Through Narrow Roads

CHRYSALIS

It was common courtesy to bow down to a queen; they were the supreme rulers, after all, and such a position demanded only the highest respect. Equestrian citizens practically slammed themselves to the ground at the mere sight of one of their princesses, and griffonians always respectfully tilted their heads at the sight of their beloved empress. Queen Chrysalis demanded no such courtesy, but she was beginning to wish that she had.

Respect is a lost art, she thought to herself while staring at the creature in front of her. To even begin to think that he was once one of her own was absurd, though she didn't dare even hinting at expressing such an opinion; the changeling across from her was far too vital to rub the wrong way.

Tepes the Changeling, called the Impaler by far too many for comfort, was a rather blunt creature, much like the end of his stakes. There was no hint of emotion in his words at any point in time, and he was not one for side banter and stalls; he told you what he wanted, and he made it very clear. He had lost the distinctive Changeling accent from being above ground; he now spoke in a similar manner to an ordinary Equestrian or Griffonian. He also almost always got what he wanted as well; the Black Hive mercenary band were rather feverish in their pursuits. Chrysalis knew this well, though she hoped she wouldn't give the Hive a reason to run her down.

The room the two changelings gathered in was considered very nice among their culture; the table in the center they both sat at, the only furniture in the small room,  was crafted from the finest chitin available, and the slime that inhabited the walls was arranged in a nice and orderly pattern. It was dimly lit from various candles around the room, which faintly smelled of sunflowers; Chrysalis’s favorite. To an Equestrian, the sunflower scent was like to give them an appetite which would most likely be terminated seconds later upon viewing the oddities of the Changeling culture. To Chrysalis, the room was splendid; the changeling seated across from her was not.

The two had only barely exchanged formalities, but it appeared as if the Black Hive co-leader had already formulated an opinion of Chrysalis. He looked bored to be in the seat he had just sat down at, with an apathetic expression becoming more apparent by the second. His posture, however, was perfect; he sat as straight as an arrow, with his hands neatly at his side. He would almost look professional if the look of distaste had been pried from his countenance.

“So,” he began, placing his right hoof on the table from his side, “You dragged me all the way here to Equestria, a place I’m rather inclined to avoid, to talk to me about a contract. I do hope this is captivating, Chrysalis, or you’ll have wasted both my time and yours. Speak.”

He treats his queen like a peasant, Chrysalis thought. She attempted to hold her tongue on the matter, but she succumbed to her pride as she began to reprimand the mercenary.

“I don’t know if you remember, Tepes, but you were apart of the changeling hive before you, and disgracefully, may I add, disconnected yourself from the hive network. I will not accept your utter disrespect when I am one of the sole reasons you stand here now,” she said, her voice rising with every word. Angering her further, Tepes merely sat back in his chair, his expression unchanging.

“First, I was never a part of the Changeling hive; I may have been lawfully, but never in spirit. Second, you dragged me all the way here from Zebrican; I get to patronize you, and you get to state your demands and see if I care. I incline you to do so already, as I could be doing much better things.”

“I...I could kill you so quickly, you wouldn't have time to regret that last statement of yours,” Chrysalis exclaimed, violently standing up as her chair fell to the ground with a thud. Upon seeing that Tepes would not budge, as he hadn't moved an inch or changed his expression in the slightest, Chrysalis gave a long sigh and picked her chair back up, setting it neatly in the spot it had once occupied before sitting down again.

“I don’t regret anything, Chrysalis. Now, we've wasted enough time; you obviously really need our assistance, or I’d be a corpse, so I know you won’t kill me. What is it that you want from us?” asked Tepes. Chrysalis found herself lounging in her chair just a tinsy bit more; this would be a long explanation.

“I’m attacking Canterlot with my army in two weeks time. Our supply of love is running thin, and my citizens are starving. Canterlot is filled to the brim with it, and so I aim to bring my army there; it is also, of course, a major political conquest if we were to take the city, along with having an endless food supply. I need your Black Hive to initiate a kidnapping mission at the heart of Canterlot, if you can pull it off.” At this, Tepes' eyes perked up; Chrysalis had captured his interest.

“We can pull off anything. Who is this target? A noble, or perhaps a guard?” This was where Chrysalis got worried; she feared    Tepes would lose interest once she revealed the grand target, but this is what she brought him here for; it was now or never.

“A Princess, actually; Mi Amore Cadenza. She happens to be in town for her wedding, and she’ll be marrying the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor. You are to bring her to me, so I can take her form, and impersonate her. Once I have Shining Armor completely under my control, he’ll lower the gates and my army will come swarming in, unexpected and unrelentless. You will be given whatever you want in payment.”

Tepes looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes, his body perfectly still. His silver, lustrous armor, paired with a rather vicious looking longsword sheathed at his side, made no sounds when he shifted, which baffled Chrysalis, but she made no mention of it. For what seemed like an eternity, Tepes stayed completely silent and unwavering before he finally began to speak, still retaining his meditative stance.

“We can certainly do this, but it’s going to cost you. A lot. I always like money, of course, and there will be that, but there is something else that I would love your assistance with.”

Finally, Tepes opened his eyes and returned to his previous sitting position.

“There is a entrance to Equestria from Griffonia, and so forth, called the Rigid Pass; I’m sure you've heard of it. As of right now, the pass is under the possession of the Griffonians, and guarded with security detail twenty four seven; you can’t go in or out without permission from either an Equestrian or Griffonian authority. Due to the mountainous nature of the edge of Equestria, it is very difficult to cross the border when the need arises. If we were to have the Rigid Pass, we could get to and from Equestria to Griffonia much easier and much faster. Do you see where I’m going?”

“You want the Pass,” Chrysalis remarked, understanding, though she didn't like where the conversation was heading.

“That we do, but we don’t want to get it ourselves; the Griffonians would be on us faster than a rainboom. No, we would rather the heat be on another group, and you called for us just in the nick of time. You get us the pass, and a payment of ten thousand bits, and we’ll accept, and complete, your contract.”

Ten thousand bits was ridiculous to begin with; Now he wants a military outpost? Thought Chrysalis. She had heard that the Black Hive was rather ludicrous  in their demands to begin with, but this was insane.

“I can’t pull that off, and you know it. I’d have Griffonia’s entire army waiting by my doorstep, which I simply cannot risk. Stop being ridiculous and we can talk like adults.” He negotiates like a child, and yet he carries himself like the most mature of creatures.

Chrysalis saw something she wagered she would never see again; a smile slowly crept across the face of Tepes as he began to speak.

“Well, you’ll have to find some way to do it, or you won’t get Cadenza for your invasion. I know what you do as well; there isn't another paramilitary that can pull off something on this large of a scale. Besides, if you don’t want an army at your doorstep, I would recommend not invading Equestria, as the folks here are rather sensitive.”

It was Chrysalis’ turn to ponder now.  Well, we could do it. Of course, as I said, Griffonia would likely declare war, but if this invasion is a successful one, we’ll have another army to back us. That would result in a Changeling victory in Griffonia, but I really shouldn't be thinking this large; we haven’t even kidnapped the Princess yet. We won’t be able to do so, or we’ll at least have an extraordinarily low success rate, if the Black Hive refuses. Which they will, if we don’t give them this damn Pass.

Chrysalis closed her eyes and sighed in defeat. Rolling her eyes, she began to address the co-leader, who was now grinning from ear to ear.

“Very well; you’ll get your Rigid Pass, along with the money you requested. You’ll get the money and the pass after the job is completed, of course, though I would expect you would come to that understanding. The Pass will be delivered to you after the invasion of Canterlot is successful, as I know it will be with the capturing of the Princess, and we’ll have a deal. Is everything understood?”

With those last words, Tepes cleared his throat and stood, pushing his chair back a foot with a screech. He looked Chrysalis right in the eyes.

Chrysalis usually saw nothing but the color blue in a Changeling’s eyes; they were drones, after all, and thought what she did, bending to her every will. This changeling was not connected to her hive mind, however, and she could immediately tell. His eyes burned with an emotion where his face did not, a swirl of anger and determination piercing into her soul like a thousand daggers. Chrysalis felt something that she hadn't experienced in years on end, and from one of her own race; fear.

“I don’t know, Chrysalis. I’m sure you've heard the tales of what happens to those who don’t give us what we ask for. I would like to have you understand something that I value very, very highly; my stakes don’t judge the status of those they impale. You’ll have Cadenza in a week, so I’ll give you one week to prepare for your invasion. I expect it succeed, of course, or we’ll have a problem. I’ll show myself out.”

With that, Tepes promptly turned around and exited the room, not acknowledging the servant Changeling waiting at the door in the slightest.

That went about as well as I expected it, thought Chrysalis as she too got up to leave. The diplomacy room was rarely used, as they didn't get visitors much and the way Changelings solved problems had absolutely nothing to do with diplomacy.  She never really took a liking to it; the room was nice, but there was a certain air about it that repealed her. It’s probably because things like this happen every time I walk in here.

With another sigh (Chrysalis found herself doing this more and more lately), the Changeling queen also got up from her spot and was on her way back to her bedroom when the servant at the door stopped her. This servant was one of Chrysalis’ chosen; he could somewhat think for himself, while still being heavily influenced by the Queen.

“Pardon me if I speak out of place, your highness, but do you truely intend to deliver this pass to these mercenaries?”

Chrysalis stared blankly at the servant in deep thought for a few seconds before giving her answer.

“No, I do not.”