The Different Prince

Let's say, for arguments sake, that mother half planned on keeping me in that suit of armor forever. Now, she hadn't said anything, but the thought had crossed my mind. She did tend to worry like a mother hen.

Now, how did a stallion teach another stallion in this world? I mean, mares were there to help in the training as well, but it seemed very important to have an experienced stallion to show them the ropes. Much like how wild animals would train their young to fend for themselves in the wild, a lot of rough play and repetition until they inexperienced learned to copy.

But, as I said, they taught their young. So for it to work, the mare in charge, often mated to the stallion in charge of the exercise, would have to convince him that the strange stallions were actually his young. Thus came a reason for herd communion.

Before training ever started, Cadance had taken both of us someplace private and nursed me, encouraging Shining to get close. Now, he was already used to me, she was just reinforcing the idea in his mind. He was very caring in his ministrations, nuzzling and sniffing me inquisitively.

When she was satisfied that we were familiarized, she led us to the training yard and said one simple thing before backing away.

"Play."

The next thing I knew I was backed into a corner, half terrified of the raging stallion, but, as soon as I felt there was no way for me to fight back, he calmed down and backed away. Prancing a bit in a happy fashion. He went back to the middle of the field and tapped his hooves, bobbing his head in encouragement.

It was the same result every day. He would win the little contest, proving himself the dominant one. Then encourage me to try again. Sometimes he would use magic to catch me off guard, resulting in me using magic in return. The beast had an impenetrable shield that I could not pierce.

Cadance found it all in good fun. Even mother came to watch when she could, laughing, yet urging me to try something else. But, no matter what I tried, he was simply better than me. I was only eleven after all.

That shield interested me though. That would be a really useful spell to know. I began asking mother to let me go to her school. I hadn't really been so earnest before, but Shining Armor had invigorated something in me. Even my wet-nurses began asking her. Her will may have begun to crack.

She couldn't protect me forever, no matter what she thought. The assassins were sure to target me within or without the palace just as easily. I just felt that maybe she'd feel better if I was surrounded by gifted magic users.

Anyway. Things were going hard, and I found myself missing my new friend, Corner Stone. That night I managed to slip from my room and find her. Sure, I would regret the lack of sleep in the morning, but that was future me's problem. She wasn't so hard to find.

Supposedly she had been fascinated by the tiny bricks(relatively) that made up her new home along the outer wall of the palace. The concept of making stones appeared to baffle her. Might as well have said we took carpenter supplies and made apples. I had a feeling, with her almost singular focus, that she may have been feeling a little obsolete these days.

Her house wasn't as huge as you might believe. No bigger than a two story cottage that only had one floor. Mother wanted her to feel as at home as possible. The bricks were more an oversight. There were plenty of carved stones as well, fittingly making up the stairs up to her great door, and likely passed them for her floor. She even commissioned a slate roof for her.

I quietly opened the front door. It was unlocked. Seems she didn't fear intruders, or perhaps she welcomed them. She lay in the center of her home, in a hollow in the stones filled with dust. Turns out that was her bed after all. A special kind of dust that was soft and didn't cling to her fur.

She was also surrounded by dozens of carved stones. Laying nearby her hoof was an assortment of giant steel chisels and the biggest mallet I had ever seen. Seems she Celestia wanted her to continue her work.

Hello, your highness. I heard her somber voice echo in my head. I thought she was a hard sleeper. I am... I merely was not asleep. I have been contemplating my place in this new world.

She shifted herself on her bed of dust and sighed as it rolled off of her back into its hollow. I am... without peer. As this world stands far above mine. Your mother tells me these are such simple tools. To me... they were gifts from a god. In my era, stone carving was the highest art. Now... it is but a hobby.

She hefted a perfect cube in her magic, a piece of granite as smooth as glass. I made this in mere moments, fractions of what it would have taken me before. This un-stone, this metal... is truly a blessed material of divine conception. Imagine the lives it could have saved.

It had also taken many lives I informed her. She scoffed. All things take lives. It is best that you survive with the best there is available, rather than die for fear something new would do harm. Then again, not all things are profitable. She held up a pointed chisel in an almost reverent fashion. This is most profitable.

I came and sat beside her on the bed. Gee, it really was comfy. These stone age ponies were really onto something. It was just missing blankets. I asked her what she planned to do.

I plan to find whether I am alone in this world or not. She lowered her head, lowering the tools at the same time. You small things are a delight. But, I see nothing familiar. Strange creatures you are. Females that walk on two legs in such and alien fashion, and males much like what I remember, save their voices... their minds don't seem to call out. And... what is done to them, by mothers to their own flesh...

She looked at me, a look in her eyes. I am afraid. And I feel you are too. I was taken aback, but said nothing. I burnt entire villages down, and crushed the heads of my enemies with stones in the name of survival and my king. But, I am nowhere near as barbaric as this tragic future is.

I asked her what she meant. What about our time was so barbaric to her.

That your life is so cheap. She said, draping a wing over me. These wicked mothers choose for their sons their future. They treat it like selecting meat for a feast. That which is perfect, and that which is fit only for the beasts beneath the tables. My king would have been most displeased. She grinned then, showing off some very sharp, very unponylike teeth. My queen, would have demanded this place be razed to the ground.

Her grin faded and she shook her head. But... you mother moves the son. The king's bell is needed no more. I have no one to serve. I wish to stay here, near you, prince, for I owe you my life. I'd still be asleep, were it not for you. Perhaps until the stars died and the great rock mounds turned to dust. Though I do not believe there is anything I can teach you, I have strength I am willing to lend.

U patted her wing. feeling a deeper connection between us. We were rather the same. I even pointed out to her the similarities between us. She chuckled.

Coincidence, I would believe. Though, were my queen alive, I would see it as some sort of sign. She quieted, just enjoying my company. Her small smile was precious, almost filly like.

I had another question though. I asked her why her kind were named after the mountains. For she had called themselves mountains in our earliest meetings. She tilted her head, confused.

Why would we name ourselves after stone peaks? No, our king named them after us.