The Different Prince

I awoke in the infirmary wing of the palace. The lights were dim. I shifted my position to see what had happened. There were bandages about my barrel, though the cause was not readily in my sight. Turning again, I saw mother sitting in a chair, sleeping. at her hooves lay my father, his head resting upon her lap.

Trying to stand up, I felt a sharp pain in my ribs, drawing a yelp from my throat.

This awoke mother and father in an instant. Mother practically tackled me while Big Mac nuzzled me worriedly. "Oh, Gold," she wept, "you've been asleep for two days."

That explained why she was wearing a different dress. Wait.

"Two days?" I asked, shaking my head. "What happened?"

"Poisoned arrows," she said, not really needing to explain more. "You were shot from behind."

"Did you catch her?" I asked. She shook her head.

"It had to have been multiple assassins," she growled. "The arrows all came from different directions. And each had a different poison."

That didn't sound right. "Sounds like three separate assassins hired by three separate ponies."

She nodded. "Your body slipped into some kind of regenerative sleep. The healing you experienced was like nothing I've ever experienced with my power."

"I don't know," I chuckled. "My ribs still really hurt."

"That's just the thing," she said, pulling herself back to look me in the eye. "One of those arrows had an exceptionally wide broadhead. It severed two of your ribs like they were butter. Once it was removed, the doctors and I actually watched as they slowly fused back into place."

I slowly twisted my back. It was a sharp pain, but nothing like a broken/severed bone would have been. "What about the poison?"

"Your body had more trouble fighting that off, but, once we found out what it was, we helped it along with some counter poisons."

"Using poison to fight poison?" I chuckled. She nodded.

"One was a very rare and expensive poison distilled from the bodies of frost centipedes. Some changeling drone venom helped block it from seeping into your nerves." She was crying as she held my face and kissed my nose. "It coated your nerves, like a minor paralytic, blocking the poison from getting further."

"Send the changelings my thanks," I nodded, hugging her back. "So... only the second time someone's tried to out me. This time they were more prepared."

She nodded. "Which, is why, now that your awake, you'll me measured and fitted for armor and begin training in self-defense. Pound, sweet gelding that he is, can't be expected to do everything for you, my son."

I nodded. I slowly got up and let the blanket fall away. Mother laughed. I stared at her. "Um... am I missing something mother?"

She shook her head. "No... not missing anything... look."

I followed her pointing finger to my flank. There against my gold coat was a simple red bell. Nothing spectacular, yet, amazing for me. "Seems you've gotten your cutie mark, Gold."

I stared. "Wh-what's that supposed to mean? A bell? I really don't get it."

She shrugged. "I would assume it has something to do with your sudden healing ability, Gold. Perhaps you are the Alicorn of Healing. Or maybe the Alicorn of Alarms."

I was laughing. "Haha, mother." Not seriously laughing that is. I was unamused, is what I mean to say.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled, sniffing. "I'm just sop happy you're alright."

I nodded. "Can I... can I go outside now? Or..."

"Certainly not," she stated in a manner that said no-arguments, period. "You may have incredible healing abilities, but you are staying in this room, on that bed until the doctors say you're recovered."

And that was that. Sometimes you just shouldn't argue. This was one of those times.

* * *

Mother had gone to attend to her duties, and father had left to do... whatever it is he does about the palace. Look epic? be kind? Whatever it was, he did it well. Good old draft horse.

Lyra had come after mother had left. She sat up on the bed with me. "I was so worried, Gold. When your mother told me you had been shot, I had feared the worst. I should have followed you too. I'm supposed to protect you."

I shook my head. "No, Lyra. I would have hated for something to happen to you, and your little one."

I put a hoof on her belly. She smiled and held that hoof thankfully. "You are such a good colt. I with most fillies matured like you did. You can be very selfless at times."

"At times?" I asked in mock offense.

She chuckled. "You can also be a very selfish and self-absorbed creature."

I rolled my eyes. "Not gonna argue. did anything major happen after I left the party?"

She thought a moment. "Well, Mrs. Cake found Pound and actually showed him some maternal affection. He seemed to like that."

I nodded good. "When I saw her brush him off from the balcony… I … I don't know. Something just..."

"You did the right thing," Lyra reassured me, stroking my cheek affectionately. "Some mares forget that they give birth important creatures. I think Pound would have made a fantastic stud. A little aggression? All foals act out. He probably could have been a good war horse."

I looked at her oddly. "You and mother are quite different."

She chuckled. "Hey, I've never claimed to be like anyone. I was a weird filly growing up. No, not a tomcolt. Just weird. It was a wonder my mother didn't send me to therapy."

I smiled broadly. "I see. What kind of weird stuff did you do?"

She looked around to make sure no one was listening. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered. "When I was a filly I pretended I was a monkey from another world where they loved to build things. Like buildings that stretched up to the clouds and trains that moved without tracks. I even wrote books and stuff about it."

She rolled her eyes. "My mother and aunties threw fits everyday. Then, when I came back home for winter break at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, I found they'd tossed out everything I had created. I really wish I could recall most of it. I was so devastated."

"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically. Though, in the back of my mind I was doing flips. In my eleven years here I was actually beginning to forget things. It was fuzzy now. I wasn't too old when I came here. Just nineteen. Or was it twenty? She brought me out of these thoughts with a kiss between the eyes.

"Hey, don't feel sorry for the past," she told me. "Keep your chin up and brave it. Cry when you need to, but don't let those tears wash away your hope."

That was... actually very nice. Well done my dear wetnurse. Then my stomach rumbled. She smiled and opened the front of her dress. "Here, Gold. This'll be softer on your stomach than what the doctor's are feeding you. Need to get you out of here soon so Pound has a playmate again you know."

I nodded and latched onto the baroness's nipple. How could such a simple creature pony be so wonderful? Then again, perhaps that was the purest beauty of simplicity. I closed my eyes and let myself drift as I nursed.