44 - Marry Me!
Laud pushed to his feet. "We should not be away for too long, or they will get ideas."
"Ideas?" Lyra's horn began to glow as she snatched up her box. "Oh, hey, I mean... I still want to give this to you."
Laud's eyes followed the dimly glowing case, imagining what manner of fancy ring rested within. It was a gilded cage, crafted just for him. The unicorn that stood beside it was looking at him with a hopeful smile.
"We're already this far." Not accepting the gift would just be a harsh rebuttal on Lyra, who didn't seem to deserve it. He reached out and took it from her glowing grip. It looked just like a standard ring's case. It felt fuzzy, and had a seam that ran along near the top of it. He easily popped it open and revealed the jewelry within.
The candied jewelry. It was a length of string adorned with countless bits of sugar rock and discs of other confections. He could smell the sweetness. "Is..."
"It's nice, right?" Lyra's smile brightened before falling. "You look confused."
Laud pulled the balled up necklace free of the tiny box, letting it unfold out into a great clattering mass. "Is this how ponies propose?" He imagined smiling ponies standing side by side with candy necklaces, proudly announcing they were engaged. It was... adorable, and absurd.
Lyra tilted her head left and right as if examining the necklace. "Is something wrong with it? It's a friendship bracelet. It fits you, right? It should! Put it on!"
Laud almost dropped the necklace in a moment of lightheadedness. "Friendship... bracelet? Is that just how ponies refer to marriage?"
"N-no?" She pointed at it. "I just... We're friends, right? I wanted to show it, so even if you go home, you'll know, for sure, you have a friend, even if she has more legs than you." She took hold of the necklace in her magic, easily pulling it from Laud's limp fingers. She placed it around his neck triumphantly.
Laud took a slow breath. "We should... go."
"Y-yeah, like it?" She walked past him, an eye following him as she went. "I asked Pinkie for help picking flavors. I don't know how, but she knows everyone's favorite."
"I'm sure it's fine," assured Laud with a defeated nicker. It took a moment to realize he had made that equine noise in just the right way. He was going native, possibly in more ways than that, if things proceeded in the direction they were headed. "Lyra, whether you meant it or--" He snapped back into attention and realized Lyra had slipped out on him, leaving him standing alone in his room. "I have to pull myself together."
Paul's eyes were on Twilight. "Tell me, what are the proceedings for marriage between two of royal blood?"
Twilight smiled nervously. "Well, typically, the two parties would gather their family in Canterlot, with Princess Celestia overseeing the proceedings and officiating. If they can't secure her time and presence, I suppose any princess would do, seeing as we have more than just her these days." As she talked, she relaxed, going into informational dumping mode, she began musing over it instead of any consequences. "It would be best to ask her first, just for propriety. Failing that, it would be my honor to assist." She put a hoof at her chest. "What is marriage but a friendship with commitments?"
"It can be many things," replied Paul with far more caution. He had seen the surprise in Laud's expression. "Do married couples gain the ranks and titles of their spouse, or are they considered something else?"
Twilight tapped her chin. "My brother, Shining Armor, became prince when he married a princess."
Paul sat up suddenly. "You two aren't--"
Twilight went red instantly. "No! Not me!" She let out a hysterical but brief laugh. "No... He's happily married to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." She met Paul's appraising stare. "I trust your people also have rules about that sort of thing. Siblings should not... do that."
A soldier nudged Spike in the ribs. "What should be and what nobles do when no one's looking isn't always the same." He said it quietly, but his translator did not oblige his wish for discretion.
Twilight's wings popped free and she sank into her seat, a frazzled mess. "N-no..."
Paul fixed the soldier a stare. "We didn't come here to offend our host. That comment could have you executed in more palaces than not, and I wouldn't even stop them." He hiked a thumb towards the exit of the castle. "Go back to the ship and pass the translator to someone that'll make less of a fool of themselves with it."
The disciplined soldier rose to his feet and stiffly bowed to Paul, then Twilight. "Sorry, Your Highness."
Twilight watched him walk stiffly away. "It's... alright," she weakly called after him before looking back to Paul. "I mean it, no offense is... taken, so long as we're clear that that is entirely improper. I know how stallions can be. Give them a chance and they'll make up the most horrible of jokes."
"Stallion?" He put it together quickly even as he said it. "Men can be that way, but it is the duty of those over them to put them back on track before they cause harm. He won't quickly forget this humiliation, as he caused to you, Your Ladyship." An idea occurred to him. Marring a random noble was fine, good enough, but... "Have you a husband?"
Twilight's blush, which had been fading, returned with a vengeance. "I haven't found any pony that I look at... that way." She raised a hoof. "I'm not interested, thank you. Besides, Laud is taken."
Paul went quiet, taking some of his food rather than look surprised. Twilight had seemed...
Lyra came trotting back into the room. "Sorry to disturb dinner! I'll get out of all your manes." She kept going past the table.
Paul set his fork down. "What is your name? I would meet a friend of a friend, as it were."
Lyra stopped, spinning on one hoof to face Paul with a smile. "Oh, sure! You're friends with Laud? I mean, of course you are." she clopped a hoof against her forehead just beside her horn. "All of you are friends, right?"
"In a manner of speaking." Paul turned in his chair, sliding it slightly so he could face Lyra. "We all belong to the same house, though he doesn't know each of us personally. He knows me. I am Duke Paul Hawkwood, and you are?"
"Lyra Heartstrings," she replied easily, sitting, then dipping her head at Paul. "You're a Duke, huh?" She raised a hoof. "But... well, different people. What responsibilities does a Hawkwood duke have?"
"An astute question." Paul smiled just a little at the unicorn. The fact that she had to ask meant she wasn't reaching into his head. That was a small comfort. "I am responsible for a great number of men and women. Someone with my rank could reign over most of a world, possibly the entire thing depending on the planet in question. I specialize in off-world actions, making me master of my ship and many other smaller vessels."
Lyra whistled low and long. "A whole world?! What? How many worlds do you humans have that you put a duke in charge of one of them like it's not even a big deal?"
Twilight tensed. "Lyra, be polite."
"I'm not offended," assured Paul, his eyes on Lyra's bright expression. "Allow me to be plain. We have more worlds than this world likely has countries. This is one of many, but it is an ideal one, pastoral and rich, with friendly natives." He leaned forward slightly. "That last is quite rare. We do not have a history of peaceful interactions with those who are different than us."
Lyra pulled her head back. "What? Why? I mean, sure, you humans are... different in all kinds of ways, but that's what makes you so interesting." She spread her hooves wide. "Being different doesn't mean we can't be friends. If Twilight can manage to make friends with the yaks, you can't be too awful in comparison."
Yaks? Paul did not voice that question, turning it instead to something related. "How many intelligent species are there on this world?"
Twilight nodded softly. "There are quite a number of sapient species. It is my hope to establish contact with them all and forge new alliances. It's far past time we all stood side by side."
Lyra pointed at Paul. "We're making friends with people from a whole other world before we even finished counting all the possible friends here?" She stood up. "Life's pretty crazy, huh? Oh! Uh, don't force Laud, alright? I didn't mean to start trouble."
"Whyever would I force Sir Laud? I am very certain he will act in a proper way without any word from me." He clasped his hands together, elbows on his legs. "Did he accept your proposal?"
Lyra opened her mouth, a yes ready to spill out when it hit her. "We're friends for life," she corrected herself. "Even if he goes home with the rest of you, he'll never forget." Looking self-satisfied, she turned for the door and began trotting. "Have a nice dinner!"
Twilight let out a slow breath. "Is that all that was? Why did... nevermind. I'll never understand Lyra..."
"She is difficult to discern in your eyes?" Paul filed that fact away. "It would seem that, perhaps, Laud is available."
Twilight stiffened. "Perhaps, some day, he'll find that special somepony." She raised a hoof to cough into it. "But that's neither here nor--There he is. Welcome back, Laud."
Laud nodded towards Twilight as he came around the corner. He patted the shoulder of one of the guards on the way, getting a thumbs up in reply. "Sorry for that display. It was a misunderstanding."
Paul nodded lightly. "One I feel hasn't been entirely resolved. We'll talk, later. Until then, Your Ladyship, about those other sapient species?"
Lyra closed the door behind herself and sank to the floor, legs spreading out as she went as limp as warm jelly. "Oooo," she groaned out miserably.
Bon Bon raised a brow, watching Lyra fall apart. "Did he say no?"
"He... didn't say anything."
Bon Bon frowned softly. "He didn't talk to you?"
"I chickened out!" Lyra sat up with an angry expression. "Everyone there made it a huge... thing... and I... I got scared, alright? You didn't see his face. He thought I was trapping him, and I was. I could have made him my husband by force, just like that. He woulda been forced into it and hated us forever... I didn't want that..." She began to sink, strength leaving her. "I don't want that..."
Bon Bon hopped up onto the counter and down to the floor, her hooves striking the wood in her speedy trot to Lyra's side. "I'm sorry for asking you to do that. Look, relax. I'll handle this."
Lyra blinked at Bon Bon. "But... I..." She sat up slowly. "I thought... Do you even like him, that way?"
Bon Bon frowned a little. "No. He's a creepy alien... you're the one that likes him that way. That won't stop me from getting this done." She sat down and clopped her forehooves together in one strong strike. "Just wait. I'll open and close this case with no room for doubts. By the time I'm done, he'll be yours, ours, really, but I'll let you keep him. That's what friends do, right?"
Lyra blurted out a choked laugh. "You're too much, Bonnie. Why do you even put up with me?" She sat up, leaning against Bon Bon the entire way until she could get her hooves around the less distraught mare and hug her tightly. "You're the best friend any mare could ever ask for."
Bon Bon gently kissed the tip of Lyra's horn. "Right back at you. We'll get through this, together, silly unicorn."
The social drama deepens. Will Lyra and Bon Bon be a solution to problems, or just make everything more complicated. That proposal certainly had a few typos in it.
Want this story updated faster? Want to get your own story written? Want to just support the author in his writing? Join the 
atreon!
Join my discord to chat!
Stats
Page generated in 0.033 seconds
Total duration
877 users online
637,225 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Such "Freindship".
Oh, herds. I wonder how Laud will take that. And how the Hawkwoods will take that. And how the rest of the human nobles that will find out about will will take that... yeah
Pauls doing that little thing of finding alternatives to local powerful goverment so he can use it to cause strife and conflict if needed to make the main leaders beg him to come in and take the problem off thier hooves.
Whats it called? Formenting Rebellion?
And we havent even seen the super expanded map in any detail at all yet, and Im sure its still less than half th world.
Oh, Lyra. You big chicken.
You’re not Scootaloo! Mare up and ask the guy out!
Bon Bon be schemin'! What'choo up to candy horse?
Okay, I gotta ask. Why do you put a reference to typos in every single author's note?
8794048
They are constant, much like typos. Do your part and report any typos you see.
So close! But, her maturity allocated more time to strengthen the bonds, such as they are.
Wouldn't it be funny if Laud went and tried laying others? Awkward!
Keep going! ;)
I wonder if any of the humans will try to establish 'relations' with Starlight. They did seem awfully interested in her ability to copy those translators and other items. I could see one of them Wanting to bring somepony like that into the House/family.
8794183
But would she measure as an angel, or a demon?
8796410
Fixed!
KNOCK KNOCK OPEN UP THE DOOR IT’S BON BON!
Is Bon Bon really suggesting that she’d strongarm Laud into a marriage immediately after Lyra just chickened out of proposing to him because it would strongarm him into marriage regardless of his opinion on the matter? If so, why the hell didn’t Lyra stop her? Am I missing something here?
8797070
Upset and emotional people are always the most rational.
8797079
While people can lose sight of the bigger picture and/or consequences when they’re emotional I’ve yet to find someone who loses sight of the thing that is making them emotional in the first place. The only way I can see Lyra letting Bon Bon go would be if she somehow misinterpreted what Bon Bon was saying, but there isn’t really a lot of room for interpretation there. If anything, the room for interpretation that is there is close enough to what Lyra’s hyperfocused on right now that Lyra is less likely to interpret it charitably and is more likely to snap at Bon Bon.
8797190
One of them is the 'logical' one, who happens to be a secret agent. Maybe she has faith.
Well that was an interesting turn of events, and now I'm out of chapters.
So wait, they usually propose with candy? Awesome! 
8794708
i dunno but id love to have starlight as a part of my family.....i always wanted a sister
8806327
Starlight would be an interesting sister, surely.
8806335
yeah it wasnt the first time i thought of a pony that way i always looked to celestia as a 2nd mother figure
8794048
it's a running gag, and a reminder that typos occasionally slip through.
Ahh I love the friend zone and the struggle to get out of it always has me internally screaming in anticipation.