Imperfect
Chapter 4: Weddings and Dances
“I swear to Celestia, if you move ONE MORE TIME, I will STAB you with that needle on PURPOSE!” Rarity yelled, stomping her hoof on the floor. Twilight turned to her with a nervous, embarrassed grin, putting her ears down.
“Sorry, Rarity, I'm just-”
“Yes, I know, I've heard it almost thirteen times already,” the white unicorn muttered, as she took a fold of her alicorn friend's dress in her magic aura and examined it carefully. “It's been 2 hours now, I'm tired and nervous, just as you. It could have taken less time, but somepony can't stand in one place for five minutes!” she hissed the last sentences under her breath, observing the dress and going in circles around the purple alicorn standing on a dais with her wedding dress on. The princess trotted in place with a panicked expression, causing the designer to growl in annoyance.
“I said I'm sorry! How much more time do you need to finish it? I-I don't want to be late! And why did you cover all the mirrors here- Ouch! Rarity!” she whined with a frown.
“...and I said I would stab you. Stay. Still. For Luna's sake!” the unicorn cried out as she checked and improved another part of the dress near Twilight's flanks. She murmured something about wedding fever and Twilight rolled her eyes. “I covered the mirrors because you could see yourself and correct me in everything I would do. And, no offense darling, after what happened on our first gala, I won't take any pieces of advice from you. You and Thorax helped me a lot with the sketches, but now, it's only my job to make this dress gorgeous. Can you not-! Thank you… even Thorax was better than you with that one task! You are unbearable today! I can understand why the girls are already so exhausted!” Twilight blushed and flicked her tail nervously, getting another stab from Rarity.
“Ouch! Hey, you all know it's not my fault… It's my… big day, isn't it? It has to be perfect-”
“Yes, darling, but you are pushing yourself too much into this! We agreed that WE will organize this. That means, me, the rest of our friends, Cadance, and the changelings. You had only inspected our work at the end. So stop worrying. You already checked everything twice-”
“Three times.”
“...three times. You had your hair done, beautifully, I must say. I love the way your mane pulls into these locks over your neck…” Rarity gave herself a moment to admire her friend’s mane-style with a genuine smile. Twilight hummed quietly and looked at her friend.
“I would prefer if they just let them be straight as always. I think these curls don't really fit me… And-And what will Thorax and other guests think about it? Will it be a disaster?! Maybe we should cancel the wedding before it's too late!” Rarity just rolled her eyes and sighed deeply.
“Celestia, please have mercy… TWILIGHT, darling!” she used her magic to stop Twilight in place, as she was about to jump off the dais and run away. The alicorn struggled in her friend’s magic aura but sighed deeply moments later. Rarity carefully took off her spell, looking at the princess attentively, exclaiming, “I swear, I have never had a bride-to-be more nervous than you are. It is just beyond any comprehension, dear! First, you almost made Pinkie depressed, when you didn’t enjoy the decorations she organized with that female changeling-”
“B-but I was just… my mind was elsewhere, I didn’t mean to hurt Pinkie’s feelings…” Twilight interrupted but watched herself not to move. One more stab on her flank and she will start bleeding, for sure.
“Well, you could have at least pretended that you were happy about them. Pinkie thought she failed you when the only response she got from you was ‘That’s good.’ said without any other emotion than boredom!” she scolded the alicorn, who cowered a little, but quickly straightened up, hearing her friend hiss in annoyance.
“I-I know, I should have been more concerned about that… I will apologize to her after this fitting, I hope she won’t be mad at me…” Twilight stammered quietly, her ears flopped down on her head.
“I hope the others won’t be too…” the designer huffed as she picked up Twilight’s hoof and adjusted the golden shoe on it. Twilight blinked and looked at her friend surprised, feeling slightly offended by that.
“What was that supposed to mean?” she asked with one eyebrow raised as Rarity rolled her eyes.
“Should I remind you how you treated Rainbow during her lessons? You two almost had a fight in the middle of the ballroom!” Twilight cringed and blushed furiously.
“That’s not my fault! She wasn’t so gentle with my wings and you KNOW how sensitive they are!” she tried to defend herself, but already knew she was on the losing position during this quarrel. She behaved like total jerk…
“And you KNOW how she hates dancing, but she agreed to teach you and Thorax how to use your wings during your first dance. I can understand now, why she couldn’t withstand with you after you yelled at her. It was clearly your fault that you fell, not her nor Thorax. Thank Celestia that he separated you two, before she-”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I messed up… again…” Twilight sighed deeply and lowered her head, as Rarity was working on her trail now. “I just… was so touchy then. I hated how she corrected my every move.”
“Twi, darling, are you aware that you are a terrible dancer?” Rarity asked, sewing few more little crystal rocks on the material, not even looking at Twilight, who rolled her eyes.
“I am! But that wasn’t it, I-I felt like she criticized my every action just to make me mad! I… ugh… I don’t know anymore… I hope Fluttershy is doing better…” she murmured and quickly straightened up, because Rarity finished the trail and came back to her, examining the crystals on her chest.
“I hope so! What did you say to her, that we found you two crying in each other arms in the garden?! You just had to check if it was decorated and ready for the wedding!” Twilight again cowered, fighting the urge to hide behind her wings.
“I said I was sorry! I was so… overwhelmed… I had to talk to her… about this wedding, Thorax, everything… she was trying to help, b-but I started crying, I don’t know why, a-and she then looked at me with her big, turquoise eyes, filled with tears, I-I couldn’t hold mine back, I just-” Twilight was stammering, feeling her eyes begin to well up with tears again, and her voice tremble, Rarity quickly noticed this and looked at her, putting down her needles and threads.
“Twily, darling, please stop. Don’t let it overtake you again, inhale and exhale…” she started quietly, gently caressing her friend’s shoulder. Twilight gulped loudly and sobbed, but followed the unicorn’s words. Rarity smiled a bit, seeing her friend calming down with every breath. “Easy there, Twi. You can do it… Don’t think about bad things, I’m sure you will be happy after all,” she giggled as she saw Twilight’s smile. “I can’t believe you today. First, you cried in the garden for about half an hour, and just a few minutes later you were so excited about this wedding you almost threw off your cake with your wing when you saw it. I thought that Applejack would kill you for almost destroying her masterpiece, she just finished decorating it!” the alicorn hid her flushed face behind her wings, but Rarity took them away. “Now, now, I finished my job too. Want to see it?” before Twilight could answer, the unicorn used her magic to uncover all mirrors around her alicorn friend.
Twilight gasped in amazement, as she was examining herself in a reflection. Her mane was indeed gorgeous, curls were enclosing her neck, but her fetlocks remained mostly straight, only slightly curled at the ends. Her dress looked ten thousand times better than on Rarity’s sketches - it was white, straight, with the long trail, which started with a pearl white color at her body, but ended semi-transparent, it was also sparkling a bit due to the little crystals on it. The dress also had a golden colored material, which began above her wings before going down her flanks, similar to her coronation dress. On her golden chest necklace, she had three light-blue diamond-shaped crystals, just like her husband-to-be. In a few places, Rarity had made a few pinkish and purplish touches, but the dress looked just like Twilight wanted it to look - modest and beautiful at the same time. She didn’t say a word. She didn’t have to, Rarity knew from the look on her face that her friend just fell in love in her work. The unicorn smiled with pride as she took the last piece of her friend’s gown in her magic aura.
“Rarity…” Twilight started, but Rarity interrupted her, putting a golden tiara with a veil on her head, careful not to ruin her hair.
“Shh. The last piece aaaaand, there!” she grinned genuinely, as she stepped back to admire her work. “Perfect… you look… so, so beautiful, my dear…” she whispered, as she felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Twilight looked at her.
“Rarity, what is happening to me? Am I already insane?” she asked quietly, but her friend just hugged her.
“No, darling. You aren’t. Yet,” Rarity giggled, wiping her eyes with a tissue. She helped her friend to stand off the dais and walked with her to the doors. “Come on now. Your husband-to-be is waiting for you!” Twilight sighed, but raised her head and smiled slightly.
“Yes… let’s go… I… I’m ready…”
Thorax was nervous. Actually, that wasn’t true… he was on the verge of a full on mental break down! He was currently passing in his fitting room. His brother was there leaning against one of the pillars on the wall with a mildly amused smirk on his muzzle.
“Jeez bro, you’re acting like you’re about to marry Chrysalis,” Pharynx joked, “then again, Twilight does seem to talk almost as much as she did,” he mused as Thorax stopped his pacing to glare at his brother.
“You're. Not. Helping!” he growled before resuming his pacing.
“What are you all so freaked out about? You’re acting like if this isn’t perfect, Twilight will never love you. Why should you care so much? It’s not like you two have feelings for each other,” Pharynx reasoned. However, when Thorax gave him a troubled look his smile vanished. “Wait, you're not actually in love with her, are you?”
“I don’t know!” Thorax exclaimed while pressing both front hooves to his forehead and falling to his rump on the floor. “These last few days have really made me confused on my feelings for Twilight! I don’t love her, but I don’t see her as just merely a friend anymore,” he explained.
“So… friends with benefits then!” his brother concluded, shrugging his shoulders as if it was obvious.
“NO!” Thorax practically screamed as his face tried to imitate a tomato. Pharynx burst into laughter and fell over onto his side. The king took a deep breath to calm his nerves before he rolled his eyes, and then opened the door with his magic. Leaving his laughing brother behind, he exited the fitting room and walked into the hallway. He wasn’t really paying attention to where he was going, his mind once more was a storm as he struggled to organize his thoughts.
“Hey, Thorax, where are you going?” Pharynx called after him and ran out of the fitting room to join his brother. “I’m only teasing you, little bro,” he said, giving his brother a light punch in the shoulder.
“I know that, Pharynx, but I’m really stressed at the moment, and your joking is just making me frustrated,” he explained.
“Okay, well, you want to hear what I think is really going on?” the prince asked. Thorax let out a sigh of defeat. Clearly, his brother wasn’t going to leave him to clear his thoughts.
“Fine, what do you think my problem is?” he conceded.
“I think you have a crush on Twilight!” Pharynx declared.
“What? You can’t be serious!” Thorax exclaimed, “What did I say about joking?!”
“I’m not joking Thorax, I’m serious. It looks like you have a crush on Princess Twilight,” he explained.
“I don’t have a crush on Twilight!” he denied a bit too quickly, feeling blushes on his cheeks. Pharynx gained a wry smile, seeing his reaction.
“Oh yeah, you definitely have a crush on Twilight,” the prince teased.
“Pharynx…” Thorax growled threateningly. However, before he could say anything else, the two heard somepony yell.
"Twilight, hurry up! We’re going to be late!" at the sound, the two royal changelings looked forward to the opposite end of the corridor. The two watched as a white unicorn and a purple alicorn in white dress quickly walk past.
"LATE?! ARE WE LATE?! I NEED TO CHECK MY CHECKLIST ONE MORE TIME!" came a second voice, followed by the purple alicorn running back the way the two ponies came.
“Hey, don’t run, you’ll ruin your mane!” the white unicorn ran back after the alicorn.
“Rarity, give me my checklist back!” the second voice cried. Once more the two ran by with the white unicorn holding a checklist in her magic. This time, however, when they ran by, the alicorn dropped one of her shoes. “Oh, pony feathers.”
“Twilight, darling, that’s not appropriate for a lady, let alone a princess, and even less so for a queen,” the two mares walked back into view.
“I know Rarity, but give me a break, I’m stressed,” Twilight countered, while she slipped her shoe back on. “I would say that maybe you should have made these tighter, but I’m afraid you’ll make them so tight that I won’t be able to feel my hooves,” she said before finally getting the shoe secure on her hoof, “there!”
“Good, now let’s go!” Rarity exclaimed before turning and heading in the direction the two had been heading with Twilight not far behind. Once the two mares were gone, Pharynx spoke.
“Well, I’ll admit she looked pretty… for a pony,” the prince said. “What do you think bro?” he asked Thorax. However, when he didn’t get a response right away he turned to the Changeling King. Thorax was staring mouth ajar where the two ponies had just been moment’s ago.
“She’s beautiful…” he finally said. Pharynx burst into laughter at his brother’s response.
“Oh yeah, you totally have a crush on her!” he exclaimed. Thorax groaned in frustration, slightly. Seeing that his brother wasn’t going to give him much more of a response, Pharynx relented, “okay, come on, let’s get our armors and go to the altar, we don’t want to be late either,” he said before he started walking again. However, before he got far he spoke, “we don’t want to keep your crush waiting,” he teased.
“Ugg…” Thorax groaned. “Call her that when she is near, and I will kill you,” Pharynx only laughed at that, and Thorax sighed deeply. “This day can't end soon enough…”
“Okay, Twilight just calm down, it’s just your wedding, one of the most important moments of your life. It’s also a marriage that you have been, for the most part, forced into to save the changeling kingdom from annexation and exploitation, and you are marrying a stallion you don't even know, oh sweet Celestia, this is going to be a disaster!” Twilight exclaimed. She was pacing just outside the wedding hall, on the verge of a panic attack.
“What’s the matter, my little star? You’re more panicked than you were when Celestia would give you tests,” a blue unicorn stallion, dressed in a black suit, said, as he approached her.
“The better question is, what’s not the matter!” she exclaimed, panic now fully taking her. “If I started listing what’s wrong now, I’d be as old as Celestia by the time I was done!”
“Oh yeah, definitely just like the tests,” he remarked.
“Dad! I’m serious!”
“Twilight dear,” he said, placing his hooves on his daughter’s shoulders to keep her from running in circles. “Use the breathing technique Cadance taught you,” at this Twilight nodded and did as he said. She took a deep breath and placed a hoof to her chest before breathing out and pushing her hoof forward. She did this a few more times to calm her thoughts. After a minute Nightlight spoke, “feeling better?” Twilight nodded.
“Yeah, thanks, dad.”
“No problem, now tell me what the problem is,” he pressed. Twilight sighed, but remained calm.
“I don’t know… I just feel overwhelmed is all. So much is happening, Dad, and I don’t know if I can handle it. I became a princess only 3 years ago, and now I’m about to become queen of another nation, and marry a king that I might be friends with, but I don’t love him. I’m just so uncertain of where my life is going, and it feels like I’ve lost control of everything!” she yelled in frustration. However, she took another deep breath to calm her nerves, “I just don’t know if I can handle it, dad.”
“I know you can handle it,” Night Light said without hesitation. Twilight blinked in surprise at how fast her father replied. Nightlight didn’t waste a moment, continuing, “Twilight, I’m honestly surprised how uncertain you are about your abilities, despite all that you have done.”
“Wha-” she began, but Night Light wasn’t done.
“How many villains have you defeated? How many disasters have you prevented, Twilight?” he asked, however, he continued before his daughter could reply. “Let’s go down the list; Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra, Tirek, and Starlight. That’s not everything either, if I remember correctly, not a week after your coronation, Celestia and Luna disappeared. According to what I’ve been told, you took control of the situation and gave out orders. In the end, you were able to find them and stop the Everfree Forest from invading.”
“But-”
“Yes, your friends did help you through all of that, but in the end, it all fell on you to lead your friends to victory,” he finished. Twilight was silent, her muzzle scrunched up to show she was thinking. Her father was right, how many times had she saved Equestria? Seven times now? This was nothing compared to what she had faced in the past. Yet she was still freaking out over this, why? “Twilight,” he spoke again, drawing her attention to look at him, “it’s normal to be worried about the future, but you need to be more confident my dear. Every challenge that has come your way, you succeeded.”
“I know…” Twilight said with a sigh of frustration. “I’m just… afraid… that it won’t turn out okay this time.”
“Tell me Twily, what did Celestia tell you about your entrance exam?” he asked. Twilight gave him a confused look for a moment, but soon her eyes lit up with realization.
“I was never meant to pass the entrance exam, it was designed to be failed,” she mumbled.
“Not only that, but did she try to get you to fail again?” he asked. Twilight remained silent for a moment before answering.
“Almost every test she gave me was meant to fail me…”
“And did you ever fail?”
“Well, yes... but…”
“But?”
“But not on the tests she gave me… I passed every impossible challenge she gave me. She told me that was why she put me in danger to save Equestria. She said she knew I would succeed no matter the odds,” she finished. Realization coursed through her. “Why am I always so afraid of failing? I have always been capable of succeeding and making it through challenges! I can do this! It will be hard, but I know that this will turn out all right in the end!” A determined expression soon filled her features. She turned back to look at her father. “You’re right, I can handle this! I know that it will be difficult, but I know I can make it through.”
“That's my girl!” Nightlight gave his daughter a tight hug. “You know you make it hard for me not to have a favorite child,” he teased.
“Dad…” Twilight ground in mild annoyance. However, her annoyed expression soon turned into a genuine smile. “Thanks Dad, I needed that.”
“Anything for my little star. And you are really beautiful in this dress, I love it.” Twilight smiled wider and blushed slightly, before she could reply a serenade began to play through the door. “Looks like it’s time,” he said, “ready?”
“Yes, I am,” Twilight replied with a confident smile and a proud posture. Her father nodded, and the doors to the wedding hall opened.
The Ceremony Hall was truly impressive. Thousands of ponies and changelings gathered here, and even more of them waited in the ballroom and gardens for the couple to arrive. Twilight couldn’t choose any of her friends from Ponyville to be her best mare, so she asked Shining Armor, he was now standing proudly in his favorite suit, waiting for his sister to arrive. The bearers of the elements stood in the first row in the audience, with Twilight’s mom and little Flurry Heart, all of them wearing beautiful, colorful dresses. Celestia stood near the wall, as to not cover the view, and looked at her niece with no emotion in her gaze, most of the nobles stood there by her side. Cadance, on the other hoof, was smiling widely, looking at the guests and shooting calm glances at Thorax, who stood by her side in the center, near the balcony. Cadance looked at his best mare, Starlight, who was standing proud, with her black dress. Rarity had designed the dress for her a year ago, but she seemed to be elsewhere. The unicorn gazed at the wall, sometimes looking at Thorax, but quickly turning away. Cadance made a mental note to talk with her later, maybe she was overwhelmed with the idea of taking care of the castle while Twilight would be in the Changeling Kingdom.
Next to her stood Pharynx, dressed similar to his brother - in solid silver armor, which surrounded his underside, his neck, back, and flanks. On his head was a helmet, similar to those worn by Celestial guards, with a maned mohawk in dark purple color. Thorax’s armor looked almost the same, but was golden and had more embellishments. His ‘mane’ was dark green, and he also had golden shoes and leg-pads. Of course, they couldn’t forget about the little, purple star-shaped crystals in them. Thorax shook his head, making his ceremonial mane wave a bit. As soon as the music started he felt his panic return in full. However, it didn’t last long, when the doors to the wedding hall opened. Upon seeing his bride all his nervousness seemed to melt away. As Twilight walked closer he became more enamored by how she looked. “She’s beautiful… Gah! Stop, she’s just a friend! I’m marrying her to ensure my kingdom’s independence! Then again is it wrong to like her? She is going to be my wife after all, but, maybe she won’t like me back, after all, it’s partially my fault she’s in this mess, to begin with.” He would have kept arguing with himself if it weren't for a certain purple alicorn, who approached him with her father.
She had her eyes closed, as she was listening to the beautiful tunes, played not on a piano like usual, but on traditional changelings wooden instruments. She was wearing a calm smile, ignoring everything around her, just focusing on how the music went through her body, calming her heart and mind, her long semi-transparent train was brushing the floor. Twilight heard some oohs and aahs and she smiled even wider, once again Rarity did her best. “I hope Thorax will like it…” When she opened her eyes she was just next to her almost-husband. She gulped quietly, looking at him. “He looks… kinda handsome…” she smiled at him, blushing slightly. She saw his and Pharynx’ armors before, but they looked more stunning on them, instead of mannequins. Night Light bowed his head to his daughter, and then went to his wife and stood next to her, she already had watery eyes and wiped them with a tissue.
“Hey…” Twilight whispered, pulling Thorax back into reality. The changeling shook his head before replying.
“Hi…” He said quietly, forcing a smile. Nothing else was said between the two, they just looked at each other awkwardly. Cadance, who was standing there behind the altar in the same light blue dress she used on Twilight’s coronation day, cleared her throat to gain their attention, opening her wings regally.
“Are you ready to begin?” she asked the two of them. They nodded in confirmation, which Cadance returned with one of acknowledgment. She cleared her throat again, much louder this time so as to be heard by the crowd. Every creature went quiet, and once they were all focused on her she began. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for the joining of two ponies in matrimony, and to forge an alliance between two great nations, ponies of Equestria and changelings from the Changeling Kingdom!” she began.
“This is it.” Twilight thought. “My life will never be the same after today, but I can accept that. Whatever happens, I know I will be able to handle it.” She restrained her focus on the changeling in front of her. She looked at his suit, but also raised her head to admire his face and helmet. “He really does looks handsome… Stop Twilight! He’s just a friend.” “He’s also about to be your husband.” “So what?!” “So, it’s not strange that you find him attractive.” “This wedding is just to ensure the independence of his kingdom. Besides he would never see me in that way I’m just his friend! And let it stay that way…” She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard Cadance speak to her. Guess she missed this whole ceremony talk about alliance, sacrifices, and friendship between ponies and changelings...
“Do you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, take King Thorax, the First of the Changelings to be your lawfully wedded husband, to hold and cherish for as long as your eternal lives keep you together?” she asked. “Eternal, right, we’re immortal, I’ll be with him forever or until one of us gets killed.” Twilight swallowed her doubts quickly. She’s doing it for the changelings. They’re doing it, she looked in Thorax’ eyes determined.
“I do.”
“And do you, King Thorax the First, take Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria as your lawfully wedded wife, to hold and to cherish for as long as your eternal lives keep you together?” she asked. “Right, we’ll be together forever…” Thorax sucked in air to calm his nerves. He almost couldn’t keep eye contact with his wife, he felt a blush on his cheeks.
“I do.”
“May I have the rings?” Spike, who stood next to Pharynx in his little black suit, stepped forward and presented a horn ring and a horn band on a small, purple pillow. Cadance grabbed both objects in her magic, gave the band to Twilight, and the wedding ring to Thorx. She nodded at Thorax to begin. He exhaled and tried to calm himself.
“With this ring I bewed,” he said loudly, while placing the ring on the alicorn's horn. Twilight then spoke the same line, with her calm, sweet voice.
“With this ring I bewed,” she placed the wedding band on the changeling's horn.
“Then, with the power vested in me as a princess of Equestria, and the embodiment of love, I now pronounce you, husband and wife, King and Queen. You may now kiss the bride.” The two of them froze up at that sentence. Clearly, both had forgotten that they had to seal the marriage with a kiss. Being aware that they were being watched they knew they had to do it quickly or it would grow incredibly awkward. The alicorn rapidly searched in her mind if she had ever read a book about kissing, but she found nothing. So, pushing her inhibitions aside, Twilight closed her eyes and leaned forward and gently puckered her lips. Seeing what Twilight was doing, Thorax quickly did the same.
When the two met in the middle, it felt like lighting coursed through Twilight’s body. The kiss felt amazing, feeling his lips against hers, she could feel how her face was turning to pink and even red, she had never felt anything like that before. However, they soon separated, and Twilight felt a slight pang of sadness. She pushed down the emotions quickly, for they weren’t done yet, but she noticed a blush on Thorax’s muzzle too. Oh gosh, she could die of embarrassment right now, she just kissed her friend, in front of thousands, or maybe millions ponies and changelings! ...and she liked it… She heard the applause fading, and blinked as a noble unicorn stepped forward with a treaty.
“Please sign here to formalize the alliance between our two nations,” the mare said out loud, lifting up two pens next to the document. The newlyweds took a pen in their magic each. Breathing deeply through her nostrils one last time, Twilight signed the document. Thorax followed suit and did the same. The mare took back the pens and walked away with the document. With that done, the two newlyweds faced forward side by side to the audience, opening their wings and presenting themselves to the ponies and changelings. They were clapping their hooves, whistling, cheering, and few winged creatures flew higher with excitement. Twilight smiled proudly.
“With the ceremony finished, the after party may now begin! Please make your way down to the palace gardens and ballroom and enjoy yourselves, but we should let the newlyweds go first,” Cadance announced. Thorax and Twilight turned to her, and she gave them a nod of confirmation. The two returned the nod and made their way out of the room, as the ponies were applauding them and throwing confetti and flowers above them.
Twilight absentmindedly took a sip of her champagne. Her mind was a buzz of confusing and uncertain thoughts. Despite her boosted confidence in herself, she was still struggling with her emotions. Next to her was her new husband, he too was silent and seemed to stare blankly ahead. “What could he be thinking?” she wondered. Was he as troubled as her? Would this most of their interactions be like this from now on? “Maybe I should say something,” she thought. Before she could say anything, however, a voice came from her left.
“Darlings, why aren't you mingling and enjoying the party?” Rarity asked, daintily walking out of the crowd to address the newlyweds. “It is your wedding after all,” she reasoned.
“Yeah, and it’s not as uptight as our first gala was!” Rainbow Dash declared loudly, landing next to Rarity.
“Ah’ll say I’m not exactly a fan of super fancy parties, ah like the more down ta earth atmosphere,” Applejack said as she sauntered out of the crowd from their right.
“I know, right! So much more fun without as many meanie ponies to ruin it! I did my best to decorate this place!” Pinkie Pie declared loudly, seemingly just popping into existence. “Just looked at these crystals, oooh, they’re inactive now, but I can’t wait to see them light up with magic during your dance! I’m so so sooo glad that Costa and Pshemek managed to transport them here from their Kingdom!”
“Who’s Pshemek? I know Costa, but not him…” Twilight asked, putting down her unfinished glass with a drink, Thorax took a sip of his and did the same.
“Oh, he works in the mine a few kilometers from our Kingdom. He and his two brothers are the best in it, they are the one who discovered these crystals months ago, and we used them to light our houses. They are also good for lanterns outdoors!” the girls looked at Thorax with interest, as they would love to hear more about the changelings’ land, but suddenly Pinkie jumped into the air a few times, her hooves making a ‘spoink’ sound as they touched the ground.
“Oh! I just realized something!”
“What?” asked Rainbow Dash, stretching her wings. She never got used to having a dress under them.
“Twilight is the first of us to get married!” she declared, happily having confetti spring out from her mane. Rainbow Dash groaned and pressed a hoof to her forehead.
“Dammit, well looks like Fluttershy won,” the prismatic mare said dejectedly. Twilight raised an eyebrow at that.
“What do you mean that Fluttershy won?”
“Dash, Flutters, and ah made a bet on who would get married first. Ah said it would be Rarity, and RD bet it would be Pinkie.”
“Darling, how in the world did you get Fluttershy to bet?” Rarity asked in shock, but the farm pony just shrugged at the question.
“Said somethin’ about bein’ more confident.”
“Fluttershy thought I would the first to be married?” Twilight asked with disbelief.
“Well, of course, you were the first to get married!” Pinkie seemed to appear right in front of Twilight’s muzzle. “The plot demanded it!” she declared with a proud smile and closed eyes.
“What?!” Thorax’s muzzle was scrunched up in confusion. Twilight leaned over and whispered in his ear.
“Don’t question it, you’ll save yourself a lot of headache,” Twilight whispered. Thorax decided to listen to his wife’s advice and not press the issue. “Where is Fluttershy anyway?” she asked out loud.
“Last I saw she was headed to the castle garden,” Dash replied. “I bet she’s chasing some animals or something as always. Have a great time, girls! And Thorax! I have to speak with Spitfire about the fireworks!” she waved her hoof and with a flash of rainbow she disappeared into the crowd before Twilight could stop her.
“What? What fireworks?! Isn’t that dangerous?!” she started to panic, but soon found that a strong, yet calm hoof was put on her shoulder.
“Easy there, Twi. We got it covered. You just have to relax and enjoy your wedding!” AJ said, and asked her friends for a piece of cake. Twilight apologized, said she didn’t want to eat anything at the moment, and excused herself to the garden to speak with Fluttershy. When she parted with her friends, Thorax walked with her.
“Uhh, can I go with you? All the changelings I know are partying, Pharynx and his general are talking with your brother right now, Starlight is avoiding me, Spike is telling stories to little ponies and changelings, about how we defeated Chrysalis…” he murmured, ashamed of how he has to ask for somepony’s company. Twilight nodded, looking around.
“Sure…” she replied, but her mind was already elsewhere. As she noticed the decorations Pinkie Pie mentioned, she started to truly experience their beauty. The crystals from the Changeling Kingdom looked amazing, she wondered what kind of light they would illuminate later. But they weren’t the only ones to grab her attention. Almost everywhere she looked were garlands that formed a six-armed star, they had many colors, but mostly pink, blue and violet. The curtains started with light-yellow colors, but were semi-transparent at the ends, and the tablecloths were similar to them, but they had also little diamond-shaped crystals sewn a in few places. The pillars were decorated with rainbow-colored ribbons, the whole ballroom was also full of vases with different flowers, some of them exotic, again, brought from the changelings’ land.
The food smelled delicious, as Applejack really appreciated the help she got from a few changelings with the mixed food. If her stomach wasn’t in such a tough knot, she would have at least tried a bit of every dish they made! She caught a glance of a big ice sculpture presenting her and Thorax in their wedding suits, both standing on their hind legs and looking in each other's eyes. Her gaze followed it, as she continued walking to the garden until she could see it. “Wait, what was that? I didn’t agree to th- uugh, must have been Rarity and Cadance…!” she groaned quietly, as she started to come back to the Earth. She blinked in realization, “wait, you said Starlight was avoiding you? Why?”
Thorax jumped slightly, he seemed to be lost in his thoughts too, before Twilight spoke, “oh, you said something?”
“Starlight, why is she avoiding you?” she repeated, looking at him with concern.
“Oh, I… I don’t know, she was like that since you all came here from Ponyville. Did something bad happen to her last time? She should have sent me a letter a week ago, but I received nothing from her,” he said, sometimes cutting off his words to answer many ponies’ and changelings’ congratulations. Twilight looked at the ground, her mind already questioning why Starlight would have been acting that way.
“No, she’s been fine since she returned from your Kingdom after the Maulwurf’s attack. She was telling me about your adventures, and she seemed overjoyed... Maybe I should talk with her…”
“She just disappeared after the ceremony, and before that she was completely lost in thoughts…” Thorax sighed and shuddered slightly. They already entered the gardens, it was already dark, the moon was high in the sky, and lanterns were illuminating the area. “Cold, isn’t it?” he asked his wife, to which she nodded, lost in her thoughts again. What was happening to her student…? Thorax, on the other hoof, tried to take a closer look at his guests. Many changelings and ponies stayed in one-species groups, talking, eating and laughing. It was rare to see a pony and changeling together. The king sighed again, months or years will have to pass before ponies will finally forgive them and treat them as friends and not enemies.
Twilight suddenly stopped, opening her wings. Thorax was looking elsewhere, so he bumped into her, he murmured apologies and looked over her left wing to see, why she had stopped. And then he saw it; two pony fillies were being chased by a little male changeling. They had just run in front of the new queen. the little ponies managed to shout “sorry!” between their laughs, but the pale-green changeling stopped himself, he gave a quick bow to the royals, panting heavily, and then continued to run after his friends.
“Hey, wait for me!” he called after them, but they were already with their parents, laughing and hiding behind their hooves. Thorax and Twilight followed foals with their gazes to see that the pony parents were talking casually with a male changeling, probably a father, or another relative of the little one. The foal came to him, hugged his leg, to which he responded by patting one of the fillies on her flank, and sent her off so the chasing game could continue. Twilight smiled brightly, observing them in silence for a moment, when she heard a quiet voice, a bit too close to her ear.
“I think my heart just melted a bit…” the alicorn chuckled, putting her ears down and pushing the taller changeling away.
“Don’t do that, you tickled me with your breath!” Thorax laughed quietly as they both continued their walk, side by side. “It was nice to see that they are already interacting nicely with each other, wasn’t it?” she asked him in a hushed tone, looking around for Fluttershy. She was finally starting to become calm and with it, she grew hungry, she would definitely need to try some of the food that was being presented on multiple tables in the corners of the garden. Thorax nodded sadly.
“Yeah, but that was a one-time situation. Most of our guests are separated, they only spend time with their species,” he focused his gaze on Twilight’s mane and her face in general. She looked so regal, so mature, so pretty… He felt her gaze on him and cleared his throat, feeling his cheeks blush a bit. “But I’m sure they will overcome the fear and anger someday…” The alicorn smiled and delicately put her left wing on his back.
“Let’s hope the dance will help with that,” she winked and giggled. Then she suddenly ran ahead, “Fluttershy, there you are! We were looking for you!” she called, as she stopped under one of the biggest trees. Thorax didn’t see the yellow pegasus anywhere, but then looked up - she was sitting on a massive branch, really high, with more than ten birds sitting on her hooves and head, while the trail of her dress was waving in the wind.
“Oh, hello Twilight, hi Thorax!” she waved at them with her wings and turned to her feathered friends. “Stay here, please, I will be back in no time, sweeties!” she cooed and cuddled a white-blue small bird, and after all of them took their seats on nearby branch, she glided down gracefully. “Congratulations, my dears! I’m so, so happy for you!” she exclaimed and closed Twilight in a hug. Spending time with animals seemed to make her more assertive now.
“Thank you, Fluttershy, we really appreciate that,” Thorax said, right before receiving a big hug from a timid pegasus. “Have you seen Starlight anywhere?” Fluttershy shook her head.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t. Did I miss your dance? I was spending so much time with these little birdies over here...”
“No, you didn’t, Fluttershy, it’s all right,” Twilight reassured her and hugged her again with her wing. “We just wanted to talk, I heard you won the bet.”
“The bet?” the pegasus blinked in confusion, but then she remembered, “ooooh, the bet! Oh, I guess you’re right!” she smiled and chuckled quietly, flapping her wings.
“You seem pretty happy, will you get something cool from them?” Thorax asked, looking at his friend with interest. The pegasus nodded earnestly.
“Oh, yes! I will ask them to accompany me this year during the butterfly migration in Ponyville! It’ll be so amazing, watching butterflies, together, and eating some butterfly snacks, together, and taking photos of butterflies, together! I should go and tell them, the migration is only two weeks from now!” she flew up and excused herself from her animal friends. “Are you two having fun, too?” she asked the couple. They nodded slowly and murmured quiet ‘yes’s. The pegasus said goodbye to them and walked towards the ballroom, still smiling and probably daydreaming about her butterfly migration. Twilight sighed and looked around.
“I guess that was the last peaceful conversation I will get tonight. All the girls are having fun, and I’m just tired, hungry and- Thorax, what are you doing?” she asked as she felt the changeling putting something behind her. She looked back and noticed two big cushions. “Huh?”
“Sit down, please. Do you know where are we now? Look there!” he pointed towards the sky as he sat down. She sat too with hesitation and looked up. She was staring at the starry sky for a few moments when she suddenly realized what she was looking at.
“It’s the constellation of the alicorn!” she gasped. “It’s only visible-”
“-during the longest day of the summer from the east side of Canterlot Gardens!” they finished in unison, looking at each other. Thorax started to chuckle, but Twi jumped to him, almost landing in his arms, with sparkling eyes.
“Are you an astronomy enthusiast too?!” she asked with disbelief. The stallion smiled and rolled his eyes.
“Well, duh. When I ran from the hive I was navigating my way with the stars. Later I found some astronomy books in Crystal Empire libraries, had nothing to do, so I found myself a new hobby.” He almost melted the second time this day, looking into her beautiful eyes. She was inches away from him. He momentarily blushed as he remembered how her kiss felt. He smiled nervously, “and you?”
“I’ve read almost every astronomy book I ever found, in every library I was. At least twice,” she smiled, as she sat at her pillow again with a faked modest smile, which caused her husband to laugh quietly. “I also wrote in my Stargazing journal when I was younger and had more free time. Now it’s sometimes hard to find time to go out, put the telescope out and just watch them…” she sighed sadly.
“Well, if you would like to… we could go stargazing sometime in the Changeling Kingdom. We could find a good spot, take your telescope and watch them together,” he suggested, looking at the sky with a dreamy look. Twilight nodded and mimicked him, smiling widely and enjoying looking at stars. They didn’t know how much time they spent there, stargazing and talking quietly, just being friends, but they wouldn’t have minded if it had been forever, when suddenly they heard Spike behind them.
“T-twilight! Tho...rax…!” he panted, as he ran to them and just stopped for a moment. They stood up quickly, visibly concerned.
“Spike, did something happen?” Thorax asked while Twilight gave the young drake a glass of punch. He drank viciously and breathed heavily, then spoke.
“The dance! It will begin in.... five… minutes… we were looking for you from like…! Ehh!” he sat down, still catching his breath.
“We were here the whole time, didn’t Fluttershy tell you?” Twilight raised her eyebrow, but Spike shook his head, he pointed to another part of the garden, the one with exotic animals. She sighed and used her magic to seat Spike on her back, between her wings. “We’d better be going, Thorax. Can’t be late for that!” she smiled.
“Oh, you like this idea now?” he asked playfully, checking his armor and helmet. Twilight pat him on his neck with a wing, “Hey!”
“Hush! And come on, the guests are waiting for us!” she walked towards the open door, Thorax right behind her, but then he heard a voice calling him in a quiet hiss.
“Thorax!”
“Huh? What was that?” he looked around, stopping for a while. He caught a glimpse of a pair of cobalt eyes, hid in the bushes and looking at him pleadingly. He knew who their owner was.
“Thorax, are you coming?” Twilight was almost near the entrance to the hall. Thorax cleared his throat and shouted to her.
“Yes, yes, I will be there in a minute!” he looked after his wife, as she entered the castle, and he hesitantly went towards the bushes.
“Thorax, what took you so long!” Twilight hissed as the stallion approached her, panting slightly. The mare was again nervous because of him being late.
“S-sorry Twilight, I-I was just-” he stammered quietly, but she cut him off and brushed his mane with her magic.
“Later, now, go to your place, every creature has already gathered in a circle to make a place for us! Spike, Pinkie, Cadie!” Twilight shouted as she ran away and took her place in the opposite part of the made circle, facing Thorax. He gulped as all the lights went out for a moment and Spike’s voice echoed through the hall with a small helping spell, which made him sound louder. Every creature went quiet for a moment, scared of the darkness that surrounded them, but then crystals from the Changeling Kingdom lit the ballroom up with pastel rainbow colors, illuminating the hall magically. Twilight took a deep breath.
“Ponies of Equestria and changelings of the Changeling Kingdom!” said Spike, standing in the middle of the circle, proudly. “Put your hooves together for our lovely couple! Queen Twilight Sparkle!” he presented her to the crowd and the light illuminated from above. The mare bowed with a smile. “And King Thorax the First!” Spike did a spin and pointed at his friend with his claws. The changeling also bowed when he was illuminated with his own light beam. When the applause faded, Spike continued. “Because now, they will perform their first dance, as wife and husband! Queen and King of the Changeling Kingdom!” Spike quickly made his way out of the scene and the first notes of the song started to play. Twilight closed her eyes, remembering all rehearsals they did with the orchestra. “First, to the right, then - left, jump, switch hoov- oh, it’s too late! It’s going to be a disaster!” She opened her eyes as she heard Octavia’s cello and just let her heart do the thing. Thorax nodded in her direction. The dance has begun...
Twilight and Thorax carefully approached each other, putting their hooves on the ground to the rhythm of the music. Twilight gulped and sighed. “First to the right, then left… Don’t think too much, just feel the groove…” When they met in the middle, followed by their lights, they bowed slightly and made a slow circle around themselves, looking directly in each other's eyes, then they took a step back and did the same in the opposite direction. They performed some easy steps and jumps, going in circles and squares, but when the music reached the first chorus they stood on their hind legs as Thorax took her right hoof in his left. She faked trying to escape, but he pulled her close and put a hoof around her waist, making both of them blush a bit. They started dancing, circling around, still in each other's arms, slowly, calmly, and when the music became more powerful, Thorax occasionally helped Twilight make a spin.
Then, the second chorus struck with even more power, Twilight felt goosebumps as Thorax held her tighter, and with one powerful push he lifted her up during a spin. They opened their wings to catch the balance, Twilight flapping them slightly, as he continued the spin before the mare took a stronger grip on his hooves and he also jumped gracefully in the air. Creatures gasped with amazement at the couple’s flying dancing above them. Thorax and Twilight made two circles, still holding their hooves in flight, then just stopped mid-fly and did a spin of their own. Once again they caught themselves and made a circle in the opposite direction, landing calmly and finishing it on the ground, raising their hooves and flapping their wings slowly to meet the rhythm. The pair just continued dancing to the powerful tune, facing each other with determination and focus, almost flawlessly copying the steps they had learned. When the song came to the second verse, again quieter and calmer than the chorus, the audience applauded them, as the alicorn and the changeling repeated the same steps as earlier, more relaxed now, since the worst part was done.
“Now, dear ponies and changelings, we ask you to join our pretty couple on the stage! But, remember one thing: only mixed pairs! Mare and male changeling, stallion and female changeling!” this time Cadance took the role of the wedding host. “Come on! Find your partner and dance!” the music came back to its previous volume, and a few singers started to sing, but none of the creatures seemed so eager to ask one another. Twilight, still focusing partially on the dance, looked around with fear, she also felt that Thorax tensed as well. Another line of the song passed and nopony and no changeling joined them.
“Months will pass…” Twilight whispered quietly to her husband as she rested her head on Thorax’s neck, while they were on their hind legs one more time. They wouldn’t do any other spins until the end of the song. Thorax sighed sadly.
“Maybe years…” he added. The alicorn raised her head, as she heard hoofsteps and saw… her father approaching a small yellow changeling. He bowed to her and asked her for a dance. The changeling hesitated a bit, but agreed after a moment, murmuring something with a timid smile. Night Light only smiled and took her to a stage. They started dancing simply, standing on their hind legs and holding each other. As the first pair overcame their fear, more and more pairs started to join them in the dance, leaving Twilight and Thorax their space. The new queen couldn’t force her smile to fade away. She was just dancing by her heart, her mind racing through every pair of the ponies and changelings. She even saw a few foals dancing, also mixed! She felt like she could start to cry. The creatures looked so happy, she could even sense the friendship that was flowing between them!
Then she felt Thorax lifting her again when the chorus sang one more time in the end. She was surprised, this part of the dance was only destined for the first time! She looked at her husband’s smile and loudly whispered. “Focus, Twily! Dance!” She smiled slyly and pulled him into the air again, but they flew higher this time, performed their circled flying sequence, and then stayed in the air, doing the same steps they were doing on the floor, but in the air! Cadance, who stood near the wall with a wide smile, was gazing, touched by the scene, and staring in amazement. What a view! Creatures, who months ago were in the flames of war, now dancing together with friendship, and above them - two beautiful, wise and mature leaders, who made this possible. She felt a tear going down her cheek, but then she heard someone clearing his throat near her. The princess quickly wiped her tear with a tissue and looked left, just to see Pharynx, giving her his hoof with a mute question. Cadance just nodded, and both of them went quickly to the stage, laughing together, as Pharynx was a terrible dancer. But it didn’t matter - it was fun, ponies and changelings were spending time with each other! That’s what mattered at the moment.
The song eventually came to an end with a powerful blast. Thorax lifted Twilight above him in the air and stayed in that position as the last notes faded, and every creature underneath them started to clap their hooves, whistle and cheering for the newlyweds. They landed with grace and bowed to their audience, tired but genuinely happy. Cadance thanked them and ask the guests to stay on the stage, as another song was about to be played soon. Many of the pairs just nodded and started a friendly conversation, waiting for the music to come back. Twilight, panting slightly, ran to her father and gave him a warm hug.
“Thank you, dad…” she whispered.
“Anything for you, my dear star,” he replied. On her way to the exit, Twilight spotted her mother, talking to two female changelings and showing them something on her dress, later she caught a glance of Pinkie Pie followed by Costa and… this one should be Pshemek. Anywhere she looked, it seemed that this dance somehow broke the barrier between two species - changelings were talking, laughing and dancing with other ponies, and vice-versa. She even spotted Princess Celestia standing with a glass of punch in her magic, talking with two nobles and a changeling family. Twilight blinked in disbelief, as she saw Celestia smiling and laughing with them. The alabaster alicorn felt her gaze and looked directly into Twilight’s eyes. She waved a hoof to her with a timid smile, which Twilight returned to her with a mouthed Thank you. The dance was princess’s idea, after all.
“Thorax?” Twilight asked him a few moments later, as he approached her with two glasses of champagne.
“Hm?” the alicorn took one of the glasses into her magic and took a sip.
“Thanks for the dance,” she said with a genuine smile and hugged him with a wing. Thorax just smiled, and they delicately hit each other's glasses. “For your Kingdom?”
“For our Kingdom…”
“Ooooh, I’m so tiiiirrreeeed” Twilight whined, shuffling her legs. Thorax was in better condition but still tired as well. He was holding a tray with some cakes, food, and a bowl of punch in his magic, his antlers shining in the dimmed hallway.
“Do you think they’ll notice we stole all of these?” he chuckled, but Twilight only huffed.
“Don’t care, just want to sleep. Why are going with me anyway?” she raised her head and looked at him. They were in the east wing of the castle after they snuck out of their wedding party following few more hours spent on talking, dancing and eating. Thorax shrugged, taking a bite of a chocolate pie.
“Just walking you to your room, ‘cause the last time I didn’t,” Twilight smiled slyly.
“Oh, thank you, you gentleling!” she joked and they both laughed. “Ehh, I just feel exhausted, you know? My mother cried almost every time I came near her, all these ponies who congratulated me... and I had to talk with the nobles, smiling and laughing at their not-funny jokes! Ugh… They looked so concerned about you. Oh, princess, we hope that with you in charge we can form an amazing alliance and help both nations to grow strong! It was like a play at the theatre, I know they only care about themselves, two-faced moneybags… And later, changelings were surrounding me after the dance, thanking me, praising, I-I didn’t know it would all come so quick!”
“Well, maybe they finally saw that it’s really happening. The whole ceremony always looks, you know, regal, forced, artificial… but that dance,” he smiled widely, “I saw you, Twi. You put so much emotion in it, your dancing was perfect, twenty times better than at our last rehearsal!” he said, making the alicorn blush.
“Ayyy, you’re exaggerating!” she flicked her tail under her dress. “I just… wanted to do it the best I could…”
“And you did…” he answered her, stopping before the doors to her room. To their surprise, the purple star imitating Twilight’s cutie mark was gone. “Huh? Wasn’t that your room?”
“It was, but for some reason it’s not labeled as mine anymore?” Twilight raised an eyebrow, ready to knock on the door. Then, a white unicorn guard approached them.
“Oh, your majesties!” he bowed before them. Twilight was too tired to play nice, timid princess.
“Soldier, do you know why my room isn’t labeled as mine anymore?” she asked in a rough tone. The stallion stood up and looked at the tired queen.
“There were too many guests, and Princess Cadance ordered to move your things, Prin-uh, I mean, Queen Twilight, to another room at this floor. Didn’t she tell you that?” Twilight shook her head and sighed. “I can show you which room it is, Your Highness. Come along too, King Thorax. Every other guest room is already taken, you can’t move anywhere further from another creature, unfortunately.” Twilight and her husband just followed him in silence. After a minute of walking, they stood before… Thorax’s room’s door, but next to the semi-transparent wing symbol there was also Twilight’s cutie mark star. “She is kidding me, right…” The mare groaned, putting her hoof to her face. The guard looked at her, surprised. “Is… is something wrong, Your Majesty?”
“Iamgoingtokillher…” she murmured under her breath. Thorax quickly opened the door and asked Twilight inside.
“Everything’s all right, sir. Thank you, you are dismissed,” he said, as he nodded his head to the stallion. The white unicorn saluted, said good night to them, and quickly went through the corridor, the changeling closed the door with a loud sigh. Old Thorax’s bed was changed into a big, circled one, with red pillows and duvet, on the side, there was a dressing table, next to it stood Twilight’s bag with her belongings. On the side of the room stood two mannequins - one male one female.
“This is ridiculous…” Twilight huffed, putting her tiara on the table with no delicacy at all. Thorax nodded, and put the tray on the desk. He took off his helmet and placed it on the bigger mannequin’s head.
“Yeah, does she think we’re just going to undress here together, and start to- OUCH! Gee, I’m joking, Twilight!” he hissed as a red pillow hit the back of his head with force.
“Yeah, sure you were,” she said with a roll of her eyes as she began to undo the buttons and laces on her dress. “By the way, did you ever find Starlight?”
“No,” Thorax sighed. “ I haven't been able to find her, it’s like she just disappeared.”
“Hmm… I’ll try to find her tomorrow, and we can talk about it then,” she said before slipping out of her dress and hanging it on the mannequin haphazardly.
“Remember, we’ll have to leave tomorrow morning. The rest of the changelings are really excited to see their new queen,” Thorax said, while placing his wedding armor on the mannequin neatly. “There is a bit of a surprise for you there too.”
“A surprise, what is it?” The alicorn asks before flopping backward onto the bed.
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise,” he replied.
“What are you, Pinkie Pie?” she grumbled in annoyance.
“Sounds like somepony is in a bad mood,” Thorax said in a slightly teasing tone. From her current position her husband couldn’t see her withering glare, but if he could he would have crumpled under her gaze, at least that’s what she told herself. Thorax on the other hoof was thinking, he was debating how to lift Twilight’s mood. He may not love her in a romantic way, but she was his wife now and that meant, in his mind at least, that it was his responsibility to make her happy. He stood there for a few more minutes before an idea popped into his head. “I know what will cheer you right up...”
“Oh yeah, and what would that be?” the alicorn asked sarcastically. Instead of getting a verbal response, she quickly found her self pinned to the bed. Twilight’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she found herself pinned down by her newly wedded husband. Thorax was looking down at her with a sly and mischievous smile.
“Maybe a little fun...?” he teased with a low voice as he lit his antlers. Twilight gasped and quickly tried to cover herself, blushing furiously. She was just barely able to cover herself with her wings in time before she was impacted by a pillow. Twilight cried in shock and fell off the bed. Laughter filled the room while the purple alicorn regained her bearings. When the world finally stopped spinning she finally responded to her husband’s actions.
“WHAT IN TARTARUS IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” she screamed. “You nearly scared me to death!” Thorax responded by doubling over in laughter. Twilight began to fume, however, before she boiled over her, glare turned mischievous. “Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?” She lit her horn menacingly, to which Thorax responded by ceasing his laughing and allowing an expression of concern to quickly spread over his features.
“Um, Twi-” he was cut off as he was pelted by multiple pillows repeatedly. Twilight continued to assault her husband with all the pillows she could get a hold of in the room. She reached into the room’s closet with her magic to grab more pillows. After a good minute of assault the spot he once stood was now occupied by a mountain of pillows.
“Hah!” Twilight exclaimed. “That’ll show you what happens, when you start a pillow fight with the Element of Magic!” she said victoriously. She got no response from the pile of pillows. “Oh, ha ha, very funny, but you’re not going to trick me this time!” the alicorn said definitively. Still, the pillows remained undisturbed. “Seriously, I’m not falling for it,” she said, though this time with less certainty in her voice. Yet again the pillows did not move. This time Twilight cautiously approached the pile. “Thorax? Are you… okay?” she asked. Again she stepped closer, and again she got no response. Twilight really started to worry, she rushed over to the pile and began to use her magic to pull them away. She hadn’t even gotten to the second pillow before the pile exploded just before she was tackled to the bed by her husband, who was wielding a cushion in his magic. “GAH!”
“AH HA! I RETURN FROM THE DEAD!” the changeling king cried triumphantly as he impacted his wife with the pillow in his magic. Twilight rolled over on the bed and quickly grabbed a pillow of her own. She intercepted her husband’s before he could land a second blow. Thorax continued to press his atack. He swung fast and hard in an attempt to overwhelm the alicorn. Twilight, at first, appeared to be struggling under her husband’s fluffy assault. She had been pushed to the edge of the large bed, and was at risk of falling off. Thinking fast, Twilight ducked instead of trying to block the pillow. This left Thorax wide open for attack, and the alicorn didn’t waste a moment.
“I WILL NOT BE BESTED!” she cried in determination as she retaliated with her own flurry, fierce, fluffy, fighting attacks. Like her husband she also attacked fast, but instead of using power, she turned the speed up to eleven and attempted to assault him from multiple angles, trying to overwhelm him. It worked well and Thorax was forced to give up ground in a desperate attempt to get some breathing room. There was one major flaw in Twilight’s strategy, however, and that was that it left her wide open, so when Thorax rounded her to try and get out of the fray he saw his opportunity. He lunged forward just as Twilight turned to face him. The tackle sent the two of them rolling forward. A quick scuffle later, and Twilight found herself once again pinned to the bed.
“Ah hA mM fIcTorUs!” he said, around the pillow he had in his mouth, batting Twilight with it one last time before spitting it out.
“So… it… seems.” Twilight said between breaths. The two of them were sweaty and clearly out of breath, Twilight’s mane was a mess and even had a few white feathers from the pillows were in it!
“Feeling… better?” Thorax asked. Twilight gave a genuine smile, both her and his cheeks were red from fatigue.
“Yeah… I do... thanks… I needed that to… get me out of my mood.”
“You’re welc-”
*Snap*
*Flash*
“Yes! I got them in the act, I’ll make front page for sure!” came a voice just outside the door. The two newlyweds froze in shock and surprise as they tried to process what just happened. Twilight was the first to recover.
“WHAT!?” She hollered, sitting bolt upright and nocking Thorax off the bed.
“Uh oh!” they heard the voice behind the door, followed by frantic hoof stepps that quickly began to fade. Twilight was out the door so fast that one would think she learned to teleport without using magic. Bursting into the hallway, she looked around frantically for the pony who had taken the picture. To her left she spotted the pony she was looking for. The light blue stallion was about to round the corner.
“Guards, stop that reporter!” Twilight yelled as she gave chase. Thorax soon burst out of the room as well and followed his wife’s lead. Despite being tired from a long day and a pillow fight, Twilight was gaining on the pony, clearly her alicorn strength was kicking in. The chase lasted a solid two minutes with the three ponies weaving back and forth through the castle. Eventually Twilight spotted a pair of changeling guards. “Quickly, stop him!” she commanded. To their credit, they did as they were commanded. The photographer didn’t stand a chance and was subdued in mere seconds. The alicorn trotted to a stop before the shaking photographer. She took a few moments to catch her breath. In that time Thorax slid to a stop next to his wife before collapsing in exhaustion.
“I... should really... work out more like... Pharynx... suggested,” he groaned as he slowly got back to his hooves. Twilight had, for the most part, recovered and was now giving a withering glare to a now cowering news photographer. Soon hoofsteps were heard from multiple attached corridors, and it wasn’t long before they were joined by seven more royal guards, twelve changeling guards, and one concerned pink alicorn.
“What in Equestria happened? Are you okay, Twilight, Thorax? Did something happen?” she asked rapidly, looking at them.
“I’m… fine,” Twilight said between breaths, still not fully recovered. “This stallion here broke into our room and took a photo,” she explained. Cadance gave a look of surprise which soon turned into a glare directed at the reporter who, somehow, was shaking even harder than before.
“Show me your pass,” she said.
“P-p-pass?” he asked.
“Yes, your castle pass that all news reporters and photographers get who were welcomed to the castle. You know, that pass…” she trailed off menacingly. The unicorn’s pale blue coat seemed to grow even more pale. Cadance didn’t even need an answer. “I hope you are aware that you have broken a few laws just now. The first being trespassing on, not just private property, but in the royal palace itself. You’ve also ignored a command setup by me, you also invaded not only on a pony’s privacy, but the privacy of one of your princesses and now queen of a foreign land,” she listed off. “I hope you realize that these are very serious crimes,” the pony didn’t answer as he was too busy having a staring contest with the floor. “Now, I could have you thrown in the dungeon for at least a month for this, but considering it’s my sister’s wedding and I don’t want to ruin the occasion; I’ll let you go,” the pony’s head snapped forward and a shocked expression was plastered on there muzzle.
“Th-thank y-” he was cut off by Cadance raising a hoof for him to be silent.
“That being said, I will be personally notifying your superior about what you’ve done, and I’ll be confiscating your camera,” she said with finality before grabbing the camera. The stallion looked like he wanted to protest, but wisely stayed silent. Cadance turned to the changeling guards holding him down. “Would you please escort him off the castle grounds?” the changelings nodded and did as was requested. The rest of them went away too, agreeing which ones will take guard near the king and queen’s room first.
“Thanks, Cadance,” Twilight said, walking up to her sister-in-law.
“Of course, Twilight, no problem,” she replied with a kind smile. “Though,” her smile grew mischievous. “I do wonder what picture he got that you were so eager to keep secret...” she trailed off while examining the camera in her magic.
“No,” Twilight said firmly.
“But Tw-” her whine was interrupted by her sister.
“No,” she said even more firmly. Cadance sighed dejectedly before passing the camera to the alicorn.
“Fine, just destroy it or whatever you plan to do with it.” The second the camera was within Twilight’s magic, it collapsed in on itself. Cadance blinked in surprise at the younger alicorn’s act. The now crumbled mass of wood and metal that was once a camera fell to the floor.
“I’m going to bed,” she stated matter of factly before stomping off. Thorax sighed.
“And I just had her cheered up too,” he said dejectedly before following after his wife.
The moment she made it back to her bed, Twilight collapsed upon it, and let out a groan. Thorax entered the room behind his wife and closed the door gently. He walked over to the pile of pillows, and began to move most of them back to the closet. He laid about a dozen on the floor before laying down on them himself. Twilight sighed in annoyance.
“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” she said. Thorax sat upright and turned to his wife with a confused expression. She was currently laying on her back with her both eyes closed. She turned her head slightly and cracked open her right eye to look at him. “You can just sleep on the opposite side, it’s a big bed, we need to be up early and I’m not having you sleep on the floor.” Thorax considered protesting, but decided against it considering her current mood.
“All right,” he answered and began to clamor onto the bed. He shuffled his way under the sheets and blankets as Twilight did the same. Once he was sufficiently comfortable he spoke, “good night…”
“...‘night…” Twilight responded. Lighting her horn, she snuffed out the candles in the room, and the two were engulfed in darkness.
“Is everything all right, Your Highness?” Twilight blinked and suddenly raised her head, looking around, scared by the voice. Then she met confused and concerned eyes of one of her new royal guards. What was his name…? The young queen shook her head and covered her mouth with a wing, to hide a yawn.
“Y-yes, Coxa, I’m sorry, I’m just tired, that’s all…” she explained, blushing awkwardly. Her second day as a queen, and she was falling asleep while standing in front of her subjects! Even if it was expected from her to feel sleepy and weak, it was six in the morning, Celestia just raised the Sun. Even if Twilight was an early riser, she slept for just three hours. The dark purple changeling nodded his head.
“If you don’t feel well or need our help, just say a word, my queen,” he said. Twilight wiped her eye with a hoof. She still wasn’t used to being called “queen” and she wasn’t going to be anytime soon.
“Thank you for your concern, Coxa. Do you know why Thorax isn’t here yet? Weren’t we supposed to leave 14 minutes ago?” the male changeling blinked slowly and cleared his throat, flicking his tail nervously.
“As far as I know, Your Highness, King Thorax came back to the castle to, and I quote, take some of my belongings I left there, including Prince Pharynx, end of quote.” Twilight forced herself not to laugh at his words, but she still let a quiet snort out anyway. Coxa smiled timidly. “Is this carriage sufficient enough for you, my queen? We didn’t have too much time to design and build it, but we did our best,” he explained quietly, blushing slightly. Twilight took a glance of the carriage - it looked similar to the usual Canterlot carriage, it seemed to be carved out of a big light blue crystal rock into a rounded shape, with the appearance being rather light. It had a floral ornament and two lanterns, made from lighting crystals, were hanging on the front wall. It was destined for four ponies, or changelings in this case, to pull it - they were already standing in their harnesses, waiting for the royals to go. At the back of the carriage was a place for hoof luggage, where her bag, some packages with food Thorax packed for the journey, and wedding gifts were located. She didn’t even have time to unpack them yesterday. The roof of carriage was convex, decorated with vines, which were going down along the walls. It also had big, wide windows to look through them on every wall. Twilight smiled. Just behind the carriage, two changelings were starting to put on the harnesses of the empty, wooden cart. They will make a stop in Ponyville and take more of her things from the castle, she was going to spend six months in another kingdom after all. The alicorn looked back at her guard and nodded.
“It looks really nice and cozy. I like it,” the changeling smiled and even raised his ears, because of her words.
“I’m glad that you do, Your Majesty.” A silence came between them, but the soldier didn’t interrupt his queen, she was clearly lost in her thoughts again. Twilight was thinking about her friends. She already said goodbye to everypony she needed to, but she still felt like a traitor to leave so early without seeing them one last time. She sighed, putting her ears down. She didn’t have much time to worry herself any more, because she heard loud talks and hoofsteps behind her. She looked back and saw two royal changelings coming in her direction with a bag and few books. Twilight smiled slightly. “I will inform the others, that we will leave soon, Queen Twilight,” Coxa said, and after getting a nod from her, he went in another direction. She, on the other hoof, went to meet her husband and brother-in-law. Well… a new chapter of my life just began… I just hope it will go well…
High above on a balcony overlooking the castle grounds, Celestia stood watching the carriage ride out of the city gate and down the mountain. She looked down to a piece of parchment held in her magic. Levitating a quill over the paper, she quickly crossed something off on the parchment.
“Everything is going perfectly so far…” she remarked with a smile before looking back into the distance to where the carriage had left. “Just... perfect.”