The few individuals who knew Queen Chrysalis even a little bit knew that soulmates were a topic one didn't bring up around her if they valued not having broken bones. Her soulmates' words had appeared on her neck some three thousand years ago, and it only took a hundred years or two before she realized her soulmate was in all likelihood dead. It had been a sore topic ever since that realization, so much so that when she spotted a pair of soulmates having fun together she'd usually walk in another direction. It wasn't fleeing, she told herself, them being all mushy just makes me sick.
In retrospect it was kind of obvious from the words printed on her carapace that, just like herself, her soulmate may very well have been immortal.
I've waited so long for this moment.
In fact it wasn't just kind of obvious it was blatantly spelled out for her. Of course, if she'd known this earlier she likely never would have met her soulmate in the first place.
It had to be her, because of course it did. Princess Celestia, avatar of the sun, and someone she'd... she'd hurt. Chrysalis had done the one thing that you never ever do. Even back when she was born in less... civilized times, it was common knowledge.
You never turn your magic on your soulmate.
She'd done that at the wedding, took down Celestia in front of dozens of witnesses. What kind of monster hurts their own soulmate?
The clack of Celestia's hooves on the stone floor as she took a step forwards brought Chrysalis out of her thoughts, and it took everything she had to look away from her soulmate instead of flinch backwards. If her soulmate desired to yell at her she would hold her ground. No one could ever say that Queen Chrysalis was a coward.
That resolve lasted all of about twenty seconds, so about how long it took Celestia to take another step in her direction. The sound of the second step made Chrysalis flinch back violently, being unable to repress the urge this time. Another step followed shortly after that, and another after that. Chrysalis tried to put more distance between them but she could only move backwards so far before she found herself backed into a wall.
It didn't take more than a few more seconds for Celestia to close that distance, and Chrysalis ducked her head in anticipation of... well she wasn't sure what would happen but she very much suspected that she wasn't going to like it.
Celestia didn't yell or strike her or do any of the things Chrysalis had been preparing for, however. Instead, Celestia pulled Chrysalis towards her chest and wrapped her up in soft wings. Chrysalis instinctively attempted to break free, not used to being touched in such a way, but Celestia tightened her hold before she could get anywhere.
"Shhh... It's okay. Just let it out. It's okay." Celestia whispered in her ear.
"I-" Chrysalis was cut off almost immediately.
"It's okay. You didn't know."
"But-"
"No. You couldn't have known. Okay?" Chrysalis shuddered and drew in a deep breath, but eventually submitted to her mate's wishes.
"Okay."
~~~
Celestia couldn't tell anypony how wonderful it felt to finally gaze upon her soulmate. She'd been waiting for as long as she'd known what soulmates were and here they stood in front of her. At first she'd thought It was a bit of a mystery why the words on her body were not the words Chrysalis had first said in her presence, but it had been a matter of a moment to remember that the words of your soulmate were not the first words they said that you heard, but instead were the first words they said to you. It was for this reason that Celestia had made it a point to talk to everypony she met at least once for her entire life.
Celestia, how kind of you to join us.
She'd treasured those words for as long as she'd lived, and to finally hear them from the lips of another was simply divine.
She was so overjoyed that she had to forcefully press her eyes close upon feeling the well of emotions coming from her other half to prevent the shock from showing on her face. The soul bond was a curious thing, allowing both bonded to feel the emotions of their mates so long as the emotion was especially powerful.
It didn't take long for Celestia to figure out why her mate was so upset. It was a well known but unwritten rule that you never harm your soulmate, and Chrysalis' first interaction with her had been knocking her unconscious and trying to take over her nation. She would have to nip these feelings in the bud before they became problematic as she refused to allow her mate to be so upset over something like that. Celestia had waited for almost three thousand years for her soulmate to show themselves, and there wasn't a chance in Tartarus that now that they'd appeared before her she would allow them to be unhappy.
A smile graced her lips as she rested her chin on Chrysalis' neck and breathed in her scent. It had taken surprisingly little time to calm her mate down, just wrapping the changeling up in her embrace and being a little forceful had done the job.
It was only now that Chrysalis seemed content that Celestia chanced a glance towards the rest of the room, and she found herself pleasantly surprised to see that everypony had left. Good, it was nice to see that her little ponies knew when she required a moment of privacy.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah..."
~~~
That moment, much as Celestia wished it had been, was not the end of Chrysalis being upset over what she had done. It had taken several months and their wedding for Chrysalis to accept that Celestia didn't care about what had happened and only cared about making her happy.
That wasn't the last of their problems either. Chrysalis had somehow gotten it into her head that she wasn't pretty enough for Celestia, and it wasn't until they'd come back from their honeymoon, during which she had to be constantly reassured "Just because you aren't conventionally pretty by pony standards does not mean I don't find you attractive.", that Chrysalis accepted Celestia really did like the way she looked and wasn't just trying to make her feel better. Not to mention Chrysalis' territorial phase. No seriously, she didn't want to mention it.
After that mess however, things had gone quite swell. A few months passed until Chrysalis' nervousness and uncertainty disappeared for good, and when they did Chrysalis became willing to leave Celestia's room in her normal form. She also became a bit clingy.
That was an understatement. Chrysalis, having nothing better to do and no responsibilities, wanted to go everywhere her soulmate did, and that included spending time with her during Day Court just like she was doing right now. She insisted on spending those hours cuddling up with Celestia on her throne and catching up on the sleep she was being forced to miss since Celestia always got up so early. She refused to take no for an answer of course.
Celestia had eventually been forced to commission a larger throne so that Chrysalis could cuddle up in her original form, not that she was complaining. It was about time for her to take a break though, which meant they'd need to postpone any further cuddling until later.
"It's time to wake up my little soulmate. I'm taking a break and I'd like to get some food." Celestia nuzzled her queen softly.
Chrysalis took a moment to grumble about not wanting to before accepting her fate and looking up at Celestia with a small grin. "I'd like to soulmate with you."
Celestia repressed a snort but her eyes still shone with amusement. "Maybe later."