Family Get-Together
Cimmerian held her for a long while, even continuing his work with the construction of the courtyard with the pink alicorn still held close. It was what she needed right now, comfort and love in a time where she'd felt there was none, much like her aunt and even a few of the Temple residents had felt. It was a truly monumental burden some days, being everyone's rock, being the one everyone looked to for hope. It was his duty right now, though; no one else would do it. Once she'd calmed, he'd set her down beside him, allowing her to press against his side as he draped a wing over her protectively.
Her own recovery had gone well despite the fact that Cadance had spent only a few days in the medical pod. Where once her wings looked torn and ragged, new feathers were pushing out the old damaged ones, leaving the mare in desperate need of preening. Her horn was showing only minute cracks at the very tip now, the rest of the damage no longer visible, though if there was any internal damage he couldn't tell. But the thing that brought him the most joy was her eyes.
He had begun to rejoice when he saw hope reignited. She was so tired when he'd found her, so dead to the world she probably would have agreed to anything. Now her eyes tracked every creature that walked by, studying the Temples residents with an eye for detail. Her gaze often lingered on ponies or even gnolls and changelings that were openly affectionate, watching as couples bumped each other meaningfully, or pressed close to a loved one.
She jumped when she felt something press her closer to him, but soon she relaxed despite the changeling queen at her side, seeming to accept the additional contact for what it was; gentle reassurance. It made sense to Ted. The queen could probably sense her anxiety more clearly than any other creatures since she was linked to the hive.
Dinner was a somber affair, the small alicorn never straying from his comforting presence. His table, set up with a second seat right next to his for the queen, had a third occupant that night. The meal was quiet, many of the residents giggling and nodding in the direction of the alicorn, excitement in their voices. They knew of the one by Father. No one could miss the sight of the bright pink alicorn. They'd been fawning over her since they'd learned she was there, actually, even approaching the queen with offers to help with her recovery in any way they could. The changeling queen turned them away, insisting the best thing she could get was sleep, rest, and time to heal. She failed to inform them however, that the alicorn was subconsciously pulling love from the hive.
That had thrown Cimmerian for a loop. He'd known love had an effect on alicorns, but for one to actively pull from a changeling hive, it almost left the pink alicorn sounding like a changeling herself. Pandinus had dismissed the idea, but the idea of the similarities between the two, especially after he'd mentioned the growth based on the love of followers had caught both of their attentions. Their species, alicorns and changelings, they really weren't that different when one got down to it.
Luckily for the pink mare, the hive had plenty of love to go around. Ted and Din were close, the residents of the Temple often finding the queen pressed under a wing of the alicorn, or purring gently while laying between his wings while they relaxed in bed. That had been fun, the relationship of the two largest residents becoming public knowledge within hours of their being woken up. The first to approach them about it was Gleam and Shadow Weaver, both trying to be respectful, but attempting to understand their reasoning. The dark alicorn's response had left them both blushing.
"Shadow, hug Gleam." The alicorn said, gesturing to the mare.
Shadow Weaver looked at the mare, sputtering a bit, before managing to utter a quiet "why?"
Not waiting for them, Ted had grabbed both of them, and pressed them close, much to their embarrassment. He then chuckled, before pulling the mare closer to himself for another hug. Setting the mare down, he turned to the queen, who was giggling at his side, and pulled her into a hug, the queen baring a fang-filled smile at the two and making the difference obvious; Pandinus' hooves were still on the ground.
Blur had needed no explanation though, bless her heart. She took one look at the couple and hugged Din at the neck, much to the queen's shock. Her response to the queen's inquiry of why was simple.
"Well, you're Father's mate now, so that means you're my Mother. That means I have a full family again. Why wouldn't I be happy?"
The pegasus' response had rocked the queen, the idea of mothering the entire community, not just her hive leaving her quiet for the rest of the night. He'd eventually gotten her to talk to him about it. That was when he'd hugged her, telling her it was exactly what he wanted of her. He'd wanted a female that would accept his children, all of them, as her own. So she did. Where once she was curt and quick with the residents, she became warm and kind. She listened to their fears as he did, or directed him to residents who hid their fears, their pain. Once more the contentment of those in the Temple had risen by an incredible degree.
Even the griffons that had arrived with the return of the caravan were learning to adapt, the presence of the large group of changeling refugees only amplifying the spin the drake had put on the alicorn's previous actions. Sahkest had spoken after Ted's incident, it seemed, citing that the protectiveness they'd seen or heard of was extended to any who lived there. Driven from their homes, the idea of a creature that would give dragons pause standing guard over them had convinced many to make their way to the Temple.
Finishing dinner, and waiting for the pink mare to finish her own meal, including a small jar of love provided by the queen, the three went to the Cimmerian's room. The two larger beings pulled the alicorn between them, pressing against her from either side even as they dosed off. She was joined by several nymphs, Amare and two others finding places between their guardians and making themselves comfortable. The warmth and safety soon took the pink mare with them all, allowing her the first peaceful decent into sleep she'd had in a long time.
<-(0)->
Cadance had barely had time to wonder what was happening when a blue blur struck her, tackling her and crushing the alicorn in a fierce hug.
"Niece! You are alright, oh we worried night and day when Cimmerian told us of your injuries! Let me look at you! Oh, heavens you look like you've gone twenty rounds with a manticore but it's alright now, you're safe now, right? Oh I missed you so much!" Once more the lunar alicorn pulled her into a crushing hug.
"A-auntie Luna! What's going on?" Cadance asked her. "I, I remember you saying something about this place, but didn't Twilight stop dreaming?"
Luna smiled lovingly at her niece. "Once more you may thank Cimmerian for our good fortune. His presence disrupts the arrays, shielding those who are near him from harm. You saw his mark, did you not? A fathering protector. It suits him, he works even now to see to your health."
"What do you mean? And what was he talking about earlier? He mentioned Aunt Tia. I know you can visit dreams, but how can he help me see her?"
"Soon, dear niece, soon. For now, I will return shortly." The blue alicorn said with a devious smirk. "I wish to speak to a certain changeling about the most delicious rumor that has been circulating in the dream realm. They have both denied me entrance to their dreams lately, and I will have my answer!"
It was only a few moments, but the emptiness of the dream left her worried. Soon enough though, Luna returned, this time dragging the dream-form of the queen into the alicorn's dream. Approaching Cadance, Luna pulled her into her side with a wing and spoke to the queen.
"I am grateful for the aid you have rendered my niece, Pandinus of the Changelings. To be able to hold her again, even if it merely in the dream realm, is a blessing I'd not hoped to have again."
The queen smiled at them, giggling lightly at the sight. "It is my pleasure. If it weren't for the amount of love I receive from Cimmerian, though, I may worry about the amount your niece has been pulling from my hive lately. She is ravenous; already she has consumed enough to sustain a drone for a year, and even now she pulls more. Were she a true changeling, I would be reprimanding her and warn her of becoming fat off of the amount she has consumed." The queen's smile faded a bit, before she turned to the pink alicorn. "I will have questions for you when you recover. I have reason to believe that the Nightmare has taken my mother, though whether she is dead or a slave, I do not know. For now though, we are waiting on-"
Luna suddenly perked up. "There!" She shouted, using her magic to yank the queen towards her, drawing a yelp from the changeling. Before Cadance could ask what was going on, her aunt pulled her from the dream, dragging both of them along as they floated through the realm of dreams.
After an impossible to determine amount of time, the world came back into focus. Cadance was slow to return to her hooves, noticing the two other mares were standing before her. There were voices, all of which she recognized. The alicorn stallion, Cimmerian was speaking, she hear Luna giggling conspiratorially, even the queen was purring in delight, while the final voice spoke in confusion and curiosity. The last voice drew all of her attention though. Even as she prepared to shove through the two mares before her, they stepped aside, letting Cadance see the one mare she'd missed more than any other on the planet. The mare that had been her comfort, her rock, her sanctuary when she'd ascended. The mare that she'd come to rely on so much over the years, the mare she'd asked to give her to her husband when her true parents couldn't make the wedding due to declining health. The mare that had given her so much, and only asked for her affection in return. The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, before they rushed to each other, each delivering a crushing hug to the other, even as they wept and cried each other's names.
"Aunty Tia!" "Caity!"
<-(0)->
Cimmerian watched the two mares squeeze the ever-loving daylights out of each other with a smile. This was what it was all about. At the end of the day, this was what he was hoping to do. He scooted closer to the changelings, using a wing to pull her into his side. The action had become almost natural to him, using his wings for hugs. And in response, the queen giggled, leaning her head against his neck for support, her horn brushing up his cheek.
They were drawn from the sight by the sound of a clearing throat. Both turned to the sound seeing Luna looking down on them imperiously, or at least as far down as an alicorn that was half their size could. Ted looked at her, then at the changeling nuzzling his side, giving the alicorn a toothy smirk. He sighed, knowing exactly where this was going.
"So when will I be hearing of your first fathered clutch?" Luna asked, her sneer becoming a grin.
Din just smiled at her. "They've already started growing. I decided to start with a smaller clutch, since I don't know how this will turn out. Three eggs."
"Already?" Cimmerian asked, looking slightly pale.
"So what would be your estimate, Pandinus?" Luna asked, giggling slightly.
The queen put a hoof to her chin. "I'm not certain. Fathered drones take much longer to develop, but I've never laid any before. Not only that, but no queen has ever mated with an alicorn."
"What's that about mating?" Celestia's voice called out to them as she and Cadance approached. The two were still pressed tightly against one another, but the tears and dried. Mostly, anyway; Cadance was still a bit damp around her eyes.
"Your nephew has chosen his mate, and now begins the wait for grandfoals." Luna answered, causing Celestia's eyes to widen.
"B-but alicorns can't, aren't we sterile?" The solar alicorn asked.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Just because there aren't any kirins about doesn't mean the ponies or dragons that tried were sterile, sister. I believe it would be more along the lines that we are just too different for such a coupling. Honestly Tia, you've had more time to look into such things than I, why am I the one bringing such an idea to light. Why, I'm certain that once she's recovered, fair Cadance would be capable of bearing a foal or two of her own should she join Cimmerian and Pandinus."
Immediately three alicorns sputtered, trying to raise objections. Unfortunately, Pandinus was the first to form a coherent sentence.
"I don't see the problem. Perhaps she would be able to make up for that love she's been pulling from the hive link lately."
Locking his fetlock over his muzzle, Cimmerian groaned in exasperation. "Luna, I'm just now accepting all of this, and now I'm going to have to deal with not just the citizens calling me father, but actual kids that are blood relations. Let me recover from my repeated system shock before you make a joke like that."
The blue alicorn eyes him curiously. "Twas' no joke, son of our magic. Before she was subjected to the Nightmare's hospitality, she was approximately your current size." She looked at Celestia. "Do you not think they would be cute together, sister? I know he will see to your adopted niece's every need."
"I think..." the white alicorn said, moving closer to her one time charge "I think Cadance needs time to rest and recover. Such talk is not needed right now." Celestia nuzzled Cadance lovingly, wrapping the pink mare in her wings. "Take care, niece. And please watch over her for me, Cimmerian. I cannot do so right now, and your kindness is all we have to rely on at the moment."
Ted smiled at Celestia, using his magic to pull Cadance over to him once the older mare had released her. He wrapped his hooves around her protectively and smiled.
"I'll guard her with my life, Aunt Celestia. Just like I do for everyone at the Temple."
Stats
Page generated in 0.042 seconds
Total duration
998 users online
1,905,923 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Just wow, you are FLYING through these. Keep up the wonderful work man.
D'aww, the dream sequences with the princesses are my favorite part of this story tbh.
Oh man, Luna is gonna push hard for a nice OT3, isn't she? And her last time pushing a ship has turned out pretty well so far. It may be just a matter of time 'til she's successfully shipped Tedmerian with half the population.
I feel weirdly bubbly and happy for them. Oh, wait. Just gas and happiness, never mind.
Yaay, the first gangs all here. Now starts teh slow and difficult part of probing, reverse engineering, and extraction.
Yep, keep up the good work
6333103 He will always be Tuna to me!
Just wait until Celestia learns all about those behemoth changelings.
"Wait, you can breed changelings larger than me? Why am I just now learning that you could custom-design mates for alicorns?!"
Wow, way to completely blaze past the reveal that Twilight isn't the Mad Queen, just the meat puppet she's wearing.
Cadance had no way of knowing that, and if Tia and Luna didn't consider it, Cadance certainly wouldn't.
There should have been some kind of reaction from that reveal, Cadance is kind of standing right there.
She certainly wasn't in the right mind during her travels to process that, what with being half brain dead and exhausted.
Four of the Five present certainly took for granted what the newest cabal member lacks the knowledge of...
But not even a "What do you mean NIGHTMARE?" or "That explains so MUCH!"
That said, Nightmare Twilight is going to blow her stack when she finds out the bulk of her armies are useless (literally, half dead bugs that can't attack the targets, and troopers who should have failed basic training...), and someone's reverse engineered her toys.
Be a rather good time to stage a jailbreak as the Queen flails about that battlefront...
nice chapter! more please!
Cadence meeting with Luna and Celestia was adorable and I'm happy that Cimmerian is going to be a dad. Still, why did Luna shipped Cadence with Cimmerian and Pandinus?
Sooo...
Cimmer...cad...in
CimmerCaDin?
Just an idea that has been chasing itself around in my head for a while.
Luna was taken over, possessed if you will, by the spirit that was the Nightmare. During that time she (Luna) existed inside her own body trapped and walled off by the power of the Nightmare.
After her return from the moon and cleansing by the Elements of Harmony she has talked about the trauma of watching what was happening without being able to stop it.
Now, apply that to the current case. Twilight, a kind, loving, family oriented mare with only a few close bonds to friends is trapped inside her body while the Nightmare wreaks havoc on her family, possibly killing her brother, friends, second mother (Celestia ), and torturing her sister in law. Leaving the Nightmare to feed on her pain, anger, and despair as others would enjoy a fine wine.
To say that she is going to need therapy is like saying that the Negev desert could use a little water. This does not even take into account the reaction of the other inhabitants of Equesteria. Or the fact that it might not be Possible to remove the Nightmare without destroying Twilight physically or mentally.
Chapter had me sporting a big, stupid grin throughout.
So many feels with this reunion. And it was glorious.
Luna's probably not the best matchmaker but she does have a point, blunt as a logical sledgehammer however; if there's a male alicorn then their race is not at it's end with the princesses. Granted, we still don't know if Ted, Cadence, and Twilight are really alicorns. Ted looks like one, Twilight ascended to be one, and I think Cadance was also ascended which would make all three "manufactured" (and if so, is it voluntary or some greater force like Faust/Gaia allowed it?). Is it enough to count? That's up to the author of course. Other questions also pop up such as, will normal ponies get replaced by alicorns just like neanderthals got replaced by homo sapiens? Alicorns live a lot longer, have far more power, and because they live so long, they could out-breed and smother lesser species-- evolution is not kind to primitives.
But that's way way in the future. Back to the now. Would alicorn foals have a comparable growth period like ponies, only slowing down when they reach adulthood, or would their childhood be like 100 years long? Would it even be an alicorn? Going back to the manufactured alicorns, is there some external force/will that says, "Only this many alicorns can exist and no more!" So any foals would be ordinary ponies, maybe slightly amped in power, but indistinguishable from the general population. This would also foil any attempts to ascend.
Now alicorns breeding with changelings, woo... that's something no one has pondered I think. Superponybugs? 100% chance of royalty caste types? Or just really smart, strong, and self-sufficient changelings? I'm leaning towards the last one since if they managed to dupe an alicorn (in the far past when they were still around) into breeding then there'd be no stopping the swarm of superponybugs/royalty caste changelings. Ordinary ponies wouldn't stand a chance and by today, there'd be only farms of pony livestock.
6333206 Cimmerdinance
This chapter felt kinda rushed, it f almost felt like a summary of the events in the dreamscape.
sorry
Did not feel statisfied with this chapter.
Edit:
I think it's because all actions/reactions aren't discribed as much
6333206 CiCaDin~
Didn't really notice it at the time, but I like that particular line of dialogue a lot. It's actually a classic feature of real-world racism: the outsider is both at the same time brutish and inferior by nature, yet somehow also clever and charismatic enough to sneakily take everything that is yours without anyone even noticing - stupid near-animal barely worth calling human and an insidious, cunning threat all at once.
Like lazy immigrants with no work ethic that are stealing all the jobs, or Jews being racially stupid, uncultured, ugly recluses that somehow also control all the banks and governments of the entire world. It both galvanizes the group with a shared outside threat and provides an attractive reason to the individual for why even poor and uneducated, they are still better than the Chinese guy who owns and runs that 7/11 on the street corner.
In other words, nice reference to real-world history and the psychology of ethnic prejudice.
Please don't make a Harem story out of it. I accept the whole changeling queen thing (even if that brings some plot points up) but throwing cadence in there would be too much the story would grind to stillstand with the amount of time each of them would require.
But if Cimmerian would get more than one partner he would mutate in a big fat Gary Sue, he would be like every cheap Harem story protagonist an overpowered woman eating dense and overly heroic idiot with far too much happy endings and a plot armor that is bigger than the sun.
i thought din prefered monogamy?
Wow, Luna really is pushing Cadance into Cimmerian's hooves. Guess the author has to speak through someone.
6333328
static.tumblr.com/zbtffdo/4O0mej99f/the_mary_sue_rehab_center.jpg
6333338 Ted prefers monogamy, Din would have all out orgies if she wasn;t so into Ted and willing to compromise for him.
6333338
Pretty sure she just accepted it for Ted's sake.
I enjoyed this greatly! Huzzah for adorable sweetness. Goodness knows these poor ponies need it. Also I just love that Luna glomps with all the subtlety and of a meteor impact.
It's fine for Luna to say that when only cin and din and hear it but cadence really doesn't need that right now.
My problem is not the Cimmerdinance pairing, but Luna´s lack of tact considering Cadence is recovering from the "loss" of her husband (whose mind may or not be still alive under the Mad Queen´s magic control layer)
6333592
Once a shipper, always a shipper.
6333187
Why not
6333664 Good point.
6333233
According to the tie in novels, Cadance did ascend as well, where Luna and Celestia were born Alicorns. How much is that canon... well a bit less then the show but a bit more then fanfic.
I wasn't a big fan of the the Cim X Din ship, since my early impression of Din was that she was operating on a mental level somewhere between feral animal, and spoiled child.
Now that our little Huggle Buzz is all grown up, even a yak couldn't find anything wrong with this ship.
This again implies Ted is at least bigger than show Cadance depending on what hooves are touching the ground.
No "the"
Luna crashes into Din's dream driving a FedEx truck. "HUZZZZZAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
Where is the other changeling?
Just how small is Luna? I was picturing her as Season 1 size.
Luna has had a "son" for just a little over a month and how has grandchildren on the way... that's a whole new family dynamic.
"had"
They probably wouldn't even need drinks to spew at this suggestion.
Din... I like you.
Luna, you are so creepy... I like it. Though Cadance is Luna's niece as well.
Wonder if this annoyed Cadance, she has legs ya know. Ted isn't helping his objection as well. He's shooting himself in the foot with the gun Pan gave him.
6333592 It does show a need of a little tact but I think Luna is grabbing all of the living she can being held prisoner to the Nightmare's arrays.
6333592
Luna is living Vicariously Thru Ted.
Luna will also likely ship Tia and Herself once freed.
The world is screwed sideways, all hope is lost and BOOM, a Light Shining in the Darkness.
One that is a Male of an otherwise Female only race.
If shipping Cadenza with Ted results in a legit foal, neither heaven or earth would stop the Duo from getting a piece of that.
They imply that in this very chapter...
Luna DOES need tact, but Cadenza has had Years to come to term with the fact that her husband is long gone.
She even states it herself.
And Nightmare was quite clear in pointing it out during her long tenure as a torture buddy.
6332944 Sorry, I kinda always pictured Cadance as a bit larger than the average stallion, and big mac doesn't count because he's a freak. Besides even if I was wrong, I could always pull the "Well, she's referencing several years after the wedding, when she was getting larger due to her increasing power."
6333052 Cadance was also forced to accept that there's more to some changelings than just feral beasts. She was linked to them, she could hear them even even if it wasn't her language. They had wants, needs, fears. In other words, the link that was supposed to break her ended up humanizing the changelings by her perspective.
6333103 6333187 6333233 6333328 6333340 6333518 6333592 6334147 Yes Luna was as subtle as a bomb here, but think about what that one line just said to the three involved.
Cadance: You can have faith that you can not only entrust your body, but you mind and soul to these two, and they will not let you down.
Pandinus: She will grow to be a power in her own right, possible providing just as much love as Cimmerian. She is not a threat to your relationship with your mate, but she is also no child.
Cimmerian/Ted: This young Lady can be just as strong as you are, and with the proper care she will stand at your side for eternity. She is also not another child, another daughter for you to claim as your own.
Basically, she tells Cadance she's in good hands/hooves, and tells the other two the new alicorn will be their equal once she recovers, stepping on the possibility of them adopting her as a daughter. Also, Luna wants Cadance to be safe. What location on the planet is safer than between an alicorn who wiped out a pack of gnolls to protect followers he'd known for less than a month, and a queen who's not only loyal to aforementioned alicorn, but is linked to Cadance and wants her to be as happy as the rest of the queen's hive?
6333175 two counter-points: Cadance is still reeling from her reunion, and was it ever discussed, at least with Cadance, what the Nightmare really was?
6333262 It was a bit fast, but by the time I was getting ready to leave, I couldn't think of anything else I'd want to add to the chapter.
6334147 Eesh, I'd give them a few centuries before they try that with Cimmerian. Luna's pronounced him as her son, at least by magic, and thus claimed him as family. Could it happen eventually? Possibly. Will it occur anytime soon? Hell no.
6334491 Glad to hear that, and yea, I liked the I am the night(mare) story as well. The most recent chapter was excellent, IMO.
Caity? Lol.
6334440
[Edit: In the cartoon? I would say the details of Nightmare Moon would have been relayed to the Alicorn who was second in line for the throne. Unless you infer that Tia and Luna didn't trust FAMILY with certain truths, but trust her to manage a colony... but in this story?]
No, it wasn't. Which is the problem.
Luna and Din literally called the Mad Queen Nightmare.
Cadance knows Twilight has all the changelings, Din stated the "Nightmare took her mother".
Cadance knows she was tortured by Twilight, Luna said "the Nightmare's Hospitality".
Candace may be in a bit of shock here, maybe even overloaded, but I highly doubt she would miss that twice.
She DID live through Nightmare Moon's return, AND would HAVE to have Nightmare Moon on her mind with TED standing a few paces away.
She should be in a trust but verify mode here, actively looking for deceptions. That she did not pick up on two people using the name of a known great evil is very iffy.
Even if it wasn't specifically discussed, she should have taken note of it and said something...
It's like standing near a family member at a gathering as they start talking about your grandmother's sudden death, you would turn and say "Grandma Died?"
If she was completely out of it processing nothing anyone said, you should have indicated that, but then she also should have been acting like a ditz since she was so overwhelmed that her cognitive awareness bottomed out.
6333212 Killing Twilight might be a better mercy...such a broken mind won't last long without correct and quick help.
6333328 again, the "Sue" being thrown around without really knowing what it meant.
6334440
But she wouldn't really humanize the changelings species... Not this quick... not after seeing the mindless horde...
She would humanize THESE changelings.
No holes, independant thought, fully formed minds, looks a hell of a lot more like a pony then her former cellmates.
I advise against sudden 180 mental states, it almost seems she went from panic induced escape to absolute ease around changelings.
I mean she was about to panic teleport in a manner that was expected to cause potentially lethal bodily harm to her stepdaughter...
...I note that Celestia jumping his bones for a her own bun in the oven was not off the table...
6334737 I know. If there's a reason for the relationship, I don't mind it. This is not some guy showing up and mares throwing themselves at him. This is a mare that's been tortured and cut off from her family being shown the first bit of physical reassurance she's been given in a long time, and he's willing to protect her from what hurt her the first time. Will they end up together? I don't know, I haven't gotten that far. Yes I planned on Din being his other, the Mother to his Father, but Cadance's role I haven't fully decided on yet.
Unlike a certain lord of chocolate rain. I know exactly what I want to do with him.
6334776 Ok...*Looking left and right and then turn around and runaway* You look devious and dangerous...I'm running for my life before anything can happend.
6334771 I'm not saying she went through a 180, or at least I don't think she did. It as more of a Changelings are Monsters to a Some changelings are monsters. She's still a bit weary, but she also had to accept that no matter what happened, the queen was linked to her. It was one 'monster she wasn't escaping. Then that 'monster' went and helped her, or at least did its best to make her feel safer.
As for Tia going after him? As I said, not in this story's timeline, and if it ever did happen, it would be a long time in the future. She and Luna would have to distance themselves from him, breaking that whole family thing, then maybe they could get him to accept it. But that's only one of those desperation ploys, and I don't think Cimmerian would go for it. He's blanching at the idea of two wives, what do you think would happen if ponies who called him nephew and son came after him?
This story has so much cute. Imma explode