Rendezvous in Scarabi (Private)

The interruption was a bit jarring, but Sugary ceased his next move as he kept his horn glowing, though the more he got stared down by Sandstrider, the less he kept his magic flowing as he eased up, chest heaving from the first fight he's had since he started his recovery. Not passing out was a good sign so far for him.

He had a mix of amusement and respect for the scene before him as the Drake Princess made her presence and thoughts quite vivid and vocal for the others. He hoped that would be a good sign of changes to come. What really caught him off guard was suddenly being hugged and then licked on his horn, and then carried back to the others. He could've sworn the lick was sandpapery like a cat's, but maybe that was just him coming to terms with what just happened as his spine tingled briefly.

It was hard not to feel anything but flushed by then, but he tried to change topics a bit. "Uh... Maybe I'll explain part of it sometime. Um... So, does this mean you're accepting us as Delegates for good? No more sudden trials?"

"I had already accepted you, Sugary," Sandstrider says. "But my people needed to be convinced and I dare say they've been well-instructed." She sweeps a neutral expression over the other drakes, causing many to look away in embarrassment, others to give her a meekly chastened look, and a few to grin at her with a touch of smugness.
"Does this mean that formal embassy between the Hive Throne and the people of the sand drakes is open?" Thryssa asks as she uses a wing to guide Sugary to her side, the anisoptic wings drumming lightly against his barrel as she flutters them.
"As to that, it has always been your mother who has refused us place in her presence," Sandstrider says.
"Becausse your people treated you cruelly," Maredusa says. "Or in a way that Chryssalis interpreted ass cruelty. Sshe hass alwayss felt that ssending a young ruler sstill newly bereft of her parentss againsst a queen whosse perssonal power placess her in the realm of the Ssissterss for the purposess of a show wass grosss abusse, and perssonally offenssive to the queen of a pony race that ssubsitss on love and other possitive emotionss. It hass alwayss been her intent that the ssand drakess would be warmly welcomed in her court when they repented of the wrong they did to you."
Sandstrider smirks a little as she looks at the chastened drakes. "I think my people are very, very sorry for being mean to me."
"Because Sugary thrashed one of them?"
"Because I predicted that he would and make a cursory attempt to save the upstart from being humiliated in combat." Sandstrider grins. "There is no more respectable predatory gift than having the insight to distinguish vulnerable prey from dangerous prey, and warning the pack away from the prey that could cripple or kill." She looks solemnly at Sugary. "If it was your will, I do not doubt you could have killed him outright, and struck down many more as they tried to avenge him. You are a bashful and friendly creature, Mister Market, but I have the distinct impression that things have tried to kill you and learned some very painful and permanent lessons."
"Some covered in piss, another practically cracking his skull open because Sugary baited him into an immovable object," Thryssa grins.
Sandstrider has a hissing chuckle at that. "I wondered how this one had come into your service."
"I learn my painful lessons faster than they can kill me."
"And the otherss by repeated sslapping," Maredusa adds brightly.
Thryssa does her very best deathglare at the gorgon, who looks cheerfully indifferent.

Sugary kept a constant grin for several reasons ranging from subtle wing vibrations, to friendly banter between mares, and having the drake princess be in such a good mood in the aftermath of the duel. Things were off to a very good restart it seemed. Of course, he did try to shake away focus in himself regarding his own lethal approaches; He wasn't particularly fond of bringing those up. "Uuuhhh... Alrighty then! We can get started on unification talks, yes? Talk of spilled blood doesn't bode well when trying to make friends, I feel. That said..." He smiled brightly. "I'd be happy to use my servitude to them as an example. Yes, I was trespassing at the time, but once the early scuffles got out of the way and negotiations began, I was practically an honored guest instead when I offered to work for them directly after getting the aid I needed... This is the kind of welcoming your kin are being offered, Lady Sandstrider." He then looked to Thryssa, Maredusa, and then the other drakes, confident that he spoke as an extension of the wishes of the Queen.

"Among ponies, talk of spilled blood must be a difficult and uncomfortable thing that interferes with making friends," Sandstrider says with a smile, reaching over to pat Sugary on the head with the flat of a claw. "But ponies enjoy daffodil sandwiches and many fruits. My people are predators; spilling blood means there is a fresh kill and food in your stomach. Spilling blood means that your enemy is dead, or chastised. Spilling blood means that you have learned something, to your benefit and empowerment. I understand you may wish to not speak of spilled blood, being a pony, but it is of interest to sand drakes and can be a pleasant discussion."
"I prefer talk of sstill, ssilent sstone," Maredusa says with a wide fanged grin.
"And if drakes could hunt by literally petrifying prey, Lady Maredusa, we would speak of that as well," Sandstrider matches her grin with something just as wide and filled with shiny sharp teeth.
Her grin becomes a wide smile and she lightly pats along Sugary's barrel, her claw tip resting against his side lightly every time she pats him, but causing no discomfort by it. "We have always known that the court of Queen Chrysalis is a warm and comfortable and welcoming place; how could it be otherwise with changelings? But there was always Chrysalis' reaction to the way my people treated me that got in the way of warmth and alliance between us. Now that  a demonstration has been made, now that vengeance has been had for many slights, there is no barrier between myself and that welcoming court."
"So you'll visit?" Thryssa asks.
"In time, perhaps," Sandstrider replies. "I believe that the best first step would be an ambassadorial mission of some kind to establish the best way for us to interact regularly without streets meant for changelings being overrun with drakes thrice their size."
"When Tetti shows up again, I'll tell her to fly out and say hello." Thryssa says.

Sugary kept a constant smile upon him as he kept being petted and pampered by the tall drake lady nearby, eventually breaking from his trance and clearing his throat. "Oh, uh... Yeah, that sounds great! We should totally have that happen...!" He looked a bit flustered but otherwise okay, until realization dawned on him that they had only been there briefly so far as he sighed for his breath briefly after the battle. "... Wait, does that mean we're done here...? I think I missed something..."

Thryssa and Maredusa chuckle at Sugary. "Dear Ssugary, how long did you think we were here before you awoke from your beauty ssleep?" Maredusa smiles. "We were here for some time before you awoke--you musst have been far more tired than you believed. I'm certain that if I hadn't lifted you aloft to declare you a sterling example of a sstud sstallion, you would have sslept an hour more on your own. You are sstill recovering from your time when you were ssick and sstarving, ssweet sstallion."
"Besides, you're not done here at all," Sandstrider says with a smile. "You've lingered long enough that dark would fall before you returned to Scarabi. As such, we would that you should be accommodated and made our guests until tomorrow dawn."
Thryssa blinks at the sand drake matriarch, looking around the fairly sandy area. "Um...?"
Sandstrider eyes her. "You're not serious, are you?"
"I'm not serious," Thryssa confirms with a rakish grin. "But it never becomes any less impressive that between yourselves and Lady Maredusa, you have hgihways and home stretching all over the desert."
"Which raisess an important quesstion," Maredusa says, looking at Sugary. "Do I ssleep with the two of you, or in my own bed?"

Sugary somewhat shriveled up in place and his eyes seemed to turn into a couple dots on his face as he learned about how much he had actually been sleeping all that time. "... You could've at least poked me awake..." He briefly wondered what kinds of talks went about as he had slept upon Maredusa all that time. He then blushed lightly when he realized he had been riding Maredusa all that time. He then blushed very profusely when asked if he still wanted to sleep with her or not and perked up awkwardly. "Yes...! No...?" Having thought to try and answer the questions with only yes or no made him fumble more if he had just specified. He then perked up even further as he got flustered and looked to Thryssa when realization struck from what was literally only said. "Wait, we're already sleeping together? Then... Then will you object if I do want her to join us...?" His thoughts were probably still a bit mixed, but his body knew what he wanted with no second guessing... Two mares with strong yet supple warm bodies was far too good to pass up...

"I would have, but you were sso adorable jusst laying there all ssleepy and happy," Maredusa says, actually petting him lightly along the barrel with a hoof. "I didn't have it in my heart to dissturb you."
"What she said, but without quite as much lisp," Thryssa says. Maredusa's only response is to blow a raspberry at her with a forked tongue flickering rapidly outside her muzzle.
Both mares look at him curiously and then with amusement as he stumbles through his reply to Maredusa's question. His final response makes both giggle a little and give each other knowing and grinning looks.
"Why yess, Ssugary... we are already ssleeping together."
"In the same bed," Thryssa adds, her eyes twinkling.
"Entwined."
"Closely"
"Very clossely."
"And warmly."
"With a certain very ssweet sstallion to add to the fun."
"So you like the idea of being trapped between two warm, supple mare bodies while you sleep?"
"My, my... our ssweetly nervouss sstallion hass finally decided on what he wants."
"If I hear enough sounds, I'm dropping the roof on you three," Sandstrider deadpans.
"No fear, Sandstrider," Thryssa assures her cheerfully. "We'll be quiet, and poor Sugary will only be able to squeak."

"I'd like to go rest now, please!" Sugary proclaimed as he stood right in front of Sandstrider in a swift stride of his own, deeply flustered as the mares teased and enticed him further. He was both anxious and eager to rest, hoping the escort would be quick, and the prospect of cuddles to not be mere myth. He'd done his part for the day, and was willing to do more... But resting with two lovely mares sounded much better right now.

Both Maredusa and Thryssa laugh, and Sandstrider smiles a little. "That is very adorable," she comments. "You know, for being so powerful and dangerous, he is an astonishingly cute stallion, isn't he?"
"It'ss the hat, definitely the hat," Maredusa opines as she coils lightly around Sugary, leaning her body slightly to a side so that he's lifted up a bit, then uses her tail to steady him as she rolls back, leaving him laying once again on the lower half of her coils. "And the adorable little white feather."
"I think it's the fact that he has a nice light coloration with white highlights on his muzzle," Thryssa says, following as Maredusa slithers along the sand towards what Sugary can only guess is the entrance to where they'll be staying.
"No, no, that'ss what makess him a handssome sstallion." Maredusa turns around as she continues slithering, patting Sugary's barrel again before turning back around. "And what makess thosse like our erstwhile drake friend missunderesstimate him."
Thryssa furrows her brow. "Do what?"
"Misunderestimate," Sandstrider says. "It means to simultaneously misunderstand and underestimate. More convenient to combine the concepts into a single word."
"You're both leading me on."
"Not at all, Thrysssa," Maredusa smiles. "Although it'ss not in common ussage, it iss legitimate terminology, and it appliess to thiss situation."
Thryssa contemplates this as they seem to walk into a sand dune, to reveal that what seemed to be a sand dune was in fact the entrance, thoroughly enspelled to seem like nothing of note. They go from the sunny and dry desert, to a cool and even very slightly clammy cavern that's well-lit by jewels of some kind set into the walls. The accommodations are visibly quite simple: alcoves large enough for three or four people to stay very comfortably are cut into the sides with a pocket door set into the doorways to allow privacy if it's desired. Maredusa goes straight to the nearest one, furnished simply but comfortably, and stops next to the bed.
"Your places of ssleep," she says with a grin. "As well as ours."
Behind him, Sugary would hear the sound of the door closing and Thryssa joins he and Maredusa by the bed, patting Sugary along the barrel in a friendly fashion.

Again, he had mixed feelings about the surrounding females talking about him in such a flattering matter. He liked it, but wondered if it was a desert custom to speak so openly about others, or if they in particular just happened to fancy him a lot. One of the charming mysteries of traveling abroad, he thought.

He deadpanned ever so slightly when Maredusa dragged him onto her back, he did not want to admit he enjoyed that a bit too much, but there were no complains. He also struggled to keep a straight face and not blush when having his barrel petted, not used to quite so much affection from others he hadn't known for too long.

It wasn't until they entered the dune that he realized his heart was racing a bit. He actually was being escorted into a nice, quiet, cool place with modest accommodations... so he could spend time with his boss whom he nearly shagged on a shag and the snake-lady who seemed fond of coiling around him. "... This is actually happening... Why am I so nervous? I'm a grown stallion, get your act together!" And if either of them kept petting his barrel, his beating heart might be felt all the more. He even felt very self-conscious that they might notice by now. "Woooo~, I think that duel took a bit more out of me than I thought... I'm still feeling the rush!" He tried to casually settle onto the bed some more. "It's really nice here too... More Modest than Madam Maredusa's place, but I'm really digging the desert homes."

Maredusa giggles at Sugary as he settles onto the bed. "You're feeling the rush are you?" she teases as she slithers over to a side of the bed and uses her front hooves to pull herself slightly up on top of it, turning her coils over and taking a brush from the small night stand beside the bed to start brushing the sand and other debris off so as not to get in between the sheets. "Remembering that I need a sstiff brussh for my coilss... ssuch a conssiderate ssand drake, Ssandsstrider," she comments fondly as she works the bristles over the tough underside of the coils.
"Her people have known you since you came here," Thryssa comments as she gets onto the bed on the other side of Sugary and hovers over a brush from her side, as well as a pair of files and a hoof pick, and starts working on her own hooves to make sure they're similarly free of grime. She pauses a moment before starting to lean over and nose Sugary. "I'm sure this is a much less heated a romantic moment than you had in mind, Executive Officer, but being extra considerate of your host is being a good guest."
Maredusa gets a file of her own and start taking the rough edges off of one stony scale. "Although if you want, I'm ssure much fun could be had if there were two maress presssed againsst you, grooming your hoovess and doing... other thingss ass well. I remember that certain wayss of ssocial grooming can be quite... pleasant." She says the last work in a throaty hissing purr and winks to Sugary.
"I'm sure I saw a good corncomb for pony coat," Thryssa adds. "And a brush for the mane and tail too. Maybe one that could be used to give your attire good servicing as well. We wouldn't want to leave any part untouched."
By silent mutual consent, they choose this moment to scoot closer so that Sugary is surrounded on both sides by warm supple mare, and then each mare takes an ear and kisses its tip before resuming their activities.

Sugary was caught between a rock and a hard place; those being Maredusa and Thryssa's pleasantly stony and naturally armored bodies respectively. He shuddered at the ear kisses to the point he shook off a bit of sand from himself upon the bed. He had a light blush by then, and cleared his throat while quickly sweeping it out from the bed before he looked to both mares with racing thoughts. "I must be strong... I must not waver... I must show absolute composure...!" He took in a deep breath and spoke as level as he could, trying to hide the giddiness in his voice. "Perhaps not romantic, but I don't mind what we're doing here, Princess Thryssa! In fact, I'd very much appreciate if you t-two brushed me all over... Please? I'll even return the favor if you want." The light stutter was a sign he almost lost composure, willingly asking them to actually touch him without faltering at the prospect of more contact between them.

"Oooh, sstammering ssugary ssweet sstallion," Maredusa hiss-purrs into one of his ears. "I think what we're doing iss working, Thrysssa."
"And what is it that we're doing, Maredusa?" Thryssa chuckles as she uses her telekinesis to levitate a corncob brush over and start firmly brushing Sugary's coat, accompanying the strokes of the brush with soft strokes of her hoof over where the comb had just passed. "I'm pretty certain I'm just combing the coat of my executive officer to be nice."
"We're working a virile sstallion up, sslowly and surely, until he losess all compossture and we get to ssee what comess of it." Maredusa grips a comb with one of her hooves somehow and uses her teeth to gently pinch the tip of Sugary's hat and lift it off his head. She then starts brushing his mane in a systemic fashion, running over it several times before moving on, using a stroking hoof to move each layer out of the way as she does. "Ssocial grooming iss the firsst sstep to a pleassant night, whether becausse the sstallion iss groomed and handssome and ssoft and warm, or becausse the sstallion iss worked up and breeding you."
"You sound like you speak from experience."
"I'm ancient, of coursse I do." Maredusa once again kisses one of Sugary's ears. "But thiss iss pleassant and fun, even if nothing comess of it."
"Agreed," Thryssa says as she kisses the ear nearest her as well.

Curse that Maredusa, her purring making his head fuzzy. Curse that Thryssa, her brushing making him shudder and let out a tired moan-groan as he stretched out on the bed with a deep blush and a shudder as she brushed his fur. A favored piece of his clothing taken away, he was now being showered with attention, and he loved every second of it, snorting lightly in pleasure and swaying his tail in submission; He definitely was being very accepting of the duo of mares grooming him and tickling his ears to the point he also let out a tired brief pleased neigh.

The compliments he had gotten were very nice, and the medicine had been doing wonders getting him back up to snuff along with good meals, but nothing compared to a comfortable bed and affectionate grooming. Such was his good mood that he even gently nuzzled them both with a hum, Thryssa on her shoulder, and Maredusa on the spot just between her torso and her long reptilian tail.

Both mares give him a light and affectionate nicker (although Maredusa's is a little bit more purr-hiss than nicker) in response to his gentle nuzzling and after several more minutes, the grooming slackens and then stops, and Sugary finds himself being snuggled up to on both sides by two warm and supple mares. Hooves stroke his barrel and Maredusa's tail plays lightly over one of his rear legs while Thryssa's hoof pets his mane.
"I feel wearied from the day's endeavors," Thryssa murmurs softly into one of his ears.
"And it wass ssuch a long sslither from Sscarabi to here," Maredusa adds, her tongue flickering out in a very snakish way and tickling the inside of his ear.
"And you are a warm and soft stallion."
"And thiss iss a warm and ssoft bed."
And after this, no more words are spoken. Sugary is ssnuggled as the pair proceed to drift off to sleep with him very lightly sandwiched between the two, the firm and supple bodies pressing against him but not such much that he can't shift a bit and get comfortable himself.

Sugary looked at peace with himself, being snuggled by both mares; Inside his mind was a different story however as he remained blushing since. "The teasing vixens!! Why'd they have to get me worked up now and fall asleep!? It's not fair!! But I am comfy here tho..." He'd have to make do with limited options, but at the very least, he made the most of his time nuzzling them both gently in their sleep, though wary of Maredusa's snakes, before adjusting slightly and going to sleep with a light grin. It was a fine sleepover in the territory of the Sand Drakes at least...

The snakes, Sugary would find, turn out to be just as affectionate as Maredusa and he is nuzzled muchly by the drowsy mass as their mistress slumbers, at least until he himself falls asleep. When he wakes up, he finds that a platter of cool, fresh fruits of all varieties has been set on the bed only a few inches away from his nose. Thryssa and Maredusa appear to have already woken up and left the bedroom, leaving him something for breakfast. As he partakes, he'd get the distinct impression that someone is watching him and if he turns in the direction he feels that the watching is coming from, he'd find that Sandstrider is lounging in the doorway and staring at him with disturbing intensity. "Good morning, Sugary Market," she rumble-purrs. "Did you sleep well?"

The dream he had was very pleasant, vivid imagery of warmth, closeness, and happiness. He'd wake up feeling like something was traded away for another equally pleasant thing, and would find out as he sniffed the meal before opening his eyes. He smiled and ate, but eventually looked to their host and sat up more straight upon the bed and mildly puzzled at her strong gaze. "Good morning, Princess Sandstrider. And I have... Uh, have you seen the mares by the way? Also, is there something I can do for you, Ma'am...?"

Sandstrider giggle-rumbles in amusement. "I'm not a princess, sweet pony stallion," she tells him with a toothy smile. "I am not a queen or an empress either. I am my people's matriarch, their symbolic mother, ruling my house with love and firmness depending on which is better for doing my duty to them. I did not inherit my title, but was given it as the best choice among potentials, although many of my people were discontented by my peaceable nature, leading to the good and noble queen of the changelings to turn away from the sand drakes until my people had repented what she regarded as their cruelty." She smiles and walks into the room, giving Sugary a nosing. "That a small and demure stallion humiliated the stongest voice against me seems to have redeemed the sand drakes to the Hive Throne, for which I am thankful and a pleasant breakfast of fresh and sweet fruits cooled in precious ice is the least gesture of gratitude I can offer. You have done enough for me, Sugary Market, and need do no more." She curls up at the foot of the bed. "When you've finished your breakfast, I will take you to your companions."

The unicorn would accept the drake's nosing with a light pleased snort and a smile with the compliment; He was very glad he actually did get to do something with his might and didn't just sleep off everything, though still regretted not being awake for more of what had been discussed. He was content at how things were going, but not so much that he ignored what went around him as he ate. "I'm honored by your words, Matriarch. The princess thing is... a habit, I suppose. My apologies. On that note, uh... Want some?" He certainly enjoyed the breakfast, but having her wait and stare so closely kept giving him the impression she wanted something more of him as he offered to share some. Whether she took it or not, he'd try and be ready to leave with her as needed soon after.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Mister Market," Sandstrider assures him with a smile. "And while I appreciate the kind offer to share your meal--such a thing is highly symbolic among sand drakes, although you could not know that--I can only eat such sweet things very sparingly. The digestion does not kindly accommodate plant when it craves flesh." She smiles a little bashfully, showing those sharp incisors and canines meant to tear meat rather than grind plants. "But for courtesy..." She reaches out and spears a particularly large slice of melon from his plate with a single claw then puts it into her mouth. "Mmm... so perfect and cool and refreshing. I wish I could indulge more often; meat is never sweet and refreshing, no matter how raw or bloody or skillfully-prepared. But no one has a perfect life, not even a queen so adored as Chrysalis, with a loving husband, four highly accomplished daughters, three sisters to whom she is close, and admired and respected by all in the Barrens."

When he's done with breakfast and is ready to leave, Sandstrider inclines her head to him with another sharp smile and leads him out into the cool cavern that he entered in the previous day with Maredusa and Thryssa. He would find that both are lounging quite comfortably in the center of the cavern, sand drakes walking around them as casually as if neither one is noticed. This behavior of just plopping down where you feel like appears to be something the drakes do as well, for he would see a few doing it at various places and their fellows just step around them as if nothing is amiss. Both of his mare traveling companions visibly brighten when he walks up with Sandstrider, and he would shortly be coiled by Maredusa (with a slightly affectionate squeeze before letting him go) and then have his barrel drummed softly on by Thryssa's wings as she brushes his side and lays a leg around his shoulders.
"I hope our sstallion iss well-ressted thiss morning," Maredusa says. "We have a decent walk back to Scarabi and he sseemed sso dissappointed that he wassn't awake for the entire thing lasst time."
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Maredusa," Thryssa says. "Despite Green Leaf's antics with his medicine and other matters, he is a resilient thing." She pats his barrel before looking up at Sandstrider. "Are there any other matters of state to take care of?"
"There are," Sandstrider says, "but if Queen Chrysalis is satisfied with the outcome yesterday, formal diplomatic relations can handle those other matters of state. I should like it if the business was handled by Countess Thalia but I understand that she's got her hooves full trying to handle diplomacy to the dragon lands."
Thryssa snorts. "Aunt Thalia? Hooves full? Matriarch, I don't think you know my aunt all that well. She's the one that's a hoof full, not anyone who she happens to deal with. I hear the dragons are a little intimidated by her, even the ones that are fifty times her size, and I fully believe it."
"I can back that up," Maredusa adds. "In these matterss, ass in mosst thingss, it'ss the ssize of the fight in the dog, not the size of the dog, which matterss. And Thalia has fifty times her ssize of fight in her."
"To put it shortly, Sandstrider, Aunt Thalia will have plenty of time to handle such matters between your people and ours," Thryssa says with a smile.
Sandstrider looks dubiously at her. "Suddenly, I'm not so sure I want her."
"Too late." Thryssa show her fangs a little in a deviously delighted grin. "Don't worry, she doesn't bite... much." She looks to Sugary. "Ready to go?"

The gesture was much appreciated, Sugary feeling that it was a very worthwhile symbolism for different races to share a meal, even on a place as casual as a guest bed.

The walk into what he assumed was a recreational area was an interesting one, as the fight from before had him expecting things to not be so casual. He even thought the resemblance to Scarabi's populace was charming. He found it even more charming to get such a warm welcome from the mares as they were found; He was quite gleeful about it, humming the entire time with his chest out in the chance they indulged him with more affection. "Can't say it's normal for me to wake up to political matters like this, but I'm sure this Thalia is a trustworthy as they say, Pr-... Er, Matriarch. Madam Maredusa and Princess Thryssa have been fairly transparent with me in the short time I've known them... Speaking of which..." He looks to Thryssa with a grin. "I am. The sooner we give the news to the Queen, the sooner the gears will shift proper, no?" He looked to them all in general. "Still, I'd very much like to come back and visit again in the near future."

"You will be most welcome, Sugary Market," Sandstrider tells him. "I'm certain that soon enough, taking that wonderful flying machine of yours to and from this place will be a casual morning jaunt." She sighs, her expression becoming longing. "Our territory by breakfast, Equestria for lunch, and then Scarabi for the evening meal. Can you imagine such a thing, Mister Market? To combine the lands of the Barrens with those of Equestria, with the Dual Thrones watching from high above in Canterlot, as the Hive Throne watches benevolently from Scarabi? It is a consummation devoutly to be wished."
"I fear not, Matriarch Ssandstrider," Maredusa says.
"How could it be otherwise?"
Maredusa slithers over to Sandstrider and pats her shoulder. "You are young, Ssandstrider, but even you musst undersstand that no changeling queen can ever again bow to the princessess of Equesstra or obey their wishess without quesstion. Celesstia burned that bridge and it sshall never be rebuilt no matter how kind and good a pony sshe hass become. Loyal ssubjectss of Equessstria have become a great and proud nation rissing out of the ssandss of the Barrenss, with a line of queenss fully as gloriouss ass the princeessess of the ssun and moon--and even more beloved, if that were posssible. From the tree of Amaryss, sstrong branchess have grown and their fruit iss most ssucculent and good, and it iss a tree too tall and sstrong to be bent."
Sandstrider looks a little delfated by this. "So no communion?"
"Oh, there will be communion Matriarch," Thryssa says. "We will be the steadfast ally of Equestria, but we, and you for that matter, shall be its equal rather than its servant. The gears will, as my companion puts it, shift proper when Chidinida has finished her role in the grand strategy."
"Speaking of Chidinida, do bring her by when she visits again," Sandstrider says, looking perked-up by Thryssa's reply. "Thus far I've met lots of lovebug ponies, but never the lovebug pony whose special talent is love. It'll be quite the experience, I think."
Maredusa struggles to keep a straight face, and Thryssa fixes her with a very unamused look. "Lovebug ponies?"
"Yes." Sandstrider grins. "You're ponies who look like bugs and eat love. So, lovebug ponies."
Maredusa grins toothily, starting to giggle. "I've never thought of it like that. I badly need to tell thiss to Chryssaliss, just to ssee if her deathglare iss ass good ass her daugher'ss."
"Mother will probably laugh." Thryssa sighs. "C'mon Sugary... let's go before either one of them decides to try to be clever again."

Sugary tried to keep from laughing, so he giggled like a giddy schoolfilly instead when the topic went from politics to calling the Changelings Lovebugs. "Geh...! Uh... Um... S-Sure, Princess Lo-Thryssa! And farewell to you, Matriarch!" He moved a little closer to her, nuzzled her, and made his way out with the other mares.

His thoughts would linger upon the matters of unification, but he understood for the most part why things would be different. Of course, he still had the matter of Lovebugs in mind, so he tried to distract himself away from it somehow. "That reminds me! We could someday bring the trio of gals back here. Give them something to do, get them to meet new comrades, and get a bit of an upfront experience on diplomacy... And also, get Belladonna away from you-know-who."