The three changeling heirs sat before their queen, their dark heads bowed in her presence. They were awaiting their mother’s approval before they lifted their heads. Queen Mantis just stared down at them, her black eyes like voids taking you to nothing.

Finally, she spoke. “I have thought long and hard about all of your places in the Hive, and I have made my decision." The three princesses raised their heads to look at their mother. Queen Mantis looked first to the oldest one, Arachne. Arachne had black eyes like her mother and long, silky violet hair. “Arachne, being the oldest and wisest of my daughters, you are to be the next queen of the changelings. You will take my place and all of the changelings will follow your orders.”

She shifted her gaze to the second changeling. This was Chrysalis. She had webby green hair that flowed down to her chest. Her green eyes stared straight into her mother’s onyx gaze. “Chrysalis, you will be at Arachne’s side at all times. You will assist her where it is needed and if anything should happen to her, you are to take charge.”

She rested her gaze on the final heir, Amber. Amber was the kindest and calmest of the princesses. She hardly acted like a changeling. She had bright red hair that was pulled up into a loose braid and she had eyes to match. “Amber, you act nothing like a changeling should. You are to use this to your advantage against the many creatures of this Earth. I am making you the general of the army and all of the troops are to listen to the orders you give them.”

Mantis stood. “Come, Arachne. You must be trained to be a queen. You are to be coronated in seven days time” Arachne stood and walked out of the throne room with Queen Mantis close behind. Amber waited for her oily black hair to be out of view and then stood up, walking with Chrysalis.

“General? Seriously? I am a princess too and I deserve to be treated as such!” Amber ranted to her sister, Chrysalis. Chrysalis brushed her webby hair out of her face. She was staring at her reflection in one of her many hoof-held mirrors.

“How do I put this? You aren’t exactly the prettiest of changeling princesses in history. Heck, even mother is prettier than you, even with her pitch black mane. At least her hair goes with her coat,” she said, looking at Amber’s bright red braid and gagging.

“Like you’re one to talk, with that rat’s nest you call a mane,” Amber mumbled. She had always thought that her silky red hair was prettier than Chrysalis’s matted mess.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Chrysalis asked harshly, baring her fangs at Amber in anger. Chrysalis was always vain, and she cared more about her looks than she did about other ponies.

“Nothing,” Amber whimpered, recoiling from her sister. Amber trotted slowly to her room, shutting the door behind her. She sighed. She had never been treated with royal status as her sisters were. She was treated like the odd one out, like the orange tree on an apple farm. She looked around her room.

There were wooden bookshelves lining the walls, filled with books on ponies and pony cultures. Sure, some of them were about other species, but the ponies intrigued her the most. Her horn glowed the brightest red, as she brought one of the books to her, sitting on her dark green bed.

She opened it and began to read quietly.

Author's Note

Hey, guys! I hope you like my story idea! If you have any tips or questions, please comment them! Thanks!