Cadence wiped her eyes against her foreleg, drying the stains of her tears as best she could. The changeling drones carrying her litter occasionally chittered to one another, a few to her though their words fell on unknowing ears. The huge guard that led the way remained stoically silent. After everything she had gone through, Cadence thought she would be terrified. But, now that she found herself in the presence of the beings that nearly cost her everything she found warmth and caring... something that had never once crossed her mind.
The procession came to a set of thick, mossy doors. The front guard lifted his legs and pressed against them, the soft sound of grinding rock coming as they parted. It made the princess stare with surprise, these doors were immense and yet a single changeling could move them. Once the opening was just wide enough, the litter was carried through into a room that drew awe at the newcomer. She knew she'd been here, but her mind had been so unwound, she hadn't paid attention to the scope of this cavern. Blue lights like stars shined from so high above she could barely make them out. There were so many it illuminated the entire cavern in an eerie glow, just enough for the eye to adjust without difficulty.
When she could finally make out the true proportions of the expanse, she could see that this single room was practically an entire mountain that had been hollowed. In the center, underneath the greatest of the glowing shapes was a mass of curtains, veils, and tapestries held up by great pillars upon which runes and murals had been etched. The queen's chambers, she could feel it. This was a place of royalty. "My queen, your guest as commanded has been brought before you." The guard spoke in almost a whisper, bowing his head so low it touched the stone floors.
There was no answer, only a green shimmering light from within the veils that parted them to form a narrow opening. The drones obeyed and carried the litter to stand beside this entrance. Their passenger waited a moment, as if unsure of what to do. But, mustering her courage, Cadence rose on shaky legs and stepped through the opening. The moment she was through, the veils fell and shut out the light from outside. It was dark within, and the princess felt a lump growing in her throat. "Hu... ah... um... hello?"
A tiny prick of green light appeared to the side, and with a flash dozens of candles spread all about the veiled chamber lit. There, laying upon several cushions was Chrysalis, her horn aglow with the green fire of her unique magical powers. "Hello, Princess Cadence. Welcome to my home." Her voice was soft, but there was a tone to it that made Cadence uncomfortable. "I trust you have been treated well?"
"Y-yes... thank you. But, um... why would you help me?"
The queen turned a piercing eye to stare unblinking at the princess. Again, her gaze was completely unreadable, and it made Cadence want to simply crawl in a hole and hide. "What would you have done were it I that came to your doorstep, bleeding and begging? Did you think me heartless?" The question hung in the silence for a few moments. "Come, you are still tired and your wounds are fresh. I have no intention of doing further harm." Slowly the princess complied, painstakingly laying herself upon a large cushion beside the changeling queen.
"I would have thought, I mean, since what happened... you would not be happy to see me." Chrysalis finally turned her head and looked Cadence over for a short moment. "I thought you would have sought revenge."
"Revenge is for those ho have nothing and want nothing. You have something I want and I have something you need." The green fire that illuminated the queen's horn splashed dazzling color around her... but the air seemed to swallow it as it cast no shadow or light beyond the changeling herself. The magic separated and floated to the stone floor, spreading out until it gave the appearance of a glimmering pool. "What has happened in Equestria?" The queen stood and walked slowly to the other side of her magical pool, eerie light shimmering on her from its surface.
"I..." her voice trailed away, eyes just staring into the greenish water before her. Cadence's silence brought only a scowl to Chrysalis, her head leaning forward and fangs bared.
"There are more important matters than your aching heart, princess. Do not think you are the only one with something to lose here." This drew Cadence's attention, and the two locked eyes. "You aren't the only one with something... precious at stake."
"What do you mean?"
"Hmph," Chrysalis grunted with a turn of her head. "I mean that ponies are not the only ones suffering from whatever calamity you have allowed to transpire." The queen leaned her head down and blew gently on the surface of the pool. The water rippled softly, an image appearing beneath the tiny waves. It showed a single drone lying on its side. Cadence looked at it a moment, her eyes softening at the state of what she saw. The changeling was battered, its wings ripped apart, and its eyes mostly closed.
"What is this?" Cadence whispered, fearing what the answer could be. Chrysalis didn't answer, she was silently watching her guest. She had even taken to pacing back and forth on her side of the pool. The lithe movements, the unblinking gaze that pierced like blades... the princess was starting to feel like she was being watched by a predator. Finally, the queen looked down at the picture and hissed softly, almost like a sigh.
"One of my daughters, if you must know. Now, will you tell me why I have awoken to the sight of my children in such a state?" The impatience was beginning to sound in the echo-like voice of the queen.
"Is she... hurt?"
"She is dead." The matter-of-fact tone caught Cadence by surprise. She looked from Chrysalis to the picture, then back up.
"I am sorry. Truly."
"I don't want your pity," Chrysalis snapped as she backed up, blending into the dark except for her luminescent eyes. "I want more knowledge than I have. All I know is my children are dead, and I demand to understand the reason!" The sudden yell and stamp of a hoof excited the waters before her. Cadence lowered her head and nodded, minding the hurtful soreness of her wings as reminders.
"I don't know where it came from... or what it is. All I know is yesterday, A great shadow fell over Canterlot. It could be seen even from my own kingdom. When I came to investigate, I found only desolation. Dark magic has swept over nearly all Equestria. Creatures I cannot begin to describe hunt and devour any they can find." As Cadence recalled her story, the viewing pool was beginning to ripple again. Her story was being shown under its surface, as if the memories were given form within. "The castle was lost, we could not even get close. I... he... Shining Armor..." her voice trailed off, and the image froze showing a shadowy fog. Within it, Chrysalis could make out the shape of a unicorn.
"It took him?" Cadence only answered with a short nod.
"He gave me time to run. I made it as far as Ponyville, but I was too late there as well. Only a few were left, and the darkness was taking them so easily..." The pool shifted to a group of unicorns casting magic frantically, surrounded by foggy beings that moved with unnatural speed. Chrysalis watched as the fog would swoop in, snatch up one of the ponies and retreat. There was no sound... and for once she was glad of it. "I was able to drive them away, but one caught me before I could stop it. They did something to our magic, something terrible. I tried to cast a protective spell to ward it off, but it used my own magic to attack me. That's when... I mean it," she stuttered before gazing at her bandaged wings.
The pool showed the image of Cadence being swept into the darkness, masked by the shroud as it did its horrible deed to her wings. "If it was not for Twilight Sparkle, I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened. She saved me, and we ran. We ran for so long." Cadence felt like crying again, but her eyes were spent. There was nothing there to be shed.
"How is it you came to find your way here? I have spent a great deal of time hiding my hive away from outside eyes."
"A spell cast on me. Twilight meant it to be a fail-safe spell, but it nearly caused my capture. It is as if our very magic has been poisoned against us." Pacing slowly back and forth on the opposite side of the pool, Chrysalis seemed to take all that the princess recounted with a great deal of thought. The images in the emerald glow of the pool finally subsided, and the room fell silent and still. Cadence had rested her head on the pillow, woefully trying to push the hurtful memories away.
"So, that brings matters to you, princess." Chrysalis' regarded her guest with a cold glance. "What am I to do with you? You have told me little, and though my magic has failed to reveal what is happening this calamity has not reached my hive. What indeed shall I do?"
Drawing her head up again, Cadence let out a slow breath and met the queen's eyes. She mustered herself, keeping her expression calm and gentle. This was not time for past hurts or old grudges. If ever there was time for forgiveness, it was done and passed for what needed done now. Rising to her hooves, despite shaky legs, the Crystal Princess stood tall. She considered her words carefully, the very thought of what she was about to do gripped her heart. The queen had that gripping gaze locked on her, but Cadence paid no mind. "Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the Changeling Hive... I, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza formally request for your aid. I offer anything I have in my power as yours if you agree."
The silence following Cadence's request drew to painful length. Cadence kept herself up, whether by will or through some feat even she could not understand. Finally the queen stirred, walking over her pool as it parted for her hooves to step without a drop touching her. Finally, a few steps from the princess, Chrysalis stopped. That unreadable expression morphed into a smirk, fangs exposed. "Anything?" The question sent a cold spike down Cadence's back. "I do want one thing. The last thing you have and I need." Mustering her courage, the princess nodded and waited. "I want you..." Chrysalis drew closer and whispered, "to beg."
Frozen, that was how Cadence felt. She couldn't feel her legs, the hurt in her heart a weight threatening to tear from her chest. Now, her last hope desired the one last thing she could salvage. Chrysalis demanded her pride. The smirk, the fangs, the piercing eyes... all the queen had cut the princess. But, she remembered Twilight's face as the beast took he. Se remembered Shining Armor fighting off the darkness. She remembered the brave group in Ponyville fighting to the last pony to defend their home. All of them gone.
She let her legs bend, whether from exhaustion or compliance she frankly didn't care. With painfully slow movements she bowed her head. Everything Chrysalis had ever done to her had shamed her again and again. She'd almost stolen everything, and now she was being freely given all Cadence had left. But, if that was her price for aid, the princess was willing to pay. It wasn't about her. She wasn't important anymore. What few lives could be saved was worth a lifetime of humiliation.
Closing her eyes, Cadence drew the hardest breath of her life. Before she could utter a word, she felt something slip over her horn and into her mane. She looked up, and saw Chrysalis' mirror levitating in front of her. She saw her tiara placed rather haphazardly back on her head. She had thought it lost after everything, but there it was. "You would really beg me for help? I'm surprised to say, I didn't expect you to do it." There was something different in the queen's voice. She poked her head out the side of the mirror with a mirthful gleam in her eye. "But I must say, if you are willing to do that, than this truly means everything to you."
The queen set aside her mirror and strode up to stand right in front of Cadence. A tiny flash from her horn and the tiara centered and fit as it was meant to. "You already begged me, princess. Beaten, broken, the only words you could manage were a plea." Standing high, the Changeling Queen gazed towards her guest and bared her fangs, but this time without the smirk. "I accept your request. You have my aid."
Not waiting for a reply, Chrysalis strode to the wall of curtains and pulled them aside with her magic. Cadence shakily came to stand close, and there she asked a question she could not help but inquire. "After all that has happened between us... why would you help? I didn't think you would agree. I thought I would be sent back... or worse."
"My dear... I am not heartless. You had something I needed, and I had something you wanted. I have what I need, and you have what you want. Can we not be satisfied with this?"
"I barely remember what happened... how could I possibly have done this?"
Chrysalis turned away from the princess and into the dark gloom of her outer chambers. Her voice took on a vicious hiss as she said, "I needed to know what murdered my daughters, and you had just enough knowledge. You gave me all I required."
"What was it?"
Chrysalis' head whipped back around, her eyes glowing dangerously as she hissed through her teeth, "a target."