Coronach carefully put one hoof in front of the other and took a step. Most of his weight was being held aloft by Celestia’s magic. His steps were slow, cautious, and jerky. Being exposed to moonlight nightly had allowed for a rate of healing that confounded poor Festus, and left poor Festus unable to explain the phenomena. Bones knitted, flesh closed, and finally, Coronach was capable of feeding himself for the first time, something everypony had celebrated when it happened.

It was now the dead of winter, several months after the terrible autumn night when Nightmare Moon had rampaged.

And it was said, she was still rampaging.

The Mare in the Moon was now haunting Equestria. She plagued dreams, tormented minds, caused madness, caused all manner of catastrophe, and lurked behind every shadow. The problem had become so terrible that the unicorns of the Unicorn range had turned to Celestia and were now begging her for help.

And Celestia had left them to flounder for a while, holed up in mighty Canterhorn Fortress, seemingly out of reach of the terrors down below. Canterhorn was an island of stability, peace, and calm among the nightmarish realm that was the Unicorn Realm now. The ponies below lived now in a constant state of panic..

Coronach took one more trembling step.

“Coronach, you have already given so much, but I must ask a little more from you,” Celestia said hesitantly.

Threnody raised her head from her book. She was sitting by the fire reading, occasionally watching her father’s progress through her heterochromic condition, one eye orange, the other yellow, both glittering in the firelight.

“If you ask, I will give,” Coronach grunted. “All I have for you and more, as I have sworn by my oath.”

“I need somepony suitable for marriage,” Celestia confessed.

The room fell completely silent. Coronach stood frozen, his sightless eye focused on some unknown point on the wall. Festus set his book down upon a table and stared at Celestia. Threnody stared at her father. And Heat Stroke, already knowing of this gambit, now watched and waited to see what would happen next.

“The unicorn nobles are placing me under a lot of pressure to marry in exchange for aid and mutual assistance. It is not something I want. You are the Hero of Nightmare Night, and, as such, you have more than enough right to ask for my hoof in marriage, according to the laws and old traditions. You are a decorated war hero. If I were to be married to you, they could no longer try to maneuver me into an unwanted political marriage and we can continue the re-unification,” Celestia said, briefly explaining the situation.

“So I am to protect you from marriage,” Coronach replied. “If you order it, I will do it.”

“I cannot order you to do this. I will not give this as an order,” Celestia said.

“Ah, well then, remember all those times you pinched my snoot?” Coronach asked. “All those times you tortured me and humiliated me?”

“I did that for your own good,” Celestia replied, her tone one of intense worry. She continued to hold the shaggy lunar pegasus aloft, and would keep doing so, even if his answer was unpleasant. She owed him that. She began to gnaw on her own lip with worry. A trickle of sweat ran down her neck.

“I am going to spend the rest of my life making you miserable for what you’ve done. I understand that this isn’t a real marriage,” Coronach wheezed. “It will be in name only. I will serve.”

Celestia took a deep breath and let it out in a huff.

Coronach took one more step forward, his knees trembling as he struggled to make his body move, and Celestia continued to hold him up, keeping most of his weight off of his hooves.

Later, privately, Coronach rested in his bed, covered in blankets, his head on a large soft pillow. He was exhausted and his limbs trembled from over-exertion, Celestia sat by his bedside, wiping his face with a damp cloth, trying to comfort the battered warpony.

“It doesn’t have to be a completely cold marriage,” she said in a small unsure voice. “We are friends, are we not? Are we close Coronach? I am trusting you with my life and my body.”

Coronach gave a grunt and tried to shift a bit in the bed, trying to find a comfortable spot.

“Do you want to be returned to your sling? Is the pressure too much?” Celestia asked, worried.

Coronach shook his head with barely noticeable movement and then tried to lay still. He took deep breaths, and thought he would never confess it, greatly enjoyed the white alicorn’s near constant attention and affection she paid him now.

“Luna and I both were to be wed to Sombra before his collapse into total madness. It was not something I was happy about, but it would have been good for Equestria, uniting Equestria and the Crystal Empire. But Sombra changed and went mad. Luna and I had to put him down. You on the other hoof, you annoying lump, you seem as solid and dependable as the bedrock that this fortress is built upon. I must admit, I take great comfort in your dependability. I… I am not sure if I could keep holding it all together without you actually,” Celestia admitted, her words full of uncertainty.

She leaned down and placed her muzzle close to Coronach’s battered tufted ears. “And I would not be above your occasional affections, should you offer them. A hero deserves a kiss now and then,” she said. After the last word left her mouth, she pressed her lips gently to the top of Coronach’s head and kissed him lightly.

“I am horrifically ugly,” Coronach muttered.

“And I do not care,” Celestia said. “I find that it adds to your appeal.”

“I am confused,” Coronach huffed.

“I like your scars. I like things that endure. I like things that last. I like things that survive,” Celestia explained. “And I find myself attracted to things I can trust now as well, which is new for me.”

“Look, I agreed to the marriage, there is no need for further wooing or pretty words to lure me in. You do not need to give me praise to gather me to your cause,” Coronach mumbled.

“I am speaking the words in my heart,” Celestia replied, her tone now somewhat wounded. “I would rather have a marriage based on trust than political leveraging, or even love. Trust endures, and I know that I can trust you.”

“I… I think I understand,” Coronach stammered.

“I have become very close to you,” Celestia confessed. “I have spent every day with you now for so long. I have looked after your every need. I have shared my secrets with you. Asked you for your advice about what to do with the empire. The times where I was sure that I could go no further, I turned to you and you always listened to me and inspired me to keep going.”

The battered lunar pegasus squirmed. Her words landed upon him like hot coals, each one making him very uncomfortable.

“If I wanted to marry, if I were but a common pony, I would want to marry you. You are rare prize,” Celestia said, punctuating her words with another kiss, this time on Coronach’s lips. It was a short sweet peck, nothing more, but it spoke volumes. He gave a grunt of surprise when he felt her touch.

“This is, this is forward,” Coronach protested.

“Does it shock you that I have physical needs, and that sometimes I want more than just words of comfort?” Celestia asked.

“N-n-no,” he replied, his voice trembling.

“I have other needs,” Celestia confessed with a whisper into Coronach’s ear. “I deny them constantly, not having found a pony worthy of my trust. I loved once, was even married, and that trust was broken. I have turned away all physical affection since then. Perhaps some day, when you are well, I may come to you and test your trust.”

“I am a blind cripple,” Coronach protested.

“Do you think that matters? You are healing. You might be blind, but I know you can still see. One day, you will rise from this long period of healing and be well again,” Celestia replied, her breath causing Coronach’s ear to flicker. “When faced with marriage that I do not want, I turned to the one pony I could trust and left my body in his care.”

Celestia stood up and strode towards the balcony, standing in the moonlight. She was radiant, beautiful, the silver light shining on her alabaster pelt. She peered out the window. New construction was taking place, expanding the fortress and further securing their position. This was the new seat of the empire, and Celestia would see it rise from the ashes.

“Your body is sacrosanct, you are a Goddess, I am not fit to touch you,” Coronach protested, his breathing heavy.

“I am still flesh and blood. I am still a mare. I may no longer experience estrus, or be connected to the cycles of life, but I still have feelings. I still want to be needed. I still have all of the insecurities of a mare. I have a heart that can be wounded and bleeds when it is,” Celestia retorted, staring out the window.

“Your Grace, the nobles have not reacted well to ‘Coronach’s announced intentions to claim you as his bride’ and they are protesting, demanding you call off any plans to this end, stating they will withdraw any offers of support,” Heat Stroke reported.

Celestia snorted angrily and her pacing intensified.

“The reports of the Mare in Moon continue to become stranger and more disturbing. It seems that Nightmare Moon is still wreaking havoc from her prison in the moon,” Heat Stroke announced, reading from a piece of parchment.

“The Mare in the Moon will be dealt with in time,” Celestia snapped dismissively. Her wings flapped a bit in annoyance and her ears splayed out sideways.

Heat Stroke studied the large white alicorn. She had not been herself lately. She was agitated. Aggressive. Her patience seemed thin at best, and nonexistent at worst. The only time she showed any of her usual grace and aplomb was when she was around Coronach. Even Festus was growing concerned. The griffon insisted that it was grief and stress. Heat Stroke supposed that it was, but the change of Celestia’s character alarmed him. Part of him wanted to move this conversation into Coronach’s chambers just so Celestia would be a little more… reasonable.

“The Mare in the Moon seems to be plaguing Cloudsdale as well,” Heat Stroke reported. “Pegasi there are experiencing some troubles. Some of have gone mad. The population suffers from a lack of sleep. They are seeking your aid. They have heard about the marriage offers from the unicorn nobles, and wish to counter it with offers from pegasi commanders.”

“I am already betrothed,” Celestia barked.

“Yes, yes you are your Grace. I was merely relaying the message. A group of envoys from Cloudsdale are coming. They are aware of your betrothal, and while they are unhappy about it, if you reject their proposals, they would prefer that you do marry Coronach, a pegasus, rather than a unicorn,” Heat Stroke said in diplomatic tones.

“I do not give a damn about what they prefer,” Celestia grumbled.

“Your Majesty, are you well?” Heat Stroke questioned bluntly.

“I am under a lot of pressure, do forgive me Heat Stroke. If I am short with you I am sorry,” Celestia apologised.

“Celestia, I worry about you a great deal,” Heat Stroke said, breaking protocol, his face flooding with emotion. “You are my friend, and I would be remiss in my duties as a friend and as your second in command if I did not express my concern.”

Celestia visibly slumped. “I am sorry commander. Do continue.”

“The unicorns are sending us more provisions now that they know that the pegasi are courting us for political gain. They are also sending a contingent of unicorn smiths, masters of their craft, to forge weapons and armor. The Unicorn Range wizard’s guild is sending a blessing of gifted unicorns to bolster our ranks and provide protection. The earth ponies send a message that they approve of your marriage to the Hero of Nightmare Night, stating that it sends a strong message that with hard work and dedication, anypony can achieve greatness, and they appreciate the message that such a marriage would convey,” Heat Stroke reported.

“That is unexpected. The earth ponies I mean. I did not think that anypony would actually approve of my plan. That is comforting,” Celestia replied, still looking ruffled.

“Your standing with the earth ponies is quite good right now. Better than ever before. They have always felt somewhat slighted, this could be a means to build a strong rapport with them. They too, are sending envoys,” Heat Stroke announced. “They have formed their own guard unit and are sending it to you as gift.”

“For some reason Heat Stroke, I am strongly comforted by that. I have always wondered how to reach the earth ponies and make them feel like equals,” Celestia admitted.

“Well, marrying a common salt speaks to them,” Heat Stroke replied with a smile.

Author's Note

Political wrangling.

Celestia blaming her sister for the dark magic attacks.

Delightful.