Author's Note
AN:
New story that just came to me and I would like everyone to give it a chance. Now Fimfiction has been nice so this story is going on there while I wait for inspiration to strike me on the spiderman story. Now this is going on AO3 And Fanfiction as usual but I already have a beginning middle and end planned for this with potential for sequels so like I said before comment for more.
What the Prince Desires
Shadow the changeling ran his fork over the meatball, playfully rolling it over the sauce drenched noddles on his plate.
With a sigh the boy rolled the ball in a circle his half-closed eyes watched the red ball roll, the only entertainment he has at the dinner table.
His mother cleared her throat from across the long dinner table.
The boy slowly moved his head up to meet her gaze.
Queen chrysalis cut an imposing figure her all black skin the same coloration of the night skin while her eyes glowed a bright emerald green. Her horn chipped with gaps marking her as a changeling and her gossamer wings had similar orifices in them.
“Sugar Plum, why must you play with your dinner?” she asked.
The Prince snorted, averting his gaze from meeting his mother’seyes, “I’m not Hungry, Mother.”
The queen sighed “Is the dinner not to your liking?”
“No mother, i’m just not hungry.” The boy placed his fork down then leaned his head on his hoof, sighing once again.
“Once again, I must ask what is wrong with your meal?” an edge of concern mixed with authority that was used to getting her way sent a chill down the boys spine.
“Nothing’s wrong with it Mother… I’m just not hungry.”
“You say that sugar plum,” She began her tongue smacking against her lips before she narrowed her eyes locking onto him. “but you have barely eaten the last three days. So please, tell me what’s wrong with the dinner and I will correct the error.”
“Nothing’s wrong with the dinner mother, I… Ijust don’t feel hungry.” the boy drifted off his gaze surveying the dinner table. From the green flame lit torches overhead to the cravasses of the Hive where his fellow changelings would enter and leave at sporadic moments.
“Alright sugar plum, let me ask you this, are you okay?” the queen’s entered full on mother mode when she saw the frown on her son’s face and the far-off look in his eyes.
A low growl entered Shadows throat, resisting the urge to Hiss at his mother he breathed in sharply then looked up at her, eyes narrowed, hardened like stone. “I’m fine Mother,” He said in an even tone.
The queen shook her head “You most certainly aren’t fine Shadow… now tell me what’s wrong!”
Glaring back at his mother, Shadow entered a contest of wills with his own parent.
Chrysalis returned the stare with full force, a low growl emitting from her and her eyes glowed a bright green. “Don’t make me count to three.”
Turning his head with low groan the boy relented.
“Now, tell Mommy what’s got you so upset.” The queen asked, returning to an easy position in her throne.
The boy stayed silent for a few minutes before his mother cleared her throat again.
Shadow wished he could give his mother a proper answer, he knew what the problem was but hated himself for even thinking it. The truth of the matter was the boy felt spoiled, he had all a changeling could want but he had a need, a lust for more.
Mumbling to himself the boy couldn’t look up at his own mother and that sickened him.
“What was that, Sugar Plum,” Though she asked it sweetly there was a clear threat on her tone when she said it.
Swallowing a lump in his throat, the boy’s hollow black eyes softened with tears starting to form.“I said, i’m lonely.”
The queen raised an eyebrow. “you’re lonely? Lonely!” she shouted her voice echoing through the tunnels of the Changeling hive. “How can you be lonely?”
The queen rose and then started pacing in a line at her place in the table.
“You have servants to wait on your every need, you have me for comfort, and you have all of the changeling empire ready to do as you command. So how am I to believe that you. Feel… lonely.” She hissed through her teeth making her son squirm in his chair.
“I don’t want servants or an empire… that’s not what I need.”
The queen raised another eyebrow then smiled. “Ah, I see, there is something you want. Why didn’t you say so? You had Mommy worried for nothing. I mean going on a hunger strike, pretending that you didn’t live the perfect life here… with me… you don’t have to go through such lengths to get Mommies attention… now what can she give her to dark little sugar plum to bring back the happy smile that she loves so much?”
Shadow perked up, a small smile appearing on his face as his courage was boasted by his mother coddling, “A friend?”
a sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the tunnel, the queen’s eyes twitched aggressively, a frown formed on her face, and her cheeks went red. Biting down on her she screeched at the top of her lungs.
A moment of silence passed and Shadow watched as his Mothers tantrum ended as quickly as it began. Placing herself back in a seat, taking in a breath per minute. Chrysalis returned her look of neutral appraisement to her son.
“You don’t need a friend. You have your mommy.” She said her tone leaving no room to argue.
The boy swallowed another lump. “But mother, you’re always so busy ruling the kingdom. Why can’ t I have one friend for when your busy.”
“Mommy understands that you feel lonely, so she promises to make more time for you. Starting tommorrow, we will go out and have a mommy date just you, me, and our servants, because you know that we’ll need someone to wait on us hand and foot while we mingle with our common folk.”
“But mother, I don’t see the problem with me having a friend.”
The queens gaze darkened and the boy thought another tantrum would follow the queen simply left her chair then slowly cantered down the long table toward Shadow. Her glowing green eyes locked on her son, each step an echoing click that made the boys skin crawl as she walked.
“My son, what is a friend, to you?” The queen asked reaching halfway to her son.
“Well, Um, Mother…” The boy stammered, his mother’s slow advance catching him off-guard.
“My son, a friend, for lack of a better term… Is an equal.” she said the E word with as much venom as a serpent has in its body.
“An equal mother?” The boy raised an eyebrow.
Queen chrysalis was just a few more steps away from her son. She lunged forward with incredible speed, closing the distance in but a few seconds. Her face dangerously close to her sons, he could feel the heat coming from her flaring nostrils.
“An equal!” she screamed in his face, making the boy quiver under her gaze.
The queen grabbed her sons face and held it between her hoof.
“At first it’s all fun and games. Then they expect favors after favors they expect you to devote your efforts to what they want to do and then they expect you to waste your free time with them. For royals like us to have a friend would open us up to the demands of our lessers… no one… is equal… to us! That is why my son, you can never have a friend… ever.”
The boy lowered his gaze, a soft sniffle escaping his snout as the tears began to fall. He sobbed softly unaware that the queens hardened demeanor had softened.
“Just forget about friendship, that is for those dreaded ponies to lord over all of us. I want you to be a king… not a weakling. Now, give mommy a hug.” She wrapped her hooves around her son but to her shock he pushed her away.
“it’s not fair! I want to have someone to play with, someone who can be my friend… I hate you!” the boy cried out, running toward a cavern that lead to his room.
“Prince shadow of the changelings, you come back here this instant and apologize! I won’t repeat myself young man, ugh, fine… go to your room and don’t come out until you have a healthy respect for me.”
The queen frowned then an idea formed in her head. “Maybe sombra will have a way to make that boy forge this whole friendship thing. I think i’ll contact him.”