Choices - The Dragon Princess

by kleia

Winterglade Ruins

Fluttershy's head swarmed with pain. Her eyes fluttered open, vision blurry. Much snow had piled on top of her body, but the flurry from earlier had significantly slowed. She forced herself to stand, whincing at all her numerous aches and pains. Where was she?

Fluttershy found herself at the edge of a wood, pine trees lifted high into the air. Something whispered her name. She felt as though she should go in, and see what the whisper wanted. Hesitantly, she limped into the forest, looking around for whatever had uttered her name. Then she spotted it. It was a trail of small, flame like creatures, their little hands beckoning her deeper into the woods.

She followed them, listening to their many proses of what she'd see if she reached the end. She was so curious even, that she had started running, despite her body's clear arguments. She ignored her pain and found herself in front of an ancient palace.

Not much was left of it. The brick floor and some walls still stood, but one thing in particular caught Fluttershy's interest. Despite the castle's brittle bones, beautiful stained glass windows stood perfectly unharmed. They looked as though they had only been polished yesterday, and upkept throughout the ages. Fluttershy took a moment to look at each.

The first, or rather what she assumed was the first, showed who she recognized as a historical Dragon Queen. Her name was lost to time, but it showed her on a throne Fluttershy didn't recognize. She held in her claws the dragon scepter. Her gaze was not at the viewer of the pane, but somewhere beyond.

The next showed the Queen obtaining advice from who, Fluttershy could only guess, was the Queen's royal advisor. She had her claws held out, her advisor handing her what looked to be a scroll.

The third was grim. A bloody image of the Queen, who lay dead. Fluttershy's breath held in her throat. She held up a clawed hand to the glass. It was... warm? She tilted her head in confusion, bringing her face closer to it. She felt the glass's heat upon her face. Her breath didn't show this close to the glass. In her confusion, she recoiled.

Her curiosity, however, was stronger. She went up to each pane of glass. Each was warm, and had an other-wordly energy to it. After a moment of pregnant wonder, she placed a hand to the first pane. Magic swelled from the pane, engulfing her arm and feeling the magic's pressure in her mind. Her eyes grew white and glowing. The world around her faded, and she saw the ancient palace anew in it's original glory.

She was in a throne room. It was not her palace's. She noted the Dragonlands symbol on evenly spaced banners that lined the great hall. She noted the recognizable stained glass. She noted the carpet beneath her claws.

"Approach," said a booming, feminine voice. Fluttershy's ears flopped against her head as she looked towards the voice. It was Queen Orienthh, known to dragonlands history as a wonderous and powerful Queen. Some even revered her as a goddess in mortal form. She was sat at her throne, chest puffed, in her claws was a scepter, equally lost to time. Fluttershy had never known her name until now, but recognized the scepter as the Bloodstone scepter. Like the queen, it was lost to time, but she knew from history that anyone who held it was the true ruler of the dragons.

Hesistantly, Fluttershy approached, keeping her body low. The Queen did not meet her gaze. She looked beyond Fluttershy, at someone behind her. Fluttershy turned her head and yelped as the figure behind her passed through her. What was she seeing? Was she... witnessing the past?

The queen fluffed her wings. Butterfly and crystalline transparency like Fluttershy's. Fluttershy would have to think on that later. She watched the history, or at least what she guessed was history, play out in front of her.

"Your majesty, I am here regarding your summons," said the dragon who had approached. Fluttershy's dad? King shy? How?

"Stop shrinking yourself and stand up tall," commanded the Queen. He did as he was commanded, shoulders back, chest puffed. "Today I dub thee my Royal Advisor. There is no dragon more qualified." she stated plainly. Fluttershy got the sense that she didn't want him as a royal advisor, let alone a royal advisor at all. It came off as begrudgingly having a dragon in that position. Maybe that's why she came across as so? Angry? Annoyed? Fluttershy couldn't place it.

The scene began to shift and change. Fluttershy had found herself in a crowd, perhaps common folk seeking an audience with the queen? The Queen sat at her throne, her head rest on her fist. Fluttershy's father was stood to the Queen's right, his face stern.

"The first commoner may step forward," her father's recognizable voice spoke. "Remember, keep it short." he said firmly as the commoner approached. The commoner nodded.

"Your majesty, please listen. This cold can't go on forever," the commoner started. Fluttershy's ears perked back up and were both pointed directly at the conversation happening. So this harsh horrible winter was form this far back... Fluttershy took a moment to draw her eyes to the windows that peered outside. A fierce snow storm raged outside.

"And what do you, a commoner, suggest the queen do?" there was a rage in her father's voice. The queen fluffed a wing in front of him, a sign to quiet him. He snapped his jaw shut.

"The most I can do is provide you with warmth. I will give each family in town blankets and some supplies to keep their fires lit, and the fires within replenished." the queen said in reply. The commoner bowed, tears streaking their cheeks in gratitude.

"Thank you majesty." he said, retreating back into the crowd.

The scene once again changed. Same room, similar to the last, it was another commoner audience. The same commoner from before approached. He looked older. A lot older.

"Your majesty," he began. The queen gazed at him, unspeaking. "That aid you said you would provide? I would just like to inquire about it." he spoke shyly, fear in his tone. "The town has not received it yet..." he finished. The Queen raised an eyebrow.

"Majesty," said her advisor quietly. "Is he suggesting you are a liar?" You sent the aid." Fluttershy's father's tone had a dark undertone to it.

"And what do you suggest I do?" the queen replied in a hushed tone.

"Clearly, this is treason. Execute him." her father was quick to reply. The queen mulled on it for a moment. You could see the thoughts swirling behind her furrowed brow, like the swirling snow outside.

"Are you suggesting that I am a liar?" the queen began, her brow remained furrowed. The commoner panicked. Before he was able to speak, the queen continued. "That aid you requested was sent to you. I made sure of it. Suggesting I am a liar is treason."

"What? But no one ever got anything!" the commoner protested, his voice panicked.

"Guards, arrest him for treason. Your Queen is not a liar. I'll make an example of you yet" she said, venom in her tone. She looked out at her people. Fear was struck in their hearts. No one else approached with their issues. A harrowing whinny could be heard in the distance.

---

Fluttershy could feel the magical pressure ease from her head, and she blinked. She was back in the ancient ruin of the palace. She placed her hand back on the cold, icy ground. She had to see the rest. Her father was royal advisor? How did he become king then? Something foul was afoot.

She shuffled over to the next pane of stained glass. The same heat emanated from it. This was the one where the queen was being handed a scroll by, who she now recognized, was her father and royal advisor. She didn't even hesitate. She placed her hand up against this window.

The same pressure in her head, channeling through her arm, eyes white.

She found herself in another room of the palace. It looked like the royal advisor's chambers, seeing that her father was pacing around. Other dragons were with him.

"This plan must work. It has to. I must be king!" he said, frantic. You could see a path starting to form in the carpet. The other dragons head's bobbed watching him go back and forth. "I've already made her look like a liar. I made sure the town didn't get those supplies she promised! I've already made her look like a tyrant!" his voice carried his frustration well. "But the townsfolk haven't rallied against her!" he contested himself, clearly not talking to the other dragons.

"Sir, what if- " one dragon began speaking.

"I know what I must do!" there was a look of insanity on Fluttershy's father's face. He frantically sat down at his desk, grabbing a quill and a scroll. He ferociously began scribbling down something on the paper.

The scene around Fluttershy shifted. Once more she was in the throne room.

"Your majesty," her father had began addressing the queen, who was sat on her throne. Her eyes turned to him. "I have worked out the plan, as you requested of me." he approached the queen and held out the scroll he had scribbled in before. The queen took it and opened it, her eyes moving over each word. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"War?" was all the queen uttered.

"Yes. Not only will those ponies not know what hit them, but many dragons will return heroes, bolstering morale!" the advisor replied. Thoughts swirled behind the queens once more furrowed brow. Her eyes trailed to the ground, lost in thought. Then she nodded as her head trailed back up to meet the advisor's eyes.

"Fine. You will be our General. Don't disappoint me." she spoke in a tone that was commanding, pointing the scepter in her claws at him. He bowed to her.

---

Fluttershy once again was in the decrepit ruined palace. What would a war do to the queen? She'd find out in the third pane, where the queen lay dead. She stepped over to the third window. She exhaled, her hand hovering over the stained glass, her breath leaving a trail of fog. Fluttershy hesitated, but knew she was in too deep to stop now. She drew in another deep breath, placing her hand fully upon the glass. The magic pulsed through her once more.

Fluttershy didn't have to open her eyes to know where she was. All around her was war cries, pained yells. She opened her eyes. She was stood next to her father. They were on a brisk, snow covered hill. Down below them, ponies and dragons alike fought for their lives. Sounds or swords clanging, magical beams and fire breathing echoed in her ears.

It looked as though this battle had been ongoing for quite some time. Judging by how many soldiers remained, this was the last battle of the previously planned war. Fluttershy's father reached for a horn at his side, blowing into it.

"Dragons!" he shouted, his voice was amplified. "Form up! We end this battle now!" By his command, dragons retreated, gathering together. "Use your flames as one!" he commanded.

With one command, the dragons all drew a deep inhale, exhaled their fire, and the battle was won. There was not time for the decimated ponies to even think. All around the battlefield was scorched corpses. It smelled of burnt fur, flesh, and blood. Fluttershy had to try not be sick as the scene changed around her.

The palace courtyard. There stood her father, bells tolling, commoners cheering. Flower petals gracefully fell around them. The sun was shining, it was warm. Her father began walking, and so she followed him. More cheering, more flower petals as he made his way to the throne room.

Inside the throne room was the queen alone. Her face lit up when her advisor entered.

"Well done on the war front, General." the queen said in admirance and praise. The royal advisor did not reply. A smirk grew on his face.

"The Dragonlands do not need you any longer..." he said, approaching, drawing his sword -- the same sword he threatened Fluttershy with earlier.

"What are you doing?! Stop this!" commanded the queen. He did not listen.

"Succeeding you..." he said, exhaling. The sound of puncture, pain, and the sound of the blades removal. Silence. A stone-sounding thud, the Bloodstone scepter rolling away from the queen, blood trailing behind it.

Fluttershy watched in horror as her father sheathed his blade. For a moment, he looked at the scene he had created. He took up the scepter, holding it in his hands as if it were a toy. The scepter did not glow for him. He scoffed at it. A harrowing whinny was heard from the sky. Fluttershy could see the sun fade, and snow once more fell. One warm day.

"This will have to be hidden. No one can succeed me... No one..." he said, his voice trembling. He drew in a breath. He exhaled. Then he called for someone.

"Guards! GUARDS!" he cried. A multitude of guards ran into the throne room. They were all instantly horrified by the scene before them. "Someone has gotten to the queen! She was dead when I got here!" he said.

A silence fell over the group. One knight broke the silence.

"Who will lead us now? She bore no heirs" he questioned. Fluttershy's father had to resist a smirk. He shed a false tear.

"I will." spoke Fluttershy's father.

---

Fluttershy's tears were stained on her cheeks, cold and frozen. She looked around at the palace ruins around her. She was mourning a loss of a dragon she never even knew. But she did know the queen. She now knew so much about her. She also knew the truth.

Fluttershy walked over to what was left of her throne. More tears streaked her cheeks. On the bricks nearby, Fluttershy could clearly see the left over bloodstain from where the scepter had fallen to the ground and rolled away. Solemly, Fluttershy placed a claw on the stain, sitting down for a moment.

"I will avenge you." she stated. Her mind was made up.

The scepter. Fluttershy needed the scepter.

Comments

[Mystic Sunrise]

Fucking asshole. Not sorry about the language.