The Handmaiden

These days, it was very rare for Twilight to have a second to herself.

Aside from The Empress herself, Twilight was the most recognized woman in the land, and it was difficult for her to avoid the public eye, even as a mere handmaiden. But, after her offer had been rejected and Twilight returned home, she finally agreed to be public regarding her betrothal; No longer a handmaiden, now, she was The Princess-Consort. It seemed like not a day went by without someone seeing her in the streets, or even the halls of Castle Canterlot, and fawning over her. It was charming, at least at first. So many months later, however, and Twilight had begun to tire of her subjects and their incessant adoration. Even as tiresome as she found it, it was worlds better than the obscurity she formerly suffered through.

Today, however, The Princess-Consort Twilight Sparkle had a rare bit of time to herself, and that brought her into the city, as it so often did. Though it was her wedding approaching, it was Twilight who carried flowers as an offering as she approached the homestead of the late chancellor. No one had lived there for a long while, though Twilight made certain that the house was maintained. She opened the gate to the small, yet dignified, little house and made her way to the backyard, where her best mate rested.

Though over two and a half years had passed since Twilight had laid Sweetie Belle to rest, it still wounded The Princess-Consort deeply to see the grave, even with its simple, undeniable beauty. The garden she had planted was coming along nicely, the coriander especially growing wonderfuly. Twilight tried her absolute best to give Sweetie all the rites and honour that she deserved, and, were she able to see it for herself, Sweetie would surely approve. Yet, somehow, it still didn’t feel like enough. With a heavy sigh and bittersweet smile, Twilight approached the grave, heart swirling with good memories, and her mind stewing in regrets for her shortcomings.

"Good morning, Sweetie." Twilight kneeled down onto the soft grass before Sweetie's grave and gingerly laid her bouquet of flowers down above the simple marble head marker that she had crafted to memorialize her dear friend. "I am very glad I got the opportunity to see you. Today's the big day, after all. It wouldn't be right to go forward without seeing you first.

“I wish—more than I have ever wished for anything—that you could be by my side today, Sweetie. It would mean the world to me for you to be my maid of honour. But, sadly, you’ll have to accompany me in spirit alone. You needn’t worry, though. I’ve saved you a seat for the ceremony.” Twilight plucked a few strands of coriander and lavender from Sweetie’s garden and weaved the flowers into her own hair. “We searched for my mother, to invite her to the wedding, but we determined that she passed some years ago. I always suspected as much, but it was nice to know for certain. I nearly invited my brother and his wife, but ultimately decided against it. Figured it best not to risk any incidents. And Pinkie… Well. Suffice it to say, you will be my only invited guest. Not as though Celestia has many more… Still, there will be quite the celebration, regardless. Today marks the start of the 5th Era, after all.

“I have been giving things much thought, Sweetie. I have grown incredibly powerful in a very short amount of time. Just a handful of years, and I have surpassed Celestia’s highest expectations of my ability. And soon, I will have all the time in the world. So I promise you this, Sweetie, I will not let that time go to waste. I plan to learn every single scrap of sorcery, every ancient tongue, every magickal formula until I discover a way to see you again. That is my word to you, Sweetie Belle."

Twilight sighed, turning to the right where another grave stood. A simple headstone of wood was the only marker that the land was of any significance at all. Twilight had only bothered to lay the chancellor to rest here as a comfort to Sweetie, even if Sweetie didn’t know it. The Princess-Consort knew that, if there was any justice at all in the afterlife, Sweetie would not be in the same place as her sister, so perhaps burying the chancellor there was more for her own conscious. It was tragic, how Rarity had fallen, and if Twilight searched her soul enough, she was certain that she could find it in her to forgive her former friend. Forgive her enough to extend the same promise that she had given to Sweetie? That was less certain, nor was it clear if Rarity would even desire such a so-called kindness.

“We are going to take on the world together, Sweetie. I promise you that.” Twilight’s eyes didn’t stray from Rarity’s grave, even as she stood up from her seated position. “I do not know if you can hear me, but… Today is the most important day of my entire life. I hope that you are able to see it, wherever you may be. Until we next meet, Sweetie. Goodbye.”

Twilight turned and began to walk away, stopping in her tracks for a brief spell. Tears stung at her eyes, but she swallowed down her sorrow in favor of stoney, unflinching grace. She glanced over her shoulders, to the graves of the two sisters. Her only true friends, both gone due to one woman’s selfish actions. A tragedy.

“I’m sorry, Sweetie. For everything,” said Twilight finally. She resumed her departure, kissing the sun over her shoulder, in honour of her dearest friend. “I will make this up to you. I swear it.”

It was still the early hours of the morning when Twilight spilled back into the inner city of Canterlot, but there was still quite a bit of business to avoid. The roads were being cleared and prepared for the coming parade, and though the actual wedding ceremony would be a very private affair, Twilight had urged Celestia to arrange a more public festival to commemorate the event. A festival in the city, with a faux wedding to satisfy the public. Celestia accused Twilight of manufacturing the public festival as an excuse to partake in more wine and cake. Twilight simply smiled at her betrothed, neither confirming nor denying the validity of such an accusation.

Twilight clutched her satchel over her shoulder and ventured into the city, hoping to get a bit of shopping in before her next appointment. She did not need for much of anything these days, but it was an undeniably satisfying experience to spend a bit of coin for something nice. Perhaps there would be a book for sale that would interest The Princess-Consort, or some similar trinket. With luck, even a gift for The Empress, though Celestia would likely be baffled by the idea of Twilight buying her a gift from the city. She was The High Queen of Equestria, after all. What could a lowly merchant truly have to offer her?

“Spare coin? Just a few bits, please…”

Beggars were rather common in Canterlot, and it was not unusual for someone of Twilight’s stature to ignore them when they passed by. It was the only way to avoid being swarmed by the poor souls, if not flat-out robbed (though the many who had heard of what happened last time knew better than to attempt such an offense against Twilight). Even still, The Princess-Consort paused, for the voice sounded familiar. She followed the begging and pleading up the road to a corner beneath a signpost, where the beggar held up an empty platter, and she needed every bit of fortitude to mask the wicked grin that threatened to bubble to the surface.

“Spare coin? Could you spare a few coin?” The beggar turned her head to follow a man who walked past her, and her eyes fell onto Twilight. Immediately, the beggar scowled, lowering her dish in despair. “Handmaiden…”

“Princess-Consort, actually. Though you likely aren’t privy to royal gossip, surely even you would have heard that today is my wedding,” said Twilight. She looked down at the beggar with disdain, taking no small amount of pleasure in her misfortune. “Shame to see how severely you’ve fallen from… Oh, that’s a bit easy, isn’t it? It is nice to see you, Ms. Grace.”

“So you’ve come to mock me, have you?” snorted the former treasurer. “What, I suppose you think I deserve this?”

“I didn’t come here to mock you, no. Just couldn’t resist, once given the opportunity. As for you deserving this… I don’t know if anyone deserves to be starving on the streets.” Twilight dug into her satchel and withdrew a pouch of jingling golden coins, watching as Grace’s eyes went alight. “That being said… I don’t know that you would feel the same, were the roles reversed…”

“Surely you can’t be serious. Surely you can’t still be cross that I called you poor ages ago!” snarled Grace. Twilight hummed, shaking her bag of coins as if in deep thought. “Sparkle, I have no disdain for you personally. It was a professional quarrel that we had, no? Surely not something worth starving me over.”

“Hm… Perhaps not. When was it that you last ate?”

“Must have been four days now. Some sod dropped a roll and didn’t bother to pick it up.”

“Oh, you poor thing. Well, here is my advice to you. Drag yourself down to the outer city, and find a farmer. Offer your services. Clean his land, tend to his crops for him, launder his clothes.” Twilight’s voice was low and steady, going even lower as she physically stooped down to meet Grace’s eye. “He will not have much to give you, likely not even a single coin. But if you’re kind, he may allow you to root through the slop meant for his pigs.”

“You expect me to go out and wallow like a hog?” demanded the former treasurer.

“My mother sometimes sent me to do the very same once I was old enough. I might have starved, otherwise." Twilight smirked, then reached into her purse and grabbed a conservative handful of gold coins. She jingled the coins in a loose fist, taunting Grace with its sound. "Here, to help you get on your feet. This gold is yours, and all you need to do is congratulate me for my marriage, and my promotion to Princess."

"Tsch… Congratulations, your majesty," snarled Grace, as if every word brought her great discomfort. Twilight smiled, more than a bit satisfied by the former treasurer's disdain for her. "May your marriage be as prosperous as your reign…"

"Such kind words. If only you had found them before, perhaps you'd be able to enjoy the festivities with the rest of the castle." Twilight tipped her hand forward, letting her gold clatter onto the dirt. "This won't get you far, Ms. Grace, so I advise that you budget it wisely. Given your former position, that shouldn't be too difficult for you."

With an almost lethal amount of smug satisfaction, The Princess-Consort smiled and kissed the sun to her former royal cohort and departed once more along the road. In the corner of her mind, Twilight chastised herself for being so cruel. Grace had surely suffered enough, and likely learned her lesson by now. To taunt her further was needless. And yet, undeniably, it was satisfying to see the roles reversed, the grand and pompous noble now the penniless peon she so often derided. Indeed, no one pitied Twilight when she was starving and poor. Nary a soul had seen fit to spare even a single coin to her, and here she was giving a handful of bits to a woman who still openly detested her. In that way, Princess-Consort Twilight Sparkle found herself to be a kinder soul than most.

An hour came and went as Twilight perused the shops and stalls, ultimately finding nothing of note. It seemed that even Canterlot had begun to grow stale, their market stagnated. No matter. Soon enough, the tributes from the colonies would be making their way into the city, which meant more than enough gifts and amenities for the High Queen and her new bride.

"Oh! Princess Twilight!" Twilight looked up from her musings, her eyes falling on the approaching cellar maid. Fluttershy held a crate of wrapped parcels in her hands as she approached, wearing a polite smile as well as her rather dingy work gown. She bowed and kissed the sun as she approached Twilight, who matched her smile. "I was just on my way to the castle to see you.”

“Well, how serendipitous that we should bump into each other here. I was just about to stop by the tavern for a drink.” Twilight gently grasped Fluttershy by the shoulder and led her along. “You’ll be joining me, no?”

“Well, I was meant to bring this crate to the castle, but I’m fairly certain these are all addressed to you, so…”

“So it’s settled then. You’ll be joining me, come along.” Twilight set off, along the path to her preferred tavern, with Fluttershy just behind her. “I’m expecting to meet a friend there, hope you don’t mind.”

“I am simply honoured that you deem me worthy of sharing a drink with you, your highness!” chimed Fluttershy. “And on your very own day, no less!”

“It is The Empress’ day as much as my own.”

“Respectfully, Princess Twilight, The Empress has taken many days. Not always does she make that day the start of a whole new Era.” Fluttershy managed to close the distance between her and The Princess-Consort, even with the addition of the parcels she carried. "You underemphasize the impact you have on her Greatness."

Twilight hummed to herself, but did not press the issue just then. Instead, she led the way into the tavern as they arrived, parting the somewhat rowdy crowd with just her very presence. Fluttershy stood close to avoid being swallowed by the sea of patrons, all the way until the pair arrived at The Princess-Consort 's table. Twilight needed only look in the barmaid's direction before she scuttled over to the bar and returned with a tray of honey wine for the new royal to enjoy.

"You mentioned my impact on Celestia," said Twilight, after getting settled. "Would you elaborate on that?"

"Well, my father was a hunter and often sold his game to nobles, so I grew up rather close to the castle. And I have been a maid for the castle since I turned fifteen," explained Fluttershy, gracefully accepting the flaggon that her Princess offered her. "While I don't pretend to be especially privy to her Divinity's inner workings, I do think it fair to say that I know The Empress better than the average person. And in all my time of being in The Empress' service, it is not until she met you did she ever seem well and truly happy."

"She's right." Twilight turned and smiled at the approaching voice. Captain Scootaloo, clutching a flagon of her own drink, joined them at their table, quickly removing her helmet and kissing the sun in salute to The Princess-Consort before sitting down beside Twilight and Fluttershy. "The Empress was never especially fond of people. She tends to prefer animals, at least in my experience. To say she is fond of you is an understatement."

"Captain, it's nice to see you. I take it you're familiar with Ms. Fluttershy?" Twilight gestured to the meek maid, who gave an anxious little wave. "Dear friend of mine, she cares for Belle when I am away."

"Can't say I've had the pleasure. Good to meet you," said Scootaloo, nodding in the cellar maid's direction. "Talking of Belle… I just got back from visiting our old girl. There was a new bouquet under her headstone. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"I know there are gardeners who tend to her, but I just cannot shake the urge to bring my own flowers from time to time," said Twilight. "To leave that job wholly to someone who had never even known her… it feels wrong. Besides, they didn't plant her coriander properly last time, so I have to check to make sure everything is growing correctly."

"She'd appreciate that, were she hear to see it with her own eye." Scootaloo raised her flagon. "To Sweetie. May her soul know rest from the pain she knew in life, and may she always be in the arms of the Gods."

"To Sweetie. How I wish you were here…" Twilight toasted to her dearly departed friend, her sister, before quickly changing the subject. "So, Ms. Fluttershy, I am under the impression that you perhaps had a gift for me?"

"Oh, yes! A few parcels, in fact! Firstly, from Mother Chrysalis." Fluttershy produced the first parcel and slid it across the table, at which point Twilight quickly unwrapped it to reveal a small wooden box containing no fewer than four dozen glistening emerald candies; The Hive's fabled cactus honey sweets. Twilight grinned, very excited to share her treats with Celestia later in the evening. “She included a note, I believe it is a well-wish to you and the Empress, though I, of course, am not certain.”

“Heh. I’m not surprised you’re struggling to make out that note,” snickered the Captain. “It’s more of a surprise that the damned pest can write at all, missing two fingers.”

“Er… Actually, Captain, it’s not her writing. I was never taught—”

“Yes, I know, I was being funny. No need to be so polite about Chrysalis, Ms. Fluttershy. As far as I’m concerned, the bitch deserved to lose more than just the two.” Captain Scootaloo stiffened as her own words reached her ears, and she remembered her current company. “Pardon my coarse language, Princess-Consort.”

“Did you forget that I resided in your tree for some time, Captain? Under a far less pleasant Captain than yourself, no less,” snorted Twilight. “I have heard far coarser language than that.” She turned to Fluttershy and smiled warmly. “What else came for me?”

“Hm… Let’s try this one? It appears to be wine of some sort.” Fluttershy produced a ceramic jug, ornately painted with golden flames. She passed the jug to Twilight, who popped the cork and gave its contents a deep sniff. “There’s another note, but I, as I said before…”

“Here, give it to me. I’ll read it.” The Captain took the note from Fluttershy and brought it to her face. “Hm… It’s called okolehao. Some sort of root wine, it says it's very potent… Oh, here it is. Well wishes to you and your love, from Matai Sonata of the Isle of—”

The sound of shattering glass stole Scootaloo from her reading, and she wore a look of concern that was mirrored by Fluttershy. The jug was gone from Twilight’s hands, instead residing as a pile of ceramic shards upon the floor. Twilight looked down at the wine, brow arched in a barely-attempted facade of concern and surprise.

“How clumsy of me. Oh well, Empress Celestia promised me a personal vintage for the wedding, anyway." Twilight waved away the approaching barmaid, electing to save the woman the trouble of cleaning by sending the puddle of wine away with a lazy wave of magick. "Speaking of the wedding… I presume you will both be in attendance?"

"Of course, Princess-Consort. I will be right by your side to ensure you and The Empress may enjoy your ceremony without disruption," swore Scootaloo. "Any man who strays within 30 paces of you will be struck down by my hand personally."

"I don't imagine anyone would be so bold as to attack Princess Sparkle," noted Fluttershy. "With The Empress by her side, no less."

"And I wouldn't have imagined anyone would be so daft as to attack The Empress herself during an Arena contest. Had the previous captain been more cautious, we may have saved some lives that day."

"Spearhead never was the sort to care for others… In any case, I hope to see you both during the festivities." Twilight stood up from the table, tossing a few coins onto the table as a bonus for the tavern staff. "I'm afraid I must depart. I still need my hair sorted, and Goddess only knows what else… Ms. Fluttershy, please place any remaining parcels for me with the other tributes coming in, I will give them a view later. I shall see both of you at the ceremony. Farewell."

"Farewell, Princess-Consort! A blessed 5th Era to you!" proclaimed Fluttershy with a kiss to the sun. The Captain gave her own salute and farewell before Twilight departed, taking her box of cactus sweets with her.

Twilight's eyes lingered for just a moment on the spot where she had dropped the jug of Calypso wine and frowned. A waste of good wine was always to be mourned, as far as The Princess-Consort was concerned, but in this case, it was necessary. Somewhere in her mind, Twilight believed the wine to be a harmless gift, given earnestly and genuinely from the young Matai. Even still, the louder voice in her head screamed at her to discard it, some unshakable fear, perhaps even paranoia. The Uso did not strike Twilight as terribly vindictive, if she had even learned of what had caused her sister's fate, but it was a risk Twilight was unwilling to take.

With a tiny little sigh, Twilight moved forward, forgetting this ghost from her past as she set off to embrace her radiant future.

There once was a time when Twilight saw the castle as just a new prison for her. Its grand walls, tall and imposing, constricting and restraining her within their boundaries. A looming sense of dread and fear hanging over her each and every movement. A harsh overseer that would brutalize their underlings just as soon as look at them. And her cell, her quarters, where she now stood to take it all in.

She hadn't slept in her official quarters for ages by now, opting to spend her nights in bed with The Empress. Even still, The Princess-Consort gave the order that the room was to be undisturbed. Twilight simply wanted to remember where she had started, so as she could compare to where she stood now. Scattered tomes of basic sorceries that once confounded and challenged her mind, now almost too simple for someone of her skill to bother with. With a small smile and a shake of the head, The Princess-Consort stepped out of her old bedroom and swung the door closed as she went, leaving her old home behind in favor of her new one.

Within just a few moments, Twilight found herself approaching The Empress' chambers, guarded by a half dozen Daybreakers. More than usual, and indeed more than The Empress herself believed necessary, but Twilight requested them nevertheless. Anything to ensure that the day went off without a hitch. Though initially very weary of the Daybreakers—a common sentiment held by most everyone who had ever seen one—Twilight had grown rather fond of the strange things, in an odd way. She greeted the six guards as she approached and, though they stood silently and unresponsive, Twilight liked to believe that the beings beneath the masks recognized the gesture.

"My Queen!" called Twilight as she knocked upon the door. "I'm coming in now! Are you decent?"

"If you wish me to undress, my dear, all you need to do is ask."

"Celestia… You know what I mean."

The Empress kept her Princess waiting in silence for a few moments before finally answering with a tiny laugh.

"Worry not, Twilight. I am not in my dress yet."

Twilight smiled and finally pushed open the door, striding boldly into the chambers she shared with her beloved Queen. The Empress, sat at her desk with a book beneath her nose, glanced up at Twilight, but elected not to address her just yet. Instead she sat there, letting her luxurious silk robe slowly slide down her shoulders. Not quite disrobing, yet still a far cry from modest, The Empress struck a perfect balance that she used to tease her Princess.

"You know, Twilight, considering your knowledge of—and mastery of—the magickal arts," remarked Empress Celestia. "I would not have thought that you, of all people, would buy into that particular myth. Or superstition in general, frankly."

"You mean about seeing you in your dress? I'm not quite sure I do believe in that superstition," admitted Twilight. "Though I do prefer a surprise, and I think the first time I see my wife in her wedding dress should be at the ceremony. Besides, after all we've been through together… Perhaps it'd be wiser not to tempt fate."

"Fairly put. Though, you needn't worry yourself any further, my dear. I believe that, by our might combined, we have successfully removed fate from the equation." The Empress stood up and adjusted her robe to better cover herself, smirking at Twilight's just-barely restrained disappointment. "So. Today is the day, yes? Are you ready?"

"Indeed. I've hardly been able to contain myself!" said Twilight. She took a seat on a stool just before a dresser and mirror, using a nearby brush to straighten her hair out. "The city is so lively, everyone is excited for the ceremony."

"You have a tendency to put others ahead of yourself. An admirable trait, but, if you'll forgive me, that's not what I asked." Her words were stern, but Twilight knew her Empress well enough by then to understand that she was merely putting up a front. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, my Empress. I am as ready for this as I have ever been for anything."

"That's good. Eternity is a long time, my dear. I hope you've been giving it some thought." With a tender hand, The High Queen pulled Twilight's brush from her grasp, and went about grooming her princess' long, shining locks. "Any plans on how to spend it?"

"A few. We've settled most every problem facing us, so I thought it might be a good use of my time to focus on the kingdom itself," explained Twilight. "I'd like to open a university at some point, primarily dedicated to Equestrian History. The more educated our people are, the better. Won't be so difficult finding new chancellors and the similar. Then, with your blessing, I think loosening the laws surrounding magi would ultimately benefit us greatly."

"Hm… I worry you may be underestimating the threat of an unchecked population of the magickally inclined," said Celestia carefully. "I've lived through those times, and let me tell you from first-hand experience, the kingdom of Equestria had scarcely been more turbulent than in those years."

"Indeed. I've read up on those days, though I imagine just reading through it is a far cry from first-hand experience. But, you're forgetting one key difference between then and now." Twilight looked up into the mirror, flashing her bride a confident smirk. "You didn't have me back then. In any case, I wouldn't go so far as to say remove all restrictions. But just think of how much more we could learn about the arcane arts if we had a larger sample size of magickally adept individuals!"

"You do raise a fair point. Even our relatively brief time together has shown me that there is much more to learn about sorcery. I never would have thought that someone without any sort of training until so late in life could ever become as powerful as you,” admitted The Empress. “Though I suspect your capabilities are unique, it proves that even I do not know all there is to know on the subject. Even still, you and I both know how dangerous a vengeful sorceress can be, and I’m afraid the two of us have made no small number of enemies…”

“My Queen. Do you trust me?” asked Twilight. Without a pause, a beat, even a moment of hesitation, Celestia gave her betrothed a strong nod, to which Twilight smiled. “Then we shall have nothing to worry ourselves over. We will find a way, as we always do. We are kindred spirits, remember? We do the impossible. Faced with a few lesser mages unhappy with our rule? I almost invite them to defy us, if for no other reason than prove our superiority.”

“Oh, Twilight… You know, I find you oh, so unbearably attractive when you speak like that.”

“Is that so? Implying you don’t find me attractive otherwise?”

The Empress chuckled before gently cupping Twilight beneath the chin and leaning in for a kiss. Their lips met and, just as was the case many, many times before, Twilight melted in her Empress' grasp. In that moment, there were no troubles to worry over, nothing to concern themselves with, no doubt as to whether or not her Queen found her attractive. Of course, Celestia kept her guard up, in general, which was far from surprising. Even still, it did not matter; There would be an eternity before then for Twilight to try and crack her wife's unflinching armor. For now, she sought to savor the moment, and take solace in what the two had become together.

"My Empress! If you would please forgive the interruption!" A voice, accompanied by a somewhat frenzied knock at the door, unfortunately put waylay to the tender moment, something that visibly annoyed the High Queen. "The tailors have been looking for you all morning! Your wedding gown still needs some final alterations!"

"Another insignificant peon ruins my fun," grumbled the Empress. She gave her betrothed a sideways glance. "And you're certain I can't have this one executed whilst you put your tongue to work between my thighs?"

"A tempting suggestion, I'll admit," said Twilight with a chortle. "However, I think it would be mutually beneficial for all parties involved were we to ensure that your dress fits properly. You are quite tall, lest we forget, and it would be a shame if the hemline is too short and you ended up flashing your undergarments to the crowd."

"Hm. Then I'd have to execute the entire wedding party."

"Precisely. Think of the decrees you’d have to sign afterwards. Sounds like quite the headache."

"Oh, fine, we'll do it your way." The Empress smirked before turning to the door and raising her voice. "Very well, servant. I will be out shortly."

"These are your last few hours as a bachelorette, my Queen," said Twilight with a smirk. "Enjoy it while you can. After it's made official, I have no intention of letting you forget that we're married."

"I would never dream of such a thing. In any case, this may be the last time I get to see you before the ceremony." Celestia did her very best to appear innocent in her intention, but Twilight certainly knew better by now. "Perhaps you could give me something to remember you by?"

Twilight snickered, beyond charmed by the Empress' somewhat ungraceful attempts at romance. The woman wasn't perfect, but Twilight had to commend her bride-to-be for trying. In reward for that effort, Twilight boosted herself onto the tips of her toes and gave her Queen a gentle peck on the cheek, feeling Celestia's porcelain skin glow red with blush before grabbing her under the chin and kissing her properly. She felt Celestia's hands wander, grabbing her around the waist and backside with an almost desperate hunger. It was one of the things that Twilight found so enchanting about the Empress; The woman who had no need of anything certainly seemed to need her, and that was a special sensation, indeed.

"Remember me vividly, my Queen," whispered Twilight when the two finally broke apart. "Go on, then. I'll see you tonight."

"I await it eagerly, my dear. Farewell, for now."

Twilight watched The Empress depart, her lover, her teacher, the woman who plucked her from the depths and dragged her into the heavens, and smiled. The next time the two met, it would be as wives, and that was an exciting prospect, to say the least.

The end of an Era, indeed, and the birth of a new, brighter one.

The wedding was everything Twilight could have dreamed of, and more.

When she had spoken to her mother about her marriage to her father, there were no illusions regarding the nature of their relationship; it was one developed purely out of practicality, rather than romance. They got on well enough, and love came eventually, but the simple truth was that her father needed a wife to tend to the home while he farmed, and to bear children for a similar purpose, while her mother conversely needed a husband to help provide for her in a way that she could not. Even Twilight herself, when she dreamed of having a day so wonderful, her wildest fantasies stopped at a modest dinner with her beloved.

On this day, this first day of the 5th Era, was beyond anything Twilight could have ever dreamed of. It seemed as if the whole Empire was in attendance, flooding the inner city for the wedding festival. A sea of people, and they were all there to see Twilight's most special day. Gifts and tributes, vows of fealty and undying loyalty to the new Princess. The new Light of Canterlot, some called her.

Silks and sweets, gold and platinum, pearls and gems. Wealth by the barrel-full. An abundance that Twilight had never known, a pelf that she could never spend in a lifetime. The Empress had specifically forbade gifts offered for her, instead commanding that all tributes be in the name of the Princess. As such, Twilight had to have an entire banquet hall cleared out just to hold all of the gifts her adoring underlings offered.

That was just the beginning, as when the wedding festival began in earnest, it was an occasion the likes of which would likely never grace Equestria again. Music filled the streets, songs written about the rise of the Princess of Equestria. One particular musician, Octavia Melody, moved Twilight to tears with her ballad titled "Harmony", and was immediately rewarded with a sizable manor and estate, for so long as she continued to make music for the royal couple.

Then, the food, undoubtedly Twilight's favorite part. There were carts of pies and tarts, vendors frying fish and breads all along the path to the city square, and it would be easy to stuff yourself fit to bursting before even making it to the proper ceremony. Twilight, for her part, made sure to sample nearly every delectable morsel on offer, awarding her favor to the talented chefs who prepared the most delicious of the offerings. Once, in a past life, Twilight would be disgusted by this display of excess, knowing firsthand the struggles of not having enough to eat. Things were different now, though. Twilight was no longer a lowly slave, or even a Handmaiden. Now, with true power to change the kingdom, Twilight could ensure that the leftovers would go to the starving and the poor, once the partygoers had eaten their fill.

The festival went on deep into the evening, so long that they would surely see night become day, and there were no signs of stoppage by the time The Empress and her Princess slipped away with the aid of a bit of Illusionary magick. Once unseen, the pair had no trouble at all maneuvering through the town and to the castle. Twilight was certain that, if she so desired, The Empress could have simply brought them back to her chambers with a wave of the hand, but she actually preferred the brief adventure. The two running invisibly through the crowd of loyal peasants, hand in hand and holding back giggles at the thrill of potentially getting caught, it was good, clean, simple excitement. Like two eloping lovers running from their responsibilities, stealing a few moments for a snog outside of the public eye.

The two made it to their destination just as their invisibility sorcery faded away; A corridor in the castle’s East Wing, generally unremarkable, save for one particular painting on the wall. Twilight recognized it, of course, and took the honour of pulling the painting to the side and activating the hidden mechanism. A secret door slid out of place, groaning metallically as it did to reveal a tunnel to the Moon Garden. Celestia walked forth, followed by her bride, and slid the door closed behind them. With a snap of her fingers, the torches lining the wall caught flame, bathing the secret corridor with a warm, amber light. Twilight made pause as they stood in the tunnel, a place she had not seen in some time, but remembered as vividly as if her last visit was yesterday. The two slowly made their way throughout the tunnel, a noticeable silence descending onto them.

“Is something troubling you, dear?” asked Celestia.

“Not troubling, no,” said Twilight softly. “"Although, now that you make mention of it… May I ask you a question, Empress?"

"You very well may."

"Well, I've been giving it some thought as of late. You know, after spending enough time in your presence, I've been able to sort of sense when you're around. Your mana has a very specific texture in my mind, and even if it's just a split second before you enter a room, if I think for a moment, I can tell if it's you or someone else."

"Mh-hm. Mana can be sensed in the same way something can be heard or seen," said Empress Celestia with a nod. "You likely would have more affinity at sensing my mana were we not opposite natures. That can certainly cloud things."

"Right. However, you are far more magically adept than myself. You've had far more time to practice, if nothing else. So you should be far better at such things than I."

“Respectfully, my dear, I've yet to hear a question,” said Celestia plainly

"My question is, if you can sense mana fairly clearly, so long as it is not your opposite nature, I find it curious that Luna was able to recruit her at all,” said Twilight. She glanced over to Celestia, who turned her eyes ahead of her to keep along the path. “When she first reached out to me, she mentioned that the sorcery she was using was very magickally intensive. If I didn’t know any better, I might think that you knew more during that time than you let on.”

“Is that so?” The Empress had a light, airy laugh in her voice, the same laugh that Twilight had come to love. It meant that, one way or the other, she had amused or surprised her mistress, which, regardless of being called the handmaiden or the Princess-Consort, was always Twilight’s primary goal. “Alright, then. I’ll offer you a question, in turn. Let’s follow your theory, and assume that I knew that Luna spoke to you and enticed you to stand against me—”

“Something that I cannot possibly apologize for more.”

“You have more than made up for that one misstep, my dear. But I digress. Assuming I knew before you told me. Why would I allow Luna to get so close to killing me? Why not put an end to things early?” The Empress leaned in close to Twilight’s ear, and dropped her voice to a low, almost growling whisper. “Why would I not pluck you from your bed and flay you alive for daring to oppose me?”

“Perhaps you wanted to give your sister one final chance to make the right decision.” Once, long ago, such threats as that which the Empress just leveled would have terrified Twilight, left her a trembling, quivering mess. Now, Twilight merely smirked, having long since understood her wife-to-be’s grim sense of humor. “Or perhaps, it was me who you were being generous with. You’ve always offered me a bit of leniency in these matters. I’ve certainly heard of you killing men for committing similar infractions to my own in the past.”

“What can I say? You bring out my gentler side.”

“Yes, gentle, certainly the word that first comes to mind when I picture The Great High Queen of Equestria,” remarked Twilight, earning herself a dry chuckle from her Empress. “Though, if you want my theory… I think you were testing me. I think you wanted me to prove, more than my loyalty, but my ability to make my own choice, and to test if my beliefs align with your own."

The Empress did not respond straight away. Instead, she put her hand out, stopping Twilight in her tracks. The Empress turned to face her betrothed, as Twilight did the same, and offered her hand. Twilight placed her hand in her Empress' palm, feeling that familiar, fiery bubbling of mana contrasting the High Queen's cool, smooth skin, and smiled. The Empress matched her with a smirk before leaning forward and kissing Twilight upon the hand.

"If you'll forgive my blunt honesty, Twilight Sparkle, I had no intention of keeping you for this long," said the High Queen. "When I plucked you from the arena, I was under the presumption that you'd be dead within the month. I am, of course, incredibly pleased to have been wrong in that regard. Even still, I did not plan on us becoming so close, and I certainly never thought I'd have the joy of calling you my wife."

The Empress gripped Twilight’s hand firmly, bringing it up to her lips and laying down a gentle kiss onto The Princess’ dainty fingers. Mana arced and surged between the pair of powerful sorceresses, building between them and creating a growing heat in the tunnel. Their passion and commitment—as well as their power—manifesting itself between the two women.

"When you grow to be as old as I am, you tend to develop a plan for most any situation," continued The Empress. "But for as long as we have known each other, it is very rare that I have a plan for you. Eternity can get quite boring, so I thank you for that. And I cherish you now, more than I have ever cherished anyone. That, my dear, is what is most important."

"Celestia… Your words honour me," said Twilight with a smile. "I know how difficult it is for you to bare your heart in that way. And if you'll allow me to say… you mean the world to me. I am eternally grateful to be here with you, to spend our lives together. Though I am no longer your handmaiden, I look forward to serving you until the end of time."

With that said, the two walked forward, hand-in-hand, into the hidden garden proper. The garden was just as lush as Twilight recalled from her previous visit, the round lake just as pristine and crystal clear as before. The sole new addition to the chamber was a simple marble podium, erected just before the pool. It was just a bit shorter than Twilight herself, and atop its flat surface was a length of black velvet silk that served as a platform for a grand sword. It was a long weapon, clearly intended to be used with both hands, with a worn leather handle and a lustrous orange sunstone in the pommel. The gold crossguard was a bit chipped and dented, though it was clear from the sharpness of the double-edged blade, and the shine that it reflected, that this old sword was well looked-after. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the blade, smiling to her bride as they entered.

“I thought you couldn’t find it,” remarked Twilight. Celestia smirked, approaching the podium and raising the mighty sword with just one hand. The way she carried the weapon seemed natural, somehow. Like an extension of herself. “Or is this just a very convincing replica?”

“I would never do you the disservice of using a mere prop for our ceremony. I had to do a fair bit of searching, but I managed to track it down,” said Celestia. She held the blade upright, parallel to her face and smiled. “Are you ready, my dear?”

“Yes, my Queen.”

“Then let us begin.”

As Celestia went to the right side of the Moon Pool, Twilight went to the left, and both stopped opposite of another. They locked eyes, and upon Celestia’s command, they storde forward into the pool itself, wading up to their ankles in the cool water. Twilight marched forward about half the distance to the center of the pool, as did Celestia, and she stopped just as they had rehearsed. The air between them was charged with energy, and the platinum engravings in the crossguard of Celestia’s sword began to glow with a brilliant sunny glow.

“Twilight Sparkle. My prized student. My Handmaiden. My Princess. You have gifted so much to me already. Your heart. Your mind. Your flesh.” Celestia pointed the blade forward, folding her right hand behind her back. “Now, I ask for but one more gift. I ask for your future.”

“With my mind sharp, my heart beating, my loyalty undying, I happily bequeath unto you, my Queen, my future.” Twilight had spoken these words before, primarily to herself in the mirror, but to be across from her betrothed and speaking such powerful words moved an already emotional Princess nearly to tears. “With this last final moment of solitude, I offer my every moment after to be yours.”

The energy between the pair seemed to grow more intense, a faint heat wafting between them as they took another few steps towards one another. Twilight could feel Celestia’s mana reaching out to her, wrapping her up in a gently searing golden aura. One that was experienced more so than seen. Celestia smiled, turning the blade downwards to her feet.

“This is the blade of mine father. The blood that it spilled laid the foundation of my kingdom. This is the blade that I took up in my youth, to slay any fool who dare opposed my Divinity. This is the blade that I buried into the heart of the last of the dragons, ending their wretched existence, and ensuring that none could ever take that which is rightfully mine,” declared Celestia. She turned the blade horizontally and offered it forth to her bride. “And as I bequeath this blade to you, my Princess, I create something new. No longer my kingdom, my divinity, my life, but ours, instead. Do you, Twilight Sparkle, accept this blade, and with it, the burden of walking this earth with me until time ceases to march forward?”

It was a monumental offer, one that Twilight had ruminated on for months on end. Not terribly long ago, when she had first met her bride, she felt nothing but fear, hate, loathing for an unhinged, sadistic killer. Someone who sought only torment, someone who had no use of companionship. And yet, Twilight found herself very quickly peeling back the rough, thorny exterior. Celestia was no angel, but, Twilight had to admit, neither was she. It was true, what Celestia said. They were kindred spirits, two of the same. And if that was the case, as Twilight believed it to be, she had nothing at all to fear from eternity with her love. As Celestia offered the blade, Twilight took it into her hands, feeling the weight of the weapon lower itself into her grasp. As she did, the mounting warmth of Celestia’s mana erupted, until it felt as though she had caught flame.

“I accept, my Queen,” said Twilight. “I shall be by your side, until all of being ceases.”

Celestia grinned, as did Twilight, and the two leaned forward for a kiss. As their lips met, the sorcery took hold; Twilight could feel her core melting and fading, as if she was expending much of her mana. Instead of growing weaker, however, the exact opposite occurred; Celestia’s mana flooded her body, filling her with a strength that wasn’t wholly her own. Tears streaked down Twilight’s face, not from pain, but from sheer joy as her soul truly became one with that of her Empress. She held there, unflinching, unwavering, until the heat faded away and left her feeling stronger, sturdier. Whole. Celestia pulled away first, the look in her eye confirming to Twilight that the ceremony had gone off perfectly.

“Until the end of time, you shall be mine,” said Celestia. She wiped a tear from Twilight’s eye, and quietly, almost as if afraid of Twilight hearing her, she whispered. “I love you, Twilight.”

“Celestia… I love you, too.” Twilight did her best to maintain her composure, but failed to keep all of the tears at bay. “I love you…”

“ I’ve obviously never used this sort of magick before, but I can only imagine that it must be strenuous. Do you need to rest?” said Celestia. To her surprise, Twilight smiled and shook her head. “All this time, and yet you still impress me. It will not be long at all before you are more powerful than I am.”

“Let’s not get out of hand,” chuckled Twilight airily. She cleared her throat a bit, perhaps feeling a bit of that strain that Celestia had previously mentioned. “Erm… This sword is a bit heavy. Would you mind…?”

“Not at all, my dear. Forgive me.” Celestia lifted the sword from Twilight’s grasp with ease, before turning to wade out of the pool and return the blade to its podium. “So, my love, here we are. Officially married, and bound together, forevermore. And the night is still young. What shall we do now?”

“Personally, I wouldn’t say no to a nice goblet of wine, if you’d oblige me.”

A piercing shriek rang out through the room, twisting and gnarling in its agony. Tears welled in Twilight’s eyes, and she watched, helplessly, as her wife collapsed just a few feet from her. She made to run to Celestia, but, somehow, she couldn’t move. Her legs, her arms, none of her extremities responded to her commands. Twilight wheezed, and it was only then, as she attempted to scream out some manner of sorcery, did she notice the pain in her back. Sharp, glowing, and pulsing, it was the worst sensation Twilight had ever experienced, and it was only growing more intense with each passing moment. Celestia pushed herself to her hands and knees and looked up, her face awash with shock, fury, disgust, and, worst of all, fear.

“Celestia…” croaked Twilight. She tried to reach out once again, and that was when Twilight looked down, to the arms wrapped around her chest, burying a dagger into her back. The dagger left Twilight’s back before her assailant buried it back into her flesh, again and again and again. Twilight wheezed, too pained to properly scream, and turned her head to the left, her attacker so close that all Twilight could see was a few tufts of messy, dirty, curly pink hair.

“Be free of her evil,” whispered Pinkie through tears in her eyes. She stabbed her knife into Twilight’s flesh one last time before gently lowering her love down to the ground. “You don’t have to be afraid of her anymore… You’re free now…”

“No!” Celestia scrambled forward, tumbling back to the ground a few paces from Pinkie and Twilight. She buried her blade into the dirt and used it to pull herself upright, reaching for the Pie with a shaky hand. “What have you done!”

“You took everything I have ever loved, and you destroyed it.” Pinkie stood up, her dagger well in tow. She held the enchanted blade up, so Celestia could see the weapon clearly, and smiled at the way the High Queen smoldered. “I was merely returning the favor.”

“No… No, no, no! You’re supposed to be dead!” barked the Empress. “You stupid gypsy cunt… You have no idea what you’ve done!”

“What I’ve done is something no one else can say. I beat the Empress of Equestria,” said Pinkie. “And I’ve saved my beloved from a lifetime under your boot. She will be awaiting me in Heaven, where you cannot hurt us anymore.”

“Surely even an inbred like you isn’t that daft. Surely you don’t think you’ll make it out of here alive. You’ve not beaten anyone but my handmaiden!”

Pinkie chuckled, holding her weapon up for a moment before tossing it aside. She wore a bittersweet grin that persisted, even as she dropped to her knees and held her arms spread wide. Almost as if offering herself to the High Queen. Celestia snarled, dragging herself and her blade over to Pinkie’s kneeling body.

“Without Twilight, I had nothing left to live for. And since you wanted her so damn bad, I made sure you can’t have her, either. I don’t care about leaving here alive. I don't care about pain. I don’t care about anything you can threaten me with. Do what you must, because I’ve already won.” Pinkie looked up at the Empress, the source of her misery, and smiled openly. “Just do well not to forget that it was this dumb gypsy cunt that beat you.”

Celestia stared at Pinkie, beside herself at this nonsensical little creature. Insignificant in just about every way conceivable, and yet, somehow, she was right. She had won. She took The Empress’ favorite toy and smashed it to pieces, and there was nothing Celestia could do about it. And as that realization dawned onto Celestia, the understanding that Pinkie did not fear her, the knowledge that she had been bested by a lowly gypsy, something deep inside the High Queen broke, and she began to laugh a dark, bitter, ominous laugh.

“I spared you. Hells, I saved you! I let you live when I visited your clan. I could have slain you like the rest of your family, and yet the one time I act out of the kindness of my heart...” The High Queen clawed the hair from her face, her haggard breathing and grisled scowl doing nothing but please Pinkie further. “I should have let your father rape your worthless bloodline to dust.”

Pinkie looked up at Empress Celestia, the composed and powerful ruler of the land, reduced to petty insults and crass barbs, and scoffed. Then, with the most defiance that she had mustered in her entire life, Pinkie spat a thick gob into Celestia’s face, splattering her saliva against her eyes. Celestia recoiled, nearly losing her balance, and it was a trembling, furious hand that wiped the Pie's spit from her eye.

“You deserve this. May your soul rot in Chaos for all of existence,” snarled Pinkie. “Go on then, you savage beast. Do what you do best.”

The Empress ripped her blade from the soil and, with what seemed to be the last of her strength, charged Pinkie. She let out a bellowing, monstrous shout as she pierced Pinkie through the middle, carrying the Pie forward and into the pool, the formerly pristine water cloudy with blood. Her body slammed into the ground beside Twilight, pinned to the floor by The Empress’ great sword. While Twilight croaked out in horror, Pinkie didn’t make much noise herself even as her body lay in the shallow water, the only evidence of her continued living being the slow, shaky rise and fall of her chest in time with her wheezing breaths.

“No! C-Celestia…” The Empress’ head snapped to the right, her eyes landing on her fallen bride. “P-please…”

“Twilight Sparkle. You told me she was dead…” The Empress dragged herself to her feet, looking down at the bodies beneath her. “You lied to me…”

“I… Celestia, please…” Twilight tried to sit herself up, but, again, her body refused to obey. “It hurts…”

“I offered you immortality. I gave you my soul! And how do you repay me?” The Empress could hardly stand, tears streaming down her cheeks, though she was no less terrifying than usual. If anything, she struck a more frightening form, as a mad woman at the end of her rope. “A knife to the back! Do you have the faintest idea what you’ve done to me? To my kingdom?! You've ruined everything!”

“N-no… It wasn’t supposed to… I couldn't let her go... I just wanted her to be able to come back to me…” Celestia snarled, disgusted, and slowly hobbled away. Horror descended upon Twilight, unable to move, unable to breathe, her mana hemorrhaging from her wounds, and she too began to cry. “W-Wait! Celestia, please! Y-you… You can mend me. You can mend me and we can fix this…” The High Queen paused, her back to her wife, then continued along to the exit. “C-Celestia… Please, I love you…”

Once again, The Empress stopped in her tracks, bracing herself against the doorframe. Twilight could barely see her, but she begged to the Gods above that Celestia would see sense. Her hope flickered and faded, dying entirely when Celestia looked back at her. There was no warmth or admiration in her eyes, not a drop of mercy, nor compassion. Simply cold, unfeeling, unrelenting disdain.

“You love me…” scoffed Empress Celestia. She shook her head before setting off down the secret tunnel. “And how could a queen ever love something as worthless as you?”

Without another word, The Empress was gone, taking the last of Twilight’s hope with her. She was gone. Twilight was alone, tormented, dying. As her lungs filled with blood, and her mana seeped from her body, there was nothing Twilight could do. Nothing, save for turn to face Pinkie, her one true love, and cry. She reached over to Pinkie, just fingertips away, and yet out of her reach. Twilight sobbed weakly, only for a hand to weakly grip her own. She looked up again and, while Pinkie was staring up at the sky, she managed to grab Twilight, and hold her as tightly as she could manage.

“You’re… free…” whispered Pinkie. Now, her work done, Pinkie allowed herself to cry beside the love of her life. “We’re free…”

“P-Pinkie… I’m… I’m sorry…” Twilight breathed, air rattling in her chest, and gripped Pinkie’s hand tighter. “I’m so sorry…”

“I know…”

“I didn’t mean for this. For any of this.” Twilight could feel Pinkie loosening her grip, and she held her tighter as she began to slip away. “I didn’t want this…”

“I know, Twi… I know…”

“Pinkie… Please don’t go. Don’t leave me…” With each word, Twilight squeezed her beloved tighter and, with each word, Pinkie faded more and more, until, eventually, her body had gone entirely limp. “Pinkie… I love you…”

Twilight received no answer, not a word, not even a breath from Pinkie. Twilight turned to face the sky, looking up through the glass dome and up at the stars. The glow of the full moon bathed her, chilling her to the bone as the darkness raced in from the corners of her vision. All alone, broken, in the dark, just the same as she had started. For all her might, all her intelligence, all her power, and yet, still, she was nothing. No kingdom to rule, no love to share, no wife to bed. Not even a heaven or hell to await her. Nothing but darkness.

As the pain faded to naught, Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes, terrified, as that cold, horrible darkness finally claimed the last handmaiden.