My Heart Belongs to You
The Crystal Empire
Equestria laid silent under a thick layer of snow. For once there wasn’t a fire burning somewhere. There were no villains, no raids, nor any other problem that demanded the attention of somepony. For once, it was a nation at peace, allowing everyone to rest.
Resting was exactly what went through my mind as I looked out of the window. It had been snowing for days, painting the world white with each flake that fell. Looking over my shoulder, I watched the soft breaths of my husband. Radiant Star was tucked under the covers, our sons Blaze and Flash were sprawled across him, fast asleep.
It brought a smile to my muzzle, like always. Yeah, Radiant might be an idiot sometimes, but he was my idiot. Besides, despite it all, I had got everything I wanted this year. My family—a family that almost didn’t happen—was together on Hearth’s Warming Eve. The fact that Cadance slept just one room away made it so much sweeter. The boys always giggled and laughed when they saw her.
I kept watching them. It was good to finally see everypony at peace, to see my family at ease after everything we had went through. I wished it could be always like this. Just us, without any worry about something going wrong. Well, besides the normal chaos that came with having twin foals like Flash and Blaze.
Blaze cried out, tearing my gaze from the whole picture as I quickly went to him and picked him up in my hooves, trying to calm him before Radiant or his brother woke up.
I was too late.
Radiant Star groaned, blinking his eyes open as soon as Flash’s cries were added to his brother’s; and, of course, that only caused Blaze’s to grow louder in return. I glared at Radiant and he quickly took Flash in his embrace, calming him down.
“You’re up pretty early,” Radiant said softly as he rocked Flash back and forth in his hooves.
“I know.” I bit back a retort.
He raised his eyebrow. “You know that the docs said that you should take it easy.”
I ignored him, taking it easy was something I had done for almost ten months, I was tired of taking it easy. “It’s been snowing for days. I don’t even remember seeing snow in the past three years. I almost forgot how calming it can be. How peaceful the world becomes covered in a blanket of white,” I said, smiling.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Radiant asked me, there was a slight worry in his tone.
I laughed. “Of course I am, you idiot. Can’t your old wife just be solemn a bit after all of these years?”
“Old?” he mocked. “And what years? We’ve been married for one.”
“Oh, shush!”
I couldn’t help but grin at him. Radiant, my big, off-white, adorkable idiot. He let his short, red mane fall over his eyes to tickle Flash’s tiny muzzle, causing the small foal to giggle through his tears. It took us awhile and several soft cooes, as well as a few good whispered words, but finally our two adorable colts were back asleep. I laid Blaze next to his brother’s side and looked them over. The two little colts had inherited their father’s coat and my two-toned light-blue mane and eyes. With a smile I tucked them in before turning back back to the window.
“What do you think will the future bring?” I asked quietly, a frown settling on my muzzle.
There was no answer, not until I felt his coat rubbing against mine. “I don’t know. But as long as I’m with you, with our family, I know everything will be alright.”
“That’s just it,” I said, dropping my gaze to the carpet. “We don’t know what will happen. After everything that‘s happened so far, we both know it’s only a matter of time before something happens again.”
“Firestar, this isn’t like you. Where’s this coming from?”
“I… I think I realized something,” I looked directly into Radiant’s teal eyes. “I know where I belong, but I’m afraid of a time I might no longer be here; or worse, when you’re no longer here. Radiant… we almost… I mean, had things gone bad… they wouldn’t.” I found myself unable to say it, just the thought of my two adorable little colts not being here. It broke my heart. Yet, it had almost happened.
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Firestar… We can’t predict the future, nor can we change the past. Whatever happens, I’m here for you, and our boys. I know we can do anything as long as we’re together. You know that. We’ve always fought against the worst the world has thrown at us, and won. We’ll, always, win. You know how I know that?” Radiant asked as he pulled me closer, his soft lips almost touching mine. He was so close I could feel his breath on my muzzle.
“How do you know that?” I whispered back, staring into his confident eyes.
“Because we have something worth fighting for.” He closed the gap, pressing his lips to mine.
I melted into the kiss, into the soft touch of my stallion. Yes, I was worried about the future, but his touch told me that everything would be fine. And I knew that I could always trust him.
“Whatever happens, my heart belongs to you, my Firestar. Forever.” Radiant smirked as we broke the kiss.
“And mine is always yours, my idiot,” I whispered back.
“Every day,” he replied, repeating the promise he made me swear to him. It was my duty to call him an idiot every single day, just so he wouldn’t forget. It was a promise I had every intention of keeping.
“Every, single, day,” I said as I ran my hoof up his chest, booping him on the nose.
We smiled lovingly at each other before turning to look out of the window together.
“It really is something beautiful, watching it like this,” Radiant said.
“Who knew you were so mushy?” I mocked him.
“You’re the one that made me this way.” He nudged me back.
We stopped our playful banter as the door opened. Princess Cadance stuck her head in, grinning shyly. She looked to the two colts in the bed before stepping in, closing the door, and walking to us. “The walls here are really thin,” she whispered. “What are you two doing up anyway? It’s barely six in the morning.”
“Just, dealing with life, Mom,” Radiant said jokingly.
“Mhh, that’s always an annoyance.”
“Mom, what does Hearth's Warming Eve mean to you?” Radiant asked, his question surprising me.
Cadance went silent upon that, her smile faded slightly before she sighed. “Hearth’s Warming Eve means family. It means family and love, even if my family isn’t... quite complete anymore.”
Radiant asked, “You’re thinking about Dad?”
“Every single day,” Cadance replied, a lonely tear making its way down her muzzle. “He would’ve loved to see you like this; how strong you’ve become, the stallion you’ve become”
“I’m sure he sees me from his Elysium,” Radiant added, smiling.
Cadance looked sadly at him, then turned to me, authority leaking into her voice. “Should you really be out of bed already?”
“Don’t you start as well,” I rolled my eyes. “I’m well enough to spend some time with my husband. Besides, ten months of bed rest was more than enough.”
“Oh, already back to having some ‘quality time’?” She snickered, playfully wiggling her eyebrows.
“Mom!” Radiant softly groaned.
“Thin walls, remember?”
“We’re so switching rooms,” Radiant mumbled.
I laughed silently. “You know that won’t work, she’d just follow us.”
“I would,” Cadance nodded. “It warms my heart seeing you two like this. Or hearing you. I… It simply keeps my heart together. And then there’s these two adorable colts you gifted to the world.”
We all looked down to the two little scrunched faces that were sticking out of the blanket.
I smiled. “They really are special. I never thought I’d have my own foals, but that all changed the first time I held them.” Turning to stare lovingly into Radiant’s eyes, I continued. “Now, I couldn’t imagine my life without them, or my lovely idiot.”
“You two have to promise me something,” Cadance said, suddenly serious.
“What is it, Mom?” Radiant asked questioningly, his face contorting with worry.
“You know everything that happened in the past. Life isn’t certain, there are so many things that can take it away from us. I just want you two to promise me that you’ll continue on together, whatever happens, for your family.” Cadance stopped, sighing before she continued. “The day may come when I’m not here anymore, or even, Luna forbid, one of you.”
“Mom…”
“Just promise it to me.”
“We promise it,” I said and nodded to Radiant. “But may that day be far, far away.”
I couldn’t help but see a look of sorrow in Cadance’s eye. I knew she was thinking about her late husband, Shining Armor. I read the reports after my prince noticed me. Shining had died about this time of year, sacrificing his life to protect the Crystal Empire, and by extension, his son, from a horde of rampaging snow golems.
“Cadance… we’re always there for you. I know you as a great mare, and even if I didn’t get the chance to know your husband, his father…” I nodded at my idiot with a smile, “I’m sure he was a great stallion. I read about it and I’m thankful for everything he did, that he saved you all,” I spoke softly while unfolding my wings, hugging her and Radiant close. “We’re a family. That won’t change!”
“I’m happy that you two are together,” Cadance said, “And I’m sure Shining would’ve approved of you,” she added to me.
“I wonder if every day could be like this. I’m tired of always fighting. I just want my family to live in peace until I die of old age,” I said before snorting. “And yes, those words, out of the muzzle from the great Firestar, I know.” I mocked, shaking my light-blue mane with it’s white trim around.
Radiant whispered to us both, “Tell you a secret. I agree.”
“I think we’d all like that,” Cadance said as we all lowered our heads in a moment of silence.
It was… nice to be able to take such a moment. It was nice for the Crystal Empire to have such a moment. Several months ago, a rampaging dragacorn by the name of Ataxia had almost torn it asunder. She had almost killed every single alicorn in Equestria, including Cadance and Luna. We had stopped her, of course, but repairing the empire itself was no small feat. We had a small army of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies working around the clock to rebuild.
Even still, best estimates said the repairs would take two years. And that was at best. We couldn’t repair everything, some of the old crystal buildings were lost, something that still broke Cadance’s heart when she saw her crystal ponies crying over the ruins.
It was something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
The twins interrupted our talk, something I should’ve expected. Blaze cooed out at the sight of us, his sky-blue eyes staring directly at his father. “Looks like he didn’t want to stay asleep,” Radiant said.
Cadance looked over, grinning at the young one. “Have you fed them yet?”
“Not yet,” I replied. “We just got up.”
“Growing foals need their milk,” Cadance said with a shrug.
Radiant nodded as I went to the bed, crawling up onto it. I reached out to pull Blaze into my hooves. Looking to the window, mother and son stared out of it to the snow falling from the sky, embracing in a hug.
As long as we have each other, everything will be fine.
My thoughts were interrupted when I felt my son latch on. “Ouch.”
Cadance laughed. “This one here used to bite me too.”
“Mom.”
She chuckled again. “It’s normal, beside, I found the whole experience very bonding. Your father liked it too.”
“I don’t want to hear that.”
“He’s actually too afraid to try it,” I said with a chuckle.
“I’m not, but shouldn’t you save your milk of the boys?” Radiant said, covering his embarrassment with a question, something I chose to smile instead of comment at.
Cadance cuffed him over the ear. “She’ll make plenty, after all, the amount of milk a mare makes is based on the demand.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Cadance said. “Besides, it can be painful for a mare to go too long between feedings, and when your foals aren’t hungry, it falls on you to help your wife.”
I bit back a laugh as Radant looked at me with something akin to hunger in his eyes. I knew that hunger, it was the same one I’d been having for a while, but with every moment dedicated to these two little rugrats, we just hadn’t had the time. “I’ll… umm… keep that in mind,” Radiant replied.
Cadance looked to me, her gaze dropped to the little foal nuzzling up to my stomach, then finally to her son. She grinned warmly. “Why don’t I take the boys for a little while today. Give you two a little chance to relax, you can call it part of my Hearth’s Warming Eve present if you want.”
“I… think we’d like that. Give us a chance to take a nap,” I said with a wink.
“Thanks, Mom,” Radiant said as he softly got onto the bed and pressed his coat up to my own. “We’ll let you know when they’re awake.”
“Happy Hearth's Warming Eve,” Cadance replied.
“You too,” I replied as I nuzzled against my husband’s coat. As I watched her leave her words came back to me, Hearth’s Warming Day means family, family and love.
I was very grateful to have both in my life.
Author's Note
This is a small present for all of you.
TwiDashforever and I wishing you Merry Christmas and a wonderful Heart's Warming Eve
