Chapter 13
A Zebrican wedding
Half an hour later the cart and passengers left the small oasis and headed towards the desert. As the two guides didn’t speak a word of common pony, Zecora ended up translating whenever somepony wondered about something.
But mostly the foreign landscape made everypony ask Zecora herself about the place, from customs to language. Derpy even asked Zecora to teach her a few Zebra words.
After a few days in the desert, the group came upon a small village, who invited the group as honorary guests. Vinyl grinned as they sat down round a fire.
“I like these Zebras, they are so happy.”
Zecora who up until then had been speaking with the chief turned around.
“On a joyful celebration we have just been invited. A big grand wedding is tomorrow, with a bride delighted.”
“A Zebra wedding?” Vinyl grinned. “That sounds fun… maybe I can play some songs as thanks… unless that’s offensive or something.”
“Have no fear” Luna said. “Last time I came to Zebrica I was a diplomatic envoy. The tribe celebrated out into the small hours of dawn, just because I had brought a harp as a gift from me and my sister. I’m sure they won’t mind a little playing of the flute.”
“Are you sure we can stay that long though?” Trixie asked.
“Don’t we have an artifact to get?”
“We still need our guides” Luna said. “And I don’t think they would want to leave in the middle of such a joyful celebration.”
Zecora nodded. “A marriage for a Zebra is a joyous affair; life with your love can be short with dangers near.”
Everypony looked up at shouts of joy, seeing two Zebras joining the circle, a mare and a colt, the two almost tied together and deeply in love.
“The couple I take it?” Gilda asked.
“No mistake there” Vinyl said. “Hey Zecora can you translate for me?”
Zecora nodded and Vinyl rose from her seat, taking a bow to the couple who noticed the new guests.
“Our friends and I are grateful for the invitation to your wedding” Vinyl said, Zecora translating as she spoke.
“We are not rich and can’t give you much to celebrate your happiness. But with permission I’d like to play a song, and hope that you will accept it as a present and as a wish for you two to live happily ever after.”
The Zebras clapped and the bride nodded, showing that she would love to hear Vinyl’s song.
Vinyl lifted the flute to her lips and started playing. The tone was uplifting and the crowd was ecstatic. Soon everypony and every zebra were on their hooves dancing, the Equestrian party learning a few moves from the natives. Zecora and Luna were the only two not dancing.
“Not feeling up for a dance Zecora?” Luna asked.
Zecora simply gave Luna a gentle smile. “It is not for me to be joyous this night, that is for the groom, and his bride dressed in white.”
Luna was about to speak, but turned as she saw the bride come walking up to them. She smiled down at Zecora, asking a question that Luna needed no interpreter to understand.
“Can we talk?”
“I got some work to do” Luna said smiling. “I’ll be back when the moon is back on the sky.”
And with that Luna left, the bride sitting down. Speaking in Zebra the bride turned to Zecora.
“You are not from this tribe… what bring you this far with such strange friends?”
Zecora smiled at her. “I have been asked by a friend to help out in a mission.”
The bride smiled, and looked down at Zecora’s right hoof, where her bracelets shone in the nearby fire.
“Those are Zebrabwean right… where is your husband?”
“I have none.” Zecora was sad, laying a hoof over her bracelets. “But you are correct, I am from a Zebrabwean tribe… in marriage the bracelets reside on the left hoof… and when betrothed it’s on the right.”
The bride looked at Zecora. “I am sorry if I have brought up unpleasant memories… since he is not at your side I suppose he has passed.”
Zecora’s ears lay flat on her skull. “You are not to blame… most of this place reminds me of him… it was lions… we were out in the field celebrating the engagement when they attacked.”
“I am so sorry… is there anything I can do to help?”
Zecora smiled at her. “Enjoy your life next to the Zebra you love… and never take anything for granted.”
The bride smiled and rose. “Of course… I’m sorry, I never even got your name.”
“Zecora.”
The bride smiled. “Very nice to meet you Zecora… I’m Zilina.”
“Enjoy the night Zilina, and enjoy your fortune.”
As Zilina walked off, Zecora turned to see Trixie standing next to her. Trixie didn’t speak, simply sat down and grabbed a coconut that stood in front of her.
“I have just been with the zebra foals” she said, trying hard to not sound upset. “Cute little buggers I suppose, but they did not speak a word of pony… so we taught each other a few words… we drew pictures in the sand and pointed and learned to pronounce some words… I taught them a few common things like hello and thank you… but they were mostly obsessed with wedding talk… I did learn some words though… wedding, husband, no, yes… lion.”
Zecora flinched. “I’m not going to make you tell me anything” Trixie said. “But I have been on the road long enough to recognize a sad face… if there is anything you want to talk about, know that we are all here for you.”
As Trixie was about to rise, Zecora lay a hoof over Trixie’s own. “Get all our friends over here, this is a story you all should hear.”
Trixie walked around gathering everypony in their group, a few trying to learn new things from the natives, and a few others showing off what they could do. After finally getting Gilda to stop doing loops in the air to the cheer of the Zebra foals, the group sat down next to Zecora who started talking.
Talking about The Zebra Zeke who she had grown up with as a friend, who had always been there for her, from when she had lost her favorite uncle to the hyena’s, til the day when she came of age and was to get her tribal tattoo.
At this Vinyl had opened her mouth to ask a question, but hadn’t more than taken a breath as Big Mac lay a hoof over her mouth.
Zecora continued to talk about her tribe’s customs… and how Zeke and she was going to marry. Everything had gone as a proper Zebrabwean wedding should be. She had gotten her engagement bracelets from him and she had given him a necklace for his own.
The day before the wedding the two did the traditional freedom run. A last sprint over the land as free Zebras. On the way back the lions had attacked and Zeke had fallen.
As she had come back crying, the elders ran out to see if there was anything they could do to help, and came back sad, with the neck bracelets that Zecora herself had given Zeke.
Zecora had left the next day; the pain of being in the village where she and Zeke had so many plan was too much. She had ended up in Equestria moving from place to place until the locals chased her away, until finally she had found a home near Ponyville.
As Zecora stopped talking she looked at her friends, who looked at her wordlessly. Then without as much as a word Derpy rose and hugged Zecora tightly, the rest of her friends right behind her, soon the entire group was hugging Zecora, nopony talking as the festivities behind them continued on, celebrating the happiness of the soon to be newlyweds.
Zecora didn’t say anything, simply hugged her friends back, crying and remembering her long lost love. His face, his laughter, his charming stripe pattern looking like a gem on his snout. And as she remembered him Zecora smiled. He’d never be back, but he would never leave her… the perfect zebra up until the end.