The whole city of Canterlot was abuzz with the changeling’s trial.
The jury had been torn with an unnamed pony being the deciding factor.
Shining Armor didn’t know if he should celebrate or be upset. He stood on the main veranda staring up at the moon. He missed his daughter. To be so tiny, the little girl was very demanding. He smiled softly at the thought. She liked to be coddled and soothed by the voice of her sire. Chrysalis was with her now and he wondered how she was. How they both were.
“Do you think we would’ve been happy together?” Came a soft voice. If the stallion was surprised to have a visitor, he didn’t act it.
“The happiest.” Shining Armor answered his now ex-wife. While Chrysalis had been on trial, he had been finalizing his separation from his wife. Though he’d needed to finalize his separation, he would have rather been at the trial.
“Then why… Why didn’t we work, you think?”
“I don’t know, Cadance… I guess a part of me was still hers from when we were younger.” He sighed. “I just… I just can’t believe…” She patiently waited for him to continue. “I just can’t believe it’s going to end like this. That she’s… going to be gone. After everything we’ve all lost… It still didn’t matter.”
“You know what I think?” Cadance ventured, moving to stand beside him.
“What?”
“If I only had one night left with the pony I loved…”Her voice trembled sad that he had moved on. “I wouldn’t spend it like this. I’d go to them and I’d commit everything about them to memory. Every little nuance. I’d do what I could to bring them peace. Cause if I felt like you, I could only imagine what they were feeling.”
“Cadence…” He turned his gaze onto the mare, memorizing her for the beauty she was. Despite everything Cadance was still willing to be there for him even though it hurt her. He kissed her on the forehead as he pulled her close.
The mare snuggled against him and the two enjoyed the silence, if only for a bit. Despite the clouds in the sky, the silver glow of the moon was still a comforting presence in the night.
“Shining Armor…” The two turned to see the enigmatic moon goddess.
“Yes Princess.”
“The changeling queen has requested to see the night sky one last time before morning. Would you escort her?”
Cadance gave him a tight smile. “You should go…” He nodded and after she gave him a kiss on the cheek she hastily took her exit. She had only stopped by to visit concerned how Shining Armor would take the news. Now that she had it was time to return to her new post and lover.
As always, it took both Triste and Felizi to neutralize the spell that kept the changeling locked away. Once the barrier twinkled out of existence, Chrysalis slowly crossed the threshold towards the waiting ponies.
“Princess Luna,” She greeted standing tall.
“Chrysalis,” The moon goddess returned.
Harlequin eyes fell onto Shining Armor who gave a tight smile.
Luna cleared her throat. When she gained their attention, she informed the stallion of her expectations. As Luna spoke to Shining Armor, the twins bound the changeling’s magic once again. After everything was taken care of, the duo were free to do as they pleased.
“Where to?” He asked quietly.
“The gardens, please. I miss the wisteria.”
The two moved side by side as they casually strolled through the deserted castle halls. Soon they were outside the castle walls following a moon-lit path through the garden.
The changeling queen kept her head down as she was lost in thought.
Never in a million years did she think her life would turn out like this. It beat going crazy by a long shot, but still she found all of this just as unsatisfying. All this drama and yet no resolution that ended with her happy.
Shining Armor stole glances at the introspective mare. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn’t know how. Time could be such a cruel mistress. By this time tomorrow, the former Queen would cease to be among the living.
Finally, the wisteria tunnel came into view making him halt. Confused, by his sudden cease of movement, Chrysalis stopped as well. She looked up to see the beautiful vine-like flowers engulfing the architecture with its lavender enchantments.
She could tell by the darkening of his eyes, that Shining Armor had been remembering something from their time here.
When she had pretended to be Cadance, she remembered seducing him in this very tunnel. Teasing him with her words and body, helping him relax when he was stressed out from work. She had whispered sultry promises in her ear, and promised him her heart for as long as he’d wanted it. A blush came to her cheeks and she continued ahead without him, weary of the better times. She didn’t notice his aggression until it was much too late.
Perhaps it was selfish of him, but Shining Armor had questions he desperately needed answering. He quickly caught up with her underneath the soft purple petals.
“Wha-“ Before she realized it she found herself pushed against the silky petals, and rough brick.
“If you loved me so much, why didn’t you ever tell me who you really were?” His expression was unreadable, but his emotions were very much upset. “Why didn’t you ever tell me what you were running from?” Shining Armor forced her to look at him as he pinned her body against a wall with his own. “Why didn’t you fight for me… for us?”
“Would you have honestly believed me? You would have bolted the moment I showed you what I was.” There were moments when he had done exactly that. His eyes burned with indignation at her words. “I’m a monster, remember!” She spat as her eyes watered. The jeers and humiliation she faced at the end of her trial burned hotly in her memory. “An unholy manifestation that prays off the young hearts of the innocent.” She recited what Athen had said about her kind. “That’s what your people think… Isn’t that what you think?” She’d accepted her punishment. She’d accepted so much that she should have never had to, and now she was done. So why was he making everything so difficult?
“That’s not fair! You never gave me the chance!”
Her shoulders shook as she laughed humorlessly to herself. Was he right? Tonight wasn’t supposed to be like this. “That day… on the mountain… Odonata… she used a spell to block your memories. I was going to tell you- I wanted to… I was so afraid back then. But when you woke up… That look in your eyes when you said you didn’t know me… and…” Tears ran down her face and she couldn’t finish the thought. But it didn’t matter as suddenly his mouth was on hers, hot and demanding as they spoke to each other in a way that didn’t require words.
She moaned as she allowed him to break through the last of her resistance.
Kissing him was the sweetest form of torture. She was a fool for indulging this way, but how many nights had she laid awake lost in the ‘what ifs.’
“I’m so afraid…” She whispered after they’d broken apart feeling breathless and needy.
“About tomorrow?” He murmured as he buried his face in her neck.
“Yes… I’m afraid for Gemma… for you. It’s hard for a girl without her mother… Despite how much Celestia tries to convince you all otherwise, this world is not kind. How is she supposed to get on without me?”
“If you’re asking me to-“
“I’m not…” She rested her forehead against his shoulder as Shining Armor blinked. ‘You wouldn’t… and I could never ask.’ The words were unspoken but he heard them just the same. “Go make up with your wife,” she mumbled. He shouldn’t be alone, she thought. “She’s still very much in-love with you.” Shining Armor tightened his jaw. Did she really think he felt so little for her? The thought pained him. He’d hurt so many ponies for this one, why couldn’t she see that?
“Stop it.” He growled into her neck, nipping her just hard enough to make her wince. She was trying to make him go away, but the stallion was stubborn. He pulled back to stare down into her face.
Chrysalis stared up at him with bright eyes. “You’ll tell her I love her, everyday…” Her charcoal body was framed by wisteria making her stand out in its softness.
He calmed as she spoke of their daughter. “I will…”
“Tell her that in the end…” She swallowed as she came as close as she dared to being completely honest with him. “She was created in love…”
“I promise.” Shining Armor murmured as his eyes softened.
“Promise you’ll be there tomorrow?” He looked pained by the request, but nodded anyway. “Good…” She flashed him a weak smile before hesitantly initiating a kiss. He met her halfway and it felt like old times.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
“Celestia, please-“
“Don’t ask me, because I can’t.” The Sol alicorn groaned in frustration. She hadn’t liked the outcome of the trial any more than Shining Armor had, but she had promised that the people’s will would be done.
“Dammit! I’ve never asked you for anything, ever!” Shining Armor pleaded just as intensely. After he’d seen the changeling back to her cell, he’d immediately sought out Princess Celestia in her private office. The conversations he had with both Chrysalis and Cadence still played lucidly in his mind. He had accused Chrysalis of not fighting when he himself hadn’t exhausted all his options. It couldn’t end like this. Or if it did, he wouldn’t let it go without a ruckus.
“Shining Armor what you propose is high treason!” Celestia leaned over her desk with a seriousness that usually resulted in no argument. Yet Shining Armor was past that it seemed.
“She’d be my responsibility! When my daughter grows up and asks about her mother, what am I supposed to tell her? What do I say? That daddy was just doing his job?” He spat disgusted with that line of thinking.
“I’m sorry but I can’t do anything.” She breathed as her shoulders sagged with exhaustion.
“I know how the system works, Celestia.” Shining Armor leaned forward over her desk with narrowed eyes. “Yours was the deciding vote. How could you have done this to her knowing what you knew about the situation? You’ve never called for this kind of punishment before, so why now?”
The Princess’ face turned into something spiteful. “Did you ever really love my niece?” Was her cruel response to his badgering. Cadence had been hurt to her core, and Celestia hadn’t realized that until recently. No pony had bothered to inform her about the couple’s estrangement or Cadence’s desire to leave Canterlot.
“What happened between Cadance and myself has nothing to do with you.” Shining Armor’s eyes flashed as they took on a grey hue.
“But doesn’t it?” Was her shrewd response.
“Cadance divorced me- not the other way around.” The stallion would be damned if Celestia tried to pin all of this holier-than-thou shit on somepony other than herself. At the end of the day what the Sol alicorn wanted was usually what happened.
“No matter how anypony spins this, a wrong was done against my people. Your people!” Why couldn’t he understand that she was just doing her job? There were lots of things she didn’t like doing, but they had to be done. Equestria would not fall apart over this. She swore it.
“And this is how you chose to punish her?”
“I didn’t choose this, Shining Armor.” Celestia’s eyes widened as she made her point. “She did. When she invaded my city she challenged my authority and threatened my subjects! And now she has to deal with the fallout. This is out of my hooves.” It was time Shining Armor learned his place in all of this. She would only tolerate just so much disrespect. The Princess gave a subtle nod to her soldiers. “Guards, please escort Shining Armor to his quarters.” ‘And make sure he stays there,’ was her unspoken command.
“What?” The former Captain looked tired as he was flanked by guards. “No… no, no, no. Celestia!” He moaned.
“Take him away.” The Princess spoke hardheartedly.
“No wait!” The duo muscled the struggling stallion to the door. “Celestia! Damn you! I’m not finished yet! Damn you to hell!”
“This is for your own good…” She whispered to herself as she turned away from the spectacle.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
“Chrysalis.” After the changeling had been returned to her cell, a healer had been summoned.
Triste. “I… I… have a favor to ask you.”
The healer waited for her to continue as she crossed the threshold and readied her medicines for her examination. “And what would that be?” Prompted the unicorn’s serene voice when the other failed to continue.
She and her sister were neutral parties. They neither despised, nor condoned the Queen’s actions which had made them ideal candidates for Celestia’s desires. They saw the changeling as any other creature- it wasn’t their jobs to judge, just to heal and understand. Tonight would be the last time she tended to the queen.
“It’s not for me…” Chrysalis ventured to which the albino smiled, amused with her shyness. Queen Chrysalis was not the shy type. “It’s for my daughter. One day she’ll have questions… And… since I won’t be there to give her the answers…” How would her daughter fare in a land like this? She had lost everything to this country, but Gemma was a gift, a respite from the storm of all she’d been through. She didn’t deserve years of hatred or loneliness because of her less than pristine origins.
Honey colored orbs took on a sad hue. It was humbling watching a pony come to grips with their mortality. It’d been a while since somepony was punished so severely in such a finite way. Triste listened carefully as she went about conducting one of her final medical assessments on the recovering monarch. Tomorrow the Queen would be cast in stone for her crimes against Equestria.
Chrysalis knew Shining Armor would take care of their daughter, but there were things Gemma would need to know about who she was, and Shining Armor wouldn’t know the answer to that.
So with a pat on the bed indicating the spot beside her, the changeling took a deep breath and told her story from the very beginning.