The Handmaiden

“Morning report for this day, the 20th of October, the 103rd year of the 4th Era.”

Twilight felt so strange standing there, scroll in her hands as she did the job that was traditionally the Chancellor’s. Twilight did her best to maintain Rarity’s calm, elegant demeanor, but she could feel her base shake every time the Empress’ gaze passed over her. She seemed to be laughing at Twilight, though it was unclear as to why. Twilight was certain that her literacy was more than sufficient by this point to easily read the news, but the Empress’ small grin made her question that notion.

Memories flashed in Twilight’s mind, recollections of that night in the dungeon. When the Empress grabbed her, kissed her deeply, passionately. Not as a master to a slave, or an owner to property. It was a kiss that felt more like a woman to her lover. It was such a surreal experience that Twilight scarcely believed such an exchange had even occurred. As she felt her ears burn and cheeks tingle, Twilight was able to develop a theory as to why the Empress was so amused with her today.

“Go on, Sparkle,” urged Rarity, hands folded behind her back as she observed from behind Twilight. “The Empress doesn’t have all day to hear the news, and we shan’t make her wait any longer than is necessary.”

“The Treasury has processed the tax and fees regarding the... the unfortunate demise of Captain Spearhead,” continued Twilight, keeping her eyes on her scroll to avoid the inquisitive gaze of the chancellor, who had been exceedingly curious as to the death of the captain for days now. Twilight had requested the Empress not disclose to anyone the actions that led to Spearhead’s execution, a request the Empress obliged. “Gratuity in the amount of one hundred seventy-five gold bits was delivered to Spearhead’s wife this morning.”

“What did she request be done with the body?” asked the Empress.

“Er… Cremation…”

“How fortunate.” The Empress laughed darkly, laughter which Twilight uneasily joined in on after a moment. “Fair enough. It shall be done. She will have her husband’s ashes by nightfall. Anything else?”

“Just a reminder that Mother Chrysalis will be arriving at the castle any moment now for her meeting with Chancellor Rarity.” Twilight rolled up the scroll, gazing nervously at the Empress. “And you’re certain that you want me to meet with her?”

“I am. A good handmaiden should be able to uphold at least basic gossip,” said the Empress with a smirk. “And that starts by gaining familiarity with notable figures. Chrysalis is, in the strictest of all senses, notable. Worry not, Twilight Sparkle, I will be by your side the whole time.”

“And, frankly, if I could not handle an insect like Chrysalis on my own, then I would make for a rather rubbish chancellor,” snorted Rarity. She pulled her pocket watch from her breast pocket, examining the time. “Hm. She must be at the castle gates by now. I suppose we should greet her now, hm? Unless there is something else you desire of us, m’lady?”

“I will manage, Ms. Rarity. Bring Chrysalis to the parlor,” ordered Empress Celestia. “I have a few things to attend to, but I shall meet you there shortly. Make sure Chrysalis treats my handmaiden with proper respect."

"Of course, your Greatness. Come along, Sparkle."

The pair bowed before Empress Celestia before filing out of the throne room. Twilight stood close behind Rarity, her mana bubbling with uncertainty. Neither the Empress nor the Chancellor seemed to think very highly of Mother Chrysalis, and Twilight was growing highly uneasy as she pondered why. Rarity seemed to be able to sense Twilight's discomfort, glancing back at the handmaiden as the two rounded into the main corridor.

"Honestly, Sparkle, I swear you must be frightened of your own shadow," remarked Rarity. "Why are you so nervous?"

"We're meeting with the queen of another kingdom," said Twilight. "You may be used to that sort of thing, but to someone like me, that's intimidating."

"Come off it. Chrysalis is not a queen, and The Hive can only very charitably be referred to as a kingdom." Rarity snorted in disgust. "Chrysalis is a spineless worm, not fit to rule over the Empress' tea cart. You'll see, she is nothing to be intimidated by. Oh, here she is now…"

Rarity gestured down the hall, at the large doors of the castle's entrance, where a group of four Daybreakers stood in wait. Between the guards was a tall, spindly woman, clad in a simple leaf-green robe. Her skin was shadowy, dark like ebony, and she was thin as a twig. Her shady green eyes darted to and fro, peeking from behind the stringy, greasy, darkly turquoise hair that cascaded down her head and obscured much of her face. Rarity smiled from ear to ear, a bright, artificial cheshire grin at the sight of the woman before her. She led Twilight to a stop a few feet from the thin woman, locking eyes with her for a moment before addressing her.

"Mother Chrysalis. Welcome to Canterlot," said Rarity brightly. "We hope your journey was a pleasant one?"

"My journey was… perfectly fine." Mother Chrysalis' voice was low, a bit shaky and uneven. She bent forward into a bow, looking down to the floor as she did so. "I thank you for welcoming me to your beautiful kingdom."

"Though I'm certain you remember me, I am Rarity, Royal Chancellor and humble servant of her majesty Empress Celestia." Rarity gestured to her right, flourishing towards Twilight. "This is the Empress' new handmaiden."

"Twilight Sparkle. A privilege to meet you," said Twilight. She attempted to bow at Chrysalis, but was stopped by Rarity's hand and a disapproving frown. Rarity straightened her back up, shaking her head in disappointment.

"I believe the privilege is hers."

"Yes. The privilege is mine," said Chrysalis, her voice just barely above a whisper. She slowly straightened herself up, her gaze bouncing from chancellor to handmaiden and back. "The Hive extends its condolences to all of the Equestrian Empire, in regards to the… the unfortunate attack that it has endured."

"Half the city of Canterlot was on fire, Chrysalis," droned Rarity. "It was nothing short of an act of terrorism. Homes were burned, people were killed, and we are still waiting to bring the ones responsible to justice." Rarity gave a dark little chuckle. "A kingdom on fire… Must bring back bad memories, hm?" Chrysalis grimaced, as if struck, but slowly nodded.

"Yes. Indeed. Which is why The Hive, and myself personally, would like to thank you for the opportunity to clear up the confusion," said Chrysalis. "Of course, I would never aid or abet anyone who would defy the Empress' rule."

"Of course you wouldn't. Even still, the Empress, in all of her might, wisdom, and glory, thought it prudent to review the terms of your obedience." Rarity stood up a bit straighter, glancing beside her to make sure Twilight was following suit. "Your… 'kingdom' seems to have trouble remembering your place at times."

"Perhaps in the past…" Chrysalis seemed to clench her jaw a bit, her entire body going stiff. "But under my leadership, The Hive has been nothing but agreeable. Which is why I was so thrilled you extended this—"

"Oh, we seem to be falling behind schedule." Curiously, in Twilight's opinion, the chancellor hadn't consulted her watch a single time during their conversation, not even in the habitually anxious way she often did. "We really should get going. The parlor is this way."

Mother Chrysalis stiffened even more, but slowly nodded and followed behind Rarity as she led the way. Twilight stood a bit closer to the chancellor than their visitor, still unsure about Chrysalis. For what reason could Rarity have such disdain for Chrysalis and her people? The possibilities made Twilight exceedingly nervous, her mana sparking beneath her skin as the three walked down the corridor.

"Empress Celestia has requested that her handmaiden become familiar with your people, Chrysalis," said Rarity, not even bothering to look back at the visiting dignitary. "She grew up on an estate that's a bit aways from the kingdom, so she's not very learned in the world."

"Erm… Not really an estate or anything quite so extravagant." Twilight glanced at Rarity, who seemed to frown at the fact that Twilight wasn't corroborating her lie. "My father was a hog farmer, actually. When he died, my mother switched to wheat and barley, because she wasn't strong enough to wrangle our pigs alone."

"I see. Not much grows near The Hive, but we do keep oxen," said Chrysalis with a nod. "When I was younger, my family kept goats, as well. My favorite was Shady. She always managed to find a place to avoid the sun…"

"This must have been before you took over from your mother," noted Rarity, that same false politeness coating her tone. "You were so young when you took the throne."

"How old were you?" As soon as Twilight asked, she wished she hadn't. Her question was innocent enough, genuine and well-meaning, but it was obvious that Chrysalis did not want to answer. Even still, after a moment of tense silence, Chrysalis unstiffened her jaw and spoke directly.

"I was a day off of becoming nine years old when my mother… When my mother was removed from her throne," said Chrysalis. Her voice was a bit heavier, even duller and emptier than before. "As my elder sisters had perished in the war, I was the only viable Qu—" She stopped herself, the word "Queen" just barely interrupted. After watching for a reaction, she continued. "Mother. I was the only viable Mother. So the throne became mine."

"Not war, Chrysalis. Rebellion," interjected Rarity. "War with our Glorious Light, Empress Celestia, simply isn't possible. Your mother wasn't a queen, or even a proper general. She was a dangerous rebel."

"Yes. I suppose she was. And so, a child was left to clean up the mess."

"Why not choose someone else to lead until you were old enough?" asked Twilight, her dark curiosity slightly outpacing her concern for the situation.

"The Hive is almost entirely men. There are only a handful of women born every generation," explained Chrysalis. "Of those women, only a handful are capable of bearing children, and even fewer can bear daughters. The All-Mother blessed me with the ability to birth only daughters. So, I was chosen to be the new Hive Mother, before my mother… Passed. There was no one else in my bloodline capable of bearing children, and without me, my people may die off in a few generations."

"Incredible… I've always been interested to learn more about your kingdom, Mother Chrysalis," said Twilight with a nod. "We don't have many books or scrolls about you or your culture in Canterlot."

"Sadly, neither do we.”

The party fell silent for a spell, until Chancellor Rarity brought them before the parlor doors. She spared the two a brief glance before giving a grand flourish and pushing the door open. Rarity waved the women through, first Twilight and then Mother Chrysalis, before stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.

“Good of you to finally arrive, Chrysalis.” To the surprise of all three women (though, the degree of their shock varied), the Empress had already claimed a seat in the parlor, at the head of a grand table, large enough to seat a dozen. On the table before the Empress sat a quill and a well of ink, in addition to several rolls of parchment. Standing ominously on either side of the Empress was a Daybreaker, their presence sending a chill down Twilight’s spine. She didn’t imagine that many knew what she now did about the elite guards, or else the general discomfort of those forced to work near a Daybreaker would surely be full-on terror. “Hello, Twilight Sparkle. Miss Rarity.”

“Greetings, Empress Celestia, High Queen of Equestria,” said Chrysalis, giving a shaky bow. She didn’t dare look up, didn’t dare to move until given express permission. “The Hive thanks you for this opportunity to reaffirm the position we have had throughout my entire reign; The Hive is loyal only to you, the true Light of the land and Divine Ruler of your domain, and we—”

“Chancellor, if you would give this treaty another look before we get to the nitty-gritty,” said Empress Celestia dryly. She then snapped her fingers and clicked her tongue twice, as if beckoning to a dog. “Twilight Sparkle, dear, by my side. If I am to be forced into 'negotiating' with my underlings, I at least would prefer to have something nice to look at while I do.”

“Er… Yes, of course, my Empress,” said Twilight. She approached slowly, offering her leash as she did. “Do you think you could perhaps move… them?”

“Hm?” The Empress looked back to her guards, as if she had forgotten that they were there. “Oh, fair enough. You two, show Chrysalis to her seat.”

The two Daybreakers let out a slow, rattling groan of acknowledgment, and slowly lurched over to the Mother of the Hive. The Empress’ servants approached the High Queen, with Rarity grabbing up the documents before the Empress while Twilight stood idly beside her mistress. The Empress smirked at her pet, a smile that Twilight nervously returned. The handmaiden’s smile fell slightly when she met the gaze, the glare, of Chancellor Rarity, frowning slightly as she watched from the corner of her eye.

“Get up, Chrysalis, show some spine,” droned Celestia. She gave a wave to her Daybreakers, who proceeded to yank Chrysalis to her feet and drag her forward to her seat. They released her and, uneasily, Mother Chrysalis lowered herself into the chair. “For all your mother’s faults, at least Ayomi had grit. Of all the things to inherit from her, it's a shame her courage could not be one of them."

"Respectfully, my Empress, I am nothing at all like my mother," Chrysalis spoke slowly, carefully, as if to keep her voice from breaking. "You needn't concern yourself with her treachery, or her greed, for she is no more."

"I'm very much so aware of that, Chrysalis. Obviously, I cannot possibly remember every single person I've ever killed, but…" The Empress sighed almost wistfully, tapping her finger against the table. "I am unlikely to forget Ayomi. In any case, I didn't call you here to wax nostalgic about your mother. I called you here to discuss your allegiance to me and my Empire."

"Of course. As you no doubt know, your Greatness, we of the Hive are nothing if not loyal to the might of Equestria," said Chrysalis, bowing her head. "We stand by your side against any and all threats, including the despicable actions of this group of savages that—"

"Chrysalis. I do not care."

Twilight watched her Empress cautiously, reading her face for some glint of emotion. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she received none. Empress Celestia didn't do much look at Mother Chrysalis as she did look past her, as if she wasn't there at all. She hadn't even glanced at the treaties that the Chancellor had produced. Her attention was firmly on her guest.

"I do not care if you side with Luna or not. I do not care if you gave her the materials she used to bomb my city. Do you know what I do care about?" The Empress stood up, her height and figure making Mother Chrysalis appear especially frail. "I care that twenty-three of my subjects died in that bombing and subsequent fire.” Twilight’s brows went up in surprise at that figure. She knew that there were surely casualties of Luna’s attack, but she had not been told the exact number yet. “What I care about is protecting my kingdom, and that is what I intend to do. So, I will explain things to you very simply, Chrysalis."

"My queen, I swear to you, I did not have anything to do with—"

"No, but incompetence is just as dangerous as malice, if not more, and if there is even a minute chance that you pose a danger to my kingdom, then I will treat it as an absolute certainty."

"My Empress, if I may," said Twilight. The Empress glanced to her handmaiden curiously, as if she had temporarily forgotten she was there, and Twilight suddenly felt a chill down her spine. The last place she wanted to be was on the receiving end of the Empress' wrath, but she couldn't let Chrysalis suffer for Luna's actions. "If the Children of the Night are operating near the Hive, would it not be better to keep in contact with Mother Chrysalis? She could give us useful information regarding their whereabouts."

"A fair point, Twilight Sparkle, as usual. Or, rather, a fair point it would be, were I able to trust Chrysalis with even the simplest of tasks."

"Y-you can, Empress!" said Chrysalis. "You can put your trust in the Hive to deliver any information we gather."

"I can't even trust you to keep an eye on your own land, Chrysalis. You expect me to believe you can do anything for me? When my sister's rebels are able to move freely around your kingdom with you being none the wiser?" said the Empress, her voice colder than a winter's breeze. "No, there's only one safe, smart, tactical course of action for me to take. Three days, Chrysalis. I can promise you that your kingdom would be rubble, the very sand it sat on scorched to glass, in three days' time. Do you know why it would be three days, Chrysalis?" The Empress snapped her fingers, and a plume of fire crackled to life in her palm, hotter and brighter than any flame Twilight had created. "Because the trip to The Hive would take me two."

"Empress, please… I swear to you, the Hive can be trusted. We can be useful!" promised Chrysalis. "You can make use of us, my Queen, I promise you…"

"You think your word is good enough? You truly think that a promise is enough?" The Empress clenched her fist, snuffing out her fire and filling the room with the acrid smell of smoke, and slightly charred flesh. "Then you are even more foolish than I thought."

"Anything, Empress, anything at all." Chrysalis fell out of her seat, bending over and kneeling into a bow, her hands folded over in begging. "I will do anything to prove our worth, our loyalty!"

"If you'll recall, Ayomi said much the same thing, your Divinity," remarked the Chancellor. "We couldn't trust those insects then, and we shouldn't trust them now."

"Perhaps you're right, Chancellor. Perhaps Chrysalis is more like Ayomi than I expected." Empress Celestia strolled along the length of the room, pacing back and forth in front of the kneeling Mother. "Or perhaps your bitterness has less to do with Chrysalis' shortcomings and more to do with your own mourning, Chancellor."

"I assure you, my Empress, my opinion on The Hive is purely professional in nature."

"There are few things in this life that I despise more than a liar, Ms. Rarity, but that is a conversation for later. We seem to be of a split-decision here. Chrysalis says she should be given a chance to prove herself, while the Chancellor would see The Hive burned to ash." The Empress turned to face the two women behind her, her gaze primarily locked on her handmaiden. "Very well, then. The tiebreaker shall be Twilight Sparkle. What say you?"

"Please…" whispered Chrysalis. "My people are innocent…"

"My Empress, she seems genuine," said Twilight, carefully avoiding eye contact with her mistress. "And I believe she would be more useful as a friend than… Well, cinders, I suppose would be the alternative. If she is willing to prove her loyalty, then I say she should be afforded that opportunity."

Twilight finally looked up, watching as the Empress considered her point, all the while Chrysalis begged and pleaded for her people's lives. There was silence, save for Chrysalis' groveling, while the Empress pondered the situation. She stopped behind Chrysalis, flanked on either side by her Daybreakers. Finally, after a few minutes of contemplation, the Empress broke her silence.

"Mother Chrysalis," said Empress Celestia. She reached for the nearest Daybreaker, pulling his wickedly sharp dagger from his belt. "Which hand do you favor?"

"My… hand?" Chrysalis looked up, brushing her hair from her face to show the fear in her dull emerald eyes. "I'm… I'm left-handed, Empress. Why?"

"Twenty-three of my subjects are dead. I think one finger for every ten dead is a fair trade." The Empress stooped down beside Chrysalis, still towering over the Mother, and pressed the dagger into her hand. "We'll round down, in the interest of having a neater number. That's two fingers, Chrysalis. Left hand, please."

Mother Chrysalis trembled as she accepted the dagger, looking the blade over in her hands. She gulped as she stood up, reclaiming her seat. Her left hand lay flat against the table, the dagger held in her other trembling hand.

"And this will be sufficient proof of our loyalty and dedication?" whispered Chrysalis. With a small, sinister smirk, the Empress nodded. The Mother of the Hive nodded slightly in return. "Which two?"

"I leave that up to you, Mother Chrysalis." The Empress gently grabbed Chrysalis by the wrist, gripping the blade with her other hand. There was a faint buzzing from the Empress' magick, and the blade soon began to glow with an angry, glowing orange heat. "There, that should get you started. To the base, if you would be so kind."

Chrysalis looked to be ill as she held the glowing hot dagger in her hand, lining the angry edge with the little and ring fingers of her left hand. She curled the rest of her hand out of the way before giving the Empress one last fearful glance.

"If you are somehow still a bit squeamish, Twilight Sparkle," said the Empress. "Now would be the time to look away."

Twilight just barely had time to do just that, averting her gaze a half-second before Chrysalis brought her knife down. There was the hiss of hot steel against flesh, followed immediately by an anguished howl from the Mother. Her scream morphed into sobs, sobs that only intensified when she brought the knife down again and again, hacking through the bone in three strikes. Twilight heard the knife clatter against the table and slowly turned back to the scene. Her stomach flipped over itself at the sight of Chrysalis' fingers strewn before her, blood slowly leaking from her hand.

"That wound should be mostly sealed by the heat, so you needn't worry," said Empress Celestia. "Very well, Chrysalis. Your dedication is proven, and you have earned your people another chance. I advise you go home and celebrate this fact."

"T-thank you for welcoming me to your k-kingdom…" muttered Chrysalis. She stood up and turned for the door, stopping when the Empress placed a hand in the center of her chest. Chrysalis seemed even more sickly than before upon the Empress' touch, her formerly trembling body going stock-still. "Empress…"

"I have decided that, the next time we meet, you will die, Chrysalis," explained the Empress. "I will allow you to return home now, but the next time I see your face, I will do to you precisely what I did to Ayomi. Do you recall that? I'm sure you do. It was just like this. One hand to her chest, and by the time she looked me in the eye, I held her heart in my palm. The next time we meet… that will be you. It would be in the best interests of both you and your kingdom that you do nothing that would necessitate a meeting between you and I. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes, my Empress…" breathed Chrysalis.

"Very good. Guards, please escort the Mother to her caravan and send her on her way back home." Empress Celestia waved politely to her guest as the Daybreakers grabbed Chrysalis up by the arms. "May it be many, many years before we next cross paths, Mother Chrysalis. Farewell."

Mother Chrysalis did not respond, merely clutched her bleeding, smoking hand as she was escorted out of the parlor. The Empress let out a sigh, almost as if tired, and approached the Chancellor. She pulled Rarity's jacket open a bit and pulled a silken handkerchief from the interior pocket. With Rarity's handkerchief, she approached the table and, much to the general discomfort of her servants, Empress grabbed up Mother Chrysalis' severed fingers.

"Ms. Rarity, would you happen to have a spare ribbon? Length of rope? Anything of that sort would suffice," said the Empress. Uneasily, Rarity drew an extra hair tie from her pocket and handed it to the High Queen, who accepted it and used it to tie the fingers up into a nice, neat package. "Thank you. Ms. Rarity, if you would, see that this table is cleaned, and then meet me in the throne room. We need to decide on our next move."

"What should I do?" asked Twilight. Empress Celestia smirked and grabbed the handmaiden's wrist, pressing the parcel into Twilight's hand.

"Bring this to the potion cellar. Sweetie Belle will know what to do with it. You will stay and assist her as she needs until the Chancellor fetches you. Understood?"

"Yes, my Empress!"

"Good. Then go," ordered the Empress. "We've wasted enough time with Chrysalis."

Twilight and Rarity vowed and kissed the sun, before departing for their respective tasks. The Chancellor didn't waste a single second by speaking to Twilight, and she immediately turned left upon exiting the room. Twilight's destination was to the right, down the corridor and around the corner to a small wooden door, braced with black iron. Twilight had only been there sparingly, but she knew the way, and it was only a short few moments before she had the door open, leading her down a flight of stone steps into the cellar.

The first thing Twilight noticed was the heat, a wave of burning, simmering heat, hotter than a summer's day. Twilight recoiled from the temperature, wincing as she made her way down. She could hear the sounds of off-key humming, the tapping of wood against metal, and of bubbling brews boiling in their vats. As Twilight reached the bottom, she turned into the cellar proper, a vast room with four large cauldrons rounding the circular room, three of which sat above a burning fire. Tied to nails in the wall were bundles of herbs and roots, the nature of which Twilight could scarcely begin to theorize. In one wall was a raging hearth, in which a snake was roasting on a spit. There was a door to the left, ajar and revealing itself to be some sort of storage closet for various brews and ingredients, besides which was a table laden with many books and scrolls. Sweetie Belle was emerging from that door, clutching a small crate of various bottles of differing liquids. She flashed Twilight a bright, half-scarred smile as she entered the room, moving slowly to avoid dropping her ingredients.

"F-fancy seeing you here," said Sweetie. Twilight matched her grin, crossing the room to take the crate from Sweetie's hands, holding it awkwardly to avoid damaging her own package. "Thanks. What brings you here? R-rarity said you had a meeting with s...s-someone important."

"It was a brief meeting. The Empress sent me to help you today," said Twilight. She set the crate onto the table, pulling the package up and offering it to Sweetie. "She also said you'd know what to do with these?"

"Hm? What's this?" Sweetie clumsily undid the ribbon around the parcel, unraveling it and eyes going wide at the sight of the severed, bloody digits. "Gods above…"

"Perhaps I should have warned you," said Twilight sheepishly. "I'm still a bit taken aback, frankly, I never thought—"

"Are these f-f-fresh?!" Sweetie Belle's voice carried with it not horror, but intrigue and excitement. "When were they harvested? How long has the c...c-corpse been dead?"

"Erm… It wasn't from a corpse." Twilight tilted her head, darkly bemused by the way Sweetie tilted the fingers over and inspected them. "They were just cut a few minutes ago, from Mother Chrysalis."

"Oh my! You don't get any f-fresher than that! No point in letting these go to waste." Sweetie Belle limped over to the hearth and tossed Chrysalis' little finger into the flames, wrapping the ring finger up for later use. "I take it the Empress p-punished Chrysalis? For giving the L-lover's Loss?"

"Yes. I don't know why she wanted me to give this to you, but…"

"Human f-fingers have myriad uses in p-potions, both raw and roasted. F-fresh ones are hard to come by for obvious reasons," explained Sweetie. "Changeling fingers are even more p-p-p… Even stronger."

"Changeling?"

"Members of The Hive are s-said to be descendants of great big shapeshifting beetles called changelings." Sweetie Belle brought Chrysalis' finger to the table and produced a small vegetable peeler, which she used to flay the skin from the severed digit. "Whether you b-belive the story doesn't really matter. What matters is that The Hive has s-some inherent and p-p-powerful Alteration magick. I can make some very useful things with these."

"So that's why Rarity kept calling Chrysalis an insect?" asked Twilight. To her surprise, Sweetie scoffed, rolling her one good eye.

"That, and the f-fact that her people are s...s-scum," snarled Sweetie. "I admit, I wish I could have s-seen Chrysalis' punishment. I hope Rarity enjoyed it for the b-both of us."

"You two really don't like The Hive, do you?"

"Why would we? A lot of p-people died in Mother Ayomi's p...p-pointless attack on Canterlot." Sweetie Belle went silent for a bit, inspecting the fully skinned finger before turning her attention to other ingredients on the table. "My m-mother and f...f-father being among those killed."

"Oh, my. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. These Ch-children of the Night, on the other hand…" Sweetie flashed a smile. "They're another matter. Hope you don't mind being put to work, but I could really use an extra set of hands."

"Of course. What will you have me do?" Twilight was happy to help, especially if it meant she didn't have to think about things like war or casualties. Comparatively, potion mixing was rather simple.

"That s...s-snake over the fire should b-be about done. Please p-pull it from the flame."

"What exactly could you use a cooked snake for?" mused Twilight, utilizing a nearby poker to pull the serpent from its roasting spot. "I'll admit, my studies don't often cover potions."

"P-potion?" Sweetie tilted her head quizzically. "That's is my l-lunch." She paused for a moment, taking in Twilight's disbelief for a moment before breaking into laughter. "Kidding. Just a little w-witch humor. The snake is for a p-poison I've been working on. Mix it with some blast powder and sand, and we have a b-bomb of toxic vapors. Not strong enough to k-kill, but would make for good crowd c...c-control if the Children mount a more direct attack."

"Brilliant. The more defenses, the better." Twilight helped Sweetie pull the snake from its spit, placing it on the worktable. Upon Sweetie's direction, she began to strip the roasted skin and flesh from the snake, depositing it into a wooden dish beside Chrysalis' skinned finger. Sweetie glanced to Twilight from the corner of her good eye, watching her carefully as the two worked.

"Is something t-troubling you, Twilight?" asked Sweetie. Twilight didn't answer at first, and so Sweetie turned to deliver a bit of snakeskin to one of her bubbling cauldrons. "You know, you can t-talk to me if there's s-something bothering you. You're my friend, T...T-Twilight. I want to help you."

"I know, and I truly am grateful to have you as my friend." Twilight spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. She wanted to put her trust in Sweetie Belle, but, considering the current circumstances, Twilight wondered if it might not be better to refrain from trusting anyone at all. Even still, there was something clawing her the back of her mind, gnawing at her heart. "Do you agree with every decision the Empress makes?"

Sweetie Belle froze in place, letting silence blanket over the room. She buried herself with the stirring of her cauldron, occasionally raising a ladle of the brew up to her nose and giving it a little sniff. Sweetie added more snake to the potion before she finally gave a response.

"You're asking a d-dangerous question, Twilight," said Sweetie Belle, keeping a low, even tone as she spoke. "S-some would consider even asking that to be t-t...tr… a betrayal."

"You know I don't—"

"I know, yes, but not everyone will s-see things that way. I know Rarity wouldn't. And the last thing you want, now especially, is for Rarity or the Empress to doubt your l-loyalty."

"I am loyal to the Empress. I swear to you that," said Twilight. "I just… Surely your opinion occasionally differs from hers."

"It is not our place—"

"But what if it was?" Twilight didn't mean to snap, but she found her voice raised nevertheless. Sweetie noticed, stiffening slightly while Twilight composed herself. "What if it was your place? What if you swore your allegiance to the Empress, and then she did something you found irredeemable? Could you still be loyal to her?"

"Twilight… You sound… Scared." Sweetie glanced around, as if to confirm their privacy. "You're not thinking about j-joining those rebels, are you? B-because that is a frankly t-t-terrible idea."

"Of course not! But… They've killed people, innocent people. And the Empress certainly has no qualms with killing, to put it mildly. Truly, when it's all said and done, what difference is there between the two?"

"You can't c-compare the cowardly murder of innocents to harsh, perhaps c-cruel, justice," said Sweetie firmly. "Empress Celestia is the High Queen of all of Equestria. She has p-p-power to rival the Gods. Luna is a c-criminal with a bow and a handful of f-followers."

"So the Empress is better why? Because she's stronger?"

"F-for one. It's not that s-simple." Sweetie Belle hobbled to her worktable, pulling up a stool and taking a seat. "D-do you know how the Eras work?"

"They're how we keep track of our history." Twilight had learned this fairly early in her studies, and it was slowly beginning to frustrate her that she had to continue to disprove her ignorance. "Every new age is an Era, a new chunk of history."

"Yes. The F-first Era began when the Empress took the throne and began her rule. We are in the Fourth Era. The Second Era is the longest one, and it lasted for almost a th-thousand years." Sweetie Belle shook her head, almost as if even she couldn't believe what she had said. "And the woman opposing her is a reckless rebel who either didn't care to, or was unable to, p...p-protect her one notable ally. I have the f-fingers here to serve as proof. If these are your options, which would you have lead us? The Goddess that led our k-kingdom for longer than our f-families had names, and p-prospered? Or the desperate traitor who can't stop her f-friends from losing fingers?"

"I… I suppose I hadn't considered it that way…"

"Say what you will of the Empress' mean st-streak. You can call her c-callous and violent all you like. But she's the reason Equestria still stands, and you c-can't take that away from her. Greater men than us have tried and p-paid for their treachery. Luna is no different. And I hope, when the smoke settles, you're on the r-right side of the battle, Twilight."

"I assure you, I'm on the proper side." Even as Twilight spoke, she doubted whether or not that was true. Things had grown far more complicated in the past days. "I just… prior to this, I was too squeamish to watch my father butcher hogs for supper, when we were fortunate enough to have it. Now, I'm watching executions and finger-chopping. It's… Difficult."

"Make no mistake, T-Twilight. I don't usually enjoy watching p-p-pain and suffering," said Sweetie. After observing her ingredients again, she turned to face Twilight, concern sprawled across her ruined beauty. "But the world we live in is dangerous. Our k-kingdom has s-seen threats the likes of which you and I could hardly f-f-f… understand. Without the Empress, we may have f-fallen long ago. She may not be the ruler you want, but she's the one we n-need. Perhaps most importantly, she's the one we h-have."

Twilight mused over Sweetie's words, thinking over the wisdom she had been bestowed. Though Twilight wished otherwise, she reasoned that Sweetie had a few fair points. The Empress was powerful, prosperous, perhaps even undefeatable. Countless have opposed the Empress, and all who did fell in much the same way. Twilight imagined that, if she had been able to meet him, she would believe that the Empress took after her father. Just like King Solaris, the Empress persisted throughout many ages, surviving and prospering through their might and wit. Luna's ideal of Equestria was an attractive one, but how could she possibly achieve her goal?

If Twilight were to trust the word of the Empress, which she tended to do, then Luna had already doomed herself to eternal damnation in Chaos. Luna's Equestria was an impossible dream, and she may very well cause countless casualties in a fruitless chase to achieve it. Chatting with Sweetie Belle made Twilight consider the endgame for the first time since allying with Luna and her Children. How could she expect Luna to truly ensure the survival and protection of an entire kingdom, when her reckless streak had been shown and proven to be a detriment to her own cause?

Though Twilight hadn't said precisely why she had asked, she had to admit that Sweetie's advice gave her something to think on.

"I suppose you're right," said Twilight with a sigh. She still wasn't sure if she was making the right choice, but Sweetie certainly helped to clear her head and straighten her thoughts. Although, Twilight reasoned, there was still one side to the take that she had yet to hear. "Thank you. I just needed some… guidance, I suppose."

"You don't have to th-thank me for that. That's what f-f-friends do." Sweetie smiled that gnarled, damaged half-smile of hers. "If you ever need help, p-please don't h...h-h-h-h…"

"You'll be the first to know." Carefully, so as to not hurt her, Twilight embraced her friend. The two broke apart, and Twilight felt a smile creep to her lips. "I think we've got potions to mix, hm?"

"Then l-let's get to work."