Taking the Queen

Chrysalis didn't even want to open her eyes when she woke up. She'd passed out the one time she definitely could not afford to fail. How could she ever face Spiceberry again? After all he'd done for her; bringing her cider, taking her out on the town, giving her an inflatable butt plug and remote, and most importantly, believing in her when nopony else would. Even after all of that, she hadn't lasted the night.

As she curled herself tighter, though, she noted that this was not her bed, and there was something attached to her back left hoof. It wasn't the cable, but something heavier, like a boot. Perhaps a thicker cable to secure her to the wall? Thicker and shorter. She had been warned that she would suffer for her failure.

As she began to cry, however, she felt something; a hoof gently rubbing her shoulder. Her bed felt weird, too. Softer than usual. She opened her eyes and looked forward.

She was definitely not in her cell, but neither was she still in Cadance's room. She didn't recognise this place at all. At best, it looked like the room in which Rarity had made her dress, but less cluttered. It did have a few staples of her cell, such as her wardrobe and hamper, and her chair had been brought in, as well.

She placed her own hoof against the one on her shoulder, turning around to see who it was. Spiceberry smiled down at her. She squeezed his hoof, pulling it against her chest. "I'm so sorry."

He furrowed his brow. "What are you sorry for?"

"I failed to satisfy Princess Cadance," she sobbed.

"Oh, don't worry about that," he waved. "The entire Equestrian army could fuck her and she wouldn't be satisfied. You lasted two hours on your own. I wasn't expecting you to do the impossible. I was expecting you to show how much you've learned. You more than exceeded our expectations."

"I did well?" Chrysalis looked down at her hoof. There was no cable. There was instead a small box on a strap, fed through one of her holes and fastened tightly so as not to bounce around as she walked.

Spiceberry grabbed the box. "This is a tracker. There's still some distrust among the nobility and some disagreements between the princesses as for what to do with you. The princesses will always be able to find you with this, so don't think you can just run off, but if they grant you permission to go somewhere with or without a guard escort, you can move freely.

"Additionally, you've been granted a nicer room to stay in. This one even has a personal lavatory, so you can shower as often as you need to. The maids will come in and clean up for you regularly, but please treat them with respect."

"Why can't I stay with you?" she asked. "If I no longer have to stay in my cell, what's wrong with your place?"

He smirked. "I knew you'd ask about that. We're working on it, as my apartment falls outside of your allowed range right now, but if you behave, that can be expanded. Also, on Saturday mornings, I'm allowed to sleep here, so you'll see me regularly."

There was a knock at the door. "Is she up yet?" called Starlight's voice.

"Come on in," answered Chrysalis. "I've just woken up."

The door opened and Starlight came in, carrying the dress Rarity had made. It was now completely finished. "Did you hear the news?"

"I was just in the middle of telling her," answered Spiceberry. "But, since you have her dress there, why don't you tell her the rest? I was just coming to the ceremony."

"Ceremony?" Chrysalis cocked her head to the side.

Starlight held the dress aloft. "You're going to go before the princesses one more time. Except this time, you're to be fully dressed. They're going to tell you your boundaries, issue your work release, and explain the rules that will bind you until that ankle bracelet comes off."

Chrysalis looked back at the bracelet. She was still chained to the wall and couldn't leave, but her cable was longer than she would have hoped for. She hoped she would be allowed to at least leave the castle.

Chrysalis held her breath as Starlight fiddled with her mane. She was in her best dress, and her judgement was about to be passed down. Starlight had done everything she could to prepare her for it, but if her hooves weren't holding her up, they'd be shaking.

"Nervous?" asked Spiceberry, grabbing her wrist.

"W-w-why would I be n-nervous?" stuttered Chrysalis. "So much power in one room, all with their eyes on me. A flash of their horns, and I'm but vapour."

"Nonsense," huffed Starlight. "You'll be fine. Let's go."

The doors opened magically and the trio walked up the carpet. At the other end of the room sat five thrones. Celestia sat in the big one at the center, Luna and Cadance sat on either side, and on either side of Cadance sat Twilight and Shining in smaller, more movable thrones. Upon coming to the bottom of the steps, they bowed.

"Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings," called Celestia. "When you arrived in our dungeons, you had been charged with criminal acts too numerous to mention in a timely manner. Now, you stand before us, seeking parole."

This was not wholly true, but Chrysalis did not want to interrupt. Instead, she just stared at the floor.

"It is the will of this court that the damages that you caused be repaid. However, we are not without mercy. It would be unreasonable for you to undertake this task alone, especially as it is practically already done. Instead, we have decided to issue you a much more manageable task. All damages paid for by the Equestrian royal coffers has been tallied up, and you are to be assigned a mere ten percent of that. Until you have cleared this debt, you will be restricted to Canterlot with the exception of special assignments.

"You have your choice of options as to how to pay back this debt, with the stipulation that your method must be admissible under Equestrian law. In keeping with this, Starlight has offered up that you are an accomplished consort. There are a good many subjects here in Canterlot that would benefit from such a skill. It is suggested that you do so.

"Until such time as we decide to release you, you will be reporting to your handler. They will take care of your weekly expenses, as well as taking into account your profits, and sorting them out to ensure that you are making enough money to actually pay back your debt. Your initial handler will be Spiceberry, but will fall on the shoulders of Starlight should he prove unable.

"Finally, you have been granted access to a room within the castle. In order to maintain your claim on this room, you must comply with a few conditions. First, you must remain profitable. If you are a financial draw on Equestria, your right to the room will be revoked and you will be relocated to a cell in the dungeon. Second, you must consort with each princess at least once per week, excepting situations in which doing so is not feasible. They may, of course, refuse, in which case you are exempt for that week, and that week only. Cadance is the exception to this rule, as she is unlikely to be available all the time, but trips to the Crystal Empire can be arranged in the future.

"At current time, your maximum distance from your room is just inside the wall surrounding the castle grounds, with special permissions to stroll through the garden, as well. Until such time as we are to remove your tracking device, we shall reconvene once per month to decide whether or not your allowable distance has increased. That is all. You are dismissed."