The Broken One

“Where is the fake prince”, the voice shouted again. “I demand to see this Prince Jackson!”

I stormed through the hall toward the voice with a hand on the handgrip of my sword and a white hoof snagged my arm as I passed by. I looked down into the pleading face of Rarity as she begged me to leave Prince Blueblood alone. I shook her off and stepped into the clear area of floor around the spoiled brat.

“I’m Prince Jackson”, I said coldly, “and you’re disrupting my wedding.”

“Your wedding”, he scoffed as his words slurred. “You aren’t even a true prince! You were adopted! You have no ties to Equestria or the throne you stole.”

“Stole”, I shouted as black fire whirled around me and I transformed into my alicorn body.

I heard gasps and muttering through the hall as I towered over Prince Blueblood. The look of fear on his face was intoxicating.

“If I was not a Prince of Equestria then explain this”, I shouted at him. “How can I be an alicorn if I lie? If I’m scamming everypony then HOW CAN I USE THE CANTERLOT VOICE?!”

He began to stutter as sweat beaded on his brow.

“Tell me”, I said quietly as I got in his face. “Please do tell me how I fooled my own mother.”

“Prince Jackson, I was-“

“ENOUGH”, I boomed. “You disrespect my castle. You disrespect me. But worst of all, you disrespected my wife on our wedding day. Tell me why I shouldn’t strike you down where you stand.”

“Guards, seize Prince Blueblood”, Shining Armor shouted furiously.

“BELAY THAT”, I shouted, causing gasps to roll through the crowd again.

“Your Highness”, Shining asked in confusion.

“I will not soil the guards’ hooves with this filth”, I growled in contempt. “I will personally escort him out.”

I reverted to my human form in a flash of black fire and stomped toward Blueblood. He began to shrink away from me but I grabbed him by the mane and dragged him from the room. He struggled to stay on his hooves as I pulled him along but he fell several times and wound up being dragged through the castle since I refused to slow my pace.

“Your Highness, is everything okay”, Silver asked as we burst through the front door.

“Yeah”, I grinned as I looked over my shoulder.

To my surprise a crowd had followed me with the two royal sisters at the front of the herd. I dragged Blueblood across the courtyard and through the portcullis. About ten yards past the gate I stopped and lifted Blueblood to his hooves. He looked into my eyes fearfully as I lifted him to my level.

“Prince Blueblood”, I snarled, “I ban you from ever entering my land again. If you ever show your face here again you will rot in my dungeons, family or not. You’re lucky I don’t beat you within an inch of your life for disrespecting Shadow and me like this. Get out of my forest and never return.”

I heaved with all my might and threw him several yards. His breath rushed out of him as he landed on his side and he scrambled away from me. I turned back to the castle and saw mixed emotions on their faces.

“If any of you feel like he does, get the hell out of Everfree”, I said calmly as my breathing returned to normal. “Everypony that’s happy for the newlyweds, let’s kick this party off.”

I started walking through the crowd as they parted for me. I didn’t know whether it was because I was a prince or because I just personally dragged another prince through the dirt and banished him but I didn’t care.

“Silver”, I shouted. “Break out the good mead and find Cindra for me! Thanks!”

“Did he just thank his servant”, I heard one of the fancy ponies whisper. “Why would he do that?”

“I did it because it’s just common decency”, I said heatedly as I glared at the pony in question. “If you have a problem being civil toward those less fortunate than you then I suggest you leave now.”

“That isn’t what I meant, your Highness”, she replied calmly. “Rumor has been floating around that you can be rather… harsh at times.”

“Either get out or stay and be nice”, I smirked. “If you cause trouble later you’ll find out just how harsh my spankings are.”

“Spankings”, she asked curiously as she cocked her head.

“Yeah, I’ve only had to spank three ponies for doing something wrong”, I said quietly as I opened my hand wide in front of her face. “They have never repeated those mistakes to this day.”

“With the size of your hands I would imagine not, your Highness”, she replied with a gulp.

“Okay, we’re all good”, I smiled as I stood up.

We need to talk, my mother’s voice rang in my mind.

Hey, you’re doing it! Cool deal!

We will speak later, she muttered before closing the link.

As we entered the banquet hall I took to the air and shouted for Vinyl to take the bass to eleven. She grinned at Octavia who rolled her eyes before plugging a cable into the bottom of her cello. A light melody came from the cello and built in intensity as a drum began keeping the rhythm.

I felt the music deep where my soul was supposed to be and began to feel an anxious energy building inside of me. At the perfect moment I yelled to ‘drop that shit’ right before the heaviest bass line I had ever heard hit. The soundwaves from the enormous speakers I was hovering near blasted me across the room and out an open window amidst shocked gasps and happy laughter.

“EPIC”, I boomed as I zipped back in the window.

The crowd began cheering for both me and the duo creating a digital masterpiece on the stage. I landed between the two and just let the music move my body. I closed my eyes and lost myself until cheering brought me from my trance when the song ended. I hugged both musicians as I cheered them on as well then leapt from the stage.

“Showoff”, Shadow laughed as she glided over to me and folded her wings.

“You know you love it”, I smiled.

“Do I know that”, she asked and pretended to think. “Yes, yes I do. You can show off for me any day, husband.”

“Husband”, I repeated softly. “I think ‘wife’ sounds better.”

She wrapped her hooves around my neck and gently kissed me. I turned my eyes to Vinyl but she was way ahead of me as a beautiful melody flowed from the speakers. The crowd turned to stare at us as we began to sway back and forth in time to the music. A beautifully familiar voice came from the speakers and I turned to see Fluttershy standing at the microphone.

Heart beats fast

Colors and promises

How to be brave

How can I love when I’m afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt

Suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

Suddenly a second voice joined in and I saw Shining right beside her.

I have died everyday

Waiting for you

Darling, don’t be afraid

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more

Fluttershy took a small step back as Shining took over.

Time stands still

Beauty in all she is

I will be brave

I will not let anything take away

What’s standing in front of me

Every breath

Every hour has come to this

Fluttershy joined back in seamlessly.

One step closer

I have died everyday

Waiting for you

Darling, don’t be afraid

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed

I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more.

One step closer, Fluttershy sang.

One step closer, Shining repeated before the music swelled and they both sang the chorus again as Shadow laid her head on my shoulder.

I have died everyday

Waiting for you

Darling, don’t be afraid

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed

I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more

The two ponies vocalized harmoniously for the rest of the song and we joined the rest of the crowd in applause when the last notes faded away. I saw tears in my mother and aunt’s eyes and smiled their way. I was rushed by my friends and if I was being truthful I was happy to be at the bottom of a pony pile. I could just feel the friendship and love.

As I was getting back up three lightweight objects attached themselves to my legs and torso. I looked down into the smiling faces of three adorable blank flanks. I hugged them close and they scampered off to get into who knows what kind of mischief. I called a guard over and asked him to keep an eye on the girls and he bowed before scurrying after them.

I shook a few hooves as I mingled and mixed with the fancy ponies. More than once I was praised for the way I handled Blueblood and every time I was congratulated. Thankfully there was a lull in the conversation that allowed me to slip away and swipe a mug of mead.

“Prince Jackson”, a black Pegasus with a green mane purred as she stepped up behind. “Patron saint of the downtrodden and terrible Lord of Everfree.

“Chrysalis”, I greeted calmly after taking a sneaky sniff of the air. “Quite the getup you have there.”

“Oh, this old thing”, she smiled. “It’s just something I… threw together.”

“Would you care to dance”, I asked quietly.

She allowed me to lead her to the section of the floor ponies were dancing on and her hooves found their way around my shoulders as we swayed along to the music. I caught Shadow’s questioning glance and I winked. She seemed to understand I had it under control.

“You’re quite good at this”, Chrysalis said with surprise.

“Don’t ask me how”, I joked lightly. “So what brings you out of the hive?”

“I wouldn’t miss the chance for an all you can eat buffet”, she grinned wickedly.

“You better not feed on any of my subjects”, I warned.

“And if I have their permission?”

“Then it’s out of my hands”, I replied as I dipped her low and pulled her back up. “What two consenting adults do is no concern of mine. Are you familiar with that concept?”

“Save your petty barbs”, she sighed as she rolled her eyes. “I’m not here about my daughter.

Mom, don’t react in any way but I’m dancing with Chrysalis, I whispered in mom’s mind. Don’t do anything, just watch us and be ready to jump in if she gets feisty.

Okay, son. Be careful.

“Prince Jackson, are you well”, she asked with just the barest hint of sincerity.

“Honestly I’m somewhat confused”, I replied. “If you aren’t here to ask why I only married one mare today, well then, I don’t have a damn clue.”

“I saw your interaction with that sniveling fool Blueblood”, she grinned. “While entertaining, that may have been a foolish move.”

“I don’t care”, I growled. “I won’t allow anypony to harm those I hold close.

“And how closely do you hold me”, she asked quietly.

“At arm’s length”, I replied. “I’m sorry, but the last time we met we tried to kill each other. I still expect a dagger in the back even now.”

She went silent and glanced down as we danced. The silence only lasted a few seconds before she spoke again.

“You don’t have to worry about that. You’ve proven yourself a respectable adversary, but I would prefer to be allies. It would be nice to not be at odds with at least one fiefdom.”

“Does our alliance rely totally on a wedding”, I asked.

“No”, she eventually replied.

“That’s nice to know but I intend to keep my word”, I said slowly.

“Very well.”

Without another word she dropped to all fours and left the castle. As soon as she was out of sight I was met with the worried gaze of my mother. She walked slowly to my side and nudged against me.

“What did she want”, mom asked.

“She came for the wedding”, I shrugged. “She was actually behaving.”

My mother expressed her surprise and confusion but I waved it off and found Shadow at a table with the Elements of Harmony. All of them except Shadow bowed their heads as I spun a chair around backwards beside my bride and sat on the backwards chair.

“Have you seen Cindra”, I asked as I kissed her cheek.

“Last I saw her she was headed to the kitchens”, Shadow smiled.

I stood up and took two steps before I heard a commotion in the hallway. Wondering what was going on I rushed to the hallway and slid to a stupefied stop. In the middle of the hallway was a severely intoxicated Cindra screaming at a bloodied guard as the other guards held her back. Her eyes met mine and she launched herself into my arms sobbing.

“What’s going on here”, I asked loudly.

“He tried to… tried to…”

“Well, fuck.”