> One For The Archives
>  by ArtaFactia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter One - BYOCV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a sigh, she opened the newspaper to the classifieds, and her eyes began to scan the 'Help Wanted' heading.

Being an architect paid well — in fact it often paid handsomely — but only when there were commissions to be had. Arta wasn't hurting for money, given how little her needs and wants were, but it had been some time since her last architectural commission, and she would not let herself be an idle mare. Thus, her scrutiny of the classifieds section.

When commissions had been scarce in the past, she'd done such jobs as: construction foremare, proofreader, stenographer, secretary, archivist, librarian. Her extensive training in construction and architecture made her quite the handy mare; looking at her superficially, many didn't expect the quiet, retiring bespectacled mare to have such knowledge under her wings. The other jobs seemed more up her alley, and were preferable to her, since, aside from architecture, there was nothing she loved more than reading and writing. Books. Words. Words words words. She was both a fierce bibliophile and logophile, and would read just about anything she could get her hooves on; she'd read the ingredients on the cereal box as eagerly as she would read a captivating novel.

Her hoof stopped on a posting wedged in rather awkwardly at the bottom of the page. It read:

WANTED
Somepony extremely literate and with good organizational skills, and with some experience in archiving data, for an archival project of considerable size and import. Wage to be determined upon hiring. Bring a CV highlighting all relevant past work accomplishments to 173 Hoofton Road between 8 A.M. - 4 P.M. no later than the 27th of Celestus.

Her hoof and her eyes rested upon that posting for a good while, and she read it over several times. Working as an archivist was like a mixture of a librarian and a detective, and for her it was great fun. She could hardly turn down such an attractive offer. The vagueness about the wage would limit her competition, she thought. This position is in the bag...wait, what day is it? She quickly turned to look at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was the 27th of Celestus. Her eyes widened. She turned to look at the clock. 2:00 P.M. Her eyes widened further.

"Oh horseapples! Horseapples, horseapples, horseapples!" This is what she got for not checking the paper yesterday when it came. She had a scant 2 hours to write up her CV and rush over to Hoofton Road, which was on the outskirts of Seaddle. Thank Celestia for these wings of mine, she thought, they'll help me get there quicker and buy me some precious time! Arta burst out of her kitchen chair and soared upstairs to her study, intent on getting that CV done in 10 minutes flat.

*            *            *

Had she the raw processing speed of one of our modern computers, then 10 minutes would have been extremely easy, truly laughable. But 10 minutes turned into more than an hour of sifting through information, with the pegasus looking for the most relevant and impressive details to put into her CV. An hour and a half of organizing and agonizing left her with a neat, tightly written CV, a fairly impressive feat given how rattled she was. With only a half hour to go, she flew like a bat out of hell from her two-story house, flying high over the streets and buildings of Seaddle.

Even with her wings, the flight wasn't a short one, since she had to fly literally from one end of the city to the other. And to make matters worse, the Equestrian Kite-Fliers Convention was in town, and she had to land and proceed on hoof for the final stretch. She may have been in a hurry, but she had too much sense to try to navigate through a multitude of diving, weaving kites.

The buildings got more and more sparse along Hoofton Road, the distance between each increasing with each one she passed. 173 Hoofton Road turned out to be the very last building — of course it would be the last one, she groused — a freshly-built one story office. She burst in the door at precisely 3:58 P.M., collapsing at the hooves of a rather surprised unicorn mare.

"Oh! Are you all right?" She asked, helping Arta back onto her hooves. "You poor thing, you look fairly winded!"

"I...m-made it...CV..." She thrust forward her papers, her chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath.

"Ah! You're here about the archivist position. I'd thought that would be all for the day, but I'm sure I can conduct one more interview, given the circumstances. Come, come, let's head over into my office. Would you like some tea? You look like you could use a spot of tea. Any milk or sugar?"

"S-sure...yes, I'd like some tea. Straight, no milk or sugar, thank you. Um...so there were other ponies who applied for the position?" She asked, biting her lip. She had hoped to be the only one, but she knew that that was rather unrealistic; there were plenty of other ponies in Seaddle who would have similar qualifications and who would jump at the chance to get this position.

"Yes, there were a few, about four or five came throughout the day. There have been some good prospects among them." The unicorn caught the look of disappointment in Arta's eyes, and she gently patted the pegasus' shoulder. "I've a good feeling about you, though...provided you're generally more punctual than today would suggest."

"Yes, I am quite punctual, for the most part. But everypony is late sometime, even if they don't wish to be. Today just happened to be one of those days." She took a seat in the chair facing the desk as the as-yet-unnamed unicorn poured a cup of sweet-smelling tea, handing it to her. Arta took a sip, and a delightful sweetness bloomed across her tongue, the hot liquid warming her mouth and throat and settling her nerves.

"Good to hear. My client appreciates punctuality. Now, let's get the introductions out of the way. My name is Sweet Peach," she said with a smile, gesturing to her peach-coloured coat, "and it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss..." She glanced at Arta's CV, then back up at the pegasus. "...Miss Arta Factia."

"Likewise!" Arta replied cheerfully, doing her best to focus on Sweet Peach. Whatever this tea was, it seemed to have a rather soporific effect, and she fought down a yawn, turning it into an awkward grin. Sweet Peach returned the smile, then began to read through Arta's CV, muttering quietly to herself. Arta fidgeted a little out of nervousness, hoping that what Sweet Peach saw was acceptable, and enough to guarantee her the position over the other applicants.

"Mmm...your accomplishments are rather impressive, Ms. Factia. I dare say that this CV trumps the others!" Arta beamed back at the unicorn, obviously delighted with the compliment. Her smile was wide, but her eyes were drooping. They felt as heavy as concrete blocks, and it was an effort just to keep them up. "Our queen chose well. You won't disappoint her."

"H-huh...queen?" She mumbled, her voice slurred. She tried to fight the oncoming tide of sleep, but it just got stronger with every passing second, threatening to overtake her. It was painfully obvious that the tea had been drugged...but why? She slumped in the chair, and then began to slide off of it, only to find herself falling into Sweet Peach's hooves. "Wha...h-help..." Arta mewled softly, her muscles relaxing to the point that she could barely move them.

"Shhhhh." Sweet Peach gently ran her hoof through Arta's mane as she hugged her close. "Relax...sleep...no harm will come to you...you're safe..." Arta let out another whimper and nuzzled her, the unicorn's soft warmth only urging her onwards to slumber.

And then all went black.
> Chapter Two - Changeling À Gogo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nggh..." Arta rolled over, her snout pushing firmly into the soft cushion of the pillow. The bed she lay upon was quite comfortable, more comfortable than her own. This was a bed of luxury...wait, if I'm not in my bed...! She quickly sat up, casting her gaze around the room. The room was quite dark, the walls coated in a smooth, jet-black finish, with a green pallor cast upon them by a glowing stalactite jutting down from the ceiling. It was very much like being in some sort of subterranean cave, she thought, and she had no idea just how correct her inference was.

The bed on which she lay was soft and yielding, the mattress hugging the contours of her body. The pillow, too, did the same, cupping her head and giving her unparalleled neck support. Sheets made of some unknown silk caressed her coat, and as she slid across the bed she shuddered with delight at the sensation. Arta sat on the edge of the bed, not wanting to abandon it, but her need for answers gradually overweighed her desire for such comfort.

As her hooves hit the floor the sound filled the room, and a moment later she heard the movement of hooves outside of the bedchamber. She cautiously edged toward the passage leading out, hearing the hooves getting closer. Closer. Closer. And then she froze, her eyes widening as she took in the visage of the creature entering the room. "Ch-ch-changeling..." She said, shivering with fear. The changeling paused before her, solid eyes betraying no emotion; it was only thanks to the drone's mouth and facial features that she was able to guess what it was feeling. An awkward silence hung in the air as Arta stood stock-still, the drone sizing her up.

"I see you are unnerved." The drone spoke, and it became evident by the voice that this was a female drone. Her voice was gentle and soothing, with an odd resonance to it. "Please calm yourself, I mean you no harm. I was tasked to check on you when you awoke. How do you feel? Are you still drowsy? Nauseous perhaps?"

"I...n-no, I think I'm all right," she murmured, touched by the changeling's concern. At least my abductors are treating me kindly. "Um...where am I? And why am I here?"

"My queen will provide those answers for you, Arta. It is not for me to answer them." The changeling replied, frustrating Arta's search for answers. "If you are feeling well enough, I will take you to her now. She is eager to speak with you." After a pause, the drone gently dipped her head. "I have told her you are up and about, and she wants to see you posthaste."

"But...h-how?" Arta spluttered.

"The hivemind. We are all connected to our queen and to each other. We are a family. It is a wonderful family to belong to." She smiled softly, revealing her fangs. The drone moved to Arta's side, pressing close, and Arta felt the smooth chitin of a changeling for the first time in her life. It had the firmness of a beetle's chitin, but it also appeared to be somewhat yielding; overall, it was tough but malleable. "Walk with me." Arta was still too much in shock to say no, and she walked along the snaking underground passages with the changeling at her side.

Arta held out little hope of escape, since she couldn't make head nor tail of the route they were taking. Did changelings just naturally gravitate to such complex cave systems, or were they designed for this very reason, to confound non-changeling 'visitors'? She decided to add that to her growing list of questions for the queen. If this queen was who Arta thought it was, then she felt she wasn't safe here. And yet so far no threats had been made to her person. Yet.

More and more changelings appeared as they made their way to her audience with the queen, some paying them no mind, whilst others stopped and stared, their empty-eyed gazes making her shiver. Her guide gently chittered and nuzzled at her neck, and strange though it was, it did help to calm her.

Finally, the labyrinthine course brought them to a large chamber — the largest chamber in the hive, to be exact. Sickly onyx pillars lined either side of the chamber, and a 'carpet' of green shellac lead from the door of the room, terminating at the foot of a rather draconian throne. Arta's eyes widened as she saw the occupant of the throne. "Bow," whispered the drone at her side, and the pegasus did just that, curtsying before the lanky and imposing changeling.

"There you are, Arta. Welcome to my hive." Chrysalis purred, giving the mare a rather devilish smile. "You may rise."
> Chapter Three - And its news is captured / for the queen to use!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Queen Chrysalis," Arta breathed. Chrysalis nodded, chuckling darkly.

"Indeed. I am glad to see that I have not been forgotten." She slipped off her throne and slowly stalked towards Arta, licking her fangs. Arta shrank back, only to bump into the other changeling. "Thank you for bringing her, Chalcedony. You may leave. I will call you when I am done with Arta here." Chalcedony nodded and bowed, then made herself scarce, closing the door of the throne room behind her.

"Wh-what are you g-going to do w-with me?" Arta trembled as Chrysalis approached, looming over her, standing the same height as Celestia. Chrysalis chuckled again, then produced a pair of glasses with a flash of magic, perching them upon her nose. Another flash of magic made a small sheaf of papers appear, and Chrysalis began to peruse them. Arta raised an eyebrow, watching the changeling queen read. Seeing her like this, bespectacled and studious, put the pegasus at ease. "Um...Queen Chrysalis?" Chrysalis looked up from the papers and met her gaze with fully expressive eyes, a visible pupil and iris there rather than just the solid lens of the drones.

"Firstly, you will say 'my queen' if you wish to address me," she said, her tone matter-of-fact. "Secondly, what I am going to do with you now is to conduct your interview."

"My...interview?" She asked. Chrysalis sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, your interview. For the archivist position." Arta's jaw dropped, and Chrysalis reached forward to lift it back up, caressing the mare's chin and cheek in the process. "Though, to be honest, I had already chosen you. There were no other applicants. The advertisement in your paper? It was only in your copy of the paper. The position is yours, dear. Still, one must follow due process, and so here we are." When no answer was forthcoming, she sighed again and leaned in, hooves on either side of Arta's face, pressing her muzzle to that of the poor, confused mare, her long, powerful tongue forcing its way into Arta's mouth. That seemed to get a response, and Arta squirmed in confusion, feeling Chrysalis' tongue caressing and squeezing her own, leaving a sweet flavour in her mouth. Arta's squirming gradually died down, and she soon found herself hungrily responding to the kiss, her whole body warm and tingly. When Chrysalis pulled away, Arta leaned forward, wanting more. She was forestalled by Chrysalis' hoof on her snout, and she let out a soft whimper. "Now, now, pay attention like a good girl and you'll get more of that."

"O-okay, Chrys—err, okay, my queen." Arta quickly backpedalled as she saw Chrysalis shoot her a stern look, only for that face to soften back into a smile, lidded eyes staring at her through the lenses of her glasses. With a soft chittering titter, she resumed her perusal of Arta's CV.

"So, you've done archival work several times, I see." Arta merely nodded, murmuring a soft 'yes, my queen', which drew a gentle purr from Chrysalis. "These letters of reference are quite impressive, especially one from Celestia herself!" Chrysalis' voice was strained with a mixture of excitement and derision, her eyes narrowing slightly as she thought of the Sun Princess. "I should very much like to know anything about the Canterlot Royal Archives that you can recall. Not now, of course, but eventually." Arta hesitated, but then slowly nodded her head, ears laying flat. "Recalcitrance will not earn you any favour, dear." Arta nodded again, this time more quickly. "Good."

"My queen, may I inquire as to what exactly I am archiving?"

"Of course. I have royal archives of my own...well, 'archives' is a very loose way of putting it. A mess of scrolls, parchments, and slates is more correct. The archive room has not been organized and catalogued in several generations. You have your work cut out for you." Chrysalis leaned forward and kissed Arta between the eyes. "But I have faith in you. I know you can do this. Um..." Now it was Chrysalis' turn to look a little unsure. "...there is one little detail...err, no, not so little, to be frank...that I must mention."

"And what is that, my queen?" She asked, tilting her head, intrigued.

"You won't be able to archive at first because...everything is written in Xzchth."

"...come again?"

"Xzchth."

"Is that a sneeze, or...?"

"It is the changeling language!" Chrysalis shouted, slamming her hoof down hard on the green floor. Arta winced and flattened her ears to her head again. "In future, you will do well to be more respectful. 'A sneeze', she says." Chrysalis shook her head, then fixed her fierce eyes upon the trembling pegasus before her. "Everything is written in the Xzchth language, as well as in the Xzchth script. You will need to study and learn our language before doing your archiving."

"But...that...no doubt that will take a long time, even with me being a quick study, my queen. How long do you suppose I will be here in the hive?" Chrysalis chuckled again, once more giving Arta that devilish, fanged smile. She leaned in and licked Arta's snout, then whispered into her ear.

"Oh, indefinitely. You're not leaving. Ever." Arta's blood suddenly ran cold, and she skittered back, moving away from Chrysalis.

"N-no...no...y-you c-can't...I've got—"

"I can and I will. And don't kid yourself, Arta. There is no pony waiting for you. Look inside you, you know it to be true! A few acquaintances, perhaps. But you've no spouse or significant other, no close friends, no siblings, and your parents, well...they are no longer with us." Arta screwed her eyes shut, trying to fight back the tears and the sobs that threatened to break out with the mention of her parents. A few years before they had both died in a freak flying accident. Because of that incident, Arta rarely flew anymore, a pegasus making herself mostly earthbound, wings tightly furled at her side. Moments later, she felt gentle chitinous hooves around her, and she let the dam crumble, sobbing into Chrysalis' chest. "Shh...there...let it out, Arta...don't hold back..."

"I MISS THEM SO MUCH!" Arta shouted, though her words were muffled by Chrysalis' chest, and slurred from crying. It had been a long time since she'd cried like this; the last time she cried this hard was immediately after the fatal accident that left her alone in the world. She knew her parents would pass sometime, but not that early, and not in such a horrible way. Chrysalis gently nuzzled her and ran a hoof through Arta's mane, cooing and chittering, urging her to cry until she was all cried out. "H-how d-did you know?"

"Because I researched you. I was looking for a pony who was unattached, whom I could take with little notice. I sent my scouts to dig up as much information on you as I could. Do you remember that census pony who came by a few weeks ago? Yes, that was one of my changelings," she said softly, caressing Arta's cheek. "I dug deep. I invaded your privacy. I even had my scouts even break into your house when you were out." Chrysalis shushed Arta with a press of her hoof. "Yes, I laid you bare before me. Are my reasons selfish? To some extent, yes. But not entirely." She removed her hoof and Arta quietly looked up at her, waiting to hear more. "You were lonely. You may be introverted but you still wanted someone to be there for you, with you." Her mouth fooled fiercely with Arta's mouth again, the mare moaning softly into the kiss as lips and tongues writhed together. Chrysalis kissed her until both were breathless, pegasus and changeling queen panting for air. "We...*huff*...are your...*puff*...family now. Will you...*huff*...accept us?"

Arta hesitated for a few moments. Much as she hated to admit it, Chrysalis was correct. Any family that remained she hadn't had contact with in years; they were virtual strangers. And making friends? She wasn't all that good at doing that, much to her chagrin. Chrysalis waited patiently, catching her breath, smiling affectionately at her. Would she accept them, the changelings, as her new family? Her heart beat a little faster as she considered the proposal, and Chrysalis purred again, her wings buzzing softly on her back. Arta let out a soft sigh, then nodded firmly, lifting her head high to look Chrysalis squarely in the eye. "Yes. Yes I will, my queen. I...I will," she murmured, giggling softly.

"Excellent! You have no idea how happy I am to hear that." Chrysalis wrapped one hoof around the pegasus' side, and then her other hoof sought out Arta's mane, gently tussling it, making her squirm happily, giggling even louder. "It seems you've a language to learn, then, yes?"

"Yes!"
> Chapter Four - A,B,Ch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arta looked down at the cute, colourful book, the letters of each word extremely large. A few words accompanied each picture, describing what was happening in the scene. She gaped at the book, then frowned, looking back up at Chalcedony. "It's a picture book, isn't it?" Chalcedony nodded, unable to hide her smirk. Arta huffed, and Chalcedony reach out to lay a hoof on the mare's shoulder.

"You've got to start somewhere. You've done well with memorizing the script so far, so you can sound out the words now. Nymphs intuitively understand Xzchth and learn quickly. But you're not a changeling, so...this will take some time."

"I know," Arta said with a sigh, looking bleakly at the picture book. She flipped through it, stopping at a picture that showed a group of changelings drawing energy from a large heart. "P...Pi...Pirir...Chn...Chniz...Z...Zlo? I'm guessing this says something along the lines of 'changelings feed on love'?"

"Pirir Chniz Zlo. 'We feed upon love'. So yes, you're quite close." Arta beamed from the praise. "But that was an easy one to figure out, given the accompanying image." Arta slumped, Chalcedony immediately taking the wind out of her sails. Chalcedony sniggered quietly, her wings buzzing on her back. "Arta Sourpuss, we should call you."

"I am not a sourpuss!" She shot back, frowning once more. Then she realized she was frowning and composed herself. "You are merciless in your teasing." The drone merely laughed some more, not bothering to deny the charge. "Speaking of Xzchth...our queen gave me a phrase to practice, but she refused to tell me what it meant."

"Oh?"

"I'm guessing from the leer and the pleased buzzing purr she made when I repeated it back to her that it was something...licentious."

"Say it to me, then, and I'll tell you what it means."

"All right, well...the phrase is 'Prarr Zthm Zo." Chalcedony let out a click-filled laugh, the clicks being the changeling version of amused snorts. The drone's response to the phrase was none too encouraging, and Arta huffed again. Arta Sourpuss indeed. "Well, come on, spit it out! What does it mean?"

"It means...heehee*click*hee...'I want to obey'."

A riotous blush bloomed across Arta's cheeks and snout, and she was rendered momentarily speechless. She knew that Chrysalis was dominant; she couldn't really picture the queen in a submissive role. But herself? That was another matter entirely. There wasn't a dominant bone in her body. "Oh...s-so that's what it means..." If there was anything she'd learned so far about changelings, it was that you could not lie to them; they saw right through you. Chalcedony made good use of her advantage to tease Arta some more.

"You want to obeyyyyy." She trilled, dancing from hoof to hoof. "Yes you doooo!"

"St-stop! That's...that's not true!" Arta denied the charge, but there was no certainty in her voice. Her denial was weak. She did want to obey her queen. The thought excited her. Even now she wondered if the archival work was really the motivating factor for her abduction. Arta felt more like some morsel to be chewed up than anything else. Her tail began to flag and she had to force it to behave. B-bad tail, bad!

"What isn't true?" Arta let out a squeak of surprise, whipping her head around to see Chrysalis walk into the bedchamber. "Are lies being told? I'll have no untruths in my hive." She spared a friendly glance and a nod to Chalcedony, then focused her attention on her pony child. "You're not telling any lies, are you, my dear?"

"N-no! I'm..." She faltered, Chrysalis raising her brow skeptically. Arta moved her mouth soundlessly like a goldfish, looking for the words to say. Chrysalis, as ever, waited patiently for Arta to own up to her denial. "...o-okay! Okay! I am lying! I'm sorry! I just..." She looked away, not wanting to see the expression on her queen's face. 

"Chalcedony, leave us, please."

"Of course, my queen." The drone jumped off of the bed and left the room, Arta listening to the sound of her hooves retreating down the tunnels.

"Arta, look at me." Arta didn't respond. She then felt Chrysalis' hoof on her chin, gently turning her face so that the pegasus would look her in the eye. "Arta. I'm not mad at you."

"You're...you're not?"

"No. No I'm not. If anything, I'm just concerned." A slight frown creased Chrysalis' brow. "It seems I have been remiss in not discussing this with you earlier."

"Discussing what, exactly?"

"Your desires." Again, Arta blushed. "You are a pony and I am a changeling. Our races don't quite see eye-to-eye, obviously. But now that you're part of my hive, you will need to overcome some of your pony sensibilities, unfortunately. Else you will not be happy." She hopped up onto the bed and curled up beside Arta, pressing close to her. Arta leaned in, snuggling up to Chrysalis, and the queen chittered softly. "Chalcedony told you what the phrase meant, didn't she?" Arta nodded. "So...do you?"

"I...y-yes, my queen, I do want to. Prarr Zthm Zo." Arta felt the warmth focused on her cheeks spread out across her body at her admittance. "I want to obey. It...I like the idea of it. It feels...right."

"Then why fight that desire? Will indulging it hurt you?" Arta shook her head. "Will it hurt me?" Again, another head shake. "Will it hurt your other brothers and sisters here in the hive?" Head shake. "Will giving into it make you happy? Will it make me happy?" Nod. Nod. "Then it is a good desire. We all have desires, Arta. True, not all desires are good. But completely ignoring a desire is not healthy. Confront the desire, examine it. If after careful scrutiny you can deem it good, then do not fear it. But if it is bad, then, and only then, should you deny it. Let the bad desires die, and let the good ones live." Chrysalis fell silent, letting the words sink in. She would not speak until Arta did. The silence reigned for several minutes, and then Arta finally spoke.

"Forgive me for asking, my queen, but...what of your attack on Canterlot? Was that a good desire?" It was a bold thing to ask, and Chrysalis visibly winced at the question. She grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath.

"No. No it was not," she admitted with a heavy sigh. "I am not perfect, Arta. Nor do I claim to be. What I did was a mistake, a huge mistake, and it hurt me and my people very grievously. I have made changelings even more into outcasts than we were before." She looked down at Arta. "I did not scrutinize the desire, and thus I courted pain. My defeat at the hooves of Cadence and Shining Armor taught me a valuable lesson that day, and I will not make that mistake again. I will never attempt an invasion again."

"I forgive you." Arta whispered, nuzzling Chrysalis, and a smile once more found its way onto the queen's face. Chrysalis nibbled softly on Arta's ear and the pegasus giggled, her wings fluttering softly at her sides. "Will you ever sue for peace with Celestia?" That brought Chrysalis' nibbling up short.

"I...I am not sure. I do not know if showing my face is a good idea. I got lucky, getting as far as I did before being defeated. Showing up now, I would not stand a chance."

"But maybe it's worth a try? Maybe you can explain to Celestia why you did what you did, and tentatively work to smooth things over?" Arta looked at her, the pleading visible in her eyes. Chrysalis chewed on her lip, looking none too sure.

"I...will give it some consideration. Yes, I will think about it." Arta's eyes lit up. Chrysalis held up her hoof. "But I will not promise that I will do it." Arta deflated slightly, but still looked hopeful. "I will think about it, though..." She lifted her head up to look at the stalact-light glowing on the ceiling, staring at it, deep in thought. Arta contented herself with cuddling up to her queen, and Chrysalis smiled faintly, gently petting her little pony. "You're a good girl, Arta."

Arta's tail began to flag again. This time, she didn't stop it.
> Chapter Five - This room won't be open until your brothers or your sisters come
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days turned into weeks. Weeks became a month, then two months. Arta's movements were restricted at first, but as she built up a rapport and gained the trust of her new family, the restrictions were gradually lessened. When not studying the changeling language, she wandered the passages of the hive, constructing a mental map. It was incredibly twisted and convoluted, and yet there was some strange sense to it. 

Her favourite place in the hive — aside from wherever her queen was at any given moment — was the nursery. At first she merely observed, watching the nurse drones tend to the growing larvae, the newborn pupae and the young nymphs. The sight of the changeling young was a little off-putting in the beginning, but the more she looked upon them, the more she loved them. Observation turned to participation, and soon she was there nearly every day, feeding them love, playing with them, gently singing to and rocking them.

This, of course, did not go unnoticed, and one day as she was about to leave her room to head to the nursery, she was surprised by a visit from Chrysalis. Chrysalis gave her as much time as she could, but she was a queen, and there were lots of duties she had to attend to around the hive to keep things going smoothly. It had been a good two weeks since she had last spent some time with Chrysalis, and so she received her with obvious delight.

"M-my queen! Hello! How are you?" She asked, joy radiating across her face. Chrysalis' horn glowed briefly, and Arta knew her queen was feeding on some of her positive emotional energy. She could feel the light tug of the draining energy, as well as her body tingling all over. Being fed upon was a very pleasurable experience for both the host and the parasite. "Nnngg...mmmohh..." Chrysalis only took a little; too much at once left the host feeling weak, and could also induce headaches, much like those that Shining Armor experienced when Chrysalis drained him of all the love he had.

"Delicious as ever," murmured the changeling queen, licking her fangs. "I am well, my dear." She jumped up onto the bed, patting the silky sheets. "Join me." Arta happily jumped up onto the bed and sat before Chrysalis, her chestnut brown tail swishing softly behind her. "So...I hear tell you've been taking an interest in our young. The other nurses speak highly of you and appreciate the help you've been giving in the nursery."

"Oh! Yes, yes I love working in the nursery!" Arta's tail swished about a little more quickly, the mare obviously pleased. Her tailwagging paused as she pawed sheepishly at the bed with her hoof. "I h-hope that's okay? I mean, I've been keeping up on my language studies and all...I'm getting there, but I'm nowhere near competent yet..." The soft press of Chrysalis' hoof on her muzzle silenced her.

"It's fine, dear, never fret. In fact, it makes me happy to see you taking such an active role in the hive. We haven't had a live-in pony in the hive before. In the past, we abducted ponies just to siphon their love," Chrysalis blushed as she admitted this sordid detail of her past, a soft green hue spreading across her cheeks. "We do want your love, of course. But this time, we want it given freely. And how freely you give it!" Arta's tail began wagging again, hearing this praise. "In fact, speaking of our young, there's something I want to run by you."

"Hmm?" Arta tilted her head, curious. Chrysalis' voice sounded tense with excitement. "What is it, my queen?"

"I was w-wondering if...if I might..." Chrysalis licked her lips, her breath coming out in fast pants "...if I might put some in you."

"...what?" Arta was confused, but she found her heart beginning to race, Chrysalis' excitement palpable and contagious.

"I-It's entirely your choice, you can say yay or neigh, b-but...you see..." Chrysalis gestured to a bulge in her upper abdomen. "...I have some eggs, and I usually lay them in one or more of my female drones. I've never laid them in a pony before. I want to, though. I want to try it with you. Do you want my eggs?"

Aside from fierce, sloppy make-out sessions, nibbling, and snuggling, Arta hadn't done anything bordering on sex with the queen or any other 'ling in the hive. This was a new development for her...and not entirely unwanted. She closed her eyes and imagined herself with that bulge in her belly, the eggs growing and wriggling about inside of her...and she quickly bit down on her lip, trying, and failing, to stifle a moan. "I...I want them. I do. I want your eggs, my queen." The words were barely out and already Chrysalis was moving behind her.

"Rump up, m-move your tail aside." Chrysalis commanded the pegasus, trying to sound as if she were cool and composed, but she just sounded like a giddy teenage filly about to lose her maidenhood to her coltfriend. Arta eagerly did as she was told.

Their mutual cries of pleasure and delight echoed out into the tunnels, and changelings stopped to listen, sharing knowing smirks with each other.

*            *            *

Arta lay on her back, gently rubbing her swollen belly. Chrysalis leaned down to press a kiss to Arta's belly, then moved her muzzle to share a soft kiss with the mare. "Mmm...you look even more beautiful with a gravid belly, my dear."

"I agree," Arta said, a dreamy quality to her voice. Her eyes drifted back and forth between her belly and to her queen. "Did you ever think you would do something like this with a pony?"

"No, I didn't." Chrysalis shook her head. "But I'm glad I did. Those eggs will receive plenty of love from you, as well as taking on some of your pony essence. They'll be changelings, of course, but they'll be a little different. They'll be your children. Your foals. Your nymphs." Arta shivered happily, closing her eyes. "Our children. Yours and mine."

"I love you, my queen."

"I love you too, Arta." Chrysalis replied in a hushed voice. The words surprised her, but she didn't regret saying them. A pony loved a changeling, and that changeling loved that pony in return. 

It was not the strangest thing which had come to pass in Equestria. 
> Chapter Six - Blinded By The Light
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chrysalis had laid her eggs in her drones for as long as she had been queen, and while she did love them, she'd not felt as fiercely protective of them as she did Arta. Seeing Arta heavy with her eggs not only pleased her, but also made her want to keep Arta as close as possible. Arta had no objections to being moved into the queen's chambers, where every night she was spooned from behind, Chrysalis' muzzle buried in her mane and hooves gently caressing her gravid belly. Arta felt like she was at once both Chrysalis' mate and stuffie.

Chrysalis noted her own behaviour and was slightly concerned about it, but she couldn't seem to help herself. Being around a pony this much was bringing out the pony inside of her. She was well on her way to meeting Arta somewhere in the middle, as the pegasus had been gradually becoming more and more like a changeling with every passing day. This situation was a first for Chrysalis, an experiment, and it was proving to be wildly successful.

*            *            *

With Arta now free to roam as much of the hive as she wanted, it was only a matter of time until she found the entrance. It had been so long since she'd been outside that she had forgotten the feel of a gentle breeze in her mane, and the sun shining down, limning the world with light. When she saw the thin beam of light sprawled across the floor, her eyes followed it to its source, and she hurried onward. The outside! Equestria!

Almost immediately she regretted stepping out of the hive, the sun shooting like a dagger, digging into her eyes and her brain. She collapsed on the ground, eyes clamped shut, groaning and gasping. She lay there in agony for a good minute, and then she heard someling coming up behind her. Then she felt their hooves, pulling her back inside. "Are you all right, Arta?"

"Nggh...hurts...the light..." she groaned. She recognized the voice. It belonged to Spirax, one of the changeling guards who protected the hive. She cracked her eyes open, and was greeted by blessed darkness, as well as the worried countenance of Spirax. "Much better." Spirax eyed her closely for a moment, then stepped outside to have a quick look around to make sure no pony was about. When he returned, he found her looking at him in confusion.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"The light...how does it not bother you?"

"Oh!" He chuckled softly. "Nictating membranes. When we go out into the light, a membrane comes down over our eyes and mitigates the harsh glare of the sun. Ponies don't have that."

"Mmff...I wish I did. Then I could have been spared that pain. How will I ever step outside if the light is just going to force me back inside?" It felt incredibly unfair to her that her body wasn't as magnificent as a changeling's. Magnificent? Huh...I guess being here with changelings for so long is 'changing' me.

"Hmm...maybe I could ask Tarsus..." he muttered to himself, tapping his chin.

"Huh? Tarsus...Tarsus, the tinkerer?"

"Yes, him. Maybe he could make some sort of eyewear for you to mimic the effect of our nictating membranes."

"Oh! Like sunglasses."

"Yes, like sunglasses. Only better. Sunglasses shield your eyes from the sun but wash out a lot of colour. Our membranes don't do that. If you're willing to be patient, Arta, I'll talk to him later and see about getting you some changeling 'sunglasses'. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great, thank you!" Arta threw her hooves around Spirax, giving him a warm hug. He returned the hug, blushing green, obviously pleased to be receiving some affection from the Love Bringer (a nickname that most of the hive had bestowed upon her).

Even after she had gone, he stood there with a goofy look on his face, high on the small bit of love he'd gathered from her.

*            *            *

With Tarsus working on the sunglasses (he had begun working on the problem right away, abandoning his other projects), Arta felt the weight of that problem lifted off of her shoulders. She had faith in his abilities; he was the undoubtedly the smartest and most inventive changeling in the hive, and if he couldn't figure it out, she didn't think anyling could.

Of course, with the hivemind constantly active, word got to Chrysalis quite quick about Arta's momentary jaunt outside, and she found herself face-to-face with a none-too-pleased changeling queen.

"YOU WENT OUTSIDE?!"

"Yes, I did! For a moment! Why, is that forbidden?" Arta stood as tall as she could, looking at the queen with defiance in her eyes. Up until now she hadn't attempted to assert herself and quarrel with her queen, but Chrysalis' overreaction irked her and the two were now in the midst of a heated spat.

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean...I don't know! I just...WHY?!"

"Because I've been cooped up inside for MONTHS! I-I'm not a changeling, I'm a pony, a-and...and..." Arta sniffled, tears rolling down her cheeks. "...I just...wanted to see..." The sight of Arta's tears arrested Chrysalis' tirade, and she immediately felt horrible about yelling at her mare.

"Arta. I...I'm sorry." She pulled Arta in close for a hug. Arta squirmed a little, trying to break free of the embrace, but Chrysalis held her tight. Arta gradually calmed down and looked up at Chrysalis, sniffling some more. "I just got a little...scared."

"You? Scared?" Arta asked, incredulous.

"Yes. I got scared. Scared that you might want to leave me. Leave us." Chrysalis gently rubbed her hooves along Arta's back and wings, and the pegasus murred quietly.

"That would never happen, my quee—"

"You don't need to call me that anymore." Chrysalis said quietly, cutting her off.

"Huh? But...you're my queen, Chrysalis."

"Am I, though? You're not a changeling. You're not connected to the hivemind. You're not subject to my power, not really. Short of transforming you into an actual changeling, how can I make you something you're not? No, I'm not your queen. I'm just...Chrysalis. And I'm a better Chrysalis with you, Arta. I stole you away from Equestria, but in turn you stole my heart." Arta was dumbfounded at this change of heart. Slowly, she returned Chrysalis' hug, and her expression of surprise gradually gave way to a soft, affectionate smile. Chrysalis could feel the love swell in Arta, and Arta did not object to a little bit of feeding. Chrysalis shivered with delight as the love filled her, wiping away her hunger and then some. The brief flash of anger was all but forgotten.

"How about I call you Chryssy, then?" Arta asked with a sly smile, waggling her eyebrows. If Chrysalis wasn't going to view Arta as her subject any more, then that put the two on equal ground, and realizing that brought out the boldness in the usually demure pegasus.

"I...wouldn't object to that." Chrysalis said, and the two of them locked lips in a hungry make-up make-out. When they came up for breath, Chrysalis looked down at her, eyeing her amorously as she gulped in air. "But you...*huff*...you're still the...*huff*...bottom, got it?"

"Of course, my queEEEE!" Arta squealed with delight as Chrysalis mounted her, fangs sinking into her neck. "Ahhh...Ch-Chryssyyyyy!"
> Chapter Seven - Stranger Danger
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How is it going, dear?"

Arta looked up from the codex over which she'd been squinting, thankful for the interruption. Though she could read the script with little difficulty at this point, the squiggly, jagged characters started to run together after a while. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, letting out a yawn. "It's...going all right, I guess. You weren't kidding when you said the archives room was a mess. You said that this was the accumulation of generations worth of material, right?" A nod from Chrysalis. "It looks like it'll take a few generations just to sort it all." Chrysalis let out an amused click.

"I know it's bad, but I think you may be overexaggerating just a little."

"Yeah, maybe. But hey, we never did hash out what my wage would be, did we?" She asked, absentmindedly rubbing at her belly, which had swollen even larger as the eggs grew and matured in her womb. "'Wage to be determined upon hiring' the ad said, if I recall correctly."

"Oh! Oh...um...I didn't expect that you'd press on that after all this time." Chrysalis shuffled nervously in the doorway as Arta hauled herself up onto her hooves, her belly swaying gently with every step she took towards her love. "What did you have in mind? We do have bits, of course. Necessary for buying things during love harvesting miss-mmff!" Arta cut her off with a forceful kiss, and their tongues entwined, mare and changeling moaning together.

"I think that is sufficient payment," Arta said with a smirk after terminating the kiss.

"You'll use just about any excuse to kiss me. Not that I'm complaining."

"Can you blame me? Your saliva is sweet like honey, and addictive. If my love is your drug, then all your secretions and toxins are mine."

"I'm fairly sure you like the secretions from my ovipositor the best, dear."

"Heeheehee. Yes. You've got me there." She sniggered and flicked her tail, her feminine scent spreading through the air of the musty archive room. She turned to look at the daunting task ahead of her, and deflated a little, then turned back to Chrysalis. "Hey, Chryssy, I think a break is in order. Want to go out for some fresh air?"

"Let me just check my schedule." Chrysalis closed her eyes and pretended as if she were sending out lots of messages over the hivemind. "Hmmmm...I think I can work you in sometime next week." Her cheeky grin told all, and Arta giggled at the joke. "But seriously, yes, that would be nice. I've been enjoying our 'fresh air' time."

Tarsus, clever changeling that he was, had worked out a solution for the sunlight problem, creating a pair of sunglasses that mimicked a changeling's nictating membranes as closely as possible. He had refined changeling ichor several times, gradually working out the colour of the fluid, turning it from an opaque green to a nearly clear state, transparent but bordering on translucent, and then poured it into molds, the ichor solidifying into lenses. After a bit of polishing, he attached the ichor lenses to a frame, and voila! Changeling sunglasses. Arta had stepped out into the light with some trepidation during the initial test, but the glasses were a success. Tarsus claimed to be suffering a 'love hangover' the following day, saying that 'it was worth it'.

Arta immediately started cajoling Chrysalis to come outside with her. Chrysalis resisted at first, not wanting to draw undue attention to the hive, but Arta gradually wore her down and she finally caved, agreeing to go out. She insisted on being in disguise, however, and Arta readily acceded to that, just happy to have Chrysalis with her. They had been out several times over the past two weeks, and Chrysalis agreed that the world outside her hive was very beautiful indeed.

*            *            *

Arta looked on as the green fire of changeling magic washed over Chrysalis, turning her from the tall, slender changeling queen she knew into a shorter, fuller pony. She'd dropped in height to somewhere between Arta's height and Celestia's height. She kept that slender form she naturally had, only it was rounded out by soft flesh and fur. Black chitin had given way to a dark grey coat whilst her turquoise mane had stay much the same, with the exception of the gaping, noticeable holes. Her long, jagged horn was now a straight, smooth unicorn horn (majestic to be sure, but Arta had fallen in love with that jagged horn). Chrysalis waited for Arta to give her the once over before they stepped outside. "Your disguise checks out, Chryssy. I think everypony would be none the wiser if you strolled on into the city."

"I have worn this disguise in Seaddle, actually, as well as a good many other disguises. But this one is near and dear to me, since it isn't too much of a change from my normal appearance." The two strolled carefully down the hillside from the hive entrance and into the thick of the trees, falling into a companionable silence as they listened to the leaves gently susurrating in the gentle wind. Chrysalis' current hive was situated several miles outside of the bustling city of Seaddle in the Hock Rainforest, which grew wild and untamed, the growth spurred onward relentlessly by lots of rainfall. All that fecund flora filling the forest helped to prevent perambulating ponies from perceiving the changelings' position, and it was for that reason that she had situated her hive there. 

Chrysalis was well aware that there were ponies who enjoyed hiking through and getting lost in the forest, and she made sure to have her scouts to keep a careful watch of the movements of anypony who got a little too close to discovering their whereabouts. In the old days she'd have no compunctions about capturing hapless and nosy hikers and keeping them captive in her hive, draining of them their love and then erasing their memories, leaving them at the edge of the forest for them to be found. A few she forcefully converted into changelings to help further swell the ranks of her hive. But her views of ponies had been shaken upon her bitter defeat in Canterlot, and her drones noticed subtle shifts in her behaviour that, over time, became patently obvious. Where she had been ruthless, she was now reasonable; her fits of rage had become nigh extinct, as she often bit her tongue and went away to cool off; she was gentler and more affectionate, and could be seen with a genuinely happy smile on her muzzle. Her drones did not object to this one bit, happy to now have and to serve a ruler who no longer ruled with such a heavy hoof. Some of them had posited that the love blast that had driven them away from Canterlot had overloaded their systems with love and somehow rewired their brains. It was definitely food for thought.

As the path they were on got more narrow, they had to switch to walking single file, with Arta in the lead. Chrysalis knew where they were going: Arta's Clearing. On her first outing "alone" (there had been a scout following her at a good distance to make sure she was safe), Arta had wandered for hours, both on and off the path, smiling all the while. In what was about a fifteen minute jaunt from the hive, she had found a small clearing, and she'd been heading there ever since, laying down and enjoying the nature around her. Chrysalis had never really been one to stop and smell the roses — or in this case, the moss-covered trees — but Arta had opened her up to doing just that, and she found herself with more contentment than she knew what to do with. It was scary for her, since she was not used to such feelings, but it was also quite thrilling. Being with Arta was like throwing herself off a cliff, feeling the exhilaration of the fall, and knowing that she'd have a soft, gentle landing.

"Ahhh." Arta collapsed gracelessly onto the soft grass in the clearing, patting the spot beside her. Chrysalis giggled and curled her hooves beneath her barrel, snuggling close and draping her long neck over the back of Arta's neck. "Could there be a more perfect moment?"

"Not at all. I want this moment always." Chrysalis rubbed their cheeks together, murring softly.

"Then let us make this moment always." Arta turned her head to kiss Chrysalis' nose, and the disguised queen turned her head so they could rub noses together.

Their blissful, romantic moment didn't last for long, however, as a klaxon went up over the hivemind, a scout informing the queen that a brown-coated unicorn stallion was wandering the rainforest and was now within the hive's surveillance radius...and that the stallion in question was in their vicinity. Chrysalis' head shot up, ears perked, and she looked about nervously. Even though she was disguised, she figured that two mares snuggling in a clearing in the deepest parts of the forest would be looked at a little bit askance.

"Someone's coming," she whispered, and Arta's ears shot perked as well, both of them listening for the sounds of movement. Presently they heard the snap of a twig, and then the sound of hooves moving through the undergrowth. "Follow my lead." Arta nodded and pressed closer. The stallion was getting closer to the clearing; it sounded almost as if his path was trained in their direction. When he finally emerged from the press of trees and into the clearing, he paused, his eyes wide. Then he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes to be sure he wasn't seeing things. Chrysalis breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed, and Arta copied her. "Thank goodness! We heard something moving about and thought it might be a bear. We're ever so glad it was another pony!"

"Ah, well, I assure you ladies, I am not a bear. Though a few times I have been told I am hard to bear." He chuckled at his joke, and they chuckled along with him. "This is quite the surprise. I hadn't expected to run into anypony today, let alone this deep in the forest. What brings you here?"

"My wife and I have lived in Seaddle for a while, but up until now we hadn't visited the nearby rainforest, so we decided to rectify that. Didn't we sweetie?" Chrysalis nuzzled Arta affectionately, careful to not feed on the reciprocated love that Arta sent her way. "And since we'd put this off for so long, we thought we might as well cut a swath to the heart of the forest."

"We decided not to half-flank it, basically." Arta supplied.

"And then we found this lovely little clearing and sat down to enjoy the forest's ambiance."

"Not the place I'd really pick for a romantic spot, but who am I to judge?" He asked with a shrug. "Me? I'm on the hunt. I've heard rumours of changelings in the forest, and I've come to see if the rumours are true."

"Changelings? Here? How horrid!" Chrysalis' voice was thick with horror, and she visibly shuddered. Arta had to actively restrain herself from smiling in appreciation of her love's acting skills. Fighting the smile led to her muzzle being painted with a grimace, which helped to carry on their facade.

"Yes, horrid indeed." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his snout and narrowed his eyes. "If the rumours are true and they are indeed here, then I'll be able to alert Princess Celestia as to their whereabouts, and I'm sure she'll reward me handsomely." Chrysalis' jaw clenched for a moment, but then she forced herself to relax. Act. Misdirect. She had to protect her hive from this weasel of a stallion. Play it cool. Play it cool, Chrysalis. "Hold on a tick...you're pregnant!" The stallion's hoof pointed at Arta accusingly. "And yet you decided to go for a hike through the forest?"

"...yes? I'm still quite mobile at the moment, and we walked slowly and carefully. I don't really see what the problem is." Arta was not nearly as good an actress as Chrysalis, but she was doing her best to keep her alarm under wraps. This stallion, who had not immediately provided his name, as was the Equestrian social custom, was obviously holding back information as well, neither side willing to reveal too much. If they could keep the balance of information then they might just make it through this conversation undiscovered.

"The problem is that, from a mere cursory glance, you appear to be full-term. No mare in that state of pregnancy in her right mind would endanger herself or her foals for the sake of a hiking expedition. No, either you two are not in your right minds or..."

"Or what?" Chrysalis asked, a steely edge to her voice. Her ire was up, seeing as he was not only attacking her but her mate, and she would not tolerate anypony treating Arta badly.

"...orrrrr you are changelings!" He shouted, and a deranged smile stretched across his face. Arta turned to look at Chrysalis, and Chrysalis at her, an unspoken signal passing from one to the other, and then the two of them burst into laughter. His grin faltered, and he tilted his head. "Wh-why are you laughing?"

"Oh, that's rich!" Chrysalis said, smacking the ground with her hoof as she put on quite the show of amused disbelief. "You truly are mad. That is the flimsiest reasoning I've ever seen! You'll have to do better than that to prove such a silly assertion." Seeing him visibly crumple as they laughed was delightful for Chrysalis. Let's see you recover from that flaccid attempt, she thought. While it would not be wise to put too much strain on a pregnant mare, Chrysalis knew that there must have been at least a few mares who had done much worse than a hike in the late stages of their pregnancies. 

"What about those glasses she is wearing over her glasses?" He asked, straightening up and doing his best to retrieve his confident composure. "That's out of the ordinary!"

"They're made out of a special polymer that filters out the harsh glare of the sun without sacrificing visibility. I've been photosensitive all my life, and before getting them just going outside was pure agony." Arta said with a disinterested tone. She'd been working on that bluff ever since she received the glasses from Tarsus in case anypony questioned them, as this stallion was now. "And just because something is out of the ordinary, it doesn't mean it has to do with changelings. Honestly, you're reaching at this point. We just wanted to enjoy this time together before our foal was born, to enjoy one last, magnificent outing before our time was consumed with foal-rearing, and here you are, trampling all over it. You should be ashamed of yourself." If Arta were part of the hivemind, Chrysalis would be telling her just how impressed she was with her at that moment.

He was utterly flummoxed, and for a few brief moments did look appropriately ashamed. It looked as if they'd won, that he'd slink away with his tail between his legs and leave them be.

But it was not to be.

"...I know a surefire way to tell if you're changelings." His voice had grown quiet, but it had that reacquired that deranged sing-song quality to it, and Chrysalis and Arta stiffened. "I know a way, I doooo."

"And what way is that?" Chrysalis asked, her words curt and strained.

"A SPELL!" He shouted, and before either of them could react, his horn flashed, blasting them both with a spell that he'd had prepared, waiting to spring it like a trap. The magic ran down Arta's body and did nothing except make her feel tingly all over. But with Chrysalis, it was another matter entirely. Her disguise disappeared, revealing her as she truly was. He gasped and took several steps back, equally delighted and horrified. "HAHAHAhaaa! I knew it! Changeling! And the changeling of changelings, the queen herself!"

"Yes, you've found me, blah blah blah." Chrysalis groused, staring daggers at him. "What do you propose to do, then?" She stood up, towering over him. Her horn glowed as she scanned him. "What exactly do you propose to do...*snrk*...heehee...Bold Remark?" Chrysalis burst into a fit of giggles. "Your name is Bold Remark? Oh, how delightfully apropos it is. Heehee!"

"H-hey! Making fun of my name? Not cool!" He whined, sounding rather pathetic. "You'll regret that! You and your changeling wi—wait, what?" He looked at Arta as if she had two heads. "You're not a changeling?"

"Nope! I'm just a mare who fell in love with the changeling queen and is gravid with her eggs." Arta said with a smile, and she rubbed her cheek against Chrysalis' neck, murring softly. Chrysalis leaned down to return the nuzzle as well as give her a soft kiss on the nose.

"You WHAT?!" His eyes bulged out of their sockets. "You...eggs...ewww! You are a sick, twisted mare, and a traitor to all ponykind! How dare you side with changelings!"

"You will refrain from speaking to my mate like that if you value your life!" Chrysalis hissed, taking a step forward, causing Bold Remark to stumble back and fall onto his haunches.

"Wh-what are you going to do? Capture me? Suck me dry? Turn my brains to mush? Kill me?"

"I...no." Chrysalis sighed. "I won't do any of those things. I don't do that anymore. I've developed a...a conscience." She looked beyond him, talking mostly to herself. "I don't want to be that monster anymore."

"Well...then...I'll just be going..." He said cautiously, slowly getting up onto his feet. He began to slowly walk backwards again, keeping his eyes on Chrysalis, no doubt not believing that she wouldn't try to capture him.

"WELL GET GOING THEN!" Chrysalis shouted, and Bold Remark squealed like a pig, turning around and rushing through the forest, crashing and stumbling through it in his mad dash to get away. Chrysalis sent a command to her scouts to leave him alone, even though doing so put her and the hive in great danger. He knew her hive was in the Hock Rainforest now, and he'd race to tell Celestia, and then all Tartarus would come raining down on them. "I...we...we're doomed..." Her legs buckled beneath her and she tumbled onto the soft grass beneath her.

"No we're not! Don't say that, Chryssy! Maybe things will work out?"

"The hive...Celestia will come...sh-she'll eradicate us all...and all because I was weak..."

"CHRYSALIS." Chrysalis blinked in surprise, hearing the firm tone with which the petite pegasus spoke. She lifted her head and looked upon Arta, whose gaze was just as firm. "Being merciful is not weak. Not at all. It takes a good deal of strength to hold back one's anger and to refrain from harming those who we might feel justified in harming. You did a good thing, Chryssy. You're a wonderful changeling." Chrysalis choked up and began to sob, pressing her face against Arta's leg.

"B-but...now...the hive...me...you...we might...we might die!"

"You should give Celestia a chance. I know her well enough, seeing as we communicated quite a bit whilst I helped at the Royal Canterlot Archives." Arta gently ran her hoof through Chrysalis' mane, and pressed a soft kiss to her jagged horn. "I think she's more merciful and forgiving than you might think."

"...well then, l-let us hope she is merciful with us. Let us hope. We are greatly in need of it now."
> Chapter Eight - The Princess Will See You Now
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next few days were utterly nerve-wracking. The mood of the hive, which had been fairly positive and upbeat as of late, was now somewhat subdued. Chrysalis' subjects did their best not to pester her too much, since she was now an anxious mess, laying about in her quarters at all hours of the day. Arta was able to bring a small smile to her face, at least, but those smiles quickly faded when her mind drifted back to the cause of her anxiety. 

"You're going to have to get out of that bed sometime."

"No." Chrysalis said, sounding rather sullen. "What's the point? We're done for. I spared that cads life, and now we're going to lose ours." Arta let out a heavy sigh. She'd been over this with Chrysalis again and again, telling her that she was certain Celestia wouldn't do that, but Chrysalis could not be swayed. It was with a morbid determination that she clung to that depressing belief, and Arta could not disabuse her love of it.

"I love you." Arta murmured, climbing into the bed with a soft, feminine grunt, minding her gravid belly, and she snuggled up beside Chrysalis. "And I won't let Celestia hurt you. If you're so determined to think her a killer, then I have no choice but to protect my love."

"Wh-what? No,  y-you can't! You haven't the strength, or the magic, and...and...you're on the cusp of birthing those eggs!"

"I can and I will," she said, familiar words that made Chrysalis click and roll her eyes. "I am certain that she won't harm you or any of my other brothers and sisters. So certain, in fact, that I am not afraid to stand before her and speak in your favour." Chrysalis made to object again, but stopped as Arta raised an eyebrow. "I hope I have made myself clear. This is not negotiable. I'm doing this because I love you."

"...all right. But...be careful, please! You're so precious to me, Arta. You're my lovely jewel."

"I promise I'll be careful." She leaned in and kissed Chrysalis between the eyes. "Now come on, you haven't made the rounds of the hive in two days." Chrysalis clung to the bed for a few moments, but then finally relented, slipping off of the bed, looking absolutely haggard after two days of doing absolutely nothing but whimper and cry. "There you go, that's my tall, lovely queen."

"Please dispense with the baby talk, Arta."

"Awww, someling is being all cranky!" Arta continued to speak to her in a babyish voice, and then giggled mischievously as Chrysalis lunged at her, only for the pegasus to take off into the tunnels of the hive, the queen hot on her trail.

"When I catch you we will see who the baby is!" Chrysalis threatened, and Arta only laughed some more. Get Chrysalis out of bed and her mind off of impending doom? Mission accomplished.

*			*			*

Arta had succeeded in distracting Chrysalis from her worries and getting her to attend to her duties once more, and Chrysalis buried herself in her work, deciding she should listen to Arta and just calm down.

Her manufactured calm did not last long. She was in the middle of a discussion with one of her nurse drones in the nursery when the alert came over the hivemind. Just like before, they were not alone in the forest.

Celestia was trudging through the forest, a squadron of the royal guard accompanying her, with Bold Remark leading the charge, leading them to where he had encountered Chrysalis and Arta. The group then split up, moving in different directions, looking to see if they could locate the hive. Chrysalis' scouts relayed all of this in real-time, the queen seeing the action at different angles through several sets of eyes. All the changelings in the hive stopped what they were doing to watch, and their fear began to amp up as the ponies got closer and closer with every hoofstep.

Chrysalis shook her head, returning to herself, and her face shifted into a resolute expression. What she had feared was now here. Now it had to be dealt with. She quickly left the nursery behind, hoofs clicking and clacking as she walked along the familiar tunnels of her beautiful hive. They had had to move hive after the Canterlot incident, and now...well, they'd be moving permanently, she thought. 

My queen, what are your orders? The captain of her guard queried over the hivemind, and the rest of the hive listened in, waiting with bated breath to hear the answer.

For all those inside the hive, remain where you are. My scouts, do not engage Celestia or her guards. This...this task falls to me. I will sue for peace. There was a collective mental gasp, and then a myriad of objections and pleas, but Chrysalis ignored them. It was because of her rash decision that she'd made an enemy of Equestria, and now she was going to fix things, even if it cost her her life.

"Chryssy? What's going on? Everyling is freaking out." Chrysalis was brought up short, standing just near the entrance. She turned to face Arta, and the look on Chrysalis' face spelled it out. "Oh...oh no..."

"Yes. Celestia is here." She sighed a heavy sigh, her resolution wavering. She wanted to be brave about this, but truthfully, she was terrified. "Come, my love. I need you by my side. I cannot face this alone, and you have already promised to speak on my behalf." Arta approached her, nuzzling and kissing her, murring softly. Chrysalis' greedily drank in the love that was offered, banishing hunger and warming her core.

"I'm with you, Chryssy. And I always will be. L-let's...let's do this." They turned their gaze on the entrance, which, while skillfully hidden because of its angle, would no doubt be noticed eventually by those who were looking for it. Arta fell into step with Chrysalis, sliding her 'shades' down over her glasses, and they stepped out into the mid-morning light.

The search party was close, but had not yet stumbled upon the hill that held the entrance to the hive. Chrysalis and Arta stood just outside, backs to the entrance, and Chrysalis threw her head back, shouting: "Celestia! I am here! Let us have words!"

There was a half-second of silence, and then all at once the guard was upon them, surrounding them, brandishing spears and looking fit to kill. "Stay where you are, you filthy insect!" hissed one of the guards. Chrysalis bristled at the insult but did not retaliate. Now was the time to cooperate. The guards did not at first notice Arta, with their attention being firmly set on their enemy, but then a few of the guards' eyes slipped to the figure beside the changeling queen, and they gaped with surprise. A pony, here, with the changeling queen? They could not comprehend it.

A minute later Celestia stepped onto the scene, moving with graceful steps, her mane and tail glimmering and shifting in the light of her sun. "Stand down, guards." They hesitated, but parted and moved off to the side in tight rank and file, watching Chrysalis like a hawk. "Thank you." She did not hurry, walking slowly and carefully up the hill, and stopped just before Chrysalis and Arta. "I have had false reports before, but it seems Bold Remark was as good as his word." The stallion in question lingered behind Celestia, grinning like a mad fool. He couldn't wait to get his reward. Celestia was known for paying handsomely for the things she desired.

"Yes, unfortunately, that fool found me." Chrysalis said, looking behind Celestia and glaring at him. Bold Remark chuckled nervously and took a few steps back, just to be safe.

"Wait, what have we here?" Celestia was looking at Arta, and the gears of recognition were madly turning inside the princess' head. "It...surely it can't be...Arta? Arta Factia? How do you come to be here?"

"Well, Chrysalis...erm...ponynapped me, to put it bluntly." Celestia frowned, turning to look at Chrysalis with displeasure. "But she has not laid a single hoof on me to harm me! She has treated me well, she has cared for me, and...and she loves me." Arta smiled at Chrysalis, who couldn't help but smile back.

"And your belly, Arta? Are you with foal?"

"Yes and no. There are young inside me, but they're not ponies. I've got Chrysalis' eggs in my womb." Celestia's eyes widened ever so slightly. "I'm going to be a mother, and I'm very happy about it. It matters not what species they are, they will still be my children."

"Hmm..." Celestia's eyes travelled back and forth between the two, the princess obviously deliberating in her head. "You are not the same changeling, Chrysalis. This is at odds with your previous behaviour."

"I know." Chrysalis said in a hushed voice. "Having my flank handed to me and being catapulted into a tree had a way of...making me reevaluate things." Before Celestia could break in, Chrysalis continued. "Please, Celestia, at the very least have mercy on my people. Do what you will with me. I offer myself up into your hooves. But do not harm my children. I am solely responsible for the attack on Canterlot. I will bear the heavy weight of my error. Please." Celestia stared at Chrysalis with an unreadable expression...and then her face softened, and a small smile stretched across her muzzle.

"Very well. I hear your plea and grant it. None shall lay a hoof on your children." Chrysalis burst into grateful tears, thanking Celestia over and over.

"WHAT?! Princess, no! We need to exterminate these vermin! How can you allow this?" The captain of the guard was furious, his spear quivering in his hooves, his eyes filled with a deathly glare at Chrysalis. Celestia stiffened, then turned around, her eyes narrowed at him.

"Firstly, I have made my decision, and will not retract it. And secondly...did I just hear you openly suggest genocide?" The captain began to sweat, taking a nervous step back. Celestia very rarely looked like this, so there was no doubt that she was angry.

"W-well, you see...they...they're a m-menace, and—" He stuttered, trying to defend his comment, but Celestia's eyes turned from him dismissively, looking towards his lieutenant.

"Lieutenant?"

"Y-Yes, Princess?"

"Congratulations, you have been promoted. You are now the new captain of my guard." The now ex-captain spluttered and gasped in disbelief, and she looked upon him again. "You are stripped of your rank, 'captain'. The guard's purpose is to serve and protect, not exterminate. It seems you have let this personal vendetta take over and make you forget that purpose. Leave now, and do not return to me until you have thought long and hard about this." The stallion was stunned, but then he nodded and turned away, sniffling, rushing off through the forest. Celestia turned to look at the rest of her guard. "Let this be a lesson to you all. Do not let the bitter seed of vengeance grow in you. We are here to seek reparation for the Canterlot invasion, but we are not here seeking death. No changeling need die. We have not had a war for centuries, and I am not about to pursue another."

"C-Celestia..." Chrysalis breathed, looking at her in utter disbelief. "Y-you...I..." Celestia turned to her, smiling.

"Oh Chrysalis, did you think I came here breathing death? You have sorely misjudged me, then. It seems I have misjudged you as well. I was not sure what to expect, but it seems that the Chrysalis I fought was not you. Please accept my apology."

"Umm...I...I forgive you?" Chrysalis squeaked. Arta nudged her, smiling brightly. There was a twinkle in the pegasus' eye that said I told you so~

"Thank you. It feels good to be forgiven." She gave Chrysalis a sly smile, and Chrysalis squirmed awkwardly in place. "I would ask you to accompany me to Canterlot, where we will discuss reparations. I cannot dismiss what happened as easily as I dismissed my captain. Still, I think there may be cause for a little leniency. Oh! And I shall have to get Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadence to come." Chrysalis blanched at that, her eyes wide with horror. "I have forgiven you, but they have not. I trust you wish to apologize, Chrysalis?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes, of course. I do wish to apologize. I did hurt them rather grievously. And...what of Luna?"

"My sister may be a firebrand at times, but she is quick to cool. I would not worry about her too much, but still, it would be good to extend an apology to her as well, for having attacked her sister. I think, given events of the distant past, that Luna will understand...she understands all too well..." Celestia looked sad for a moment, and she sighed. "But I do not wish to dwell too much on that." She smiled again, and leaned in, taking Chrysalis by surprise with an affectionate nuzzle. Chrysalis clicked and chittered, the affection from Celestia rather sweet, a different flavour; she liked it.

"My hive can operate well enough on its own. It is, as you ponies say, a well-oiled machine." The anti-climactic confrontation had been relayed to the rest of the hive, and her children breathed easy, so happy to know that they were spared. Chrysalis spoke to them, telling them that she would be gone for a while, and to keep things running as best they could. The chorus of eager voices made her smile. She knew they'd be just fine. "I suppose you will have to clap me in chains, or something?" Celestia giggled and shook her head.

"Heavens no. You may be coming with me, but I am not making a prisoner of you. You are a foreign dignitary with whom we have had a rather fierce disagreement, but now we're coming together to smooth it over, for the sake of our people. Sound fair?"

"...your confidence in me is astounding. I wish I had as much confidence as you."

"Well, when you've lived many millennia, you tend look at things differently. Walk with me." Chrysalis fell in step with Celestia, and Arta walked quicker to keep in step with them and their longer strides. The squadron of guards formed a protective circle around all three as they picked their way through the forest. Celestia turned to look at Arta. "I knew you'd be coming too, Arta. I can see how much Chrysalis means to you."

"Damn straight. You won't see me leaving her side for a moment, even if I am a little...encumbered." Arta paused to reach down and give her swollen, gravid belly a rub. "Let's just hope these babies can hold off a little longer while we have these peace talks." Celestia gave her a wan smile.

"You are the mate of a foreign dignitary, Arta. I think we can spare the resources to help with a birthing mare." She shook her head and chuckled. "It wouldn't be the first time children were born during a political visit. When the Zebrican king came to visit several years ago, his pregnant queen with him, well...there was definitely some rejoicing then. 'A son is born, a son is born! Indodana okuzelwe!'"

"Oh...well. That's good to know." Arta blushed softly, and Chrysalis leaned down to nibble at her ears, making her pegasus mate squeak happily.

"Indeed. Now, let us not dawdle. I would dearly like to get back to the palace. There is a cushion and a cup of tea with my name on it." Celestia paused for effect. "No, really, they actually have my name on them." Chrysalis and Arta laughed, and Celestia joined in. Things were going swimmingly with Celestia, who was quite large-hearted and quick to forgive. But how would things go when Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadence met with Chrysalis? Those three bore most of the ill-will, and underneath Chrysalis' joy ran an undercurrent of uncertainty as she thought about their faces, twisted and contorted in anger. Chrysalis shuddered ever so slightly, then put it at the back of her mind. She'd already misjudged Celestia, and was in danger of doing the same to the others she had hurt. 

Enough...enough now.
> Chapter Nine - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Palace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hike out of the forest was mostly quiet. A few words were traded between Celestia, Chrysalis and Arta, but then they just as quickly lapsed back into silence. Perhaps it was an effort to save the important words for later, when they had arrived in Canterlot, or maybe it was the majesty of the forest impressing itself on them. Whatever the reason, their muzzles were shut, the only sounds being the wind through the trees, the rustling of animals moving through the undergrowth, and their hooves crunching on fallen leaves and other sylvan detritus.

Arta snuggled up close against Chrysalis' right side, whilst Celestia walked at her left. Chrysalis snuck curious glances at Celestia as they walked, and the solar princess soon caught onto it. When Chrysalis looked again, she found herself muzzle-to-muzzle with Celestia. "Gotcha."

"C-Celestia!" Chrysalis exclaimed, stumbling back and bumping into Arta, who let out a soft squeak of surprise. "D-don't...don't startle me like that!"

"I think our time together is going to be very enlightening." Celestia chuckled, giving the changeling queen a wry grin.

"Oh yes, me being easily startled is surely the revelation of the century." Chrysalis deadpanned. "Now you shall certainly seek many opportunities to catch me by surprise."

Celestia moved closer and rubbed shoulders with Chrysalis. "Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud, Chrysalis. It's only some light teasing. Besides, I'm sure the positive feelings accompanying it are good food, yes?"

Chrysalis' horn glowed gently, drawing on the friendliness being thrown her way, and she licked her lips. Then she blushed and looked away. "Y-Yes...your emotions taste good."

"Should I be worried about being replaced?" Arta asked, looking between the two royals with a frown. Chrysalis gasped and shook her head vehemently.

"N-no! Arta, I will never replace you! Surely you know that!" Arta met her imploring eyes, then turned to look at Celestia, her frown turning to a mischievous grin.

"She really is too easy, isn't she?" Chrysalis slumped, pouting, as Arta and Celestia gently laughed, bonding over their mutual teasing of her.

It wasn't but a few minutes longer that they found themselves breaching the trees and stepping out of the forest, where two royal chariots awaited. The captain that Celestia had removed of his command was nowhere to be seen, having had a speedy, tearful head start back to Canterlot.

Bold Remark, who up until now had been keeping pace behind everypony else, chose now as the time to live up to his namesake once more. "Um...Princess Celestia? What will my reward be? As you can see, I revealed the changeling queen to you..."

"Of which I am most grateful." Celestia said, inclining her head slightly. "Truly. But let us postpone such matters until we are back in Canterlot."

"But—" He began, and she raised a brow.

"Please board your chariot, Bold Remark." Celestia spoke firmly, and the stallion quickly fled to the rear chariot, realizing he'd been pushing it. As two pairs of pegasi guards hooked themselves up to the chariots, Celestia turned to smile at Chrysalis and Arta. "Come, let us board my chariot. There is room for four in it."

"Wait, if it can fit four, then why not have Bold Remark board it as well? Would that not be more efficient?" Arta asked.

"Bold Remark is...well, I'm sure you've noticed, haven't you? He doesn't make for good company." She lowered her voice carefully to make sure the stallion in question did not hear. "As a princess I am expected to be polite and courteous, but I do not have to be overly friendly with all my little ponies. Some just rub me the wrong way."

Chrysalis and Arta shared a knowing look. "Oh, we definitely noticed." Chrysalis murmured, looking with distaste over at him. Bold Remark saw her glaring at him and he shrunk in his seat. Chrysalis smiled darkly. Good, be afraid of me, you fool.

"Chrysalis? Are you coming? Or did you wish to continue your staring match with Bold Remark?" Celestia asked teasingly, which was enough to get Chrysalis to tear her attention away from him and move to climb into the chariot. It was, as Celestia said, a four-seater, two seats in the front, and two in the back. Celestia had rightly positioned herself in the front right seat. Arta, instead of taking the seat beside Celestia, had opted to sit behind the princess. Chrysalis made as if to climb into the back with Arta, only to be forestalled by a heavenly soft white wing. "Sit up front with me, Chrysalis. I would love to have your company in the front of the chariot."

"B-but..."

"She sees me all the time, so it's not like she'll be starved of my attention or love if she doesn't sit with me." Arta chimed in. Chrysalis was warming up a rebuttal in the back of her mouth, which was prematurely thwarted by the pegasus. "I think it would be nice for you and Celestia to strengthen your relations at any chance you can get, Chryssy."

"O-ok, my jewel." Chrysalis murmured, and climbed into the seat beside Celestia.

"'Chryssy'? 'My jewel'?" Celestia asked, biting her lip, looking as if she was trying very hard not to laugh. "I know you've changed, but this side of you is so saccharinely sweet...I like it." Chrysalis buried her muzzle in her hooves in a poor attempt at hiding the green tinges of her blush.

"Can we just get going," came her small muffled voice, "before I perish of embarrassment at your hooves?"

"Certainly. Guards, let us be off!" The well-trained pegasi sprung into action, smoothly lifting the chariot off of the grassy ground. A few moments later the other chariot lifted off, conveying its lone passenger into the air as well.

Leaving the rainforest behind them, they weaved through the Smokey Mountains south of Seaddle. The domed peaks on either side of them gradually petered out and they emerged from the mountains to fly over fields and woodland. 

The Hock Rainforest was a fair clip from Canterlot, and so the flight was by no means a short one. They had plenty of time with which to talk, but Celestia had not broached further conversation since their flight began. Arta too was quiet, and while Chrysalis would have loved to turn around and speak with her (or even climb into the back to sit with her), she knew that not only would that be rude to Celestia, but that Arta would direct her attention back to the princess. So, even though Chrysalis was not one to be cowed by silence, she found herself eager to break it.

"Celestia?"

"Hmm?" Chrysalis' voice seemed to stir the princess from whatever thoughts she had been ruminating on, and she turned her head to look at the changeling. "Is anything the matter?"

"No, just...I wanted to ask something."

"Then by all means, ask away!"

"Okay, well...um...I was wondering...do you think things will go well in Canterlot? I mean, I'm a virtual pariah in Equestria in general, but in Canterlot, the city which I wrought my terrible invasion..." She trailed off as Celestia unfurled her wing, curling it around Chrysalis in a winghug. Behind them, Arta giggled softly.

"I can make no promises, Chrysalis, but I shall do my best to quell the fires you left behind. I will do what I can, and you should do your utmost to earn their goodwill as well, but...you may need to just accept that some will not change their minds about you."

"I expected to receive a response like that." Chrysalis sighed and she unconsciously leaned in against Celestia. Her eyes shot open wide as she realized the position she was in, but before she could move to pull away, Celestia was holding her close with the wing and gently nuzzling her. Old memories, memories that Chrysalis had long since buried, suddenly broke free of their chains, and Chrysalis began to cry. Tears rolled down her black chitinous cheeks and she trembled and choked back a sob.

"Chrysalis, what's wrong?" Celestia asked, worry written plainly across her face. Arta leaned forward and pushed her head in between them, nuzzling them both. "Chryssy, talk to us."

"N-n-no one h-has held me like th-this since...since my mother died." She managed to say that, and then any other words got lost in incoherent blubbering. It took the better part of the latter half of their journey to finally calm her down, and Canterlot was in sight as her crying gave way to soft sniffles.

"Are you all right now, Chrysalis?" Celestia asked, their chariot gradually dropping in height as they approached the palace. She offered her feathers to dry Chrysalis' eyes.

"I...I th-think so. Yes." Chrysalis accepted the proffered wing, and gently rubbed her face dry on the white feathers. "I am sorry about that. I had not been expecting the hug, nor its unintended effect."

"It is fine, Chrysalis. No one should feel bad about crying. No matter the race, gender, or age, we all do it. And with your kind being so attuned to emotions, I can't see why you wouldn't experience all manner of feelings, and feel them even more intensely than others. I don't suppose you want to talk about your mother now though, do you?"

"What you say is indeed true. And I shall reveal more about my race to you still. I want to dispel the aura of deception surrounding me by being as open and as transparent as I can. And...yes, I think now isn't the time for that...I shall speak of her later. I...don't really like to think about...about what happened to her." Celestia nodded and let the matter alone, and Chrysalis slipped into a pensive silence.

The chariots swung about, and instead of taking them down in the courtyard, they came in for a gentle landing in the gardens behind the palace. Chrysalis shot Celestia a grateful look, and the princess merely shrugged and gave her a wan smile. "I figured you wanted to keep a low profile for now."

"You are the best, Celestia."

"Hey, what about me? Am I just chopped hay?" Arta asked, trying to sound miffed, but the mirth still shone through as she spoke. The chariot came to a stop, and they all three disembarked, their hooves sinking into the luscious grass of the gardens. Had Arta been hungry, there could be found no better grass to graze upon in all of Equestria.

"She is the best princess, then." Chrysalis said after a moment.

"That's what I thought."

"My, my, Arta certainly wears the horseshoes in your relationship, doesn't she?" Celestia tittered, leading them through the quiet gardens, passing by exquisitely carved statues and carefully sculpted topiary animals.

"Indeed she does, because I let her." Chrysalis said, holding her head high. "But when we make love, it is I who takes charge. Arta talks a big game, but at the end of the day, it is she who ends up beneath me, whimpering and begging for me to take her."

"W-well!" Celestia exclaimed, a discernible blush on her cheeks, and a riotous one on Arta's. Bold Remark had quietly appeared beside them, and he too had the decency to blush at what he had just heard.

"Chryssyyyy...did you really have to be so...explicit about it?" Arta whined in protest. Chrysalis paused, leaned down, and bit down firmly on one of Arta's ears, and the gravid pegasus practically melted right then and there.

"Mmm...that's what I thought." Chrysalis smirked, and continued on with Celestia, leaving Arta to hurry after them to catch up. Bold Remark cast a glance at the dazed pegasus, then scurried after Celestia, keeping a watchful, wary eye on the changeling queen walking beside her.

The back entrance lead into the ballroom, and Chrysalis gasped, looking at the sheer size of it. Here was where the Grand Galloping Gala was held every year, the room bustling with ponies dressed to the nines, and decorated in a flashy, opulent manner. Even without the decorations or the milling party guests, the room was a sight to behold. "I have never seen so large a room before in my life."

"It is that, yes." Celestia murmured. "It doesn't get much use, though...and to be honest, I'm glad about that. If there's a party to be held in here, I am honourbound to attend. Luna too. Neither of us really care for parties."

As they left the ballroom and entered into the anteroom of the palace, a figured called out to them from the top of the stairs. "Tia!"

"Speak of the devil, and she will appear." Celestia joked. "Lulu! I have returned. Bold Remark here was as good as his word." She gestured to the stallion, who smiled proudly and held himself high. "And here she is, Chrysalis, queen of the changelings."

In a flash of magic, Luna teleported and appeared in front of Chrysalis, pressing her snout firmly against hers. "THOU!" Chrysalis looked at her with wide eyes and took a step back. "THOU DARE TO HURT MINE SISTER!"

"Luna..." Celestia began in a warning tone, but her sister seemed not to notice.

"I-I'm sorry!" Chrysalis exclaimed, stepping back another step. And then another. Luna followed her, and Chrysalis kept stepping back until her rump pressed against the wall. "I'm s-sorry for what I did! Please, believe me!"

"WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE THEE, YOU WRETCHED BUG?!?!"

"LUNA!" Luna heard Celestia this time, but it would have been hard for her not to, what with Celestia using the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Stand down."

"But—"

"Luna, I said 'stand down'. You are not to treat a royal dignitary in such a fashion. She is a guest of the palace."

"Dignitary?! GUEST?!" Luna shouted, looking at her sister in disbelief. "She should be in leg irons in the dungeon, not resting in one of our guest suites." Celestia sighed and shook her head.

"Luna, while I do appreciate you sticking up for me, this is not necessary. Chrysalis and I have made up. She made a mistake—"

"A carefully planned invasion We would hardly call a mistake!" Luna interjected, shooting a poisonous glare at the changeling.

"—but she has apologized and is prepared to do what is necessary to make up for what she did. Isn't that right, Chrysalis?"

"Y-yes!" Chrysalis blurted out, looking at Luna with wide, fearful eyes. She had expected Luna to be angry, but she hadn't expected just how scary the lunar princess could be. "Please, Luna, give me a chance! Let me make this right. Let me prove to you that I am sorry for the terrible things I did."

Luna looked back and forth between her sister and Chrysalis, both of them wearing pleading expressions. Then she stared hard at Chrysalis, narrowing her eyes. She lifted her hoof and prodded Chrysalis firmly on her breast with each word she spoke. "Fine. We will give thee a chance. But know this: should thee fail and prove to be the deceptive, treacherous creature We believe thee to be, then thou must prepare to kiss thine flank goodbye. Do We make Ourself clear?"

"Y-yes, Luna, crystal cl-clear!" She sputtered, wings buzzing frightfully on her back.

"...good." Luna stepped back, and then turned to approach her sister. "As you were, Tia."

"Was that really necessary, Lulu?" Celestia asked, her eyebrow raised.

"We thought it to be, yes. We do not wish to see thee hurt anymore. First, thou was hurt at Our own hooves, and then after Our return, Chrysalis struck thee down at the wedding of Cadance and Shining Armor. We cannot bear the thought." Celestia smiled and nuzzled her sister, and Luna's expression softened, the lunar princess nuzzling back. Luna paused, seeing a glow out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to look at Chrysalis, whose horn was glowing with her magic. "What are thou doing?"

"S-sorry...force of habit." Chrysalis cut her magic short. "It's hard not to taste on such strong love." Luna looked as if she was going to get heated up again, but then she relaxed, obviously thinking better of it.

"All right. But do not do anything devious with the love you collect, dost thou hear Us?"

"Of course, Luna. Just to feed my hunger, nothing more."

"We shall hold you to that." Luna gave Celestia another nuzzle, then pulled away.

"Do you wish to join us in my chambers, Lulu? The four of us were just about to head there to discuss matters over tea."

"Ah, the magic of thine tea." Luna smirked. "But no, We have other things to attend to, Tia. We shall see thee later." She gave her sister another nuzzle, then turned and walked away, but not before looking over her shoulder at Chrysalis. "Be good now."

"I will, I swear it." Luna gave the changeling a genuine smile, and then she turned her focus back to where her steps were taking her.

A long, awkward silence reigned for about half a minute as the party watched Luna leave, then Celestia looked at Arta, Chrysalis, and Bold Remark. "Shall we?" A chorus of yeses followed, and she grinned. "Follow me, then."

Celestia lead them up the imperial staircase, taking the right path on the landing. This lead to the east wing of the palace, where Celestia's quarters were. Luna, by way of contrast, had her chambers in the tower on the west side of the palace. Though their chambers were a good distance apart, it wasn't a long flight from the tower to Celestia's balcony, and vice-versa.

To get to her chambers, however, was not a simple feat. There were so many halls and passageways that it seemed the palace had been designed in such a way as to confuse and divert those not familiar with its layout. Many ponies over the years had asked if it was intentional, but Celestia never gave more than vague, noncommittal answers to the question, which only helped to fuel the fires of that belief. Chrysalis had been through many of these hallways before when she had disguised herself as Cadance, but she was no better off now, and so she was glad that Celestia was leading the way.

They turned a corner, one of the many turns they had made, only around this corner they ran into somepony of note. "Auntie!"

"Oh, good day, Blueblood." Celestia said, putting on a smile. Chrysalis could tell from the tension in the air that that genuine-looking smile was anything but. Celestia would make a good changeling infiltrator, given how good she is at disguising her emotions, she thought.

"It is good to see you, and...I..." He trailed off, his eyes falling upon Chrysalis. "...ch-ch-ch-ch-changeling!"

"Yes, she is a changeling, Blueblood. I believe you know of Queen Chrysalis, yes?" Celestia asked, her tone light and nonchalant.

"She...you...h-how...A-Auntie, are...are y-you even Celestia?!" He shouted, the strong Adonis of a stallion quivering like a frightened foal.

"Oh, come off it, Blueblood. I am who I am, and so is Chrysalis. She is here to set things straight."

"...I s-see." He murmured, looking warily at both Chrysalis and Celestia.

"We are heading to my chambers now to discuss matters. I would be most glad if you joined us, nephew."

"Um....y-you see, I think I have...a lunch d-date..."

"Then consider it cancelled." Celestia's tone was still gentle, but her raised eyebrow spoke volumes. "It wouldn't do to proceed in our talks without a member of the nobility present." Blueblood hesitated to respond, nervously running a hoof through his light amber mane, and Celestia's eyebrow climbed even higher and she cleared her throat.

"Ah, y-yes, that...I would be delighted to attend." Blueblood responded, forcing down the evident demonstration of his nervousness.

"Then do come along." Celestia spoke sweetly, and he attached himself to the group, keeping a safe buffer of space between him and Chrysalis. Chrysalis let out an annoyed click and rolled her eyes.

It took a few more minutes of navigating the maze of hallways before they reached Celestia's chambers, large double-doors emblazened with a stylistic representation of her sun. She unlocked the door with her magic, dispelling the wards, and the doors swung inwards, revealing the luxurious bedchamber within. Celestia stood to the side and let them shuffle in, and then she entered and closed the doors behind her. She gestured to a number of pillows encircling her tea table. "Come, get off your hooves, sit and be comfortable." 

Chrysalis and Arta sat down side-by-side, with Arta letting out an appreciative sigh as she took the weight of her hooves. Bold Remark and Blueblood both sat several pillows away, neither feeling all that comfortable being near the changeling queen. Celestia sat on the grandest pillow (fitting not only for a princess but also for a mare with a rather sizable posterior), made of crimson velvet, which did indeed have her name stitched into it with gold thread.

"Now, before we begin, I have a serious question to ask all of you." Celestia said, her gaze sweeping back and forth between her assembled guests. Then she produced two bags of loose leaf tea, and she beamed at them, giggling. "Oolong or Puerh?"