Two mares stood together. They had been friends for most of each other’s lives, lovers for quite a while, and were soon to be fellow-wives with one another. The change was profound. Going from friend, to trusted friend, and now a bond that rivaled sisterhood, making them family. They looked at one another in the full length mirror, admiring each other’s physical forms, and feeling beautiful. Today was their day.
They were perfect. Every inch of their pelts had been carefully brushed to a fine sheen, their manes were carefully combed as was their tails, and Derpy’s wings had been carefully preened. None of these things actually mattered though, they already knew they were beautiful to the one pony for whom it mattered.
Derpy Doo Hooves turned and went to the large wooden cabinet in her room. Opening the door, she began to dig around, pushing things around with her hoof. She found a small wooden box. With a forceful shove, she cleared all of the clutter off of the top of it, and then carefully opened the lid. Using her wing tips, she rummaged around inside, producing a black eyepatch. She slipped this over her head and returned to looking in the mirror.
“Eyepatch?” Berry Punch questioned.
“I hate it, but today I want to see. Saves me from squinting my bad eye shut,” Derpy explained, turning her head from one side to the other and checking herself out.
“I dunno, I think it makes you look kinda sexy,” Berry admitted in a low voice, no trace of her usual teasing tones.
“Really?” Derpy asked.
“Yeah, makes you look kinda dangerous,” Berry replied.
“Poor Bucky. He didn’t want to be snatched away by Thunderlane. He wanted to stay and watch us make ourselves pretty,” Derpy said, still studying herself in the mirror.
“I’m telling ya, sexy,” Berry reassured. “And Bucky will be fine. He’s finally becoming the stallion he was always intended to be. He’ll manage. Thunderlane and Celestia won’t be too hard on poor Bucky,” she finished.
“You don’t think we scared him too badly with the walnut trick do you?” Derpy asked, striking a rakish pose, her head high, wings flared slightly, and one foreleg raised.
“Naw, he’ll be fine. Little pushes out of his comfort zone so he can build his coping skills,” Berry explained. “He’s getting better, he keeps playing pranks on us and teaching Dinky those horrible spells. He is getting bold enough to defy you.”
“He’s changed,” Derpy said. “He holds his head up high now, and not in a snobby way. He has actual pride in himself. Especially when he is with us. He’s gone from being cold and distant to warm and loving, and he is still getting better. Look how he is with Dinky and Piña.”
“We just need to keep nipping at his heels until he nips back,” Berry acknowledged. “And then try to survive said nipping. He nearly killed me with those tickles that day in the brewery. I mean, I was asking for it, obviously, but he was tickling my cork. And I don’t think he even realised it. When I made it into the bathroom I had the most powerful orgasm I’ve ever had in my life. I almost went off right there in the brewery.”
“I thought you had to pee,” Derpy asked.
“I thought I had to pee as well,” Berry admitted. “But then when I got to the little fillies room, something else happened. Something not pee.”
“Oh my,” Derpy giggled.
“I bleated like a darn sheep Derpy,” Berry reminded. “I only make sheep noises when I am about to have an orgasm. They call it the Curse of the Isles.”
“Well that explains a few things,” Derpy said, now laughing. “Tonight, Bucky and I are going to bed with ewe.”
Berry glared at her soon to be fellow-wife. “That was awful,” she scolded.
“I know,” Derpy replied, hanging her head in shame.
“Are we ready for this?” Berry asked suddenly, her eyes wide, all traces of her happy-go-lucky self now gone. Her ears drooped slightly and she stared at herself in the mirror. “Not like I have a whole lotta choice here, with four princesses breathing down my neck to take some responsibility for what I have done.”
Derpy gently kissed Berry Punch on the cheek and wrapped a wing over her. She too, looked into the mirror and looked at the two mares standing together. Derpy was the slightly larger of the two, and she held her head high. “You can still say no,” she said into Berry Punch’s ear, her voice low and soft. “But I doubt they will be as lenient.”
“I don’t want to say no,” Berry said, taking a deep breath. “I just don’t know if I am ready to face everything that comes after today.”
“Oh,” Derpy replied. “I see.”
Berry turned her head to the side and wished her mane was straight like Derpy’s, instead of twisty curly. She stole a quick nuzzle from the grey mare at her side.
“We’ll be fine if we all face this together,” Derpy said.
“I just want to be the mare that Bucky deserves,” Berry admitted, her voice a bit scratchy. She was unable to look her reflection in the eye and turned away.
“We are,” Derpy reassured. “I have no doubts.”
“Are you sure you are ready for this?”
Buckminster Bitters pondered the white alicorn’s words. He nodded, took a deep breath, and then nodded again. He was shaking badly, and his panic had him. He was determined to not give in though. Today was his day, and he was determined to have a good time.
“You look a little nervous,” Celestia said, gently stroking Bucky’s face with her primary feathers.
“I am marrying the pony that started Equestria's first inter-house war in centuries and a pegasus mare that can crack walnuts with her…” Bucky trailed off, horrified by what he almost said to Celestia. Of all the ponies he could make this sort of faux pas.
“Filly bits?” Celestia finished.
The unicorn stallion swooned and very nearly fainted. His ears burned, and he could not believe that Celestia had just said that.
“Look, no mincing words. I know for certain that your mother never once sat down at had the sort of talk that a mare needs to have with her son. And I cannot in good conscience allow you to walk into a situation with two mares like that without having you properly prepared,” Celestia said sternly.
“No no no! I know all about how little foals are made, I don’t need this talk coming from you!” Bucky begged, shaking his head ‘no’ repeatedly.
“This isn’t about foals. This is about mares. You are marrying two able-bodied mares, and they are going to love you. I mean, they are going to love you. And they are going to want to be physically satisfied by you. And you do not have any experience, do you?” Celestia asked in her most authoritative voice.
“No,” Bucky whimpered, knowing that he was about to get the mother of all sex talks from the mother of all ponies.
“To start with, be careful. Nothing kills the mood faster than getting a little too hasty and just jamming yourself right in. Dangerous for you, and dangerous for the mare. If you aren’t careful, you will bend in impossibly painful ways, and you could end up with a penile fracture,” Celestia warned.
Bucky clenched his whole body and shuddered.
“Take your time. Make sure everything is nice and slick before you try anything. Too much friction is not your friend. Getting blisters on your colt bits or a mare getting blisters on her filly bits is not a good time,” Celestia explained.
Bucky fell back in his chair and covered his face with his forehooves. Death was preferable to what he was enduring right now. This was awful.
“Do not just focus on your own needs and then roll over and go to sleep. That is wrong, and had I the power, I would make laws prohibiting this behaviour,” Celestia said forcefully, her tone imperious.
All the unicorn could do is whimper in reply.
“Clitoris,” said Celestia, looking regal. “You should spend lots of time getting to know all about this part of your mates. It will help with the lubrication issues, and making sure their needs are satisfied. Be gentle. Do not bite, chew, or visit any sort of violence upon it. Ever. Do not be afraid to talk about whatever it might be you are doing at the moment. Ask questions. Communications will go a long way towards making everypony happy in your newly formed herd. Experiment. Talk. And then experiment a little more before talking again. Do you understand?”
Bucky nodded, and struggled not to faint.
“Make them feel loved and appreciated. Be kind to them. Be gentle. Be the good stallion that I know you can be,” Celestia commanded.
“Yes ma’am,” Bucky stammered in reply.
“And there is one more thing,” Celestia announced.
Bucky could not look the alicorn in the eye.
“I am going to give you a spellbook. Inside are powerful spells of erotic magic. You are but one unicorn among an earth pony and a pegasus, and this will give you even standing with them. Study it well and never do ANYTHING without their consent, or I will smite your ruin upon Canterhorn Peak. Do you understand me?” Celestia demanded.
“Yes ma’am,” Bucky replied, nodding his head enthusiastically.
“Any questions?” Celestia asked.
“Yes, actually,” Bucky replied in a tiny squeaky voice.
“I am listening,” Celestia answered, her tone now soft, gentle, and inviting.
“What do I do if I disappoint them? What if I make a mistake? What if something happens too soon? What if I let them down? What if I am no good?” Bucky questioned, his breathing nearly a wheeze.
“None of that matters,” Celestia reassured.
“But it does matter,” Bucky retorted.
“No, it does not,” Celestia replied, her tone soothing. “Nopony knows what they are doing their first time. But this is why we hold to love and trust. Mistakes will be made. Sometimes embarrassing mistakes. But those that love you will see you past those mistakes, and I am sure you will get a lot of practice. And with practice, you will become better with time,” Celestia promised.
Bucky’s breathing slowed slightly, his heaving barrel calming somewhat.
“I promise you, I will always be here to talk to you if you need to talk. Your mother is a horrible mare. We both know this. And you are going to need a mare you can discuss issues with along the long journey of your marriage. I know you will have Bon Bon as well. Just take it slow, focus on being happy, and allow them to keep carrying you until you can move along on your own,” Celestia said, her tone warm and motherly.
“Thank you,” Bucky replied, his eyes watering. He wiped them with a fetlock and took a deep breath.
“No more tears, we need to get you cleaned back up, it is almost time,” Celestia announced, her tone now joyous.
The small backyard. The place where the three of them had unknowingly began their journey together. It was crowded with ponies now, nearly filling the yard. Sparkler and Rising Star were there together, exchanging secret glances when they thought nopony was looking. Dinky Doo and Piña were sitting in a corner, where the short stone fence and the rear of the house met together, sitting with Lyra and Bon Bon, who would be foal sitting them overnight. Four alicorns gathered, the major powers, and one of them had even brought a date, much to her sister’s dismay. Barley O’Blivion and Luna sat together on the grass, now sober, but looking rather rough. The old stallion had been crying, and every now and then, the tears would begin flowing again. Luna, now his friend, tried to comfort the old pony with the occasional nuzzle or prod. Celestia and Twilight Sparkle sat together, talking softly with one another, reassuring one another of their friendship. Shining Armor sat by himself, watching Cadance, who was watching everypony and feeling the love all around her.
On either side of Cadance sat Berry and Derpy, who were waiting patiently.
Above them, on a collection of clouds, there was a massive flock of pegasi, looking down, smiling, and occasionally giving out a hoot or a shout.
Thunderlane stood with Bucky at the front of the house, looking down the breezeway, where Bucky had once walked to attend a birthday party that had changed his life forever. The pegasus prodded Bucky, urging him forward.
“Come on, you can do it,” Thunderlane urged.
“I don’t know that I can,” Bucky whimpered, trembling with fear.
“Do you want me to carry you?” Thunderlane said, his voice full of gentle sincerity.
“I dunno,” Bucky wheezed.
“Bucky, don’t. Those mares are counting on you. If you have one of your attacks, right now, on today of all days, it would destroy them,” Thunderlane said, placing a wing around Bucky’s neck.
Bucky’s breathing eased upon hearing Thunderlane’s words. He placed one trembling hoof forward and began to walk down the breezeway. With each step, he took a deep breath, and Thunderlane matched Bucky step for step, and breath for breath.
“So far, I haven’t screwed this up yet, and I aim to have a featherbrain free day,” Thunderlane said with a smile. “Even the ritual snatching went well. I thought I was going to drop you for a moment.”
“You did,” Bucky said, his voice wavering.
“But I caught you,” Thunderlane replied.
“Yeah, you did,” Bucky admitted.
Bucky took the final step around the back corner of the house and froze.
They were beautiful.
His breath caught in his throat and he couldn’t breathe. He stood frozen, his face darkening, his barrel showing no signs of respiration. The crowd looked at him, several with growing alarm.
Thunderlane gave Bucky a good whack in the side.
“OOF!” Bucky wheezed, now breathing again.
He took the final steps slowly, Thunderlane giving him the occasional supportive shove when he needed one. Bucky noticed Derpy’s eyepatch and missed seeing both of her eyes. He loved her eyes. Being the quick mind that he was, he immediately understood why she had the eyepatch though. Berry Punch was strikingly beautiful, and she smiled at him. More than anything, he wanted to feel Berry Punch touch him and tell him everything was going to be alright.
“You did good Bucky, now look after my flockmate, I’m trusting you with her care,” Thunderlane whispered. “I know you’ll keep her safe, you kept Dinky safe.”
Finally, Bucky stood before Cadance and his two soon-to-be wives. He swallowed, trying to quell his terror, and raised his gaze to look all three of them in the eye. He looked at Derpy first, then Berry, and finally, Cadance.
“So glad you could join us,” Cadance said sweetly, a faint hint of laughter in her voice as she addressed Bucky. “These two were getting impatient.”
“All of this is really unnecessary,” Derpy said nervously. “Just saying our vows is enough for me,” she added, her one visible eye darting around.
“This is history in the making,” Cadance said regally, her head held high. Her horn was shining, shining almost as bright as the sun. Her wings spread suddenly, covering Berry Punch and Derpy Doo Hooves in their shadow.
Buckminster Bitters nearly fainted. He felt lightheaded. Strange magic was at work. He could feel it, it vibrated inside of his own horn. It made his teeth buzz and tingle. Cadance’s horn grew ever brighter. Bucky could feel gravity relaxing its hold upon his body, and his heart thumped in his chest.
Cadance rose into the air, her wings not flapping. She pushed away from the ground through force of will alone, and three ponies rose up together with her, all suspended in a hazy pink aura. It was getting difficult for the crowd to look directly at them.
“Do you have your vows?” Cadance rumbled. Her voice could be felt more than heard, a low sonorous rumble full of power. The sound of her voice was truly intimidating, she was the Princess of Love, and she was in the thick of what fueled her power.
Cadance felt that right now, she could crack the planet in half if she so desired.
“Yes I do,” Derpy answered, her own wings spread outward, her forelegs folded over her barrel as though she was hugging herself. “I, Derpy Doo Hooves, do so vow to be a good mother, to give of myself whatever is necessary for all of the foals of my herd, and to be a fierce and loyal protector to all I am duty bound to watch over.”
“I, Berry Punch of Clan Pickled, vow to be of service to all of my herdmates, to be a willing friend, a constant companion, and a never ending source of love and affection. I pledge to be a good drinking companion, a shoulder to cry on, and a provider for all of the foals within my herd. In war or peace, I will remain true,” Berry Punch vowed.
“Buckminster, are you prepared to bind them?” Cadance asked, her voice now otherworldly. Her eyes were white with raw magic. “Only you can finish what has been started. Speak whatever words you have in your heart and bind your herd together.”
“I am Buckminster, and I have no House. But I do have family. I vow to spend the rest of my days attempting to be worthy of the friendship, trust, devotion, adoration, and love that you have for me. I vow to devote all of my energies to being a good husband, a worthy father, and to make sure that no past mistakes are repeated with any unicorn foals of my own, including Dinky,” Buckminster promised, bowing his head.
“With those words all of you are now bound,” Cadance uttered in a divine rumble. “Break these ties that bind at your own peril. Love one another and do what is right.”
With her last word, Cadance’s horn flashed with a pure white light, blinding most of the crowd for several moments. The four suspended ponies slowly sank back down to the earth, all of them silent, all of them deep in the throes of Cadance’s magic.
When every hoof was back down on the ground, the trio, Bucky, Derpy, and Berry, came together in a three way embrace and kissed one another, a searingly passionate three way kiss that made the crowd gasp. For a moment, it seemed as though something else was about to happen, so taken the three were in their passion, but they finally pulled apart, all breathless, and the pegasus was a little slobbery.
Cadance slowly returned to her normal self, and made her way to Shining Armor. She made no attempt to preserve decorum, tackling him on the spot, and releasing her pent up frustrations with a smouldering kiss.
Flashbulbs went off as pictures were taken.
The vows made, the binding ceremony over, it was now possible for the party get into full swing. It started with Barley O’Blivion planting a long wet smooch on Luna’s lips, and then uncorking a bottle of wine. A massive celebration began to take place.
Hours later
“Cadance?”
“Yes auntie Celestia?”
“I have to ask, what did you do today? That spell, what was it?”
“My wedding gift for them.”
“What did you do?”
“Well, when the sun finally sets, both mares are going into go into heat.”
“Cadance!”
“What auntie?”
“How could you? Poor Buckminster!”
“Oh, I am positive he is going to love his wedding gift.”
“We have to lure the guests away from the party before the sun sets!”
“I know.”
“Naughty Cadance, what have I told you?”
“Oh, I will be getting my punishment as well.”
“How so?”
“When I cast the spell it had an effect on me as well.”
“OH NO! SHINING ARMOR!”
“He had to strategically use his shield spell to survive contact the last time.”
“Cadance, I cannot believe you have done this.”
“I kept the spell contained inside of a carefully placed barrier.”
“Well, that is good. I would hate to see Luna in heat again.”
“I would kind of like to see that actually.”
“CADANCE!”
“Well, she has found a nice stallion.”
“CADANCE! NO!”