Chapter Two
A Handmaiden’s Creed
The following months were hard on Truth. Her Queen seemed to be spending more and more of her time off negotiating with the Empire, leaving Truth alone, with only training and the occasional convening of Silas’ inner circle to look forward to. She stayed silent most meetings, only occasionally speaking up, but in all honesty, there was very little actually said in these meetings. They did talk a lot, but often the conversation went nowhere or ended up back where it started.
Meanwhile, the state of the hive was improving. Each time Chrysalis returned she brought with her more Love Extract, which was being mixed in with rations in greater ratios. However, along the lines of Silas’ warning months earlier, Chrysalis was taking chunks of stockpiled bits with her. The money didn’t matter much, it was all from the royal treasury, which hardly saw much use anyway. But, a few times Chrysalis took a treasure of some sort with her. An old book, an ancient sword, a necklace that supposedly gave the wearer good luck.
When not listening to Silas and his fellows blather on or relaxing in the hot springs as she often did, Truth occupied her time with training and exercise. In particular, she had devoted much of her time to practice with the revolver she had taken off the griffon. She had to admit she was taking a liking to the weapon.
And of course, there were the countless hours she spent observing and writing reports.
But ultimately, she could never get Chrysalis completely out of her mind. Questions burned her throat every time the Handmaiden saw her. Why did she need to always go alone? Who was it she was negotiating with, exactly? And why the hell did that smell get stronger every time she returned from negotiations?
Eventually, Truth managed to convince Chrysalis to have a half dozen of her Royal Guard accompany her part of the way to the Empire. Her Queen had complained at length about it, saying that should any of her fellow negotiators see the Guards it could undermine the trust they had built up.
Truth couldn’t care less, she just couldn’t stand Chrysalis being alone so far away.
Seeing how without Chrysalis around Truth was little more than a glorified secretary and historian, the Handmaiden had taken to following her on her treks to the Empire.
Truth was ashamed of herself the first time she did it, turning back after a few minutes, but the next time she followed her further. And even further the next time. And the time after that. Soon, Truth was following Chrysalis all the way to a clearing where the Changeling Queen transformed herself into a powder blue mare. The then disguised Queen went a little ways farther to another clearing where she was greeted by a pair of carriages and several armed Guard Ponies. Chrysalis entered the larger carriage and the procession rattled off to the not-too-distant Crystal Capital.
Truth returned to the hive thinking that nothing seemed out of place, but upon Chrysalis’ next return and subsequent departure, she followed her again. And again. And again. She tried justifying it by taking a few of her weapons with her, telling herself that should something happen, she would be prepared.
It became a ritual, Truth practically memorizing the branches she crept across as she essentially stalked her Queen. Sometimes the carriages would rattle off to Capital as they had the first time, other times they would head off through the woods. Truth hung back the first time they did that, but she quickly overcame her guilt when Chrysalis’ next ‘visit’ to the hive lasted less than a day.
A few months after Colonel Gisei’s forceful retirement, Truth was perched in the branches of a tree, the foliage hiding her from view while the carriages rattled along the path a little ways behind her. She pulled as the straps that held a pair of her katanas to her back, feeling bored. She was too far away from the carriages to hear anything and they no doubt had silencing spells in place anyway.
She heard one of the guards call for them to halt and wrapped the green cloak she wore tighter around herself as a breeze rustled the leaves around her. She idly watched the guards as they milled around, leaning against something or sitting down. She began playing a ‘game’ she was taught during training. When you are in a position where you must remain in place with little to do, plan out how you would kill any being nearby should a fight against you erupt.
To keep complete boredom at bay, Truth looked intently at the assembled ponies, eyes flicking from one to the next as she imagined the best ways to end them should they endanger Chrysalis.
Captain Algren sighed, happy that at least it was a cool, if foggy, morning. Spring was slowly gaining a hoof-hold over Winter, and that meant crisp mornings and sunny afternoons. And while the fog certainly did limit long range visibility, it certainly kept his orange hide cool.
Algren called out for a break, the other guards giving grateful nods and the Crystal Oxen snorting and pawing the ground as the drivers pulled on the reins. Algren was sure that the beasts of burden had a name that was a little more dignified, but he just called them Oxen, because they hardly resembled anything else.
Algren removed his helmet and ran a hoof through his brown mane. He hated wearing helmets, but it was required while on patrol. He really should thank the Princess once they got back for choosing him to lead her guards today. He was a greenhorn and an opportunity like this didn’t come often.
Algren took a moment to cast his gaze around the area. The other guards took to leaning on their spears, the lead carriage, or even just sitting down be the side of the road. The grass grew right up to the edge and even on the road here, something Algren hadn’t seen in Canterlot. He went over and leaned against the Princess’s carriage nodding to the driver. Algren liked it here, the peaceful scene something he knew he’d remember for the rest of his life.
There was a bang like cherry bomb going off and Algren looked around curiously. There was a sound like a fly buzzing by your ear and an unpleasant wet squelch. Algren felt something warm spatter on him and he looked up to see the driver falling backwards from his seat, blood spilling from the hole in his chest.
Algren’s brain didn’t catch up with what he was seeing until the driver’s body hit the ground.
“Ambush!” he shouted, scrambling towards the side of the road to meet the attackers.
Several more bangs echoed though the trees and Algren could see the flashes and puffs of white smoke that accompanied them. His fellow guards jerked and screamed as the shots tore through them and Algren stumbled as one threw up a chunk of soil and grass near him.
They then came forward, turning out from behind trees and popping out of clumps of bushes. They were ponies, each armed with a rifle with a blade affixed to the end of the barrel and wearing something of mix-matched uniforms. The guards that survived their initial salvo ran to meet them, some managing to skewer attackers on their spears as they charged downhill, most being caught unprepared as muskets they thought were empty were discharged at point blank range.
“Firing Guard!” Algren shouted as a rough looking stallion charged him.
Not too confident in his ability to fend off his attacker with his saber, Algren pulled the flintlock he’d been issued from his belt and fired. The stallion grunted as the ball pierced him, pitching forward as his body went limp, rolling into the road.
Meanwhile, the doors of the lead carriage were thrown open as six stallions armed with rifles jumped out.
“Ready!” Algren shouted to them as they took up formation, three standing, three crouching in front of them.
“Aim!” Algren gestured to the ponies coming down the incline with his saber. The Firing Guard shouldered their weapons.
But as the shout of “Fire!” left his lips, more gunshots echoed from the trees. Four of the six cried out as they stumbled back or pitched forward, their shots going wide. The remaining two stood fast and felled an attacker each. They then dropped their rifles and charged forward with swords drawn.
Three more of the attackers fell to their assault before a massive earth pony carrying an axe lumbered into view. A wide, one-hoofed swing of the axe caught one of the remaining Firing Guards in the side of the head, the force of the blow lifting him from the ground. The survivor attacked the axe-wielder with a cry and got the haft of the axe to the jaw for his troubles. The guard fell to the ground as the big earth pony brought the axe over head. It came down with a vicious crunch.
Algren saw his stallions falling around him, saw them being slaughtered. In desperation, he called out, “Throw down your weapons! Surrender!” He waved wildly to the guards. More than a few looked surprised, but most complied, tossing their weapons away and falling to their knees. A few kept fighting and were quickly cut down by gunfire. One or two even tried running, but Algren had a sickening feeling that would do them no good.
As the sounds of battle quieted down, Algren saw a griffon wearing in vaguely militaristic dress with a broadsword strapped to his side striding purposefully forward, a black eye patch covering his left eye.
Algren looked down at his hoof to see his saber still tightly clutched in it. He tossed the weapon away and looked towards the griffon.
“We surrend-!” he started as the griffon pulled a pistol from within his coat and shot Captain Algren in the chest, all in one smooth motion.
“YA zametil.” the griffon dead panned as a light brown, black maned stallion with a hat perched on his head approached. “Jenkins, take care of this for me.” he said, handing off the smoking pistol.
“Yes, Captain Fallon,” Jenkins answered, taking the pistol and tucking it in his belt.
“So Jenkins, how many did we lose?” Fallon asked, pulling an apple and a razor sharp throwing knife from his pocket.
Jenkins straitened his tricorne as he surveyed the damage.
“I’d haf ta count, but no more ‘en a dozen I reckon.” Jenkins answered in his cockney accent. “Not bad, considering these blokes are s’pposed to be royal guards.” Jenkins scoffed.
Fallon smiled. “And what can we chalk that up to?”
Jenkins bit back a sigh. “Your brilliant plannin’ an’ execution.”
“Damn right,” Fallon said as he shoved a slice of apple in his mouth. Swallowing, he looked over at his ‘forces’ seeing most of them milling about or looting the dead. “Hey, zalupas!” the ponies looked in his direction. “Get them secure!” Fallon shouted, gesturing to the surviving guards, who were on their knees with their hooves raised. “Chertovy lyubiteli,” he muttered as the ponies tripped over themselves to comply.
The griffon repressed a groan. He hated working with these two-bit bandits, but as the Commander said, they needed warm bodies to fire their guns, be they with hooves or talons.
Shaking his head, Fallon decided to play mentor with Jenkins again. The stallion was the cleverest of the bunch, if not necessarily the bravest or the strongest.
“Hey Jenkins, you want to give me your appraisal of all this?” Fallon gestured to the general area.
Jenkins perked up a bit. “Well, there seems to be an awful lot of guards fer just two wagons. And the second ‘ad them rifle colts to boot. So whatever’s in there must be worth quite a bit o’ coin.” he pointed to the second carriage.
Fallon smiled as he put another apple slice in his mouth. “Right you are,” the griffon led Jenkins to the second carriage, letting him peer inside.
Inside there were two mares, one powder blue, the other a startling shade of pink. The hugged each other in fright, staring at Jenkins with wide eyes.
The stallion’s brow creased as he turned back to Fallon. “Wot, them? They might keep the colts interested for a few days, but to be worth all this…”
The griffon gave Jenkins a look and then smacked the back of his head.
“Hey! Wot was that for?” Jenkins demanded, rubbing the back of his head.
“That’s the princess,” Fallon said.
“The Princess?”
Fallon grinned and nodded. “Da, and she is worth well more than her weight in ransom.” Fallon lost the grin and grabbed the front of Jenkins’ shirt. “But if they even suspect we’ve harmed her once she has been returned, they’ll march up here and cut all of our heads off. So no one is going to touch her, understood?”
Jenkins nodded and Fallon released him, shoving another apple slice in his mouth.
Straightening his hat again, Jenkins said, “And, uh, which one is the princess?”
Fallon glanced through the window of the carriage and shrugged. “No idea. But she is one of them, so best to leave both alone. However,” Fallon turned to where the captured guards all sat on their knees, forelegs tied behind their backs and blindfolds over their eyes, “what do you think we should do with them?”
Jenkins tilted his head. “Well, they are royal guards, so… ransom them back as well?”
“Yes, they are royal guards. But they are royal guards that failed at the task that their name describes. Plus they are mouths to feed and they will no doubt try to escape. I’d say they are hardly worth the shot and powder required to put them out of their misery.” Fallon looked pointedly at Jenkins.
The stallion stared back blankly for a moment before his brain caught up. “Oh. Oh! Yes, sir.” he nodded.
Fallon smiled and looked around at the woods. Beautiful morning. The griffon then caught sight of something, or as it would seem, someone stepping out from behind a tree a little ways up the road.
“Jenkins?” Fallon said, getting the stallion’s attention. “Is that one of yours?” he pointed to the figure.
Jenkins looked at the figure, who wore a big green cloak or something similar, obscuring their shape, and shook his head. “I don’t think so, none of the colts dress like that, I don’t think.”
Fallon got the attention of the half dozen ponies standing over the captured guards. “Leave them for now,” he pointed to the figure, “find out who that is.”
The ponies nodded and began jogging up to the figure. Jenkins started after them, but Fallon grabbed his shoulder and held him back. “Wait, I have a feeling about this.”
“A feelin’?”
The griffon nodded. “And in my business, when you get a feeling, it’s best if you listen to it.”
Jenkins nodded and looked back at the figure, wondering who in Tartarus it could be.
Truth suppressed a gasp as the Love Extract’s effects hit her. This one was more potent than the last one she’d drank. Although, it had been a while since she just downed a whole vial of the stuff.
“Eh! What’s your business here?” one of the ponies that was approaching her demanded, his Trottingham accent thick. The rest of the ponies formed a rough semi-circle around her.
Truth didn’t answer, her quiet breathing rapidly increasing in tempo as the Extract did its work.
The stallion that spoke looked back at his compatriots with a ‘can-you-believe-this’ look and then looked back to Truth. “Eh, you understand Equestrian?”
Truth gasped as she felt the holes in her limbs close entirely.
“’Ere, hold this.” the stallion said, passing his musket off to the pony closest to him. He took a few steps closer to Truth. “What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” he said with deliberate slowness.
At any other time, Truth would have mocked the stallion for thinking that clear and slow enunciation would equal translation, but at the moment she was occupied with the sharp pain that suddenly lanced through her body. The crystal vial fell from her grasp.
The stallion looked at the vial with a frown. “What are you, an addict?” he bent down to try and peer under the hood of Truth’s cloak. “You listenin’ to me?”
Truth’s whole body went rigid. Her breaths became deep and slow. Everything seemed to slow down, in fact, the stallion’s words seeming drawn out and slightly distorted. Truth remembered reading about this before. Over-feeding for Handmaidens sometimes led to the extra Love Energy being converted into adrenalin rather than nutrients. There might have been a reason, but Truth couldn’t remember right now. What she did remember was that there were at least a dozen or more raiders that posed a direct threat to her Queen. And the one in front of her had bad breath.
The stallion started to speak again when Truth caught the tip of the vial on her hoof and kicked it into the air. While the half dozen ponies there all stared at the vial, Truth jabbed a hoof into the throat of the stallion that had been speaking. The stallion stumbled back with a choking gasp as Truth pulled apart the clasp of her cloak. One of the ponies tried to bring up his rifle, but became tangled up in Truth’s cloak when she threw it at him. Wrapping her forelegs around the choking stallion’s head, Truth twisted his head and body violently in opposite directions, snapping his neck with a wet crack.
The pony to her right was scrambling to bring up his rifle. Truth stepped inside his guard and grabbed the middle of the weapon, pushing it to align with the pony opposite him. Truth jabbed the stallion’s trigger hoof with her own, producing a crunch and setting off the gun. The other pony jerked violently as the shot punched into him, falling with a shout of pain. Truth then swung the gun upwards, smacking its owner in the face with the barrel. She swept his legs out from under him, flipping the rifle around as he fell. She then stabbed the gun downwards, skewering him with the bayonet affixed to the end.
By this time, two of the ponies that had stood a few paces farther away from her than their fellows managed to shoulder their rifles. Truth grabbed the pony still tangled in her cloak and used him to shield herself. The pony jerked as the shots impacted him and then stumbled as Truth shoved him into one of the two rifle-ponies.
As one struggled to push his dying compatriot off of him, the other scrambled to reload his rifle. Truth pulled her dagger from its sheath and leapt forward, slashing his throat. The remaining pony finally untangled himself from his dead compatriot, but Truth was already on top of him, bearing him to the ground with her weight as she forced the dagger through his neck.
The vial fell to the ground with soft thud.
Truth rose, pulling her katana from its sheath on her back and charged down the hill. More of the ponies came at her, the whole group clearly disorganized. It would have been safer to come at her as a group or shoot her from a distance, but Truth couldn’t really hear the sounds of criticism over the pounding of the blood in her ears.
The first one swung his rifle at her, producing a clang as it met her blade. She slipped around the weapon, stabbing him in the gut with the dagger. Fluidly moving away from him before he even hit the ground, Truth met the next as the rifle was brought down towards her head. She blocked it, shoving the rifle back up, sending the pony off balance and exposing his front. Truth slashed through his chest, but luckily didn’t even have to change direction as the next unlucky sap ran up. The katana bit through his leg, sending him to his knees. He raised his rifle to block her overhead slash, but the blade cleaved both the rifle and him in two.
The blast of a musket was followed closely by the sound of splintering wood as a shot tore through the trunk of a tree near Truth. The Handmaiden winced as the splinters hit her, but quickly recovered, grabbing her dagger by the end of the blade and throwing it. Truth heard a satisfying cry of pain as she pulled her revolver from her belt.
She fired as she ran forward, the raiders too occupied with ducking and dodging her shots to line up their own. Her gun ran dry just as she came upon the group that had been shooting at her. She threw her gun at the first, the revolver bouncing off his head and knocking him back against a tree.
One of his fellows lunged at her, allowing her to easily impale him on her katana. Then the bastard managed to grab hold of the sword, pulling it from her grasp as he fell. The first to capitalize on this had her dagger lodged in his shoulder. Truth smashed his nose with her hoof, pulling the dagger out of him as he stumbled backwards. She spun on the spot, using her momentum to throw the dagger through the pony she had hit with the revolver.
The one with the crushed nose recovered, swinging the butt of his rifle around to crack open her head. Truth tried dodging the swing, but tripped over the hilt of her katana, still lodged in the pony from before.
Truth scrambled to pull the weapon out as the pony tried for another swing, ending up awkwardly holding it in reverse as the rifle banged into it. Truth dug her hooves into the grass as the pony smashed his full weight into her. He was close enough to touch. Close enough for her to slam the hilt of her katana into his already crushed nose and stab down through his gut as he stumbled back.
Heavy hoof steps heralded the approach of the massive earth pony, his axe held at the ready. Truth felt a near psychotic grin on her lips as he approached. She brought her katana up and swung downwards. Or at least tried to. The earth pony caught her wrist and slammed his forehead into her own. Truth stumbled back, dazed by the unexpected hit.
The earth pony swung his axe around at her head, Truth managing to duck in time to avoid being killed, but not in time to avoid having her sword ripped from her grasp and tossed away. She spared a glance back as her katana spun away towards the carriages. She then charged forward, slamming a shoulder into the earth pony’s gut. He grunted, taking a few steps back to maintain his balance. She punched him in the jaw, feeling like she was hitting a boulder. He responded by slamming the haft of his axe into her, knocking her onto her back.
The earth pony raised the axe high above his head and then brought it down on her. Truth rolled, the axe head just missing her as it bit deeply into the ground. She scrambled to her hooves, beelining for the carriages as the earth pony pulled his axe from the ground and came lumbering after her with surprising speed.
He was right behind her as she stepped into the road, already bringing his axe back for another swing. Truth used one of the bodies in front of the lead carriage as a stepping stone, pushing off a wheel to get herself higher before kicking off the side. She turned in the air, hoof around the second katana on her back as the axe swung a few inches beneath her hooves. The sword left its sheath and sliced through the earth pony’s neck in a singe, smooth motion. Truth landed on her hooves a moment before the earth pony crashed to the ground, gurgling quietly.
Truth spared a glance at the one-eyed griffon and the pony beside him, both seeming to have been frozen on the spot, whether in awe or fear. Truth spared a moment to wink at them, spinning her katana in her hoof. In Changeling culture, to wink at an opponent in battle meant you intended to kill them next. She was sure they got the message.
Three more ponies ran at her, the last of the raiders. They all tried to skewer her with their rifles at once, getting them tangled in each other. She slammed an elbow into the face of the pony on her left, sending him back. The one on her right got the hilt of her sword in his mouth, knocking him down.
The one in front of her tried to stab her with the bayonet again. Truth twisted to avoid the attack, but the blade still cut her side. The Handmaiden let out a soft hiss of pain. The rifle was quickly torn from the pony’s grasp and tossed away. Truth grabbed his shoulder for leverage and stabbed him through the abdomen once, twice, and the third angled in such a way that the tip of the blade burst through the back of his neck.
Dropping the body, Truth spun to meet the pony that she sensed behind her. To her surprise, her katana clanged against another. One of the bastards had picked up her katana. Truth growled, grabbing the wrist of her inexperienced opponent and twisting his arm sideways. She brought her blade down on his foreleg, hacking through it. The stallion’s scream was quickly cut off along with his head.
Truth snatched up her second katana from the ground and caught the rifle blade meant for her back between the ‘X’ of her crossed swords.
“Shoot her.” she heard the griffon say. “Shoot her. Shoot her! Shoot her!” he roared.
Truth scrambled, managing to wrench the rifle away from the stallion before her and toss it away. She was on him in a flash, grabbing and turning him so they both faced towards the griffon and the stallion in the tricorne. The stallion brought his rifle up and fired just as Truth finished turning the raider towards him. The stallion jerked and grunted as Truth allowed his limp body to fall forward.
The griffon growled and pinned a half eaten apple to the side of the second carriage with a knife. He drew his broadsword and charged forward with a roaring battle cry. Truth sprinted forward to meet him. The griffon’s wings flared out when they were a dozen paces from the other. Truth stumbled half a step, her first plan ruined. Rather than fight the stumble and lose her momentum, Truth went into a roll, narrowly avoiding the griffon’s sword and coming up inside his guard.
They passed each other, coming to a halt a few paces away from the other. Truth heard the griffon’s breath, quick and shallow, reach a fevered pace before cutting out altogether as he fell to his knees and pitched forward onto the road with a dull thud.
Truth spared the griffon’s body a glance, her own breathing loud in her ears, before leveling her eyes with the remaining raider. He stared at her, eyes occasionally flicking to the griffon’s body. She took a step forward and he let out a yelp, dropping his rifle and tripping over himself as he tried to run away.
Truth ran to the second carriage, sheathing her katanas and pulling the knife from the apple. Taking a moment to aim, Truth threw the knife at the fleeing stallion. He grunted and pitched forward as the blade sank into his shoulder, crashing to the ground.
Truth let out a breath and leaned against the carriage, panting as the tension drained from her along with the adrenalin high the Extract had given her. Wearily, she moved to the carriage’s window.
“My Queen, you are safe now…”
Truth’s voice faded as she caught sight of Chrysalis’ companion. The mare was smaller than her Queen, a striking shade of pink. The wings on her back fluttered nervously and the horn on her head shimmered as her magic gripped something out of sight. The scent Truth had detected on her Queen before, this mare was the source. There were few ways that the scent would have ended up clinging to Chrysalis.
“Her?” Truth whispered.
There was a flash of green light as Chrysalis reverted to her normal form. She put a hoof on the pink mare’s side to calm her, giving Truth an almost pleading look. “Truth…” she said softly.
“Her?” Truth hissed.
A pained groan to her right drew the Handmaiden’s attention. The stallion in the tricorne was shakily getting to his hooves, the bloody knife clutched in a hoof. Their gazes met and the stallion let out a yelp, kicking up dirt as he scrambled to get away. Not bothering to spare her Queen a glance, Truth took off after him.
“Truth, wait!” Chrysalis cried as the Handmaiden sped away. Turning to her companion, Chrysalis said, “Wait here. If I’m not back before the guards arrive I’ll contact you later.”
“Chrysalis,” the mare said, grabbing the Changeling’s foreleg. “Who was that?”
“I’ll explain later, Cadance.” Chrysalis said, giving the pink alicorn a quick kiss. The Changeling Queen quickly undid the various magical locks that had sealed the carriage once the raiders attacked and stepped outside.
She saw Truth speeding off after a pony, vanishing into the fog.
“Damnit, Truth, why are you here?” Chrysalis muttered as she started after her Handmaiden.
Jenkins tripped and stumbled over what seemed like every loose stone in the path as he fled. He held his hat on his head with a hoof, coat flapping behind him. He saw a low stone wall up ahead, remembering that was where a bridge over a stream was. He collapsed against the wall when he reached it, gasping for breath.
There was the sound of fluttering wings and Jenkins spun around, knife still clutched in his hoof. The path behind him was empty.
Breathing heavily, Jenkins slowly turned in a circle, searching desperately for that… demon. He had no other idea what to call it. That thing had ripped through the others like a hot knife through jelly. It had killed Fallon. He completed the circle, seeing nothing but fog and mist from cliff where the stream fell to the ground below.
Suddenly something heavy slammed into his back, knocking the tricorne from his head and bearing him to the ground. The air was forced from his lungs by the impact, leaving him gasping again. The blow had also dislodged the knife from his hoof. He reached for it, only to have a black hoof press down on his foreleg, trapping it.
The demon bent down and picked up the knife, allowing him to get his foreleg back once it had straightened. Hesitantly, Jenkins got to his hooves.
“Listen, I don’t-”
He was cut off as the demon grabbed the front of his coat and slammed him back against the wall.
“Who are you?” the demon demanded, the voice distinctly female.
“M-me n-name’s Jenkins.” he answered, stuttering in fear.
“The griffon, who was he?”
“Captain Fallon.”
“And what was a griffon doing with a bunch of bandits like you?”
Jenkins gulped. “He came to us, him and the other ones.”
The demon slammed him against the wall again. “Other who?” she hissed.
“Other griffons! Four of ‘em!”
“And what did they want with you?”
“They said they needed us to conduct raids on caravans and they would provide better weapons.” Jenkins glanced fearfully at the knife the demon clutched in her other hoof. “Please, don’t kill me…” he begged.
“The other griffons, where are they?” the demon growled.
“We have a camp north of here. “I’ve got a map, just please don’t kill me.”
The demon grinned, revealing sharp fangs. “Oh don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you.”
She dropped the knife and grabbed the top of his mane, pulling his head to the side and exposing his neck.
“Wait!”
Jenkins felt the demon’s hot breath on his neck, felt her teeth on his throat, and then the world went black.
Chrysalis managed to catch up with Truth just in time to see the pony she had been chasing slump to the side. The Queen skidded to a halt, panting form the exertion. Truth glanced back at Chrysalis before bending down and throwing the pony over her shoulder.
“Did you,” Chrysalis took a moment to regain her breath. “Did you kill him?”
“No,” Truth answered curtly as she walked past Chrysalis, heading back towards the carriages.
Chrysalis caught sight of the stallion’s face, the eyes blanked out and the jaw slack.
“You’re mimicking him?” Chrysalis asked.
“Yes,” Truth replied.
Chrysalis sighed and began walking beside her Handmaiden. “Truth, what in Tartarus are you doing here? It’s not that I don’t appreciate the rescue, but why were you even here to do the rescuing?”
“I was following you.”
Chrysalis growled and quickly stepped in front of Truth, blocking her way. “Damnit, Truth, talk to me.”
Truth fixed Chrysalis with an angry stare. “Talk to you? Alright.” she unceremoniously dropped the stallion. “What the fuck are you doing with her?”
“I’m negotiating for the future well being of the hive.”
“Bullshit!” Truth spat, forgetting all decorum as she took a few steps forward, invading Chrysalis’ personal space. “I can smell her on you, right now.”
“She saved me, Truth.” Chrysalis said as she took a step closer herself. “I was an idiot and I nearly died trying to get to the Empire. She found me out there in the snow and she could have killed me with ease. But instead she smuggles me back inside her city and nurses me back to health.”
Truth snorted. “If I had been there…”
“You should have been Truth, and I nearly paid the price for not allowing you to accompany me.” Chrysalis sighed. “This is necessary, Truth. She’s helping us.”
Truth turned away. “You should have told me.”
“I didn’t know how you would react.”
Truth whirled around. “And how did you think I would react?” she demanded. “Hearing the news that the Queen who invaded Canterlot was gallivanting around with the very mare she impersonated?”
Chrysalis bared her fangs. “Watch your tongue, Handmaiden.”
Truth surprised herself with a sneer. “There’s a reason you need a protector, my Queen. We’re out here, alone. I could kill you right now and not a soul would ever know.”
Truth would have to admit the look of shock that passed over Chrysalis’ face was pleasing in a way.
However, Truth was far more surprised when Chrysalis bowed her head. “If that is what you think is best.”
“What?” Truth asked quietly.
“A Handmaiden’s loyalty is to her Queen, but also to her hive. If you think my death is best for the hive, kill me.” Chrysalis said.
Truth stood there frozen for a time. Finally she found her voice, “Chrysalis, please stand up.”
The Changeling Queen looked up. “You never call me “Chrysalis.’”
“You never presented your life to me. Get up, damnit.” Truth pulled Chrysalis to a standing position.
Chrysalis had something of a faint smile on her lips. “I knew you would make the right decision.”
“Shut it.” Truth growled as she bent to pick up the stallion.
“It’s very unbecoming of a Handmaiden to speak to her Queen in such a way.” Chrysalis noted.
“It’s very unbecoming of a Queen to get down in her knees in front of her Handmaiden, as well.” Truth said with a small smile.
Chrysalis’ smile grew larger. “There we go. Are we back to ‘okay’ at least?”
“Maybe.” Truth said as she started walked again, Chrysalis walking next to her. “What is going on, exactly?” she asked after a while.
Chrysalis took a breath. “When I heard news of the Crystal Empire’s return, I did not expect it to be run by Cadance. I also didn’t expect her to listen to my pleas for help. Her title is the Princess of Love and she can gather the finest of Extract provided she is close enough to a raw source.”
Truth nodded. “Interesting. She’s a bit more like us than I imagined. So the trips were for the Extract?”
Chrysalis nodded. “Yes. I paid her with money from the treasury because I had difficulty accepting it for free.”
“And how does her scent clinging to you come in?”
Truth was surprised to see a faint blush on her Queen’s cheeks. “She… she said she was having difficulty getting a source that day and that sexual energy was just as good. One thing led to another and….”
Chrysalis trailed off, the blush on her cheeks stronger now. They walked in silence for a while and just when the outline of the carriage became visible in the distance, Chrysalis spoke again.
“She’s pregnant.”
Truth stopped dead in her tracks. “She’s what?”
“I… it started out as a joke. Back during the invasion, I had made a disguise of her husband, just in case. When we were going to… you know, I transformed into him. It was a joke, but then she started kissing me and I….”
Chrysalis once again trailed off into silence, this time refusing to even look at Truth.
“Her husband, does he…?” Truth asked.
“He doesn’t even know she’s pregnant. We’ve been using spells to hide it and I’ve even taken her place when it’s necessary.” Chrysalis wrung her hooves. “We’re not sure what to do.”
“The foal could be a symbol of unification.” Truth offered.
Chrysalis looked back at the Handmaiden. “You… really think so?”
“It was bound to come out eventually what you were doing, and you wanted peace with the Crystal Empire anyway, right? This little love bug of yours could be exactly what’s needed to show that our two species can coexist.”
Chrysalis nodded. “Hm, yes. That could work.” she brought a hoof to her chin, as she often did while thinking. “I’ll have to speak with Cadance, but this sounds like just the thing.”
“Glad to help.”
They resumed walking and soon reached the carriages. Truth propped Jenkins against the side of the second carriage and went through his pockets, quickly coming up with a many times folded piece of paper. As soon as she confirmed it was a map and located the camp spot on it, she folded it back up and tucked it into her belt.
“There’s a camp for these bandits north of here,” Truth explained to Chrysalis. “I’ll need the right look to get in, so keep this one alive at least through the end of the day.”
Chrysalis nodded.
“What do you intend to do?” a hesitant voice from the carriage asked.
Truth turned to the voice’s source.
“I intend to learn who they are and why they’re here,” Truth replied. “And then I’ll probably kill them, Princess Cadenza.”
The pink alicorn seemed taken aback by the statement, but nodded.
Truth glanced at Chrysalis. “My Queen, you may want to untie those guards while I take care of this one.” she gestured to the stallion at her hooves.
Chrysalis seemed perplexed for a moment, but nodded and slipped back into the form of the blue mare. She trotted over to where the guards still knelt hog tied and blindfolded. Truth hoisted Jenkins up and dumped him on the carriage floor and then suddenly grabbed Cadance’s hooves in her own and pulled her close.
“Listen closely,” she whispered to the alicorn. “I care about my Queen and as far as I can tell, this love for her is genuine. But, if this is all some game, if you hurt her, I will hunt you down and I will kill you, I will kill your husband, and I will kill anyone else who gets in my way.”
A satisfying look of shock flashed over Cadance’s face, but she nodded. Then, her expression shifted to something akin to realization.
“You love her.”
Truth froze for a moment but quickly shook it off. “Then you know this is not some idle threat.”
A humorless chuckle escaped Cadance. “Neither is mine, Handmaiden. I bear no ill will to you or your hive, but I could have it all burned to the ground in the span of an afternoon if I wanted. I trust in Chrysalis, and she trusts in you. Do not betray that trust.”
“What are you two talking about?” Chrysalis asked as she trotted up to the carriage.
Truth and Cadance glanced at her before turning back to each other. “Your secret is safe with me.” Cadance mouthed to Truth. Aloud, she said, “Agreeing on the horridness of your morning breath.”
Truth nodded. “There are little rewards for all-night vigils.” she smiled.
“Har, har.” Chrysalis deadpanned.
The remaining guards were up and about, one coming over to the carriage as he looked around at the carnage Truth had wrought over the raiders. “Princess, we couldn’t see anything after they tied us up. What happened?” his gaze fell on Truth. “And who are you?”
“This one saved us,” Cadance said with a smile in Truth’s direction. “And as for who she is, I’m afraid that is none of your concern.”
The guard nodded and backed away. “Yes, ma’am.” the sound of charging hooves pulled everyone’s attention. “Sounds like the cavalry is arriving.” the guard noted.
Truth pulled her hooves from Cadance’s. “I’ll be off, then. My Queen, Princess,” she said, inclining her head to each before moving away from the carriages and back up the hill. She retrieved her knife and pistol from where they had been left during the fight before scurrying into the trees. She hid from view in the foliage as a white unicorn and a dozen or so armored pegasi arrived.
Truth leapt from tree to tree as quickly as she dared, picking up the pace when she was confident she was out of sight of the guards. Glancing occasionally at the map, Truth made her way north.
A few days later, Truth was once more sitting in on one of Silas’ little meetings, bored as usual. One of his lieutenants was droning on about the state of political standing in the hive. Another said that politics had little to do with it, that the problem was that Chrysalis had taken charge at too young an age. A third bemoaned the state of their troop numbers.
Truth scoffed quietly to herself. Every so often one of these fools would put forward the idea of a military coup, only for Silas to shoot it down. The General didn’t want a conflict, mostly because the number of soldiers at his direct command was little over a hundred while the rest of the army fit for battle was something around seven hundred.
“We cannot and will not attempt a military coup under any circumstances.” Silas stated for what must have been the fifth time. “Killing each other will not solve any problems, just create more.”
“Then how do you propose we take our hive back, General?” a lieutenant asked.”
“We use leverage.” Silas turned to Truth. “Leverage we are still waiting on.”
It took Truth a moment to realize she had been spoken to. Quickly sitting up from her slouch, the Handmaiden said, “There’s little new. The Queen leaves and she returns with more Extract.”
“But you have been following her as of late, yes?” Silas prompted.
Truth nodded. “Yes, General, but there’s nothing to report. She makes her way to the Empire, they get in a carriage and head into the city.”
There was a pause, the others leaning forward like they were expecting more.
“Is that it?” one asked.
“I didn’t follow her any farther.”
“What is the Extract’s source?” another lieutenant wondered out loud.
“Nothing good if she refuses to reveal it.” a third chimed in.
“She should tell us the source.” a fourth demanded.
“Brothers, peace.” Silas held his hoof up. “I am sure the Queen will reveal her source eventually. If not to us -” he looked to Truth “-then surely to her trusted Handmaiden.”
Truth nodded. “Surely, General.”
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..Hrm...
Looking at this, i suspect that the Changelings are based upon Feudal Japan cultures...
The Griffons are clearly Russian..
And the Ponies are English.
4698867 The ponies in the Crystal Empire Region are from up north, yes.
The griffons are Russian because that seems to fannon and I can roll with that.
The Changelings are based on Feudal Japan because I love Japanese culture and I wanted an excuse to give Truth a katana.
4698906 I always imagined them as German.
4698994 Who?
4699093 Griffins. Or perhaps Austrian...
4699244 Hmmmmm..... interesting.
I don't think you need to describe what happened in the raider camp. Truth stated her intentions. The simple fact that she has returned unharmed is enough.
And you don't need a high-action fighting scene in every chapter.
You know, it might have been a while, so I could have forgotten, but has Cadence blatantly cheating on Shining Armor for Chrysalis been established at some point? I mean if there was a problem with their relationship because of that, I would remember, but since I don't, did they just basically roll with it? It just doesn't seem to make sense with me.
Suggested Edits
double space between She brought
I always thought of griffons as Romans.