As the minute hand passed the number twelve, the grandfather clock in Rarity's room began to chime the noon hour. After the execution and subsequent rebirth of Buck Cheap, Rarity had decided to retire to her room for a nap. The chiming of the clock stirred her from her sleep, but it was the knock at the door that truly ended her rest.
Groaning, she sat up in bed, calling, "A moment, if you please!"
She levitated a mirror, brush, and comb, took care of her bed mane and used a simple charm to turn her mane into its usual style, maintaining that exquisite curl she often sported. Then she applied a little light mascara and brushed her coat to get rid of any mussing, and once that was done, she gave herself another look and nodded. She got out of bed, and called, "Enter."
The door opened and in came Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, and they had brought with them some kind of garment.
"Get yer caboose movin', Rares," Applejack urged, "th' Princesses an' Prince Sombra `re expectin' us fer lunch."
"Uh-huh! They also want us to dress up nice!" Pinkie Pie added, looking a little too bouncy and giddy for a lunch with the royals.
"We have your dress ready for you," Fluttershy held it out to Rarity, and the unicorn levitated it up for her to see.
It was... simple, just a tad plain, but there was something about it that Rarity couldn't help but consider... beautiful. The fabric was as white as fresh fallen snow yet gave off a faint shimmer similar to mother-of-pearl, it came with a necklace of baby blue sapphires, a candlelight yellow ribbon, and it breathed like Somnambulan cotton. Trying it on, Rarity regarded herself in the mirror, and softly uttered, "Oh my..."
Looking upon herself in the looking glass garbed in this dress, the concept 'simple yet elegant' came to mind yet it just didn't seem to give the look justice. Then she saw noticed her friends all looking rather smiley and happy, and asked, "What is it, darlings? Am I missing something here?"
"Not at all, sugarcube," Applejack replied with such a warm smile.
"You look perfect," Fluttershy added.
"C'mon-c'mon-c'mon-c'mon-c'mon!! We don't wanna be late!" Pinkie bounced eagerly.
What are these dears up to...? Rarity wondered as she watched them get dressed to.
Like her, their dresses were simple in design but each was colored and accented and accessorized in just the perfect way that they complemented her friends' looks.
"Let's go!" they all said and led Rarity out.
But as they walked through the hallways, Rarity noticed something, "Um, girls? Isn't the way to the dining room in another direction?"
"Oh we ain't gonna eat in th' dinin' room, Rares," Applejack replied with a cheeky look. "Let's jus' say... the occasion calls fer someplace more... special."
This confused Rarity, but she kept following her friends and the direction they took, something in the back of her mind began to ring with recollection but she just couldn't put her horn on it. Before long, they arrived at a pair of large doors, and Pinkie said, "Rarity! This is for you!"
It was only when the doors began to open that Rarity remembered this place... and gasped at what she saw inside!
The set-up wasn't quite so extravagant as it had been for Shining Armor and Cadance. But it was wonderful all the same. Lavender hung from wall sconces, royal blue and pure white ribbons hung between the pillars, the aisle was covered with white rose petals, leading up to the altar, where he stood, wearing only the same lapel and blue bowtie he'd worn that night they met at the Gala. He stood there, smiling a little nervously and yet there was a hopeful look in his eyes.
Looking around, she saw her friends were in attendance. Shining Armor and Cadance too! The girls on one side, the boys on the other, and she felt her heart swell to see her parents and little sister were here too, all of them looking so darn happy. Luna and Sombra were there as well, but appeared to just be there to watch while Celestia stood at the altar, to officiate the ceremony.
Then... the sound of a piano began, playing the Wedding music, and Rarity stood there, completely caught off guard, something holding her back. Everypony began to look worried when Blueblood raised his hoof and told whoever was playing to cut the music.
Where was this coming from? Why had they put this all together so suddenly, without even discussing it with her? Why hadn't her Blueblood spoken with her? Why hadn't her Blueblood spoken with her? She stood there, trying to make sense of this, a part of her upset, a part of her a little angry, but mostly she was confused.
"Rarity?"
His voice made her look up to him, and in his eyes, she saw love and concern. Nothing more, nothing less. Then... it slowly began to dawn on her!
This private ceremony, with only their friends and family? These simple preparations? This... This was the wedding she was supposed to have, with her Blueblood. A pony who'd sought genuine and sincere love, had been heartbroken almost to the point where he'd just about given up, and then that night they met, something (or perhaps someone) had helped them realize their preconceptions of love were mistaken and misplaced.
Looking back, Rarity knew what a silly and foalish notion it was, to think she'd go to the Gala, believing that once their eyes met it would be love at first sight, and she'd marry him and live happily ever after. Then life belted her on the side of the head, and though they hit it off after casting aside their doubts and preconceived notions of romance, they'd come a long way.
She understood now, this simple ceremony, where only her friends and family were in attendance. It was perfect.
It was all she needed, because when it was over, Blueblood would be hers, forever and always.
Taking a deep breath, she returned Blueblood's look with a nodding smile, and he felt relieved before signalling the music to start up again. Rarity began to walk down the aisle when a bouquet of flowers was levitated to her and she looked to see it was Sweetie Belle, who looked so proud and happy for her big sister and Rarity resisted the urge to give her dear little sister a hug before accepting the bouquet and winking to her in gratitude. She saw her parents, Cookie Crumbles filming the whole thing while Hondo Flanks was struggling to keep it together as tears of joy flowed like an unattended faucet left on after bedtime.
She looked over to Luna and Sombra, both of whom smiled and nodded to her, and then to her friends. The boys stood to her right and the girls her left, each of them standing across from their special somepony. Twilight Sparkle and Midnight Blaze, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh, Applejack and Thunderlane, Rainbow Dash and Soarin, and Cadance and Shining Armor. Wait, there was somepony missing from this picture... and then she noticed her little Spiky-Wikey was the one playing the piano, and he peered over his shoulder to give her a smiling wink, so she blew him a grateful kiss.
Finally, she reached the altar and gazed up at her stallion and he returned her warm look with one of blessed and subtle joy. The music came to an end, and Celestia spread her wings.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the presence of Faust, to unite these two amazing ponies in holy matrimony."
Everypony looked on warmly as Celestia continued.
"It fills my heart with deepest joy, to see this young pony, my nephew, who I watched grow from a bright little colt into a stallion truly noble in heart, has found the special somepony he has always deserved to give that heart to, and to Rarity, the very embodiment of Generosity, I am eternally grateful for the happiness you have brought not only to Blueblood but to everyone else around you whose lives have been blessed by your unending generous heart.
"Do you, Blueblood and Rarity, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond the both of you share?"
"I do," answered Blueblood, feeling his spirit soaring sky high.
"I do!" answered Rarity, hoping her tears wouldn't ruin her mascara.
"You may face each other and join hooves," Celestia instructed, and once they did , she added, "Blueblood, you may recite your vows."
Looking into those pools of azure blue, pausing to wipe his beloved's tears away as he smiled at her and took a deep breath.
"Rarity... that night we met at the Gala, I had long been in a bad place. Before we met, I'd sought romance but looked in the wrong places, tried with the wrong mares. From me, they sought riches, luxury, fame, or false notions of romance that would ultimately have ended only in heartbreak. I had all but given up on finding a special somepony... until I met you. it still pains me, how I initially acted towards you and looking back I would not blame you had you refused to give me another chance after I had an epiphany - If I gave up on romance I would never find it, and spend perhaps the rest of my life in bitter loneliness. True love is worth the risk, and I cannot begin to say how happy I am that I gave it another chance and that it was with you.
"These past few years with you have been the happiest I've had in a long time, and so I now hope we can carry on together, no longer simply boyfriend and girlfriend, but as husband and wife. Your love, your inspiration, your generosity, your brilliance, every single thing about you is worth all the gems in the world to me and more. I vow, for as long as we both shall live, to love you, to protect you, to spend every moment we are together making you happy, to be a good husband who loves you, who respects you, who is true to you."
Rarity could no longer stop the tears from flowing now, oh her mascara was going to be ruined for certain! But... she found herself not caring in the slightest. Oh, what was love doing to her, she thought with a smile.
"Rarity, you may recite your vows," invited Celestia.
Taking a moment to get herself together, Rarity cleared her throat and took a breath before she began.
"Blueblood, I must confess... before we met, I had such silly notions of meeting you and expecting some ridiculous fairytale romance, and- Well, suffice it to say, I so foolishly judged a book by its cover. I forgot that you are so much more than a prince. You are a stallion of true worth, a pony with real feelings. Looking back to that night, I cannot fault you for how you behaved at first, as much as it hurt, for it helped me realize the illusions I'd fooled myself with, and break through them to see you for the pony you are. A stallion of true integrity, a mind that looks to the future and to reach new heights and knows the direction in life he is taking, a soul as sincere and beautiful as a diamond without flaw.
"I am so blessed to have found somepony as special as you, and thus I vow to love you, to believe in you, to be there for you whenever you are feeling lost or at a low, to be a wife that supports you, stands by you, to return any and all happiness you give me and more, and it is my sincere hope that one day, when we are ready, we will have a family of our own to cherish as much as I cherish you."
The attendees were tearing up and on the verge of applauding when Celestia declared, "Then by the power invested in me, I sanction this union in the name of Faust and declare these two souls as husband and wife! May we have the rings?"
Spike hurried over and pulled the rings out of his pocket and held them out. Celestia levitated them, placing the simple ring of white gold onto Blueblood's horn, and the ring with a diamond as clear as ice onto Rarity's horn before adding, "You may kiss the bride."
Throwing decorum out the window, Rarity threw her bouquet and lunged upon her husband, their lips meeting with tender passion (while the bouquet fell into the grasp of Rainbow Dash) and everypony present cheered and called out congratulations!
The wedding reception was warm, bright, and happy. By her marriage to Blueblood, Rarity was given the noble title of Lady, and Blueblood was welcomed eagerly by his new in-laws, Cookie and Hondo both insisting he call them mom and dad (Hondo insisting that sometime they go out to a hoofball game, which he'd always wanted to do with a son) and Sweetie Belle was so happy her big brother was now officially a part of the family.
A toast was proposed by Cadance to honor the newlyweds, and once things began to slow down...
"Twilight?"
She turned to look at her husband, who looked at her somewhat guiltily and asked, "Can we speak?"
Although she'd said or done nothing to make waves, as she hadn't wanted to ruin Rarity and Blueblood's big day, Twilight had spoken barely a word to Midnight throughout the whole thing. Knowing she couldn't avoid this talk forever, she sighed and nodded. Getting up, they quietly slipped away into the halls, where Celestia was waiting for them. Celestia easily sensed how reserved Twilight was towards her and Midnight, who knew that Twilight didn't want to be here.
For a moment, no one said anything. Until...
"Twilight... I am so sorry, for the way I spoke to you."
"That's why you're sorry?" Twilight responded softly. "You condemned somepony to death, you ordered my husband to carry out the sentence, and Midnight, you obeyed without hesitation or emotion."
Twilight took a deep shuddery breath as she whispered, "I- I just... can't wrap my head around this!"
Celestia and Midnght shared a remorseful look, and as much as either of them wished to hug Twilight they had a feeling it would not be welcomed.
"Twilight, what Buck Cheap did was beyond forgiveness," Celestia answered, her tone firm yet edged with emotion, "In the court of public opinion, he was already guilty. I passed down the sentence that had to be passed, in order to give everypony closure. His actions resulted in the deaths of dozens of victims, and his motives were in no way sympathetic.
"But you don't understand the truth behind my decision for his execution."
Twilight gaped at Celestia, looking almost disgusted until Midnight gestured down the hall and Twilight looked to see a nurse pony approaching, carrying a wrapped bundle.
"When I sentence someone to be executed, Twilight," Celestia explained as she levitated the bundle into her uninjured wing, "I have the executioner carry out the sentence with something I call a Phoenix Arrow. It's an arrow fletched with the feathers of a phoenix, enchanted to use the same regenerative flames to kill the condemned in fire and allow for them to be reborn from their own ashes."
Twilight's eyes widened as Celestia gently pulled part of the blanket away, revealing the baby colt Twilight hadn't seen earlier. Though the colors were switched around, somehow, Twilight knew.
"That's... Buck Cheap?" she whispered in awe.
"Yes... and no," Celestia replied, "the pony who was Buck Cheap is dead, and this colt is all that remains. It was as you said, Twilight Sparkle; he never had a chance. He was born into a family whose legacy was of corruption and vice. Now, he will have the chance everyone deserves - To be raised with love and joy, to grow into a good pony who can decide his own destiny."
For a moment, Twilight was speechless. She wasn't sure what to make of it. On one hoof, it was still cold and ruthless, but on the other, the reason behind it was... not so bad as she thought. Granted, learning about Celestia and Midnight and the Brotherhood a while back had shaken her, it had been something else entirely to see it with her own eyes - Celestia giving the order and Midnight carrying it out.
Sighing, she finally spoke, "I... I can understand the reasons, and I'm glad that Cheap is... But I need time to come to terms with this."
Celestia and Midnight shared a sad look and the sapphire alicorn morosely responded, "We understand. When you are ready to talk, we're both here to listen."
They turned to leave, Celestia holding the baby, when Twilight said, "Midnight?"
He paused mid-step and looked back at his wife, who stepped over to him and caressed his cheek, "Today I saw a side of you that I honestly don't like... But that doesn't mean I'll ever stop loving you."
His heart swelled as he reached up to hold his Twily's hoof, and they held each other's gaze in tender silence while Celestia smiled to herself and whispered to the baby, "I think they need some alone time," and quietly slipped away, leaving her old students to themselves.