Author's Note
It's a one shot, but one I hope brings A Canterlot Wedding a bit more depth.
Let me know what you folks think.
Household: 1, EM
With a sigh of relief, Truelove smiled as she filled in the last line of the parchment sitting before her.
Household: 1, EM
She looked it over carefully, spotting an "i" she had forgotten to dot, and promptly dabbing her quill accordingly before dusting the document and passing it back to the trio of Royal guards waiting patiently with a matching set of her best teacups.
The guards, weary and embarrassed after the day's ordeal, nodded politely before turning to go, the bronzes and golds of their armor glinting in the flickering light of the streetlamps outside. While normally pleasant and professionally gracious, today had not been a shining example of their skill and duty, leaving a fair number decidedly on the short tempered side. When Truelove had originally answered her door, the trio had looked as if they were ready for a bar fight and only the stuttered apologies of a terrified Earth pony mare had seemed to snap them out of it.
The intervening time, thankfully, had seen to them having a small snack of lemon cookies and a pot of herbal tea while she had filled in the census survey.
As the final guard stepped out into the night to continue his patrol and survey, he paused just long enough to offer her an apologetic smile and say "Thank you again miss Truelove, you should be happy to know that despite everything, we haven't heard of anypony being lost to those monsters." He paused before giving a much more genuine smile. "And thank you for the tea and cookies. It was a real treat."
Before she could respond, he had stepped again out into the night.
The soft click of the door seemed to echo for a moment before she spun with a relieved smile and began clearing the dishes and teacups, carefully stacking them before carrying the lot to her kitchen to wash.
"Love, I'm serious, we should just go right now. No more waiting. No more dancing around our parents, just... you and me, out there," the sleek sky-blue stallion smiled as he gestured out into the bright morning sky. He wore a little bow-tie and collar which offset the faded orange of his mane and smiled the smile of a love-struck colt on the playground as he held her hoof with his other.
"Tender," she giggled at his antics, "we simply can't! Whatever would we do out there? Sure, we could get a cottage or find jobs in some little place but think of the scandal!" With a dramatic hoof held to her forehead, the cream Earth pony mare teased back.
His response was almost predictable in its simplicity as he gasped before pulling the mare to his chest with bright smiles upon both of their faces. "Then we'll let them stare," he kissed her nose quickly before mocking a shocked expression, "But GASP! That stallion's gone and KISSED that, clearly happy and beautiful, creature upon the nose! BURN HIM!"
The pair collapsed into a fit of giggles as a passing pegasus rolled her eyes but did little more than smirk as she flew on. After all, seeing couples being silly wasn't uncommon... even in Canterlot.
Carefully, she set the dishes to dry and pulled the stopper from the sink. For a moment, she stood there, simply watching the curtains before spinning on her back hooves and walking back into the living room of her house. It wasn't spacious, or even large really, but it felt something like a home. On the wall were a few small pictures, her family mostly, and a nail or two where one had fallen down in the attack. The couch looked comfortable but, despite how tired she felt, it somehow repulsed her. Instead, she turned and paced slowly over to the simple wooden bench the guards had been resting on, something she would normally use to hold their saddlebags... her saddlebag... and climbed up.
After a moment to settle herself, she looked out across the room, taking stock of what had happened only a few hours ago.
There, by the window, was a new crack in the carefully painted wall - no doubt the result of one of the attacks raining debris down upon the building from outside. And there, near the door, were a number of scrapes where something had tried to force its way in. Thankfully, she thought back, the bench had been heavy enough, with the added weight of the large geode she had dug up last week, that they hadn't been able to force their way in. The windows were, of course, decoratively barred, something her mother had taught her due to the family gem business. "...it doesn't matter how nice the town, a shiny rock will bring it down," she had said time and time again.
For not the first time, Truelove was humbled by her mother's archaic wisdom.
Near the kitchen archway, a thin canister stood empty. She puzzled over it for a moment before remembering that it was to hold umbrellas, something she never really used. After all, being an Earth pony, she was no stranger to the elements and, being a gem digger, she had likewise found herself out in the muck and mud enough to not be bothered with it.
So then why did she own such a useless thi.... oh.
She chuckled airily. How could she have forgotten, Tendercare preferred to stay dry in the rain and he was out on a... what did he call it? A vacat... no... a sabba....double no.... perhaps it was a leave of abs... three strikes. She rolled her eyes a moment, the smile on her face flickering before she suddenly remembered: he was on a business trip to the Marediterreignian... he had left just this morning.
Before all Tartarus broke loose.
"So, ice cream?" he asked as they strolled down Archewhey Cross, gesturing to the little shop ahead while keeping his lopsided smile turned towards his mare.
She grinned in turn, taking the moment to lean into him, tucking her head under his chin as they walked. He was warm, almost hot in the sunlight, and smelled of fresh fruit and cream, a treat he prepared for them this morning, and every so often otherwise.
It had been a wonderful surprise: waking up to the feel of fresh meadow blossoms sprinkled around her and the crisp scent of berries and melons drizzled with cream and honey. That he was tucked up against her side, gently stroking her chest and belly, only made it all the more special when she realized that he was doing so in his sleep.
When she had woken him up with a demure lick of his nose after 'innocently' dabbing some cream upon it, they had giggled and kissed for some time before actually getting around to breakfast. After all, meadow blossoms were both delicious and delicate beauties... something he often likened to her.
With a contented smile, she gently kissed his neck before straightening up again and nodding towards the ice cream shop. "Sounds delightful."
There were a few ponies looking skyward for some reason, but at the moment, she had eyes only for her Tendercare. Besides, the bright sun was blocked by the joyful pink of his umbrella, the one she had given him as a gift last year.
Mystery solved, Truelove took a strangely difficult breath before blinking into the dimness of her living room. Princess Luna must have just set the night. It must have been a rushed job after the day's events because she couldn't fathom why it seemed to have gotten dark so fast.
With more effort than it should have taken, she rose to her hooves and stepped off the bench, flinching slightly as her left forehoof took her full weight. Those darn marble billets she had been transporting in her off hours were taking their toll. After all that work digging up gems, it was little wonder that carting around solid stone would eventually twist her ankle.
With a dismissive grunt, she shook her leg out and took the few steps over to the fireplace that adorned the main wall, inspecting it for damage before opening the flue and tossing a few small logs from the nearby bucket in.
A minutes work and she had a merry little fire flickering in the bricked chamber, casting dancing shadows across the room.
The heat felt good on her ankle as she took a slow, calming breath. Her ears slowly flattened as the firelight danced in her eyes.
"That's two strawberry cherry scoops, one peach, and dollop of whipped cream with crushed almonds?" the mint colored unicorn with a twisted pink and blue mane asked from behind the counter.
"Yep! Unless you wanted something too?" he grinned as he teased the mare at his side.
With a tightly controlled grin, Truelove gently punched his shoulder before rolling her eyes at the cashier. "Yes, that'll be fine."
The cashier laughed openly, a sound like tinkling bells mixed with a playful filly. "Alrighty then, that'll be 4 bits with a cherry on top."
The exchange was just what she had needed after their walk. It was so light and cheerful and she loved spending time with Tendercare, even when he was teasing about ice cream. Who teases about ice cream?
They had sat down and were just starting in when he had smiled and started digging in his saddlebags. Curious, she paused to watch as he finally turned out a small wooden box.
Blushing furiously, she stared as he took a small step back and looked at her with hopeful eyes. "My lady Truelove, would you be possibly, um... I mean... uh... if you're ok with it I mea... um.... let me start again."
He blinked a few times, blushing a bit as the ice cream parlor grew silent. Smiling sheepishly, he screwed his eyes shut and knelt down, bowing his head as he extended his hoof forward, the tiny wooden box open showing a polished bracelet with a clear sapphire cabochon.
The moment was broken when his bow failed to account for the three scoops of ice cream and small mountain of whipped cream which rested forgotten upon the table.
She blinked as his head snapped up, a momentary look of horror and confusion across his face before she erupted into laughter. Shortly, a few other patrons joined in, causing the stallion to wilt slowly as his blush deepened.
But before he could turn away, she reached over and dropped the cherry upon his cream-covered nose, leaned in, and whispered "of course I will, you insufferable goof."
She then used the ice cream covering his face as an excuse to kiss him over and over again. After all, a pony just couldn't go walking around Canterlot covered in ice cream. It would be uncivilized.
Slowly, she rotated her ankle, ignoring the pinch of pain as she stared at the fire.
He was on a business trip. He was taking care of some business and wouldn't be back for a little while.
Blinking in the flickering light to try to clear her vision, she snorted softly and stood up. Must have been too close to the fire, she thought, blinking again as the blurriness passed.
They had left the ice cream parlor a short while later after many congratulations from unknown customers and fuzzy shapes with well-wishes. She hadn't really been paying attention to them. Her world was a warm place with the flavors of strawberry and peach and honey and cream and the sky blue stallion whose soft blue eyes seemed to be all she could look at.
They had walked for a while, the sun slowly drifting across the sky, until he had led them to a small bench in one of the numerous parks, and turned to look at her squarely. Though his face was serious, the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice was light and cheerful. "Really though Love, we should just go out there, leave this all behind, and make a life for ourselves." The smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth was infectious. "I know you said yes but you know that neither of our parents will like this."
She smiled warmly and laid her head into the crook of his neck, brushing a hoof down his chest before kissing him lightly and looking up. "It's our life Tender, and they can't do anything to us. They love us... they'll eventually understand."
With a soft nuzzle, she stood up and surprised him by taking the lead as she strode out of the park and towards one of the more affluent sections of the city. Trailing behind, Tendercare raised an eyebrow in question but continued to smile faintly under his pink umbrella.
Blinking again in the dim light of the dying fire, Truelove's smile began to fade. Something was missing. She knew nothing had gotten in during the attack, the first time she had opened her door had been when the guards had shown up, and yet she could feel it deep down that something was missing.
Struggling to discover the source of her unease, she turned slowly, watching the shadows dancing faintly on the walls as she studied the room.
The windows were sealed, the decorative bars were intact. The door was still bolted from earlier and, aside from the scuffing, was undamaged. The wall's only true indication of anything having happened was a single crack near the corner and a few fallen pictures which she had earlier picked up. The kitchen archway was open but the kitchen itself was dark. The couch seemed unharmed, though she still felt oddly distressed looking at it. The room looked as it always had and, save for the empty umbrella stand and cleared bench, seemed to have survived the attack better than most of the buildings around her.
With the first hint of a frown, she blinked again and took a deep breath. "Must be nerves after such a long day," she whispered, though her eyes studied her shadow which seemed to have holes from where the fire cast reflections from the geode nearby.
Swallowing was difficult. The air must be a bit dry from the fire. She nodded slowly and somehow worked the thin smile back up onto her face.
They had wandered for a while until she found what she had been looking for. Wide marble steps with bronze and silver trim led up to an imposing building decorated with tall white columns and a relief of Princess Celestia flanked by stern looking figures in robes. She couldn't help but to chuckle a bit as the courthouse decorations seemed to glower at the happy couple.
With only a moment's thought, she spun around and kissed Tendercare firmly before dragging him up the steps towards the lobby.
Entering, the couple quickly looked over the fine crafting before being approached by a coffee colored stallion in a blue pinstripe suit wearing a tie. Though he smiled and greeted them, she had the distinct impression that something was just a bit off about him.
Before she could pull Tendercare aside and voice her concerns the stallion smiled and gestured off to a counter on the left. "The person you're looking for is over there, beside the fichus... little tree in the bucket... she'll get you both squared away, but I'd hurry if I were you, the courts are about to close for the day." And without a second thought, he strode passed them and out onto the steps, a jaunty bounce in his gate.
Shrugging, Truelove stepped over and smiled as the mare behind the counter looked up. "Excuse me but can you help us?"
The mare looked up with pale blue eyes, with just a hint of impatience, before taking them both in. She then chuckled softly, shook her head, and smiled. "You kids always wait until the last minute... but yheah, let me get those papers for you."
Tendercare smiled, though he seemed to keep glancing back to where the stallion had left. Something didn't feel right to him, but he wasn't going to let anything or anypony ruin their special day. Not when he had his Truelove.
She quietly strode across her living room, the dying embers of the fire giving off more of a soft glow than actual light at that point. Something was wrong but she couldn't figure out what it was.
She was safe, the home was secure, he would be back in a few days and the guards patrolling the streets were watching out for everypony.
Maybe it was the quiet that seemed to have filled the house. With everything that had happened today, after all the noise and explosions, screams and shouting... the quiet seemed almost oppressive.
She shivered even with the warmth of the fire still filling the room.
Taking just a moment more to linger, she glanced around her living room before turning to the dark of her kitchen and tapping the lantern she kept on the counter.
A soft glow flooded the room as the little magic device sprang to life, tiny balls of light drifting around inside, looking so much like a jar of fireflies that she briefly remembered back to her fillyhood summer nights playing in the fields.
The smiling pair had just signed the last few lines. It was really happening. The paperwork was signed and they were really going to be able to make their dreams come true!
Truelove looked over the sheet, savoring the moment as she engrained it deeply into her memories. She wanted to be able to think back to this very second, the briefest point in time when she could say that he was hers and hers alone. With a grin worthy of sonnets she held the sheet up and was just about to pass it to the clerk when a horrible sound like breaking glass seemed to echo all throughout the courthouse.
Panicked shouts filled the hall as ponies darted towards windows or ducked under desks. The pinkish orange of the evening sun suddenly twisted into the bright gold of mid-day, confusing the couple as one of the guards darted up to them and told them to get to cover... they were under attack.
Under attack? Who would attack Canterlot? It didn't make any sense.
Tendercare and Truelove dove for cover right as a ball of green fire blasted through a nearby window sending ponies diving for cover.
And when she looked up, a black pony with pupil-less blue eyes, a hook-like horn and moth eaten blue-green wings glared proudly across the room.
A changeling.
A changeling who was quickly dispatched by a bone crunching kick from Tendercare, who leapt from cover with pure fury on his face.
A moment later, the guards were subduing the stunned changeling while Tendercare darted back over and grabbed her hoof. "Come on, we have to go. Any big building is going to be a target."
Shaking the shock off, she stood and the pair ran for the exit, dodging another meteoric changeling who was unlucky enough to miss the doors, instead striking (and bouncing off of) the heavy stone statue of the Royal Guard a few feet to the right.
Racing through the streets, seeing the commotion and hearing the screams and sounds of fighting, Truelove stayed as close as she could to Tendercare, who kept leaping out of the way or ducking at just the right moment to keep them from being caught.
For a few minutes, she looked around her kitchen. Despite everything, it seemed to have come out unscathed. The towels were still hung over on the oven. The plates hadn't fallen from the cupboards, even the little crystal vase her nephew had sent her a few years back remained upright with a daffodil standing proudly from its water.
With a small shake of her head, she trotted over to the cooler and pulled out a ... maybe just a drink for now would do.
With a strange shiver, she turned to the cabinet and pulled down a glass and poured herself a small cup of juice. She wasn't really hungry at the moment after all.
The pair dodged and hid, streaking through the streets when they had to, all in a slow trek across the city. Tendercare kept a watchful eye to the skies, pulling her back on more than one occasion right as one of the invaders touched down a moment later. Through it all, they kept together, quietly taking comfort in each others presence as they worked their way home.
What had taken only half an hour of actual travel earlier now seemed to stretch for hours as the sun blazed high in the sky. Somewhere, Tendercare's umbrella had been lost, likely destroyed when one of the invaders had been narrowly missed. The effect was startling. Her normally sweet and caring stallion was suddenly on edge, watching every corner and reacting with lightning quick hoofwork, but every moment he could spare, he'd glance back and smile warmly. She loved that about him. No matter what was happening, no matter how bad things got, she knew... simply knew... that he would always be there for her.
After all, they'd been seeing each other for years and he had never once, not a single time, let her down.
Swallowing the last of her juice, Truelove placed her cup into the sink and ran a small bit of water to rinse it out. Earth ponies weren't known for having weak constitutions, but even a unicorn could survive using a glass that was rinsed out after only one cup of juice.
With a little self-satisfied chuckle, she placed the glass on a towel to dry before turning to put the juice back into the cooler.
Again, she stopped. Something just felt off.
Blinking in the dim light and swallowing back the lump that had been slowly growing in her throat, she quickly put the pitcher of juice back into the cooler before turning to look back across her kitchen. She kept expecting to see someone there. That's what the feeling was... being watched, which was silly since that sort of thing didn't happen in Canterlot.
At least, it hadn't, until this afternoon.
Finally rounding the corner, she saw it, her home, at the far end of the block. It was just a few more yards and they would be safe inside the heavy walls and masonry of her home. Being an Earth pony had a few advantages after all, one of which being that most everypony knew somepony who was good with their hooves. Her family was good with the earth, stone specifically, and had selected the blocks to build her home themselves. Nothing short of a rock slide would be getting through her doors or windows, not once she was inside.
Taking a breath to prepare themselves, the couple started the mad dash down the street, dodging the changeling attackers who turned from their gooey victims with predatory haste.
She had seen them a few times in their run so far, the shopkeepers, customers, and occasional guard trapped in the green slime the changelings spat or hurled at them, struggling against the material as the changelings closed in. It was a terrifying sight to be sure, but her Tendercare had repelled the attacks every time they had been close to her.
She knew he had been a runner for years, but seeing him move was almost as shocking as seeing the changelings. He was normally so calm and sweet, quiet even when the moment called for it, but she never doubted his physical abilities. After all, Earth ponies were known for their stamina and endurance.
Finally rounding a lamp post, she spun and opened her door as the two darted inside.
Or, rather, she darted inside as a strangled yelp arrested Tendercare.
Spinning, she watched as one of the attackers yanked back on his head, throwing him off balance and into the wall before turning to hiss at her.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself as she stepped back towards the living room.
She smiled as she reached up and pulled the band from her mane, a glittering silver chain with a clear sapphire she had picked up somewhere.
Why couldn't she remember where? It had seemed so important a moment ago.
Blinking in the dying light of the fireplace, she settled on to the bench once more, leaving the kitchen behind, a small plate of fruit, honey, and cream sitting on the table with a paper heart atop it.
The creature hissed at her, baring fangs and buzzing its wings for the briefest of moments before being flung aside by a furious Tendercare. The stallion was bleeding from the earlier hit into the wall, but was doing a good job of ignoring it.
As she watched, the creature shook off the hit, spun, and spat a wad of green gunk towards her Tendercare, who ducked with the same alacrity he had been displaying since the courthouse. Instead of being glued to the wall, Tendercare used his duck to launch into a full on spear, taking the changeling back from the house, stunning it as he punched it in the head.
He struggled up and trotted forward as she reached to pull him inside.
With a little goofy grin, he reached out and took her hoof, leaning in to kiss her when the wave of magenta light swept by. Suddenly, a shrieking pain lanced up her leg as she felt the ankle buckle, with a yelp, she fell forward, almost pulled out of her home as Tendercare was hurled, bodily, away.
The sickening clang of a streetlamp followed less than a second later, though she couldn't see past the white flashes of pain.
Swallowing again, she resolved to hire someone to clean her home. Clearly there was too much dust if her eyes kept tearing up like this.
Maybe when he gets back from his trip, they could just go on a vacation and not come back. Just... go... out there, where no one could find them and no one would care.
She had awoken with the sun still high in the sky, to the cheering of citizens all around. Looking up, the Pegasus guards were flying through the sky while their civilian counterparts were flitting around helping with small fires or pulling ponies free. The Unicorns were searching through rubble or working together to unearth trapped neighbors. A number of Earth ponies were scattered about, hauling or using equipment to shore up unsteady structures or working to ease the heavy lifting. Everywhere strangers, and friends alike, were working together to save one another.
When a unicorn noticed her lying in her doorway, she called over and a number of ponies responded instantly, racing across her yard and calling for a medic.
Within minutes, they had gone on to others, helping wherever they could, and leaving her to figure out what had happened.
Finally getting to her hooves, she looked around at all the strangers, noticing faces from shops or passerby, but not able to put a name to a single one of them. After all, in a city, you either knew people or you were one of the masses. She had never been an influential pony.
So, with a smile, she cheered the end of the changeling invasion and trotted back inside.
She blinked into the dark of the living room. When had the fire gone out? When had it gotten so cold?
She wasn't normally this cold. By now, they'd normally be curled up in bed, tucked snugly in under a warm blanket and smelling of lavender and meadow grass. Normally... but he wasn't home.
He was out on business.
He had to be, because she finally found what didn't feel right, laying a foot or so from the last glowing embers of the fireplace: a crumpled and torn sheet of paper she hadn't realized she had been clutching the entire day that had her name and Tendercare's on the bottom line.
Just as she reached for it, there was a soft pop as one of the smoldering logs broke, an ember sending the marriage license into a fitful fire before she closed her eyes and wept.
