History Lessons
“I cannot believe that we somehow planned a good will visit from Stirram on the same week we planned a visit from my parents,” Button Mash groaned as he and Sweetie Belle got dressed. “Are you sure it isn’t too late to change either of the dates?”
“Last I heard, King Filthy Rich and his family are already on their way and will be here any minute now,” answered Sweetie Belle, trying to choose between two pairs of earrings. “Besides, your parents are already here.”
Button sighed, straightening his jacket. Then, he rubbed chin in thought.
“Sweetie, last time you and your sisters saw Diamond Tiara, did she mention anything about having an older brother or sister?” Button asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” replied Sweetie, brushing her mane a few times. “Why?”
“I just realized something,” Button continued, slicking down his mane before adjusting his crown on top of it. “If she was in line for her own throne, why was she so set on competing for my hoof and becoming queen of Marendelle?”
Sweetie Belle paused mid-brush. The thought had never occurred to her before, but her husband was right. If all Diamond Tiara had wanted was to become a queen, why was she so desperate to become one through marriage when she would already eventually become one through her birthright?
“Maybe I could ask her as soon as the two of us have a moment alone,” she suggested. “I’m sure she’d be happy to give us some answers now that we’re friends.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Button,” a VERY familiar voice called. “The page just announced King Rich and his family’s arrival. We need to be in the throne room in a few minutes.”
“We’ll be right there, Mom,” Button called back, rolling his eyes. “Just promise me that you won’t start fixing my mane or my clothes when I come out of the room.”
“Of course not, dear. That’s your wife’s job now,” Love Tap cheekily replied.
Sweetie giggled while Button simply groaned.
The entire Marendelle royal family assembled in the throne room waiting for the Stirram royal family to enter. The air was abuzz with excitement and maybe some tension. The children were curious as to who these ponies were and why the grown-ups were so worried about meeting them. The adults, however, were all too aware of their rather rough history with the Stirram royals, particularly King Rich’s daughter, Princess Diamond Tiara.
“Announcing King Filthy Rich and the royal family of Stirram,” called the page.
“Please just King Rich. I insist,” said a regally dressed brown Earth pony stallion with a black mane. On his right stood an also well-dressed Earth pony mare with a dark pink coat and a dark fuschia mane. On his left stood Princess Diamond Tiara herself.
Love Tap immediately locked eyes with the older mare and turned very, very pale.
“YOU?!” Love Tap cried loudly and rather inelegantly. All eyes in the room turned to her before turning towards the direction she was staring.
“You and my wife know each other, your majesty?” King Rich nervously asked.
“Oh, I happen to be VERY familiar with Spoiled Milk, your highness,” replied Love Tap just barely composing herself.
“It’s QUEEN Spoiled RICH now, Princess Love Tap, or is it QUEEN MOTHER Love Tap now?” answered the queen. “My, my, look how OLD you’ve become.”
Love Tap’s face flushed red with thinly concealed anger while everypony else in the room cringed uncomfortably.
“Wait a minute,” said Diamond Tiara, eyes widening in realization before she pointed a hoof accusingly at her mother. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with why you had me compete for Button Mash’s hoof, wouldn’t it?”
“It would have been your kingdom if SOMEPONY,” Queen Spoiled continued, glaring at Love Tap, “had just handed over her birthright. I was simply encouraging you get what was yours.”
“That makes no sense at all,” Rumble whispered to Scootaloo who nodded in agreement.
“Wait, Mom, were you and Queen Spoiled sisters?” Button inquired in shock.
“No, but we almost were,” Love replied.
“If SOMEPONY hadn’t been so possessive of her father,” Spoiled added venomously.
“Your mother only wanted to marry him to get you my birthright,” Love Tap spat back.
“Yes, she did, and I deserved to have it. Besides, I would have been the older one if our parents had married.”
“Wait, you’re older than the Queen Mother, and you’ve got the gall to call HER old?” Apple Bloom scoffed incredulously.
“Unlike Love Tap, I was actually able to age well,” Spoiled Rich glared at Apple Bloom, vainly tossing her mane.
“That’s because she wears a butt-load of makeup,” Little Button muttered a little too audibly. Snow Pea clamped a hoof over her younger sister’s mouth as Spoiled Rich turned her glare towards LB.
“We’re tired. Please have your servants show us to our chambers,” Spoiled spat.
Button Mash nodded and called for the servants to escort the Stirram royals out of the room, leaving the Marendelle royals standing silently in the throne room.
“How could I have been so stupid?!” Love Tap cried, putting both of her front hooves to her face. The rest of the family stared at her in confusion. “I knew there was something eerily familiar about that girl.”
“Mom, what are you talking about?” Button asked worriedly.
“The tests,” Love Tap replied. “I got suspicious of Diamond Tiara the moment that she told me that being a queen was about holding power in her hooves. It sounded so much like something Spoiled would have said. Ugh! Why didn’t I disqualify her the moment those words came out of her mouth?”
“Because it wouldn’t have been fair to her or the other princesses?” Cinnamon suggested, attempting to comfort his wife. This attempt earned him a few pointed glares from her. “Look, what went on between you and Spoiled Rich anyway?”
“When I was twelve, my father came home from a diplomatic visit in Stirram,” Love Tap began. “Little did I know that my life was about to change.”
“Father, you’re home,” Princess Love Tap cried, rushing to hug the recently arrived King Lincoln Log.
“Hello, my dear,” the king replied, returning the hug. “Come, let’s go to the tea room. Then, you can tell me all about what I missed while I was away.”
When the pair of them had made themselves comfortable in the tea room, Love Tap began to tell her father about everything that had happened during his absence.
“So, Professor Record Book is letting me do a research project as part of the unit on the reigns of King Saltpeter and Queen Bejeweled,” Love Tap chattered excitedly.
“Oh, my, what kind of a research project?” Lincoln Log replied, listening intently.
“I’m doing an oral report on the history of fireworks for the Marendelle Historical Society at the museum,” Love Tap continued. “As a bonus, I’m also getting extra credit in elocution.”
“My, that is wonderful news,” King Lincoln Log chuckled. Then, he stopped laughing, his face becoming serious and expressionless. “Love, how familiar are you with the history of King Saltpeter and Queen Bejeweled?”
“Umm, more than I should be,” Love Tap bashfully admitted. “I know I’m not supposed to be reading ahead, but I do it anyways.”
“Oh, I know you do,” the king cracked a smile before returning to his earlier expression. “I suppose that you already know who Queen Brooksong is, correct?”
“Queen Brooksong is King Saltpeter’s second wife and Queen Bejeweled’s stepmother,” Love Tap recited clearly and confidently. “Before she became queen, Brooksong was Bejeweled’s governess, but eventually, King Saltpeter fell in love with Brooksong and married her. She was unable to have children of her own, but she loved and raised Bejeweled like her own daughter.”
“Good, very good,” Lincoln Log praised. Once again, his face became serious.
“Love,” he sighed. “I didn’t ask you about Queen Brooksong’s role in our history just to test your knowledge. I actually have something important to tell you.”
“Oh,” Love Tap replied, raising an eyebrow.
“While I was in Stirram, I, well, met somepony.”
“You’re thinking about getting remarried?” Love Tap gasped in surprise, not shock or terror, just surprise.
“Now, Love, don’t think that I’m trying to replace your mother. What she and I had,” the king paused, staring into space, recalling his happy yet relatively brief marriage with the late Queen Bright Star, “it was special. Nothing could replace that.”
Lincoln Log shook himself out of his reverie, took both his daughter’s front hooves into his, and continued, “The fact is you’re not a little filly anymore, and someday, you’ll be a grown mare. It would be nice for you to have somepony around who can help guide you into marehood. I’m sure Duchess Cultured Milk will make a wonderful mother, err, mother-like figure.”
For a while, Love Tap didn’t say anything. The idea of getting a stepmother never occurred to her. She had just assumed that her family would just be her and her father for the rest of their lives. Besides, everypony knows that stepmothers were evil. Then again, Queen Bejeweled had a kind and loving stepmother. Maybe she would too.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Lincoln Log added. “The duchess has a daughter of her own who is about two years older than you, so you’ll be gaining a sister. Didn’t you used to want a sister?”
“Not since I was five,” Love Tap answered with uncertainty, “but if you think getting remarried really is what’s best for our family, I guess I can give it a chance. Besides, it might be fun to have a sister.”
“Alright then. I’ll let the duchess know right away.”
A week had passed since that fateful conversation, and Love Tap was with her father at the harbor, waiting to meet her stepmother-to-be. Duchess Cultured and her daughter were coming to Marendelle to give the two families time to get to know each other before the wedding, which was in two weeks. Coincidentally, today was also the day that she was giving her oral report, and her father was going to invite the duchess and his daughter to come with him as his guests.
“Do you think the duchess likes history as much as I do?” Love Tap asked, fidgeting nervously.
“Even if she doesn’t, I’m sure she’ll like getting to know you,” replied King Lincoln Log, giving his daughter a few reassuring pats on the head. “Look, there’s the boat from Stirram.”
Love Tap looked to where her father was pointing and saw ship coming into the harbor. The ship docked in the harbor, and an exquisitely dressed mare and an equally well-dressed teenager got off the boat. The mare wore a gold and diamond necklace and had her mane in an elaborate pompadour while the teen wore her mane in a simple high ponytail. Love Tap assumed that they were Duchess Cultured Milk and her daughter.
“Duchess Cultured, welcome to Marendelle,” greeted the king. “This is my daughter, Love Tap.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Love Tap added with a curtsy.
“And this is Spoiled Milk, I presume,” the king continued, turning to the teen filly.
Spoiled Milk gave a curt nod. For a while, neither Spoiled Milk nor her mother said anything. Then, the duchess turned to King Lincoln Log, giving a rather forced-looking smile.
“Your Majesty, you never told me that your daughter was so beautiful,” Cultured Milk flattered.
“Yes, well, she takes after her—,” the king suddenly paused, realizing his insensitivity.
“Her mother?” the duchess finished. “Just so.”
“Uh, I’ll have the servants take your belongings to the palace. Right now, however, we need to head to the museum.”
“The museum?” Duchess Cultured questioned, getting strangely nervous.
“Love is giving an oral report there, and I am inviting both of you as my guests.”
“What’s the oral report about?” Spoiled asked indifferently.
“It’s on the history of fireworks,” Love Tap answered excitedly. “Did you know that they were invented right here in Marendelle?”
“And I should care because?”
“Now, Spoiled, mind the princess,” Duchess Cultured scolded affectedly. “Marendelle is your future home after all.”
Spoiled Milk conceded reluctantly.
“If we’re going to the museum, I’m going to have to put this away,” continued the duchess, removing her necklace. “It’s a family heirloom, and I don’t want it getting mixed up with the other priceless artifacts.”
Love Tap and her father shared a glance with each other, confused at the duchess’s behavior, but in the end, they shrugged it off as just an odd mannerism of hers.
The museum was filled with members from the Marendelle Historical Society along with the king, Love Tap’s stepfamily-to-be, and Love Tap’s elocution tutor Mr. Sharp Tongue. Love Tap nervously looked at her audience from her seat next to the temporary stage. Professor Record Book was going to introduce her to everypony in a few minutes, and Love Tap really wished that she was feeling more prepared.
“Nervous, your highness?” asked the professor.
“A little,” Love Tap answered.
“Don’t worry about it. You’ll do great.” The professor gave her a reassuring smile before going up to the podium.
“Welcome, members of the Marendelle Historical Society and esteemed guests,” announced Professor Record Book. “It is with great pride and pleasure to announce that my prize pupil, Princess Love Tap, will be enchanting us this afternoon with her oral report on the history of fireworks. Now, without further ado, please welcome Princess Love Tap up to the stage.”
The audience clapped enthusiastically. Of course, nopony was more enthusiastic than the king himself. Love Tap walked up to the stage and saw her father beaming at her with pride, making her feel less nervous. However, she couldn’t help but worry about the bored looks that both Duchess Cultured and Spoiled Milk were wearing. Love Tap took a deep breath and positioned herself behind the podium.
“Good afternoon, mares and gentlecolts,” Love Tap began with a loud, clear yet somewhat hesitant voice. “I am Princess Love Tap, and today, I will be giving an oral report on the history of fireworks.”
Love Tap cleared her throat and continued. “As you know, fireworks were invented right here in Marendelle by King Saltpeter during the middle years of his reign. He was first inspired to create fireworks when a visiting dignitary from the Crystal Empire presented him with a painting as a gift. The painting was of the Crystal Empire’s sky set aglow by the colorful streams of light created by the Crystal Heart’s magic. King Saltpeter was captivated by the beauty of the northern sky and wished to replicate the display here in Marendelle. However, being a small island nation made up primarily of earth ponies, Marendelle simply did not have to kind of magic needed to recreate the beautiful lights, so the king had to find a solution elsewhere.
“Now, King Saltpeter was an amateur chemist and a patron of the sciences, and together with a team of royal scientists, he mixed together several different combinations of chemicals that once lit would burst into colorful explosions in the sky. These chemicals would later become known as fireworks, and when King Saltpeter first introduced them at the stroke of midnight on the first day of a new year, their brilliant light and color against the dark night sky filled the ponies of Marendelle with delight and wonder. Setting off fireworks for the New Year became tradition here in Marendelle, and the practice quickly spread throughout Equestria. Eventually, fireworks were used to celebrate a wide variety of holidays and special occasions.”
Love Tap’s face became solemn as she continued, “However, as the use of fireworks spread, other ponies found that the explosive substance could be used for darker, more destructive purposes. Greedy and corrupt rulers used fireworks to invent many different kinds of bombs and cannons, each more powerful and devastating than the last, and used these new weapons to wage war on their neighbors.
“King Saltpeter, horrified that his invention was being used to hurt ponies, stopped trading fireworks with the warring nations, hoping to stop their misuse. However, the warring nations merely hired pirates to steal the fireworks from Marendellian ships. In the end, King Saltpeter himself had to arm his ships with bombs and cannons in order to defend them.”
Love Tap took a deep breath and confidently finished her report, “Despite its checkered history, fireworks continue to be used in celebrations of all kinds, and ponies continue to feel awe and joy at the sight of them. Perhaps the reason why ponies love fireworks so much is because the way that their colors light up the night sky reminds them of their own hopes and dreams for a bright future. From this report, I learned that sometimes bad ponies can use good ideas to do terrible things, but as long as ponies are wise, caring, and brave, they can keep hoping for and believing in a better future no matter how bad the present circumstances.”
The audience leapt to their hooves and gave a thunderous applause. Of course, no pony applauded louder than King Lincoln Log. Love Tap smiled and bowed before getting off the stage. She was greeted by her father, Professor Record Book, Mr. Sharp Tongue, and several other ponies while Duchess Cultured Milk and Spoiled Milk merely stood off to the side.
“Well done. Well done,” praised the professor.
“You were loud as thunder clap and clear as a bell, your majesty, and your delivery was nearly perfect,” critiqued Mr. Sharp Tongue. “Your posture could use improvement, and you should be careful about clearing your throat or hesitating too often, but other than that, your performance was stellar.”
“Your highness,” Professor Record Book addressed the king. “You must be proud to have such a gifted, intelligent, and perceptive heir and daughter.”
“Flattery will get you anywhere, professor,” answered Lincoln Log, “but yes, I am proud of her. I’m so proud, I think I’ll bust.”
Love Tap blushed at her father’s praise. The other ponies around her continued to praise her as well. Love Tap glanced towards were her future stepfamily was standing and could have sworn that she saw Spoiled Milk glaring at her darkly.
“We are going to have so much fun together,” Love Tap prattled pulling Spoiled Milk down the hallway towards her room. “I asked my father to put your room right next to mine, so that we can start sharing things and spending time together as much as possible. I bet the two of us will be the best of friends.”
“Are you always this excited about everything?” Spoiled deadpanned.
“Oh, sorry if I’m being hyper or annoying or anything like that. It’s just that I’ve never had a sister before, and I really hope that it’s as great as I think it’s going to be.”
The two of them reached their destination, and Love Tap pointed to two doors.
“Here’s my room, and this is yours,” she stated. “The servants should have already left your stuff here.”
“As expected,” Spoiled scoffed.
“We could go into my room, and I could show you my toys, or we could go look for your mom. I think her room is somewhere downstairs.”
“Mother is going over wedding plans with his highness,” huffed Spoiled Milk. “I suppose I have time to come into your room.”
Love Tap pulled her stepsister-to-be into her room, showing her the shelves of books, toys, seashells, and other interesting trinkets. Spoiled barely paid any attention to Love Tap’s talking and just looked over everything with total disinterest, but something managed to catch her eye.
“What’s this?” Spoiled asked, pointing at a small intricately carved box.
“Oh, this is my music box,” answered Love Tap. “It was the last thing my mother ever gave to me.”
Love Tap took a key that she wore around her neck and inserted it into the notch in the back. Then, she turned the key a few times and opened the box, allowing a sweet melody to fill the room.
Spoiled looked at the box with desire and said, “I do actually like this. Give it to me.”
“What? No!” cried Love Tap, pulling the box away from her companion’s reach.
“Oh, for shame, didn’t you just say that you wanted to share things with me?” Spoiled taunted, still attempting to grab the box out of Love Tap’s hooves.
“I did say that,” Love Tap conceded, pausing to think for a bit, “but that doesn’t mean that I’m just going to let you have whatever you want just because you ask for it. My mother gave me this.”
“And she’s dead. Now, give it to me,” Spoiled demanded.
Love Tap froze in shock. Nopony has ever talked about her mother that way before, and hearing those words out of her own future stepsister’s mouth made her feel very ugly inside. Unfortunately, the time Love Tap needed to get over herself was just enough time for Spoiled Milk to grab hold of the music box.
“HEY!” Love Tap screamed, struggling to keep her grip on the box.
“Let it go!” Spoiled screamed back.
“You let go!”
“I’m older, so you have to do what I say!”
“Well, I’m the crown princess. Unless, you’re a queen or an empress or my mother, you’re not allowed to command me.”
“I want it!”
Love Tap suddenly lost her grip on the box, causing Spoiled to lose her balance and fall backwards. As she fell, the box flew from her hooves, hit the ceiling, and smashed into the floor, shattering to pieces. Love Tap gasped in horror, her mind refusing to believe what her eyes just witnessed. Who should walk in right at that moment but King Lincoln Log and his fiancée?
At first, neither parent said anything, looking from the girls’ shocked faces to the pile of broken wood and metal in the middle of the floor in total bewilderment. Finally, Spoiled Milk decided to break the silence.
“She did it,” Spoiled accused, pointing at Love Tap. “She broke it because she didn’t want me to have it.”
“WHAT?!” Love Tap cried in disbelief.
“Why, princess, for shame! I expected better from you,” the duchess scolded.
“B-bu-but,” Love Tap stammered, trying to find the best way to explain the situation, “it was an accident, really.”
“Now, duchess, let us not be too hasty to judge,” Lincoln Log intervened. “After all, it is very unlike my daughter to be petty.”
“And it is very unlike my daughter to lie,” Duchess Cultured countered. “Besides, big changes do have a tendency to bring out the worst in ponies. Perhaps the little princess is having trouble adjusting.”
“I was just showing Spoiled my things, and then she tried to make me give her the music box,” Love Tap explained, talking very quickly. “When I wouldn’t give it to her, she grabbed it, and well,—”
She pointed at the broken music box. Her father nodded in understanding while the duchess gave her a stern glare.
“King Lincoln Log, you don’t mean to tell me that you trust your daughter’s word over my daughter’s, do you?” the duchess accused.
King Lincoln Log sighed. “I’m just going to write this off as an accident. From where I’m standing, it seems like the girls merely got started off the wrong hoof. The only thing we can do about the situation now is to try to get the box fixed.”
At that, the king rang for a servant and ordered him to take the box’s remains to the craftspony who made it. The keyhole had gotten especially damaged in the fiasco, so Love Tap had to hoof over the key so that the craftspony can properly reconstruct a new one. After Love Tap reluctantly released her music box key, she gave Spoiled Milk a pointed glare. Spoiled responded by quickly flicking her tongue in Love Tap’s direction.
“Girls,” Lincoln Log addressed the two fillies. “I know being part of an entire new family is a massive change for all of us, but please attempt to get along until the wedding.”
Love Tap sighed, “Of course, Father.”
Spoiled merely nodded.
“I’m so sorry for trouble my daughter has caused,” the duchess apologized sweetly, too sweetly.
“But, Mother,” Spoiled complained.
“Hush, child,” Duchess Cultured hissed, giving Spoiled a rather odd look. “Please let me make it up to you. Here.”
The duchess pulled out the gold and diamond necklace that she was wearing earlier at the harbor and held it towards Love Tap.
“Now, Duchess Cultured, that really won’t be necessary,” protested King Lincoln Log. “Uh, didn’t you say that was an heirloom?”
“Well, the princess is about to become my daughter,” Duchess Cultured replied, batting her lashes innocently. “Besides, I’ve already given Spoiled many nice things, haven’t I, dear?”
The duchess gave her daughter yet another odd look. Spoiled’s eyes widened, and she nodded in understanding.
“Indeed, you have,” Spoiled Milk answered, giving a disingenuous-looking smile. “Besides, your diamond necklace suits Princess Love Tap so well.”
Love Tap couldn’t help but find the whole interaction horribly suspicious. Nevertheless, she decided to give her stepfamily-to-be the benefit of a doubt and accepted the gift, clasping it around her neck.
“Well, now that we’ve cleared the air, why don’t we all head down to dinner?” King Lincoln Log suggested, addressing the duchess. “Afterwards, you and Spoiled can get settled, and then, Love and I can give you a tour of the castle tomorrow.”
The next day, as promised, Lincoln Log and Love Tap were giving Duchess Cultured and Spoiled Milk a tour of the castle. Although she had more or less forgiven Spoiled for yesterday, Love Tap was still rather hurt about having her most prized possession broken. Spoiled, on the other hoof, was acting colder towards her by the minute. At the moment, the four of them were in the hallway displaying portraits of Marendelle’s past and present rulers.
“Hey, who’s this?” Spoiled asked, noticing two particular portraits.
“That’s King Saltpeter,” Love Tap identified proudly. “Remember? From my report yesterday?”
Spoiled just rolled her eyes dismissively.
“King Saltpeter has two portraits with two different queens because he’s the first king in Marendellian history to get remarried,” Love continued, “and in less than two weeks, Father will be the second.”
“That’s right, Love,” King Lincoln Log beamed.
“And after we get married, our portrait will be up next,” Duchess Cultured added.
“In five years or so.”
“What?” Spoiled Milk and her mother exclaimed.
“You see, because of King Saltpeter’s then unprecedented remarriage, Marendelle has certain conditions regarding royal remarriages. Best I let my little historian tell you,” the king gave his daughter a playful wink.
“When King Saltpeter first announced his decision to remarry, the announcement was met with much controversy partly because the decision was so unprecedented. Furthermore, his chosen bride Brooksong was a commoner at the time,” Love Tap began. “The decision was complicated by the fact that King Saltpeter’s only child Princess Bejeweled was the first female heir to the throne. The ponies of Marendelle believed a crisis of succession would result if the king and his new wife had children. On one hand, some ponies believed that the throne rightfully belonged to Bejeweled while others supported the king’s remarriage on the condition that he and Brooksong produce a male heir.
“King Saltpeter made a compromise, stating that Brooksong will not be given the title of queen but that of princess consort. Although the ponies will respect her as they would a queen, her word would hold no more authority than that of a princess. Furthermore, Princess Bejeweled will remain his heir unless Brooksong gives birth to a son. If she does produce a son, he will train for the throne alongside Bejeweled until both are of age. Then, the king’s successor will be determined by vote.”
“That’s very interesting and all, but it doesn’t explain why my mother has to wait five years to become queen,” Spoiled Milk interrupted.
“I’m getting there,” Love Tap replied, “You see, after King Saltpeter and Brooksong had been married for five years, Brooksong had proven herself to be a caring and affectionate stepmother to the princess and a selfless and generous leader to the ponies of Marendelle, and Princess Bejeweled and the ponies grew to love her. Brooksong was so well-loved that Princess Bejeweled herself requested for Brooksong to officially be given the rank of queen with full support of the kingdom. When Bejeweled became queen, she passed a law in order to honor her stepmother. The law states that if any later kings remarry, the king’s new wife must serve Marendelle as princess consort for five years minimum before being given the rank of queen at the discretion of the royal family and the royal advisers.”
Love Tap finished her recitation with a smile. The king nodded in approval, but Duchess Cultured and Spoiled Milk just blinked a few times, their faces betraying no emotion.
“Oh my,” the duchess finally spoke. “Isn’t that a lot of trouble just for a remarriage? Can’t you just make things easier for us and change the law?”
“I can,” replied King Lincoln Log, “but I won’t. As far as I can tell, it isn’t an unjust law. Furthermore, it was passed in order to honor one of Marendelle’s best queens. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Well, let’s just say Mother does wait five years and becomes queen. Who’s going to get the throne now that there’s two of us?” Spoiled Milk half-asked, half-whined.
The king paused, completely taken aback. “Well, I had always assumed that Love Tap would be the one to inherit the crown. Ruling Marendelle is a big responsibility, and she has trained her whole life for it and exceled, too.”
“But Spoiled Milk is the older one,” Duchess Cultured countered, batting her eyelashes. “Don’t you think you’re being a bit unfair favoring Princess Love Tap over her?”
Love Tap and her father shared a look. Then Love Tap spoke, “It doesn’t really matter who gets the throne as long as the ponies of Marendelle have a ruler who can care for them and lead them wisely, doesn’t it?”
“Quite right,” Spoiled agreed with a smug grin on her face.
“So, why don’t Spoiled and I both train for the throne until we’re both of age and then, have the ponies choose which one of us gets to be queen?”
“What?!”
“That’s what King Saltpeter was going to do if he had another heir.”
“Excellent idea, Love,” commended King Lincoln Log. “I’ll run it by the royal advisers, and if they agree, I’ll have it put down in writing. Uh, Spoiled are you feeling well? Your face is turning red.”
“Oh, I’m fine,” Spoiled Milk answered stiffly. “I just need some air.”
At that, Spoiled Milk stormed out of the hallway, her mother following after her.
The following week seemed to pass in a blur. In addition to all the everyday matters such as lessons, paperwork, and appointments, Love Tap and Lincoln Log were busy helping the duchess and Spoiled Milk with all the wedding planning that needed to be done. First, the girls had to get fitted for gowns. Then, the four of them had to choose the flower arrangements and the cake. Love Tap and her father especially enjoyed helping choose the cake.
In between business as usual and wedding planning, the royal family tried to spend as much time as possible getting to know Cultured Milk and her daughter even though the latter two didn’t seem to be putting as much of an effort. One day, the four of them took a trip to the beach, but Spoiled and the duchess just spent entire afternoon sitting in the shade. Another day, they all sat through Love Tap’s music lesson, but Love Tap could have sworn that Spoiled was trying to upstage her the whole time. Furthermore, Spoiled sang so horribly that Ms. Melody turned green.
Despite how hectic the week had been, Love Tap had been noticing that her father was displaying a number of strange symptoms such as headaches and dizziness. He also seemed to tire much more easily and had difficulty spending long periods of time on his hooves. All through the week, Love Tap had repeatedly begged her father to send for the royal physician. Lincoln Log staunchly insisted that he was fine, but his daughter eventually wore him down, and he relented.
“Hmm,” said the physician as he thoroughly checked King Lincoln Log over. “I can’t figure out what might be causing your symptoms, your majesty, but whatever it is, it doesn’t seem natural.”
“Oh, please do whatever you can to help him, doctor,” Love Tap pleaded. “I’d hate for anything terrible to happen to him.”
“I assure you, princess. Your father is in good hooves. Just be sure to let me know right away if the king develops any new or worsening symptoms.”
Later that night, as Love Tap was taking a hot bath, she couldn’t stop fretting about her father’s condition. She found it odd that her father started showing the strange symptoms shortly after the duchess and her daughter found out that neither of them would have a guaranteed claim to the throne after the marriage. Would either of them have anything to do with her father’s illness?
“That’s silly,” she thought to herself as she got out of the tub and toweled off. “I know Duchess Cultured and Spoiled Milk can be a bit trying at times, but nopony is that heartless. The duchess even gave me a family heirloom as a sign of accepting me as a daughter.”
However, when Love Tap picked up the aforementioned heirloom to put it back on, she noticed that something was rubbing off on her hooves. Upon closer inspection, she realized that gold paint was coming off of the necklace, and underneath the paint was some kind of dull, gray metal.
“Wait. The necklace is a fake?” Love Tap asked herself, utterly confused. “How can it be an heirloom if it’s not even real? And if it’s not even real, why was the duchess so worried about losing it at the museum?”
Her eyes widened in realization. “Because she wasn’t. She was worried that some expert at the museum would notice that her necklace was fake.”
She gasped as she thought, “I wonder what else the duchess has lied about.”
Love Tap wasn’t proud about what she was about to do, but her father’s health and the safety of the kingdom were at stake, so she quietly snuck downstairs to Duchess Cultured’s room. Love Tap knew better than to snoop on guests, and she could get in big trouble with her father for being so disrespectful, but she also couldn’t let the duchess carry out her bad intentions if she had any.
To her surprise, Love Tap heard voices coming from the duchess’s room. She recognized them as the duchess’s and her daughter’s. She cautiously pressed an ear against the door, taking absolute care not to make any noise.
“I can’t wait another week,” whined Spoiled. “Can’t you convince the king to move the wedding up or something?”
“I’m trying to find a way,” snapped Cultured Milk, “but I can’t just ask him upfront or else, he’ll get suspicious. Right now, our best chance of getting the wedding moved up is for us to win the princess over. We need to make her enjoy having us be part of the family so much that she’ll want her father to get married sooner.”
“I can’t believe that horrid brat is making me compete with her for the crown. She’s just so beautiful and gifted, and everypony here just absolutely loves her. Just how does she expected me to win?”
“Just stick to the plan, and Marendelle will have no choice but to give us what we want and deserve.”
Love Tap pulled away from the door and stealthily scurried back up the stairs. Okay, those two were definitely up to no good, and Love Tap will have to figure out what they’re planning before the duchess and her father get married. However, she’ll be spending so much time with them the following week that she won’t be able to do any more snooping. There was only one thing to do.
“Tea Cake, Cream Puff, I need to ask the two of you a favor,” Love Tap said, addressing her two young maids in the privacy of her room.
“Of course, princess,” replied Tea Cake.
“I need you to look through Duchess Cultured Milk’s and Spoiled Milk’s things while the three of us are busy tomorrow.”
“What?” cried Cream Puff.
“Shhh!” Love Tap cautioned. “Listen, I know I shouldn’t be asking something like this from you, but I have reason to believe that the two of them have plans to harm me and my father. Look for any weapons or suspicious items. Anything you find important you must bring to me tomorrow night. I’ll decide what to do with your findings from there.”
“Of course, princess,” the two of them bowed and took their leave.
The next day, Love Tap tried to keep her stepfamily-to-be as occupied as possible even if it meant agreeing to activities she didn’t particularly enjoy. For example, the three of them ended up playing several frustrating rounds of croquet in the garden that afternoon. On the positive side, she did get the duchess and Spoiled Milk to agree to another trip to the beach and the museum. No doubt they were only being so agreeable in order to further their plans.
That night, right after everypony else settled in, Love Tap met with the two maids to discuss their findings.
“Well?” Love Tap asked.
“I’m afraid I found nothing among Spoiled Milk’s things, princess,” replied Cream Puff.
“But I found this among the duchess’s,” added Tea Cake, pulling out a mysterious vial filled with a purple liquid.
“What is it?” Cream Puff asked.
Love Tap took the vial and eyed it suspiciously. “Girls, can you remember which dishes my father has eaten or drunk out of during the past week?”
“No, but I’m sure we can find somepony in the kitchen staff who can,” answered Cream Puff.
“Head down there and collect as many of them as you can. I’m afraid I’m going to have to summon the royal physician for a secret late night visit.”
The maids bowed and left the room.
“Oh my,” said the royal physician, examining the vial that Love Tap had just given him. “And you believe that what’s in this vial may be the cause of your father’s strange symptoms?”
“I do,” Love Tap affirmed.
“And you say that your maids found it among the duchess’s possessions?”
“We did,” the maids nodded in agreement.
“I will take this to the royal university for the scientists to examine along with the tableware you and your maids have brought.”
“Please be sure to inform me and my father of your findings immediately.”
“As expected,” the physician bowed and took his leave.
One day and one night later, the page came in while the royal family and their guests were having tea.
“Your majesties, the royal physician is requesting an audience with both of you immediately. He says it’s urgent,” the page said.
Love Tap’s eyes widened in anticipation while the king gave a look of confusion. The duchess and her daughter shared a rather nervous look before quickly composing themselves.
“Well, you and Love Tap should go ahead and see the good physician,” said Duchess Cultured, getting up. “I’m sure Spoiled and I will be able to find something to occupy ourselves with.”
“Actually, maybe you should stay with us,” replied Love Tap, trying to sound as innocent as possible. “Whatever the physician has to say, he can say to all of us.”
“Quite right,” agreed the king before turning to address the page. “Send him in immediately.”
The page bowed and left, returning moments later with the royal physician.
“My king,” began the physician. “I am pleased to have discovered the source of your ailment. However, I’m afraid I also have some bad news.”
“The illness isn’t fatal, is it?” asked King Lincoln Log.
“Fortunately, no, it’s not fatal, but you must begin treatment at once. Before I tell you the bad news, I must let you know that your symptoms are being caused by the contents of this vial,” the physician replied, showing King Lincoln Log the vial that Love Tap had given him two nights ago.
“Where the hay did you get that?!” Spoiled Milk shrieked in a panic before her mother silenced her with a glare.
“Funny you should ask, miss. You see, this substance is actually a deadly poison. In a large dose, it can kill immediately, but if given in smaller doses over a period of time, it causes ponies to become increasingly ill before it eventually builds up and kills the affected. The royal scientists found traces of this poison on the dishes you’ve been using, and I was told that the vial was found among the duchess’s belongings.”
Spoiled turned several shades whiter, but the duchess seemed unusually calm.
“Doctor, whoever gave you your information obviously lied,” Duchess Cultured said sweetly. “I’ve never seen that vial before in my life.”
“Spoiled seems to recognize it,” Love pointed out.
“No, I don’t,” Spoiled answered rather unconvincingly.
“I can assure you that my informant is completely trustworthy and would have no motive whatsoever to harm anypony, especially the king,” the physician countered. “Err, were you the one who poured the king’s tea earlier?”
The duchess’s catty smile dropped for a few seconds before she resumed smiling. “Purely circumstantial, I assure you.”
At that moment, a faint thud was heard coming from Duchess Cultured’s direction and a half-filled vial similar to the one the doctor was holding rolled out from under her dress. Everypony in the room except Spoiled Milk glared at her.
“I suppose that was ‘purely circumstantial’ as well,” King Lincoln Log deadpanned.
“I-I’ve been framed!” Cultured Milk cried before pointing a hoof accusingly at Love Tap. “It was her. She planned the whole thing out to try to keep us from getting married.”
“WHAT?!” Love cried, incredulously.
“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” the king shouted, angrily. “I know my daughter like my own mind. Even if she could have planned something so ludicrously complicated, she would never ever intentionally try to hurt me for any reason.”
“Never,” Love agreed.
“Guards!” King Lincoln Log called. Soon, a number of them arrived at the room, and the king ordered, “Please escort Duchess Cultured Milk and her daughter to the dungeon. Tomorrow morning, have them sent to Stirram immediately to have them tried for treason. Take the evidence we have against them along with written testimonies from everypony present in this room.”
“Yes, your majesty,” the knights bowed and began to take the two culprits to the dungeon.
“Hey, quit shoving,” complained Spoiled.
“Thankfully, with some medicine and bedrest, my father recovered,” finished Love Tap in the present day. “He also found out that I had snooped on the guests but decided not to punish me given the circumstances.”
At first, nopony said anything. Button and Sweetie Belle shared a look of utter shock and disbelief while Sweetie’s sisters and their husbands just blinked a few times. At last, Cinnamon Swirl spoke.
“So when I said that you were worried about losing our son to some strange mare, I was actually closer to the truth than I had realized,” Cinnamon stated.
“I was so terrified that history was going to repeat itself,” Love cried, putting her hooves over her eyes, “especially after that horrible nightmare I had.”
“What nightmare?” her husband and son both asked.
“Well, I don’t know. I really shouldn’t be talking about it in front of the children.”
Her two favorite stallions crossed their arms at her, shooting her looks of concern and disapproval.
“Fine,” she relented. “On the night my father had, well, passed, I dreamt that Button had grown up and was about to get married, and I couldn’t be happier. I can’t remember any distinguishing details about the bride. I do remember, however, that after the two of them exchanged wedding vows, she pulled a knife out of her dress and, well, you get the idea.”
Love Tap could see everypony’s eyes growing to the size of dinner plates, but she knew they were going to need to hear the rest of what happened in her dream.
“Suddenly, the bride quite literally takes off her face and turns into Spoiled Milk, and she gives me this horrifying grin and says, ‘I always get what I want, princess. Always!’ Then, I woke up.”
Button blinked a few times before he finally found his voice, “Mom, I don’t know which is scarier, how downright weird your dreams are or how strangely accurate they turn out.”
“Love, in all the years we’ve been married, how come you’ve never told me about Spoiled Milk, err, Rich before?” Cinnamon questioned.
“I didn’t think I’d need to,” Love replied. “I wanted to leave her in the past, and up until today, she was presumed dead.”
“What do you mean ‘presumed dead’?” Apple Bloom asked.
“After my father had them sent back to Stirram, the ship they were on just mysteriously exploded with no survivors.”
Everypony’s jaws dropped while Love Tap’s eyes widened in realization. “Spoiled and her mother set up that explosion to cover up their tracks. Afterwards, they discreetly returned to Stirram and pretended that nothing had happened.”
“Mm-hmm,” everypony else nodded.
“All those ponies. She’s responsible for all of them,” Love Tap gasped in horror before she put a hoof to her face, “and now that she’s a queen, I can’t bring her to justice without starting a war.”
“You mean, we’re stuck sharing the palace with a potential killer?” Skater cried.
“I’m too young to die. I wanna live,” Roller Blade whimpered.
“What if she tries to take my music box?” gasped Little Button.
“Everypony, please settle down,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “Nopony is going to die, and nothing is going to get stolen during this visit. We’re just going to have to be careful around Queen Spoiled. That’s all.”
After she and her sisters managed to calm their children, Sweetie addressed her mother-in-law with an empathetic look on her face, “Your majesty, I know that it’s hard for you having Spoiled Rich here, and I’m not saying this to hurt you, but maybe you should try to patch things up with her. Even if she doesn’t want to accept you as a friend, the two of you can at least part ways on more neutral terms.”
Love Tap sighed heavily, letting her daughter-in-law’s words sink in. Her mind wandered to the report that she gave on the day that Spoiled Milk and the duchess came into her life, remembering her conclusion that wisdom and courage gave ponies the ability to hope. Well, she was certainly going to need all her wisdom and courage to hope that this visit didn’t end in disaster. Besides, she needed to set a good example for her granddaughters and their cousins.
“You know what, Sweetie Belle,” Love Tap began, “you’re right. Spoiled is going to do what she’s going to do. I’m just not going to let it bother me.”
Just then, a shrill, angry shout filled the whole castle, “HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY YOUR MOTHER, YOUNG MARE! GIVE THAT BACK AT ONCE!”
Another slightly less unpleasant shout answered back, “No!”
Love Tap quickly stepped out of the throne room to find the source of the ruckus and was knocked over by Princess Diamond Tiara, who had been running too fast to look where she was going. During the collision, Diamond Tiara dropped a familiar-looking vial, causing Love Tap to gasp in horror and recognition. Queen Spoiled came up from behind her daughter, stopping herself just in time to avoid crashing into the two ponies in front of her.
“What is that?” cried Love Tap as she got up, pointing to the vial.
“It’s not mine. I swear,” Diamond Tiara pleaded.
“I’ve never seen it before either,” Spoiled Rich lied rather obviously, her face going pale.
Love Tap had the servants dispose of the vial and summoned the two mares into the throne room where the rest of the family was still waiting.
“We need to talk,” Love addressed Spoiled.
“You’re going to have to be a little more specific,” Spoiled replied.
“Spoiled, I mean, queen, I am painfully aware of the bad blood between us, but for the sake of this visit and our families, can we at least attempt to be friends?”
“Fine, but once this visit is over, I never want to see you again.”
At that, Queen Spoiled Rich turned around and ran out of the throne room, her face fuming. For a while, Diamond Tiara did nothing but smile awkwardly at the royals.
“Umm, I’ll just go make sure she stays out of trouble,” Diamond Tiara finally spoke before she curtsied and took off after her mother.
“This is going to be one long week,” groaned Snow Pea.
“You said it,” her parents and grandparents agreed.
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Well I know that there are references from the 2015 Cinderella and that poisoning could be from Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses but any other references I am unsure of. I want to say again of how well-done this chapter was and it adds a lot into the series.
7855405 Don't worry about it. I got so many ideas from so many different movies and blended them so seamlessly that even I have trouble remembering which references I used.
I'm kind of surprised that you didn't find Kung Fu Panda 2 though.
7855912 Shoot, I forgot about that, I guess I was so caught up in the story that it slipped my mind.
okay is she suppost to be mulon or cinderella? im confused
8828762
It's the literary equivalent of a child taking a bunch of different LEGO sets, dumping their contents into a single giant tub, reaching into that tub, pulling out different pieces at random, and attempting to connect all those pieces into something that makes sense. That's the best way I can describe what you just read.
8828977
Well... if we go further with this LEGO-metaphor... I think I can say I'm some kind of collector... I watch many different sets and - instead of put it in one tube and pulling pieces at random - watch them carefully, and pick the ones that will make good addition to my (at least supposedly) great construction... and I just find a few good elements
That gave me an inspiration to a few historical event in my MLP universe
And I really like the final of Love Tap's oral report.
8828977
9383264
I think you broke phantom but dont worry he will be fine.
(smoke comes off my head and eyes unfocused)
9388966
How did I even do that? I don't get it...