I actually like to think they were at one point a decently happy family.
The changelings had just lost their beloved queen and now were in danger of starvation. A new queen was found by the name of Chrysalis, and she sought out help. If she were declined, she would invade, but for now she kept that as a plan B. She took her hive to the glorious Ancient Crystal Empire and proposed a political marriage with King Sombra, the son of late Queen Crystal and an unknown father. A bit to her surprise, Sombra agreed without a second thought–what kind of ruler would he be if he turned away ponies in need?
Sombra dearly cared for Chrysalis, and the queen cared back more than she was willing to admit. They became a fairly strong empire well off and the changelings were pretty decently taken care of. Chrysalis and Sombra eventually delivered their own heir to carry on their name: Princess Sacred Scarab Beetle–she sometimes liked to be called ‘Scabby’ and enjoyed tea parties with her father, rolling in the mud a lot, and sneaking out of her royal duties to hide and not be found for hours. Not everything the parents wanted but they loved their little bug worm baby enough to spoil her rotten and glare down at aristocrats trying to complain about their little angel burrowing into the fundraiser’s cake and eating the middle. Let her be, peasant!
Everything seemed to be perfect
Until it all went to hell
Sombra developed a terrible mystery illness that had left him stuck in bed sometimes for weeks at a time. The sickness lasted for months before wearing off. The king pulled through–more or less–but was never the same. He began to lose coloration in his air and was always stuck in his library, studying and pacing day and night. Chrysalis grew suspicious and once managed to sneak in and discover Sombra was performing terribly dangerous dark magic. She confronted him about quickly, an argument ensued, and an accidental hex was casted.
Scarred, cursed, and betrayed, Chrysalis feared for her daughter and her hive’s safety and demanded help from the royal sisters Celestia and Luna. A battle began but Chrysalis fled to protect her hive(she wasn’t the brash, bold and “strategic” ruler we see in the show today just yet back then). She sealed Scarab off in a cocoon hidden in a cave to hibernate safely until years later.
Such drama much wow
It’s a shame Scarab inherited her dad’s bad bad no no curse