Artist’s comment:

Chrysalis looked up from a P&L report she was reading in my Royal Equestria Security Forces (RESF) dreamscape and listened. It was quiet for the most part in her Ft. Trotterdale mansion but she could hear an unexpected but pleasant sound. Music. Piano to be specific.

The queen of changelings thought for a moment, and couldn’t remember any of her hive that were currently on site that possessed any meaningful musical talent. Whoever was playing was competent. Not a maestro, but definitely not a rank amateur. Curious she set the report down on her desk and went to determine the creator of this music.

Chrysalis knew where to go. She had a baby grand piano in the library. Her majesty had picked up the piano awhile ago, but rarely got the time to play it. Still all those piano lessons she’d taken hadn’t gone to waste. It had helped her develop the ability to converse with ponies more easily about the arts, and that had opened several doors to arts and culture of pony society throughout Equestria. Also she’d developed a taste for jazz as a result of it.

The creator of the music on that late summer day was the earth pony filly named Golden Beech. She was the oldest of the 11 foals that Chrysalis had rescued from the captivity of the late Broken Jaw. Currently they were all guests of the queen while she and Two Tone made discreet arrangements to find them all more permanent homes.

As the oldest of the foals Golden Beech had ended up being the de facto representative for the foals, and many of them looked up to her to speak on their behalf or help resolve arguments amongst them.

The light pinto looked much better than she did a couple of days of ago. The chance to bathe regularly, 3 square meals a day, a mane and tail cut, and some new clothes had help transform the older filly’s immediate appearance, but none of that helped remove the haunted look that often filled her eyes. She was the oldest of the foals, and Chrysalis had heard rumors from the other foals that on several occasions Golden Beech had been taken away from the other foals only to return a few hours laters often crying and unwilling to discuss what had happened to her.

The queen of the changelings didn’t need somepony to spell out for her what had happened to the foal, and now she felt even more vindicated in the way she’d dealt with Broken Jaw and her inner circle.

She quietly entered in library and stood silently some distance behind foal as she played. Chrysalis didn’t recognize the current piece of music but it was haunting melody that echoed softly through the mansion. She remained silent until the foal finished playing then she spoke softly.

“I did not realize that you possessed such talent dear.”

The foal tensed and quickly looked over her shoulder, for the briefest instant the queen saw raw fear in the foal’s eyes. Then the earth pony exhaled and her shoulders slumped. After a moment she spoke.

“Thank you m’am. I’ve always, loved the piano.”

The queen came over and sat down on the piano bench next to foal. After a second the changeling started playing herself. She faltered a bit for a second, but after a moment the queen seemed to get her feet under herself and settled into a groove. It was a jazz piece called The Mirror never Lies after few seconds she looked over at the filly.

“There’s variant of this piece that requires 2 players. If you wish to join in you may.”

Golden Beech listened to the piece for a few seconds. Then the filly started riffing on the melody. Chrysalis followed the filly’s lead and started layering her own additions. This continued for several minutes until instinctively they both brought the piece to a conclusion. The queen took her hands off the keys and set them in her lap. Then she spoke.

“That was very beautiful. Thank you dear for playing with me.” However when she looked over Golden Beech sitting with her hands balled up in fists in her lap and her head bowed with her eyes clenched shut. Chrysalis started to say something but instead sat there in silence for a several seconds before speaking.

“Forgive me if I’ve some how offended you.”

The filly slowly shook her head but remained silent although the changeling could see she was breathing heavily and her jaw was tight clenched. For a minute the earth pony said nothing. Then with small raspy voice she spoke.

“My, my parents said I was beautiful. They said I was the most precious thing in their lives, for, for 10th birthday they bought me piano and lessons. I, I, I loved it so much! And they loved to watch me play it!”

“Then my dad got, got into big trouble with some really bad ponies. He owed them a lot of money. At first he hid it from mom and I, but it got worse and worse and he started having to sell things of ours to try and pay them. My, my piano was one of them, but that wasn’t enough for them. Sssoooo, one day the bad ponies cccaaammmee, and, and my parents let them ttttaaakkee me to!”

Golden Beech raised her arms and brought her fists crashing down on the piano keys. The discordant sound thundered throughout the library as the filly almost doubled over and screamed.

“If I was so precious to them why did they let those ponies take me! They stood there and let it happen! Why! Why! WHY!” She then started crying uncontrollably.

Chrysalis sat their in silence for several seconds. Then slowly she extended left arm and draped it over the filly while pulling pony to her side. The queen let the filly cry for the next 10 minutes without interrupting her. Finally Golden Beech’s crying subsided to soft sobs. The Queen of Changelings horn glowed softly as she comforted the filly. After a moment she spoke with a firm voice.

“Golden Beech. I don’t know why or what your father did to cause those bad ponies come and take you, and don’t know how your parents could’ve stood by and let it happen. But know that I think you are beautiful. You are precious. I see great potential in you, and it is my goal to get to a place where your potential is recognized and valued.”

The filly slowly lifted her head and looked up at the queen with eyes red from crying. She sniveled several times as she stared up at the queen. Slowly she reached out and hugged the queen.

Chrysalis tensed up for instant but then relaxed. With her left hand she tussled the filly’s white mane. Then she started playing a simple lullaby with one hand on the piano for the filly. She kept playing until the filly fell asleep from exhaustion and the music.