Canterlot was the most beautiful city in the world, Rainbow Dash at last admitted. Cloudsdale gave it a run for its money, but… Rarity loved it here. She was happy. Everytime they arrived at that station she was always so full of life.

The sun sank slowly down below the horizon. She remembered how her dad would find a nice cloud and they would sit sometimes and watch the sun rise or set. He would always say that the sun was going to bed now, just like she had to. And she would whine, but never seriously, because her dad just reflected it back with good natured jabs.

Rainbow sighed as Rarity stroked her mane.

It was Rainbow who was sprawled out on the bed, now. Rarity sat, humming and playing with the brightly colored strands, enjoying herself. Rainbow felt warm, sleepy but not yet ready to surrender to sleep.

“I was thinking about what you said earlier, love,” Rarity spoke at last.

“Hm?” Rainbow yawned.

“Worrying about me. Have you been worrying like that, all this time? Watching, afraid I was just going to shut down?”

Rainbow squirmed. “I mean… when you say it like that…”

“I’m sorry. It just… I don’t know. I’m sad not that you expected it, but that I never realized how afraid you were. Or worried, or concerned, or however you would say it.”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked, rolling over to look up at Rarity, who kissed her gently.

“You’ve been so stoic and brave and sure about things, honestly. I know you talked to Twilight, by the way.”

“Ah.”

“She didn’t tell me. I was awake before you got back inside and pretended I was asleep when you slipped back into bed. You’re cute when you think you’re getting away with things.”

“Whatever. Cute is not a word that can be used to describe me,” Rainbow insisted. “That is a terrible word. Don’t use that word.”

“Of course not, dear,” Rarity said. “But you have been a help for me, Rainbow. But I needed something a little different, I think.”

Rainbow cocked her head to one side. “What do you mean?”

“You needed somepony to tell you it would be okay. I needed somepony to treat me like I wasn’t a useless cripple, Rainbow. Somepony who still thought I was a lady, in some way or another.”

“Always,” Rainbow said firmly, and was rewarded with another kiss.

Rarity looked back out at the window. “It’s strange to think we may finally have an answer soon. To all of our questions.”

“Will we live here?”

“I haven’t said yes yet.”

“You should. You want to.”

“But do you want to be the Lady-Consort of House Belle?” Rarity asked her, raising an eyebrow. “It just does not seem your style.”

“Eh, even I’m gonna get old and boring eventually.”

“Never,” Rarity said. “At this rate you’ll smash headfirst into a tree long before either of those things.”

“Hey! I’m getting better about trees.”

Rarity chuckled. “You’re wonderful, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Modest, as well. But you are. And… I want to spend my life with you. So it’s as much your choice as mine.”

Rainbow blinked. “Wait a minute, are you…?”

Rarity nodded. “It’s as good a time as any.”

Rainbow flushed. “You’ve got to be kidding me, this is how you ask me to marry you? This isn’t nearly dramatic enough.”

“I’ve had far too much excitement and drama, Rainbow. Is that a yes?”

“Definitely.”

“Even… you know. Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Either or, Rares.”

“Either. Or.”

“They told me that the wounds on my foreleg are the source of the problem. Celestia says that if… if it’s removed, the poisoning will go away. But my legs have suffered a lot. I simply…”

“Would probably be just as great. Maybe need a little help getting out of bed in the morning, but that just means we get to have these nice slower mornings together we’ve been having. I mean… it’s not just that.”

“I know what you mean, dear. I know what you mean.”

Author's Notes:

Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,

its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,

like a mighty flame.

X. Up From the Wilderness

Two ponies trotted down the streets of Canterlot. It was a momentous occasion. It was not often that a noble house rose from the ashes of history to sit at the table with the Houses Major, and even rarer that someone as famous as an element bearer, a personal friend of the Princess according to the gossip, should be its new High Lady. And to top it all off, a wedding of the sort few had seen in years. All in all, it was a wonderful time to live in Canterlot.

But of course, the strangest thing about rumor, about pomp and circumstance, was that it captured things which did not always exist. Or that did exist, but faded. Or that had existed and remained but altered. And so it was that two ponies went relatively unnoticed on the streets of Canterlot, and neither of them minded much.

Negotiating living quarters, dividing time between home and Canterlot--these things would take some time. But time was something that Rainbow and Rarity had in abundance. There was world enough and time.

The clank of the prosthetic on the cobblestone drew attention, but never for very long. The unicorn whose leg was gone did not seem to be impoverished in any way. She smiled. She walked with surprising grace, and with ease parted the sea of traffic with only charm and composure. No stallion with an eye for mares remembered the iron leg, for all of its adornment and fine craftsponyship. They all remembered her face, and the music of her laughter.

Rainbow remembered it too. She knew it far better than they, and she loved it.

Author's Notes:

Who is this coming up from the wilderness

leaning on her beloved?