//------------------------------// // Questions to be asked. // Story: One born without love // by CeresBane //------------------------------// The capital was a city ruled in eternal night. Within the endlessly cruel tundra of this merciless land was the heart of a republic that thought itself safer in hell itself, than within the bosom of Equestria where the empire's reach could find it. And now a little older and a little wiser, Trixie the 69th understood why mere ponies like her people had prospered for so long within this hell. Tartarus was a home of demons, and in the early days of the republic Luna had no choice but to deal with them. The changeling empire would receive a tithe of ponies every year, spiriting away whomever they wished into their hives as food. In return for this price, the republic would be protected from the demons and chaos that ravaged the land. Or rather the bestial creatures were commanded to behave by their changeling masters and prison wardens. For all intents and purposes, Queen Luna had sold her people as cattle to a hive of voracious insectile demons so that the cattle could freely wage war with other cattle. Trixie now saw the royal court in a new light. She now understood all too well why the Queen of the republic had so little speaking power over her own domain. There were eyes and ears everywhere and they watched the queen at every turn. In the shadows, all over the land they lurked, ever ready to destroy the fragile republic of the night. Any small excuse, any mistake or any threat or inkling of defiance and the changelings would gladly devour the herd of cattle in a feast of debauchery and sin. But for now, the republic served it's purpose. It was a self sustaining food source so that the changelings would slowly gather strength. And someday, when they had become strong enough, sucking the life of all pony kind into submission, they would make their move and take all of Equestria. The republic had to be saved. It's destruction would only be an inevitability if the changelings kept having their way. "Court is adjourned honourable ponies. Her highness wishes you all a good night." Trixie finally understood why a pony of such pride as the royal herald. A pony who she liked to see as her father, bowed down so easily to such foppish bureaucrats and nobles. He hated their machinations, their passive-aggressive forcing of hooves... a straight arrowed and honourable pony broken to bowing and scraping to underhoofed bugs who were not even a fraction of decency as the supposed heads of the court. The governance of a non-ruling-sovereign republic, twisted from the ideals of its early ideas of equality, to a chain that binds the power that would free the ideals. Trixie grimaced as they all exited, her disgust made invisible to them as she hid her face into her hat. They all left with such a jovial cheer, horrid gloating and open mocking of the heads of the court as they went. Finally, Trixie understood why a queen of such passion would be so willing to be so tame in speaking her mind. How she was so strict in raising Trixie to follow suit in the same way. As if to hide her from the ugliness of the world with the blind innocence of ignorance. To obey, was to live Trixie knew that from foalhood. Discipline was the key to her power, to her ability and accolades and her future successes. Trixie had to live without love to serve her birth-given purpose. To live as a tool of war, for a time she thought herself to be doing for the honour of her great and powerful ancestor, and the tranquility of the republic. But in actuality, she was merely a cog for the machinations of the conspiracy of the changeling hive. The intentions of even the individual twisted to the changeling's purpose. Queen Luna knew this was necessary. That the republic would live longer in servitude than in open defiance to an overwhelming secret superpower. For the sake of her people she willingly abandons her people. But with Trixie, why did she give up on that notion? Why did her discipline falter and gave in to the desire to give love to her? This empathy was unfair. This kindness she had given her was unfair. This loyalty in the young Trixie's heart was a pain in her being that made her die inside everyday. And now that she has become aware, the pain was on the precipice of destroying her. The door slammed shut as the last of the dignitaries left the royal court. An exchanged look between the royal herald and Luna communicated the queen's desire to be alone with her chief advisor and court magician Trixie the 69th. But Trixie understood that this was going to be a falling out between a mother and daughter. "I'm glad you're safely back from your journey." Luna said evenly, she couldn't bring herself to look at Trixie in the eyes. The determining glare she gave, the outrage and anger of realising your whole life was a conspiracy bearing down on Luna's guilty heart. Trixie glared with eyes that use to hold such a grim and deadly innocence. Luna had no idea what to feel about it. There was a resolve the young filly had that the queen did not want to face, and yet her heart leapt with such pride to it. She was scared however, she was scared of her own daughter that loved her so much, looking at her while wearing the broken face of one who was damaged with betrayal and lies of one of the people she trusted most. If Luna had her way, this night would always be one more night away every single night of her immortal life. "Mother..." Trixie's voice that use to always speak so lovingly to her was now speaking to her as if she were Twilight Sparkle, her whole life's nemesis. She was in no mood to mess around or exchange in delaying pleasantries or other small talk. With a deep breath and what dignity she could muster to hold back her tears, she faced her daughter finally. Her every will was wanting to beg for forgiveness and curse out the fate of her people, to call to arms the republic just so that they could struggle against the chains that held them... before the changelings brought forth their last moments. But with practiced discipline, Luna sat even on her throne and begged her daughter to state her business with a absently gestured hoof. "I've learned a lot in my journey with my friends. And for the first time in my life, I can see hope for that future we both wished for. But with this journey I also learned many terrible secrets in this world." Luna nodded evenly, Trixie's own evenness more unnerving than the prospect of Luna's daughter being angry at her. "I see..." Luna said, her face still a mask of neutrality. But in her eyes Trixie could see tears struggling to break free from the fiercely natured queen of the night. "I've learned many truths and I, as Trixie the 69th and not as the great and powerful... I think I'm beginning to find my place in the world. My true purpose." Luna's tears finally broke with those words. She couldn't be anymore prouder of her daughter saying those words. She was finally accepting her self and her past self. She was finally understanding the lines of identity that troubled her so much. "I want to free us from all this, mother. I want to defeat the changelings and free the republic. I want to make friends across Equestria and stop this stupid war." Trixie's determination was passionate and true while speaking evenly with the sincerity of her heart. "But..." Her resolve began to falter, as the spectres of doubt began to show in her voice. "As I am, in the way that I know myself and my life here, I know that I am at a dead end with no means to reach my goal. Before I leave my home forever mother, I want to know one thing from you." "Speak." Luna's heart was broken. Her daughter was growing up and she was going to follow her own path that she as her mother, cannot hope to help her with. Not until the republic was free. "I want to know about my father. I hope that through my being as a half-breed, I can come to a better understanding with the changelings and the first step to that is knowing my place in their world." Luna understood the merit of this plan. All out war with the changelings would destroy the republic. The land of the night was barely keeping itself together against the Solar empire. If the changelings joined the fight, the republic would quickly be defeated in a war of two fronts. "I will start from the beginning... It all started with your mother Trixie the 68th. Trixie, the loveless one."