Everypony deserved a second chance.
From the highest lawmakers, to the lowest constables, the law was finite and absolute. It was blind, fair, and reasonable. Should a pony be punished, it was well within the right of the accused to be granted a second chance at freedom and redemption after they paid their debts to society. No matter the offender, anypony could atonement for their sins.
When Fluttershy finished scouting the Everfree for animals one night less than a week after the royal wedding, there was no means of expressing her surprise when she encountered none other than Queen Chrysalis herself. Weak and wounded, she couldn't even stand, let alone walk. The holes that adorned her form, a sign of her race's steady starvation, had grown to consume most of her body. The forest itself had done its damage and great slashes covered most of her weakened chitin.
For a while, Fluttershy pondered the consequences. If she turned in the queen to the authorities, she'd be punished for her crimes, but not likely survive the trip to Canterlot. There was still one other option. The humane option.
The days were little more than keeping her hydrated and changing her bandages. Chrysalis was in and out of her fever dreams most of the days and babbled nonsense. Despite Fluttershy's constant and attentive care, she was progressively worsening. Changelings needed the one thing she could give but was scared to.
There were still other complications, most noticeable how her friends discovered she'd disappear into her cottage for hours on end. She's cancel dinner dates, picnics, and her weekly spa treatments with Rarity in an effort to keep Chrysalis breathing for one more day. Contagion and sickness were her go-to excuses, but even that would not hold under scrutiny for long. Eventually somepony would discover the secret.
But no matter what, no matter the bounty on the queen's head, she could abandon her or turn her over until she had recovered enough for travel. Chrysalis' night were consumed with chills and delirium. Lying on her spare bed, she was as helpless as her most wounded animals. How the mighty had fallen. Where once she commanded an army, here she was little more than an invalid.
Still deserved the chance.
That single thought propelled Fluttershy's efforts. She deserved the chance. Who was she to decide who was worthy of death? Even through inaction by turning her over to the authorities, she'd never survive the trip. She deserved the chance. Everypony deserved a second chance.
Even if they squandered it.
It took almost a week for her fever to break and regain some semblance of consciousness. Of course the queen tried to run, but those hallowed, earthy walls, didn't even need to be locked. It was pitiful the way she started crying and begging. The desire to feed had become so great, she pledged she would become anyone Fluttershy wanted for just the tiniest morsel of love.
Second chances.
A starving queen desperate enough to attack a kingdom to survive. When driven to such an extreme, it was easy to lose track of one's moral compass. Even as Fluttershy approached the queen, the only request she made of her charge was to not change her form at all.
Fluttershy admitted that the first time they rutted wasn't that good, but it was enough to help stabilize Chrysalis' condition. She expected the experience to be somewhat gross and disgusting, but she possessed all of the same sexual organs as any mare. Trying to prevent any harm to her charge took most of the gratification out of the encounter, but she was still far too weak to endure a traditional rutting. Still, Fluttershy lost track of time as their bodies intertwined, the sweat from her own body intermingling with the queen's. The strong musk of her own arousal was soon joined by the queen's in a gentle dance of rubbing and moans.
The experience was far more draining than Fluttershy had anticipated, but that was expected when she was allowing an empath to feed off of her love. Fluttershy could see the vitality return to the queen's features. Her chitin, once almost a milky grey, had gained a solid black hue.
Oddly, the queen was quiet for the rest of the night and the following day. When she hadn't dipped back into sickly dreams, Chrysalis watched her calmly. It wasn't until the sun set that she asked why Fluttershy was willing to go through so much trouble to take care of her. The answer came to her readily, that everypony deserved a chance to redeem themselves. And because she needed it.
Fluttershy expected some sort of reprisal of quick-witted remark, but was met with nothing but silence. Chrysalis said nothing for the rest of the day even while under the spell of her fragmented dreams. Later that night, Fluttershy had to ask if she required more love to recover.
It became a nightly occurance then, wrapped up in each other's hooves, moist marehoods kissing each other as both parties panted for breath. On their fourth session, Fluttershy was surprised when Chrysalis pulled her head close and embraced her in a deep kiss. The changeling's forked tongue caressed her own, but it was not a battle for dominance. There was something slow and careful, almost grateful, to the queen's movements as they ground their heated flesh together in carnal satisfaction. Fluttershy, due to the queen's sickness and wounds, was normally on top and ground her own marehood into the changeling's leg. She felt her other leg touch a damp spot close to her thigh every time.
Fluttershy wasn't sure where it changed, but she was certain it did. It did start as something little more than healing the wounded queen, but their nightly lovemaking became something more. Actual lovemaking. She found herself almost looking forward to the sunset and she'd join Chrysalis in her bed. Even the queen's demeanor improved a smile broke out whenever the pegasus entered the room. Everytime left her drained beyond belief, yet she felt content in the queen's embrace.
Soon enough the queen was strong enough for travel. It was a day she had been dreading for some time. She had to report her to the authorities, or at least Twilight. Chrysalis had to have detected the change in her mood, being an empath. Her wounds were mostly healed, but Chrysalis asked for one more thing: one last night to remember her by.
One more night of passionate embrace, of soft kisses and and the dual thrumming heartbeats pulsing as one. Chrysalis spent most of their time either kissing the mare or nibbling her throat. Fluttershy shuddered every time those fangs grazed her throat, but the queen never performed the killing stroke. Legs intertwined around her back, the queen seemed desperate for closeness and intimacy.
Fluttershy could feel a light splash against her legs as Chrysalis moaned her release. Fluttershy wasn't too far behind, but continued their slow pace of kisses and muted breathing. Their first few lovemaking sessions were quick and dirty in order to give the starving queen the meal she needed. Now they took their time and to enjoy their tender moments together.
It wasn't much longer until Fluttershy squealed with her own release. She could feel Chrysalis' hot breath on her throat. As her body weakened with orgasmc release, she felt the distinct draining feeling as Chrysalis began to feed. Fluttershy expected her take the usual amount, but the feeding continued. Fluttershy's strength left her and soon she was limp in the queen's legs.
Her body was rolled off the hard chitinous hide. Fluttershy thought she heard quiet sobbing as she tried to lift her legs. Whether it was from herself or the queen, she did not know. She was by no means drained enough to cause permanent damage, but she wouldn't be going anywhere for several hours in her weakened state.
Fluttershy felt raw fear as she heard the approaching hoofsteps and was rolled over. There she saw the eyes of the queen looming over her, fangs peeking past her lips. She lowered her head until they were snout to snout. She could easily kill her with those fangs, or simply drain every speck of emotion from her.
She felt soft lips press against her own, a taste she had come to enjoy. It was nothing more than a peck. Nothing that promised further romance, but was simple and pure in its meaning.
The pegasus felt hot splashes on her face. As Chrysalis moved away, Fluttershy saw hot tears streaking down her face.
"I'm sorry."
They were her only words as she opened the door and left with nothing but a backwards glance at her caretaker. Her hooves froze at the door when she looked at Fluttershy on the floor. The queen's legs were shaking and Fluttershy could see indecision tearing across her face, the desperate desire to stay in another's warm and loving embrace.
She soon stealed her nerves, and said something as she left. Fluttershy wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear it, but she did nevertheless. Regardless of her parting words, Fluttershy was soon left alone with nothing but the fading smell of the queen to keep the memory alive.
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