[persimmon]

base/fur: short curly + custom
horn: large unicorn
wings: large folded (resized/repositioned)
ears: soft down
tail: custom
extras: halo, glow, sparkles

owner: canada
name: kerási

[canada]

[ 1508 words ]

the crown.

“the crown is a heavy burden,” her mother used to say. “although translucent in nature, it's weight is prominent.”

young kerási would hold in the eye-roll, the sass, the annoyance at the reminder. she held her tongue, for the respect for her queen was battered into her. the loathing she withheld raced like wildfire through her veins as she would hold her head high, unwavering, unfaltering. one misstep is all it took with the queen.

kerási was never close to her mother.

the queen was unforgiving, crude, and quick to discipline. it felt to the young princess that everything she did happened to be wrong. from the moment she could walk, kerási was used as an example. she was made to believe that if she did one thing wrong, she would make a terrible queen.

as the eldest princess, kerási was held to the highest, unreachable standards. talk like this, act like that. never slouch, watch your mouth. from the day she was born, her fate had been sealed. a fate she yearned to escape from. a fate she desperately ran from.

── .♛

wild, brown eyes with specks of pink flashed in the moonlight as a savage hoorah ripped through the night. hooves thundered through the forest as dozens of fables stampeded towards a clearing. woops and yells of excitement filled the air. her heart raced like a hummingbird as she jostled through the crowd, pushing, pushing, to get ahead of the pack. here, no one cared that she was the princess. here, she was just like everyone else - a normal teenager.

the young fables crashed into the clearing, laughter and incoherent yelling accompanying them. kerási found a smile plastered to her face as she came to a halt, taking in her surroundings. they ended up in a small field, completely surrounded by trees. the only source of light came from the moon, and it glistened and gleamed in the clear air. a small pond sat quietly in the middle of the field. as everyone's eyes landed on the body of water, a ripple coursed through them as the chatter quickly died down.

the pond was why they were there.

a fable with a dazzling smile and pitch black hair stepped out from the crowd. “so,” he stated firmly, eyes scanning the fables in front of him. “who's first?”

silence was his answer.

anxiety churned throughout the young fables as they shifted uncomfortably, looking to one another for reassurance. a few bumped their friends forward, encouraging them into the unknown. no one came forward.

“i'll go first.”

kerási's own voice startled her as she found herself walking forward, towards the young male. she felt dozens of stares burning into her skin as she made her way out of the group. she came to a stop in front of the fable with the unwavering smile. she glared back into his gloating eyes, daring him to disagree. he slowly looked her up and down; she felt like a meal being pondered.

“alright, your highness,” he purred, a wicked grin replacing the once-dazzling smile. fear zapped through her body as he turned towards the pond, beckoning her to follow.

she blinked, and found herself standing in front of the still, stagnant water. when she turned to ask the male for directions, an empty clearing greeted her instead. kerási attempted to turn around, but yelped as she found her hooves to be stuck. her heart hammered in her ears as she thrashed; she cried out for help, but no one was there to hear her call. from the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of silver and gold. the young fable felt her before she saw her.

“whom are you seeking?” a gentle voice whispered.

kerási jolted from the sudden presence to her right, and gasped as she laid eyes on the most beautiful fable she had ever seen. a pure white mare stood before her, with a golden mane that shone as if there were thousands of silver stars within it. kind eyes met hers as she felt her body begin to relax.

“i don't know,” she replied slowly. she shifted her weight as she glanced back to the pond. “i honestly didn't believe that this would work.”

soft laughter filled the young princess's ears. “i know whom is seeking you,” the silver and gold mare said meekly.

confusion sparked within kerási at the response. before she could reply, the pond in front of her began to ripple. the chocolate fable watched, stunned, as another fable emerged from the water, seemingly untouched by the drops. she didn't recognize the mare who now stood before her. she did notice who she looked like, though.

her mother.

but, different. softer, kinder. the eyes that stared back into her own were foreign - they weren't conniving, cold, nor filled with hate. they were warm, gentle, and filled with love.

“who are you?”

a sweet voice replied, “i was the queen.”

the young fable felt her body go rigid; autopilot switched on as she found herself going through the motions. smile pretty, bow deeply. offer niceties, act eloquently. when she had straightened from her bow, she found the older mare grinning mischieviously at her.

“i see that she taught you well,” she mused, tail flicking the surface of the pond. little droplets erupted in her wake. “but none of that is necessary. i am no longer the queen. i have been dead for many years.”

it was then that kerási noticed the faded crown that hung limply around the mare's horn. surprise flicked through her as she remet the ex-queen's eyes. she stayed silent as the fable continued.

“i bet you're wondering why i wanted to meet with you,” she said coyly. when kerási nodded, she carried on. “i understand that the crown is a weight you do not wish to bear. i understand the desire to be free, unshackled to the royalty that runs through your blood.”

kerási's face burned with embarrassment as she hung her head. “is that truly so selfish?” she asked with a small voice. “is it so selfish for me to want a different fate?”

“no,” the ex-queen replied quickly, lifting the princess's chin with her hoof. “it is not selfish to want. what is selfish is ignoring the needs of your people. they are going to need a strong leader who wants to see the kingdom succeed.”

tears clung to the princess's eyes as she feverishly attempted to blink them away. “i understand.” the old mare smiled sadly at kerási and the young fable felt her heart drop. “there's something else you wanted to tell me, isn't there?”

“i wish there was another way to prepare you for the road ahead,” she replied. “for it is one i never wished for you.”

thousands of questions burned through the young princess and as she opened her mouth to ask them, a flash of silver and gold silenced her.

“it's time.”

within the blink of an eye, the pond was yet again still, stagnant. both of the mares were gone, and she found herself surrounded by a swarm of young fables. dozens of voices shouted numerous questions at her, poking, prodding, asking, asking, asking.

kerási found herself unable to respond.

── .♛

as a young princess, kerási promised herself she would do anything in her power to change her fate. as queen, she never imagined herself doing or being anyone else.

the day her mother passed was one of suffering and relief.

in a flash, the crown she so dearly dreaded appeared above her own horn and the weight of the entire kingdom fell upon her shoulders. the words of her grandmother fuelled her, pushed her to better herself. the fate she ran from was now the life she pursued. kerási remembered the gentle gaze of the ex-queen, the firm love behind hard words being spoken. remembering her grandmother helped drown out the terror of her mother. the young queen began to realize that she ran from her duty not because she didn't want to do it, but because of who she watched her mother become. as queen, her mother was harsh, scalding, and unloving. her duties came as a burden, not as an action of love.

the day kerási was crowned queen was one of anxiety and peace.

her mother's voice whispered harsh somethings in her ear as she felt the world begin to crush her. but, at the same time, she felt the presence of the ex-queen, her cheerleader, her confidant.

ever since their first meeting, kerási visited the pond as often as she could. she got to learn who her grandmother was, and why her mother was the way she was. even though her grandmother was dead, she was the one fable in the entire world who understood the deepest parts of the young queen.

“the crown is a privelage,” the ex-queen once said. “wear it with pride. yes, royalty runs through your blood, but no one else could rule the way you will one day.”

her crown.

[bezel]

cute design! this is Fable #M-24