A Meeting With A Changeling King

by origami

A Business Lunch, Part I

The royal dining hall in Canterlot Castle was as opulent and baroque as the rest of the large palace. A long oak table sat at the center, and on it were place settings for several ponies. More specifically, two alicorns and five changelings. The changelings were currently in their disguises, with all parties agreeing that it would be wise for them to do so while they moved into the castle proper. Once they were seated at the table, Princess Celestia informed her guards that she was not to be disturbed by anypony for any reason outside of an emergency.

To reinforce this point, she locked and enchanted the door, giving one of the guards a seal that would release the enchantment and lock; he was the only one allowed to enter.

With the guard informed of their duties, Princess Celestia and Luna then used their magic to close the curtains to the great room and proceed to light several candelabras.

"We should be alone now" Princess Celestia told her guests. "You may dispel your disguises now."

All the changelings nodded as wispy green flames enveloped them and replaced their pony bodies with their natural insect-like ones.

King Apidae rolls his neck once his transformation is complete. "It's been quite some time since I've had to disguise my form" he tells the princesses. "I clearly need to practice it more."

"Do you not adopt a form when you leave your hive?" Luna asked him.

"Not always" King Apidae responds. "Most of the time I just go a mile or so out from the hive. It can get rather stuffy being stuck inside a palace all day. It's why you have your gardens, is it not?"

"Not entirely" Celestia answers. "While they do offer a great escape from the castle, if just for a few moments, they are mostly to showcase the native flora of our nation."

King Apidae nodded in understanding. Often times, the embassies, palaces, royal estates and other places where significant diplomatic work was conducted, there were displays of grand spectacle to showcase what one country had to offer another. For Canterlot Castle, the royal gardens were a reflection of Equestria as a whole, with all its plant life on display.

"Perhaps we should make our requests for lunch now" Luna suggested, adding to King Apidae, "We've requested a full menu, so even things we would normally reserve for griffin dignitaries are available for you to try."

King Apidae looks at the princess in surprise. "You mean to say that you have meat dishes available?"

"We do" Celestia confirms. "They are imported from Griffinstone by a member of our palace's culinary staff who are, in fact, griffins themselves. They make the selections for what we order and keep on hoof."

Apidae nods and smiles. "I much appreciate the gesture," he says to the princesses, "but I do not see the need to include such things for the menu today. I believe that I will try some of your finest vegetable lasagna for a lunch."

"If that is what you wish" Celestia replied as she nodded to a nearby servant, who quickly produced a tablet and wrote down the request.

"You may all order whatever you wish to order" the king tells his advisers. "If you wish to partake of the meat offerings of the ponies, then you may do so at your discretion."

One by one, the drones nod and give their orders. Socrates ordered a simple salad. Dionices had lasagna like the king chose to do. Nero dared to try a cut of steak with a few side dishes. Andromeda also had a salad, but chose to have small strips of chicken meat added to it. The princesses themselves opted for quiches; Celestia having one with carrots, onions, potatoes and celery, while Luna had one with peppers, spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes.

With the orders for lunch given, the servant left quickly for the kitchens. King Apidae sat back with a frown.

"You've done a good job of vetting your staff," he tells the princesses, "but unfortunately, quite a few of them still have... reservations about us on account of the recent incident at the wedding of your adoptive niece."

Celestia frowns as well. "We've done the best we could" she tells him. "As both of us said out in the gazebo, there is a considerable ways to go before general acceptance of changelings as members of pony society can be reached."

King Apidae hums his agreement.

"How about we discuss something a little more lighthearted" Luna suggests, looking at the king with a smile. "I'm sure you have a few 'war stories', as it were."

Apidae could only laugh at Luna's forwardness. "Ha! I did not expect you to be so forward on that topic."

He calms himself down and looks back at Luna a bit more seriously.

"Yes, I do have a few 'war stories', as you so eloquently put it" he responds. "Perhaps we may engage in a bit of quid pro quo?"

Celestia and Luna both look at each other. Apidae puts a hoof to his face.

"Right, you wouldn't have heard that before" he realizes. "What I meant was that I'll tell one of my stories, and you each share one of your own."

Celestia smiles. Luna grins more evilly.

"Sister," she says to Celestia, "I dare say we make this more interesting."

Celestia looks at her sister with a mix of confusion and nervousness. "How do you mean?"

Luna's wicked grin grows bigger. "We pick the stories the other one tells."

Celestia gets more nervous and starts blushing a bit too furiously. Apidae, a natural born empath, picks up on it right away.

"Ha!" he laughs as he looks at Luna. "Princess Luna, it would seem you are capable of wickedness without the need of your Nightmare Moon guise."

King Apidae chuckles some more, but then he suddenly feels a wave of regret. Looking over, he sees Luna looking down at the table, a small blush on her muzzle.

The king frowns at his faux pas. "I must apologize" he tells Luna. "I had no idea that the wounds of that day were still so fresh to you."

Luna waves a hoof. "Nay, it is simply something we are still trying to move past. In reflection, I look upon my mistakes with embarrassment and regret. I know now that I was acting quite foalish when I became that horrible creature."

Celestia places a wing over her sister. "That's in the past, sister" she tells Luna. "You have returned to me and learned the error of your ways, and you have returned to me at a time when I believe Equestria needs another leader the most."

"Thank you sister," Luna responds, "but while you may have forgiven me for my past transgressions, I find it difficult to do so for myself."

"I know," Celestia tells her,"but please remember that there are ponies who care and want to help you. Don't be afraid to seek them out in your times of need."

Luna gives her sister a nod. "Yes, sister, I shall."

The two embrace in a hug for a few moments before separating. Their attention turns back to their guests, some of whom look rather contented.

"Is something wrong with your advisers?" Celestia asks King Apidae.

"Not exactly" King Apidae responds, a modicum of regret, and possibly fear in his voice. "You see, you were putting out so much love during the exchange with your sister, they couldn't help but absorb some of the excess."

Celestia and Luna look at each other for a few seconds before looking back at the king. "You are to say that they fed upon us?" Luna asks with a glare on her face.

"No... and yes" the king replies. "It was the love you felt for your sister, but it wasn't being taken directly from you."

"You see, all things radiate energy from their emotions into the environment. The environment also can have an affect on the emotions of other creatures as well. Because of that principle, the immediate area around you was saturated with love that you yourselves gave off, so my drones acted on instinct and absorbed some of that radiant love in the air."

The king then looks somberly at Celestia and Luna. "Forgive me" he asks of them. "I should have had better control of my subjects. If you wish to see them punished, I understand completely."

Celestia and Luna both look at each other for a few moments before Celestia addresses King Apidae. "If you would excuse us for a moment?"

"Of course" the king replies, understanding that their next conversation is meant to be private.

"Thank you" Celestia tells the changeling before gesturing for her sister to follow. The two get up and head for a door off to one side of the room. Celestia takes a moment to remind the guards of their orders before disappearing into the side room with her sister.

---

Celestia and Luna sit down across from one another in front of an ornate fireplace. There is no fire, as there is currently no need of one, but the hearth has several logs ready to burn when the need arises.

The fireplace is just one of several items decorating the small side room connected to the dining hall. In reality, it's one of several private study rooms in the castle, with bookshelves full of tomes, ranging in topic from economics to politics to history to simple fiction; pretty much whatever anypony would want to read.

The room is quiet with the exception of one item: the pendulum of a grandfather clock.

"Sister," Celestia begins their conversation, "do you really think we can move past the attack on our kingdom so soon?"

Luna thinks for a moment before giving her answer. "I believe that our subjects-"

"I don't mean our ponies" Celestia interrupts. Luna looks at her for a moment before Celestia continues with her point.

"You and I both didn't much appreciate what the king's advisers just did a moment ago. It was wrong to just do that without asking for permission to do so, but as I sit her and think about this situation as a whole and how we reacted just now, I come to realize something."

"This type of thing must be considered permissible amongst our subjects" Luna concludes. Celestia gives a nod.

Nothing is said for a few more moments. Luna eventually decides to break the silence.

"What was done was a mistake on their part. If they offer apology for it, then I believe that we can move past it. In the future, I think establishing some rules of etiquette on this matter would be prudent."

Celestia nods her agreement. "Yes, the advisers should have asked before doing what they did, but my question is, if they had asked, would we have permitted them?"

Luna thinks on this for a moment before giving her answer. "Perhaps after we heard the explanation given by King Apidae, though I can't honestly say for sure that either one of us would have given permission for certain."

Celestia nods and frowns. "This is a topic we must address, and this lunch seems to be the most appropriate time for which to do so."

Luna nods in agreement. "Then I suppose we should return to our guests?"

Celestia nods and the two rulers step out of the private study and back into the dining room.

---

As Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stepped away for their private discussion, King Apidae scolded his subjects.

"I cannot believe you four!" he quietly says to his subjects on either side of him. "You know how tedious this affair is and you allow yourselves to act on impulse?!"

"Your highness," Socrates says sheepishly, "perhaps this is a conversation best saved for later?"

"No!" Apidae snaps at the drone. "We are having it NOW!"

His declaration is followed by his hoof coming down hard on the table.

"We are having it now because the reason for us having it in the first place hasn't changed. If we are to make this peace today, then we must all realize one very simple fact: we are, by technicality, the aggressors in this situation."

"Sure, we did not attack the princesses or their subjects, but we are still a member of the race that did it. Our inability to adequately warn them and give them time to prepare a proper defense may as well be equal to us having been there to rain down like fire along side Chrysalis and her subjects."

"The reality of the situation is that, as the aggressors, we have to make the greater amount of concessions in these negotiations. We may not want to, but we must if we expect to make any headway."

"Your highness," Nero chimes in, "I understand your desire for peace with the ponies, but as far as concession are concerned, they may try to do something that would compromise our ability to defend ourselves. We could be the cat without claws."

"The princesses are reasonable" Apidae counters. "They know as well as I that they cannot ask us to give up our defenses and allow us to be vulnerable. Even with Chrysalis's actions, such a request would be highly improper. I cannot see them asking for a concession such as that."

"However, I do believe that there is something all of you should concede to both of their royal highnesses - an apology. I believe that all four of you should offer your own individual apologies to both of the princesses, and they should be formal and written."

The four drones all look at each other and nod. "As you command" Nero speaks for the group.

Before the king or the advisers can say anything else, the door to the study opens and both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna step out. Neither says a word as they retake their seats in front of the four advisers and their king.

Nothing is said for a moment, which King Apidae uses to broach the upcoming difficult conversation.

"I must apologize for my drones and their actions again" he tells the princesses. "In fact, I have given order that my advisers are to write each of you an apology for their actions."

"The gesture is appreciated," Celestia responds, "but is one I feel is unnecessary. In fact, their actions have brought up a topic of discussion that I believe we must address sooner rather than later."

King Apidae looks at the two rulers for a moment before nodding. "The feeding of my subjects from ponies" he deduces.

Luna nods. "It will not be readily accepted" she points out. "There will be ponies opposed to the idea quite vehemently, so much that they may choose to lash out if they even suspect it is happening."

"However," Celestia adds, "our subjects will also need to recognize that their love, exuded in this radiant fashion that you described to us, is a boon for your subjects and absolutely necessary for their survival. The key is will be to establish a strong positive relation between our subjects and yours, which will make the practice of feeding on the radiant emotions in the environment more acceptable over time."

"And how do you propose that this be accomplished?" King Apidae asks the two sisters.

"That is a matter that will take a fair bit of discussion" Celestia concedes. "Moreover, it may take a public demonstration to prove the efficacy and safety of the process."

The king raises his brow. "Are you suggesting that one of my subjects feed on the radiant emotions of a pony in full view of other ponies?"

"Do they not do as such now?" Luna asks.

"Technically speaking, they do" the king replies. "However, what you are proposing is something that could very well lead to one of my subjects being seriously harmed, if not killed, and that's not to mention that it will have a negative impact on yourselves. I can already imagine newspaper headlines accusing the two of you of throwing one of your subjects to the wolves as it were."

"There is no course of action for this matter that is a good solution," Celestia concedes, "and anything chosen here will have negative implications for all of us at this table, but our duty to all of our subjects, yours and ours, is to see that they are cared for and safe."

"You've approached us out of a desire for peace because you feel that is in the best interests for your subjects. Even if they do not feel the same way about their subjects as you, I have to imagine that they still want to see them safe at the very least."

The king frowns. "In a sense" he tells the two sisters. "They care about them in that they are able to perform their duties of gathering love to feed the hive. Beyond that, they don't have much desire or care to see them grow as individuals."

Celestia and Luna both frown. "That is... unfortunate" Celestia answers.

"Indeed," Luna concurs, "but if we are able to establish a peace with your hive, perhaps it may set an example that other hives may wish to follow."

The king looks somberly at the princesses as he responds. "As I have said before, the other hives will still want to follow the old beliefs and doctrines. I fear that things may get worse before there is actual improvement."

Celestia looks at him for a moment before her frown grows more. "If I am to make an educated guess, you're going to claim the possibility of another attempt to invade and take over Equestria?"

The king nods. "That is another motivation behind my seeking peace. My fear is that other hives may decide to make temporary alliances to take over your kingdom, and then divide the land into new territories for themselves."

"Worse yet, they may begin fighting amongst themselves and force the ponies they enslave to fight and die for them. If that were to happen, I doubt anypony or changeling would survive. The hate would be so strong that the windigoes would return with a vengeance and turn all of us to ice before any had a chance to rectify the situation."

"The fact of the matter is this: If one or more hives tried to invade Equestria, it would end badly for all of us."

Celestia and Luna look at King Apidae with uncertain looks.

"So, if I am to guess again, you are proposing we establish this peace as a means to bolster our defenses so that we will be prepared should another attack take place?"

King Apidae nods. "Establishing a peace and creating a formal alliance will give you a much better defense than you can imagine. Our presence alone should greatly dissuade an attack against your subjects, as attacking another hive without cause or provocation is seen as an act of war, and in such a situation, the instigator can be considered an enemy to other hives and would be open to attack from the others."

"And if other hives justify their attacks to one another?" Celestia prods.

"Then those hives are not to be interfered with by any other" the king responds.

"So you are telling us that allying with you would effectively be giving us a sort of living shield?" Luna deduces.

"In a way" King Apidae replies. "Other changeling hives can still choose to attack, but they must justify their actions before they act. However, since this would also involve attacking what other hives would consider prey, they would be less inclined to allow such an act of war to take place."

"The masquerade protocol you spoke of?" Celestia asks, to which King Apidae nods.

"Of course," King Apidae adds,"with recent events, the other hives may be less concerned with the masquerade than before, so it is in all honestly, still a gamble for the both of us."

Celestia and Luna nod as they consider this information. The possibility of a war against creatures that can change their appearance, who can drain the will to fight out of their best warriors and use it against them, and who would sooner see the ponies of Equestria become nothing more than slaves or cattle was something that created a great deal of dread in both princesses.

More still, to discover that their best chance lay in one of the same creatures that could bring this war, and one that sought them out to establish peace.

"This is... quite a bit to take in" Celestia admits.

"It is" Luna agrees.

King Apidae looks at them sympathetically. "I am sorry for bringing the mood down in the room, but I assure you I wouldn't be telling you this if it was not that severely important. Despite my reluctance on different matters, I have done my best to be forthcoming with information that is most pertinent to the situation at hoof."

Celestia waves her hoof at the apology.

"Your apology is unnecessary" she tells the king. "The situation as it stands is unpleasant, though your candidness, not matter how reluctant, is appreciated."

"I agree" Luna adds. "While these matters are, as my sister put it, unpleasant, it is necessary that we discuss them, and I also appreciate your being forthcoming about these matters."

"There is a great deal of mistrust that I and my subjects must overcome in order to achieve the peace we have sought here today" the king tells the princesses. "It is my hope that we can not only achieve it, but also bolster it, and turn it into something that stands the test of time."

"Then we must do our best to establish this peace in full" Celestia adds. "I think for the time being, we should put this idea on hold, as I do believe that I hear the palace staff bringing our lunch now."

Sure enough, the doors to the dining hall opened and two trolleys with trays of food were brought in. The ponies serving it brought it straight to the table and began placing the various dishes in front of the creatures whom ordered them, removing the cloches as they went.

The guards who opened the doors then closed them again, but before they could, the unthinkable happened.

"I DEMAND TO SEE MY AUNTIE!" a voice called out.

The guards who heard the voice rushed to close the door, but were suddenly thrown backward as the door were pushed open by a magic aura and a pony stepped through.

Specifically, a white unicorn stallion with blonde mane, blue eyes, and a compass rose for a cutie mark.

"AUNT CELESTIA, I DEMAND TO-"

The stallion, who had not bothered to look around upon entering the room, froze as he saw not one, but five changelings sitting at a dining room table with his two aunts.

The changelings all looked at him with both surprise and fear, knowing full well that this was not a pony Princess Celestia or Luna had intended for them to meet.

Princess Luna wore a furious scowl upon her face. Besides the fact that this unicorn was specifically told that he would not be able to see her or her sister today, he was also informed that he was to attend to some of his other affairs he was quite famous for neglecting.

Princess Celestia, already a white color, went even whiter as she saw her nephew come charging into the room, most likely to bother her with some business that could not only have waited, but also been attended to by another member of the palace staff.

Wishing to attempt to recover the situation, she cleared her throat.

"If I may, this is my nephew, Prince Blueblood. Nephew, these are Socrates, Nero, Dionices, Andromeda, and King Apidae. These five are changelings that have come to negotiate peaceful existence with Equestria."

Prince Blueblood has not moved from the spot where he paused, with one forehoof still lifted in the air. The changelings all sit stock still, waiting for some kind of reaction. Celestia also sits with bated breath.

Princess Luna lets out a breath before turning to a nearby servant.

"I request that you bring a bottle of wine from our cellar, and keep bringing them until my sister and I are swimming in it."

Author's Note:

Well, that's not good.

How could the advisers have been so careless? More over, what idiot couldn't stop Blueblood from charging into such an important meeting?

Guess we'll find out in part two

Fun fact: In writing this chapter, I got to learn what a cloche was.

Comments

[Starlight Glimmer1]

I was honestly expecting either Cadance or Shining Armor to be the one to barge in.

[origami]

11446887
I was going for some comic relief, so why not one of the biggest clowns in Canterlot?

[RandomCommentor]

Oh dear.

[Starlight Glimmer1]

11446923
Fair point.

[Skyblazer9]

Knowing Blueblood I just know that he's going to make a HUGE mess of this situation or be of some use for the treaty.

[ChakatRedstripe]

Oh joy.. blueblood is in the house.. XD good chapter

[Phetiamwantip]

This is very good. I'm giving you six stars for doing a good job. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[origami]

11500660
Thanks

I'm working on the next chapter now, but not sure when I'll get it done.

[Phetiamwantip]

11500741
You're welcome