> Leaving Him Wordless > by SilverEyedWolf > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > He Watched > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The stallion looked up when the door opened, glancing up the walkway and grinning widely when he saw the trio of fillies beyond the massive planks of pale wood. As soon as the crack appeared between the slabs the strings of the orchestra began to hum, a small fleet of violins lifting up a deep cello that became the backbone of the piece, two more plucking gently to give a pulse for the rest of the song to breath to, to beat to. Then the trained animals began their birdsong, trilling cheeps and tweets accenting the song. He didn't care, not when the organ came to life and drew the music together into one almost living creation, nor when the trio of fillies finished prancing down the aisle with their baskets. He was too busy looking beyond the players. Looking at the mare gazing steadily from behind the wooden braces moving out of her way, looking along the red carpet that led directly to her hooves. His legs trembled as he forced himself to not run to her. His breath hitched when she smiled warmly at him. His grin trembled when he tried to contain it until he gave up. He saw a nod out of the corner of his eye, and she began walking slowly along the carpet, matching the cadence of the song with her steps. He watched the gentle swaying on the train as she walked evenly towards him, the spaces in the tiara she normally wore laced through with fresh yellow roses on either side of her horn. He noticed the rose at her chest, tying together the dress and tiara, and he noticed that she hadn't bothered placing the veil down over her visage. As though there weren't enough things for him to be thankful for already. He glanced at his parents in the crowd, saw that his mother was in happy tears, and nearly joined her before sniffing lightly and returning his gaze to her. He watched her pause at the foot of the stairs, taking in a breath before she ascended to the dais holding him, the best mare, and the officiator, none of whom he had eyes for. The birds holding her train flew up and out, joining the choir beyond the dais. She met him, nose to nose, muzzle to muzzle, before they both turned to the officiator. He listened to her begin her speech, the mare beside him giving a gentle correction, the official nodding in acquiescence before continuing. Then, she reached the part he knew more than any other part, he was ready for. He answered, the crowd beyond them cheering at his two words. The large pony before them nodded, before turning her head to the mare and asking her as well. She answered. The large pony began to speak but stopped, as though punched in the gut. She looked at the mare beside him and asked a question. Shaking his head, he cocked it before looking at her as she gave the same, monosyllabic answer. He watched as her wings fluttered before she roughly shook her back and stomped her hoof, gazing strongly at the pony before both of them as she repeated her answer, stronger and louder this time. He shook his head, his gaze becoming watery as the tears he suppressed earlier began to flow, but for a different reason now. He said her name, reaching a hoof out to her. She didn't look at him for a moment, but when she did her eyes were steady and her mouth a thin line, not even a frown but just a thin line and he felt like he was going insane as she shook her head slowly. He watched as she shrugged her wings, shedding the dress as the pony before them asked something. She just shook her head again, reaching up and pulling the tiara away from her horn and tossing it lightly on the ground between them. With a trembling hoof, he reached out and cradled it, his rear legs giving out as he returned his gaze to her. He said her name, with all the force he could muster, but she shrugged his whisper off. She walked to the side, turning her back to the congregation and extending her wings as she reached the railing. She lightly hopped up onto it, her wings gently flapping to keep her in place as she turned her head back and said a few words before she let herself fall, reappearing a few moments later as she took to the sky and flew away. Everyone was frozen in place, frozen in shock, frozen in disbelief. Soon some of the attendees began to quietly shuffle out of the twin doors that had led the mare to the dais. The stallion felt hooves on him, on his shoulder, wrapped around him and crying fat tears into his chest, but he stood still as he gazed out into the sky. He felt more than heard a gentle voice, strong and even, ask him something. He shook his head, numb to her voice, numb to words, as he remained where he was. He heard her sigh before she moved to the bottom of the stairs where ponies with notepads and cameras were milling, most of them civil enough to not even attempt to ask questions. The few more ravenous ones were gently rebuffed, and one mare that tried to reach him was teleported out into the moat. Still, he did not turn his head, gazing out over the railing that he saw her disappear over, the sky that she'd faded into. He felt the hooves wrapped around him slowly slacken as the day wore on, the gentle pressure of another pony's presence at his side slowly slip away until he heard some questioning words. He reassured her, hollowly, until she hugged him again and walked down the stairs. He listened to the gentle hoof-steps as they walked away from him, just as she had. He heard the doors close after the fading steps. He watched the open sky as it darkened into night. He watched.