This was my first time drawing Chrysalis, even if it was just a bust for this family tree. I’m obsessed~

**Also a small reminder that in my verse, changelings didn’t just steal pony’s identities to feed off of love. They would also kidnap and murder creatures to keep a disguise long-term and if hungry enough, are known to suck life essence out of others, leaving nothing but a drained corpse.**

Shining Armor and Cadence’s relationship went all the way back to attending school in Canterlot, where a rather stereotypical (but classic) story played out: a jock falls in love with a cheerleader. Shining was a popular stallion, trying out every sport he could and branching out even farther, also a part of the chess club. Princess Cadence, who was still gaining control of her own magic as a (fairly) new alicorn, wanted nothing more than a normal life. She was part of the cheer squad at her school and somehow balanced school, practice, tutoring from Celestia, and babysitting for a well-known Canterlot family. Shining Armor and Cadence’s paths crossed very often, as most usually do in school, and Shining couldn’t help but be completely enamored with the mare, especially when she started babysitting his little sister. He made plenty of excuses to talk to her whenever she was around, either asking for homework or joining Cadence and Twilight while they played a game. Shining wasn’t very subtle, but he tried. And when he finally asked her out, she was more than happy to accept. The two became an “it” couple, always bringing snacks or water to each other during practices, leaving little notes in the other’s locker, and becoming Prom King and Queen. Their relationship stayed strong after they graduated and started living their adult lives, always making sure to find time for each other somehow.

After Shining Armor was promoted to Captain of the Royal Guard, he felt that the two were in a place to move forward in their lives. He proposed in front of their family and friends, having planned everything with them months in advance. They were both so excited to be married, but everything had to be put on hold when there was rumors of changeling activity in the city. Even for changelings this was seen as a bold move, and extra security measures were taken to protect the royals and their subjects in Canterlot. It didn’t take long for Shining to grow tired of putting off their wedding and he insisted that they could handle both the changeling activity and the preparations for the ceremony and reception, and Cadence hesitantly agreed, worried that he wouldn’t be able to keep full attention on both. She never managed to tell him her concerns, because the next night she was kidnapped by Queen Chrysalis, who had been disguised as her hand-maiden for the past week.

Everything proceeded as normal, with Shining Armor glad that he was finally going to start a new life with his one true love. Chrysalis couldn’t believe how easy it was to dupe the Captain of the Guard into thinking that she was Cadence. She used such strong love to grow close to him, becoming physically intimate in order to fertilize a royal egg clutch, which could only be done once a blue moon. She succeeded in preparing her eggs for hatching, but Twilight and her friends exposed her and released Cadence before she could take complete control of Canterlot. Her hive destroyed sections of the city, showing how many of their population had been taken, killed, or had gone missing and been replaced by changelings. Chrysalis and her followers were ejected from the city with a strong magical blast that injured and killed changelings on the way out. The Changeling Queen escaped back to her hive outside of Equestria, injured in both body and pride, believing her royal egg clutch had been destroyed in the blast. Little did she know that one egg survived, by the compassion of the princess she imprisoned. After plenty of debating and hard discussions, Cadence and Shining Armor decided to take in the grub as their own, Shining naming her Persephone Sparkle (and nicknamed Flurry Heart by Cadence after her Crystalling).

While their first child together was rather unconventional, they did the best to keep their family as normal as possible. Cadence, even when she struggled with her own emotions, made sure Persie knew how loved she was by both parents. And barely a year after Persephone had been taken in by them, it was clear Cadence was pregnant. Everyone was overjoyed by their news, but Persie was worried that she would no longer be the center of attention. She warmed up to her baby brother Boreal Dusk eventually, especially when she learned the more she helped with taking care of him, the cuter she looked to her family and castle staff. A few years later, when shining Armor and Cadence believed their family was ready, began trying for another child. It didn’t take long before the queen was expecting again, this time giving birth to a girl, who they named Platinum Shield. Persephone enjoyed having a little sister much better, if only because she could play dress up with the her without Boreal causing a fuss. At this time, Persie started wondering why she looked so different from her siblings. In coat and mane color, they were fairly similar (since Persephone grew up a dark grub and lightened as she grew older), but the young princess questioned why her legs had holes in them, why her wings were different from Cadence’s, why her eyes were so much larger and odd-looking compared to her sibling’s precious gaze, and why some ponies looked very uncomfortable when she gave them a big smile.

With every question, Candence and Shining Armor gave the best answers they could. They didn’t want to scare her with the truth of her biological mother, and tried to shield her from the harder parts of Chrysalis’ history. And having accepted the past and feeling a true mother’s love for Persie, she made sure that their changeling child knew how much she cared for her daughter and even though she didn’t come from Cadence, it didn’t matter because they were a family and loved each other. Persephone, at such a young age, could barely do more than start accepting the truth of her birth and pretend it truly didn’t matter now that she knew why she was different. Fortunately, she had her Royal Crysaller Sunburst to talk to and make sense of what her parents had discussed with her, and knew Sunburst was always there to listen when she needed it. Years passed and everyone thought the family was complete, until Cadence realized she was, once again, expecting a baby. This child was very premature and nothing more than a tiny ball of fuzz, who was constantly receiving the best care in Equestria from health professionals. Everyone expected the older children to not immediately bond with their youngest sibling because of their varying age gaps, but it was Persephone Sparkle who sat by her baby sister as the doctors worked. She felt a bond with the baby, as if she wanted to take care of Snow Quartz in a way she had never bonded with her other siblings. It wasn’t an odd sight to see Persie’s lanky changeling body curled around her baby sister, with a thick blanket keeping little Snowy extra warm. The other children would occasionally join in on spending time with their youngest sibling or insist that Persie needed to come out and play with them, but it was the oldest and youngest daughter who seemed to bond the strongest.
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More insight on my lovely royal familyyyyy