Fireworks dotted the night, and music and laughter filled the air with noise not heard in this volume in the history of Canterlot.Tonight, the darling Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, was getting married to a fellow heroine of Equestria, and not even a changeling invasion could have put a dent in the hype that spread among the ponies.
The bride - well, one of the two brides, at least - had personally designed the dresses the new royal couple wore as they stood before the sisters of sun and moon and spoke their vows. Princess Twilight managed to not only bring her wife to tears of joy with her solemn pledge, but managed to stir the hearts of everyone who heard or read her words. The smoldering look Rarity Sparkle gave her caused Princess Celestia to move the next day's afterparty from late morning to late afternoon.
Twilight Velvet had excused herself from the commotion still going on inside, after stealing the customary first dance with her daughter from her husband. She had never seen her little Sparkle this happy before. And in a way, that was the problem.
She had retreated to a balcony a few corridors from the great hall, one overlooking the garden and the city. It wasn't exactly quiet, with the city-wide celebration, but it gave her enough distraction to try and order her thoughts.
Her daughter had spoken of true love in her speech. Of happiness. Of defying expectations and following one's heart. And she had to wonder...
She heard hoofsteps approaching her, and she only half-turned in the direction. She knew who would have noticed her disappearance and followed her.
Cookie Crumbles, mercifully, did not close in on her, and she did not try to speak. She kept her distance as she, too, approached the stone railing of the balcony and stared out in the city below. Only occasional side glances at Velvet would have betrayed that she was not here by accident.
They stayed quiet for long minutes.
"So, our little girls are married now," Velvet tried. She knew where the discussion was gonna go, so she might as well ease them into it. "Rarity really outdid herself with the dresses."
"Mhm", was all Cookie replied. Nonetheless, she turned to look at Velvet with that curious look in her eyes.
"And her vow was nice."
"Not as nice as Twilight's. That girl keeps surprisin' us all with her hidden talents." Cookie sighed. "Showed once more why she is so popular with the ponies."
Velvet nodded quietly.
"It reminded me of my own love life," Cookie said quietly. "Got me wonderin' what I am doing to follow my heart."
Velved swallowed harshly. "Cookie... I can't..."
"I'm done saying "I can't". I remember thinkin' that Rarity's wedding dreams were silly. That she'd find some decent stallion, marry him and give me a couple grandfoals. And now look at 'er." She gestured vaguely in direction of the great hall. "I thought it was a phase. She'd crush a bit on that nice Twilight girl while they were playin' hero. But the more I saw them together, the more I realized how wrong I was. I love Hondo, I really do. But I can't say I love him... the way I love you."
THere it was. The issue they'd been dancing around for a year now.
What had started on the night of the engagement party and continued every time they had met. After Cookie's admission, there had been nothing but a few longing looks and Velvet's quiet admission that she felt rather... flattered and excited by the interest.
And the realization that she could not even remember feeling this excited with Night Light in years. How long had it been since they had talked about anything except their respective work or what their children were doing?
The fire had gone out. And here came Cookie, who had offered to reignite that same fire. It was tempting.
"Cookie... It would break Night Light's heart. I just can't."
"There's nothin' for you to do, Velvet," Cookie said sadly. "As for me, stayin' with Hondo while I really love you is enough of a betrayal. I'm gonna tell him, and we'll probably split up." She turned and made her way back to the corridor. She stopped in the door for a second. But she didn't say anything. She gave Velvet a smile, and then she was gone.
~#~
It was much later when Velvet returned to the party. Already, ponies were leaving or even sleeping on the furniture.
She looked around, but could not find Cookie anywhere. She returned to Night Light, dispelling his concerned with a smile and a vague excuse about feeling a bit sick.
"Look at them", he said, pointing to the newly minted couple bickering over who got to carry the other to the wedding suite. After a heated discussion and Twilight drawing a notebook she had hidden somewhere in her dress, Rarity won the debate with a well-timed sultry look and drawn out kiss, eliciting blushes and giggles from their friends, including at least one elder princess. "Ah, to be young and in love again."
It was a bad choice of words. But still, in that moment, Velvet wondered if she could at least have one of the two once more.