//------------------------------//
// Chapter 18: Newlywed and New Plans. 
// Story: Pearlwort, Unintentional Villain 
// by Halira 
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It was the morning of the wedding day and I was restless. I wasn't sure if the sun was up or not, as there were no windows to the room that I spent the night in. The room was opulent, with a large feather bed, a fireplace, two full body mirrors, abstract painting decorated the walls, and bowls of small berries of various types. There was also a connecting room which contained a full pool for baths, two sinks, a separate shower, a proper toilet, and a small waterfall of all things that poured steadily into the pool. This was a room meant for the rich and powerful. I was neither of these things. Yeah, I was immortal, but that didn't make me powerful, and I certainly wasn't rich.

I say spent the night in the room because I had only been able to sleep for a few minutes at a time, before waking again. In a few more hours and I would be a married mare. Strange anxieties had kept me up through much of the night. I kept fretting about the fact Biblo wasn't next to me through the night, soaking in my magic. What if she ran out of my magic over the course of the night? She would then start aging for that little bit of time. A few hours of regular aging didn't seem like much, but with enough times without it she would grow physically older than me, and eventually die of old age. It really was silly worrying about it, tonight was a special circumstance, but understanding the conditions of Biblo's immortality made me fret about every minute she might not have my magic. Maybe we could figure out some way to make her leak magic slower. She likely still had my magic still in her, as near as we could tell, she didn't completely leak out my magic until almost a full day apart had passed, but my mind kept me fretting about it all the same.

I had been just laying in bed awake for some time, and it was clear I wasn't getting back to sleep. I should likely just inform whomever the guard was outside that i was up, and needed to start getting ready for the day. It wasn't a good idea to be a lazy pony on your wedding day. 

I got to my hooves and walked over to the door. The guard standing at attention was a familiar face, Icy Moon. I told her that she could tell any pony that needed to know that I was up and that I needed a proper breakfast. I had been informed by Hot Sticks that I needed to make sure I didn't miss breakfast under any circumstances today, he had actually given a good bit of advice to both me and Biblo the night before, about what I needed to do to manage stress today.

I wandered around the room with nothing to do while I awaited Rarity. I snacked on the berries, used my pipe, found a cabinet with various drinks and sampled from that, but time felt like it was crawling. I looked at my clock, only thirty minutes had passed, it felt like hours. I tossed myself back on the plush bed in frustration, wondering how long I would be waiting. 

Finally a knock came at the door announcing Rarity's arrival. I looked at my clock again, I had been laying in the bed for an additional ten minutes. Rarity let herself in, and was followed by another Alicorn who was clearly Water Shadow, despite some additional white stripes in her mane and tail--and the increased height, wings, and horn, of course.

"What are you doing in bed dear?" Rarity said as she entered and saw me on the bed. "I was told you were up. We need to get you to your dressing area and get you ready. Shadow here will be helping, I have a tendency to try to do everything with magic, but that doesn't work well with you, it just fails at inopportune times if I gets contact with you. Water Shadow here is much more used to using her hooves for detailed work, her help will be invaluable for getting you prepared."

Water Shadow just smiled at me in greeting. Despite the fact she was an Alicorn, who could just teleport whatever she wanted to herself, or at least levitate it with her magic, she was carrying a tray of various small fish on her back. She didn't raise her wings to help keep it balanced. She may be an Alicorn, but she carried things like an Earth Pony.

"You really would have an easier time if you would just use your magic,"Rarity scolded her about it as Water Shadow gently set the tray down manually with a hoof. "I understand you keep to your Earth Pony form almost all the time, but it is undignified for an Alicorn to be carrying things around on their back."

"You know how I feel Rarity," Water Shadow replied back to her calmly. "I am only in Alicorn form today because it is a special occasion. I will never be comfortable with using magic that way, or flying, or anything else that an Earth Pony wouldn't normally be able to do. I may technically be an Alicorn, but I will forever see myself as the same Earth Pony I was before I ascended. Let's not fuss about this again, not when we are supposed to be focusing on one of the brides."

"You are right," Rarity said with a roll of her eyes. "It isn't something that we should be discussing right now. But mark my words, at some point you are going to accept what you are."

"It has been six-thousand years, good luck with that," Water Shadow replied with slight annoyance. She then grabbed up a fish from the tray in one of her fetlocks and tossed it in her mouth, chewing loudly.

"Why do you not want to be an Alicorn," I asked curiously.

She looked at me stricken. 

"It is a story not meant for happy times," Water Shadow replied glumly. "Most of us don't remember the War of the Alicorns, the Time of Madness as it is better called. I myself only remember but a small part, but what happened back then deeply hurt me. I have wanted as little to do with what I am since. I will tell you about it some other time, but not on what is supposed to be a day of celebration, okay?"

I nodded back to her. Whatever it was happened a long time in the past and it was something horrible. Today I was getting married, and it should be one of the happiest days of my life, not a day to hear about old hurts.


***


I sat waiting to enter where the ceremony would be held. It was a small room, and cramped between me and the two Alicorns who had gotten me ready. Hot Sticks had been here, but he had rushed across the hall in a hurry.

I could hear outside, across the small hall, the sounds of Biblo's muffled yelling. When it had first started I had to be restrained by Rarity from rushing out of the room to help her. Water Shadow had gone to check, and returned only a moment later to explain that Biblo's nerves were getting to her, and this was just typical wedding day anxiety. Rainbow Dash, Sunset, and Hot Sticks were all doing their best to calm her, and I shouldn't worry. This was normal I was assured. I still had every fiber of my body screaming at me to go rush to my fiancee.

"When she gets out there and sees you again she will be happy as a clam," Rarity assured me. "I am very impressed that we aren't having to deal with an equally distressed bride over here. I had been under the impression you were the one with a higher likelihood of having such a breakdown. She will get herself pulled together soon enough."

"Are you absolutely sure I can't go over there?" I pleaded, eager to soothe Biblo.

"Not happening," Water Shadow asserted. "You may be doing well now, all things considered, but the two of you together would just escalate the stress for each of you. I have dealt with enough brides to know she just needs to cry and scream, to get it out of her system, and then she will be as fine as a smooth sea on a summer day."

"If you say so," I said, looking longingly towards the door, as Biblo's incoherent yelling continued.

Eventually her yelling did cease, and Hot Sticks returned over to my room. He looked tired and stressed himself.

"I am never getting involved with a wedding again," he said with exasperation. "My ears are still ringing, but I think she is good now. All of it was nonsense, and I doubt she even knew half of what she was going on about. She never completed a thought before trying to move on to the next. Sunset just did some sort of empathic thing that made Biblo focus. Once Biblo was able to focus she calmed down quickly. Rainbow Dash is redoing Biblo's makeup and then we shall begin."

A sudden thought occurred to me. "Why are Alicorns able to work magic on Biblo when she has my magic in her?" I asked the two Alicorns. "I would think she would be immune as I am to magic."

"We are of two minds on that," Rarity answered. "One, your magical resistance is not something that she can absorb, as her magic can't touch it. The other possibility is that her own absorbing magic counteracts any magical resistance she may have otherwise gained. We don't have a consensus on which of the two it is, it requires more study. This is again something we won't concern ourselves with today."

"I am just surprised it is just now occurring to me to ask," I admitted.

"It has been on our minds," Rarity assured me. "We will figure it out eventually. We have plenty of time."

A knock came at the door and I stiffened. The door opened to reveal Icy Moon, who had been standing at attention between the two rooms.

"They are ready on the other side now," she said to us with a smile. "In a moment or two you will hear the first wave of the wedding music start up. That is your signal to exit the room and advance to your location."

I gulped and shook myself to try to loosen my muscles. Then I nodded before taking position in front of the door. Hot Sticks took position beside me as my escort, since he was best stallion, Sunset would be serving the same roll for Biblo as best mare. Rarity and Water Shadow would follow behind me. I was due out first since I was the one to propose, Biblo would come after as a sign of her acceptance of my proposal.

The music started, a Thestrals tune with drums and recorders. I took one last deep breath and walked out the door that Icy Moon held open with her magic. 

After coming out into the hall we turned right towards a large chamber filled with our guests. When I reached the entrance into the chamber I paused as Icy Moon announced my presence to all.

"Stand and acknowledge the proposing bride, Pearlwort of the Thestral tribe, and formerly the town of Starlight's Folly, only daughter of the late Night Flower of the Thestral tribe, who made her home in the town of Hallow Shades," Icy Moon's declaration rang out.

I started walking forward slowly, which was necessary not simply ceremonial, I would have tripped over my own dress if I had tried to hurry. I was supposed to keep my eyes ahead, but couldn't help but take small, hopefully imperceptible, glances to the side.

The room was packed with Alicorns, I could recognize all the greater Alicorns and put names to them. Many of the other Alicorns were a mystery as they had never appeared to me in their Alicorn forms previously, with the exception of the Crusaders. I spotted a few non-Alicorn ponies as well. Comet Glider was present in support of Biblo, and I saw Patina as well. Next to Patina sat an ordinary looking Earth Pony stallion with brown coat and mane, who I could only guess to be her own fiancee. At the end of the walkway was the Twilight Princess herself, Twilight Sparkle, de amicitia principis. As for decorations in the hall I couldn't be bothered to pay attention, I noticed ponies and I noticed the place I needed to get too.

I eventually reached where I was standing in front of the princess, as the music came to an end. She smiled down to me, and covering a laugh with a hoof, gestured that I should be standing to her left, as I had clearly forgotten. I blushed with embarassment, and quickly as I could took up my position and turned my gaze towards the entrance of the room. I then held my breath in anticipation.

The music began, the best way to describe it was crystal like, it had a strange otherworldly quality to it. I knew this to be a more traditional wedding song from the Old Crystal Imperial District and the sound came from running your hooves lightly across certain types of crystals. It set the perfect mood for the entrance of Biblo.

And then there she was, standing at the entrance of the room more beautiful than I thought a pony could be. The dress she was wearing reminded me of stained glass panels and I knew somehow that when she lit up it would reflect her light brightly all around her. She had her mane styled in a complicated mass of curls, and in those curls were several clips that were shaped like pearlwort blossoms in honor of me. There was one other callout to her marrying me as well in her dress, like me it's clasp was a traditional Thestral spider. Rainbow Dash had managed to incorporate both Crystal Pony designs and Thestral designs in one stunning work of art.

"Continue standing and acknowledge the proposed to bride, Bibulous Bottom of the Crystal Pony tribe, formally of the city of Crystal Heart, daughter of Tibia the changeling and Diamond Glow of the Crystal Pony tribe, both of the city of Crystal Heart, sister to Peridot Glow of the Crystal Pony tribe, of the city of Crystal Heart," Icy Moon declared.

Biblo began walking down the isle, and didn't seem to be nervous at all. She looked cool and confident, and there was no sign whatsoever that just minutes before she had been a yelling, crying mess. I didn't know how any other pony was reacting to her, as I couldn't focus on anything but her.

She came up in front of the Twilight Princess, bowed her head--something I had forgotten to do altogether, and moved to take her place on the princess's other side. She locked her eyes on me and a smile played on her features, and tears began to form in eyes.

"Gentle stallions and gentle mares," the princess called out. "We are brought here today to celebrate the union of these two mares as wives to one another. Pearlwort and Bibulous Bottom expect to live an untold number of lifetimes, and they have declared their intention to live them together. Is there any among the congregation of witnesses who objects to this union?"

She paused for a brief moment to allow for an a reply. Then she continued when no reply came.

"As there are no objections, I will allow Pearlwort to say her vows, and then give opportunity for all who are here to declare objection again. Pearlwort, please tell your fiancee what you vow to her."

I took a deep breath and looked Biblo in the eyes.

"Biblo, I promise never to abandon you, or stop loving you. I promise to do everything in my power to keep you safe. I promise to do everything in my power to keep you happy. I promise to defend you from any slander against you. And I promise to always be there for you through your hardest times. I offer you my love, my magic, my life, whatever worldly possessions I might gain, and my bed. Please accept my vows and my eternal love."

Biblo looked like she was struggling hard to hold back tears now, and she was openly grinning wide now.

"We have heard her vows," the princess declared, "I offer now the second opportunity for the congregation of witnesses to voice objection."

There was a moment of silence when I paused as the princess gave the second of three opportunities to object. 

"As there are no objections, I will allow Bibulous Bottom to say her vows, and then give opportunity for all who are here to declare objection again. Bibulous Bottom, please tell your fiancee what you vow to her."

Biblo had to take a moment to wipe her eyes and sniffle, then to take a breath of her own. Then she began to speak.

"My precious Pearl, I promise you that you will always be the pony at the center of my world. I shall never abandon you, never condemn you, and never stop loving you. I promise to love you always. I promise to do all I can to protect you, and to see justice dealt on those who would harm you. Everything I own, or shall ever own, is yours as well. I will stay with you in happy and sad times. I will comfort you when you are hurting, and I will share your joy when you are glad. I offer my love, all my worldly possessions, my service, and my bed to you. Please accept my vows and eternal love."

"We have heard her vows," the princess declared again, "I now offer this final opportunity for the congregation of witnesses to voice objection."

I held my breath, it was unheard of for any pony to actually object, but it only took one objection. Several seconds passed and the room remained silent.

"As all opportunities to object have now passed, it is with great pleasure that I, Twilight Sparkle, highest authority in this realm, declare you committed in your vows, and so married. You may now kiss each other as wives."

Biblo and I launched ourselves at each other into an embrace, and deep kiss, as soon as the last word was said. Cheering erupted from throughout the hall. All the cheering didn't matter as I could only think of one pony at the moment. 

As we ended our kiss, and stepped back to look at each other in the eye, I could see that Biblo was glowing as brightly as I had ever seen. She was glowing even more brightly than the day I had proposed to her. I could also see that the dress had the exact effect that I had expected.

"I think Rainbow Dash and I were right," I said smiling at my wife. "There is no way I could match you for beauty. I am lucky to have you as a wife."

"I still differ in opinion on who is the prettiest pony here," she giggled as she put one forehoof up against me, and gave me another quick kiss, as well as some bedroom eyes. "But I am glad I was able to make your breath catch. We will have to disagree on who is luckier to have who as a wife too, my precious wife."

"It feels good hearing you call me that," I said contentedly. 

"It feels wonderful being able to say that and know it is true," she hummed back at me. "And it also fills me with warmth hearing you call me your wife. I promise to make you happy, because you make me happy all the time."

"I suppose we need to mingle with our guests now," I said sadly.

"It would be the the wise thing to do, we will have to be dealing with these ponies for a thousand lifetimes," she looked them over, and said with a sad voice. "Best to make sure we have plenty of friends. I am still tempted to just say screw it, and just head to bed with you for some actual screwing, but that isn't in our best interests right now."

"What you absorbed from Starlight seems to have settled in," I said with bemusement. "Just married and thinking of how to position us."

"Don't be upset with me," she pleaded. "It is just good sense, and I need to look out for your best interests. I have a responsibility to you to do what is best for you."

"Best for us," I reminded her. "We are a team, forever, don't forget that. Don't get so focused on me you forget yourself."

She hugged and kissed me again. "I will try not to forget. Now it is time to get to business and go talk with our guests."

"There is one more thing I wanted to do first," I said, halting her from turning to head out to mingle. 

"And what is that?" She asked quizzically. 

"It is a common tradition for a bride to take a new name in addition to her original after marrying, in honor of her spouse," I explained. "I want to take up a new name in addition to being also Pearlwort. I want to also be Pearl Bottom."

Biblo looked like she was going to tear up again and gave me another kiss. Then she gave me a lighthearted hoove-punch on the shoulder.

"I wish you had told me!" She fussed at me goodnaturedly. "I could have taken the time to think of a new second name for myself as well. I feel honored, Pearl Bottom, but you should have told me."

"I didn't want to make you feel pressured to do the same," I explained.

"But I think it is a wonderful idea," she replied back with a smile. "And Pearl Bottom has a nice ring to it. I will take another name in addition to my original as well, but I need time to think about it. Maybe something more Thestral like for a name, something more intimidating than my current name. I think I would like a name for when I need to be scary. I will come up with something, just need to research what fits me best."

"Don't stress over it," I told her. "I didn't want you to feel pressured to do the same, if you can't think of a good fit, then you shouldn't feel the need to do it."

She kissed me again. "I will think of something perfect, I am not on a time limit to come up with anything," she laughed. "And I should thank you for not adding to things to cause me anxiety before the wedding. Now again, time to focus on guests."

We walked out into the throng of guests together, and were greeted by smiles and congratulations from each pony as we came near them. The first pony we spoke to was Sunset Shimmer, she was easy to pick out, despite the fact I had never seen her in her Alicorn form. She looked exactly the same as she ever did, except she changed out her Thestral wings for feathered ones, had more normal ears, a longer mane, and had a horn. She was also unarmored, which allowed me to finally see her cutie mark, a red and gold sun.

"You know Sunset, your Thestral disguise is remarkably lazy," I chided her. 

"I can do better," she said with a smile. "I didn't really feel the need to do much with my disguise since my most recent disguise I kept on for sixty-four years, aging my appearance slowly as I went. Coming up with whole new identities is difficult on the spot and I don't expect to have to maintain this for more than a few years, so not putting much effort into it. You will see in a few decades when you need to do it."

"Um, we can't shapeshift, so we won't be doing that." Biblo replied to her with confusion. 

"You can't shapeshift yourself, but you can be shapeshifted by one of us," Sunset explained. "It isn't like the non-Alicorn immortals are any less in need of doing the same thing, even Patina has us alter the appearance of her age over time to match her current spouse, at least until they die and she has us put her back to normal. You'll likely need to do similar at some point in the future when ponies start to notice you never age and die. Typically another form of your own tribe, since you don't gain the abilities of that tribe, you are still your own, just in a different shape. It is completely your form, but magic types don't shift with it. It is a variation of what Starlight did for you, Pearl."

"So if I took a Thestral form, would I still be able absorb like I do currently then?" Biblo asked with eagerness.

"I see where you are going, and I don't know how that would work out, yes you would be able to absorb her magic as you normally would, but I don't know if you would be able to have fully functional Thestral abilities or not with her magic in you," Sunset replied carefully. "We can try it out at some point for a few minutes, I am sure all the Alicorns would be interested in knowing if you would be able to function as a Thestral, given your abilities, but I wouldn't recommend any permanent changes, not until you get to the point you need to do it."

"Aww, but I am more Thestral than Crystal Pony in my head at this point," Biblo pouted.

"We still need to go meet your family," I reminded her, covering a smile with one hoof. "Showing up with bat wings, tufty ears, and fangs might be difficult to explain."

"Okay," she pouted again, sitting and crossing her forelegs. "I still want a chance to try it out sometime soon, if only for an hour or two."

"I will see what we can arrange, sometime soon," Sunset said, with a laugh at Biblo's pouting. "Just don't complain at me if you try to fly, and end up planting your muzzle in the dirt."

"I'll live if that happens, I will be disappointed, but I will live," she said nonchalantly. "I figure we aren't going to have a good chance to try something like that for a while. We are still stuck here until that second trial, and whatever needs to be done with us concerning Starlight's Folly."

"About that.." Sunset said hesitantly. "We didn't want to bother either of you, since you were both very busy, but you might not be waiting very long until you are free to leave Harmony."

"Have you discovered something about what happened?" I asked eagerly. It had been forever since we had any news, we were just sitting around waiting constantly for the Alicorns to do anything.

"No," Sunset stated. Then she looked down sheepishly. "However, Starlight took advantage of the time she was looking through your memories to store your magic away in a focus stone, and to store copies of all your memories from the time around when the ailment broke out."

"We are not angry," I answered for us, with a level voice. I was annoyed, that felt like a violation of trust. She hadn't asked to do that, or told us at the time that she had done it. Biblo looked like she wanted to protest the fact we weren't angry, but she kept silent and just rubbed her body up close to me, as she gave a small glare towards Starlight across the room. Starlight had the good sense to look ashamed of herself, no doubt guessing what was being discussed. 

At this point I think Biblo and I were both done with the idea of patron Alicorns. They were extremely fallible, at times petty, and all seemed to possess some psychosis or another. Alicorns were just another tribe. A very powerful tribe, but just another tribe none the less.

"We have already met in council about what to do about the town," Sunset went on. "We are planning resettlement of the town, though it will take time. We are also planning precautions for any further outbreaks. As to the fate of the townsfolk, we are still at a loss. We have eyes and ears out in force throughout the north for any signs of their whereabouts, and may do an expedition further into the Lost Lands to find clues. I am sorry we still have no better answers to what happened, and we are deeply concerned about what it might mean. 

"You no longer need to wait around while we study you. What is required of you is your magic, as it seems the only actual cure. In order to store away some more of your magic, if we find further outbreaks, they will be tasking Biblo with storing as much in focus stones as she can, over time. Biblo, you are the only pony that can actually accomplish this. When Starlight stored away what she did, she had to take it from you, not Pearl. I apologize that you two will be treated as assets to be used, but you will be free to go and do as you please as long as they can acquire what they want from you."

There was an unspoken warning that if the greater Alicorns didn't get what they wanted from us willingly, then they would do something to force us to give them what they want. Beside me, Biblo was deep in thought. Thanks to whatever she absorbed from Starlight, she likely would be better able to judge how to handle this than I could. 

"I have a question on an unrelated note," I informed Sunset. "Do you know if Starlight touched Biblo when she was working on us?"

"Yes," Sunset replied curiously. Then realization dawned on her face about why I would be asking, and she facehoofed. "Damn, Starlight didn't put up an empathic block around her mind when she was working. I apologize for whatever you might have absorbed, Biblo. I can only hope it wasn't her less pleasant traits."

"Just some politicking," Biblo replied distractedly as she appeared to still deeply engrossed in whatever she was thinking about. She actually seemed completely unconcerned about the fact that she had just been told that she was to be used indefinitely as a magic syphoner. After a moment's more thought she seemed to come to some sort of conclusion, and smiled to herself.

"I think that arrangement actually meets our needs," she said to us. "We already had concerns about me needing an alternative way of storing Pearl's magic, in case I was separated from her for too long. If I am supposed to be storing her magic away in focus stones, keeping a few filled ones on me for such occasions solves that problem. I assume the Greaters will want to ensure I will get a steady supply of the stones. I can procure them myself as long as I have the bits for it. It would be easiest if we were just given a well funded account in the Imperial Bank for us to pull on as we need. I can promise we won't go crazy pulling funds, but not having to worry about it we can afford food, supplies, or housing would be nice. Consider it payment for services rendered, and our products. I know you want Pearl's magic for more than just this ailment, It would be considered essentially an all around miracle drug, we produce it, and the Greaters distribute or store it as they wish, but we get paid for what we produce."

"Yeah, I can see where you absorbed from Starlight," Sunset groaned. "I can't fault your reasoning though, it does seem a fair arrangement, not that the Greaters are always concerned about fairness. I do think they will agree, if only to keep you happy and compliant. I will discuss it with Twilight, on your behalf."

"What about Rose Thorn's trial," I spoke up. "We are still stuck in Harmony until that is complete aren't we?"

Sunset grimaced, and took a moment to decide how to respond.

"You don't need to worry about staying around for that," she finally answered. "If you really want the details of why, talk to Luna. I had no part in it, and won't voice my opinion about what occurred. If you do talk to her, take it as a lesson on Greater mindsets, and take it to heart for your own well being."

Sunset excused herself to go speak to Twilight on our behalf. At some point while we were talking a wait staff had entered in and was offering up food and drinks to every pony in the room. We were greeted with pleasantries from each Alicorn we passed, and pulled into multiple conversations. The most interesting of which was with Patina when we found her away from her fiancee.

"So, you have had foals from each of your husbands over the course of six thousand years," Biblo said in the middle of the conversation. "How do you avoid marrying some pony descended from you?"

"It is almost impossible to keep track of that kind of thing," Patina replied with a lack of concern in her voice. "After enough generations it cannot be rightly be considered incest anyway. It is best just not to think about it. Please don't mention anything to Box Car about it. I don't want him stressing he might very well be screwing his, some number of greats, grandmare." 

She definitely had the right idea that it was best not to think about it. I privately vowed never to ask another immortal about their sex life with a mortal again. That led to areas of thought that no pony wanted to consider.

We finally found Luna alone in one of the corners of the chamber. She greeted us with the normal congratulations on being newlywed, and we made small talk for a while.

"We were told we wouldn't need to stay around for Rose Thorn's trial," I finally brought into the conversation. "Do you know anything about why."

"Oh, that is simple," she replied nonchalantly. "There isn't going to be a trial, so there isn't anything to stay around for."

"Why?" I asked. "Did you simply sentence him after it became obvious that he was guilty?"

"That is one way of putting it," she said slyly. "I said I was going to make sure your fellow tribe ponies understood that what he did displeased me, and would not be tolerated. An example needed to be made, every Thestral other than you got to see exactly how I feel about such blasphemy. I gave them all very vivid dreams of what happens to ponies that dare to commit such offences against me."

"So you gave him a bad dream, and he repented?" I asked confused.

"No," she replied back happily. "His fate played out was the bad dream displayed for others. He is completely incapable of repenting anything at this point. Last I saw of him it was impossible to tell who he was. Who can tell one blood platter on the wall from another? I left his corpse mutilated beyond all recognition, and didn't give it the dignity of being fed upon. I even ordered the guards to not clean his cell afterwards. I want any pony being held there in the future to be very aware of the fate of that resident after that resident dared to displeased me to that extent."

I learned then that Thestrals' bloodlust was nothing compared to the bloodlust of an Alicorn. Sunset herself had at one point even said she herself would murder Biblo if she felt the need. The Realm might have laws and courts, but when an Alicorn decided that they wanted you dead they abandoned all of that. It was an important lesson to take to heart.