"Shining Armor... Is everything alright between yourself and Cadance?" The alicorn had waited till she could have a private moment in her office with the stallion.
The last few days had been a bit chaotic as they had been wrapping up the Sol Tour. So far not a single changeling had been sighted. It truly was a wonder. So many of the creatures had stood against her citizens and yet not a one had been found. But all that aside, she was concerned about more than just changelings.
Celestia stared at the Captain of her Guard with a look of worry on her pristine features. She knew that the relationship between Shining Armor and her niece was terse at best. She had an idea as to why but she'd rather hear it from him. There were changes in the two that worried her.
"Things are-"
"Don't lie to me. I can sense that the bond the two of you had isn't nearly as strong as it once was." He sighed as his shoulders slumped. He looked ten years older. "I know what I am and the position I hold... but I'd like to think that you would have come to view me as family..." She watched as he winced at the term. "Or at least a friend."
"I... "
"It's her... isn't it?" Cerulean eyes filled with shame. "There's something you should see."
Moments later he found himself following the alicorn deep inside the castle. There was a stairwell on the east wing of the castle that led to the dungeons. As Captain of the Guard he knew that. But what he didn't know was that inside the last cell there was a secret passage way with another staircase to an even more secure holding. Following the Sol Alicorn down the dimly lit pathway was a bit unnerving. There were labyrinths here he didn't even know existed as architecture from the castle ended, and natural tunnels were used.
Ancient wards were set in place as the duo got closer to their destination. He noticed a pale mare softly chanting as she poured magic into a floating sphere in what he thought was an empty cavern. However when he finally realized what Celestia was showing him, the stallion was at a loss for words.
There locked behind a magical barrier was the bane of his existence. His heart began to speed as his breath quickened. He hadn't seen her since his wedding day and his eyes, much to his horror, acted as if they needed to make up for lost time. He couldn't help but stare at the slumbering mare memorizing every line and detail about her unnatural presence.
A thousand memories ran through his head and Shining Armor had to remind himself that none of it was real.
It couldn't be.
"How long?" He managed through a clenched jaw.
"Since the night you left for your honeymoon." Celestia stepped up beside the stallion as she spoke.
"Why wasn't I made aware of this?"
"I felt you were too close to the situation at the time." He looked as if he were ready to argue, so she continued in her explanation. "She's no threat to anypony in this state. And even if she were, Felizi and Triste are exceptional at what they do. Precautions have been taken."
"And you are sure she's contained?"
"Yes. The barrier here was created with her abilities in mind. Even if she were awake she can't escape and her magic can't penetrate it."
He nodded as his darkened eyes drank in the sight of her slumbering form. "Chrysalis..." The way he spoke her name made Celestia tilt her head as she studied him. There was a jumble of emotion showcased on his usually stoic features. Part of him ached while another part of him raged at the sight of her. He hated her.
"I sense no changeling magic about you... However, only a changeling can reverse changeling magic. I admit its a bit difficult to detect." After the disaster that was her niece's wedding, Celestia had retraced all of Chrysalis' research on changelings and their origins. She'd even used a few resources of her own to figure out what she could about the mare that had almost taken over her beloved city. What she didn't understand was how she could of won when the queen of the changelings had slept under her roof for so long. The other hadn't struck her as incompetent- quite the opposite. So how had she lost so soundly? What was her goal?
Celestia was dying to understand.
And it looked as if Shining Armor had questions of his own as well.
*-*-*-*-*
"We should take another honeymoon," Cadance moaned as she lay breathless beside her husband. "You seem so distracted nowadays..." Between work and their own issues, it was hard for the couple to find time to be intimate. But even now, Cadance would not complain. This was more than nothing. It'd been a while since her morning involved sleeping in and under cover exploration.
Shining Armor kissed her forehead as he caught his breath. "It wouldn't do me any good," he lamented. "My mind would still be on work. Maybe in a couple of months we can spend a week or two in Vanhoover... What do you think?"
The Princess gave a small smile as she rested her head on his chest, contouring her body to his. "I don't like the cold, remember."
He frowned. "No... You don't do you..." A silence fell over the two as they lost themselves in their own thoughts.
"Aunt Celestia wanted to see you some time today." Was Cadance's soft admission. "She wouldn't tell me what it was about, but I assume you know." The Princess had long since stopped giving him tests he couldn't pass. This was a way for him to go about his business without feeling like he'd let her down.
The stallion tried not to look relieved as he untangled himself from her. Sadly, Cadance was becoming used to it and that did make him feel like shit.
He quickly took a shower but later hesitated at their bedroom door. "Cadie..."
"Yes?" She said absently as she stared out her balcony door wrapped in cashmere comforts.
"I want you to know that I am trying..."
"Maybe one day you won't have to." She gave him a tight smile and shoo-ed him away. "Celestia is waiting."
*-*-*-*-*
Princess Celestia received regular updates about the changeling's health, but every few days she physically went to see for herself. Now that he knew, Shining Armor found himself tagging along with his ruler hoping to talk with the Queen who'd impersonated his wife. He felt horrible about the deterioration of his marriage. The sooner he confronted Chrysalis the sooner he could get his life back.
"Why is she asleep?" He heard himself asking on what was now his third visit.
"She's dying..." Came a voice like rain.
"Who are you?" Celestia exclaimed as they both whirled around to find Discord and an unfamiliar presence.
"Relax my dear sweet Celestia, she's with me."
"Discord!"
"In the flesh..."
"I am the cause of this." The alicorn that stood beside the draconequus was a majestic creature with a buttercream coat and a mane the color of corals. Plum colored eyes were demure as her sharp features expressed a calmness that seemed unnatural.
"What do you mean she's dying?" Shining Armor spoke up.
"She has nothing to live for... so she thinks." Serpentine eyes locked onto Shining Armor's making the stallion uncomfortable.
"Had I not sent her away, she'd have died the night of your wedding." Spoke the unknown alicorn.
"And what of her species?" Asked Celestia trusting of her own kind. The night of the wedding, both she and her sister felt a great magical disturbance, pure in nature. It felt a lot like the magical presence of the alicorn in front of her.
"You need not worry about that. There is no such thing as a changeling. In fact, there never was." Discord spoke up with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.
"Should she continue to slumber this way she'll eventually die." Elytra said thoughtfully.
"No!" Shining Armor's outburst accosted Elytra's attention. "I need to speak with her!"
Plum colored eyes patiently studied him before the olden alicorn smiled. 'This will be interesting.' She thought as she recalled the changeling's emotions for the stallion. "You will speak with her soon enough," was her cryptic response. The results of such a thing, she did not know.
"How can we wake her?" Was the stallion's serious remark. He needed her to take this spell off of him.
"You haven't told him?" Elytra was surprised at his eagerness despite his obvious anger and reluctance.
"No... I wasn't sure." Celestia admitted hating how convoluted everything was becoming.
"I see... Tell me stallion, if the answers to your question were that which you didn't want to hear, what would you do?" Shining Armor looked taken aback. "I would prepare myself if I were you..."
"Are you... Elytra?" Celestia's eyes were curious as she took in the other ethereal creature.
"What do you wish to know?" Elytra gave her an honest smile.
"Everything."
"Perhaps another time," was her meaningful response. 'When we are away from others.'
Celestia nodded in understanding. "I look forward to it."
"Where did you send her?" Shining Armor asked. He hadn't meant to sound so concerned.
"To a place where no pony would hurt her." Was the alicorn's simple response.
*-*-*-*-*
Chrysalis awoke with a scream as her reclined form shot forward into an upright position.
Everything was twisted and her chest burned as she found herself gasping for breath. Suddenly there were voices and hooves and this whole situation felt like something she’d already had happen to herself.
“Calm down Chrystal! You were involved in an accident… You don’t remember?”
The changeling blinked several times before she could focus her attention on the pony speaking to her. “Wha….”
A beautiful mare with a mane the color of corals stared down at her with concerned eyes. “Be at ease. You’re safe here…”
Before the doctor could say anymore another mare entered the room and it was as if the sins of her past were forgotten.
"Odo? Maker!"
The dark colored unicorn raised a brow at the greeting. Her baby sister hadn’t greeted her like that in years. Granted they were a lot closer now than what they’d ever been, but their relationship still wasn’t where she wanted it.
"Chrysalis... you were involved in an accident. I came as soon as I could."
"She beat me..."
"What?"
"Cadance... She beat us... me."
The light haired unicorn tilted her head in confusion. "The doctor said you sustained head injuries so I’m not even going to ask."
It was in that moment that the changeling queen actually took in her surroundings.
A hospital?
She took the time to really look at the healer... She looked like a normal unicorn. And now that she looked down at herself, she realized so did she. No chitin, no holes, no wings or fangs. She was…. a pony?
What the hell was going on? She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice her room door open with the addition of another pony.
"Chrysalis?"
She stared at him with wide eyes pushing back into her bedding. She’d never seen him so unkempt before and it only added to her fear. Surely he was there to kill her. And while confusion ruled her mind fear was quickly taking root making her frail frame tremble. She somehow managed to stutter out his name, “Sh-shining Armor…”
“Chryssie… How’re you feeling?” He looked so relieved and anxious. Not at all what she was expecting.
“Confused…”
“Well you hit your head pretty hard. But the Doctor said you should be fine in a few days.”
“My head?”
"Haven't we been over this, Chrystal?" Said her snarky sister.
“You don’t remember.” It was a statement. ”Chryssie, you were in a train wreck.”
“A train wreck?”
“Yea…”
A mix between a sob and a gasp came from her. What was going on? “I just feel so overwhelmed.”
“Shh… it’s okay." He stroked her mane with a familiarity that scared her as much as it comforted her. "Its been a rough few days. You’ve been unconscious for almost a week.”
“Maker…”
“I was so afraid of losing you. You and the baby are all I care about.”
“Baby?! What baby?” She couldn't carry a baby.
“Chrysalis… you’re pregnant.”