Lexi

by PAINtheBrony

Asking Azandria

I awoke the next morning feeling better than usual. And I usually woke up feeling pretty refreshed after sleeping in that bed. But something was different this time. Something was strangely... better about how well I had slept. I guess it doesn't matter. I raised my head off the pillow and looked around the room.

It was early morning and the Hive was already bright. Beams of light were streaming in through the window above my head. I looked down at the strange alien creature laying in front of me. It was curled into a small fuzzy ball pressed against my chest where I had laid it the night before. I laid one hoof over top of her and gently stroked her back with my hoof. Her fur was softer than fleece and she was as warm as a heater. She had been curled up all night long and now was like a little ball of warmth. As I ran my hoof down her back she stirred causing her to shift position and turn to face me. A she did so she rolled over on her back exposing her stomach to me. It radiated heat up into my face. She looked at me again with her big blue eyes. As if she wanted to know what I had woken her for. Seeing her looking up at me somewhat relaxed me and I slouched back into my spot and closed my eyes again. About five minutes later once I had worked up the courage to once again raise my head I found that she too had gotten the idea (probably from me) to go back to sleep.

I slowly rose up and got out of the bed being careful not to disturb her. I made my way into the kitchen and got out some eggs. I started to get out a frying pan and some olive oil to go with it as well, then I remembered that Azandria had wanted to speak with me this morning. I guess I'll have to make Breakfast quick. I cooked myself up some eggs mixed with some positive emotions, always a good way to start a sure-to-be-good day! I got out the toast and sat down at the dinner table to begin eating. Seeing as this was my normal routine, I should have been ok with this, but instead I just felt like I was missing something (or someone). Unable to stop fidgeting in my chair, I went in to see if Alexandria had woken up yet.

To my dismay she had not, but that wasn't going to stop me. "Alexandria, wake up... it's breakfast time!" I said cheerfully. Her eyes cracked open, but just barely. I went over and scooped her out of her nest of blankets. I then carried her out into the kitchen. She was almost limp in my magical grip the entire way. Something told me that she might already be used to being carried with magic. What I had previously been surprised about is how she didn't react much to the presence of a Changeling seeing as she was an alicorn. Then again though she was probably only roughly a year old maybe a year and a half, and that meant that she most likely didn't know anything about them.

I pulled up a chair right next to mine and gently set her down on it. Now starting to sense the increase in activity she got a little more lively. After I set her down she reared up on her hind legs and placed her forelegs on the table. She was so short that she could barely get her head over the table and see on top of it. Her wings fluttered futilely.

"No no, you have to stay on the chair." I told her. "You can't come up onto the table, it's too high up here you could fall." She ignored me and attempted to use her front legs to pull herself up on the table but to no avail. "Oh fine." I lifted her up with my hooves into the center of the table. I watched her carefully as she walked around on the table ready to catch her with my magic at a moments notice. I continued to eat my eggs and toast watching her walk about as she explored. She looked all around the room as though looking out across the Grand Canyon. It occurred to me that she had been in this room before but had only seen it from the floor, this must look like a whole new world to her. Suddenly she stopped and stared. I traced her line of sight and at made a path straight to my plate of eggs.

"Eggs." I said. "Can you say eggs?" Come to think of it I had never heard her say anything in the two days I had known her. But then again I had only spent a few hours with her up until this point.

"Weg?" she said.

"Not quite but that's pretty close." I said smiling. She walked forward towards the plate. I slid it closer to me.

"No no no, you can't eat this. This is Changeling food. Alicorns can't eat Changeling food." She just stopped and looked at me. Just kind of staring ahead. Then she got this little sad look in her eyes, and she started to pout.

"Uh oh." I had to think for a second. "Oh! I get it! Your just hungry aren't you?" I levitated my plate of eggs over to the counter where she wouldn't get into them. Then I got up out of my seat and proceeded towards the fridge to get some more applesauce. No sooner had I left my seat than I heard her start to cry.

"WAHH! WWAAAAHHHH!"

"Alright calm down I'm hurrying!" I grabbed the applesauce out of the fridge and got a spoon from the drawer. Then I hurried over and sat down in front of her. I scooped up some applesauce and right while her mouth was open in the middle of her bawling I popped in a spoonful.

The noises quickly stopped. She chewed happily for a few moments before she swallowed and was ready for some more. I scooped up some more and fed it too her. Mental Note #1: Feed Alexandria before serving self breakfast.

After it was all gone she sat on her rump happily in the middle of the table and just looked around. Thankful that it was my turn I levitated my plate of eggs back over in front of me. They had started getting cold now but that was alright. I started eating until I caught her snapping glance at my breakfast once again.

"Didn't I already tell you that you can't have any? We are omnivores and you are herbivores. That means you can't eat my food Alexandria." She just continued to stare at me.

"Weg?"

Oh, I give up. I picked up her spoon and wiped the applesauce off of it with my hoof, then I used my fork to cut off a tiny piece of egg white from one of the eggs on my plate. I'm not sure how it will taste when infused with pony emotions but all I know is that being an herbivore she probably won't like it. At least now she'll stop begging for some though. I slowly and carefully lifted the spoonful of egg white i up towards her small snout. As soon as it approached she opened wide and snapped it up.

I waited for a second.... then two...... then three..... She had a little satisfied smile playing around her cheeks as she delightedly chewed. But nothing happened. She didn't spit it out, she didn't throw up, she didn't even look nor act the slightest bit sick. Must be some kind of Alicorn magic. I said to myself in a half-convinced half-confused kinda way. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The rest of breakfast was for the most part uneventful, as I fed one or two more small pieces of egg to Alexandria and waited unsuccessfully for her to turn green. Looking back on it it was actually a really stupid thing to do. If she had gotten sick I still don't know where I was expecting I could take her or what I would be expected to do with her, but that's just how things play out sometimes. After breakfast I opened all the doors in the house to allow her room to run around, carefully made sure that the front door was locked (although living in the Palace their usually isn't all that much crime) and strolled off towards Azandria's office. That is at first I strolled off towards Azandria's office. Then I had to stop and think Am I supposed to go to her office or the Throne Room? I'm not exactly sure where to meet her.

Then I saw Senator Mandarut coming down the hall.

"Senator! I'm so glad to see you! Yesterday before we all left I was told to meet with the Queen today in the morning. Do you have any idea where that might be?"

"Well if it's the Queen that you are looking for then I suppose you might want to check the Throne Room Senator Arex. This does tend to be the place where Queens do tend to reside." Well that response seemed a little obtuse but nevermind. I suppose I can't blame him though. I doubt that many Senators are going to be in such a good mood as I am on a day like this. Especially considering what happened just yesterday.

"Thank you very much Senator." He didn't respond but just went on his merry way.

* * *

"It's good to see you Arex." Azandria looked a mess. She looked how you would expect a changeling to look when she had been up all night crying.

"Good morning Azandria. How are you feeling?" Stupid Question! That was a stupid question! She looked at me like she had just read my thoughts and agreed with them.

"I have not been doing well Arex. My mother just died yesterday and her funeral will be tomorrow."

"oohhhh.....uuhhhhhh..... I'm sorry to hear that." Well your just on a roll today aren't you hot shot?

"I want you to tell me what happened Arex."

"What?"

"You were there, I want you to tell me what happened. How she died. I want to know what happened to my mother."

"Oh, well, um, Your Highness, I'm sorry but I honestly just don't know."

"But you were there when the invasion happened and you where there when their forces overran us and retook the city. Surely you must have seen what happened?"

"I'm sorry Azandria but I did not stay in the city when it was overrun. I was in a small camp just outside the city hidden away. I only ever entered the city to search for pony survivors and take them into custody if I found any. I didn't though." I kinda didn't. Although I should probably bring this up after she calms down. It is important enough that she will be happier if I don't hesitate to tell her.

"I see." she sighed. "Senator.... I just don't think that I'm ready to take up the position of Queen." Excellent! Now is my opportunity to put her in a better mood.

"But of course your fit to be Queen Azandria! You are the smartest changeling I know. Your economic policy is sound, your foreign policy is, shall I say, a HUGE improvement over the old one, and not to mention you are an extremely likable and charismatic leader. You with your wisdom and intelligence will make an excellent queen. And if you don't mind my adding I personally think you may end up being better than the last one." She quickly shot a loathing glare at me, but it wavered after a few seconds and parted for a softer and gentler gaze.

"Thank you Arex. I really do appreciate your kind words. I think that I will need some comforting now that my mother is gone. I have just felt like I'm now in so far over my head. We are financially devastated after we sunk everything into that attack and regardless of our well defended position in the mountains I am also fearful of a retaliation against the Hive itself. I really want you to help me through this Arex." She said the last part with a little sigh at the end. I realized then that I actually cared about her. Not just for any political reasons, or because we had the same views but instead because I simply found myself worried for her. I found myself feeling very empathetic towards her, and not just because she lost her mother.

"I would be honored, my Queen, to serve you in any way that you may desire." I bowed deeply and respectfully. She turned towards me and gave me a small smile.

"Thank you Senator." I looked closely at her and noticed that her eyes were watery.

"Please don't cry Azandria." I said. She just laughed and wiped her eyes, then turned again and flashed a large smile at me.

"I'll be fine Arex." she stated simply. Then she shifted tone. "Now, I believe that we have some business to discuss."

"Very well then Your Highness, what do you seek my counsel for?" She looked towards me again.

"Arex, you know that you don't have to call me Your Highness don't you? It's really not necessary."

"I apologize my Queen. I won't address you in that way anymore."

"And you don't have to do that either. Please Arex we are friends you don't need to be so formal with me. I don't want you calling me 'my liege' or 'your majesty' either, is that understood?"

"Sounds good to me Azzy!" I said a little too casually. But she still smiled all the same.

"Lovely, now my first order of business will be to try to compensate for the financial loss that this military defeat has cost us. I think that the first thing we must do is send more drones into Equestria to steal some more valuables that can be sold in order to pay off some of the Hive's massive debts."

"That sounds like an excellent plan Azandria but unfortunately you are overlooking the fact that all of Equestria will be on high alert after our second attack on their Capital. What we should do instead is maraud the Griffin territories. They won't see it coming if all of a sudden their coffers are a lot more empty, whereas ponies all throughout Equus will be on high alert." I didn't feel very good about stealing from any other nations but if it was going to be done it might as well be done right. She seemed to mull this over in her mind for a moment even though I knew that it was clearly the right plan. Finally she nodded her head and said, "Yes perhaps that would be a better idea."

* * *

"And THAT Your Highness is how we can increase the value of our currency to 63% above what was thought to be the previous limit." She seemed to be so impressed with my idea that she didn't even notice that I had called her 'Your Highness'. She just sat in stunned silence staring at me from her throne.

"That's fantastic Senator Arex... I..... I don't know what to say."

"So are we going to implement this plan or are we not?" I asked.

"I believe that we most definitely will."

"Thank you very much Azandria. You know this is something that I have actually been thinking about for a very long time now."

"Clearly you have because it is very well thought out. Anyways though, there was one more thing that I wanted to talk about before you leave."

"And what is that Queen?"

"About how many prisoners did the Generals transport to the Hive after the first day of the attack?"

"I believe about 800 if I am not mistaken."

"Ok, I have sensed the presence of ponies near the Palace and I was wondering where most of the prisoners were being stored."

"Well I believe that they are being stored in the prison just one floor of the Hive below us and about 3 blocks away, down in that old prison that used to be our second dungeon."

"Well it might as well be a dungeon now that we are keeping prisoners of war in it."

"Yes, well. Um, Azandria can you tell me what exactly it was that you sensed?"

"Well it was last night coming back from the Senate chamber going to the Palace I felt a pony in the area, however I was not sure if we had moved the prisoners into their holding facility yet."'

"Well, um. You see Azandria their might actually be something to that." Suddenly she looked somewhat suspicious. This was something that I had wanted to avoid so badly but I knew that their was just no way that I could pull it off. If she had already sensed her than it wouldn't be long before others did too. And when that happened then I knew that I would need to have some defense or else exactly what I was trying to keep from happening would happen. The alicorn would be killed for sure. She couldn't help what she was, and she was not an enemy combatant or one of their political leaders, she was just an innocent defenseless nymph, why she probably couldn't even harm a fly! I tried not to think about what Alexandria might grow into and gulped as I plowed onward with my speech.

"Well, when I was searching the castle for survivors I didn't find any ponies. But I did find... um... something else."

"What?"

"In one of the rooms where it looked like some ponies had been staying there was this little thing in the corner, um, it was a crib." Azandria's eyes suddenly widened as she thought in horror about where I was taking this. I knew she already knew where this was going.

"You didn't." she said. But I still continued.

"So I went up to this crib and in it was this little nymph, or, um, foal, I should say. Anyways, I looked at it and I was pretty sure that it's parents weren't there and with all this chaos going on right now it was probably in a lot of danger, so, you know, like, I didn't want to just leave it there to die and it wasn't going to hurt anybody so I just figured that I would take it and bring it somewhere else, or, you know, take care of it until I could get it back to it's parents. Then the next day when I was gonna try to go and find them the city was overrun and we all had to leave,so, you know, I kinda brought it with me?" When I had finished talking Azandria's chitin had become visibly paler.

"So you mean to tell me, that you have a baby unicorn in your home?"

"No." I said plainly.

"No? What do you mean no? You just said that you do."

"I said that I have a baby pony in my home Azandria."

"Well than what kind of pony is it?"

"Alicorn."

Author's Note:

If you are liking the story so far please Like and Favorite! Thanks for reading!

Comments

[goddamnAnimal]

awwww this is adobes. very nice job, I await patiently for your next installment, bra.

[PAINtheBrony]

3712181 Thanks! I am going to TRY to put out a new chapter every 2 days. But next week things might slow down a bit