The Black Knight

Chapter Eight

Peace was Never an Option

[Changeling Empire, Throne Room]

The morning sun raised upon the badlands of the empire as every changeling began their new daily duty around the castle. The newly made group of White mages were led by Lotus, as they began to heal and tend to those that were in need of medical treatment. Magic artillery led by Sapphire began their training in the field of offensive magic and marksmanship at aiming from a distance. The soldiers led by Thorax are currently being trained in the way of the warrior, paladin, and dark knight along with getting new weapons and gear made with the assistance of Jurrita training a few of them in how to smith both weapons and armor. Those who couldn’t fight on the field of battle were left in Pharynx care and became scholars or summoners to either provide support for both offensive and defensive magic and study their enemies to come up with a way to beat their foes.

While the citizens of the empire were busy trying to recover from the damage dealt by the ponies at the border station and from Sapphire and Lotus’s dad betraying them, Chrysalis and Jurrita make their way into the throne room as they would have tired expressions on their faces. Seems like they both had a rough night for the most part. Upon seeing each other, they would blink in surprise at the expressions on their faces.

“Rough night watching the prisoners?” Chrysalis asked as the lalafell nodded. “From what I heard from Lotus, you had to break Rainbow Dash’s legs. Or what one of the drones said in their report “Say goodbye to your walking sticks” as you break her legs with...a stick of bread?”

“I might’ve gotten pissed off due to Rainbow Dash’s plan to try and use my sword to break the bars on the windows. it would’ve worked...if she wasn’t so weak strength wise.”

“How did she try to do that?” She asked as Jurrita looked away with a blush on her face. Chrysalis took notice of this as she grins. “You fell asleep didn’t you~?”

“N-No! Of course not...I was just resting my eyes! That’s all!” She said while trying to look away from Chrysalis. “A-Anyway, why are you tired?”

“Had to take care of a few things last night. Mainly making sure every changeling in the empire was fed. Which thankfully we had enough for just about every pony that was inside along with giving those in need love potions.”

“Well that’s good to hear. At least what I did helped for the time being.” Jurrita said as she walked over Chrysalis. “I’m going to assume that today’s the day Princess Celestia is coming over here to talk about releasing the ones we captured?”

“I’m going to assume yes. Otherwise I’d be a bit annoyed if she didn’t come today.” She said before taking a seat on her throne. “Though I’m more worried about what will happen if she refuses the terms we have set for releasing her friends.”

“That all depends on how she’ll answer. We have information on what her soldiers did to you, and even though you are prisoners under her ruling, that’s still no excuse for the hell your kind have gone through.”

“True, but still. I prefer not to go to war if possible.”

“Again, that all depends on Celestia’s answer. But if it does come to war, then we'll have the advantage over them.”

“And what pray tell would that be?” Chrysalis asks as the lalafell deadpan and points to herself. “Oh right. We have you...though that might not scare a lot of ponies given your...well.”

“Pretty sure they’ll be scared if they saw what I did at the border station.”

“I mean yeah, but you look like a little filly’s play thing.”

“And you look like moldy cheese. But you don’t see me calling you out on that.”

“....Okay ouch, and fair point on your part.” Chrysalis said as she noticed a maid changeling walk over to her to serve breakfast, but stopped her before she could do that. “You eat it. You need it more than I do. And that’s an order.”

“Y-Yes my queen.” The maid said as she awkwardly walked off with her breakfast. As she left, the lalafell reached into her bag and handed her a basket of sandwiches from last night.

“Much as I like you giving food to your subjects. I need you to be able to think properly with your stomach taking over during the meeting.” Jurrita said as the queen nodded and began to eat. “If war is the only option, I’ll see what I can do to assist you in military might.”

“You have more weapons in that bag of your. Not that I’m ungrateful for what you’ve given us already, but I’m pretty sure we need more than just swords, axes, and arrows.”

“....The curse of having my memory back.” Before Chrysalis could ask what Jurrita meant by that, a changeling drone appeared in the middle of the throne room via magic teleportation.

“My queen, forgive the intrusion but we have a visitor at the front gate of the castle.” he said as Jurrita and Chrysalis look at each other after hearing this.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting her to come here so quickly. Like I was thinking she would come in by noon.” Chrysalis said before quickly scarfing down the food she was given. “How do we go about this? Should I bring the other general along or what?”

“Let’s just be the two of us. Don’t want her to think that we’re going to capture her or anything.”

“Fair enough.” She said before looking at the Changeling soldier. “Bring her here at once. Make sure no pony tries to attack her or anything. Got it?”

“Understood.” He said before teleporting off.

“Get into your attire that I gave you.” Jurrita said as the changeling queen pulled out gunbreaker soul stone. She closed her eyes as the stone glowed, causing a white aura to appear around her as the gunbreaker clothes appeared on herself.

“Not that I’m against the idea of being taken seriously, but why have me put this on?”

“You can never be too sure about your enemies. They could have a few tricks up their sleeve. Have an assassin try to kill you during this meeting, or worse. You must always be on your toes with your enemies.” She said as the doors the throne room open revealing Princess Celestia and the changeling drone from before entering the room. The drone bowed to Chrysalis before leaving as Celesita was taken by surprise by her new attire.

“....I take it you've been using my spell book to give yourself new clothes Chrysalis?”

“Actually, you can thank my new general for that.” Chrysalis said as she pointed over to the lalafell...who was secretly munching on pixie berry cheesecake. Just as she was about to take another bite out of her food, pauses upon seeing Chrysalis and Celestia staring at her.

“...What? I’m hungry. Don’t judge!” Jurrita said before quickly scarfing down the slice she was eating as Chrysalis facepalmed herself.

“....Hard to believe something as small as her could do so much damage to the border station and to Shining Armor.” Celestia said as the Changeling Queen smirked.

“Well given how your subjects are trained, it’s not a surprise by that. They’re not trained well, too relaxed, and can do stuff behind your back without you knowing. Like foal napping little colts and fillies, or holding love potion supplies for innocent citizens, or not fending off monsters that have been attacking and leaving us to defend for ourselves.” She said as Celestia winced at the last part of her sentence. “I take it you saw the crystal that we left you?”

“Yes...I saw it. On behalf of myself, I want to apologise for my lack of management over the border station.”

“Your apology is not accepted. Do you have any idea what you put my kind through for the past couple of months? Had I not used your book to seek the aid of Jurrita, the entire changeling race would’ve been wiped out from the face of Equestria. But you wouldn’t care so much about it given how you already have what you need from us!”

“That’s not true! I would never-”

“Please, like somepony like you, wouldn't take the time to actually try to understand us. I mean, it was obvious seeing how you never once try to make some kind of friendship with us that you keep preaching about. Or is it only for your kind that the olive branch of friendship is allowed to have with one another.”

“Let’s not forget that you were the one that invaded Equestria, Chrysalis. How can you expect anyone to treat you as a friend when you attacked us first.”

“Only because you refuse our letters of conversation over and over again.”

“What letters? I haven’t been given anything of the sort.” She said as Chrysalis glared daggers at her and was about to say something, only for Jurrita to raise a hand at Chrysalis to stop her talking.

“Who’s in charge of foregn diplomacy affairs?”

“Blueblood’s in charge of that. But I don’t see how that has anything to do with that?”

“You don’t think that he might be the reason why you haven’t received any letters from Chrysalis?”

“Of course not. I have the utmost trust in him doing his job.” Celestia said as the lalafell rolled her eyes to this.

“You should investigate this matter. Because I get the feeling that you’re putting trust into the wrong ponies that you left in charge of a lot of certain things. Less we use what happened at the border station as an example of your neglect?”

“.....I will look into that once I return to Equestria. But now’s not the time for us to be talking about that. I’m here because you have three of my friends that you are keeping hostage.”

“Ah yes! Your precious warriors of light. The defenders of your home.” The lalafell said in a sarcastic tone in her voice and a sickly smile on her face. “You want them back, then you’ll have to give the changelings land back. The same land that they had to give up during that treaty the queen signed.”

“I can’t do that. We have ponies that live on the lands along with business that are needed for our economy.”

“Well then good luck trying to get your friends back then.”

“W-Wait. Surely there must be a way we can work this. Perhaps we can figure out a way for both changeling and ponies to co-exist-”

“Coexistence?” Chrysalis saids she glared at the white alicorn. “You think there’s a chance for that to happen? Don’t make me laugh. Need I remind about what your kind did to us during this stupid ordeal that you have me sign? There will never be coexistence between us given how things are. Give us our land back or you won’t get your elements of harmony back.”

“I can not do that.”

“Then you leave us no choice then.” Chrysalis said before getting up from her seat to walk over to Celestia. “This meeting is over. Leave now and prepare yourself, Ruler of Equestria.”

“...Prepare for what?” Celestia said with a worried expression on her face as Chrysalis and Jurrita smiled devilishly at her.

“Because I’m declaring war on your country. And I will get back the land that was taken from us.” She said as her smile vanished and was replaced with a serious grimdark expression. “No matter how many ponies I have to kill to get back what’s lost.”

“This should be an interesting conflit to be a part of. Bug horses vs Normal horses...I’m a bit excited to fight on the battlefield once again.” The lalafell said mentally as her eyes glowed with interest and excitement.