Prince Sugar Hoof of Equestria

The hot water felt pleasant on my dirty fur as I swam closer to Birch. Birch was just my advisor, of course, one of the first twenty treants, but I must admit, I enjoyed the times when he... well I guess there's no better way to say it, I enjoyed the times he's held me. I felt safe with him for some reason. He and I were in one of the private pools, him laying back on a stone bench, and me leaning against his wooden torso.

"You did it, Master, the storm king is dead. The closest threat to your safety is vanquished, and I've already sent a few hundred treants to put his island under your rule." Birch said, scratching my back slowly.

I didn't recall giving him that order, but it sounded like a good idea. "Good job, Birch." I said, leaning my head under his chin, glad that I was finally able to relax.

Tempest had been given one of the nicer rooms around the cavern entrance, the books I took from the storm island have been turned over to the mage's guild for study. I would do the studying myself, but who can make sense of that nonsensical ScIeNcE mumbo-jumbo? I have more magical work to do, thank you very much. The bodies were placed into a holding cell, I'd fix them up after I was done resting.

I instructed Birch to wake me up in case I fell asleep. For a tree, he was oddly comfortable. The magic every treant is given upon creation would keep him warm. I rubbed my hoof across his side, noting how odd it felt under my hoof.

"Birch, did you polish yourself?" I asked, rising up from his chest and looking him in the eye. Now that the two of us were eye level, he looked vastly different than last time. His bark looked smoother and the collection of leaves that made up his hair and beard looked silkier, as if they were real hair.

"If I am to be your second-in-command, I must look the part and stand out in a crowd." He asked, scratching my mane gently.

"Well, you certainly have the 'stand out' part down." I said, rubbing his face. It didn't feel like wood all that much anymore, it felt kind of like... warm clay? "I may have commissioned the mage's guild to see about some products for treant hygiene."

"Hmm," I pondered his actions, "You may have just given me an idea, Birch, but it will have to wait until another day." Laying back down below his chin, I let my eyes rest.

He wrapped his long branch arms around me and said, "Master, we have around three billion treants now worldwide."

"Do you ever think maybe I have too many?" I asked, I don't even know three billion people.

"Never, master, every treant who lives is another who can work, fight, and die in your place," He straightened his back into a seating position and held me tighter, "Once we reach the trillions, you'll never have to leave again. You can stay here, we can build you a big palace where nobody can ever threaten you, tall and powerful walls, to keep you safe, an—" I put my hoof on his mouth.

"Woah, calm down. Everything's fine." I said quickly, pushing him back into a lounging position.

"Sorry, master, I just don't like the idea of you getting hurt out there." He said, loosening up his grip on my chest.

"It's alright, it's my fault anyway, I'm the one who told you all to defend myself and my home." If I had known they would eventually obtain sapience, I may have reworded it.

"It isn't that bad..." Birch said, his words drifting off.

"I brought creatures to life, creatures that a few months ago would be considered no better than puppets, and I gave them sapient thought, or sentient thought... I'm not entirely sure the real difference." I looked off into the steaming water surrounding us. "I made creatures, and gave them the sole life's goal of defending me. I should've known better, in all honesty."

"Master, it's an honor to defend you. Every treant would defend you until the end of time." Birch said, looking at me a bit sadly.

"Of course you will, I gave you the sole desire to do exactly that." I hated my lack of forethought sometimes. You'd think, as a theurgist, I'd be a bit more patient.

"Regardless." He responded simply, holding me snugly against his chest.

The two of us stayed like this for a while as we enjoyed the peace and warmth. Well, I enjoyed the peace and warmth, I'm not sure if Birch even truly can enjoy peace or warmth. I laid my head back against his chest and thought of what I had. All the magical artifacts and instances from the Everfree, all those corpses to be converted into knights, the life font likely could be activated now that I have a unicorn, I'm sure I could just ask her to cry for me, even if the deal much be changed. Greg still needs testing, the reanimated griffons need returning, I have a dog made of wood now, an alarmingly massive amount of treants who depend on me, and a teeny, tiny citizen pool for whom I kind of exist for, and am a Prince of Equestria.

My eyes opened as I remembered that, am I still a prince? I don't have the elements anymore. Does Celestia know, and if she does, can I expect to be hauled out of the caverns in chains?

Would my treants even let me be put in chains?

No, likely not. They're more likely to go on a rampage against whoever or whatever tried to imprison me. Pony vs treant, Celestia, Luna, and the elements are pretty powerful, but a few billion treants powerful? How many bodies would there even be?

"Master, you're shaking." I heard Birch say as I jumped back to reality.

"This was fun." I said, far quicker than I intended. "I need to get started on those knights, though. So uh, keep up the good work, make more treants, rebuild the storm king's island, all that." I bolted away, I needed something to take my mind off of my endless failures as a wizard.