From Alpha to Omega

by Living Madness

The Price of Rash Actions.

Marcus breathed in, then out, in then out.

He did not know just how much these past few hours had affected him until he was ordered to sit down inside of Celestia’s chambers. He had disordered himself and his Gods, the wedding was an unintentional farce on his part, he did not want to upset Luna or Celestia he simply acted on instinct as some Legionaries often did. Now that he finally had a moment in which to conduct his own thoughts he was beginning to realise what he might have done.

No, it wasn't my fault, how was I to know that this was a proposal, her sister wasn't even present I know they run the country together but as the elder it would only be proper that she was a witness to the act. Who would even use such terms, special some person/pony thing, it’s just nonsense words, why can’t anyone here be straight forward.

He exhaled and looked at his hands just before a cup of coffee gently placed itself between them. He looked up to see his Princesses horn glowing as she herself took a seat on a cushion next to the table, Marcus thanked her instinctively and glanced around the room still not ready to meet the princesses gaze. What he saw surprised him except for the colour it was almost identical to her sisters, it was slightly bigger in places most likely due to the size difference between the two Princesses but besides that it was exactly the same.

For some reason though it felt alien to him, somehow he could not place it. It was exactly like Luna’s chambers which he always though calming and tranquil, but here it was not the same he could not understand it the colours where fine and the room itself was almost nostalgically Roman in certain ways why would it not have the same effect? He shook his head to clear his mind this was beyond unimportant at the moment.

His attention was broken by a soft coughing noise that asked for his attention coming from Princess Celestia who was seated on the opposite side to himself and Twilight.

“Twilight has filled me in on the basics of what happened in the past few hours, especially as to why you two smell of ash.” she turned as playfully mocking smile towards Twilight who blushed in embarrassed.

“Sorry Celestia, I know I should have stopped him but when I started to think about it, I was going to be one of the few ponies who ever got a chance to witness an actual ancient human ceremony first hoof and then I began to think about maybe publishing a book, then I stated questioning if the book would even make since based on what we can draw from Marcus’s history and—“

“Twilight you’re rambling again” Celestia interrupted the same playful smile to show she wasn’t mocking her.

“Ahem ok I’ll just be quite now.”

Celestia gaze turned to the night captain who was having some difficulty sitting on the cushion and still attempting to make eye contact across the table that came up to his head, the effect would have quite humour’s if it wasn’t for the fact that the captain looked down beaten and in desperate need of sleep.

“Marcus, first of all I just want to inform you that you are not in trouble here. I understand, you are from a time that is almost as old as I, in comparison to the society you now occupy, I know just how much you had to sacrifice in order to accomplish a new life here and the troubles you face. In many ways it reminds me of my own sister.” she chuckled slightly remember some of the adjustments her sister went through on her first few months back in equestrian life before continuing

“I suppose it makes sense in a way as I come to understand it you two might be something of item given you’re actions.”

“Lady Celestia—“

“Please Marcus you don’t have to keep calling me Lady, just Celestia’s fine”

“O-ok La- Celestia, I understand if you think the dowry is too small to except, I would have had more time to sell some items of mine
however with the shops closed at this hour and my lack of land—“

“Marcus listen to me, you’re not marrying my Luna” Celestia announced.

Marcus let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in, the news was something of a mixed blessing on the one hand he was not forcing himself into something he didn’t even know he was comfortable with But something else was clawing at him at the back of his mind that he could not place, was it sadness, disappointment?

“I-I understand La- Celestia, of course I am unworthy of your sisters hand, I only ask by the mercy of Juno’s mercy, that are not too offended by my offering it is still yours if you would like.”

“Marcus you misunderstand, you’re not marrying her, as Twilight informed me your taking her out on a date also understand I had no say in this nor would I wish to my sister is her own mare.”

If he wasn't before Now Marcus was confused; had he been lied to by Twilight I thought for a moment as he desperately tried to put the pieces of the vase together that he was not sure he wanted fixed. This made no sense.

Celestia wouldn't lie about something as serious as joining houses, that means this, this was Twilight's doing! No I can’t believe her, why would she lie to me like this, I thought we were friends!

“Lady Twilight” he said just over a growled whisper.

“Please Marcus just Twilight” she stated completely oblivious to Marcus’s response.

“Twilight we are friends are we not?”

This took twilight aback for a moment “Of course we are Marcus why would you ask that?”

“Twilight when I asked you what being a special someone-pony meant you told something to the effect of being in a partnership between two correct?

“Twilight cocked her head slightly she was not certain where Marcus was going with this “yeah something like that why?”

"Well Twilight I find myself asking why someone would lie about marriage when Celestia herself is telling me it in fact I was just going to guard the Lady Luna?!" His voice was steadily growing as he began to stand up as he felt the metaphorical punch from Twilight's supposed betrayal.

“Marcus I don’t understand I told you—“

“I thought that we were friends Lady Twilight! I see now that this was some form of mockery on my behest Pedica me, I cannot believe how much of a stulte I have been for believe this bull!” he finished slamming his fist down on the table finally breaking his gaze from Twilight who was now quivering somewhat from a response she was not expecting.

Celestia now placed herself between twilight and Marcus and was staring intently at him “Marcus calm down this isn't what you think I understand it has been a trying night for you but you’re not thinking straight.”

Marcus couldn’t take much more of this. He cursed himself from a number of reasons he cursed himself for his inability to contain his anger, he cursed himself for the tears that where forming in the corner of his eye.

Stop this, Legionaries do not cry like children. He screamed internally at himself.

Lastly he cursed himself for ever believing that royalty and nobility could be befriended. Once again he was just the metaphorical Minotaur of Canterlot that the nobles poked and played with until he charged. At least he was able to deal with them but Twilight? He considered Twilight a friend, a comrade she was one of the few that kept him company, kept him sane for those weeks he was bed ridden, was it all just a farce?

Marcus breathed in and out for a short time he lifted his head from the direction of the table and towards Celestia who was now standing eye to eye with him.

“I apologies immensely for the outburst, I have no excuse for acting in such a way around royalty, if you will allow me I think I need rest.”

Celestia was about to scold Marcus for his actions until she saw the comers of his eyes filling with tears she had only seen him cry once, and that was during his first time waking up in the infirmary, Stallions like Marcus don’t cry lightly she reminded herself.
He certainly has Lulu’s quick temper I’ll give him that.

“Marcus as much as I would like nothing more than for you to rest and forget about this whole ordeal, you need to understand that Twilight was telling the truth.

“Parce mihi Princess. I maybe a fool, but I know how marriages go I was for a time married myself.”

Celestia raised her eye slightly at that. She contemplated asking further but right now it was better not open up a whole other can of worm she mentally noted to ask about that later. “Marcus listen to me I need to know, how are relationships formed in your land.”

Marcus refused to meet the princesses’ gaze whipping the forming tears from his eye with an angry swipe. “Well depending on who you are the heads of the family will meet and agree to join the houses together with marriage using one of their family members obviously. During this they will sort out some sort of dowry payment that would be mutually beneficial to family most times the women’s side of the family and that would be that.” Marcus stated confidently like with Twilight before he was not sure where this was going but if the Princess’s wanted to know he was not going to deny her.

Celestia sighed. Of course that would be the case. Lulu probably forgot to ask if Marcus even understood the concept of dating, it’s still a relatively new custom here in Equestria only four hundred years, especially among the noble families and was vastly diffrent to courting. “Marcus what if where to tell you that my sister was asking you to be with her romantically without marriage?”

“I-I well I suppose I would argue what the point was, would it not be unproductive and a waste of time to both families involved?”
“Well What if were to also tell you that I had no real say in the matter that this was purely a decision between two ponies who are interested one another for who they were without any form of Money or land or politics involved at all?”

Marcus crossed his arms and stared intently at his chest deep in thought he had heard of couples who ran off with one another just to be with one another despite their families’ wishes. The concept never sat right with him the admiration of a wife and husband was learned over time it had to be worked at simply running off was selfish and hurt the family and for what simple romance? The idea just didn’t sit right with him.

“I think I see what you are getting at my Lady, but I can’t help but state the needlessness of it all doing this helps no one it feels incredibly selfish.”

“I don’t understand your meaning Marcus?”

“In my homeland Marriage is for the benefit of the family there is mutual trade that strengthens the Republic in some form or another, Marriage means the joining of Alliances and encourages trade between what could have been rival factions, it creates children that will one day help protect and strengthen the land. I don’t understand what benefit this will bring anyone.”

Celestia looked down and sighed where is Cadence when you need her. Celestia thought to herself. Maybe I can try a different angle?

“Marcus what do you make of Luna, what do you feel around her?”

“I…I don’t know what you are trying to say?” Marcus answered timidly.

“Do you have any feelings for her beyond your job as her protector, you can be honest here I won’t judge in anyway.”

“I don’t know honestly, she… she makes me calm I suppose, just looking at her, I don’t know how to put it in words even in my native tongue I never had the mind for poetry but her grace’s presence is tranquil I feel like everything, everything will be fine as long as she’s around… it sounds like complete cack when say it out load.”

Celestia shook her head and smiled “No I think I understand Marcus we have a word for that in Equestria word that might help you grasp.”

“What is it?”

“Love Marcus, well at least the early stages of it it’s a selfless and selfish feeling in of itself but considering my sister was the one to instigate that feeling to you I would say that happiness is the answer to your question.”

“I-I don’t understand what you mean”

“Think of it this way and this might sound a bit cold but if you two are happy being around each other, that happiness benefits you, us, everypony, seeing my sister happy after so many years would do more than any amount of bits in that chest or in Equestria, as a friend your happiness would also help everypony including Luna happiness it is infectious like love itself. It’s a subtle benefit I grant you but it’s no less true don’t you agree?”

Marcus placed a hand over his forehead stroking it lightly as he attempted to contemplate Celestia’s words and wrestle with his own feeling at the same time.

I see what she means, in a way, damn this is too fast, I need time.

“I think I see what you are trying to say, it just seems a bit foreign I understand what compassion and um Love as you call it is, but in my land that takes time it’s something you work for after years it’s not something that can be given freely except in rare cases I grant you.”

Celestia nodded “in a way it’s not that dissimilar in Equestria a relationship grows stronger over time but its usually something both ponies feel right from the beginning no matter how small that cements this, surly your friendship with her before this was something the time and work you needed to create these feelings, you will understand soon enough I’m sure.”

“I-I guess I shall” Marcus felt a slight relief at finally being let in on the whole situation at least he wasn’t grasping at straws anymore. That didn’t last however as then he was hit with a unnerving guilt inside himself he turned to the cause of this, the smaller princess who was still a little shaken and downtrodden his heart gave out at the idea that he was the cause of this as he threw his knees to the floor and lowered his head.

“Princess Twilight, oh Jupiter I cannot begin to state how sorry I am, I reacted to quickly and I disgraced myself and you’re name in insulting your integrity please I ask only for your forgiveness one day ,I assume ten strikes with the whip will be in order, I’ll alert the guards myself.”

Twilight shook herself from her downtrodden stupor she was usually not so intimidated by, well anything after the creatures she had faced but Marcus a friend had truly intimidating temper. Though he didn’t use it often, It was probably what made him as adept as a Captain she though.

“What? no Marcus wait its ok I forgive you, I would never ask you to hurt yourself for something like that! Where still friends after all” she finished with a small but meaningful smile that Marcus despite everything returned.

He slowly began to rise from his humble location but found his mind was not acting as he commanded his body was dizzy as he rose and his eye sight was blurring the room somewhat.

“Marcus your hand!” Twilight yelled in exacerbated tone

Marcus turned his attention to the his left hand or more accurately the blood that was dripping from it onto the floor his hand was bleeding heavily as small but constant trickles made its way to the fingertips. This would not have bothered the soldier normally but coupled with his head and other ailments it was the straw that broke the camels back.

“Huh the cut must have been deeper than I thought.” He began to laugh but as his mind and body failed him and he collapsed onto the floor as darkness took hold.

Celestia managed to grab him in her telekinesis for the second time tonight before the Roman hit the floor. She grunted from the weight. Celestia had found that Humans where surprisingly resilient to magic she and her fellow Princesses theorized long before that since her magic was inherently tied to the magic of the land as all things had magic in Equestria no matter how small. Except for Humans so using any type of magic meant adding ones magic to the Human's as well as manipulating the magic around the user in in short it was something not easily done. As of yet only Alicorns and very talented unicorns seemed to have enough magical prowess to effect the species and even then it was no picnic.

She laid the unconscious captain onto a group of pillows silently thankful for Twilight's assistance in bringing them to his location.
Celestia had managed to sacrifice some of her silk bedding ripping a part of it off with ease and levitating some water to clean the wounds that had been in a glass by her bed after cleaning and bandaging the wound she decided that at least for now it was best to simply leave the Human be.

The room was quite for a time, partly because of the tension of what had just unfolded. But also so that they would not wanting to wake the sleeping man even if they both knew that wasn’t going to happen for a while. After a few minutes however Twilight finally broke the silent pact.

“Celestia” she whispered.

“Yes Twilight”

“Did you know Princess Luna was going to ask Marcus to be his special somepony?”

“I must confess I didn’t, Its true I had hoped that making Marcus a guard for Luna would be a good chance for her to make more friends she seemed to have bonded with him quite well during his days at the hospital, and being that the where both a little how do I put it… out of touch with modern ponys, maybe they would bond over their indifference. Although I never expected Luna to develop anything past friendship. Not that I have any objections Marcus is a fine stallion if a little odd at times” she hastily added the last part.

Twilight chuckled softly “Yeah he can give Pinkie a run for her bits sometimes.” her laugh die a little as she glanced over to Marcus’s figure.

Celestia noticed Twilight's apprehension “He will be fine Twilight he just needs rest.”

“It’s not that princess, it’s just kind of sad when you think about it, not only is he the only known human in Equestria but he basically comes from the past. I know this is going to sound horrible but I can’t believe he’s managed to last this long it’s the first time I’ve ever seen him this flustered I hope he’s going to be ok.”

Celestia slid a wing over her former student the action reassuring Twilight somewhat as she leaned into her mentor’s side. “True, he show great strength both physically and mentally to survive what he’s been through, putting him on the Luna Guard was also my idea as a way of adjusting him without forcing him into the world too quickly I think Luna’s proposal just sacred him somewhat as you said this is the first time in so many years that he’s acted this way I’m sure he will be fine.

I hope for Lulu’s sake that’s true. Celestia added mentally casting a sullen look on the resting captain.

Author's Note:

Apologies for the long wait
Damn this chapter to that special level of hell for people who talk in movie theaters.
I don't think I've written, scrapped and rewritten something so many times in my life and in the end im still not happy with it. Oh well hopefully everyone reading took some enjoyment from it. At least i finally broke the three chapter curse that's been looming over my stories for so long.

Also Apologies for the long wait thanks for everyone waiting patently i know ho annoying that can be hopefully the extra long next chapter will act as a bonus for my fickle writing schedule.

Thanks for reading anyway if you like don't forget to Like, Comment you know the drill.