The Tragedy of Queen Chrysalis

The next morning, as the sun begins to rise from the east horizon, a lone galleon sails over the rolling seas only a couple of kilometres away from the coastline of Trihearth. Inside his private chamber, just below the captain’s quarters of the vessel, Dorch wakes from his slumber and is greeted by the smell of salty air and moisture enters his nostrils. He takes a deeper breath and sighs in relaxation to his surroundings. The dark unicorn then exits the room and heads past the galley and up to the main deck of the ship. Although much of his view is obscured by massive white sails, thick webs of suspended rope, and a rather foggy haze, the young sir attempts to get a good look and feel of his surroundings.

“My,” he exclaims to himself, “The sky seems awfully cloudy this morning. A storm may be upon us, but surely nothing too severe shall occur. At least a fine fragrance will be with us, I could use the fresh air. I’ve forgotten how good this feels, with the sun illuminating the grey wool blanket of clouds, the pleasant breezes that comb my fur, the sounds of the ocean and nothing else. I must have been just too focused on my studies to notice. But now, in a couple of days at least, I will never be able to experience this. I will become consumed in political duties to my country, and never have time for this. Seirbigh had a point, surprisingly…”

“Don’t be so gloomy my child…” a stony voice creaks from outside of Dorch’s view. The stallion squeaks in shock and snaps his head towards his right to see who dared to surprise him. It was a familiar-looking pony that spooked him, dressed in a brown cloth that covered her entire body. She is sitting at the edge of the starboard with her back turned against Dorch, appearing as if the mysterious pony was looking towards Trihearth. “You will have plenty of time to enjoy this.”

“Who are you?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Either you must be an absolute idiot, or I must be too elusive for you.”

“Medicine An Uisce I presume then?”

“My, aren’t you clever. However, there is still a lot you should learn.”

“Maybe another time. How did you get on the sh-” The stallion immediately halts his question, already knowing what the response will be.

“I see that you have done a great effort in keeping our two prey from losing eye contact. I saw them during the night, staring into each other’s open eyes whilst their bodies remained stone. Abnormal to most, but I say it’s beautiful, a great feat of brewery and magic matched with a beautiful couple.”

“But not as beautiful as me and Crystal are going to be. Correct?”

“…No.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You and the pony you have been fawning over will not be together. I have other plans for her.”

“Other plans?”

“Yes, I intend for Crystal not to marry you at all. If such a thing were to happen, my plan will surely fail.”

“Your plan? This is supposed to be my plan.”

“Your plan was absolute rubbish. Your intentions were vague and did not prepare you for the results. Therefore, I had to develop another plan that you’d play into that would get you what you want and me what I desire. I too have other plans.” Immediately infuriated with the witch, Sir Dorch charges at his partner and grabs her by the shoulders, spinning her around for her wrinkled face to face towards him.

“What are the meanings of these other plans? I wanted Crystal to be wed to me and Seirbigh to be married Ceann! What makes you think of changing my scheme, my desires, my order?!”

The green and black zebra mockingly laughs with an ear-to-ear grin plastered upon her face. A wet cough abruptly ends her ominous chuck and as she clears her throat, Dorch continues to grow more and more hatred for her apparent betrayal. The witch regains her calm demeanor and replies, “You only truly agreed to absolute power over Trihearth, and I shall deliver. You thought you knew why you wanted to split their love, for mere power and control. I knew what you truly wanted underneath that thick head of yours, but you merely brushed off of my assurance, so I followed you, adjusting the plans to creating a much more vast benefit.”

“So, if I’m not going to marry Crystal at all, then what are you planning to do with them?”

“No need to fret my boy, you will receive all of Trihearth before the sun sets upon the next day, I assure you.”

“Just tell me!”

“Why tell you, when I can show you?” Medicine’s wings begin to fumble beneath her cloak, pulling and tearing at the poor fabric that conceals them. After a moment of fiddling with her concealed feathers, a clear glass bottle drops from beneath her cloth containing several drops of a bright red liquid.

“My payment…”

“Now, summon your friends.”

“But it’s too early, they’re probably still asleep and the guards keeping watch of the two will follow them. You’ll be sighted and locked in the brig for trespassing upon a royal galleon containing three of the four heirs to the thrones of our country.”

“Do it.” Although both quite confused and scared, Dorch nods his head towards the medicine mare and slowly makes his way back down into the galley and to Seirbigh and Crystal’s room, right next to his. Two guards stand half-asleep at each side of the resting chamber’s doors, having not been disturbed when Dorch snuck out to the deck, most likely due to the constant creaking and booming of the ship. The midnight stallion takes a brief gulp of air before loudly clearing his throat. The two armoured guards jump from their sleep and immediately stand at attention, acting as if they didn’t doze off.

“I require Prince Seirbigh and Princess Crystal to accompany me to the main deck.” The two white stallions give each other a skeptical look with the corner of their eyes. “As Sir Dorch, I do not require questioning as to why I request this order. It ‘tis merely a personal matter with friends.” Hesitantly, they bow their heads and step away from the doors, but still keep Dorch within their line of sight “Thank you.” The royal’s horn glows a dark green as the wooden double doors before him slowly creak open, revealing the small yet luxurious bedroom inside. At the other end of the room, lay Crystal and Seirbigh in a large veiled bed. They looked exactly as the witch described them to Dorch, stiff as stone with their eyes still locked upon each other. Soon however, the two bodies begin to shift beneath the sheets upon being disturbed by the dark unicorn. Eventually, Crystal and Seirbigh wake up and exit the bed.

“What has disturbed my Crystal from our delightful rest?” Seirbigh yawns, “Was it you Dorch?”

“I apologize Seirbigh, but I need you to come with me to the main deck.”

“Why must we go now?” Crystal moans, “Can’t we spend some time together in this room, alone with you my Seirbigh?”

“Why spend your lovely time together in this damp chamber when the weather outside is perfect for you to embrace each other in.”

“It ‘tis?”

“Quite.” Immediately, the two lovers dash out of the bedroom and out towards the stairs to the deck above, not letting their eyes escape each other for the entire duration of the run. Meanwhile, with the two guards following Dorch, the dark stallion slowly makes his way, making sure that the witch has planned will be executed in time before any staff see her.

After a minute or two of slow walking and minor intentional distractions, Dorch and the two guards reach the deck. Medicine was not present anymore and the only activity to be seen is Seirbigh and Crystal at the bow of the ship cuddling each other and a couple bolts of lightning jolting across the blackening sky. The two guards assume nothing suspicious and head towards the bow to supervise the prince and princess. As the four ponies are distracted, Dorch explores around the outside of the ship, searching for the witch. As he reaches the stern, a small glass clink grasps his ears’ attention. Dorch swivels around to see the glass bottle Medicine had dropped before, only now empty from any liquid content. He then looks back towards the stern and sees the witch standing there with her cloak now missing. “Medicine!”

“It is time!” She bellows. Suddenly, the dark grey clouds above begin to swirl into a spiral. Heavy rainfall soon bathes the entire area in a matter of seconds. Lightning strikes hit the roaring waves surrounding the vessel, unleashing a wave of thunder every couple of seconds. At the bow of the ship, foaming sea water splashes on board of the rocking galleon, drenching Crystal, Seirbigh, and the guards in icy cold water. Dorch is barely able to keep his hoofing against the violent gales sweeping through his body. Medicine however stands perfectly firm at the edge of the stern, looking up to the menacing skies.

“Is this your doing?”

“Here my plea, great beast Aspidochelone. I call for you, my master. With scales of that of a dragon and the strength of a million titans, you are a god in my eyes. For thousands of years, you have fallen asleep, vanishing beneath the waves, leaving only the top of your magnificent shell to become exposed to the light. I have brought you the fresh blood of a pony blessed with your bread. Feed upon it, and become known to all once more! The ponies that have built their cities upon your foundations, they have become corrupt, and have become unworthy to live upon thy foundation they call Trihearth.”

“Wait, are you saying that Trihearth’s actually the top of the shell of a monster? That’s preposterous, you’ve gone mad!”

“The foalish ponies have forgotten of your name and power. I was once one of them savages. Yet, when I was disowned by them, I found you. Isolated in the swamps, the only piece of your land still preserved in your image, I have gained from your mighty wisdom. As your loyal servant, I ask for you to forgive me, and smite the ones that have wronged you!”

“Enough of this madness I decree! This was not in our deal. I am to rule Trihearth, not have it destroyed with whatever black magic you are up to. Cease!”

“From the four corners of the world, from every top of a mountain and bottom of a pit, from every pony of every type, they shall be reminded of your presence my king. Awake my master! Surge domine mi!” The witch then arches her neck back to the farthest it can go before snapping a screams out with all of her might. The scream was that of a banshee, causing the storm to go silent compared to its mighty pitch and piercing volume. Dorch’s eardrums burn out in only a couple of seconds, the black skies above ripple and bend to her screech, and even the restless waves seem to be affected by the horrendous scream. A bold of lightning strikes the stern of the ship, creating a bright flash that blinds the dark unicorn. The shriek immediately dies upon Medicine being struck.

Dorch soon regains his vision after a couple of seconds of blindness and ringing in his ears. However, Dorch notices that the witch had vanished with no trace, not even a burn mark remained from the bolt. He looks around to see the storm still raging, but now he cannot hear it.

The stallion attempts to speak to himself, “What ‘tis this wizardry now?” However, he does not hear his voice, leading to a horrible discovery. Dorch realizes that he had become permanently deaf from that witch’s scream. Yet that and the raging storm did not matter now, as the sir knew what would happen if Seirbigh and Crystal were to break eye contact during this storm for a long enough time.

Meanwhile, all of Tartarus is breaking loose at the bow. The four ponies cling to the flooring with all of their might as the gales and sea work together to try and knock them off as if it was a sadistic game. Back and forth, the ship rocks and breaks at the seams, either going to capsize or snap in two at any moment. Crystal and Seirbigh continue to gaze into each other’s eyes however, seeing both the oblivious love and the known fear in each other.

“Seirbigh!” Crystal screams, “Don’t fall!”

“I won’t!” Seirbigh yells back.

“Can you fly?” The pegasus attempts to open his wings, only to find them frozen stiff from the water.

“They’re frozen stiff, I can’t!” A humongous gust of wind then rips across the ship, launching the bow up into the air. The two armoured guards lose their grip and tumble down the deck of the ship. Luckily, they manage to grab onto the upper deck’s railing and catch Dorch, still in his state of panic, as he was about to fall just below them. The boat drops back down onto the water, launching the two lovers off of the deck and onto the bowsprit. With Crystal and Seirbigh now dangling over the edges of the wooden pole and only their forelegs keeping them from falling into the abyss below, the two attempt to reach and grab each other’s hooves. Their muscles and skin burn as they try with all of their might to protect each other, for this was not just the power of the love poison that is driving them this far.

“Seirbigh…”

“Crystal…”

“I almost got you my love!”

“Just another inch my love!” However, just as they are about to touch and lock hooves, a rouge lightning bolt smashes into the part of the bowsprit between them and the main ship. The pole snaps off and drops down towards the dark blue liquid below. Crystal and Seirbigh scream in terror as they prepare for the inevitable. Just before the green pegasus hits the waves, an aura of white magic encapsulates him and lifts him from the water. Crystal however, falls into the foaming sea and disappears before her love’s vision in a flash. “Crystal!!!” The pink Earth Pony, now below the ocean surface and deep in the water, looks up to see Seirbigh hovering back towards the deck of the ship. She tries to call for his name, only for saltwater to flood her mouth and lungs. Crystal struggles with all of her valor, but everytime she gets close to the surface, the waves manage to push her deeper below than before.

At the bow of the ship, Dorch stands next to the two unicorn guards fishing the prince from the water, watching in fear of Medicine’s warning. However, upon the guards letting go of Seirbigh onto the deck, the green stallion charges towards the edge and attempts to dive back into the water.

“Seirbigh don’t!” Dorch yells out. The two guards grab Seirbigh once more and hover him behind the edge.

“I must rescue Crystal! I must see into her eyes once more! I MUST!” The fanatic stallion bucks and struggles in the rain, trying to escape his watchers’ grip. The two guards begin to look over the bow to try to gain visibility for Crystal in the sea, but as with Seirbigh, the dark water and violent foamy waves make it impossible for them to see. Crystal on the other hoof, sees them near-perfectly from beneath the waves. Her eyes still gaze into Seirbigh’s, despite the sting of the salt water in her eyes and the ever-growing pain in her limbs. The guards continue to search, the storm continues to stir, Seirbigh continues to struggle, Dorch continues to watch in fright of the poison’s effects dying, and Crystal continues to survive for what seems like forever. Finally, after an hour of thrashing, Crystal’s strength immediately dies. Her magenta eyes turn grey as they close. The last of her breath escapes from her small body as she gently drifts towards the unseen bottom of the sea.

Back above the surface, the hurricane abruptly comes to a stop and slowly returns to normal. The waves calm down and the sun shines once more through the grey morning clouds. Seirbigh finally ends his struggling against the guards and the two gently place him near the center of the bow’s deck. Panting, Seirbigh’s eyes close for a minute to process what had just happened. “What happened?” He asks, “Why don’t I remember anything ever since the festival?” Dorch couldn’t hear what his friend said, but didn’t care at the moment. As the prince opens his eyes again, the unicorn notes how the eyes have returned to their normal state before the poison’s effects took over. He knew that the love poison’s love effects have died, but to his fortunate surprise, the grim aftereffects the witch had stated have not happened.

“How can this be,” Dorch accidentally loudly whispers, “Seirbigh hadn’t turned into a monster. Was the witch truly mad this entire time? Will Trihearth not be destroyed by some mythic monster of the deep? I should’ve figured.” The guards and Seirbigh snap their heads towards the suspicious pony in confusion.

“What?” Dorch then immediately realizes his mistake and turns his head to see the three stallions staring at him.

“Ahem, never mind that. We must return to shore at once, there we shall recount what has occurred with the royals and decide what course of action we shall take. We must uphold our lucidity on this unstable vessel, despite what has just happened. We must protect those on board and prevent a similar incident occurring. Guards,” The white stallions give each other a look at first, but soon come to agree with Dorch. They quickly gallop past him and into the interior of the galleon, preparing the ship and remaining staff inside for return.

“Dorch, what has happened? Where’s Crystal? Where’s Ceann? Why are we on this destroyed galleon?”

“Seirbigh, I’m afraid I have some terrible news for you. When we return to Trihearth, I shall explain everything there. Best not to ask me questions, I will not be able to hear you.” Eventually, the ship turns towards their island home and the ponies sail off with grave news to tell. On their way, Dorch turns back towards where Crystal was last seen. A bitter guilt builds from his insides, the guilt of killing one of his few friends. But he tries to shake it off, reasoning with himself that it was not his fault.