Marriage of Convenience
Nopony would call it the wedding of the century or millennium. Hyperbole wasn't inappropriate, but everypony knew it would ring hollow given the royal wedding of Cadence. And if even peers did not trumpet their nuptials as stupendous, two codfish aristocrats of Ponyville certainly knew better than to say such a thing. Diamond Tiara tried, once or twice, including in the first draft of the invitations. Silver Spoon shook her head one time and they had a second draft done in ten minutes.
It was a much-anticipated wedding, surely. Others had been more notable, the weddings of citizens much more generally beloved by the community. But The Rich family and the Lode family had notoriety. And to combine such prestigious lines was something truly big, especially as it was well known that the girls would take the reins of their respective families' companies. That was enough to ensure a one hundred percent positive RSVP response, even from ponies they didn't expect to hear from, like the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Maturity had come to all, at last.
Because of all the prominence there was a small paparazzi presence promised, and delivered. The local gadflies were there, as well as one or two from the rags in Canterlot. Everypony, from guest to the press, swarmed Ponyville city hall, being glad-hoofed by a very enthusiastic Mayor Mare. Flashbulbs popped and pencils scratched across reporter's pads as the story was slowly crafted, line by line and shot by shot.
The real action was behind the scenes, where the brides-to-be were adhering to the Equestrian tradition of not seeing one another before the ceremony. The hall had been designed with minor major events, such as weddings for the notable, in mind. It was deep and broad, capable of segregating a couple on opposite sides of the place, allowing them to avoid contact until they got to the aisle.
Diamond Tiara was being tended to by a small army of mares. The iron-hard mare had grown up nicely. Her limbs were long and gracile, and every motion was elegant. She bounced her mane beneath her veil and admired herself in the mirror. Her white dress hugged her slim form near the chest and sleeves then exploded into a cacophony of lace, taffeta and crepe, leading down into a tremendous lower bell that swept the floor. Her rear hooves were shrouded but they were likely clad in a copy of what was on the front: high-heeled open-hoofed white shoes with fancy filigree punched into them. She grinned behind the veil at the attire. White. That certainly wasn't right. Hadn't been for years. Silver had been... rather aggressive about taking care of that years before. Not that she had been a slouch but she had not been the initiator... the first time.
It was distinctly different in the other room. Silver Spoon was taking care of herself. She didn't need a big army of assistants. After taking care of her mane that morning she came in to the hall's dressing room and put on her own gown. It was a Carousel Boutique original, more taffeta than anything else, with embellishments of silk and satin all over the outfit. It fit her body nicely, to her slight chagrin. She had not become as slim and long as her bride-to-be. She had grown up thick and solid, the Lode bloodline expressing itself in yet another generation of rock-solid bones and short profile for getting through mines with low ceilings. She resembled, in some sense, Mrs. Cup Cake. It wasn't BAD. But she felt very out of place beside her glamorous fiancee. Though yet again, it made them look like the Cakes, the picture of marital bliss.
She settled the veil slowly over her face and smiled. It was her day. And Diamond's day. But hers too. After waiting, planning, preparing for something that seemed like a dream it... still felt like a dream. She couldn't believe what was happening. She was getting married. A marriage well supported by both families, sure to solidly consolidate mountains of wealth and strengthen two slightly-disparate companies, allowing them to fill in gaps in services. She would become a big wheel in the grand machine, and tick along as had been intended all her life.
A knock roused her from her reverie and made Silver turn around. “I'm ready. Is it time yet?”
“Sorry. It's Featherweight.”
“Featherweight? Really? I thought you moved to Canterlot.”
“I did. Can I come in?”
“Sure.” Silver watched the door open to reveal Featherweight. The years had been kind to him. His gangly gawkiness had been replaced with a long and graceful look. It was very feminine, but some stallions could pull that off. What had not changed was the camera harness attached to him. He was also wearing a small brown hat with a 'Press' tag on it. “Well now... Featherweight. I didn't know what became of you. I thought you'd become a portrait photographer.”
The stallion stood proudly for a moment, almost seeming to be posing for his long-ago acquaintance. “Nope! My work on the Gabby Gums column really impressed prospective employers. I finally got hired by The Lantern. Sure, it's all puff pieces. But Namby Pamby is the editor over there and told me if I kept on the society beat steadily, I'd move up really quickly.”
Silver nodded, moving over to a chair. “The Lantern? Well, it's a step up from The Equestrian Investigator or the Monthly Planetary News. Congratulations. And the society page. I guess that's why you're here. This is sort of a big deal in this town. We're not so big or important around here but it's home.”
“Ha! We're not kids anymore. I thought you would have paid attention to what was going on around here. Thanks to all the activity around here the town is famous. Ponies are really taking notice of what's happening. And if important ponies do interesting things, everypony in Canterlot wants the scoop.” Featherweight snapped a shot of Silver in her wedding dress. “And it's a chance to come home.”
Silver laughed musically and blushed behind her veil. “It's great to see you again. So many of the foals from that time have moved off. We're just lucky a lot of them are still around, we have plenty of guests. Diamond really wanted to make sure the crowd was nice and big. It didn't matter much to me. I just wanted this to happen.”
“Diamond has always been like that I guess. Loved being in the spotlight. She seems to enjoy putting herself in the papers, with you along for the ride. I'm amazed you haven't had a scandal.”
“Not for lack of trying on the part of the cheaper papers. 'Rich Family Heiress does something mildly embarrassing' or 'Party-Loving Rich mare parties with friend.' It's almost sad that they can't do much more than that. But... it makes me proud of her. She's a good mare. A very good mare.” Silver sighed happily and looked slightly away from Featherweight, sinking into her thoughts as she often did.
“A very rich mare. Richest heiress in all of Ponyville. And in some of the mountain-base communities. You're not far off but she IS the wealthiest.” Featherweight snapped a photo of the unfocused bride.
“What?” There was something to that statement. Something oddly accusatory in it that made Silver snap quickly back to reality. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“I work the society beat. I keep track of this kind of thing. She's been stated to be the next head of Rich Holdings, to take on all the business. And you were going to handle Lode Mining and Processing. And both those are going to merge, then focus on solidifying the power base.”
“This sounds more like the business page. You're no Bull Market. Stick to fluff pieces about drunk peers and pet shows.” Silver snorted and jumped out of her seat. “I think we're done here.”
“Wait! I'm not trying to be insulting or imply anything. But I'm saying... doesn't this remind you of anything?”
“Yes, it reminds me of my wedding day. A wedding day which I am not going to miss for your sake. You have your photos. I'll even make a statement. Leave.” Silver pushed Featherweight towards the door, putting her thick body to excellent use against the twig-like pegasus.
“Hey! I'm trying to say, this is a cliché and you know it! This is a farce and a con-job of the highest magnitude that has many social implications and I think you need to see it.” Featherweight struggled wildly, twisting and kicking his limbs about to try and find a place to secure himself and make a stand to stay.
Silver pushed him further, but slowed down after a time, eventually stopping as his words sunk in. She ceased her shoving and looked to the panting stallion, eyes narrowed behind her veil. “What are you talking about?”
“All this. All this is just a... a sparkly, ribbon-covered joke being played on you by forces you can't even imagine. You're being played by the rich and powerful. This is textbook romantic comedy and romantic drama stuff. You're entering a marriage arranged by powerful business-owners between a stuck-up rich mare and a follower. Sorry Silver but that's how you've always been. You just... you're buying into it. You're giving in to a basic plot. You're going to marry this awful mare, merge all that money, then the next thing you know you'll be shackled to a job you hate, perpetuating this cycle while you slowly get bitter and hateful towards her. You need to run off with the pony you're secretly seeing, the exciting one with no cash but lots of heart that really understands you. Sure you're not getting the giant mansion, but it will be honest and great. Come on Silver. Nopony else will tell you this. Go for it! Break free!” Featherweight got progressively more animated, going from slowly striding up to Silver, to stalking around her, punching the air and waving a hoof at the heavens.
Silver looked down at the ground, her posture almost seeming castigated by the grand declarations of Featherweight. Suddenly a hoof came up to strike the stallion across the face. “THAT'S for Diamond.” Another heavy smack came across in the other direction. “And that one is for saying I ever betrayed her.”
Though the Lode genes were strong, she herself was not. The hoof-strikes scarcely affected Featherweight, even despite his slimness. “Your anger is understandable. You're facing a nightmare. Having to confront that you set your whole life and your own happiness aside for money and manipulation. It's okay. But you don't have to... OOF!” The commiseration ended when Silver came to the side and lifted a kick into his gut.
“Listen to me, and you listen well...” Silver wasn't playing around. Her voice was hard and the eyes behind her glasses and veil were set in a hard glare. This ISN'T some stupid romantic comedy, or a drama or crazy conspiracy theory. This is a pony tale. And what's more, it's MINE! Know how it ends? I marry Diamond, and we live happily ever after. We do it in spite of the likes of you... in DEFIANCE of the likes of you.”
Featherweight coughed softly, groaning slowly as she rubbed his stomach. “W-what are you talking about? I... I've been in Canterlot... I've seen it all. It's like all the movies I've watched all my life. Betrayal, lies, slander, scandals... this is exactly that. Money, power and a mare with a really bad attitude. You've been groomed all your life for a job you're going to hate with a mare you blindly followed when your heart was elsewhere.”
The look that Silver was giving changed. It went from fury to... pity. “I'm so sorry that you're so broken you think movies and crazy ramblings are real life. I'm also sorry that there are places where they still might be. But you just... don't understand. Nopony understands. Diamond is... protecting me. She always had to get others. But it just became automatic. She did it to protect herself, and me. She loves me. And I love her, with all my heart. And the job... I don't hate it. I can't hate it. It's where my talent lies. A silver spoon, the processed and refined outcome of our mines. And Diamond makes jewelry which she can retail like a professional. Others look at us and see empty-headed society parasites. They don't know how brilliant we are. Shrewd and canny enough to keep these businesses going, and make them prosper as much as before. Our fathers wouldn't give them to us if they didn't think we could manage it.”
“But...” Featherweight looked lost, as if his whole world was crashing down around him.
“Diamond is my foalhood love. My only love. Not because I'm a follower or any other things like the gossips say. It's because she has always been there for me. She became what she is because of me. She was so honest... we're going to live happily ever after, the two of us. We're going to have a big mansion, raise peafowl together, and have lots of children. We're going to grow old together, sitting on the porch in rocking chairs watching grandfoals and great-grandfoals running around bothering the peahens and getting spooked by the peacocks. We'll wear out our years, together. Just like I always dreamed.” Silver sniffed softly and strode forward, pushing contemptuously past Featherweight. “My wedding is waiting for me. I pity you, Featherweight. That you can't see past the surface. Maybe you will someday. But not today.”
Featherweight watched her leave, face a mask of disbelief. He didn't bother to follow. He had his story. 'Unstable Bridezilla attacks reporter/photographer while ranting about her life.' He'd be able to sell it to Namby Pamby. She'd run it. It would sure make a nice change from all the useless fluff they were going to run on the wedding. He staggered out of the room with a snort. He should never have come back.
The wedding went off without a hitch. Despite the showiness and pomp of Diamond's dress, she opted to go first. She was waiting there at the head of the aisle with Mayor Mare, when Silver grandly strode down the aisle. Her pony tale come true. There was a smile on her face under the veil. Her encounter with Featherweight had actually raised her spirits even higher. She was doing this for all the right reasons. Her whole life had been planned and prepared from the start. It was working out exactly as intended. It had worked well so far. And as she looked at her smiling wife-to-be, she knew it would work out exactly as she had said.
Happily ever after.
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Looks...
Really interesting!
I'll add to my Read later list... Which is showing how little time I have to actually sit and read by its length. Hoo boy.
Wonderful. I might complain that you're moving a bit quickly, but obviously that's how the story goes. One little error that I noticed (and made note of):
Her white dressed hugged her slim form near the chest...
Should be "dress."
who is silver spoons secret lover?
1298382
There isn't one. Featherweight assumes that she has one because in his experience, Canterlot rich folks more often than not have secret loves.
Happily ever after only happens in fairy tales. Who's truly delusional?
1299565
Nightmare Moon: Cleansed.
Discord: Imprisoned.
Chrysalis: Defeated by the power of love.
Pony Tales DO come true in Equestria. And for a soul as dedicated as Silver Spoon, wishing and hoping becomes working and trying. They'll be together forever, just like she said. Rocking chairs, grandfoals, peafowl.
How sweet. Those two mares really do love each other.
1298415
Okay, now I have context.
This ISN'T some stupid romantic. Missed the starter quotation mark.
She always had to get others. Awkward wording.
Being without consistent internet really makes you a quicker writer.
Past, present, future; now where have I seen that story structure before?
Another damn fine job Gabriel. So many Dawwws, you made them just perfect together and you had their cutie marks be relevant, which I've only seen once before (Facets and Flaws, I think). Although I do want to ask Silver if she needs some 'assistance' with that newspaper, Featherweight needs to learn a little lesson.
I tried to read the first chapter... WHAT IS GOING ON?
Eventually, I got so lost I decided to tl:dr
static2.fjcdn.com/comments/i+dont+get+the+TL+DR+thing+can+anyone+explain+to+_2eeb48356f8958b34b92abe801a077e1.png
After reading the first chapter, all I can think is: adorable. The interactions between Silver and Diamond are amazingly cute, and you've managed to make them likable without really violating their canon personalities. The way Diamond authoritatively states that Silver is her fillyfriend, in the sort of tone that one reserves for a royal proclamation, is really endearing, and Silver's reactions to Diamond's haughtiness are even better. I love Silver's little fantasies, which come off as very much the sort of thing a filly her age would dream up. In each one, even though she's always an accomplished genius and the "youngest X in history" she somehow manages to find herself following Diamond, who isn't necessarily more accomplished or smart than her, but Silver just sees her as so beautiful and confident that she's glad to be putty in her hooves.
Very sweet, looking forward to reading the rest.
1272415
Hey, now be fair. The Rarity from my story is not a serial killer.
1313104
It is interspersed with fantasy sequences for Silver Spoon's perspective. This is in homage to James Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."
1325738
Yes, that's generally how it goes. Silver is a follower but not out of some sophisticated submissive D/s instinct but because she realizes that if Diamond takes the lead and is subtly directed towards a proper social direction, Silver can focus on her projects and own life, which she gets to share with a mare she regards as most beautiful in the world.
Sorry about the mistake. But I had to add the full title of the common Rarity isomer. It was close, I just added an excess element. And I though the point of the "Garden" story was to imply sociopathy and the building blocks of a serial killer.
1349187
Not quite. Rarity specifically says in Garden that she does not want to kill, and finds it wasteful. Of course, your point still stands about her being a generally terrible pony.
1349313
Which is a bitter pill to swallow. I might not really do much with Rarity (If I work with the Mane Six I tend to prefer Twi or Pinkie) but I still find her pleasant and enjoyable when paired with Fluttershy. But, variety is the spice of life.
Glad you enjoyed it. Think of it less as an "attack" or "repudiation" of yours but more as... A story all of its own that has Silver being a different kind of follower. A leading follower who knows for certain what she wants and does her best to get it. And gets it. As the third story shows, she knows what she wants well and is iron-clad certain she will get it, right down to grandfoals and peafowl.
Did you find the links to those fics by any chance? Are they on Fimfic?
1352694
Once more, I ask why the hell you want to read those and why I, a kind-hearted lover of SilverTiara, would pass you links like that? That doesn't even make logical sense on the surface.
Bottom line: There's no "Dark" tag here, so I'm not helping you find it. You want to ingulge your sickness, do the work yourself. Leave decent, romantically-minded folks alone.
1353649 What were your search terms?
1357044
As I said to Kagitaar, just the Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tags.
WOW Featherweight.. you can go buck yourself!
I was riveted to the edge of my seat as Silver defended her love for Diamond!
I think I see in her speech the passion you have for these two and how they are unjustly demonized just for being wealthy and mean as fillies.
but as she said "maturity has come to us all." and even the CMC attended their wedding by the sound of it.
I share your passion for this ship and one thing that has changed since I started RP as Silver Spoon is that I have come to love and respect Diamond Tiara as much as she would, where as before I hated the stuck up little piglet
before I read final chapter I would just like to say thank you for writing this fic and sharing my passion for DiamondSpoon.