An Unlikely Prince

The Pig Child

The next few years were certainly eventful for Canterlot. Celestia had told the news papers what had happened in the Gryphon Kingdoms, and her decision to bring in the surviving Orc as a refugee.

Though some of the nobility expressed concerns about him, both as being a carnivorous creature, and being the target of a fair deal of scorn by arguably their most powerful neighbor.

Celestia did what she could to alleviate their worries, but things grew more difficult when the baby Orc grew old enough to eat solid foods.

Grar had a voracious appetite, and most would be intimidated by the zeal he would dig into his food. He could easily eat at least twice as much as any pony his age could. Celestia provided him mostly with pork, but he seemed to take to eating apples as a snack between meals.

At the age of two, he was already walking around, exploring the castle as much as he could, and running Violet ragged, trying to keep up with him, especially when he got out of sight.

Now, at the age of six, Grar was larger than most colts his age, standing at least a head taller than them, and sporting a much thicker build, natural muscle with a layer of fat on top of it. One could mistakenly guess him to be just a fat child. And some, unfortunately for them, did.

Celestia was dressed in a flowing regal dress as she walked down a hall towards the throne room. She was meeting with some of the provincial governors from around Equestria to discuss internal affairs.

Beside her, keeping up with her pace was Grar, dressed in a simple tunic, which he had said was itchy.

For her this was a political meeting about the realm she ruled over. For her charge however.

She looked to the green skinned child.

He needed more friends.

Once they reached the throne room, everypony turned and gave polite bows to Celestia, while some paused when they saw the strange creature.

Grar didn’t take their stares well, narrowing his eyes at them, before they averted their own gaze.

Celestia tried to ease the tension with a smile, “Welcome, all of you, please, continue talking, I will be with you in a moment,” she said.

She looked to Grar, insisting that he follow her to a corner of the throne room, where all the children of the nobles were gathered. “Please, try to make some friends,” she said to him, gently nudging him to go talk to the noble foals.

Grar, though he seemed visibly to dislike the idea, nodded and went to do his best to socialize as his guardian went to tend to matters of the State.

He reached the other children, who all looked at him, and some even recoiled. They had all heard about him of course. He was actually quite the subject to talk about.

Being a foreign Prince and the last of your race tended to bring that about.

Grar and the foals stared at each other. The Orc was the first to try and break the ice, “My name is Grar, it’s good to meet you,” he said.

The children, he counted two fillies and three colts in all, remembered their civilities and responded in kind. The smallest of the fillies, an earth pony, spoke first, “Pleased to meet you, I am Lilac,” she said.

“I’m Summer Breeze,” said a Pegasi colt.

“And I’m Red Streak,” said a Pegasi filly.

“My name is Zephyr,” a soft spoken unicorn colt spoke up.

“I’m Alabaster,” said the last colt, who was also a unicorn, and was actually a bit taller than Grar was, likely being a few years older.

“What exactly are you?” Summer Breeze asked him, coming closer and looking him over.

Grar narrowed his yellow eyes as he was looked over by the other male, “I’m an Orc,” he said, trying to remain civil, though being looked at like he was an exhibit made him want to leave.

“I’ve never heard of an Orc before,” Alabaster spoke up, also coming closer to look him over as well.

Grar tensed up under their scrutiny, though Alabaster took this to mean he was shy, which made him smirk, “you look kinda weird you know,” he said. He poked the Orc in the shoulder teasingly, “kinda pudgy too,” he laughed.

“Leave him alone, Alabaster,” Lilac spoke up.

The older boy ignored her, “you look a lot like a pig; you’re like some Pig Child or something,” he mocked.

“Alabaster, that’s mean!” the filly scolded.

Grar glared at the older child as his jaw clenched.

Alabaster only laughed, “Look at him, he looks like he’s about to cry, I wonder if he’ll sound like a pig too,” he mocked the boy further with some snorting sounds.

Lilac was about to scold the boy again, but didn’t get the chance to speak up before a green fist connected with Alabaster’s face, his snout making an audible crack as he was sent onto his backside.

The rest of the children, and all the adults who had looked over to see what the ruckus was about all stared wide eyed as the Orc stalked out of the doors he had come in through with Celestia earlier.

Celestia tensed up and looked to the politicians, one of them, likely Alabaster’s father, went to his son’s side to see if he was alright. “I’ll be right back,” she said, excusing herself and going after her ward.

………

Grar sat at a window with a scowl on his face, staring out at the open plains of Equestria which seemed to go on forever. He was thinking deeply, his jaw still clenched.

He heard footsteps approaching him, though he knew who it was.

“Are you alright?” Celestia asked as she stood beside him.

Grar didn’t speak as he continued to stare out. After another beat, he finally spoke, “I don’t like that Colt,” was all he said.

“What did he say?” she asked him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“He called me a pig, poked me, made fun of me,” he sighed to himself. “I wanted to be friends, but I don’t like him, I don’t want to be friends with somepony who likes to make fun of others like that.”

Celestia smiled, and gently rubbed the boy’s back, “It hurt when he made fun of you didn’t it?” she asked, though she was proud that he would stick up for himself like that.

He nodded softly, as he continued to look outside.

“Why did you leave right after you hit him?” she asked.

Grar looked down, finally breaking eye contact with Equestria’s plains. “I don’t know, it’s just, before I hit him, I got so mad,” he said. “I’ve never felt like that before, I just wanted to hit him again, so I left before I did,” he said.

Celestia looked at him sadly, not sure how to respond to that.

“Celestia,” Grar spoke up, a question on his mind.

She looked at him, giving him her full attention.

“Why am I here?” he asked, “why are there no other Orcs?” he asked her.

Celestia couldn’t speak, she wanted to tell the boy, and he had every right to know, but she couldn’t tell him yet. She knelt down, and embarrassed him, “I’ll tell you when you’re older, I promise,” she told him.

The child was quiet, but nodded, and hugged her back.

She let him go and smiled to him, “Alright, we should get back to the throne room,” she said.

He looked back down, “Will Alabaster still be there?” he asked.

“Probably,” she said, but gave him a smile, “But I don’t think he’ll be bothering you anymore,” she giggled.

He managed to give her a smile, and nodded, “Okay,” he said.

“But, it would probably be best to apologize to him,” she said.

His smile fell and he tilted his head, “But I’m not sorry,” he told her.

Celestia tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at him, staring him down. This got a grumble from him. “Alright, I’ll tell him I’m sorry,” he said, crossing his arms and looking away.

Celestia giggled and stood up, “come on then, I’m sure the other foals will still want to be your friends,” she said, trying to lift his spirits.

He only nodded and followed her back to the throne room.

…….

Upon their return, Grar apologized to Alabaster, who accepted it, though spent much of the time sitting at the other side of the room, nursing his broken nose.

Grar continued to talk with the other kids, though it wasn’t easy. They seemed a little scared of him now, other than Lilac, who tried her best to figure out something to talk about.

When the meeting ended, Grar bid everypony farewell, and left with Celestia back to the royal quarters, where he had his own room.

“Did you make any friends?” Celestia asked him.

The child nodded, giving her a smile, “Yes, I think, her name is Lilac,” he said.

Celestia smiled, “I’ll be sure to let you know the next time she’s in Canterlot,” she said.

The Orc grinned, “I’d like that, I think,” he told her.

Celestia giggled, “Want to join me for dinner?” she asked him.

Grar nodded, “Alright,” he said, “Can I change into something less itchy first?” he asked her.

The princess laughed, “Alright, I’ll meet you in the dining hall,” she said.