Author's Note
Re-published the first chapter! Soooooo...... anyone hate me?
Journeys
It was a blissfully normal day in Equestria, and Princess Celestia was enjoying the luxuries Equestrian Railways had to give, good cake being amongst many others. She levitated a spoonful of said cake to her lips and sighed contentedly. Oh, the rich swirl of vanilla cotton. She would have to send the chef her compliments later on in the day.
It had been nothing more than shocking when Twilight had accidentally come across scrolls which told of other pony continents. To know that there were perhaps a dozen more alicorns that she had known existed, that there could be beings who surpassed her wisdom and age. That she could learn of many stories, many histories, many more legends. The idea was shocking... and exciting.
And so she was her way to one of these continents.... A continent by the name of Haywaii. She had sent scrolls ahead to its sister rulers regarding her presence and of an ongoing peace treaty between the two nations. Equestria was still recovering from various attacks from Chrysalis, Sombra and Tirek... to name a few. She could only fervently hope that the rulers would agree to the treaty....
The throne room was a vast space of opulence, with Prench silk framing huge, priceless stained glass windows. Waterfalls trickled in clear ribbons from ceiling to floor around the thrones of staggering grandeur and luxury. Rubies and emeralds encrusted gold thrones that were cushioned with countless cushions, hoof-sewn with the softest feathers. Two mares were draped in an elegant manner across their thrones, lingering in shadows that one may not see their faces so easily, though Sour Orange glimpsed glimmers of tiny jewels in their manes.
There was a light scent in the air; barely audible, with a tang of citrus. Magic was at work; powerful, ancient magic that surpassed the age of books and even scrolls. The magic was present everywhere, yet centered; as if drawn towards the two rulers. It was subtle; the wind shifting just that little bit more, the rosy smell just a little stronger, the waterfalls trickling just a little bit louder.
“Your Highnesses.” the orange filly curtseyed.
“Sour Orange.” the younger monarch acknowledged, flipping her mane as she nibbled away at a fruit platter by her side. The older, however, was more occupied with the two bronze goblets on the filly’s back, which bubbled and simmered with a bubblegum pink liquid. Her eyes simmered as she set her jaw into a hard frown.
“The train approaches, Your Highnesses.” Sour Orange stated, curtseying yet again as she transferred the goblets to the two sovereigns. The two instantly grasp the goblets in their varying shades of green magic, and take a long, long sip.
There was a heavy silence as the mares beheld the drinks in interest and thirst. There were faint rustles and a little shimmer of magic, and Sour Orange witnessed as ornate tiaras wreathed themselves through her monarchs’ lush manes.
“It has been too long.” the younger sighed, and the older silently agreed.
The two stepped delicately into the sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows, and the young filly stifled a gasp of absolute... well, delight.
The two had been undoubtedly beautiful before, but the magic in those goblets had added a little more shimmer and shine to their manes and tails, somehow made their eyes that little bit more seductive. And now, Sour Orange fell to her hooves in an awed bow. Her eyes lingered on her rulers.
Queen Sweet Spell. Silent, but not always so, for she had a famed temper that heated and cooled almost instantaneously. Admiring stories often described her emerald eyes, a sad sparkle within that was almost always hidden by a long and softly falling curtain of red mane with pink tips.
And Swift Wings, the younger sister. Just an inch out of her teenage years, the young queen had a mischievous air about her. A cyan mane that was swept over a shoulder in an almost nonchalant fashion, and similar emerald eyes to that of Sweet Spell’s, along with the cream coat that her sister also had.
“You are dismissed, Sour Orange.” Sweet Spell said in a soft yet clear voice, snapping the filly out of her trance. The servant saw that the Queen had her eyes on the Lovers' Tapestry on the far right, and she supressed a sigh as she trotted away from the throne room.
Swift Wings smiled. "Thank you!" she called after her, receiving a look from Sweet Spell.
"Sister, you do understand that this 'Princess Celestia' was the one who defeated OUR MOTHER?!" Sweet Spell fumed, pacing around her throne room in a state of frustration.
The younger, impressively, held her sister's furious gaze. "Sweet Spell, I completely understand-"
"No, YOU DON'T. You're going to turn this into a big joke and everything we've ever worked for will be RUINED! All the suffering and pain and hurt we've felt in the past five years will amount to nothing if this doesn't go off without a hitch! And- and- Sky... he would've died for NOTHING! We can't FAIL, Swift Wings!"
Sweet Spell screamed and her horn reacted on its own, blasting a powerful beam right at the ceiling, blasting a hole through.
Obviously, this was a normal event , as Swift Wings simply sighed and repaired the damage done. She looked her elder sister in the eye and told her bluntly:
"Clear Sky would never die for nothing. He died for you."
The slender white hoof stepped delicately onto the platform, and Celestia sighed in relief for solid ground. The monarch glanced appreciatively at the quaint town bustling with activity. Far off in the distance, a palace made of a beautiful lustred substance glimmered. In a newspaper stand nearby, the Princess saw headlines outlining the peace treaty between the two continents. On the front page was her face. Her eyebrows rose in speculation.
"Wow! Your mane is so pretty!" said a little filly, catching Celestia's attention by gathering up a bunch of the flowing stuff in her hooves. The filly squealed in utter delight as she nuzzled the soft mane in her front hooves.
"Caramel!" cried the flustered father, tugging his daughter's hooves away. The stallion sighed and rolled his eyes as the young filly started pulling on his mane. He smiled at the Princess.
"We're very sorry, Princess. Caramel, well...." the mother smiled ruefully, bowing her head in respect.
"Oh, but it's fine, I assure you! Your filly has a beautiful personality." Celestia smiled.
One of her guards tapped her on her back. "The chariot is ready, my Princess." he informed gruffly.
"Well then, I will be taking my leave." the Princess smiled at the family once again before following the stocky guard to where her golden chariot stood. Two of her strongest pegasi were harnessed to the chariot, and they bowed to the Princess as she approached. Celestia nodded back as she climbed onto her waiting chariot, leaning back into the soft cushions.
"To the palace, if you please."
Sour Orange rushed into the throne room, expertly balancing two goblets in her sunset-colored aura. "The Princess of Equestria has arrived, majesties!" she panted, out of breath. Sweet Spell's emerald eyes sparkled, her mouth stretched into a tight smile.
"I presume that is the love concoction?" she enquired, nudging her sister.
"But of course, Queen Sweet Spell!" Sour Orange said.
"Ooh, it smells divine!" Swift Wings said, tossing her scroll aside.
Sweet Spell caressed the goblets in her own magic, looked at the liquid adoringly, and beckoned for Sour Orange to leave.
"Thank you, Sour. We shall send for you if need be."
The servant left. Sweet Spell waved the goblet under her sister's muzzle, who took it in her own magic. Grinning, they daintily sniffed the cups, ensuring there was no suspicious magic or poisons, and drained the goblets of their contents. The taste of sweet raspberries delighted their taste buds. As the delightful flavor slowly faded away, the two queens stepped away from their shadowed thrones, revealing two tall changeling royals. Sweet Spell grinned, flicking strands of her pink-tipped coral mane out of her eyes. Her wings buzzed in delight. Beside her, Swift Wings stretched her dark grey limbs, tossing her cyan mane from side to side.
"Now, where are those crowns?" Sweet Spell mused, transforming, with a green flash, into her disguised self, a white coated alicorn. Besides her now fluffy coat, every one of her original features remained, from the coral red mane to the gradient purple hooves. Swift Wings held them up, still in her changeling form. The intricate bands settled snugly on the rulers' heads, studded with priceless jewels.
"Do transform, Celestia should be here at any minute." Swift Wings shrugged, a pool of blue flames starting to lick at her skin. In mere seconds, where the changeling stood was replaced instead with a near- identical copy of the elder, save the cyan mane and green gradient hooves.
"Nothing out of place?" she asked, baring her teeth, sweeping her pink tongue to check if her fangs had remained.
"None." her older sister replied, satisfied.
Sweet Spell slightly adjusted her sister's tiara for her before adding, "Let's go over the backup plan. If she catches you?"
"Erase her memory at once."
"Good. If she asks something about our heritage?"
"Our parents were Queen Sweet Sugar and King Iron Hoof."
"Excellent. When did we take over the throne?"
"Five years ago."
"Someone's been working hard. Mother would've been proud."
"....."
Sweet Spell glanced at the doors of the throne room before she flexed her strong, disguised wings. "I hear a chariot. Let's fly."
They both flapped their feathery wings, soaring gracefully towards the entrance of their majestic castle. With a swift glance at each other's faces, they both opened the doors. Princess Celestia smiled, reaching out a hoof to shake first Sweet Spell's hoof, then Swift Wing's.
"Greetings, Queen Sweet Spell and Queen Swift Wings!"
"We meet at last, Princess Celestia."
Author's Note
Chapter 2 rewritten! I hope no one is let down by this....
