A Lonely Feather

I stared at the blank piece of paper in front of me, the bright blue lines taunting me. I wanted to write something to the Princess. I really did, but nothing was coming to mind. I sighed, and levitated the quill down.

So much for THAT letter... I thought, and trotted out of my quarters to see my sister, Lily Shadow, walking down the hall, her fiance at her side. I sighed. She was so pretty, a snow-white pelt with a bright-blue-and-black mane and tail, all accompanied by a pair of bright, emerald green eyes. her cutie mark was a white lily with multi-colored sparks between each petal.

No wonder the prince of Exmoor had fallen for her, as well as a number of other suitors, but father had chosen him over the others. He said that Exmoor would be a good ally if we ever needed one in a war. I sidestepped to make room for them as they walked by. Lily had been so oblivious to my bruises and depression because of her upcoming wedding that she hadn't even tried to talk to me about it.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Feather Note. I'm the Princess of a little-known kingdom in the Northern reaches or Equestria called Frostmare. Maybe you've heard of the Crystal Empire? Frostmare is just a few miles north of there.

Anyway, my coat is a turquoise, which neither of my parents or my sisters have, but I do have a black-and-white mane, which sorta makes sense with our genetics. My mother says my eyes look like bright blue sapphires, but I don't think they're that blue. My cutie mark is a single white quarter note, signifying that my special talent (and currently, my only joy in life) is music.

Anyway, I trotted down to the medical wing, where my mother was because of her unknown sickness. I cast my forcefield spell around myself as I did every time I went to visit her. It also masked my bruises and cuts from my father so she didn't worry. I saw her sleeping on her bed as I quietly walked in, pale blue-and-yellow mane scattered across her pillow, the doctor monitering her condition and jolting some things down. He flicked his brown ear in greeting to me.

"How is she?" I asked. the doctor turned to me, his amber eyes shimmering with sadness. I could already tell she was pretty bad by her raspy breathing and her white fur had a tint of red to it.

"I don't think she'll make it." he said. I lifted my hoof to my mouth, and tears sprang from my eyes. He touched my shoulder as my forcefield went down.

"I haven't told your father or sister, and I don't want you to tell them either, ok?" he said. I nodded, and chocked on my tears. I turned, and trotted out, tears trailing behind me as I began to gallop towards the exit of the castle.

Until I was stopped by a large, pale blue Alicorn stallion.

He stood before me, his bright blue-and-white mane beginning to become gray because of his stress with holding the entire kingdom together. With Lily's upcoming wedding, Mother being sick, and my twin sister Rain Flicker vanishing for six months, he's had to take over control of the kingdom.

Of course, all his pent-up stress and anger has to go somewhere, so he regularly beats me. At least once a day since Rain's dispersal. I timidly crouched and backed up frantically.

Not now. Anytime but now. I thought. Father used his magic as he always did to lift me up off the floor. I stared into his dark blue eyes. He looked passed me and trotted towards the door to the basement, levitating me next to him. I knew how this was going to end. He opened the door, and he threw me down the old, wooden stairs. I felt my head hit about three of them before I came to a stop, wings aching from the fall. I watched him unfurl his wings as the door closed behind him. I quickly stood, and began to try to slink backwards until I hit the wall. He smiled evilly, and levitated me once more.

"There's no escape now." he said, and brought me over to a steel table in the center of the room that I had never seen before. Father laid me down and I felt the cold, metal cuffs clamp around my hooves. I looked up at the ceiling. I didn't even want to know what kind of torture he had in store for me this time, but I was glad that Rain Flicker, wasn't here. Surely she would be experiencing the same fate as I was now.

"Today, I think we're gonna try something different." I heard father say as her wrapped an apron around himself to protect his frosty blue fur. He turned around, and I saw he held a pair of tweezers in his right hoof.

"Let me see your wings." he said, and I reluctantly unfurled them. he levitated some duct tape, and taped them in place.  I soon felt the pain of every single one of my primary feathers being pulled out.

Or at least most of them. He had left a few so I could still sorta fly.

Anyway, with each feather he pulled, I would cringe in pain, until I saw his disapproving face. He set the tweezers down and punched me in the eye.

Not like I needed that or anything... I thought sternly.

"Scream." he said. I stared up at him, feeling something spark inside.

Maybe I was feeling a bit rebellious today, I don't know, but I made the worst decision I had made that day.

"No." I said. he untapped my wings and let me go. I stood in front of him, ready to fight for my freedom. He ran at me, catching me enough off guard to knock me over. He sat on top of me, and continually punched me in the face and chest. I weakly lifted my right hoof, and blocked his punch.

"Let me go!" I screamed, and used the last bit of my strength to push the large Alicorn off of me. I made a run for the exit, and opened up the door frantically. I slammed it and stared at my reflection in the crystal-like floor. My right eye was black, blood dripped from my nose, making it difficult to see anything, and a few new bruises had appeared on my face. My black-and-white mane was stained with blood, which I hoped to be his, not mine. I sighed. I knew I was way to weak to even try the illusion spell for my injuries as I have before, so I just trotted back to my quarters and sat at my desk.

I'll deal with my other injuries later, lets just start with my nose at the moment.I thought, and levitated a box of tissues over to where I sat. I pressed a few against my muzzle with my left hoof, levitated my red quill, and got back to writing my letter to the Princess