My Beautiful Marriage of the Broken Mares
My Beautiful Marriage of The Broken Mares
As a queen, it was my duty; as an individual, it was my honor... and before I had even met the unicorn, I was defeated, lost, and without the strength to lead my army into battle.
There was nothing I could have done. Without any love to feed upon, I had come to the assumption I would die as a result. In this seemingly endless forest of Equestria, that idea almost comforted me, for my minions had long since disappeared to who knows where. I could not provide for them any longer, and it was with a heavy heart that I decided to let them go. I would not make them stay with me either, for they could have certainly died as well.
They fled the land, as far as I knew.
And then I found myself alone, just as I had been from the start. In truth, it wasn't so bad, yet I continued to concoct my revenge. Adrift in my own sea of anger, my purpose felt misplaced now. No creature would ever love me again, even though it was no longer sustenance I craved. My dignity no longer carried any weight; by contrast, my shame was heavy... and full.
I passed through dense forestry for miles, never once hearing a bird's call. Shrubbery flooded the path at times, though I was making my own now. It was only when I heard the sound of running water for the fourth time that I also heard the sound of wailing. It reminded me of Cadence, stinging my heart, and I didn't know whether or not to proceed.
Yet, I did.
I came to a clearing, nothing but a modest pond branched out from a greater stream. It was quieter here, but the sound of grieving weighed on me. It came from a creature that I was unfortunately familiar with, a broken shell of a unicorn. She sobbed so heavily, it carried deep into the woodlands... and my soul.
For once, I felt pity for an actual pony. Quite an unusual change of heart, especially for a being such as myself.
I approached the edge of the pond, keeping my head low and docile. My hoofsteps, though quiet, barely fetched her attention. She peered up at me briefly then looked back down, yet oddly she did not seem fazed in the slightest. She must have either been incredibly bold, or just as equally powerful. I saw her reflection in the water; scarlet rubies for irises stared back up at her. Her beige coat appeared to be saturated with her tears, just beneath her neck.
For the life of me, I could not discern why she was not afraid, so I followed the circumference of the pond until I stood at her side. Then suddenly, I felt her love; it was so truly palpable that I only narrowly contained myself. Her mane, colored the reddest of autumn leaves, fell over her face and down the length of her frame freely. She would certainly be considered beautiful by the standards of any pony.
I must admit, even with my ability to change my appearance at will, I would find it arduously challenging to conjure a more alluring and exquisite persona.
I am almost jealous of her, even to this very day.
As I struck up conversation with her, I found out that she indeed knew who I was. It irritated me, possibly because of her bravery, and it took nearly a quarter of an hour of talk for her to divulge the truth to me. I never once minded our chat; her voice was just as appealing as her appearance, nearly sedative in tone.
Her love came from a full, bottomless well within her heart, one that existed solely for another mare. She explained that she desired to have a wedding in Canterlot, the city which they both called home, but Celestia had not allowed it. By my reasoning, I can't help but feel as though this was partially my fault, yet I never interrupted her.
She told me of her abilities, particularly advanced for a unicorn, and I took her words as truth. Over the course of decades, she had gained favor from Celestia for her sheer magical prowess, and this is what gnawed at her heart most of all. The princess had cast her out, yet by her own fault this time. Apparently, she had become too hostile with Celestia and her council. I always knew they were rather weak.
"So," I spoke to her lightly after she had finished, "What brought you out this far?"
Her words stumbled, as if I'd triggered some repressed memory.
"M-my Lily..." she muttered, "I asked her to marry me... and she accepted."
"I suppose that's wonderful news for you," I noted, "Although, I assume Celestia wouldn't allow it in the way you had intended."
"Exactly," she whispered.
"Where is your fiancée, then?" I inquired.
"She is resting past that hill, by a quiet lake, for she has been growing steadily ill over the last few months and must rest often. It helps with her hearing as well."
"Hearing?" I thought for a moment, "Why would that be of such importance?"
Her head snapped sideways, I assumed to look in the direction of her love.
"She has been growing blind also," her words trailed off, forcing me to lean inward, "And she can barely speak to me anymore..."
"And why is that? If you don't mind me asking,"
"Perhaps it's better if I just show you. Tell me, you are a true queen, are you not?" she asked.
"I assure you, my title is not only honorary. It carries weight."
My answer seemed to suffice, for she finally stood up and turned away from her reflection. She made brief eye-contact with me and I saw, for only a moment, the fiercest of resolves.
"Good," she replied calmly, "Then you may decline if you'd like, but...
would you please...
...
... officiate our marriage?"
I remained motionless for what seemed to me an eternity. No creature had ever asked me such a question in all my days, and quite frankly, I never expected I would be for as long as I lived. I couldn't help but stare down at her, yet she looked away, almost afraid of my response. Then, something even more ludicrous and unexpected crossed my lips than I could have ever imagined.
"I will," I agreed.
I had little time to prepare any words, but then again, I did not think I would even need them. I had managed to conceal myself among royalty before, so I supposed standing over these two mares would've been simple by comparison. Unfortunately, I had no idea just how right I was... and also how wrong.
Her love had indeed been sleeping by the lakeside, amongst a patch of dry, warm moss. I could tell she was equally as beautiful, even at this distance. I allowed them time to converse, watching the red-eyed mare tell her all about me.
I stood by the lake, not interfering in their talk, when suddenly they approached me.
"This... is Lily," she nodded to her mare.
Her coat shimmered with the color and brilliance of a white opal, and I had a hard time deciphering if I could even mimic it for later usage. She had several locks clinging to the sides of her cheeks, while the rest of her luscious, magenta mane trailed down to her shoulders, clean and straight. Her eyes were a pale burgundy, still and lifeless... but there was clearly a beautiful, intrepid soul behind their veil.
I was nearly petrified by her stunning appearance.
"You two," I paused, looking between the two of them, "Are so beautiful together."
Lily's left ear flickered at the sound of my voice, as did the corner of one of her blind eyes. I could not tell if she was frightened by me, yet she seemed comfortable standing beside her mare. I was then reminded of something, as I turned to her.
"I apologize, but I don't believe you ever told me your name."
"Oh," she giggled lightly in embarrassment, "My name is Lady... just Lady. I'm sorry I did not bring it up earlier, though I suppose it will be important if you're to wed us."
I couldn't help but warmly smile at the pair; this whole situation was beginning to feel preordained.
"Where would you like the ceremony to be held?" I asked.
As if on cue, Lily tugged on her mare's hoof and led the way for all of us, as if guided by an invisible force. She seemed so sure of herself, for I could only assume she knew the sound of perfection better than we did. Surely blindness could not stop her from finding the quaintest, most peaceful of points along the lakeside.
I felt so undeniably fortunate to be with them, as I made it a point to halt any conquest I might ever consider. This scene was immaculate, even for me. The lake was calm and stagnant, birds graced our ears with their songs, and the bright sun was stifled by every tree's low-hanging foliage. We all gathered at the water's edge, happily taking in the scents and sounds of the wildlife, though it did not distract us in the slightest.
Lady had picked a yellow wildflower, cradling it within her magic, then held it up to me before we began. I acknowledged her motion, and with a slight wave of my hoof over its petals, I used my abilities to change it into the most vividly orange of all fire lilies. She smiled in appreciation before placing it delicately within her mare's soft mane.
Lily had now reached a level of beauty I never would achieve, but I did not care, for I was thankful that one of us had reached our zenith. She twiddled around the flower with a free hoof, showing her obvious delight with a small blush.
The pair stood opposed to one another with their hooves mere inches from the lakeside, when suddenly they made eye-contact and held it, as if waiting for one of them to speak.
"I'm not sure if you were aware of this, Chrysalis," said Lady, "But, I hear what she says sometimes. When I look into her eyes, I hear her voice, plain as day."
"Well," I said, quite shocked, "I've never heard of such phenomena. Will you be able to...?"
My statement trailed off, and I felt like such an imbecile for not being able to come up with an appropriate word.
"Yes, I will interpret for her," she said.
Her dignified response reassured me, and I quickly regained my composure. I cleared my throat, hoping to sound as regal as I could manage. I had my reputation to consider, after all; though, it occurred to me that such things in this secluded place did not actually matter.
"Very well," I spoke softly, though loud enough for both of them to hear. "It is my great honor to have gathered here with you two today, for I cannot conceive of a more splendid ceremony to preside over than your marriage. May it be forever known that I, Queen Chrysalis, personally watched over these proceedings."
The sound of chirping birds returned as I nodded to the scarlet-maned unicorn.
"Please, Lady, profess and affirm your vows."
She had come far from the crying pony I met not too long ago, as she looked happily into her mare's pale eyes.
"Lily," she cracked a small smile, "From the time I've first met you, you have stood by me, more so than anypony else ever has. I had finally found true happiness when you stepped into my life. I can not imagine living the rest of it without you... Which is why I, Lady, take you, Lily, to be my wife, for as long as I shall live, for better or for worse, to love you with all my soul and all my heart. I solemnly vow that I will never leave your side, for I cannot imagine a more desirable place to forever stay. I vow to cherish you, every moment, of every day, of every year until death do us part...
Until the end of my days, I vow to always be with you."
As she spoke, her bride began to tear up, filled with such a new fullness and happiness. Her eyes flickered, and her lips quivered as well, as a single tear fell down upon her cheek. I issued my statement to her next.
"Please, Lily, profess and affirm your vows."
She attempted to giggle, simply out of pure joy, yet her handicap forced her to remain silent. Their eyes met longingly, and Lady looked as though she were deep in thought, reading a book of some kind. I could not hear the exchange, but I could tell Lily had said something drastic when her mare suddenly gasped. I allowed her to continue silently speaking, watching Lady struggling to hold back tears of her own. She was clearly choking on a lump in her throat as she pressed a delicate hoof to her chest, directly over her heart.
I could see Lily was finished speaking when Lady slowly closed her eyes, though still weakly smiling.
"Did she return your vows?" I asked.
"Every last one," she whispered to me, "And more..."
I wasn't quite sure what to say, for my imagination simply went wild considering what Lily could have possibly said to bring her to tears like this.
"Wonderful," was all I could manage, "Then I'll start with you, Lady. Do you accept Lily's vows, wholeheartedly as truth, and take her as your wife?"
"I do," she said, gazing into her mare's empty eyes.
"And do you, Lily, accept Lady's vows, wholeheartedly as truth, and take her as your wife?"
I received a pleading nod from the beautiful unicorn, so anxious to hear my next words.
"Then, by my power as Queen, I see no valid reason why you two should not be joined in eternal matrimony. You have each consented together in wedlock, made vows, pledges, and promises to each other, and now take your other's hoof in marriage. May no pony ever put this union asunder.
I now pronounce you both... as wives to one another.
Please, you may kiss each other now."
They both eagerly leaned forward and did as I said, locking lips passionately with the sound of birds still chirping above us. Lily did not need any guidance, for her heart told her where to go. With their eyes closed and their hearts overflowing with love, I decided perhaps it was time for me to make my leave. While this sight, combined with their love, was slowly returning my true power to me, I could not help but feel guilty for taking advantage of them.
But perhaps, in this new perspective I'd been given, I found a new way to find the love I so desperately craved. I did not need them to love me, so much as I needed to make it grow myself. That was my true reward.
I finally mustered the courage and left them, peacefully and quietly by the lakeside. It was a thankless job, maybe, but I think the experience was thanks enough. I came away from it with a new appreciation for what these ponies actually interpreted as love, and not with my own distorted version of the emotion.
I could not stop pondering, however, just how Lily could speak wordlessly. I thought perhaps it was because she was an ill unicorn whose health was rapidly deteriorating, but that explanation still made little sense to me.
I suppose it was my great misfortune to find out several months later, when her wife came to me... that she had died, not even five days after their marriage. It was a terrible shame, for I knew I could never comprehend the vastness of Lady's love when she at last found me again, wandering aimlessly through the wood. She had sought me out this time; a stark contrast to our first meeting.
This time, I was the one weeping, and when she approached me, I could see new burns and scars across her face. She had been caught up in a fire of some sort, and then I faintly remembered all those weeks ago, when she first told me about her power. Her sobbing carried far into the trees as she pleaded for my assistance. I honestly did not know whether or not at the time to help, for her intentions were very negative in nature during that encounter. I sincerely hoped that I could have used my powers for something greater than myself... but alas, I was wrong.
Lady's love had turned to hatred, and it could not be quelled, despite my best efforts.
I tried pleading, but she nearly forced me to assist her.
I reluctantly complied, however.
Then, as if our former meeting never occurred, she was off, and I never saw her again.
I still worry about her, even to this day. I wonder if she considered her wedding as beautiful as I did, despite how short it was.
Maybe... I will never be able to satisfy any pony.
