Celestia leaned back on her throne. It had been a long day.

Not only had she been beaten by a parasite, she had let Canterlot be overrun by a species she had been enforcing as myth. It had taken at least fifteen huge magical feats to regain her dignity, although she knew her reputation had been dealt a severe blow.

Her horn still hurt from moving so many buildings, and the meticulous work of piecing her many shattered windows back together. With a sigh, she shook her head, the raised designs on her throne unbuckling her necklace with a practiced aim. The golden regalia clattered to the plush carpet, followed by her crown and four boots. She was, in simple terms, exhausted.

The Princess shifted, unfurling her wings so she could get more comfortable.

There was a light knock on the door, and Luna poked her head in the room. "Sister? There was a package found in... in the cell." Her voice trembled on the last few words, and she dropped the box inside the door before turning and cantering away, crying quietly.

Celestia levitated the find, silently feeling the same emotions. The death penalty had been exacted today: endangering civilians, kidnapping and impersonation, attempted assassination... it had added up to a deadly sum.

The Queen of the Changelings had been buried today.

Celestia had no plans to hunt down the rest of the Changelings; they had lost enough already. One had been reported in Ponyville, another had gone through a series of tests and sent to her student, and one was currently setting up a nest in one of the guest chambers, and was shaping up to be a loyal member of her court. There were many more who lay still among rubble and ruin, which would have to be counted and buried, the death count would have to be sent to the Changeling Empire, she would have to recollect her troops, deal with a lot of mental trauma...

With a much more saddened sigh, she unwrapped the shipping paper on the box.

As she peeled it away, she noticed thin strings of webbing hanging between the two materials, and turned the box a few times, disconnecting them.

Upon further investigation, she realized that the box was not actually a box, but a strangely angular cocoon. A thin sheet of paper was stuck to the surface, folded neatly and marked with the words To Celestia.

The Princess opted to read the letter first, and, after careful consideration, touched the cocoon to the throne, letting it hang there. She unfolded the paper, noticing how tarnished it was. The first thing she noted about the writing was that it seemed to be written in some kind of green ink. She tilted the sheet a few times, watching the letters shimmer.

With a burst of disgust that abruptly ended the shimmering, she realized it was Changeling blood. Chrysalis's own, she assumed.

She sat forward, a morbid curiosity making her read the smudged letters with ease.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I assume that upon your reading of this, I have been placed in the targets of your guard and have been killed. Be sure to comfort your sister - we both know she lived in a much more peaceful time - and take your time recovering. Now, as to the purpose of this message, I am sure you had forgotten me. In order to help you further, I have condensed my memories of the past seventy years - all but two months of my life - into a mindsight orb. This is a Changeling creation, so do not be shocked as to how it works; you simply sleep with it nearby, and a significant memory of mine will take the place of your dream. I have not censored or edited in any way, so do not be repulsed. If you must, feel free to shelve the orb for a while to recuperate.

Ah, I hear the execution bells. This shall be my final message. Goodbye.

Celestia quietly set the paper on the arm of her throne. She felt strangely cold, as if she was missing something. With a gentle tug, she levitated the cocoon, splitting it open. Inside was a small, unremarkable round rock. Celestia set the severed cocoon aside, gently setting the stone in her hoof.

When it touched her hoof, it shone a bit, turning into a light, shimmering gray, with a few green smudges swirling in the center.

Celestia passed the orb between her hooves, before setting it back in the cocoon for safekeeping. She closed her eyes, letting the cocoon stick to the soft spot hidden under her wing. She slipped her regalia back on, tilting her head back and taking a deep breath.

"Guards," she yelled across the large chamber, "I am ready for my first audience."

The golden doors opened, she glimpsed the feathers on her guards wings as they folded, and a pony came in. Celestia half-listened to his heated speech on how a group of Changelings had destroyed his house and how he wanted revenge, blah, blah, blah. Celestia nodded occasionally, and made a few little 'yes's, 'I agree's, 'uh-huh's, and the like. Eventually, he quieted down, and Celestia explained that the Changelings were being dealt with, where he could go to get appraisal for what he lost, and listed a handful of shelters and food banks.

The rest of her appointments were basically the same, excluding Luna's midday snack while her sister had lunch. Even the Princess of the Night couldn't get her sister to hold up conversation.

Celestia's mind was preoccupied with other matters, of which she had not shared. This was her burden to bear, of course. The orb had been sent to her, and her alone. She could not tell what it might have held, what she might find in her oncoming dreams. But she had no interest in leaving the stone to dust forever, however dark the images might become.

Tonight, she would learn Chrysalis's side.

Tonight, she would hear the voice of a dead pony.