As it turned out, Equestria did not have the same tradition about not seeing the wife on the wedding day. Winter was dutifully tugging and pulling with his magic to get both of their dresses on just so. He gestured at himself silently.

Maple grinned at him. "Lookin' good! Wow, can't... Today's the day!" She danced in place. "Today... Oh," She shut up.

Summer thumped Maple with a hoof. "You went an' said ah got it, so I'm using it! Headmare powers. Spit it out and stop bein' coy. What's botherin' you?"

Maple fidgeted a moment before the words came out, "I had a dream." Both of her partners looked at her with an intensity. "That kinda dream... Not a kirin though, just a happy little earth pony." She smiled gently. "I think..." It wasn't an assured thing, the tribe one saw in that dream. They can and did surprise the mother. "They looked so happy..."

Winter set a hoof on her shoulder in silent support.

"Ah'm scared..." She took a slow breath. "Never did this before... Does it hurt? Kinda has to hurt a little... Ain't a small thing we're doin'."

Summer shook her head defiantly. "We are healthy moms. We'll get it done and barely notice. There's a local doula I know. Right good mare she is. She'll coach us both through this, make sure we have our hooves on the ground." She ran her snout against Maple's cheek in a slow caress. "So stop worrying. We'll make it."

Maple blinked slowly at Summer. "Is that like a midwife?"

"No... Think birth coach. She'll teach us what's going on during, after, even before." Summer cradled her still slender belly, not that ponies got bloated with children. "She'll teach us a thin' or two so we know what's goin' on, and she'll be with us through it. She probably knows a midwife who'll be there too. Ah'll ask!"

Winter inclined his head gently but did not speak, not that he had much to add as the stallion of the group. He was there for both of them, and that was all he could offer.

Maple's nervous smile turned into an easier one. "Alright... alright... Okay! Let's... get married first! I'll... just kinda die if we admit we're doin' it out of order."

Summer rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. We won't be the first by far that got married with a family already comin'. Ah'll keep that part on the quiet fer ya, promise." The two shared a clop of hooves. "Winter, feelin' ready? Yer allowed to shake that head of yours."

But he didn't do that. Instead, he went to each mare to touch nose to snout and turned, about to start for the door. It was their big day, and he was ready to face it!

Summer walked at his side with a grin. "Alright then! Let's show this town what we're made of." All three of them met with a clop of hooves.

As a unit, or a family as many would say, they marched out to the flower-strewn stage where things would take place. Ponies of the town clapped in applause. There were even two ponies not of the town.

Applejack whistled and stomped in applause. Next to her was Twilight looking pensively on the whole thing. "I never saw a kirin before."

"Oh, I have." Applejack bobbed her head. "An' when I heard there was one gettin' married here, just had to visit."

"And invite a friend." Twilight smiled at Applejack. "They are interesting creatures. Can they use that horn for magic, or is it for defensive or ornamental purposes?"

Applejack hiked a brow. "They can use their horns jus' fine, but they're also pretty ornawhatever too. Jus' look at it." She pointed at Summer as he talked with ponies, silently. "That's a right fancier horn than any unicorn I know of."

Twilight colored at the implication. "My horn is quite fancy!"

"Sure, sure, quite nice for a unicorn." Applejack inclined her head. "But ya can't argue they take that and turn it up to the highest it goes really. 'Bout the only thing they could do is have more an antler. More horns!" She looked more amused than anything else. "Probably fer the best they don't do that."

Twilight stewed a moment in her horn inferiority complex. "He's... awful quiet, isn't he?"

Applejack perked an ear. "Huh... Maybe he has the jitters. It is his big day an' all. Big Mac was quiet on his day!"

Twilight hiked a brow at that. "AJ, Big Mac is quiet on most of his days."

"Well... yeah, but you could still tell the difference! I've talked with a kirin or two, think ah should say hi?"

"Couldn't hurt." Twilight nodded lightly. "Just... be gentle. We are strangers, and this is a big day."

They watched and clapped along at the proper parts, even if it was a bit confusing when a pony called out two wives involved. Applejack nudged Twilight. "Now it's a royal weddin'."

"Stop that! Most royal weddings are one mare and one stallion." She crossed her arms. "The ones I'm aware of." Her lips moved with mental tabulations. "Yep... One and one. Don't make this normal." She blushed softly with the thoughts. "I don't understand anyway."

"What's to understand?" Applejack threw her head at the happy new family. "They like each other 'nough to put up with each other, so they put a ring on it. Jus' like a regular weddin' really, just with more ponies involved. Not fer me, but ain't much not to get, I should think."

Twilight threw a hoof up. "Even a family of just two has to deal with incredible stressors to remain viable. How can three or more ponies manage it?"

"Now that's true." Applejack shrugged softly at the thought of it. "Awful true. They're settin' themselves up fer a big challenge, for sure. Reason why the community's rallyin' behind 'em. They seem liked enough, that'll help. All the ponies here want 'em to succeed. Good on 'em! Hope it works out for 'em."

"I... do hope that as well." Twilight patted her friend on the back. "Looks like they're open to be talked to, if you can win through the crowd."

"Jus' watch me!" Applejack hopped to all fours and strode forward. The crowd had no choice but the part for the determined farmer as she made a straight line for the new family. She might have been showing off just a little. "Winter, Summer! Now there's a name that sounds like it just belongs together." She looked at the mare she hadn't named. "And Maple, right? Hey, that matches." She clapped her hooves in a grand clop.

Maple inclined her head. "How do I match?"

"Well, see." She wobbled a hoof between Summer and Winter. "They're opposed but harmonious, like it. You." She pointed to Maple. "You belong in the Winter, who you like, but ya need the Summer too. It all fits together, see? One big family that fits each other pretty well, 'least workin' from just the names." Just the names was plenty enough in half of pony society.

Winter smiled gently at Applejack, pleased? He nodded at her, but spoke nothing.

Summer nodded at the fellow country mare. "That's right kind of you. Hay! Didn't you work in the factory? Ya did! Ah remember you!" She leaned in at Applejack with a grin. "Yer a safety warnin' now."

Applejack colored at the reminder. "Ah, yeah... Not my best moment..." She whistled a few notes of a random song. "Let's put that aside fer the moment."

"Reckon they won't." A powerful mare approached with a grin. "Applejack!"

Applejack forced a smile at the rich mare that had hired her. "Hey..."

"Did you forget me." She half-turned away. "It's Cherry Jubilee. You worked for me fer a time. That was a bit of a mess."

Applejack's blush returned with a vengeance. She had not come over there to remember that moment! "Ah do hope things are goin' better now."

"Much better, thank you. Now what are you doin' with my foals?" She grabbed at the new family, ensnaring them by the neck with her arms. "Did they mention? I'm their honorary matron. Ain't that a grand thin'?"

Applejack blinked softly. "Huh! Congratulations then. Sorry, weren't tryin' to steal them away, but ah was curious if he's alright." She angled her head at Winter. "Ain't said a word all ceremony. If he just likes bein' quiet, then Ah'll take after 'em, but even Big Mac managed a few words for his vow, so ah'm just checkin' in, ya know, friendly-like."

Summer raised her forehooves. "He likes bein' quiet."

Maple inclined her head. "We're still not sure if he even can talk."

Applejack frowned at that news. "Can't talk?" She peered at Winter in a new way. "Which is it? Do ya prefer quiet, or gotta be quiet?"

Winter squirmed in place. He was a kirin! Kirin were quiet. Wasn't that a known fact? He opened his mouth and nothing came out, then he closed it hard enough to make a pop as his lips sealed shut.

"Ain't sure how to take that... Ya mute? Sorry, ain't tryin' to poke fun. Reckon yer a fine creature, mute or not."

Summer stormed forward, leaving Cherry to infringe on Applejack's personal space. "Stop harassin' him! What do you know about Kirin, anyway?"

"More than most, actually." Applejack inclined an ear. "Been to their town, gave 'em a hoof an' all. Was wondering if he didn't get fixed of the silence spell or somethin'."

Summer recoiled, additional confusion bubbling up. "Silence spell?"

Twilight arrived, having taken much longer to weave through the crowd. "Hello! Applejack, we shouldn't monopolize them at their wedding! I'm certain a lot of these other ponies are waiting for their turn to talk to them." Soft grumbles made it clear that Twilight was speaking the truth.

"Right, right... Look, ah'll let ya get back to it, but ah plan to be in town a bit longer. Look me up." She curled a hoof on herself. "Applejack, and this here's Twilight, a real smart pony. We can figure it out, promise that much."

Cherry turned back to the new family as the others wandered off. "Plan to start the reception now, and you'll be expected. Who else is gonna cut that cake?! Now you be friendly with the ponies here while I get the last things in place." She trotted off with a happy hum.

Maple slid up next to Summer. "Reckon we should talk to her?"

Summer huffed. "I reckon we should enjoy this little party." She waved at the next pony in line. "Come on up! Ah hear they're gettin' vittles ready for us just over yonder."

The party proceeded without too much thought about Applejack's offer. At least for most of them. Winter kept his thoughts to himself, but he had them. Silence spell? Was being quiet not... Was he? Did they lie to him?

Just how loud were kirin without a 'silence spell', whatever that came from. Did they catch on fire? Was that a kirin thing, or just a Winter thing? Would the other kirin look at him oddly for it, and shout. They'd shout insults at him, all secure in their non-combustible selves!

"You alright?" Maple nudged against Winter from the side. "You look mighty distracted."

Winter calmed himself down and leaned back against her before they resumed their socializing. He would have time yet to approach that mare from out of town and see what she knew. Hopefully, it would answer more questions than it brought up, though he wasn't sure if that'd be the case. "Hot Streak!" One of the card ponies came right up to him.

"That's what they call you at the table when yer not around." The stallion winked at him. "Always winnin' in streaks like that. Either ya got it or ya don't and there ain't no middle at all!" The stallion laughed, which Winter did not join to no surprise.

Author's Note

Applejack's been there, yo!

Written for a loyal patron. Want to get early chapters, or even your own story written? atreon!

Join my discord to chat!