Heart Of Fire: Regal Rebirth

CHAPTER FIVE:

A LOYAL SERVANT

   Silence filled the cottage in the night hours, everypony was fast asleep, the Crusaders shared a bet in the guest room, Cream slept in her own bed and Blazing and Chocolate were wrapped in each others hooves as they were both asleep.

   Chocolate stirred in her sleep and rolled over in her husbands forelegs, she opened her eyes and saw a pair of blank blue eyes staring at her. Wide eyed, she fought back the urgs to scream, stuffing a hoof in her mouth until she was calm.

   "What are you doing here?!" She hissed in a hushed tone. The changeling before her lowered his head in a respectful bow.

   "I am here to serve you my Queen." He said. Chocolate blinked.

   "What about my mother?" She asked. "What about Chrysalis?" She already knew the answere to her question, she just hoped against the odds.

   "My Queen, the former Queen passed away justa few hours ago." He explained. "Did she not present you with your name?" Chocolate's heart sank. Chrysalis had named her Queen Arcous only hours ago before fading into myst, and now she had a changeling claiming to be her servant? "Queen Arcous?"She changeling asked, this only confirmed Chocolate's fears hearing her subject call her changeling name. She had indeed been coronated as Queen.

   She slowly slipped out from under her husbands forelegs, off the bed and lead the other changeling away from the bed. She then met his gaze with a concerned look. "What about the other changelings?" She asked. "Where are they and what are they doing?"

   "They await not far from here in the forest for you to return and lead us, my Queen." He explained. She nodded once at this news, fearing the worst.

   "I am sorry child, but I've already told Chrysalis I'm not leaving this life." The changeling looked up in great disappointment. "But, what are we to do without your guidance, my Queen? The others will grow restless wihout you."

   "Please don't make this any more hard on me." She stated. "I have a husband and daughter, I can't just leave them."

   "S-should you comman, we will serve you, the King and the Princess." He stated, desperation in his tone. His words wormed her, hearing her husband being called a King. "Please, my Queen... we need you." Chocolate thought for a moment of what she wanted to say.

   "Do you wish to have a name, child?" The changeling arched a brow at this, then nodded his head unsurely. "Then I shall call you, Servus." Servus bowed his head in gratitude. "Now Servus, go to the others and explain to them my situation, have them go and maintain quiet lives for a while in order to feed while I decide on what to do."

   "I shall do as you command, Queen Arcous." He replied with a deep bow, then left the room quietly as to not disturbing the others in the house. Chocolate sighed as she let her head drop toward the floor.

   "And just what was he doing here?" Came Blazing's voice. Chocolate looked up at him, startled by his voice. He was sitting up on his side of the bed staring at her with a raised brow.

   "Baze, honey, h-he was just here t..." She started to explain before being cut off.

   "... to plead his loyalty to you and take you away from your family." He said flatly as he hopped of the bed and began walking toward her.

   "I'm the one in charge of them, not the other way around." She stated, her bottom lip trembling. "I thought I could buy us some time so we cou..." She was silenced by his hoof.

   "Sweetheart, I know you mean well." He said reasuringly. "We'll figure this out together. You, me and Cream, all as a family." Tears streamed down her cheeks. He pulled her into his forelegs and she wrapped hers around him, quite sobs escaping her throat. He guided her to the bed and helped he under the blanket hen trotted around and pulled himself under the coveres.

  Just then, the door opened, the two looked over and saw Cream standing in the doorframe, a look of high concern on her face. "I felt mommy scared and upset." She said. "Is she okay, daddy?" Chocolate sniffled as she whiped her tears from her face with a hoof.

   "Mommy's okay sweetheart." Chocolate answered as she held a hoof out to her daughter, she ran up and jumped onto the bed and squeezed her way in between her parents, who pulled the blanket over her and each planted a kiss on her forehead before laying theirs down on their pillows. Soon the trio were fast asleep in each others compony.

   The next day started out like any other day, the only thing different was Chocolate was les cheery then she usually was and the girls noticed. After asking a few times Blazing intervined telling the girls that Chocolate hard a rough night sleep and was just a little tired, the girls excepted this and continued he day playing games with their new member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

   It was well afternoon now and all was going fine until a nock came at the door. Chocolate and Cream transformed to the pony forms as Blazing trotted up to the door and opened it to find a grey unicorn with black mane and tail looking up at him.

   "Can I help you?" Blazing asked.

   "I am here to serve my Queen." He stated with a single nod of his head. Blazing blinked at this, he looked back to his wife, who showed an exprssion of fear, Cream hugging her legs with the same exprssion on her face. He looked back at the unicorn with a faked mile.

   "I think you have the wrong house, my friend." He said as he began to close the door only to have it stopped by a hoof.

   "No, there is now mistaking. My Queen is here." The unicorn pressed on.

   "Who are you?" Blazing asked.

   "I am Servus, Queen Arcous' loyal servant."