Chimera 12: The Great and Powerful
Entertaining changeling refugees had become more or less a daily routine for the Great and Powerful Trixie (and Merlin), setting up her stage just outside of their camp near Ponyville. There were literally thousands of changelings who had fled their homes, crossing the vast forest between the Emerald Kingdom and Equestria before the military funneled them from the hidden mountain pass to Ponyville. Trixie had heard about them and she, like her neighbors, decided Grazeland was about to become a battlefield. With great reluctance, the entirety of the town's residents packed what belongings they could and joined the great changeling migration south.
During the trip, Trixie found herself entertaining a slowly growing number ponies and an even greater number of changelings with her illusions and magic. Her friends and neighbors were happy to see the Unicorn mare engage herself in her old profession of travelling entertainer, even sparking the old fire of the love she once had for wowing the crowds and hearing their cheers. A distraction from the war was badly needed and Trixie was the perfect remedy.
Her biggest fans were changeling children; foals and fillies and colts watched her shows, transfixed, amazed and cheering. The mare felt their love and adoration and returned the favor, not aware she was feeding them. Essentially changelings were having a free buffet of Trixie love and even when she later found out, she did not seem to mind. It was the perfect two way road; changeling matriarchs did not have to worry about feeding the mouths of unwanted colts (hardship brought out the harshest of decisions) and Trixie suddenly became the mother to over two hundred little colts. A few common changeling mares too young for families of their own and not confined by the old traditions of indifference towards male offspring helped Trixie with her traveling audience.
It was unnerving at first. At first it had been a few colts and foals, their mothers having their elder brothers and sisters depositing them at the show and leaving them never to be seen again. Trixie was shocked at such treatment of children, having heard of changeling social quirks and traditions, but having dismissed most of them as superstitious bunk. Witnessing wanton child abandonment of colt foals was a surreal experience she thought cruel, not at all like the small heroic group of adolescent colts who had cheerfully defended her home over a month ago.
A week into the exodus, a pair of changeling mares carrying their brood with them found themselves watching one of Trixie's shows, observing how the children reacted to her and how she fed off of their attention - very changeling-like, in their opinion - and approached her after her show. Between the two mares they had ten children, seven males and three females. All were dressed in simple smocks, but well stitched and made of fine wool. Both mares sported broad rimmed hats to keep the sun out of their faces. One bore a sling across her chest carrying her own newborn within it while her youngest rode her back, quiet and well behaved. They walked because their children could not yet fly.
They introduced themselves as fillyhood friends, hailing from a pair of very minor houses almost no better than common stock. Their names were Antisa and Rikkasta. Their matriarchs had sided with the new government. The two changeling mares had not. Follow the leadership of a male representing some unknown house? Preposterous! As a result, they were cast out from their houses along with their children. They had also gone against tradition and kept a hold of their colts (the nobility tended to cling to the old traditions, not the common changeling). Offering to help Trixie with her show and caring for abandoned changelings, they in turn offered to teach the Unicorn about changelings.
Having nothing better to do, the mare agreed. Thus began an unlikely friendship. During the days they traveled, they discussed the differences and similarities between their cultures. These changeling mares were not above manual labor as they rotated pulling the show pony's large and heavy cart. Changelings were not at all afraid of hard work, Trixie discovered, had a love for crafted items made by hoof and enjoyed singing. Most songs she learned were ballads of queens who had lived long ago with a smattering of famous changeling victories in war and battle here and there. Trixie also discovered just how warlike the changelings were. Even more chilling was the smug looks on the two mares' faces when they reminded her Queen Chrysalis had eyes everywhere in Equestria and had so since soon after her ascension to the throne. Other pony kingdoms and races also had changeling eyes upon them. The war had more than likely disrupted the intelligence service.
Antisa and Rikkasta were young mothers, perhaps eight or ten years younger than Trixie and were loyal to Queen Chrysalis. Both of them had brothers under Silent Wing's command. Antisa claimed to have twin brothers as the prince's best friends by the name of Feidole and Frakas. Both were also interested in entertaining crowds, seeing the benefits of feeding off their love. It would be enough to feed their children and better yet, no changeling law would be violated as the love and appreciation would be freely shared. It was the perfect solution to the problem of feeding their always hungry and growing broods.
Every show had the children, of course. But it also brought adults and curious onlookers of both races. It became prudent to place signs up warning of changelings feeding off the emotions of the show, mostly after complaints from ponies feeling unusually weak after attending shows. The misunderstanding was cleared up, but only after nearly getting Trixie arrested and thrown in irons. Cursory guards were placed, trained to watch for changeling shapeshifting tricks. Naturally, they were separated from other ponies, but Trixie found herself always in the mix of their little politics. What matriarchs there were squabbled with each other for control of the camp as the instinct to have a 'queen' drove them to compete.
Somehow, Trixie was pulled into the mix, though not entirely by her own means. Antisa and Rikkasta may have had a hand in getting the Unicorn involved and may have suggested to the lesser noble matriarchs Trixie was stronger. The reasoning behind this, they told the startled and outraged pony was the simple fact they were in Equestria and needed an Equestrian to lead them, to prevent too many mistakes and misunderstandings from happening. With the war going on, there was a great deal of mistrust and anger towards the refugees and they needed more than just military protection. They needed a pony to guide them. Queen Chrysalis was buried in world matters and had little time to see to her subjects, though there had been promises from Canterlot she would see them as soon as she was able.
One night, after nursing Merlin and snuggling him comfortably in his little basket, Trixie hummed him to sleep as her eyes went to the small camp fire. A small pot of vegetable soup kept warm on a flat stone by the flickering flames. Trixie meant to get to her dinner, but the day had been long and hard. She was very tired, stifling a yawn as she rocked her sleeping foal. Merlin was teething and she was now experiencing soreness from nursing him. Mentally she threw an apology to her mother and chuckled to herself as she rubbed the tender spot, wincing.
It had been a good day. Some ponies had even donated some bits and fresh fruits and vegetables. All around her were the blanketed forms of changeling children of all ages, most of them colts. She could not help but think of them as adorable, with their round little blue eyes and desire for love. It was a tad bit annoying they were clingy, but what could she do? Their mothers had abandoned them and they would have been left to the wilderness to die. A few of the smaller ones were snuggled up next to her body for warmth. Antisa and Rikkasta helped with the youngest, keeping them close and warm while ordering the older colts to do the same for each other. So, it was essentially several writhing masses of black changeling colts settling together in tight balls while the mares circled the campfire where they could watch over them.
"Trixie thinks she has bitten off more than she can chew," she murmured to the fire, giggling helplessly. She did not want to compete with changelings with their own ways and laws, but her two new friends were very grave when they told her if any of the other matriarchs had their way, the colts abandoned by their families would stay that way and Trixie would be removed from the changeling camp. What would her husband have thought of this?
"Laughed at foolish Trixie," she sighed, the loss forever an ache in her heart. The Unicorn leaned over and kissed her precious Merlin. His little face turned towards her, yawning as his little hooves stretched out. Merlin had started walking (more like waddling) recently and his mother allowed him to wander around in her presence when he was awake. At least he had others his own age to play with, even if they were changelings.
Everypony was asleep, or close to it. The Unicorn was able to start her late dinner with bread she lifted from a bread box near her wagon. She ate, wondering through her exhaustion the last time she had ever felt this alive. Everything was so unusual and out of place and hectic, she found it had been even fun.
Ponyville nervously accepted their new neighbors, wary and distrustful at first. Unicorn sorcerers placed about spells to see through shapeshifting and the refugees were encouraged to not assume forms other than their natural ones. Having an entire population of creatures who could change their appearance on a whim was nerve wracking enough for their hosts. Trixie and her strange newfound friends continued to keep spirits up through entertainment and magic shows. The following weeks proved to be fulfilling for the mare as she felt needed by the masses, though most spectators would have terrified most ponies not too long ago.
The way the war was going, it appeared as though the arrangement might become permanent. Over the years, Trixie had become a more humble mare, her haughty exterior masking the gentle mother she had become. Of course, the Unicorn was still prideful, but she was more inclined to admit her mistakes. Never having been a cruel pony, Trixie had spent most of her youth just wanting love and attention and always a full audience. Unfortunately, it had never panned out exactly as she had hoped.
Shortly after her second run in with Twilight Sparkle and being possessed by the Alicorn Amulet, the mare had wandered for several years with her traveling show, pulling her own wagon and pointedly avoiding Ponyville. She had never again visited, too ashamed of herself to properly apologize. Well, if she happened across Twilight Sparkle and her friends, Trixie promised herself she would do that. Tying up loose ends like this one would be good, she decided, if they remembered her. Her old adversary was now an Alicorn princess. Some mares get all the luck. Trixie shrugged at the thought. She had Merlin and that's all she needed.
Trixie sighed, staring at the dying embers of her little campfire, feeling one of the changeling colts snuggle closer to her as he shivered, his little blanket not enough. Smiling, the mare lifted him up and placed him in the basket with Merlin, tucking him in and pulling the basket close to her. Wrapping her hooves around it, the Unicorn draped her head over the two foals, settling herself comfortably as she felt little hooves bat at her lower jaw and cheeks. She smiled, adjusted herself and went to sleep.
She would soon wake up to the very large and imposing beauty of the dark changeling queen looming over her curiously, standing just on the other side of the burnt out remnants of the fire. Queen Chrysalis sat on her haunches, her subjects huddling low to the ground as they groveled. Faces that dared to look upon her magnificence were filled with adoration. She was the reason why they had fled their country. The very children with whom Trixie had found herself the unwitting caretaker of were all surrounding their Queen, the figure most had been taught since birth to identify as their Great Mother. Love and adoration reflected in their big blue eyes. Every time a new little face presented itself before the Queen, she would lean down with a gentle smile and kiss the colt lightly on the forehead in a sort of blessing. The powerful monarch had been doing that since she had been pointed out towards the Equestrian pony mare who entertained and cared for those no changeling wanted. It was still early in the morning, Celestia's glory just now beginning to peek over the trees.
Patiently she allowed Trixie to sleep, studying the mare, wondering if this was a weakness she was witnessing or a strength. Ponies were strange creatures, she reasoned. Then again, these were strange times. Chrysalis found a little colt of perhaps four or five waddle up to her with a bad limp and a battered little body. A runt, she decided, her thoughts mixed between pity and loathing. She could feel the love coming from him. It was as strong a sensation as she might have recieved from one of her whole subjects.
The two young would-be matriarchs had remained groveling in the dirt, their snouts very close to the ground. She lifted their chins with a gentle tug of her magic, if to simply just get them off the ground. "Feed them," she commanded, indicating the colts.
They bowed and buzzed into the air to do just that, thanking their queen and wondering if this was to be the end of Trixie "the Great and Powerful".
The little cripple somehow reminded her of Silent Wing at that age, seen by her race as a crippled, malformed abomination. Yet he was the strongest spirit and will she had ever come to know. She could also sense it in this little one. Her magic flowed from her horn, glowing as the colt was washed over with her light touch of power, lifting the squirming little thing to her face. This colt, unknown to her smiled, shrieked in delight at seeing his Queen, recognizing who she was immediately from the ingrained teachings all changeling children underwent. This unknown child reached for her, his emotions washing over in his joy and love. The Queen drew him to her into a warm embrace, having never held a crippled one of her own kind before. How could she loathe such a creature capable of such love? Something in the back of her mind clicked among the ever growing row of things the past fifteen years falling into place, changing her, as if in preparation for...
Old practices are going to have to change, she decided. Which means it will be about as well received as a change in religion, she mentally added with smirk. Damn you, Silent Wing! Chrysalis wanted to laugh, catching it before it could burst out while shaking her head.
She set the child unknown to her down gently and motioned for one of her guards, whispering into his ear as he approached in a hover expectantly. Chrysalis now employed all of Silent Wing's guards, their refreshing views on things a stark contrast from the rank and file 'yes stallions' she had put up with for as long as she could remember. Once her instructions were given, he beamed at her, happy indeed with his task as his eyes swept over the throng of colts swarming over Trixie's little camp. Tseng Tzu taught them, molding them into changelings who could think for themselves and have a different perception on things. Such a meddler, the old blind fool!
Behind her in the refugee camp, hundreds of eyes stared from beyond the wall of guards, wondrous of seeing the vision of their Queen, most of them seeing her for the first time. She had been among them earlier that morning, calling off her guards, fearing no changeling. Chrysalis had allowed her subjects to approach. Colts and fillies reached out to touch their monarch in awed wonderment, adults bowing in righteous fear as she passed. Calls for her glory, long life, and undying love were lavished down upon her. She was pleased to see them, but also troubled to see no warriors among them save for the few soldiers who deserted the army and followed their matriarchs. For once, the ratio of male to female adults was roughly even.
A casual comment about a separate camp filled with abandoned colts foolishly taken in by a single pony piqued her interest. She began to inquire further into this odd little camp and its little mistress. A show pony, she was told. A magical mare who was a traveling entertainer, the self-styled "Great and Powerful" Trixie. There was some contempt at the name and title when it was spoken, some amusement, but mostly confusion. What was so great and powerful about a magic show?
Changeling concepts in entertainment was lacking to say the least. The idea of a circus was even unknown to them as such entertainments were considered frivolous and unproductive. Blood sports were celebrated, often involving a coliseum, a packed crowd, and a center floor covered in sand filled with stallions trying to kill each other in the name of their houses.
The children, however, loved this mare's magic show and she loved them for loving her. The adults were unimpressed, but Chrysalis became very interested indeed when she found out hungry colts and fillies were being filled by a single Unicorn on almost a nightly basis.
Seeing over two hundred abandoned children filled Chrysalis with rage as she carried herself upon her wings and witness the little camp from the air for a few moments. She understood the ways of her people, the traditions, the status quo, the Words of the Matriarchs. Her kingdom needed its children, even if they were just males. All of them. Just before going into the little camp, she had called over a guard and commanded he find out the names of the matriarchs who abandoned their sons. She would deal with them later, though they did have the right to deal with their colt offspring as they saw fit.
The story of the entertainer, this 'show pony' intrigued her.
She noted the basket containing the two colts: one a Unicorn, the other a changeling. Their little horns were crossing each other, little hooves wrapped around each other as they slept. Somehow, the blanket covering them had been pushed back while they slept. Chrysalis fixed that, easing the covers up to their chins, her face impassive, thinking, swirling mind churning. Her attention shifted, along with her ears to the shifting Trixie. The mare's eyes fluttered open and she yawned, lifting her head, blinking. Her first action before anything else was to check her basket. Satisfied all was well, she smiled, saw the morning shadow of something long stretching up to it. Her eyes followed the shadow to its source, wide, staring and sensing something dreadful.
She saw the fully pitted legs of what she first thought was one of those hateful matriarchs, but these were longer, more graceful. Trixie's eyes continued to drift unblinking up, her ears slowly flattening back as she came to understand the dread figure before her, the slender body, sensing the power pulsing beneath the hardened skin, the two fangs pointing down from the upper lips. The hint of a smile, enjoying the mare's expression, the crooked horn poking up from the long, straight mane, the mule ears sticking out, tuned towards the Unicorn. Lastly, the eyes. Those demonic eyes like hard emeralds, harlequins belonging to a queen. There was only one name springing to mind as Trixie's mind put everything into place and dreadfully so.
"Queen Chrysalis!" Trixie squeaked, sitting up and visibly shrinking from the monarch. Instinctively, she grabbed the basket her son was sleeping in and drew it protectively to her chest, her gray-violet eyes wide with fright and darting from side to side as she sought out a means of escape.
"I understand your name is Trixie?"
The terribly frightened Unicorn could only nod rapidly.
"Please calm yourself, mare. I won't harm you. I only wish to speak with you and... thank you." The Queen bent to the side and kissed another colt, causing him to squeal in delight.
"Thank me?" Trixie blinked, trying to think and gather her wits. "For what?"
"For this," Chrysalis replied, lifting a colt with her magic gently. "And this. And this. And this." Each time she spoke, a colt was highlighted by her magic, brought before her, pecked lightly on the forehead and gently returned to the milling army of changeling foals still vying for her attention. "For all of this," she finished, sweeping a hoof over the multitudes. "I will never understand you ponies and your compassion when it comes to picking up strays, but these strays happen to be my children. Even if those who bore them no longer wish to have anything to do with them." A dangerous glint flickered in her eyes as she glanced in the direction of the onlookers beyond the guards.
A playful foal had climbed up her back and was now poking his head out from between strands of her turquoise mane, chewing happily on a bit of it. He squealed a happy little shriek as the Queen's uncharacteristic gentleness allowed him his play. She had come to the conclusion this might be all she would have when the war was over. Chrysalis did not want to lose what she had.
"Indeed," she told the mare, assuming a serious expression. "Of all the ponies I have come to observe, you are by far the only one to harness the love and attention of my children. You are also the only one to reach out and take in those in need. Having heard this, I wanted to see the camp and see for myself this...miracle."
Miracle? Trixie could only stare and nod along with the Queen in mute flabbergasted shock.
The Queen continued, rolling on her side, mindful of the changelings around her and ignoring the fact she was lying on crushed grass and dirt. "Is this what it is like for you as a mother, to want to reach out and be a mother to children you don't even know? Is this what it is like to freely give love?" Her eyes went to Merlin, who was waking up. He was clearly hungry and began to tell his mother so. Flailing his hooves with expert clumsiness, he flopped out of his basket and began to let his mother his intentions as his muzzle began to butt against her belly and back legs.
Trixie flushed, not at all comfortable nursing her son in front of the black queen. She did not want to begrudge her son his breakfast. Chrysalis sensed her unease and felt the want from the Unicorn colt. Atalanta had once hungered like this when she was little. Politely, she turned her head away, focusing her attention on another colt yet to receive her attention.
"Go ahead," she said, barely concealing her grin. "I won't look."
Trixie smiled in embarrassment and busied herself with covering her flanks and rear legs with a blanket, then set Merlin down. He immediately went to where breakfast awaited, his waddling not quite able to keep up with his mind as he stumbled a couple of times. His mother rose to her hooves and watched him with a faint smile. Crouching a bit for his short size, Trixie was almost in a sitting position. She winced as his teeth latched on to a teat and she could hear him suckling, his little rear in the air and his tail swishing back and forth happily.
"I have a proposition for you," said Chrysalis, an ear turned towards the sound for a moment before twitching away. "I am in need of a pony who can act as a liaison between the refugees and myself. You may continue to do as you have been doing. All I require you to do is listen to the grievances of my children and send them to me."
"So, do what Trixie has been doing, but also send notes?" asked the Unicorn, gaining a bit of her sense of self importance.
The Queen paused. "Why are you speaking in the third person?" she asked curiously.
Trixie blushed. "It's a stage thing. I'm sorry."
"You're the one my son told me of," Chrysalis said, suddenly remembering her son's recount. "You were kind to him. He never forgot that and neither shall I. But do not speak in the third person around me. I'm the one with royal blood. Do keep that in mind, my dear."
"Of course!" Trixie winced at the admonishment. That was pretty stupid. Merlin kept at his breakfast, adjusting his grip. "Ow!" she yelped, hiking up a rear leg slightly in a jerking motion. She glared at her oblivious son. "No teeth!" she pleaded.
"Would you like for Us to find you a wet nurse?" offered Chrysalis in amusement. "We nursed Our daughter for the first few months. Stopped right after her teeth came in and let some other mare deal with them. We can deal with the pain of battle, but the pain of a foal with incoming fangs?" She shuddered, chuckling at the memory. Chrysalis had also shifted to speaking in the first person plural pronoun to emphasis she represented a nation to the entertainer.
"Oh, it's no trouble!" Trixie said with a forced smile. "I can manage."
The queen smirked. "No trouble? It's not as if we are offering to do it ourselves. Suit yourself. Our proposition stands. You fill our subjects with love and that pleases us. It also has come to Our attention children seem to adore your show. Would you also consider doing this on a regular basis, conduct your entertainment on salary? We can be very generous and We can find a means to compensate you handsomely for spreading love to Our children."
Salary? Regular basis? Trixie's eyes went round as her heart skipped a beat. She didn't even notice when Merlin nibbled a bit too hard, even though her leg hitched again. Chrysalis had turned, regarding the silent pony and expressing surprise at Trixie's blank face. Well, to be fair her right eye was twitching in shock. How many years had she prayed for something like this to land at her lap? Now, of all things, the offer would come from the Queen of the Changelings? "Mother of Celestia," she breathed.
"Does this mean you accept?" Chrysalis found herself amused.
"Yes! I'll do it!"
"One stipulation," the queen noted as she watched two colts play king of the mountain with her back. She giggled when they both toppled off, only to be replaced by the crippled runt from earlier. He did his best to stand tall and proud, chirping at the queen.
Here it comes... "Yes?" Trixie waited for her to be asked to do something against her own pony kind.
"Please continue to watch over my lost children," Chrysalis asked, her voice almost pleading. She had also dropped her formal voice. "I would do it myself, but I find myself enshrouded and weighed down by responsibilities I was not expecting. A proper shelter will be built for them, of course. Some pony will need to look after them. Perhaps you and the two changeling mares who have been with you would be up to the task? You will be supplied and given more help, of course. Anything the war effort does not need I shall make sure you have at the tip of your hooves." Hope glittered in her eyes as she regarded the Unicorn after voicing her request. It was as if the fate of a nation hinged upon it. In a way, it did.
Trixie almost fell over. "Ah, of course!" she replied, not exactly sure of the consequences behind accepting the charge. "I would be delighted to help."
Merlin finished, popped out from beneath the blanket with a burp and saw the impending battle on the Queen's back as the battle for possession of the queen's wings called to him. The runt was fending off the two other colts gamely. The laughter from the three was contagious. Seeing the fun, he tried to gallop over. Trixie almost reached out with her magic to stop him, but she was interrupted when she felt another colt find his way beneath the blanket and begin to help himself to a snack.
"Hey!" She glared down and saw it was Merlin's sleeping partner from last night. "Not that one!" Trixie sighed and gently eased him to the other teat not favored by Merlin. The Unicorn did not have the heart to refuse a foal breakfast.
Chrysalis giggled and watched for a moment before enjoying herself with just playing with the children. "Come later today to Canterlot. I know of somepony who would be delighted to see a child's face," she said as Merlin tried unsuccessfully to climb up her flank. Sensing the growing sense of hunger for more than two hundred changeling children, she began to share her love openly with them, as if they were all her own. She was not producing milk, but she could feed them in other ways.
"Oh! I'd like that," Trixie said, watching the wiggling rear of the dark changeling nursing and wondering how her life had come to this. It wasn't too terrible, she decided, but the soreness was definitely going to be a problem. "I might have to take you up on that offer for a wet nurse," she admitted, wincing as she discovered changelings liked to tug just as hard as ponies.
"I'll see to the arrangements," promised Chrysalis with a chuckle. "I can feel the love they have for you after just a short time. Do you realize the trust you have gained from them by showing the most minute of kindness to them? Once I would have thought you weak," she mused, finding Merlin sniffing up at her, unafraid and curious. Bopping him on the snout with her own, he giggled and rolled off, little legs flailing in the air.
Trixie listened, not daring to interrupt. She sensed the invisible but...
"Perhaps my people have had it wrong," she admitted. "We have been xenophobic, fearful of losing our own identity, always seeking to take love when we needed it by any means at our disposal. We have one thing right," she noted, lifting her chin and smiling at Trixie.
"Oh? What's that?"
"It takes mares to run the world. Males always seem to want to grind everything into dust." Gently she shook herself free of children and rose to her hooves. "I'll have the contract drawn up for you to go over and see if it is to your liking. We can haggle over the details later. For now, you may tell the guards I will leave here your needs. The changeling mares know what changeling children need and they will instruct you if they have not already started to do so." Quietly she leaned forward, her eyes gentle as she regarded Trixie and said, "I need ponies I can trust. I charge you with protecting my children. Enemies within Canterlot are moving and I intend to stop them. I fear they will use my subjects against me while I try to ferret out the traitors. Keep them safe!"
"I will," promised Trixie, not exactly sure what she was agreeing to, but how could she refuse that last expression? It was both terrifyingly intense and desperate.
"Good."
With that, the Queen buzzed her wings and lifted away, throwing a motherly smile and the uplifted and disappointed little changeling faces who watched her leave. She shifted her attention to the camp, where every changeling there was now gawking up at her. Her eyes narrowed, thinking of the matriarchs. She made her decision, shifting her vocal chords to the Royal Speech.
"Hear Our voice, Our loyal subjects," she began, a gust of wind taking her mane and flapping it wildly behind her. It was a dramatic effect on her part, the giveaway the tell-tale glow of her crooked horn. "We are pleased to find you all beneath Our wings and safely within the lands of allies who were once Our enemies. It is their land, their laws. Learn them. Follow them. We will be watching and We demand you begin to plan for the eventual return to our Kingdom." Chrysalis gave them a moment to digest her words. Then, she shifted her thoughts to the colts, her face an unreadable mask again. "For you matriarchs who follow the old traditions, your Queen will take your colts if you no longer are able to care for them. From this day forth, all colts abandoned are to be adopted as Our children as those who birthed them cannot seem to plan carefully the management of their households. That is all."
In one fell swoop, two hundred plus changeling colts now outranked their mothers by the simple act of adoption, as was the Queen's right to pretty much do as she damned well pleased when asserting herself. If they had been from houses of higher noble standing, then perhaps their matriarchs would have a say, but there were suddenly a lot of princes milling around Trixie. It was not exactly the way Queen Chrysalis wanted to start reasserting her authority in the baby steps required to get order back into her kingdom and her subjects, but it was surprisingly effective.
Later that evening, Trixie and Merlin were picked up after feeding the brand new princes (there were suddenly a lot of volunteers offering to help for some reason). The Guards pulling the chariot were polite and had to fend off a swarm of curious changeling children who simply had to touch everything. Merlin's new friend who had shared the basket was included in the trip, the changeling foal Trixie had decided to name Nibbles. With both colts hanging on the side of the basket strapped to her back, Trixie settled on the chariot and once the children were cleared from it and its pathway, they were off to Canterlot to see Queen Chrysalis and the somepony she had mentioned earlier that morning.
Merlin and Nibbles loved the experience. Shrieking in glee, they were oblivious to the simple fact Trixie could not bear to look down. She quickly discovered she hated flying and felt a little queasy in the stomach. As a result, squeezed her eyes shut for most of the trip. By the time she had landed, the poor show pony was a little green. The children were giggling with each other.
"Trixie is not amused," she told them, admittedly amused with them laughing at her. She wrapped them lightly on their heads with her magic, finding her smile in their laughter.
The Unicorn's stomach settled soon after touching solid ground and she was escorted by an Earth pony Royal Guard. The boys wanted down, so she put them at her hooves, told them to stay close and went after the patient guard who remarked he had a filly about their age. Keeping the changeling and pony foals between them, they chatted about raising children and the challenges and the baby firsts. It was nice to socialize with another pony and not worry about how the show would do or if how many ponies would show up. Talking family came easily when it came to children. Merlin and Nibbles spent a good deal of time chasing each other between legs of the adults, squealing in delight, much to the amusement of the castle staff and other guards they came across.
For a place in such a gloomy mood, hearing the laughter of foals was a break in the lethargy and brooding from the war drawing ever nearer to Canterlot with each passing day. Eventually they found themselves at the entrance to the personal library of Princess Celestia. There were teams of ponies going in and out of the room, quietly brining in and out materials and books, most speaking quietly with each other. There were a few uniforms about, officers discussing logistics and troop movements and other things they should not have.
A rather chubby and well dressed Unicorn with a monocle introduced himself as Ivory Buttons at the door. He was just going in with a large rolled parchment tied at the center with a bit of ribbon. Trixie wondered why she was detecting illusion magic from him and why nopony else seemed to notice it.
"Is something wrong?" asked the Unicorn as he caught her odd stare.
She shook her head, smiling, "Trixie apologizes. Trixie has never seen a monocle before," the mare lied, her instincts telling her to not trust this stallion.
The Guard leaned over to her and said, "That's Mr. Ivory Buttons, Secretary of Defense and confidant to Princess Celestia."
"Oh." Trixie blinked. "Oh! Trixie apologizes as she did is not familiar with those who server our illustrious Princess." She offered a clumsy example of a curtsy to the other Unicorn.
"It's quite all right, my dear," Ivory said with a jolly little laugh. He did seem taken aback by the mare's preferred method of speech. He indicated the colts with a hoof. "I presume the Unicorn to be yours, but what of the changeling boy?"
"Merlin is mine and Nibbles was recently adopted by Queen Chrysalis," Trixie explained as they went in. She thanked the Guard who wished her a good night, then bowed to Ivory Buttons. He left quietly to resume his duties.
The Secretary of Defense guided the mare and her two foals through sea of ponies and books. The two boys had to be placed in her basket as there were simply too many ponies and too many things to topple over and rip and break and... well, foals would be foals if given half a chance. They came to the far end of the library, which had more or less become Celestia's place of residence with everything going on. It was now her personal nerve center to what was going on as the throne room felt too cheerful to hold war conferences and whatnot (her indifference was starting to take its toll). Queen Chrysalis sat with the princess, both on matching lounges and discussing Manehatten and its beleaguered defenders. Celestia had her flanks covered, as usual.
"Street to street fighting has bogged down the Diamond advance," Chrysalis was saying as she had a map levitated between the two matriarchs. "They'll more than likely settle for a siege and go around the city and try to push for Phillydelphia. We'll have to make some sort of stand there while we ready for the counter offensive. We're almost ready for that."
"The casualties," Celestia sighed sadly, wanting to do something, but her mind was so muddled she could not think straight. "I don't know what to do."
"My Ladies," Ivory Buttons interrupted politely. "I believe you were expecting Miss Trixie, your Majesty." He handed the scroll he had been carrying to Chrysalis who accepted it with cold grace. Trixie thought she saw hostility in the eyes of the Queen, masked by her warm smile.
Chrysalis lowered the map, smiling at Trixie briefly before focusing her attention on the fat stallion. "Thank you, I have been. Is this the report I asked for?" she inquired, pointing at the parchment.
"It is, your Majesty."
"Did you read it?" she asked archly.
"I read everything, Queen Chrysalis. Matters of state security, you understand." He handed it over, relinquishing to her magic.
She nodded. "Of course. That will be all. I'm ordering a break for the princess for an hour before we proceed with work. Please clear the library and leave us."
"Yes," Celestia murmured, raising her head and smiling at Ivory Buttons. She was deferring all decisions to Chrysalis, which seemed to dismay the Secretary of Defense. "A break would be fine. And more tea! Do be a dear and have one of the servers bring us all more, if you please. And cookies! Include cookies. Chocolate chip would be heavenly."
Understanding fully she was somehow disinterested in her government and even less inclined to lead her people, Princess Celestia had decided to let Queen Chrysalis decide for her. An act of madness, some would argue, yet she believed the Queen of the Changelings to be the best solution and foil to what she knew was affecting her judgement. It felt so isolated, her indifference, confined to just certain things. It had not been accepted exactly with open hooves.
Ivory Buttons bowed and departed, clearly troubled in his thoughts.
"You're overplaying him, Tia," noted Chrysalis with a chuckle.
The princess grinned at the dark monarch. "I know, Chryssi." She focused on Trixie, her magenta eyes suddenly serious. "I am so glad you came," she said. "but I must ask you one important question."
Thinking she was somehow in trouble, the show pony swallowed hard. "Yes?"
"Did you sense anything at all odd about Ivory Buttons? It does not matter how small or trivial." She was intent and staring, expectant. "Please."
"Well," Trixie gave it a thought, "Trixie does think this Ivory Buttons has an illusion spell upon him. It is very strange and very powerful, but Trixie could see it."
Celestia closed her eyes and slumped back dejectedly. "Oh, Mother, for how long?" she asked herself. Shaking her head, she sighed and turned to Chrysalis. "You were right. And you say he's not a changeling?"
"We'll both need to deal with him," Chrysalis said, her head shaking slowly from side to side. "I am not looking forward to that confrontation. Which one could he be, I wonder?"
"I'm sorry?" Trixie was clearly confused.
Celestia suddenly smiled, looking at the mare warmly. "Oh, you've simply confirmed what Chrysalis had suspected but could not herself be sure of."
"We've been tracking somepony for months. You simply fitted the final piece into the puzzle, thanks in no small part to your expertise in illusionary magic." The queen grinned toothily, exposing her fangs. It was predatory and a bit frightening. "But never mind that. Something far more important requires your devotion to your princess."
"What is that?" asked Trixie with dreadful curiosity.
Celestia shifted her attention to the two squirming forms in the basket on Trixie's back. "I was promised I could play with a foal!" she stated with a pout.
Trixie beamed suddenly as she pulled Merlin out and presented him before the Princess of the Sun, who took him into her hooves with delight. Just as he settled into her loving embrace, Nibbles was floated over to the dark monarch, who received him with as much joy.
"Oh, and Trixie?" Chrysalis spoke up, her eyes half closed in contentment as she felt Nibbles tug at her mane.
"Yes, your Majesty?"
"We are not amused you spoke again in the third person."
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3658996 Flamespyre's twisted logic has him believing magic should be controlled and under his control. If he can't control certain magic, he seeks to destroy it.
3653532 Well, when one captures a spirit and entombs it within a body...chaotic things happen.
3660217 ah I see, and I take it Ivory Buttons will not like how Chrysalis is going to deal with him
3664641 Yes.
Great Story so far I can't wait to see how pissed Flamespyre is going to be when Chrysalis offs one of his kids. I bet he won't see that coming
Noble are indeed stupid. This calls for a revolution!
I'm sure the Prench would be delighted to hear it.
3664931 It makes it more amusing since he saw this scene, but couldn't hear a thing. HA!
Oooooh, can't wait to see how Chryssie goes to town on one of Flamespyre's kids.
Trixie is best pony.
I like how Chrysalis and Celestia offscreened the intel on Ivory, and Trixie just confirmed it as an outside source. It makes everyone seem so much more intelligent and on the ball.