A Pony Wedding- Part 1
Normally this is the kind of story I'd be omitting from my series- embarrassing and personal as it is. But Twilight insisted I cover this little... ordeal we went though, as it is as much a part of recent history as all the battles and political maneuvers I usually write about. Also, our anniversary is coming up, and I don't want to spend it with my flank on the couch. So, without further ado, here's the chaotic story of one of the most embarrassing situations I've ever lived through...
"Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked nervously, as the ship they were on made it's way upriver. "I mean, what will they think of me? Will they even accept me?"
"Oh, would you please relax, Tornado?" The filly beside me snorted, stamping her hoof. "I'm sure my family will accept you, don't worry about it so much!"
My life has only seemed to have gotten crazier in the last few months. A half a year ago, I was merely an archivist at the Misty Mountain royal library. Quietly passing my time with booking work, and dreaming about living in the more romantic Equestrian era, instead of being a paper pusher. But then this young pink filly suddenly found her way into my life, and I found myself lifebonded to this shy little unicorn named Twilight Shine. After admitting our feelings for each other,
Following our little misadventures with the elements of Harmony, Twilight had had come home to prepare things for me, while I wrapped up my business at Misty Mountain. Coming to live in a new kingdom wasn't really a problem for me, as most of my friends, the so-called mountain boy pony gang, were already living at Dream Castle. I am extremely apprehensive, however, as I was about to go the the one ordeal every stallion in Ponyland dreads...
... meeting the mare's family.
"Tornado, look! We're almost there!" Twilight exclaimed, running to the ship's rail. "Ohhh, doesn't dream castle look wonderful!"
As Captain Barnacle's vessel rounded a bend in the rainbow river, I noticed a small pink castle sitting on a hill to the right. The same pastel hue as my wife, this four turreted structure did little to impress me as our vessel pulled up to the dock, but then I remembered what I had read about it's enlarged interior, and kept in my mind that appearances can be deceiving.
"Now arriving at Dream Valley!" First officer Salty called out, as to pony sailors lowered the gangplank. "All ashore that's goin ashore!"
Several ponies got off the ship with us, and we all trotted our way up towards the castle's entrance. The drawbridge lowered at our approach, and several mares and stallions who had been waiting for the ship's passengers to disembark came out to greet us.
"Twilight?" A purple Pegasus with a pink mane called out, flying above the crowd. "Twilight Shine, over here!"
"Twilight Sky!" The unicorn filly next to me called out, galloping up to and hugging the pony with the candle cutie mark. "Ohh, I haven't seen you in ages! How've you been!"
The two fillies hugged, and my Twilight turned back towards me as I approached. "Tornado, this is my cousin, Twilight Sky. She's a nocturnal message courier from Fort Rainbow Dash."
"Hello, my good stallion." She inclined her head towards me. "Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet when you were in town, I was on Pegasus Courier duty at the time."
"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Sky." I courteously nod back. "And it is quite all right, I was sort of busy with some business at the time myself."
"So this is the Stallion Twilight's been raving about." A middle-aged mare said from behind me. "It's nice to finally be able to put a face with a name."
At the sound of the voice, I spun around. To my utter surprise, I found myself face- to- face with a slightly older version of my own Twilight, but with a blue coat and yellow mane. I could see the rumors about Dream Valley ponies having prolonged youth was true; despite the fact this unicorn's voice sounded older, she looked to be almost the same age as my twilight! The mare radiated a sense of nobility I had seen in few other ponies, and it was this this nobility that was my only clue that this youthful looking lady was any older than my beloved.
"Tornado, this is my mother, Twilight Glow." My little unicorn told me. "Mama, this is Tornado Firehooves, the historian from Misty Mountain I was telling you about."
"M'am." I bowed politely, smiling at my future mother in law. "It is an honor and a privilege to be-"
"Bah, don't worry about the formalities, Tornado. You're family now." She patted me on the back with her hoof. "Now come on, let's get back to my castle apartment. I've prepared a scrumptious lunch of ham, potatoes and salad!"
"Sounds wonderful!" I reply, licking my lips. The three female ponies started trotting back into the castle, and I began to follow them. Suddenly noticed an angry looking white Pegasus flapping her way towards us, one I recognize all too well.
Great Horsemaster... not her.
"Twilight, good to see you back!" The Pegasus with the palm tree cutie mark sneered, shooting me a nasty look. "And I see you didn't come alone."
"P-Paradise? SQUEE!" Twilight whinnied in delight, rushing up to take the Pegasus filly in a deep hug. "I haven't seen you since I left on my harmony quest! How've you been? What've you been up to?"
"Oh, you know me, Twilight... hanging around the library, reading fairy stories... the usual." As the two were hugging, Paradise's acid stare made me want to go find someplace to hide. "Why don't you introduce me to your friend here?"
"Oh! Paradise, this is my fiancé, Tornado! I met him on my travels!" She grabbed my hoof shoving me forward to greet the Pegasus. "Tornado, this is my best friend, Paradise. She and I known each other since we were foals!"
"We've met before." The flying filly scowled, making me want to find a place to hide. "Look Twilight, why don't we go find some place to talk?"
"It'll have to wait, Paradise. Mama's going to cook us up some lunch!" Twilight Shine expressed gleefully, dragging me along with the group as we trotted down the hallway. "And after that, we have some awfully big things to discuss!"
...
Twilight's family apartment was very nice. A two story, two bedroom affair with a living room, kitchen, and dining room- not surprising, considering how well Dream Valley ponies are rumored to live. The table was a fine setting with a white tablecloth, covering a brown oak table with six matching chairs. Twilight's mother served up a delightful assortment of dishes, which she levitated on and off the table as the five of us took servings from each dish.
Glow seated me at the head of the table- a customary gesture that made me extremely nervous. For this seat had once belonged to Twilight's father, I knew, and the implications of putting potentially the next haed male of the household there... Let me tell you, the idea of the potential burden of responsibility did nothing to subdue the ever- rising knot of tension that continued to grow in my gut.
"I hope you don't mind me cooking meat, dearie." Missus Glow apologized, as she finally sat down and served herself. "I know how sensitive other herds can get about that sort of thing."
"Not at all!" I tell her, hoping a little bit of conversation will ease some of my apprehension. "My own family had the omnivore spell cast on us, as well. We always did get strange looks from other ponies, though, for our... 'unusual' dietary habits."
"I'm shocked they didn't think you ate other ponies for supper." Paradise snorted, taking a bite of her salad. "You look like one of those creepy ponies from the fairy stories who eat other equines, after all."
"Sooo... where are twilight and I's friends?" I ask nervously, desperately trying to change the subject. "I should be moved into their apartments by now."
"Oh, Firefly, Lightning and the others are having some trouble adjusting." Twilight Sky replied, nonchalantly, eating a sugar cookie. "I've heard the digestive conversion spell can take a lot out of you."
"Both the colts and the girls will probably be recovering in the clinic for a week or two, and Glory said she's be staying with her beau until her recovered." Paradise continued. "Turning 'ponies into meat eaters' magic was never meant for adults."
"So, I hear you're a historian, Tornado?" Twilight mother inquired, as she levitated a bite of ham up to her mouth. "Or was it an archivist?"
"That must've been a very exciting job." Twilight Sky sighed. "Digging though those endless stacks of dusty tomes all day."
"Well, my special talent is actually being a historian, but I worked as an archivist since we already had quite a few already there." I reply, taking a bite of a buttered roll. "I'm hoping to take advantage of the fact that Dream Valley doesn't currently have a chronicler, and flex my talents to their fullest ability."
"I'm sure Queen Majesty will have a place for you. "Paradise sneered, flexing her wings behind her chair. "Better watch out though, or you'll be glue factories like our last royal historian."
"Paradise! That's enough of that, right now!" Twilight mother snorted, stamping her right front hoof on the table. "Please do not upset our guest with your crude remarks!"
At the white Pegasus's words, I feel the tension and worry rising in me, making my throat tighten up, Sensing my unease, Twilight reached over and put her horn against mine, using her magic to calm me down. With a sigh, I relax again. If there is one thing I will hand to my beloved, she knows how to defuse down my perpetual panic and worrying.
"Yeah, stay off the couple's back, Paradise." Twilight Sky snorted angrily. "They've got enough to worry about, with the wedding coming up and all."
"W-wedding?" I suddenly ask in shock, my eyes going wide.
"Mother! We haven't even begun to talk about that yet!" Twilight snorted indignantly, stamping her hoof.
"Well of course, dearie. I know you two haven't set a date yet, but it's something that two lifebonded ponies should already be planning for." Twilight Glow levitated a book up, and began looking though the pages. "Now Shine, I was thinking of ordering you a dress from Bright Valley. Majesty will want to officiate at the ceremony, of course, and we'll want flowers...."
Twilight, soon caught up in her mother's planning schemes, trotted over to the elder mare's side of the table, leaving me sitting their speechless. Twilight Sky trotted up to me, and whispered something in my ear;
"Feeling left out of your own life decision?" She said with a chuckle. "Better get used to it, Tornado. Stallions always play second fiddle in weddings and marriage."
My heart only sank further at her words, as Paradise's jealous a murderous glare burned itself in my psyche from across the table. With all of the things going on at the moment, I suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore..