The Love Bug
Princess Cadence walked along the steep road that lead up the mountainside. 'Road?' she thought, 'Goat path is more like it.' She told the guards and the rest of her official entourage to wait at the base of the mountain as she didn't think this would take much time and they would have been tripping over each other on this trail, anyway. Her lithe and athletic body still felt the strain of the climb.
The village she was heading to, Mountain Meadow, was situated in a natural cleft in the side of a steep mountain. It's location had no military value so it had remained undisturbed for several centuries. Only ponies intent to go there would make the arduous journey.
Cadence had been told a tale of a special matchmaker that lived in the village on the steep mountainside. She had a reported success rate of one hundred percent. The ponies that went to her were told they were to be in love forever or that they weren't a true match.
Cadence allowed that, as she is the Princess of Love, she would use her position to weed out the charlatans and end their deceitful practises of preying on love starved ponies. Many of the so-called matchmakers Cadence had seen were unicorns using magic or potions to compel mismatched ponies to stay together.
Cadence assumed this matchmaker was another small town trickster and the threat of royal reprimand would be enough to shut her down. She finally trudged far enough up the trail that she could see the beginnings of civilisation. As she entered the town, many of the the townsponies gawked at her in awe before they remembered to bow to her. The town mayor, a somewhat portly grey unicorn in a rather dated tailcoat, came trotting from the town hall to Cadence and bowed before her.
“Your Highness! To what do we owe the honour of your visit? I am the mayor of our little village. Our village.” he said as he stood.
“Mayor, I have come to see about a matchmaker that has been plying her trade here,” replied Cadence in her most official sounding voice. “I am Mi Amore Cadenza, the Princess of Love, and I will not abide charlatans making their ill gotten gains by tricking the ponies of Equestria with false promises of true love.”
“But... but your Highness,” the mayor stuttered, “She is one hundred percent accurate and doesn't ask a bit for her services. Not a bit”
Cadence was surprised to hear that. This one must have some other scheme up her sleeve. “Take me to her then,” commanded Cadence, “and tell me about her.”
The mayor fell in by the side of the princess and started leading her to the matchmakers house. He began telling her the story of their matchmaker, “Several years ago, she came to us in the most unusual way. Most unusual. We heard screaming in the sky and saw her flying out of control towards the mountainside. She was unable to avoid colliding with it. Most unfortunate! We climbed up the slope to where she had crashed and found her in the most deplorable condition. Deplorable! Her body and legs were injured in peculiar ways but her head bore most of the damage. She was unconscious and non responsive.
We carefully carried her down the mountain to our doctor. She had never seen this type of pony before and wasn't certain she knew what to do to help her. Not sure. She kept the stranger in her home and applied what care she could. Some of the injuries to her legs seemed to be old but her head injury is what had us most concerned. Most concerned. It appeared that there had been a horn and something else on her head but they had been destroyed in the crash. The doctor removed the remains of them from her head but wasn't sure she would ever recover. Ever recover.
One day, after weeks of unconsciousness, she began mumbling incoherently. The doctor asked her name and she answered with what sounded like Chrissy. After several more days, she opened her eyes. We began to ask her questions of her origin but she had no memories of her past. No memories.
She began to feel better as the townsponies began to visit her and make her feel welcome. She began showing signs of matchmaking very early on. Early on. She began telling our single ponies who would make a perfect match for them. Her accuracy was uncanny. She could also tell which couples were mismatched but didn't have it in her to tell them. Wouldn't say.
Word began spreading about her abilities and couples began coming to her from far and wide for her blessing. She has never charged for her services but she always seems so much more vibrant after a positive reading. So vibrant.”
The mayor stopped short of a small cottage on the edge of town. It was pink and had heart shaped windows. There were flowers growing in rows in the yard and a white picket fence surrounding it all. “There she is,” announced the mayor. “In her garden as usual.” There was the shape of a pony bent down as she tended her flowers.
As they approached the cottage, the mayor called out, “Chrissy, I have a new visitor for you.”
“Who is your new friend, your honour? A new client looking to see if true love is in their future?” the pony said over her shoulder before she stood and faced them.
Cadence's heart nearly jumped from her throat as she saw the matchmaker. She was tall, shiny black and had green eyes, wings, mane and tail. There was a green band around the middle of her carapace. There were large scars marking the top of her head. “Chrysalis!” Cadence exclaimed under her breath. In wide eyed terror, she began slowly backing away from her worst nightmare.
“This is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” said the mayor, proudly.
The matchmaker's green eyes flew open in horror as she sensed Cadence's reaction and realised her own social error. She threw herself down with her face touching the ground, “A thousand pardons for my being so familiar, your Highness! I beg your forgiveness!”
Cadence was thoroughly confused. Why was her nemesis, Queen Chrysalis, begging her forgiveness and acting like a common pony? Was this some ploy to lure her in and trap her again? Chrysalis was beginning to quiver in fear as she awaited the Princesses' answer. “That's alright. Please, rise.” said Cadence, warily.
Chrysalis looked up from the ground with streaks of tears in the dust on her face. She whimpered, “I'm so sorry. I meant no offence.”
Cadence could feel genuine remorse in the prone changeling and offered her a hoof up, “Please, let me help you.”
“Th... thank you, your Highness,” said Chrysalis as she extended a hoof to Cadence. As soon as their hooves touched, Chrysalis closed her eyes and frowned. She regained her hooves but kept her gaze to the ground as she said meekly, “Welcome to my humble home, your Highness. Please, do come in.” She picked up a basket of freshly cut flowers and opened the door for Cadence and the mayor.
Cadence, the mayor and Chrysalis entered the small main room of the cottage. The furnishings and decorations, while not elegant, were homey and comfortable. Pink seemed the dominant colour scheme. “Please, have a seat,” offered Chrysalis as she set the basket of flowers on an end table. “Let me put on some tea,” she said as she headed to the kitchen.
“Thank you,” said Cadence as she sat on a soft looking chair.
“I must return to town hall,” said the mayor as he excused himself. “I hope the two of you have a nice visit. Nice visit,” he said as he bowed before leaving the cottage.
Cadence could hear the sounds of a kettle being filled and set on the stove then the clinking of a tea service being set out.
Chrysalis returned and sat on the couch near the basket of flowers. She glanced at Cadence then looked at the basket of flowers. She took some of the flowers and began nervously weaving their stems together.
“Soo... the mayor told me your name is Chrissy,” Cadence began as an ice breaker. “And you're the local matchmaker.”
Chrissy looked up from her flowers, “Yes. I mean, yes to both, your Highness.” She returned to weaving her flowers.
Cadence could see the conversation was dragging and said, “I suppose you're wondering why I've come to see you.”
Chrissy looked at Cadence, “I've never seen a princess before, that I can remember. What... have I done to bring you here, your Highness?”
“Please, call me Cadence. I heard about your matchmaking abilities. I am the Princess of Love and I've taken it as a personal task to examine the reported matchmakers in Equestria. I check to see if they are genuine and not defrauding the ponies that come to use their services.”
Chrissy stopped weaving her flowers and looked shocked and saddened, “Your highness, I've never misled a couple about their love and I've never asked for a bit from any of them! The feeling of love and contentment from them is all I ever need.”
Cadence was confused, “How do you support yourself?”
Chrissy looked embarrassed, “I was still living with the doctor when I started making matches. Ponies in love from all over began making the trek to our village to see me. The local innkeeper and merchants saw an increase in their business and gave me this cottage. I sell flower arrangements for what few bits I need.” She returned to her flower weaving. When she finished, she placed the woven ring of flowers on her head. “I make these because... I'm self conscience of the... scars on my head.”
“It looks very lovely on you,” said Cadence.
“Thank you.” The kettle began whistling from the kitchen. “Please excuse me, your Highness,” said Chrissy as she rose from the couch. She hurried to the kitchen and returned with the tea service on a platter. Her hooves shook slightly as she poured the tea. “Sugar?” she asked.
“Two lumps, please,” replied Cadence.
Chrissy's hooves shook so much that she dropped one of the sugar lumps. She sat and placed her face on her hooves and began sobbing quietly.
Cadence moved and sat next to Chrissy; she put a hoof on her shoulder. “What's wrong?” she asked.
Chrissy looked up and wiped her eyes with her hoof, “When I first saw you, I felt such deep feelings of fear, hatred and revulsion coming from you. I don't know why you felt that way about me. It's made me feel so ill and afraid.”
“I'm so sorry about that. At first, you reminded me of... a bad pony I had past dealings with. But I feel that you're such a kind soul and not that pony,” said Cadence as she rubbed Chrissy's shoulder.
“I believe you. I feel that you truly care about me, now,” Chrissy said quietly as she wiped her eyes with a napkin.
“I really do. Let's enjoy this nice tea,” said Cadence as she finished pouring the tea with her magic.
They began drinking their tea when Chrissy said, “Your Highness, I can't help feel that we've met before.”
Cadence almost inhaled her tea. She forced herself not to choke and answered, “You've probably seen me in the newspapers?”
“That has to be it,” said Chrissy, looking over her teacup at Cadence.
Changing the subject quickly, Cadence said, “You're the first genuine matchmaker I've met. I have some talent in that but not at the success rate you have.”
“It just feels so right to me,” answered Chrissy. “It gives me such a warm feeling of fulfilment when ponies in true love come to me. I feel happy for days.”
Cadence said, “I have a... delicate... question to ask you. Would it be okay?”
Chrissy nodded in agreement.
“I noticed you frowned when our hooves touched earlier. What were you feeling?” asked Cadence.
Chrissy looked ashamed but answered, “I felt those bad feelings you had for... a rival. Something during that touch made you think of her; the connection you two had was so intense.” Chrissy looked down and frowned, “She was that bad pony, wasn't she?”
Cadence bit her lip before answering. She used her hoof to lift Chrissy's chin to look in her eyes, “Yes, she was. She tried to take my husband away from me on our wedding day but our love combined to drive her away. She's gone now and I don't think she's ever going to return.”
Chrissy smiled at Cadence, “I hope so. I don't ever want to be like that. Though, it sounds like she made the love between you and your husband even stronger.”
“Yes she did. I have her to thank for that.”
Chrissy looked aside as she blushed, “Could I... hold your hoof again, your Highness? I … would like to feel the connection between you and your husband, if that's alright.”
“Most certainly,” replied Cadence as she extended her hoof.
Chrissy took Cadence's hoof in hers and immediately felt a rush of pure love flow into her. Her eyes closed and a broad smile crossed her face as the absolute joy she felt filled her. She released Cadence's hoof and sat still, smiling for a bit. When she opened her eyes, she looked at Cadence and said, “I've never felt an outpouring of such pure love before. What you both have is so special.”
“He is the love of my life. Have you found somepony special for yourself?” asked Cadence.
Chrissy looked at the floor, “I just haven't had the time... no I won't lie to you. Most ponies that look at me, even though they're happy with the news of their love, are... usually... put off by my looks.” She sighed, “Sometime I wish I could change into something else.”
Cadence put her hoof around Chrissy's shoulder, “But then, you wouldn't be yourself any more. One day, you will find your special somepony and they will love you for who you are.”
Chrissy smiled, “Thank you.”
“I wish I didn't have to leave such pleasant company but I have a herd of ponies waiting for me at the base of the mountain. I've made a new friend and had such an enjoyable visit,” said Cadence.
“I can't wait to tell my friends about having tea with a princess!” said Chrissy. Her eyes went wide and she put her hooves over her mouth. “Would that be okay with you, your Highness?”
“Yes, that would be fine but please call me Cadence.”
“Yes, your... Cadence.”
“I've really enjoyed our visit and I will come back to see you again,” said Cadence as she headed for the door.
Chrissy looked very pleased, “I'll look forward to it, Cadence.”
Cadence waved good bye as she left the town and made her way down the mountain in a much better mood then when she started. She smiled when she saw a young couple hiking their way up the trail. She arrived at the bottom and met with the ponies that had accompanied her.
“Was she another charlatan?” asked one of her advisors.
“Was a threat enough to stop her or will an official warning need to be issued?” asked another.
“No. She's genuine and I want her left alone,” said Cadence. She turned to her secretary and said, “I want to make a royal decree.” Her secretary magically retrieved a quill and parchment from her saddlebag. “Hence forth and forever shall the matchmaker known as Chrissy be allowed to continue her practise unencumbered and unrestrained. Signed this date, by order of Her Majesty, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Please have that drawn up and ready for my signature, then have it sent to the village mayor to present to her as soon as possible. Oh!” Cadence smiled, “Use lots of pink on it.”
Author's Note
A little one shot that just kind of hit me at the right time. Start to finish was about a week.
