//------------------------------//
// Rest and Relaxation 
// Story: The Changeling King Part 2: Kings' Gambit 
// by th3l0stch1ld 
//------------------------------//

	Amor couldn’t sleep.  Staring at the blue-green ceiling was all he could do as the night went by.  This will take some getting used to.  With a final yawn, Amor stood.  I’ve had enough of this.  He began walking through the camp, peering into tents as he walked.  The first one he peeked into had two pods hanging down, both had something inside.  Under them were piles of Armor, swords, and spears.  Looking closer he could make out the blurred figure of a changeling curled up, floating upside-down as if by a lack of gravity inside.  One began to squirm inside his pod.  Bad dream?  Or restless sleeper?  Amor kept walking.  In the next one, he saw one pod, just like the last one, but beside it was a changeling curled around itself, a sword atop a pile of armor nearby.  Against the wall was a spear, the tip digging into the dried wax.  Amor shrugged at the site and kept walking, doing a steady patrol around the camp.  He saw a few combinations of the sleeping quarters.  One even was completely filled with anything that could be found, covering the whole floor.  There were a few spots that were empty, owned by the night patrol.
That’s when it hit him.  He hasn’t seen anyone from the patrol while he was out.  He was almost worried, but finally bumped into one of his patrols, literally.  While thinking, he walked right into one of his soldiers, who was moving at a slightly slower pace.  Both fell to the ground in a jumbled mess.  The way Amor landed on top of him, his jaw hit right off of the hilt of the soldier’s sword.  He was about to yell in pain, but held it in, letting out only a slight mumble.
“Ow.”
“Sorry sir.”  Amor easily identified the voice.  It was almost exactly the same as any other changeling, but something in his voice sounded like two: one slightly deeper than the other, but both had a vibration-like effect on it.
“Avispa?  I didn’t see you volunteer.”
“Well, when I am wearing my helmet, I look just like any other soldier, well other than Escara.”
“Yes, well.  I should mention that there is an opening in the patrol that I’ve been walking for about five minutes.”
“It’s only the first night, and there are only a few of us.  Give us some time and we’ll have it figured out.  But are you doing out here?”
“Couldn’t sleep, decided to go for a walk.”
“Well, you need your rest.  At least try.”  Amor’s eyes did begin to feel heavy.  At this point, he felt like he could sleep on anything.
“I…” he yawned.  “I guess you’re right.  Good night, Avispa, you should get some sleep tomorrow.”
“I’ll be fine, sir, just worry about yourself.  You, eh, tend to make…bad decisions when you’re tired…or stressed.”
“Really?  How so?”
“Well, now this is just me, but I feel like stress, paranoia, and sleep deprivation was what lead you to holding out on attacking for so long, and eventually lead to famine.”
Amor became serious.  “No, that was guilt.  No one knew it at the time, but stealing love made me feel guilty, but when it is freely given to me, I feel less remorseful about it.”
“Ehm, okay.  Still, I feel you should sleep.”
He yawned again.  “Alright.”  After making the short trek back to his tent, Amor collapsed into his bed, and immediately fell asleep.  He awoke, his eyes slowly creeping open, blurred from the bright glare of Celestia’s gift.  When they finally adjusted, Amor tried to let out a yawn, but it was muffled by something in his mouth.  Apparently, at some time through the night, Amor took a bite out of his bed, for he had a mouth full of straw and hay.  He looked down at the clump in his mouth before he spit it back into his bed.  “This will take some getting used to.”  He finally let out his yawn as he rose from his bed of straw.  Walking out into the center of the campsite, Amor caught the scent of the charred smell from the newly lit fire in the center of the fireplace.  Coughing from it, Amor shook the smoke away from his face and took a seat on a large rock next to the fire as he stared into the flames.
“Good morning, sir.”  Amor looked up from his stupor to see Escara and two other changelings take their seats around him.  “Sleep well?”
“Hardly.  I still feel tired.”
“Well, this oughta wake you up.  We have two letters.  One from Queen Purity, the other from-“
“Chrysalis.”  Escara grinned as he took his amulet in his hoof and kissed it before pulling two folded pieces of paper out from his side.  Amor looked worried.  “Did you…”
“I give you my word, I, nor anyone else, read either of the letters.  I kept them with me to make sure.”  Amor stared at him for a minute.  “You can trust me.”
Amor took the letters in his magical hold.  “Whether you did or not, it would make no difference now.”  One of the letters unfolded, and Amor read it silently to himself.
Father,
We have finally set up camp in the Everfree.  It took some time to find a clearing, but we finally set up.  The ponies in the nearby town are friendly, even to changelings, but what else could be expected after two years of tolerating us, right?  Also, I just got word from mother.  She has found a nice clearing near the edge of the woods, the river flows right against her camp.  All else is quiet so far.  No hostile activity here, so that’s another good thing.  Can’t wait to hear back from you.
Purity
Amor refolded the note and unfolded the next one.  He easily recognized the handwriting of Chrysalis as soon as he laid his eyes upon it.
Amor,
We arrived in camp just before the sun went down yesterday.  We didn’t see anything nearby yet, but we haven’t let our guard down yet.  I can hear the river flow from where I sleep at night.  It’s soothing, but I can’t sleep at night without you.  I miss you already.
With all my love,
Chrysalis 
Amor smiled.  As he rose to head back to his tent, he turned to Escara.  “Bring me some paper, ink, and a quill.”
“Yes sir.”  Escara quickly jumped up and ran through the camp, searching for someone who had anything.  Amor was sitting on the ground looking over his map when Escara finally came back with the requested items.
“Thank you, Escara, that will be all.”
“Yes sir.”  Escara gave a brief salute and turned to leave Amor’s quarters.  Amor put the paper down before him and gently dipped the quill in the ink.
Purity,
I am glad to hear that you reached your spot safe.  My team reached our campsite sometime last night.  I saw Luna raise the moon when we passed.  She waved, I waved back.  Things have been boring around here, but I guess that’s a good thing.  Hope this ends before the year.
Your father
Amor
He folded the paper, moved it to the side, and began writing the next one.
Chrysalis
I know how you feel because I feel it too.  I miss you.  Things are quiet here.  We set up sometime last night, maybe an hour after the sun set.  I too can’t sleep at night.  I ended up wandering around the camp hoping it would tire me out.  Don’t worry, we’ll always be together because we’re both under the moon.
My love back to you
Amor
	Amor folded the paper up.  He wrote the name of who the notes were going to on each one.  Walking out into the camp again, Amor called out.  “I need a messenger!”  Quickly, a small and agile changeling in a full set of black armor and a small bag over his shoulder approached.  
“Yes sir, here and waiting for orders.”
“Deliver these notes to the Everfree and White Tail Woods.  Find the camps there and give these to Chrysalis and Purity.”
“Yes sir.”  The changeling took the notes and quickly shot through the air like a bullet.  Amor watched for the few seconds before the changeling disappeared on the horizon.  He stood and watched the empty sky for a few more moments before Escara walked beside him, following his eyes into the blank blue above.
“Sir, what are you looking at?”
Amor shook his head.  “Nothing.  Any word from the infiltrators yet?”
“Actually, that’s what I was coming to find you for.”  Escara pulled a map out from under his armor and passed it to Amor.  “This came in from Baltimare.”  Amor unrolled the map and immediately noticed a small red dot marked on the map near the edge of the Hayseed swaps.
“He set up a camp right there?  Why so close to the main hive?”
“Maybe they are afraid.”
“Or they’re getting prepared.”
Escara looked up at Amor, who was still looking into the blue.  “You don’t mean…”
“They know we’re coming.”
“But how?”
“Who knows, but they will do anything to keep us out, even if it means dying.”
“What can we do?”
“Added security.  You know the names of our soldiers, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“What about their marks?”
“I could tell you who has one of what and who doesn’t.”
“Good.  Gather everyone from the camp, get their names, get their cutie mark, everything.  The next time they go out, I want them to line up and give their information before they leave and when they get back.  Anyone who doesn’t seem to fit in, stop them and find me.”
“Yes sir, right away.”  Escara was about to turn, but stopped.  “Eh, permission to enter your quarters for paper and writing utensils?”
“Granted.  But no snooping.  The paper is on the table…actually, I’ll go with you, I need to record these findings.”  The two changelings slowly walked back to Amor’s quarters, remaining silent the whole way other than the soft sound of their hooves kicking up dirt.  Upon entering, Escara looked around the drab little tent.
“Wow, I thought my quarters were depressing.”
“I have what I need.  That’s it.”
“And your bed, even for a pile of hay, it looks disgusting.”
“Any suggestions?”
“More hay, more straw.”  Escara walked over to the table, his amulet jingling as it bounced off his breast plate.
“Alright, I have to ask.  Which queen was it that blessed that thing?  Was it Chrysalis’s mother?”
Escara smiled.  “It was Queen Chrysalis herself.”  Amor’s eyes closed as he chuckled.  Whether the stories were true or not, he was glad that at least one of his soldiers had faith in her.
“Alright, you’ve had your fun picking around in here.  Get what you need.”
“Yes sir.”  Escara gathered a few loose pieces of paper and anything else he needed.  He was about to leave, but stopped himself.  His head turned back and Amor could only see his mouth.  “And sir, I am sure she’ll be fine.  She may not make the best decisions-“
“Watch it.”
“But she can fight, and she never gave up on us when we were going hungry.  I don’t think she will just yet.”  Amor didn’t know what to say.
“Th-thank you, Escara.  You are dismissed.”  Escara nodded as he trotted into the camp.  Amor could hear the distant call of his second in command gathering his troops.  He only sighed as he sat at his map, only to realize that Escara took his only quill.  He shrugged as he set the map next to his.  “I’ll wait then.  Might as well gather more straw.”