“Lay still, Twilight.”
The calm voice pierced the mantle of sleep that had settled over me. Wearily, I urged my eyes to open and take in my surroundings. I was still in the throne room where my fight with Celestia had ended, and while there were plenty of holes in the walls and ceiling, much of the rubble had been cleared away.
A warm feeling began to spread through my aching body. The brief moment of tension I felt quickly vanished as my groggy mind recognized Celestia's magic. The burns that were covering me began to recede, and the lingering painful sensations began to numb significantly. Through it, I stayed quiet, forcing myself to relax, even though I wanted nothing more than to jump up and hug Celestia as tightly as I could.
“How long?” I whispered, once the scorched skin around my throat had healed.
“Not long enough. I would suggest you continue resting if you are able.”
The magic subsided, leaving me feeling slightly cold, but it was easily a dozen times better than before. Turning my head upwards, I finally got a look at Celestia. It was enviable how well she looked. Not a bruise or blemish was on her white coat, and her expression bore a concerned, yet warm look that made me feel as though I could drift back to sleep without worry. Unfortunately, the burning questions on my mind wouldn't allow that.
“Where are-” I began, only to be silenced by a raised hoof.
“Be calm, Twilight. Your friends are quite well, and not a trace of Aurum remains inside me. Chrysalis was very thorough in her work.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. More questions were forming in my mind, and I'd probably want to double-check Chrysalis' work just to be sure, but for the moment I let myself bask in the peace. Snippets of conversation drifted past my ears as I closed my eyes and laid my head down on my forehooves. The immediate crisis may have been over, but another was already looming. Aurum had shown up in Canterlot for peace talks, and the end result of that had been several deaths and a castle-destroying conflict. Was it even possible to put a spin on something that looked this bad? I hoped Celestia had a plan, as every possibility I could think up seemed bleak at best.
I was fairly certain I'd drifted off again, since the next moment I remembered was a soft, comfortable wing wrapping around my side and pulling me close. My eyes peeked open to see a tired looking Rainbow Dash snuggling into my side. The second thing I noticed was that I'd been moved to a bed. The royal bed in Celestia's chamber, to be precise.
Smiling, I turned my head and gently nuzzled into Dash's neck, my body scooting closer as I felt her wing tighten. “This seems a little unprofessional from somepony whose supposed to be my bodyguard,” I teased.
“What are they gonna do, fire me?” asked Rainbow with a snort. “In fact, I think they owe me a promotion. Full Wonderbolt status with my own squad. I'd like to see Spitfire take on an alicorn.”
“You sure about that? I rather like your current position.” My mouth found a point on her neck and my teeth gave her a nip. A small part of my mind warned me that Celestia's room really wasn't the best place for this sort of flirting, but after the harrowing battle we'd been through, I was feeling unusually confident.
Rainbow quickly proved that she had plenty of confidence to spare, because suddenly I found my lips locked into a sweet, sensual kiss. Her tongue began to tease at my mouth, and soon mine was there to meet hers, dueling her for control.
“If there's anypony in Equestria who could keep me grounded, it's you,” murmured Rainbow as she broke away.
“I'd never ask you to do that,” I replied quickly. “I'd sooner catch up to you on my own wings, no matter how long it takes.”
Rainbow grinned. “Oh don't worry about that, I'm definitely gonna help you and Chryssy catch up. We're gonna do flying drills every morning, and every time you complain, I'm gonna bring up our fight with Celestia and pile on the guilt.”
“Fine, but only if you keep helping me with my mental magic studies,” I countered. “I have more than enough guilt to hold over you, too.”
“I will be happy to indulge both of your guilt trips, but only if you let me have the middle this time.”
My head jerked towards the new voice, only to relax when I saw Chrysalis in the doorway. I must have been really out of it if I couldn't mentally feel her presence. Beside me, Rainbow didn't hesitate to scoot over and beckon with her wing. A small bit of magic enveloped the queen as she walked over to the bed, and with a light hop and a flutter of her wings, her slightly shrunken body landed neatly between us.
I could feel her tension as we scooted closer, but it was quickly starting to drain away. She was clearly stressed, and I had a pretty good idea of what was on her mind, but I waited for her to speak it aloud, doing my best to physically comfort her in the meantime.
“This whole day has been an absolute disaster,” said Chrysalis finally.
“What? Really?” asked Rainbow. “I mean, we won, didn't we? Aurum got the boot, Celestia is fine, and we all made it through.”
“Perhaps, but look where Aurum's spectacular failure has left us. Three dead elders in Canterlot and hundreds of deceased changelings from their hives, all occurring during what was supposed to be peace talks. From the pony perspective, Canterlot Castle has numerous holes in it, three whole towns were taken over, and some are already speculating Nightmare Moon has returned thanks to the sun disappearing from the sky.”
The queen's outburst finished with a heavy sigh, her head dropping to her forehooves and resting there. Rainbow and I were quick to give her a comforting nuzzle.
“I think Celestia has a plan,” I said suddenly.
Chrysalis peered at me out the corner of one eye. “You do?”
“There was always the possibility of peace talks breaking down. Maybe not quite in such spectacular fashion...”
“Spectacular seems a bit weak...”
“It's a setback,” I continued, ignoring her aside. “But there are some positives. All of my friends know how hard you worked to defend Celestia. Even Applejack wouldn't doubt your sincerity, now.”
“And when you've got a pony as stubborn as Applejack on your side, that's half the battle won right there,” concluded Rainbow.
Chrysalis' head perked up and a small smile graced her lips. Her horn glowed for a moment, and in the next a pair of large black wings spread out from her sides to drape over myself and Rainbow. “With you two keeping me so well fed, I think I can manage just about anything.”
“How about a passionate, heartfelt speech to the remnants of Aurum's clan?”
Wiggling against Chrysalis' side, I glanced out from beneath her wing to see Luna and Celestia standing in the doorway. Part of me was embarrassed to be seen by Celestia snuggling with another on her own bed, but neither Rainbow nor Chrysalis seemed all that concerned.
“I'm not certain how much that will help,” mused Chrysalis.
“It would help us recuperate after such a strenuous battle and lay the groundwork for bridging relations with the rest of Aurum’s hive,” Luna reasoned, nodding her head.
“Half of Queen Aurum's clan was sacrificed towards her scheme,” Celestia continued. “The rest were abandoned and used as a diversion to get Luna and the Elements of Harmony away from Canterlot. I've no doubt there are many fierce loyalists among those remaining, but I would not presume all of them feel the same way.”
Chrysalis sighed, glancing at each of us in turn before facing Celestia. “Does it have to be right now?”
Celestia smiled. “No. I'm rather tempted to join you.”
My mouth opened in surprise, my eyes going wide as I stared at my mentor. Chrysalis answered before I could find my voice. “You may, but only if you remove your armor first.”
“And you’ll have to wait your turn,” quipped Rainbow. “We’ve been waiting long enough as is.”
Celestia chuckled as I hid my face. “Tempting as it is, Cadance has made quite clear to me how complex relationships become when they move beyond triangles. Do hold tight to them, Chrysalis. Both of those ponies beneath your wings have many secret admirers.”
I was almost certain I saw the princess wink. Chrysalis seemed unphased. “I haven't lost to you yet, princess.”
“And our record is one to zero now,” added Rainbow.
As I contemplated potential teleportation options, Celestia's tone became far more somber and her mirthful laugh faded. “We've finished our sweep of the grounds and castle. Aurum has been recovered.”
The grim mood quickly returned. “She was found in a separate area of the castle, comatose and unresponsive,” she continued. “There is plenty of mental activity though, and while our doctors are not certain, her condition seems stable.”
A coma then. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. It didn't feel like we'd solved the issue so much as we'd been given a stay of execution. What was Celestia going to do when she did wake up? Give her back to her hive? Let her try another invasion a hundred years from now? I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer. There was, however, one burning question that I had to get off my chest. “Was there anything we could have done differently?”
Celestia gave me a sympathetic look as my question hung in the air, but Luna answered before she could. “Doubtful. Aurum left no room for trust in these peace talks. From the very beginning, she intended to use them to her advantage.”
“And she refused to surrender, even when backed into a corner,” added Chrysalis. “No one should blame you for what happened.”
I nodded glumly. I'd tried telling myself the very same thing, but it didn't make me feel any better. Before I could get too caught up in my thoughts, a golden glow enveloped me, sliding my body out from beneath Chrysalis' wing and into Celestia's embrace. “Do not forget that your actions were instrumental in saving my mental well-being,” she said softly. “You have my word that I will continue trying to make things better for changelings, no matter how many times they bite the hoof of friendship.”
All I could do was nod as I was returned to the soft bed and Chrysalis' embrace. Did it feel a bit tighter than before?
“Now then, I've kept you from your friends long enough. Carriages will be on standby to take you back to Ponyville if you wish. Otherwise, you may simply sleep here for tonight.” Her gaze turned to me, and for a moment I saw a mischievous smirk. “Do be sure to keep the proper sanitation spells in mind.”
“W-what? Princess, I would never-”
“My, that sounds like permission,” cut in Chrysalis. “And in the royal bedchambers, too. This could be a once in a lifetime chance.”
“But...”
“I dunno, I don't have my stash here,” said Rainbow, looking thoughtful. “Hooves and a tongue only go so far.”
“Hmph. Thou does not know my sister terribly well. She possesses a well maintained collection readily available,” said Luna.
“Mmm...tempting, but is our sweet little Twilight is ready for alicorn sized fun?” teased Chrysalis, tightening her wing again as I tried to bury myself in the blankets and sink through the bed.
“Hate you. Hate you all right now,” I mumbled amidst a chorus of chuckles.
---
“After y'all teleported off, we galloped back to the train right quick,” explained Applejack. “Dusk and a bunch of others came too. Kept trying to reach Chrysalis, but there was too much magic interfering or some such.”
“Fortunately, I managed to catch up to the train before it gained too much speed,” finished Cadance. “As it turned out, one of Chrysalis' drones had been hiding out in the empire for quite some time. He was scared, but he approached us and pleaded for my help. After that, it was just a matter of giving them a love-boost so they could help you and your friends link together.”
“It was truly an exhilarating experience,” added Rarity. “Seeing thought made manifest...one wonders what sorts of creative fields could benefit.”
“Well...I do plan on continuing my research, although I'm not sure I'm at that level just yet,” I confessed. “There's still a lot I don't know.”
“You can definitely call me anytime,” insisted Pinkie Pie. “I feel like I know you girls better than ever now!”
“I'm just happy we were able to help,” murmured Fluttershy.
“We couldn't have driven her back without you,” I insisted. “All of you.”
“Let's just hope the next peace talks go better than this,” grumbled Applejack.
I chuckled with everypony else at that, grateful that the topic of conversation seemed to be getting steered around what had happened at the end. Pinkie in particular seemed to have a keen sense of where to steer the topic of conversation to avoid the subject, with a little help from the other pink pony in the room.
“That said,” began Cadance, turning towards Chrysalis, a glint in her eye, “Now that I've got a chance to finally sit down and talk with you, I've been meaning to ask you about your relationship with my sister.”
Beside me, Chrysalis shifted nervously. While the two had exchanged letters in the past, this was their first real face-to-face meeting since the wedding. My friends fell silent, pretending to be interested in their hooves and the floor while their ears perked up in our direction.
“Oh relax, I can tell you care for them just as much as they do you. I'm more curious as to how much thought you've given the physical side of your relationship.”
I groaned, letting my head drop to the bed again. “Are all alicorns like this?” I moaned.
“Definitely,” said Cadance with a smile. “Auntie just hides it better.”
“My friends are right here!” I hissed.
Cadance pouted. “They're curious too. I've got another book in the works. You're not going to deny your favorite foal-sitter much needed material, are you?”
“You know, she might be teasing you, but having such a book would help inform curious ponies and help combat misinformation...”
“Ugh...not you too!”
It was Rainbow who finally came to my rescue. “Alright, that's enough about our theoretical love life. Twi's been embarrassed enough for one day. Now who wants to hear about our epic battle with Celestia?”
“Technically, it was more Aurum than Celestia,” I interjected.
“Still epic,” countered Rainbow. “Now help me fill in the blanks here.”
---
“Thou should be resting.”
The accusation came the moment the sisters left the room. Gently, a blue glow began to envelop the larger mare to support her as her expression fell from a calm smile to a somewhat pained look. “Not yet. There is too much uncertainty right now. Ponies need to be assured that both of us have taken care of it.”
“And if I were to do this by myself, it would lend fuel to the rumors of Nightmare Moon's return,” finished Luna with a sigh.
“I will get my rest,” assured Celestia, her words slow and somewhat deliberate now that she was alone with Luna, almost as though she were having some trouble forming them. “And I will recover eventually.”
Luna did not seem reassured, even as Celestia straightened her legs and began to walk a bit more confidently under her own power. Fortunately, Celestia had just the thing to distract her with. “Besides, my bed is going to be in use for a while. It will be best to give them some time alone before I join them.”
“Thou art planning a cradle robbery.”
Celestia simply smiled at Luna's accusatory tone. “Really sister, at our age everypony is a foal by comparison. You may put your mind at ease, however. I have no plans to meddle with such a promising pairing.”
Luna looked unconvinced. “You are plotting something. Or thou art playing a more lengthy game.”
“Time is one thing we alicorns have in abundance,” agreed Celestia sweetly.
Luna's eyes widened as the final few pieces fell into place. In a flash, she teleported in front of her sister, nearly causing her to stumble again. “You can't possibly mean to give her the rite, Tia! Thou knows how dangerous that ritual is!”
“I would say Twilight has more than earned the right to try. Besides, if she is going to take a pegasus lover, it would be a boon to both of them.”
“And it would give thee a chance to out-wait the two of them,” accused Luna.
“Perhaps. But Chrysalis has a long life ahead of her, and I dare say Rainbow Dash has shown much the same potential as Twilight.”
Luna stared at her, mouth open. “But...that would be three this generation! How would Equestria cope?”
“Just fine,” insisted Celestia, slowly getting back up and shakily walking past her stunned sister. “I was thinking I could disguise the ritual as one of Starswirl's unfinished spells. I'm certain Twilight would take to that rather passionately.”
---
“So you pulled a Sonic Rainboom right through the medical ward? I was wonderin' where all those holes came from.”
“Hey, I didn't really have time to pick my shots,” protested Rainbow. “It's a small miracle we hit her at all. I mean, Celly's a big target, but when you're going sonic speeds...”
A polite knock on the door interrupted Rainbow's story, re-admitting Luna. Ignoring the curious looks from my friends, the princess walked straight to Chrysalis, fixing her with a stern glare.
“Yes?” asked Chrysalis after a moment of silence.
“Be certain thou does not lose hold of what thou hast gained. Either of you,” she added, giving Rainbow the same stern look.
“Um...okay?” said Rainbow, her confusion clear, but Luna was already walking away before either of them could inquire further.
“Well that seemed needlessly ominous,” murmured Rarity once Luna had gone. “What do you think she was implying?”
Chrysalis leg snaked out and wrapped around my side, pulling me close against her. “I think I have an idea.”
On the queen's left, Rainbow suddenly took to the air and landed on my right, putting her own leg around me and squeezing tight as well. “Don't worry, Chryssy. A changeling elder couldn't take her away from us. A princess doesn't have a chance.”
---
Six months later...
Princess Eventide panted, her body trembling as she faced the unicorn seeped in dark magic. “You won't win, Sombra. That magic will consume you eventually.”
Sombra chuckled, the light bending around him as it seemed to be drawn into the curved horn atop his head. “Perhaps if I were a weaker minded pony, but this is merely a step on my path towards mastery of the alicorn secrets.”
Eventide let out a hollow chuckle, though a few rasping coughs soon eclipsed her voice. “After all this time and research, you still haven't learned a thing. It doesn't matter how powerful you are. If you can't see beyond your own ego, ascension will forever elude you.”
“No magic is unfathomable to me,” boasted the king. “And if you refuse to tell me, I will simply get my answers from your sisters.” Dark magic saturated the air, growing in power before lashing out at the princess. A sharp, pained cry rang out as her shield was torn asunder, the magic leaving deep scars and burning away her fur and the feathers on her wings.
“Agonizing, isn't it?” said Sombra, slowly increasing the intensity. “This is your final chance, Eventide. Reveal to me the path of ascension, or this spell will be the last you ever see!”
Horribly burned and reeling from the dark magic, Princess Eventide did nothing more than look at him with defiance. “Hmph. Stubborn to the end. Take-gah!”
The darkness surrounding the king suddenly receded as a bright light filled the sky. In full battle armor and a fiery aura, Celestia swooped down from the heavens, bringing with her the fury of the sun. The king's dark magic was burned away until with a growl, he teleported, leaving Celestia alone with the fallen alicorn. Her fury drained away as quickly as she'd brought it to bare. “Eventide!” she cried out, rushing to her side.
“No...Tia, please...don't look...”
The Sun Princess ignored her plea, quickly approaching her disfigured form. “Stay calm, you've taken a lot of dark magic.”
Eventide's body trembled, and with a choked cry, she let loose with the last bit of magic she had, vanishing from sight and leaving Celestia standing alone. The Sun Princess seemed to agonize for a moment before turning away and chasing after Sombra instead, unwilling to let him get away with anything more.
When Eventide appeared again, it was miles away. Far away from Canterlot, far from the Crystal Empire Sombra had sealed away, and far far away from any other pony. She'd lost everything now. Her kingdom, her subjects...even her body hadn't been spared. Exhausted, the princess collapsed, quiet sobs filling the frozen clearing that once teemed with life.
The sound of a hoof in the snow made her head jerk up. Moments later, a voice called out to her. “Princess Eventide!”
She knew that voice. The thought of being seen in this state terrified her, but she didn't have the strength to run.
“Radiant...” she called out as a stallion entered the clearing. “How?”
The stallion didn't hesitate to rush to her side, even as he took in her appearance. “I've always made it my duty to learn of your hideaways. I am supposed to be your guard.”
Eventide swallowed. “I'm sorry I left without you. Somepony had to draw Sombra's attention so the convoy could flee.”
“They're safe, thanks to you,” insisted Radiant, moving closer. “And Sombra has been sealed. Your sacrifice wasn't in vain.”
Eventide shook her head. “Most didn't make it out. And now...” She choked slightly as she looked down at her body.
Radiant closed the distance between them, kneeling down and pulling her into an embrace. “Princess, I know the opinion of a lowly guard doesn't matter much to you, but I don't care how you look. You will always be that kind and noble princess who was willing to take a chance on a young, arrogant stallion and set him on the right path.”
The stallion's body began to glow softly with a warm light. Slowly, the scars on her body began to heal, the dark magic that had so twisted her form fading as it failed to hold back the potent and powerful love Radiant was giving her. Soon, she was returning his embrace, her own body glowing as she absorbed his love. When she finally pulled away, her body had changed once more.
Her coat, which had been covered in burns, had hardened into a shell, though the black shiny color remained. The holes in her legs from where Sombra had struck with some of his more potent spells remained too, but the wounds were closed and the holes themselves didn't impede her ability to walk. Perhaps the only thing still recognizable about her was the purple and gold mane that had miraculously regrown.
“We should go to Canterlot, let your sisters know you're alright,” insisted Radiant.
Eventide hesitated before firmly shaking her head. “No, I can't. Not...not like this. I failed my people and I failed my sisters. I can't face them. My subjects deserve better than me.”
“Then I'll stay with you,” insisted Radiant. “Anywhere you desire. You might need me to keep Sombra's dark magic at bay. When you're ready to come back from exile, we can do it together.”
“But...I couldn't-”
Radiant silenced her with a warm kiss, not letting her finish. “Then don't. Just...please, let me be a part of your life.”
The transformed princess sniffed, wiping a hoof across her eyes, pausing briefly to examine the holes there. “You always were the most stubborn of my guards,” she murmured. “Radiant...I would be grateful for your company...for as long as you can stand me.”
“From now until forever then,” assured Radiant, leaning in for another kiss.
---
My hooves stomped politely on the ground with the rest of the crowd as the curtain closed, a long sigh escaping my lips now that the applause could drown it out. It did not, however, prevent Chrysalis from catching my emotional relief.
“I feel you didn't enjoy yourself quite as much as the rest of the audience.”
“Don't let it get to you, Chryssy. Twilight was always going to be your harshest critic,” came Rainbow's voice a moment behind hers.
“Hey, I didn't hate it!” I protested.
“High praise, coming from you.”
“Can we at least all agree that it was better than that idiotic Clever Twist production?” said Rainbow aloud as the noise of the crowd died down and the cast came out for their curtain call.
I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes. “I'd swallow a long lost sister of Celestia any day of the week over what that pony has tried to feed us.”
“Technically, she was an adopted sister,” corrected Chrysalis. “Much in the same way Cadance was welcomed into the royal family.”
My eyes turned towards the balcony where Cadance and Shining sat. The former had a wide smile on her face, even though her clapping was more subdued and refined. In the balcony next to them, Celestia and Luna were in attendance. It was the first of, hopefully, many visits they would make to this budding theater.
“Cadance seemed to enjoy it,” observed Rainbow.
“Cadance can enjoy anything with a romance plot,” I grumbled.
“Geeze, Twi, was it really that bad?”
I sighed. “Well...no. I mean, the set design, costumes, and acting were all fantastic...”
“But?” pressed Chrysalis.
I caved, finally spilling what was on my mind. “Don't you feel that the idea of your race being born from a cursed alicorn is a bit disingenuous? Sombra did some pretty twisted things, but there's no way he could create something as intricate and complex like you on purpose, let alone on accident.”
The Changeling Queen gave me a warm look that made my muzzle redden slightly. “Ahh, it fills me with warm and fuzzy emotions to see you get offended on my behalf.”
My blush was probably visible from the opposite booth right now. The hoof-stamps and claps picked up again as the changelings on stage dropped their disguises and bowed, giving me a moment to compose myself. “I just want you to be accepted for who you are. Not because they think you're cursed ponies or something silly like that.”
Chrysalis smiled, wrapping a forehoof around my side and pulling me close for a hug. “I'm sure they'll be happy to receive your feedback.”
Rainbow quickly pressed against my other side. “But go easy on them, kay? These changelings are my best chance of seeing a good Daring Do play in my lifetime.”
“It baffles me that you can still find those adventurers entertaining considering all you've been through,” mused Chrysalis. “I doubt any of Daring Do's villains could withstand a Sonic Rainboom.”
Rainbow preened at the compliment, but quickly came to her hero's defense. “It's not just about the action. There's mystery and intrigue, too!”
“Not a fan of the romance?”
“She has a new stallion every other book. Kinda hard to get invested in any of them.”
The theater was starting to empty. Celestia and the royal delegation had already slipped out. Tomorrow was going to be another long day of talks and deals, however, so we were bound to see plenty of each other. Still, it was a good sign of progress that this particular talk was the first ever to be held within the Changeling Kingdom.
While I may have had my gripes about the play, the work they'd done with the once abandoned Diamond Dog mine was nothing short of phenomenal. Once long ago, I'd read tales about Earth Ponies who lived their entire lives underground and crafted rock and metal as intricately as Rarity wove her fabric. While these particular Earth Ponies were a distant legend, the changeling's work seemed to mirror them, turning a once crude and dangerous mine into an elegant, spacious town, easily accessible to ponies and changelings alike.
Securing a steady source of love had proven to be a bit trickier, but this newly built amphitheater was another step in solving that problem. With secrecy no longer at the forefront of the changeling race's needs, many of the workers and infiltrators had a lot more free time and a whole new world now open to them. Drawing, painting, writing, cooking, music...all of the things deemed too frivolous to engage in before were now available, though acting and theater in particular seemed to come more naturally to them above all else. Praise for their work and talent turned into love for the changelings, and that in turn laid the foundation for what might one day become a city dedicated to the arts.
Perhaps that goal was a ways off yet, but Chrysalis' kingdom was growing steadily as more and more changelings came out of the woodwork, willing to give her experiment a chance.
Many queens remained hidden, however. Some were elusive and paranoid, others were hostile. Celestia and Chrysalis were no doubt going to have to meet several times in the future to discuss how best to deal with the more stubborn ones, but it was unlikely any of them would pose the same threat Aurum had, and for every one that declared themselves an enemy, at least two were grateful that the elders were no more.
“Queen Chrysalis,” came a voice from behind, drawing me from my thoughts. “Please pardon the interruption, but-”
“A-hem,” interrupted Chrysalis with a fake cough. “What did you address me as?”
The royal guard hesitated before correcting himself. “My apologies, Princess Chrysalis. Princess Celestia has requested the morning meeting be moved a couple hours forward. She has said she wishes to tour the city and see the progress that has been made.”
Princess Chrysalis grinned. “I find that acceptable. I will see her for lunch, then.”
With a bow, the royal guard hurried from the booth.
“Gotta admit, still sounds a little strange calling you a princess,” said Rainbow.
“A page from Celestia's playbook,” replied Chrysalis. “Queen or King implies absolute authority. So does Elder in our case. If we are to make inroads to the other hives, it's best they don't see me as such a ruler.”
“You're starting to sound like her, too.”
“Oh, well that's part of my plan to transfer Twilight's affection for Celestia to me.” With a playful look in my direction, Chrysalis' mane shimmered slightly, taking on a multi-colored hue.
I managed to keep the blush off my face and fired back. “Sorry princess, it's just not the same unless you can get it to wave back and forth with an Astral Wind spell.”
Chrysalis' smile widened, and suddenly her mane began to wave ever so slightly in an unseen wind.
“Wha...how?”
“Celestia taught me. Mentioned it might be useful in seducing you.”
“Pfft. It’s not the waves that gets her, its the rainbow color,” Rainbow said.
My mouth opened and closed a couple times before I regained my senses and picked up on the small discrepancy in her magic. My horn glowed and dispelled the illusion while Rainbow and Chrysalis stifled a few giggles.
“So what should we do in the meantime, now that we've got another two hours?” I asked.
“Sleep in,” voted Rainbow.
“I could think of a few activities more enjoyable than sleep,” suggested Chrysalis.
I'd almost been expecting an answer like that, but this time I had a verbal parry ready. “And what if I said yes to your 'activities'?” I challenged. “Are you actually prepared? Got a list ready?”
“As a matter of fact, Rarity just put her finishing touches on the princess' suite today. Complete with a Celestia-sized bed. More than enough to fit all of us.”
A retort was on my lips, but I paused. There were plenty of reasons to deflect her flirtations. Tomorrow was looking to be quite busy. More experiments with the changeling hive, establishing Rarity's new clothing shop, negotiations with the recently arrived envoys, and there was that spell Celestia had given me right before the play that was piquing my curiosity...and yet all of that future work only made Chrysalis' offer more appealing.
“You know...that sounds nice,” I said softly. The changeling princess' expression didn't change, but I could sense her surprise. “I mean...if you really feel up for it,” I added quickly.
Chrysalis chuckled, bringing her head down for a gentle nuzzle against my neck. “I'm not that much of a tease, Twilight. I'm always prepared to follow through with my flirting.” Her lips gently touched against mine in a chaste, affectionate kiss that lasted only briefly before she turned away and looked to Rainbow. “And what about you? Are you willing to put off our morning flight to enjoy an evening workout?”
Rainbow grinned, wrapping a foreleg around her neck and pulling close to her ear. “Only if we're all exhausted and sweaty by the end of it.”
---
“Don't tell me you're actually feeling nervous.” Rainbow's accusation came as the three of them were making their way from the theater to the royal lodgings still partially in development.
“Nervous? Not even,” replied Chrysalis, the two of them lagging a bit behind Twilight as they held their mental conversation. “I'm just reminding myself that this is Twilight's first time. She's probably not prepared for everything a changeling can...offer.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, she barely batted an eye at Cadance's reference materials. What could possibly be more lewd than that?”
Chrysalis responded with a series of mental images.
“Oh...wow. Okay, yeah. She might not be ready for that. Seriously though, just be yourself tonight. I'm pretty sure she didn't have that kind of stuff in mind when she fell for us.”
“Feels like we fell a bit harder,” teased Chrysalis. “But I'll follow your advice. For tonight, at least.
A faint buzzing sound began to ring in her ears. With a small chuckle, Rainbow dropped her defenses and let Twilight into the link.
“I can feel you two thinking behind my back,” she accused.
“We were simply reflecting on how fortunate it was that I managed to ensnare such a beautiful and talented pair of ponies,” said Chrysalis without missing a beat.
Despite her overly flattering words, the compliment still made Twilight blush. “Well...I wouldn't call it fortunate. You just kept making the best out of bad situations until things fell into place.”
“Yeah, you definitely made the most of it,” agreed Rainbow. “Commander Hurricane once said that it's an ill wind that blows nopony good.”
“So would that make Aurum the ill wind then?” asked Chrysalis. “She felt more like a tornado. Wild, unpredictable, and catastrophically damaging to everything in its path.”
“Maybe,” agreed Twilight, turning and facing her two lovers. “But it blew you two in my direction, and I'm grateful for that.” And although it was a bit awkward, the unicorn stepped close and hugged them both, pulling Rainbow out of the air and Chrysalis down to her level.
Her embrace was quickly returned twofold, and for a moment the three simply enjoyed each others company. Chrysalis finally broke the silence. “I'm going to be as big as Celestia soon if you two keep spoiling me like this.”
“All the easier for you to steal my affection away,” teased Twilight. “And if you can do half of the things you just showed Dash, then you're going to need the energy.”
Rainbow pulled away, eyes wide. “Wait, you saw that?”
Twilight simply giggled and turned away, flicking her tail at the two of them as she continued on towards the princess' suite.
Chrysalis simply grinned. “Dash, I do believe I feel a fair wind blowing our way.”
---
Canterlot Castle: Some Months Later…
“How long are you going to continue this farce?”
“As long as it takes for you to start believing me.”
“You're wasting your time then.” Determinedly, Aurum distracted herself with looking over the room even as she felt Celestia's gaze on the back of her neck. There was plenty to look at. Nice curtains framing a pleasant view, full bookshelves with all manner of titles on them, lovingly crafted paintings and photographs spaced out along the walls...but none of those things could keep her attention for long.
“Am I? A few months ago you wouldn't even talk to me. I feel like we've already come a long way,” said Celestia calmly as she settled herself beside Aurum's bed.
Slowly, limbs complaining and protesting the entire way, Aurum turned towards Celestia, fixing her with her best glare. “Leave me.”
Celestia shook her head. “I will not. Not until you are properly fed.” It was a conversation they'd had dozens of times already, yet Celestia never seemed to tire of going through the motions. “And I will either stay here until your body's instinctive desire to feed overwhelms your will, or you simply take what I am offering you.”
Silence followed as it always did, Aurum looking away and closing herself off to the warmth and love radiating from the princess beside her, and just like before, Celestia waited, staring at her and waiting for her to react. It was a 'battle' that had been going on for months...
...and today, Aurum blinked.
“Fine! If it will get you to leave faster!” Aurum's mouth opened and her eyes closed, the changeling elder feeding on the ambient love in the room, her body growing more relaxed and stronger with each passing second. It was tempting to take all of it. Perhaps it would be enough to finally get her body to move properly, but Aurum forced herself to stop once the ache was gone. “There. Now leave me.”
“I will be back tomorrow,” assured Celestia, turning and making her way out of Aurum's room.
“Why am I still alive?”
The question made Celestia pause, but the answer was already on her lips. “Because I am doing all I can to take care of you.”
“You know what I mean,” snapped Aurum, forcing herself to turn towards her.
“Because I feel your pain. Because I know you better than anyone else, pony or changeling. Because I have been trying for decades to make up for the mistakes of my past, and no one knows those mistakes better than you.”
Aurum stared. If she'd had the strength, she might have recoiled on the bed. “How?”
“You made the connection. I just made sure Chrysalis didn't completely sever it,” said Celestia aloud. “And no, I'm not going to leave you alone. Not until I'm certain you won't starve yourself. If you don't want me in your head...well, I suppose you'll just have to get strong enough to break the link.”
The pleasant, easy smile was back on her face now, and Aurum could do nothing but glare. “If you think this is going to change anything-”
“I do,” interrupted Celestia calmly. “Not today, but perhaps one day you'll finally be able to trust what you can see in my mind. Do have a good rest, Aurum. I will see you tomorrow.”
With a flash, Celestia was gone, leaving Aurum to herself and the lingering connection in the back of her mind. Now that it was there, she couldn't ignore it and she lacked the strength to block it out. And yet...it was almost as though she were inviting her to look at her thoughts. She must have known Aurum didn't have the strength to hurt her or control her...she very likely had the strength to fight her off if she tried.
But what else was there to do in this place? Slowly, Aurum opened her mouth, drawing in the ambient love Celestia had left in the room, feeling life come back to her limbs as she began to probe at the connection.
Miles away, Celestia smiled.