//------------------------------// // Part 7 - A Queen And Her Questions // Story: The Love Of Shadow And Night - The Story Of The Pony Luna Left Behind // by palelordhiphis //------------------------------// Shadow felt his senses slowly return to him, the feel of a soft mattress beneath him mingled with the scent of chicken feathers, the warmth of a fire on his hooves and face, and finally the light of that fire piercing the vale of his closed eyes. He had expected to wake up in a cold and dank dungeon or within a drafty but well guarded tent, if he woke up at all, instead, wherever he was, it was a place far more luxurious than he could have ever have expected. He decided it was best to keep his eyes closed and listen to his surroundings for a few moments, he'd found over the years that lips were often looser around sleeping bodies. "Why did General Zalott have this sent here?" he heard a gruff voiced changeling ask. "Zalott said that this one pony took on an entire camp of soldiers," another voice answered, "and that he took down a platoon's worth of warriors before they could subdue him." "Sounds like an exaggeration to me," the first voice scoffed. "Exaggeration or not, Zalott said that this pony is a prime specimen and that the Queen will want to see him," the second voice said, "but I bet you half a day's rations that she just gets rid of him." "I'm not going to take that bet, that'd be easy money for you," the gruff voice said just before their hoofsteps turned a corner and faded away. Shadow slowly opened his eyes and took stock of his surroundings. Black granite walls about fifty feet high surrounded him and only one door lead in and out of the great hall. The fire that warmed him and lit the room was only a few feet away in a large iron brazier and the smoke exited the chamber through a hole in the ceiling. The soft mattress that he rested on was obviously not a normal part of this room's decor and seemed out of place on the white marble floor, "Now why would they go to so much trouble to make me comfortable?" he thought to himself. About thirty feet in front of him was a large throne carved out of the same dark granite as the walls with pillows and blankets of every hue piled high and on top those pillows perched the Queen of the Changelings. She was slender, and though she sat with her legs tucked under her ebony body, Shadow could tell that she was tall. Her wings seemed delicate and much like the wings of a grasshopper, provided grasshoppers came in shades of grey. She looked down on him with an air of superiority that not even the most snobbish of royalty in Canterlot could ever hope to attain. Shadow could tell, as he stared into her huge green eyes, that to her he was little more than a small and curious thing in a world that she owned. "Are you fully awake, Pony?" she asked with a buzzing voice that seemed to set off some primitive distaste deep within him. "Mostly," Shadow said after a moment. "Do you know," the Queen continued, "why you are here?" "Because you're looking for a few good colts?" Shadow asked in a mocking tone. "Do not trifle with me, foal!" the Queen's voice echoed off the walls of the chamber before she calmed herself and continued, "Do you know how many of my soldiers you have... made unable to serve me in my upcoming plans? " "I lost count," Shadow responded, "I was a little preoccupied." "Thirty seven," The Queen answered, "Thirty seven of my warriors with broken legs, noses, horns... All because of one ridiculous little pony," the rage was growing in her voice as she spoke, "Why? What did you hope to do other than die?" "I wanted to show you something," Shadow said. "What?" the Queen asked barely concealing the rage the seethed below her facade, "What could you possibly show me by throwing yourself at my soldiers?" "I wanted to show you the courage and strength of Canterlot," Shadow replied, "Look, I'm just an earth pony scout. I have no magic like the unicorns and not even wings like the pegasi. Yet I made my way into your land, charged into one of your camps, and defeated nearly forty of your warriors." "There are more warriors," the Queen said petulantly. "Yes," Shadow agreed, "I'm sure there are, but do you think there are enough. If I can take on forty, imagine what you'll run into in Canterlot. Unicorns casting spells that strip away your disguises and pegasi dropping out of the sky like the well honed aerial weapons they are. Do you think your war against Canterlot will really end well for you and your people?" "We are stronger than you think, Pony," the queen said and continued after a moment, "but you have given me something to think about." "Shadow," he said. "What?" the Queen said with a look of disdain and confusion. "My name is Shadow. Not 'Pony'," he said. "I will address you as I choose to," the Queen replied haughtily. "Guards," The Queen called out and two large changelings came into the chamber, "Take this pony to one of the towers and make sure he is guarded at all times. Keep him fed and make sure he has water. I may wish to speak with him again." "Yes Majesty," the two responded in unison before proceeding to drag Shadow out of the chamber. "Oh," the Queen addressed Shadow as the guards took him away, "and one more thing, Pon- Shadow, keep in mind that you are in the center of my kingdom. Should you try to escape, you will be destroyed." "Promises," Shadow said mockingly which only served to goad one of changeling guards into belting him in the face for his insolence. "You will address the Queen with respect, Pony," the gruff voice scolded him. The next few minutes allowed Shadow to become well acquainted with his injuries as the two guards pushed, prodded, and dragged him to a tower in the North-East corner of the palace. No bones seemed broken, but his muscles ached as if torn and he felt like hot needles spiked out from deep within his legs with each step. He figured it must be some after effect of the green magic bolts the changelings had fired at him during the fight. "Hey," Shadow called out after the guards after they slammed the door to his cell shut, "How long was I out of it?" One of them turned around and spat at the floor in front of his cell, "Shut up, Pony, before I put you back out." "Uh huh," Shadow replied, "You think you can?" The gruff changeling started towards the door, "You stupid foal, I'll-" "Maddox!" the other guard said firmly as he stepped between the gruff one and the door, "The Queen wants him kept well for now," He said in a gentle but stern voice, "So just let him alone." "Fine, Fennix," Maddox replied, "but you just keep him shut up." Fennix turned to face Shadow, "You were unconscious for about two days. Now, if you know what's good for you, you'll stop asking questions and leave Maddox alone." "Thank you," Shadow said and walked back to the far corner of his cell where a straw stuffed mattress waited for him, "I should rest for a while," he mumbled to himself as he collapsed and gave himself over to the weariness of his body, allowing himself to sleep, since there was little else for him to do for now.