“I’m sorry, Twilight.” Luna whispered, giving the unicorn beside her a worried look. Before Twilight could do more than give her a wan smile of reassurance, yet another noble walked up, smiling broadly and congratulated the Princess on her happy day. The Heart’s lawn was full of them, nobles seeking a chance to express just how…. happy they were, in the wake of Luna’s wedding. The black alicorn turned to the stallion, and gave him a radiant smile, once more explaining that this was more than just a happy day for her, but that it was one for everypony.
Twilight turned away, and she let a small, annoyed huff escape her. Her back ached from standing motionless all day, greeting pony after pony. Her cheeks had long since gone numb, the burning from hours of constant smiling fading into a dull throbbing. Worst of all though, the dress she was wearing kept sending painful jolts of static arcing down to sting her. Why had she agreed to this?
That was a question that she had been asking herself all day, ever since Pip had shaken her awake, wide-eyed. Apparently, his own peaceful slumber had been interrupted when somepony had begun pounding on their door, which Twilight had wisely slept through. Not to be denied though, the moment the latch lifted, the tailor had barged into the room, and informed Pip that if Twilight wanted to be married wearing anything but a stitch or two, she needed to be fitted now. Still half asleep, Twilight had selected the red dress, almost identical to the others except for the color. The tailor had obviously thought it would look the best, and Twilight didn’t know the first thing about fashion.
What had followed was an hour of the tailor, a very disgruntled grey stallion, poking her with pins as he determined how to pull in and let down the fabric, while Twilight tried not to snarl at him. After he had taken his measurements and left, Twilight had groaned, and asked Pip to please bring some breakfast up. And that was when the floodgates opened.
From the moment Pip left for the kitchens, until a few brief minutes before the ceremony itself, Twilight’s day had been nothing but a sprint from one urgent errand to the next. To each and every pony who needed her help, their problems were the most dire, and if they were not fixed were sure to absolutely ruin the wedding itself. Twilight thought that each and every one of the ponies could bloody well handle their own problems, and that of all of them, she ought to be the one on the verge of tears. She couldn’t tell them that though, after all, their worry was on her account as much as their own, trying to make sure that her wedding was perfect down to the last ribbon hung from the branches of an oak.
By noon, when she was shepherded promptly into a small room on the Heart’s ground floor. She was left there by a matronly mare who squinted at her and shook a hoof in warning. “Now you stay here, ya here? Can’t have ya seein’ the bride before the weddin’, bad luck. Ceremonies start in an hour, so ya have enough time to clean up and get inta yer dress. Best hop to.” She had said, closing the door behind her. She left a crack open though, and Twilight jumped as her green head reappeared. “Oh, and congratulations, think its nice that somepony isn’t marryin’ fer money or power still, been a while since I seen an honest weddin’s.”
Twilight had nodded her thanks, and given the old mare the first of many forced smiles. It seemed to work, because she returned the smile, though with fewer teeth, and tottered off, shutting the door snugly behind her. The old mare had been the only pony she saw for an hour, alone in that little room. She had been left with only her dress, and its complimentary shoes and tiara, and a full length mirror. Most of that hour had been spent crying as quietly as she could, wrapped in self-pity and utter hatred for the position she had been forced into.
That anger wasn’t something that she could hold on to though, no more than she could hold on to her despair. She hadn’t been forced into this marriage, she always could have said no. Princess Celestia and Luna were both too kind, to gentle to allow their subjects to suffer when a chance at a better life had finally been found. Neither of them could have lived with themselves if they didn’t go through with the treaty, even if Twilight had refused. They would have found a solution, even if it meant that Luna had to marry Blueblood. She had choked on a laugh at the thought of her Luna marrying Blueblood, they would have stricken the law before the Night Mare would wed filth.
After an image of Blueblood’s face, as incredulous and furious as it had been the last time she had seen it, Twilight had risen. Fair or not, she had agreed. She had told Luna that she would marry her, and seal the treaty between their countries. If it wasn’t for love, then she at least had her duty binding her to the marriage. With that thought, and a slow, calming breath, she had dressed and waited.
“Twilight?” Luna whispered as the press of effervescent ponies moved away for a moment. Glancing around to make sure that there wasn’t a timid filly or colt waiting their turn to speak, Luna hurried across the small platform to where Twilight stood. “Twilight, are you well?”
“I don’t know.” Twilight whispered back, turning her head away from the black alicorn. “I guess I’m okay. Just not used to smiling this much.”
Luna let out a quiet laugh. “Mouth hurt?” she asked, tone wry but not without sympathy. At Twilight’s nod she gave a rueful little chuckle. “I’m sorry love, but that’s going to be something you feel far too often. I might be able to help though.”
“How?” Twilight asked, turning to look up at the mare standing beside her. Luna’s black lips curved up into a smile, and she bent down. When they had been wed, when Princess Celestia had uttered the words, ‘You may kiss.’, Luna had swept down in a graceful arc, giving Twilight a quick, chaste kiss to seal their wedding vows. This kiss was anything but quick, and somewhat less than chaste. Luna’s lips were soft and warm, and Twilight felt herself relax into the embrace. Pulling back slightly, Luna kept her eyes closed for a moment, exhaling slowly. “Better?”
Freed from the spell, Twilight blinked several times, opening her eyes wide. “Oh, um. Yes. Yes that was… nice.” Nice wasn’t the word that Twilight wanted to use, but her mind was still occupied trying to recreate the sensation in memory. Sadly, as many had discovered long before her, it was not a feeling that lent itself to memory. So instead of grasping for its fleeing tail, Twilight decided to take the bull by the horns. This time, she was the one who moved, stepping closer to reach up, kissing Luna.
Twilight stayed like that for a long moment, and this time Luna let the unicorn take the lead. For every movement of Twilight’s, Luna’s would be a gentle reciprocation, something tender and warm. After a moment or ten, Twilight stepped away, panting lightly. Perfectly normal, she rationalized, trying to focus through a world that was spinning. She was just a little dizzy from asphyxiation. Yeah. A moment later, Twilight was back in control, and she looked up at the Princess she had just married. Then, she gave the tall, black figure a radiant smile, one that Selene’s Princess returned.
“Ahem, Ah’m not interrupting nothin’, am I?” An amused voice asked. Twilight’s smile faded a bit as she turned to face the newcomer, but at least now it wasn’t something that made her mouth ache.
“No, of course not, Miss…” Twilight trailed off, trying to remember the mare’s name. She was an orange earth pony, voice thick with a country accent she knew she had heard recently. Her blonde mane and tail were both bound into the common laborer style, something that they called a pony tail. On her head, a soft brown hat rested, wide brimmed and covered with the battle scars of a long life well lived. The mare wasn’t dressed up, but she had added a bright red ribbon to her hat, encircling the base of the heavy cloth. Red, the same color as one of the suitors… “Miss Apple.”
Macintosh Apple’s sister looked startled that Twilight knew who she was, for a moment her mouth went slack. Then, with a glint in her emerald eyes, she chuckled. “Well, I’ll be. That one a yer fancy Princess magics?”
“No, I remember meeting with your brother, Macintosh. He was a very nice stallion.”
“Don’t Ah know it? Y’ shoulda seen how happy Big Mac was when Princess Luna announced that she was marryin’ you, and not him. Ain’t neither of us thought that he’d be any good at rulin’, and he’s damn good at farmin’.” Her eyes twinkled as she smiled at Twilight. “By the by, mah names Applejack.”
Twilight laughed, and inclined her head. “Well then, Miss Apple.” She said, emphasizing the words so that the farmer rolled her eyes. “How may I help you?”
“Help? Shucks sugercube, I don’t need no help. Farm’s doin well enough, crops are good quality, and family’s happy n’ healthy as horses. What more could anypony ask for?”
That made Twilight pause, and look at the mare. It wasn’t her words, so much as the casual surety that what she was saying was true. Twilight would have used to tell her that the sky was blue, and that the sun did indeed rise in the east. Familiar as she was to the empty prattle of the nobility, each and every one of them confessing that they have no higher desires at all, the frankness of the mare’s remark was startling. Twilight looked at the mare again, and gave her a smile.
“I apologize, Applejack. May I call you Applejack?” At the farmer’s affable nod, Twilight went on. “I didn’t mean to imply that you needed help.”
“No harm done.” She said, and winked at Twilight. “’Sides, reckon ya’ve had nothin’ but spoiled brats askin’ ya fer this an that all day.”
Applejack raised her voice at that, and Twilight flushed a little as several nobles turned to look at the farmer, affronted at her casual insult. The many lower class mares and stallions mingling through the crowd though ducked their heads, trying to hide their sparkling eyes and hold in their laughs. Twilight saw her wife’s lips curl in, trying to hide her own mirth from the indignant stallion standing in front of her. That was nearly enough to set the young Princess off, but she bit her tongue and gave Applejack a stern look.
“I am sorry about that, Lord Harvest.” Twilight said, bowing slightly to him in apology. “My friend is not used to high society, and she doesn’t understand how dire your petitions are. What was it you were saying about a drought?”
“Oh, a drought, yes. It is, uh, it is very dire indeed, Princess.” The sorrel stallion blustered, cheeks tinged red as he turned back to Princess Luna. “As I was saying Princess, we are in, erm, great need of your-“
He was the lord of a small section of land near the border with Selene, and had been neglecting a draught for several months. While it wasn’t something serious enough to cause real harm to the ponies in the area, it would mean that many foals would grow up on strict rations, as their parents struggled to keep everyone fed. He had been asking the Princess whether she was willing to buy a large quantity of raw silver that he had discovered buried near the surface of several farms.
Twilight turned away from the two with a tiny smirk, and looked back at Applejack. The orange mare had an answering smirk, and she stepped a little closer to the unicorn. “Very nicely done, Princess.” She said, speaking more softly. “Him diggin’ up the fields for that silver would’ve meant that there woulda been a mite less food fer his ponies. Guess that’s what they meant.”
“What do you mean?”
“Everypony’s been talkin’ about how Princess Luna chose ya. Me and my brother stayed in town after he tried, and sold our apples. Ain’t every day we can charge a city price fer our crops. One night, we stop by a tavern, and some stuff-shirt unicorn is sittin’ at the bar. Guess he was turned down too, ‘cause he was knocking back whisky like it was water, talkin’ about how ya weren’t ‘qualified’. Next thing I know, some sheep’s in his face, tellin’ him off like a puppy. He said y were wonderful, and y just didn’t know what y knew.” Applejack winked. “Said you were beautiful too, and I reckon he was right on all three points. Best be happy she saw you first, sugarcube.”
Twilight blushed, but she had a pleased smile as she did. Then, emboldened by the compliment, and possibly a few of the bubbly drinks being liberally passed around, Twilight giggled. “Maybe you should be happy I saw her.” She said, and gave Applejack a rakish wink.
Apparently, it didn’t work, because the farmer blinked once, and then let out a loud bark of laughter. “I tell ya, Princess, yer somethin’. If you ever get tired of listenin’ to these hotheads,” she said, nodding to the nobles. “You can always come down to mah farm. Sweet Apple Acres, its down to the southeast. It ain’t on the border, but I figure half this marriage is to get rid of that notion anyway, and its close besides. Yer welcome anytime, and we’re more than happy to knock yer ego down a few notches. Maybe even show ya how to roll in the hay, too.” Applejack’s eyes sparkled with humor, and she gave Twilight a much more lascivious smile than she had received. Behind them, one or two of the nobility turned around, mouths agape at the rude implications, but Twilight only laughed. Applejack bowed her head, tapping the brim of her hat as she did, and left. As she did, Twilight closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. That was a very strange encounter, all things considered. One that she hoped she would have more often. Honesty was nice.
“Well, she was certainly… interesting.”
Twilight whirled around, taking a few short steps back as she came face to face with a wide, white smile. “Princess Celestia!” she yelped, ducking her head in a bow.
“Oh Twilight, you don’t need to bow to me. After all we are sisters, in a manner of speaking.” Celestia’s smile widened as Twilight straightened up, looking confused. Then her smile became a something more thoughtful. “Actually, technically, I would be more like your aunt, or maybe your mother-in-law.”
The white alicorn shuddered lightly, mane flowing gracefully brisk wind blew over them. “It has been far too long since the Heart last saw such happiness.”
Twilight turned, following Princess Celesitia’s gaze as the ancient pony surveyed her subjects. It was late, and the few nobles still waiting to speak to Princess Celestia. The rest of the crowd weren’t the rich, genteel nobility of Helios, they were the rough, honest worker ponies who kept the country running. As the official party wound down, following the westering sun, the real party was beginning. As Twilight watched, several large stallions hauled on thick ropes, pulling up heavy wooden posts. As the posts rose, they dragged heavy canvas up with them, and Twilight giggled.
“I always liked this party more than the other.” Celestia sighed, still with her kind smile playing around her mouth. “I don’t think that the nobles give everypony else enough credit. Sometimes, I think that it was a mistake to offer up such positions.”
“What do you mean?”
Celestia looked down at Twilight, and gave her a sad little smile. “Do you remember who the first noblepony was?”
“Lady Brightsheild.” Twilight answered promptly. She hesitated for a moment, then took a step closer to the Princess. Celestia glanced down at her, and gave her a knowing little smile. Her eyes closed for a moment, and the subtle glow of magical energy that always hovered around the alicorn intensified. Twilight gave the Princess an apologetic smile, but Celestia only chuckled.
“Yes, Bright was a wonderful mare.” Celestia went on, speaking fondly. “She nearly died defending those foals, and she did lose her eyes. I gave her a position of nobility so that she was not left wanting. It was a different time then, things were more… wild. A pony would depend upon the kindness of others if they couldn’t feed themselves, and that was something that wasn’t always enough. It was horrible.”
Celestia’s voice had become something hard and steely. “There was nothing that I could do, and I hated it. We were at war then, and it took everything we had to stop the dragons from destroying Helios. I couldn’t help them.”
Twilight shifted uncomfortably, looking at the wood beneath her hooves. In her world, in the Helios she knew, it was unthinkable that anypony would risk death from something as simple as hunger. Even when their friends and family couldn’t aid them, if their lord couldn’t, or wouldn’t, help them, then Princess Celestia would. There was always a large store of both food and money in the Heart, kept magically stored in a chilled room in the bowels of the monolith. It was her job, twice a year, to go through the entire collection, with the Colonel’s help, and pick which foods needed to be replaced, and how much could still be stored. There was enough stored in those rooms to feed the entire Heart for years, and all of Helios for several weeks at need.
“It was a different world Twilight, you can’t even imagine. So I had a choice, either I could watch Brightsheild, my friend, and a truly noble mare, slowly starve, or I could not. I chose to not. I named her a noble, the first Lady, and gave Fillydelphia into her keeping. You don’t need eyes to stand fair judge in a trial, or to decide what is the most pressing problem facing a city. She could live, and live well, even though she couldn’t do any hard labor. I was so happy when she married Stouthoof.
“For better or worse though, I did set a precedent, and it was only a matter of time before somepony used it against me. They aren’t evil, Twilight, don’t ever think that. But some ponies are selfish, and they saw a chance to have an easy life. Most of our, of my nobility,” she said, correcting herself with a small smile. “They aren’t anything like the mares and stallions I intended to have wielding that kind of power.”
“You didn’t want ponies like Blueblood to have control over others?” Twilight asked, a little more sharply than she had meant to. She blushed a little, uncomfortable at speaking like that to her Princess. She didn’t back down though, and Celestia gave her an encouraging little nod. “I… I’m sorry Princess, that was rude.”
“Yes,” a soft voice said behind them, wry amusement evident. “But you aren’t wrong.”
“Hello, Luna.” Princess Celestia grinned, watching as several pegasi secured guy lines to the edge of the pavilion. With a few grunts, and some deft hooves, the crowd of ponies finished, and stepped back to look at their tent. As the three mares watched, more ponies darted to and fro, each one with a heavy torch in their mouth. “This is my favorite part.”
“What do you mean?” Luna asked, but Twilight and Celestia just smiled. As the rays of the sun began to sink below the horizon, the three could see the edges of the tent flapping as the torchbearers did… something. Then, there was an almighty FWOOSH! and light burst into life inside the tent, two dozen torches suddenly crackling with a merry fire.
Taking their cue, the small band that had been playing quietly struck up a sudden tune. It was much louder than the stately, background that the professionals had been playing, something course and rough and almost begging everypony to dance to its cheerful tune. Blankets covered with simple, hearty food appeared as if by magic, and several large barrels accompanied them.
“I think we had best leave them.” Celestia said, and then laughed. “They’ve earned their party.”
“Actually,” Princess Luna said, turned and bowing to Twilight. “I would like to take a stroll. Would you care to join me, my love?”
Twilight bit her lip, blushing furiously, but nodded. It was hard to tell, with her black form at the edge of Celestia’s radiance, but Twilight could almost taste her wife’s smirk. With a deep breath to try and cool her cheeks, Twilight nodded gravely. “I would enjoy that, Princess.”
“Then I shall leave you two alone.” Celestia giggled. “Oh, and Luna?”
“Yes, my heart’s sister?” Luna said, smiling wickedly.
“You are still my guest, so I must ask you not to do anything… improper.”
“Oh, but sister mine, whatever could you mean. Is a marriage not to be consummated?” Princess Celestia laughed at that, and left them, leaping into the air with a graceful sweep of her wings. IN a few moments, she had vanishing no more than a white form against the marble of the Heart.
Twilight twitched, and Luna turned to her. “I was only joking.” She said quickly, seeing the nervous mare beside her. “The wedding is legal, we don’t need to, um. What I mean is…” Luna trailed off, and Twilight realized that Luna was just as uncomfortable as she was. “I mean, there is no need for, for us to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”
That made Twilight laugh, a little bitterly. “I’m not comfortable with any of this, Princess.”
“Luna.” Princess Luna said, sternly. “You are my wife, please call me Luna. And I know you aren’t comfortable with this,” she said, voice softening into an apology. “I wish I hadn’t been forced into doing this to you, Twilight. Asking Helios to abandon one of its oldest traditions, with everything else that I was asking them to change, it wasn’t fair.”
“And this is?” Twilight asked, voice heated. “Is this fair?”
Princess Luna looked down at her, and shook her head silently. She started to slowly walk forward, and Twilight thought she saw the Night Mare’s cheek glisten in the moonlight. “Twilight, please walk with me.”
Twilight huffed, but followed her wife. The thin silver shoes on her feet made a few loud thuds as an angry Twilight trotted to catch up to the black mare. She leapt lightly off of the pale oak of the stage she had been standing on for hours, and landed with a soft thump in the grass. Princess Luna paused for a moment, letting Twilight catch up, and then continued walking slowly away from the newly reborn party.
“I know it isn’t fair, Twilight.” Luna said, breaking the silence after several minutes. “And I wish I hadn’t forced you into this marriage.”
Twilight didn’t reply at once. She walked at Luna’s side in silence, watching as the soft, neat grass of the Heart’s lawn slowly gave way to the rougher, wild grass of the plains. The tracery of spells pushed tiny streams of water out from deep beneath the heart were growing weaker they walked, the deep succulent green fading gently into a duskier green, with little patches of brown showing up suddenly. After she skirted one of the dry spots, Twilight cleared her throat, breaking the tenuous silence.
“I believe you.” She said, and her words were almost lost in the rustle of the grass. “I don’t know why, Luna, but I believe you.”
“Twilight, I-“
“No.” Twilight said, a little surprised to find her tone so harsh. She swallowed, and continued a little more gently. “Luna, please, I need to talk.”
The Night Mare nodded her head, and the silver of her helm suddenly flashed in the moonlight. Briefly, Twilight wondered if the small silver circlet she wore was as brilliant, but she pushed the vain thought aside.
“I don’t understand why, but I believe you. It doesn’t make any sense, but I know that you won’t lie to me. Even if it wasn’t -isn’t fair, I know that you were forced into this marriage as much as I have been.”
Twilight paused again, and the night rushed in to fill the void. All around them, the mares could hear the soft chirping of crickets, and the scrabbling of tiny paws on the drying earth. One daring mouse stood stalwart in their path, ears forward and whiskers twitching as he looked down his pointed snout. Then, with a snort that dismissed them, he turned back to the half decayed apple he was dragging along the ground. The sight of the tiny rodent didn’t make Twilight laugh, but it did make a smile stretch her lips, and a throbbing pain lanced through her aching cheeks.
“Well, His Majesty has dismissed us.” Twilight said, and Luna let out a surprised snort of amusement.
“Perhaps we should pay him?” Luna chuckled. “A tax for the privilege of passing through his lands.”
There was a faint humming sound, and Luna’s horn suddenly vanished beneath the cloak of her magic. It was strange to see, the soft glow of the horn extinguished, and the flowing outline of Luna’s black magic blotting out the stars behind it. There was a low buzzing in the air, one that gradually grew louder, and then a sudden snapping sound. Then, as Selene’s Princess sighed in relaxation, her black magic flowed away from the small pile of apples that had appeared at her hooves. The rat, who had frozen at the new sound, stood up on his hind paws, gripping his rotting apple in both forepaws. When his beady little eyes fell on the small cairn of fruit though, his mouth dropped open. The apple he had been jealously guarding fell to the ground as the rodent bounded over to the pile, inhaling deeply, and smiling at his ‘tax’.
“Luna?” Twilight asked, starting to move forward again. Her smile had faded, but it still lingered in the corners of her mouth. The Princess took a few long steps to rejoin her bride, and made a quiet, inquisitive hum. “What did you do to me?”
“I… I don’t know what you mean, Twilight.” Princess Luna said, refusing to look at the younger mare. Then, obviously feeling that she hadn’t even convinced the grasshoppers, she added, “At least, I don’t think I’ve done anything to you.”
“Well,” Twilight’s voice was wry. “You did marry me less than half a day past. That isn’t what I meant. You did something to me, at least twice. The first time, I didn’t really notice anything. Something happened when you started to teach me how to use my magic, but I thought nothing of it. Nopony is that good though, nopony can teach somepony, who could barely levitate paper, how to conjure a solid wall in less than a day.”
“I-“
“Last night.” Twilight cut across her again, speaking very calmly. “You did it again. I don’t know what you did, but I know you did something. I feel… something. Connecting us, and I don’t know what it is. Since I woke up, I’ve known just where you were, Luna. I could feel you, and I think I could feel Princess Celestia and Spike as well, but they weren’t as clear.”
Twilight kept walking, silent and carefully watching the grass. Every now and then, an insect would suddenly spring from the grass directly in front of her, leaping out of her way. Eventually, Luna stopped walking, and Twilight slowed to a halt as well, turning to face her wife.
“What have you done to me?”
Luna looked away, refusing to meet Twilight’s calm gaze. She looked up instead, over Twilight’s head at the empty darkness broken only by small, brilliant gems. “You said you trust me?”
“I do.” Twilight whispered. “Light save me, I do trust you, Luna.” Twilight began to shake, and her voice broke as she spoke. “Why is this happening?”
“What do you feel when you see Celestia, or that pink mare.”
“I, what?” Twilight asked, confused and surprised by the sudden change of topic. The black Princess sighed, and looked at her. Twilight looked into her cerulean eyes, and thought she saw them shine for a moment.
“Twilight, please. Tell me.”
“I feel, warm, I guess.” Twilight said, speaking slowly. “I don’t know what to describe it as, but they make me feel warm, safe.”
“Do you love them?”
“Yes.” Twilight answered. “They are… my family.”
“Then Twilight, how do I make you feel?”
“What does this have to do with-“
“Light,” Luna swore. “Twilight please.”
“I,” Twilight took a step back, scared by Luna’s sudden anger. “I feel safe.”
Luna didn’t speak, but her eyes stared back at Twilight, sad. Her voice was calm though, the same dispassionate tone she always used when teaching Twilight. “Do you love me?”
“…”
“I know this is… sudden.” Luna said. “But I didn’t choose you because I had no choice, Twilight. I wish that I hadn’t been forced to act so abruptly, but even if I hadn’t needed to marry to seal the alliance, I would have returned. For you.”
Twilight straightened slowly, wide eyes fixed on the shining blue eyes of her wife, the mare she had sworn herself to only hours before. “I love you, Twilight. I don’t know if it happens in Helios, but we have a phrase in Selene. Love at first sight. Ever since I first saw you, I…”
“I love you, Twilight.”