//------------------------------//
// Capítulo Tres- The Night 
// Story: Las Canciones de Voltaire 
// by Gabriel LaVedier 
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	Hoof beats thundered through a twilight world of diminishing light, focus pulling from a grand and shining world to one of starry skies and deep shadows, as though the runner was running on the timeline. He was a caramel stallion in a white shirt and black jacket, a bunch of lace at his throat. His eyes were fixed on the dark land before him, ignoring the hazy scenery on either side.
He did not even slow down when the light of sunset died in a fall of long shadows and tinted tones. He ran along under braches and rock outcroppings, his surroundings as unimportant as the fading of the light. His ears perked up at sounds from the side, familiar noises that sought to distract him.

The day is the wife whom I elude
The one to whom I should be right

“Uncle… ah loves ya an’ all but mah new bride wunners why y’all spend so much time slinkin’ on in the night. Ah mean, she knows y’all gotta dodge the family, but… t’aint natural ta skulk around in them shadows under the moon.”
“Well, I don’t know, mister Higgensbotham. I mean, we enjoy your presence and always do our best to accommodate you, but you do a lot of night work. It’s hard for some of us to keep up with that. Wouldn’t the bright light of the sun be better?”
“Dear Uncle, Ah loves hearin’ ‘bout yer exploits and excitin’ adventures. Why, Rainbow Dash tells me it’s better’n Daring Do. Seems like y’all got quite a life. But uncle… why not have yer excitin’ times when y’all can see? Ain’t it dangerous ta be runnin’ ‘round in the dark like that?”

Although forewarned by peers and kin
I always give in to the night

The voices all faded away but were replaced with a screaming voice that made him wince. The familiarity was part of it, but so was the stridency, the rage, the hate. It was not a voice with the slightest trace of warmth or even common decency. There was only odium.
“BRAMLEY! Ya have yer ways about you ta drive yer poor mother to distraction! Ah want ya out there helping with the fields so yer pappy can teach ya the family business! Get yer head outta the clouds and yer soul outta the night!  Ya ain’t some filthy Gypsy or idjit Buffalo! Yer an Apple, and the head of our clan when yer pappy and I finally pass! So you obey yer momma, do as yer told and shove yer carcass inta the light!”

Mother always warned me such
“Being a nocturnal soul
Besides just being simply strange
Spawns from some illness of the mind”

The legs pumped harder, faster, tearing up the hazy ground, pushing the stallion faster, almost as if he was out to produce a Sonic Rainboom on the ground. The angry shouts formed a literal wall of words, standing out stone-like.
The two came closer and closer, the wall of angry words looking like an immovable object and the earth pony ready to show himself to be an irresistible force. There was a moment of impact, both in contact for an instant before the pony blew through the barrier as though it did not exist at all.

But the night, she calls me
She calls me, she calls me
She calls me

Beyond the wall of angry words there lay a clearing in the vastness of a forest. At the center of it was a large, leaping fire. Around the fire was a collection of figures, leaping and dancing to music that swept through the scene. They were an interesting assortment; gaily-bedecked Roani worked fiddles and guitars, while Zaldi clopped their hooves and two pounded out melodic rhythms on a txalaparta. Five cloak-wearing figures danced as a unit, four ponies and a Diamond Dog, who was in a black wedding dress under her cloak. Overseeing it all, was a pony who was larger than the others, an alicorn, dark purple with a flowing mane made of stars, wrapped in a dress made of black velvet.
The alicorn smiled at the new arrival, eyeing him up with a loving hunger. “At last, you arrive. Our company did fear you would miss this glorious gathering.”
The stallion stopped before the alicorn, softly panting as he looked her over. “And miss your beautiful attire? Never. This is an important night for us all.” Bad Apple stepped to Luna’s side and pressed against her. “Let us go to the head of the aisle.”
Luna nodded grandly, nudging Bad Apple gently. “Aye, let us be in consort with these fine folk.” She heavily emphasized consort and winked. 

She sways in her velvet dress
And pulls me towards her
In the dark
While the others rest
While the others rest
While the others rest

“Oyez, oyez, oyez! Mine artificial friends, Roa and Zaldi alike..!” The sudden shocked stares made Luna clear her throat and try to remember what the new vocabulary was. “Mine… ARTFUL Roa and Zaldi friends, heed my words and bestill thyselves. Thou wond’rous and exuberant wights, give us peace a space! We are here for a grand and glorious purpose! Matrimony!”
There was a cheer from all the assembled, and the stomp of hooves in applause. Bad Apple stepped up beside Luna, waving a hoof towards the cloaked figures. “Oh yes. In a move that surprised nopony, our close friends Clear Facet and Emerald are engaged. And now I’m here to see it all come through. So what better time could there be? Let’s make this good! I think we’re all ready. I know Clear’s ready. How long can you hold out with a lady like that?” Boisterous laughter erupted from all the assembled save the named pony, a hunter green earth pony with a brown mane and tail. He looked properly scandalized.
“Aye, aye, Sir Sauce.” Luna looked with loving chastisement upon Bad Apple then motioned towards a small, raised area. “Come, my revelers! Come, we sanctify this love this night.”

Heed the call, the time has come
For you children of the night

The whole assembly, cloaked figures, Zaldi and Roa alike approached, those in the cloaks heading the gathering. The Zaldi and Roa surrounded the cloaked members for a moment then split off into two sections, arranging themselves into neat rows and creating an aisle between them.
None of the cloaked figures moved until Bad Apple had come down the aisle to join them. Then Clear gave him a nod and fell into step with him. The two of them circled the standing folk then walked slowly down the aisle again, to stand in the presence of Luna, who was standing, wings spread and looking as grand as possible. “Ye bridegroom, art thou prepared for thy nuptials? Thou art of my company, and thy bride be the same. Hast thou capacity to serve as proper headsman to her innocence? Or hast thou taken thy reward afore this night?” She gave a bright, high laugh.
“Ummm, your majesty?” The nervous Nightwatch stallion was barely in a state to understand his own worried thoughts, let alone Luna’s archaic innuendo.
“She wants to know if you “diamonded” her “doghouse” or if you played the good boy and waited.” Bad Apple whispered the explanation to a blushing Clear, but added aloud, “She might still have that particular head to lose. Nothing is stopping him from giving her a severe tongue-lashing. And, for that matter, Diamond Dogs, like griffins and such things, have hands…”
“H-hold it!” Clear suddenly interjected, thrusting himself up between Bad and Luna, looking between them. “I understand you’re trying to make me more at ease, but Emerald is pure as the cleanest gem. No inclusions, no interruptions, no flaws.” He hesitated, and added, “But yes, she has hands. And likes it when I… pant in a particular spot. But… can we proceed?”
Luna smiled beatifically, gently petting Clear’s head. “Thy passion in defense of thy bride and great strength in halting strong tongues doth speak well of thy goodness. Indeed, thou art worthy of this other servitor of mine. We proceed.”

Gather ‘round like suckling dogs
Mother’s come, she is the night

Music began to pour out from the air as Luna’s horn glowed, a semi-jaunty tune that had some relation to the traditional bridal march. The whole crowd stood up tall, Bad Apple and all but two of the cloaked figures saluting. Emerald the Diamond Dog and the dark puce, black-maned unicorn named Slivovitz slowly started off down the aisle.
“Ahh dear… You know, this is supposed to be your mother or father, right? I’m very honored you asked me, but I’m just your chief. True, I do think of you like family but what about the real thing?” Slivovitz spoke quietly across to Emerald, moving slowly and grandly with her.
“Mmm, family not… want to come here. Ashamed of me. Strong dog, yes, but not digging. Always digging. Life more than digging. And…” She stopped, stumbling a little bit as she strolled down the aisle.
“He’s a pony.”
A pause. “Yes. Pony. Strong pony. Handsome pony. Smart pony. Make beautiful puppies. Family not care. ‘Oh, but does he dig?’ ‘Yes, has degrees in gems.’ ‘But does he dig?’ ‘He is constable like me.’ ‘BAH! He does not dig.’ Hate them…”
Slivovitz gently nudged against Emerald. “You shouldn’t hate your own family, no matter what. Yes, it’s a bit of a bad thing they’re being so against this. But it’s your life. You’re no foal anymore. Or puppy, I suppose. Time to do your own thing. And this is what will show that most clearly.” Slivovitz winked aside at Emerald and smiled. “And yet, you talked about puppies. If they don’t want to see you, they don’t see them. Their loss. I’m sure they’ll be just beautiful. You’ve got plenty of Advocates right here in the corps.”
Emerald smiled as they reached the head of the aisle, reaching out to hug Slivovitz tightly. “Thank you.”
“Not a problem at all!” The pony gasped out, slightly crushed by her companion’s hug.

Come with me to the other side

The music ceased, and all the members of the audience took a seat. Luna lifted her head up, and looked down seriously on the bride and groom. “Gentlefillies and Gentlecolts!” Princess Luna used the Royal Canterlot Voice, yet somehow managed to turn the imposing and often-damaging tone into something that brought eyes and projected majesty rather than repulsion. “We come here to join in matrimony these two most decorated warriors, members of a corps of mine own control. We join thus at this meet time that may show mine eye upon their glorious combination. Hast any member of this party cause that they might not become one in love?”
The silence that answered her brought a smile to her lips.
“Thus we begin. So saith the ancient tales,  in times before all flesh was at peace there was Discord. But by union heart to heart did such chaos cease. By Fidelity, Verity, Sympathy, Liberality, Jollity, and the great Mystery, that is to say, Amity, were we all drawn to peace. And by this example have we ever joined heart to heart. Thou, bridegroom and bride, step forward to be joined.”
Clear and Emerald stepped forward, Bad Apple and Slivovitz standing behind them at the head of the aisle, standing tall and proud.
“Fidelity, faithfulness to thy chosen, forms a most solid foundation of marriage with its twin, Verity, truthfulness. If thou canst be not faithful and honest, what force could keep thee whole? Thou, Emerald the Diamond Dog, and thou, Clear Facet, canst ye both be faithful and true to one another?”
Though Emerald was thrown by the confusing archaic language, she knew the sentiments and enough of the words. Faithful. Honest. “I can!" She proclaimed strongly.
Though more muted, Clear was no less firm. “I can.”
“Sympathy, the feeling of another’s feeling, and Liberality, true giving of spirit feed one another. Empathy doth give birth to both, kindness in bearing and giving of self. Canst thou be to one another generous in all things, and caring in all times?”
Emerald’s response was another explosion of passion. “I can!”
Clear answered in similar internal fortitude if not outward volume. “I can.”
“Jollity… ‘tis strange that such a thing be included, be it not so? Yet much may be said. A marriage made of naught but doleful vacuity may not survive long, starved of joy and delight. Happiness, gaiety, laughter, cheer and sundry, such do feed spirits, that may bear them across lean times, hard moments and great sloughs of sorrow. Canst thou both raise up one another in happiness and joy?”
A smile pulled Emerald’s lips and she looked aside with her most lascivious glance. “Yes. Always…”
Clear looked properly scandalized but smiled in return. “I can.”
“Amity. Friendship. Would this be not certain in marriage? Nay. In dark times marriages were born of politic calculation and the maneuvering of houses. If spouses be not friends, they may be naught else to one another. Cold lovers be but playthings; strangers in the home be only faces, passing as the aether. Thou needs be friends afore thou art properly said to be spouses or lovers, and thou must needs be friends all the days of thy wedded life. Canst thou be friends all the rest of thy days?”
Both replied together, “I can.”
“All thy days, through weal and woe, best and worst of all the world may give. Do you give and pledge of thyselves to each other?”
Emerald looked to Clear, who was already staring at her. They answered as one, “I do.”
Luna lit her horn and gently touched both on their heads. “By the power of mine own holding as one Diarch of the Principality, I do pronounce thee husband and wife. Thou mayst now kiss the…” Emerald was upon Clear in an instant, attacking his mouth with her lips, with a hungry ferocity. “Bridegroom. Some customs, it does seem, art truly universal.” Laughter rippled out from the audience. “When they are separate, Constable Pome, Section Chief Slivovitz, please give them the rings thou hast in thy possession. In their great haste they did neglect to exchange them.” The audience broke into thunderous applause, with some returning to their instruments to begin a celebratory musical session.

Make the girl in black your bride

“Begging your pardon, but I don’t think they much care. About anything, really.” Slivovitz laughed loudly and leaned back with a grin.
“So it doth seem, so it doth seem… Constable Pome, may I have thy company?” Luna trotted off, with a backward chance.
“Official business. It’s always about that, isn’t it? Here, when Clear comes to, that’s the one he’s supposed to give her.” Bad Apple passed over a thick gold ring, suitable for slipping onto a Diamond Dog’s finger.
“Enjoy your conference. I can only imagine the high-level palaver going on there.” Slivovitz accepted the ring and chuckled.
Bad Apple gave a laugh and wink before trotting off.

But the night, she calls me
She calls me, she calls me
She calls me

Luna was upon Bad Apple once they were out of the wavering glow of the fire, but still well within the range of the music that rang out from within the circle of the fire. Their lips pressed and tongues dueled, the caramel stallion… crying… as they shared an intimate moment. When they pulled back he laughed a bit too loudly wiped at his tears. “I guess it’s true. Even the most stalwart of ponies will cry at a wedding. Being Best Stallion probably helped me connect.”
“Mmm, say as you will, you see beauty and know it.” Luna kissed one of the tear streams, a shod hoof stroking at his neck.
“Well, of course. I’m here with you, under the stars. I’m surrounded by the very definition of beauty.” Bad Apple leaned in for a kiss but was halted by Luna’s hoof.
“Spare me your pickthank tales and the eely motions of your quacksalver-quick tongue. You know what I would hear. Why be it so-” Bad Apple’s hoof gently pressed to her lips, and he looked into her eyes.
“While I may, with all the skill I may, and with all the heart I can muster, let me do good for the suffering and sorrowful of this world. I could have been a most excellent thief, sitting on an empire of broken dreams and stolen fortunes. But something in me made me strive for good. But I know what you want… I won’t say the words. It would only hurt your heart more than ever. And you can imagine the pain I carry inside me, knowing how much my absence is a thorn in your side. But the very moment the time is right, all my words are yours.”
Luna drew him in for a tight, hard hug, squeezing him against her black dress. After a moment of compaction she released him and stood up tall. “Very well. We rejoin the company.” Luna wiped her eyes and slowly strolled out and into the firelight.
“Your majesty!” A cry rang out and an object soared in a high arc towards Luna’s form. She swiftly caught it with her telekinesis and brought it down for examination. It was a bouquet.
“How now? What strange fortune be this?”
“Congratulations!” While the rest of the assembly cheered, Luna looked down to Bad Apple as he just smiled and politely stomped his hooves.

She sways in her velvet dress
And pulls me towards her
In the dark
While the others rest
While the others rest
While the others rest

Bad Apple ducked his head down behind a trash barrel as the pony he trailed looked around with quick motions, bathed in the light of a streetlamp. He was easily visible, while the brightness hindered his ability to see into the deep shadows cradling Bad Apple.
The darkness was with him, and that made him smile, almost as much as his extremely un-photographic memory of Emerald and Clear’s wedding. He could remember the details perfectly and properly. But what would be the fun in that. He recalled the important parts. The sound of hoof beats on pavement put his mind back in joint, and sent him out after the figure wending his way through the Fillydelphia night.

It still seems very strange to me
That her quiet, lonely streets
Draped in all their mystery
Could be so sweet and comforting

His mind could not stay focused, and it did not really need to. He would never be detected. And he knew where the lickspittle toady was going. He wasn’t as clever as he thought. He’d be collecting another well-earned reward with another of Random’s dithering disciples, shaken up and stumbling along their moribund social paths towards the place he sought. One less citizen for the promised dystopia.
He could indulge his amusing recollection of that wedding. Most of the details were right, especially the vows. He knew them forward, backwards and chopped into pieces. The rest… maybe he had been Best Stallion but he and Luna had remembered to be very tight-lipped about anything relationship related; though he could have sworn Drupe had been looking for signs of it. He was a good egg, and trustworthy enough. It didn’t matter. Luna didn’t catch the bouquet, because she deemed it improper to compete with beings she could crush all too accidentally. But she surely did want to. She had pulled him aside, to discuss things. He had felt so guilty. He really did want to do good for the principality. But at such a cost. It was just four words. He could lay down his sword and shield, rest on his laurels and cease being the black knight-errant with four quick words.
Will. You. Marry. Me.


But the night, she calls me
She calls me, she calls me
She calls me
She sways in her velvet dress
And pulls me towards her
In the dark
While the others rest
While the others rest
While the others rest