The Problems with Changeling Royalty

by Snorlaxkid

In Her Hoofsteps

"Let me look at the scroll really quick."

"What?" Thorax looked at his brother in confusion.

"We're in Equestria proper now, right? It's been days."

"...I guess so, yeah."

"Well I had a thought and I need to move the scroll someplace specific I had in mind to do so."

"Are you going to tell me first or...?"

"Just give me the scroll."

Thorax sighed and gave Pharynx the scroll. Pharynx held it in his forehooves for a moment, as if to make completely sure he had a good grip on it, before he shot upwards into the sky, hovering a good few hundred feet above his brother.

"Don't drop it!" Thorax called out after him. He was fairly certain Pharynx wouldn't but it was better to be safe than sorry.

After a minute or so Pharynx slowly glided his way back down to the ground, giving Thorax the scroll back once he landed. He didn't look like what he'd found out was very satisfying.

"So what did you need to check?"

"Well I was wondering, if that first place we ended up was just someplace Chrysalis had been, what if all the tassels mark different places? And unfortunately it looks like I was right."

Thorax winced as he realized what that meant. They could be hoofing it across Equestria, and if one of the tassels is pointing where their mother is right now, she could very well be gone by the time they arrive.

"Is there any good news?"

"Well, most of them seem to be in the same direction from here. And I could take a good guess as to which one this-" Pharynx grabbed a tassel with his magic, its decoration looked like a poorly cast deer hoof print. "-one is pointing to."

"And where's that."

"Canterlot."

"What? Why would mother-"

Thorax stopped himself. He knew exactly why Chrysalis would have been there. In fact he knew when to. He'd been there after all.

"The invasion. During Cadence's wedding." He said aloud, despite not wanting to think about it.

Pharynx nodded.

"Which means that if it's pointing to places of importance to Chrysalis, or to us, that she's been to, then there's no other way to know how long ago she was at any particular place than to figure out where it's pointing."

------------------------------------------------

A few days before the wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza...

Chrysalis approached the edge of the massive barrier around Canterlot from within. Guards on both sides of it stood at attention as they saw her approach. Of course they would, from what they could tell she was Princess Cadance, future bride to their commanding officer, and the third most powerful being in Equestria. However, she only needed to speak to one of them.

"Patrolmen." She said simply, her tone dripping with authority as she stared down a grey pegasus on the outside of the barrier. "I need a private word with this guard. If you don't mind."

"Princess? This is most unu-" A unicorn guard began, but was silenced by a single look.

"Leave us." Chrysalis commanded, before her tone suddenly softened. "We will only be a moment."

The guards shifted nervously under her gaze, before they all filed off, leaving her with just the grey pegasus. Chrysalis sighed, looking back at him.

"Lieutenant, I need a progress report."

The grey pegasus, actually one of Chrysalis' changelings in disguise, nodded. "Everything's going as you predicted, your highness. The barrier is weakening by the hour, by the time the wedding ceremony ends it will be weak enough for us to break through."

Chrysalis could not resist a wide, triumphant grin. Nothing was going to stop her now.

"But..."

And the grin was gone.

"But what?" She growled, her eyes flashing green through her disguise with rage.

"It's... Private Thorax, your highness. He's having second thoughts. Are you certain it was wise to bring-"

"Are you questioning my judgement?!" Chrysalis had to restrain herself from shouting.

"N-No, your highness! I merely thought."

"Bring him here."

"W-What?"

"Now! In disguise of course!"

"R-Right away, your highness!"

Moments later, Chrysalis was looking at two nearly identical grey pegasi. She was thankful most ponies weren't very observant, and that so many of the royal guard looked the same.

"Thorax."

The pegasus to her left cringed as his name was said. Chrysalis seized on the moment.

"What am I going to do with you Thorax? Do I need to punish you?"

"N-No, my queen, I-I just thought-"

"Thought what? Do you believe you have some enlightened strategy that would be better than mine?"

Thorax shrunk back, unable to look the queen in the eye.

"N-No I just... D-Do we have to do this? Isn't there another way?"

Was this runt talking back to her? Chrysalis felt a small surge of pride in her chest. Perhaps he was closer to her than she'd realized.

"I wish that there was," Chrysalis lied, faux sweetness dripping from her tongue. "But you know as well as I that ponies will see us only as monsters. We have no choice but to take what we need by force. It has always been that way."

She paused, observing Thorax. He was clearly upset by this response, but he was receiving the message.

"...But, I suppose we don't need every changeling to concentrate on the assault. Once the barrier is down, you are free to do as you see fit. Even if that means trying to find another way."

She didn't expect that he would of course, in the chaos of the invasion he'd be lucky if he could even tell what was going on. It would be... a learning experience.

------------------------------------------------

A few hours after Shining Armor was wed to the real Princess Cadance.

Chrysalis cursed under her breath. Everything had been perfect right up until the last moment. They shouldn't be back in the badlands, they should be feasting in Canterlot. This was supposed to be her great triumph.

"My queen?"

Chrysalis glanced at the changelings who'd gathered around her in formation. Her lieutenant was closest to her, bowing respectfully.

"My queen, we have managed to identify every changeling in the invasion force. There are no casualties aside from miraculously minor injuries."

"At least there's some small mercy out of this. For a moment I believed the fates had allied just to put us down."

Her lieutenant flinched. There was bad news, of course there was.

"There's just the small matter of... Thorax, my queen."

The words had barely left his mouth before he was lifted off the ground by Chrysalis' magic, rage burning behind her eyes.

"What. Small. Matter."

"H-He abandoned the ranks and fled while I was gathering everyone, ma'am!" The lieutenant replied in a panic, his legs flailing uselessly. "He's deserted."

Chrysalis released her lieutenant, who fell to the ground with a thud. Her own words echoed in her head.

"Once the barrier is down, you are free to do as you see fit."

She'd pushed him away. He'd needed her, and she'd pushed him away. Now he was gone and it was her fault.

"P-Perhaps we could retrieve him? It's possible Thorax only-"

Chrysalis didn't bother letting her lieutenant finish before blasting him with her magic until he collapsed. Unconscious or dead, she didn't care.

"Listen up, all of you! The next changeling who even mentions that deserting traitor Thorax in passing will get worse, do I make myself clear?!"

Her fault. No one else would leave, not if it would be her fault.

Author's Note:

Chrysalis doesn't handle empty nest syndrome very well...

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