Sand lay on his belly, sprawled out after a full day of exploring. "Equestria has many wonders, and so much have you shown me in only the first day here." He chuckled lightly. "I'm going to look like a balloon by the end of this visit if I keep feasting upon these delicacies you offer me. I could not have imagined the flavors here."

Blue laughed with a nervous edge. "My apologies, my dear. I'll err towards lighter dishes from now on. I am glad to hear you're enjoying yourself." She leaned against him, laying beside him as she was. "What did you think of the movie?"

"I enjoyed it greatly, my little bell. That manner of showcase was remarkable, bringing me close to the story as it happened." He rolled slightly towards her, giving her a one-armed hug. "But I have a question." He drew her closer. "Some ponies, they call you Blueblood, why is that? They were all quick to fix themselves, but it was a habit shared by more than one."

Blue sighed deeply. "I used to be, but things have changed. In part thanks to you. Now I'm Blue Belle. I think this is the name I was meant to have." She nuzzled Sand's neck softly. "But it is still an adjustment for some."

Sand was quiet a moment. "I know of Blueblood. I've done my research on Equestria, how could I not? Our powerful neighbor, one of our primary trading partners, I would have been a foolish prince to not look into it quite thoroughly."

"You are not wrong." Blue Belle giggled weakly. "We are rather proud of ourselves."

"Prince Blueblood." Sand frowned lightly. "That pony was... well." He snorted. "All mentions of him revolved around avoiding him in court, if one was able. Entitled, aristocratic to a fault. There were other descriptions, but I will spare you those." He put a hoof on Blue's snout. "Were you this pony?"

Blue nodded slowly. "It's true, I was rather stuck up." She ducked her head. "But I grew up in the last six months." She peeked up at him through her bangs. "In part because of you, as I said."

Sand let out a slow breath. "Equestria wanted to protect its princesses so sorely, they sent me a prince?" He leaned in closer to her, coiling around her. "And he accepted that fate? You were a stallion, and you laid beneath me." He turned an ear back. "Were you attracted to stallions already?"

Blue shivered and shook her head quickly. "I'm a mare, dear." She blushed fiercely. "You know how we can be."

Sand tapped the top of her head. "You were not one. I am asking of your past, Blue flower."

She bit her lower lip, looking away from him. "I... I never liked ponies like that before, no. I was... focused elsewhere."

Sand huffed, nostrils flared wide for a moment, then pulled back. "You deceived me. That was quite intentional. You knew what you were, I struggle to imagine how you wouldn't, and it's late to bring up that defense, considering what you've already said."

Blue fidgeted, looking away sharply. "I was being honest with you." She rubbed her hooves together as she sat upright. "I was a stallion when the call began, but I am now a mare, because of that. The moment I was, I tried my utmost to fit that role, to be the princess you had requested."

"You wanted out so badly, you were willing to do this?" Sand frowned at her. "You could not come to any other way?" He sat up as well, glaring down his nose at her. "Was Equestria that desperate?"

"I-it was my idea." She laughed nervously. "I did it, um." She rubbed at her cheek. "You have met Cadance, the wife to be? She was already deeply in love with what will soon become her husband. If I didn't act, she would have been sent to you, sad and heartbroken. Instead, um, you got me. I was not already attached, and I gave you a fair chance to win my heart."

Sand huffed. "I suppose." He looked away, then back at her sharply. "You would do that to yourself? How can I know if you really love me then? It feels all too convenient that I had no choice in the matter."

Blue's ears pricked. "I swear! You have shown yourself to be quite the lovely pony." She sat up on her haunches, one hoof pawing at him. "I was scared at first, you cut quite the imposing figure. But you were always gentle to me, but you had strength, that you used for your country. I saw both sides of you, and I fell in love. I want to be nowhere but at your side, my dear Sand. Your words made me a better mare."

Sand pulled away and rubbed at his chin. "You have a silver tongue, I will give you that." He leaned in close to her. "You are a mare now, truly?"

"From snout to flank!" Blue Belle took her chance to press against him. "Besides, you had opportunity to, ahem, examine me. You know entirely how much of a mare I am." She colored as that part went by. "I couldn't be much more of one. In the future, we will have foals, and I will raise them alongside you as best I can."

Sand chuckled softly, calming. "If you are so concerned, perhaps you could prove to me just how much of a mare you are?" He rolled onto his back and grinned at her. "I will leave it all in your hooves."

"Oh dear." She slid in and noses at his belly, inhaling that mixed aroma of masculine scents and the work of moving about that day. "You must have forgiven me, if you are inviting me to play." She nipped gently at his delicate belly. "I am glad. Blueblood is dead, dear Sand. There is only Blue Belle."

"Show me how glad you are, my Blue Belle," Sand murmured down to her, resting a hoof on her head.

Blue nuzzled up his tummy gently. "I will be the best mare possible for you." She slid up atop him, facing towards his back end, and the swelling sign that he was as surely a stallion as she was a mare. She didn't waste any time diving down to begin licking at him, teasing out his flesh from its tender hiding place.

Sand let his head flop back, relaxing and letting out a soft noise. "Good mare," he groaned, shifting lightly as her tongue and lips worked their magic.

She kept on licking and suckling, taking each bit of horseflesh slowly into her mouth to suckle on it and feel it growing deeper down her throat. It was just as big in one side of her as the other. She felt her insides tense, wanting to expel it, but she fought against such desires. It felt so right, so proper, to feel him filling her with his virile stallion flesh.

He grunted, feeling her swallowing around him. His own muzzle was far from idle as his tongue probed back at her, delving inside of her to make her whinny and shiver. Whatever their past secrets, both forgave the other, living in that wonderful present with one another.

Blue pulled away slowly, a strand of spit joining her lips to the stallioncock she adored so deeply. She turned about as best she could to give him an upside-down look. "I can hardly wait any longer." She drew away and slid down his belly to present her rump with a wag of her tail. "This is yours, my prince, and it has need of you, if you would oblige."

Sand gave her a wicked smile as he sat up. "I am never one to keep a mare waiting." He rolled up and slipped behind her, lifting his forelegs around her middle and drawing her back against him.

Blue braced herself with her hooves and breathed in deep, letting out a long sigh as she felt his thick stallioncock penetrate her. The two performed that ancient dance, the one that allowed future generations of ponies to dwell in the land. Both were quite certain there was one mare and one stallion involved in it, and which of them wore which gender.

When that was complete, the two weak, but with little smiles, they retired in one another's arms. Tomorrow would be the day that would change the lives of Cadance and Shining Armor, hopefully for good. As they slept in one another's company, they were certain that no matter what, everything would work out for the better.

***

"Prince!" A knocking woke up the two of them. "The wedding begins shortly," came the muffled call of a guard outside.

"Coming," Sand answered the guard.

Blue stretched herself with a yawn. "We'd best get ready. I'm sure Cadance would want us as presentable as we can be."

"Yes, of course." He slid off the bed and busied himself with dressing in the fineries they had just gotten the day before. "It's been a while since I attended such a formal gathering. I may have to rely upon your knowledge to avoid any embarrassment."

"Don't worry." She slipped out of bed after him and started to get herself prepared. "Fortunately, Equestria is more forgiving than Saddle Arabia has been about formalities. The effort is worth at least as much as the end-result. I blame Auntie for this."

Sand turned his head to watch Blue slip into her dress, a smile on his lips. "I wouldn't be so sure. Princess Celestia seems quite capable of enforcing a point. Perhaps it was her influence after all?"

Blue swatted in his direction. "That is who I meant, dear. She is my aunt." She turned that hoof to her chin. "Many times removed, but aunt she remains. She is quite the ancient pony, but she doesn't look it." All dressed and ready, she marched towards the door. "Shall we be off?"

"Yes, quite!" He held out his hoof, and she took it with a smile. Together, they walked out of their guestroom and through the halls towards the great doors to the wedding area.

Out there, there were many other ponies, some nobles, and even more just common folk eager to cheer and applaud for the newlyweds. Blue nodded towards the ponies she recognized as she slipped along towards their designated spot. She waved to Sand, both soon ready to stand near the aisle the stars of the show would stride along.

Princess Celestia stepped up to where all eyes could see her, calling out over the crowd to silence them. "Welcome, my subjects. It is a pleasure to see you here." Her voice carried well enough that everyone turned their heads and hushed up quickly. "Today we are not here for me at all. The star of this show is Princess Cadance and soon-to-be Prince-Consort, Shining Armor." She nodded at either of the two just below her. "We are gathered here today to bind them together, to make them wedded ponies in the eyes of the nation, the lands beyond, and all the spirits above and below. Let us proceed with this joyous event."

The wedding proceeded with promises, vows to be faithful and good to one another. Rings were exchanged with cheers rising from the crowd. It was perhaps unfortunate when Celestia was just about to announce them husband and wife, the doors flung open, revealing Twilight Sparkle and another, far more bedraggled, Cadance.

Blue blinked and waved to Twilight, but when her friend didn't return the gesture, she bit her lower lip.

Sand shifted, his guards doing the same as the ceremony came to a stop. "What is the meaning of this?"

He didn't have to wait long, it becoming clear that this rough-looking Cadance was the true one, and the one before them all was a copy, a ruse. Rather than argue it, the other Cadance laughed. With green flames, she revealed herself to be Queen Chrysalis.

She let out a low, hissing laugh. "So, at the final moment, you have discovered me. You have undone my plans, but you will never thwart me!" She gestured with her horn and the sky filled with changelings. "You won't stop them, or me, from taking over Equestria to feed my subjects." She snarled with hate at Celestia.

Sand whispered to Blue. "This is bad."

She nodded sharply, then looked around. "It would seem, oh." Blue stepped back at Celestia and Chrysalis dueled with their magic. "Gettem, Auntie! You can—" Her cheer fall to shocked horror as Celestia was overwhelmed in the match, sent back to the ground with a scorned horn.

Chrysalis laughed as she flew over the crowd. "We've waited and prepared, and now we will take what is ours!" Changelings were swarming in everywhere as she cackled with triumph over the whole thing.

Sand lashed a hind hoof at one changeling that drew too close. "This is not a safe place."

"I dare say there are no safe places." Blue shook her head quickly and whinnied in horror as a group of guards fell before an onslaught. "We need to hide! The wedding guests are not warriors." She pushed him into motion. "Quick, follow me!"

He instead pulled her close. "If I cannot protect you, what sort of husband am I?"

"You won't have to." Blue winked. "I know this castle well enough, come on." She darted down the stairs and broke away from the crowd.

Sand stuck right behind her, his guards giving them a little space.

When his guards paused to battle a few changelings attacking them, Blue whirled around and zapped one with a bolt of her magic. "You leave them alone, you brutes!" When another drew in, she kicked it back into a third. "This way, quick!" She darted towards one of the servant's doors. "Inside!"

Sand ducked in with her, the guards close behind, the last slamming it shut. The guard examined the door quickly, found a bar and slid it into place just in time for a heavy thump of something trying to get in after them.

Blue was panting as she stood on the landing of a spiral staircase. "I think we're safe. Few ponies know of this." She traveled up the steps quickly. "And we can get a more commanding view of things, if you've the mind to assist."

"Of course." He peered out at a high window. "What do your eyes behold that the crowds did not see?" he whispered down to her.

Blue squinted, and she saw a group of five ponies, the one leading them looked to be Twilight. "Ah, very good. The champions of the realm are in action." She clapped her hooves but turned her gaze onwards. "Oh dear." She pointed to a mare shrinking back, foal hiding behind her as changelings closed in. "That poor thing is in a bad spot."

Sand grunted as he turned about and hurried off down the steps again. He took them two at a time, almost tripping once but righting himself with a swing of his forelegs against the wall. He threw the bar that held the door shut aside and charged out with a force that sent changelings flying from the suddenly open door that had swatted them like flies.

The mother cried out and hid the foal behind her back with her own body as a shield.

But these new ponies had come to save them. Sand bit one and flung it aside while his guards kicked and stomped others, scattering their formation. The changelings came in an angry swarm towards them, but the guards were too disciplined for them. "I hope you don't mind us rescuing you," Sand remarked as he pried one off his foreleg. "I know we are rather foreign looking."

Blue emerged from between the great ponies around her. "You're safe, ma'am!"

She relaxed and let her foal come out to look at these new creatures. "Thank you," she said with a heavy breath, looking over Sand and the four guards with him. "We'd been hiding out here, but one of them found us and called more."

"I should imagine that was dreadful." She paused to blast one zooming straight at her. "This is no kind time for any pony. Ma'am, terribly rude to ask, but how skilled at you with that horn on your head? We need every available hood right now."

"I, um, I've never been very good with magic, not like you." She looked down. "I suppose we're pretty safe here now. I could help a little, but I'd be of better use watching the foals."

"We only have the one." Blue looked back to her to see there were, instead, two of them. "Where did that one come from?!"

The mare smiled sheepishly. "They feel safe around me." She hugged the scared children close. "I'll keep an eye on them, you focus on those, hmph, things."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Sand agreed as he kicked aside another changeling. "Not the best wedding."

"It would be a bit worse if we couldn't defend ourselves," Blue Belle said to Sand as she charged her laser with gathering power. "There seems to be no end of the things."

Sand glanced over at her. "I thought the same thing about your family, but it was worth the effort to know all of you."

She blushed and let off a blast from her horn that shattered the pavement under two Changelings. "You've composed yourself quite well, my dear. I expected some manner of freakout."

"I am not entirely immune to such things, but this is hardly the time for them." He looked around quickly. We are far too exposed. Let's head there." He led the way towards a smaller building, his guards fanning out to protect the mare and two foals.

The mare was still uncertain about the new ponies, but they were protecting her from the swarm of creatures. "So I don't mean to be rude, but what sort of ponies are you?"

Blue laughed gently. "First time seeing a Saddle Arabian? Great big ponies, but still ponies." She touched against Sand's leg. "Filled with the same love and needs as any pony, just larger, is all. They have a few traditions that are very different than ours, but we are working on those."

Sand nodded as he poked his head out of their new hiding place. "It is a strange turnabout, being the ones defending Equestria. I've heard the stories, half legends I imagine, of the times Equestria has served as a bulwark for the rest of the lands. My people were always glad to be defended, I'm sure, but now we have opportunity to repay some of that debt. We will not let you fall." He charged out to stop a trio of changelings from getting at them.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, though may have only been minutes, when a great expanding sphere emerged from the castle. Whenever it came into contact with a changeling, it carried them away. It swept them all away, but passed harmlessly through ponies. The battle, just as suddenly as it started, ended.

Sand breathed deeply as he looked out. "It is over?"

Blue nodded slowly as she joined his side to look. "Yes, we did it."

"We did nothing," Sand replied, looking down at her. "Whatever caused that magic saved the day."

"You saved me." The mare stepped forward. "Even if you didn't take care of all the changelings, thank you, for protecting us."

Sand smiled softly and bowed his head to her.

"Thanks to you and your guards," Blue agreed. "You are the ones that have done the most of all, putting your bodies on the line to protect others, even when you don't know them." She cleared her throat. "We should get back. If that took care of those nasty insects, I imagine auntie will want to resume the ceremony as quickly as possible."

Sand blinked. "Wedding now?"

"Of course." She winked. "A royal wedding isn't exactly something you can schedule on short notice. Everyone's already gathered, and I doubt anypony has the heart to wait. Even Cadance, as tired as she looked, is likely eager to embrace her stallion as a wife." She nodded towards the castle. "Let's go see if we can help set things up again. I can only imagine how many things are going to be out of place now, after that whole mess."

"Indeed." Sand started walking, his guards falling in around him. "I do not understand this, but we'll trust your lead."

***

The wedding had been a success. With the changelings gone, there were still a number of ponies left in attendance. They were eager to get right on to happier times, and set to work putting everything right again for the bride and groom.

Blue Belle had been part of that effort, cleaning up the mess the fight had made of the banquet hall. "I am glad that is done with."

Celestia tapped Blue gently on the side. "I heard you and your betrothed were quite occupied during that brief, if fierce, exchange."

She blushed and bowed her head quickly. "Forgive me, princess. We merely did what any pony with power should do in such a crisis."

"And he did well by you." Celestia smiled warmly. She glanced off to see Sand busy elsewhere before she leaned in, voice a whisper, "Are you alright? Say the word and I will rescue you, Blueblood. Just ask it."

Blue Belle looked up and shook her head gently, a warm smile on her face. "No, your highness. He is gentle, kind, and strong. He's been good for me." She laughed suddenly. "Oh dear, after this, me and Sand will need a wedding of our own. Have you the time, Auntie, to attend another? I would be quite—"

Cadance shoved herself into that conversation, cutting Blue off. "Not happening. I'm officiating that one and I will not accept no for an answer."

Celestia chuckled softly. "Cadance has spoken." She nodded gently. "But it is nice to hear you are well. I look forward to hearing how you fare in the coming months."

Cadance hugged the surprised Blue. "Thank you, for coming and being here. For everything you've done. This wedding wouldn't be happening were it not for you. You gave up so much, just for me. I owe you more than I can even put to words." She took a shuddering breath as her eyes watered. "It means a lot, Blue Belle."

The two held one another as ponies worked to clean around them. Blue pulled back first. "We did our parts. You're welcome, but you don't owe me anything." She inclined an ear. "In the end, we both got to be happy, and marry a pony that wants to make us even happier. A fair trade, I dare say."

Cadance giggled lightly. "Fair enough. We shall have a long talk later. You shall tell me all about Saddle Arabia and what I've missed in your lives in the six months you were absent."

The wedding continued with the proper bride in place. The ponies cheered, stomped, and applauded as the vows were properly sealed and the two kissed. The afterparty turned to loud modern music about the power of love that had ponies dancing in joyful revelry until the sun went down.

Once all was said and done, Prince Sand settled beside Blue Belle. "I do hope that mine will not be so exciting." He chuckled at her surprised look and smirked. "Saddle Arabians do not play music quite this, hm, full of, hm." He struggled to find the right word. "Spirit? But I think it was quite well done." He bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Equestria has proven itself once more, and I am glad to be allied with you."

"Wedding parties are meant to be wild." She leaned up to touch her nose to his. "I trust the one we have will be wild, just in different ways. I pray not with any of those nasty insects involved. Terrible things, the lot of them." She shivered as she thought of them for too long.

Sand shook his head. "You are fortunate they came for the wedding, that gave you the advantage."

"Oh?" She leaned against his great bulk. "In what way do you mean?"

"The Elements of Harmony are in this city." He gestured out towards Canterlot Castle. "I have read about them in my research. I do not know how they would function, but that was not a fight of soldiers and swords. That was a magic far greater. Were they responsible for it?"

"I imagine so." She rubbed at her cheek, unsure in truth. "But that does feel likely. I saw Twilight advancing with her friends in that. They likely secured the Elements and got to cleaning up." She sighed deeply. "That is good to hear. We won't need to worry about more of those things."

"Yes." Sand looked around slowly. "I think we should retire for the evening."

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed this altered path that still had some common points. We're not ignoring canon around here, but there's plenty of space to wriggle about.

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