The Changeling King Part 2: Kings' Gambit

by th3l0stch1ld

The Return of a Threat

The hive was active. It had been two years since the new queen had taken over, and the hive had grown substantially in both size and number. A changeling stood on a balcony overlooking a river, the breeze blowing through his coat as he stared, listening to the chirping of many different birds. The wind showed hidden scars, claws and bite marks up and down his neck and shoulder. The wind parted his hair, showing his face. A crown held the majority of his hair in place, but his green eyes never left their focus. A mended heart was depicted on his flank. He was so caught up that he did not here another changeling approach him from behind.

“Amor, why is it that I always find you here?” He blinked his eyes as they came to focus. Amor turned to see the other standing behind him. She had hair like his, only longer. The holes in her hooves were less numerous, and like many of the changelings from the previous generation, she had no cutie mark. She too had a crown, but hers was much smaller, slender and taller than his. Amor smiled at her presence, after all, she was his wife.

“I love the view from this spot.” The former queen walked out to the spot beside him and looked out into the natural view.

“It is a great view.”

Amor looked at the pony, or changeling, that he loved most. “Was there something you needed me for, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis looked back at Amor. “More savages were found.” Amor expected the news. Recently, changelings from an enemy hive, led by a false king, have been found wandering the forest near the hive. Every time the news was delivered Amor stopped with his cheery day and became a much more serious pony.

“Alright I’ll be down soon.” As Chrysalis walked back to her duties, Amor looked over the river again. “This isn’t good. There has to be a reason that we have been seeing so many hostile changelings. They couldn’t have found the hive, could they?” Amor recalled all the savage changelings that have been found recently. All the captured, all the missing troops from the other hive. Amor put a hoof to his head. “How could I be so stupid? All the changelings going missing in this area, of course they know where we are, or at least the general area.” He put his hoof back in position. “How are we to fight an enemy that we cannot find?” With a sigh Amor turned from the balcony to his room, walked around the bed, and left.

In a small chamber attached to the main castle, a chamber that few knew about and even fewer were allowed in. It would cause panic if the hive knew about the chamber where so many prisoners were held, changeling prisoners from a hostile hive. Amor appeared in the door and walked down the long hallway, prison cells filled with changelings on either side of him. As he walked by, every changeling snarled and growled, spit flying in his direction. He was accustomed to making this journey, for he had lightly interrogated every one of these changelings. He approached the last cell in the row, where a group of those he trusted most had gathered. Amor could easily identify those in this group, his adopted daughter and current queen Purity, his wife and former queen Chrysalis, and two of Amor’s most trusted soldiers, Avispa and Escara, both with spears pointed at the changeling lying in the cell, all four legs tied together. The group opened up and allowed Amor to enter the cell. The changeling picked up his head and looked at the former king as he approached. Amor looked down at the changeling on the ground.

“What’s your name?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“I want to know how to address you.”

“I don’t have to give you my name.” The same answer all those before him gave.

“Alright, savage, where has your leader set up his hive?” Silence. “What are you looking for?” Again silence. Amor sighed. “Alright, savage, what will you tell me?”

The changeling looked up and an evil grin appeared on his face. “I will tell you that you are doomed. I will tell you that you will never find us. You think we are savage, but you are the savages. You have pulled so far from the ways of our ancestors, it’s insulting.”

Amor put his face close to the changeling, who didn’t even flinch. “You think we are savage? Let me show you something.” Amor bit the changeling on the back of his head, obviously causing pain, and dragged him down the rows of cells. As if on cue, all the changelings growled and hissed and spit at the presence of the former king. “You look at your people and tell me we are savage.” The changeling looked shocked by the site of all the rabid changelings. Amor then dragged him back to his cell and threw him against the wall. He put his face close to the changeling’s again and barred his fangs before asking again. “Now where is your hive?” Again silence. “I’m getting tired of this. Maybe I should just kill you all.”

The changeling finally gave in. “Alright, you win. Our main hive is in the hayseed swamps.” Amor was actually surprised by how fast the changeling broke. At the sound of their home, every changeling in the room roared in anger.

“How am I to know you are telling the truth?”

“Trust me, it is.”

Escara stepped forward and placed the tip of his spear on the changeling’s chest. “Willing to bet your life on it?”

The changeling’s eyes went wide. “Please, I’m telling the truth!” Chrysalis stepped forward and pulled both Escara and Amor back into the group.

“Do you think he is telling the truth?”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. She pulled Amor from the group and began whispering to him. “Amor, you know I could see his memories?”

At first Amor had a puzzled look on his face, then came to the realization of what she was talking about. “What about the pain?”

“Please. I doubt there is much pain this weakling could take that I can’t.”

Amor sighed before turning to the other three. “Leave me and Chrysalis here with the prisoner. We will be done soon.” Purity nodded and signaled the two soldiers to follow her to the castle’s main chamber. “Wait. Avispa, leave your spear.” The changeling silently handed his spear to Amor who took it with his magic. He watched as the three finally left and the door closed behind them. As they approached the cell, Amor slammed the base of the spear against the ground to gain the attention of his captive. “If you try anything, I will put this spear through your skull.”

The changeling sat in full attention as Chrysalis approached. In an attempt to hold him she placed her hoof down hard, his head the only thing stopping it from hitting the ground as she placed her horn to his. With a bright white glow, all the memories from the last week were transferred into Chrysalis’s mind, along with the pain. When the spell was complete, Chrysalis’s whole body ached with pain. She put a hoof to her forehead as she stumbled out if the cell.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, it’s just a headache. He’s telling the truth.” Amor closed the cell door as Chrysalis made her way out.

“Wait! You can’t leave me like this!” Amor turned and pulled the spear up. The changeling closed his eyes and braced for the end. He waited, but never felt the tip. Soon he heard a snap, he opened his eyes to see the spear in the middle of his four legs, barely missing him but cutting the rope.

“Before you try anything stupid, your magic is bound. Have fun in your cell.”

Author's Note:

And we return to the world that is Amor’s. Thankfully, I found a map of Equestria, so some of the location names will be a bit more accurate. Also, expect some more explicit language. Nothing too major, just a few minor words that I am sorry if they offend you in any way.

Comments

[Dark Foals]

Yea... fricken sequel up in this!
That's how it's done, especially for starting out a new story!

[Crulocrius of Honeycomb]

One problem, the hive theory is most likely wrong. The queen refers to them as her subjects, not her children.

[th3l0stch1ld]

3111584 are you referring to how I used the word?

[Razzy]

Nice start. I hope the savage changelings can be integrated back into Purity's hive.

3111584 I don't think the two ideas ate incompatible?

Cya
Raziel-chan