No Sun-Queen Shall Rend Asunder

by Plough and Stars Pony

A Different Goodnight Two Bravi

Author's Note:

The title is Manifold because I had in mind two or three different versions, as they are occurring in different universes. I take it from Stephen Baxter's "Manifold" Quadrilogy of resolutions of the Fermi Paradox.
This is the first story I wrote in that old diary. It is also a story I sent to Babsy as a Christmas present in an e-mail attachment before I went to Dad's house for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the day after that. Babs got back to me and said what I had written were very well-written, which pleased me for a first serious attempt in this fandom. Thank you, Bad Seed, and everypony, enjoy.

A Goodnight, Manifold Two Bravi

The two couples parted company in the Entrance Hall, eight pairs of hoofs clinking good night to wakefulness. Flash thought he saw Cadence flick a knowing smile in their direction out of the corner of his eye.

At the doors to their rooms, Twilight sighed and turned to face him. “Thank you for taking me to the play, Flash,” she said, smiling warmly, a faint redness dusting her purple fur. A similar smile graced Flash’s muzzle, prompted by a force stronger than the moon tugging at the hidden tide between them.

“It was a ple-, an honour, Twilight,” he replied. Careful, he cautioned himself.

Twilight’s smile broadened. The dusk tint to her fur deepened. Silent seconds stretched.

Flash yawned, hiding it well with his fore-hoof. He was about to pivot on his hoofs for his calling bed, when Twilight suddenly cocked her head to the side. Flash fixed his eyes on her, waiting and pondering.

“I just thought,” she said “You still haven’t seen much of the Empire yet, have you?” she queried her escort. Flash, surprised, shook his head, long-sharpened and honed wariness flicking its ears to the wind.

“Oh, well, um . . . would you fancy a tour of the Crystal Empire f-from me?

Flash’s blush ran through his body, a cosy heat.. B-but that means hours and hours or a whole day, maybe , with her talking to me, and smiling, and laughing. A mental image came to him: The two of them sitting on a hill overlooking the Empire, wings tucked over each other, her head resting on his shoulder . . . Flash thrust the picture away like it was a bomb, clamping and taping his wings to his side, willing his syntax to be calm and measured.

He felt his lips melt in a welcoming smile and his voice say: “Of course, I would like a tour, Twilight.”

A second grateful grin, before it faltered. “Oh, this is going to put my studies back a bit, though,” Twilight murmured, before perking up. “But I could always spend a little longer here.” She beamed at Flash.

“Thank you so much,” she cried ecstatically. “You’re quite the gentle-colt, aren’t you?” she teased.

Flash’s smile broadened to an embarrassed grin, trailing a hoof along the floor, scorching heat swirling through his chest and cheeks. Did that just happen? Or have I fallen asleep again? Well, I know I am tired, but –

“Aww, you look so cute like that,” Twilight cooed, more to herself, but Flash heard it all the same.

He froze, one hoof-tip on the corner of one crystal square, and the three squares surrounding it. I’m dreaming, he thought, Yes, I’m asleep, I was talking to her, and now I’m in bed, dreaming about her invitation . . .yes, that -

A soft clinking drew his mind out of the squares, though not his eyes. It was a clinking drawing nearer and nearer.

An out-of-focus purple hoof glided in to his gaze. Flash felt it under his chin, lifting his eyes from the colours of the gem-inlaid floor. Twilight Sparkle looked at him, warm black pools of immeasurable kindness almost reflecting the poor, cursed stallion staring helplessly in to them.

A blush adorned her muzzle as before. And her lips were parted just a little.

Flash’s brain sputtered and choked up.

She’s so close gleamed bright and clear through his mind.

Then he noticed, of all terrible and divined circumstances, she held his chin with that hoof; the hoof he had dishonoured and sullied with his hopeless affection.

Twilight slowly lowered the hoof, rubbing the fur of his neck, and resting it on the blue star insignia of the Royal Guard. Flash bit down an involuntary groan as she grazed him.

“Don’t look so sad, Flash,” Twilight murmured. “You really are sort of cute; smart, loyal, compassionate, polite…” she giggled.

Flash could not think, his heart throbbing so painfully from her confession. He was lost in her words, melting his wit to a syrup-thick quagmire.

He saw Twilight flick her eyes over his face concentrating. Her horn glowed purple. A purple aura flushed around his helmet, and Flash felt the metal lighten and lift.

A gurgle of sound rose in his throat: “Twilight?” he began curiously.

“Sshh,” she whispered, the zephyr brushing and tickling his muzzle. Twilight inclined her head towards him, her eyes closing and her lips puckered and dewy. Flash’s breath stiffened in his throat but his heart continued to beat painful pulses.

He felt the silk-like touch of her lips on his cheek, soft and warm. Although it was silent, it cracked and boomed and howled with all the thunders of Heaven and the shattering of long-ossified custom. She, a princess, had defied the Order and scorned the highest of Celestia’s teachings. It was a political act.

Flash realised his eyes were closed too. Upon opening them, he saw her muzzle only inches from his, as if thinking, but really pausing. The mere sight of her so close sparked a hopelessly dreamed-of urge within him; first after kissing her hoof, the second on the train. When he had almost given in.

Twilight noticed him looking, and giggled. A bright rosy blush glowed under her fur. Then she was cantering across the floor and vanishing in to the cave-dimness of her room. Flash stared after her, hoof raised to touch the blessed spot. A wide and true toothy grin, his first for months; and he weighed as light as golden air. Treading slowly through his room, detaching his armour, the redeemed stallion could think about the kiss.

“Oh, what did I do? What did I do?” Twilight murmured distractedly pacing her room. All euphoria was gone to be replaced by anxiety. She liked Flash, true she did. But did she like him in the way which merited her pecking him on the cheek? Would it sabotage her friendship with a genuinely nice stallion?

And then there was the Order…

This would be the first time in her small circumscribed life she had flouted the Order. What would Celestia say, on a small act of affection given to her Guard?

As she reached up to rumple her mane, the room swam about her and she gave vent to a huge yawn. “I’m too tired for this just now,” she conceded as she crawled in to bed. Twilight instantly fell asleep.

Flash woke up, the feeble light of dawn creeping through the window. For a moment he could place the reason for his elation. Then he remembered the warm kiss. Rubbing his muzzle in to the pillow he allowed himself a grin of glee. His lungs soughed with sighs of ecstasy.

Does this mean she likes me too? The answer seemed to be tantalizingly obvious.

Flash needed a moment, just a moment in the glorious early morning sun.

But he could not lie in. He must fulfill the duty of escort. Flash rose, gathered together and clicked on his armour.

It was a bashful Twilight Sparkle which gave good tidings outside her bedroom door several minutes later.

“Flash,” the alicorn began, as they kicked up a trot for the Dining Hall. “What I … what I …why I did that thing last night … because I like you, I like you a lot – but I need to figure how that will change things between us … you are still my Guard,” she said.

Flash nodded, every nod heavy and understanding.

"But you are still my Princess," the orange one countered in his brain.

The two entered the Dining Hall, where cadence and Shining armour were already ensconced. Why, Flash wondered, is she smiling such a subtle crafty grin?

Comments

[Ultimate Warrior of Zera]

That was very cute.

Here's a tip. Italicize thoughts so that we can tell it apart from narrative. Also, you forgot to capitalize some of the names.