Overhead, pegasi and changelings dueled. Far below, the finest unicorn-mage graduates of the Twilight Sparkle school of magic, my school, held open a breach in the hive’s shieldspell. Chrysalis learned from her defeats. It was her most endearingly annoying trait.

“Aphrodite, Ishtar, Hathor-” Chrysalis chanted at the summit of her hive-tower, whilst her swarm lined the walls below, a buzzing chorus to their Queen’s solo.

My spellbolt struck the sickly-green energy swirling at the center of the ritual.

Fiat lux.

Pegasi and changeling alike dove, as rainbows arced like blown kisses from tower to sky. Polychromatic lightning danced downwards, the touch of a brutal lover against the tower's curves. It groaned and sagged alarmingly. Beneath us, the exodus began on gossamer wings.

“Twilight,” Chrysalis cried my name, and I shivered from tip to tail. “How did you do that!?!”

I just loved the way she looked when I frustrated her plans.

“You didn't honestly think I was going to let you finish, did you?”

“That shouldn't even have been possible,” Chrysalis snapped. Her wings buzzed. No takeoff. Appealing to divine forces had taken a lot out of her, and the goddess who answered hadn't been the pony she’d expected. “The divine magics of the lovespell should've repelled merely equine arcane forces.”

“Well,” I fluffed my wings, “I am a Goddess,” and dear Celestia, it felt good. Not just being a Goddess, but acting like one. Raising an army of followers. Leading them to victory. Celestia hadn’t helped. It felt like growing up. “Now, this Goddess will accept your surrender,” the smirk spread slowly across my face. “Unless you'd prefer not to...”

I left the threat of stomping her like a bug unsaid.

“Your terms?” Chrysalis asked, stamping her hoof. “I will not line my changelings up for execution.”

“I wouldn't,” I blurted, as the shudder ran to the tower’s foundations. How could she think I'd ever... “I-I’ll guarantee your changelings the protections of Equestrian citizenship , until your departure,” for the Badlands, their return to hibernation and the death of Chrysalis’s ambitions. “They can even keep their Queen,” I offhoofedly tossed in the sweetener. Picking a replacement would be a pain in the horn. Besides... Chrysalis wasn’t a bad leader.

The tower lurched. I glanced down. The stream of fleeing changelings had slowed to a trickle. As I watched, it ceased altogether.

“I'll take it. We surrender.” There was no lie in any facet of Chrysalis's eyes.. “Throw in a lift?” She buzzed her useless wings.

The abused building collapsed.

Chrysalis had barely begun to fall before my hooves slipped beneath her barrel and tipped her into my forelegs. My wings pumped, bearing us aloft, but she wasn’t half as heavy as I’d expected. Needed fattening up a bit, I thought, sweeping us around towards where my ponies were beginning the process of accepting the surrender of her changelings.

---

It'd been a great victory, and it'd been mine, all mine. I’d wrung the secrets of the changeling library from their Queen herself despite her aggravating, extended resistance. She’d only delayed her exile.

Then Chrysalis had demanded Celestial arbitration.

Princess Celestia, a twinkle in her ancient eyes, ruled that the terms of Chrysalis's surrender – my terms – granted the changelings the rights of Equestrian citizens until they left. Which meant I couldn’t exile them, which meant they didn’t have to leave.

I’d also agreed they kept their Queen. Celestia could’ve overruled me. Instead, she said I was no less a Princess-Goddess than she, my judgement infallible, my treaty irrevocable.

There was only one way Chrysalis could become Equestrian royalty - and Cadance was already married.

Even in defeat, maybe even in the instant of being outfought, she’d outthought me. It was impressive, really.

I wondered if she’d be as impressive tonight.

Our wedding night.

Purple is a good colour for concealing blushes.

Rarity had done a phenomenal job with Chrysalis’s dress. Something long and flowing that emphasised her sleekness, her femininity. Pearlescent ribbons danced through her cavities, matching those in my mane. She looked healthier than she had even a few short months ago. Better fed.

I don’t remember walking down the aisle. Maybe I teleported?

“Do you, Queen Chrysalis Xenomorphis, take this mare to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” Chrysalis said.

“Do you, Princess Twilight Sparkle Equestris, take her to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Did I?

“I-”