Hearth's Warming was a time of joy. Or at least, that’s what she’d been told.
She couldn’t deny that there was some joy in it, of course. Especially whenever her boisterous sister was involved.
“HAPPY HEARTH'S WARMING!” shouted Pinkie Pie. She was dressed in a Chancellor Puddinghead costume, complete with an upside-down map. Standing at the front door of Twilight’s castle, she seemed determined to hug each and every guest as they arrived.
Marble Pie watched her from across the street, shaking her head in quiet wonder. No matter how many times Pinkie did something like this, Marble could never understand how. Pinkie bounced around with all the energy of a swarm of parasprites. Bouncing, giggling, joking, screaming with delight whenever somecreature came into view. Her joy was inexhaustible
Marble glanced down the street to see the other signs of joy. Every shop and home had been decorated with colorful lights. The snow which fell amidst the evening sky leant the scene a sense of wonder, which was only enhanced by the sounds of foals dashing about and having impromptu snowball fights with each other. Music spilled out from some of the shops, and a group of carolers added melodies of their own:
Good rest ye merry ol’ ponies
Let nothing you dismay
Remember how our ancestors
Kept Windigoes away
To save us all from bitterness
There on Hearth's Warming Day
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!
Marble sighed. After a moment she quietly crossed the street and approached Twilight’s castle.
“Marble!” squealed Pinkie as she came into sight. “You’re finally here!” She virtually tackled Marble with a hug. “This is gonna be the Best Sister Hearth's Warming Reunion Ever!”
Marble mumbled awkwardly from within Pinkie’s mane.
“Oh, sorry!” said Pinkie. “You wanna go inside, right?”
Marble nodded, sheepishly.
“That’s fine! I’ll be right behind you. Just let me finish saying hi to everypony!” She turned and spotted a newcomer. “Oh! Hi! Happy Hearth's Warming!”
Grateful for the interruption, Marble slipped into the castle proper. She was a little overwhelmed by the size of the place; it seemed even bigger on the inside. The ceilings went up at least 20 feet, and pegasi were darting to and fro, admiring the tinsel and holly. Marble turned a corner and found herself in what appeared to be the main hall; a huge Hearth's Warming tree dominated the space, its every branch bedazzled with lights and ornaments.
“Hey, you made it.”
Marble turned to see Limestone pushing herself through the crowd, seemingly unconcerned with anypony else’s personal space. Limestone gave her sister a quick nod and then glanced around at the enormous room.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with the way we do Hearth's Warming. You’d think a princess would have better things to do than put up all this junk.”
Marble gave her a sort of awkward pleading look. Limestone sighed.
“Oh, sure, whatever, everypony’s different. Yeah, yeah.”
Marble glanced away.
After a moment Limetone chimed in. “Hey.”
Marble looked back at her.
“Is something bothering you?” Limestone asked, her trademark glare piercing Marble without a thought.
Marble quickly shook her head and looked down.
“Look, I… I didn’t mean to make fun of the decorations, ok? I mean, not much anyway. It’s just not my thing.”
Marble shook her head.
“What? That’s not it?”
Marble shook her head again.
“That is it? Or it’s not it?”
Marble gave her a confused look. Limestone sighed.
“Right, right. I get it. Hard to talk in a crowd, right?”
Marble nodded.
Limestone rubbed the back of her mane with her hoof. “Well…there’s a balcony up that way.” She gestured to a set of stairs. “It’s probably a lot quieter up there.”
Marble nodded gratefully and turned towards the stairs.
“You want me to come with?” asked Limestone.
Marble tensed up, then finally shook her head, almost imperceptibly. She hated saying “no” to anypony, but it was Limestone herself who’d always told her to be more assertive. Still, she winced.
Her sister nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll keep an eye out for Maud.”
Marble’s heart lifted a little when she heard that. So Maud was here, or at least she was expected to be here soon.
She made her way up the stairs. When she reached the top, instead of going outside, she found herself gazing over the railing at the spectacle below. Part of her knew this was a bad idea, but she couldn’t help it. This was the one way she might see them without having to talk to them.
The two of them. The lovely couple.
Ten minutes passed. Twenty minutes. More and more ponies filled the space, talking among themselves, greeting old friends, giving presents to one another and so on. Foals ran back and forth whenever they could, playing games of their own invention. Long tables had been set up at the sides of the room, and after a while food was served. Carols drifted up to the rafters.
And finally, when she least expected it, she saw them. And they looked happy. They really did.
She gazed at them for less than a minute before she broke off. She didn’t want to bother them, of course. She had no right to bother them. The truth was, they hadn’t done anything wrong. Nopony had ever intended to hurt her.
Of course that didn’t stop the tear from rolling down her cheek.
At last she turned from the room and gingerly opened the door that led to the balcony. After peaking through to make sure nopony was on the other side — thankfully, nopony was — she slipped through and closed the door behind her.
She took a moment to breathe. Some of the snow clouds had been parted to make way for starlight. The air was nearly as warm here as it had been indoors; she surmised that there must be some spell that kept the balcony from getting too cold. She glanced around the edges and found that she was too high up for anypony to see her from down below.
She slumped to the ground then, and began to cry.
It was only a moment later that Maud opened the door, as quietly as Marble herself had done it. She took a seat by her sister.
“You saw Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle, didn’t you?”
Marble nodded, sobbing quietly.
“Pinkie should have realized. But she’s too busy being happy for everyone. And I know you wouldn’t want to tell her something sad when she’s having a good time.”
Marble nodded. Maud continued.
“Limestone never figured it out in the first place.”
Marble shook her head in agreement.
“And if you told her, she’d probably beat up Big Mac.”
Marble looked at her with wide eyes, and Maud responded with a small smile. “We could sell tickets, maybe. Make some good money for the rock farm.”
Marble opened her mouth for a moment, then found herself quietly laughing at the image in her head, even as her tears continued to flow.
“She could really beat him,” Maud continued. “She works on a rock farm. She’s strong.”
Marble gave a small shrug as she shuddered with tears.
“But I know you wouldn’t want that,” said Maud. “You don’t want to hurt him. It’s not his fault if he fell in love with somepony else.”
Marble nodded.
Maud gently placed a foreleg around her sister’s shoulders. “You’re strong too,” she said. “Stronger than you know.”
Marble let herself fall into Maud’s embrace.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” said Maud. “Someday we’ll find the pony for you.”
Marble sniffed. Marble nodded. And after a while, she felt the darkness begin to lift.
She had said all she needed to say.
