Mother Mare's Foal Tales

There once were four princesses, each more beautiful than the last.  They were all cherished by their father, but there was just one problem...

"Good night, Father," they all said ever-so-sweetly before retiring to their room.

They all slept in the same room and the doors were securely locked behind them.  Guards were posted on both sides outside the room to ensure their safety, but more importantly, to ensure they remained in their chambers.

However, each morning, the servants would find the princesses' dancing shoes lying at the foot of their beds.  The shoes were worn nearly threadbare as though the princesses had been dancing all night.  The guards swore on their lives that no sounds of dancing came from the room and were rotated out for different guards who swore to the same story.

The king loved his daughters dearly and did not want to interrogate them, for he feared such an act would be too cruel for his delicate little girls.  Instead, once he had exhausted his staff inside the kingdom, he had a notice drafted and posted in every town within his kingdom.

"Whosoever discovers the mystery of the dancing shoes and the princesses' midnight secret may have any of the king's daughters hand in marriage.  However, if the secret is not discovered within three days and three nights of accepting the challenge, straight to prison the suitor shall be sent for wasting the king's time."

At first, many young men of varying backgrounds ranging from nobility to peasantry came to the castle to take on the challenge.  When one by one they all failed and were confined to a prison cell, fewer and fewer suitors arrived.  It soon seemed that all was lost for the poor king who refused to simply ask his daughters.

Flash Sentry was on his way to the castle for his first day as a member of the Royal Guard.  As he traveled through the town just outside the castle, however, a cloaked zebra sat on the side of the rode.  Being of good upbringing, he fished a few bits out of his saddlebags as well as a part of his bread rations and handed them to her.

"Why, young stallion, thank you.  Let me give you something, too."  Zecora lifted her head to look up at him.  "Are you going to the castle?  Stay a while and listen to an old mare babble."

Flash puffed out his chest with pride.  "My first day on the Royal Guard, ma'am.  Can't be late."

She smiled.  "Oh, I understand.  Why don't I give you a hand?"  She undid the strap around her neck and folded up the cloak, which she held out.  "Don this when the moon is high and invisible you will be to the naked eye."

Flash looked at the cloak, his pride replaced with confusion.  "What do I need this for?"

"Why, for the challenge of the king!  Don't tell me you've not heard of such a thing?"

Flash shook his head.

Zecora sighed and forced the cloak into his saddlebags.  "Young stallion, it will do you good to listen well.  The princesses will put you under a sleeping spell."  She stepped back and sat back down on her little stool.  "Partake not in their food and drink, or into the prison you will sink."

"But I'm just a guard..."

"No, my friend, you are destined for more than that.  Now, carry on your way, but I thank you for this chat."

Flash Sentry looked down at her for a moment, but her expression glazed over and grew distant.

"I... um... thank you?"

She nodded to acknowledge him but said nothing further.

He continued on his way to the castle otherwise undisturbed.  When he arrived, instead of being taken to the barracks as he expected, he was led straight to the throne room where the king sat.  His face was heavy with the exhaustion from lack of sleep from the mystery that ate away at his sanity.

"Ah!"  A look of hope lifted the shadows on his face.  "Perhaps you will solve the mystery?"

Flash's well-practiced, soldierly composure dropped for the second time that day.  He inwardly scolded himself, but quickly recovered.  "If that is what you wish, my lord."

The king clapped his hooves.  "Wonderful, wonderful!  I assume you know the rules already."

"The... rules?"

"Yes, my dear stallion.  Three days and three nights to solve the mystery of my daughter's dancing shoes."

Flash swallowed hard, but it was too late.  His training taught him the most important rule of a royal guard:  one never questions nor argues with the king.  So, he humbly bowed his head.

"I will not fail you, my lord."

"Good, good, very good.  Then please make yourself comfortable!"  He welcomed the stallion with open arms, leading him to the banquet hall where all four of his daughters were dining in quiet.

The eldest, Celestia, inclined her head to look down her snout at Flash.  "Oh, another one, Papa?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Luna didn't look up from her meal, but she did pause to comment, "There will soon be no more room in the dungeon."

Cadence smiled at her dark sister.  "But at least they'll have each other to keep company.  I would hate to be down there alone, if I had to be down there at all!"

The youngest, Twilight, said nothing.  She seemed to be the meeker one of the four princesses.  Beside her dinner plate was a book that held her attention much more than the conversation.

Flash offered a formal bow of his head.  "Your highnesses."

The king laughed and patted his hoof on Flash's back.  "Don't worry, dear boy!  They're only joking.  My daughters have quite the sense of humor."

When he looked over at them, they all, including Twilight, looked up to smile so sweetly that it was a wonder that they didn't melt in the rain.

"Keep a good eye on them.  They're in your care now."  The king patted Flash one more time before he left the room, the guards shutting the door behind him.

Celestia eyed the stallion with disdain, then returned to her meal.

"Won't you join us, stallion?"  Cadence asked as she started to wave a servant over.  "I'll have a meal prepared just for you."

Remembering the warning he received, he shook his head.  "Thank you, but no, your highness."

The princesses glanced at one another, each of them frowning, but they said nothing and resumed their meal while Flash stood near the door.

That evening, the princesses bid their father a sugary farewell and walked with Flash into their chamber.  A cot had been set up in the foyer of their room for the challengers, which he climbed into.

Celestia came to his bedside with a glass of wine.  "Care for a drink, dear stallion?"

"Oh, thank you, your highness."  He took the glass and feigned taking a sip.

When she smiled and turned to walk away, he quietly poured out the contents into the plant sitting near his cot.  He set down the glass, gave a dramatic yawn, and dropped down onto his pillow.

"Well, that was easy."  Luna slid out of her bed and trotted happily over to where her chest of drawers rested against the wall.  She retrieved her finest dress.

Flash began to snore.

"A little too easy," Twilight muttered, though she followed suit, putting on her dancing shoes.

Celestia rolled her eyes.  "What do you expect, little sister?  He had nothing to eat, so of course he would be more susceptible to the drink."

Cadence brushed her hair.  She inclined her head to look at her sisters in her mirror.  "Hush, now, so he doesn't awaken.  Let us hurry!"

Twilight was the first to finish dressing, so she went over to the rug in the center of the floor.  She pulled it aside to reveal a trap door, which she opened.  Her sisters began to descend the stairs and she followed after them.

Flash took a deep breath.  He retrieved the cloak from his saddlebags and threw it over his shoulder, then hurried quickly but quietly over to the trap door and down the stairs.

Unfortunately, he had misjudged how fast they were moving and caught up to them.  In his haste, he accidentally stepped on the youngest princess's gown.

"Ah!"  Twilight cried out and turned to face behind her.  "Somepony stepped on my dress!"

"Are you sure you didn't just stumble over your own hooves?"  Cadence giggled playfully.  "There's no pony behind you.  How could there be?  Our stalwart guardian is fast asleep."

Twilight hesitated, unaware that she was staring straight at Flash.  Her ears fell and she continued after her sisters.  "I suppose you're right..."

Flash gave a silent sigh of relief.

The narrow corridor opened up into a vast underground grove.  Trees with leaves of silver, gold, and glittering diamonds filled the rolling hill.  Making sure their attention was focused ahead, Flash paused to snap off a twig of each tree for evidence, tucking them into his armor.

Upon cresting the hill, he saw a crystal clear lake with four boats waiting at the shore, each with a prince standing by.  The princesses got into the boat, batting their long eyelashes at their respective princes.  Flash follows the youngest princess because her smaller size would allow him to fit on the back of the boat unnoticed.  However, the added weight gave the rowing prince some difficulty and their boat lagged behind the others.

"What is the problem?"  Twilight frowned at the prince.  "Why are you rowing so slowly?"

The prince smiled halfheartedly from the unexpected strain.  "N-no reason, of course, my lady.  I simply wish to enjoy my time with you."

Twilight sighed and fanned herself, looking away.  "I wish to enjoy my time dancing, not sitting in a boat."

Once all the princesses were on the other side of the lake, they walked with their princes onto a marble platform and began to dance.  They happily danced all night until their shoes became worn and they had no choice but to return to their chamber.  Flash was just barely able to sneak out with them before Celestia shut the trap door.

Luna looked over at the cot in the chamber foyer.  The lump of pillows tucked under the sheets was enough assurance to the princesses that Flash was still sound asleep.  While they were distracted by undressing and discarding their worn shoes, he slipped under the covers.

The next night and the night thereafter were a repeat of the first night, though Flash was more careful to not alert the young princess to his presence.  On the third night, he snuck a golden cup from the ball back to the castle above so that the next day he was fully prepared with evidence.

"Well, what say you, young stallion?" asked the king from his throne.  The joy in his voice was gone, as he was expecting the worst.

"I have solved the riddle of the worn dancing shoes, my lord," Flash said, his head held high.

From the side of the room the princesses watched with varying skepticism.  Celestia sneered at the stallion.  Cadence preoccupied herself with her much more interesting hair.  Luna rolled her eyes.  Twilight hugged her book to her chest and bit her lower lip.

The king leaned forward, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.  "You have?"

"Yes, my lord."  From his saddlebags he produced the glimmering twigs and the golden cup.  "There is a trap door in their chamber that leads to an underground grove where the trees of gold, silver, and diamond grow."  He set the twigs at the steps leading up to the throne.  "There, they dance with princes from another kingdom until their shoes are worn."  He set down the golden cup beside the twigs.

Flash bowed his head as he stepped backwards and awaited the king's ruling.

The king tilted his head one way.  He lifted his snout into the air.  Finally, he looked over at his daughters in silence.

Twilight stepped forward.  "There's no use in hiding it any more, my sisters!"  She gazed at her father with sad eyes.  "It's true, Father.  Everything the stallion has told you is true."

Celestia groaned, placing her hoof to her forehead.  "Twilight..."

"Well, it was starting to get boring, anyway."  Cadence picked at her mane some more.

The king frowned.  "But why?  Why would you go to such lengths, when I have done everything I can for you, my darlings?"

"You never let us participate in the galas!"  Luna stomped her hoof.  "We sit and smile and greet guests as they arrive, and once they have all arrived, we sit and smile and watch as they dance.  Then they leave!  It's so boring, Father!"

The king looked at his daughters at first with regret, then with frustration.  "Then why did you not simply ask to dance!"

The princesses were silent.  The thought seemed to baffle all four of them.  All their lives, they had simply been given what they wanted; to ask for things was not how they were raised.

The king shook his head, then looked at Flash.  "You have solved the riddle, stallion, and now you may claim your prize."

Flash's cheeks turned a light red.  "But, my lord-"

"You dare refuse my gift?"  The king leaned forward.

"No, sir!"  He flinched back.  He looked at the princesses.  "I...  Then, I would like..."  He walked over to them.

The eldest three looked at him with fear, but his gaze was locked on Twilight.  Realizing this, they gave a look of relief.

"I would like it if you would accept me, your highness."  He bowed before her.

Twilight looked around, her own cheeks reddening.  "Me?  Why me?"

"The champion of the riddle has chosen his bride," the royal guards on both sides of the throne said in loud, booming voices.

The very next day, as the king was not one to let debts hang in the air, the two were wed.  The marriage was shaky at first, because they had been given very little time together, but over the following moons they learned more and more of one another and it became a happy, loving union.