Everbrook

Looking down at her kingdom below, the small princess sighed and leaned against her hoof. It was a beautiful place underneath Ponyville, magically hidden from sneaky ponies who wanted to find them. She enjoyed living here, and she was happy, but she was nervous of becoming the Queen. Her Mother passed when she was young, and her father, the King, never told her why.

She gave another sigh, and blinked when she heard a familiar buzzing. It was her father, flying up to see her. He was tall and dark yellow, with black striped down his thick and pointed tail. His dark insect eyes went to hers and smiled when he saw his daughter.

"Princess Blizzard, what are you doing out this late? We have an important harvest tomorrow and you know that," he told her. His voice was loud and deep. She turned away from her father and looked to the kingdom once again.

"Father, why is it that I have to take control? How do I know that I will be the perfect leader for them all?" She asked.

King Arctic Knight looked to his daughter and wrapped his large wing around her smaller frame. "Blizzard, you will be perfect for them. They already know and love you. They trust you completely."

"But father, what if I am to mess up? Or die young? I would need an heir and I am simply not interesting in the other males in the kingdom." She whined. The king chuckled underneath his breath.

"Silly little child. You don't have to worry about not liking a male. You as the Queen will mate with many males and have many eggs to keep the kingdom running." He motioned to the nursery, an area where all of the young changeling bees were being cared for.

He retracted his wing from his daughter and pulled her gently with his magic into her room. She followed him into the room, which was decorated with hexagonal shapes and lots of flowers. She enjoyed flowers very much. Especially for their pollen that she adored on top of her treats. Blizzard turned to the mirror and looked at herself. She has gray hair, and big blue eyes that seemed endless against her pale yellow skin. She looked very small and thin. She didn't see herself as becoming a leader that somepony would listen to.

Arctic Night patted the side of her hexagon shaped bed. She climbed into her large bed and willed herself to climb under the blankets. She looked at the large ceiling of her room. It was painted with glowing paint in shapes of hexagons and stars. She loved it. Her father kissed her forehead before leaving the room and his daughter for the night.

He made his way down the hall, his footsteps thumping loudly on the rocky ground. He wanted others to know that he was here. He turned the corner of the castle halls to spot two changelings standing at attention in front of the front entrance. He gave a polite nod to them both as he made his way into the city.

The city wasn't very big, just about as big as Ponyville. He could see the branches of the fallen tree that the new Alicorn's house used to be at. It was the center of their kingdom. He looked down at the homes and shops that circled the large water source in the middle of the area. The pond was build when Blizzard was born. They called it Blizzard pond. In the winter when it froze over, they all skated and enjoyed the time together. It was a beautiful union for their kingdom.

Arctic Night made his way to the pond and looked down into it. His face reflected darkly back at him and he sighed. He was getting to be older, and his daughter would be in control. He would have to get used to her bossing him around for once. He smirked at the thought. She was tiny, but he would listen and he's sure the other Changelings would do so as well. The bee changelings were much more obedient than those cousin changelings made by Queen Chrysalis.

It was late in the night, and most changelings were either home sleeping or taking their late shifts in the honey production stores and shops. A lone ball rolled on the empty street. He picked it up with magic and placed it into a basket in front of a home. They had children in it, so they wouldn't mind a new toy.

Turning back to the kingdom, the king flew to the top where he resided by himself. They queen used to stay with him, but when she passed, he didn't take another wife. He wanted his daughter to control when she became old enough. He knew that it would be difficult to control the kingdom since he wasn't the Queen, but they still listened to him, just not as enthusiastically as when Princess Blizzard gave an order. It was as if the kingdom knew before he did that she was the next ruler.

He sat in his dark room. There wasn't much inside, only a bed and a large walk in closet. Another door to lead to the bathroom. No other doorway since, flying was something the bee changelings preferred to do. Arctic didn't want to sleep, but as he told his daughter, there was a very important harvest that needed to be done tomorrow. They needed to collect pollen and honey from many places to keep the flowers growing until spring. Winter was coming soon and they needed to be prepared. He settled into his bed and closed his eyes to fall into his empty sleep.

The landing on heavy hooves on the perch woke him up the next morning. He bolted upright, his eyes narrowed at the guards looking back with solemn faces. Arctic glared at them. "What is the problem?"

The middle guard cleared his throat. "We went to check on the princess, and she isn't in her room."

That made the King buzz in anger. "Where can she be? She was there last night. So find her. Now."

The other changelings, startled by the King's anger, they jumped out the window to make sure to go and find her. Arctic jumped out his window as well, soaring over the kingdom to see all the others getting ready for the harvest that was planned. He swore under his breath. The flowers would surely die without this harvest, and the future queen is also a problem. He landed down in the center of the pond, making everyone stop.

"Attention to everyone! Half of you will be going to the harvest. You will need to work harder to make sure we have enough for the winter. The other half with come with me in search of the princess. She is currently missing, but we will find her, so do not panic or worry. We will handle this." The changelings looked between themselves, all of them showing worry on their faces.

A small changeling, barely old enough to work walked up to the king. "Is the princess okay?" She asked, a small tear in her eyes. The king smiled brightly, though his thoughts were running wild of where his daughter could be.

"She is fine. She will be home soon. I promise. Now go back to your family to get ready for the harvest," he told her. She nodded and trotted away to join her family.

The king flew to the separate group of volunteers for the search. "We are searching everywhere. Small groups of two or three. Look for her, disguise yourselves. Be safe. The queen will depend on your search." They all nodded in unison and they all went their own ways to search Equestria. Arctic transformed into a stallion pegasus and flew up to the surface to check Ponyville.

He flew through the entire town ,searching up and down the entire day. Not a trace of his daughter to be seen. He hoped to hear back from the others in hopes of getting his daughter back. Upon returning home, he saw a larger collection of pollen stacked in the storage units near the entrance. He noted that as good. He looked for any of the other changelings that traveled to see if they found anything.

Nothing.

He flew up to her room. Blizzard's room was pristine, spotless. Like she never slept in this room before. She was gone.

Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months. Winter came and went, still no sight of the princess. Some lost faith in looking. Others searched until they couldn't anymore. The king was losing his mind, anger taking over his mind. He lashed out at anypony that went near him. He rarely ate or slept. He didn't want another Queen to rule. He wanted Blizzard to, no he NEEDED her to.

He was one more suspect to interrogate. The so-called Princess that took over a small place close to Ponyville. He didn't search it before because he couldn't find it. It was hidden by magic to keep those not looking for it away. He slammed his hooves into his table, breaking it in half. He was seeing red. This was the last spot. The princess had to be there.

Without telling anypony that he was leaving, he flew out and traveled to the smaller kingdom. He had transformed into a pegasus again only when he was close to the area. It was called Everbrook according to his research. He didn't look too much into it other than the doe Alicorn and how to get inside. He found the large forest that hid the city very well. He flew past it many times before without a second thought.

He walked slowly into the forest, with the hopes to find the city. He seemed to walk forever before he stumbled across what seemed to be a sign pointing straight ahead. He followed it and sure enough came up to the opening in the foliage that showed a large statue circled by cottages built in a circular way around the area. He looked up at the statue to see a building underneath it. It seemed like a library. Before he could walk in, he noticed the mare that walked out. A pale purple unicorn with a fluffy white mane and tail, almost like clouds. He recognized her immediately when he saw her sky blue eyes. She was the summer unicorn. She had to be.

Arctic night trotted up and smiled at her. "Hello! I'm a bit lost and new here. Could you show me where the Princess is?" He asked. The unicorn smiled and nodded.

"Of course! She's in her castle as always, most likely in the garden. I can take you there," she said smoothly. Her voice was almost melodic and formal. She was also much taller than other mares there. She had to be the seasonal unicorn without a doubt.

He followed the unicorn into the large cottage that was almost like four cottages put together. As we walked in, nobody was standing guard. He wondered why. There had to be some bad things that happened here, but why was there not a single guard?

They stopped at a large door. It was covered with flowers and pollen. The unicorn opened the door with her magic and stepped ahead of him. Inside was in fact a large garden. Flowers, bushes, and trees covered the entire area. The Princess was sitting in the grass, picking flowers and placing them into a straw basket. She looked up with big doe eyes and smiled.

"My, I didn't expect you to be back so soon. How are you Violet?" The unicorn, Violet, smiled and motioned to the stallion.

"This pegasi was looking for you, Princess Everbrook," Violet said smiling. The princess, Everbrook nodded and just before the unicorn could turn to leave, He transformed, revealing himself as a changeling. He Violet and held her tightly with his magic. The unicorn gasped and struggled in his grip, but he held her tighter. She whimpered. Everbook jumped to her hooves and pointed her magic at him.

"Release her immediately!" She commanded. The King laughed, his vision blurring with rage.

"I'll let her go if you tell me where my daughter is! I've been to every kingdom, and this is the only place where I haven't searched. She has to be here! Give her back or I'll kill her," he said, tightening his grip on Violet. She coughed as she choked.

Everbrook looked to the mare and then to the King. "We don't have anypony here that looks the way you do. Now, please release my friend and leave. Do not come back to this place. "

The king laughed. "Yeah? And what? You'll shoot your magic at me?" The Princess shot a warning shot that landed near the king's head. He didn't flinch. The king cackled and lifted the unicorn into the air. She yelped in pain as air escaped her lungs. He was choking her and he enjoyed it. Everbrook gasped and lowered her magic.

"Please," she muttered, "put her down and leave this place."

"You have my child, and since you won't give her back, I will take a life for a life." With a swift twist, her neck snapped. Her body twitched before falling to the ground. Everbrook cried out, running to the body and holding her close to herself. Arctic night laughed as he hovered over the fallen body. Violet's sky blue was paling. The king was hysterical. He was going to find his daughter no matter what.

Dead of alive.