Forgotten Legacy

“I’m not sure how much harsher we can be with her,” I said. “She has already been robbed of her sight, horribly scarred and most of her mana was lost in the damage to her horn. The spell backlash saw to that.”

Celestia nodded. “Her horn will heal, but the damage done is irreparable,” she said. “It may well be more in her interests to see that she is given care until she can fend for herself.”

“I’m not sure she can be redeemed,” Sunset said. “I know that is the looked for and preferable outcome - and Twilight has a great track record with that - but it’s not always going to be possible. Sometimes ponies just want to watch the world burn.”

I pursed my lips at that. She had a point, and the anger Sorla held was much deeper than the anger Starlight held, and she likely held a different viewpoint on Sombra than we did. What kind of a father had he been? I knew that Celestia had fallen in love with an alternate version of the mad king, though she refused to speak of it beyond a few whispered words.

“I, for one, think she is where she should be,” Luna spoke up. “Let the cur spend a few moons in the cell before we offer parole or banishment.”

“That’s a little extreme, Luna,” I said.

“But under the laws of Equestria, banishment is the punishment for using Necromancy,” Sunset reminded me. “She knew that before we marched on her encampment.”

“I won’t allow that,” Cadence spoke up for the first time. “She came into my kingdom to avenge her father, and therefore it falls to me to pass judgment.”

We all turned to her in curiosity. “And what do you deem to be a proper punishment?” Luna asked.

She smiled sheepishly. “I don’t know yet,” she admitted. “But think, haven’t we all had a moment of inconsolable loss? Some moment that drove us to thoughts or actions unthinkable?”

Luna and Sunset bowed their heads in memory and Celestia glanced briefly at her sister. I had a flash of memory of my grandparents.

“I think she should be given time to come to grips with her actions, but not in the dungeons of the Crystal Empire,” the Princess of Love continued. “I think I will allow her parole and place her within quarters until she is healed. Perhaps she merely needs time.”

The doors opened behind me as I leaned forward to press my point. “That seems a little risky, don’t you think? Sorla had access to a lot of lost or forbidden magic.”

“I doubt that it’s an issue for right now,” Starlight said, bringing our attention to her. “Forgive me for the interruption, but Sorla has lapsed into a coma.”

The physician came out, the guards shutting the door to the quarters behind her.

“She appears to have placed herself in the state,” she said, resting her bag on the ground. “Forced her mind deep within herself. It will be entirely up to her if she comes out of it or not. She is responding to stimuli and appears to take fluids and likely food, but as far as a cognizant mind, I can find no sign.”

Cadence nodded.

“Maybe the ignominy of defeat was too much for her?” Sunset said sarcastically.

“Likely, she might have borne defeat easily,” I said. “But can you imagine being robbed of your sight and magic?”

She leveled a look at me and lifted a wing to reveal a scar just below her ribs.

“Oh, yeah,” I said, sheepishly. “I suppose you could.”

“Care for her and keep a watch on her until further notice,” Cadence said. “Perhaps when and if she recovers, we can come to a ruling then.”

We walked in silence on the way back to the throne room. When we arrived, Cadence looked at Sunset and smiled.

“So, I understand that congratulations are in order?” she singsonged.

Sunset smiled sheepishly. “Yeah,” she said.

“So, do you wish it to be made formal here, beyond that of dream proclamation?”

“I would be proud to join you in the waking world as well as the Dreamscape,” Luna said.

“As would I,” Cadence said.

Sunset looked around. “Where is Princess Celestia?”

“She had to return to Canterlot to oversee a trade delegation,” I said. “She really couldn’t stay no matter how much she wanted to.”

She seemed let down, and I didn’t need to ask to know why.

Celestia was as much a mother to her as she had been to me during my time as her personal student.

Everypony wants their mother at their wedding.

I walked into the throne room, seeing the assembled Crystal Guard and all my friends dressed in their best. Twilight Velvet and Spike stood there on one side of the throne dais and my sisters stood on the other side, all smiles. Cadence, Luna, Shining Armor, and Twilight stood on the top tier of the pedestal, all resplendent in their royal regalia. I suddenly had butterflies in my stomach.

The tiara felt heavy on my head, but no more so than the veil and dress I wore. Morning Glory had been ecstatic when she heard I was going to have the Empress of the Crystal Empire marry me and Sunshine, more so than when she had seen that I had wings. She immediately put her excitement into helping the Pinkies and Sonata in the reception meal.

My eyes misted as I remembered Dew’s words as Glory had bounced away.

“We always knew you were destined for great things, Sunny,” she had said, a few tears in her eyes. “Just don’t forget that you’re still my little sister, and I love you.”

I took my place by my sisters and Crystal Hue, Dew’s Fiancé. Soarin stood by Glory, the Wonderbolt looking somewhat uncomfortable in his dress blues. The ring on Glory’s horn sparkled in the bright light filtering in through the stained glass windows.

The doors opened again with a fanfare, and Sunshine walked in with Night Light standing beside her. They may not have been related, but Night had insisted on walking her down the aisle. It was only right and proper, he had said.

Rarity has outdone herself, I thought as I took in Sunshine’s dress. The music and audience slowed to a dull background noise, and everything faded out but the view of my love in white.

Nothing registered before Cadence spoke out after the exchanging of vows.

“And so, before us all assembled, I do declare that Princess Sunset Shimmer and Duchess Sunshine Sparkle,”

I heard Luna and Twilight giggle at the name. I almost did as well.

“Are hereby married, so witnessed by myself, Empress of the Crystal Empire, Prince Consort Shining Armor, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Princess Luna.”

She smiled down on us. “You may kiss the bride,” she said.

I had already done so before she had finished speaking.

I collapsed on the couch in my apartment, Spike running over and leaping into my lap.

“I hear you two had a good time,” he piped up as soon as Twilight shut the door behind her, dropping a bag on the ground that consisted of our wedding gowns from Equestria, some books loaned to her from Princess Twilight, and some pictures of us at the reception.

“After a lot of bad, yeah,” I said, scratching him behind his ears. He pressed his head into my hand as I did so.

Twilight was still speaking into the phone, filling in her parents on the events that had transpired in Equestria. On the trip back from the school she had already filled in Cadence and her brother and gotten their blessing to swap wedding times around.

I think I had drifted off a little, because the next thing I knew she was kissing me before dropping onto the couch, Spike hopping over to lay between us.

“They've agreed,” she said, setting her phone on the coffee table. I followed it’s path, seeing the final letter from the Appleloosa Sheriff’s office, declaring any back fees on the bike dismissed. I remembered that particular headache all too well. My bike, still in the process of being restored in our yard, had been delivered with a few hidden fees attached.

“So, how long for the thing to be set up?” I asked, swiveling my head without lifting it from the back of the couch.

“Well, Rarity and Pinkie said they could have all the preparations ready by the end of the week if we went in for our fittings tomorrow,” she said. “Sonata is talking to the Cake’s to get the materials they’ll need for the cake.”

“Two weddings in as many weeks,” I said with a smile, lacing my fingers through hers. The rings we had exchanged in Equestria were now on chains around our necks. We had decided to use them here as well.

“It’s just for the families,” she said, tilting her head over and resting it against my shoulder other hand ruffling Spike’s fur. “That’s all this is, really.”

I nodded. She could tell there was something bothering me.

“Celestia?” she asked.

I nodded. “I had really hoped she’d be there,” I said. “Ever since we patching things up, all of my old hopes and wishes involving her came back. Her seeing me getting married, my foals,” I trailed off. “I should know now that as the Princess of Equestria, she has a large load of work. I still would have liked to see her, though.”

She kissed me on the cheek.

I tugged at the hem of the bolero jacket Rarity had made for me. She was making minor adjustments to my hair and makeup while the Pony Rarity did the same for Twilight.

“This is so much easier on hooves,” I said, giving my feet a tap toe first on the ground to settle the heels more securely on my feet.

“I’m sure,” the fashionista had said, brushing her hands off and handing me two items: my Element necklace and my mother’s hair comb. “But trust me, darling, you look radiant!”

I felt a slight blush as I slid the comb into my hair just behind my left ear.

“You truly do,” a voice said from the doorway. I turned to see Principal Celestia standing there.

No, I thought as the subtle differences made themselves known, including the slight luminescence in her long hair. Not Principal, Princess.

“I am truly sorry for missing your ceremony in the Crystal Empire,” she said, smiling softly. She was dressed in a conservative gown of pale orange, shading into yellow and red at the waist and hemline. “But I had always intended to be at this ceremony.”

I was still stunned by her appearance here and stammered out. “What do you mean?”

Starlight stuck her head around the corner. “That would be my doing, I’m afraid,” she said. “Twilight and I wanted to get you something special for graduation and figured that asking the Princess to be here would be great.” She twiddled her fingers nervously.

“I agreed, of course,” Celestia said. “With one condition.”

As the music started to play, she walked over and took my hand in hers.

“If I got to give you away,” she said.

I could feel tears trying to well in my eyes, but I stopped them with an iron will. I hugged the Princess of the Sun, laughing like a filly.

All set? I heard Twilight ask through the bond.

Yeah, I replied, standing and letting Celestia lead me out to the back yard of Cadence’s house. I saw Night Light and Twilight approaching from the other side, her dressing making her look much like the princess I considered her.

And side by side, we walked past our friends, the pony versions on my side of the aisle and the human ones on her side. Twilight's classmates from Crystal Prep were also here, scattered through the audience. Vinyl Scratch was hooking up the last few cables for the music she was going to play at the reception. Once again, my sisters were up by the altar and Shining Armor stood by Twilight’s side. Luna stood before the entire congregation, her lack of luminous hair marking her as the human one.

We took our places, those who had walked us down the aisles placing our hands in each others’ and stepping back.

And we entered the next phase of life.