Chapter 7

Very little had happened in the run up to the wedding, and both you and Berry had been very surprised about how quickly the time had passed. Naturally, Berry got her dress prepared way in advance, a beautiful piece of clothing that appeared to hug her figure in the most amazing of ways.

Since the two of you had been together, your lives had become much more active, often going on long walks together and occasionally rowing around a nearby lake. You had taught Ruby to fish, just as your father had done to you, and your catch earned Ruby few extra bits from a pink maned pony with ferrets to feed. The filly had even began going out on her own or with friends down to the lake, and you noticed a young colt probably around her age had started to spend a lot of time with her.

Today however, you had been pushed into going to have your measurements taken for a suit to wear at the wedding, and had gone to the Carousel Boutique in town after having transferred what remained of your belongings to Berry's house. She had offered you the opportunity to move in a week or two after your first gig at the Lilly, but it had taken until now for you to get around to moving everything - the damp of the boxes had protected a great deal of things with intense sentimental value, but sadly your clothes had been irreparably damaged.

The unicorn mare stared at you upon the podium, assessing and measuring with a tape held using her magic.

"Sooo, Rarity is it? Are you going to the wedding?"

She snorts, frustrated, her curled purple mane bouncing as she levitates a pair of red spectacles onto her face.

"No. The groom and I do not get on."

"Really? You don't like Snappy?"

"Oh, I think he is a charming and upright stallion, with a stable honorable job, and is perfect for Cheerilee."

"So it's him that doesn't like you? That doesn't feel right, you seem a decent sort?"

"Hmmph. Try telling him that, why don't you? Here I am, one of Cheerilee's oldest friends, and I overhear him saying about how he had done his best to avoid inviting 'that damned stupid white unicorn'. All because I got upset with a simply dreadful stallion at the gala last year."

You cock an eyebrow, "Hold on a minute, aren't you doing the clothes for the event?"

She snorts again.

"Yes, and HE is attending in his guard uniform. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to make a wedding dress that doesn't clash with bronze armour? Part your forelegs please."

Slightly scared by the angry mare, you comply, allowing her to measure your inseam, "Well... that's very generous of you, but you do know that he was talking about some relative of the royals?"

Rarity freezes, her glasses falling off her face,

"But, but I haven't been given an invitation, and the wedding is only two weeks away? How do you know?"

In honesty, you didn't know for certain, but it didn't feel right that an old friend of the bride hadn't been invited and everypony knew about Rarity's clash with Celestia's nephew, who also happened to be a white unicorn.

"Just talk to Cheerilee."

Rarity smiles unsurely, rolling the tape measure back up and putting it away, making her final set of notes.

"I will. Also, if you could ask Berry to drop by at some point for me to take her dress in, it would be wonderful. Your suit should be ready by the end of the week. Thank-you, Paddock."

"Not a problem, I'm sure 'tis just a case of your invite being lost."

On your way out of the boutique, you see Cheerilee trotting your way looking slightly worried, an ornately decorated piece of paper in her mouth. "Funny how things turn out," you think to yourself, a gentle smile creeping onto your face as you hold the door open for her.

Next Chapter: Chapter 8 Estimated time remaining: 38 Minutes