A Song of Pony and Changeling, Book 1: Games Ponies Play

by Loyal

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Other, Adventure, Shining Armor, Sex, Tragedy, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad, Main 6, Gore
Length: 8727

A Song of Ice and Fire crossover. All is not well in Equestria. War is on the horizon, and the four houses are beginning to grow wary of one another. A multi-part tale.

Book one in the Song of Pony and Changeling epic.

Princess Celestia is in need of ponies loyal to her, and not to the Apple family's coin. She seeks help from her Northern Ward, Lord Shining Armor of the Crystal Lands. He abandons home and hearth to descend unwittingly into enemy territory. Meanwhile, across the Stormy Sea, two princesses of the former House Draconequus begin to set in motion their plans for retaking Canterlot and the throne.

All across Equestria, whispers of deceit and subterfuge are spreading.

Because in these games ponies play, you either win or you die.

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Note:
This is a crossover between My Little Pony and A Song of Ice and Fire. The ponies involved are varied and dynamic. Both myself and the co-author urge you to keep in mind that the relations between ponies have been changed or altered in order to facilitate a smoother reading experience. The Equestria this story takes place in is an alternate universe, with locations and names influencing the geography. Things like gender and family relation have been taken into consideration, but in many cases altered. (Long story short: There aren't many male characters to use that coincide with George R.R. Martin's world.)
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Author: Loyal
Organizer/Editor/Co-author: Madness Brony
Banner art: Tommy Oliver (You can find his Patreon here.)

Published 2014-04-21 03:30:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-05-23 11:15:31 UTC

Prologue

Carrot Top

The cold bit into Carrot Top’s withers, and she pulled her cloak tighter around herself. “Come on, Kindling. Let’s just go back. There’s probably a warm fire and some stew waiting for us.”

“Not yet.” Kindling growled at her, looking all comfy in his furry cloak and warm leggings. Some of them had to make do with their coats and cloaks. But not when you’re the son of some minor lord in the Crystal Kingdom. When that happens and you take the Shadow Pledge, you get nice wooly clothes and a good sword. Carrot Top had to make do with hoof-me-down threadbare cloaks and some rusty sword with a wire-wrapped wooden handle. It splintered her tongue sometimes.

“Scout’ll be back with word any minute.”

“Scout’s always going to be back ‘any minute.’” Carrot Top muttered under her breath. She hunkered down in her cloak and shivered some more, stamping the hard-packed snow under her hooves to try and return feeling to her legs. Kindling either didn’t hear her or he was too busy listening ahead.

“There she is.” Kindling nodded towards the path, and Carrot Top watched as Scout flapped in through the snowy branches of the pines all around them.

“It’s strange,” Scout ruffled her feathers and lighted in front of them, “I could have sworn those damn changelings were camped out ahead of us, but there’s no sign of them. There’s a tent and what looks like a fire, but no sign of the wild black bastards. The fire’s cold, near as I could tell.”

“Did you check the tent?” Kindling sniped. Scout shook her head solemnly.

“Couldn’t get close enough.”

“You idiot.” Kindling scoffed and shoved her aside. “We need to go take another look.”

“They could just be out hunting.” Carrot Top complained. “I don’t feel like walking into a trap like that.”

“Please.” Kindling patted his sword. “We can handle any dirty changeling attack. Come on, our task’s not done until we at least take a closer look. Scout, you’re on point. Carrot Top, you next. You’re a pony of the Shadowbolts, you’d best start acting like it.”

Carrot Top groaned and shared a solemn look with Scout. Kindling, being the son of a lord in the Crystal Kingdom, felt like he had something to prove to the Shadowbolts. Like he wanted to be Lord Commander. Carrot Top just groaned and pulled her sword free, clenching the splintered handle in her teeth. Scout just drew her own blade and flapped off, leading the way through the winding trees.

It was cold. Bitterly cold. Carrot Top was shivering in her cloak as she and Kindling shuffled along the hard-packed path towards the camp.

“Stop.” The call came to her through the trees. Scout flapped back, her face pale. “It wasn’t like that before.” She whispered. “What happened up there… That’s new.”

“What? What is it?” Kindling grumbled, glaring up at the hovering pegasus.

“Go take a look for yourself.” Scout landed next to Carrot Top, shivering from more than the cold now. Carrot Top left Scout and followed after a grumpy Kindling.

Nothing could have prepared her for the camp.

“By the stars,” She sheathed her blade and stared at the viscera laid about the camp. There were detached limbs still oozing viscous black blood onto the snow, insectoid heads of changelings impaled upon spikes, torsos with entrails strung about in disgusting patterns. The whole area smelled like a bug had flown into the lamp’s flame and burned to death. Carrot Top fought the urge to vomit.

“No pony did this.” Kindling kept his sword out, though he entered the ring of bodies.

“Was it Timberwolves?”

“Please. Timberwolves are every bit as dead as Dragons.” Kindling nudged a disembodied leg aside, poking the tip of his sword through one of the empty holes. “No, something else did this…”

“Bears?”

“Too organized.” Kindling pointed to the clear-cut circle of body parts. “Poor changelings. Evil as they are, I wouldn’t wish this on anything. It’s too vicious. Too cruel. Okay. New plan.” Kindling righted himself and glared at Carrot Top. “We return to Commander Punch. She needs to know of our scouting mission.”

“What of Pinkie Pie? Isn’t she head of the scouting division?”

“Off visiting Shining Armor in the Crystal Capitol.” Kindling shook his head. “We report straight to-” Kindling was cut off by a rattling in the trees. Slowly, the two of them turned back to the path that led to the camp, their swords drawn.

“Scout! Is that you?!” Kindling called out. Their eyes were fixed on the treeline, watching, waiting for any sign. The rattling came again, closer this time. It sounded like something moving through the trees, brushing aside snow-laden branches and approaching them rapidly.

“You guys!” Scout burst forth from the treeline, looking even more pale than usual. “There’s-HRK!”

Carrot Top froze as two feet of an icy-looking blade ripped through Scout’s throat. Her blood poured down the blade, steaming as it dripped to the packed snow floor. The blade ripped out the side of her neck, spilling her lifeblood and staining the snow red, to match the changeling’s black blood.

“You fiend!” Kindling snarled, approaching the creature behind Scout’s prone body. He brandished his blade, growling as he swung it at the equine creature. Too late. Carrot Top watched with horror as Kindling’s well-wrought castle-forged blade shattered against the blood-soaked sword of the creature. He cried out and recoiled, clenching his hoof. His legging was black and shone with a sheen of ice. He hardly had time to cry out once more before the beast swung the icy blade around, parting his head from his body.

Blood sprayed into the air in a gross arc, painting a line in the snow. Carrot Top watched, horrified, as the horse picked up the disembodied head by its mane. With a simple motion, it tossed it to Carrot Top. Kindling’s dead eyes stared straight up at Carrot Top, even as more blood leaked out of the stump of his neck.

Carrot Top ran. She ran faster than she’d ever run before. All the while, crying a single word through the tears and the pain.

“Wendigos.”

Chapter 1

Featherweight

Featherweight huddled down in his cloak. The winds were high and it was beginning to spit snow.

“Make sure you watch, Featherweight.” Twilight Sparkle whispered in his ear. “Shining Armor will be watching, and he’ll know if you look away.”

“Yes.” Featherweight whimpered. It was dreadfully cold, and it’d only be growing colder. He looked up at Shining Armor, his father, with a slight smile on his face. Shining Armor, though, didn’t return the look. It wasn’t a very happy day to begin with. Two of the crystal guard ponies appeared on the horizon, a third figure between them.

“Where did we find this one again?” Shining Armor growled, eyeing the third, limp figure keenly.

“She was just south of the shield, ranting about some nonsense or another.” Time Turner grumbled. The cold had to be wracking his old bones like mad.

“Some nonsense?” Shining Armor arched an eyebrow at the old maester. “Sometimes nonsense makes perfect sense. What was she saying?” Under Shining’s gruff glare, Time Turner seemed to wither a little. He grumbled once more before gathering his robes around him.

“She was spouting words about the Wendigo, saying they’ve returned.”

“Nonsense, then…” Shining Armor turned to look at the prisoner once more, though his expression was more dark. “Crystal Arrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You have Cobalt?”

“Right here.” Crystal Arrow hefted the massive greatsword, moving to stand next to Shining Armor. They were silent as the two guards struggled to drag the offending pony closer towards them. A thought struck Featherweight, though, and he turned to look up at Twilight.

“Why must she die?”

“Because,” Trixie stepped forth, cutting Flash Sentry off. “The shields must always be maintained. Any pony who makes their pledge to the Shadowbolts serves for life. To desert is to die.”

“But why does father have to be the one to do it?” Featherweight inquired once again. This time, Shining Armor himself answered.

“Because, boy, the one who passes judgement ought to be the one to enforce it.” Shining reached a hoof out to ruffle his mane, making Featherweight giggle a little. His father was always kind and approachable if nothing else. Seeing him so grim was concerning. To say nothing of what was happening later on that day. Featherweight fell silent, standing next to his sisters.

Trixie, the eldest. Twilight, Shining Armor’s bastard daughter. Flash Sentry, who wasn’t Shining Armor’s son, but rather his thrall from the Hay Isles. And then there was Featherweight, the youngest save for his younger sister and baby brother. But they had remained in Crystalfell to prepare for the Solari entourage. He also had an older sister, but she wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing.

After what felt like forever, the two guard ponies finally hauled the third before them. She shivered, and it looked as if she had been pretty well roughed up. Shining Armor and Crystal Arrow approached her, and the solid wooden block before her.

“You know what your crime is?” Shining Armor asked her, standing tall over the whimpering mare.

“I know what I saw.” The pony whimpered, looking fearfully between Shining Armor and Crystal Arrow. Cobalt, Shining Armor’s massive Eternium steel sword, stood about as tall as a pony when sheathed. Shining Armor just continued to look down at the cowering pony for a long while. After many tense moments, he jerked his head towards the wooden block.

“Face your death like a pony of the Shadowbolts. And at least go quietly.”

“Please,” The pony whimpered. “Tell my family. I’m no coward.”

“Shut it.” One of the guards kicked her, eliciting a loud yelp and sending her skidding towards the block. That had cowed her into silence, and she let the two guards put her neck on the block. Shining Armor’s horn glowed, and Crystal Arrow turned his sword sideways. Featherweight watched, mystified, as Cobalt slid forth from its sheath.

Eternium steel was neigh-indestructible, a product of the shattered Eternity Kingdom, well off to the East across the Stormy Seas. Featherweight remembered the stories Time Turner told of the old Eternity Empire. Their swords were forged of the rare Eternium, which existed only in legend now. Well, legend and the remnants in the form of these mystical blades. The sword, he knew, was as cold as ice and sharper than any other. Shining Armor let him hold Cobalt once. The massive blade, as long as a pony was, could shear through most anything. Shining Armor now hefted the cold blue blade, laying its tip on the ground and holding the hilt in front of his face.

“Winter Wrap-up is Coming.”

“We must first survive the Winter.” Crystal Arrow echoed. It was the saying of their land, of the Crystal Lands. There was a moment of silence as the pony they had captured whimpered up at them.

“I know what I saw.”

Shining Armor glared down at her for a few long moments before speaking slowly and solemnly. His words were nearly carried away on the wind, making Featherweight lean in to hear.

“In the name of Celestia of the house Solari, first of her name... Princess of Equestria and protector of the realm. I, Shining Armor of the house Sparkle, Warden of the Crystal Lands, do sentence you to die.”

The blade caught the morning light, flashing brilliantly as Shining Armor raised it above his head. Time seemed to slow as the blade fell, winking with the sun off its cold, blue blade. Featherweight made his father proud, and watched as the razor edge caught the deserter pony by the neck. Without slowing even a bit, the blade sheared through her neck, her head falling to the cold ground along with the last of her lifeblood. Her body slumped to the side, and Shining Armor hefted his sword once more.

“Her watch is ended.” He said quietly. “And now she lays with her brothers and sisters of the Shadowbolts.”

There was a silence after that. Featherweight couldn’t have guessed it, but that would be the day he changed a little. Trixie laid a hoof on his head, ruffling his mane slightly. “You did good.” His eldest sister smiled. “Father’s proud of you, I’m sure.” Featherweight watched as Shining Armor passed off the sword to Crystal Rain, who wiped the small bit of blood off on his cloak before sheathing the blade.

“Come on, all of you.” He grumbled. “We’ve got to get back to the castle. You forget, we’re playing host to the Apples and the Solari today.”

“Is the Princess coming?” Featherweight inquired, following on the tail of his father’s cloak.

“She’s on her way, yes.” Trixie answered. “But she’s a few days away. Meanwhile, we have Big Macintosh and Braeburn, along with their guards, to entertain.”

“The Halfpony?” Featherweight perked up. He had heard stories of Braeburn Apple, who was supposedly stunted from birth. There were many tales of his jovial attitude, quick wit, and boisterous behaviour.

“Indeed.” Flash Sentry sneered. “We’ll play host to them until the Princess herself arrives, along with Princess Applejack and their whole family.”

“What of Bon Bon and Rainbow Dash? The rest of the Solari family?”

“Bon Bon and Rainbow Dash are not coming. It’s just Princess Celestia and the Apples closest to Princess Applejack.” Trixie sighed. “We invited them, but apparently Celestia didn’t want to wait. She said her visit was urgent.”

“And I want to know what this is all about.” Shining Armor sighed. “Meanwhile, let’s get back to Crystalfell. We have the Halfpony and Big Macintosh to ‘entertain.’”

“About that!” A crystal guardpony trotted up to them from the path, panting heavily. “We just received a raven. The Princess’ entourage arrives this afternoon.”

“Well they made good time across the fork. I suppose Mr. Cake allowed them by without much of a hassle.” Shining Armor shook his head. “Come, let’s hurry back.”

“There’s something else, milord.” The guard leaned close to whisper into Shining Armor’s ear, and he frowned a little.

“Let me see. I’ll not believe it until I do.” The guard nodded and turned away. Their party left quickly, leaving two guard ponies with the body of the deserter. Featherweight looked over his shoulder as they began lifting her body, cloak and all. He turned back to the road before them, the path back to Crystalfell and his home.

“Down there.” The guard pony pointed across one of the bridges they needed to mount, and down in the ravine.

“Is that… No way.” Shining Armor frowned and strode forth, sliding a short ways down the ravine. All of his sons and daughters followed, approaching what looked like a large, heaping pile of sticks. The first thing Featherweight noticed aside from the sticks was the smell. It was disgusting, like rotting hay.

“A Timberwolf?” Trixie asked, standing next to the pile. “I thought they had all died, or at the very least they were North of the Shield.”

“They ought to be.” Shining Armor grumbled. His horn glowed as he plucked an antler from the Timberwolf’s neck. “Poor beast ran afoul of a deer, looks like. Pity. We’ll leave it for the scavengers.” Shining Armor turned to leave, but Twilight lurched forth.

“Father.” She called out, stopping him. “Look. She had pups.”

“Hmm?” Shining Armor looked back as Twilight hoisted five writhing bundles of twigs, each of them sporting tiny glowing eyes. Featherweight saw with a small amount of horror that they were miniature canines, with quadrupedal legs, swept-back ears, and long, pointy snouts. “Drown the beasts.”

“With all due respect,” Trixie nodded to each one in turn. “There are five wolves, and you have five children. A Timberwolf for the house of Sparkle. It’s fitting.” Shining Armor glared at Trixie, and then back to Twilight.

“They’re yours to raise. You’ll feed them, train them, walk them and if they die you’ll bury them. They are your responsibility. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Trixie nodded, even as Twilight hovered one of the pups to him. Featherweight caught another of the twig-like bundles, his eyes wide with wonder at the little beast in his grip.

“Save the other two for Scootaloo, Babs, and Pound.” Shining Armor turned back to the path. “Your sisters will do the same for their Timberwolves.”

“Oh.” Twilight gasped as she levitated a sixth bundle up. It was markedly smaller than any of the other five, and white. It looked as if it were made from the branches of an aspen tree.

“What do you know,” Flash Sentry chuckled. “The odd one out, and the runt of the litter. A fitting match for the Bastard of Sparkle.” Twilight glared at him, but looked back to the small white timberwolf fondly.

“That’s yours, Twilight.” Shining Armor called over his withers. “Raise it well.”

Timberwolf pups in tow, the party made their way back to Crystalfell.

Braeburn, The Halfpony

The whore gasped as she came up for breath, even as Braeburn chuckled down at her. “Ah tell ya, nothin’ beats a Crystal whore.”

“Are there better whores where you come from, milord? In Canterlot?”

“Better,” Braeburn grunted, hauling the curvacious mare further up his body so he could suckle at her neck. “But more smelly. And cold. You Crystal gals are more warm than I remember.” He chuckled and wiggled further down, his lips kissing wetly down towards her teats, nestled above her heated crotch.

“I always wanted to go to Canterlot.” The whore whimpered as Braeburn found his way to her tits. He suckled happily, moving from one to the other. His stunted stallionhood swelled up once more, standing up from his body like a miniature stump of a once-great tree. Braeburn had been stunted from birth, when he had killed his mother passing into the world. Granny Smith had never forgiven him for it, but he had come into his own. While his brother Big Macintosh was the fighter and glorious knight that he could never be, and Applejack was as beautiful as he could never hope to achieve, he had the brains of them all.

“Trust me, my dear.” Braeburn chuckled from between her massive, wobbly tits. “You don’t want to go to Canterlot."

The door burst open in a cloud of dust and splinters.

“Brother.” Big Macintosh himself, looking magnificent in his shining plate armor with a pure white cloak hanging over his flanks. He respectfully averted his eyes, smiling as if he half-expected to catch Braeburn at the tit of a whore. “You may want to hurry up. Applejack and Celestia will arrive today, and the Sparkles are feasting us.”

“I’ve enough of a feast here.” Braeburn scowled. “And since when was Celestia going to make it today? I thought they were a few days away.”

“Y’ know Celestia, th’ big drunken git. She needed t’ come ‘s soon as she could. Now hurry up an’ finish, ya need ta be there when they show.”

“Could take some time.” Braeburn gave a kiss to the whore’s clitoris, smiling as he waved his stunted cock at Big Mac.

“Ah figured as much.” Big Mac kicked the door open the rest of the way, smiling as a small clique of whores swept into the room, giggling. They fell on Braeburn, all tits and exposed marehoods. “So ah brought ya a present.”

“Can always count on you, brother!” Braeburn called out as the door closed, leaving him with a giggling harem of Crystal whores.

Shining Armor, Lord of the Crystal Lands

Shining Armor glanced sideways as Cadance swept up beside him. “My wife,” He smiled and nuzzled her neck affectionately. “I hope this isn’t as stressful as I think it is.”

“Doubly so.” Cadance returned the gesture affectionately, sparing a smile for her children. “I thought dealing with Princess Celestia and Princess Applejack would be enough. But now you’re bringing Timberwolves home from an execution? An execution, mind you, that Featherweight ought not to have gone to.” Cadance ruffled Featherweight’s mane lovingly, though Shining Armor didn’t miss the tone of her voice.

“He’s a colt of ten. Nearly a stallion. If he’s not exposed to it now, then when?” Shining Armor countered. “He’ll be a fully-grown Sparkle soon. And should Trixie be unable to fulfill her duties, it’ll be him to rule Crystalfell when I die.”

“I don’t want to rule Crystalfell.” Featherweight complained. “I want to be a knight, just like Crystal Arrow.”

“No you don’t,” Crystal Arrow spoke up from Shining Armor’s side. “It’s a boring life, being a knight. Not as much glory as you’d think there is.”

“Still,” Featherweight grumbled, clutching his timberwolf in his foreleg. “I want to be one.”

“Should you so desire,” Shining Armor kissed his youngest colt on the head. “You can have it.” He glanced up, spotting a wave from one of the crystal guards atop the Crystalfell Keep’s wall. “They’re here.” He straightened up, checking that his tunic and leggings were straight. “On your best behavior, everypony. I’ve not seen Princess Celestia since the rebellion.”

“Just as well,” Cadance grumbled. “I hear tell she’s gone downhill since becoming Princess of Equestria.” She cast a glance at Braeburn and Big Macintosh, who had arrived earlier that week in advance of the Royal Entourage. Big Macintosh looked regal in his armor, with the glittering white Princessguard cape. Braeburn looked drunk, with ruffled hair and unkempt clothes.

“Hush now.” Shining Armor silenced her with a quick nip, smiling at the gate as it began to rise. When the gate was fully open, a train of carriages entered, drawn by regal-looking guard ponies in full metal armor. Behind the carriages came an entire unit of the City Watch, gold cloaks loyal to House Solari, but under the pay of House Apple. Shining Armor didn’t watch them, though. He instead watched as the carriage door was kicked open, and Princess Celestia emerged. As soon as she stepped down from the carriage, Shining Armor and all of his family members, everypony in attendance, bowed deeply.

“Enough of the pleasantries, Shining.” Celestia beamed and clapped him on the shoulder. “You salty old bastard, it’s good to see you again.” They embraced warmly, Celestia holding him tight. The last time Shining Armor had seen Celestia, she had been regal. She wore her armor around a barrel chest, and her magic was powerful enough to swing a warhammer the size of a pony’s head around with blinding speed on the battlefield. Now, it looked like the Princess’ lifestyle on the throne in Canterlot had worn on her. Her gut nearly burst from the tunic, and her mane wasn’t half as vibrant as it used to be.

They had fought side-by-side in the rebellion against Discord, the Mad King. When they had quashed House Draconequus, it was Celestia and the Solari who had taken the throne. Not Shining Armor and the Sparkles. Back then, Shining Armor thought it the wise thing to do. Now, seeing the way the throne suited Celestia, he was beginning to have his doubts.

“Cadance,” Celestia broke the hug with Shining to gingerly kiss Cadance on either cheek. “You still look beautiful.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Cadance smiled back at her.

“And these are your children?” Celestia beamed at the rest of Shining’s family, expecting an introduction.

“Aye. Trixie, the eldest.” Shining began to go down the line, pointing out each one in turn. “She’ll rule Crystalfell on my death. Then there’s Flash Sentry, my thrall from the Hay Islands.”

“You’re Cranky Doodle’s son, ain’chya?” Celestia glared at the unassuming pegasus. “Your father’s a treacherous old tart. I’m glad Shining Armor brought you home as his price of rebellion. Shining’s raised you right. I can tell. And this… This is your bastard, innit?” Celestia grinned at Twilight, who locked her jaw tight.

“Aye. My bastard, Twilight Crystal.”

“Good girl.” Celestia nudged Twilight’s chin. “You’re a fighter, I can tell. I might just have my Diamond Tiara take a turn with you in the yard. Well, maybe iffen she were a year or two older. Right then, the next one.”

“Babs, my eldest daughter.” Shining continued, smiling despite Celestia’s gruff words to Flash Sentry and Twilight. “And this is Featherweight, my second-youngest son.”

“Tiny little thing, aintchya?” Celestia grinned and ruffled Featherweight’s mane nevertheless. The timberwolf in his hooves snapped at Celestia, drawing a full-bellied guffaw from the princess. “I heard you’d found some Timberwolf pups! Glad t’ see they’re not all dead. You raise that pup right, you hear?”

“Yes, Princess.” Featherweight beamed, his mane ruffled.

“This here’s Scootaloo, my youngest daughter.” Shining Armor moved on. “And Pound, my youngest son.” The little pegasus colt could hardly stand on his own, and he leaned heavily against Cadance’s side, looking up at the imposing figure of Celestia with wide eyes.

“Right then.” Celestia clapped her hooves. “I’ve seen yers, now you see mine. You know my wife, Applejack.” The rest of the Royal Family emerged from the carriage, led by Princess Applejack. She wore a flowing gown of Apple Red, hemmed with gold that glimmered faintly in the sunlight. She smiled and gave Shining a cursory kiss to his cheek, followed by a quick hug to Cadance. “Our eldest, Diamond Tiara.” The princess-to-be emerged next, albeit with a slight scowl on her lips. Shining could guess the young princess didn’t take kindly to sharing a cramped carriage with her fat mother.

“Wipe that look off yer face, damnit.” Celestia cursed at Diamond Tiara. “Say hello to Shining Armor properly.”

“M’lord,” Diamond Tiara bowed to Shining Armor, a forced smile on her lips. “I’m honored to be welcomed to your home.”

“The Royal Family is always welcome here.” Shining smiled and ruffled Diamond Tiara’s mane a little. He looked up as the last two emerged.

“And my next two youngest, Applebloom and Silver Spoon. Right, that’s the lot. Enough of this ceremony bullocks, I want to see her, Shining Armor.”

“Right.” Shining sighed and cast a sideways glance to Cadance. “The crypts are this way.”

“About damn time. Applejack, go, start the feast. Shining and I will be along after we pay our respects.” Shining led Celestia away before the rest of the procession had even entered. They crossed the yard and entered the dark Crypt, striking up a couple of torches near the entrance to light the steep stairwell.

“‘S been too long, Shining. Too damn long since I’ve seen you last.”

“Indeed it has, old friend.” Shining nodded, leading them down the winding stairwell. He knew Celestia would want to see her monument, so he had the stewards clean the crypts thoroughly.

“It should have been her.” They entered the crypt proper, a long tunnel well underneath the floors of Crystalfell keep. Along the walls were the well-worn statues of Sparkles dead and gone. Every one of them, from the first to the most recent, were buried down here. Their bones rest at the feet of their statues. After a long while, they came to the most recent statue, this one of Shining’s siter.

“Aah, Velvet.” Celestia knelt low, kissing Velvet Sparkle’s out-stretched hoof. “Would that you had lived, I’d have made you Princess.”

“Are you not pleased with Applejack?”

“Bah,” Celestia scoffed. “She’d just as soon be sitting in Ponyville, counting her bits next to that greedy bastard of a mother she has.”

“The Apples fund much of Canterlot, do they not?” Shining frowned. He didn’t care much for the Apples. Truth be told, not many ponies in the Crystal Empire did. “Her own brother is in your Princessguard.”

“The Kingstabber.” Celestia shook her head. “Slimy git. He’s only good for looking good. And half the bannermen sworn to my family are in the Apple’s coin purse. Damnit, the last pony I had loyal to the Solari is dead, Shining.” Celestia turned to Shining, frowning intently. “Hurricane Harshwinny died just last week.”

“The Hoof of the Princess is dead?” Shining blinked in shock. “How?”

“We don’t know. He had been sick, but we thought it a fever.” She shook her head. “Poor bastard burned up. It just got worse and worse until his brain boiled in his skull. He died just two days ago.” Celestia leveled her gaze at him, her eyes cold and hard. “I need you, Shining. Not freezing up here, chopping the heads off cowards that run from the shields and the changelings. I need you in Canterlot. I need you to be the Hoof of the Princess.” Celestia withdrew a pin from her tunic, passing it off to Shining Armor. It was a hoof, emblazoned with a starburst. The sign of the Hoof of the Princess.

“Celestia, I… I have a family. I can’t-”

“I’m not asking you, Shining. I need a Sparkle on the small council. I need somepony loyal to me, not to coin.” Celestia leveled a glare at him, her eyes intent. “What happened to the good old days, Shining? You and me on the Princessroad, swords by our side and a different whore in our beds each night? You’ve grown cold.”

“And you’ve grown fat.” Shining countered with a grin. Celestia guffawed and clapped his shoulder.

“Fat I may be, but I can still fight damn you. By the stars, I miss those days on the field, the smell of blood and shit all around me, an enemy under my hammer. Do you remember the day I smote Magnum on the Trident? Caved his chest in, I did! One swing, and down goes that filthy bastard!”

“They were good days, but they were old days.” Shining shook his head. “There’s no rebellion to fight. Even the Donkeys fell under our strength. We’ve no more enemies to fight.”

“Not on the field, no.” Celestia shook her head sadly. “There’s something ahoof in Canterlot, Shining. That’s why I need you.”

“Give me some time.” Shining sighed. “I can’t just leave, not now. Not with the news I just had.”

“Heard about that. Another deserter from the shields? What, couldn’t handle the cold?”

“No,” Shining sighed once more, turning to leave. Celestia glanced at Velvet’s statue once more before following. “She said something about Wendigos.”

“Haw!” Celestia barked a laugh. “Next you’ll hear tales of Mammoths juggling snowballs the size of houses and Satyrs in the trees. There are no Wendigos, Shining. Like I said, I need you in Canterlot, not freezing your ass off watching for deserters and myths.”

“I’ll consider it.” Shining sighed. “I can’t leave without at least consulting my wife.”

“Now you sound like me.” Celestia chuckled.

“Golden Oaks forbid.” Shining Armor sighed. “Come on, Celestia. I’ve got a feast for you.”

“Good! I could use an ale.”

Featherweight

Featherweight didn’t care much for feasts. They were noisy and smoky and he wasn’t allowed to drink ale like everypony else was. And there was a lot of ale. Drunk ponies wheeled about, sang drinking songs, and laughed loud and long. Featherweight had already ate his fill, and was now just sitting boredly at the head table, watching Celestia down another ale and grope one of the serving mares.

He was bored. And beginning to feel a little sleepy. It wasn’t even that late, the sun hadn’t even gone down yet. But here they were, listening to the minstrel sing ‘The Bear and the Pegasus’ for the fifteenth time.

“A bear! A bear!” They all sang in time. Featherweight groaned and rolled his eyes. To his relief, Shining Armor seemed to be enjoying himself about as much as Featherweight was. Cadance had excused herself, along with some of the other Apples as well. But he was expected to stay, to ‘entertain’ his guests. His guests seemed to be enjoying themselves plenty without his being there.

It was when he met his father’s eyes once more that he got a surreptitious nod. Beaming, he slipped away from the table, underneath a serving mare carrying a tray laden with mugs of ale, past a table where ponies were dicing, and out of a side door. Giggling gleefully, he dashed to where his Timberwolf was penned alongside Pound’s.

“Come on, Birch.” He bubbled, letting the young wolf free. He had already grown some, and could keep up with Featherweight.

“No, you stay here, Wormwood.” Featherweight shoved the other pup back in the pen, since it was Pound’s. He wondered why his younger brother had named his timberwolf after a poisonous tree, but Pound didn’t seem to care. He picked Wormwood and kept it like that.

But Featherweight and Birch bounded off, racing around Crystalfell keep as they were wont to do. One of the hoofmaidens scolded him as he dashed past. “You best slow down! You know your mother doesn’t want you flying higher than any of the trees!”

“I know!” Featherweight called back. He knew, but he didn’t listen. Featherweight was a weak flyer, and couldn’t keep himself airborne for long, but he could flap up a ways, light on some of the jutting stones of Crystalfell keep, and then flitter ever-higher. In a way, he could climb some of the towers, and it was towards his favorite abandoned spire he bounded towards now.

Birch yapped at him as Featherweight flapped up to the first jutting stone. He lighted and clung to the side of the keep’s wall until his wings were rested enough, then flittered up to a branch of one of the nearby pines. From there, he flapped with all his might to one of the jutting spires at the base of one of the keep’s abandoned towers. He could have landed on the rampart, but the door into the tower was locked. To reach the top, he had to go around the outside, using jutting stones where he could.

All the while, Birch yapped and barked beneath him, scrambling at the lower branches of the tree in a feeble attempt to follow Featherweight. But Featherweight wouldn’t be stopped. He continued climbing, flapping six feet at a time. The only place he could slip in was a window on the far side of the keep, and each new stone he flapped to carried him out and over the walls of the keep, where the drop became higher and higher. Some of the stones crumbled under his hooves, threatening to spill him fifty, sixty feet to the ground below.

At long last, he came around to the far side of the keep's tower. This was the most dangerous part of the climb. He had to dip down beneath the level his most recent stone was at and hover into a window. As soon as his head sunk below the level of the window, he froze.

At first, he thought they were wrestling. Big Macintosh, that dashing knight with the pretty white cloak, was on top of Princess Applejack. Featherweight watched as he moved his hips, and the princess cried out beneath him. But the closer he looked, the more he realized they weren’t wrestling. Big Macintosh, the knight of the Princessguard, was having sex with Princess Applejack. His own sister!

Featherweights wings gave out. He gave a clipped cry as the miniscule wings gave out, and he began to fall…

“Gotchya.” Big Macintosh loomed out of the window, snatching Featherweight by the scruff of his neck. With a muscular foreleg, Big Mac hauled him up to plop down on the windowsill.

“Who is it?” Applejack panted, trying to pull her dress down over her haunches. Featherweight blushed furiously, as he’d just caught them doing something naughty.

“The Sparkle boy. The pegasus. What was it, again? Featherhoof?”

“F-featherweight, ser.” He stammered, his blush intensifying as Applejack finished straightening her dress. Her mane was frumpy and her cheeks flushed, though. He looked away.

“We can’t let them know.” Applejack said quietly. Featherweight looked up as Big Macintosh looked down at him.

“Th’ things ah do fer love.”

With a shove, Featherweight tumbled backwards out of the window. His wings couldn’t catch him, and he fell.

Chapter 2

Sweetie Belle - Across the Stormy Sea, in Horsehoe Bay

Sweetie Belle looked out of her window with a soft sigh, feeling the warm breeze play over her coat. The waves of Horseshoe Bay lapped at the coast far, far beneath the window to the seaside villa she sat at, serenading her with the sound of the sea. She inhaled deeply, savoring the salty smell and fresh breeze.

Only to have her mood sullied when her sister burst through the doors.

“Darling!” Rarity cried out in a rather chipper voice. “There you are, I’ve been looking for you all day. Come, come, they’ll be ready for you any minute.”

“Yes, Rarity.” Sweetie Belle sighed as she pulled away from the window. She meekly walked forth, smiling faintly. It was a forced smile, but a smile nevertheless. Rarity strode forth, smiling down at her. “Pony Joe has a gift for you, little sister.”

“Does he now?” Sweetie Belle deadpanned, keeping her smile in place. Pony Joe showered her with gifts on an almost daily basis. ’Anything to gain favor with House Draconequus’ She fought the urge to vomit. Two buffalos, the slaves of the ponies across the Stormy Sea, entered her quarters with a box between them. Rarity’s horn glowed as she lifted the lid off of the box and pulled the contents out. At this, Sweetie Belle had to smile.

It was a beautiful dress, silky-smooth looking. But the more she surveyed it, the more she realized what it was.

“Rarity,” Sweetie Belle simpered. “This dress is too tight… I’ll look like some hussy from the streets.”

“You’ve not even worn it yet, dearie.” Rarity tucked the dress away, smiling at her. “You won’t know how you look until you try it. And trust me, Pony Joe knows his dresses. He is awfully wealthy, and his coin has not been missed on us.” Rarity paced around to her back, leaning in to whisper into Sweetie Belle’s ear. “We have to show our appreciation for his hospitality.”

“Yes, sister.” Sweetie Belle sighed again. She knew what was to happen later that day… She just didn’t have to like it.

“You’re going to wear the dress, and you’re going to look beautiful.” Rarity continued, her breath washing across Sweetie Belle’s ear. “Pony Joe promised me that marrying you to that barbaric Gilda and her gryphons would net me all the fighters I needed to re-take our throne. And you’re going to marry her.” Rarity continued, though her horn glowed. Sweetie Belle stiffened as her tail was pulled up, revealing her haunches and everything between them.

“You’re a mare now, Sweetie Belle. I’ll have my fighters, even if I have to let Gilda and every one of her forty thousand gryphon screamers fuck you senseless.”

“Yes, sister.” Sweetie Belle whimpered. Rarity let her tail drop as she walked past, moving for the door. The two buffalo left the box with the dress there, next to her bath tub.

“Bathe, wash up, and prepare yourself, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity called back as she left. “Your wife sees you today.”

“Don’t remind me.” Sweetie Belle mumbled under her breath. She watched Rarity leave before glancing at the revealing and form-fitting dress. “Dumb fabric.” With a sigh, she turned to the bath.

“Ma’am!” One of the buffalo hoofservants gasped as she strode forwards. “We’ve just drawn it! The water is too hot for you!”

Sweetie Belle paid the hoofservant no mind as she stepped into the searing water. She let the pain remind her of the pain she was due in the future. The gryphons were rumored to be brutal, heartless beings. The Gryphon Lands, North of Horseshoe Bay, were home to various roaming bands of the winged beasts. Gilda’s was the largest and strongest of the land, and it was to the heartless leader of that band that Sweetie Belle was to be pawned off.

’Just like mother’s jewels...’ Sweetie Belle sunk into the steaming waters, feeling the oil and scalding liquid wash over her. Rarity had wasted much of the Draconequus fortune in getting them away from Canterlot and the encroaching Solari and Sparkle forces fighting their way into the city. That, and placating Pony Joe, the Old Eternity Empire trader whose home they had been accepted into. Now, there was nothing left but their name.

As Sweetie Belle descended into the water, feeling the pain radiate through her, she thought grimly.

’A name that once struck fear into the hearts of everypony in Equestria. I must do this for Rarity. She’s the heir to the throne. She’ll restore House Draconequus. Fire and Chaos. That’s our promise to everypony. Fire and Chaos.’

Sweetie Belle felt like a newly-hatched dragon as she burst from the waters. Young, nubile, and full of fire.

When she donned the dress, Sweetie Belle felt like a mare. The buffalo insisted she not wear any incense or perfume, as the gryphons disliked things that didn’t smell of their wings. She emerged from her quarters with her head held high, her hair flowing beautifully down her neck.

“Aah, here she is.” Pony Joe grinned as Sweetie Belle joined them on the terrace. Rarity, she saw, was wearing the garb of House Draconequus. Even the gryphons would know the gemstones emblazoned on her barding. There was a point in time when that mark would be equated with the powerful dragons, and the fire and destruction they wrought wherever they flew.

“Prepare yourself, Sweetie.” Rarity nodded solemnly. “Gilda and her flight will be here any moment. Go and meet them, as you are.”

Sweetie Belle descended the steps of the terrace until she stood on the threshold of Pony Joe’s home. Sure enough, a dark dot on the horizon began to steadily grow. Gilda flew fast and free towards her, leading a massive contingent of Gryphons. Sweetie Belle stood at the edge of the drive, watching the dot grow and grow until it couldn’t possibly be missed. And then it continued to grow. She felt fear and apprehension build in the pit of her stomach as the gryphons swarmed overhead, circling and screeching terribly. One gryphon, seeming larger and faster than any of the others, detached from the circling overhead to swoop down in front of her.

Gilda landed before Sweetie Belle with a flourish of her wings, her talons digging into the dirt roughly. She glared down her beak at Sweetie Belle, her wings still spread wide. Gilda was easily twice her size, not counting her wings. But Sweetie Belle found her strength. She raised her head, looking Gilda right back in her eyes.

All around them, the gryphons circled and screeched, even as Sweetie Belle met her new wife’s eyes confidently. The dress hugged her flanks in all the right ways, and she felt as beautiful as ever. Apparently, so did Gilda. With what Sweetie Belle could have sworn was a rather lecherous grin, Gilda’s wings flared out and she took into the skies.

“I don’t understand,” Sweetie Belle called back to Pony Joe as Gilda and her flight dwindled on the horizon. “Did she like me?”

“Very much, child.” Pony Joe smiled as he swept upon her. “You’d have known if she didn’t.”

“How?”

“You’d be dead.” Rarity breathed a sigh of relief. “As would all of us, most likely…”

“So I did okay?”

“You did fine, Sweetie.” Rarity smiled as she stroked her mane. “The gryphons will be ours. You still have your duties to do, but the gryphons will be ours. Soon, you’ll see, we’ll re-take Equestria. We’ll have our throne back. Fire and Gemstones.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Gryphon weddings were barbaric affairs. Sweetie Belle had heard stories about them in the past and the books she sometimes read in Pony Joe’s home, but she had never seen one, let alone been the guest of honor. Ponies and Gryphons in equal measure streamed past the platform she and Gilda sat upon, each of them bearing gifts for her or Gilda. The gifts ranged anywhere from fine jewels and fabrics to books of knowledge and magical curiosities. One of them, a gift from Pony Joe himself, was an artifact that she actually knew quite a bit about. Gilda did, too, it seemed.

It was a product of magic from the ages past, as timeless as some of the cities that, unlike the artifact, lay in shambles. With it, two females could produce a child. Given the severe lack of actual males in the world, this artifact and others like it was to thank for the reason there were so many alive today. If both parties had it close by or integrated it into their lovemaking session, the more submissive of the two would be impregnated.

But that gift came second to Pony Joe’s most beautiful gift. Sweetie Belle gasped as a small chest inlaid with lapis and rubies was placed before her. Inside, three dragon eggs rested.

“A rare sight, even among my collection.” Pony Joe smiled at her. “They’re little more than fossils, I’m afraid… But beautiful fossils nevertheless. The namesake of your house.” Pony Joe bowed low. “My final gift to you, my Princess.”

“Thank you.” Sweetie Belle looked down at the eggs with wide eyes, her heart racing in her chest. The eggs were the namesake of house Draconequus, as it was from those eggs that their dragons hatched. But that was hundreds of years ago… The last dragon had died away quite a long time before she was born, even.

She was so caught up with the dragons she almost didn’t notice the unassuming young stallion who approached her next. He had to clear his throat to get her attention. She looked up at him begrudgingly, though a smile crossed her face when she saw he was an Equestrian.

“Milady,” He bowed low. “My name is Button Mash, and I formerly hailed from the Bear Islands.”

“Button Mash.” Sweetie Belle tapped her lip thoughtfully. “I remember you… You were banished for slavery.” She frowned at him. “You sold crystal ponies to the Storm Islanders.”

“I did, milady. And I had to flee the fury of Shining Armor else I be beheaded.” Button Mash cleared his throat awkwardly. “I joined in with Gilda’s band of gryphons to keep an eye on their slaves, and to you I offer this.” He stepped aside, revealing a modest pile of books. “Tales and stories from Equestria.”

Sweetie Belle could have squealed. She hadn’t seen any books from Equestria since well before coming to Pony Joe’s home in Horseshoe Bay. She picked up the whole stack, going over the titles of books one by one. Many of them were tales of adventure and songs of valor, but there were a few books of history as well.

“Thank you, Button Mash. I’ll treasure these.”

“You,” Gilda lifted a claw to Button Mash, nodding towards Sweetie Belle. “You fight good. Good pony warrior. Queen needs her knight.”

“Yes, Gilda.” Button Mash lowered his head to Sweetie Belle. “Should you have me, I will swear my fealty to you, milady.”

“My wife makes a good point.” Sweetie Belle nodded to Button Mash. “Remove your sword, ser.” At her insistence, Button Mash clamped his sword in his teeth and drew it from its sheath. Sweetie Belle awkwardly took the sword in her magic, trying hard to heft the rather large blade. She did so well enough, laying the tip against either of his withers.

“Ser Button Mash. I herby knight you. Swear your fealty to me, and I promise you lands, honor, and glory.”

“I do, Lady Sweetie Belle.”

“Yes, yes,” Rarity rolled her hoof. “Now put your sword away before some gryphon challenges you. I’d hate to spill blood on the stage here.” Button Mash accepted his sword from Sweetie Belle, shoving it home in his scabbard. From there, he went to stand behind Sweetie’s cushions, keeping a watchful eye on the festivities.

Barbaric as they were.

Sweetie Belle paid the barest of attention to the wedding, as her focus was mainly on the books Button Mash had brought her. Soon enough, they wandered back to the jeweled eggs. In between staring longingly at the books and adoringly at the eggs, though, she caught glimpses of the wedding-goers and their disgusting rituals.

Some sort of fight broke out before the platform they sat upon, and Gilda seemed to tense up beside her. Two gryphons squared off, their curved talons slicing the air back and forth in an intricate dance. Apparently it was over some female group follower, some poor storm islander caught between two angsty gryphons.

As Sweetie Belle watched, one gryphon lashed out, but over-extended. The defending gryphon danced backwards, spun about, and slashed her adversary across the neck. The one gryphon fell to the sand, her lifeblood gurgling out of her beak. In triumph, the victor hoisted the poor storm island pony into the air and began roughly tonguing her. Button Mash leaned into speak quietly into Sweetie Belle’s ear.

“A gryphon wedding without at least three deaths is considered a dull affair.”

The night wound down eventually, and the sun began to slowly set over the bay, Gilda began casting hard looks Sweetie Belles’ way. Of course she knew what came next. No wedding was complete without a consummation. Not even in Equestria. Apprehension and doubt began to well within her breast, coupled with a nervous quiver that found its way up and down her spine.

“Come.” Gilda stood from her bed of cushions, glaring down her beak at Sweetie Belle. In her other claw, she held the artifact from Pony Joe.

“O-okay…” Sweetie Belle flushed as she took Gilda’s talon. Gilda roughly pulled her up, yanking Sweetie completely out of her cushions and onto Gilda’s back. Her stomach dropped out from underneath her as Gilda spread her wings and flapped powerfully, carrying them both up and into the air. The wind whipped through her mane, and each lurching, powerful motion of Gilda’s wings made her feel as if she was going to fall.

“Hold on.” Gilda grunted beneath Sweetie. She complied, mostly out of terror than anything else. Gilda flew hard and fast towards the coast, landing on a rocky portion just out of reach of the surf. When they landed, Gilda roughly dropped Sweetie onto her rump.

“Oof.”

“Hmm.” Gilda stood over her, looking rather intimidating. That certainly wasn’t helping the feeling in Sweetie’s gut, or the unstoppable quivering. She and Gilda stayed like that for a while, looking into one another’s eyes.

’I must do this.’ Sweetie thought to herself, trying hard to swallow the lump in her throat. ’For Rarity. For House Draconequus. For my family.’

Gilda laid a claw on Sweetie’s neck, pushing her down onto her back. Sweetie went, even as the tears began to build up behind her eyelids. The claw dragged down her front, shredding the dress, but not quite cutting her. She sobbed as the dress fell off her body, revealing every little bit of her nubile young body. Gilda must have liked what she saw, because she took the artifact, and shoved it in.

It hurt.

A lot.

Sweetie Belle gasped as the artifact speared her walls, filling her to the very brim. Gilda stood over her, riding the magical object, effectively fucking her with it. In the back of her mind, Sweetie Belle knew that doing this very well could make her pregnant. Then again, that’s what Gilda wanted.

It didn’t stop her tears, though. Sweetie cried until it was over, until the artifact was pulled out of her aching vagina and left with her virgin’s blood on the grass. Gilda stroked her mane with a talon, but the sensation was about as hollow as Rarity’s incorrigible quips about her marehood.

“We try again tomorrow.” Gilda growled when she pulled away. Sweetie Belle knew that the artifact hadn’t taken. She wasn’t pregnant.

Not yet, anyways. She belonged to Gilda now, and that fact alone was going to put Rarity on the Equestrian Throne. She took solace in that fact, knowing that her marriage to Gilda would lead to House Draconequus ruling Equestria once again.