//------------------------------//
// LP46: The Queen's Day Off [Slice of Life] 
// Story: Half Hour Horses: Legacy Prompts 
// by HoofAndQuill 
//------------------------------//



The prompt: The Princess's day off.

As noted by the person who ran this prompt, this one isn't really about a princess' day off.  Whoops.



"Remember, it's just until tomorrow morning."

Princess Cadance spoke firmly, with a harsh tone under her words that the elegant princess rarely used.  Princess Twilight Sparkle stood beside her, no less imposing despite her smaller size.

Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, fought back her immediate instinct to rebel against being given orders.  Not just because she was in a room with two alicorns, a dangerous place for her to be, but also because of the rewards of momentary obedience.  "...Of course, Princess.  I need this as much as you do."

Cadance frowned, and turned to her sister in law.  "Are you sure we can trust her?"

Twilight Sparkle glanced over toward Chrysalis, who was still standing tall, with an imperious bearing and in her natural, black, alien form.  "Well... no.  But Shining would worry constantly if he knew we were going out to--  well, if  he knew about our day off, so this is the best solution I could think of.  Besides, she knows she can't get out of that spell."

It was true.  Chrysalis' horn lit at the mention of it, but despite knowing the basics of unicorn magic, she couldn't even start to unravel the complex spell around her body.  Whatever Twilight's faults were, she was quite an expert in magic at the least.  "I can manage the charade for a day.  Your precious husband won't even suspect me."

Princess Cadance's eyebrow twitched at the thought of the deception, and of this creature being with her husband all day.  But still, she did need some rest, both from the tedium of the Crystal Empire and from her husband's well-meaning worry and fretting over her.  "And you won't hurt him?"

"Of course not.  Even just a day with Shining Armor will give me enough love for all of my subjects to share for weeks."  A smile slowly spread across her lips, and she cast a look over to Cadance, with half-lidded eyes.  "And what should I do if your dear, sweet husband wants more from his 'wife'?"

Twilight scrunched up her nose and then stuck out her tongue in disgust.  Cadance only scowled, with a look in her eyes that made even Chrysalis step back.  After a moment, however, Cadance just sighed and shook her head.  "Tell him you have a headache.  I don't want you two doing anything like that."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes at the typical pony possessiveness, but then just nodded.  It would be easy enough to get plenty of love without resorting to anything like that.

"Honey?  Are you alright in there?  Also, have you seen Twily anywhere?"

At hearing Shining's voice through the door, Cadance smiled, but Chrysalis only flashed green magic over herself, changing at once into a perfect copy of Princess Cadance.  She shot a look over to the other two alicorns, as she spoke in a carefree, pleasant tone.  "Just a moment, dear."

Cadance looked longingly toward the door, but then just shook her head and gave one more warning glare toward Chrysalis.  Twilight smiled at her sister in law and spoke quietly.  "Don't worry, Cadance.  We'll have a fun day off, and then everything will be back to normal."

"I hope so, Twilight."  Cadance took a step closer to Twilight, and Twilight's horn glowed just a moment, the magical lines of her spell sparking and glowing around Chrysalis' fake pink coat.  Satisfied that everything was in order, Twilight lit her horn again and both sisters disappeared in a flash of teleportation magic.

Chrysalis looked into Cadance's mirror, inspecting her deception as Twilight's spell faded around her.  In just a moment, nopony in the world could tell she wasn't who she pretended to be.  She lit her horn to open the door with her magic, and called out to her temporary husband.  "I'm ready, dear.  Twilight went home early, she has some kind of friendship problem at home.  That does leave tonight open for a date, doesn't it?"





This was bliss.

The evening had gone better than Chrysalis could have predicted.  A little more work on her mane and she looked every bit the part of a Princess out on a romantic outing, and Shining Armor only needed a little push to get dressed up as well.  After a calming walk through the streets of the Crystal Empire, they had taken in a very well-acted play at a theater and an astoundingly delicious meal cooked free of charge at a nearby restaurant.  If there was anything that ponies did better than changelings, it was cooking.

Shining Armor seemed the perfect husband.  Chrysalis had only known him briefly before, but over the year or so of marriage, he had matured into a well-behaved and courteous stallion.  They had spent the evening in pleasant conversation, with Shining describing his work over the course of the day, and his visit with Twilight while she had been in town.  Chrysalis was more than adept at deception, and had managed her way through the conversation deflecting questions she didn't have the answers for, and prodding the stallion to talk more about himself.

Not to mention drinking in the love from him.

She had agreed to this little game with Cadance and Twilight for a few reasons.  Firstly, amnesty for the changelings, or at least in a partial sense.   Secondly, she had hoped to find a few open positions here and there in the palace that she could secretly fill with changeling agents.  Third, she supposed, was the admittedly delicious and abundant love this couple shared.  It was still beyond anything she had found anywhere else, and made her almost want to test Twilight's spell against her quickly increasing power.

But now was not the time for that.  In fact, back in the bedroom she was to share with Shining Armor tonight, with his hooves pressing in a soothing massage along her back, all thoughts of revenge and plotting for future power faded.  He had taken the news of her 'headache' with no resentment or disappointment at all.  Instead, he had merely offered a massage to help clear away the stress of her Princesshood.  Wrapped in her new magical body, with her husband's loving attentions working perfectly over her pony body and wing muscles, she could only think that Shining must have a tremendous amount of practice with this.

But even that thought was quickly chased away by the practiced and expert massage, and Chrysalis let herself sink down against the royal bed in absolute, perfect relaxation.

Though it hurt her pride, she had to admit that she was hoping that the Princess might need a few more days off.  A queen could get used to this sort of treatment.