Chapters On the Feast of Hearth's Warming
On the Eve-Hive Chrysalis
In the icy Badlands, deep within the well hidden Hive Chrysalis the Central Hall had a true feast laid out that was large enough to feed everyling in the Hive, with many different forms of rich love soup. Tomorrow there would be no rationing, everyling could freely eat their fill. And what delicacies there were on offer! There was plenty of rich, sweet, chocolate like pony love of course, the normal diet of most of Queen Chrysalis's changelings. But there was also the hot, spicy love of the Griffins, the meaty love of the minotaurs, the love of zebras and buffalo and mules and even reindeer from the Far North, each type of love with it's own unique taste. There were examples of love from all the major races of Equestria except from other changelings-such a thing would be considered cannibalism and was considered disgusting amongst changelings.
With the love feast all set out, the Queen grinned as she locked the doors to keep away her hungry changelings. Recently, rations had been low, to the point where she was considering a giant love raid on Canterlot itself to end the hunger in her Hive. But tomorrow they would have all the love that their stomachs could take. She put on her red cloak that she only wore at what Changelings called The Coming Of The New Sun and took on her delivery duties with several deputies. Each youngling would receive an amulet, some changeling boiled sweets, and a few other little gifts, and as there were hundreds of little changelings, even with her deputies it would take hours to get around them all. The normally dark Hive was lit up with candles at New Sun Time, no work was done, discipline was relaxed, and it was the one time of the year when questioning and even gentle mockery of a Changeling Queen was allowed.
"I love this time of year," Chrysalis said aloud. "Everyling is so happy and well fed, and the singing and the dancing that goes on....plus the infiltrators can bring back so much more love at this time of year. It must be the same in the other Hives all over Equestria. My Chancellor tried to talk me out of celebrating this year, as it would use up most of our Hive's love reserves, but I refused, as this time of the year must be a happy time."
Several hours later, having visited every house within the Hive and met with rich and poor Changelings alike, Queen Chrysalis settled into her royal bed with a big smile on her face. Tomorrow would be one of the best days of the whole year for everyling. And no doubt the infiltrators that were still on duty were happy celebrating too, as all the races of Equestria celebrated at this time of year.
On the Feast of Hearth's Warming
On The Eve-Silver Spoon's Mansion
For Silver Spoon, this really was the most wonderful time of the year. There were so many presents under the Hearth's Warming Tree, that they blocked the view of the lower branches, and she had taken pleasure in wrapping them. They were not just for the Spoons, but for their friends and their servants as well. A full month before Hearth's Warming Eve the preparations had begun, with the buying and the wrapping and the slowly building excitement. Silver Spoon herself had helped to wrap the presents of the servants-they could hardly be asked to wrap their own presents after all. And knowing that she would be helping to bring joy one day a year to who she thought of as the *lower orders* made her feel very good about herself. With ten days to go they had brought in and decorated the tree, and with just a couple of days to go they had brought in enough fruit, sweets, hay, cakes and puddings to fill the bellies of themselves, their guests and the servants and still have enough to feed a squad of Royal Guards left over.
As if the excitement of the gift giving, gift getting and feasting was not enough, Diamond Tiara would be coming over in her best dress, and for many months now Silver Spoon had known that she was in love with her best friend. And tomorrow would be the day when she would risk their friendship by telling her that she was a fillyfooler and had been in love with her for a long time, knowing that Diamond might not feel the same way. If things did go badly, at least she would have feasting and her multiple gifts to keep her happy. For now, she gazed at the tree with visions of the beautiful Diamond Tiara in her head.
On the Feast of Hearth's Warming
On The Eve-Princess Luna's Throne Room
Princess Luna sat in the warm comfort of her throne room and remembered another Hearth's Warming Eve a long time ago, where it was just as cold as this. Back then the Royal Palace depended on log fires to keep it warm, and it was whilst she was warming her wings in front of them when she looked out of her window and saw a poor earth pony gathering winter fuel in the snow, snow that lay deep and crisp and even. She called one of her pages over, a young unicorn with a quill pen for a cutie mark, and asked him
"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling, Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
The page replied "Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;Right against the forest fence, by Saint Pinkie's fountain." Even back then the Everfree Forest had been largely fenced off for every pony's safety, given that back then there were even more carnivorous monsters and other nasties.
It was then that Princess Luna had a very sweet idea. It was Hearth's Warming Eve after all, so why not make sure that this poor pony, who most likely had very little to look forward to, at least had a nice Hearth's Warming Day feast this year?
"Bring me food, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither: Thou and I shall see him dine, when we bear them thither. "
The page went to the royal kitchens and soon came back with a sack full of tasty Hearth's Warming food, and the two set off into the storm. It was cold, very cold indeed, and the page was soon shivering despite the hair on his body. He told the Princess when he thought he could not bear it much longer "Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger; Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer." Princess Luna turned to him and said "Mark my hoofsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly
They made it to the shack of the poor peasant, and the Princess knocked on his door. When he opened it and dropped to his knees she told him "Rise, and a Happy Hearth's Warming to you. I have brought you as much food as you need to celebrate." That, thought the Princess so many years later, was indeed a very happy time.
On the Feast of Hearth's Warming
It was Hearth's Warming Eve, and all of Equestria and the surrounding lands were preparing to celebrate. Across the planet, peace, sensitivity and excitement found its way into every corner of the happy globe (even though globes do not technically have corners). This was so true in so many places, specifically...
In Griffonia, Rainbow Dash was worried. This was the first Hearth Warming Eve that she had ever spent away from her friends and family, since she had moved to Griffonia to live with Gilda. "Gilda, I know it's not like me to be scared, but what if Hearth's Warming here is no fun? What if I don't like the food? You know I don't like meat, and..."
Gilda cut her off by pressing her beak against her muzzle in a soft warm kiss, and by wrapping her wings and claws tightly around her fillyfriend. "Don't worry, Rainbow, I know you don't like meat, and I at great expense had all manner of pony delicacies sent all the way from Ponyville just so you can fill your belly. Including a genuine Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness from Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie told me that she had great fun making it."
Rainbow Dash grinned. "Can I have a little taste please?"
Gilda shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "No way, princess. If I let you have a little taste you won't be able to stop and then there will be no cake left for Sunreturn. I know you so well. And another thing, it's called Sunreturn over here. Tomorrow there will be feasting and every griffin's belly will swell, and of course there will be presents as well , and I know that you'll love it. But for now, you need to go to bed. You don't want to be awake when Santa Claws comes, do you?"
When Rainbow tried to struggle free and fly down to where the cake awaited her, Gilda held her close and tickled her with her claws whilst kissing her all over her face. "Hehehe haha hoho stop it! Make it stop, I promise to leave the cake alone." Gilda stopped and released her, but kept a beady eye on her. She knew Rainbow Dash so well, and was not going to let her gorgeous marefriend go near the cake until the Sunreturn Feast began the next afternoon.
