Not Too Soon
It was a long day for Emerald. She had been reading all day in the Castle study. Her sister, Ruby, had suggested her to read a science novel that their aunt, Princess Twilight, gave her. The second she looked at the cover, Ruby fell in love. Emerald had no choice but to read it since Ruby begged her to.
When Emerald started reading, she seemed to enjoy it, so much so that she couldn’t put it down. She read and read and read. Her eyes felt heavy and so did her head.
“Emma?” a deep voice called, “My Queen? Wake up.”
Emerald had fallen asleep. She moaned as she stretched and looked around for the voice. “Oh, morning Solar,” she sang to her lover. Solar smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I didn’t even know that I fell asleep.”
Solar chuckled at her. “It's alright my Queen,” Solar cooed as he nuzzled her softly. Emerald sighed lovingly. “Come now. Let me take you to a proper resting place.”
Emerald moaned again as she tried to stand on her own. “I’m not tired anymore. It’s day time now anyways.”
“Are you sure?” Solar asked worriedly. Emerald nod as she rubbed one eye. She smiled up at Solar who smiled back. “Well alright.” He turned to the door and guided Emerald outside the study.
Later that day, Emerald sat at her desk, writing another story that she wished would soon be published. Along with writing a story, she hummed and multitasked, writing notes in her diary for music, other story ideas, and current events. Her gentle humming filled the room with her relaxed colors.
As she wrote, she sometimes thought out loud in hushed whispers. Small “yeses” and “nos” and little hints of “a-ha” sneaked into the room, cutting off the calming tones of her voice. But what really cut her off was a knock at her door.
Emerald jumped a bit and glared at the door, knowing that she put up a sign that said she was working. “It's better be important,” she thought.
She stood up and when to answer the door rather than ask who it was. When she opened the door, her anger disappeared and she smiled. It was Solar.
As a way of asking, “May I come in?” Solar smiled at her and nodded to her room. Emerald stepped to the side and let him in.
When she closed the door, she seemed confused as to why Solar knocked on the door. She gave him a look at said it all. Even the way he came in was off. Solar seemed nervous.
“Sweetie, what troubles you?” she asked. Solar kept his back to Emerald and wouldn’t look at her. He stood still as a statue.
Solar suddenly took a deep breath and sighed. “My Queen,” he said still not facing Emerald, “There comes a time in a stalions life where he must choose to stay forever.” He paused and turned to face Emerald with something in his magically grip. “And today, I choose to be with the mare I love.”
Emerald gasped as Solar levitated a ring in front of her and bowed. “S-Solar?” she squeaked. Her eyes went wide and tears of joy started to form within them.
“Esmeralda, my Queen,” Solar smiled, looking up into her brilliant eyes, “I know we both don’t communicate through our words often. But today, a simple glance isn’t enough to tell you that I love you.”
Emerald bit her lip as she tried to hold back the tears. “I love you too,“ she whimpered.
“There, there, my dear.” Solar wiped the tears from her eyes, but to no avail, she continued to cry. “Will you marry me?” Without a word, Emerald blinked her tears away and nodded.
“Yes.”
It was clear as day that she wanted this to happen. Solar stood tall and picked her in a warm, loving embrace. They laughed and cried and hugged for hours. When their tears were no more, they smiled at each other and kissed.
“Emma,” Solar cooed.
“Yes, my King?”
“My Queen. Wake up.”
“Hmm?”
“Wake up. Wake up.”
Emerald’s eye opened and she looked around to see Solar staring at her. She really had fallen asleep.
“Solar?” she groaned. Solar smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I didn’t know I fell asleep….”
Solar chuckled at her. “It's alright, my Queen,” Solar cooed as he nuzzled her softly. Emerald sat up and looked confused. “Come now. Let me take you to-”
“-a proper resting place?” Emerald finish.
“Well, I was going to say your bed,” Solar said, raising an eyebrow, “But that works too.” He turned to the door and prepared to guided Emerald outside the study.
“Solar…?” Emerald whispered as they stepped outside.
“Yes, my Queen?”
“I had a dream and you proposed to me.” Solar stopped dead in his tracks. His face showed signs of worry, stress and nervousness. “S-Solar?”
Solar looked away for second. “That sounds like a wonderful dream,” he said. Slowly, he pressed forwards to Emerald’s room. “But, sadly, I’m not ready yet.”
Emerald fround at the ground. “O-oh…” she said in a hushed voice. Solar stopped outside of her door. “I see… You don’t wanna be with me….”
“What? No!” Solar said, lifting up her head, “Emerald, that’s not true.”
With a frown, Emerald opened the door and entered. “If it’s not true then why haven’t you proposed yet?” she asked with her back turned to Solar.
“I’m not ready.” he said with a shiver.
“So you don’t want me.”
“But I do!”
Suddenly, she quickly turned around. “Then why haven’t you proposed to me?!” She snapped. The room fell silent as they stared at each other.
“Because…” Solar began, “I want to surprise you.” He stepped closer to her and reached out a hoof. Emerald looked at him in awe and took his hoof in her own. “I want to see your face light up with pure joy and amazement when I ask you to marry me.”
They sat on the bed and snuggled close to one another. “But it’s been two and a half years now,” Emerald sighed.
“I know.” Solar caressed the side of Emerald’s face and kissed her forehead. “But your dream will come true soon enough. Sadly, today is not that day.”
Emerald frowned. “I guess it’s going to have to stay a dream.” Solar frowned as well. He continued to caress Emerald’s cheek until, she soon fell asleep. Once she was under the covers, he kissed her.
“I love you, my Queen,” he said.
“I love you too, my King,” Emerald sighed. Solar then processed to make his way out of her room and closed the door.
He returned to his room and sat down at his disk. He took a deep breath and sighed, looking at a small, decorative box. Smiling, he levitated the box to him and opened it, revealing a brilliant emerald green diamond ring.
“I’m sorry I lied to you,” Solar thought out loud. He set the box down and groaned. “If it wasn’t for that dream, I’d do it today.” He stood up and decided to lay down on his bed. As he stared at the ceiling, he smiled to himself. “You’ll have to wait just a little bit longer…. My Queen.”