“You know, y’all ain’t done yet… there’s still a matter of kissing one another,” Applejack announced, looking over with one narrowed eye at the newly married trio, a broad smile upon her face.

“How?” Twilight asked, looking panicked.

“Twilight… ya press yer lips into another ponies lips and suck on ‘em like a pickle,” Applejack explained. “And that works on other places on a pony later in private. Boy howdy does it ever work.”

Her cheeks turning crimson, Twilight stared at Applejack. “I know how to kiss… but who do I kiss first so somepony doesn’t get upset? There are two of them. If I kiss one first, the other will be upset.”

“Oh,” Applejack grunted as she shrugged.

“There she goes, making stuff complicated,” Rainbow Dash muttered, rolling her bloodshot eyes.

“Snoots first, and all three of you press together, meeting in the middle,” Rarity instructed, taking charge. “Just go cautiously, be careful, and for goodness’ sake, don’t be lewd.”

Rainbow Dash was the first to stick her snoot in, then Flash Sentry, and finally, Twilight Sparkle, seeing their muzzles close to one another, stuck her own muzzle in until her snoot bumped up against the two others already present. She felt an awkward but enthusiastic smooch as she engaged in her very first three way kiss and was painfully aware that everypony and everybirdy was looking at her, and the saw the flashbulb going off again.

“This is all so very sweet,” Fluttershy stated, looking over her friends with a beaming smile of joy. “I wish Pinkie Pie was here for this.”

“We’ll have to make it up to Pinkie Pie by allowing her to throw a party once she’s better,” Applejack said, sitting down next to Fluttershy.

“This really has been a lovely day… after everything that has happened, this day sort of makes up for everything else. Three lovely weddings,” Rarity said with a sigh as she took a seat next to Applejack and Fluttershy, sandwiching Fluttershy between herself and Applejack.

“Rares, you’re next. What do ya say to dragging Coco onboard this here ship and having a quick simple ceremony on deck?” Applejack questioned.

Blushing heavily, Rarity gave a soft demure nod. “I think that is a marvelous idea actually and I know Coco would go for it. She is so fond of simple things and earnest endeavours. I miss her terribly,” Rarity replied, wiping at her eyes as her mascara began to run from a few tears that she could not hold back.

Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy watched as Rainbow Dash, Flash Sentry, and Twilight Sparkle moved off to the bow of the ship to have a somewhat quiet moment with one another, the crowd parting to give them space.

“That went well,” Fluttershy sighed. “Everypony is happy and nopony was hurt. Poor Rainbow cried the whole time though.”

“I feel sorry for Rainbow Dash,” Applejack grumbled.

“Why?” Fluttershy responded in the form of a question.

“Cause Flash Sentry and Twilight Sparkle are both bigger than she is by far. Little ol’ Rainbow is going to be completely at the mercy of those two when things get physical,” Applejack explained in a low voice.

“Oh… oh my… um… oh dear… oh poor Rainbow… and she’s always so assertive too… she likes to be in charge,” Fluttershy stammered as Lyra’s lyre began to make a plucky plinky tune.

“Just imagine what it is like to be poor Bucky,” Rarity mused. “Both Derpy and Berry Punch are physically larger than him. Not taller, but bulkier and more solid by far. He had to be a very brave unicorn to face that situation the first time.”

“Silver Shill is a lot stronger than he looks. I tried to mare-handle him just once to establish a bit of dominance, and he gave me what for and stallion-handled me right back,” Applejack said with a chuckle.

“He didn’t hurt you did he?” Fluttershy asked in concern.

“Aw, naw, he wouldn’t do that… we was wrasslin’ a bit, so it was consensual. I just had me a moment where I tried to be my usual dominating self and Silver Shill wasn’t having none of that. I liked it,” Applejack answered, her eyes narrowing as a broad grin took over her muzzle. “I liked it a lot… nothing wrong with a little friendly competition or a bit of bedroom rodeo.”

“Everypony is so happy,” Rarity said as she looked around at the various dancing couples. “I can’t wait to be home with the one I love.”

“Are you going to be okay with Discord after what happened?” Applejack asked of Fluttershy, her deep concern evident upon her face.

“I’m going to be fine. Nothing happened. Bucky made it stop. I was just a little shook up for a while, but I’m okay, really.”

“You’re a much stronger mare than other ponies give you credit for,” Rarity mused. “But this is why I count upon you as my dear friend. You tamed the Lord of Chaos. You’ve scolded dragons. I’m still having nightmares where I wake up in cold sweats and you’re just as calm and serene as ever.”

“I find it is better to focus upon the present rather than torture yourself over what might have been… I know what almost happened. I can still feel it sometimes… the feeling of him on top of me… and it scares me. But I am not going to let what almost happened take a whole future from me of good things that will happen,” Fluttershy explained in a strangely strong and empowered voice. “The present is all that matters. Not the past, nor the future. Discord is teaching me that. I suppose a part of him is rubbing off on me.”

“Flutters, you’ve changed,” Applejack announced.

“I have,” Fluttershy agreed. “And for the better. I used to let my worries about the future consume me and I used to allow the pains of my past to continue to hurt me.”

“I am amazed Fluttershy,” Rarity said as she wrapped a foreleg around her friend for a hug, pulling Fluttershy close. “Discord really has been the very best thing for you. I was so worried, but my mind is at ease now.”

“Are you happy Belisama?” Bucky asked as he pulled the griffoness into his chair with him and stuffed her in beside him.

Making a surprised peep, Belisama went a little stiff as Bucky pulled her close. “I don’t know. I haven’t stopped to think about it,” she admitted after a moment of thinking. “I suppose I am, but I still grieve for my sister.”

“I want you happy,” Bucky said as he watched the others make merry. “I have a deep pressing need for that very thing and I will not rest until I know you are satisfied. I love all of my wives a great deal, and fret over their happiness.”

“You are very kind,” Belisama replied, relaxing into Bucky’s side and resting her head against him, Bucky’s black cloak spilling around her. It wasn’t cold as she expected for it to be, when hung from his neck the cloak was warm and soft, pleasant, almost like being out of doors on a balmy summer night. She snuggled closer and the cloak spilled around her.

“As my wife, you must never have a slip of the tongue and call me ‘master’ ever again… I will be quite upset,” Bucky said to Belisama in a low voice.

“Yes my husband,” Belisama returned, allowing her guard to drop a little.

“You did very well with Flash Sentry and your announcement. Just do as I do. Make this stuff up as you go along and ponies and griffons will somehow get the idea that you know what you are doing and everything will be okay,” Bucky said in a tone of sincere praise.

“You will make a very memorable king doing that,” Belisama remarked.

“Are you sassing me?” Bucky asked.

“Maybe just a little,” Belisama admitted.

“Good,” Bucky stated.

“You plan everything else so well from what I hear… you plot and build up your treachery like an artist paints, but you just sort of make up everything else as you go along,” Belisama said, trying to understand her husband.

“I have my moments,” Bucky admitted. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, what was Bandua like?” he asked in a soft gentle voice.

For a moment, Belisama felt her throat painfully close. She took a deep breath and composed herself, pressing herself tightly against Bucky. “Bandua was my twin. I studied alchemy, she studied music. This was when we were young, before Fleshrender took over. Things were bad, but not as bad as they became. As we grew, she taught me music and I taught her alchemy. We were gifted enough that we had a much easier life than most other griffons in the servant caste. We have gifts for skills that were highly prized… or were. Music became unfavourable under the new regime.”

“So what do you play?” Bucky inquired.

“I can play the autoharp… which isn’t a harp at all, but a type of zither. And I can play the zither, but I prefer the autoharp,” Belisama answered as she extended her talons and displayed her claws. “These make great pluckers.”

“If I was to set you up with an alchemy lab, would you be happy?” Bucky questioned.

“Oh I would indeed… I could make myself useful,” Belisama answered. “But I have fallen out of practice. It has been a while. You really are worried about me being happy.”

“Of course I’m concerned about you being happy… like I said, I take these things very seriously,” Bucky replied, cocking his head so he could look down at the griffoness in the chair beside him. Feeling brave, he ducked his head down and kissed her on top of her head, causing the little griffoness to fluff out and peer up at him with wide curious green eyes.

“What was that for?” Belisama asked.

“I kissed you… it doesn’t have to be for anything,” Bucky said in return.

“That felt weird,” Belisama said, continuing to fluff out, her crest rising.

“You… you're overheating a bit… which is why your feathers fluff… you get hot,” Bucky stated, watching Belisama fluff. “Did I make you warm with that little kiss?”

“No I’m not!” Belisama retorted defensively. “No you didn’t!”

“Oh I think I did,” Bucky teased as he watched Belisama try and smooth out her feathers and straighten herself out. “How is your leg? Been bothering you?”

“It hurts… but I am managing,” Belisama murmured in reply, her traitorous feathers fluffing back out as she tried to smooth them down.

“You really are a beautiful creature,” Bucky said in a soft voice.

“You flatter me… but it is not necessary… you have me as a wife and I am yours to do with as you please,” Belisama peeped nervously in reply.

“Well, it pleases me to flatter you,” Bucky responded, watching Belisama becoming increasingly flustered. He could feel the warmth radiating from the griffoness now and it amused him to no end.

“The unicorn healer,” Belisama muttered, still trying to calm her protruding plumage as best she could while she spoke as she looked up at Bucky. “She said that I was something you needed, something you were missing, and that I would change the world… what did she mean by that?”

“Oh my sister loves to be cryptic. I have no idea what she meant by that,” Bucky responded, shaking his head and continuing to gaze into Belisama’s green eyes, Lyra’s music flowing through his ears as ponies and griffons on the deck continued their merrymaking.

“I’m just a little griffoness… how can I change the world?” Belisama questioned, her tone troubled.

“I’d say you already have. You delivered my speech for me. You’ve become one of the queens of the griffons. Make no mistake… you are not queen by just title alone, I expect for you to work as part of your position. I’ve talked with Tannis… I know that queens were largely useless and had little power… I’ve learned a lot about the pride structure, but you have a job to do and I will take you to task,” Bucky answered, his tone gentle but commanding.

“You really mean that, don’t you?” Belisama inquired, her eyes blinking curiously as she leaned on Bucky, her crest half risen.

“We might be royalty, but we are servants. In time, you will learn just how seriously I take my position, for all my jokes and pranks. I do not rule over others, I serve them. I am their devoted servant, and I work for them. I would give my life for them. I would do anything to help them, and a kingdom is only as good as the least of its servants,” Bucky explained patiently.

Closing her eyes, Belisama nodded. “I will be a servant with you and our subjects will be our masters.”

Author's Notes:

And now, the voyage home.

And tyypos.