A Queen's Lament

by lollipopchica

Chapter 11

“What’re you doing?” Chrysalis murmured her voice heavy with sleep.

She almost forgot she’d fallen asleep in his quarters. While it wasn’t the first time she’d fallen asleep with him, it still didn’t look too princess-like for her to spend the night. She only had about an hour’s time before she needed to be up and out. His brooding was keeping her from a peaceful sleep. Celestia hadn’t even pulled up the sun yet.

Shining Armor sighed as he leaned back with his hooves tucked behind his head. Cerulean eyes took on a grey hue. “It’s my sister.” She hummed as she remembered the lavender filly who’d never really liked her.

“Twilight?”

“Yeah…”

“I haven’t told her about us yet.” Was his pensive response.

Chrysalis gave a throaty laugh after she thought over his answer. She always knew he’d end up with the pretty in pink princess- just maybe not in this way. At least Sparkles will be happy with that, she mused as she mentally used the nickname that used to set the younger mare off. “Your sister loves me…” She bit back a snicker as she buried her face in a pillow. She heard him sigh, prompting her to be more serious. “She’ll love you no matter what… You know that. Besides you shouldn’t have waited so long to tell her.”

“I know… I know.”

“Shining,” she hummed sitting up and stretching her body across his. “Stop stalling and invite her.” She kissed him deeply making him relax. “You mean the world to Twilight and if I make you happy, she’ll be happy for you.” Violet eyes were reassuring as they stared into grey.

He groaned at her blasé attitude. “Cadance…It’s not that simple.”

“I don’t make you happy?” Was her pout.

“Of course.”

She chuckled against his neck before securing another kiss. ”Then prove it,” she whispered with lidded eyes. He gave a crooked grin before kissing the tip of her nose. She huffed before sitting up on her own. “Seriously, I remember when I used to foalsit your sister and she would go on and on about how she wished we could be sisters. You don’t remember?”

He looked sad. ”You know I don’t…”

She frowned as she thought back to that time in their lives. He wouldn’t remember- somepony made sure of that. “I’m crazy in-love with you and you’re head over hooves in-love with me- invite your sister. Today, not after the wedding.” With a quick peck, and an unfortunate wave of melancholy, she was ready to leave and moved to do so.

“Where are you going?” He asked latching onto her hoof. She threw her mane over shoulder as she turned to look at him. There was a crooked grin on his maw. “I thought I was supposed to be proving something to you.”

A slow smirk stretched across her face as she let him reel her in for a kiss. Later, she’d rethink why she pushed the issue of family.

*-*3333*-*

Much to her delight, he’d stopped brooding and took her advice.

When she had seen Shining Armor reuniting with his sister, it made her smile as she thought back to the first time she had seen him. The bond between brother and sister had only strengthened with age. If anypony would be the one to sound the alarm about her it would be Twilight Sparkle. In two days Princess Cadance would be a married mare. More importantly, her species would be a free one.

After taking a deep breath, Chrysalis decided to make her presence known. Walking with her head held high, she received her future in-law with as much grace as appropriate.

“Am I interrupting anything important?” She asked coming up to stand beside her husband-to-be.

“Cadance!” Twilight’s eyes lit up as she took in the form of her old foalsitter. The filly she met ten years ago was nowhere near as social as the lavender mare in front of her was. But she was still as straightforward as ever displaying her emotions for everypony to see. The changeling had been prepared to play the role of the loving in-law when the oddest thing happened. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and a do a little shake!”

“What’re you doing?” She asked with a furrowed brow. Was… she…

“Cadance, it’s me, Twilight!” Indigo eyes searched the Princess’ confused visage.

For her reintroduction to the mare to involve Twilight shaking her rump in her face did nothing to improve her opinion of her. Maybe the less she interacted with the mare, the better. Honestly, Chrysalis had never cared much for Twilight Sparkle, a sentiment that Twilight had whole-heartedly reciprocated. “Uh-huh…”

Shining Armor smiled nervously before deciding to take his exit. Despite the conversation he just had with his sister, he knew she still felt a little hurt about being out of the loop. “I’ve gotta get back to my station, but Cadance will be checking in with all of you to see how things are going.” He felt the cerise colored mare tense. “I think I speak for both of us when I say we couldn’t be more excited to have you here. Right, dear?” He felt bad about completely skipping out on wedding details since he had been the one to ask, but he had security details to attend to.

“Absolutely,” was Cadance’s overly cheery response. Did he just dump his sister and her friends on her?

”We’ll let you get to it!” Shining grinned as he encouraged his fiancée to follow.

Chrysalis could feel Twilight’s eyes on her and it made her realize that the next two days would be as long as they were challenging.

*-*3333*-*

If Twilight was a nuisance, then so were her friends- though they were significantly nicer.

She understood that Cadance was a princess, but as a monarch who interacted with her people daily, she wasn’t really used to such obsessive idolatry. Not to say she wasn’t revered, because she was, but her role in changeling society wasn’t nearly as glamorous as one would think.

Chrysalis had never been overly fond of parties. She already had her reservations about marrying Shining Armor, but then for the stallion to dump all the decision-making on her like he couldn’t check-in with Twilight’s friends further irritated her.

What was the point of hiring party planners and such if she still had to bothered? After she’d gotten over her love-sickness, Shining Armor had made such a big deal about her needing help. Now she was right back at square one.

And if Twilight’s friends were something, Cadance’s friends were even worse! Wanting to talk about every little thing and go shopping for the sake of shopping. They were more concerned with being in the wedding than doing any actual work.

Despite the chaos, Chrysalis still thought over what to do. She’d come to the conclusion that the only thing she and her ancestor had in common was the love they had for another. If she could tie the knot with Shining Armor as an expression of love, that had to be enough to resonate with Elytra’s essence. The alicorn’s lover had died before they could wed, maybe her experience could spark a reaction. She was running out of time and it looked as if that was all she had.

*-*3333*-*

Shining Armor loved his sister but sometimes Twilight could be a little over-bearing. He loved that she was so protective as he was much the same, but he honestly hadn’t had the time to entertain her and her friends. He still felt bad about dumping them all on Cadance. So when his sister said she needed to talk to him about something, he put on his big brother face and asked what was wrong.

“It’s about Cadance…” Twilight began with some hesitance.

“What about her?”

“I think your making-“

A pony was rounding the corner and stopped when they saw the two talking. Brother and sister halted in their conversation when they realized it was Cadance with an anxious expression on her maw.

“Oh, uh, hi, sweetie.” He winced at the word still trying to sell his sister on his fiancée.

“She sure has a way of sneaking up on people,” was Twilight’s sullen reply as she narrowed her eyes at the cerise colored mare.

Cadance pursed her lips ignoring the comment. “Could I speak to you for a moment ‘dear?’” She left the two to finish their conversation as she went to wait inside his private office.

“Better see what she wants.” Shining Armor smiled apologetically at his sister who just stared back with a furrowed brow. Did her brother just blow her off for Princess Cadance?

Cadance was playing with a lock of hair when he entered. “We need to talk," she sighed.

“I’m here to talk. What’s wrong?” The stallion waited for her to speak her mind.

“It’s about your sister.” She confessed with a frown. “I think you should be the one to spend time with her. It’s not really working out the way I thought it would. I don’t think she’s okay-”

“I know this is stressful,” Shining Armor tried to placate to which Cadance shook her head.

“Just listen to me, alright!” She didn’t mean to snap but he wasn’t listening.

“I’m listening.” He surrendered throwing his hooves in the air. Moving around the formally dressed office he went to try on his coat while she was speaking.

“I’m not very good company right now.“ She paused when she watched him shrug into the red formal piece. Was he seriously going to wear that on the day of their wedding? “I thought I made it perfectly clear I didn’t want you to wear that.” Was it too much to ask that they drop their titles for one day? What happened to the traditional wedding everypony had agreed on?

“This was my Favorite uncle’s…” Was Shining Armor’s explanation as he did a little spin in said item.

“And…” Cadance folded her forelegs across her chest. He wasn’t too busy to make that decision, was her mental gripe.

“And I think I should wear it.” Cerulean eyes were fading grey as he felt an argument setting in. He knew he had all but skipped out on wedding planning, but now she was being ridiculous.

“Are you disagreeing with me?”

“I guess I am!” A migraine set in causing him to stumble. “Ah!”

Cadance sighed realizing the amount of stress they were both under. She was being unfair. “Oh ‘dear’ are you getting another one of your headaches?” She’d have to tell him how fake their pet names sounded later on. Focusing on the task at hand, she used another energy transfer spell to help him.

Magic the color of Chartreuse swallowed his form before seeping into his body.

“Feeling better?” she asked ignoring the spots that swam in her vision.

“Mm-hm.” He shook his head as he adjusted to the foreign feel of Cadence's magic. Cerulean eyes locked on her tired visage. “Twilight!” He had forgotten about his sister.

“Let her go…” Cadance breathed. “I think she left anyway.”

He went to look outside his office. “I thought there was something she wanted to tell me.” He muttered to himself. “Are you oaky? He turned his attention back to the mare inside his office.

Cadance nodded weakly, showcasing a tired smile. “You know we can’t keep this up.”

“Cadance,” he groaned as he felt another migraine coming. This one completely unrelated to his assignment. “I thought we agreed to not argue about this.”

“We're not arguing...” She stuck her nose in the air. “I’m stating facts.”

He rolled his eyes at her panache.

“Let’s forget this stupid wedding and elope.” She pressed closer to him before teasing him with a soft kiss. She could taste his affection making her feel the smallest bit better as they kissed before breaking away from each other.

“What?” He breathed with an amused expression on his face. Every day he saw new things in her that surprised him.

“Can you picture it?” She returned with mischievous candy colored eyes.

“Just me, you and the ocean?” Her voice took on a whimsical tone. “No interruptions...” Cadance leaned forward and flicked her tongue across his ear as she continued in a low voice against his ear. “Making love on the beach the way you like...” A kiss. “No annoying wedding details...” Another kiss. “No shield or responsibilities…”

Shining Armor moaned at idea of Cadence spread open before him on a quiet beach far away from the hectic life of the castle. “When you put it that way...” He buried his face in her rose colored mane.

It was such a domestically normal thing for a husband and wife to do, that Cadance grinned softly at the idea. It was still a route to consider. “What about the perfect Canterlot wedding?”

“I don’t need all that.” She said seriously. “I just want to be with you.”

“I love you,” was his response to her sincerity.

“Prove it...”she breathed in his ear.

“I will. Tomorrow… before everypony.” The two finally pulled apart. “Ready for practice?”

She smiled as she allowed herself to fall victim to his excitement.

The two emerged from his office with smiles. Tomorrow they’d be married and all of this madness would be over.

*-*3333*-*

“I’m not gonna stand next to her! And neither should you!”

There had been fire in indigo eyes when Twilight had shouted her objection to Cadance and Shining Armor’s union at practice. Everypony had gasped surprised by the lavender mare’s behavior. The looks on their faces had spoke volumes.

Everything she’d worked for, and all she’d sacrificed… It was all over… Had it all been for nothing? It couldn’t have been. Sweet Maker, it couldn’t have been.

“Why are you doing this to me?!” Chrysalis had cried just like the real Cadance.

“Because you’re evil! Evil! And if I don’t stop you, you’re going to ruin my brother’s life!” The fear that flowed through her veins was unlike any she’d ever experienced. Was it really going to end like this?

Twilight had literally chased her out like some heroine of old.

Now she was back in Cadance’s room scrambling over her options before it all went to hell. “There’s still time,” She tried to reassure herself as she wildly paced the room she found herself in.

Everypony back in that hall had stared at her with a mix of emotion she didn’t care to decipher. She had fled trying to salvage what she could. Honestly, she wasn’t sure who believed who.

“Damn that Twilight Sparkle!” She cursed.

She could taste Shining Armor’s anger before she left and for once she was truly afraid of what he might do. She knew how much his sister meant to him, and if Twilight objected… It was now or never and the situation demanded she make a choice. So she chose with a heart made of stone and ice.

“Jadzia… and Kirai….” The two dissolved from the shadows and stepped forward with solemn expressions on their coal faces. Chrysalis stood as tall as she could as she tried to calm her fiercely beating heart. “Bring me all that are able bodied. Tell them that a love like no other is here in Canterlot and that it is theirs if only they trust me.”

The two stared up at their monarch with wide eyes filling with surprise. “Yes your majesty.”

Her ear twitched as the sound of hoof steps reached her. The two shifted their forms before falling into character.

“Princess!” The two cooed as maids. “Are you alright?”

Chrysalis sobbed loudly. “Everything’s ruined!” And she knew that without a shadow of doubt that it was.

Just as expected, Shining Armor entered clearing his throat. “I need to speak with the Princess. Alone.” The trio exchanged looks having a conversation all their own, before the two maids nodded and stepped away from the weeping mare. “We will do as you asked,” they said to both the Princess and the stallion as they took their exit.

Their Queen had been very specific with her instructions. The Canterlot caves were key. Shining Armor's shield only domed the city. The caves housed tunnels that led outside of Canterlot. With a little magic and the help from those back home, they could use another transport spell and bring half the hive back with them in a matter of hours.

Chrysalis could taste his anger and turned away from him, playing her part till the end. “Are we… done now?” She tucked a stray lock away refusing to look at him.

“No…” Was his concerned tone next to her ear. He was already by her side having traversed the distance as the maids were leaving. “I love you, Cadance…” He tapped the bottom of her chin with a hoof, urging her to look at him.

“But Twilight’s your sister!” Was her miserable reply. He picked her over Twilight? This was a testament that chipped at her heart. She could remember a time when he had done exactly the opposite.

“And she’ll get over it… I could never get over losing you…”

She sobbed for real as she threw her forelegs around him. Did it really have to be this way? She lamented. How could she choose like this? “I love you, never forget that.”

He grinned before giving her a light kiss. “Can we finish our practice now?”

She shook her head. “I want to practice something else…” She pressed her mouth against his, kissing like she wanted to sear her mark upon his soul. Moaning into the act, Shining Armor realized she already had. “I need you,” she whimpered against his mouth urging him to hold her tighter.

“Cadance?”

“Shining, make me feel like I’m your wife.” Cerulean eyes searched her face for some kind of clue about the anxiousness she displayed. “Please!” With a soft kiss, there were no other words spoken as Shining Armor obliged her.

While Chrysalis had no idea what lay in store for her tomorrow, she knew that her life would be forever changed by this wedding.

Author's Note:

A/N: Call me lazy but I didn’t want to rewrite the entire episode. As you probably noticed though, there is original dialogue sprinkled within this chapter. Even though it's AU I tried my best to make it plausible with what I understood about the series at the time I wrote it.

The next chapter will mark the ending of this fic! Yay!

Did you like it? I hope so! While the prequel to this is unfinished, I know what needs to be done. The final story for this little saga, however, is in the air. If there’s anything you’d like to see now would be the time to put it out there. I have an idea but I’m definitely open to suggestions.

It's been real,
Lollipopchica

Comments

[Fourpony]

“Cadance!” Twilight’s eyes lit up as she took in the form of her old foalsitter.

Ok, if you make this bit happen like the episode, I will be disappointed. This whole time we have seen Chrysalis be able to fit in well, act sociably, AND know things Cadance knows. The happy dance clap and sudden change in attitude toward Twilight breaks everything that has led up to this. In Sweet Hearts, Chrystal would have liked to have gotten along with Twilight, she just antagonized her cause Twilight didn't much like Chrystal. But now Chrysalis is Cadance and she should be able to get along with Twilight.

And it is happening like the show, Chrysalis is shooting herself in the foot and fucking up. What really upsets me is that in the last couple chapters, the changelings were given abilities that could have easily made this a moot issue. Chrysalis doesn't want to invade, she has prepared and knows how Twilight and Cadance interacted years ago. Yet here she completely chokes with a pony she knows is close to Shining, she just went stupid.

This was a testament that chipped at her heart. She could remember a time when he had done exactly the opposite.

What, when? In Sweet Hearts? Cause if I remember correctly, Shining was living with Chrystal and she only left cause he no longer remembered her.

“And she’ll get over it… I could never get over losing you…”

Also, wouldn't this be the point that the other changelings are called off? They are also like 3 days again, which would not leave enough time for the hive to arrive.

Call me lazy but I didn’t want to rewrite the entire episode.

I didn't want you to rewrite the episode at all. Chrysalis went dumb in this chapter and it feels like she did so only to force this AU to be like the show. But it isn't, Chrysalis, Twilight, and Shining have history; Discord is loose and "reformed"; and changelings have been given abilities that would thwart the problems that plagued the changelings in the show.

[Razzy]

I can gel it, the next chapter is going to be full of feels.

Cya
Raziel-chan