Chapters It is dawn now and after another night of soirées I find myself growing weary of the usual sycophancy. I can't say I particularly hate it, but over indulgence of a good thing spoils the flavour of the finer things in life. And so there I was on top of the world, looking down on high in the highest balcony of the royal sisters' Canterlot castle. The very same one they use to observe the city below. Out of respect for me they left their station so that I may have my moment of peace. And so there I was, keeping a constant vigil for the welfare of my subjects. That's right, my subjects.
The morning was quiet, the distant melody of music and the cacophony of chattering ponies a distant memory.. And even in these lofty heights, the winds blew barely a whisper. I have been away for quite a long time, I realise. But I like it here, alone with my thoughts, here I could throw caution to the wind.
"You go and do this song and dance about no pony being worth your valuable time and yet here you are... whiling away your precious time watching them all." But as always, the peace never lasts. A voice spoke out behind me in that heavy trottingham accent of his.
Fancy pants. Once upon a time he prided himself with the honour of being my mentor. Years after, I now find that the habit of thinking himself superior to me has not died down. This is what happens when you give power to such a lowly breed of pony. You show a little humility and suddenly the city rallies around him and not I. Aunt Celestia certainly works fate in mysterious ways.
Exasperatedly with a small measure of contempt I turned to face the old stallion.
"I am merely looking upon all that is mine." Ponies like you and you for example. I leered slightly, making a point to look both Fancy Pants and my borrowed trophy Fleur in the eyes. It irked me to no end as she draped herself over his back like that. And clearly she was having a ball knowingly doing it at my expense.
"So you at least care for them by principle of possessions..." Fancy pants began, seemingly and infuriatingly undaunted by my greatness.
"Listen peasant. You have no place in speaking of my opinion on my subjects. You do not exist in Equestria for me to care for. You exist to amuse me and I will do so in any way I wish!" It was about time this upstart knew his place. I am the direct descendant of the ruler of Unicornia, I deserve this pony's fealty and servitude. Not backtalk and undermining of my word. My word is mandate and infallible!
"The prince doth protest too much." Fleur giggled to her jab, Fancy Pants smirked and I rolled my eyes. Teach a mare a little Quiver quill and suddenly she thinks herself a scholarly wit.
Disgusted I left them to amuse themselves with their simple-minded humours.
-
I let that night's events stew away as I secluded myself in my estate. I entertained myself with the usual friendly visits of ambitious mares. Taking it upon themselves, to speak their concerns of my well-being. After all, no Canterlot event was worth the grandeur it held without the crown prince himself to grace it with his presence. The ignored invites were starting to be noticed, if the shower of gifts (bribes) and mares (negotiators and spies) was any indication.
That'll show Fancy pants. That old stallion indeed had his power circle, but the greatest and most powerful were under his own control. With me absent, everypony else would be as well and the whole of Canterlot would fall into social stagnation.
"My prince?" a voiced called over to me, and then a chorus of such voices echoed. The three mares that had spent the night with me had finally awoken, joining me by my mansion's rooftop. There is just simply no way to start the morning that can equal staring out into a new dawn.
"Look there my sweets." I beckoned them hither and they eagerly obeyed. I spread my arms wide and held them close to me.
"Look out into this city my mares. Everything the light touches is mine and no pony in all of Equestria can take that away from me."
Not even Fancy pants. The mare remained silent.
"Do you not agree?"
-
Every time I look at the mares in this city I see nothing but ambition. When they look at me, they look straight through me and merely focus on what I represent. I am a well of wealth, of money, title, reputation, land and prosperity. When they look at me they do not see the wondrous prince of the land, who's generosity knows no end as he wastes his time by being in their intimate presence.
Nay
Mares think they can break me, that they can merely charm their way into royalty and be done with me. Oh I know for sure. This is no delusion of mine, I promise you. I have loved once, a horrible mistake. I loved a power hungry mare that had me wrapped around her hoof, her beauty and grace enamoured me into submission. Like a lowly earth pony I slaved at her beck and call, by her will I existed to please and by her fickleness she broke my heart.
"Fleur you wench. Never again." And with her I realised that everypony near me is just like her. Thinking themselves able to own one such as I, when in reality I, by mandate, own them.
Indeed never again. I had learned my lesson and I learned well from my heart breaking teacher. I played the games she had played, I broke hearts like how she broke hearts and I gained exponential to what she could gain. Eventually I had power over this city that no pony, not even Celestia, could know... Nay. That's wrong. It's more like they began to realise how much power I have over them, like pennies and wool dropping all across the city.
Now, I have fathers throwing their daughters to my bed for my favours, I have wives giving their fortunes for my favours. And I broke upstarts thinking themselves my mistress, only to become one of my many mistresses. The ponies loved me, while I continued to hurt and ruin them. They are my playthings, begging for my touch in their lives.
And with that the prey became the predator.
I took such great pleasure breaking them, at first standing so tall with pride and speaking to me with such confidence as they weaved the mastery of their wily craft to futilely attempt to charm. You can't charm prince charming, foals. Sometimes slow and other times swift and brutal I broke them, branding into their mind just who they belonged to. Just who's life they lived for, making them realise that their self value was given onto them by me and me alone.
However, today I met a mare that was a little different.
"Anything you can do I can do better." She had said.
This mare didn't want to use me or gain from me. This one had a soul that thought herself invaluable and precious. A mare among mares, a unicorn amongst the most powerful of unicorns. A title-less vagabond thought herself the greatest living thing in all of Equestria.
This one, unlike Fancy pants, actually intended to out do me. This one didn't merely present herself as if she were superior like that old colt. This one wanted to defeat me. To prove superiority by evidence of action, something Fancy Pants never had the gut for, the cowardly socialite.
However as intriguing as this self proclaimed great and powerful Trixie is, she would pay dearly for her impudence. Just another example for the many to see.
For no pony was superior to the greatness that is me. No amount of wishing or proclaiming would make it otherwise. And I was going to show them, like many times before, how infallible that statement is.
This mare literally rolled into town in the most tacky form of vehicular abominations in all of Equestria. A horse-drawn caravan. She presented herself to everypony in a make-shift raised platform that one could suppose would be a stage. All along the framing were who-sits and gadgets and thingies serving as set props and effects. By no magic of her own, she let off sparks fly and whizz about with a flip of a switch and the turns of a dial. No pony could see it, but I knew of the little slight of hoof she was pulling. By her plebeian ingenuity she had not only made her mobile home a place of rest but of her place of work. A stage one instant and a small stable in another. How very fitting for a low-born to live and breathe by the sweat of her brow.
"And now for my next trick." I chuckled a little and for a brief moment, I swore she looked me with a flashing leer. I was not impressed in the lease, tricks were right. This was certainly not magic.
"I dare say, this mare knows magic like an earth pony knows magic." My entourage of today's mare chuckled at my jest, only for the next moment to be aghast with shock.
I was no longer smiling. As I held a hooficured hoof to my bruised face, I grimaced with a darkness that few ponies knew.
"Know that you strike a prince, peasant." I looked at the sky blue mare with a dark malice that spoke of death. For the punishment of striking the royal family was an act of high treason, punishable by death or banishment. And yet this mare did so without any hesitation nor fear. Either this mare was a foal or a very brave soul.
Seemingly knowing these things she smirked. In that instant I knew I would enjoy what was to come.
"The great and powerful Trixie knows no equal or superior. I care not if you're Celestia herself. I will not stand by and have you talk badly of me. I will show you and everypony here that your claims are lies!" In a flash of blue light she was gone and then reappearing as suddenly as she had vanished she was on the stage again. The stage was bare of props and tools. Barring only her cloak and wizard's hat, she beckoned me with her readiness to challenge.
"I wager that anything you can do I can do better. And if I so prove it. I would lay your claims false." No attempt to curry my favour, not even an inkling of intimidation by my station and in those eyes, I knew that she did not see wealth, power and royalty. She saw only a single pony.
At the realisation I just wanted me smile and yelp with elation.
At any given moment I could invoke my right to execute her, but I relented on the urge. I haven't been this amused for a long time. My heart was leaping inside my chest and my horn tingled with excitement. After all, a pony that thinks herself her own and not mine? That's my favourite joke in all of Equestria. And I've been without a decent jester to serve.to amuse me in a long while.
"Anything I can do, peasant?" I neatly teleported onto her make-shift platform she called a stage. No flash of light or a bursting of magic. Nay, I demonstrated true discipline of magic of which I merely phased in and out with a wan glow of the slightest amount of power.
She tried to hide it but it was clear that she was impressed. No pony however were so cautious to express the magnitude of my awesome, as they cheered and clopped against the cobblestones in droves.
I caressed my cheek and looked at her. She had struck me and if I struck back at full force I would have her bloom in agony. I would demonstrate one thing that I could do better than her and that would be the end of it. You see fear speak volumes, because fear holds roots in pain. Something everypony doesn't want. She would know her place so easily.
However, I am a noble, a prince, royalty. A truer gentlecolt than all gentlecolts of all of Equestria. And as a gentlecolt, I would ne'er strike a lady. Even if it were a vagabond such as this.
"You amuse me... Trixie was it?" I held a hoof to her chin and brought her closer to me for a good look. Her blue face blooming pink blushes by the proximity of my own beauty.
"If you truly wish to stay true to this challenge of yours. I invite you to my mansion. I will be holding a little get together there, and I'm sure your exhibitionist self sees the opportunity I am offering." I could feel her skin shiver with delight as my every touch sent exciting chills across her body. Her eyes locked into mine.
"I-I shall meet you there. And then I will show you. I will show everypony that I am the greatest and most powerful Trixie." She said trying to look away but not being able to resist quick glances. The strength of her voice faltering. A cold sweat was overtaking her as she was increasingly aware of the ponies watching the spectacle.
Yes... just like this. I like you just like this. So delicate as one would dare say that she's quite delectable like this. The breaking of the great and powerful Trixie is going to be so much fun.
"Finish your little side show. I will see you later."
And with those words I was gone.
"Where oh where did you find such an amusing little clown?" Uppercrust and Jetset had once again gate crashed upon another of my soirées that I've been organising recently. A series of social gatherings that was in no doubt in my mind the talk of the town. The return of the prodigal prince onto it's people. No pony who's any pony would dare miss it, and yet these two fancied themselves worthy of it. I had tolerated them the first time and suddenly they thought that a signal from me to want their continued companionship. Indeed they were more capable gossip mongers than the Equestria Daily and that indeed had it's uses. But if they thought themselves friends of someone like me merely because of that, then they would have to be educated for it.
However they still had their uses. Their trespasses can be forgiven for now. Once I have what I need of them, Tartarus hath no fury like a charming prince scorned. After all, how dare they call my Trixie a clown? If anything that mare on the stage, performing in my grand ballroom was something as mystifying as a harlequin. A clown of sorts, but no where near as common. For these two peasants to presume that I associate with common clowns was a sin against their god-prince. These jokes will be the laughing stock of Canterlot by the end. I swear it.
"Trixie is a special case." I began to explain, choosing my words carefully to cover my uncertainty of where I would want to take my retort.
"A performing unicorn who's profession is being a magician. An interesting choice for entertainment. It has a sort of, redundant charm to it, using something as mundane as magic to entertain with parlour tricks." Fancy pants . After missing out on many occasions and opportunities to show his face, he now chooses to pick now as his time to appear. And as usual, he picks the most opportune time to make a fool of me while he's at it.
"I dare say, I wager it wasn't her special talent that you liked about her." He whispered, but he spoke loud enough to be clearly heard.
The room chuckled.
Fancy pants once again made that face he does when makes his jests. Looking as if he doesn't understand what everypony finds so funny. I hate it when he does that! It forces me to politely refrain from retorting back a dagger at him. The perfect defence.
"Fleur my darling, look at her! Isn't she just lovely!?" She didn't look like she knew what to say.
Making out an insult to me as a compliment. Must you forever stoke my ire Fancy pants?
-
For the third time that night I destroyed my chambers and already for the third time that night, I rang the bell for it to be cleaned up at once. Tired and haggard maids sluggishly stalked into the room, their eyes were blood shot with dark bags forming under their lids. They walked with purpose albeit lopsided from the amount of fatigue, and lack of the clarity of mind one would get from a good night's rest. No doubt by the end of the day their day's work will be so unsatisfactory that I would have them all fired and replaced within twenty four hours.
"What do you care for the words of some old stallion?" I had settled on the window to feel the cool wind upon my face. Trixie had left the bed to speak her piece, less to console but to no doubt boast some more. I said nothing in reply, so as usual she sees that as a signal to continue to speak.
"It doesn't matter what those foals tonight said. I know that I am the great and power Trixie, a mare of such amazing show stopping ability as to astound and amaze with the least bit of effort. Their arrogance merely closed their minds to the power of my greatness, why I remember this time in Ponyville when-"
"Enough!" I roared out as to have the whole household freeze in terror.
"Blueblood... worry not, I, the great and po-" I gave her a hard look and she hushed, frozen in her pantomime pose of proclamation.
"Tonight was a revelation, dear pawn. A sign that no pony feared me, that the control of this city is slipping before my hooves..." Trixie looked puzzled. I liked telling her things like these, high society politics was something beyond the mare's thick and arrogant skull. And mayhaps I do confess that I like that about her. And mayhaps she wasn't the most choicest mare of all Equestria, but she did have beauty that could turn eyes. Fancy pants may have said it in jest, but she was a talented and beautiful mare.
And the day that I show her that I am the greater pony, the sooner I may enjoy breaking her for my purposes. For now though, looking at her simple-minded obliviousness to the intricies of politics is enough to amuse me. A constant reminder that I was the better pony, even if she didn't understand. Yet.
Tonight Fancy pants showed me just how alone I was in this city. Many ponies were under Fancy pants's thrall now and he was at the very moment powerless to contest him. All I had right now was this rival of mine, sharing my bed, eating my food and living in my home. And for what?
What use is this...
"Blueblood. I promise. I will show them, I'll show them all. I will win those ponies." I laughed weakly, the simple creature still didn't get it.
One of these days, I will teach this pony to kneel. Trixie, one day you will know humility to me. One of these days you will no longer live by my charity but by my employment.
And then I will enjoy the pleasure of making you feel worthless.
But first, I have Fancy pants to destroy.
"Come Trixie! We go to war."
The night of the Gala. Long before the return of nightmare moon.
"Gentlecolts." A young and dashing stallion spoke out upon the stage of the royal ball room. He was mixing amongst the band and stealing the show as all around him ponies look at him. From the dance floor halberds and partisans pointed for his flank.
"I'm sure we can sort this out amicably!" At those words the royal guard merely took it as an invitation to bring their weapons closer to him.
The band at the sight of such life threatening implements abandoned their instruments to vacate the room as quickly as possible. No pony obstructed them as they absent-mindedly parted ways, their focus on the colt who spoke out so that everypony could see.
"Look at it this way; if you could do what I could do, then you would do it too!" The dashing colt said adjusting his suit and monocle.
"But you can't! I can, and I have, and I'll do it again!" He put a off to his disheveled hair and neatening it, as to look presentable as he was prior.
"So, you should be happy for me, just a little tiny bit, don't you think?" He put on his best smile, a kind of smile that could beguile a mare with only a glimpse.
"And you, sir, just consider; you love your wife. I love your wife! Aren't we both on the same side? If you think about it, I'm just like you." The dashing colt looked to a very unamused stallion. His cold blue eyes leering so hard as to wish the colt in front of him would merely die, frozen in a block of ice his icy stare would seem to summon forth at any moment.
"Fancy pants!" A beautiful white unicorn mare galloped into the ballroom, barging through the throng to make her presence known.
"Please! Cold blood spare him. It-it was all my doing, I have been the one that's been unfaithful." The mare, once so proud and dignified. Kneeled and begged while he pawed at the feet of her husband. Desperation on her features. He ignored her and only looked to the guards beside him.
"We are ready prince. we act on your command."
"Cold blood please!" The mare's desperation leading towards a crescendo. Tears were in her eyes and she sobbed uncontrollably. The cold blooded prince merely stayed silent.
"This is beyond a mere crime." Like phantom the prince was gone, appearing once more upon the stage meeting eyes with Fancy Pants. If Fancy Pants were a colt of lower calibre he would have been broken by the prince's cold relentless stare. But somehow he had managed to remain steadfast.
"You sir have sullied my wife and have ruined my honour. Seeing you die by my word is not enough. To redeem myself, I must deal with you myself." Fancy Pants backed away a step, half expecting a halberd to come flying towards him by the will of the crown prince.
"Guards. capture him and imprison him. At the crack of dawn, I wish to meet him in the castle ramparts." The cold prince said, his eyes never straying from his foe.
"Let it be known to everypony!" The prince turned to address all present who thus far were content to look and watch silently. "He and I shall duel at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning. Then we will see who will live to see the light of day."
-
"Aunt Celestia. I humbly request your permission to hold the right to duel." I should have done this years ago. I have tolerated his insolence for far too long. From my farthest memories I can only see him there, mocking me with his that condescending tone. Speaking and telling me what to do and often times, leaving me to suffer so many indignities that he rubbed salt on by lecturing me afterwards. It was no wonder he had stolen his ponies. They think he is better than me. That he has some sort of power over me.
"You can't mean... no. I refuse you the right. Duels have been outlawed for a very good reason." Yes, since foalhood I've been reminded of it. Everyday I wake up each morning and see at the family home an empty seat beside my mother. A place where my father would be. I'm told some vagabond had killed him, he died defending my mother's honour. They thought his death was a cautionary tale for me to learn from.
Indeed I learned. I learned that my father loved my mother very much and he was willing to die for her dignity and grace and honour to be retained. I will avenge my honour and rid myself of the scourge of that old stallion.
"He has only been watching over you, Blue blood. Merely talking to ponies for your interest. He-" Celestia in her seemingly infinite wisdom, had worked out my intentions. And within character to a wise and noble ruler trying to calmly dissuade me.
"He spins lies and conspires against me! I have only come here as a mere formality. If you refuse me my legal right, then damn the consequences, I will have my honour restored with or without your consent." Mayhaps another foal would fall for Auntie's dissuasion but I am no pony that is intimidated by her. I am a prince, a person for all intents and purposes her equal in station.
"I hope, in the end, you will do the right thing. Nay, I trust that you will." I know this trick of her too. When a pony is beyond her gentle persuasion. She would prepare her power over the kingdom and shift matters so that they would result in her given ideal scenario.
"Have your guards follow me, like you fully intend to. I will have no more skulking around in the shadows for something this important." The surprised look on her face was priceless. I had been acting as a meek and humble nephew for years and this was the first instance that I showed myself beyond her control. Mayhaps it will come back to bite me, but for now I will enjoy his feeling of superiority.
