddenly remembering her father’s announcement from last week.

“You also haven’t forgotten your promise to give each suitor a chance?”

“Of course not,” Love Tap half-mumbled.

“Good. The prince should be arriving as soon as the storm has calmed, and from what I’ve heard, that should be in two days.”

As soon as the king left the room, Cinnamon Swirl turned to Love Tap and asked, “You’re promised?”

“No,” answered Love Tap with a sigh. “Not yet anyway. My father’s giving me time to choose somepony I actually like before that happens. Thank goodness.”

“Were you ever going to tell me about this?”

“Quite honestly, with everything that’s been happening I had forgotten about the suitors, and I was hoping that my father had too. Wishful thinking.”

“And I guess, since your father was only letting me stay until the storm passed, he’s probably going to want me to leave in about two days also.”

“Probably.” Love Tap turned away so that Cinnamon Swirl wouldn’t be able to see that she was about to cry, but the hitch in her voice gave her away. Soon, she found herself crying into Cinnamon’s chest wrapped in his arms.


“Aww, that sounds so sad,” cried Sweetie Belle, feeling like crying herself.

“Hmm, Northerfroze, Northerfroze, now why does that place sound familiar?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that where Cousin Blueblood is from?” pointed Scootaloo.

“Oh, yeah. Wait. You don’t think Blueblood is related to this Prince Beau Monde, do you?”

“If they are, that means his family has been nothing but a bunch of no-good power-grabbing jerks for generations!”

“Maybe Prince Beau Monde wasn’t anything like Blueblood,” suggested Sweetie Belle.

“Well, unless we let the king and queen finish the story, we’ll never get to find out,” groaned Rumble.


Two days later, Cinnamon Swirl and his friends were out in the town gathering provisions for their departure. The progress of their mission was slow thanks to a certain lovesick regent.

“Cinnamon, will you quit bemoaning the fact we have to leave and focus on helping us get these supplies?” grumbled Scarlet Plume. “At the rate we’re going, we’ll never leave Marendelle.”

“Aww, lighten up,” quipped Dogfish.

“Yeah, we don’t have to leave right away,” agreed Tail Wind.

“Me? Lighten up?” scoffed Scarlet. “If you blockheads can find me a stallion that can get me to lighten up, I’ll marry him, but since I’ve determined to stay single forever, you will all ultimately fail.”

In the midst of her tirade, she was not watching where she was going and bumped into somepony. That pony was an earth pony stallion with a slight build, a white coat, and a dark brown mane.

“Apologies, miss,” said the stallion.

“Oh no. That was my fault, Mr….uh,” replied Scarlet.

“Punch, Ms…uh.”

“Scarlet Plume. What’s your business here?”

“I’m answering an advertisement for a court jester. Do you know how I can get to the castle?”

“Yes, we just came from there. Lord Cinnamon Swirl, why don’t you show this stallion the way since you’re currently preoccupied?”

“Might as well,” Cinnamon mumbled. “Please follow me, Mr. Punch.”

Scarlet could only roll her eyes as she watched her dejected friend slink towards the castle, escorting the nice stallion.


Meanwhile at the castle, a page announced the arrival of Prince Beau Monde. Prince Beau Monde was a muscular unicorn with a silver coat and gold mane. On his face was a smirk that showed off his dazzling white teeth. Love Tap wanted more than anything to avoid meeting this stallion, but a promise was a promise.

“Princess Love Tap, you certainly are lovely, and I must say, your little kingdom is quite charming,” greeted the prince.

“Well, I certainly hope that your highness won’t find our ‘little kingdom’ too confining,” taunted Love Tap.

Lincoln Log didn’t know whether to smile or glare at his daughter. On one hand, the prince’s comment sounded like a veiled insult to the kingdom. On the other hand, as the hosts, he and his daughter had to be polite and accommodating. As a king, he shouldn’t be encouraging his daughter’s rudeness, but as a father, he couldn’t help but feel proud.

“Love, why don’t you and our guest spend some time together at the beach? I know how much you like going there,” suggested King Lincoln Log.

King Lincoln Log was right. Love Tap loved the beach almost as much as she loved adventure stories. The sound of the surf lapping against the shore was like music and the salty air smelled like freedom. She loved looking for little treasures in the sand and the squish of wet sand under her hooves. Just being at the beach made her forget how stressed she was feeling, or at least, it would have if she wasn’t in the company of a certain prince.

“Augh! All this sand,” whined Prince Beau Monde. “It feels scratchy and gets everywhere. When I’m king, beaches will be the first thing to go. I’ll have then all paved over with cobblestone.”

“Please, please let me punch this stallion,” Love Tap thought to herself as she growled beneath her breath.

“Perhaps his royal highness would prefer a visit to the royal museum,” offered Love Tap, forcing a smile that made her jaw hurt.

“I suppose a trip to the museum would suffice, after I get my hooves washed and polished, of course,” replied Prince Beau Monde.


“I cannot spend another minute with this stallion,” Love Tap thought after she and Prince Beau Monde returned from the museum. They had only spent ten minutes at the place, and he spent the whole time either ignoring the exhibits or trying to get her attention away from them.

“Why would you want to fill your head with useless information about old relics when you should be paying attention to more important things like me?” he had said. Those old relics held stories about her kingdom’s past, and he didn’t even care.

“There has to be a way I can get him to leave,” thought Love Tap desperately. Then, she had an idea.

“Prince Beau Monde, are you fond of dancing?” Love Tap insinuated slyly.

“Fond of it?” bragged Beau Monde. “You are looking at the best dancer in Northerfroze if not all of Equestria.”

“Perhaps you would like to dance with me. As you know, on the night of my coronation, the kingdom is to have a ball, and I could use the practice.”

The two of them made their way to the ballroom and assumed the position for a waltz.

“Dancing is a language that is felt instead of heard-ow!,” the prince cried as he felt somepony’s hoof step on his own.

“Sorry,” Love Tap fake-apologized. “Please continue.”

“You can whisper, sing or shout without so much as a word-ow!”

“Sorry.”

“Just let your emotions tell your body what to do-ow!”

“Sorry.”

“See how much a single gesture can reveal-ow!”

“Sorry.”

“And ev'ry little step-ow!/Ev'ry single step-ow!/ Is one step closer/To saying what you feel-ow!”

“Sorry three times over.”

“Once the music hits you, inhibitions fall away-yow!” That last step was more akin to a thinly veiled stomp, but Prince Beau Monde did not seem to notice. “And you find that you're expressing things/Your voice daren't say-yow!”

“Pardon me.”

“Don't be afraid, let go-oooh!”

“Oops.”

“Soon as you surrender, what's inside will sweep on through-ouch!/As the boundaries between us disappear-eek!”

“Apologies.”

“And ev'ry little step-gah!/Ev'ry single step-youch!/Is one step closer/To talking loud and clear-eee!”

“A thousand pardons.”

“A dance is like a conversation-ahh!/Except you never need to make a sound-ouch!”

“So very sorry.”

“And once you've begun/You speak as one/Give and ache, I mean take/Back and forth-ooh!/Round and round”

At that point, Prince Beau Monde decided the spin her, which was exactly what Love Tap was hoping and dreading he would do. Like the last five hundred or so times she has attempted to dance, Love Tap lost her balance and slammed right into her partner. Unlike those other times, she purposefully stuck her elbow out and jabbed Prince Beau Monde right in the ribs.

“Enough! Enough!” cried the prince. “I think I’ve had enough dancing for one day.”

“Oh, but you must continue on helping me practice if I’m going to be ready for my coronation ball. After all, 525th time’s the charm,” Love Tap fake-pleaded.

“Five hundred twenty-?!” Beau Monde sputtered. “No, I am not going to take another minute of this madness.”

At that, the prince stomped out of the room and ordered the servants to pack his things.


Fifteen minutes later, Love Tap was in the library reading yet another one of her adventure stories when she was suddenly confronted by her father.

“Love, you wouldn’t happen to know why Prince Beau Monde suddenly had to leave, would you? And with ice packs on his hooves no less,” King Lincoln Log inquired with a disapproving look on his face.

“I only asked him to dance with me. It was hardly my fault. You know how utterly terrible I am at it,” Love Tap retorted, putting on the most innocent face she could muster.

The lines of sheer parental disapproval on King Lincoln Log’s face deepened, testing Love Tap’s resolve. Ever since her childhood, nothing in all of Equestria could make Love Tap cave like her father’s disapproving look.

“Oh, all right!” Love Tap cried. “Some of those missteps were on purpose, but I really couldn’t spend another minute with him, let alone a whole day.”

“Love Tap, you promised me that you would give these suitors a chance,” Lincoln Log practically shouted.

“Well, you promised that I wouldn’t have to marry anypony I didn’t like,” replied Love Tap. “I gave him a chance, and I didn’t like him. Besides, he was horribly rude the whole time I was with him.”

“Is that the ONLY reason that you wanted him gone?” Lincoln Log insinuated. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how attached you were getting to Lord Cinnamon Swirl.”

Love Tap cast her eyes downward, refusing to meet her father’s.

“Darling, perhaps it’s best that you let him go,” reasoned King Lincoln Log. “After all, you’ve only known him for a few days.”

“Yet you prefer a stallion that I’ve only known for less than an hour over him,” countered Love Tap.

“A prince. Love, I know this is hard to talk about, but I’m not going to be here forever you know. I need to make sure that you and the kingdom are taken care of and that you have a husband that can provide for yours and the kingdom’s needs.”

“And that automatically makes Cinnamon unqualified?”

“How many ships can Cinnamon Swirl bring to our harbor? How will he make sure that our populace doesn’t go hungry? You remember that famine and the outbreak that followed from back when you were only a girl.”

“Dad, would you prefer that I marry a stallion who could provide for our kingdom’s needs but won’t or a stallion with little to offer except a willingness to do what’s necessary to make sure our kingdom’s needs are met?”

Lincoln Log paused. His daughter had made an excellent point. Although wealthy, Prince Beau Monde was far too self-centered to be an ideal match for his daughter, and who is to say that the other suitors won’t be the same. However, is Lord Cinnamon Swirl really as honorable a stallion as his daughter says he is or is her affection for the stallion clouding her normally good judgement?

“You are certain that Lord Cinnamon Swirl fits the latter description?” questioned Lincoln Log.

“Absolutely,” Love Tap nodded.

“Then, I suppose you won’t mind if I put your faith in him to the test.”

“What are you planning on doing?”

“What I just told you I’d do, but I need you to promise me that if he fails, you will let him go and choose somepony else.”

“He won’t fail,” Love Tap resolved.

“But if he does?”

“What? You don’t trust my judgement?” questioned Love Tap.

“I do, but what kind of fool do you think your father is that he would trust his greatest treasure with somepony he doesn’t even know?”

“Gee, if I wasn’t so irritated, I’d be flattered.”

“Just promise that you would move on from Lord Cinnamon if he fails, please.”

Love Tap scowled. She hated suddenly being on the spot, but what choice did she have? Then, she had an idea. “Fine. I promise,” Love Tap conceded, “but you are going to have to test each and every one of my suitors.”

“Consider it done,” agreed Lincoln Log. “You know, in all the years I’ve been your father, this is the most rebellious that you have been towards me. I don’t like it.”

“Well, then for both our sakes, you better hope that Cinnamon passes whatever test you have in mind for him.”


“Then, Dad brought back the 40 baskets of jewels and married you, right?” interrupted Button Mash.

“Don’t give away the ending,” protested Rumble.

“Well, they obviously got married. What was there to give away?” pointed Scootaloo.

“Yes, I brought your grandfather 40 baskets of jewels and passed the test and in less than 30 days, too,” bragged King Cinnamon Swirl.

“Wait. You never told me you had a time limit,” replied Button Mash.

“Well, he did,” said Love Tap. “I’m not going to lie. I was a bit worried that he wasn’t going to pass. The task seemed so impossible at the time.”


“This is impossible!” Scarlet Plume screamed, throwing her hooves in the air. “How does the king expect you to bring back 40 baskets of jewels in 30 days?”

She was in the royal library with Cinnamon Swirl, Tail Wind, and Dogfish. The three stallions were frantically pulling books off the library shelves and scouring them for any information that could help them pass the test.

“Which is why our best bet is to see if there’s a way to find enough jewels without having to leave the island,” replied Cinnamon Swirl. “Find anything yet?”

“Nothing, me lord,” called Dogfish.

“If you ask me, this is a lot of work for just one mare,” griped Scarlet.

“Well, she’s worth it,” affirmed Cinnamon, matter-of-factly.

“Wouldn’t it be easier just to get her to run away with you?”

“And repay the king’s hospitality by leaving his kingdom without its only heir and dooming him to spend the rest of his life in loneliness and grief? Just what kind of a heartless jerk do you think I am, Scarlet?”

“Or here’s an idea. We could just leave Marendelle, and you could move on with another mare.”

“I can’t do that either, and it’s not just because she’s the only mare I could possibly love. She’d end up marrying somepony else, and her father’s going to have to live with the guilt that he gave away his greatest treasure to a stallion who doesn’t deserve her.”

“And you do?” Scarlett scoffed.

“Well, no,” Cinnamon stammered, “but at least, I’m willing to try to. Trust me, Scarlet. Passing this test is going to be what’s best for everypony.”

“What’s your deal, cap?” said Tail Wind. “You’re acting crabbier than usual, and that’s saying something.”

“Maybe she’s just jealous that she’s lost Lord Cinnamon’s affections to another mare,” joked Dogfish.

“You are going to regret saying that,” deadpanned Cinnamon Swirl.

Before Dogfish knew it, he was slammed on top of the table pinned down by an irate Scarlet. Her face was inches from his, and her eyes burned with an anger that bordered murderous.

“Let’s make something perfectly clear, DF,” Scarlet’s voice dripped like poisoned honey. “I never have had and never will have those kinds of feelings for Cinnamon Swirl, and if any of you blockheads so much as suggest otherwise again, I’m going to slug you.”

“It was a joke,” whined Dogfish, piteously.

“Really? Jokes are supposed to be funny.” Scarlet unpinned Dogfish, only to face a rather annoyed Cinnamon Swirl.

“Guys, we’re kind of on a deadline here. We need to focus,” emphasized Cinnamon. “Look, Scarlet, something’s clearly bothering you. You might as well tell us now before you hurt somepony.”

“Fine,” Scarlet conceded. “I am actually jealous but not for the reasons you think.”

“Okay, so why are you jealous?”

“I’m jealous that you’re settling down, and I’m not,” Scarlet reluctantly admitted.

“What?” Cinnamon was surprised. “I thought you wanted to stay single forever. You know, so you can keep on adventuring.”

“I did, but if you settle down, I won’t have anypony to share the adventure with. Then, I look at how happy you and the princess make each other, and I think that maybe there’s more to life than chasing the next great adventure.”

“Well, you’re right about that last bit.” Cinnamon Swirl smiled, thinking about the mare who had suddenly made his life and his heart so full. “But if it’s company you need, you still have DF and Tail Wind for that.”

“Ha!” sneered Scarlet. “I’ve been watching these two blockheads make goo-goo eyes at two of the maids since we got here. If by some miracle you pass this test, they’ll be settling down the first chance they get.”

“She's not wrong,” agreed Dogfish.

“Hey, I found something,” cried Tail Wind, lugging an enormous book titled The Complete History of Marendelle.

“How are we supposed to read all that?” exclaimed DF.

“Just flip to the index and see if there’s anything about jewels,” Scarlet gruffly ordered.

Cinnamon Swirl took the book from Tail Wind, set it on the table, and flipped the pages as Scarlet directed.

“Hey, check this out,” called Cinnamon. “There’s a place on the rockier side of the island called Princess Bejeweled’s Mines.”

“What’s it say?” inquired Dogfish.

“It says, “Legend claims that Princess Bejeweled, the sole heir of King Saltpeter, was given the mines by the Diamond Dogs as a sign of their loyalty to the crown. Marendelle’s economy has depended on these mines for generations. However, as shipbuilding and trade became steadier forms of income for the ponies of Marendelle, the mines were slowly abandoned in favor of the new industries,’” read Cinnamon Swirl. He paused. Then, his eyes lit up, and his lips curved into a smirk. “Who wants to bet that those old mines might still have some jewels in them?”

“Do we have any information about the location?” asked Scarlet, suddenly curious.

“Just that they’re on the rockier side of the island.”

“You mean the side of the island that doesn’t have a harbor? The side of the island that has so many rocks that it’s impossible for a ship to land there safely? The side of the island that’s every sailor’s worst nightmare? That rockier side of the island?”

“We’ll just get the ship as close as we possibly can, anchor, and then go the rest of the way by rowboat.”

“Good plan, except for a few other details. One, they’re mines, so you’re probably going to have to go spelunking or something, and the only ponies in our crew with any experience with caves are you, Lead Weight, and Geode. Two, even if we’re careful, there’s a good chance we could end up crashing our boats on the rocks. Three, we’ll need time here to gather supplies for spelunking and possible unexpected patch-up jobs. And finally, that’s MY SHIP we’re going to be using, bub!”

“Then, we better get started.” Cinnamon eagerly stood up and headed towards the door. “I’ll notify the rest of the crew, and you, DF, and Tail Wind can get the supplies.”

“What part of ‘that’s my ship’ did you not understand?” Scarlet shouted, causing Cinnamon to stop. “My ship’s the closest thing I’ve got to a baby, and I’m not going to be putting my baby at risk like that.”

“Come on, Scarlet,” begged Cinnamon, making his eyes as wide as possible. “I’m asking you as a friend.”

“Oh,” Scarlet groaned, futilely shielding her face with her hoof. “With the face and the eyes. Ugh! Alright! But if anything happens to my ship, I’m having your head for a trophy.”


Three days later, Cinnamon Swirl was in his room getting ready to leave. His crew had finally stocked up on supplies to their captain’s satisfaction, and they were all about to head out to the harbor.

There was a knock on the door. When Cinnamon opened it, he was quite surprised and pleased to see Princess Love Tap standing on the other side.

“I thought I’d come and say goodbye to you. May I come in?” asked Love Tap.

“Of course, of course,” acquiesced Cinnamon. “Why don’t we hang out in the balcony?”

The two of them went out into the balcony. For a while, neither said anything, and both refused to meet their companion’s eyes. Love Tap stared out into the horizon admiring the scene before her.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Love Tap broke the silence.

“I’ll say,” replied Cinnamon Swirl, staring at her profile.

“I know I said that I came here to say goodbye, but I really don’t want to. A part of me is afraid that it’ll be for the last time.”

“It won’t be,” assured Cinnamon. He began to whistle a tune that Love Tap recognized as the proposal song that he learned from the griffon island of Perch. She smiled as he began to sing. “I'll swim and sail on savage seas/With never a fear of drowning/And gladly ride the waves of life/If you would marry me/No scorching sun nor freezing cold/Will stop me on my journey/If you will promise me your heart/And love…”

“And love me for eternity,” Love Tap sang in reply. “My dearest one, my darling dear/Your mighty words astound me/But I've no need for mighty deeds/When I feel your arms around me”

Love Tap glided away from Cinnamon Swirl, smirking flirtatiously. Cinnamon sang as he gave chase, “But I would bring you rings of gold/I'd even sing you poetry/And I would keep you from all harm/If you would stay beside me”

“I have no use for rings of gold/I care not for your ‘poetry’/I only want your hoof to hold”

“I only want you near me”

“To love and kiss to sweetly hold,” they sang in unison as Cinnamon Swirl wrapped his arms around Love Tap. “For the dancing and the dreaming/Through all life's sorrows/And delights/I'll keep your love inside me/I'll swim and sail on savage seas/With never a fear of drowning/And gladly ride the waves of life/If you would marry me/If you would marry me.”

Love Tap impulsively pressed her lips onto his. Cinnamon Swirl gently tightened his hold on her, enjoying the feeling of having her so close to him. He wished he could relive this moment ten thousand times over.

“CINNAMON!” a shrill voice snapped the two lovers out of their reverie.

“Horseapples, Scarlet!” cried Cinnamon Swirl. “Haven’t you heard of knocking?”

“Wow!” Scarlet exclaimed. “Now you’re going to have to pass this test.”

“Did you just come here to make wisecracks at me?”

“No, I came to tell you that we’ve got to go, now,” Scarlet emphasized, “but if you’re not interested, we could always leave without you."

Cinnamon groaned in annoyance. Then, he gave Love Tap a quick peck on the lips and grabbed his things.

“I’ll come back for you. I promise,” he resolved as he dashed out the door.


Love Tap waited day after day for her beloved’s return. She grew more and more anxious with each day. She ached for him so much that she felt like she was SLOWLY dying. However, on the 27th day since the test was issued, a ship came into Marendelle’s harbor, and behind the wheel was a certain red-maned captain talking with a very excited Coltugese adventurer.

“Haha!” crowed Cinnamon Swirl. “I can’t believe we actually did it!”

“I can’t believe that the Marendellians just abandoned that place without checking if it was empty,” deadpanned Scarlet Plume.

“Well, in their defense, they probably didn’t know that particular mine existed,” explained Cinnamon. “It didn’t look like anypony’s been there before. At least now, the king knows where to look if he needs emergency funds.”

Scarlet docked the ship at the harbor, and Cinnamon and the rest of the crew got to work unloading the jewels. On the way to the palace, they were stopped by a beggar dressed in a ragged cloak. The beggar wore dark glasses, had a crutch under one arm, and held a tin cup in his other hoof. Inside the cup was no less than five bits.

“Spare a bit for somepony who is blind, sir?” implored the beggar.


“Wait!” cried Queen Love Tap, interrupting the story. “You met a beggar on your way to the castle?”

“Yeah. Why?” asked Cinnamon.

“Uh, I’ll, I’ll tell you later. Carry on.”


Cinnamon Swirl took a hoofful of bits from his pouch and placed in the bits in the beggar’s cup. “Here you go, sir.”

“Much appreciated,” thanked the beggar as he slowly hobbled away. Then, to the beggar’s surprise, Cinnamon called for him to stop.

“Hey, Scarlet,” called Cinnamon, turning to his friend. “Why don’t you keep the nice stallion company and be his eyes for him? You know, make sure the other ponies don’t take advantage of his blindness. Oh, and give him the rest of my lunch.”

Cinnamon took off his lunch pack and gave it to Scarlet, who went after the blind stallion. “I’ll meet up with you later.”

“You’d better,” Scarlet called back.

Cinnamon and his crew entered the castle and made their way to the throne room. Halfway there, Cinnamon found himself doused with an entire pot of tepid tea and an entire cart of tea cakes.

“Oh, a thousand apologies, Lord Cinnamon Swirl,” apologized two maids, bowing repeatedly in penitence.

“That’s alright, no harm done. Although, I should probably get cleaned up before I have an audience with the king,” chuckled Cinnamon. “You know what? This is quite a mess. Why don’t I help you pick it up?”

“Uh, better let us take care of it, me lord,” volunteered Dogfish, a little too eagerly.

“Yeah, you just get yourself cleaned up,” added Tail Wind. “You’ve got a king to see and a princess to impress.”

“Okay then,” Cinnamon conceded, snickering knowingly. He ducked into the nearest bathroom and changed his clothes. Once he had refreshed himself, he once again made his way to the throne room and knocked on the large doors.

A page answered, “The king is currently having an audience with his ponies, sir.”

“Tell the king that Lord Cinnamon Swirl has returned and would like to see him immediately,” Cinnamon Swirl replied.

The page closed the door. Cinnamon could hear his hoofsteps fading behind it. Moments later, the page opened the door and allowed Cinnamon Swirl inside.

Cinnamon and his crew bowed low and presented the 40 baskets to the king. “As you have requested, Your Majesty,” said Cinnamon Swirl.

The king’s eyes widened in surprise, and his lips were pressed together as if deep in thought. For a while, he said nothing but nodded several times in approval. However, just when he was about to say something, Punch, the jester, came running into the room. Scarlet Plume walked in after him.

“Your Highness,” Punch called. “I must have a word with you.”

Punch ran up to the king’s side and began to whisper something into his ear. Meanwhile, Scarlet took her place with the rest of the crew.

“What happened to the beggar?” whispered Cinnamon Swirl. “I thought I told you to stay with him.”

“He, he finished begging,” Scarlet stammered, “so he didn’t need me anymore, and I came here.”

The king’s eyes widened when he heard what Punch told him. He got up from his throne and walked toward Cinnamon Swirl. Cinnamon and his crew bowed in respect, unsure what to expect. King Lincoln Log’s face betrayed no emotion as he studied Cinnamon Swirl.

“Lord Cinnamon Swirl,” Lincoln Log finally said sternly, but then, he smiled. “It would give me great pleasure to shake your hoof.”

Cinnamon straightened up, not believing what he had just heard. In front of him, King Lincoln Log stood with his hoof extended. Cinnamon Swirl took it and shook it heartily.

“Fetch my daughter immediately,” Lincoln Log commanded the nearest page. “I have an announcement to make.”

When Love Tap was brought to the throne room, King Lincoln Log stood up to address his ponies. “I, King Lincoln Log of Marendelle, with the present company as witnesses, declare that on this day, Lord Cinnamon Swirl of Coltugal has earned not only my daughter Princess Love Tap’s hoof in marriage but also my favor, blessing, and respect. May their coming union bring them and our kingdom great happiness for as long as they both shall live.”

As soon as the king finished the proclamation, Love Tap raced into Cinnamon Swirl’s arms. Cinnamon picked Love Tap up and twirled her around as everypony in the room cheered. Nopony cheered louder than Cinnamon Swirl’s three closest friends.


“A few months later, the two of us married,” King Cinnamon Swirl finished the story, “and as Scarlet predicted, DF and Tail Wind started courting the maids as soon as the two of us got engaged. To everypony’s surprise, even Scarlet fell in love and eventually married.”

“About that,” added Queen Love Tap. “That beggar you were nice to on that day was actually Punch in disguise.”

“What?!” exclaimed Cinnamon Swirl.

“And the maids dumped food on you on purpose. My father had asked them to do the same thing to each and every one of my suitors.”

“You mean, all that stuff that King Cinnamon Swirl did on the way to the throne room were tests?” Sweetie Belle gasped in surprise.

“And Cinnamon was the only that passed them both, and with flying colors, too,” Love Tap beamed.

“Gee, how rude and selfish can some royals get?” muttered Rumble.

“I was wondering how Scarlet and Punch got so chummy so quickly!” Cinnamon Swirl cried.

“Really, Pop?” Button Mash deadpanned. “That’s what blows your mind about that revelation?”

Author's Note:

The songs featured include "Lava" from Disney-Pixar's "Lava" and altered versions of "Touch the Sky" from Brave, "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music, "One Step Closer" from the Broadway version of The Little Mermaid, and "For the Dancing and the Dreaming" from How to Train Your Dragon 2.
This has got to be my longest oneshot to date. Granted it's only my second one, but still.
EDIT: I changed the title. I just barely realized that this one fit better than the old one. :twilightsheepish: