A purple unicorn sat in a tower overlooking the Everfree Forest, and smiled as she watched the springtime sun rise over the trees there. The light glinted off of her mane, a simple black streaked through with purple, pink, and a band of deep red. The mare noted that her hair had hardly grayed at all, even though she was technically thirty years old, a quarter of the way through her life if it was to be considered average. Of course, Twilight Sparkle’s life was going to be anything but average.
Her gaze flitted over a nearby map tacked to her wall, representing the tiny town of Ponyville, and the area surrounding it. Several lists were fastened to it as well, dignitaries and guests with important areas outlined in red. After taking in the contents of that list one more time, she smiled and set it to the side. Turning to a simple wooden picture frame, she examined a photograph that she still held very near and dear to her heart.
Fluttershy’s demure smile caught her eye first. In all the years she had known the timid Pegasus, Fluttershy’s smile had never changed. She smiled much more often, nowadays. She had every right to, seeing as she was expecting a child of her own soon. The foal was due in the spring of next year, and every one of her friends was looking forward to the christening, even though she had already chosen the name. A simple spell from Twilight had revealed the gender of the child, and it was to be a filly. With Rarity’s permission, Fluttershy was going to name her Belle.
Rarity hadn’t smiled much since the day Sweetie Belle’s limp body had been pulled from the rubble of the tower, and she had hardly spoken to Twilight for a while after that. She understood, of course. Sweetie Belle had died in Twilight Sparkle’s employ, while helping to further Twilight Sparkle’s cause. To be honest, Twilight Sparkle had expected Rarity to hate her for what she had done, but the tide of fury had simply never come. One ill had come of this, however. Rarity was so consumed by grief that she was no longer able to use her Element with any sort of significance. Indeed, most magic was completely beyond her now. This made her most recent gift to Twilight all that much more meaningful.
Pinkie Pie’s cheerful grin had been a constant uplifting force throughout the past few months. She had taken to using her Power well, and whenever efforts to rebuild had gone sideways, it could be relied on that Pinkie Pie would be there with a smile, a joke, and a new, different solution to a problem. It had been Pinkie Pie who had come up with the idea to keep Ponyville as a neutral haven. She had proved herself remarkably savvy as a politician, as well. She was on the fast track to take the mayorship soon, if she wanted it.
Rainbow Dash was next in the circle. Her days off stunt flying and airspeed records were long gone, after the injuries she had sustained at the final battle, the one they were calling the Fourth Battle of Dunsinane. She too had lost her Power in that struggle, though it was not because of any emotional grief. In fact, it was because she no longer saw a use for it. The once-fiery mare had mellowed considerably, becoming almost monastic in her habits. Twilight would have been unnerved, except for the fact that Rainbow Dash seemed genuinely happy. Soon, she would head north to assist with the reclamation of Equestria’s northern lands. She was going to help train teams of a new group of flyers at a school funded by both Twilight and Celestia. The students were called Stormchasers.
Finally, her gaze rested on Applejack’s smiling face. Her story was not nearly so kind. She had lost a sister, as well, but whereas Rarity had allowed her grief to flow naturally, Applejack’s emotional distress had turned inward. She hardly ever left the farm anymore, and Twilight was told not to come near her land. Twilight respected her friend’s wishes, of course, and would continue to do so even after Applejack had her foal. An invitation had been sent, regardless, and Twilight could only hope that Applejack would set aside her anger for one day.
“Twilight? Are you still awake?”
Twilight turned with a start, tearing her eyes away from the picture to see Tarantella standing behind her, watching as she examined her old things. She felt a grin creep across her face as she studied Tarantella, who looked at her with a curious expression on her face.
“Aren’t we supposed to be avoiding each other until the wedding is over?”
Tara snorted. “I believe that applies to the dress. What are you looking at?”
Twilight indicated the picture frame. “I’m just going through some of my old things. I’ve come a long way since that picture was taken. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure I like where I’m at right now.”
Tarantella smiled, reaching out and drawing her in close. “That is why I know you will be a good leader, Cara Mia. The wise leader is the one who leads out of necessity, not a lust for power. It is what separates you from Celestia.”
Twilight slumped, relaxing into her fiancé’s embrace. “That’s not it, though. I mean, that’s some of it, but not all of it. A lot of ponies got hurt because of me, and not all of them were willing to fight in the first place. And I can deal with that, I can figure it out as it comes, but there’s something I’m really uncomfortable with.”
Twilight’s eyes stung with tears for a moment before she lifted a hoof to brush them away. “Tara…I’m going to be alive for a long time after you die. A really long time, probably. And I know there’s probably at least a hundred ponies I could think of who would love to have the sort of life I’ll have, but…I just want to live a normal life. Is that so much to ask? I’ll grow old with you; have years and years by your side. I may even ‘die’ around the same time as you do. But when my time comes, I’ll be young again. Sixteen, not even fully grown. We’re the same age because I used so much magic to heal you, but when we are at the end of our lives, you’ll move on and I’ll…stay behind.”
“You’re right. It isn’t fair. It’s not fair to you, or to me, or to anypony we know. I won’t get to see you in the afterlife, and you’ll have to live the rest of your life without me after I’m gone, at least until you find somepony else. And you will find somepony else, eventually,” Tarantella said, looking into Twilight’s eyes. “But I am content. We have each other for a time, and I think that is enough. It could have very easily been less than that. And as for your friends, and their losses, I think there’s something to be learned from it.”
Twilight sniffed. “And what would that be?”
The Condottiero smiled, turning with Twilight so that they could survey the town beneath them. “They made their choices of their own free will, Twilight Sparkle. And they must deal with the consequences of their actions. But because of the choices you have made, they were able to make choices of their own free will. Not since before the Celestial Wars have ponies been able to make their own choices, and though we may not like where our decisions lead us, at least we know that we are free to choose our own paths.”
The streets of the small town began to stir. Ponies were waking up to a still more glorious dawn. Twilight watched as stores began to open up, and a walleyed grey Pegasus lurched into the sky to deliver her mail, her tousled cornsilk mane blowing in the low breeze. Twilight watched her go, and realized that she represented the direction Twilight had chosen to lead ponykind. There would be bumps along the way, mistakes would be made, but at the end of the day, she knew that the mailmare would return home, to a daughter that loved her very much. And speaking of daughters…
“Is Cirrus up?” Twilight asked.
Tarantella shook her head. “Not yet. She wanted to stay up late for the rehearsal dinner, so I let her sleep. She can have a day off from her flying lessons, this sort of thing only happens once after all. She’ll need to be well rested for the ceremony tonight.”
Twilight felt the back of her neck prickle nervously at that. “It feels unreal. After all this time, after so much, I’m…”
A wing blocked her from saying anything further, as Tarantella leaned in and kissed her cheerfully. “Getting married, yes. I believe southern Equestrians call it ‘getting hitched’, or ‘the old tack and plow’. After tonight, we’ll be together in the eyes of all, for better or for worse.”
Twilight returned the kiss, before her horn lit up, tossing Tarantella gently on her nearby bed before following her onto it. Drawing her close, she leaned in, her lips almost brushing Tarantella’s ear, which twitched in pleasure. “Hopefully for the better.” she whispered.
Rarity shuffled nervously in her seat. Four of Twilight’s best friends had arrived to her wedding, a quiet affair in what Twilight had once called her library. The inside was a bit bigger now, of course, Twilight certainly had the power to do so. She had called in a favor from some sort of Doctor, and Rarity could now definitely be sure that the treehouse was bigger on the inside. But the unusual dimensions of the room she was in wasn’t what made her nervous.
Celestia had arrived, as had Luna, and Cadance, who would be presiding over the ceremony, as was her right. A few others took up some of the seats. Shining Armor, dressed in his military finest, seemed both nervous and proud as he waited for his sister to stride down the aisle formed by two groups of low wooden benches. His opposite, Silent Shield, stood at attention in a simple high-collared shirt of black, upon which was emblazoned a silver crescent moon. In addition, a few courtiers from both sides, as well as Twilight’s mother and father, occupied space on the benches.
Pinkie Pie and her husband were both chatting quietly, a surprise in and of itself. Pinkie Pie had hardly done anything quietly in the past few months. Rarity shook her head, and continued her survey of the crowd, hoping to see one more face that she had not yet. She saw Fluttershy, positively glowing with happiness as she and her husband whispered contentedly to one another. They had lost Fluttershy’s house in the fighting around Ponyville, but the rebuilding hadn’t taken long, and they had added on extra rooms for their foal.
Rainbow Dash was speaking quietly with a Gryphon in the back, the one they called Mahtaram. Apparently, her siblings had acquitted themselves a bit too well in battle, and she had moved up in line for the throne. Now she stood at the right hand of her brother, who would be King someday. The two appeared to be hitting it off quite well, as Rainbow Dash was cracking the occasional joke, which Mahta tolerated and even managed to grin a few times.
And then there was herself. Golden Rule sat next to her, along with their adopted foal, Brownstone. She had made it through alright, despite everything seeming like it should have turned out differently. Somehow, some way, she had managed to get a happy ending out of it all. Well, almost happy. Or it should have been happy.
Rarity knew that she would be dealing with what Sweetie Belle had done for years, if not a lifetime. And that grief would stay with her for a very long time. But she was blessed, she knew that much. She had lost a sister, while others had lost so much more. Fluttershy had lost a home, Rainbow Dash had lost her excellent flying skills, and hundreds of thousands had lost their lives in the series of battles that had taken place over the course of a single day from start to finish.
But it wasn’t for herself that she was worried. She didn’t see Applejack, and that worried her. They hadn’t heard anything from their friend since the day they had all returned home, on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Applejack had taken her family home without a word to anypony, and she hadn’t left the farm since. Twilight’s invitation had not been responded to, and Rarity supposed that she could understand Applejack’s unwillingness to see them all. Family meant more to Applejack than most realized, and she and Applebloom had been very close.
“You know, you look lovely.” Golden Rule whispered. “No dress, no makeup…you’re even growing your mane back out again. It looks good on you. The mare I fell in love with all those years ago.”
Rarity blushed. “Well, I decided that maybe…maybe I needed to make things a bit more simple again. After all, Canterlot’s a high-society sort of place, and Ponyville is considerably more rustic. I’m sure young Silver Spoon will jump at the chance to take my place there. All I could ask for is in Ponyville. Peace and…peace and quiet.”
Brownstone looked up at her quizzically. “Mom? Is the wedding going to start soon?”
Rarity nodded. “Yes, Brownstone. It is.”
“Where’s Aunt Applejack?”
“Right here, little hayseed.” came a voice from behind them. Applejack strode up the aisle, Honey Crisp and Barley Scotch in tow. She turned to Honey Crisp, who was acting unusually bashful. “Now Honey, you go on ahead and sit next to Brownstone, y’hear? Daddy will be by in a minute, and I’ve gotta talk with your Auntie Rarity.”
The little filly tentatively crept to her seat by Brownstone, where she sat blushing hard as Brownstone did his best to start up a conversation with her. Rarity shook her head fondly as she walked up to Applejack and met her in an embrace.
“We’ve missed you, darling. How are things?”
Applejack rested a hoof on her stomach, which was starting to bulge a little with the weight of her own child. “They’re…they were rough, I’ll be honest. But they’re getting better, bye and bye. I shut myself off from the world for a while, from Honey and Barley too. Losin’ Applebloom…it was powerful hard, and I can’t help but to blame Twilight for it. Don’t rightly know if I’ll ever forgive her for the hardship she put my family through, but I realized once spring rolled around that I couldn’t just shut myself off from the world forever. My family needs me, and so does the community around here.”
Rarity nodded. “Do you know what you’ll say to Twilight?”
Applejack sighed. “Not really. I suppose I’ll just have to find the right words at the right time. I don’t think that I’ll ever really trust her again, but I can at least try to lay the past down to rest. Aside from that, though, I can’t say. Things are changin’ real quick around here. Have you noticed?”
Rarity nodded. “It’s like the Everfree is leaking out into Equestria. The clouds move on their own, Fluttershy has noticed that some of the animals are talking about new predators…whatever deal Twilight made with Discord, it’s already taking effect.”
“T’aint all bad,” Applejack said. “Things are growing quicker, even the weeds.” She chuckled, scratching at the back of her neck. “We’ve had our hooves full down at the farm, keeping things running smoothly. Suppose it’ll be like that from now on, what with Ponyville being called neutral ground now.”
Rarity nodded. “I’ve already said goodbye to a few of my friends up in Canterlot. They’re leaving for the new city Twilight is building, calling it a brand new opportunity to make history. They’re calling themselves Starsworn, and the new capital of Twilight’s kingdom is called Starfall.”
Applejack was about to reply, but before she could, a set of bells began to ring from nowhere, prompting a scramble from every pony except for the three Alicorns for seating. Cadance took her position at the head of the aisle, and as they waited, the bells began to fade. It was noon precisely when Twilight Sparkle stepped into the door of her library, with Tarantella Allegretta at her side.
Twilight Sparkle, known to those who followed her now as Lady Everstar, was many things. She was a warrior, and a diplomat. She was a mage and a scholar, a general without peer and a leader without equal, save for perhaps her teacher. She was broken and made whole, she was mortal, and yet she would never die, not until her tasks upon this earth were done. She was a revolutionary, and a fugitive, and a librarian, and a student and teacher and friend to so many. And, stepping through the door, she was revealed to be one thing more.
Twilight Sparkle was beautiful.
She was clad in a gown of dusky, wine red, with a simple circlet of thin tarnished gold resting upon her brow, from which a single amethyst dangled between her eyes. Her hooves were bare, and she wore no jewelry save for a simple pendant made of obsidian, cunningly fashioned into the shape of a dragon. Her face, for the first time in four long years, was completely at rest. Twilight Sparkle, though she had waged war for so long, had found her own peace. And she would never let her go.
Tarantella Allegretta’s dress was simple, a sleek affair in purple and silver that seemed to shimmer like water and float like clouds. It was Rarity’s gift to the new couple, the first dress she had made in years. And she had done all that work by hoof. Tarantella wore a simple band around her leg, leather studded with diamond, that wrapped around her leg three times before fastening near the top. Her brow was unadorned, but in her ears dangled two earrings, each stud set with a perfect ruby.
Gentle music seemed to float down from the rafters as the duo strode up the aisle, coming to a halt before Princess Cadance, who looked at them both with a smile on her face as they turned to face one another, lost in each other’s eyes. Spreading her wings wide, she began to speak.
“Friends, we are brought together on this, the first true day of Spring, to join in matrimony these two ponies, whose love, dedication, and will to thrive has brought them far and stood the test of time. Their love for one another has seen good times and bad, and it is to the benefit of all that they have decided, on this day, to be as one body and soul. Should any gathered here have reason as to why they should not be so joined, let them speak, or forever hold their protests.”
There was not a sound from the tiny room, and after a somber pause, Cadance continued her litany.
“Marriage is perhaps the greatest adventure we can hope to embark upon. By taking these sacred vows to one another, Twilight Sparkle and Tarantella of Clan Allegretta agree to be of one household, relying on each other in times of need, through times of triumph and trial. Through marriage, these two make a commitment to face their disappointments, embrace their dreams, realize their hopes, and accept one another’s failures. They hereby swear to aspire to these ideals during their time together, through mutual love and acceptance of one another.”
Cadance’s voice rang clear like birdsong through the library, and it was hard to find a dry eye in the room as she continued to speak.
“We are here today, gathered before friends and family, to witness the joining of marriage between Twilight and Tarantella, a celebration which marks the ending of two lives and the beginning of one new one, full of joy, peace, and laughter. And now, through me, you will be vested in that most sacred of bonds. Who gives away this mare Tarantella to be wed?”
A single Condottieri stood up from the back of the room. “I, Molto Allegretta, do give away my cousin on this day to be wed.”
Cadance inclined her head regally. “And who gives away this mare Twilight to be wed?”
Celestia rose from her seat, her voice even, calm, and perhaps the tiniest bit proud. “I, Celestia Aetheria ex Equestria, give away this mare to be wed.”
Cadance turned to Tarantella. “Do you, Tarantella Allegretta, take this mare as your wife, to stand by you through wind and storm, in the cold of winter and the heat of summer, as friend and family both? Will you love her, comfort her, remain true to her, remaining by her side at the cost of all else, so long as you both shall live?”
Tarantella’s voice was soft. “I will.”
Cadance then turned to Twilight. “Do you, Twilight Sparkle, Lady Everstar of the Forest, take this mare to be your wife? Will you see her through the day and the night, through wealth and poverty, as friend and family both? Will you love her, comfort her, remain true to her, remaining by her side at the cost of all else, until the end of your days?”
Twilight’s voice held a lifetime of love in two words. “I will.”
Cadance bowed her head briefly. “May you always share in the joy of love, one in heart and mind, may you always create a home together that leaves a smile in your hearts, love, generosity and kindness. As Twilight Sparkle and Tarantella Allegretta have consented together in marriage before friends and family, what, therefore, fate has put together, let no thing tear asunder. And so, by the power vested in me by my right as Princess of Love, I now pronounce you wed. And may your days be good and long on this earth.”
Cadance smiled, and nodded to them both. “You may now kiss.”
The two locked into a fierce embrace, meeting in a passionate kiss as their assembled friends and family applauded wildly, clinging to each other as if for dear life. It was only after a long while that they finally broke that kiss, panting and grinning at one another like the pair of love-struck fools that they were.
Joining hooves, they all but floated back down the aisle, their friends and family trailing behind them. Placing their hooves on the door together, they threw the simple wooden portal open wide, and stepped blinking into the sunlight.
A titanic roar greeted them from the gathering crowd, as an equal number of Solar Guards and Ever Free soldiers raised swords in unison, and with one voice, barked “Hail, Lady Everstar! Hail Lady Tarantella! Hail!”
Twilight was reminded for the briefest moment of the dream she had once thought to be a prophecy, of Morning Star’s mocking words. In the end, she had been able to have her happiness after all. As they strode down Ponyville’s main avenue, with friends, family, and monarchs trailing behind, Twilight Sparkle fell at last at peace. Soon, she would have to face reality once more. Applejack had done her the courtesy of arriving, and she would need to answer for her sins. Twilight had the feeling she would be answering for a very long time.
But for now, all that mattered was this. Today, Twilight Sparkle had won. She had fought against all odds, defied the sun, surpassed the moon, and with any luck, soon enough she would be able to restore balance to the world. Right now, Twilight was bound to only one thing, and one alone. Tarantella would be there with her, every step of the way. Together, they would take on the world.
Together, they were now and forever Free.