All's Fair...

As Sombra’s eye drifted open, its pupil expanding then contracting to a fine slit, a fanged smile graced her muzzle. The brisk wind flowing through the window was refreshing, the sun peeked over the horizon, and her bed was exceptionally warm, though she stirred and lifted her head from its pillow. No matter how little she had on her schedule, a Queen’s work was never done.

She twisted in place, swinging her legs off the side of the mattress before placing her feet on the floor, and shivered. While it wasn’t unpleasantly cool, the harsh departure from an inviting bed was always marginally slightly jarring. Rising to her full height, she stretched her arms above her head and twisted in place.

So far as she could recall, there was nothing extraordinarily taxing she’d have to deal with. There’d doubtlessly be subjects bringing their petty, wholly meaningless complaints to her, seeking her intervention to settle squabbles or leniency on tithes owed, yet the number of grievances she’d received over the past months had gradually diminished. It was almost as if having a Queen ruling the Crystal Empire had made everypony’s life much simpler.

“Heh…” she chuckled as she turned and lumbered off to the bathroom.

Old habits die hard, and that was remarkably true for her. Upon her resurrection, she’d initially sought to pursue her goals the way she always had, with brute force and terror, yet she’d been gifted with the most divine inspiration imaginable. Since her old ways had never truly succeeded, leading to her failure time and time again, would it not be prudent to change tactics.

Peering down at her mountainous bosoms, she grinned. It truly was amazing what a voluptuous, seductive, and sultry mare could accomplish. A wink and a smirk could perform miracles, while honeyed words and sinful promises could make others move heaven and earth for her. She wouldn’t lament not changing her sex earlier, purely because the thought had never occurred, although the wondrous results of her little experiment had borne fruit beyond her wildest dreams.

She slowed as she entered the bathroom, turned, and looked to the mirror above her sink. There’d been a time when she would have found the sight of herself repugnant, yet she’d grown quite fond of her looks - so fond that the sight of herself brought an excited tingle to her loins. Clutching and gingerly squeezing her colossal breasts, she giggled.

It was no exaggeration to say she was a buxom, foreboding amazoness - a splendidly gravid one, true, but alluring all the same. Her tits were massive, her curves were deadly, and her distended belly, carrying not one but two foals, was a testament to her fertility. In a great many ways, she was the embodiment of maternity and menace, a force to be viewed with fear and reverence alike, and she’d finally - finally accomplished her lifelong goal.

Giving one udder-like rack a squeeze, she scrunched her snout as milk began to flow from her ebony teats. As much as she adored being a mare, both from the unimaginable amounts of pleasure her body was capable of and because of what it had yielded her, her new form wasn’t without drawbacks. She shook her head and released her bust while she shifted and stepped into the tub.

Where to begin? Becoming female had come with all manner of surprises, the overwhelming majority of which were pleasant, although her urges could be unbearable at times. When she’d been a stallion, the worst she had to deal with were unwanted erections and a short temper - sadly, those were things of the past. She’d assumed that being knocked up would curb her sexual appetite, sating her biological need to bear an heir or heirs for herself, yet that hadn’t been the case.

Ponderously leaning forward, she grunted when her ass bumped against the cold, unyielding tile of the wall. The weight she’d put on didn’t bother her, nor did the extra cushion she’d accumulated from her ravenous appetite, but libido - Abyss below, her libido had increased by an order of magnitude. Honestly, if mares normally contended with having persistent, obscene thoughts gnawing at them through every waking hour, she could forgive them for being as useless as they tended to be.

She straightened as she ignited her horn and turned the tap with her magic. Cool water rained from above, flowing down her rack, over her belly, and down to her heated, aching marehood. A hot shower would have been nice, although that would have done nothing at all to clear her head and shake the intrusive, whorish thoughts from her mind.

After the first time she’d seduced Shining into bedding her, making a spectacular mess of her cunt, she’d been hooked. The blissful fullness a thick stallionhood afforded, stretching her open while beating against her womb, was phenomenal. She’d always assumed that nothing could beat the feeling of conquering a mare, but she’d been wrong.

Subconsciously running her hands over her body, she closed her eyes and fantasized about her stud. Sorcery would ensure that birthing their foals would be a trivial affair, possibly even enjoyable, and she could hardly wait to repeat the experience. While she imagined how many offspring she’d eventually have, and whether they’d be mostly colts or fillies, the door silently opened.

She whipped her head to the side and looked back as a pair of big, strong hands came to rest on her shoulders. Nopony would have dared enter her chamber without her permission - nopony save one. Smiling up and into a pair of glimmering, deep-blue eyes, she rolled her hips back.

Shining was larger than he’d ever been, his figure sculpted meticulously by her arcane hand, and he’d become her champion and lover alike. Though she had no intention of marrying him, preferring to keep the shambles of his wedlock intact, he was as close to her husband as anypony would ever get. Backing up and pinning him against the wall, brought a hand behind herself and caressed his hip.

“I was wondering where you got off to,” she purred.

He grinned while leaning in and kissing her neck. “Duty calls…”

Tittering softly, she wiggled her tush against him. “Your duty is to me and me alone.”

“Mmmm,” he hummed, pecking his way up to her cheek. “How could I ever forget, my Queen.”

The satisfaction she derived from retaking her empire was only marginally surpassed by the gratification of claiming Shining as a lover. She’d molded him into the perfect stallion, making him larger, stronger, and vastly more potent than any mortal unicorn could ever be, and he belonged to her and her alone. While something hot and girthy slid up between her legs, her lips briefly met his.

Sensing her marehood wink, she pulled back. “I was trying to shower.”

“I know,” he flatly responded. “Do you not want my company?”

She faltered and pursed her lips. Allowing him to stay would ultimately result in them fucking, his mere presence straining her self-control, and that simply wouldn’t do - not currently. Though he was a mindless thrall, so enamored with her that she’d done away with the manipulative influence she’d initially cast on him, he couldn’t just strut in and have his way with her. As a matter of precedence, if nothing else, she had to rein herself in.

Locking eyes with him, she curled her lip. “Make yourself useful and fetch me my raiments. I’ll join you shortly.”

He didn’t question her as he stepped out of the basin, faced her, and gave a deep bow. “Yes, my Queen, of course.”

Though his voice lacked any trace of sorrow, she almost felt bad for him - almost. He’d been instrumental in her grand design, she was carrying his foals, and he was one of the largest pieces of leverage she had to keeping the Crystal Empire for herself. She truly did want to be with him and to make him happy, but she knew better than to pamper him too excessively.

Using her magic and hands to wash and rinse herself off, the remainder of her shower was brief and went without incident. Toweling herself down and sorcerously drying her luscious, flowing mane, she strutted back into her room. The ache was still there, compelling her to abscond from her duties for some fun, yet it had abated enough to let her function.

“The old standby ~ eh?” she quipped, seeing Shining holding the very outfit he’d first encountered her in.

His cheeks darkened slightly while he kept his eyes on the floor. “You…you wear it well, my Queen.”

“Of course I do, although variety is the spice of life,” she remarked as she took the attire from his hand. “This evening, after we’re concluded court, we’ll go shopping and I’ll permit you to choose some new apparel for me - of course, I’ll have to approve it beforehand, but consider this a chance to prove your sense of fashion.”

He straightened, his ears perked up, and a smile graced his muzzle. “I…I won’t disappoint you, my Queen, I swear it.”

Having wriggled into the garb, what amounted to little more than a sling bikini, a cape, and her crown, she strutted past him and drew a finger up his chin. “I should hope you don’t - now come, I’m sure there’s business to address.”

As she strolled out and into the hallway, with Shining trailing along behind her, a pair of guards snapped to attention and saluted her. Like her lover, neither of the soldiers wore an enslaving helm. There were those that required her to use unnatural means to assure compliance, but the overwhelming majority of her subjects and staff were happy to serve her.

Having ponies voluntarily tend to her and look up to her was novel and thrilling in equal measure. The royal guard adored her and admired their captain, her subjects, by and large, were content, and negotiations with Equestria at large had gone far smoother than she’d predicted - overall, she was overjoyed with how things had played out. Coming to an intersection, she halted and glanced over at a commotion just down the hallway.

“M…my apologies!” a maid squeaked while desperately smoothing her skirt.

Towering behind the servant, a praetorian adjusted his armor while sweating profusely. “W…we were -”

“Did I tell you to stop?” Sombra muttered.

The pair exchanged a look, smirked, then set upon each other like a pair of lecherous beasts. Such occurrences were commonplace both in and out of her castle, with ponies unshackled from the restrictive social norms that Cadance and Shining had imposed, and it was a source of great amusement for Sombra. Instead of having love as a foundational pillar, lust now served as the bedrock for the Crystal Empire.

She didn’t know the two ponies’ names, nor did she care to learn them, although they were free to act on their impulses - Tartarus, everyone was. As long as it didn’t interfere with one’s duties, her subjects could scratch their amorous itch when and where they wanted, and that was one key to her success. Leaving the duo to finish up and get some relief, she continued on her way.

In no more than a handful of minutes, she reached the throne room and saw herself inside. Her throne rested right where she’d left it, the walls and floor were spotless, and light shone in through the windows. Save for a slightly darker hue the crystalline structure had taken, a byproduct of her corruptive influence, the castle and city surrounding it were largely unchanged.

She glanced back and waved as she stepped up to her throne. “See them in.”

Shining nodded and disappeared through the doorway. Strangely enough, her biggest grievance with the manner in which she ruled was boredom. Things were so much simpler when she shattered the mind of her citizens, effectively turning them into obedient, organic machines, yet the freedom of her subjects was paramount. Had she acted the way she had in the past, breaking the Empire over her knee, she was certain that Celestia, Luna, and the Elements of Harmony would have crushed her ambitions within a fortnight.

Marching back into the cavernous chamber, Shining lifted and unfurled a scroll. “Queen Sombra, your first visitor is…” he paused while squinting at the paper.

Sombra eased herself onto the throne and got comfortable. “Is…?”

“The former Crystaller, Sunburst,” Shining concluded.

With a twinkle in her eyes, and twisted grin splitting her muzzle, Sombra waved a hand. “See him in.”

Prompted by a nod from Shining, Sunburst meekly entered and dipped his head. “Sombra…”

“Queen Sombra,” she softly corrected. “To what do I owe the honor of having such an acclaimed sorcerer in my court?”

Sunburst slowly trotted to her while removing and holding his pointed cap. “I…I just wanted to see it for myself…”

“It?” Sombra smoothly repeated. “Pray tell, what is this it you mention?”

There were dozens and dozens of things Sunburst could have been referring to, and she was gracious enough to let him elaborate - after all, he’d summoned the courage to travel from Ponyville to see her, and likely against Twilight’s wishes, so showing some patience was the least she could do. Checking her nails, she feigned disinterest. Something had prompted him to pay her a visit, although she was unsure of exactly what it could be.

“F…Flurry,” Sunburst mumbled. “Is Flurry alright?”

The question piqued Sombra’s interest instantaneously. “Flurry Heart?”

Sunburst nodded and inched closer to the throne. “Yes. I…it’s my understanding t…that Shining, Cadance, and the Empire have chosen to accept you as their Queen, b…but…”

“But what?” Sombra hissed, her hackles rising. “Do you assume I would mistreat a foal?”

“No!” Sunburst bleated. “N…no, of c…course not! It’s just - w…well, I worry for her.”

“Shining,” Sombra barked, “fetch young Flurry for me.”

Clasping a fist to his chest, Shining teleported away. She could understand why Sunburst would be concerned, given her illustrious track record, although his apprehensions were unwarranted in this case. While she would freely admit to being a monster of sorts, the days of her being a bane to Equestria were long past.

Uncertain of just how long her lover would take, and that Flurry was likely soundly sleeping, she turned her gaze back to Sunburst. “You’ll have to forgive me, foals are a touchy subject for me.”

Sunburst’s eyes widened as she drew a hand over the taut skin of her abdomen. “O…of course. May I?”

Following his gaze down to her belly, she snickered and began to laugh. “You’re exceptionally bold for somepony who was once my enemy. Yes, you may.”

Sunburst was no fool, and she highly doubted he’d do anything so rash as to try and harm her - even if he did, she could and would defeat him and make him pine for death. As she sat back and slid forward, he stepped up and warily extended an arm toward her. His touch was ephemeral, so soft that she barely felt it, but there was something about the smile that graced his face that moved her.

“Twins,” he noted. “A filly and a colt.”

“Indeed,” she affirmed while he backed away. “Sunburst, I’m not the pony I once was. My foals, as well as those in my kingdom, will be cherished and cared for.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Sunburst gave an anxious chuckle. “So I’ve heard. Is - um - is it true about Cadance?”

“Cadance is quite well - in fact, why don’t you see for yourself. Cadance, tend to me,” Sombra clucked.

As she spread her legs, a soft jingling noise rang from behind the throne. Showing was always a stronger alternative than telling, particularly because her word carried little weight with Sunburst, and she was always eager to display one of the crown jewels of her conquest. Keeping her eyes on her esteemed guest’s face, she smirked at his shocked expression.

“As you can see,” she continued, gesturing down at the former Princess, “she’s in good spirits.”

It took everything she had not to giggle like a schoolfilly when she looked downward. Cadance was a shadow of her former self, chained to the throne by a thick iron collar around her neck, and she’d long since abandoned any attempts at fleeing. Some ponies had taken to her rule differently than others, although none had fallen quite as far as the Princess of Love.

Waiting until Cadance peeked up at her, Sombra motioned with a finger. “Stand and greet our visitor.”

Cadance did as she was told, pushing herself up and turning to face the stunned sorcerer. “H…hey, Sunburst.”

“Cadance,” Sunburst breathed. “W…what happened to you?”

Shamelessly kneading her bare crotch with one hand, Cadance fondled one tit. “I found my way. Without all those pesky responsibilities to deal with, I can finally do what I want.”

“And what’s that, dear Cadance?” Sombra pressed.

“To be the royal broodmare, my Queen,” Cadance dreamily responded.

The exchange was delectable, so sinfully indulgent that it should have been illegal, and it made Sombra wetter than she already was. Cadance was nearly as pregnant as she was, carrying the bastard of one of the castle’s soldiers, and it wouldn’t be long before she birthed a proud warrior for the Empire. Remaining mute, she watched as the alicorn sauntered down and embraced Sunburst.

“So did you want to…” Cadance trailed off as she gradually knelt down.

No sooner was his pants unbuttoned than Sunburst jumped back. “N…no, t…that’s -”

“By all means,” Sombra goaded. “She’ll be more than happy to satisfy you.”

Shuffling forward, Cadance reached for Sunburst. “I always thought you were cute, Sunburst, did you know that?”

Though it felt like a lifetime since she’d been a stallion, Sombra could sympathize with Sunburst. Cadance was an attractive mare, as buxom and fertile as they come, and any stallion worth their salt would bed her in an instant. Now that the alicorn was liberated from her inhibitions, practically anypony could live out their fantasy by plowing one of the most attractive mares in existence.

Sunburst clenched his fists, in spite of the growing tent in his pants, and leered up at Sombra. “No thank you.”

“Your loss,” Sombra sighed. “Cadance, if you would…”

Spinning around, Cadance crawled between her legs, pulled her panties to one side, and began lapping at her slavering marehood. If Sunburst wasn’t willing to take the opportunity to blow off some steam, she would. The bliss of being eaten out was elevated by the look of barely restrained want in the stallion’s eyes, and she savored it like a fine wine.

Sombra casually swung one leg over the arm of her chair, while placing the other on Cadance’s shoulder. “Shining should be - Mmmmn - back shortly. How have things been going with that little marefriend of yours?”

“Starlight?” Sunburst coughed. Blushing heavily, he looked away. “She’s…she’s not my marefriend, but she’s been doing well.”

“Pity,” Sombra scoffed, “although that’s all the more reason to consider extending your visit and spending some quality time with Cadance.”

Listening to the conversation, Cadance flagged her tail and invitingly waggled her tush. Sunburst peered longingly at the alicorn’s rump and swollen marehood, while the bulge in his slacks became more noticeable. He may have feigned disinterest, but his stallionhood betrayed him.

Sombra went to press the matter, more interested in getting a show and watching Sunburst fuck his past employer than solving the inconsequential matters of her subjects, and paused as a flash of light and Pop of displaced air drew her attention to the side. The sound of hushed whining resonated within a piece of her soul and evoked a curious mixture of sensations. Her mood brightened, her heart skipped a beat, and began to spontaneously lactate while she twisted in her seat.

Taking Flurry into her arms and bringing the filly to her chest, she turned back to face Sunburst. “Like I said, she’s as fit as a fiddle and as happy as can be.”

Flurry hungrily suckled on her teat in response. She understood that her adopted daughter was old enough to be weaned, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it. While the appeal of being nursed upon wasn’t lost on her, filling her with a profound sense of motherly joy, there was another element at play; alongside immeasurable happiness, the act titillated her immeasurably. Hooking a heel to the back of Cadance’s head, she ground her cunt against the deposed Princess’ face.

While she writhed in place, basking in the heady cocktail of her carnal desires and maternal bliss, her eyelids fluttered. This was how things should be, her on her throne while her vassals saw to her every need. Glancing sidelong at Shining’s groin, she drew her tongue over her lips.

“It was a pleasure having you, Sunburst,” she muttered, envisioning Shining’s stallionhood sliding down her throat, “but you’ll -”

“Mmmm,” Flurry hummed, pulling back and peering up at her.

Peeing down at the small filly, Sombra cocked her head. “Yes? Do you have -”

“M…mama…” Flurry cooed.

A hush fell over the room, everypony went motionless, and Sombra’s jaw went slack. She viewed herself as a surrogate mother for Flurry, having taken over care of the foal from Cadance some time ago, yet she couldn’t have predicted she’d earn the title so quickly. In an unforeseen twist of fate, the silence was broken when Cadance whined and trembled.

Sombra turned a baleful eye to the alicorn and went still. There was no mistaking it, the puddle of juices on the floor beneath the mare erased any doubt, Cadance had just cum. The climax was the ultimate capitulation, a surrender that was so ignominious that it took her aback, and it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. With her sex-drive roaring, fed by the knowledge that she truly had robbed her foes-turned-playthings of their daughter, she placed her feet on the floor.

“Since you came specifically for her, entertain Flurry for a while and leave us,” she commanded.

Sunburst hesitated for a moment before trotting up and taking Flurry from her clutches. “W…where do -”

“Guards,” Sombra barked, “escort Sunburst to the nursery

With a pair of centurions marching up and taking Sunburst by the shoulders, she leveled her focus at Shining while pushing Cadance away with a heel. To Tartarus with it - the peasants and her other obligations could wait until she’d gotten a bit of satisfaction. As she spread and lifted her legs, Shining stepped around and unfastened his belt.

“Oh no,” she tutted, seeing Cadance shuffling to the side of the throne. “There’s plenty for you to do, you know that.”

Moving around and behind Shining, Cadance helped him remove his pants. She may have been forbidden from getting any real action from him, only being allowed to be plowed by commoners, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t take part in the action. She acted with care and purpose, tossing his pants aside after he’d stepped out of them, and brought her hands up to his hips.

Sombra placed her ankles in Shining’s hands as he stepped forward and brought his colossal endowment to bear. “I don’t believe he’s showered this morning, so do make sure he’s nice and clean…”

Cadance’s muffled reply, stifled by her husband’s meaty buns against her face, was music to Sombra’s ears. She’d become quite partial to using the Princess of Love as an assistant of sorts, slurping the foal-batter out of her cunt after she’d been bred, and it was just one more way to keep the mare in her place. Clutching the back of her chair, she lifted her waist and rubbed her sex against Shining’s cock.

She should have known that things would shape up like this, but it hardly mattered. Given that there had been times when she conducted court when he was serving her in a less than official capacity, it was hardly a secret that Shining was her lover and personal stud. Gazing at her bust, he went to lean in, stopped himself, and peeked up at her face.

“Yes?” she inquired.

Glancing down to her tits, he touched the tip of his length to her entrance. “May I?”

“You may,” she demurely answered.

He was upon her in an instant, latching to her teat while cramming his length into her. The two-fold sensations of being penetrated and having her breast sucked set her mind alight and drew a pleased moan from her. Having gone a full night without getting milked, and already lactating heavily, having the load on her bosoms lightened was essentially unavoidable - at least, that’s what she told herself. Clenching around Shining as he bottomed out, she held his head to her chest.

Rolling his hips back and freeing a portion of his inconsiderable length, he started thrusting. Each plunge was marvelous, in large part due to the sheer enormity of his stallionhood, and the way he vehemently swallowed mouthful after mouthful of her milk was exquisite. Folding back as far as her gravid state would allow, she listed to one side.

Being rutted by her stud never failed to please her, although knowing that Cadance was reduced to a glorified fluffer and foal-factory for her kingdom tickled the most sadistic parts of her mind. Running her fingers through Shining’s mane, she beamed. Everything was as it should be - well, almost.

“Harder,” she growled.

Shining hummed around her nipple as he obliged her. Each plunge came harder and faster than the last, elevating her rapture while his thick medial ring scraped against her g-spot. The feelings a mare’s body afforded were indescribable, vastly superior to anything she’d ever experienced as a stallion. If she’d had the slightest idea that becoming female would be as breathtaking as it was, in addition to resulting in her successful acquisition of the Crystal Empire, she would have done so much, much earlier than she had.

Closing her eyes, she fantasized about the magical moment she’d been impregnated. There weren’t many occasions that she dwelled upon, but damned if getting knocked up wasn’t one of them. She’d all but the moment of conception, visualizing Shining’s seed taking root in her fruitful womb, and she could hardly wait to relive it.

She mewled and came at the thought of giving birth and being inseminated again. Her pregnancy had been an adventure unlike any other, her body slowly changing and growing heavy with foal, but next time would be different. Now that she knew what to expect, with what little trepidation she’d held gone, she’d truly be able to appreciate every day of her impending motherhood.

Rearing back, Shining wrapped his lips around her unsuckled breast. He’d always been a phenominal mate, delivering ecstasy that exceeded anything from her past life, and his ability to satiate her had only improved as time had gone on. Knowing inside and out, he hit every weak point she had while he hastened his pace.

Her initial climax had only just begun to subside when she was stricken with a second, even more potent orgasm. Shaking her legs free and locking them around his waist, she shuddered and bellowed at the top of her lungs. Her rapture was a familiar melody within the castle and those with a keen ear outside, and was a reminder to everypony of what she’d claimed.

On and on Shining went, railing her with every ounce of his augmented strength and unfettered resolve to appease her. She came over and over again, contented in ways that only a mare could comprehend, as his cock throbbed and bludgeoned her cervix. Soon - soon he would bring life into the world, something she wouldn’t have assumed she’d ever do, and her stud would be right there alongside her.

Shining detached from her tit and craned his neck up at her. She shot forward and kissed him, realizing how close he was by his flaring stallionhood, and sank her tongue into his muzzle. It may have been because of the slight alterations to her mind, but she’d developed a penchant for making out while getting a fat load of cum pumped into her.

With their tongues entwined, they crossed the threshold together. Shining tensed from head to toe, hilting her as he fitfully bucked his hips, while she cried into his snout. Dipping her head lower, felt but unseen by either of them, Cadance lapped up the mixture of marish nectar and seed seeping from Sombra’s spasming, stuffed pussy.

“Fuck,” Sombra groaned, thowing herself back and draping her arms to her sides. “You have no idea how much I needed that.”

Giving her a peck on the cheek, Shining rose up and loomed over her. “As always, it was my pleasure.”

“I know,” Sombra snickered while drinking in the sight of him. “Go and inform everypony that I’ll be ready momentarily.”

Shining gave a slight bow as he shied back and hauled his pulsing shaft from her depths. Most mares detested when a stallion pulled out while still flared, from what she’d heard, although she adored the intensity of it. Wincing and grunting, she bore down and sent a deluge of jizz surging from her gaped marehood.

Cadance didn’t even budge, her mouth agape to capture and swallow down the tide of spunk. The sight of her old foe gulping down her husband’s cum was the cherry on a deliciously depraved cake, but she wasn’t quite finished yet. Waiting until the alicorn went to tidy up her nethers, she held up a finger.

“Do you…” Cadance cut herself off as Sombra’s lip curled.

Closing her legs, Sombra nodded to the door. “Go tend to Sunburst.”

As the chain connecting her to the throne was unclasped, Cadance hung her head. “Yes, my Queen.”

“And be assertive,” Sombra added. “I don’t want you in my sight without his essence leaking out of that well-used cunt of yours ~ am I understood?”

Standing up, Cadance curtsied. “It would be my honor.”

Sombra dipped her head and waved at a guard by the door. “Send them in now.”

Should somepony be reckless or perverse enough to remark on the pool of cum she was sitting in, she would order them to take Cadance’s position and wash her with their tongue. As the second of what was in all likelihood many guests sheepishly entered the throne room, she extended her arms in greeting and smiled broadly. She’d learned much through her life, including several things that were unexpected, although there was one fundamental, immutable fact that she held dear - it was good to be Queen…