The Private Scrapbook

by Cadabra

Chapter 21: I Thee Wed

Chapterpter 21: I Thee Wed

The wedding day was set for three months after the engagement, and by the wedding day it was nearly impossible to conceal the fact that there was a baby foal hiding in the bride. Smithy stood sweating in her bedroom in the most elaborate gown she would ever wear in her life, waiting for her father to come and get her so that the ill fated ceremony could start.

All the while, Smithy's mother fussed about getting the last details just right, and all the while Smithy felt like hiding. The only thing that kept her from fleeing were the plans she had hatched with Bladire. Soon they would find a way to freedom and find a way to be together, if only she would bide her time.

The knock at the door made Smithy jump to her feet and back to reality. Her father’s knocking confirmed that it was time, and she knew she had to be brave for the sake of herself, Bladire, the other slaves, and the baby that squirmed around in her belly.

Sew n' Sow rushed up to the door to open it for her husband, who nearly bounded in with excitement. “I hope y’all are decent!” Pokey Oaks exclaimed with a wide grin on his face.

Smithy returned a genuine smile at the sight of her father, who was clearly blown away at the spectacle before him. She was glad to see the old pony happy in spite of the circumstance for marriage. She held out her arms the way she did when she was a child, part of her wanting for him to pick her up and out of where she was like he would do when he picked her up out of the old house window.

Pokey Oaks gently held his daughter's hoof, too afraid to pick her up and ruin her dress. He wiped away a stray tear as he looked at his dressed up little girl. “The apple of mah eye,” he said, barely able to contain the pride in his voice. “I can’t believe today’s the day. And ain’t too soon, given we’ll be seein’ a lil’ Seed sproutin’. I sure can’t wait to be a grampa again!”

Sew n’ Sow rushed to Pokey Oak’s side, trying to hush his ramblings. She knew he was one to keep a conversation going on longer than it needed to go, and right now was not the time to wax poetic. “Save yer speeches fer the reception,” she said, keeping a strong smile on her face. “We gotta get outside now so the weddin’ can start up. I can see all the guests seats filled up right outside the window. Them ponies are startin’ to get kinda wormy, so we best not keep ‘em waitin’.”

Taking a deep, shaking breath, Smithy stepped out onto the porch with her father at her side. They had to shield their eyes from the bright sunshine as they began their slow progression down the aisle. As their eyes adjusted to the light, they began to notice all the small details that Sew 'n Sow had put into her only daughter’s wedding. Everything was perfect, from the decorations to the dresses. Everything that is, accept for the couple getting married.

Standing at the front of the alter was a triumphant Stinking Rich, his best man nudging him playfully and teasing him. The two had to stifle their giggles as Smithy came closer, putting on a much better act for the guests. While it may not have been obvious to the guests present, this was less of a blessed union and more of a victory for the Faction of the Stud.

The sound of Prairie Tune’s band filled the air as Smithy and her father marched down the aisle. She couldn’t help being surprised to see that pegasus girl, June, was still with the band, and that she was still singing so sweetly next to her brother. In fact, the love song they had written for the wedding seemed like something they were singing more to each other instead of for the bride and groom:

I'll be right beside you
No matter where you travel
I'll be there to cheer you
‘Til the sun comes shinin' through

And if we're ever parted
I will keep the tie that binds us
And I'll never let it break
Cause I love you

No falser words were ever sung as they were that day in Ponyville. Smithy could barely look at her very soon to be husband as her father stood before them, proud to be giving away his only daughter’s hoof to Stinking Rich. She hugged him tightly before he went to his seat, not wanting to let go for fear of what was to come next.

The mayor of Ponyville stood before them to officiate the ceremony. "Y'all can take yer seats," he said, watching the guests present doing as he commanded.

The mayor set the traditional marriage tome on a stand for him to read from. Adjusting his glasses on his bulbous nose, he began to read from it. "We are gathered here today to bare witness to the marriage of Stinkin' Rich and Granny Smith," he said, smiling naively at the couple standing before him. “If anypony has any objections to why this here lovely couple of youngsters shouldn’t be gettin' themselves married, now's the time to say somethin' or forever hold yer tongues."

While Smithy knew nopony would dare say anything for fear of her mother's wrath over ruining her wedding day, she couldn't help hoping to hear an objection anyway. Just the thought of her wedding day being ruined caused a brief but sarcastic smile to tug at the ends of her mouth.

The mayor turned to the first reading of the ceremony. "This here’s a readin' from the Book of Starswirl the Bearded, chapter eight, verses eleven through twenty five," he droned on. "Long time ago, the first weddin' of Equestria was held in the..."

The verse went in one of Smithy’s ears and out the other. She could care less about the first marriage in Equestria, or how the mayor thought it held significance to why she was standing at the alter sweating in an uncomfortable dress next to somepony she despised. She was glad to know that brides often cried on their wedding day, because she had a hard time keeping her tears in check thinking about why she had agreed to this whole ordeal. The only thing keeping her from all out bawling was chewing on the stems from her bouquet, acting as something of a stifling gag and a comfort food all at once.

All too soon, her maid of honor, Sunfower, had to take her bouquet away so she could say her vows. Having to face Stinking Rich was embarrassing and frustrating all at the same time, especially since she had made such an effort to not look at him the whole time. She listened to the mayor read the vows aloud for her to repeat, finding that she barely had the breath in her to speak out loud. “I, Granny Smith," she whispered, closing her eyes tightly to help force the words out, "do take thee, Stinkin' Rich, to be mah husband. From this day forward, to hold close to mah heart, in good times and bad, when ill or well, so long as the sun may shine, I shall love thee all the days of mah life."

Having finally gotten through that whole mess of lies with a straight face, Smithy opened her eyes to listen to Stinking Rich have a turn. When she did, she saw Bladire was standing hidden behind the shrubbery display on the alter. He looked at her with nothing but love for her in his eyes as the mayor began telling Stinking Rich what to say. Mouthing along with his master, he repeated the vows back to her. For the first time that day, Smithy had a genuine smile on her face, imagining having the man she loved standing right before her instead of hidden away like a wonderfully keep secret.

The moment between them was cut off as the mayor pronounced them Mr. and Mrs. Rich. The worse part of all was sealing the deal with a kiss in front of all those witnesses. Smithy was once again glad to have her bouquet stuffed back in her mouth after that to keep her from expressing what she really felt in front of all of Ponyville.

Looking back on some of those wedding photos, Applejack couldn’t help thinking that Granny Smith looked like the most unhappy bride she’d ever seen. “How’d ya get through it?” she asked as she looked at a photo of her grandmother and Stinking Rich marching down the isle together during the recessional.

Granny Smith thought how she drew her strength as she eyed the recessional photo, flowers in her teeth to try to hide the unhappy look. “Just knowin' Bladire was close by got me through the whole thing,” she admitted. “I'd done it all fer him, and seein' him vow to me let me know that we were gonna do everythin’ in our power to find freedom together.”

Comments

[Lovinlife]

Things I Liked:
1. This was a a chapter full of feels left and right, I couldn't find anything I didn't like (Though, not through a lack of trying).

Comments:
1. The way Bladaire gave his vows at the same time made this wedding far more enjoyable because it was like a wedding for those two instead.
2. I normally don't correct spelling or grammar because I'm the worst with that stuff, but it was something that I noticed:

Everything that is, [except} for the couple getting married.

All In All:
I absolutly loved this chapter, everything in it was perfectly placed and paced to have a desired effect to the reader to have a warm feeling at the end of it all.

Score: