Errant Finale

by Doug Graves


50 The Queen

March 1st, 1001 Domina Solaria

Queen Chrysalis, High Ruler of the Changelings and Conqueror of Equestria, rises from bed on the morning of her wedding to (soon to be) Prince Shining Armor feeling particularly elated. The Princess of Love’s monstrous four poster bed, bedecked in some pink, fluffy material that feels wonderful against her stolen form and even better against her chitin. She writhes in pleasure against the fluffy pillows, the silk sheets, opening her eyes to the radiant dawn streaming through her curtained window.

This day is going to be perfect!

She’s still a little woozy from the love pouring freely from everypony yesterday, the celebration in the streets lasting well into the night. Queen Chrysalis staggers to her hooves to gaze out over her subjects. Her muzzle twists to a wide grin at this fulfillment of a dream she’s had ever since she was small. It has been honed over the years, especially due to that meddling tyrant interfering with her plans, but no more!

Far below, the guards - decked in their finest ceremonial armor - usher more and more ponies past giant displays of cake and assorted party games into the waiting jaws of the castle. The only pony she expected to see but is unable to make the wedding is Prince Blueblood. All of the other movers and shakers of Canterlot, the elite guards, even the Wonderbolts - all would be gathering around, stuck admiring her (she hates to admit) beautiful wedding gown, completely unable to resist the invasion until it is too late.

Princess Luna is the only wild card, but her guards have assured her that, with the advent of her growing foal, she slept soundly through yesterday’s festivities. How very… fortuitous. Twilight and Celestia have pledged not to interfere, and it’s almost worrying how smoothly her plan has gone off. Or, she’s just that good.

With a wide smirk on her face she strides to her closet, throwing open the ornate doors. There, displayed in all its glory, is her wedding dress. Three lines of swirling gold ring around her body and along the train, matching her gilded shoes. Her purple peytral matches her bobbing curls, a miniature crystal heart inset at the center. It slips on easily enough, quickly followed by a band of flowers atop her head. It’s no golden crown, but that will come in due time.

She can’t help but dance with the bare ponnequin, the dull, featureless face a perfect replica of Shining Armor’s. Soon enough and she’ll have the real one to consume - or at least his love of ‘her’. She’s looking forward to the consummation as well, but not for her own pleasure. No, the thought of seeing the real Cadance’s face as she takes everything the alicorn ever wanted!

Her horn flares, checking the integrity of the wards around Cadance. Still no breaks, and the alicorn is glumly staring at the wedding invitation she gave her. It was the least she could do, given how cooperative the Princess has been. Her stoic aura of grudging compliance always disappeared whenever she mentioned the possibilities with her beloved Shiny. Seeing anger and resentment guised under hope and optimism really is the best, isn’t it?

But she can’t stay here luxuriating with those thoughts forever; not when there’s a wedding to get to! She flips herself an ebullient smile in the mirror, though she can’t keep it from becoming a wicked cackle. No matter, nopony will suspect anything; or if they do, it will be too late.

She prances down the decorated hallways, Pinkie Pie’s hoofwork practically leaping from every wall and sconce to assault her senses. She delicately steps over a few tripwires the mare installed, shaking her head at the thought of messing up her grand entrance with balloons and confetti.

The huge double doors to the ballroom close as she gets close, the tail of some noblepony or another disappearing inside. The five bridesmares and best mare are standing in their elegant dresses, politely greeting another approaching guest, and it looks to be one of the last. Rarity and Twilight note Chrysalis’ entrance, briefly giving soft smiles. Three flowerfillies leap and tumble around Doug on the opposite side; he opens the door to let the mare in, and Chrysalis catches a glimpse of the inside.

Bedecked in fine, flowing cloth from every wall and ceiling, the room positively glows. Flowers hang from every column, candles from the golden chandelier and candelabras, and the wide open windows offer a spectacular view of the city. A view, she slyly notes to herself, that might not be as good as they hoped.

Crammed inside are nearly four hundred ponies, including the band and, at the raised area on the other end, Princess Celestia. The alicorn officiating stands next to an arch of green and pink, projecting an aura of joy. Chrysalis can’t help but lick her lips at the thought of devouring that joy, and standing next to the alicorn might even offer her the opportunity.

Only for a white unicorn to squeal something as Shining Armor and a pack of stallions comes around the opposite corner. Her compatriot, the chromatic maned pegasus, rudely gets in Chrysalis’ face, babbling something about how the bride isn’t supposed to see the groom before the wedding. Chrysalis rolls her eyes but complies, turning around and taking a few steps.

“Hey, Doug!” Shining Armor says in that naive optimism he always has as his groomstallions make their way inside. “I was thinking, with the whole security concerns, I could protect Canterlot like we did the Crystal Empire! It took a little bit, but I think I got it working!” His horn flares, starting to build an absurd amount of power.

Chrysalis freezes, Rainbow Dash pushing uselessly at her back. What? There’s no way! That could singlehoofedly stop the invasion, if he makes the shield that stopped King Sombra! Or at the very least delay her attack long enough for him to sound the alarm!

Shining Armor releases his shield, a pink bubble expanding outwards from him. It passes through everypony and everything, stretching further and further away, all the way to the bottom of the Canterhorn. At first, Chrysalis stares at her hooves, fearing a return of the sparkling nonsense, only to gasp as the shield sets off every alarm she has. The feedback sends her reeling, her vision hazy and world spinning, the rainbow pegasus next to her asking her something.

At the same time, Twilight Sparkle’s horn lights, passing a glowing piece of paper to Spike. The dragon ignites it, and not a second later Twilight disappears in the blink of an eye. A split second later and she reappears, whistling nonchalantly as Rarity and Fluttershy burst into motion. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Chrysalis as she recovers, pushing away the pegasus, but she’s more focused on Shining Armor.

“Pretty cool, huh? I can even change it so that it’s permeable to basically everything, or stops everything larger than a bit, or even completely impenetrable!” With the last one the entire city goes black, light itself stopped from piercing through. Just as quickly the light comes back, Shining Armor giving a sheepish grin. “Oops. Guess I might need to think about that one a little, huh?”

“I’d say,” Doug says with a smirk, opening the doors to let Shining Armor, Spike, and seven mares inside. “Now hurry up, let’s get this started!”

Heads turn to watch as Fluttershy peels off to her bird choir, an oddly familiar pink unicorn to the front row, and the five bridesmares line up on the left side. Spike takes his place next to Celestia, holding onto a pillow with three rings, a smile plastered on his face.

“Great,” Chrysalis remarks to Doug as they wait for the slow procession to finish. “I never took Shiny to be such a showoff.”

“Well,” Doug says, fumbling a bit for the words, “he can be a little in love with himself.”

Chrysalis smirks, nodding along, waiting impatiently for everypony to take their places.

The hall goes quiet as they watch the pink alicorn walk up to Doug. Playing the part of her sire giving away the bride, he offers an elbow. She rolls her eyes; they went over this! She doesn’t need somepony to give her away! But it was expected of her, ugh. Instead, she follows the frolicking flower fillies, Doug walking alongside her, as the band plays their welcoming march.

All eyes on her, and Chrysalis’ horn briefly flares. On the outside of every window rolls down a beautifully rendered portrait of Canterlot, as seen from inside. The thick canvas blocks a good portion of the light, the room dimming slightly, but the many candles she insisted upon having are a fine substitute.

The human walks to the side, out of the way, giving her an acknowledging nod. Phase one, complete. Now, for the invasion. She grimly forces a smile to her face at seeing Shining Armor’s beaming face, his horn lit a steady pink. She’ll need to find some way to convince him to bring it down! Or weaken him, but with so many witnesses…

Nevertheless, Queen Chrysalis strides forward to the cheer and adoration of everypony in the room, even Celestia and Twilight smiling fondly, though their eyes aren’t quite on her. It takes some time for the crowd to quiet down, but eventually they do. Princess Celestia clears her throat, eyes travelling over everypony in the room. She starts in a practiced, flowing speech, her voice stately yet full of passion, able to be clearly heard in every corner of the room.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts; Dearest Friends and Family; we are gathered here to witness and celebrate the union of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza-” her tone loses the stateliness, becoming almost conversational “- or, as you probably know her, Princess Cadance. Or, to many of you, just Cadance.” She smiles, though again Chrysalis has the suspicion she is smiling past her. She adds, almost as an afterthought, “And Prince Consort Shining Armor.”

Celestia pauses, allowing the crowd to briefly cheer, hooves stomping against the ground. Her head turns slightly, and this time Chrysalis is sure the alicorn is looking her in the eyes. “Today, when you join each other in marriage, you will find a vast array of futures ahead of you. The possibilities - not just before you but inside of you - are endless. It will fall upon your withers to choose your values, to make real your dreams.”

Her gaze shifts to the crowd, then back to Shining Armor. “Through your commitment to each other, may you grow and nurture a love that makes each of you better ponies. A love that continues, that gives you great joy, and a passion for living that provides you not just with energy-” her eyes flick to Chrysalis “-but with patience and hope to face the responsibilities ahead.”

Chrysalis perks up at a familiar section. She turns to face Shining Armor, the stallion doing the same.

“Do you, Shining Armor, take Princess Cadance to be your lawfully wedded mare, for better or for worse, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, until death do you part?”

Shining Armor, beaming with pride, stands straighter than he ever did as a guard, though his eyes flick to the left. He practically belts out, “I do.”

Princess Celestia smiles, turning to face Chrysalis, though she can only see out of the corner of her eye. “And do you, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza; Cadance; take Shining Armor to be your lawfully wedded stallion, for better or for worse, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, until death do you part?”

All eyes are on Queen Chrysalis as she pauses, taking in a deep breath, ready to answer as a tone buzzes in her ear. Moonbutt is out, repeat, Moonbutt is out.

What? Chrysalis exclaims to herself, trying and failing to see anything out the windows.

“I do!” helpfully belts out a mare in the front row, the entire crowd laughing at the thought that the Princess of Love would be so tongue tied as to forget her response.

Queen Chrysalis scowls, glaring at the pink unicorn in the front row. She’s wearing an awfully concealing dress, smiling broadly, likely completely unaware of the consequences of such an act.

Princess Celestia clears her throat, the crowd quieting down. “Let’s try that again, shall we?” She turns again to Shining Armor. “Do you, Prince Consort Shining Armor, take this mare-” she indicates Chrysalis with a hoof “-to be your lawfully wedded mare, for better or for worse, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, until death do you part?”

Prince Shining Armor takes a deep breath, looking Chrysalis directly in the eyes. “I do,” he states, his voice full of steel.

Princess Celestia nods gravely. “And do you, Queen Chrysalis, take Prince Consort Shining Armor to be your lawfully wedded stallion, for better or for worse, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, until death do you part?”

Queen Chrysalis, determined not to flub her line this time, nods. She levitates Shining Armor's thick band, slipping it around his horn as he does the same to her. “I do,” she says, tasting victory as they seal their vows with a kiss.