The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the Queen

by Diamond Sparkle

The Crowning of Queen Rarity

Queen Primary said "I'm going to send a message through the Hive Mind, but first I want to tell you what the hive mind is and is not. What it is-it's a way for the Queen to communicate with her hive through sending a message into their minds. Sadly it only works with the entire hive rather then each individual Changeling, so you should only use it for something very important. What it is not...it's not a mind reading device, the thoughts only go one way, from you to them. It's not a control device either...Changelings are not like ants, mindlessly obedient to their Queen. They will normally do what you want within reason, they adore you in the same way almost all ponies adore and worship Princess Celestia. But in extremis they have rebelled against tyrannical or totally unsuccessful Queens, not that I think that would be a problem with you.You need to be formally crowned before it is too late and I...pass away. I think they will accept you once I throw in my support behind you.And then you must find a way to make peace with Princess Celestia and her ponies. Changelings rarely make war,as it destroys the sources of love which we depend on so much."

Queen Primary's horn softly glowed with a green light and Rarity heard the same message in her mind as every member of the Hive, wherever they were in the world. "Attention, everyling, wherever you may be...I, your Queen, have only days or at most weeks to live before old age claims me, so tomorrow I will have my daughter Princess Rarity crowned as Queen. If you can fly back to the Hive in time and without blowing your cover if undercover, then I want you to be here for the coronation, if not, then stay where you are and don't disrupt your life for my sake. "

The Queen sighed and turned her attention to her daughter. "I'm sorry for what I did, sending you away like that, but it was for the sake of the whole Hive."

"What's it like, ruling a Hive?" asked Rarity.

"No doubt you have seen the Day Court of Princess Celestia and the Night Court of Princess Luna. It's very much like that. Changelings will come with petitions, suggest new laws, flatter you, perhaps suggest love raids. My advice is; have as few laws as possible, but strongly enforce the few you do have, take the views of your Hive members into account, beware flattery and weasel words, and only launch a love raid if a dire disaster has happened like a Hive-destroying earthquake. Protect the central Love Store with honest guards, or the more greedy Changelings will devourer the love within far faster then it can be replaced and you'll have nothing to feed the grubs with. That's why Chrysalis did what she did and attacked Canterlot of all places. And look at what happened to her and her whole Hive because of it. Lastly, if you should fall in love yourself, remember that you now have a life span of several centuries. Any lover will slowly grow old, wither and die, whilst you are still young and fit and strong."

"I will remember what you have told me, and do my best to rule this Hive well and make peace with Equestria. Maybe I can persuade ponies to trust Changelings again although it will be very hard," Rarity replied.

That day and night the air was filled with the buzz of Changeling wings as those nearby reported in if they could, as everyling wanted to be there for such a rare and important event as the coronation of a new Queen. Rarity could sense the feelings of awe and respect that they had for both her and Queen Primary. They formed two lines held back by the Changeling equivalent of Royal Guards, and Rarity walked up to where her mother stood in the royal throne room. It was a room studded with every kind of jewel and whole panels of elegant and finely carved amber depicting former queens and the most important events in the history of the Hive.

Two Changelings placed a ceremonial royal robe of red silk lined with ermine fur and held in place with a clasp of gold around Rarity's body and then Queen Primary asked her "Do you swear to put the needs of the Hive and the needs of Changeling-kind above your own needs, and never to betray a fellow Changeling?"

"I do."

The Queen kissed the top of Rarity's head and said "I now crown you Queen Rarity, Ruler of the Opaque Hive. Rule wisely and well, my daughter, and stay away from war." A black crown of flexible chitin grew painlessly from Rarity's head, marking her out as a Changeling Queen, and the assembled Changelings cheered and clapped their new ruler. "Now let us feast," said Queen Primary, "as is the custom at the crowning of a new Queen."

That evening bowl after bowl of glowing love was consumed. Queen Primary showed Rarity how to use her horn as a spoon to pick up balls of the love that were small enough to drink down politely. "It's delicious," Rarity told her "like the finest chocolate."

"The taste varies so that for each individual Changeling it tastes like their favorite food," Queen Primary replied. "And tonight they can feast instead of being on the normal short rations, and they love that. But you can't let them have such feasts more then twice a year or they'll use up the stores. Tomorrow you should go to Queen Celestia on a peace mission." Seeing a passing random Changeling she said to him "Bring me my royal jester, Laugh Alot. I'm in a merry mood." Soon enough he arrived and he clearly knew what Queen Primary found to be funny, singing a song about the hilarious overreaction of the Canterlot Royal Guard to a case of littering and then changing into and impersonating various ponies.
I don't find that very funny, I know these ponies Rarity thought. Queen Primary was laughing so much she had tears in her eyes, so Rarity decided to let the jester continue.

Comments

[Rubae]

Honestly, I feel like Rarity has believed her mother too quickly, even if it was mentioned that her biology makes her calmer. Also her “parents” were explained, but what about Sweetie Bell? Was she biologically those changelings child and she never knew she was a changeling either or is it something else?

[Diamond Sparkle]

10012282
*Nods* Not my best fic in my mind-although it has got the most upvotes of any fic I've ever done.