120 Days of Blueblood

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
we first endure, then pity, then embrace."
― Alexander Pope

The violent coup which had dethroned the royal sisters happened only yesterday, but it already felt as though a lifetime’s worth of reform had taken place. The stone-encased Prince Blueblood and his aunts had been placed in the town square as a grim reminder of libertine oppression. Fancy Pants and Fleur’s heads were stuck on pikes as a warning for sympathizers of the old regime. The headless corpses of Fancy Pants and Fleur had been burned in the town square, along with the bodies of Filthy Rich and Blueblood’s bride.

The dungeons were now filled with the surviving members of the libertines’ royal guards. They all claimed that the Princesses had hypnotized them into committing vile atrocities. Trixie was dubious of their confessions. The guards would remain in their cells until the new regime could decide what should be done with them.

Trixie hadn’t slept for 36 hours. In the days leading up to the coup, she had pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion to ensure their efforts would not be in vain. Even after the violence had ended, there were still countless precautions which had to be taken to ensure the safety of the fragile kingdom.

As Trixie entered the throne room, it was surprisingly bare. The high walls seemed even larger with nothing on them. All the paintings of the royal sisters had been taken down and burned, along with all their possessions. Trixie had been in charge of overseeing the removal of all libertine remnants from Canterlot. Every trace of Celestia and Luna’s eon-long rule was slowly being purged from the castle. Trixie tried to remain awake as she approached the throne, but her sleep deprivation was starting to catch up to her.

Bedecked in an ornate dress, the alicorn known as Cadance sat on the royal throne. Trixie bowed before the newly-appointed queen. Trixie fought with her body to find the energy to rise after kneeling. She couldn’t help but yawn, in spite of herself.

“Please forgive Trixie, your highness,” Trixie said, “Trixie does not wish to appear rude in the presence of royalty.”

Cadance smiled sweetly at her chief of security.

“Neigh, sister, you have nothing to apologize for,” Cadance said, “Libertine tyranny would still reign over this kingdom if not for your brilliant leadership.”

“Please, sister,” Trixie said, interrupting, “Do not praise Trixie. Instead, offer thanks to all those who sacrificed their lives in the name of peace.”

Cadance nodded solemnly, before gazing out into the empty throne room. She gave a sigh as she remembered a time when the castle was the pride of the kingdom.

Abandoned as an orphan, Cadance had spent her formative years as a faithful student of Princess Celestia. Though she was born as a pegasus, she soon discovered she had a special talent for potion-making. She was especially skilled at making love potions. Celestia had hoped to harness her student’s skills to create an immortality potion.

After Cadance’s advanced studies transformed her from a pegasus into an alicorn, Celestia no longer viewed her as a faithful student, but as a rival for the crown. Consumed with fear and jealousy, Celestia sought to kill her student.

Cadance managed to escape into exile, where she was found and raised by traveling circus performers. While there, Cadance became an adoptive older sister to Trixie. Her wings were kept hidden from the public and she was raised as a unicorn, lest news of the young alicorn’s whereabouts reach Celestia’s ears. Cadance remained with her adoptive family until she was strong enough to overthrow the royal sisters.

As Cadance reflected on memories, both good and bad, she was suddenly struck with pangs of sadness.

“I had to watch helplessly from afar until all of Equestria realised what I had known from my youth; that Celestia and her ilk were despots who only cared for their own pleasures,” Cadance said, “At least I was fortunate enough to escape, which is more than can be said for others who dared oppose Celestia.”

“Are you referring to the unicorn who was burned alive?” Trixie said.

“Indeed,” Cadance replied, “I’d venture to guess that the monk who replaced me as Celestia’s student was on the cusp of becoming an alicorn herself. She attempted to expose Celestia’s secrets and was burned alive by the libertines to keep the truth buried a while longer.”

“Ashes to ashes,” Trixie said, “Dust to dust. We must take comfort in the fact that all those innocents who gave their lives opposing the royal sisters have not died in vain.”

Trixie and Cadance paused for a moment to honor the memories of the noble dead.

“The only things which endure are those which ponies are willing to fight and die for,” Cadance said, “So long as morality and love prevail in the hearts of the populace, the debaucherous dealings of the libertines shall never again take root.”

Cadance approached Trixie and put an alicorn wing around her back and pulled her close. Trixie’s eyelids were heavy, but she managed to offer a weak smile.

“In the wake of such political upheaval, there are many important decisions which have to be made, dear sister,” Cadance said, “I must surround myself with ponies I can trust, which is why I want you to be my royal advisor.”

Trixie had anticipated receiving a position of power in the new regime, so this offer was not unexpected.

“Trixie will accept this call with grace and humility,” Trixie said, “Together, we shall work to rebuild Equestria on a foundation of morality and love.”

After finishing her sentence, Trixie’s head began to droop from exhaustion. Cadance gave a look of sympathy.

“Get some rest,” Cadance said, “If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.”

The sun was setting as Trixie entered her bedroom, which had formerly belonged to Prince Blueblood. Trixie chose to not think of all the debaucherous activities which had taken place within these walls.

“You vile monster,” Trixie thought, as she imagined herself addressing Prince Blueblood“How could you abuse your power for so long without an ounce of remorse?”

All of the painting in the room had been taken down and burned. Trixie had destroyed much of Blueblood’s personal belongings, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw out his trophies. The dress, the horn, the lock of mane, the cider barrel and the dagger still remained near Blueblood’s writing desk.

Trixie prided herself on her magical abilities, but her talents were overshadowed by her much more powerful adopted sister. In spite of this, Trixie resisted the feelings of jealousy in her heart and instead resolved to further hone her magical skills.

There was some element of magic hidden within Blueblood’s trophies which fascinated Trixie. She fully intended to eventually rid herself of the vile trophies, but only after she had successfully uncovered their elusive magical secrets.

Trixie looked inside her cloak pocket and pulled out the bell of paradise. The same powerful magical aura seemed to radiate from the bell, which is what prompted Trixie to remove it from the bride prior to burning her body. This same compulsion encouraged Trixie to set the bell of paradise beside the nun’s dagger. When all six items were brought together, they radiated some ancient magic, which this world had long forgotten.

“What are your secrets?” Trixie asked, “What spell has Blueblood wrought that makes you worth keeping?”

Trixie was exhausted to the point of hallucinating. As tired as she was, she was unable to fall asleep. Hoping that some reading would put her mind at ease, Trixie approached Blueblood’s writing desk and pulled out his journal.

“Perhaps his journal will reveal the mysteries behind his trophies,” Trixie said, as she opened Blueblood’s journal and began to read.

“If history will judge me a monster, then so be it. I will not live my life cowering in fear of a future generation's scorn. I'm untouchable from derision or reprisal as long as I'm alive, for I am a prince.”

A lamp flickered from within Blueblood’s old room as Trixie read his journal entries, late into the night. At first, she was horrified and disgusted by what had been put to paper; but as she read further, a perverse fascination with Prince Blueblood and his teachings began to swell within her. Though Trixie could not see it in herself, she was just as prideful as the other libertines had been and shared their lust for power. Trixie's waning morality proved to be no match for the seductive supplications of Prince Blueblood. The libertine debaucheries had been thwarted... but not for long.

The end