To readers who finished the former Chapter 12 before 4 February 2015,

This chapter comprises the revised second part of the old Chapter 12 (now chapters 16 and 17). It is not new to the story.

In Twilight's embrace, so much more easily than with Fluttershy, without doubt or skepticism to dilute her conviction, Sweetie was comforted quickly, knowing she was loved and certain that she wasn't alone. The young filly's breathing calmed, she released Twilight, and the lavender alicorn sighed.

Twilight trained herself to deliver one last lesson, one she hoped would be easier than the first. “I have one last story, Sweetie, if you think you can hear it right now. It's still disturbing, but maybe not quite as sad,” or close to home, she thought, “as the last.”

“S—” hic “—sure, Twilight. It's alright. I can—” her breathing shuddered one last time “—handle it.”

“Alright.” Twilight took a seat at the filly's side and stroked her back reassuringly, concerned, but she nodded and cleared her throat. “This story takes place a very long time ago in Unicornia, before the diarchical—before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled Equestria.” Twilight flashed away the black-ribboned scroll and replaced it with one tied with a mauve ribbon instead. “This is the story—more of a history,” Twilight corrected, “of Lord Mithril and his legacy.”

“Oh, royalty?” Sweetie’s mood lightened a bit.

Twilight nodded, but only half-smiled at the little unicorn’s interest. “This happened in a time when marriages between stallions and small fillies were not only condoned—allowed, but fairly commonplace,” Twilight explained.

“Wait, so fillies like me used to be allowed to marry, just like that?” Sweetie interrupted.

“Well, yes and no. Let me start at the beginning. ... You see, during this period, the three pony tribes experienced particular peace and prosperity through trade. Unicorn royalty benefited in part from gem trading, however, their main wealth and power came to them through magic that was kept and taught only to the ruling class. In order to keep the secrets of their powers to themselves along with their riches, royal families interbred almost exclusively with each other. Often, a spouse was taken very young in order to train them in the magical craft of the house which they were to join. Because of the heavy focus on wealth and duty, however, spouses often didn’t know each other, much less love each other, before they were married. Some couples grew to love each other eventually, but many ... didn’t. Those who didn’t, often looked to other relationships, usually multiple partners, for intimacy and romance. Spouses were usually aware of these affairs and accepted them as part of life as royalty. In the end, of course, their infidelity led many to an early grave by the spread of sexually transmitted disease. You remember the diseases we talked about, don’t you?” Twilight asked.

“Uh-huh,” Sweetie nodded, recalling a chapter in one of her reading assignments and her subsequent discussion with Twilight about diseases that ponies can catch through sex.

“Very good!” Twilight smiled and continued. “That’s not what this story is about, but it’s still good to remember, I think,” Twilight noted. “I’m going to keep this short since I’ll be paraphrasing from the old Equish.” Twilight unfurled the scroll and, pausing to scan it quickly every so often, she related back what she read.

“The young maiden Argentine, betrothed from birth to Lord Mithril, joined his house, by the lord's request and with the blessing of Argentine's sire, from age four to learn her royal duty. The lord tended to her himself closely, raising her as an obedient wife.”

“Betrothed?” Sweetie looked confused.

“Betrothed just means an engaged pony. In other words, theirs was an arranged marriage. Also, there’s reason to believe,” Twilight clarified further, “that, since unicorns rarely manage any magic so young, Argentine’s ‘royal duty,’” Twilight made air quotes, “was to please Lord Mithril—sexually, that is.”

“At four years old?!” Sweetie interjected, not disgusted but certainly surprised, to which Twilight simply nodded before continuing.

“Though the record doesn’t state it anywhere specifically, Mithril was likely about seventeen at the time he married his first foal wife, having been granted his inheritance at sixteen, and, thus, being considered capable of supporting a wife and potential family at that time.

“Lady Argentine passed away in giving birth, along with one of two foals, a common and tragic end, at the untimely age of ten. The single foal she gave her life for, whom survived, Lord Mithril granted his cousin to wed at age eight in exchange for the cousin’s last daughter, the maiden Starlight, age six, from his own late wife. Many speculated that Mithril was too closely reminded of Argentine by their daughter, and, for grief, he couldn’t bear to raise her. In any case, from then on, Mithril's conduct in family matters became more and more questionable.

“Young Lady Starlight resisted Mithril’s guidance and shunned her ‘training,’ but ultimately, according to the record, she submitted and bore him two sons and three daughters before she died as well at age 14, again in childbirth.”

Sweetie seemed distressed, but Twilight pressed on.

“Mithril set up his sons to wed their sisters well before any of them had matured, taboo even among Unicornian royalty, and, rumor had it, Mithril carried on mating with his own daughters afterward. This way, when they weren’t wearing anything among guests, any sign of intercourse could be blamed on sex with their sibling spouses, even though his sons, well, ... weren’t grown enough to cause as much redness as some reported seeing.

“Similarly, Mithril set up and manipulated his grandchildren and, likely, mated with the fillies among them. His house endured the scandal, however, and his wealth stayed with him and grew because there was no need to give dowries, that is, gifts to his daughters’ husbands,” Twilight clarified, “since they were his own sons. Additionally, the family managed to avoid disease, since they seemingly only engaged in coitus—sex—with each other, except for a number of grandsons who married outside the family.

“At age 40, Lord Mithril already had 10 grandchildren. One of his and Starlight’s daughters had died in childbirth at age 10, like Argentine had, but their third daughter married the widower brother, taking her sister’s place. The same happened to several granddaughters and even great-granddaughters at different ages. Some of the widower colts married outside the family, but most decided to marry within, as long as an unwed cousin or sister existed within their family.

“Mithril lived to 77 years old, quite old for his day, when ponies usually only lived to about 35. He died of old age, incidentally, but that wasn’t the end. Several of his sons, grandsons, and their sons and grandsons carried on the tradition of urging their foals to marry each other, or the foal of a similarly-minded brother or cousin, while young, and then mating with their own fillies and nieces before and after puberty.

“A few were caught in the act and the uncle or father reprimanded officially, but the power of the family had grown so much that, together, they held sway over the law and could escape the larger part of the consequences. This changed when, presumably, the clan became so corrupted that parts of the family, either hurt or moved by conscience, united and brought most of the others to justice. The worst offenders were banished. Many were stripped of their possessions and status. Some of the young colts who never meant harm, but only meant to follow in their family tradition were given a second chance. A few couples who claimed to love each other sincerely were granted amnesty—pardoned.

“From Argentine until the last unhealthy incestuous bond was forcibly broken, the Mithril clan’s abuses spanned over 100 years, and, from then on, a minimum age limit was set by law for marriage so that both spouses would have the benefit of maturity and the moral education that comes with it—something that Mithril’s wives and foals had lacked. The part of the family that had rebelled had done so primarily because of the abhorrent treatment of some of the fillies among them, being conditioned to accept sexual advances, even while they were unwilling, lest they be shunned, treated more like a communal har—er ... I mean, like slaves,” Twilight censored a little bit for Sweetie Belle, “than like wives.

“Not too long after, sibling marriages were also outlawed to limit familial manipulation, and so that power like the Mithril clan had wouldn’t again so easily be acquired, not to mention,” Twilight added, “many suffered birth defects due to inbreeding. Fortunately, the royals began from then on to question their strict inter-familial marrying and to accept marrying serfs, unicorn peasantry,” she finished matter-of-factly and sent the scroll away with a pop.

Sweetie Belle said nothing, but looked aghast for the second time that session.

“Can you guess why I might share this history with you, Sweetie?”

It took the filly half a minute to recover from what she'd heard, and when she responded, she looked tired and a bit unfocused. “Well,” she'd understood most, but hadn't bothered to ask what certain words meant, like 'familial,' so she guessed, “maybe to show how marrying foals is—or how it can be bad?” Sweetie ventured.

“Close. Good guess, but not exactly. What Mithril did was very bad. It hurt fillies and colts in his family for more than a century. But the main reason I share this is to give you an example not of how foal marriage is bad, but of why the law, as it is today, is good.”

Sweetie considered the difference. “But, it also stops good foal marriage,” Sweetie said, more to herself than to Twilight, thinking out loud.

Twilight didn't contest the statement. “Do you—” Twilight considered how best to prompt more critical thought. “What do you think stopping the bad ones is worth? How many good foal marriages stopped would it take to balance out one bad one the law also stops?”

“I ... guess I don't know, but, if there's still the chance a foal can marry the pony she loves when she's older, then it would equal a lot of stopped foal marriages.”

Twilight nodded, smiling. “I agree. So, what do you think of the laws against foal marriage and sex?”

“I think they're good,” Sweetie admitted, “but ... what about Fluttershy and me?”

“I think,” Twilight answered, “you're seeing how complicated it really is to make an exception to such an important law.”

Sweetie thought quietly for a moment. “I think I've had that paradigm move you were talking about.”

Twilight chuckled. “Paradigm shift or paradigm change, yes.” Twilight let loose a great sigh of relief.

Finally, the three were ready to meet together. They all seemed to be on the same page, but, of course, talking about it as a group would be helpful for ironing out the details and solidifying their plan to make sure the odd couple was as safe as possible. Equally important, of course, was their need to discuss whether Sweetie would let Rarity know what was happening.

As all three sat together, Sweetie and Fluttershy side by side, the pegasus's wing around the foal as usual, Twilight dove in, eager to finish the day's counseling. The trio didn't take long, setting tighter boundaries, mostly for future dates, but also for topics they' would avoid discussing generally without Twilight present. Once they'd finished covering what Sweetie and Fluttershy were to do if they ever felt temptation strike, Twilight moved on immediately to the final issue.

“Now, Fluttershy, do you want to tell Sweetie what we discussed, or should I?”

Fluttershy had thought about how, she hoped, the conversation might go most smoothly as she'd waited in the library and took only a moment to recall her thoughts before answering. “If it's alright, Twilight, I'd like to have a word with Sweetie Belle alone, and have you check on us just every minute or two. I'm feeling safer now that we've all talked, actually, so longer wouldn't hurt, but, um, ... I'll leave it up to you, if you agree.”

Twilight looked up thoughtfully. “Alright,” the lavender mare agreed. “Let's make it five minutes between check-ins. I suppose you can have as long as you need, total, but, if you didn't go past fifteen minutes, my schedule wouldn't be hurt at all,” Twilight hinted not-so-subtly and squeed, smiling.

Fluttershy grinned and nodded.

“Just give the barrier a knock if you need anything or finish in the middle of five minutes,” Twilight advised.

Sweetie's curiosity was intense as she listened and waited. As she watched Twilight open and step through the barrier to descend the loft stairs and the barrier closed again, her attention snapped back to Fluttershy.

Smiling, Fluttershy withdrew her wing and shifted to face the filly. Sweetie smiled back, recognizing the admiration in Fluttershy's gaze and warmed by the soft sparkling in her eyes. Fluttershy raised a hoof to the foal's cheek and closed her eyes, relaxing with a sigh as she stroked it. Sweetie raised her own hoof to Fluttershy's and held it in place, letting her own eyelids droop and close and nuzzling happily, sighing softly, against her fillyfriend's soft pastern and smooth hoof.

Fluttershy smiled wider and opened her eyes again. Don't delay, she thought. “Twilight and I were talking about your family, in particular Rarity,” Sweetie opened her eyes with interest and let loose Fluttershy's hoof to better focus on the mare, “and I'd like to know how you might feel if, maybe, with your permission, we told her that you and I are in love with each other.”

Sweetie released Fluttershy's hoof, and her eyes grew wide, surprised. “You ... actually want Rarity to know about ... that we ... want to get married, before we know whether it'll be allowed?”

“Honestly, no. I'm terrified, but ... the way we're keeping it secret, I'm frightened even more that it might hurt not only my and Twilight's close friendship with your sister, but it might drive a wedge between you and her, and, the longer we wait, I worry, the harder it will be.”

A moment's silence passed between them as puzzle pieces snapped into place for Sweetie Belle.

“Also,” Fluttershy continued, “I think that, maybe, if Rarity approves, though I really don't dare to hope, just maybe, it could make our official engagement, our marriage, possible much sooner—you know?—since a big part of the risk in us being together is what might happen if your family found out about us by accident. Also,” Fluttershy amended further, “if Rarity knows and is willing to give us a chance, then it might not be so hard to convince the rest of our closest friends, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, to help us too.”

“And, if Rarity doesn't approve?” Sweetie looked up, worried.

“Then,” Fluttershy took a steadying breath and exhaled, “we'll have a tough choice to make, but, no matter what, even if I have to wait for you, even if we're separated, I'll always love you. I'll write to you if that's what you want, I'll break the rules, like I’ve said, and try to visit you or run away with you, if it's possible, if you ask me to. And, if I'm sent far away or locked up and can't do anything but think about you, then, I swear by my heart and my life, I'll think about you and write to you, as if you could receive my letters, until the day I finally see you again and can read every word I've written to you myself, and ... and if you still love me like I love you then, then I'll take you and marry you, and we'll live happily together from then on.”

Sweetie blushed open-mouthed for a moment at the grand romance of the promise until her eyes shifted uncertainly, and she frowned. Thoughts of a withered Fluttershy, too weak to go on, chilled and haunted her, and she remembered the resolution she'd made.

“I'll love you forever, Fluttershy. If I had to wait a hundred years, I'd do it.” Her heart ached to think about it. “If you,” Sweetie paused, struggling for words, “if you ever think that ... it's better for me to be without you ... like, to be with somepony else, then ... I still won't be, you know? You and me, it's everything for both of us or nothing … well, for—for me anyway,” she stumbled awkwardly. Sweetie shut her eyes and furrowed her brow against lingering images of a brokenhearted mare. “I ... I won't let you go, and, if you or anypony else separates us, I'd spend forever just to find you again.” Sweetie spoke with conviction.

Fluttershy wasn't sure why Sweetie included her, just then, among ponies who might stand in the way of their relationship, but she knew what she was thinking, a scenario where Fluttershy urged the young filly to move on that had crossed her mind earlier as she talked with Twilight. It appeared, thought Fluttershy, that Twilight had prepared both of them for that possibility, and Sweetie had chosen not to accept it. The pegasus blushed at the thought and at the foal's counter-promise.

Fluttershy reached forward to embrace her foal, and Sweetie clung to her in return desperately, as though she might not see her again. “I love you, Sweetie Belle!” Fluttershy couldn’t help but repeat herself.

“I love you too, Fluttershy!” Sweetie tightened her hold, and felt herself cry the last of the tears she’d kept back from the story of Merryweather and Glitterwing.

As they held each other, a familiar voice called to them from the room itself. “It’s been five minutes, girls. If everything is alright, then please knock on the barrier three times in the next twenty seconds. I won’t be able to hear you if you respond any other way since I’ve made this a one-way sound channel. ... Only 10 seconds left before I come up.” Twilight Sparkle’s tone was polite.

Unwilling to let each other go, Fluttershy lifted both of them hastily with her wings and tapped the humming barrier three times, kicking lightly with a back hoof, then returned back to the small sofa where they’d been sitting.

They spent a whole minute there, feeling each other’s warmth. Sweetie pressed her head against Fluttershy’s barrel, hearing her heartbeat, and Fluttershy stroked the filly’s mane and withers and felt and listened to her breathe and sniffle once.

“So ... do you know what your answer is to telling Rarity?” Fluttershy broke the relative silence.

Still holding Fluttershy, Sweetie thought for a while silently. “I love Rarity, but ... I’m ... afraid,” she finally responded. There was another long pause as she considered the good that might come from telling her sister.

Before she answered, Sweetie squeezed Fluttershy tightly, straining until her nervousness burnt itself out, and all her tension released at once. With a deep breath, the filly answered, “Let’s tell her.”

The three wrapped up their meeting as smoothly as Twilight had hoped. While Fluttershy would visit the boutique to help, they each agreed, it would be best if Sweetie occupied herself away from the two, mostly, and tried to limit their contact.

They’d tell Rarity together, they decided, after the celebration.

“I’m really proud of both of you. Fluttershy, you’ve come such a long way in such a short amount of time with facing your fear. ... I want you to know that I’m with you 100% no matter what happens. Sweetie Belle, I've never met a braver filly, ever, than you,” Twilight ended simply at the end of their session.

Twilight stayed for the couple’s few intimate minutes before they all bid each other farewell. The librarian was neither as timid nor as trusting as she had been prior to the couple's date. Fluttershy and Sweetie, as well, each exercised far more caution than before, even with their purple companion present. The kisses they shared were still a soothing bliss after the sore conversations and difficult resolutions, but the spark between them was subdued. The love each understood behind their mutual self restraint made up for the loss of the heated arousal in which they usually indulged. Because they loved each other, because they respected one another’s ardor, each held back patiently and felt satisfied in the end without the usual thrill. A purer, more disciplined love seemed to grow between them.

Sweetie Belle sat quietly at dinner, contemplating everything that had happened the past week and what had been discussed that day. It was, perhaps, Rarity thought, the fifth time, at least, that the filly had been so quiet at dinner, not to mention other meals. Sweetie had finished her carrots quickly, but took her time with her asparagus. Rarity watched the littler unicorn now, prodding one piece with her fork.

“So,” the older sister started, “How was your day?” she asked politely.

Sweetie considered her answer. “Good,” she responded, smiling, but didn’t elaborate. “How about you?”

Rarity finished a lady-like drink of water, her plate already empty. Everything she did was lady-like. “Good. Good,” she echoed, “although, lately,” Rarity admitted, “I’ve been a little bit worried about you, Dear.”

Sweetie looked up at her sister, suddenly attentive. “O-oh ... really?” she stammered.

“Yes,” she let her concern show through. “You’re normally much more talkative, yet—” Rarity avoided any direct implication “—I mean to say, it seems like something has been on your mind.” Rarity looked patiently across at Sweetie, expectantly.

“W-well I, uhh,” she swallowed. “I don’t—I mean, it’s nothing, really.” Sweetie smiled nervously.

Rarity looked at Sweetie, unconvinced. “If you insist, Darling.” She said no more, unwilling to pry just yet.

The sisters sat silent and still at the kitchen table for several long moments.

“Rarity,” Sweetie ventured nervously.

“Hmm?” the elegant unicorn smiled at her little sister.

“Would you—do you think ... I’m grown up enough to make important decisions for myself?”

The response wasn’t what Rarity had expected. She looked curious as she considered the question. “What kind of important decisions do you mean, might I ask?”

Sweetie’s mouth twisted at the probing question. “I can’t really say. I mean, I don’t know. Just ... important ones, very important ones,” she clarified.

“Well,” Rarity paused again and took another drink. “I guess it depends on the kind of ... ‘very important’ decision. You’re still just a filly, after all, Darling.”

Sweetie’s lips pursed and she looked frustrated and a little worried at the table. Rarity took from the reaction that there really was something, potentially ‘very important,’ happening in her young sister’s life, something she’d been keeping secret. She finished her glass of water.

A minute passed before Sweetie thought to ask another question. “Are there any important decisions,” Sweetie hesitated, “that you think any pony, no matter what age, should be allowed to make for herself?”

Rarity thought again. It was a question she’d never really considered. More and more she wished the littler pony would come right out with what she wanted to ask—tell her what was going on.

“I suppose ... maybe decisions about your destiny, your cutie mark, I mean, of course, but only as long as it’s nothing outright foolish.” Rarity stipulated.

Sweetie Belle looked hopefully at Rarity until she finished the statement. “What would you say counts as, ‘outright foolish?’” Sweetie asked.

Rarity’s curiosity was now getting the better of her.

“Really! Why don’t you just tell me what decision you mean?! I promise I won’t get angry.”

Sweetie’s lips were sealed tight about the details, but she persisted. “Not now, Sis. Soon, maybe, but, for now, could you just answer the question? Please?” she added, trying to be polite.

Rarity sighed vocally, dramatically, but knew she wasn’t going to get anywhere without invading the filly’s privacy.

“Well, there are many foolish things, like trying to fly without wings, climbing a dangerous mountain without safety equipment, taming a full grown manticore, or just about anything that you really can’t do on your own without getting hurt or worse.”

This could go on all night, Sweetie thought and sighed. Again, she pondered quietly while Rarity brought her own dishes to the sink.

“Sis, do you think I’m old enough to know what’s dangerous and what’s not, and when to ask for help?” Sweetie Belle asked, hoping she might get some reassurance.

Rarity looked back from the sink where she began to wash dishes with a concerned look. “Sweetie, Darling, you’re starting to worry me.”

Sweetie said nothing, but waited expectantly for an answer.

“I suppose ... well, maybe you are,” Rarity half-allowed, “but if you have any doubt about whether it’s dangerous or not, then I think you should at least ask.”

Sweetie chewed and swallowed a few pieces of asparagus thoughtfully.

“Ask somepony responsible, who you would trust, right?” Sweetie inquired.

“Well, yes, but, also ask me or mother or father, at least one of us. We care about you very much. Who better to ask?” Rarity countered.

“Hmm.” Sweetie ate her fill and cleared her place at the table silently. “Sis,” Sweetie looked up at her sister next to her with a soft smile.

Rarity looked down attentively with a, “Hmm?”

“Thanks.” Sweetie nuzzled the generous pony warmly. Rarity gladly returned the gesture.

Author's Note

Last revised 4 February 2015
- for style, voice, and detail
- split into 2 chapters (16 &17)

Original Note:
Hah! I blew through this chapter way faster than usual.
There'll probably be more things i need to revise than usual as well.

Reference used: http://www.child-abuse-effects.com/female-sex-offenders.html
Inspiration for the side stories taken from: Firefly by Piers Anthony

Edit (6/25/14) : Thanks to Setokaiva for proofreading.