Charity
By Franki Lew
Discord and My Little Pony are Hasbro's and Lauren Faust's. I do however own the characters of Aaron, Eris, and Evangeline.
Genre: childhood
Rating: K+ (for dark material concerning ponies)
Disclaimer: Story that goes along with my headcanon about how Draconequus are born, not from individuals but randomly to certain species. Discord was born from two unicorns who eventually abandon him. This is before, when he's an infant.
They spoke of her all throughout town. Every mare gossiping about her behind her back, or sometimes even when she was present. Eris, wife of the captain of Princess Platinum's guard and the fine lady herself, mother of a little monster.
Of course slander spread instantly about whether or not the child really was her husband's. The local shaman spoke the truth however. He was Aaron and her's child. It was easy to tell, what with the pelt and mane color looking exactly like Aaron's.
"Draconequus are not recorded as being 'peaceful'," said the old stallion, "but I assure you there is a way out of this. Raise you child with love, honesty, happiness and so on. He will learn from watching you. If you make this environment for him, he'll most likely grow up to be the kindest creature on four legs."
Eris didn't name her child and leaving it up to Aaron was out of the question. As far as he was concerned it wasn't a child. It was a "thing" that cursed and destroyed their unborn foal and now they had to live with the humiliation it brought to their house.
"Mother," sighed the sleepy baby one night, "I'm not tired yet…might I stay up a bit longer?"
"No dearest," said Eris rocking his crib, "it's time you were asleep. Now get into bed. I shall leave Evangeline by the door so that she may feed you your breakfast in the morning."
Eris walked to the door and snuffed out the candle. Suddenly her baby started crying. She rushed back inside. "What is it?! What's wrong?"
"Mother! Mother! Mother! Don't turn of the light oh please don't turn off the light oh please don't!" cried the nervous thing shivering in his bed.
"Dearest…are you afraid of the dark?"
"It's scary mother! I don't want you to go away! Can you get someone to stay in?" asked the baby.
Eris looked at Evangeline the donkey who shook her head in fear. She hated their child because he liked to bite her oversized ears. "Why don't you come with me dear?" said Eris.
Two hours later the stallion of the home arrived and lay his sword down on the table where he and his wife ate dinner. "Platinum has decreed a fellowship with the "pegasi" tribe. Pegasi! And then she went on about how the earth ponies and unicorns should live together because the magic could help the agriculture and- uuuuuuugggh! I tell you Eris dear, this "Equestria" is going to shambles. Until the great alicorns of the north come down and decree us one, I won't stand for it."
The unicorn stallion finished his rant and headed for the bedroom he shared with his wife. He found her lying with her back turned to him. He smiled. He loved Eris and how elegant she was. It made him feel like there was peace and beauty amongst such horrid, chaotic times.
"Good night dear," he whispered to her.
Eris moved her head over and smiled at him, revealing the little baby draconequus sleeping in her whooves. "Thank you darling-"
"Ack!" cried Aaron stepping back in fear. "What on earth are you doing letting that thing in our bed?"
The baby woke up when he heard his father's voice.
"Aaron, I found he's afraid of the dark," she said. "He doesn't want to sleep alone."
"Well it most certainly is not sleeping in here!" yelled Aaron using his magic to pick up the child and carry it outside. Eris followed pleading her husband not to do anything to extreme. He led his wife to the kitchen and to a big open oven. "You don't like the dark little monster? Get in here then! It's warm and there's always a fine light."
"No! Aaron!" cried Eris at the top of her lungs quickly getting her child away from him.
"What is it?"
…
"Let me do it dear," said Eris calmly, "I was thinking about putting him outside but then he might wander off and cause trouble. I hope…I hope it won't hurt him so much."
"Not to worry dear," said Aaron, "it'll be a charity to our home." With that the male unicorn plopped the baby Draconequus down the shoot where a sharp "thunk" was heard on the way down. Then the coals started to heat up and it became silent.
The couple lay down together and rested. Eris fell asleep peacefully knowing that now her troubles were over. Now she would be able to have another foal. A good foal. Maybe a filly like she always wanted! A nice, quiet little unicorn with no business in destruction what so ever. At long last her relationship would be healthy with her husband again.
Their lives would be normal again…
The next morning Aaron and Eris were getting ready for their day when Evangeline and two other maids called them down. They opened the oven and found the baby draconequus, healthy as ever and happy as ever chewing on what was going to be their breakfast.
"Good morning mother!" it said springing from the oven and holding tightly onto Eris' foot. "What a fun night! I love my new bed a lot! Thank you mother!"
"Good morning…" Eris said stuttering in frustration, "…my dear, dear baby…"