Taking the Queen

There was still no sign of Spiceberry. He was no longer coming down to see her. It hadn't been a week separating them, and Chrysalis was growing very afraid, so much that she could smell her own despair. She was almost in tears at the thought of losing him forever.

As she heard hoofsteps approaching, she wiped her face with a rag, just in case she missed anything this morning. She knew that only two of Twilight's closest friends remained, and she had to wonder which one would come in today. Or perhaps it was Fluttershy again?

It was just Starlight this time. She was escorted by a single guard and nopony else. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "I haven't in a few days. I'm stuck in here, and nopony even comes to visit anymore."

"Well, you're at least going to see somepony today. First and foremost, Twilight has reinstated your shower privileges, and you're going to take one right now." Starlight unlocked Chrysalis from the wall. The most exercise she'd had in the last week was pacing in her cell. It would be nice to be able to wash, especially if that meant going outside for some physical activity.

Unfortunately, it was just a normal shower with no guests. Chrysalis did proposition the other mares, but Starlight had shot the idea down, citing that they had somewhere to be and didn't want to waste time. She did, however, allow one of them to help scrub her.

Immediately after the shower, her mane and tail were dried via a hot air blower, rather than the towels they usually used for a more complete dry, though it did need to be brushed again after. Still, they made it out in a timely manner. Rather than returning to her cell, Starlight brought Chrysalis up to one of the residential rooms. Chrysalis hadn't been here since the initial invasion years ago, when she'd shared a bedroom with Shining Armor, before spiriting him off to a separate building under the guise of being closer to the wedding planner's workspace.

"Now, I'm going to keep this guard posted outside the door," informed Starlight as they stopped in front of a closed room. "I expect you to be on your best behaviour in there. I'm not going to stick around and watch, as this will likely take the rest of the day, but if you need me, tell him, and he'll send for me. But do me a favour and don't need me. Prove to me that you don't need me to stick around and watch you forever." She patted Chrysalis' cheek and smiled. "Good luck."

As Starlight walked off, Chrysalis turned to the guard, who took a rather lax stance, leaning against the stone wall behind him. Deciding to play it safe, she knocked on the door. She didn't want to burst in before they were ready. "It's open!" called a muffled voice behind the door. She looked to the guard again, who motioned for her to just go in.

The door swung open and Chrysalis walked in, gently closing the door behind her. Dozens of swatches of cloth of every colour and texture imaginable flew around the room, trying to match up with photographs, but depending on the lighting, they changed up in a significant way.

"Just put them on the bed, there, and I'll sort through them later." Chrysalis knew that voice.

"Rarity, it's her," came another voice from the far corner of the room. Hidden behind a shelf had been Spike. He was much larger now than she remembered, but it had been quite some time.

"Hm?" Rarity turned around. She just stood there for a moment, staring, then turned around and threw several photographs and their attached fabric swatches into a bin. "Those most definitely will not work."

"Excuse me?" Chrysalis was very confused. "Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

"Stand on that platform," waved Rarity, not even turning around. "Spike, take some measurements."

There was no platform in the direction Rarity had indicated, but Spike was able to indicate its actual placement, by way of dragging it over to where Rarity had indicated, or a close approximation thereof. As soon as Chrysalis was up on the platform, he took all manner of measurements wordlessly, scrawling them down on a notepad as he went.

Just as he was done, Rarity approached with the remaining photographs, along with several loose swatches. "Spike, would you light some candles and close the shades? I want a very specific kind of light."

"I don't understand," admitted Chrysalis as Rarity pressed the fabric against her carapace. "This is an awful lot of prepwork. Do you often go through all of this before sex?"

"No, not at all, dearie," answered Rarity, tossing cloth after cloth away. "We're not doing that right now."

"We're not?"

"You were just cleaned, now you need to let me work."

"I feel I should inform you that I already have several dresses, and very limited wardrobe space."

Rarity grabbed Chrysalis by the jaw and turned her head so they were looking directly into each others' eyes. "This outfit, this singular dress that I'm making for you, is not something you're going to be wearing every day. It's going to be for very special occasions, such as tonight. Its use will mark your special occasions."

"Tonight?" asked Chrysalis. "What's happening tonight?"

Rarity cocked her head to the side. "Starlight didn't tell you?"

"No."

Rarity thought for a moment, then closed her eyes and smiled, releasing Chrysalis' jaw. "She must have intended that it be a surprise, then. You'll hear no more about it from me."

Oh, shit, Chrysalis thought to herself. If Twilight was planning a secret surprise for her, she didn't want to know what it was. It crossed her mind that Fluttershy had taken her complaint directly to Twilight, and she was about to be beheaded for her actions.

Her eyes darted to the door. Perhaps she could run? She was strong enough to fly now. She could disappear into the wilds, sneak onto a farm or something in the middle of the night, and cut the last of her bonds, then transform into somepony else and hide out with some family for the rest of her days. She'd developed humility here, perhaps she could be a farmer on the same farm she used to cut her binding?

Spike noticed she was trembling and placed a claw on her shoulder. "Don't be nervous," he said in a stoic tone. "This is all for the best, really."

Chrysalis said nothing. She just swallowed hard and kept shaking. Rarity had been brought in to make a spectacle of her execution.