"Please have a seat" Celestia said as she gestured a hoof to the chair sat in front of her. Thorax walked into the throne room and slowly approached the chair. He was still afraid that he would be blasted into nothingness at anything that could constitute the wrong move. He tried to make a minute long walk stretch out to eternity, but only succeeded in delaying the inevitable. He approached the chair and sat down, not daring to speak or do anything that could be construed as hostile.
"You are capable of speaking, correct?" Celestia asked him. Thorax gave a small nod in confirmation. "Then, please, respond to me in your words and not your actions." she requested of him.
Thorax fidgeted timidly for a moment before finally uttering "Y-Y-Yes your h-h-highness."
"You fear me?", she asked ,"What reason have you to fear me?"
"Many", he answered,"For instance, you could w-will me dead if y-you w-wished."
Celestia smiled and then chuckled. Thorax became even more nervous now. Soon, her chuckling became a steady laughter, and Thorax was almost certain he was in for the worst. Then, she slowly ceased her laughing and adopted a warm smile.
"You have nothing to fear of me", Celestia reassured him,"If I wished for your demise, I simply would have ordered it and not made the trip the whole way to the empire. Besides, I have never, nor do I ever plan to, order the death of another creature."
Thorax blinked in confusion. "What about Discord?" he asked.
"The god of chaos?" she said confused, then clarified,"Discord was petrified in stone. He was never rendered incapable of living anymore. Put into a millennia spanning time out, so to speak."
"Oh" Thorax responded to the clarification.
"Anyways", Celestia continued to their current topic,"I have been told by both Princess Cadance and my student Princess Twilight Sparkle that you wish to reside her in the Crystal Empire?"
"Yes, I do", Thorax answered,"I want to live here in Equestria and share in the love that your subjects share with each other."
"Really?" Celestia said with a bit of surprise in her voice,"Don't you need that love to survive starvation?"
"I didn't mean the actual emotional energy so to speak", Thorax clarified,"I meant that I want to do things to show my thanks for letting me live here with them."
"Making a show of love", Celestia said in understanding,"Are you certain that those around you will accept your actions as being motivated by love?"
"Maybe not right away", Thorax admitted,"but I certainly hope that one day they will come to see my desire to show appreciation as being genuine, and not some ploy to take love from them."
"Yes", Celestia said with something of a defeated sigh,"Your queen has made your efforts towards your goal difficult to accomplish at best, and at worst, possibly impossible."
"I still want to try", Thorax said,"Even if I spend my whole life doing it and never getting recognition, I could go peacefully knowing that I gave my best effort, and maybe someday, my example will be looked at and ponies and changelings will put aside differences and work together towards a lasting peace."
Celestia smiled at his words. "I certainly look forward to the day when such a thing could happen" she said with a smile. Thorax adopted his own smile, glad that the princess shared his optimistic viewpoint. Then, she said something that caught him off guard: "I believe you can reveal yourself now, sister."
Thorax looked at her in confusion before a cloud of blue smoke suddenly appeared by his side, quickly taking the form of the second alicorn princess Luna, who upon reforming completely into shape, lowered her head to the changeling to look him in the eyes, and simply said "Boo!"
"AAH!" Thorax cried out as he flew backwards and tipped the chair over, rolling a few times behind it after falling out. Celestia and Luna both laughed as the changeling rose to his hooves and reoriented himself. "My apologies, dear Thorax", Celestia apologized,"but my sister wished to take advantage of a most prime opportunity to play a prank on a very unsuspecting victim."
Thorax took a moment to recover and compose himself. Once he had his wits about him, he looked at the two princesses with shock. "P-Princess Luna was here the whole time?!" he blurted out a bit louder than intended. A nearby guard heard the commotion and approached with a spear ready. Celestia raised a hoof and shook her head, telling him through action to resume his previous position.
"Yes, my sister was here this whole time", Celestia answered,"The enchantment she was using to conceal herself works on all but those she allows to see her. She offered the use of it so as to allow me to confirm for myself as to whether or not you were being truthful in your responses."
"How were you doing that?" Thorax asked, a confused look on his face.
"I asked you a question that Princess Luna asked you last evening, but in a different way. When you answered, Luna gave me a nod to indicate you gave her the same answer, and thusly demonstrating your truthfulness to us."
"Oh" came Thorax's response. Luna took a seat on a cushion beside her sister.
"Please, come sit with us" Celestia asked him, using her magic to set the chair back up again. Thorax slowly walked back to the chair and took his seat.
"Now, you have told us of your desires, which we believe to be true and noble", Celestia continued,"but I do not know much about you other than you were probably at the attempted invasion in Canterlot. Were you by chance there?"
Thorax shuffled his hooves for a moment, but knew he couldn't lie now. Besides the fact he wasn't comfortable doing it to begin with, Luna would call him out on it if he tried. That would also destroy the trust he had from both princesses and fast track him to the dungeons to either starve to death from lack of love, or be a guinea pig in experiments to devise countermeasures for changelings.
"Yes", he finally admitted,"I was in Canterlot during that time."
"You seemed rather hesitant to answer that question", Celestia observed,"Perhaps you did something there that you regret?"
"Not exactly", Thorax replied,"I wish I would've had the courage to defy the queen and not taken part, but I was forced to go. I never wanted to hurt anypony, and that's why I stayed out of the way, but doing that ensured that others could hurt them in my place. I should've done something."
"I don't regret being there. Because I was, I got to see Princess Twilight and her friends, and their strong friendship. It gave me renewed hope in finding a friend of my own and put me on the path to coming here before you now."
"So, my student is responsible for this change in you?" Celestia asked.
"Not entirely", Thorax answered,"I always wanted to live more peacefully, but seeing her and her friends was the push I needed to try and do more about it, which led to me leaving the hive."
"Please, tell us of your journey through our land" Celestia asked him. Thorax obliged, and for the next twenty minutes or so, recounting a more fleshed out story than he had previously told Princess Luna, but still containing all of the original information he had shared with her. By the time he had finished, both princesses wore smiles.
"I fear you may have been born into the wrong body, young Thorax", Celestia observed,"Were there spells to cause a permanent transformation of your species, I would gladly offer it to you, but alas, such a thing is beyond the capability of even our magical talents."
"I would appreciate that", Thorax answered,"but I think I was supposed to be born this way."
"Thou speaks of destiny?" Luna asked.
Thorax nodded. "It's the only thing I can think of to explain why I am what I am. Honestly, it's better than what Queen Chrysalis thinks. She has called me defective more than a few times in my life."
"A kind heart is no defect", Celestia told him,"Clearly your queen carries much malice in her heart, enough that there is no room for any real love. I hope the rest of your hive is not like that."
"I don't think so", Thorax replied,"The rest of my hive is so hungry, that the attempt to invade was more like setting ravenous timberwolves on Canterlot. Perhaps if my hivemates weren't so consumed by hunger all the time, they would act differently."
"All the time?" Luna questioned,"Doesn't the queen make sure all her subjects are fed?"
"She says so, but I have my doubts", Thorax answered,"Before the invasion, she siphoned off most of the love for herself. She said it was necessary to take down the alicorn princess being married."
"That is horrible!", exclaimed Celestia,"A ruler's duty is to see to the needs of her subjects first!"
"I think that's how it should be too", Thorax agreed,"but that's just simply how it is with her. I hope someday that she either sees the error of her ways, or my hivemates all see her for what she is and remove her from power."
"I wish for a peaceful resolution to that problem", Celestia replied,"but if she truly starves her subjects to make them more willing to follow her plans, I suspect that may take a very long time to change, if it ever would."
"Of course, having an example of the life they could be living without her could serve to motivate the reluctant" Luna then suggested.
"I wish it were so simple", Thorax responded,"but aside from her starving her subjects, she also holds the most power of anyling in the hive. If even the whole hive were to attempt to overthrow her, she would exterminate all who opposed her with little to no effort whatsoever."
That revelation sent a shiver down both Celestia and Luna's spines. Clearly Thorax had taken a great risk in leaving his hive and coming as far as he did. That thought caught Celestia's attention.
"Thorax", she began,"wouldn't your leaving your hive go against Chrysalis' wishes?"
"Normally, yes", he answered,"but she was so convinced of my failure, that she was certain I would perish before seeing even an iota of success, or I would be so disheartened by failure that I would fall in line and come back with stolen love to make up for leaving in the first place."
"So, your queen decided to let you go", Luna postulated,"figuring that you would either perish or fall in line?" Thorax nodded in confirmation. ,"Won't she be upset if she were to find out you had truly succeeded?"
"More than likely", Thorax admitted,"but any acts she would try to carry out against me would be done as discreetly as possible. She wouldn't risk putting all of you on high alert like she did when she attempted to invade Canterlot the first time."
"Which brings us to another point; The invasion", Celestia interjected,"Do you perhaps know why she carried out such a risky operation?"
"She claimed that it was to secure food and safety for the hive", Thorax answered,"but I know it was to sate her own lust for power."
"She has ambitions of conquest?" Luna asked.
"Very much", Thorax replied,"She's said many times that she wishes to be in control of every species in this world. 'A changeling should be the rightful ruler of this world', she says."
Celestia and Luna give each other grim looks; They were hoping that there could be some kind of peace accord worked out between the changelings and Equestria, but with Queen Chrysalis as their leader, such efforts would be all but impossible.
"This is... troubling news", Celestia finally spoke,"not for you personally, but for our efforts to establish peace between our two species."
"It seems that the only way a peace could be brokered is if the current leader were deposed", Luna added,"which doesn't look to be happening anytime soon."
"I do apologize for creating such a grim outlook", Thorax responded,"but to say anything else would be outright lying. Peace for Chrysalis is every creature in this world bowing down to her."
"We do appreciate your honesty with us, Thorax", Celestia told him,"It is a small act, but it accomplishes so much."
"Does this mean you're going to make your decision?" Thorax asked, looking hopeful.
Celestia and Luna looked at each other with concern. Thorax drooped considerably and his head tilted down to the floor.
"I do apologize, Thorax", Celestia answered him,"but the Crystal Empire is a sovereign territory that is allied with Equestria. We legally cannot render a decision about your asylum here."
"What we can do", Luna added,"is confer with the rulers here and make them aware of everything you've told us and impress upon them the candidness with which you answered our inquiries. Ultimately, it is still their decision."
Thorax gave a nod, but was still depressed to hear that it was still no guarantee that he would be allowed to stay here. He then felt and saw a golden glow lightly grasp his chin and pull his head up, bringing his eyes in line with the sun princess, who wore a soft smile on her face.
"What my sister and I can do", she began,"is offer you this royal decree." Celestia moved over to the table and grabbed a parchment and quill, and then began writing. When she was finished, she ushered her sister over, and she looked at the document, then nodded and wrote on it as well. The two then came back to him with the parchment, then making a gesture to one of the guards.
"Come forth", Celestia commanded,"You are to bear witness."
The guard nodded and moved forward, coming to a stop facing Celestia, Luna and Thorax. Celestia took a drink of water and cleared her throat.
"It is to be known on this day, by decree of Princess Celestia of the Sun and Princess Luna of the Moon, recognize Thorax the Changeling as being a chosen diplomat of the changeling hive. He is to come to no harm from citizens of Equestria and no consequence of legal action for past crimes committed in our kingdom."
Celestia then rolled up the scroll and presented it to Thorax, who took it in his hoof. He looked at it for a few moments, and then looked back up at the two princesses. "What does this mean?" he asked them.
"It means that you are officially recognized as a diplomat in Equestria." Celestia answered.
"And it grants you protection from any who would wish to bring about legal repercussions for your past actions that you have clearly demonstrated to us you have many regrets about partaking in" added Luna.
Thorax nodded in understand and smiled. "Thank you" he said to them graciously.
"You have been truthful in your answers and intentions, and it is something we wish to one day see in all of your kind." Celestia responded, and then adopted a more somber look. "Unfortunately, our time has come to an end. I shall speak with Princess Cadance and discuss with her all that I have learned from you, and give her my recommendations. I cannot promise she will agree with my position, but I also cannot say for certain that she will disagree either."
"I shall also present what I have learned from and about you", Luna added,"but I also cannot guarantee what our niece will decide."
Thorax nodded. "I can't thank the both of you enough for what you're doing", he told them excitedly,"Even knowing I still may not get what I'm looking for, I still choose to hold on to hope. It's what got me this far to begin with."
Celestia smiled. "Some say that hope is a dangerous thing, but I know from experience that it is perhaps the best of things. Keep that hope in your heart Thorax, and stay true to the ways of harmony, and you shall prosper even in your darkest hours."
Celestia then turned to the guard and commanded him "I want you alone to escort Thorax back to Princess Twilight's guest room, and then tell Princess Cadenza to come and meet with Princess Luna and myself." The guard gave a salute and motioned for Thorax to follow him. Once they were alone, Luna spoke with her sister.
"We have learned a great deal, sister", she began,"but what do you think our niece will decide once we tell her what we know?"
Celestia thought for a moment before answering. She turned to face her sister and replied "I don't know, sister. What I do know is that both Cadance and Shining Armor's hearts are in turmoil because of this event, and I wish them to be healed, especially Cadance."
Celestia then walked over to a window made of stained glass, depicting Cadance and Shining's kiss from the wedding that gave birth to the massive shield that repelled the changeling invasion.
"I have watched our niece from the day I first met her, and her becoming an alicorn. She has always carried love first and foremost in her heart, which is why I proclaimed her princess of love. But since her wedding, she has been haunted by the villainy of Chrysalis, and she carries a malice that I don't think she is fully aware of."
"But surely that animosity that lies under the surface is only for changelings, isn't it?" asked Luna.
Celestia shook her head no. "I fear that it will one day manifest itself into a condition we know as xenophobia - the fear of foreign individuals."
Luna gasped at this assertion. "Surely you cannot be serious?" Luna questioned, to which Celestia only nodded.
"There are still many territories in this world that Equestria has no positive relations with, and even some that we once did but mistrust of us has ruined. The Crystal Empire is a territory that we are associated with enough that we have been able to appoint one of our kingdom's princesses to the role of sovereign and the citizens have agreed to it. However, the empire itself has no allies, and I fear it is because Cadance is afraid of trusting others that she has not established trust in already."
"I wish for Thorax to stay here and prove to her that even those who seem the most untrustworthy can be trusted, and that that can serve as an example for her to begin to trust others, and that she can then establish those friendly relations that are so important for the prosperity of this empire."
"I agree with you sister", Luna concurred,"If Cadance has been hurt by Chrysalis and her actions, then she needs to be healed so that she can become the ruler she was meant to be."
Celestia nodded, and then turned her head to the sound of hooves clip clopping in the hallway outside. She could see the form of her niece approaching the two from outside the room. "I believe it is time for us to make our recommendations" she said to Luna, before both moved to greet their niece and fellow princess.