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// 6 - Dressing Up 
// Story: Blue Wedding Belles 
// by David Silver 
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"Your highness." The king was waiting for her with a solemn expression, his gaze heavy upon her as she entered the dining hall. "Please sit. We have much to discuss."

Blue Belle glanced around. Large ponies were moving swiftly to vacate the room without a command spoken, as if it were just common knowledge that a discussion with the king required they not be there. Only her prince and his father remained, at the table, opposite ends, with her at the center.

Her plates of food and cups of beverages were being taken by servants, as they hustled to leave the room. She coughed gently into a hoof, feeling even more dwarfed than usual. "A pleasure to speak with you. How can I be of assistance?"

"Assist?" The king's voice was as rumbling and thundering as his form, like the gods themselves had dropped a large mountain in the shape of a pony. "No, you misunderstand. I require little." He gestured across the table at his son. "It is him whom you will spend time. Which is what I wish to speak of. You two have been quite cordial, it warms the heart to see. But there is no fire there. Without a fire, we cannot forge his heirs. I would be a lacking father not to have some concern."

Blue Belle nodded along. "I see. I must say, I do admire you. I could only ever wish to have the wisdom you possess. I have learned much in my time here, but I sense it pales before what you can offer." Sure, a lot of that was her trying to be on the king's good side.

The king did not seem moved. "Perhaps, in Equestria, chastity is a virtue. In Saddle Arabia, it is assumed a stallion shows their love, and a mare reflects it, like an exquisite mirror. That is how any can see the love between them is strong and well. I know that you and my son are trying to have that bond, but, sadly, it is invisible. Where are your dresses?"

Blue Belle shifted. "Dresses?" She blinked, staring at him. "I'm not sure I'm following."

The king waved a hoof. "Do you not know?"

The prince cleared his throat. "I had not explained those to her, nor have we shopped for them, Father."

The king rested his head against a massive hoof. "I see. I apologize, little Belle. I was putting the blame all on you when my son carries some of this." He took a slow breath, his sides expanding and somehow becoming even larger a moment. "I will not be here forever. You know this. I want you to be well, even when I am not around to ensure it."

The king stood and turned from the table, facing the wall with a picture of a stallion hung over it. "My brother was the eldest of us. He was destined for the throne, as you would expect. Fate can make a foal of us all." He huffed and turned back towards them. "One cannot predict when the end will come for them. Take your future wife and hold her dearly. You two seem to be getting along, what delays you, my son?"

Sand stood as well. "We've a busy day. Until later, father." He gestured towards the door. "Come, Princess. I shall explain your current situation."

Blue Belle took that as invitation enough to bolt for the exit, rushing to catch up with Sand's movement. She quickly fell behind, unable to keep pace with those powerful legs. He paused to wait for her. "Sorry!"

Sand waited patiently, not seeming to mind. "Dressmakers have come for you, and they have already crafted a selection of gowns for you." He sighed gently. "Forgive me for not telling you sooner. These are no normal dresses."

"Truly?" Blue Belle caught up at his side. "What makes them different? I've worn a dress or two." Two, literally. She hadn't been a mare for long enough to wear many more. The thought pinkened her cheeks with the reminder of that change.

"They are as much a symbol of me as they are something for you to wear." He turned a hoof at himself. "Each is done in my colors, and has my crest worked into them. To wear them is to state, no, scream to the world that you are mine." He leaned in, lowering himself so their eyes were even. "You may present a suit in kind for me to wear."

Blue Belle squirmed gently. "I-I see. A bit presumptuous, to assume we will wed, but, perhaps we are at that point." She fidgeted with a nervous laugh. "That is why I came here, is it not? The agreement reached with Equestria, all that." She shook her head. "I'm rambling now, apologies. May I speak with the seamstresses that made the dresses I'm to wear? Surely they would be good contacts if I'm to order a suit for you, Sand."

"Seamstresses?" He chuckled at that, eyes softening. "Blue, please. They are not here for just some dresses." He stroked a hoof over her cheek. "They are here for your wedding gown."

Blue didn't think she could go more red, but she managed nicely. "Yes!" she squeaked out, louder than she intended. "Of course. Um, well, yes. We should match. I would still like to speak with them, if that's alright?"

So he dared. He kissed the top of her head, and could feel her tension. "My little flower. How can I get you to blossom, and relax? This new garden has you on guard, and I would see you flourish."

Blue Belle squirmed gently under the kisses and touches. "I. I can't answer that question. But I would like to try that, with you. I want to be ready." She stared into the golden eyes above her. Suddenly, a smile erupted and with it an idea. "One moment." She backed from him just a few steps, her horn glowing. "Behold." She willed stairs to lead up and she followed those spectral steps until she was eye to eye with the prince. "This is so much better." She brushed her nose against his own. "I was right to cast the spell. Now I don't have to fear of breaking my neck to reach you."

Prince Sand chuckled at that, pulling back just an inch. "It is easy to forget at times that my little wife is a unicorn, and those have magic." He gently brushed noses. "You know, magic is quite rare around here.  Saddle Arabians do not have unicorns. We are all, in Equestrian terms, earth ponies. Though there are differences. We aren't exactly the same." He gently rubbed his cheek against her. "Would you do me a small favor? After you get fitted for your wedding dress, could you do a little demonstration? Magic, for my people?"

Blue Belle met his gaze, the two touching nose to nose, the shared warmth radiating. She felt, with her eyes even to his, a little safer there with him. "I would be delighted. I am not, hm, a wizard, but I know a few spells I would be delighted to share." His breath teased her with its exotic scent, that personal hint of 'him'. "For you. I would be happy to show them off."

"I look forward to it." Sand pressed a little closer, gently, carefully. "My dear, I have an idea, if you'd care to hear it." He reached up a hoof and brushed it down her back. "If you trust me there, let us go gather your wedding apparel, and see to mine at the same time. We will be seen as a couple." He glanced down and around. "Ponies will be watching, so, behave accordingly."

Blue felt a thrill in her stomach at the thought of being more physical with him, in front of others. "As they should." She shook herself out gently. "If I may ask, are you alright? I mean, to have a wife so much smaller than yourself. Do I—" She fidgeted in place, horn glowing with keeping her stairs there. "Do I disappoint?"

Sand reached up and with tender care he tugged Blue free of the magical stairs to land in his embrace. "You have my every approval. If it were not true, you would have heard about it earlier." Surprise at being plucked free made her stairs vanish, and he started forward into the space they had held. "Come." Not that he gave a lot of choice, putting her atop his back as he trotted along. "Let's get dressed."

Blue Belle grasped the edge of his saddle bag with a hoof and braced herself. "This is fast!" She could feel the powerful muscles under her as he ran. It was an oddly exhilarating feeling. The whole of the castle felt smaller and less imposing with how quickly they were striding through it, and she, on the back of her prince, felt secure and protected. She wanted to laugh and cheer, but that felt incredibly inappropriate, so she sat instead, though her tail did wag more than strictly required.

Sand stopped outside of a massive door that swung open to him. He lifted a hoof to nudge it close and held it in place by a metal handle with a hook on it. "The dressing room is through here."

"Your Royal Highness?" A Saddle Arabian mare peeked out from further within. "I thought you'd be sending your lady to be. We've little for you."

But sand approached anyway. "I have brought her, and she wishes to speak with you all, wanting to get an article of clothing made as well."

The mare gasped. "How rude of me, please come in."

Blue Belle lifted her head and the door opened, letting her in. As she entered, she found herself in a sea of fabric. There were at least six dresses arranged in a row, and they were clearly sized for her, not a standard huge pony of that land. She slid off of Sand, wind rushing a moment before she met the ground with a clop and trotted over to examine what she'd be expected to wear, eyes locked on them.

They were all bright, and they had Sand's color scheme, the gold and silver and green that he wore proudly. Every dress seemed to be made with a long skirt, and it was a single piece. They were eye catching, and wonderful. Blue Belle smiled at their sight. Sure, she had worn bedazzling suits as a stallion, but they were different. She couldn't quite place what it was. She reached out, running a hoof over one of them. "Wonderful. Just wonderful." The material was so very soft to her touch. She could only imagine what it'd feel like to actually wear it.

"If you would be so kind as to pick the one that feels best, we can prepare it for you, my princess."

Blue Belle hesitated a moment, considering. "Well, that one has a nice pattern and it looks like it would be comfortable, but I do like the color here, hm." But she knew how to select a clothing of the day, and she pointed at one. "This one, kindly."

The mares were on her, as if called to action. They took fresh measurements and spirited the dress away into another room. Only one remained behind. "Ma'am, the prince mentioned you wanted something new from us? Are the dresses we made not up to your satisfaction?"

Blue waved her hooves quickly. "No no! Nothing of the sort." She turned that same hoof on Sand. "I just want something for him." Her horn glowed as she conjured her own crest, her family crest. "These are my colors. We should match, proudly wearing one another's marks."

Sand examined it, holding it up on a leg to examine it. "I agree." He nodded. "If we are to be married, we should represent one another's kingdom. This is quite an important gesture."

The maid bowed so low, her chin almost brushed the ground. "As you command. I will see to it at once. Prince, we already have your measurements, unless you've grown in the last moon?"

Sand waved his hoof dismissively. "You know me. I haven't. My princess would you like to be involved in this process?"

Blue Belle stepped over and admired his side, eyes slowly moving over every bit of him from rump to neck. "I am no tailor. I fear I would only get in the way. Leave an expert to an expert's task. I trust the ponies that crafted these wonderful dresses to make one more suit."