Peppermint Swirl

~Chapter One~

~A Foal To Be Proud Of~

One damp, but crisp and fairly cool morning in spring, Queen Amethyst  of Cloudsdale lay in the Cloudsdale Royal Hospital.

I am in labor! She thought to herself. “so why after all these long painful hours am I still with foal!” she wined loudly as another wave of pain washed over her senses. Her normally flowing mane was glued to her neck with sweat. She was breathing hard as each new wave of pain continued to wash over her. Doctor Strong Heart had began to coax her while she painfully waited for her cervix to dilate.

“Breathe, Breathe, your doing really well.” Doctor Strong Heart said calmly.

Sharp pulling and stretching pains tested her will to stay awake as the pain was beginning to be too much to bear.

“AAH!” she screamed. ~gulp~ She swallowed hard in a failed attempt to push down her rising fear.

“BREATHE, BREATHE MY FLANK!” she snapped at her doctor. Doctor Strong Heart took no offense to her sharp tone or the hateful look in her eyes.  Reaching out her trembling hoof she managed to grab the sheet next to her. She squeezed it with all that she had.

“AAH!” she screamed again. “Why is this taking so long. Please little foal just come out and meet the world I don't know how much longer I can last!” With one last hard wave of pain the doctor yelled, “PUSH!”

She did as the doctor ordered and though the pain brought her to near fainting levels she was glad it was almost over. When the pain came to a slight annoying ache and she heard her foals cry she smiled.

“Its a girl my lady, a small but fine princess indeed.” said a fairly new and young nurse.

“My lady Queen this is my daughter Nurse Bright heart. You may know her sister as Miss Dawn Heart.

~P.~P.~S.~

“Twilight?” Pinkie interjected.

“Yes Pinkie?” Twilight responded looking up from the book.

“Do you think the doctor and the nurse are distant ancestors of Nurse Red heart?”

“Well pinkie I personally don't know but maybe you could ask her when you see her again, don't the cakes foals have a check up coming up?”

“Yeah they do, I think I will. Thanks.”

~P.~P.~S.~

“Yes, Dr. Strong Heart, I know her she was my mid wife for a time and I have asked her to care for my foal while I am unable to.” The queen replied.

“That's wonderful I shall give her my congratulations as a father and a doctor.” Dr. Strong Heart replied.

Nurse Bright Heart gave the foal to her mother.

Queen Ariea smiled, “Welcome to the family little one.”

“What will you name her?” Nurse Bright heart asked her cheeks warming with the delight of seeing mother and foal together for the first time.

The queen looked down at her daughters features and said “I think I will name her Peppermint Swirl.”

Yawning and smiling as the pain of her labor was finally dissipating she said, “I am tired I should like to sleep.”

Nurse Bright heart took the foal from her mothers arms and laid her in the bed side bassinet.

~P.~P.~S.~

The king off in a village on the farthest edge of his kingdom caught wind of his newborns birth. His wings fluttered at his sides as the messenger flew away with notice of his coming return.

“Please excuse me mayor I have an Important announcement to make then I must depart.” he said the excitement clearly present in his voice and eyes.

“Yes your Majesty.” the mayor said and stepped aside to allow the large stallion room to speak.

Raising his voice and coming to a stand still at his full height while displaying his royal grace, he addressed the crowd.“Citizens of Rain Puff village I would like to announce that the newest arrival of the royal family has been born as of yesterday morning.” A large applause erupted from the crowd as pegasi ponies young and old rejoiced the new foals birth. “I would also Like to say Farewell as I have yet to see my new foal and will be leaving immediately following this announcement. So farewell my dear subjects until next time.” He backed away and spread his large wings and with one well practiced flap of his wings he flew towards home.

~P.~P.~S.~

Meanwhile back at the hospital, the Queen lay asleep in her bed. Her sheets had been changed and she rested comfortably in the recovery room. Nurse Bright Heart came in to check on baby Peppermint when something about the tiny foals wings caught her by surprise. Careful not to gasp she covered her muzzle with her hoof and quietly backed out of the room.

“Doctor Strong Heart!” Nurse Bright Heart called franticly.

“Yes my child what is it?” he replied his age showing it self under his well groomed complexion.

“Well... you see... um...” she began hesitantly.

“spit it out child.” he said impatiently.

“Peppermints wings are too small!” she said quickly.

“Bright Heart my child if your going to live up to your cutie mark then you need to not be afraid of what your destiny en-tales and do not be afraid to ask if you do not understand something OK.” He said patting her on the head.

“Yes sir.” she replied stepping out of the way so that he may go in and see for himself what she was talking about.

~P.~P.~S.~

Time had pasted and the king, tired as he was, finally arrived. He had for gotten how long of a flight it was from rain puff to cloudsdale. The sun rising in the sky when he had left was now beginning to set. His wings sore from the long flight lay limp and his side. Their feathers brushing the soft cloud surface as he slowly walked to the castle gates.

Next time I take that flight on short notice I shall have a carriage awaiting me at the half way mark so that I am not so tired. He thought to himself.

In keeping to his royal stature he held his head high and carefully folded his wings to his side. He allowed his hooves to carry himself to the hospital inside the castle walls. He came to a stop at a large pair of white doors. Pushing the doors open he stepped inside. Before he could say anything the mare at the counter said.

“They are down the hall to the right and its the second door on the left.”

“Thank you.” he replied swiftly fatigue still evident in his voice.

He found his way to the room and quietly entered. As he slowly moved over to the bassinet he saw a tiny mint green foal with a chocolate brown mane that was a tangled mess of curls. Set upon her back were two very small wings. Upon her tiny head was set a little nub of a horn. He smiled feeling the energy return to him.

The queen still asleep, awoke when she heard her husband quietly humming a sweet lullaby to his new born daughter.

“~hum, hum, hum, hum~”

Not wanting him to stop and not wanting to startle him she gently touched his flank.

He turned his head slightly to acknowledge his wife's presence and whispered. “she's  beautiful. What is her name?”

“Well you know it would not have been possible with out you so don't go giving me all the credit now. Her name is Peppermint Swirl.”

“Of course I wouldn't say that but look at her the only thing different between you and her is your coat colors and maybe her eyes but we won't know that for awhile.”

laugh “yes that may be true but it seems to run in the family. I know you look just like your father. The only difference is that your mane is slightly darker and you keep a beard, he dose not.”

Moments passed before they heard a sharp knock on the door. knock, knock

The door creaked slowly, the age of the hospital showing. Creak Doctor Strong heart stepped in shutting the door gently behind him. creak, click

“Your majesty's there is something I believe you should know about your daughter.”

Both of them turned their attention to the doctor.

“upon closer inspection of your daughters wings I have discovered that they are quite small. Smaller than average. In correspondence to her body frame at this point and for a good amount of time in her young years she will not be able to fly. However building her wing strength is crucial. For now until she is three months she will need extra calcium. I will prescribe a powder that you give to her in water once a day. When she has reached three months she will need to do daily exercises. I can not tell you if she will ever fly and I can not tell you when her growth spurts will be. All I can tell you is to hope.”

The queen began to sob. sniff, sniff  “our baby!”

The king turned to comfort his wife when a thought occurred to him. “Doctor? I had a similar problem when I was young, I could not fly because my wings were to small. If I were to teach my daughter the same exercises your father prescribed to me would it help to build up her strength?”

“If its the same ones I am thinking of then yes she should be able to fly the way you do and I recommend that you teach her directly not have a care taker or any one else teach her.”

“Dear, its settled she will be OK under my wings and I know everything will be fine.” He said to his wife who was now trying to dry her face with the sheets of her bed.

“One more thing, make sure a swift flying adult is with her at all times should she attempt to fly.” the doctor said before steeping out of the room. The door creaking shut behind him. Creak, click

“We really must consider updating the hospital what with the number of ponies growing in our home city it will be greatly needed. I am sure this place could stand to have another two hundred rooms. What do you think dear?”

“Yes I agree the extra funds we have set aside could go to many buildings here in the city.”

“Then its settled I shall talk to the construction board.”

~P.~P.~S.~

“Few! Is this chapter over now? I need to bounce a bit and I kinda feel like some popcorn.” Pinkie asked jumping up.

“It would seem so, I need a stretch and maybe a glass of water.” Twilight replied.

“okie dokie lokie! See you in ten minuets!” Pinkie said bouncing off.