The area around was full of green grass with some trees scattered here and there, all surrounded by a wonderful blue sky.
All of this did nothing but make Chrysalis even more angry that her plan failed, but her anger was forcefully pushed back by a stinging pain, bruises from the fall and burn marks from the magic Blast forced her to limp towards a tree and lie next to it to close her eyes and recover a bit.
Her nap is surprisingly cut short by somepony touching her leg; Chrysalis opens her eyes and looks at whoever dares approaching her and sees this stallion who is actually wrapping her wounds and taking care of her.
The audacity of this stallion, to actually get this close to her and not strike her down. Chrysalis is weak and could barely move, it is the perfect time for this pony to attack her and save his nation, maybe earn a praise and a medal from Celestia, but he instead is there, helping an enemy who tried to destroy his world as if nothing bad ever happened.
"W-who are you?" the Queen managed to say, to which the stallion just smiled and answered "relax, I know who you are but I mean no harm, you need to recover. Can you get up? My house is not far from here"
Chrysalis wanted to attack this pony, to kill him, be done with it and get back home to her hive; but she knew her strenght was never gonna be enough in this state and had no choice but to accept his help no matter how humiliating all of this is. "I...I can move..." she said getting up, but the pain of her bruises made her wince a bit. In a moment the stallion Picks her up, to her surprise, and carries her on his back; heading for the small road that lead deeper in the forest.
"HOW DARE YOU..."
Chrysalis was cut off "you're in pain, now let's go and get you a proper bed ok?" Chrysalis opened her mouth to speak then closed it without saying a word and laid on the back of this Pony. As much as she hated it he was right and she was better off listening to him.
In a couple of minutes he reached his house and gently laid the changeling queen on his bed, going off to pick some more medical supplies in a nearby cabinet. "why are you doing this?" Chrysalis asked to him,
he turned around and smiled "you are in need of help and I am not letting anyone suffer like that, not even you" Chrysalis looked better at him, he was an earth pony with a blonde mane, and a red cross as his cutie mark. It should have been obvious that he has a talent for helping others, no one casually approaches a wounded pony without knowing what to do
"you never told me your name anyways" the pony turned around and put a soothing lotion on her bruised chest "I'm Autumn breeze", he said smiling,
"and the real reason you helped me is?" Chrysalis asked again, sure to find the hidden reason.
"I told you Chrysalis, it's because you're hurt and need to recover". She couldn't help herself but smile a bit, beaten and bruised and helped by an earth pony, if the hive finds out about it they will never let her hear the end of it for sure.
"hmpf" she turned around in the bed to face the wall, and Autumn used the moment to look at her back as well "looks like you got the worst of it on the front, your back is mostly fine".
Crhysalis scoffed and turned to stare him down "don't diagnose me now, as soon as I am back in shape I'm killing you and leaving this place!".
Instead, he just smiled at her "of course, once you're healed you are free to leave", Chrysalis looked down and avoided his eyes, Autumn was there just to help her without any second meaning and she threatened him, but why was this feeling inside her? was it guilt? was this what guilt felt like? but no! she's evil! why would she feel guilty about anyting?
"I'm gonna go out and get some wood for the fire, you should rest try to sleep"
yeah, sleep, as if that was easy for her right now. with this new sensation clenching her heart and keeping her awake, "I am the queen of the changelings! I steal and feed on love! Cheating and betrayal are my bread and butter! I am not feeling guilty for what I said to that pony...but why I feel so bad?".
Chrysalis closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but alongside the weight on her heart came the memories of her swarm, of how they were all blasted away and scattered everwhere and the gripping to the heart became tighter "my young ones...I failed you all..."
at that moment the door swung open and Autumn breeze walked back in with some firewood and placed it next to the fireplace "how do you feel? want something to eat?"
at those words Crhisalys looked up at him "you know what we changelings eat Autumn"
he smiled warmly "so you call me by my name now?" the Queen growled a bit then looked down and dropped her crown on the ground. Autumn sat by her "what's wrong? I can see that something troubles you, let it all out"
Chrysalis sighed, having nothing to lose at this point "I failed them all, all my changelings are now dispersed who knows where and if they don't make it back to the hive in time they will starve before having access to the food reserves ... I am not worthy of being called queen".
The sudden warmth engulfing her body took her aback, she did not expect at all to recieve a hug, not from the pony she threatened some hours ago "s...sorry for....for before....I...", she did not know why those words escaped her mouth, nor did she know why they were now failing her all of a sudden, but Autumn still held her close and it felt kinda good, the tightness of the hug loosened the tightness in her heart.
"You don't need to apologize, you are still mad for what happened and I understand it, you did it all for your changelings after all".
Chrysalis did not hold back any longer and hugged him back, some tears falling from her eyes "I allowed this to happen, I had them all follow me in this endeavour and now look at me, beaten and bruised while my changelings are alone and scared and risk their lives and..."
His hoof blocked her mouth "you have nothing to blame yourself for, the changelings followed you because they were as sure as you that the plan would have worked and they trusted you enough to put their lives on the line. I cannot say what you did was good, but I know why you did it and it was the most selfless thing I have ever heard a changeling do" he smiled at her again "so for now allow yourself to be selfish and recover, you can't lead a nation in this state".
Chrysalis did not say a word as Autumn wiped her tears away, but she decided to follow his advice and be selfish, embracing him in another warm hug.
Author's Note
my first time ever writing something, criticism is welcome and more chapters will surely come.
Another night passed, this time Chrysalis slept a bit better and got up in the morning with a grumbling stomach "damn, I need to find some love".
From another room a nice smell filled the air. she smiled a bit and walked to the kitchen, where Autumn was cooking some veggies in a pan.
"oh, you woke up!" he said with his usual happy tone "feeling better?"
Chrisalys smiled "I am, thank you for asking." She the recolied visibly at those words, did she really thank him? a pony? what is happening to her? And what is that feeling inside of her? she did not have time to look for an answer, because her hunger disappeared and that was strange as well.
Chrysalis was sure to not have stolen love from anypony, yet her hunger satiated by itself without a reason.
"You should probably head out, some fresh air can do wonders" Autumn said with another smile "but remember to come bback so I can check on your wounds".
The Changling queen nodded and walked out, the fresh air surely would have helped her reason a bit better andfind out why her need for love disappeared the moment that strange feeling appeared.
Could that have been love? As soon as it appeared it vanishd, filled her stomach like a good meal usually does and as strange as it felt it was also kind of good, like a hug but on the inside.
"no way I am feeling love, for someone I barely know as well! it's just being stuck with him that messes with my brain".
Satisfied with her answer, Chrysalis continued her stroll in the forest, listening to the birds sing their morning songs and sat by a tree.
"but what was that feeling then?" Chrysalis sighed "I have to ask him, don't I?"
She got up from her tree and started back for the house, her mind full of thoughts and questions like never before. Questions about love and how it actually would feel to have it instead of just feeding on it, questions about that feeling from before and the most important question that filled her mind: will she be able to speak to Autumn about those feelings?
