//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 - Another Canterlot Wedding (Part 1) 
// Story: My Fair Twilie (Book 2/3) 
// by AdrianJNovelle 
//------------------------------//

	As it turns out, Dawn invited Twilight Sparkle to sleep over that night, where they engaged in their usual festivities, until they found themselves huddled together under a warm blanket in Dawn's bed. Twilight laid her head against the soft pillow, her face illuminated by the candlelight of the candle Dawn lit when he turned out the lights. She was warm under the cozy covers, now becoming sleepy as she smiled a smile which looked like it would never fade from her countanence. Her eyelids were droopy, and she yawned.
"I have a surprise for you, Twilight," said Dawn softly.
Twilight made no reply, but simply stared into his large eyes. 
Dawn turned over in the bed, retrieved the surprise, and beheld it in his hoof. In his grasp: a small, navy-blue box. Twilight recognized the object, and slowly propped her head up.
"Twilight Sparkle," began Dawn quietly. "Will you marry me?"
Twilight only nodded, and gave Dawn one last kiss before returning her head to the pillow, and silently drifting off to sleep.
Dawn blew out the candle and snuggled up next to his new bride.
"Goodnight, Twilie."





A high-pitched squeal of delight from the most pitchy pony of the group. "Félicitations, Twilight, félicitations!" gaily exclaimed Rarity. 
"Thank you, thank you," said Twilight with much less enthusiasm. "I, too, am very glad that Dawn proposed."
"Does this mean we get to help you host your wedding?"
"Of course. Who else better but my own friends?"
Rarity squealed again. "I know the perfect wedding dress for you, Twilight! Ooh! I'll be at my boutique if anypony needs me!" Rarity darted off.
"Congrajiations, Twilight," said Applejack, gently shaking her hoof. "Course, ya prob'y got enough congrajiations from Rarity."
"I'm just delighted to hear that everypony's okay with me marrying Dawn."
"Oh, shucks, Sugarcube. It wasn't Dawn we had uh problem with, just ya havin' premarital sex is ahl."
"That's nice to hear...I wouldn't want my wedding or my marriage to impose on anyone."
"Ya'll have no complaints from me, Twi."
"Or me," said Rainbow Dash.
"Or me," added Pinkie Pie.
"Or me," mumbled Fluttershy.
Twilight grinned.
"So, wen's duh weddin'?"
"Soon," Twilight replied. "We're gonna start planning it today. The only thing I know for sure is that we're getting married where my brother married Princess Cadence, since we're both from Canterlot."
"Sounds mighty nice, Twilight. We'll leave you to work out the details with Dawn. C'mon, girls." Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie all took off. Before they were out of sight, Twilight could hear Rainbow Dash asking, "I wonder if Rarity still has our old bridesmaids outfits."
Twilight strolled through town back to Dawn's place, where he was busy at work taking notes on what to do for the wedding.
"Do you know what that thing of flowers the bride throws to all the bachelors and bachelorettes after the ceremony is called?" he asked Twilight upon her entrance into his cottage.
"Um...a bouquet?"
"Really? Just a bouquet? There's no other real term for it?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"Huh, interesting."
"So...have you made any progress since this morning?"
"We'll get married this weekend," answered Dawn. "I figured that will give us enough time to prepare. I sent a letter to Princess Celestia already informing her of the occasion, but I have not heard back from her yet."
"Wow, you've been productive!" 
"I am the groom after all. Plus, I hear you worked your flank off for your brother's wedding: you shouldn't have to go through all that trauma again."
"There wasn't any trauma!"
"Oh?"
"Well, there was heartbreak and changeling overlords and genocide and imprisonment and turmoil and an uncanning fear of certain death and betrayl, but no truama - no truama."
"Hmm. Very well. I still wish for you to worry not about our wedding, Twilie. It's going to be a simple wedding. But we'll be sure to make each moment lasts us a lifetime."
A tear formed in the corner of Twilight's eye. She wiped it away. 
"Are you sure about this, though?" she asked, coming to take a seat across the table from her groom. 
"What ever do you mean, Twilie?"
"You know...about marrying an earth pony who used to be a unicorn and all?"
"Oh, that? Pfft! Twilight, I wouldn't care if you were an earth pony who also happened to be a blank flank: I love you for who you are, not for your magic prowess and lack thereof. You're the love of my life - my inspiration - and I want to marry you and spend my life with you. I can paint portraits of you, and you can study art and anything else Princess Celestia requests of you, and-"
"We can do all that stuff even without being married, you know, Dawn."
"Yes, I know that. But it is more romantic. And regardless, I still love you with all my heart, and I want you to be my bride, and then my wife - forever after."
Twilight blushed. "And I want you to be my groom and then my husband for the rest of my life."
"That is why we are getting married, Twilie."
Twilight rested her head on her hoof as she sat leaned against the tabletop.
"Then, why do I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach that this is a bad idea?"





Three days of planning passed, the weekend quickly encroaching. All the preparations were made as promptly as possible. Rarity still kept everyone's bridesmaid outfits, simply handing Twilight hers if she desired to keep it. She created a much more appropriate dress, for Twilight would be the bride. Since Dawn had no outfit of his prior, she also managed to find time to make him a dashing tuxedo to wear for the occasion.
As with the wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, Applejack was in charge of all the catering and fares. 
"Apple fritters again?" asked Twilight. "Didn't you make those when my brother got married?"
"Yes...they were delicious."
"But the same hors d'eouvers? Seems kind of redundant to me."
"Well wat do ya have in mind den, Twi?"
"I don't know...do you know how to make anything that's not derived from apples?"
Applejack grimaced. "I can make cupcakes. I know from watching Pinkie Pie."
"Great! Cupcakes! Do that!"
"Uh...al'ight, Sugarcube. Cupcakes it is."
Rainbow Dash, under her own volunteering, proposed that she perform a Sonic Rainboom when Twilight and Dawn complete their I-Dos. 
Over the days, Fluttershy perpared her song-bird choir for the ceremony.
And, of course, Pinkie Pie handled the decorations and entertainment.
"Ooh! I hope I can get Vinyl Scratch back for the party!" she exclaimed, running off.





It was finally their wedding night, everything going as planned. With the sun still in the sky, the ceremony was initiated. Two guards who stood abreast to the doorway opened them with the magic of their horns, letting Dawn, now handomsely decked out in his tuxedo, walk himself down the aisle as he gave every pony he passed the most gleeful smile he had ever given anyone but Twilight herself. Once he was up the stairs, near Spike, Princess Celestia bowed her head. Fluttershy counted 1...2...3...4, and her song-bird choir began to tweet the "Here Comes the Bride" rhythm in perfect unison. 
The doors were opened once more, and Twilight Sparkle herself slowly strolled down the aisle: the same smile upon her face as Dawn. Rarity made her wedding dress which seemed to be a well-crafted combination between her Grand Galloping Gala dress, her bridesmaid outfit, and an actual wedding dress. On her flank was the classic white wedding-dress style, she beared a headgear which resembled that of her bridesmaid outfit, and, across her breast was a design of white and light-blue stars. Thanks to Rarity's keen eye on fashion and style, she managed to make the whole outfit work.
"We are gathered here today to honor the marriage of Twilight Sparkle and Dawn..."
"It's just Dawn," he affirmed the Princess.
Princess Celestia nodded once. "The marriage of Twilight Sparkle and Dawn. Their love: undeniable. And their strength as a couple: indestructible. With the power vested in me as the Princess of Equestria and the head of Canterlot Royalty, it is with great honor that I hereby pronounce you husband and-"
"Wait just a darn minute!" cried out a pony in the audience.
An older-looking stallion stepped forth onto the carpet. Nopony seemed to truly recognize him, but his cutie mark was unmistakably a gabel. His special talent was undoubtedly in law.
Haven't we had enough ruined weddings? thought Twilight.
"Twilight Sparkle has all the prowess of an earth pony. So she can't marry Dawn!"
"What?" Twilight and Dawn asked in unison. 
"Sir, what ever do you mean?" asked the Princess.
The stallion stepped closer. "According to Equestrian law, earth ponies can't marry unicorns: only other earth ponies and pegasi. Moreover, alicorns can only other alicorns and unicorns, unicorns can only marry other unicorns and alicorns, and pegasi can only marry earth ponies and other pegasi. It's the law! I should know: I served in law enforcement for five decades."
"I don't ever recall that being an issue," mumbled Princess Celestia aloud. "But, it still supports Shining Armor's marriage with Princess Cadence." She cleared her throat. "What exactly is the nature of these laws?"
"To prevent the unncessary abuse of magic, of course. If two ponies - one a unicorn or alicorn and the other not - they can then take full advantage of the magic of their love and abuse their powers. The law was established shortly after Princess Celestia herself wielded the Elements of Harmony. It's an acient law - hardly ever used since most pony couples are of the same type of pony - but its validity stands strong."
"Is he right, Princess Celestia?" asked Twilight, a gleam of fear in her eyes.
"I'm afraid he is, Twilight...I'm sorry...but there's nothing I can do: as long as your horn remains useless, then you are legally unable to marry Dawn. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to speak with the gentlemare alone. Maybe I can reason with him. I'm sure there's a loophole somewhere. I won't let all this effort we put into your wedding to go to waste."
Princess Celestia stepped down the stairs.
"Sir, may I speak with you in private?" she asked as she walked along the red carpet.
"Of course, Princess," said the stallion, taking a slight bow as the Princess passed him. He then followed her out of the altar, the huge doors closing behind them.
Twilight turned to Dawn, tears already forming in the corners of her eyes.
"What are we gonna do, Dawn?" she whispered.
"I...I don't know..."


END OF PART 1