Death of a Queen, V2.

by Arkane12

35: Settling Back In

“Oh, this was an awful idea. Who talked us into this?” Starlight asked, pushing her plate away and falling back against her chair.

“Cadance. It’s all her fault,” Twilight said, burying her head in her hooves.

“Don’t be so rude. We are all to blame and we know it.” Rarity stared at her wine glass, struggling to decide if she dared to take another sip.

“You all knew what you were getting into with this.” Cadance smiled as she rang a silver bell. The airy chime reverberated through their room. At its command, more servants appeared, whisking away the mountain of dirtied plates and silverware. “Wasn’t it at least delicious, though?”

“Certainly was,” Applejack agreed. “Haven’t had a meal like that in three years, back when the farm had that record-breaking harvest.”

Once the plates were cleared, one last waitress appeared. She slid a platter of desserts in front of Pinkie, the only one still capable of eating. Just the sight of her devouring cupcakes made Twilight gag.

“Seriously, Pinkie Pie?” Rarity turned away, disgusted. “How could you possibly still have room for dessert? That shouldn’t be physically possible at this point.”

“You say that like that’s something new,” Rainbow Dash muttered, trying not to jostle too much as she hovered back up to her cloud for rest. Pinkie, unable to speak through a mouth of sweets, nodded in agreement.

“Well, this has been fun. Really.” Twilight slid her chair back and stood slowly, taking a moment to adjust to her sudden lethargy. “But I really should be going now. I’ve got a lot of work I still need to get done tonight.”

Cadance also rose from her seat. “Here, I’ll see you out.”

Soundtracked by a round of farewells, the two princesses stepped out into the hallway, back into the silence of the night.

“Thanks, Cadance.” Twilight leaned her head on her sister’s shoulder.

“For what?” Cadance asked, ruffling Twilight’s mane.

“For the party. For walking me out. For being here with me during all of this crazy stuff. I probably would have lost my mind if you and Shining hadn’t shown up.”

Cadance smiled half-heartedly. “We didn’t exactly help that much.” She sighed and pulled away from a concerned Twilight. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I’ve been a pretty awful princess since I arrived. And worse, I was a pretty terrible sister.” She let her shoulder slouch. “Shining Armor and I should have had your back. But we didn’t. We let our feelings for Chrysalis get in the way of everything.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Twilight wrapped a foreleg around Cadance. “Like I said back there, I should have realized that not everyone will be able to forget the past so easily. Heck, it took me a few years of solid friendship before I managed to forgive her.”

Cadance pursed her lips.

“That still doesn’t excuse us from the way we treated you. Sometimes . . .” She frowned, searching for the right phrasing. “I’ve seen you like a little sister for so long now, that . . . I sometimes forget that you’re a princess, too. You’ve proven time and time again that you’re capable of taking care of yourself. You don’t need Shining and I to protect you.”

Twilight lulled her head to the side. “Maybe you two didn’t handle it the best, but at the end of the day, you just wanted to keep me safe. I can’t be mad at either of you for that. But I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to do everything I can to get through to Chrysalis. It’s my job, after all.”

The two sisters pulled each other tight.

“And I know that if anyone can do it, Twilight, you can. I promise that I won’t interfere anymore.” She paused. “I am still going to keep guards on her, though. If only just for my own sanity.”

“That’s fair.” Twilight chuckled. “Just make sure they don’t hurt her.”

“I’ll put my most trusted soldiers on it.” She winked. “What about you? What are your plans for tonight?”

“I was going to work in my lab, but . . .” Twilight tugged at her dress collar. “Maybe it’s the wine talking, but I thought I should go see Chrysalis. I’ve been wanting to see her since I woke up.”

Cadance tapped her hoof. “I . . . I trust you know what you’re doing. Should I fetch an escort?”

Twilight puffed out her chest. “Nope. I’m going by myself.”

Though her eye twitched, Cadance forced a smile. “Very well, Princess.” She bowed. “Then I shall bid you goodnight. I hope I’ll see you at breakfast in the morning.” Still biting her tongue, Cadance returned to her room to join the rest of the ponies.

“Hold on, Cadance,” Twilight called.

Cadance complied, turning over her shoulder to face her little sister. “Something else you needed?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Twilight looked away. “Why did you change your mind?”

The question elicited a groan from Cadance. “Because . . . As much as I don’t like you doing this . . . I think you might be succeeding.” Twilight’s question came in the form of a raised eyebrow. “The night I arrived, after I came to visit you in your lab . . . I went to see Chrysalis.”

“You what?” Twilight’s eyes went wide.

“I . . .” Cadance shifted in place. “I wanted to try to convince her to release whatever spell she had on you. Or, if not a spell, then to warn her to stay away from you.”

“I didn’t know you did that,” Twilight said, wounded.

“I know. I shouldn’t have done that. I feel terrible. But . . . that isn’t how the story ends.” Cadance scratched at her neck. “I made an error in judgment. One of the guards got too close. She attacked him. She threatened to kill him. She wanted me to stop her. But I couldn’t . . .”

Twilight’s eyes widened.

“You mean . . . she . . .” She swallowed hard.

“No. She didn’t hurt him. I couldn’t understand why at the time. But now, after having given it a bit more thought . . . I think something you said got to her. You’ve been doing well so far, Twilight. And I realize that I need to get out of your way. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

Cadance didn’t wait for a response before leaving.

Twilight watched her walk back into the room and offer one last smile before closing the door.

The journey to Chrysalis’ room only lasted a few steps longer than her first. Three quick knocks later, Twilight stepped back, tapping her hoof to a sloppy rhythm. Neither guard spoke. They even refused to look at her.

When a minute passed with no answer, Twilight adjusted her dress in what she hoped was an enticing manner. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a sober voice lamented this terrible idea, but Twilight couldn’t hear it. She made sure to stand up straight and tall, like Celestia taught her. Satisfied with her look, she opened the door and stepped inside.

---

Chrysalis heard the lock click and her door open. She turned her head just enough to acknowledge the new arrival. She didn’t need to look. Though it wasn’t as powerful as before, Twilight’s love still perfumed the icy air.

“Can we talk?”

The changeling swallowed her fear and braced herself. “I fear that I may have misled you.” She refused to let Twilight see her lip tremble. “Even if you manage to break me of my vices, I intend on leaving Equestria. I doubt you would ever see me again.”

“A-Alright,” Twilight said shakily. “I assume you’re referring to our . . . moment?”

“Yes.”

“That’s one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about.” She heard Twilight take a shuddery breath. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I just reacted.”

Chrysalis tilted her head back, feeling her mane cascade down the back of her neck. “I’m not upset about the kiss, Twilight. You would hardly be the first pony drawn in by my charms. And it wasn’t the worst kiss I’ve ever had.”

“Oh.” Twilight’s voice ticked upward. “Then what are you upset about?”

“The way you felt as you kissed me.”

Twilight’s hooves shifted against the tile. “I don’t remember how I f-felt. I-I don’t remember any of it, a-actually.”

“You love me.” A cold wind blew against the window, rattling the glass in its iron frame. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you don’t feel that way. Tell me that everything I feel from you at this very moment is false.”

“I . . . can’t.”

Two words, uttered in a hushed whisper.Yet crystal clear to Chrysalis.

“I see.” She returned her attention to the weather outside.

“At least let me explain,” Twilight cried, inching forward.”

“I don’t want an explanation. Whatever you saw in your dream wasn’t real. Maybe it awakened something in you. Some dark fantasy that convinced you that you loved me. But, if I may be frank, I don’t care. Whatever these feelings are, I have no interest in them.”

Never before had a lie tasted so foul on Chrysalis’ lips.

“I can’t help it. I spent twenty years with your double. Every day, we woke up side-by-side. Every night, we slept together, huddled tight in our bed.” She could hear tears in Twilight’s voice. “In my head, I know that wasn’t you. But every time I look at you, all I can think about is the time I spent with her.”

A muffled sob and labored breathing filled the silence.

“She wasn’t real.”

“I know.”

“And she wasn’t me.”

“I know!”

Twilight’s shout bordered on hysterics. In the ensuing pause, she calmed herself just enough to keep from hyperventilating.

“I’m sorry, Twilight.”

“Y-You have nothing to be sorry about. It’s not your fault.”

“However . . . there is no denying that I owe you my life.” Chrysalis could feel her own pulse rising now. “So, I shall extend you an offer. My body. Her body. Use it to fulfill whatever desires you hold.”

“No,” Twilight muttered, shaking her head.

“Why not? Is this some misplaced sense of pride? Or pony puritanism? I would gladly give you myself if you asked. I would be discreet. Nopony else would have to know. I can be whatever you want. Your consort. Your courtesan. Your whore. But I can’t be your love.”

“Just stop. I don’t want your body.”

Chrysalis heard her mattress frame creak. She spun around to see Twilight sitting at the edge of the bed, staring down at the tile between her hooves. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes. Chrysalis tried to sit beside her, but Twilight moved away.

“Twilight--”

“Stop. Please. I know you’re not her. I just . . . I have to move on. I understand that you won’t stay. That doesn’t matter, though. I made you a promise. And I intend to keep it. Even if it means I have to say goodbye.”

Twilight tapped her hoof against the bed’s wooden frame. Chrysalis slunk down deeper into the blanket wrapped around her. She was starting to shiver.

“Were you dressed up to come see me?” Chrysalis asked, eyeing the curls in Twilight’s mane.

“No. The girls threw a party for me earlier. I thought that maybe you’d like it. I remember that you . . .” Twilight swallowed. “I remember that she used to like it when I dressed up. So, I thought I’d wear it while we talked.” She closed her eyes. “But it doesn’t seem like that’s the case, and it’s getting kind of uncomfortable.”

Chrysalis had found the dress appealing. Though, she couldn’t decide if that had more to do with the dress itself, or the mare wearing it. Either way, she needed to change the subject.

“What was the party for?”

To ‘celebrate my victory over the Nightmare’.” Twilight swung her hooves lazily. “Doesn’t feel like we won.”

“Why wasn’t I invited? I helped too.” Chrysalis asked with an exaggerated pout. “In fact, I would argue that I was the most important factor in defeating him.”

“And leave you trapped in a room with Cadance and a bunch of my friends? I can just imagine you and Pinkie Pie would get along so well.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Oh. You’re absolutely right, then. Your friends are horrid.”

The mares glared at one another. But the tension in the air waned as Chrysalis failed to hide a quiet snort. Which in return prompted a foalish giggle from Twilight. Both sides escalated until they were laughing freely.

“If you make me laugh, I’m going to be sick,” Twilight groaned, holding her stomach. “I ate way too much food tonight.” She leaned back until she was lying down. “How are you holding up?”

“With a prosthetic,” Chrysalis lamented, raising her brow at the pony stretched across her bed.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Twilight asked, tilting her head to look Chrysalis in the eye.

“They didn’t tell you?” Slowly, she drew back the cloak wrapped around her body, earning a horrified gasp from Twilight. In place of her back leg, just below the knee, she wore a wooden reproduction of a hoof.

“How . . . When . . .”

“Fighting the Nightmare,” Chrysalis explained, giving the wooden limb a few taps. The hollow ring sounded like it’d come from a writing desk.

Twilight paled. “I’m so sorry, Chrysalis. I didn’t know.”

“Don’t feel too bad about it,” Chrysalis said with a sly smile, “Remember what happened to the other guy?”

“No,” Twilight said, still unable to peel herself away from Chrysalis’ injury.

Meanwhile, Chrysalis stared at Twilight with narrowed eyes. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not. You’re telling me you forgot what you did?”

“Yes?” Twilight closed her eyes, replaying the battle in her head. “I remember an explosion that sent me crashing through the castle. After that, nothing. At least, not until I woke up in my bed three days later.”

“Well, you put on quite the show. In fact, I daresay that I might have been a little impressed. You bought enough time for me to free Luna.”

“Huh. I guess we worked pretty well together, then.”

Chrysalis started to smile, but stopped herself, instead turning away from Twilight. “Let’s not get this mixed up, Twilight. He would have killed us both. What we did was merely an alliance of convenience.” Chrysalis watched the frost creep up the windows, a mirrored image of her own numbing body. “I hope you realize this changes nothing between us.”

“Yeah. Sure.”

She didn’t want to look at Twilight. Hearing her struggle to keep composed was enough to make Chrysalis sick. “Good. Glad we’re clear on that.”

“I really am sorry that we got off to a bad start because of me.” Twilight stood. “I hope you’ll be able to forgive me someday. I would love to have you as a friend.”

“Don’t hold your breath, Twilight.” She hid her face and clenched her teeth. “I’ll give you a chance to prove to me that a new life is worth it, but let me be very clear in saying that I don’t expect you to succeed.”

“I’ll do my best. I promise.”

Twilight kept rooted in place for a few moments, waiting for any response from Chrysalis. When she didn’t get one, she turned to leave.

“Twilight?” Chrysalis asked her back still to the other pony.

“Yeah?”

“If you change your mind about my offer, I will leave my door unlocked.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis held her breath until she heard the door shut and felt Twilight’s aura fade. Once sure she was alone, the changeling hung her head and buried it between her hooves. The vile taste on her tongue made her gag. She didn’t bother wrapping herself back up in her blanket. She couldn’t feel the cold anymore.

---

Twilight squirmed in her bed, careful not to hurt her wings as she pinned them beneath her body. Though a few hours and a trip to the bathroom sat between her and dinner, she still felt her stomach churning. With a shudder, she pulled the heavy wool blanket up and tucked it beneath her chin.

On the other side of her door, armored footsteps marched past. That was the third set of the night. Shining must have ordered increased patrols. Outside, through panes of frosted glass, the storm had finally died down to a weak flurry.

Slowly, pins and needles creeped up from her wingtips. With a frustrated groan, she rolled onto her side, freeing the trapped limbs. Her muscles tensed, drawing her wings to her sides. Still, they fluttered timidly with a mind of their own.

“Would you stop it?” Twilight cried, winding her blanket tight around her body. The weight kept her wings from moving, but left her trapped as a result. The clock on the wall ticked away, each swing of the pendulum reminding her how tired she felt. But no matter how long she kept her eyes closed and body still, her mind refused to drift off to sleep.

With her options exhausted, Twilight tore her blanket away and slung her legs over the edge of her bed to pull her up. She glanced around her room. The hospital equipment had been removed during her absence. Someone had also taken the liberty of straightening up. Her writing desk had been organized, and her wet towels were taken for the laundry.

Bored by her surroundings, Twilight stole her pillow off the bed and draped the blanket over her back. She peeked her head out from her door. The hallway looked empty, save for the patrolling guards at the end. Once they rounded the corner, Twilight slipped out. She wandered the halls, unsure of where her path would take her or why she thought it would help her.

Her exodus took her through a hallway she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen before. Heavy panes of glass formed the walls and roof, allowing an unobstructed view of the world outside, save where the snow had collected in thick drifts. She approached one of the windows, putting her front hooves up on the rail to hold her weight.

Some time passed before a voice managed to shake her from her trance.

“Twilight? What are you still doing awake?”

Her head whipped around. Shining Armor stood at the other end of the hall, still dressed in his armor. The last few days had added a whole host of new scratches and knicks to the metal plates.

“Hey, Shiny,” Twilight said, watching her brother hop up onto the rail beside her.

“Something up? It’s pretty late to be out and about,” he asked, pulling off his helmet and setting it aside.

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Makes sense. You’ve been asleep for a long time.”

Twilight shook her head. “No. It’s not that. I’m quite tired, actually. I just can’t sleep.”

Shining nodded. “Just one of those nights, huh?”

“Just one of those nights,” Twilight agreed. “What about you? What are you still doing walking around?”

“Just got off work.” Shining knocked on his breastplate and grinned. “So, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you? Is it Celestia?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Cadance?”

“Not her either.”

Shining chewed the inside of his cheek. “That leaves Chrysalis.” Twilight answered with silence, leading to a long sigh from the soldier. “Is she getting to you again?”

“Not on purpose,” Twilight whimpered. “I just screwed everything up. And I don’t know what to do now. She hates me.”

“You didn’t screw everything up, Twilight.” He put his hoof on her shoulder.

“Yes I did,” she said, her voice on the edge of breaking. “I thought we could have something more. But she didn’t want it. And now, I’m not even sure we could be friends.”

“Something more?” Shining asked.

Twilight paled. “Were you not told about what happened?”

“I’ve been in the infirmary or tracking down possible nightmare monsters since the attack. I left Cadance in charge of everything around here.”

“I kissed her, Shiny.”

Winter’s gale howled outside as Shining pushed through the momentary deadlock his brain just experienced.

“You what?” he asked.

“I kissed her. On the lips. In front of everyone.”

Every silent second threatened to crush Twilight harder than the last. “You kissed Chrysalis. I think I might have missed something here. I mean . . . I expected the best case scenario to be friends, but clearly I underestimated someone.”

“It’s because of the dream I was trapped in. I fell in love with her. But she doesn’t love me. And now, all I can think about is how happy I was and how now it's all gone and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” She drew in a long, shaky breath.

“Oh.” Shining said. Twilight could practically see the gears in his head cranking away. “Okay, look, that’s . . . let’s put a pin in that for a second. The first thing we need to do is calm down, Twilight.” Inching closer, Shining put his hoof on Twilight’s back, massaging her the same way their mother had when they were younger.

“How am I supposed to be calm?” she asked, her words teetering on panic.

“Deep breaths. Remember what Cadance taught you?”

Together, they performed the calming routine in question. Deep breaths and relaxed muscles. A ritual that had saved Twilight more times than she could count. It did little to assuage her fear, but it did manage to calm her breathing.

“Better?” he asked once they had finished.

“A little. I guess.” Twilight frowned.

“Okay. So, do we want to talk about everything you just said?” he asked. “You kissed Chrysalis and you’re dreaming about her. Should we be concerned about that?”

“Cadance can tell you all about it.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “In fact, I’m sure she’s already dying to tell you. Suffice to say, a lot of things happened while I was trapped in that nightmare world.” Her words fell hushed. “A lot of things that I don’t really want to talk about right now.” She turned toward him. “I just don’t want to be alone tonight, Shining.”

“Well.” The stallion scratched at the back of his mane. “I mean, I could stay in your room with you if you wanted. For tonight. You’ve still got the couch in there, don’t you?”

“That’s a kind offer, Shining. But I’m sure Cadance misses you, too. You should go to her.” Twilight watched Canterlot out the window, lit up like a beacon in the night. Even from here, she could see figures walking the streets together.

“Alright. If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

“If you change your mind . . .”

“I’m fine, Shiny. I swear. Go get some sleep. You look terrible,” she said, offering a half-smile.

“Believe me, I feel worse than I look.” He chuckled. “But seriously, though. Cadance and I are here to help you with whatever you need. Remember that.”

“I will. Thanks, Shiny.”

He pulled his sister into a tight hug. “Things might not work out with . . .” Shining shook his head. “They might not work out this time, but you’re going to make somepony very happy someday. So don’t go getting all worked up thinking your life is over. Alright.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Twilight laughed.

She watched her brother trot off the way she had come from. An idea wormed its way into Twilight’s head as she watched the cityscape below. It took a solid twenty minutes of silent debate before she finally convinced herself that her plan wasn’t completely terrible. That would have to do for now.

With a solemn wave to the world outside, Twilight followed in her brother’s footsteps. As she neared the bedrooms, she heard his door close ahead. It brought Twilight a tinge of peace that he wouldn’t see what she had planned.

Twilight marched past her own door, only stopping once she arrived at Chrysalis’. She opened the door a crack and slipped inside. She made sure to keep the handle depressed as she closed the door to avoid the bolt snapping into place. Inside, the room was nearly pitch black. Specks of moonlight glinted off the snow, providing a dim light.

Careful to keep her steps quiet, Twilight creeped forward until she reached the bed. A cursory examination showed it was just as she left it; unmade and empty. She glanced upward, searching unsuccessfully for the changeling amidst the shadows. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she climbed into the bed. She tucked herself under the blanket and rested her cheek on the pillow. It emanated a sweet, honey-like scent.

Twilight closed her eyes, listening to the silence of the night. Beneath the distant symphony of singing crickets and harsh winds, she could hear breathing. Slow and steady, the way one would while they slept. The sound brought a warmth to Twilight far greater than any blanket could have managed.

Here, in the bed of one of the most dangerous creatures in Equestria, Twilight finally managed to close her eyes and fall asleep.

Comments

[Stahlseele]

“Things might now work out with . . .”

[Arkane12]

11805428
I don't even have anything smart to say about this. I just suck at finding typos.

[GeneraLeeDiscord]

11805441
Well nothing...you didn't do anything wrong, honestly this guy is just rolling off that one line

[GeneraLeeDiscord]

11805428
You going a bit far hear...but I always enjoy seeing balls from space so I'll give you a pass now now

[oblivion2k]

D'aww, poor Twilight.