//------------------------------// // Laurels, pt 1 // Story: Princess Pile Drinking Games // by GaPJaxie //------------------------------// Sometimes, I give pony stories as gifts. Any topic my friends like for twenty-thousand words. And if you're thinking 'that sounds like a huge mistake,' you'd be correct! Because every year, my so-called friend inevitably give me prompts that drive me spare. In this case, Cold in Gardez asked for a Thunderlane/Twilight shipping fic, focused on the theme of accidental marriage. It looks like it'll be out mid-February, but in the meanwhile, have some rejected chapters! Later, with the full benefit of hindsight, Twilight would admit there were warning signs she might have heeded—subtle indications that all was not quite as it seemed. She might have paid more attention to the fact that Thunderlane was in his full uniform, and had properly groomed his normally messy mane. She might have noticed the long, curious looks he gave her in the minutes leading up to their meeting, or how many pegasi from the weather team wanted to stick around to watch until Thunderlane shooed them away. She might have noticed how nervous he was and asked more directly why it was he wanted to speak with her. But she did not do any of these things. She didn’t know Thunderlane that well, after all. Eventually, the other pegasi from the weather team left Twilight’s palace, and she and Thunderlane were alone. Twilight didn’t turn to him right away, but busied herself with the notes and affairs from the meeting. There were papers to be gathered, action-items to be added to her to-do list, and numerous other affairs of weather control. “Sorry, just a second,” she said, without looking up from her work. “I want to get this down before I forget.” “There’s no rush,” he replied, keeping a respectful distance, with his hooves held evenly apart in the formal pose. “Good things take time.” “Oh… thanks.” Twilight smiled at him for a moment, before returning to her work. “So uh… you needed to talk to me about something?” “I did.” He paused a moment, and took in a breath. He squared his shoulders, straightened his spine, and stretched his wings out until the joints popped. His tension seemed to leave him as the breath did, his wings returned to his side as his pose became more relaxed. “If you’ll have them, I have gifts for you.” “Gifts?” Twilight lifted her eyes as Thunderlane approached the table. Across the left side of his formal weather uniform was strapped a small saddlebag. It was the old kind that military messengers once used, with the cross-strap that ran across his chest. He opened it with a wing, and then reached his head down inside, withdrawing a single-bit coin and placing it in front of her. “Oh… a bit?” Twilight asked, frowning slightly as she considered the gift. “Did I buy you lunch and forget about it or something? I… wait.” Something about the way the metal glinted caught her eye, and she levitated the coin closer. Where the front should have held Celestia’s face, there was instead a star surrounded by five others. It wasn’t a perfect replica of Twilight’s cutie mark, but it was close. Flipping it around, she found that the other side contained the image of her old tree library, elegantly carved into the metal surface. “‘Friendship is Magic,’” she read the inscription from the cutie mark side, followed shortly by the tree side, “‘Knowledge is Power.’ Thunderlane, what is—” “It’s the new bit coin. The one for your coronation,” he explained, stepping up to her side. The edges of his feathers brushed the edge of hers, his little scrub brush of a tail not-quite reaching the hairs of Twilight’s own. He smiled at her, just a hint of a blush coming to his cheeks, and nodded down at the coin. “I heard from Rainbow that you hated the old design for them. The one with your face on the front and the crystal palace on the back?” He cleared his throat a moment, his words coming just slightly too fast. “She said you hated the idea of spending money with your face on it because it felt… well. It felt wrong. Like you don’t like being called ‘Your Highness.’ But I know you don’t like to make a fuss with Canterlot and let it pass. So I called up my cousin Silver Lining who works at the mint, and he talked to his boss, and so on and so forth until… well.” He reached into his saddlebag, and pulled out a small satchel. It clinked when he dropped it on the table, and when his teeth took the drawstring and pulled, a little wave of bit coins spilled out onto the table. “It’s the first production run. For your approval.” “Oh, wow.” It was Twilight’s turn to blush, as she looked back and forth between Thunderlane and the little pile of metal. “That’s… really sweet. And kind of abrupt. I had no idea you… I mean…” “Yeah, I know.” He smiled and looked a few degrees down at the base of her neck. His wings ruffled, and it took him a moment before he could lift his head to her again. “I know we haven’t spoken much before now. It’s a little personal and out of nowhere. But I wanted to show that I was doing this for Twilight, the mare, and not for ‘Princess Twilight Sparkle, Her Royal Highness.’ And…” Thunderlane again needed a moment, and took that moment to draw a breath. But when he let that breath out and continued, he was no longer speaking too quickly, and his voice had lost its tremor. Instead, he spoke in a calm, and steady cadence, holding her eyes with his. “Twilight, you’ve saved my life at least five times. Probably more. Beyond that, you’ve saved the lives of my family, and my friends, and my little brother. You’ve woken us from our nightmares and revitalized Ponyville. By rights, there’s nothing in this world I don’t owe to you.” He gestured down at the pile of bits with his muzzle. “But I know you hate it when ponies owe you. Or feel obligated. I wanted to give you something not because I owe you, but just because I like who you are. You’re the hero, sure, but you’re also the unicorn -- or, alicorn, either way -- who actually cares to learn about weather teams and pegasus traditions. And you're also our librarian, and our Winter Wrap-Up organizer, and that cute mare up the way. So the coins felt right and… I also wanted you to have this.” Thunderlane stuck his nose down into his bag, and carefully drew out the next item inside. It was a set of golden laurels -- real laurels, designed to rest over a pony’s ears and along the side of their head. The construction was crude, and the many dings and pockmarks along the side of the piece showed its age. But it was well cared for, and had been polished until it shone. “This was my great-grandfathers. He was awarded it on his Triumph after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. It’s been in the family ever since.  And—” “Woah, no. Thunderlane…” The blush in Twilight’s cheeks was practically red by that point, and her wings were tucked in tight against her side. “I can’t take one of your family’s relics. That’s a part of your history.” Thunderlane lifted a hoof and held it base-up, gently depositing the laurels there. “No,” he said softly, looking into her eyes. “Not on their own. On their own they’re a chunk of soft metal. Laurels only become special when a special pony wears them. Somepony who’s earned them.” He paused a moment and licked his lips. “I’m not a warrior, and I certainly haven’t earned a commendation for valor. But you have. And… I can’t imagine these bringing as much honor to my family in a closet as they could on your head. Not nearly as much.” “Um. Wow. Okay.” Twilight took a half-step away from Thunderlane, fluffing out her wings as her gaze went up to the ceiling. “Uh. This is kind of a lot to take in all at once.” “Yeah. It’s okay.” Thunderlane’s soft smile evolved to something closer to a grin. “I did practice that speech for awhile, it it helps.” “That… does not make this any less awkward, no.” Twilight smiled a little too though, and her gaze lowered back down to him. She glanced at his saddlebag, and saw there was still a distinctive lump at the bottom. “Please tell me there’s nothing else in that bag.” “Just one thing.” Thunderlane again reached down into his bag, but this time, he pulled out what appeared to be an old flag, carefully folded despite the obvious signs of wear and age. “It’s the standard of the House of Thunder, and our battle colors, from when that still mattered. Something suitable for a Princess of Equestria to hang over her door. It’s a silly old tradition, but it means a lot to me.” A little breath that was almost a laugh escaped him. “I know, it’s sudden. And I won’t be offended if you say you can’t accept. But I can’t think of a mare in the world I'd rather give it to.” He drew a breath and let it out quickly, rolling his left shoulder until the joint cracked. Neither of them spoke. “Well,” he said, when the silence grew long, and Twilight’s embarrassed, overtaken expression had not calmed. “You’ll want some time to think this over. Talk with family and such. I’ll leave you to it, and—” “No.” Twilight shook her head sharply. “I mean, not no I won’t take it. No I don’t need time. It’s just… I… this was very sudden, Thunderlane. And maybe the next time you want to show your thanks for saving Ponyville, just get me ice cream or something, okay? This was kind of over the top. But, yeah. I accept. I’d be honored to wear your family’s laurels.” “What?” His jaw fell open a few degrees as he stared at her, and he shook his head as though to clear it. “I mean, you accept, like. Right now? Yes?” “Is there some reason I shouldn’t?” Twilight asked, hiding her embarrassment with a hoof. “No. No, not a reason in the world.” It was Thunderlane’s turn to laugh. “Here, we’ll step outside. Do the ceremony the traditional way. I’d have brought witnesses, but, you know! I didn’t think you’d accept so quickly.” His grin was practically giddy. He gathered up the laurels and the banner, and stepped outside to Twilight’s balcony. It was a beautiful spring morning, and Twilight’s castle afforded her a view of all of Ponyville. Once outside, Thunderlane drew his deepest breath yet, and with a booming voice, shouted out to the world: “In the name of Cloudsdale and the infinite sky above, can I get a witness!?” His voice bounced off the homes and buildings of Ponyville, and many a pony looked their way. It wasn’t long at all before a little crowd of pegasi had gathered around the balcony, some hovering and some on clouds. They shouted encouragement and congratulations, telling Twilight she was lucky, or beautiful. “Hello, everypony! Yes, thank you. Thunderlane decided to do something nice for me.” Twilight waved to them, adding under her breath: “And, you know, thanks for making this less embarrassing and not a big production or anything.” As they gathered, Thunderlane took the old family banner in his teeth, and draped it over the edge of Twilight’s balcony, a few knots in the old cords neatly holding it in place. Then he took the laurels in his teeth, and nodded to Twilight. She lowered her head. And just like that, he brought the old laurels to rest over her ears. They fit perfectly. “Witnessed!” cried out one of the pegasi, soon echoed by the others. “Witnessed! Witnessed! Witnessed!” There was cheering. Shouts from below. A scrawny pegasus colt snapped a picture. “Yes, yes, everypony, thank you.” Twilight twitched her ears as she lifted her head, taking a moment to adjust the fit. “Yes, thank you. Okay, yes. Yes, thank you. I…” “Hey!” Thunderlane shouted. “Give her some space, would you!? Ceremony’s over. Shoo.” After a few more shouts -- and the threat of hitting them with a broom -- the cloud of pegasi dispersed, flying back to Ponyville. Thunderlane and Twilight spent a moment more in silence, watching them go, and watching each other. “Well, uh… this was… interesting,” Twilight finally broke the silence. “But, I need to go meet with my friends, and—” “Yeah, no.” Thunderlane agreed quickly. “Busy day ahead. I’ll let you have your space. And, Twilight? Thank you. I’m lucky to have met you. And I’ll see you soon.” Then, Thunderlane left. Eventually, Twilight went back inside. She put the laurels on a convenient shelf, finished her weather control paperwork, and then spent a soothing hour reading about the history of aluminum manufacturing. It was just what she needed to calm herself down after a stressful social encounter. Before long, it was near noon, and time to go meet her friends for lunch. She checked on Spike, headed downstairs, and pushed open the door to Ponyville. “Congratulations!” There was a pegasus on the road near the palace, chatting with a few of her friends. She waved, and Twilight waved back. Then came another congratulatory shout, from a cloud nearby. “You looked beautiful!” shouted a third, this one all the way off on the nearby bridge. “Yes. Um… ha ha. Thank you,” Twilight spoke quietly, and waved back to the three, a tense and artificial smile appearing on her face. “Did not realize this was going to be such a big deal… okay. Well that’s one more thing to get used to.” She made it all the way down her front step before she noticed the newspaper. She’d already collected her morning papers, but there at her doorstep was a copy of the Foal Free Press, bundled up with an unusual bright red string that wasn’t their usual. Pausing in her steps, Twilight picked up the paper, and unrolled it in front of her. “SPECIAL BREAKING-NEWS EDITION” the front page read. “PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE TO WED LOCAL WEATHERPONY.” And there was the picture, of her blushing as Thunderlane put the laurels over her ears. She glanced over the headline before turning to the middle to find the Science and Technology section, as well as the antiques classifieds. It always astounded her how comprehensive the school newspaper had become. She paused. Then she turned back to the headline and read it over again. She read it three more times, just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Her eyes crept up to her balcony, where the House Thunder banner still hung, clearly visible to the entire town. "Oh."