There were more than a few curious eyes on Avia as she approached the castle.
Maybe it was the fact that she was a royal changeling wandering the streets of Canterlot without an escort. Maybe it was the slightly dramatic landing she’d had upon arrival. Maybe it was the multiple strands of hair out of place in her mane betraying the tumultuous nature of her visit.
Or maybe it was all of the above. Avia was open to any new hypothesis.
At least she appeared to be the most worrisome thing any of these ponies had seen all day. That meant that, like in the hive, the general populace was largely unaware of the giant powder keg of a diplomatic situation they were all sitting on. That was probably for the best, no panic to be had and all the concentration to spare on creating an effective solution to the presented problem. Plus, if Avia’s planned solution went to plan, they needn’t know how close things came to their home being potentially on fire.
Those flames in her dreams were very much seared into her head, and thinking on it further, she only quickened her pace towards the ponies’ seat of power.
Of course, before the Princess of the Equestrian Hive could get to dowsing any of them, she had to deal with the maybe-inferno that was going to be her mother. She was ‘technically’ disobeying her at that moment, after all.
Time would tell how that was going to go.
Avia let out a long breath, passing through the castle’s gates unimpeded as she cast off her sizable collection of butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach. Her walk through Canterlot hadn’t really cleared her head up as much as she’d hoped it would. Maybe it would have been better to just land inside the castle grounds and be done with it.
Too late now. She had arrived…
“Excuse me?” Avia called out to a passing guard. “Um, where might I find my mother? Queen Twilight Sparkle?”
“Word is she is to meet Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor in the gardens, Ma’am,” the guard informed the Princess. “They arrived but a short while ago as well.”
“Gardens. Right. Thanks!”
Moving away from the helpful pony, Avia started her quick trek around the castle and towards the gardens where her mother was supposedly located. Stopping for nothing, soon enough she was arriving at her newest destination with her eyes on the lookout for any sign of the Queen amongst the decorative bushes and vibrant flowers.
But as she looked, her pace slowing significantly to better do so, her eyes also made note of what laid around her.
Under the light of the day, the gardens were a particularly vibrant green that screamed of nature’s life and prosperity. Birds were tweeting unseen in nearby trees, the changeling spotting several small creatures scurrying around joyfully enough to make a Fluttershy swoon. The Princess had to stop in place for a moment just to take it all in, to feel the wind on her face and the blades of grass against her chitinous lavender hooves.
She let out another, much calmer, breath. They really needed something like this back at the hive, it was amazing how calming a little bit of nature could be. Maybe she could do a paper on it… later. For the moment, she was just content for the here and now.
And then she spotted a familiar curved horn jutting up from behind a hedge, Avia moving around to indeed find her family standing by a marble fountain depicting Celestia raising the sun. They talked amongst themselves, not yet noticing the Princess’ presence.
“-cheek of them. You’d think they would have better things to do after sitting aside for as long as they have. It’s like a crazy ex after a bad break up,” Cadance complained.
“What my wife means…” Shining remarked. “Is that does this not strike you as a bit odd? Now that I think about it, what does he really hope to gain?”
“Their culture was quite xenophobic, you know this,” Twilight pointed out. “Maybe they simply do not know any better. Maybe it’s a mark of Ignis’ inexperience dealing with other cultures. I don’t know, but I hope to find out. And fix this. Somehow.”
“I suppose setting up a marriage is out of the question?” Cadance teased.
Twilight gave her sister-in-law a deadpan look. “Cadance. No. Stop.”
“I’m kidding, Twilight. Relax… But, as the Princess of Love, I could totally make it happen.”
“I don’t think he’s anypony’s type.”
“Ugh, I know right?” the pink alicorn lamented. “The first male alicorn in like… ever comes along, and he’s making himself out to be kind of a jerk. Oh, I’m never going to get Celestia or Luna to tie the knot with someone, am I?”
“I’m not sure this is the time for your scheming.”
“So disappointing…”
“Maybe one day, dear,” Shining jokingly comforted his wife, patting her on the shoulder. “First, how can we help calm things down?”
“Well, for now-” Twilight stopped mid-sentence as she finally turned her head enough to spot something purple in the corner of her eye, turning around to find her daughter standing awkwardly silent a short distance away. “…For now, I think I have a visitor.”
“Hi… Mother…” Avia scuffed the ground sheepishly. “Uh… I’m here! Where you told me not to be… Don’t be mad!”
“Your magically uber-powerful child going off doing their own thing, huh?” Shining snarked to his sister. “Oh yeah, we’ve been there.”
Twilight only spared her elder sibling the briefest of bemused glances, turning her attention fully onto her daughter as she approached the smaller changeling. “Avia, I left you in charge of the hive to gain experience in ruling over it by yourself. To prepare you for what may come one day.”
“I know, but I-”
“You were in charge of the hive,” Twilight quickly reiterated. “Meaning, if you judged that your presence here was more required than it was back home, that is your call to make. Not mine. It stands, I won’t turn you away.”
“Oh! So… you’re not mad?”
“Oh, I’m mad,” the Queen announced, and Avia couldn’t help but gulp at that. “I personally would have been much happier with you being able to directly keep an eye on the hive during this brewing crisis and be on station to handle anything that might happen. And you didn’t even have an escort!? I wouldn’t normally object quite so hard, Celestia knows I like my autonomy. But crisis! Key word! Crisis! Now is NOT the time to be flippant about your safety!”
Avia could feel herself shrinking against her mother’s eye-twitching anger by the second.
“…Oh.”
“Oh!? Ha! That’s one word for it! Argh! Hm… BUT! Like I said… I left you in charge, it was your decision, so I’ll respect it this time. But please think through all the variables about what might have happened and might yet happen without you there! Think about what I have said. And do not. Go places. Without an escort. In a. Crisis!”
Avia could not have nodded along any quicker or more violently.
“Good!” Twilight concluded, taking a moment to let her irritation bleed away before letting off a sigh. “I… am glad you showed initiative and conviction to do what you thought was right, at least. Those are good qualities. Just don’t leap off a cliff before checking there’s water below, hm?”
“I won’t… sorry…”
Twilight shook her head, taking her child into a loving hug. “I am glad you’re here, though. It’s nice to see you with all that is happening, and I could use your advice.
“Heh, well, here I am…”
“Here you are. Come on, that’s enough of a lecture for the time being.”
“Aw, come on! Not even a five-hundred-page essay on the subject?” a booming voice asked from above. “You’d have made me do the essay!”
How had Avia not noticed Uncle Spike up there!?
“That would be fun for her!” Twilight shot back at the dragon. “And while I respect and accept her decision, I don’t approve of it. Hardly the rewarding mood!”
“…Point taken.”
“You done?” Shining Armor asked. “That was… quite the display.”
Twilight blushed. “Oh! Right, you’re still here. Uh… Sorry you had to see that.”
“Don’t be. That was great.”
“Glad you enjoyed…” Avia deadpanned.
“Hey, it can be fun to hear her go Twilynanners.”
“I do not do that!” Twilight protested.
“With the added bit of Changeling Queen anger and indignation,” Cadance added.
“…Okay, THAT I can do. Sometimes. Shut up.”
“So, you doing okay, kiddo?” Shining asked his niece.
“I’m fine, thanks,” she replied. “Just had a frazzled couple of days. But then again, I’m sure the same can be said of all of you. How is Flurry?”
“She’s fine. Taking care of the crystal Empire while we’re gone.”
“And staying there…” Twilight muttered, though Avia heard it clearly enough to pout.
“Give her a break, Twi. She’s just leading by your example,” Cadance pointed out. She then looked over Avia critically, stepping forward and starting to fuss over her like the dotting aunt she was. “Your wings are drooping, you’re exhausted! Not to mention those bags under your eyes, you haven’t slept much, have you? Do you have your room ready to go, Avia? Before you go doing anything else you really should get some rest.”
“Hey! Hey! I’m fine!”
“No arguing! You look terrible.”
“You do,” her mother agreed. “Luckily for you, I’m always on the case. Your room is already prepared and waiting for you.”
Avia wanted to protest further, but she couldn’t deny the aches in her joints from the long flight over. Perhaps it would be good to get some rest before she… well, had to do the thing that would ‘really’ make her mother mad.
Oh, what was she doing…?
“Mum, I… Uh…” Maybe she should just tell her? Get her support on it? Just give up? “I just want to tell you… Well…”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Avia, you can talk to me. What’s on your mind?”
“I… I just wanted to say that I love you. You know that, right?”
“Huh? Of course I do, I know very well. And I love you, more than anything else in this world of ours.”
“I know…”
Things were too delicate. She couldn’t back down now. It had been her idea to begin with, and with Luna doing her bit… She hoped she wasn’t going to look back on this day down the line and kick herself for being a massive idiot.
If this was what gambling felt like, she didn’t entirely get why ponies went all the way to Las Pegasus just to experience it.
“Alright, I suppose I’m off to bed, then,” Avia decided.
“Probably for the best,” Shining Armor concurred. “Get a night’s rest. Celestia knows we all could use one.”
“We’ll see you for breakfast, I hope? I’m sure we’ve got some changeling smoothies around somewhere…” Cadance said.
“Sure, I look forward to it. See you later?”
“Of course. Now go on, don’t let us keep you.”
“I’ll catch up in a little while,” Twilight then told her daughter. “Get some rest.”
Avia nodded, turning away from the three and starting towards the castle. As she got a little bit away, she turned back to look upon her family as she left. Her eyes particularly lingered on her mother’s face, seeing within it the very epitome of everything she strived to be…
She then turned away, moving into the castle as the others all fell from view.
“Your Highness!”
“ACK!” Avia shouted in surprise, jumping back with an instinctual hiss that showed off her fangs and forked tongue.
What she saw was a thestral wearing brown barding, leather mixed with some cobbled-looking metal plates for protection. He bowed down to her as he emerged from the shadows, Avia taking note of both the blade in his scabbard and the retractable ones on his forehooves.
“I apologise for the intrusion,” he spoke again. “But Princess Luna has summoned you.”
“You’re… a Lunar Guard…?”
“Yes. Don’t let my appearance deceive you, I am merely dressed to accompany you on the task ahead.”
Luna had been busy…
“Alright, lead on. I guess.”
The guard nodded, taking Avia into the shadows and through what appeared to be a hidden passage behind a decorative suit of armour. Had that always been there? Fascinating!
Still, she couldn’t help but be a little disgruntled at the sudden distance between her and her bed. But this was why she was here; she’d expected little else than to get right down to business…
The passage the Princess was led down was a tight fit, so much so a flash of light saw the changeling switching to a pony with a far skinnier build to make things a little easier. It was entirely dark, barely more than a crawlspace between the walls that was covered in cobwebs and remnants left behind by rodents and other small creatures. The air smelled stale, and it was clear that this passage hadn’t seen use in quite a long time before today.
Eventually, however, the two of them emerged into what Avia recognised to be the hallway holding Luna’s study. It was a mere stone throw away from the room she so craved, as well as the royal lounge and Celestia’s own study. She had been heading here anyway, but Avia decided that Luna’s preference for careful secrecy was warranted in this case.
The guard led her to the blue moon-decorated doorway that led into the study, making his way inside without announcing his presence as Avia made to follow.
Once inside the room, admiring the largely dark blue décor and the telescope sitting on the balcony, Avia’s eyes finally rested on Luna who was standing in the corner examining a bookcase.
“Avia. You have arrived in good time,” Luna greeted without turning around. “Excuse the sudden nature of your extraction, but it was imperative that we speak before tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? That’s when I’m going to head out, then?”
“Indeed. I have already made to secure the funds we require, but it will not be long before my sister realises that something is amiss. We cannot delay.”
Avia supposed that she was missing that breakfast after all…
Luna turned away, nodding at the guard to depart and leave the two royals be. He did so, and one the room was theirs she approached the young Changeling Queen with an air of caution and worry about her.
“The final preparations are being made, so this will be your final chance to turn back, young Avia. If we do this, we cannot turn away. And the consequences of our actions will be ours to live with.”
Consequences… That was what her mother was trying to impart, seeing all permutations and roads ahead and where they might lead. Which would lead to war? Which would lead to peace? And what would each journey require and take from them in order to get there?
Quitting was tempting. Very tempting. But like back in the gardens, Avia couldn’t see anything but the fire in her dreams.
She had to believe this would work.
“I can’t. I need to do this. My mother won’t approve, I know. But she taught me to stand for what I think is right, and to make the choices a ruler must in order to protect his or her subjects. It’s why she didn’t send me home again a few minutes ago. I have to believe we’re doing the right thing.”
“I shall try to share in your optimism…” Luna dryly stated. “But it is done, on our heads be it. My loyal ponies will lead you from Canterlot before the sun is due to rise, so I would suggest turning in after this meeting is done. They are all disguised as mere sellswords, as shall you be. I assume you can achieve this?”
“Please, I’m a changeling.”
“I shall take that as confirmation. Good. You shall pick up your package once you are beyond the city limits, I have made arrangements with certain trusted ponies within these walls to have the necessary tribute taken there. You will then take it to the site of your transport, my guards shall lead you there. The pilot will take you to the site the transaction will occur at, a stretch of beach along our western borders. They shall be responsible for your safety, and you are to depart the MOMENT it is done… Or trouble arises.”
“Trust me, I’m not gunning for a fight out there,” Avia assured. “When we get there, how long shall we wait for them?”
“I am hoping they’ll depart with haste to claim their prize, likely taking one of their airships. While it may have taken many a day for Twilight’s ship to see the other shore, flight will grant extra expediency. Something they can afford since they do not intend to stay long.”
“So… a day? A few, maybe?”
“Depending on when they depart. But if they are punctual, a day should suffice for such a vessel. They need not the resources of a great naval ship, I would be surprised if they selected anything other than the speed a zeppelin affords.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Avia muttered. “Go to the place. Give the things. Don’t start a war. No pressure…”
“We shall speak in the morrow,” Luna stated. “I shall keep you from your rest no longer. Sleep, Avia. And let us hope Ignis has received my message and sees fit to abide by our terms…”
If Avia was to morph into a griffon, she’d cross her talons…
Unicornia
“I trust my ship has been prepared?” King Ignis asked his advisers as he slowly paced the throne room floor, looking over Princess Luna’s confirmation of the demanded transaction.
“It has,” Stout Guardian confirmed. “A simple ask, with our ships already on stand-by as they are. Say the word and it can depart.”
Ignis hummed, stopping to examine his company. His advisors, each with the exact opposite expressions he had come to expect when discussing matters to do with Equestria. And then there was Queen Vulgaris, his ‘guest’ within the castle.
The Changeling Queen was standing apart from the others, clearly as uncomfortable being around them as they were around her. There was certainly something undeniably venomous about the creature, little more than spite in her eyes every time she so much as looked at them. But she had her uses, they knew much more about what they were up against thanks to her input. Equestria’s military makeup, their naval forces… All they would really need to make plans into reality.
And soon it was to begin…
“Your Majesty, I do implore you to reconsider,” Assisting Hoof urged. “Take the tribute if you must but leave it at that. Equestria will know we are not to be trifled with; they will not attempt their alleged subjugation. If peace is out of reach, then let us return to isolation. It is better than the alternative.”
“While I would normally agree, my friend, I fear that option left us when our cousins arrived on our shore,” Ignis lamented. “They will pursue our ‘friendship’ this day by allowing this tribute to occur, but surely it is but part of their ploy. I cannot risk their efforts to continue when they are satisfied with our complacency. I will not allow my ponies to fall under the thrall of another they did not choose. Not again.”
“Your King is right, of course…” Vulgaris said with an unnerving purr. “What was it my kind thought? Oh, look how helpful these ponies are. Let us rebuild our lives together… Until the only lives we were building towards were theirs. All that we are, that we should be, washed away little by little… Bah! We are CHANGELINGS! Not pets! I warn you because it suits me, make no mistake, but let this alliance of mere conveyance spare us both from their banner.”
“As much as the bug’s words are sour to my ears,” Stout Guardian spat. “There is sense to be had. We always knew the rest of the world would seek to swallow us whole, just like the wendigos of old. This creature before us is no different, but her failure to prevent a fall against larger predators works to our advantage. Let us spare ourselves from their pathetic fate.”
“My, such hatred I smell off you,” Vulgaris chuckled in a predatory manner, starting to circle the Captain of the Royal Guard. “Spare the insults, whelp. It is true we fell, but without me, your fate shall be no different. Hives, I would love to watch it occur if it were just you. But our future also hangs in the balance, so let us focus on that.”
“At least we can be honest with each other…” Stout Guardian growled.
“We can hate one another later,” Ignis told them both. “The Captain rings true in his assessment, as grim as it might be. And Vulgaris is the living proof of a once-powerful nation made puppets of another. Another time would see us as enemies, but a greater foe forces our cooperation until it is done. Then we can go our separate ways and never have to suffer one another again.”
“Fine by me,” the Changeling Queen agreed. “And the intent I hold. But for now, that message has been most enlightening…”
Ignis returned his eyes to the scroll he’d received. So much had happened within a day, the message arriving at the castle amidst a flurry of blue shadow. Such speed it had come, far faster than the initial message. He did wonder why the other alicorns had not done so before, yet there was something strangely dark about the spell he’d witnessed. Whatever the Moon Princess’ game, he did wonder whether her fellows would approve…
“Yes, we can be at this beach within a day at full speed,” the King noted. “And this Avia is to be the representative… I had thought Luna herself would do so, but alas, it appears the job falls to another. No matter, we can retrieve the tribute and be gone. Then our efforts can truly begin.”
“Ah, but I see so much more opportunity here than you perceive,” Vulgaris claimed. “Avia… Young, clueless Avia. Princess of the Equestrian Hive, daughter of Twilight Sparkle. And just what I need to ensure my part in this goes to plan. I should thank her for making it so easy… Too bad she has to die.”
“What!? No, you cannot!” Assisting Hoof immediately protested. “Sire, this is madness. You are talking about starting a war over ‘what ifs’ and the word of this charlatan to start with! But this Avia? She is little more than a child!”
“As I understand it, she’s in her twenties. Sounds like an adult to me,” Stout refuted.
“Barely! She is no seasoned ruler, warrior or diplomat! She’s a young individual probably hoping to secure peace and prevent bloodshed! You can’t tell me you intend to slaughter an innocent such as that!?”
“No, I do not,” Ignis announced. “Vulgaris, do what schemes you must to see Equestria’s hold on your people crumble. But I will not kill unnecessarily. We war on Equestria to destabilise the crown’s power and render them a non-threat. You may want Equestria to burn, as you so delightfully put it, but I have no such desire. We will strike, we will cast aside the opposition straight to Canterlot and we shall demolish the throne. What your peoples do next is your business, but the threat to us will have passed and we shall return to our homes in safety. But I will not spill more blood than is required, especially not of innocents.”
“Thank you, your Majesty. I’m glad you retain at least a modicum of wisdom…” Assisting Hoof sighed in relief, though clearly wished to hear a bit more.
“Pfft. Ponies…” Vulgaris scoffed. “Do you not see? Avia is doing Equestria’s dirty work. She comes to you on their behalf, if she dies for them… Well, Twilight Sparkle’s faith in Celestia may not survive the incident.”
“Was I not clear?” Ignis asked. “When we retrieve our prize, no blood shall be spilt. Avia shall return to her mother alive and unharmed.”
“Then Equestria will maintain their hold over my people for much of your war,” Vulgaris warned. “Infiltrators that can be anypony, as I took dear Stout’s face when we first met.”
The Captain grumbled irritably at that.
“Your supply lines could be disrupted from within, and without those, you cannot maintain a presence in Equestria. Your rank and file will crumble, chaos ensues, the EUP moves in for the kill. Your people die, they may even follow the survivors home. Then what of your ‘kingdom’? Even if you manage to hold your grip, the effort will spill out well beyond your intended targets. Those ‘innocents’ you so want to spare? They die too.”
“You claim to be that deadly?” Stout asked doubtfully.
“Oh, we’re worse. Under Equestria’s guiding hooves, we will destroy your war before it truly begins. But it could be ended now, Equestria’s betrayal will shatter Queen Twilight’s loyalty to them.”
“But what of her rage to us?” Assisting Hoof pointed out. “Her child’s killers.”
“No longer unified with Equestria, even should she attempt to strike at you, she is but one hive. As large as it might be, there are many more of us you would no longer need to deal with. And I can handle Twilight Sparkle. I will cherish doing so.”
Ignis stared at Vulgaris. He stared for the longest time, his eyes on hers as a war continued to rage inside of him.
Assisting Hoof was right. She was an innocent. Neither a soldier nor one of the alicorns holding the leash.
But the Changeling Queen was also not without a point. How many more would die if the changelings committed all their forces to Equestria’s cause? On both sides, the casualties could be immense. More than he wanted to be responsible for. Vulgaris was the one who wanted blood, but if they could largely focus on the EUP and the alicorns, keep the collateral to a minimum…
Was Avia’s life worth thousands of others?
But then what of Twilight Sparkle? What if Vulgaris failed to ‘handle’ her as she so claimed?
What could he do? Was there a…
A plan started to form in the alicorn’s mind.
“Very well, Vulgaris. You have made your point,” Ignis decided. “For the sake of the lives of others, we shall do things your way. We will attack those delivering the tribute after we have claimed it. Hope that you are correct about Twilight Sparkle’s faith in Equestria.”
“I will do what I must to make it so,” Vulgaris declared. “And so I must take my leave, I have a war to prepare my hive for. I will do what I can to sabotage Equestria from the inside, and I shall break the Bearer of Magic one way or another.”
“Go then. Do what you must.”
“Oh… I intend to.”
The blood that is my due.
“Oh yes, it shall be due…”
In a flash of light, Vulgaris was gone. Teleported to somewhere Ignis hoped was far from Unicornia, never to return.
“That repulsive beast isn’t to be trusted,” Stout Guardian stated. “Upon Equestria’s defeat, she may attempt to rally her precious hives against us after she is done with them.”
“For once, I agree,” Assisting Hoof concurred. “How far are you to let her manipulate your fear?”
“I know she seeks my aid for her own desires, little more. She hasn’t been shy about that fact,” Ignis responded. “We shall watch her. Should our fears be confirmed before war’s end, we will eliminate her as a threat before it arises.”
Stout grinned. “I will see to it personally.”
“Canter carefully, there is something… else about her that I find most disturbing. But alas, I must prepare my ship for launch. We cannot leave the young Princess of the Changelings waiting.”
“My King… Ignis, please…” Assisting Hoof pleaded. “You have done so much to protect the land you love, to give your ponies a life of happiness and safety. Given too much of yourself from the days you were young all the way to the now.”
“He is King, it is his right and duty,” Captain Stout Guardian maintained.
“Perhaps. But be careful your love for us and determination to save does not lead you astray. The tyrant of the past was one thing, but this is wholly another. And Avia? I beg of you, do not do this. Tell me you do not intend to murder this girl. Please.”
Ignis’ silence was all that met the aged stallion’s horrified ears.