There were a scarce few times where Cadance was grateful for her magic. Usually it was in defense of her family or her empire. Sometimes, like now, it was simple things that elicited that feeling. With a hoof as unsteady as hers, pouring this tea would’ve been a nightmare. Deep breaths, Cadance. Shining and Sunburst and Flurry are fine. Your family is fine. Your friends are fine.
She doesn’t drink green tea anymore. Before her coronation—during their engagement—she loved a particular blend of jasmine. Nowadays it tasted like ash and bitter, hate-soaked dirt. No green in her tapestries. Stay away from dark colors. No quick movements. Strict schedules even by guard standards. She knew the rumors. Who does she think she is, Celestia? If only she could be so lucky.
“Princess Cadance?”
She turned to face her aide, Purple Prose. She was an adept scholar and trustworthy confidant. She also had a very distinct gait that made her easy to spot by hoofstep alone. “Purple, dear. I must’ve gotten sidetracked. Are the Guard waiting?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
Cadance winced. She didn’t like honorifics when she could avoid them. “You can call me Cadance, you know. Still, thank you. Please let them know I’ll be out there soon.”
Purple hesitated for a moment, a single hoof placed on the entryway as if weighing her words. The more discerning part of her seemed to win as she turned away. “Of course... Cadance.”
“ATTEN-TION!”
The guard snapped into place. It still surprised her to see them animate like that even after all these years. It was funny, Shining still jumped to a salute if you caught him off guard. She let herself smile for a moment. She scoured the familiar faces to either side of her. She was looking for any imperfections, any incomplete magic, any little tell that would give her an edge on her enemy. This one. She would question her.
“Your name.”
The guardspony looked straight ahead. No broken concentration, no eye contact. “Night Watch, your Majesty.”
Cadance could feel the capital M roll around in her skull. “Mmmm. Tell me how you’re feeling today, Night Watch.”
“You tell me, your Majesty.” There was a slight curl of her lip there, just enough to indicate she had been born with a sense of humor. Good.
The common response. Her staff knew she possessed empathic abilities. She made no attempt to hide it just as she made no attempt hiding why inspections like this were done so regularly. She kept secrets, certainly. Celestia taught her that all good matriarchs must keep secrets at times but this was one secret she was willing to divulge. “Thank you, Night Watch. At ease, ponies.”
Her days usually passed by with little to mention. It was her nights where fear gripped her chest and threatened to tear her apart at the seams. With Shining around she could fight off the night terrors consistently enough as a warm body and comforting smell did wonders. He was gone right now however. He and Sunburst were off at a summit with Starlight and Flurry was with her sister-in-law.
So she got up to wander the castle halls. It was a compulsion that did good things for her anxiety on nights like this. She wasn’t expecting to find a guard pony so close to her chambers however. It wasn’t unusual to find them in the halls, clearing rooms as part of their duties but here? And so quietly? And it was that familiar face from earlier today?
She saw Night nearly jump out of her armor as the door opened. Clearly she wasn’t expecting to find a princess on the other side. “Night Watch. Are you lost?”
“No, no your Majesty. Just inspecting your door for any signs of tampering. Seems clear on this side!” The sheepish smile she offered seemed honest enough in the low light of the dark hallway.
“Do you have reasonable suspicion that would lead you to check the door to my private chambers at this hour at night?”
“Not... Not really, no. I just noticed you seemed on edge today and I wanted to help somehow. That’s my fault your Majesty and I apologize.” Night Watch bowed low and made her exit with haste. Cadence fixed her gaze on the mare, only tearing her eyes off her once she had disappeared from sight completely.
She retreated to her study, mind racing. Night Watch, Night Watch, Night Watch… Cadance poured over her records. If the application for the position of aide was stringent then to be her personal guard was winning the lottery. Physical fitness, mental fortitude, interviews with them and their family and their families family. Night Watch was middle of the road in terms of physical fitness but mentally? She was tough to break, much less bend.
There was a time when she could have trusted her. She trusted her staff across the board at one point. Now? Now she inspects them at random, tormenting ponies who could’ve been her friends with bizarre rules. Now a single phrase out of place could frame a subject as a suspect. Such was the life of a princess, she supposed.
Cadance slept poorly that night. That run in with Night Watch and the frantic hour of research that followed it was one thing but the nightmare? That was the icing on the rotten cake. It wasn’t common but it always seemed to come on the heels of a Changeling scare, as if Queen Chrysalis herself was using dreams to torment her. That was impossible of course. Luna had assured her after a lengthy investigation into her own fractured dreamworld that entry by anyone besides her would be unlikely.
Cadance didn’t believe in the impossible; that is to say she would put nothing past her enemies. If Chrysalis or Sombra could find a way into her dreams they would. She didn’t doubt for a second that they considered every avenue of attack, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to her destruction. She closed her eyes and gripped the pillow she held in her forehooves tight, threatening to squeeze the stuffing out.
Pitch black. She could see her hooves in front of her face but that was the extent of it. She heard something in the distance coming closer, a clack-clack-clack with an almost inaudible buzzing. She knew who was approaching before they came into frame, jutting out of the dark like an iceberg in deep water.
“Chrysalis.”
“Cadance.”
“I'd ask how you got here but I can't imagine that's information you'd be willing to tell.”
A smug smile danced its way across her enemies face for a moment. “Not at all.”
“Then… What are you doing here?”
“Watching.” There was that smile again, like there was something she knew that Cadance could never fathom. “Like always.”
The sun menaced Cadance through her blinds as she clung to the last drop of fitful sleep. She would have to write a strong letter to Celestia to see if she could tone it down just a touch—she didn’t really enjoy the sensation of being judged this early in the morning. She rolled her shoulders, trying to shake the stiffness out and failing. She would have to schedule a meeting with the castle chiropractor.
In the meanwhile, she did have at least one thing to look forward to: reading! Her agenda was light this morning so it afforded her some time to read. What she was most excited about was getting to crack into a few new arrivals from Twilight’s personal collection. The books she sent typically handled themes that weren’t oft-explored in popular Equestrian literature. Most were too dark for her at this time in her life but there was one subset she enjoyed quite a bit. Twilight called them “enemies to lovers” stories and they were exactly what Cadance needed to unwind.
Shining had called that particular type of daydream maladaptive, a word he no doubt picked up from his sister. So long as it didn’t cloud her judgement, what harm was there in believing that a pony who wanted to kill you one day could just as easily want to kiss you the next? While it was nice to see Twilights relative success rate with redeeming the villains of her life, Cadance had stronger feelings on the matter.
If there was one thing that Cadance had learned as princess it was that the enemies of the Crystal Empire were relentless. Relentless in a way that Twilight’s revolving door of two-bit villains couldn’t really compare to. She was sick of dealing with Changeling espionage and whatever harebrained scheme King Sombra had cooked up to do whatever it was he was trying to do. If she had to kill them to put an end to this she would. When the time came, she wouldn’t hesitate.
Sometimes death really seemed like the only solution.
Cadance eyed the guard on duty. It was Night Watch again. She must’ve traded shifts with another guard. That was… unusual. Being part of her private detail was widely considered unfavorable amongst her staff. She wasn’t typically unreasonable in her demands but she certainly tried to stay busy. She reached out with her magic and felt nothing. Night Watch was completely impassive. She thought she detected something there but it was far too faint to tell.
“Night Watch? Come here.”
“Oh. Of course, Your Highness.”
“Please, have a seat. Do you read much?”
Night Watch stood for a moment before settling down in the chair across from her. She was reserved in her body language as she considered the question at hoof. “Mostly just non-fiction really. My wife tries to get me to read her romance or mystery novels but I’m just not that interested.”
“Mmm. I imagine your wife and I would get along just fine. Call it cliche but I’m quite a fan of romance novels.” Night Watch didn’t let so much as a smirk cross her face. Tough crowd. “How long have you and her been together?”
“Twelve years this October.”
“Exciting! Shining and I’s four year anniversary is coming up in the next couple months. Have anything planned?” She set her book down for a moment. She loved talking love.
“Planned?” Night Watch scratched her chin, looking down the aisles aimlessly. “Not really, no. We’re laying low till our fifteenth anniversary. Don’t know what we’ve got planned for that either but I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
“Your fifteenth, eh? Better put in that time off request soon!” Cadance offered a wink and earned a chuckle back in reply. Good enough for her. She returned to her book. She had just arrived at a part in the story where the unicorn jewel-runner was sitting next to her would-be assassin in a tavern. They had clashed a few times before but the assassin was in disguise, holding a conversation through the help of a voice-changing spell. This kind of thing always set her heart racing.
“Princess?”
“Hmm?” Night Watch looked worried for a moment.
“Shouldn’t we be going?” She set the book down for a moment and squeezed her eyes shut as she flipped through her week. She pictured her schedule for today and scowled.
Right. Princessly duties. On Tuesdays she liked to make her rounds through the castle. Wednesdays were for litigation, Thursdays she went to market, Friday for formal visits… She had just gotten to the best part, too! “You’re probably right. I’ll catch up on my reading one of these days.”
Night Watch had performed… fine. Cadance suspected something was amiss but didn't quite know how to confirm her suspicions yet. For now, all she could do was remain calm and alert. Chrysalis would take any advantage she could get so best not hoof anything over if she could afford not to.
Maybe she was just being paranoid. Maybe Night Watch fancied her? She knew Night was interested in mares, but her files didn't suggest any sort of interest in extra-marital affairs, nor had she held polyamorous relationships in the past. Ponies change, she supposed. Regardless, fretting about this wasn't going to change anything. It was better to simply sleep and hope for some revelation tomorrow.
"You don't remember me, do you?" That was Chrysalis' voice again. As she spoke the inky darkness of her mind changed, a forest scene sweeping in around them.
"I remember everything you've tried to do to us. To my family; to Equestria." What was she getting at?
Chrysalis sighed heavily. The air was thick with feelings of loss and regret. Cadance could hardly stand it. "You… Of course you don't. Why would you? I didn't remember my past life and I doubt Twilight remembers any of hers."
"Past life? What are you talking about? Have you come to spout nonsense at me? Is that how you win your wars now?"
Chrysalis growled, an animalistic sound that reverberated through the air. She lunged forward and Cadance's heart leapt into her throat. She couldn't hurt her here, could she? "You will never understand."
The dinner with the Las Pegasus senators was going well so far. Mainland ponyfolk were usually more than happy to visit the Crystal Empire and she was more than happy to entertain them. It helped take her mind off her husband, quelling the paranoia she typically struggled with in his absence. She was still unsettled from her dream the night before, but being around other ponies helped. Night Watch seemed… distracted, however.
“Night Watch, aren’t you going to eat anything? Night Watch? Hello?” Night Watch was surprised at the sound of her voice. For one of her personal guards to be so out of it was frankly unacceptable but—given the security level here—she could let it slide. This time, at least.
“Hmm? Oh, yes, I’m fine. Just distracted is all.”
“Really? If there’s anything you need to tell me, I’m here.” She didn't look distracted so much as she did forlorn.
“Nothing I really need to tell you. It’s just…” Cadance reached out with her sixth sense. Night Watch seemed distraught at something. Was everything alright with her home life? “I miss her sometimes.”
Oh! Of course. “I… know how you feel. I hardly have any time to spend with Shining that isn’t something Princess related. Not to mention all the travelling he and I do. It’s hard for me to be away from him sometimes.”
Night Watch didn’t respond immediately. Her gaze was cast down, morosely considering her salad. The sorrow was coming off of her in waves now and it was all Cadance could do to keep her own mood steady. “I thought this was the right choice. It feels like it is most days; but sometimes I see something that reminds me of her and… it hurts.”
“It’s… It gets easier. I promise. A-and besides, your tour is about up here. Just one more month, right?” Cadance offered her guard a reassuring smile. She knew how much love could hurt.
That seemed to breathe some life into Night Watch who resumed munching thoughtfully on the platter of greens in front of her. “Yep. Just one more month.”
It had been a week since Night Watch first made herself a constant fixture in her life. Since then her thoughts had grown louder and louder, becoming almost too much to bear some days. She had even needed to stop by the apothecary in town for something to quell her anxiety. This usually meant sending Purple Prose into town in her stead. Not only was it quicker (Purple didn’t get stopped for autographs) but her aide also fancied the mare who worked the front counter.
So it was that she found herself in the throes of another sleepless night. Even if she could catch some fitful rest, her dreams had grown sour in her husband's absence. Before he left she never even dreamed of Chrysalis. Changelings, maybe, but of the Queen herself? Nothing. Now she was everywhere, lurking around every corner. She didn’t even menace her in her dreams the way her hoof soldiers did in her nightmares. They just… sat there, opposing each other in the realm of sleep. She wanted to reach out to Luna but didn’t want to open her up to whatever vile magic her enemy was employing. She would see this through herself.
Before that, however, she needed somepony to talk to. Just. Any friendly voice really. She knew just the right pony for the job; she was usually patrolling these halls at this time of night. Pushing the heavy oak door open she called out for Night Watch, voice drifting down the barren crystal halls. She heard a quiet reply come from several rooms down. It mystified Cadance that the guardspony had the energy to rise as early and stay up as late as she did. She trotted over to Night, who was almost finished with her rounds.
“Is something the matter Princess?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I was just wondering if you had time to talk.”
“About what? Have I done something wrong?”
Cadance couldn’t help but chuckle. “No, you’re doing fine. I’d just like to talk to somepony. I'm having some trouble falling asleep tonight. I’m sure you know how it is.” Night Watch nodded solemnly. “Let’s walk to the library.”
The walk to the library was completely silent. Night Watch really wasn’t the talkative type it would appear. Couldn’t the universe have sent a more charming admirer? Still, Night Watch wasn’t harsh on the eyes by any means. She kept her dusty purple coat well-groomed and Cadance could only imagine how soft and silken her mane would be if she had the opportunity to grow it out. She wondered if maybe her dress code was a little harsh—unfortunately, long hair was a liability in combat.
They settled down on a couch towards the back of the library, the only light in the room being provided by a nearby lamp she had lit with her magic. It was more than enough to read by, but it made Night’s face difficult to read. Cadance was reading her romance novel while Night Watch had just cracked open a non-fiction piece. Something about the history of the Crystal Empire.
“What do you know about Empress Crescendo?”
Night Watch was first to break the silence and it definitely wasn’t the question Cadance was expecting. “Not much, really. Nothing more than any other pony I suppose. She was the previous ruler of the Crystal Empire before me. She ruled a thousand years ago before being struck down by King Sombra. Why do you ask?”
“There’s some speculation that Queen Chrysalis was there as well. It’s hard to tell based on historical evidence but some scholars suggest that she and the Empress were close.”
Cadance couldn’t help but scoff. “Really? Chrysalis? I can’t imagine that love-sucking fiend growing close to anypony but herself in a mirror.” Why did this matter? Why was Night Watch bringing this up at all? “Any particular reason you’re telling me this? Don’t tell me you plan on defecting any time soon. Even if it is true, I doubt that wretch is going to change her colors after a thousand years of evil.”
From where Night Watch was sitting she seemed impassive, more interested in her book than the conversation at hoof. “I simply came across a passage here that I thought was interesting. It does seem more like conjecture than anything else but… who can say for certain what really happened?”
Night Watch’s outward indifference didn’t match the spike of tension that shot through the room after their exchange. The emotional maelstrom surrounding her was complex, far more complex than what a history book would suggest. Twilight could get like that sometimes if she was reading something that really challenged her, but this felt different. There was sorrow, deep and strong, but alongside it were coils of pure rage. Buried deep in that seething hatred was something harder to describe, something so unusual to her it took a good couple seconds to parse it. Was it… hope? Love against all odds?
Just as soon as Cadance got a bead on everything did the feeling stop. Just like that, as if somepony had shut a mental sluice. Just what the stars was her deal? “Night Watch, dear… Is everything okay?”
Night Watch shut her book and sighed, closing her eyes. She wordlessly pulled herself closer to Cadance and leaned against her. Cadance’s heart skipped a beat and she became painfully aware of just how touch-starved she was. Even if she wasn’t able to spend much quality time with Shining she could still wrap her forelegs around him or drape a wing over his back. Speaking of… It was almost automatic, the extension of her wing to wrap around the mare beside her. They sat like that for almost an hour, Night Watch resting quietly against her flank as she finished her novel.
She closed her eyes and smiled, imagining herself in that situation. There she was, being pinned to a wall by her mortal enemy. Their blades had been discarded in favor of hooves and magic, both of them bloodied and ragged from struggle. She was at her opponents mercy but instead of the touch of death she felt…
“It’s not too hard to believe.” What? Cadance’s eyes snapped open and focused on the sleeping form of Night Watch. Sleeptalking? “It’s… Mmm.” Okay. Just sleeptalking.
The rest of the week was uneventful, all things considered. No more night terrors, her paranoia was improving, Night Watch was acting friendlier… That worried her, actually. Cadance had friends. She had plenty of friends! Sunburst, Starlight, Luna, Twilight, Purple Prose… She knew love when she saw it and it was clear that Night Watch fancied her. Even worse, it was becoming clearer that Cadance felt the same.
Therein was the issue. Were they both single Cadance wouldn’t think twice about courting her. Her dry sense of humor took some getting used to and she shied away from physical contact in public. Were circumstances different, that was something she could work with but none of that mattered so long as they were both still married. She didn’t expect either of them to exit their marriages any time soon, although she was relatively certain that Shining would be willing to try out a more open relationship. She knew he had a little crush on Sunburst after all; that was part of the reason she suggested they go on the trip together. That and she didn’t want to sic Flurry Heart on him again if she could avoid it.
So they would continue to flirt idly, holding each other close in private. Night Watch was the first pony she had ever met who yearned as deeply as her, whose love burned as bright as hers. It was enchanting and she needed to know more. The time she had carved out for Sunday tea would be just the opportunity.
“You know, you don’t have to waste an hour of your time just to have tea with me. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but my job description already kind of requires I stay glued to your side.” Night Watch had protested far more earnestly earlier. Maybe she was afraid of falling in love just as much as Cadance was.
“Perhaps, but it’s so hard to speak honestly when I’m out and about. It’s nice to be able to sit down and just… talk. I hardly ever get to do that these days.”
“Really? You seem to be able to find the time to hold a conversation with every pony in the Crystal Empire some days.”
“Heh. Every pony in the Crystal Empire isn’t you.” Hearing herself say it out loud made a blush creep across her face. It was true! She had never met a mare like Night.
Night Watch sipped her tea thoughtfully. The smell of jasmine drifted through the air and Cadance savored it for a moment. “What’s so special about me?”
Cadance tapped her chin before taking a drink. She practically beamed as the taste of honey washed over her tongue. “That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out! All this time you’ve been a guard, so why choose now to try and get close? You’re not trying to woo me, are you?”
Night Watch chuckled good-naturedly. “You got me! I just had to wait for your husband to be out of town before I made my move, y’know?”
Cadance sighed wistfully. She looked for any drop of truth in those steely blue eyes or in the emotional signal she was giving off but… nothing. Maybe she really was getting her hopes up. Maybe she was reading too much into the situation. Maybe she was just lonely. “Do you mean that?”
Night Watch set her teacup down, a look of surprise writ across her muzzle. A bright blush followed soon after as she averted her gaze. “I… No? I figured we were just joking.”
Cadance frowned, eyes fixed on the table in front of them. She remembered how much she hated jasmine. “Right. That’s what I figured. Can’t hurt to ask.”
Tuesday again. Just a little over a week until Shining Armor and Flurry Heart were back. Why wasn’t she happier? The answer to that question was standing about ten feet behind her, hoof resting on the pommel of her sword. She was having a conversation with the baker about Shining’s return party. She was going to pull out all the stops to welcome them both home.
Night Watch had grown more distant after their conversation over tea. She knew it was stupid, she knew she was being too forward. Still, as the Princess of Love, she couldn’t be wrong about these kinds of things. Right?
“Princess? Are you listening?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes. I’m sorry Sweet Cream. You were…”
“I was asking you what flavor frosting you wanted on the cupcakes. We’re doing a ganache for the cakes so might I recommend something lighter for the cupcakes?” Sweet Cream was doing a surprisingly good job holding it together. She had warned him a week in advance of her husband’s return and he took that warning to heart it would seem.
“Mmm. That’s a good idea. What’re your feelings on meringue?”
“Eeeh, a little hard to pull off in such a large quantity but for you? Anything.”
“You’re a dear, Sweet Cream. Do invite your husband. It’s so sweet seeing the two of you together.” Cadance exchanged friendly cheek kisses with her head baker. She waved goodbye to him as she exited the back kitchen, Night Watch following close behind. Oh! That’s right! Today was mail day! The post from mainland Equestria ran infrequently to the Crystal Empire so she almost always had something to look forward. Usually a postcard from Luna or a letter from Twilight. They both knew magic would work just as well but there was something so satisfying about opening an envelope.
She traced the familiar path gleefully, almost breaking into a gallop at one point. It was down towards the bottom of the spire, in the south-most leg. She bustled in through the back office door, nearly scaring the daylights out of Swift Strings. She played in the Crystal Symphony but moonlighted as a mail carrier on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Princess! Please, knock. Not everypony has hearing like yours.”
“Maybe yours would be better if you wore earplugs?”
Swift scowled for a moment before cracking into a smile. You could never keep her down for long. “Okay, okay, you got me there. Oh! Mail for you. Postcard from Luna aaaand a letter from the hubby!”
Oh thank the stars. She had been waiting for this letter for weeks now. If she hadn’t received anything she would’ve chided him upon his arrival but this smoothed things over a bit. In her haste to read her mail she teleported to her chambers. Realizing her mistake she appeared back in the mail room and offered Night Watch an apologetic smile.
It was all she could do to not tear the letter open. She unfolded it and began reading.
Mi Amore Cadenza, Love of my life, Princess of the Crystal Empire,
He could be so sappy sometimes. Kind of came with the territory, she supposed. Good heavens did it ever smell of his cologne. She paused her reading to take a deep whiff before continuing.
Hey sweetness! It’s been a week since the summit started. Things have been pretty boring over here, all things considered. We’re introducing the new Changelings to some of their neighbors. The gryphons are up first, followed by the dragons, then the yaks. Can’t say I’m excited to meet any of them but Starlight insists they’re not too bad once you get to know them. Funny, we felt the same way about Thorax at first!
Speaking of, he and Starlight have been doing most of the actual work around here. They wanted Sunburst to come along because y’know, books, but… I feel kind of out of place here. There’s not a lot for me to protect. Not yet at least. We’ll have to see how things at the summit develop.
I’ve been missing you. Bad. I know you get nightmares when I’m not there and you say it helps you if you find somepony else to cuddle with so… Have you considered that? I wouldn’t be upset if you did. I worry about you sometimes. While we’re on the subject, I have some stuff I’d like to talk about when I get back. Nothing bad! I promise! I’ve just had some time to think about some things. I kind of get the feeling you already know what I’m going to say but just… let me be the first one to say anything, okay?
Wow, that was way more dramatic than I wanted it to be. Sunburst read it over and suggested I scrap the whole thing but I feel like it’s better this way. Call me stubborn, but. Hey.
Signed.
Your husband, Prince of the Crystal Empire, Head of the Royal Guard, Eternally dedicated,
Shining Armor
She was crying, wasn’t she? She pressed a foreleg to her eyes and tried to stymie the sobs that choked her chest. Her weeping was cut short as she felt a pair of forelegs wrap around her neck and a muzzle press against her chin. She closed her eyes and accepted the affection for a moment before speaking.
“Night Watch? I have a question.”
“Of course.” She pulled back and Cadance turned to face her, eyes still watery.
“I was wondering. Would you… Hmm. How do I say this. It helps me sleep to have somepony else near me. I was wondering-”
“If I could sleep with you? We’re both married, unless the letter you just received says otherwise.”
Cadance couldn’t help but frown. That’s not what she was trying to say! “No, no, not like that. I mean yes, I was curious if you wanted to sleep in the same bed. And cuddle, nothing more. Just until Shining gets back.” Silence hung heavy in the air, the setting sun through the window painting Night Watch’s coat in a fiery palette.
“That… Yes. I’ll do it. You can’t tell anypony else, of course.”
“Of course! Of course. Not a single soul. I won’t try anything either. I know there are rumors, what with me being the Princess of Love, but I really am dedicated to Shining. It’s just hard without him around. Thank you for understanding.”
They ate dinner in relative silence. She was grateful that she took her supper with the rest of her staff as their idle conversation carried her otherwise sour mood. Night Watch was an emotional brick wall. Where was the passion, the fury, the sorrow she had felt just a week ago? She wanted that mare back, to hold her in her hooves, to learn her deepest secrets. Maybe she really had projected all of that onto her.
Holding her close now it was impossible to tell. She was taller than most mares, though Tempest was still a good head or two taller. Choosing to magically transition tended to shrink a pony a little. She was warm and solid and she smelled like oiled metal and on a night like this it was all she could really ask for.
Her eyes opened again in a facsimile of her room. She could always recognize her dreams from the color of the curtains. They hadn’t been that shade of forest green for moons now. Whatever. She didn’t detect any immediate threat nor did she smell any blood or vile Changeling goop. She closed her eyes and pressed her muzzle to the mare in front of her and—
“Chrysalis.”
“Cadance.” Her voice sounded tired, like she had lived a thousand years since the last time they dreamt of each other.
She fought to keep her heart from jumping out of her chest. She fought even harder to not split her enemy open where she lay. It was Chrysalis that pulled away, rolling onto her other side to look Cadance in the eyes.
“What are you doing here? Just watching me again?” Looking at her like this, in the dim light of the waxing moon, she looked harmless. Almost beautiful.
“What am I doing here? Why don’t you ask yourself that, Princess. I’ve been trying for ages to get into your head and all of a sudden you’ve handed me the key. What am I supposed to do, deny your invitation?”
“What are you talking about?” She was sitting up now, horn crackling with dangerous magic. She didn’t care if this was a dream. If she wanted the satisfaction of killing the creature who had made her life a living nightmare she would have it.
Chrysalis sat up in kind. Her smile was confident and her aura was smug. “Do I really have to repeat myself? I knew you little ponies were stupid but I figured you out of all of them would be bright enough to understand. I didn’t choose to be here, Cadance. You brought me here.”
Cadance growled, shaking her head out in the pale moonlight. This all started with Night Watch. Was she the key to all of this? “I don’t care. I don’t care why you’re here, I just want you to leave. Please! I don’t want to have to hurt you.”
Chrysalis chuckled, her fangs glinting in her maw. That laugh sounded familiar. Cadance didn’t have much time to dwell on it as she leaned forward, their muzzles nearly touching. “Are you sure? Every night I dream of you is like a knife in my back. I loved a pony like you once. She had eyes like yours and a smile so sweet you could taste it in the air. She died because of me. I’m not letting that happen again, Princess.”
The mood in the room changed. The air was heavy with emotion, swirling around the two of them. In the dreamworld they were visible; deep blues cut with violent red streaks splitting the space around them. Beneath it all an undercurrent of gold and pink, as soft as satin fresh out the wash. Cadance became aware of the distance between their lips. “Maybe… Maybe it doesn’t have to end like that. Maybe you can love again.”
She was awake again. There was no pale moonlight, no Changeling Queen, no almost-kiss. Just Night Watch. She settled back into bed and tried to focus on the breathing of the body lying next to her. As she drifted off into a fitful slumber she heard Night’s voice mumble out a sleepy sentence.
“Maybe I can…”
Morning came again and she was almost shocked to find herself still hearty and whole. No surprise attack that came sweeping in at the dead of night. Not that anything could get past her magical alarms, of course, but the fear was always there. Night Watch had risen already and her guard uniform was missing. She rolled out of bed and tended to her image, brushing her mane and touching up her coat. She opted to go light on the powder today given that she had slept better last night than she had in weeks.
Standing outside her room was… not Night Watch. Instead she greeted Straight Arrow, the guard who typically followed her during her morning rounds. He spared a glance her way, bowing his head before fixing his gaze down the hall yet again. He was probably one of her best which is why she typically chose him for her early morning detail.
“Arrow… Have you seen Night Watch?”
“Hmm? Yes, I have. She was at the barracks in the early morning to ask if we could switch shifts back. Did something happen?” He adjusted the gladius hanging off his harness idly.
“No, nothing happened. Not that I’m aware of at least. Has she been acting odd around you or any of the other guardsponies?”
Cadance sensed honest confusion off him. He was kind-hearted but could be woefully unaware of the emotional state of his fellow guards. “It’s hard to tell. She’s been spending all her time around you these past couple weeks so I figured you would know more than us.”
She frowned, her mouth a thin line. She figured he didn’t mean anything by that but it stung nonetheless. “I’m just as in the dark as you are, I’m afraid. Did she mention why she wanted to switch shifts?”
“She didn’t really say much of anything but I can tell you she looked exhausted. Ready to start the day?”
“Mmmh. I’ll need some coffee before I can answer that honestly.”
She bit into a devil’s food cake donut, savoring the rich chocolate flavor before washing it down with a swig of black coffee. Another couple bites and a few more gulps of coffee and her breakfast was finished. Straight Arrow had just started on the last half of his bagel. He always got the same thing: a cup of earl grey and a lightly toasted plain bagel, strawberry cream cheese for spread.
Night Watch… didn’t eat much of anything. Not while Cadance was looking at least. There was one day where she seemed more excited than anypony had a reason to be over a honey glazed donut. They were a fresh batch so Cadance could understand that much. The look of glee and satisfaction that crossed her face when she bit in was unusual at the time but looking back at it now seemed even more out of place.
The rest of her day moved past her in a haze. After her dream last night she hardly felt like an active participant in her life. Things had gotten to be so… complicated since she became princess. It amazed her that a mare as young as Twilight was able to bear her burden half as well as she did. Then again, public appearances and the truth that comes to light behind closed doors were two completely different things.
She was holed up in her room now, hunkered over her writing desk. The cup of espresso and half-eaten donut were doing a decent job at keeping her company as she tried to pen a letter in response to Shining. She wanted to talk about her dreams, about Night Watch, about Chrysalis, about the prospect of loving more than one pony. All of that would have to wait until she could see him face to face. She loved him. Really, she did! That was never in doubt. The issue was she needed to love more.
The tone in Shining’s letter led her to hope that maybe he felt the same. The castle could use with an extra pony or two in their entourage. Especially Sunburst or Starlight—they were both so sweet. She was torn from her lovesick reverie by an urgent knocking on her chamber door. She turned to face the source of the sound, pulling the handle with her magic. In swept Purple Prose, face aghast. There were no alarms or signs of a struggle so… What was the issue?
“I need you in the library now. First Edition has something he wants to tell you.”
“First! I came as quick as I could! What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I-It’s the books. Well, a specific set of books. Or combination of books, not a set. They’re unrelated. I think one of them might be from the same author b-but that’s not why I called you here!” The stallion adjusted his glasses and sifted through the checkout log in front of him, offering a page to Cadance for inspection. She scanned it as he continued talking. “Night Watch, one of your guards, checked out some books that typically wouldn’t be cause for concern if checked out separately, over the course of several months. At that point you could just consider it idle magic study. However, it's another thing to walk out with a bag full of spell tomes on memory spells, dream spells, time travel theories, advanced magical harmonization, stabilization… You get the idea. She’s planning something.”
“Where is she now?”
“I. I don’t know. She just walked out. I wasn’t really paying attention because, well… nopony really expects a villain in the library.” He shied away from her scrutinizing gaze and sat back down in his office chair dejectedly.
“Thank you for notifying me so promptly, First. She couldn’t have gotten far — tell every guard in the castle to begin searching for her. Tell the border stations to be on the lookout. I don’t want her escaping the Crystal Empire.”
Cadance paced restlessly in front of her throne, the fear gripping her heart growing with every passing moment. The longer she went without news the worse her fears became. It was almost midnight when she heard a commotion at the front hall. She remained in her throne room, making her face as impassive as she could. She locked eyes with the raging pony being dragged into her field of view.
“GET YOUR HOOVES OFF OF ME YOU CRETINS! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” Night Watch thrashed desperately against her captors but Cadance hired these ponies for a reason. They weren’t letting go any time soon.
Cadance reached out with her magic and grabbed the struggling unicorn. She wasn’t kind about it either; she felt no need to be. Night’s limbs strained against her magic with a strength belying her records. Cadance knew what she had to do.
“I can handle it from here. Thank you everypony for your help.” She disappeared from her throne room and reappeared in her private quarters. Still holding Night Watch tight she activated a series of enchantments. Twilight had help her set these up: a wall of silence, an antimagic field, an early warning system, a shock fence strong enough to incapacitate a dragon… They pulled out all the stops. Releasing Night Watch from her grasp she turned to look at the pony and spoke her name. Her true name. “Chrysalis.”
The door closed and the pony before her died. Standing in her place now was the source of all her nightmares, all her rage, all her confusion: Queen Chrysalis herself. “Cadance.”
There was no time for banter, no use for petty monologuing. She seized her foe in her magic once again and slammed her against the wall. It cracked but held fast. Her opponent made no move to fight back. She didn’t even feign a struggle. She looked so exhausted up close. Whatever. Death was the greatest sleep Cadance could provide.
“Why? Why don’t you leave me alone? What have I done to deserve you tormenting me, bug?”
“When I first saw you and your husband, I was… hungry. My whole hive was hungry. The love your pathetic little empire gave off was simply too much for us to resist. Of course that meddling purple twat had to interfere. However, as I retreated to the shadows I suspected there was another way I could win. I could take you apart slowly, steadily dismantling you with just the threat of my presence. I could tell by the way you were acting upon my arrival as Night Watch that it was working.”
“And? What changed? Did your arrogance get the best of you again? I can’t expect those books will do you much good now that you’re here.”
“I simply grew tired of our little game. You knew and I knew you knew and after that it stops being fun and starts to feel tiresome. I wanted to end it. To end this.” The smile on Chrysalis’ face was self-assured, as if whatever gambit she was running hadn’t been completely dashed to pieces. Cadance stayed on edge.
“You’ll get your ending, Chrysalis. I just don’t think it’s going to be the ending you expect.” Cadance tightened her magical grip and could feel chitin begin to bend under the pressure.
“If I die then so be it. I’ve done enough damage to be happy. After all, you and your friends have taken everything else from me. Why not claim my life as well?”
Cadance slammed her against the wall again, body seething with fury. It took all her self-control not to crack her open right now. She so desperately wanted to see what the inside of a Changeling looked like. “I FULLY INTEND TO! You speak of loss as if you understand the pain you’ve put me and my family through.”
That self assured-smile gave way to a violent snarl, her brow furrowing and her fangs snapping. That pissed her off but Cadance held firm. Chrysalis was weak but even while weak she could still be dangerous. “Pain? PAIN? YOU KNOW NOTHING OF PAIN, LITTLE PONY. NOTHING! I have suffered more hurt at the hooves of your race than my Changelings have dealt over a thousand years. Time and time again I have had everything I cared about crushed to dust by one self-righteous unicorn or another.”
“Why do you keep coming back then? Why can’t you just leave us alone?!”
“At first. At first, when I saw you, I thought you were somepony I knew once. Now I know you’re nothing like her. I want you dead because of it.”
“I’ll never die by your hooves, bug.” Cadance spat that last word out. She wanted Chrysalis to feel how she felt.
“I know.”
Chrysalis looked… downtrodden. Gone was that smile, that presence that moments before had filled the air with a palpable sense of dread. Now the room was sick with sorrow and a deep, unshakable longing. Cadance’s magic weakened and Chrysalis made no attempt to react. “Please, just… leave my family alone. I’m sorry for everything we’ve done to you. I’m sorry for who I am. I’m sorry I can’t love you the way you want me to but you can’t pin your past on me anymore. You have to let go.”
“Why should I? Why should I when you made me dream of you? When you made me love you? I loved you once, Mi Amore, never again.” The fire was building in Chrysalis’ eyes again. Cadance could tell she had something planned and at this point she just wanted to see that plan through. For the both of them.
“Quit it. Quit speaking of this life I never lived.” Cadance’s voice was quiet and heavy with grief. There was no more use in yelling, no more use in violence. Things had to end differently this time.
“A thousand years ago, I loved one mare and she loved me. I lost her because of my own cowardice, because of my refusal to die in her place. I’m done explaining myself. From here on out I’m going to let the memories speak for themselves.”
Chrysalis flexed the last of her magical strength, activating a scroll lying in her bag on the ground. A green fire encircled the both of them and in a moment they were gone. No longer were they confined by the walls of the Crystal Castle. Now they were surrounded by the din of full-scale war. It was a fight to the death between the Crystal Empire and the slaves that King Sombra had taken from them. In the center of the bloody conflict stood the King himself and his adversary, Empress Mi Amore Crescendo.
They had discarded their royal weapons and now dueled each other with pure magical fury. Their struggle was titanic and the rest of the battles combatants had learned not to stray too close lest they get vaporized by a stray blast of magic. Cadance turned to Chrysalis, desperate for answers. Chrysalis gave none and instead opted to let the memory play out.
A crack of vivid green magic appeared between the two of them. They were forced apart and in the space stood Chrysalis. She held them both at a hoofs length, her barrier shimmering in readiness. The crackling surrounding their horns quieted but remained ready to strike.
“Stop! Both of you! It doesn’t have to end like this!” The younger Chrysalis was wide-eyed as she held the two of them at bay. You didn’t need to be an empath to feel the fear rolling off her.
“Get out of my way, bug. I already counted on you being a traitor. Don’t worry, the death of your hive will be swift after my victory.”
“Chrysalis, my sweet… Move. I will not rest until I have Sombra’s head on a pike.”
“I won’t let you hurt each other. I can’t… I can’t! Do you not understand what you’re doing out here? The pain you’ve caused the world around you?”
Sombra laughed and snatched his straight sword back up from where it languish in the blood-soaked snow. He pointed its tip at Chrysalis, a deadly fury crackling in his eyes. “Move or you die.”
Crescendo stepped in front of Chrysalis and pointed her own blade at Sombra. She locked eyes with the stallion, her countenance ablaze with determination. She issued a challenge and, as steeled flashed, it was clear she didn’t measure up. Sombra’s blow was fatal; hers was not. Chrysalis caught her as she crumpled to the ground and—before Sombra could strike again—she was gone in a flash of magic.
This forest was familiar to Chrysalis. She retreated here when she needed strength or guidance or time. It was the closest to a sanctuary a creature like her could ever get. At this point in time however there was no shelter to be sought here. There were few moments Chrysalis returned to in her many centuries of life. This was foremost among them
“Where are we? Why isn’t my magic working?”
“We are in my memories, Princess. Your magic does not work because at this point you did not exist.” Chrysalis was pulling them through her final moments with Crescendo.
“Crescendo…!”
“Chrysalis my dear. Please, come here.” She pulled her close, wincing in pain.
“I’m sorry. I-I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him. After I heard what he wanted to do to you, to your family, I tried to get him to stay his hoof. I—”
“Shhh. Hush, little bug. I know you didn’t take me here to talk about what you’ve done. I don’t want to talk about the ways we’ve betrayed each other. I scarce want to talk at all.” The war-torn and weary empress idly touched the wound on her chest. Blood soaked through her battle-cloth and stained her messy fur. She wasn’t built for war. She wasn’t made to kill. “I just. I want to apologize. For everything.”
“No. No, no no no no no. Don’t apologize for anything ever again.” Chrysalis cradled her old lovers muzzle in her hooves and pressed their foreheads together. Her acrid tears mingled with Crescendo’s.
“You sound so stupid. Oh, I love you.” Crescendo cast her weakening gaze out into the forest, deep in her final thoughts. She turned back to her sobbing lover with a stony face. “Do you remember when we first said those words to each other? When you first bared your true self to me?”
“Of course, of course I remember. You… you didn’t recoil like any other pony would’ve. Did you already know?”
“Your magic isn’t as strong or as complete as you think it is, my Queen. I saw through you in an instant. Still,”—Crescendo smiled her last smile for the next thousand years—“it was nice to pretend, wasn’t it?”
The air hung heavy with silence for a moment as Chrysalis clung to Crescendo like her life depended on it. “I’m not ready to leave you behind. I’m not ready to let go.”
“I’ll come back, I promise. Before I go I need to apologize. I couldn’t love you how you wanted me to but maybe… maybe my reincarnation can. Just please be patient with her. I’m sorry.” The light in her eyes and in her horn faded and the forest seemed to grow dimmer with her passing.
“Crescendo? No, please, please come back. Please! I didn’t mean it! PLEASE!” She pressed her face into Crescendos chest fur, her face a mess of tears and blood and mud. She laid there for what felt like ages just to feel the last drop of warmth leave her tender, loving frame.
Chrysalis turned to face Cadance with something approximating a smug smile on her face. She didn’t expect to see the princess struggling to hold herself together. It was only now that Chrysalis was aware of the pure sorrow that filled the air. In that moment she offered tenderness. She offered all the tenderness left in her cold loveless heart. To Cadance’s credit, she took it.
Chrysalis waited silently for Cadance to compose herself before moving them to the last scene she had in mind. Her magic was waning and it was becoming increasingly difficult to hold this illusion together.
The scenery changed and now they were in the throne room, back in the Crystal Castle. The mood was somber and the air was heavy with loss. The pews seemed barren and those ponies that did fill its space looked like they were hardly there at all. The power of the Crystal Heart was waning with the death of its keeper and the Crystal Ponies were preparing for a long, long sleep.
The prince was making arrangements for a mock funeral for their missing Empress. Her death had been confirmed but no body found. Until now. Chrysalis entered in a puff of green magic and set Crescendos body before the prince. She looked forlorn and for good reason. Crescendo was dressed for a funeral, with clean fur, brushed mane and lavender veil across her peaceful face. Were it not for the pallid color of her coat or the roughly-sutured wound one could be forgiven for thinking she was merely sleeping.
Chrysalis took a moment to speak. It was clear that nopony here had come to fight. “Your Empress… loved me. I loved her. Our love failed each other as all love does in the end. I did not strike the final blow; you have Sombra to thank for that.” She paused, weighing the next statement in her mind. “One last thing: make no mention of my presence here. Speaking officially, the Queen of the Changelings never knew your Empress at all.” With her wishes as squared away as they could get she was gone.
She was gone and so were they, back in Cadance’s room. No longer were hooves against her throat or magic binds against her aching body. In their place was a weeping face and a strong set of forelegs wrapped around her. She leaned into that touch, carapace burning with a thousand years of longing. Chrysalis had done it. She had won.