When Silver awoke, he felt a bit numb and sore, but better for having expressed some of his dissatisfaction. Shei wasn't around and he looked around a little before returning to their quarters. When he entered, Celestia was there, looking at him impassively. She had some hint about her. She knew something, and she planned to share it. She was waiting for him to break.
Silver grit his teeth silently as he trot into the room and made his way towards the sink to freshen up.
"I didn't know."
Silver looked up at her words, perking an ear. "Know what?"
"That he was once human... That he would hurt your feelings along the way." She canted her head to the left slightly. "You did ask him, once, if he wanted to be a mare."
Silver sagged a little. "I did."
Celestia rolled a hoof. "And he made his choice. She is a happier pony for it. Our little disagreements aside, I think we can both agree that she is happier now than before, and no one coerced them."
Silver splashed water into his face, cleaning some of the mess he made of himself. "She's doing it for me, not herself. I just want to know what she really wants."
Celestia tossed her flowing mane. "You. She has her eyes set squarely on the Prince of Equestria, and the love and security that represents. She is polite enough with me, but she knows I feel no physical attraction to her, and can't provide what she wants, while you can, and have."
Silver clopped a hoof on the edge of the sink. "She deserves to be free to find herself, not hook into the first not-horrible thing to cross her path. She could find a stallion that would devote his life to her, instead of a tiny slice of mine. It's not fair, for her. I mean, forget what I want for a moment, as we usually do." Celestia rolled her eyes at his words. "She can do better than being one of my hanger-ons. What should I do? You like being a source of answers, well, hit me up. I'm listening."
A curtain pushed ahead, and Bottom's snout peeked free. "Do you... really think that?"
Silver went rigid as a board, heart hammering in his chest as another little fragment of his world felt like it came free and tumbled into the unending maelstrom of life. "I... yes. I want you to be happy, Bottom. I want you to be cared for and loved and to be held close and cherished, and the absolute best I could promise is, what, one-tenth of my time? That's not fair... to you. It's not fair to anyone around me, to keep giving away bits of myself, and expecting everyone else involved to be happy with the smaller and smaller chunks they're left with. I'm a terrible husband. You deserve better."
Bottom looked between Silver and Celestia, like a deer caught in headlights. "I... Don't I get to decide what's good for me?"
Silver sank. "Of course. Of course you do. What do you think, Bottom? Your opinion matters."
Bottom perked her ears, and gave the littlest of smiles. She stepped up to Silver and nuzzled him. "Shei told me what you said. You don't need to marry me. You don't need to promise your life to me. I just want to be your servant, and to be appreciated." She sat down and clopped her forehooves together. "Please accept me, as I am. I don't want anything from you but that acceptance. If I find some stallion that I want, you'll let me go, because that's the kind of pony you are, and that makes me happy too."
Silver smiled, sitting up and looking Bottom over. "Is it that easy? Do you really understand?"
Bottom bobbed her head. "I... I think I do... For now, I will be your servant, and be happy. If I find someone else... I'll be happy with them, but for now, you are... You are a good pony, sir. Please stop... Please stop hurting yourself. Stop hating yourself. It hurts to see it, sir. You saved me, sir."
Silver felt that painful tension build, but he nodded, and he pulled Bottom close, hugging and snuggling to her. "Fine... Fine. I'll accept you as you are, and as you will be. If you find someone else, you'll go with my deepest of blessings, and always as my friend."
Bottom nuzzled up under Silver's chin. "Do you mean that? Are we friends?"
Silver drew back. "What? Of course we are."
Bottom smiled. "You treated me as property, and a servant, a foal, and a broodmare, but never as a friend."
Silver raised a hoof and rubbing it against Bottom's chest. "That was my fault. Will you be my friend?"
Bottom flashed bright white teeth. "With benefits." That brought out a bit of a laugh from Silver, and they hugged anew, the situation settled between them. The uncertainty between them was shredded, and they squeezed one another warmly.
Celestia smiled warmly from her spot to the side. "And that is my advice."
Silver snorted loudly. "Excellent advice as always, Celestia." He stood up and moved for her, rubbing nose to nose. "What about Shei, and Fiddah?"
Celestia grabbed Silver up with a leg, squeezing him as warmly as Bottom had. "Shei was very upset about you being upset. You scared her terribly. She's begun to doubt herself, wondering if she didn't press too hard to become your wife when you needed support more than suitors. Fiddah is confused. She was sent to get your servants in order, and you dashed what little order there was. She fears she's failing in her job.
Silver nodded. "Alright... I'll figure this out. With your help?" Celestia tilted her head a little. "As my wife, and my friend. I'm not too proud to ask for help, so I'm asking, please."
Celestia nodded. "Very well. I can't say no to that. I suggest we start with Shei. She is more upset, and has more on the line than Fiddah, who will wait patiently for the time being."