Colt and filly meet, fall desperately in love, marry, and live happily ever after...right? This story is most defiantly not like that. Rainbow Dash has lived her entire life knowing that she was to be promised to a now stallion from the clan house of Caelum to fufiil a contract made between her house and their's upon her day of birth. Now at the age of 21, Rainbow has finally made it to the day where she meets the Stallion she will then marry moments later. Rainbow is Loyal to the contract she was forced into and will play the part she has been assigned, yet as time goes on she finds something...good in the stallion whose family tore her from the life she once lived.
Btw this story is undergoing a rewrite for all those who had read the original, I'm going over and tweaking the story that I made my sophomore year with my horrible grammar and writing can better fit into the story I am writing now, so it will indeed change and chapters will disappear, but please comment on what you think.
It was a perfect day. One of those ones that seemed as if there was nothing to be done, and every pony was perfectly fine with that. Warm summery breezes flitted among the trees. All was well in the world.
Smiling up at the sunlight a mare did all she could to take in all she could of this beautiful free world.
Just a little longer, I wish I had more time...
She had been dreading this day for as long as she could remember. While her extended family found it to be a time of celebration she found it to be a nightmare. She had argued with her parents and grandparents about it for years, claiming the right to be her own mare. That she should have her own ability to fall in love with whoever she wanted, but like always she was denied what her heart desired.
she looked over the small town where the pegasi were all wandering, majority of them happy, not knowing of the bride to be who was wishing she could break this promise. Being the element of loyalty she was bound to keep every promise she made, whether it be little or small.
What if I don't love him? What if he'll just use me and keep me away? A thousand questions rushed through her mind as tear drops threatened to fall from her eyes. she was afraid. Would he love her or would he be cruel and just use her to try to produce an heir to his name? More drops fell as each question burned in her mind.
"Rainy?" a soft voice seemed to echo from nowhere. Turning she looked into the eyes of her older brother snowfall. Eldest brother to be exact. He was the oldest of seven boys and one little sister. "Mom needs you to start getting ready. Rarity’s not happy about it but she finally finished the dress." she looked away from him.
He had not expected this. His sister was the one mare her always knew would be the one to yell out her opinions and not care as long as she got heard. Growing up as the youngest of eight had given her a strong voice and strong sense of opinion. But this sad mare? She was a stranger to him.
"Rain I’m sorry." he said sitting next to her. While his face might not have shown it he was in pain. All his life he had worked up until the day she moved to keep his baby sister safe and happy, and now he couldn't protect her from her future. The moment his father gave her away he would lose his baby sister. He and all of his brothers would. She was a major facet of their lives, the one thing that brought them all together no matter where they went.
"I’m fine." she whispered and stood up. "No time like the present to lose everything that matters to you, right?" she was trying to be upbeat. Trying to cover up the sadness of losing her freedom. Knowing these types of arrangements she wouldn’t see her friends for a long time. The first year was always the make it or break it year. 6 months living in his life style and with his familiars and then 6 months back where the mare lived.
Spreading her wings she took off before her older brother could try to talk about it. She hated having to talk about the marriage. Taking a deep breath of the apple scented air she moved about, trying to take in all she could from where she was.
It was a picture perfect scene. She could make out the small town glittering with candle light as day moved to dusk, young ponies moving about, attempting to prepare for the next day. It was all too perfect, and it was wrenching her apart to have to leave it all behind.
Taking a deep breath in she glided down to where the church was and where she could see her friends in the window, awaiting her arrival. Blowing a kiss to snowfall she stepped inside immediately attacked with various makeup supplies, letting the girls chatter drown out the thoughts echoing about in her mind.
Rarity had outdone herself. In an attempt to follow both rainbow's style and the traditional dress style that was technically required, she had made the most beautiful dress rainbow had ever seen. It was a shimmering white dress, little diamonds hidden here and there, that refracted little rainbows into the air, with a v neck line that emphasized her lean figure. Upon her hooves were delicate crystal slippers, with small rubies rimming the edges.
For her hair, rarity and Fluttershy had pulled it into a high up bun and used a ruby studded crown to hold it in place along with a veil that covered her eyes and her face. For a second she thought, I look like a bride. And was happy until she reminded herself that this was not her choice.
She looked over to where her mom and dad were watching her get all dressed up. She knew that they hated the idea of the marriage but they wanted her to be happy and spend her life with someone. Sure someone she didn't know but still someone. Pinkie was ecstatic over the idea of a wedding where the others were solemn. She knew pinkie would look to the upside of anything no matter how horrible the situation was.
"Rainy sweet heart." her father's voice cut across the taut silence, "it's almost time for it to start."
She sighed and turned towards the doors to the hall from where she would exit to meet the one who took away the rest of her life. "No time like the present." she whispered. She looked back to her friends and turned back to looking forward. It was easier than having to see the tears fall from their eyes. She was supposed to be the tough one, not the cry baby.
Taking a deep breath, she waited for not the sound of a bridal march but of a song of sentence.
He was trying his best to not look like he wanted to fly away as fast as his wings could take him.
It was actually really hard, standing there, looking ahead, hoping that whoever came through that door wouldn't be a nightmare or worse, bridezilla .
Looking around he saw his close friends all waiting alongside him. At his side was his closest friend, closer than his own brother, and his best mare, Spitfire. He had known her all his life, and trusted her more than anypony else. Beside her was his brother, Wave Chill, followed by the twins Fire and Lightning Streak and spitfire’s brother Rapidfire in the middle, and Surprise and Fleetfoot at the end.
"Don't worry Soar," Spitfire forced a smile, attempting to make it look like she was happy for him. It was hard. And it very clearly looked forced. "Everything will be alright." It was hard to tell if she was trying to convince him or herself that that was the truth.
Really, the only people who were semi-happy besides his family were Night streak and Lavender. Both of them waved from where they were sitting together. They had been together since they were his age and were happy, both coming from the same situation that he was in, the arranged marriage thing.
He hadn't been upset really with the idea of an arranged marriage, more so he was scared of the idea that she wouldn't like him. All he knew about her is his grandfather’s mutterings of “a free spirit” and that was the nicest thing he said. Apparently she was supposed to be beautiful but he wanted someone he could fall in love with. He didn't want some doll who wanted to sit around and be pretty; he wanted someone to actually love. When his grandfather said the words “free spirit’ it gave him a little hope as to being able to fall in love with her.
He had argued for years that he should be able to meet the mare he was promised to, to at least give her some warning as to who he was and so he could make the relationship start before they were forced to marry, but it was always no. He was always told to wait until the day of his marriage and about how it was supposed to make it all the more special by doing so.
Soarin was hoping for a mare that was like the one he had that crush on. Or at least one he could have a real life with, like night streak and lavender. They had been the lucky ones, love at first sight, they always were together and happy. It never seemed as if they had a fight and they just seemed perfect for each other. It was almost too good to be true.
He thought of his dream mare, who he had met only three times, and while each time ended with some sort of near disaster it made him happy to see her. They never had a real conversation but he had fallen for her as soon as he saw her. But now he would never have the chance to tell her his feelings.
Spitfire elbowed him as there was a sudden creak at the door and slow song started to play, three small fillies spread rose petals along the long carpet leading up to the altar. Each was of a different race of pony. A small unicorn, a short earth pony who made up in size with the giant bow atop her head, and an even smaller Pegasus.
The little Pegasus clearly wasn’t a good flier, and after teaching flying at camps for years he could see it in her wings. By not flying at the younger ages, pegasi such as her would develop ‘magic stunt’. The technical term was magical spasm. The pegasi magic that helped her be able to fly would build up at the bases of her wings, making them weak and slower than they should be with the magic having no place to go, also making them prone to constant flittering-
‘Look at me’ He thought. ‘My own wedding and I’m thinking like a flight instructor.' It was now the bridesmaids who walked down the aisle with purpose, yet they seemed deflated. It was clear enough that they were the friends of the bride; the ones who he heard had tried to use laws and magical authority to get the bride out of the marriage to no avail.
The last bridesmaid to exit the doors, Princess Twilight Sparkle, looked at him in surprise, and began whispering among her fellow bridesmaids. They seemed surprised at the fact he was there, standing at the altar, awaiting the mystery mare’s appearance. They seemed like a good group of mares, but their grouping was odd. How could there be such a close looking relationship between a farm mare, a fashionista, a book learned princess, a super shy mare, and a bubbly mare who was seeming to have a pantomimed conversation between herself and Surprise. The one thing that would make this group complete as a hodge-podge of misfits would be a tom-colt mare.
Shortly after the whispers began within the crows at the appearance of the group of bridesmaids, a chorus of birds began to sing. It was nice, but the song didn't sound right. It wasn't so much a song of a happy bride to be walking down the aisle but...sad. Solemn. Empty. A song you would expect when you thought of a sad movie. Too sad for a wedding, maybe one for background music of someone in a show making a grand sacrifice for another.
All too slowly the doors swung open to reveal a bride, hidden behind a veil. Even without seeing her face Soarin felt as if he had already fallen for her. He knew if he said it aloud it would be sexist and Spits would probably hit him but she was a knockout. Gorgeous. Probably the most beautiful mare he almost knew. Only if he knew who she was.
Every pony stood as the doors swung open to reveal her, the supposed “blushing bride.”
What a lie. She thought to herself. A blushing bride is one who is happy and has fallen hard for that one guy who holds her heart out of love, not because it was forcibly shoved into their open hooves. Her cheeks were not the light rose of her eyes as expected for a bride but instead a pale powder blue, paler than her usual cyan color. Lines of wetness made marks across her cheeks, her face hidden behind the shimmering white veil.
She began the slow walk down the aisle. It was hard to tell if the aisle was too short or too long. Why did it feel that even though every step seemed to last years but in a few she was already halfway down the aisle way, to go into the arms or one she didn’t know.
It seemed as if she had aged so much in the time it took to make it to the end of that too short aisle.
The steps up to the altar seemed to be the worst. Six steps she thought, one for each friends I have to leave. For a pony with hollow bones she felt like each bone was filled with lead, dragging her down.
At the top of the stairs she stood beside a stallion. With a quick glance through the veil she saw a somewhat familiar face, one that seemed to echo out of a dream.
Or a nightmare in this situation. She supposed.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
There was something familiar about this mare.
Soarin looked at her carefully, striving to not only remember what he could from wings and body shape, but also trying to make sure it didn’t look like he was checking her out. From what he assumed from earlier, the mare had seven brothers and they certainly looked like they didn’t approve of the young wonderbolt. For a reason unknown his eyes kept slowly drifting up to the mane hidden beneath the veil.
From the bun on top he got a flash of color, not giving much to her identity. Is it green? Blue? Purple? from what it appeared it seemed to be all three, an unlikely thing. Many ponies had two colors to their manes but three or more was unlikely or unheard of. All except for one mare…nah she would never do this sort of thing…would she?
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
“Dearly beloved we are…” the preacher’s wheezy voice was distant in her mind.
I know this guy…maybe… she was glad the veil hid her eyes as she studied the pony before her. Pale blue coat with a navy blue mane.
Well…now I at least know something about him. He’s blue, she almost laughed out loud, managing to stop it quickly and turn it into a soft giggle snort. For a second she caught him looking at her with a smile and instinctively ducked away, blushing, even though she was sure he couldn't see her face, while the preacher continued to drone on…
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
She’s got an adorable giggle snort… I hope she wasn’t giggle snorting at me. Soarin took a chance and gave her a small smile, hoping to make her at least a little but more open to the idea them being together, taking her little duck away as a sign of her at least slightly warming up to him.
Looking to his side he could see Spits and the others attempting to look professional while all but ogling at the soon to be newlyweds. Surprise leaned over the others and said in a loud whisper “She’s cute!” as across the altar he faintly heard the bubbly looking mare whisper yell the same thing to the bride with the exception of the “she” to a “he”. Turning back he flashed the mystery mare a grin.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Great, now pinkie of all ponies is supporting this stupid thing… but he does look kind of cute. He actually looks a lot like that one wonderbolt… her gaze drifted over to his party and her heart missed a beat as she recognized the best mare.
“No.” she whispered softly as then she saw the rest of the group were too part of the famous flying team. The Wonderbolts.
It… it can’t be… she thought looking back to the groom, adrenaline dumping into her veins as thoughts raced across her mind faster than one author is able to type. Involuntarily her wings twitched, slightly opening and closing, the feathers rustling softly.
“Keep still! You are going to ruin the preening job Fluttershy did!” Rarity’s whisper cut across the aisle. She could hear the soft chuckles in the crowd but her wings still twitched. If she hadn’t blushed before she surely was now, cheeks hot with embarrassment.
Great, can this day get worse?
“And I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now lift the veil and kiss the bride.”
Yes it can. she thought, dread overcoming her as the pale blue hooves rose to reach the bottom of the veil.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
His hooves softly held the veil and as he slowly lifted it he felt as if he were a male version of daring doo attempting to safely get the sapphire statue from its pedestal. note to self, in situations like this, don’t’ think of metaphors like that.
As he lifted, he got the look of a muzzle with the bottom lip pulled slightly in from where I was being bitten. Higher he saw rose colored eyes and tear stained cheeks.
Did I make her cry? Great. Barely married and I make her cry.
Raising the veil, he revealed a part that puzzled him, I…I thought her mane was cool colored. as a tricolored set bangs fell in front of her eyes. Red, orange and yellow hairs created three perfect stripes. Gasps echoed from his group of friends as they recognized her.
All of a sudden it became so clear
Blue coat
Rose colored eyes
And a six colored mane
At the same time and as their first words as husband and wife they said “Sweet Celestia save me.”
It was a few hours later at the reception and ‘happy couple’ had yet to speak any other words to each other.
Surprise and Pinkie had set the party into full swing and from the outside it looked like heaven. Soarin was sitting by himself watching as his new wife (still a very scary thought) danced amongst her bridesmaids, looking semi happy for once that entire night.
Dangling from her left ear was a large earring, with his cutie mark emblazoned on it in sparkling gems, reflecting small rainbows from its many facets. The earring confused him though, because it was completely untraditional. It was most common that pegasi would get small rings that would rest at the base of one of their wings, such as the one glimmering at the base of his left wing. From when he had to go get the jewelry, with the help of his female teammates, they were ultimately confused at the fact of she had refused to get a wing ring. She had opted for the more earth-pony esque style of having an earring.
His mind rambling of her odd choice was stopped as he felt a hoof touch his shoulder. Turning around he saw a sight that almost stopped his heart. Before him was the father of the bride, his wife and their seven sons. The in-laws.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
“You’re goanna have to talk him sometime sugarcube.” Applejack had said that many times over the past few hours since the ‘big reveal’ and once again Rainbow was ignoring her, attempting to drown out her dread in the echoing bass of the music. She glanced over at Soarin and where he was sitting by himself as he pretended to look everywhere but at her as she swayed to the music.
She sighed “I know. But can I at least enjoy this time with you all for a little while longer?” she looked to the rest of her friends, hopeful that they would see her need.
“I have to agree with Applejack. Just ignoring a problem isn’t going to do anything.” Twilight’s calm voice cut across the music as the others all nodded in agreement. “Remember Rainbow Falls? Choosing not to choose isn’t really a choice.”
“And what choice did I have?” Rainbow glared across the room at where her grandfather was celebrating the marriage with Soarin’s family. “it was an arranged marriage. No choice. I’m forced to be with him.”
“Didn’t you have a crush on him before?”
“Back when we were little Fluttershy!” she let out a little groan of frustration. “and isn’t he like six years older than me? He was learning to fly before I was born! Not to mention he’s way bigger than me. And-”
“Stop spewing out all that nonsense.” Applejack’s voice raised but not enough to grasp the attention of anyone outside their conversation. “Listen to yourself. You’re judging him before you’ve said more than three words to each other all night.”
“I do have to agree with Applejack again dear.” Rarity took a step closer and placed her forehooves on dash’s shoulders. “I’m sure he’s a perefect gentlecolt who wants nothing more to make you happy and put stars in your eyes. If you didn’t notice he was always fawning over you from the last few times he saw you.” She smiled and turned Dash around “Now go over there and talk to him. Get to know him.”
“But Rarity I can’t! What if he wants to be all lovey-dovey right away?”
“Just ask him to take it slow. That you want to build up a relationship before you get to any of the serious stuff.”
Pinkie poked her side “Umm…Rainbow Dash? Are your parents talking to him?”
“What?! My parents? Oh Celestia help him!” She started to make her way through the crowd, hoping they wouldn’t mentally scar him too badly.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Rainbow’s father, war hero Spectrum Strike, was a world renowned flier from a group almost as famous as the Wonderbolts, strikeforce and head of the Pegasus branch of the army, AKA Soarin’s own boss.
At his side was a mare that seemed to glow from within without even trying. Before him was Firefly, the mare who held the most gold medals in the equestrian games history, and Rainbow’s mother.
Soarin didn’t even want to know what her very huge seven older brothers did for a living. Just from looking at them he could feel himself seeming to shrink. I just had to get the most intimidating family as my new in-laws… like this day could get any worse.
“I have to say I expected more than this from the stallion my little Bow was to be married to.” the stallion’s voice was gruff but held an edge that rivaled most of the swords in the armory.
“Uh, well Sir I, ummm…” Soarin attempted to create a comprehensible sentence as to how he wouldn’t disappoint.
“Spectrum!” Firefly swatted her husband and turned back to Soarin. “Don’t worry; my husband is just being a bit overprotective over his little girl.” She flashed him a bright smile and moved towards him. “As you can guess we’re your new in laws.” She stopped for a moment. “I’m a Mother in law. Gah I had hoped a title as grody as that would come in my later years,” she glared over at her sons, “when my little girl would not to the first of her siblings to get married.”
“One day mom, just not today.” the pale white stallion sighed as he looked over to where his sister was dancing among her friends. “Just get over this one first.”
“Then stop making me question if any of my sons are actually one day going to find some pony to settle down with.” She hissed over to her sons and then turned back to Soarin who was still attempting to not fall over with fear. “Sorry, it’s a thing for stallions in our family to be a teensy bit over protective, which I’m sure will also appear in you so you keep our daughter out of trouble.” She gave off a soft chuckle as they continued to glare at him. “Anyway we need to talk about you and our little bow, you know,” her voice turned from kind to threatening in what seemed was less than a heartbeat “make sure that you know to treat her right so we don’t need to stage a…accident.” Swallowing he sat up as straight as his spine would allow.
Her expression went from menacing to sweet and motherly in a second. “Good. Now, you don’t make her do anything she isn’t comfortable with, and if you do believe me, we will know.” She said with and icy chuckle. “Also she’s at best… a free spirit. Let her do as she needs to. She wants to fly you let her fly and such things as that. The bottom line of the grand speech my husband wanted to give you is this. Treat her right.”
Spectrum intensified his glare and said in a voice that nearly made Soarin’s blood turn o actual ice “if my little bow ever comes home upset or crying because of you…” the empty silence afterwards left a lot to be implied.
“Now sweetheart we better get back to our seats before our little girl finds out we’ve intimidated her little hubby.” She winked over to Soarin and moved her family away. “Remember! Treat her right or else!” Soarin watched as she and her menacing husband and sons moved away with military precision and begin to happily mingle with the rest of the party goers.
What just happened?
“Are you okay?” he turned to see rainbow dash standing next to him. Looking around she sighed “let me guess. My family?”
He nodded as she blushed angrily. “I’m so sorry. They are way over protective of me. They didn’t scare you too badly did they?” for some pony who had been upset and crying just a few hours ago after properly meeting him as her husband she seemed pretty cool with the situation.
“I’m…good.” He blushed embarrassed “not to sound like a wimp but they were kind of scary.”
“Mr. Wonderbolt afraid of his in laws?” she softly chuckled as she shoulder bumped him. “I guess my parents can be a bit…”
“Menacing, threatening, scarier than a hydra-“
She laughed and punched his shoulder lightly “These are my parents you’re talking about. Now… I want to apologize for how I acted after the veil thing… you know…” she sighed. “I’m sorry I basically avoided you and ignored you.”
He smiled and absent mindedly threw a wing over her. “I would have done the same thing if I was in your shoes Mrs. Wonderbolt.” She frowned as she slipped from the warmth of the short wing hug “I was wondering… would we be able to take this whole thing slow. You know, become friends and then see if we can actually do this whole married…thing. You know…”
“Build up a relationship before we get to do the finishing act of passion?”
“What?”
He coughed slightly into his hoof “you know… consummating the marriage?” after the current blank expression he whispered the basics into her ear.
She blushed “Oh yeah… I knew that. But seriously,” her expression turned pleading “can we stand as… good friends until we actually get into the swing of things?”
Looking down at her hopeful face, feeling his heart melt. “Whatever makes you happiest.”
“This is a situation I never thought I would see.”
Rainbow jumped from where she had been sitting in the flying carriage. What seemed like moments ago she had left with Soarin and his team on a huge covered carriage after a series of heartfelt goodbyes to her and her new…husband.
I’m never going to get used to that word.
She turned from where she had been looking out at the rapidly diminishing ponyville, feeling homesick already, to the source of the voice. “What do you mean?”
A weight settled beside her and she turned to see the usually proud captain of the wonderbolts appear diminished and confused as she shifted about running a hoof through her mane. “You. When Soarin told us like, two months ago that he was getting married I expected a porcelain doll of a mare who would freak out over a speck of dust, not… you.”
“Believe me,” she blew a section of yellow mane out her eyes, “I was pretty freaked out when I saw him standing with you guys. I actually didn’t recognize any of you at first.” She gave a soft chuckle and looked to where Soarin was sitting, looking at the far horizon as some of his teammates were trying to catch his attention with corny jokes. “I always thought I would be stuck with some mareizer. Or at the very least sompony creepy, some guy looking for a trophy wife or something even worse.” She smiled briefly. “Just not a guy like Soarin.”
“That’s terrible.” Spitfire shuddered as images of what else could be implied flittered across her mind.
“SUPER TERRIBLE!” a blur of white and yellow raced over to rainbow and put her face super close to Rainbow’s and spoke at a rapid fire pace. “I mean if you hadn’t gotten hitched with Soarin then he would never had gotten to have someone as cool as you.”
After taking a second to process the word spew that had been aimed at her rainbow combined it with the appearance of the mare before her, a pale white mare with a bright yellow mane that was incredibly curly and poofy. “You wouldn’t happened to be related to a mare name Pinkie Pie would you?”
The white mare let out a gasp that caused everyone around to cringe. “You know my sister? Oh well of course you know her, she was your bridesmaid of course so you must be the best of friends!” each word seemed to increase the volume of the mare’s voice. She then felt a heavy shaking sensation come from her hoof as the white mare was almost violently throwing her upwards and dragging her back down. “To formally introduce myself my name is Surprella Luanne Pie. Surprise for short. We are going to be best friends.” She then wrapped Rainbow in a powerful rib crushing hug before letting out another cringe inducing gasp and ran off in another direction.
Spitfire observed how casually Rainbow reacted to the sudden encounter of the pie kind where as she had seen many run off in fear at the first shouted syllable. Dragging herself back to the conversation she sighed. “You know, Soarin never really told us much about this thing. Your marriage. How did you get into to this thing?”
“That is a good question.” Rapidfire wandered over to the two of them. “Were you like some virgin sacrifice?”
Just as she was about to speak Soarin spoke up “It’s a very long story, one based off the ramblings of some ‘spirit’ that my grandfather saw in the Everfree forest.” Seeing now the interested faces around him he sat up and turned to rainbow, “I’m guessing I’ll be the one telling the story?”
“You kind of have to.” She blushed again, hating herself for doing so again, “My family was really never told why. We just thought my grandpa was weird and he found some weird way to make me miserable.” After thinking for a moment she blurted out “Not that I’m miserable or anything, I mean-no offense.” And ducked her head down embarrassed.
Slightly smiling at her behavior he turned to the others and started from the very beginning.