Finally. Between working on the other two stories and rewriting the flashbacks about five times, this update was delayed way more than it should have been. Apologies to all those who waited.

Chapter 11- The Queen's Gambit

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'Saith He is terrible:

watch His feats in proof!

Robert Browning- Caliban upon Setebos

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It was not often that Celestia was left speechless. Millennia of political maneuvering, diplomatic snafus, and all manner of life's oddities had enabled her to create a nearly unflappable persona. In the rare moments when she was truly caught off-guard, she had little difficulty in keeping her emotions hidden.

But now she was left completely stunned. Her mouth unable to form words, her mind barely able to form thoughts. All she could do was take in the ghastly sight of Chrysalis' wounds, no matter how much she wished to tear her eyes away. It was difficult, almost impossible to imagine what could have turned the shy, demure girl that she knew into the battered and burned mare standing before her. It filled Celestia with anger and disgust towards whomever had done this.

Chrysalis wilted under the alicorn's gaze, ducking her head and hurriedly moving her mane back over the damaged eye. A gentle hoof under the chin made her pause.

"Please don't," Celestia said. "You've nothing to be ashamed of."

The changeling grimaced. "How can you say that? I must look pathetic. The first time you found me I was more like a starving animal. You saved me, mentored me, gave me a future, and for what? For me to come crawling back to your hooves after a measly eight-hundred years, with nothing to show but an even greater number of subjects whom I've failed?"

"Hush now," she chided. "I'll not have anypony demeaning you so, not even yourself. Despite all the years apart, I still treasure you as a friend. Something like this will not make me think any less of you."

Chrysalis seemed unconvinced, but managed a tiny smile.

Turning her attention to the other changelings, Celestia motioned to the door. "I believe that your queen and I have much to discuss. Would you be so kind as to recreate your disguises and leave us for a moment?"

The group shared an uneasy look, and Celestia got the feeling that they were more than a bit uncomfortable with the thought of leaving their ruler's side.

Chrysalis turned back to reassure them. "Do as she says; I assure you that I am in perfectly safe hooves."

"Actually," she trailed off as a thought seemed to form. "Celestia, would you permit them to visit the castle doctors? You can see that our ordeal has taken its toll on them as well."

"Certainly," the princess agreed. "Speak to the guards at the door, and they will be glad to lead the way. And while you are there, please ask if they can recommend and summon any unicorn surgeons specializing in ocular regeneration."

Chrysalis threw her a startled look, and she nodded in reassurance. "I cannot guarantee that your vision will return, but we can at least repair the damage."

Voicing their gratitude, the changelings transformed in another flash of green light. When the doors closed behind them, Celestia locked them with a quick burst of magic and ushered Chrysalis to a side-lounge where she could rest. Upon reaching their destination, Chrysalis flopped gracelessly onto the cushions, letting out an audible groan of relief. Seating herself in a much more dignified manner, Celestia gave her friend a few minutes to rest before turning back to the matter at hoof.

Well, she tried to. After voicing several unanswered questions, she realized that the young queen must have immediately fallen asleep. Her initial reaction was to simply leave her be, goodness knows it looked like she needed the rest. But Celestia's practical side knew that she had to be informed about whatever tragedy had taken place. So with more than a bit of guilt, she reached over and gently shook the changeling awake.

Chrysalis lifted her head, blearily focusing on the alicorn. "I'm sorry, Chryssie," she said gently. "I know you must be tired, but I need you to tell me what happened. Please, I promise that you'll be able to rest soon."

When she was certain that the changeling wouldn't nod off again, she tried to approach the subject. "You said that your hive was attacked. Destroyed entirely."

Chrysalis nodded, but offered no other response. Celestia paused, unsure of how to proceed.

"How many survived," she finally asked, hoping that her friend had not lost her people along with their home.

"We were… there were close to seven-hundred of us after we fled the hive, though a few succumbed to their wounds with each passing day. But most of my people died as our hive burned. And while I escaped, many of my soldiers did not." She gave a bitter chuckle. "I suppose I should be grateful, really. If that unicorn hadn't been so… fixated upon me, I imagine he would have easily slaughtered us all."

Celestia leaned forward, anxious to hear of this assailant and the threat he might pose. "Then this unicorn was the one to lead the attack? And what of his accomplices, or comrades? Were they bandits, some mercenary army? What grievance did they have with you?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "He had none, at least none that were involved. I know it must seem absurd, but our near eradication was all the work of a lone stallion."

She was right; it did sound absurd. Scratch that, it sounded downright impossible! At full strength, she and Chrysalis would be evenly matched. In fact, with the variable nature of a changeling's power, she had the potential to surpass Celestia herself. But even if she were not at peak condition, it was hard to imagine the queen being overcome by a mere unicorn… and in her own home, no less! Celestia knew that even she would be hard-pressed to fight off an entire changeling hive, even if their queen was somehow removed from the equation.

She knew that Chrysalis wouldn't lie to her, knew that the exhaustion and the wounds and the burns were no deception, but it was too much to be believed.

"And this was done by one of my MY people," she asked, unable to keep the incredulousness from her voice.

The queen shuddered. "I… I don't think so. I mean, it certainly LOOKED like one." She looked up and gave a wry smirk. "Considering our nature, we changelings are quite skilled at seeing through any form of disguise. But I couldn't detect an illusion or magical transformation about him. He truly seemed to be a pony."

Her hoof slowly lifted towards her eye, only for her to pause and place it back on the cushions. "But he couldn't have been one of you. Not with the things he did."

Celestia reached out and took Chrysalis' hoof between her own. "I know it must be terrible to remember, but will you tell me of the attack? From the moment you laid eyes on this stallion? If I'm to help, I'll need to know everything."

The changeling nodded, her brow furrowing as she fell into thought. "It was just over a week ago," she said at last. "A scout came bursting into my throne room, so excited he could barely stand still. I don't even think he realized that he'd interrupted a meeting between my advisors. He looked just like a colt in a candy store."

She was smiling, her eyes half-lidded and focusing on the memory. "He said that his patrol had found a visitor to our territory. A pony, of all things." She turned to Celestia and chuckled fondly. "None of my subjects had ever met a pony, of course, but they grew up hearing stories passed down from their parents and grandparents about a wonderful race that saved their queen from death and aided her in creating their kingdom. Your people had gained an almost mythical status."

The smile vanished as her voice softened. "Of course, word had spread rapidly around the hive, and soon everyone was ecstatically begging to meet him. I was wary, however. Not because I feared him, but because I did not want him to fear us. Imagine my surprise when the scout informed me that the pony seemed to have no fear of our kind. Instead, he seemed just as excited to meet us."

Chrysalis swallowed thickly. "In hindsight, that should have been my first warning that something was wrong. Instead, it brought only relief. And like a fool, I ordered him brought before me."

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She rested easy on her throne, chin placed on a hoof as she watched the large tunnel that served as an entrance to the hall. All around her, changelings milled about in tense anticipation. They were packed tightly together, with several hovering in the air for lack of space. Whispers filled the air, questions and theories about their newest celebrity. What would it look like? Sound like? What brought it to their home?

Though she remained outwardly calm, Chrysalis was just as excited as the rest. This would be the first time in so many years that she'd meet an Equestrian, and there was so much she wanted to ask. She hoped that maybe this would be the first visit of many.

She perked up at the sound of hooves from down the tunnel. The whispers ceased, changelings jostling one another as they sought a better view.

Two of her soldiers appeared, giving a crisp salute before moving to stand at attention. Behind them, a black-coated figure stepped into view.

The crowd drew in a collective breath, and Chrysalis felt a drastic change in their emotions. There was curiosity and wonder, but above all else, desire permeated the room.

It was easy to see why.

The stallion was lean, yet powerfully built, with muscles visible across his back and legs. His fur appeared almost velvety, and his mane was tousled in an unkempt, yet roguish way. His face was undeniably handsome, even regal. The bright gleam of his eyes reminded her of molten silver, though there was a cold glint in them that she couldn't place.

There were a number of wistful sighs. She didn't even need to sense emotions to see that a great number of her people had become instantly smitten. Well, that's what happens when you belong to a race so idolized and romanticized. How many of them, she wondered, were imagining their favorite childhood stories, picturing themselves as the protagonists with this stallion as their romantic lead?

She could see some of the closer changelings leaning in to try and catch a taste of his life force, and she realized that she'd best restore order before the poor thing was mobbed by lovesick admirers. She quickly rose to her hooves and gave the floor a hard stamp. Recognizing the signal, the crowd drew back to allow him to approach.

He walked up to her throne, his gait steady and unhurried. There was an easy smile on his lips, and she could sense the confidence within him. If he was unnerved, he was very good at hiding it.

"Hail, traveler," she said warmly, stepping down to meet him. "I am Chrysalis, matriarch of this colony and queen of its changelings. On behalf of my people, I welcome you."

The unicorn gave a low, sweeping bow. "Thank you, your highness. I am honored by your kindness." Reaching out, he scooped up her foreleg and placed a light kiss on her hoof.

She sucked in a breath at the contact, getting the first brief taste of his life force. It was strong, very strong, and it left her hoof buzzing as though from a jolt of electricity. After a moment, she realized that the stallion had been speaking.

"I apologize, but what were you saying," she asked in embarrassment.

He chuckled. "I was merely introducing myself. I am known as Coldharbour, and I am at your service."

It was an odd name, but then again, everything about this stallion was far from ordinary. Out of habit, she tried to sense his emotions, only to find nothing more than the outwardly shown civility. Somehow he was hiding his feelings from her.

"Coldharbour," she repeated loudly enough for all the room to hear. "It is a true pleasure to meet you, the first of any pony to visit our hive. It is my sincere hope that you will not be the last."

A cheer rose up through the room, and the stallion ducked his head bashfully at the attention. She waited for the noise to subside. "As you can see, my people are quite eager to make your acquaintance as well. I hope you'll not think me too forward in suggesting that you stay as our guest for a time?"

"I'm flattered by your offer, truly." A pensive look crossed his face. "Though I'm not exactly used to being received with such excitement."

She laughed. "Do forgive my subjects. I'm sure the enthrallment won't last more than a week."

The pony's expression soured for a moment, though his tone never wavered. "I don't think I'll be able to stay quite that long. Beautiful as your hive is, wonderful as your people seem, I must return to my own country with all haste."

"By all means, if that's what you prefer," she said, hurrying to placate him. "A few days perhaps, to regain your strength, and then I can personally escort you back to Equestria's border."

His eyes lit up at her offer, and she finally detected slight hints of emotions breaking through his façade. She sensed relief and eagerness as well.

"I would be eternally grateful, your highness." An embarrassed smile, clearly fake, crossed his features. "Until I found your hive, I feared I'd be lost forever."

Something wasn't right. His mannerisms were clashing horribly with the traces of emotion she could detect. It was like he was trying to make himself more pitiable, but why? She'd already offered to aid him, what more could he be worried about?

"And how did you become lost," she inquired. Whatever was going on, she was getting to the bottom of it. "For that matter, what business even took you this far from home?"

"I was part of a settlement in buffalo territory," he said. "They appointed me the task of establishing diplomatic relations with the neighboring tribes. I was trailing one of their stampedes, however it was some time before they settled in for the night and I was able to catch up. After our meeting concluded, I realized that I had completely lost my bearings. Thankfully, I befriended a female calf during my time there. She gave me directions to this hive, stating that you might be able to help."

Chrysalis was an excellent liar. Subterfuge, after all, was a necessary survival skill amongst her kind. Even so, she had to admit that Coldharbour was very good at deceit. His delivery had been flawless, not a bit of hesitation as he lied right to her face. If she had been anyone else, she would have found his story perfectly sensible.

Except that there was no settlement in buffalo territory, only a mapped site wherein the first shovel had yet to break ground. So how did this mysterious stallion get here? And for that matter, why?

She tried reading his feelings again, only to find that them fully suppressed. She decided to take the offensive. "Would you prefer us to return you to this settlement? I'm certain it would be a shorter trip than to Equestria."

Coldharbour gave a thin, brief smile. "I imagine you're right. But as I said, I don't know how to find it."

"That won't be a problem." She nodded to the changelings behind her. "I can merely send a group of my scouts to search from the air. They are quite skilled at such matters."

"I'm certain they are, but I would prefer if you take me to my home country," he insisted, and Chrysalis heard an edge in his tone.

She wondered about the vagueness of his answers. 'A settlement,' 'my own country.' She puzzled over those words, wondering why he chose not to use the names. Then it came to her. Perhaps he couldn't? Perhaps he simply didn't know.

She looked him over, the evidence running through her head. Lying about his business here, an uncertainty in which direction to travel, a defensiveness when questioned.

Was he a spy? Perhaps the agent of some foreign pony nation? Or maybe a shapeshifter, changeling or otherwise, impersonating a pony for reasons known only to him?

"As you wish." She decided to press him on a different subject. "So tell me, then, where in Equestria will you be returning?"

"The capitol city."

Chrysalis gave a delighted gasp. "The capitol! Why then, you must be a Canterlot pony, yes?"

"That's right."

"I thought so," she said, still smiling. "What an amazing coincidence! I know Canterlot!"

And there it was: A tiny, almost imperceptible tightening of his jaw. But he returned her smile unflinchingly.

She looked over his head, gaze locking with one of her soldiers lounging by the entrance. The changeling straightened up immediately, and she gestured towards their guest with her eyes. Nodding, the soldier beckoned to his subordinates, and they slowly began making their way through the crowd.

"A wonderful city," she continued. "Grand architecture and wonderful residents. Truly regal. You don't see the pompous, self-absorbed types as often as in Manehattan." She trailed off, seemingly lost in thought while she tried to think of a way to test him.

"And of course, the view was always spectacular. I remember the towers in Canterlot. The way they jutted out from the mountainside, so high you could touch the clouds. Breathtaking, wouldn't you say?"

He nodded indulgently. "Very much so. But I'm afraid I don't exactly share your fondness of them. A unicorn like myself tends to be rather… skittish about heights."

"That is unfortunate. Still, a wonderful city. I do miss it so, especially the changing of the seasons. It must be wonderful to wrap-up winter each year, aiding the earth and pegasus ponies in heralding in the spring?"

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," he said brusquely. "There is no such tradition in Canterlot."

He knew what she was doing. Must've caught the skepticism in her tone, or the way she evaluated his answers. Still, both his responses seemed valid enough. Perhaps he was just a rather forgetful pony who truly was lost?

"Well, perhaps I am mistaken," Chrysalis said with a shrug. "It has been a very long time since I was there last." She smiled down at him, deciding to try one more time. This time, with one that no real Equestrian could possibly get wrong.

"But I must apologize. Just look at me, reminiscing like a fool while you're eager to return home. Just give me a bit to set things in order, and then we can be off."

As Coldharbour bowed his head in thanks, she looked out over the crowd and put a hoof to her lips.

"And when you return, will you do something for me?"

"Of course," he replied.

"Give my regards to Princess Luna," she said with a smile. "Tell her that I miss her and wish her the best."

The assembled changelings looked to one another in confusion, but Coldharbour merely nodded. "I will give her your message, and I am certain she will be pleased to hear from you."

'Wrong answer, you little bastard,' she thought to herself, smile still in place. She waved her guards over, surreptitiously directing them to surround the unicorn. Whatever he was, she wasn't letting him set hoof in Equestria.

As her guards moved in and the crowd stepped back, Chrysalis tried to determine how best to take him down. Spells were out of the question; the chance of injuring her subjects was too great. Having her guards simply dog-pile him might suffice, though it was a bit crude for her tastes. Or maybe she… yes, yes that would do nicely.

"Oh, Coldharbour? There is one last matter before we set off." She gave him a playful smirk. "And that is how you'll be repaying me for this favor."

The unicorn grinned back. "An excellent point. It would be terribly improper of me to ask a queen such as yourself to work free of charge. But what can a poor, humble stallion like myself have to offer?"

He was making this too easy. "You probably don't know this, but we changelings feed on emotions. While the creature's life-force is what sustains us, their feelings are what create the flavors that we crave."

Most ponies would be shocked, frightened, or even disgusted by this information. But Coldharbour merely took a curious glance around the room.

"I see…then is that why your subjects crowded around me when I arrived," he asked.

"Exactly. As a stranger to our hive, your emotions are new and unique to us. An almost irresistible delicacy."

"So I imagine this payment will involve you… sampling me?"

"I think it a fair trade," she said with a flippant wave of her hoof. "Just a small taste, and then we'll guide you to Equestria, safe and sound."

His gaze lowered, obviously thinking it over. After a time, he looked up, his face apprehensive.

"I… believe I can live with that. How do you plan to extract this payment?"

She leaned down until their muzzles were almost touching. "Oh, a simple kiss will suffice."

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Chrysalis trailed off, and it was easy to see that she was trying to ready herself for whatever came next.

Celestia knew it would be painful to remember, and even worse to describe. But maybe there was a way to make things a bit easier. Reaching out, she placed a hoof against the changeling's shoulder, waiting until she felt the tingle of her energy being siphoned. Ignoring the look of confusion thrown her way, she closed her eyes and concentrated on as many positive memories as she could: growing up with Luna, Spike's first words, nightly runs to Pony Joe's for donuts. She pushed all the happiness and warmth she could manage through their link until she felt Chrysalis sag under her hoof. Opening her eyes, she was pleased to see the changeling queen slumped forwards, a drunken grin on her face.

Chrysalis looked up at her, move opening to speak… and promptly fell muzzle-first into the carpet.

"Chrysalis?! Are you alright," Celestia gasped. Her only response was a muffled snore. This time, no amount of shaking or speech could rouse her from slumber.

The alicorn shook her head, chuckling. 'Perhaps I overdid it,' she thought. 'Then again, she's probably been completely exhausted since this ordeal began. Neglecting sleep or food, running on nothing but willpower in trying to reach me.'

Gently lifting her with magic, Celestia placed the queen back on one of the couches. Chrysalis mumbled something in her sleep and immediately nuzzled into the cushions.

Celestia smiled down at her fondly. 'Still the same headstrong girl I remember.' Well, it looked as though she had some time to spare. At least she could make use of this time to assist the other changelings. Quietly departing, she pushed open the doors to the throne room and beckoned a guard inside.

"Do you recall the ponies that requested an audience with me just over two hours ago," she asked.

The stallion balked. "I do not, your majesty. I only just relieved the previous guard on duty, and she made no mention of any such events."

"No matter. All you need to know is that there is a large group of refugees somewhere outside the city," she explained. "A small group recently arrived to inform me of their plight."

She nodded towards the lounge. "I am currently meeting with their leader. Her escorts, however, are being treated in the castle infirmary. My task for you is to speak with them, and then act upon the information you receive."

"Of course," the stallion said. "What would you have me ask them?"

Celestia thought for a moment. "Anything you can about the state of their people. Their exact location and their best estimate of numbers. The percentages of healthy adults, children and elders if they know it. All the details they can provide about injuries, both numbers and severity. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "Perfectly. And what shall I do once I've obtained this information? Return to you?"

"No. You will immediately begin preparing to assist the main group." She turned to a side table and unrolled a sheet of parchment.

She penned out a quick note. "I want you to take this message to General Ryegate. He is to create a battalion-strength task force for the express purpose of aiding and protecting these refugees. Ensure that your information about them is as accurate as possible, so that the general can determine the extent of the supplies we will be providing."

"Also make it known that they are to establish a defensive perimeter around the group. I want sentries keeping watch 'round the clock, as attentive as if I were the one being guarded. Is that clear?"

"It will be done," he said as he took the scroll. "And should the question be posed, how long will this task force be rendering aid?"

"A full week, at the very latest."

"Yes, your majesty." The pegasus gave a salute and quickly galloped down the hall.

Celestia glanced back to where Chyrsalis slept. She and her people were safe for the moment, but the greater issue was what would become of them now? Obviously they would need to create another hive at some point in the future, as well as repopulate their numbers.

But could they manage it? From what she had learned of their race, she knew that changeling young required a significantly high amount of energy in their diets. They also generated far less than adults. Depending on the age ratio, it was likely their group would be unable to sustain itself. They would need help, somehow.

And she had a sneaking suspicion of how Chrysalis hoped to obtain that help. After all, Celestia had sheltered her before.

She closed her eyes, thoughts grim as she considered how best to refuse her friend's inevitable plea. She just couldn't do it. Not now, not when Luna's return was just on the horizon. With all the chaos, the violence that would follow, the last thing she wanted was more innocent lives in her care and on her conscience. Harboring the changelings would only put them right in… the middle…

Her head snapped up, an idea forming in her mind. It was risky, and it would require an unsurpassed level of secrecy. She would have to endanger and deceive her entire kingdom, not to mention putting all of Chrysalis' subjects in harm's way. But it had the potential to save hundreds of lives, to counter Nightmare Moon's greatest advantage.

But she was getting ahead of herself. First she needed to hear the rest of Chrysalis' story. This Coldharbour was obviously a dangerous creature, and if he presented a threat to the kingdom, it was her duty to be as informed as possible.

She re-entered the lounge; Chrysalis lay exactly as she'd left her. She reached a hoof down to rouse her. It was a needless gesture, however, as a very loud crash echoed from down the hall and did the job for her. Chrysalis started awake and leapt straight to her hooves, eyes darting around the room wildly.

"What's… huh?"

Celestia smiled apologetically. "I was about to wake you, but it seems somepony beat me to the punch."

"I… fell asleep? How long," Chrysalis asked in embarrassment.

"No more than an hour. It's fine, truly. You looked as though you could use the rest."

"I won't argue there." Sliding off the couch, she stretched out her hooves. "Though I'm still sorry to have kept you waiting. I imagine you're quite ready for us to continue?"

Celestia was about to respond when another crash came from the hallway, though this one sounded much closer. After a moment, the faint sound of voices reached them, sounding as if they were arguing.

"…Perhaps we ought to wait until it quiets down," she suggested.

"Spike, get away from there right now," somepony yelled from just outside the door. "Celestia is in an important meeting and we can't disturb her!"

"Aww, come on! I barge in to these things all the time, and she doesn't mind."

"I said no!"

The voices drew closer, and there was a muffled thud at the door before the handle began rattling.

"Ow! Hey, let go!"

A flash of light appeared beneath the door along with the various growls and grunts of two children wrestling around. There were muffled yells, more thuds against the wall, and finally a loud crash as some priceless artifact shattered.

Celestia groaned and put a hoof to her forehead. What was she going to do with those two?

"Or maybe it would be best to allow them in," Chrysalis said. "I think it would be less of a distraction than if you allowed them to continue this argument."

She gave Chrysalis a sour grin. "Are you sure about that? I can guarantee that both of these children will talk your ear off if given half the chance."

The changeling laughed. "Quite sure. You might act upset about this little interruption, but I felt a great deal of affection in your emotions when their voices became clear. I believe I would enjoy meeting anyone you hold in such regard."

"Then allow me to introduce them… and don't say I didn't warn you," she said in a singsong tone.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE," a voice yelled from outside. It was obviously trying to be intimidating, but failed miserably. "WE COMMAND THEE TO RELEASE US THIS INSTANT!"

"Hah! Nice try Spike, but your Royal Canterlot voice still needs a lot of work."

"No fair, you have to obey me when I do that! I could throw you in the dungeons for this!"

"I don't think so! The princess put me in charge for today. That means I can throw YOU in the dungeon."

"Can not!"

"Can so!"

Celestia threw open the doors with her magic. Two struggling figures levitated inside, each glaring at the other. She cleared her throat, and both children snapped out of their staring contest.

She never got a chance to speak before she was bombarded with greetings, apologies, excuses and accusations. Twilight was trying to explain their sudden intrusion, Spike was refuting every word she said, and the sheer amount of noise was giving Celestia a splitting headache.

"QUIET!" She thundered, instantly getting Spike and Twilight's attention.

"See, that's how you do it," Twilight said, only to slap a hoof over her mouth after a stern look from the princess.

"Now," she said with a sigh. "Just what is going on here?"

"I/Spike wanted to tell you that we finished the spell," they said in unison.

Now that was a surprise. Even with their usual studiousness and the added motivation of accompanying her, she hadn't expected this quite so soon.

'Was actually hoping that'd hold you two off until dinnertime,' she thought ruefully.

"Have you now? And you're certain it worked correctly?"

"Yep," Spike said. "It was awesome! Some of the guards brought clouds down for us, and we bounced on them like trampolines! You gotta try it."

She laughed and lowered them both to the floor. "I might just have to. And what do you think, Twilight? Do you feel confident in your ability to recast and maintain the spell?"

"Umm, I think so," she said. "That is, it worked just fine the first half dozen times I performed it. But there's still a lot of tests that might-"

"Excellent. Then I will be expecting a demonstration later." She looked behind her to motion Chrysalis forward, only to freeze in realization. Three pairs of eyes stared at a still undisguised changeling.

Thankfully, neither Spike nor Twilight looked especially perturbed at her appearance. Spike's expression was one of simple curiosity, while Twilight's was equal parts awe and barely-contained excitement. And strangely enough, Chrysalis was staring right back. Her expression was puzzling though. It looked almost… frightened.

Decided that the damage had been done, she stepped between her son and student. "Chrysalis, I would like to introduce you to two individuals that hold a very special place in my heart. This," she said, resting a hoof on Twilight's back. "Is Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student."

The unicorn gave a polite bow. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Chrysalis. I hope Spike I didn't interrupt your conversation." It was easy to tell that there was much, much more she wanted to say, but it looked as if she was holding her tongue out of decorum.

Pleased with Twilight's restraint, she leaned over to affectionately ruffle the dragon's spines. "And this handsome little drake is my dearest son, Spike."

Spike's bow was a tad clumsier. "Um, hello. It's nice to meet you. Since you're friends with my mom, I hope that we can be friends too."

A few moments passed before their words registered. Chrysalis quickly returned their bows, trying not to let her anxiety show. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Twilight. And you, Alduin."

Spike tilted his head at her in confusion. "What'd you call me?"

She gasped and stepped back. "I… I'm sorry, Spike. I must have mixed up your name with someone else. I've never met a dragon before, and I suppose you caught me a bit off guard."

"Aww, that's alright. It sounded kinda cool. I've never met a pony like you either!"

Though her hesitance remained, Chrysalis relaxed slightly at Spike's friendliness. "That's because I'm not a pony at all," she said as if divulging some great secret.

Both Spike and Twilight leaned forward expectantly as she told them about her race. Celestia was pleased to see that neither one minded the markedly different lifestyle or feeding habits.

"Wow," Twilight said. "That sounds amazing! There's so much I want to ask you! Oh! I bet I could write a report about it! And maybe the report could be published and put in libraries and I could become the foremost expert on changelings and-"

Chrysalis laughed and put a hoof to Twilight's mouth. "I'd be happy to speak to you later if we have the time. But right now your mentor and I have some things left to discuss, and I believe you both wanted to demonstrate a spell for her?"

Spike looked up at her gleefully. "Can we mom, please? We really wanted to show you that spell! We worked hard on it."

Chrysalis nodded. "I think that's an excellent idea. We could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Not to mention a bit of fresh air would be appreciated after staying in this room for so long."

Celestia gave a practiced smile and lifted Spike onto her back. Before they could leave the room, though, she cast a look back at the queen.

"I think it best if you resumed your disguise. These two might not take issue with your identity, but who's to say what other ponies will think?"

Quickly agreeing, Chrysalis changed back into a pony in a flash of green light. Twilight gave an ecstatic squeal and raced up to inspect her new form. Reaching out, she delicately poked the changeling in the leg where a hole should have been."

"Wow! It's not an illusion at all!" She beamed up at the amused mare. "It's a fully tactile transformation. Amazing."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "She reminds me of you when we first met," she deadpanned to Celestia. "The entire village wanted to burn me at the stake, and all you could do was ask question after question."

Any further tension in the room vanished as the two friends shared a laugh at the memory. Beckoning the others to follow, Celestia lead them through the palace hallways and out into the statue garden, where several pegasus guards awaited them.

Once they reached their destination, Spike eagerly slid off her back and rushed over to Twilight. "Alright mom, are you ready?"

"I'm ready, Spike," she called back.

The two moved to an open area of the gardens, obviously anxious to get started. Twilight's horn glowed softly, and soon they were covered in an aura of light. The aura vanished after a few seconds, but Celestia could detect the magic still holding strong in both of their bodies. Spike signaled to one of the guards, and the stallion flew up into the air and retrieved several white, puffy clouds.

Spike looked back to make sure they were watching, and she waved reassuringly. She only turned away after he and Twilight had clambered up onto the cloud and she was certain they were in no danger of falling.

Chrysalis was beaming at her. "I'm so happy for you. I remember that you always wanted a child of your own. And now, I don't think I've ever felt such contentment from you."

"He's everything I'd hoped for," she mused, and they sat together for a time. But as she watched, Celestia seemed to be thinking about something. "When I was making introductions, you seemed uneasy. And then you called Spike a different name. Alurin, was it?"

The changeling's eyes lowered. "Alduin. That was what I called him. I didn't mean to use it, it just happened to slip out."

"But why use that name at all? What does it mean?"

"I don't know. But that's what he called him."

"Who called him that?"

"Coldharbour," she said. "I didn't recognize them when I first came in. But after you introduced us, I remembered."

"He mentioned Spike," Celestia asked worriedly.

Chrysalis nodded. "Twilight as well. Well... in a way."

"Then that was why you looked so shocked to see them?"

"Yes. I think… I think he's looking for them."

Celestia felt as if she'd taken a kick to the stomach. "What? But why? And how do you know this?"

"After I tried to stop him, he did something to me. I'm not certain, but I believe he was reading my mind, trying to learn how to find Equestria. But at the end, I managed to see into his for a moment. That's where I saw them both."

Celestia looked back to where Spike and Twilight were leaping from cloud to cloud in a game of tag. She smiled at their antics, though it no longer reached her eyes. "Tell me everything."

.

Coldharbour leaned back, his resolve seeming to falter. "Don't be so nervous," she chided. "It's just a little taste. You won't even feel it."

It was a barefaced lie, of course. Once the link was created, she had every intention of drawing as much of his life-force as physically possible. And as soon as he was unconscious, she'd send a message to Celestia about the rat in pony's clothing that was trying to sneak into her kingdom.

"Alright," he whispered. "I'm ready." His eyes clenched shut.

With a triumphant smile, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. The first tiny prickles of energy flowed into her, and she couldn't help but pride herself in so easily outmaneuvering this spy.

But then she felt his mouth turn upwards in a sneer; she realized that she'd walked into a trap. The mental block around his emotions shattered, and his energy rushed into her in a deluge.

It surged through her like a thunderbolt, causing her entire body to go rigid. His energy was overwhelming. That kiss to her hoof had been a shock; this was an electrocution. Every muscle stretched and tightened, growing tauter and tauter until they felt as though they'd snap at any moment. Her mouth filled with searing pain. It hurt worse than fire, worse than acid. It swept down her throat and into her lungs, cutting off air, choking her as it burned.

But as painful as his energy was, the newly revealed emotions were far worse.

It was a dark and volatile cocktail of the vilest feelings imaginable. It was murderous rage and sadistic, torturous glee. It was ancient cunning, megalomaniacal conceit and cold disdain. It was the desire to rape and desecrate, to dominate and control, to subjugate all life and beauty and grind it underfoot.

It was a foul and rotting taste, sliding over her tongue, coating her mouth with a slick and oily residue. Her stomach clenched with nausea and she tried desperately to scream, but only managed a helpless moan that was muffled by the mouth against her own.

Chrysalis struggled to pull away, but the connection between them was like an electric current, causing her body to jerk and convulse uncontrollably. Tears ran down her face as she desperately tried to break the kiss. Her heart was pounding in her chest and black motes began to fill her vision. In a panic, she realized that if she didn't break free, she was going to die. Coldharbour wasn't about to let her go. No, he was going to hold on tight until he'd drowned her in his own poisonous life-force.

But just before she could lose consciousness, he withdrew. His lips drew back from hers, mercifully ending the flow of energy. No longer paralyzed, her body slumped against him. She barely noticed, too busy drawing huge gulps of air into her grateful lungs. But she could still feel traces of those horrid emotions, causing her to gag and retch against his shoulder.

A look of disgust swept over the stallion's face, and he placed a hoof to her chest and shoved fiercely, sending her toppling to the ground. A jarring pain shot through her back, and she let out a piercing scream. The crowd recoiled in shock, and her soldiers charged in.

Coldharbour was already leaping backwards, passing over and around two of the soldiers and into the group's midst. He twisted his body to the side, driving one foreleg down and against a changeling's neck. There was a loud snap as its body tumbled to a stop. Body tucking into a roll, the unicorn kicked upwards into another soldier's chest, breaking ribs like dry twigs.

The remaining soldiers fanned out to surround him while another tried to carry her to safety. Coldharbour never gave him the chance, rushing through the defenders and flinging her would-be rescuer into the wall with back-breaking force.

The other changelings fled from the hall as he killed the final soldiers, voices frantically calling for help. The room was empty in moments, only the faint cries echoing down the tunnel. He ignored them, casually walking over to where she lay dazed on the floor. Moaning weakly, she managed to roll onto her stomach. She tried to crawl, but her forelegs were too weak to budge her an inch.

"Why bother," he asked in amusement. She could just imagine the smug grin that must be adorning his face. "You're not getting away, so why make it more painful for yourself?"

She heard the soft clopping of hooves, and then two ebony legs appeared from the corner of her eye. She froze, almost trembling with dread.

"Ah, there we are!" His tone was pleased, almost proud. "Isn't that better? If you're going to die, no reason to die tired."

One of his hooves lifted, but before he could take a step they heard something from back within the hive. A low, deep hum.

His hoof lowered. "What's this," he murmured. His legs disappeared from view, and she guessed he was moving to get a better look down the tunnel.

The noise was building, from a hum to a drone to a loud, angry buzz. Her heart leapt in recognition. Wings. Hundreds of wings. It seemed that her entire army was flying to the rescue.

Ignoring the pain, she managed to prop herself up on one shoulder and look behind. She was eager to see Coldharbour's face when he found himself so heavily outnumbered. Green eyes widened in shock at the unicorn's expression. No panic. No fear. Not even mild concern. He seemed delighted, in fact.

"What a pity; it seems I've stirred up the hornet's nest," he remarked casually. The buzzing of wings was almost deafening, but the unicorn merely lifted a hoof and examined it.

"That just won't do. We still have so much to discuss. Suppose I'll have to kill them all."

Chrysalis couldn't believe her ears. Was this pony insane? Strong as he might be, there was no way one unicorn could overcome such numbers. But she saw the cruel, cold glint in his eyes and somehow knew that he could do exactly that and more.

The first changelings burst into the hall with dozens following right behind. She could see them packed so tightly down the tunnel that there was almost no more room to fly. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

They were easy targets.

Coldharbour lazily pointed his hoof directly at the approaching soldiers. A terrible ripping sound split the air, and the stallion's foreleg exploded in a spray of blood and tissue.

Something shot out of the cloud of gore, red and dripping with blood. It was an arm, even longer than Coldharbour's body. It was massive, with muscles bunched and corded like piano wires. A thick wrist widened into a hand with long, jointed fingers. They looked powerful enough to crush stone, and each was tipped with slender, razor-sharp talons.

She watched in horror as he braced his legs and leaned far to the left, balancing as that terrible arm lifted, palm splayed. What kind of monster was he?

Sparks formed at the tips of his fingers, snapping and popping. More formed in his palm, grouping together into a pulsing red light.

The blast of heat smoldered her mane and burned the skin from her cheeks. A hellish beam of fire erupted from Coldharbour's hand, lancing into and through the first changeling and several behind it. Billowing flames jetted out from the beam, engulfing those not struck by the actual attack.

Those hit by the blast were incinerated at once, burned away to nothingness. The others burst into flame, their charred and burning bodies littering the floor. It should have been impossible above the deafening roar of superheated air, but Chrysalis swore she could hear their screams.

The crowd of soldiers further back in the tunnel halted their charge, piling against one another as they tried to retreat from the flames.

Ignoring the pain and the blistering heat, she managed to raise her head. "STOP IT," she screamed desperately.

Somehow, he heard her. The jet of fire sputtered and died, though she could see wisps of flame running up and down his hand. His satisfied expression disgusted her. He had the look of a craftsman admiring his work, as though mass-murder was a simple task to be relished and perfected.

"It didn't have to be this way," he scolded her. "All you had to do was keep your mouth shut, your suspicions to yourself, and guide me to Equestria. If you'd only behaved, I might have allowed you to live. But you seemed to realize I was not what I appeared, and took it upon yourself to try and stop me." He shook his head in disappointment.

"And for that you've forfeited your life, just as these fools did in rushing to your aid." He kicked aside the burnt husk of a soldier and walked closer to the tunnel. Her changelings were still attempting to retreat, knowing well enough the danger that awaited.

The hand snapped up, flames building around the fingers.

"NO!" He ignored her cry and sent another, larger wave barreling down the tunnel. This one rushed over and through the crowd of soldiers, their bodies catching flame like dry leaves. He waited a moment, then turned and sent another blast down the next tunnel, and then the next. She watched in horror as flames spread throughout the room, and she could hear the distant screams of her subjects as the entire hive began to burn.

Coldharbour sent one massive burst down the first tunnel, then turned back to face her. His smile was twisted, maniacal. He stalked towards her, that arm limp and dragging heavily behind him.

"I wonder… do you imagine this is why the madgod fought so valiantly for the sake of this world," he mused. "Perhaps because he felt some kinship with its inhabitants. You all seem to share his naïve delusions of righteousness. Struggling futilely against the inevitable. Hopelessly resisting the will of those who are superior to you. Yes, you do remind me of Sheogorath. Quite fitting, then, that you'll die the same way."

She had to get away. Chrysalis lifted a foreleg and tried to feebly drag herself across the floor. His energy still burned and twisted painfully through her body, and she feared that it would end up killing her even if she managed to escape. She did her best to ignore the pain, tried to ignore the clopping of hooves and the shriek of dragging claws. Inch by inch, she crawled towards the hive's exit. To freedom. To safety.

A hand clamped down on her leg tighter than any manacle, and claws pierced through skin and muscle.

She screamed, a ragged and empty cry of pure agony. The hand gripped tighter, and she was certain she felt talons scraping against bone. Then it was dragging her back so hard she almost expected her leg to be torn away. The blades withdrew; she was rolled harshly onto her back. She blinked up at Coldharbour through her tears as he loomed over her.

She attempted to scramble out from beneath him, but his foreleg slammed down against her chest. She tried to push him off, but he was far too strong. He lay down on top of her, trapping her hind legs with his own. He lifted his foreleg, and she gasped in relief.

"Give me your hooves," he ordered.

Chrysalis was terrified. What was he going to do? Her lack of obedience seemed to anger him, and he cupped his hand over her shoulder.

"Give me your hooves," he said again. "Or I will rip your legs from their sockets."

Trembling, she did as he said. Smirking, he crossed them over her chest and set his foreleg down again, pinning them.

"Much better. I don't want you getting any foolish ideas like Sheogorath did."

He lifted his arm into the air, hand clenched with one finger pointing down. As she watched, the claw began to extend. It grew longer and longer, narrowing into a needle-thin point. He lowered it slowly, bringing it closer to her face. Her pupils shrank when it stopped just inches over her eye.

"Please, don't-"

The talon stabbed down, puncturing her eye and piercing through. Chrysalis ground her teeth together as pain exploded in her skull. The pain vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by a frigid chill spreading through her.

It felt as though she was pulling away from her body. Her vision dimmed, and then she was in a black void, surrounded by images and sounds from her life. They began to move, whipping around her in circles. It was like her mind was a giant filing cabinet, and now some invisible hand had yanked open the drawer and was rifling through her memories.

Suddenly he was beside her, and Chrysalis shied back in fright. Coldharbour looked at her for a moment, dismissed her, and then lifted a hoof. The images froze in place, the sounds muted.

One of them formed in the black. She saw herself, lost and alone, as she stumbled into Equestria. She relived those horrible, desperate moments when she moved from town to town, feeding on anypony she could reach. The fear of her prey, her own ravenous hunger. Worst of all was that presence alongside her, examining her most private memories and taking them for his own purposes.

She tried to push him away, tried to mentally close her memories and force him out of her mind. It was no use. He brushed away her resistance and brought up another memory, then another. She cried and begged soundlessly as he watched her capture and meeting with Celestia.

She couldn't take it, couldn't bear to watch her memories being stolen and violated this way. She wanted to distance herself, and tried to think of somewhere, anywhere that she could go to be away from him. To her surprise, she found herself pulled deeper into the void, following what looked like a slim ribbon of glowing smoke.

A light breeze stirred against her cheek, and then voices began to whisper from the black, mournful and weary.

"We do not die. We do not fear death. Destroy the Body, and the Animus is cast into The Darkness. But the Animus returns."

The whispers came from everywhere, over her shoulders, under her hooves. Up ahead, she saw a field of pale smoke churning about. Breath quickening, she allowed herself to be pulled further. Even this was better than with him.

"But we are not all brave. We feel pain, and fear it. We feel shame, and fear it. We feel loss, and fear it. We hate the Darkness, and fear it."

Images whirled up and around her. She watched through his eyes as he passed over a strange new world filled with creatures unlike any she had ever seen, pale things that walked upon two legs. She watched him snare and defile one of their women, her screams carried off by the wind. She watched as the woman passed into death, only to rise from her funeral pyre, body still aflame as she tore out the throats of her mourners.

Chrysalis turned away, and another image rose up. She was in a vast shrine, looking down from on high as one of the creatures called up to her beseechingly. His skin was pallid as a corpse, his cheeks sunken, his eyes dull.

"So, you do not enjoy the blood-hunger, little leech. Do you miss the warmth of the sun? I can obtain the cure for you, but you will help me first."

She was in a forest now. Two men stood beside a gravestone, a rusty mace lying between them. Tears on his cheeks and eyes narrowed in hate, one of them snatched up the mace and caved in the other's skull. The body crumpled to the ground, then vanished in a flash of light. As the clearing filled with hideous laughter, the man collapsed to his knees and sobbed.

Another flash of light. She was in a dark and moldy cellar. An altar stood before her, and a cage of spikes. Within the cage was an old man, his body rent with wounds, his spirit broken.

"You bend to me?

"Yes!"

"You pledge your soul to me?"

"Yes!"

"You forsake the weak and pitiful Boethiah?"

"Yes!"

"You're mine now, Logrolf."

Images began to fly around her faster and faster. She saw a dark castle upon the water, forms huddled beside a campfire, a woman locked away for centuries. She saw figures in armour launching bolts from their crossbows, saw blood spurting from open wounds and the sun blocked out by an eclipse. She caught a brief, shadowed glimpse of what might be Coldharbour's true and terrible form.

She had to get away from here. She turned back the way she came, and found herself facing another image. It was a man with golden eyes, his white hair speckled with blood. He was lying on his back, pinned to the earth by a massive spear. One of his hands was ripped away, the other impaled by a spike of wood. A hand came into view, poised over his face, and she watched as a single claw drove down and into his eye.

Desperate not to see any more, she threw herself into the black, far from the images and the trailing ribbon of smoke. As she fell, she saw one last image above her. It was a tiny, baby dragon, sleeping atop a pile of ashes. A unicorn filly stood beside him, her smile one of parental fondness. The image began to blur around the edges, until only the dragon was visible.

"Alduin is mine," she heard a voice hiss from the darkness. "As is the world to which he has fled."

There was a clenching sensation in her stomach, a sharp pain in her skull, and then she was back in her throne room. Coldharbour was still on top of her, his claw still in place. But the unicorn's eyes were rolled back into his head as if he were in a trance, and a small burst of hope formed in her heart.

He was distracted! Still looking through her memories, she guessed. This might be her only chance… but what could she do?

She slowly lowered her head; the claw remained still pierced her, but his hand was limp and allowed itself to be pulled along. She stopped when her horn was leveled at the unicorn's neck, its tip only inches from his skin. She considered ramming it up and tearing his throat wide-open. But no, she was too weak to put any power behind the strike.

Her magic was similarly useless. With that poisonous energy still twisting through her blood, the pain was too great to concentrate effectively. If only she could get rid of it.

Her eye widened. Wait. Maybe that was the answer! She couldn't process and use Coldharbour's power, but perhaps she could channel it?

She had no other options. She knew that he would kill her the moment he found what he wanted. Her time was almost up.

Fighting against the pain, she willed herself to concentrate. Bit by bit, the vile life-force began moving up her body, pushed along by her own magic. The pain dissipated as she gathered the energy into her horn. A bright light built up around it, so great that even closing her eye couldn't block its glare.

Her head seemed to be splitting in two from the strain of holding it in check. She could feel the energy writhing and pulsing through her horn like some monstrous living thing, and she feared that it would shatter before she could finish. Struggling to remain calm, Chrysalis focused her own magic, building it up for the strongest blast she could manage.

As if sensing the magic, his eyes snapped open, the silver orbs staring down at her in surprise. She bared her teeth up at him in a snarl.

"Get out of my hive!"

With all her remaining strength, she loosed her magic. For a moment the emerald light merely crashed against the foreign energy, but then Coldharbour's energy began to move, pushed forwards faster and faster until it was launched from her horn like a crossbow bolt.

The attack was massive, a beam of solid energy that lanced into Coldharbour just at the base of his neck. She had a brief glimpse of his face contorting in pain as his own power was used against him. Then the claw ripped free from her eye as he was blasted into and through the wall of her hive, then launched out into the open air. The beam tapered down and vanished, and she panted for breath, her body aching in relief now that it was free of his poison.

She wanted to stay like that forever, but the hive was burning down before her eyes, and she knew there wasn't much time left. Rolling painfully onto her stomach, she planted her hooves and began to crawl. It was easier this time, and she pushed herself to move faster as flames licked up the walls and cinders rained from the ceiling like confetti.

The tunnels were still aflame, but the main entrance, the one that monster had arrived through was still clear, and she crawled towards it frantically. She choked on the smoky air, her eyes watering, mouth parched. She was not going to die here! Not after surviving an encounter with that… thing. The roof was collapsing; pieces of flaming debris fell all around, striking her back and flanks. She kept going.

She could feel the cool air against her face, and she pulled herself from the entrance before the hive fell inward. In the clearing ahead, several hundred of her people milled about in confusion and fear. She tried to call out to them, but her throat locked, and she collapsed on the grass in exhaustion.

Shouts filled the air, and then she was being gently lifted by numerous hooves and carried away from the heat of the fires. There was so much she had to know. How many survived? Were they alright? What had become of Coldharbour?

But all that could wait. Right now, all she wanted to do was rest. Safely in the hooves of her subjects, Chrysalis allowed herself to drift off into unconsciousness.

.

He trod an arrow-straight path through the forest, smashing through underbrush and veering around trees. Birds and beasts scattered at his approach, huddling out of sight or stampeding deeper into the woods. He paid them no mind. His eyes were fixed ahead, to where he knew a shining city rose up from the side of a mountain. This princess, Celestia, would know of Alduin's whereabouts. Of that he was certain.

He was no longer unsure of his course. It was as simple as backtracking along the very path that Chrysalis had led her changelings when they departed this land.

His lip curled into a sneer at the thought of her. He thought he'd learned his lesson from the madgod, had fully restrained her limbs so there would be no desperate attacks while he worked. Unfortunately, he hadn't known that these damnable creatures channeled magic through their horns.

A hoof rubbed at his chest. That had been unpleasant. He was so confident nothing in this world could pose a threat, had thought nothing of forcing so much energy down her throat that she nearly drowned in it. But then the little tramp had the gall to throw his power back in his face, had nearly blown a hole right through him, in fact! And if that wasn't enough, he'd broken just about all of his bones in the fall.

It was sheer luck that he'd found what he was searching for before she struck. It would have been unacceptable to come away empty-handed. Still, despite his success, all he could feel was anger. Because she had resisted him; had dared to strike him. Not that it mattered much, in the end. She must have burned to death along with her home, and he only hoped that changeling bitch heard her skin frying before she died.

The day passed into night, and he continued on. His eyes shone in the darkness, his hooves pounding against the ground.

Coldharbour paused at the edge of a clearing, his eyes widening slightly at the unexpected sight. A city built upon and of clouds hung in the sky above. Beneath it, the forest continued on, though its trees gradually thinned until they gave way to low, grassy hills. A town lay in the distance; he could see the faint outline of houses.

He looked between the two settlements, appraising the size of each building and comparing it to the room he had seen in Sheogorath's mind. The smaller hamlet he disregarded immediately; it was far too small. The cloud city, on the other hand, looked to contain a number of likely buildings. But he had no means of reaching it aside from a levitation spell, and he didn't want to risk more attention at this point.

On a whim, he decided to stay there for the night. He would inquire about the dragon and the unicorn once morning arrived. Even if he learned nothing more, it might prove beneficial to spend more time amongst these ponies, to better imitate their mannerisms and customs. His disguise had already failed once. He had no intention of letting it do so again.

He took one last glance up at Cloudsdale, then turned and galloped towards the sleeping town.

.

Alright, that takes care of that. With any luck, I'll be able to juggle all three stories better in the near future, and we won't be seeing four month stretches between updates. Hope everyone enjoyed, and see you all next time!