The Different Prince

The yellow thing was an alicorn. Much like mother, save it walked on four legs. It had cruel eyes and its mane and tail were like fire. These ancient giants has used many gems and crystals to create an image that was nearly as detailed as a photograph. It seemed to dance above the map of the world. Surrounding it were skulls. Not images of skulls, but actual skulls of the giants imbedded into the wall itself.

"It looks like you," Bonbon commented absentmindedly as she stared on.

I blinked. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't mean anything by it, Gold," she apologized, "but, it's an alicorn that walks on all fours, like a male. And it's yellow."

I reluctantly conceded that point. But something about it made me not want to be compared to it. It felt off. Like it was actually staring at me. I scowled back as I could intimidate it. Were it alive, I probably would have laughed before eating my head.

Twilight had already come back, somewhat calmed down. She fly about the alicorn in amazement. "Could it be this civilization had alicorns of their own as well? From the evidence, it's most likely a female alicorn. She must have been giant even to them."

"Is there like a title or something written somewhere?" I asked She looked down at me and shook her head.

"Even if we could find writing, it'd take a long time to translate," she explained, landing beside me. "It could also be that this civilization never developed a written language. They may have passed on information verbally. Which would help explain why they vanished, even with a possible elven more sites."

"That's disappointing," I sighed.

She nodded. "All those books that could have been. Or, stone tablets as the theme implies. We'll just have to keep searching until we get more answers."

Manny more mummies and pictures. They seemed to tell stories, but without context, they were just image to me. I would have to leave them for Twilight or someone else to translate for me. I eventually returned to camp so as not to be late for mealtime. I was still thinking about that alicorn, and what Bonbon had said. Why did that upset me so much?

A ate my meal slowly as I thought, everything around me pushed aside for the time being. The Lyra sat beside me and took me out of my stupor.

"What's the problem, Gold," she asked sympathetically. I explained the image we had found and that it had felt wrong to me. "I see. I don't know what to tell you, other than it's only a picture. You shouldn't worry too much over it."

"but, what are the odds?" I asked. "Two yellow alicorns? Both walking on all fours. All it needed was a bell on its but and we'd have some sort of ancient prophecy on our hooves."

She chuckled and hugged me. "Hey, it's going to be all right. Maybe you just need to get some sleep. After all, you have to fly back to Canterlot tomorrow to deliver Nectarine back to her mother."

"Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten about that," I said with a laugh.

"Woah, that's one of your future wives, kid," she teased. "Don't want to be a bad example for any future talking males, you know."

"Is it really right to just use her like a political pawn though?" I asked sincerely. "Our parents our literally taking advantage of us, their children, to further their own goals."

Lyra stared at me in bewilderment. "Talk about out of nowhere. I mean, sure, maybe she would have other asperations if she weren't forced into this. But, it's for the good of the two kingdoms."

I sighed. Duty was so engrained in the culture. Literally magically shackled to their buts in the shape of a cutie mark. It couldn't be helped I guess.

"Hey, stud," she said, snapping me out of a daze. "Come on, let's go to your tent. You look like you could use some milk."

I nodded and followed her back up to the surface. Soon She was humming a comforting lullaby as I suckled softly, trying to get that alicorn out of my head. On concentrated on her milk the taste and texture that I had known all these years. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

"Oh, can I have some?"

I stopped and turned to see who had arrived. It was princess, Nectarine. She quickly flitted up in the cot with me and smiled hopefully at my wetnurse.

Lyra smile looked at me. "That depends on your future stud here. Would you care to share communion with your future bride?"

I thought moment. Nursing alongside other ponies was nothing I hadn't done before. Pound, Flurry Heart, any of Lyra's and Bonbon's foals. I nodded. "It's find with me."

"Yes," the swamp princess clapped happily, quickly diving in and guzzling like mad. Half of the milk was spilled. Lyra didn't seem to mind, used to messy eaters.

I just rolled my eyes and went back to work. Soon, we were both milkdrunk and asleep on my cot. The little princess on my back.

* * *

I was back in the dome. I was alone and I couldn't find where the light was coming from. There were skittering noises in the dark. I backed away , scared. Then I hit something. Turning around, I saw it was the walls. The alicorn was staring down at me, and as I watched, it began to come to life.

I was frozen in fear. The stones that held it in place melted away and it fell to the ground with a great noise. Not elegantly, but hard, as though it was weak. It shakily got up to all four hooves, now towering higher than even the giants. I looked down on me and smiled.

It began lowering its head, mouth opened. I closed my eyes, waiting for the end.

But it didn't come. I opened my eyes again to find it was nuzzling my head. A moment later it stopped and sat down in front of me. I stared up at it, uncertain.

It's head tilted to the side, as if it were confused.

"I'm sorry," I said, "who... who are you?"

There was silence. Even the skittering had ceased. We just stared at each other. What seemed an eternity, it lit up its and enveloped me in a blue aura, much like my own. I cried out in fear and it stopped. I was probably more surprised than it was.

She. She was. Now getting a good look at it. It was a she. Even had the teats between the legs like Twilight had mentioned before. She tried lighting up her horn again. I shouted back at her and she stopped. This time seeming to be visibly upset. She got up and began circling me, sniffing and tilting her head this way and that.

I remained perfectly still, but ready to bolt it she tried anything. Eventually, she sat down across from me again and sighed heavily. Her fiery mane began to dim, like it was being snuffed out. It was then I learned that it was her mane that was lighting the dome, for soon everything was pitch black. The odd skitterings moved off elsewhere in the darkness, leaving me alone.

* * *

The next thing I knew I was waking up on my cot. Nectarine was on my pillow, snoring up a storm and drooling a monsoon. I looked about, trying to recollect what I had just dreamed.

The light coming through the tent flap indicated it was morning now. Lyra was asleep on her own cot with Bonbon beside her, foals all around them. Mrs. Velvet was nowhere to be seen, then again she and her stud were early birds. And Twilight was probably still down in the dome.

I took a deep breath to collect myself. The dream had felt so real. It was troubling. I needed to tell someone about it, but, the only one who truly understood dreams hadn't been around in a few years. Was it perhaps time to contact my auntie Luna?

If nothing else, I would love to know how Cobbler is doing.