If it was true that the changelings sustained themselves on love, then one would only have to come to Ponyville and feed to their heart’s content. It was Hearts and Hooves Day today, and the little town was abuzz with activity. Ponies walked about side by side with their special someponies. Couples sat at tables across from each other, basking in the warmth of their love for each other. Even Roseluck, Daisy, and Lily were able to pursue their holiday interests, as the entire inventory of their flower stall was sold out.
Off in the distance, on top of a small hill, were Mr. and Mrs. Cake, looking out from their picnic over the rolling landscape before them. They sat closely together, one occasionally nuzzling the other, and drinking in the scenery around them. They felt truly fortunate for friends like Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, who had volunteered to watch the twins while they were gone. The Cakes made a point to bake something special for the young ponies, thanking them for everything they had done.
The two of them sat for what felt like hours as they looked back on their lives, shared memories of their time spent together, and even chuckled at some of their missteps and indiscretions early in their marriage. They reflected on some of the happiest moments of their lives; the day they met, each and every minute they spent getting to know each other, the moment they professed their love for each other beneath the moonlight, being wed by Princess Celestia herself, and (of course) the birth of Pound and Pumpkin. They may not have the perfect, or ideal, marriage, but the love they shared truly helped them to overcome any and all hardships they had to endure.
“You alright, hon?” Mrs. Cake’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her husband’s query, and it was only then that she realized that her face betrayed an expression of deep thought. She shook her head and breathed in deeply to clear her mind before answering.
“Yes, dear. I’m fine. I was just…thinking of something.”
“What’s on your mind?”
“Well, I heard recently that Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor are coming to Canterlot next Hearts and Hooves Day to renew their wedding vows.”
“Really?” Mr. Cake asked, surprised. “Where’d you hear that?”
“A couple of days ago, from Pinkie Pie,” Mrs. Cake said. “Princess Celestia approached her about it not long ago, asking her to make a selection of desserts for the banquet, and she asked if we’d help her out. I said I’d let you know, and that we’d get back to her.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Mr. Cake snickered. “Hopefully, there won’t be an invasion this time.” He chuckled as he remembered hearing Pinkie telling about the whole evening; it was always amusing hearing things from the party pony’s perspective.
“Yeah,” Mrs. Cake sighed. “I hope so too.”
Mr. Cake paused, his memories of the wedding interrupted by what seemed to be a slight hint of sadness in his beloved’s voice. He turned to face her and, surely enough, her face showed trace amounts of unhappiness that only he could detect.
“Honey,” he asked. “Is something wrong?”
“I’m fine. It’s just…” Her voice trailed off.
“Just what, sweetheart?” he asked, putting a hoof around her. He could see that she was trying to formulate a response, so he patiently waited. It was couple of minutes before she spoke up.
“Well.…I….It’s….” She paused for a moment, drew a deep breath, and let it out slowly before continuing.
“Would you still love me if I had changed?”
Mr. Cake was taken aback by her question. She had never asked anything remotely like this in all the time they were married. He always made sure to let her know how much she meant to him, and she had always reciprocated his feelings. So, where did this come from all of a sudden?
“Uh, what do you mean?” he asked.
“Well, I got to thinking. You know how alicorns are long-lived, right?” He nodded. “And you know how Princess Cadance will still be young looking, even after a long time, right?” He nodded again. She paused a moment longer before she finally asked the question.
“Would you still love me years from now, even if I was no longer as beautiful to you?”
Mrs. Cake explained that she had been wondering about it since she heard the news about Cadance and Shining Armor, and how remembering that Cadance’s alicornhood meant an extensive life span made her wonder about her own life. She mentioned that she knew that one day she would no longer appear as desirable to her husband as she had been when they’d first met, but she quickly amended that she knew it was not the only reason he fell in love with her.
She didn’t have to wait long before her husband responded. She felt him place a hoof on her cheek and turn her face to his. She could see the tears in his eyes, but they were overshadowed by the heart-warming smile on his face.
“Oh, my dearest,” he finally said. “You are just as beautiful to me now, if not more so, as the day we first met.” Mrs. Cake could feel tears well up in her eyes. He continued, touching his other hoof to her other cheek.
“The mare I married all those years ago has such a kind heart, a generous spirit, and yes, a beautiful form. The mare I married is the one who gave Pinkie room and board at Sugar Cube Corner when she couldn’t even afford rent, and it was at a time when we were struggling financially. The mare I married even let Pinkie work for us, despite her quirks in the kitchen, including that baby alligator she keeps around.”
Both Cakes chuckled, remembering the multiple run-ins they had with Gummy in the past.
“My love,” he continued. “You are my wife. You have given me a happiness I never thought I would experience, a joy I never thought I could feel. I took a vow to love and cherish you ‘til the end, and by Celestia, I will do just that. Even if your loveliness fades away with time, I will always love you for who you are. That, my sweet, will never change.”
Mrs. Cake’s tears flowed freely as she leaned forward and took her husband into a tight, loving embrace. She sobbed softly into his shoulder, overjoyed beyond words to have married such a wonderful stallion. She felt his shoulders shake, his tears flowing, as he returned the embrace and stroked her mane. She always knew how much she meant to him, and that his love for her was immeasurable. One thing was for sure. She would never tire of hearing him say it.
Her train of thought was interrupted when he spoke again.
“After all,” he said coyly. She looked up and saw a playful smile on his face.
“You really must be somepony special to have fallen for an old fool like me, right?”
Mrs. Cake was so caught off guard by his remark that she broke out in laughter, her husband not far behind her. After they had calmed down, she embraced him again.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, my love,” he said.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, dearest,” she returned, planting a kiss on his cheek as Luna’s moon made its ascent.
“Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day,
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy-gifts fading away,—
Thou wouldst still be ador'd as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will;
And, around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still!”
Thomas Moore, 1808
