It was a great night, Rescue had found some enjoyment at the Gala. He had danced with Ailan, and almost everypony watched as the foals took the floor and danced.
Applebloom had been asked by Princess Celestia herself to dance, and they did. Many couples cleared the floor for the Princess and the Junior Firefighters.
Really, the only downside to the night so far were the dirty looks from a few of the ‘upper crust’ types. Ailan had quickly got him to ignore them and not allow them to ruin the night. The only other note of the night, was Spoiled Rich. Luna had pulled the two of them aside and let them know what happened. She explained she would dispatch one of her fastest to fly to Ponyville and fill Mr. Rich in on the same.
Glancing up at the grand clock, Rescue blinked some. One AM, the festivities were nearly over. He was about to say so to his partner when they found themselves surrounded by night and day guards, all of them armed and without a smile.
“Chief Sunstreak, Mr. Sempar. I am afraid we have been ordered to escort you out. Please, do not make a scene.”
Ailan opened his mouth to speak, but stopped and closed it again, anger evident on his face. Rescue looked around, all the ponies and upper-crust types watching, whispering to each other. He nudged Ailan. “Forget it, we don’t need this place,” he whispered, turning to walk. “We will not cause problems.”
They found themselves escorted by eight guards out the side door. Fuming, Rescue’s steps were heavy and hard, but he kept his thoughts focused. He noted Ailan was flared up some, clearly ticked off but not trying to cause issues. They came to a stop and spun, blocking them both, one of the guards said.
“Mr. Sempar, Princess Celestia wishes to speak with you directly. Chief Sunstreak, you will remain here.”
Rescue snapped. “Like hell I will, I don’t know what the heck is going on but I am not letting you—”
Ailan put a wing up and touched his nose “Rescue, stop. Getting angry is not going to solve this. Whatever has happened, let me deal with it, okay? You did it for me back in that alley, now let me do it for you.”
Rescue gave an afraid look to his mate. “O... okay, but, one feather on you is harmed, I will not be nice about this anymore.”
Turning, Ailan was escorted off by four of the guards, leaving Rescue with the four night guards. He took stock of them, Two thestral pony, one earth, and one unicorn. It seemed like they were not playing around.
Ten minutes later, one of the guards near him tilted his head then gave a nod. “Chief Sunstreak, please, come with us.”
He paused and thought about resisting, but that would lead to harm, to a fight and he could not, would not do that. Thinking about Ailan’s words, he trusted his partner, so he gave a nod. Turning, he walked with the guard around him.
They walked him past the hedge rows, to the entrance to the gardens. Rescue had to blink. Standing there near the wall overlooking the city was Ailan, and to his left was Lyra and Bon Bon both in long dresses. He could see two rows of ponies, and the faces he knew. Members of the Third Battalion, the mares all together other than one. Applejack, who stood with her brother up near Ailan, looking down the row of ponies at him.
Center most was Princess Luna herself, looking down the row of folk. Rescue glanced to his side and noted the night guards all had pulled back and made a row, preventing him from leaving. He frowned and then looked around again. His father was here, his brother...okay, that wasn’t one he really was happy with. Some other ponies from Ponyville along one side, a number of pegasi he didn’t know.
His eyes darted around, then back to Ailan with a look that asked what on earth was going on. It was in that moment, watching Ailan smile, that it hit him. His ears went flat and his mouth dried out, breathing a bit too fast, not quite hyperventilating, but close. He felt a nudge and looked to where it came from. There stood Applejack, when had she moved from up front?
In a tone low and quiet, she said. “Sugarcube, you got someone waiting on ya.”
His voice wouldn’t work at first, then the large draft stallion’s voice cracked some. “I-I seem to, be stuck,” hearing a few snickers from the guards behind him.
She just shook her head. “Look in yer heart, ya big lug. Let’s go see a mare about a stallion you love, shall we?”
He found the strength to lift his hoof and move, starting to walk. Rescue peered to each side, there was Kevin in a cadet’s uniform. He gave a smile and a nod. There was his father and brother, he again nodded.
Applejack’s voice still quiet came to his ear as he walked next to her. “He was right, you are about the most stubborn stallion ah ever met, and that is comparing ya to Big Macintosh.”
He did smile a bit at that comment, it was a compliment in his eyes. Whispering back to her "AJ, Thank you. I wouldn't be here right now, if it weren't for you"
The Apple pony didn't say a thing, just tucked her hat down low and took up a spot next to her brother on Rescue's side of the raised area.
Walking up, he noticed of his son and his date off to one side of the raised area. Looking over at Ailan, his ears lifted, but before he could speak, Princess Luna cut him off. Why was it every mare in Equestria did that to him?
“Chief Rescue Sunstreak, we are not one for long drawn out words as you well know. However, pegasi kind has its own traditions, and Ailan here has some words to say to you,” she looked up and around. “Before he speaks, dare any step forward and contest this union?”
Not a pony stood, no pony even coughed. Rescue looked over into Ailan’s eyes and searched them, hearing the pegasus clear his throat.
“Rescue, when I saw you the first time, I knew you were somepony I had to meet. You have a life about you, a glow that says you give of yourself without reserve. We got off to a rocky start, but we worked past that. We've had our trials, and we will have more as we walk the road together.”
Ailan sniffled once then glanced back at Bon Bon and Lyra. “We have friends, we have family,” his eyes moving to Pip, then back to Rescue. “I can think of no stallion I would rather walk the road with.”
Luna turned some and looked at the draft pony. “Do you have anything you wish to say, Rescue?”
He pondered for a bit, then nodded in response. “Ailan, you looked past my issues. You took the time to see who I was inside even when I was unable to see myself. Yet, here you stand,” looking around at others and back. “We have a son, we have a home, we have each other. It is not yours and mine, it's ours. I... am honored to be welcome in your life, in your home, and... in your heart.”
Luna gave a nod and both turned to see Pip and Diamond walk over, a small pad on each of their backs. On one, a lone golden feather. Rescue knew that one instantly, it was one of Ailan’s primaries, but they were very painful to have pulled. On the pad Pip carried, lay something that made his eyes widen some.
Pip looked up at his fathers and said to Rescue. “Diamond heard from Silver Spoon that you commissioned her father for this. He lied about it not being done, and I kinda sneaked it on the train with me cause...you aren’t mad at me dad, are you?”
He smiled a bit looking at the simple silver anklet, a emblem etched into it was a union of Ailan and his cutie marks, with a blue background the same color as Luna’s body. Looking up again his ear flicked. “No Pip, no I am not,” his smile grew.
Luna stepped back some, as Rainbow Dash of all ponies stepped up and looked Rescue right in the eyes. “So, you think you are good enough to join the flock and take one of ours, do ya?” she asked, tilting her head. “Give me one reason we—” she gestured to all of the pegasi in the crowd. “—should let you.”
Rescue glanced out, seeing all the eyes on him, then back to the multi-hue mare, looking her right in the eyes. “Because I love him, because I will protect him, and because we make each other stronger.”
She gave a little snort. “Good enough for me, earth pony,” she stepped back again, reaching down and taking the feather from Tiara’s pad. He noted it had a strap it was weaved into. She held it out to Ailan.
“He is yours the flock approves. Love him with all your heart, protect him with the last ounce of blood in your body,” and she walked back to where Soarin and the remainder of the Wonderbolts stood.
Ailan stepped forward and whispered in a soft tone. “I love you, and now, with this feather, I show the world, you and I are one. The flock will know you as one of ours, as mine,” reaching up, the smaller pegasus worked it slowly. Rescue could feel him weaving it into his mane. As he did, Luna spoke up.
"I have given a gift to this couple, the feather Rescue is given, it is tradition for eons now among the pegasus kind. I have given it a spell, it will never wilt, it will never rot, it cannot burn. It will forever remain a symbol of the love this stallion has for the other.”
Ailan stepped back, and Rescue looked at his mate's eyes. Turning, he picked up the ring and smiled some. “I ain’t very good at words, but—” he held the ring up. “—the silver this is made from, belonged to my mother, and her mother before her. It was found as a lump in the wreckage of my home. It was once a ring and when found it was saved for me. I had this made, not to lay claim to you,” he smiled a bit. “But to tell everypony who saw it, how much I love you,” reaching down, he gently clipped it around Ailan’s left front leg just above the fetlock.
Luna again cut in. “This ring too has been enchanted. It can not melt, it can not heat up, and, it can never be removed other than by the one who gave it, or the one who wears it now.”
She then looked at the two. “You may kiss the groom.”
Rescue blinked, then melted, as he felt Ailan’s lips press to his in a soft, but very emotional kiss. He gave a chuff and nickered as it broke, feeling the wings of the night princess guide him to Ailan’s side and looking out at the crowd. There was a lot more noise than the small gathering should make.
Then, he saw it. The walls, the balcony along the castle walls, all of them filled with ponies from the Gala. Each and every one of them stomped their hooves on the ground or together, even the ones he could see were not thrilled, like Prince Blueblood, knew better than to spoil this moment and joined in.
Rescue gave a soft mutter. “You planned all of this.”
To his credit the big-winged stallion smirked and kissed his cheek. “I had a lot of help.”
Looking out at them all, it hit him, theirs was the first same-gender marriage done in the garden by a princess in anypony’s memory. He glanced back at Luna, taking note of Celestia and Twilight who were both wiping their eyes.
Princess Luna whispered. “It was my honor, my friend.”
Rescue gave a smile and turned again to walk with Ailan back into the palace. No longer just coltfriends, but now husbands.