//------------------------------//
// Chapter Sixteen: The Wedding, Act 2 
// Story: A Red and Green brush 
// by Netherweaver 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Sixteen...

(Authors Note: I just want to say a big thank-you to everyone who reads 'A Red and Green brush', and an especially big thank-you to iloveportalz0r who has helped me immensely by helping me correct any errors I don't pick up on myself.)

I spent the next five minutes playing with Skye as Luna organised all the presents into a neat pile. Fluttershy came over, and was surprised to find me sitting on the floor with my baby daughter, jiggling a key-chain around. She quietly sat down next to me and watched Skye play with my key-chain.
"Hello Fluttershy, did you want to speak to me?" I asked, looking over to the shy pony.
"Oh, I don't like loud parties so I thought I'd come sit with you and Skye." She said, jumping when the DJ started the music with no warning. Skye didn't approve of the music either, and climbed up onto me.
"It's no problem, but let's go find another room where it's quieter." I said as I picked Skye up and carried her over to Luna. "Luna, the music is spooking Skye, is there anywhere I can take her?"
"Just go through that door on the left, it should take you right outside my bedroom. It's from when we used to have to make a quick getaway." She explained. "Will you be coming back?"
"No, sorry. Even at her age I don't think she's going to spend a whole day asleep. Sorry Lu." I apologized.
"It's okay, I'll handle the party. You just look after Skye." She said, knowing that my daughter came before any parties. "You too, Fluttershy; look after your spirit-niece." Fluttershy looked overjoyed at having been labelled Skye's third guardian.
"Let's go, she's getting restless." I said as Skye started to cover her ears. Fluttershy pushed the door open and we went through. We went through the passage and ended up outside Luna's room, as promised. As I went to enter, the guards snapped their wings out to stop me passing. "Erm, I don't know if you know or not, but I'm Luna's husband now?" The guard on the left facehoofed.
"Ugh, sorry. Completely forgot buddy. Go on in." He said. We entered, and I put Skye on the bed. I pulled her blanket out of the cot and laid it on the floor. I picked her up again and placed her on the blanket, where she happily curled up, looking at me with her deep blue eyes. She pointed at one of her books sticking out of Luna's saddlebags. I smiled and took the book out. As I started to read it to her, Fluttershy sat on the bed and watched us. I moved myself so that Skye could see the pictures inside the book. Once I had finished reading the book, she stood up shakily. I positioned myself so that if she fell I could catch her. She took a few tentative steps, using her wings to balance. I stayed with her, but she didn't fall. Evidently learning to walk on four legs is easier than being bipedal. I had just realised that if she was still living within griffon society she would be walking and flying everywhere with her parents. But, being human, my first instinct was to carry her.
"Well done Skye!" Fluttershy said as Skye made it to the end of the bed. Skye just sat down again, looking tired. I went and got another book from the pile. Her eyes lit up as I sat next to her and started reading the new book. Luna had done a good job of blessing her with brainpower. I finished the book, and Skye stood up. She tottered over to the pile of books and gently picked one up with her beak. She carried it back to me and place it on my lap.
"I guess I could read one more..." I said, picking her up and hugging her. She giggled happily. I put her down next to me so I could read the book to her. As I looked at the book I noticed that it wasn't one of her picture books, but one of the Daring-Do series that Luna was reading. I smiled as Skye reached over and opened the book with one of her talons. I set the book down between us so I could use my finger to help her follow the words. If she's as smart as I think, she'll learn to read this way, right? We made steady progress through the book, and even Fluttershy was gripped by the story. It was about 3pm, and we had just got through the first half, and we were all getting hungry. I looked for the tube thing that Celestia had used to communicate with the kitchens. I picked it up.
"Excuse me, is this the kitchens?" I asked tentatively.
"Yes, do you need anything?" Came the reply. I recognised the voice of the griffon chef.
"Could you send some carrots and some tomatoes to Luna's room please?" I asked, trying to be polite.
"Of course, I won't be long." He said, putting down his end. He was true to his word and arrived at the door of the room fairly quickly. He knocked. I went and opened the door. "Oh, hello again! I guess that your daughter didn't enjoy the music at your reception?"
"No. I brought her up here for a bit of peace and quiet." I said, holding the door open, allowing him to come in and place the big bowl of carrots and tomatoes down.
"I have to be going, there's a lot of preparation still to do for the dinner at the reception. Enjoy!" He said, leaving the room. I shut the door, and started snapping the carrot into small pieces for Skye. Fluttershy hopped down and took a carrot for herself, and we all sat there happily eating through the bowl. Skye managed to get a laugh from me and Fluttershy as she tried to bite a tomato, and squirted tomato juice everywhere. I cleaned up with the small towel Luna had packed for such occasions. Once our hunger was sated, we got back to reading Daring-Do and the quest for the Sapphire Stone. We had almost finished it when there was another knock at  the door.
"Come in!" I said, and Luna pushed the door open. She smiled when she saw the three of us sat on the floor with the book between us. "Skye picked the book out." I said, showing Luna the book her daughter had picked out.
"Really? I'd have thought that the picture books would have been more for her." Luna said, walking over and kissing me. She patted Skye on the head gently. 
"We've already read them all!" I said, proud of our daughter's voracious appetite for stories.
"Wow! You really like stories don't you Skye?" she said, bringing our daughter into a hug. "The lunch at the reception was amazing, did you have anything to eat?" She asked. I just pointed to the empty bowl on the floor with us. "I'll take that as a yes." She chuckled. "Well, now I know you three are OK, I should be getting back to the reception now, people will be missing me." She said, kissing me again. She left to return to the party, and we went back to reading the final chapter of the book. Most people say that your wedding day is the best day of your life, and I have to agree with them; but I only do because I didn't just get married to the mare of my dreams, I had witnessed my daughter's first steps, and helped her read her first real book.