“Writhing in this skin
As bullets pierce the flesh, the tears begin to flow
Empty clips and desperate hands
Defeat is all that I know”
—Northless

A scream escapes your mouth, tears begin to form in the corners of your eyes, as the cut of the blade digs deeper and wider against your side.

“By Gnosis, hold him down tighter!” A voice shouts out, followed by the weight of four sets of hooves on your arms and legs.

This is torture.

This is hell.

“Knight Cathal, you’re killing him!” The Lord Commander yells, placing his hooves across your chest to keep you in place.

The Knight medic, Cathal, places the blade of his cutting instrument deeper into your arrow wound, opening it further. Blood drips across your side, as another torrent of pain washes over you.

“My Lord, the arrow is barbed,” Cathal exclaims,” I have to cut deep enough that we can pull it out! To simply rip it out of him in its present state would cause more harm then good!”

He reaches down into his bag and pulls out a small strap of leather, while the flickering of the firelight dances across his face, catching the glow within his pale, blue eyes.

You feel sweat seeping from your pours, your mind in a delirium. Turning to and fro, you can make out the rest of the camp, you banner flickering in the night breeze, the rest of the soldiers not holding you down looking at the erratic scene happening before them.

The stars in the sky are so bright, and the moon so full, you feel like you could reach out and grab them for yourself, before another jolt of hot, searing paint tears through your body.

“Bite down on this, my Lord,” Knight Cathal says softly, offering the tattered, worn strap to your mouth,” it well keep you from biting off your tongue.”

Shakily, you open your mouth, accepting musky, worn strap of leather into your mouth, and biting down in anticipation of the pain.

“ Is there much more?” Vhelen asks, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead.

He and Cathal having long since discarded their armor, standing in their tunics and light robes.

“There is still one spot of barbed tip that’s hooked into tissue that I’ll need to cut free,” Cathal states, pointing his hoof towards a knotted mass of flesh on the left side of your torn wound,”everyone best hold him still. The pain will only be for a moment, Breag Naofa, please just hold on a little longer.”

You feel a hoof stroke your hair, in attempt to soothe you as best they could.

A pained look crosses your face, your cracked lips forming a tight grimace.

“I’m sorry, sir, I will try to make this as quick as possible.”

You shudder a sigh, closing your eyes and nod your head.

Everything happens within a quick succession.

The slash is made, deep and quick, blood teaming from the wound. As the cut is made,
Cathal digs into the crimson folds of the wound with a pair of iron pliers, grabbing the tip of the barbed arrow head, and giving it a solid, hard tug before it dislodged from your body.

You don’t know whether to feel relieved or in agony, only whimpering behind the leather strap in your mouth.

“Quickly, bring me some bandages from my bag, as well as the jug of wine!”

Two of the privates rush over to grab the necessary items, while the four encircling around hold you down even tighter, trying in vain to quell your thrashing.

Cathal grabs the wine bag, and begins pouring it over the wound, causing a burning sensation in the already throbbing area, tightly bandaging it with the clean white cloth.

The cloth reminds you of the one you found for the dying private on the battlefield. The irony it would be if it was the same one.

“F-fuck,” you gasp out, all the tense muscles in your body finally relaxing, falling back in the comfort of the cloak below you.

It feels soaked with sweat and blood, and sticking to your back. Turning towards Vhelen, who was in the process of cleaning his hooves, you give him a tired, strained smile.

“I-I’m gonna have to g-get you a new cloak, V-Vhelen,” you stuttter out between ragged breaths.

The Lord Commander gives off a rueful chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

“I’ll hold you to that, my Lord.”

You attempt to sit up, before Cathal pushes you back down gently, careful to avoid the ragged hole in your side.

“Easy, Breag Naofa, we still need to stitch up the hole, but for now we will have to make do with the bandages. We dont want you to tear the clotting later with any sudden movements.”

Though you feel annoyed by having to remain lying down, you see the sense in what he said. Your still feel dizzy and sick in the stomach, and prefer to not vomit in front of the soldiers.

You hate to admit, but you feel shamed for crying out so much, for being injured in general.

You are the Breag Naofa, the guardian of the Hive and of Palingar!

Guardian and Warmonger of Queen Chrysalis, head of the House Giollachríst, and Lord of Gallow Falls, your family’s ancestral home.

Your shame grows even deeper. You were meant to set an example for the soldiers around you, in restraint, in conviction and screamed like a new born drone when the arrow was ripped from you.

The urge to apologize is at the tip of your tongue, you can feel the words about to slip out, before you clasp your mouth shut.

Apologizing for being in pain, is a sign of weakness; You are not weak. Against the protest of the others, you ignore the pain in your side and force yourself to stand up, trying your best not wobble or stumble in front of the men.

“My, shirt, please,” you say in general to the amasses group, waiting for one of them to make the first move.

One of the privates, young and eager, spring boys to your meager pile of belongings and swiftly pulls your shirt from the stack, hurrying it over to you.

“Here, My Lord,” the young Private says, a bright smile across his face. His inexperience shows in the look he gave you, the gleam of his bright fangs catching the fire light.

You take the shirt, struggling to put it on without agitating your wound.

“Thank you, private.....?”

“Michan, sir!” The young private Michan interjects, offering a sharp salute, his body becoming rigidly disciplined.

Oh yes, he’s fresh blood, alright. His stance and posture just screamed green.

He wouldn’t have lasted five minutes into the battle.

Shaking the thought from your head, you return the salute, turning your head to face the rest of the group.

“I want the names and ranks of all present, besides Knight Cathal, the Lord Commander, and the Private Michan. Line up!”

At once, the entourage of soldiers line in front of you.

A burly Changeling with heavy, ebony armor steps up, his house crest etched into the chest plate and greaves of equipment.

“My Lord, I am Throne Bhan, attendant to the Lord Commander, as well as my brother,” the Changeling, Bhan, points to the second Throne standing next to him who offers a crisp salute as well, his armor and crest matching,” we are both of House Valath.”

“Good to have you two here. House Valath breeds strong warriors.”

The two puff their chests out in pride.

Lord Vhelen steps up, pointing to the three remaining people Privates.

“These three are Torq, Vlenish and Gen, Frey, fresh soldiers who volunteered to assist in the search for survivors.”

The three other Privates beat their hooves across their chest, a grunt salute. The armor they wore was standard issue hardened ebony plates, bare of any house crests.

“At ease, soldiers,” you reply, waving your hand, before turning back to Vhelen,”where are three other Privates, and the two knights.

“Currently scouting the area. Since we are exposed our here, they are doing their rounds, making sure no others stalking about the area.”

Satisfied with the answer, you move over to the makeshift table assembled in the middle of the camp, grabbing one of the water bladders and taking a deep, long drink. Offering it to Michan, ruffling the top of his green mane, to share amongst his comrades, you turn towards the group again. All of their eyes are locked towards you, awaiting your next order.

Drawing your sword, you plant it into the ground, leaning upon it for support.

“Now please, can someone tell me what the hell the situation is back home.”

========================================
(POV change: Chrysalis 3rd person)

She was pacing the room for so many hours now, waiting for any kind of word to reach her, that her attendants were worried she’d make a hole in the floor. Within the last few days, she barely ate anything, barely talked with anyone, besides her advisors or members of the war council. She would remain in her room for the most part, leaving only when returning messengers would, and departing when no new word would come from Fort Heshen.

Communication with the fort had been silent, while the assault on the Gem Vale border was in motion, and every day of silence only worsened her mood.

By now, she was furious with Anon!

How dare he not relay word in for long, and worry his queen!

Worry.

That’s what she felt the most, aside from her anger towards him. Every time he went out into battle, she worried and fretted, and every time he came back with another injury, she would scold his recklessness and stupidity, but would always give a silent prayer to Gnosis for his safe return.

He always came back.

To his people.

To her.

She felt the knot grow lighter in her stomach, as the loud clock in her chambers ticked the minutes away, a constant reminder that time was flowing, and word had still not reached her.

It seemed that as the seconds grew longer, the damned machine would only get louder, and louder.

She couldn’t take it anymore as she released a scream of annoyance, her jagged horn flaring up, as she released a pulse of magic, causing the clock to explode into hundreds of small, wooden splinters.

She huffed a shallow breath, straining to regain her composure, feeling tears beginning to well her eyes.

I knew that this was a fool’s errand to accomplish, she thought to herself, her glare hardening even tighter, before her horn flared again, opening the two giant, oak doors and entering into the hallway.

Three of her servants were waiting outside already, startled by the loud noise and yell from their queen’s chamber, clamoring towards her.

“My, queen! Are you al—“ one of the servants only managed out before the Chrysalis shoved through them, leaving them a confused pile on the floor.

I should have never trusted the damn war council!

The pressure for a sustainable food source had been growing more and more dire, especially since the failed invasion of the Kingdom of Equistria ended in such a disaster as it did. The second she was expelled from that land, with a third of the Grand Army of Gnosis scattered with her, she knew her power begun to slip. The moment news reached the capital, Great Houses of ancient Changeling families separated from the Hive, taking with them precious resources and troops with them. It took Anon months, with the blood of hundreds of her Changelings, her children, to unite the Kingdom of Palingar again.

Maybe if Anon has been part of the invasion to begin with, there wouldn’t have been a reunification war at all.

Anon.....

She needed him now. With her. At her side.

She continued down the hall in a rush, passing by countless rooms and corridors of the royal palace, the destination clear in her mind. Straying from her usual path from the last few days, the Intelligence Room, she made her way to meet with who could be described as the most important, and yet, most loathed member of the Heirarchy of the Hive: the Chamberlain.

For many years, the Hive had relied on the wealth that the Chamberlain and his house, Turlough, and bestowed. Their lands held some of the last fertile soil within the Wasteland, along with access to the only river running through the Northern Territory.

He held a stake in providing more then a quarter of the army’s soldiers single hoovedly, and reveled in the power and control he extorted over the others under his domain.

If the Unification War had gone in a different direction, he would have been the first to overthrow her, and had the power to take control of Palingar for himself.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he remained loyal to her, and fought with Anon the hardest to bring the Kingdom back from the brink.

Why, she didn’t know. Maybe a part of him believed in the ancient laws, laid down by St. Gnosis himself, in obedience to the sovereign Queen.

Maybe, the deep, cruel part of him inside enjoyed the chase of taking the throne, and saw the war as to easy. That there would be no fun in it.

All she knew, was that the Kingdom was in great debt to him and his house, and he requested a meeting with her.

A meeting she could not refuse.

She—

“My Queen!”

A shout peirced her train of thought, as she turned to look down the hallway which led to the Intelligence Room. A knight was galloping towards her at break neck speeds, before slamming to a halt in front of her.

“What, what is it,” she asked, a small but annoyed tone creeping behind the words.

“Forgive my intrusion, My Queen, but word has come back Heshen,” the Knight breathed out between huffs. Chrysalis’s eats shot up, her eyes widening momentarily.

Finally, the word she had been waiting for!

The damned Chamberlain could wait, she needed to hear this news, and a not a moment later!

“What are you waiting for then, soldier, tell me at once what has happened!”

The nobles and soldiers within eat shot began to form by the knight, also curious of the news.

Catching his breath, the Knight turned to look at his queen, his glorious queen, in the eye, seeing the reflection of anticipation within her irises.

He averted his eyes, moving them to the floor, not wanting to see the disappointment within her eyes, shaking his head forlornly.

“It was a massacre, my queen. Ours and their forces were decimated.”

The glimmer of hope that any good news that Chrysalis held into shattered within her heart. The tears she fought so hard against before threatening to form again.

“A-and, w-what of the Breag N—Naofa?”

The knight had no choice, he had to look his grace in the eye.

“He is feared dead, your Grace.”

Author's Note

Wow, another chapter is out. I think I’m getting my groove back. Please point out any horrible spelling mistakes, I’m gonna need to find an editor soon. More backstory will be explained next chapter!