The corridors of Canterlot Castle lay in the dim illumination of a few glowing crystals as Cadance sneaked down the halls. Until now they had not been spotted, and the next corridor seemed empty, too. She signaled the pony behind her, and soon a dark-grey unicorn mare joined her on the corner into the next passage. This pony had her dark-green mane done up in a knot and wore a maid’s cap and dress. Like the princess she had donned some socks to keep her hooves from clopping on the floor.
The two nodded to each other and tiphoofed down the corridor. They had just passed the last alcove as the bright cone of light from a nightguard’s helm swept over them. The stallion was just as surprised as the two mares: the quite attractive bride of the captain and a maid stood in front of him, both as he noticed in quite … fashionable legwear.
Before he could even say something the maid was by his side and placed a hoof on his lips. “Let’s not get worked up for nothing, shall we?” she whispered. “The princess only wants some sweets. The tailors have placed her on diet, and you know how brides can get,” she winked at him, “don’t you?”
“I have no idea, what you are talking about,” the guard smiled at the mares and winked back. “In fact, I don’t even know why I’m talking to myself in this clearly empty hall.”
The two ponies scurried away, but each gave him a little kiss on the cheek as they passed him. As he was sure to be alone again, a grin stole onto his face. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza in socks! What a view!
The rest of the way was undisturbed for the two mares, but they both released a deep sigh when the door behind them closed closed.
Although she knew that the walls were enchanted to be soundproof Cadance kept whispering. “Will you find it in time?”
The maid looked at her with a mocking grin. “Don’t get your tail in a knot, princess. If it is here, I will find it. And if not tonight, then we will search again tomorrow, or as long as it takes. Your wedding is scheduled for the next month: plenty of time to find that crystal. Unless Celestia has locked it away in the treasure room under Canterlot tower, but I don’t think so. It is neither dangerous nor especially valuable.”
Cadence and her maid walked down the line of showcases and cabinets. Each contained some scrolls, ancient pottery or coins or works of art. The maid stopped in front of a particularly nasty looking axe. “Oh I remember this one. I almost lost my head over it.” She giggled. “Good times, fun times.”
Cadance tried not to look at the sharp edge, but read the little card that was pinned to the weapon. Her eyes went wide and she looked at her accomplice. “This is more than two thousand years old. I had no idea you were that — experienced.”
“You mean because I’m not chained to a celestial body?” the maid said, but kept on walking down the aisle. ”Well, there are other ways to keep a youthful complexion.” For just a moment Cadence thought she saw something else in the place of the small pony, but it was over in the blink of an eye. “But we haven’t snuck into Celestia’s memory lane here to exchange fashion tips, have we? So keep looking.”
The two walked by seemingly endless rows of cabinets until Cadence stopped in front of a rather boring stone under a glass dome. “I think this is it,” she called out. Her maid looked at it with a critical look. “Yes, it is. But lets wait for the next guard to make his round first. If they keep to their schedule he should come in here in a few minutes.”
The guard was punctual, but the two avoided detection successfully in an ancient elephant sarcophagus from Zebraica.
“We have one hour,” Cadance said.
“Plenty of time,” her maid answered, “if you can cast your hubby’s special spell.”
Without even answering Cadance started collecting magic in her horn, and as she released it, a shimmering sphere covered the two ponies and the pedestal with the crystal. When she saw the telltale shimmer on her maid’s horn she looked away, the transformation magic still turned her stomach. After the glow had passed she dared to look again, even if the sight of the changeling queen was still not for the faint of heart.
“You will keep to your end of the bargain?” Crysalis asked as she levitated the glass dome from the crystal.
“Of course,” Cadance nodded. ”You call the Crystal Empire back from the void and your hive gets a quarter of the love it will provide for Equestria.” She didn’t like the fanged grin the changeling flashed her, but what could she do? The changelings were the only race who could cast the emotion-based spell that would call the Empire from it’s banishment. “I don’t care what aunt Celestia says. A thousand years of banishment were enough for Luna, it should be enough for the fallen king.”
Crysalis nodded, and a spell like nothing Cadance had seen before streamed from the changeling’s crooked horn into the gem. The pulsing green magic continued for a few minutes, but finally Crysalis stopped the flow and turned to the young alicorn. “It is done. The Crystal Empire is part of this universe again and should reappear in a few months, half a year on the outside.”
Cadance could hardly believe her eyes and was this close to hugging the changeling queen. “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Don’t thank me yet, little one,” Crysalis grinned her fanged grin. “Just keep the shield going until I’m changed back.”
Cadence almost danced for joy. “Oh, I don’t have to do that. The magic is self-sustained once it is cast.”
“Well, isn’t that convenient! You might want to look away again,” Crysalis said as she started to change again, and Cadance did so.
That’s why she didn’t see where the gop of slime came from that suddenly hit her muzzle and silenced her. As Cadance looked at the changeling again she saw her own face turned into a vicious grin. The last thing she heard before the flames around her snatched her away was “You know, Princess, I think I’ll take the whole Empire,” and the mocking laughter of the changeling queen.