Spike stumbled into Meeting Room and found the six mares already sat around the table with the book on the Crystal Fair placed neatly in the middle. Twilight asked him to hurry and he sped to her side and stared intently.

"Okay, Rarity, have you finished the flag?" Twilight Sparkle asked anxiously.

Every pony looked over at Rarity and her horn glowed as a purple flag floated up to her side and rippled slightly as if there was a breeze. Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow, have you got the jousting equipment?" she questioned.

"Yup!" Rainbow replied, kicking something up so that every pony could see a jousting helmet as it sailed through the air and landed on her outstretched wing.

"Fluttershy, are the ewes ready to go?" Twilight turned her head to Fluttershy.

"Oh gosh," Fluttershy whispered, holding a lamb in her arms. "Yes, Twilight."

"Applejack, the–" before she could finish Applejack lifted a Crystal corn-on-the-cob into view and grinned. Sighing, Twilight continued. "Pinkie Pie, do you have the Flugelhorn?"

"Yes Twilight!" Pinkie replied, pressing the lip of the Flugelhorn to her mouth.

"WAIT!" every pony shouted but Pinkie was already blowing and the most beautiful, low sound came floating out of the Flugelhorn.

Pinkie giggled. "I've been practicing!"

"Alright, and I've got guards keeping an eye on the heart. Any pony can pay respects to it before the ceremony," Twilight informed them. "Let's go!"

---

As the Crystal Fair went on, Twilight trotted from stall to stall, nodding to Crystal ponies and smiling at her friends. She ate her way through a Crystal Empire berry pie and listened to Pinkie's introduction to the jousting tournament which included several difficult blows and a long drone at the end. Rainbow was climbing into her jousting armour whilst her opposition – a caramel-brown stallion with a black hogged mane and short tail with a bucket of Crystal berries as his Cutie Mark – set his helmet on his head. Fluttershy had help with a silver filly with a tied ribbon as her Cutie Mark helping with the sheep. Applejack was selling Crystal Empire nectar and Rarity was working at the Original Crafts Booth.

A Crystal earth pony with a pencil as a Cutie Mark and a high, glittering pink bun and plaited glittering pink tail trotted over to Twilight, her teal eyes gleaming. She tossed her head and a smile broke on her face as she indicated the white dot moving across the sky along with a blue dot.

"Are they your Princesses, Miss Sparkle?" the pony asked, obviously a few months younger than Twilight.

"Maybe they are," Twilight nodded, narrowing her eyes with concentration. "Would you like to come with me to greet them?"

"Oh, I'd love to, Miss Sparkle!" the mare cried, trotting along with Twilight towards the Crystal palace. "By the way, I'm Shimmer Valley but you can call me Shimmer."

"Lovely to meet you, Shimmer," Twilight inclined her head politely. "Please call me Twilight."

"Of course, Twilight," Shimmer replied with her high yet soft voice.

As they stood with their backs to the Crystal heart facing the path that lead under the Crystal palace's balcony, they watched as Celestia and Luna touched down in front of them. Celestia inclined her head politely, keeping her wings out-stretched, whilst Luna folded hers and looked around at the fair eagerly, using her magic so that a mug of Crystal Empire nectar floated towards her.

"You're Highnesses," Twilight whispered, sweeping into a bow. When she glanced up she saw Shimmer stood in the same position as before, checking her hooves. "Shimmer Valley," she hissed, "bow down."

"Hey, they're your princesses, not mine," Shimmer replied stubbornly, lowering her hoof with a clap.

Celestia's face stayed unnerved but Luna lost it, her mug falling to the ground as she reared up on her back legs, a memory of Nightmare Moon flashing through Twilight's mind. Before Luna could do anything, however, Celestia had put out her wing and was blinking at her sister kindly. Luna grunted and turned, her tail flicking, and trotted away towards Applejack, who had been the second person to be nice to her on Nightmare Night and showed her 'fun'.

"Hello, Shimmer," Celestia said, breathing regularly. "I believe your mother was on the Crystal council, am I right?"

Shimmer glared at the princess with cautious eyes. "Yes. My mother was called–"

Celestia interrupted her. "Glitter Valley. So sad she died during King Sombre's reign."

Twilight noticed Shimmer's expression waver to grief before it was quickly replaced by anger. "Yes, that good-for-nothing slave-dealer killed her!"

Nodding understandingly, Celestia continued. "And your father, Swift Valley? Has he passed away as well?"

Shimmer nodded reluctantly. "He went to war with Chrysalis in Philadelphia and was one of the first to die."

"How is your brother, Flash?" Celestia asked, naming one of the new Wonderbolts.

"He's fine. I think he has a crush on Spitfire but, I mean, who doesn't?" Shimmer chuckled then scowled when she realised her action.

Celestia laughed and then turned to Twilight. "May I speak to you in private, my dear?"

---

"He demands a wife…"

The words echoed in Twilight's head as she tossed about in her sleep. Her talk with Celestia had been very nerving.

"I have been watching you and apparently you have been offered the position?"

"Yes you're Highness. But I won't accept it!"

"He has also offered it to your friends and asked if Spike would like to be his henchman… I cannot think of anyone better than you to handle this…"

"No!" Twilight cried in her sleep. "I don't want to be his wife! I don't want to be Queen! Please Celestia, please!"

"Twilight!" a voice whispered urgently. "Be quiet Twilight, you'll wake your friends!"

Twilight's eyes snapped open to see Shimmer leaning over her, her tail loose and wrapped around Spike, holding him by her side.

"You've already woken Spike once," she grumbled. "Celestia asked me to guard you. Had she said that you spoke in your sleep and kicked vases I would have declined instantly!"

Twilight glanced down at the floor and saw a million pieces of cracked pottery lying scattered about on the rug. A moment later, she had swept them up with magic and the sharp shards were in the small bin by the door. Sighing, she sat up and took Spike in her arms as Shimmer carefully unwrapped him. Rocking Spike gently, Twilight apologised.

"Now, who do you have to marry?" Shimmer demanded. "If it's that good-for-nothing jerk Spiral I'll get Tia to change her mind!"

"Tia?" Twilight said quizzically, ignoring the question.

"I heard Luna using it and decided it was cute. She doesn't mind me calling her that," Shimmer answered, shrugging.

"Oh," Twilight whispered as she tucked Spike under the duvet and stood up, stretching her legs.

"Tia also said to ease you down and say that marriage is not as powerful as magic or love," Shimmer added. "I guess she said that 'cos you fled and all, you know?"

"Yes, I know," Twilight replied, nodding her head hesitantly.

"So, err, I'll go back to my post…?" Shimmer suggested, turning and lifting one front hoof as if about to take a step forward but stopping it.

After a pause, Twilight nodded. "Yes, yes, you go."

Shimmer trotted forward and closed the door slowly, leaving Twilight in the darkness. As soon as morning came it would only be one day until Twilight had to go back to the library at night and give her answer. Why did Celestia want her to go? Couldn't someone more content go like maybe Rarity as she loved jewels? Or Fluttershy because she could probably tame him?

Twilight hit herself with her hoof angrily. How could she be so selfish? Her friends needed her, and so she would help them. But was she sure she wanted this? Her stomach gurgled and she groaned.

"Not again!" she cried, remembering the time when she had had only two tickets to the Gala and she had been incredibly hungry. "I'd better get something in my belly."