Chapter 26: Epilogue
Sombra’s throat was dry. “Nervous” would be a grand understatement for his current situation. His breathing was shallow, aggressive, agitated. Here he stood on the pulpit, Princess Celestia towering above him, smiling serenely (and, if he read the curl of her lips right, just a wee bit smugly) down at him. She wasn’t really all that much taller than him, especially compared to most other ponies, but today she seemed even bigger than normal. Sombra swallowed for what seemed like the hundredth time today.
He glanced around the room behind him, hoping his nerves weren’t showing as much as they felt like they were. Snowflake stood off to one side, and made a curt, reassuring nod when Sombra’s gaze passed over him. The huge white Pegasus was practically bursting out of his formalwear, but it did look good on him. Sombra nodded weakly in reply, continuing to sweep the room. Standing in the front row was Brighter Horizons, wearing that same pretty green dress Sombra had seen her eyeing all that time ago. Rarity had given it to her as a wedding gift. Next to her mother stood Tag-a-long, the little filly staring wide-eyed at the Princess and Sombra. She fidgeted slightly, but Sombra could hardly blame her. She was just a child – as were the fourteen other foals standing next to them. Snowflake and Brighter could hardly miss this, after all, and there wasn’t about to be anypony to take care of the foals at the orphanage.
So Brighter and Snowflake simply decided to bring them all to Sombra’s wedding.
Sombra was vaguely aware of Princess Celestia speaking, and swung his head back around to her.
“Sombra?”
“Yes princess?”
“A little nervous, are we?” She giggled. The Princess had such a nice laugh. It felt to Sombra like she didn’t laugh often enough, and he did feel bad for her for it.
“A little would be a fairly dramatic understatement, Princess,” Sombra answered, forcing a smile to his face. His nerves betrayed his emotions – truly, he was overjoyed, but he could hardly keep his mind from wandering to all the potentially disastrous possibilities. What if Redheart disappeared? What if there was some sort of accident? What if-
A wedding march began to play, and all those thoughts disappeared as Sombra looked to the back of the room.
The door opened slowly, serenely covered in a golden glow as the Royal Guards on each side magically grasped the heavy, ornate gates and drew them apart. In through them stepped two ponies – the glowing bride-to-be, and, according to Equestrian tradition, her father. Redheart’s father was a nice pony, as Sombra had gotten to know him in the past few months, the slate gray unicorn always looking a little bit tired, but ever a note of cheer in his voice. He kept his same soft smile and tired eyes today, but Sombra could see the happiness welling behind them.
Redheart, Sombra was relieved to see, looked nearly as nervous as he was. Joy was evident within her from the broad, happy smile on her face, and light, eager step of her hooves. At the same time, her eyebrows were arched backwards in a manner indicative of more than a small amount of fear. Her head swiveled around the room, searching for a point of focus, only to find that she was, in fact, the point of focus. Her eyes settled on Brighter, the golden mare shooting her a smile and a wink. Redheart paused for a moment and inhaled deeply, expelling the breath slowly and smoothly, and looking towards the pulpit her soon-to-be husband stood on.
Sombra was making a very conscious effort to keep his jaw off the floor. Redheart looked, quite literally for the dark gray unicorn, stunning. Her wedding gown was not perhaps as extravagant as some others, but Redheart was not a particularly extravagant mare, and it suited her well. A light veil covered her face, falling gently over her mane – she was wearing it down today, the pale pink hair trailing down over her shoulders. Her shoulders were covered with thin, white straps that were only distinguishable from her fur by their texture – a fine, faintly reflective material that contrasted with her matte white fur far more than two things of the same color had any right to. The neckline of her gown plunged low on her chest, and Sombra found himself blushing for no real reason. Ponies walked around naked all the time, but this somehow seemed so much more… he couldn’t really put it into words, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t appreciate it. His eyes followed her dress down to her back, the cloth fitted to her close but not confining; her movements were still natural and unrestricted. Folds of fabric slid against one another, creating a shimmering, sparkling effect as she walked, the relatively short train sliding serenely across the smooth floor. Her tail was concealed within the dress, the way her legs moved when she walked causing it to exaggerate the motions of her rear, giving her hips a sway they didn’t normally possess.
As she reached the steps to the pulpit, her father released her forehoof. She looked to him for a moment in confusion, but he merely nodded happily, and stepped to the side near Brighter Horizons. Taking the few steps up, she stood before Sombra and Celestia, praying she was ready for what was to come next. Sombra was still unapologetically staring. Redheart met his gaze, even all these months later still a little unused to the disappearance of that purple haze that had accompanied his face for so long. After a few moments, the two ponies realized the music had stopped playing, and a couple amused, muffled laughs were rolling through the crowd as Sombra and Redheart looked into each others’ eyes. Behind them, Princess Celestia coughed quietly, and the smaller ponies before her looked away awkwardly before looking to her. Celestia smiled down at them knowingly.
“Well,” Princess Celestia began, the crowd quieting immediately, “There are a number of things I expected to do or to have to do should you return from your imprisonment,” addressing Sombra directly but speaking to the crowd as well, “But I must say, presiding over your wedding was not one of them. You, my little pony, are a testament almost as big as our newest Princess to the powers of friendship and love, and the deep, profound healing they can have on a soul. So, as per your request, I am honored to preside over your wedding, and it is with great pride that I find myself here today.”
“Princess-” Sombra started, then closed his mouth again, deciding better of interrupting the pony trying to marry him. He covered a mouth with a hoof, and looked apologetically at the solar diarch.
“It’s fine, Sombra. Really, it is. It makes me happy when I can interact in the lives of my ponies in such a personal way,” Celestia placed a hoof gently on his shoulder, “But enough about me. Let’s wed you.”
Sombra managed a nervous laugh and smiled back, then looked at Redheart. Nervicited would be the word he would have used to describe her face. She was smiling, quite broadly, but also visibly shaking slightly. He held a hoof out to her, and she took it gently.
“Dearly beloved,” Princess Celestia spoke loudly once again, this time to every pony in the room, not just the two before her, “We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of two lives, the joining of the former king, Sombra, and Nurse Redheart. Two ponies from extremely different times and places, and a true demonstration of what love can do. Mister Snowflake, I believe that is your cue,” she finished, nodding at the big Pegasus. Snowflake nodded and walked forward, taking deliberate, measured steps, and bending low to present the first of two matrimonial bands to Sombra. The unicorn picked it up gently with his magic, thanking Snowflake quietly, and turned to Redheart as the Pegasus shuffled back to his position on the side.
“Of all the things-” Sombra’s voice broke as his throat dried up, sending a ripple of quiet laughter through the crowd. He smirked and sent a faux-annoyed glare outwards, and turned back to his soon-to-be wife. “Miss Redheart, of all the things my hooves have held, the best by far is you. You took me in, you helped me when I did not deserve it and when nopony else would have, defended me when I needed it most, and above all, loved me when I would not love myself. Redheart, I love you more than anything else and I had never been happier than the day you told me you would spend your life with me. Please, accept this band as a symbol of my love for you.”
Redheart nodded, holding her hoof out for Sombra. The band floated towards her in his magic, slipping gently onto her hoof. She examined it briefly, then placed her hoof back in Sombra’s own and looked back to him.
“You’re crying,” she said quietly.
“I know,” Sombra replied, wiping a hoof across his eyes with a small laugh, “I can’t… I can’t stop.”
Redheart chuckled. “I suppose it’s my turn?”
Snowflake stepped over once again, presenting a slightly larger hoofband to Redheart for her to give to Sombra. Turning back to her groom, she inhaled deeply through her nose, and slowly, smoothly exhaled through her mouth.
“Sombra,” she started, “You have been since the moment I met you, nothing short of the utmost gentlecolt. You have strived so hard to make me happy, and frankly, you succeeded. I am far happier than I could ever explain that I met you – you reintroduced a joy to my life I had long forgotten. For all the places I have been, I am no place without you, and I would love to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life. Please, take this wedding band as a symbol of my love for you.”
Reaching out, she brought her hooves to Sombra’s, her lack of magic making it a somewhat less graceful affair. A momentary flare from Sombra’s horn got it on properly though and she smiled awkwardly as she thanked him.
“Very well,” Princess Celestia spoke again, “I have one question for each of you. Redheart, do you take Sombra to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health for the rest of your days?”
“Yes!” Redheart answered loudly, blushing for a moment as she realized that wasn’t exactly the appropriate response. “I… I do, I mean. I do.”
Nodding, Celestia turned to Redheart. “And do you, Sombra, in turn take Redheart to be your wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for the rest of your days?”
“I do,” Sombra said.
The princess smiled.
“Then you may now kiss the bride,” Celestia spoke quietly.
And he did.
The End
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- FinnPony · 129k words · 709 34 · 14k views
- Harmony Charmer · 92k words · 1,008 26 · 18k views
- Note Sketch · 124k words · 2,412 44 · 24k views
- naturalbornderpy · 107k words · 1,072 41 · 18k views
- Harmony Charmer · 28k words · 521 10 · 7.7k views
- HiddenUnderACouch · 110k words · 1,255 21 · 21k views
- Dr Atlas · 16k words · 1,376 55 · 15k views
- RaijingtheClockworkPony · 37k words · 1,472 27 · 22k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.195 seconds
Total duration
678 users online
824,130 hits today, 2,561,572 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.®
Mawwiage. Mawwiage is wot bwings us togethuh today. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam, and wuv, twue wuv wiww fowwow you foweva... so tweasuwe youw wuv.
I have been waiting to say that for SO LONG.
dawwww. Nice way to end this :)
gifsforum.com/images/gif/clap%20clap%20clap/grand/Charles-Dance-benedict-clap-clap-clap-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-421.gif
Love.
The greatest sin and the most beloved one of all.
Keep on loving.
It only hurts, but gives more and more!
Yay! Happy ending!
I'm not quite sure I understand that sentence. I get the jist, but "his your" doesn't seem right.
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/159690__UNOPT__rarity_animated_crying.gif
Gotta hold back the tears! Be a man come on! Aw screw it.
iambrony.dget.cc/mlp/gif/345003__safe_rarity_solo_animated_crying_hub%2Blogo_a%2Bdog%2Band%2Bpony%2Bshow_cart_harness.gif
This was a beautiful story I loved every word of it. I wish you the best of luck on future endevers.
Brohoof /)
I actually cried during this...
please tell me a sequel is in order!
Loves in booom
a beautiful bride a hansom groom!
This is a good ending... :')
5929637 You win. That is all.
sequel must be made
YAAAAAAAAAA HE MARRIED NOW
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF- Is it really over? That's a shame, but I can't object. Great story, certainly.
I'm not crying it liquid manliness
A delightful end to a delightful story.
Any chance of a sequel?~
Sequel. Now.
NAAAAAAAOOOO
What Lighttoller, techsol, and princess astrum, said.
I would ask for a sequel. But I believe this ending to be quite final. There's nothing to continue.
This was a great story, I am proud to have read it. You should be proud for having wrote it.
encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ7Kz2fQspomT0Rf17oVCkZld9gTWFDrG3-etciN9b-VXAKPQgB
5930501 It would be easy to make a sequel, just write one about the children of Sombra and Red Heart
But what about the earrings?
5930594
I don't consider that a sequel, moreso the beginning of a new story.
5929823
Numbers
goo.gl/xBj5EP
goo.gl/M9aYh7
i.gyazo.com/8ecc237a3d061543fff7eaac75d1ed49.png
~Leonzilla
5930620
Now I must admit, I've only been to one wedding, and it was kind of a strange one, but I'm about 95% certain that (in American culture at least) there's a fairly significant difference between an engagement ring and wedding bands.
Anyways, I am glad you all have enjoyed this story so much. For those of you that have been here since I posted the first couple chapters, thank you very much for sticking it out for so long. For those of you just joining in tonight, thank you very much for giving me the time of day. For those of you clamoring for a sequel... well, I write what comes to me. I don't really plan ahead. At all. I'm being completely honest when I say that apart from a stray scene or interaction here and there, I never had more than a chapter or two ahead planned for this. So if I get an idea for a sequel, I'll write it, but as of now, I'm gonna go with a solid "Highly unlikely." I will probably keep expanding Tales From, but I'm not sure how far or how long that'll go.
Also, fun fact: When I came back from my hiatus and started this up again, my first estimate for length was "A little longer than True Love Never Changes, probably around 30-35k words." Yeah. That... didn't pan out that way. In fact, DoJKS is now longer than my next three longest stories combined.
So, this is the end? You made something unimaginable, for me I think, you just wed the Stallion that almost defeated an Alicorn and reconquered his Empire with the Mare that helped and cared of many.
-pulls a black and blue sword, and puts over your head-
With the power that the Princess of the Moon and Goddess of the Dreams and Night, Luna, gave me, Ponies and People Shall Call You, Sir Vash, The Stampede, Of The Dreams That Weren't Dreamed and Of The Second Chances!
Anyone knows a heart-surgeon? Cuz my heart just melted...
5930715
I know a guy who knows a guy who once slept with the wife of a guy who knows this guy. He's good, but it'll cost you an arm, a leg, your firstborn child, AND your immortal soul. But hey, he apparently has FANTASTIC bedside manner, so...
Nice ending
I would hope for a sequel but, things are in youre hooves
5930817
To be honest, i feel like the story could be a bit longer.
While this story isn´t....perfect in every way, i really enjoyed to read it, there is just something missing for my personal taste i think.
I guess i take this story into one of my folders, for those storys which i would like to read again.
I hope there is going to be a sequel, i would like it if they adopt a Filly too.
5931093 I know exactly what you mean and I will tell you why you think there is something missing:
Conflict.
There is absolutely no actual conflict in this story. Oh there are bumps and bruises but really... nothing happens but a bunch of ponies getting into a relationship. A relationship that worked out... really fucking well.
Here we have an old evil tyrant that was feared and disliked by all! Oh, apparently he has completely changed his ways. We will make a scene where Cadance almost vaporizes him (that we never really touch on ever again) and then people will eventually be destined to like him no matter what. Oh it looks like his work/study scheduling with Redheart might be making the relationship rocky! Just kidding it isn't. Maybe his dark past will come up to find him, after all he did kill thousands. NOPE! NOBODY wants to kill him EVER. Well okay then, if his dark past still doesn't catch up to him then the brooding darkness deep within will corrupt him, making him bend ponies to his will again and only Redheart will be able to save him! Just kidding! Chuck it out the window we don't need that!
Okay then maybe the side characters!
Okay then maybe Snowflake and Horizons can't really deal with the relationship and a new kid? Nope perfect Mom never mind. Maybe Twilight is getting a bit too into dark magics and we need to see Sombra tell her to step back and avoid succumbing to the darkness that is festering inside her soul!
No? Huh okay that last one really seemed like a good story arc. I mean it just seemed like that was going to happen, steps were building up on it.
NEVER MIND. EVERYONE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB, SOMBRA IS EXCUSED OF EVERYTHING REMAIN CALM. ENJOY THE WEDDING.
Man even at the wedding nothing happened. Come on, Equestria can't have weddings without being blown up by a villain or something. That is like getting into a helicopter in a modern shooter without it going down in 30 seconds or your best friend dying in your arms.
So this was a pretty good story, but it really needed that conflict. 7/10
5931303
Oh your right, that was something i thought would happen as well, and i guess you pretty much explained what i meant, i mean i agree with you there, it was probably a bit to happy.
Since you remember me about Twilight, and dark magic, i have to say this was something i didn´t liked at the said moment, i mean even if she is the element of Magic, Dark Magic is supposed to be something completely different if i remember it right.
Since they are beings that are kind of addicted to Harmony, it should be pretty dangerous for them to go after Dark Magic.
I know this is no inflexible rule, but it would have been pretty awesome, if Sombra had to do something, to make sure Twilight wasn´t going to continue her research in Dark Magic.
In some Worlds, Dark Magic is supposed to be everything that can hurt, but i guess in Equestria it is something like Blood Magic i would assume, or something that can do really bad things.
I never knew how long ago you started this story, until yesterday. I hopped on the wagon a couple months ago, and never regretted it. You did well, as you usually do, Vash. It was a lovely story.
I seriously thought the ending said "And he died."
5931303
5931093
I do admit there was no real conflict. Like I said though, this story already went on WAY longer than I had originally intended, and I felt like, with the tone I had set, introducing a proper conflict or dramatic issue (such as a grave threat to Equestria that only Sombra could fix, or Twilight succumbing to Dark Magic) any time after the date (which, considering everything before that was pretty much buildup to the first date) wouldn't really have fit in. There are also things I could have done better, yes. For one, as you mention that 'everypony was destined to like him,' I did intend to include at least a bit of throwaway dialogue to indicate that RD, as well as SA and Cadance, never really warmed up to him. And I did explain why his 'dark past' never really came back to haunt him - admittedly, it was a little on the hand-wavey side of things, but the Crystal Ponies never really leave the Crystal Empire nowadays and the rest of Equestria didn't even know he existed.
But hey, I'm an amateur author, and like I said, I pretty much make things up as I go. If I go for a longer, non-episodic fic again, I'll try to have a bit more of an outline and see if that improves the overall quality. Either way, I'm glad the both of you liked this, even with the flaws.
AWWWWWWWWWW it was such a touching story. and a paring that I never seen before. I enjoyed every second of this story. Good work
This the the best story i have ever found to have had Sombra as a main character. You sir have succeeded in this story, and i hope to see more like it.
have a mariachi band
5933433 now lets go full on mexican party!!!!
Uh... This was fairly good. It shows promise at least. I got bugged about the conflict thing as well, but more in the emotional conflict aspect. You ALMOST touched on that when you introduced Redheart having a separation issue. But you never revisited it and so it was left unresolved. I feel like this was a nice little piece of work, but it wasn't necessarily "good", but more "pleasant". It lacked any real flavor that made it stand out. Both of the characters seemed a bit too perfect to be honest. There wasn't many flaws that created any friction that was worth noting. That's what would have put this story in the good category. Conflict doesn't always mean violence.
Well, I have to say that this was one story that I believe falls under the "good but not great" category. It was truly a pleasant read and I had a good time reading it, but the main problem I find with this story is its focus on the romance. I know that's the main point of attention in it, but I was mostly disappointed because you brought up several problems or issues that could have lead to a more detailed and adventurous storyline. It short, an enjoyable read with one too many missed opportunities. Don't stop writing though, keep going.
I enjoyed this story. Every chapter is feels. I actually didn't like the idea of the big epic conflict that was hinted at and preferred the fluff and the existing drama. Besides you could always make a sequel with a bigger threat as the central plot. Also confound it these ponies have a lot of wedding jewelry.
5931624 Sequel :P
All I can ask is one word: sequel?
Also, great story. I loved reading it
I can't choose between two one-liners, so I'll put them both.
1) And then they had sex.
2) I ship it.
But great story. Looking forward to a sequel, if you intend to make one.
5945767
I actually am working on an extended retelling of the Story of the Six Immortals. I've got the first chapter down, but I'd like to get a bit more of it written before I post it. I'm just currently working on like... four different stories at the moment (none of which are posted yet WOOOOO), and the end of the semester has been pretty hectic, so work is slow.
And while I'm generally not a fan of plugging my own stuff, there is Tales From the Justiceverse, an ongoing collection of side-stories for this.
Very nice story. I really like it.
5945868 Oh, I can sympathize with that workload. It's all too familiar... Good luck!
Now that I have read this, good story, and a decent character arc.
Except the title and page image don't fit the story in any way whatsoever.
It would have been more fitting with something about coming to terms with ones past. The current title had me expecting a story where Sombra became a sort of unseen guardian angel to a group of foals under Redheart's care.
Amazing story finest damn thing I have read in awhile!
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/12/6/490827__rainbow+dash_rarity_applejack_suggestive_scootaloo_apple+bloom_sweetie+belle_campfire_artist-colon-toonbat_and+then+they+all+fucked.jpeg
Sorry, couldn't resist. Very good story! I give it two hooves up! /) /)
whompcomic.com/random/apo2.gif