Tim is nursing his champagne. He doesn’t want to get drunk, but at the moment, a nice buzz sounds good to him. He holds his hand tightly for a moment in a fist, Silver is going to risk his life in a matter of hours, and he should be doing it. But Silver has already explained to him why that’s a bad idea. He still wants to, though. He spies Princess Celestia talking to a pony on the other side of the room. He shifts his head and his heart ends up down in his stomach. She’s talking to Citrus.

“Excuse me,” comes a voice from behind him. He turns and looks up, only to see abs, so he looks up some more. Standing nearly seven feet tall without counting the horns is a creature he’s only read about in ancient mythology. Ponies have mentioned minotaurs before, but having one address him, with a rainbow maned pegasus perched on his shoulder, is something way outside his experience.

“Ummmm.”

The minotaur smiles broadly, offering a hand to Tim. He looks at the hand and after a moment, takes it. The minotaur grips firmly, but not excessively, and he nods. “My name is Bucephalus, this is my marefriend, Rainbow Dash. It’s a pleasure to meet the only human in Equestria.”

Tim looks up at the rainbow maned pegasus in a rainbow themed ball gown, somehow easily perched on the wide shoulders of the minotaur. “I’ve met you before.”

“I saw you land near ghastly gorge. I got you to the Ponyville hospital.”

Tim’s eyes widen. “Then I’ve never been able to properly thank you.”

Bucephalus looks at Rainbow Dash. “Oh, really? You were a first responder when he arrived?”

She nods. “Oh, it’s an awesome story.” She puffs out her chest. “That was a few months before the Summer Sun celebration, where I did that sonic rainboom over Canterlot.”

Bucephalus smiles. “How could I forget that; it was where we first met. You were so beautiful that day, and I got a prelude of what your mane looks like when you get all heated.”

“Shush it!” Rainbow blushes as smacks her lover playfully. “Well, Twi had been hounding me for weeks that I needed to get some practice in. ‘Just being a Wonderbolt doesn’t mean that you are going to be ready to do one right as the Princess raises the sun.’ she kept telling me. Well, she wouldn’t let up, so I got mad and did five sonic rainbooms in a row. And then I heard something. I looked down, and something’s just hit the ground. I streaked down there, and there’s this crazy creature – that’s you, Tim. He was covered in his blood, one arm was at a crazy angle; basically barely alive. I was so amped up from doing the rainbooms, I scooped him up and nearly did another getting him to the hospital.”

“Is she always this juiced?”

“You should see her in the sack,” Bucephalus murmurs.

“Don’t I know it! I was grounded for week after that from advanced magical exhaustion. I could barely get into my house so I could sleep -- it was horrible, but I pushed through.” She looks at Tim. “For months, you’ve been her favorite subject to talk about. First, when you were injured, then while she was teaching you in the hospital and then in Canterlot Castle.” She stops and looks at Tim, “You know how she feels about you?

Tim flushes deeply at her words. He nods. “She’s made it clear.”

Rainbow looks at Bucephalus for a long moment. “You know, her talking about you, how wonderful you were, how well you were doing, how frustrating it was that she couldn’t use magic to help you, your weird, incomprehensible languages and its crazy sounds, it made me think. She has shed many tears over how bad a time you went through when you first got to Equestria. She wanted to help you. I know you have your herd. And from what Twi has told me, they are great mares. But she really needs someone who makes her feel like you make her feel. You should talk to your lead mare.”

“Yup,” echoes her minotaur.

She points. “Check it; he’s blushing.” Her ears flick forward. “Wait a minute.” Her eyes flick toward Twilight, back to Tim, then back at Twilight. She gets an evil grin. “She was in heat a couple of weeks ago. I know Cadance was trying to help, and I know since she’s become an alicorn, heat has been waaaay more intense than as a unicorn. Did you help her?”

Tim's face positively glows as he shakes his head. He turns away a bit, only to hear her raucous laughter, along with a loud thunk. Getting him to turn back around, seeing the pegasus lying on the floor, her wings spread out, pounding a hoof so hard in laughter she can barely breathe. Bucephalus looks down at her, embarrassment plain on his face. After several moments, she stands up and composes herself. “You did, didn’t you? She finally got herself the one she’s been wanting for so long.” She moves up and uses her wings to gain height. “Good for you.”

Tim flinches. Bucephalus reaches down and gently picks Rainbow Dash up, cradling her. He says, “We have taken enough of your time; it was very nice to meet you.” He again offers his hand, which Tim gingerly shakes. Rainbow Dash smirks at him as the minotaur turns away.

Tim smiles as he turns away, glancing at the glass of champagne in his hand, taking a gulp. Rainbow Dash read him like a book, not that she was upset about it; actually, she’s rather happy that her friend had gotten some help during her heat. That pony, Fancy Pants, had been a wonderful ice breaker. Ponies now smile and nod to him as he passes. Being among the upper echelon of the nobility here in Canterlot, Fancy Pants was pretty much welcomed by everypony to talk to him, and by extension, Tim was talked to as well. Tim could tell enough facial expressions of the ponies that some of them were being completely fake with him. But most were genuine in wanting to get to know him. That almost gets a sigh from Tim, given the number of invitations to tea, or other social gatherings, he has a feeling he’s going to be even busier than he had before.

“Well, well, well, the only human here is finally not having his time occupied by the nobles of Canterlot.” Comes a voice. Tim turns around -- nopony seems to be talking to him. He furrows his brow, turning around again. Then he feels pressure around his legs. He looks down, seeing a red cloaked, sinuous form is picking him up. An arm slithers around his shoulders, bringing him higher off the ground. The form resolves into the one he had seen upon entering the Gala.

“Discord.”

“Ahh, yes, the ponies have told you about me. And Twilight certainly has told me a lot about you.”

Tim furrows his brow. “You’re her friend?”

Discord nods, a bright flash of light leaves Tim standing on the floor, Discord standing before him, bowing deeply. “The spirit of chaos, a pleasure to meet you.”

Tim looks on as Discord smiles, he takes in the robe and the bodysuit, along with the gold chain around the chaotic creature’s neck. “That looks familiar.”

That gets loud laughter from Discord. “Oh, I do have a flair for the dramatic, don’t I?” He flourishes the robe. “I exist in many dimensions, even in some you would be familiar with.”

“What?”

“I am chaos, I have many names in many worlds. Here, I am Discord.”

Tim shakes his head, “You know of different worlds?”

"You know do realize there are infinite realities out there, Morty. Every choice every person makes creates a new reality, In this one, I’m Discord.”

“I’ve heard of the theory.”

Discord snorts, “Theory. The multiverse is far more than theory, it is a fact. My little incident with Tree Hugger showed that different realities are easy to access. There’s one where I turned myself into a pickle. There's a reality where I took over the world."Discord snaps his fingers, and the entire world turns white, when it clears, he can see an Equestria under Discord’s control, with Discord chasing Celestia and Luna in circles."A reality where I’m a good guy."He again snaps his fingers, showing an image of Discord in a superhero costume."And even a universe where I shut up!"Snapping his fingers again, Tim sees a Discord wearing a red and black costume, except his mouth is sewn shut and his eyes are red. Making that image vanish quickly, Discord shakes his head, "But we don't like to talk about him...” He moves sinuously forward to where his forehead and Tim’s touch. “EVER."

“That’s really cool, but why?”

“Stop digging for hidden layers and just be impressed. What would you do if you had my powers?”

“I would really like to let my girlfriend know that I’m okay here.”

“You want to go home?”

Tim stops, playing with his fingertips, contemplating. “To lose Citrus and the rest would be worse than losing Karen. While things aren’t perfect here, she would think I’m dead. I want to let her know that I am okay, and that I miss her terribly. But I’ve made a life here, and I’m not willing to abandon it. My return would mean a new bucket of drama.”

Discord smiles. “Well, then I won’t be disappointing you. In those infinite realities, there is one where you chose to do something, and one where you chose something else. To find your exact reality, given the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, the chance of returning you to your exact reality would be impossible, From the moment you left, your reality ceased to exist, and an infinite number of branches were created.” He leans down, smiling. “There are some here you weren't on the plane. Some where you were, but in a different seat. Even some where a pony was in your seat. I COULD return you to a random universe that fits your quantum resonance frequency, but even then it wouldn't be… your reality without time travel to return you to the exact moment you left. And without some pony with an hourglass cutie mark and a pony box, it's impossible. And thus provided that you didn't actually die in the crash, and all of this is some purgatory where you have you come to terms with your death and stop a great spirit of chaos from escaping...”

Discord smiles evilly as he turns and walks away.

***

Citrus Blush sits at a table easily visible from the vacant royal dais. The princesses are scattered, mingling through the ballroom. Tim is looking rather tense. She offers him a smile. He smiles back.

“Citrus Blush.” That voice is unmistakable. The yellow mare turns and bows for Princess Celestia. The solar diarch steps close and pitches her voice low. “I just got back from the gardens, where I had the opportunity to meet a delightful young mare. By the name of North Point.”

Citrus's eyes widen. “So that’s where she went…” she says softly.

“Yes. And we had quite an interesting conversation about your herd's difficulties with two of my fellow princess.”

Citrus looks down. “yeah.”

“I know what Twilight did, and I know what Cadance did to foster it happening. But why don’t you tell me why you want to continue your challenge.”

Citrus gulps, “Princess, I don’t know what to say.”

“Just tell the truth, Citrus Blush.”

Citrus blinks for several long seconds, finally she sighs, “I understand why Tim did that with Princess Twilight. And I don’t…”

“Did what, my little pony?”

Citrus looks at Princess Celestia, aghast. “You know. They…did…” she searches her mind frantically for an appropriate word for this circumstance, talking to the solar Princess herself, unfortunately her search comes up empty. “It.”

“Oh, you mean they had sex.” Citrus blushes furiously under the scrutiny of white alicorn. She nods jerkily. Which gets a laugh from Princess Celestia, “Oh, you are sweet my young pony. Every generation seems to think that they invented sex, and the thought of their elders ever having or enjoying sex is an alien concept to them. I have been bedding since long before the three tribes even considered themselves the same species.”

Citrus ducks her head, quite certain that her face is on fire, though she hears Princess Celestia laugh again, “So, you don’t really blame Tim for what happened, and you really don’t blame Princess Twilight, so, you can see what Tim saw in her.”

Citrus looks up at Celestia, and nods slightly. “True, my Princess.”

“So, what is the point of the challenge?”

“Princess Cadance not only deceived Princess Twilight, but she put Twilight in a situation she was not equipped to handle. I know her intent was to get them together, but she knows just as much as anypony in Tim's herd that he is an alien, he doesn’t react as an Equestrian stallion would. If Twilight was being stubborn about simply not seeing Tim during her heat, and she wanted to force that, she should have come to me, or at least to Tim. And let us know what was going on, and what her desire was. That would have put the responsibility on us. But, no, she decided to usurp my role in our herd and make decisions for everypony without taking any courtesy about what Tim means to me, or Cayenne or North, or Silver Wing. She acted as a herd breaker, and she alone bears responsibility for what happened between Twilight and Tim.”

“I see, and how does a challenge, and a fight with steel between two stallions for your herd's honor help that situation.”

That gets a yellow hoof to slam into the table, getting her drink to jump. She watches the glass teeter for a moment then settle back down, she looks at Princess Celestia. “Because she has something to lose. To the death is nearly unheard of. But even to first blood, she has some of her pelt in the game, via her husband. She has refused to bend, refused to admit her culpability and offer any kind of meaningful restitution. When I went to her, she suggested; among other things, myself and my herd being branded.” She stops for a moment breathing heavily, “or even ordering us to not be upset at her actions.” She pants for several long moments. Finally, she looks up at Princess Celestia, her ears folding back, “I’m sorry, Princess. But her words, and her actions, demand retribution.”

“I see.” Princess Celestia stands up, “When you offer your challenge, I shall allow it to proceed.”

“Really, Princess? You’ll let it, even against a fellow princess?”

“Oh, you are right that we are typically above reproach and we prefer to settle things in private, but you’ll see. Just because something is not a crime does not make it good or just. This will be a first lesson for her. She has abused her power as a princess, and I see no reason why she should not pay the price. Be assured, my little pony, that Luna and I will see to her privately after your duel. Cadance is still very young; she has much to learn about the responsibilities of actually being a princes. We could all do with lessons in power and consequences. But, as I said, all of us, stallion and mare, deserve kindness, for justice without mercy is nothing but petty revenge." She walks away, glancing at Citrus from time to time as the yellow mare watches, her mouth slowly opening in realization. After a few minutes, she decides a little bit of mingling might be in order.

***

It is now three hours into the Grand Galloping Gala, and Tim is enjoying the party. He has a tiny buzz now, carefully nursing down the champagne instead of gulping it like water. As that admirable Fancy Pants said, to just make a slow circuit of the room, looking at those around you, and you will quickly see who wants to talk. He slowly walks through the crowd of ponies. He could point out three different knots of ponies that are talking that would like him to join them, and two that would rather he move on. He doesn’t really want to join another group at the moment, so he smiles and lifts his champagne glass slightly at the silent invitations, declining politely.

“So, you did pound the purple plot,” comes a familiar voice.

Tim groans, turning to see Galileah, the griffon with a smirk on her face. “What makes you say that?”

Leah flicks her wings back and forth. “I hear things, like the princess was in heat, and it was a bad one, and you went in and spent ten hours there.”

“The guards said they wouldn’t tell,” he murmurs, getting a guffaw from the griffon.

“No, you just told me! The guards are fanatically loyal, so is her pet baby dragon. You have no idea how many gems I spent on him to get absolutely bupkiss. What does he do with them? Eat them! What I had to do was pay a pony to watch the castle when her little dragon refused to let her see me. She put me off for months!” Leah stamps a claw on the marble flooring.

Tim rolls his eyes. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Are all humans as dense as you are?” At Tim’s narrowed eyes, she drops to the floor, a look of surprise on her face. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

“You! I. Like. You! Like... like like you!” She stops, her wings spread wide, blushing fit to ignite. She shakes her head softly, “I had to sneak into the Grand Galloping Gala so I could get some face time with Princess Sparkle, and I knew you would be here. When I asked her about you, she turned beet red and refused to answer my questions. And now I know you and her did bang.”

“Wait a moment, you had to sneak in?”

“Yeah, duh. My dad got a ticket, but he was taking some kusa all along. He said my ticket would show up eventually. When it never did, I just set an appointment in the castle this morning, then I hung around all day and waited.” She taps her beak with a claw. “Though the guards didn’t bother me at all... I think Princess Celestia is up to something.”

“Everyone is trying to mess with my future -- Twilight, Celestia, you…!” Tim huffs. Now he looks well at Galileah. She’s dressed up like everypony here -- a golden cape that flows along her flanks, golden fake feathers among her real feathers in her wings, along with what looks like a wreath encircling her head. “You went in dressed like you were coming to the Gala?”

The griffon blows a raspberry. “Oh come on, you can’t be that dense. I stashed my Gala outfit here a couple of days ago. All because my invitation got lost in the mail.”

“Listen, I’ve got to get back to my herd.”

“Herd? You’ve got a herd?” Leah is tapping her beak thoughtfully. “Let me guess, that pretty yellow mare that was with you when I met you?” She smiles as his eyes widen. “Okay, that’s her. Okay…” She floats up on her wings to eye level with him. “You neglect to tell me you’ve got a herd, yet you plowed the purple princess.” She glances up at the dais. “Was it sanctioned by your lead mare?”

At his flush, she smiles.“Reeaaaally? This just gets better and better! I know a little bit about pony herds. You’ve committed adultery in pretty much the only way a pony can. So, are you in the doghouse?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

That get shrill laugh from Leah, “Oh, you definitely are. But that’s not it. Your lead mare has to feel pretty embattled right now, nearly losing her stallion to the purple pony princess of friendship. At least she hasn’t taken a mallet to your mating parts like they would back home.” She stops, looking at him devilishly. “I think I’m gonna challenge her for you.”

“No, wait, Galil don’t!” Tim shouts as the griffon catapults into the air. She flaps her wings gently, hovering. She’s quickly out of shouting distance, but he runs to follow, shoving through the ponies as she hovers high in the room. Her head snaps as she focuses on something ahead of Tim. He glances forward as the griffon folds her wings and dives for the floor. He keeps up a constant string of apologies as he forces though the crowd.

He stops for a moment. There is no screaming nor shouting. The ponies seem to have made a clear circle, though with them several body lengths deep, he can’t really see it. He finally picks his way to the edge of the circle. Tim stops, looking on in shock. Citrus is nowhere to be seen, but the griffon is lying on her back, her wings bound around her sides with ribbons, and all four legs tied together with what looks like a ripped curtain. The ponies are laughing as they go back to what they were doing. Tim waves off the guards as they approach. He takes a few moments to untie the bounds on the griffon. Though muffled shouts quickly get him to focus on the knot tying her mouth shut.He gets her mouth free and starts again on working her claws free.

“Unicorns cheat!” Leah pouts.

“I told you not to,” Tim says as he finally gets her legs free.

She flips onto her legs and uses her beak to quickly free her wings. “Well, that strategy failed.” She glances towards the dais, and Tim stops, breaking into a sweat.

“Now?” He murmurs softly.

***

Citrus Blush storms towards the Princesses. That griffon trying to steal her stallion has pushed her mood off the deep end. Silver is sitting at a table with Cayenne and North. She storms up to him. “You ready, love?” She’s not asking. Some guards are corralling the princess.

Silver nods. “It’s now or never.”

Four princesses’ eyes are now fixed on the herd. She gulps softly but continues to walk. Finally, she’s in a clear area of the floor, standing before the princesses. She clears her throat, projecting her voice. “Princess Cadance, I have sent a formal demand, yet have not received a satisfactory answer.”

Cadance advances, wings extended. “You know I cannot do that.”

Citrus stomps a hoof. “I demand a public apology for the attempted poaching of my lead stallion by your junior bridlemaid, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Cadance ducks her head. Citrus’ ears catch what the other mare murmurs almost too softly to hear. “I’m sorry for what comes next.”

“I have tried to demand a simple private apology for you facilitating her actions. We both know she was in the depths of heat and was not fully able to consider the consequences of her action. You, however, by forcing the situation and not cancelling the planned appointment between her and him, are just as at fault as Princess Sparkle is. I demand justice for the actions you two princesses have perpetrated against my herd. So, I challenge you, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, to a duel.” Her horn lights, she ignores the added tension among the guards near the dais. Steely eyes and blade comes out. Her kerchief floats out and is tossed at the floor at Cadance's hooves.

Princess Cadance looks at the small piece of cloth for a long moment before stepping forward. “You and I both know it is improper for a princess to fight a duel.”

“As expected, you may choose your surrogate. I choose my stallion, Silver Wing, to fight for our herd’s honor.”

Cadance looks down, speaking as though the words are trying to hang back. “I choose my stallion, my husband, Shining Armor, to fight for our herd’s honor.”

“To first blood.”

Cadance allows a tear to fall. “To first blood.”

Celestia implores, “Beligerents, stand to.”

Silver Wing steps forward. “I stand ready.”

Shining Armor steps forward. “I stand ready.”

Both stallions look at Princess Celestia. The solar princess, for her part, stands with her sister, both of their wings spread wide. Celestia glances at her sister, then she fixes Princess Cadance in a glare for several long seconds before nodding.

Celestia says, “Since the path of mares’ peace has failed, the blood of stallions will wash away these sins.”

***

Silver Wing pulls off his top hat and sheds the jacket from his outfit. He then draws his sword. As he does so, he keeps an eye on Shining Armor, who is doing the same. He gets a look at the weapon. That is no ceremonial piece. From the distance between the two, Silver can tell the blade is razor sharp. He suppresses a shudder as Cayenne steps closer.

“I believe in you, Silver,” she says softly while nuzzling him. He glances over at North. Her expression says the exact same thing. He smiles as Tim

“I wish this wasn’t so,” the human growls.

“No worries, Tim. You need to watch and learn from what happens here. I do this for you, and for our mares.” He glances back at Shining, who is speaking softly with Cadance, nuzzling her. Her own makeup is wrecked, tears slowly dripping from her cheeks.

Silver offers a hoof to Tim, who bumps it gently. He turns to Citrus. “I will make you proud.”

Citrus sniffles. “You already have, I should have ended this mess much sooner. I’m sorry, Silver.”

Silver smiles. “I understand why you have been so upset, Citrus. Poaching a stallion, and then being told essentially you should get over it. That is wrong. I will make it right.”

“You know he's nearly undefeated with blades. Nopony has been able to touch him in years.”

“Nopony knows that more than I do, sweetheart. I am not hopeful.”

Citrus leaps toward him, hugging him tightly. She kisses his cheek, something normally reserved for the bedroom, definitely not the middle of the Grand Galloping Gala, then on the lips. “Just live through this, and I will ensure you are rewarded more than you would ever believe, love.”

“I will.” Silver turns away and approaches Shining, who is walking slowly towards him. Tradition says that the stallions have time to talk before fighting to negotiate the finer rules.

Shining looks at Silver. “I’m guessing you are going to say no magic.” At Silver's nod, he adds, “I therefore say no flight.”

That gets Silver’s eyebrows to rise. Often when a pegasus is an opponent to a terrestrial tribe, they will say no wings at all. Some would even insist the wings be bound. Shining had merely said no flight. He nods slowly, though the smirk on the white unicorn stallion settles like a lead weight in Silver’s belly.

The stallions hoof bump quickly, both able to genuinely smile at each other. Princess Celestia steps up, “The matter of Herd Blush against Herd Cadenza is to be decided this night. For the alleged manipulation of a fellow Princess and the attempted poaching of an established herds lead stallion, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza has nominated the lead stallion of her herd, Shining Armor. And he shall be crossing blades with Herd Blush's junior stallion Silver Wing. The duel will be to first blood. No magic, no flight.” She looks at Silver. “Petitioners ready?”

Silver nods, rearing up and flourishing his blade.

“Defense ready?”

Shining nods as he twirls his sword. He holds his blade almost casually, offering an apologetic smile to Silver.

Princess Celestia waits a long moment, the tension in the room increasing by the second. She shouts in full Royal Canterlot Voice, “Belligerents, FIGHT!”

The battle begins.

Silver holds his rapier low diagonal across his front, tip down. He’s waiting, baiting. He knows he has a sparrow's chance in a gale. But still he stands. Shining Armor advances, his crescent sabre held high above behind his head, poised like a coiled cobra to strike. He feints; Silver doesn’t react. The larger stallion strikes down, a diagonal slice at Silver's head from right to left! Silver dodges his head back, but keeps his sword down. Again, Shining swings, this time flat in the other way.

TING!

Silver flicks his ankle, twisting his length of steel upwards. The blades clash, stopping Shining's blade with the ricasso of his squire rapier. In a flash, he pulls back, twirling the rapier around with his knee, going for the hacking cut. But Shining is quick, and ripostes upwards with his crescent sabre, closing the distance, forcing Silver to retreat and pull back his sword to stay out of range.

Silver holds back, now poising his blade parallel to the ground. He gives a quick thrust, a mere jab of the foreleg, almost too fast for the eye to track. Shining Armor parries with the part of the blade close to the guard, shoving the deadly point past his face. Silver withdraws to harry him again. He thrusts thrice more, but Shining deflects each strike, happy smile on his face. He does not close the distance, not yet, not until his enemy had made himself vulnerable. They strafe and circle each other. Silver can see the faces of those watching the fight silently. Tim looks like he is going to piss himself. North Point looks frankly annoyed. Cayenne and Citrus offer him mile wide grins, the former blowing him a kiss and a wink. He can’t spare enough concentration to let himself go five-legged, not yet -- he has to survive this first. He had to avenge their honor from the herdwreckers. And speaking of them, Twilight looks fearful, her wings are wide yet her ears are flat back. She winces as he gives point, stopping inches short of Shining's leg. Cadance, a more experienced princess, has that practiced mask of stony serenity, but it was too stony, too serene, for her to be truly calm. And it doesn’t help that her makeup is thoroughly ruined at the moment.

Seconds pass. Shining Armor waits. He is familiar with the rapier -- he knows how to use it and how to defeat it. He goes over the basics again in his head. Rapier, one hooved thrusting sword, slightly heavier than most other onehoovers. Limited cutting power. Excellent hoof protection. Standard blade lengths in the high forties of inches. They are a truly difficult weapon to counter unarmored in a duel. The length provides excellent leverage in a bind, but also plenty of real estate to strike the extremity with a well-placed parry. His opponent is a skilled fencer, not telegraphing much or holding his blade out to engage. However, at the very start, he'd mentally measured the rapier's reach against the floor tiles, coming in at a blade just about three and something tiles long, so provided he stay just shy of four tiles away, his opponent would think he was putting up a really good defense without realizing he was too far to hit properly. His own weapon, the crescent sabre, was far shorter, but lighter, a one-handed straight sword without thrust, but a terrifying cutting ability. Far better for battle than duels, but that is what he has. He'd won sparring sessions like this before. His advantages were a nimble sword that could operate in close, and every cut he launches also doubles as a guard, unlike the everything or nothing nature of thrusting. From here, he is content to wait for his opponent's folly to overtake him, let him overextend, and then punish. Avoid the bind, do not trade blows, let him make the first mistake. He uses the crook of his blade to pull aside a thrust, feigning a dodge of his head to encourage aggression.

Silver smirks. His plan is somehow working. His opponent has to close someday, or one of his hits would eventually land. He moves to a forward guard, holding the blade almost vertical up in front of his face. Shining swings from low, just as expected. A downward cut from Silver stops it cold. Shiny moves his blade up. Shit! Before he could do anything, the unicorn has grabbed him by the ricasso, closing in for the kill! Silver, reacting, leans up to put slack into his sword limb, then he twists and pulls, yanking free and blocking the sabre inches from his nose. Then he leverages up, taking advantage of his opponent being unstable on two legs to close for a pommel strike to end him rightly. But Shining, an experienced fencer, hugs Silver's body close, avoiding the strike and grappling him over the shoulder, into the ground.

The crowd is shushed instantly, expecting blood.

Silver isn't done yet. Before the unicorn can do anything, Silver bucks up with his rear legs, catching Shining by surprise, sending him flying, sliding sprawled across the cold tile with a thud and a clatter.

Twilight gasps. Tim winces. Silver advances, using his wings to bolt forward like a pouncing tiger.

But Shining isn’t captain for weakness! He stands up, feeling a jolt of pain in his ribs. Fuck. When this is over, Cadance is going to kill him for getting his rib so carelessly broken like that. He shifts a bit, noting the jabbing pain, one, possibly two ribs are certainly broken. Nothing loose and he is feeling fine, otherwise -- just a bit of pain never killed anypony. Like a rising gazelle, he springs back up, flashing a defiant smile. He sticks his blade out, hanging it point down to resemble the fang of some voracious predator.

Silver strikes. He parries, then twists the blade around with his ankle to riposte against the counter blow of his opponent. Silver blocks with a sweeping motion and presses forwards, having lured Shining into a bind, counting on the superior flexibility and coverage of his long handled swept hilt vs the tight three bar hilt of his opponent's weapon. Shining delays, letting the long rapier's foible tip meet his base long before using the extremely tight grasp enabled by his confining grip and disk pommel to flick the rapier's whippy blade away, and then lunging to close.

But it was not to be. Having held in reserve for this very thing, Silver drew his blade back, point down, letting the sabre's great drawing cut flounder on his crossguard. Knowing he was in range, he retreated to get out of danger to where he could control the fight with quick thrusts again, having not forgotten the plan, his one forlorn hope of beating this legend in the flesh. These few exchanges had taught him this fight needed to end and soon -- even with all his advantages of reach and leverage, he couldn't crack the captain's guard for anything.

Shining feels that thrilling dread of waltzing with death. He sets up a foxtrot pattern -- one, two, side together, but guard, counter, reposition. He dances the dance of death, his old familiar friend from a hundred fights and a dozen battles. He knows that opponent well, holding no more terror for the experienced stallion. He plays with his sword freely, fully at peace with the chance that this last dance could turn to an elopement, and so he swings freely, rocking with his hips to the tempo of battle.

Though Shining is thankful for his modern sword -- highly curved, so good for unconventional angles and sliding out of binds, three bar hilt which had already saved his hoof more than once, and a big disk pommel to let his strongest muscles do the talking, it limits his options, but he owes a debt of gratitude for the tight grip's parrying power.

Silver's resolve is floundering by the second. He puts a brave face on it, but he knows a conventional fight with more modern swords like these plays right into the Captain's strengths. Though his opponent's grip limits him to circular motions and drawing strokes, those strokes have power and those circles plus the great crook of his blade make it treacherous to engage. He stands back, watching reactions. Nopony moves a muscle. The initial cheering from the assembled has died fairly quickly, morphing into tacit concern. He can't help but flush with pride -- here he is, being the stallion his herd needs, fighting for them on the grandest stage against a great foe. Just that alone more than satisfies honor. The diarchs look at them with approval and a nod to days gone by. But he doesn't just want satisfaction anymore, he wants victory. Any stroke now, he'll have it! If only, if only...

The pegasus tiptoes into range. Silver slashes again, a great stroke from behind his head, deliberately utilizing less length than he can. Shiny takes the bait, drawing up and into a diagonal guard. With the clash of their swords, he feels the rapier hit too light. Too late, he sees it flick around his guard, descending around his wrist! He punches into it, using his guard's bow to deflect.

But Silver isn't done yet. He hurls a series of rapid thrusts at Shining, targeting the stallion from head to toe. For all his skill, Shining can barely keep up -- every deflection he makes only serves to give Silver a new angle to strike from. He needs an opening, and fast!

The pegasus and the unicorn clash, midpoint to midpoint. They are in the bind! Silver leers. Shining blanches. Shining tried to use his other hoof on the blunt back of his blade as Silver exploits his vastly superior leverage. They lock eyes. Everything is on a razor's edge.

Silver tries to pull his sword back to lengthen his lever, but in his eagerness, he makes a fatal error, forgetting that sabres are balanced towards the tip and rapiers towards the hilt.

Crenk! Shining Armor circles on his knee, lowering his sword just a little bit, allowing his opponent to crash first into his strong and then down into his back quillon.

Silver tries to pull back, realizing only too late the terrible truth!

He is trapped.

Giving point, Shining Armor thrusts forward with a push cut, right at Silver Wing's face! The blade goes in with no effort, the nasty steel slicing through fur, skin, and lip, smashing out teeth.

Silver's eyes widen. He’s going to die! Shining has killed him! That thing he barely feels is a sword cleaving through his jaw! There is no pain; he finds himself locked still. Before he even has time to start falling, in that split second, so fast even he can’t believe it in his slowed perception, Shining pulls his sword back to give a classic slash that nips his ear, and then, inside his guard, brings down his hilt’s knucklebow to strike the shoulder blade with all his might. CRUNCH! That really hurts immediately, sending Silver to the floor.

Silver falls just as Shining withdraws with a flourish and turns to bow to the princesses.

Silver's eyes flick towards his herd on the way down. Tim is white. The girls are rearing with shared terror.

Silver hits the ground on his left side, dropping his sword, his hoof rushing up to his wound. He touches it. It doesn’t feel so bad. Then, he tries to say something. Hot and salty with chunks hits his tongue. Then pain. That hurt, that really HURT! He coughs -- to his horror, teeth fall to the floor. He reaches for them with his right hoof, and he feels like his face was stretched apart as his jaw splits open, baring a wicked gash for all to see, blood flowing freely as the true pain, a deep, dull, almost indescribable pain set in.

Time stretches towards eternity as Silver lies there. Somewhere in the far distance he can hear Princess Celestia make her declaration. "In the matter between Herd Cadenza and Herd Blush, I declare honor satisfied. Shining Armor, champion for Herd Cadenza, is the victor. Silver Wing, champion of Herd Blush, has fought bravely and with great skill. Let no pony besmirch his valor or the honor of his herd. The outcome is mutual satisfaction."

He narrows his eyes, taking a few moments to comprehend the words. He'd done it! He'd done it! He'd stood and fought! Through the pain comes a blush of pride and his wings pomf out a bit. Just like the fabled Gale Bluster, he had faced his very own Goldam the Grave and given his utmost. His pride as a pegasus has never been greater than at that very moment. He levers himself to standing, supporting himself with his wings. He turns, wincing, fully aware he must look a mess, his blood flowing onto the floor, yet he bows honorably to the princesses. He stands despite the enormous pain in his shoulder. He can barely make it bend to bow. Then he turns to Shining Armor, hobbles up to him, and offers a hoof to shake.

"Well fought, Captain." He tries to say. The words are garbled, but he’s pretty sure that the intent has come through.

"Well fought, Stallion."

“Tim wanted to fight you.”

“Did you tell him he’s crazy?”

“Yeah.”

“Did I tell you you’re crazy?”

“No.”

“Well you are fucking crazy for fighting me, dude, but good job, you really did almost get me.”

“Next time, Shining.”

“I hope there isn’t.”

“Me too.”

“Sorry I got you thrice – kinda hard to resist training habits under stress in less than a quarter second.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve fought enough to know it; if I’d gotten you, I’d’ve done it too – muscle memory...”

The shake ends with blood streaking Shining's white fur. Before anything else happens, Cadance is upon them. "Silver, are you okay? Did my husband hurt anything vital? Please, let me tend to your wounds." She is frantic.

"I'm okay, Princess Cadance.” He stops for a moment -- that did not sound like what he thought he was saying. He tries to laugh through a gurgle of blood. She winces.

"Really? It's a wonder he didn't kill you. He half cut your ear off and your jaw, too, plus what he did to your shoulder!"

“Just the tip! The rest’ll be easily healed,” Shining interjects.

She glares back at her husband. “Do be serious, dear!”

Silver chuckles at this, trying to talk minimally as the pain seems to find a way to magnify in his head. “A legend,” Silver gurgles, “and here you are fussing over him. He really is your own colt. You love him so much you worry even though there was no real danger he’d get hurt and lose.”

She looked at him quizzically. "You knew and yet you fought anyway?"

He nods, it’s hard to talk -- he realizes that the finishing blow has also carved off a sliver of his tongue, making Eponese's usual clicks and trills nearly impossible to produce.

"Why?" Cadance asks, magicking away the blood by lifting it away and boiling it into nothing.

"My herd. Wouldn’t you?”

She nods, her eyes looking into his deeply. She helps as renewed streams of blood start dripping down his face. Her horn lights and she focuses on the injuries. His tongue is quickly scabbed and teeth regrown He stallion endured the pain and chills of such healing stoically. As she starts on the skin and muscle of his cheek, he leans forward and puts a hoof on her chest. Her magic fades.

“Stop right there, please. The scar from this will be beautiful.”

Her eyes widen as her horn relights. “Got it, leave the surface damage, just make sure you don’t actually suffer from this. She works and the flesh is encased in magic. After a few moments, she leans back, panting slightly at the heavy use of magic. “There, it’s going to be tender for a few weeks, but the function will not be impaired.” She hoofs him in the shoulder gently. “This is good to go, just no running, jumping, or heavy lifting for a while, but be sure to exercise it – no long term damage to ligaments or cartilage. You’ll have an amazing scar from this. Let me know if you want surgery for your ear; I’m sorry I can’t put that tip back on myself, but any micromagisurgeon could do it in her sleep, and I’ll cover it.”

“Thank you.” He smiles then winces as tender flesh moves.

“Silver, is your herd really worth dying for?”

He doesn’t hesitate. "I was afraid I was going to die. I'm not mad at Tim or Shining; definitely at you and Twilight. I didn't want to fight this duel, but there was never any doubt in my mind that I would do anything for them, no matter my fear, no matter how much it might hurt, because we're a herd. We're all in this together, through the good times and the bad times. You don't just quit a herd the moment someone pisses you off or wrongs you. You stick through the storms knowing in the end, the sun will shine through the clouds again. Things can suck, but you'll live. If petty fear, anger, resentment or jealousy are going to dictate your every action, why bother living? Why bother loving? That is what our herding instincts mean to me."

Cadance stops, lost in thought, her eyes looking unfocused into the distance in Shining's direction, her lips moving without making a sound. Then she smiles and takes a deep breath. "Thank you, Silver, I'll remember that."

Silver laughs, "Don't mention it, princess. And also after this, I'm getting LAID!" He struts in place. Cadance chuckles before resuming a serious face, scowling, hissing at him to stay still. She ooh's as she inspects her work on healing him, smiling softly as she finally lets her horn quiet. “Why you want a glorious scar is beyond me, you are pretty good looking without it.” She stops, glancing at her husband and blushing.

"Chicks dig scars! My lovelies'll feel super secure knowing every time they look at me they're protected by one tough dude, princess."

Cadance facehoofs. "It's bad enough Shining's going to have a cracked rib from your buck, but he's going to try playing tough pony, too," the pink princess groans.

"What can I say, princess? We stallions are stallions. And don’t forget this is a pegasus thing."

Cadance shakes her head. "I forgot, and to think a born pegasus like myself… speaking of stallions and herds, here comes yours.” Citrus and the rest of his mares have been allowed to approach after Celestia has allowed Cadance her time to heal him.

"Yes, princess."

"Good." She caresses his mane once. Then she stands and turns. "Citrus Blush, I have honored the custom of tending to the defeated after a duel. I release him into your care. I have healed the structural damage, and repaired teeth, save the tip of his ear. He has lost a little blood, and you’ll be happy to hear that no arteries or tendons were severed; he'll live for sure, though without skilled healing, he will bear scarring for the rest of his days."

"Thank you, Princess. I pray all debts are settled in full."

"Indeed they are, Citrus Blush. And if there is anything else I or my herd can do to help, we shall assist you with our utmost. We are all, I am very sorry for what I took part in. I was wrong and owe you so much more than this apology. Sorry for getting you cucked and escalating things to this level and nearly getting your other stallion killed."

"Thank you, Princess Cadance," replies Citrus with a formal smile. "This will not be our final call upon you."

"I wouldn't dare dream so. I trust your stallion, Silver Wing, will be taken care of?"

"Yes indeed, princess," Citrus almost laughs, seeing Cayenne and North rubbing heavily all over his body, kissing at his neck, watching him blush scarlet as he pomfs his wings with his organ deploying lower down. "The best care."

“Sadly, this matter is not complete as of yet,” comes the regal voice of Princess Celestia trailed by Princess Luna. Cadance flinches as Princess Celestia continues, “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, you are now being called to account for your actions.”

Princess Luna says, “Normally a duel ends in victor’s justice, but due to the circumstances surrounding this one, right to reparative justice shall be granted to the defeated, as while their suit against you was settled, you have disgraced your office and must make amends.”

Princess Cadance walks slowly to the dais. Then she stands before the assembled ponies, her wings spread regally.

Celestia pronounces, “Citrus Blush, your herd has fought valiantly for your honor. And honor is satisfied. Normally by her champion winning, the matter would be settled by the fight. This, however, includes two princesses. Luna and I have consulted. Princess Cadenza stands before you, the evidence of her actions are clear. And you have the capability to pronounce sentence.”

“Sentence, my Princess?” Citrus asks softly.

Celestia nods. “What you decide will be how it is. We must hold the princesses to the highest of standards. So, by challenging and following through with the challenge. You have earned that right.”

“Okay, princess, as you command.” Citrus stands tall, though her eyes move rapidly between Silver and Tim. She turns her head, seeing Princess Twilight, who is sitting off to the side, her wings holding herself as tears drop from her eyes. Citrus sighs, “Princess Celestia, we have had enough hard feelings and pain through this affair. Thanks to your words, I realize that justice must be tempered with mercy. We will be able to forgive Princess Twilight for her actions completely in the fullness of time. Our lead stallion has been able to regain my trust. Our lives are not back to normal, but we are on the path to healing. As well, Silver has upheld our honor among those gathered and throughout Equestria. Princess Cadance needs no more punishment.”

Princess Celestia's eyebrows rise alongside the ghost of a meaningful smile, “You grant her mercy?”

“Not quite, my Princess.”

“Then what do you wish? By old tradition, you could order her exile to the fringes of Equestria and the stripping of her alicorn status, royal titles, and lands.”

“I wish that she had never started all this. I wish to see her help us fix this.”

Celestia looks pleased. “Very well, though I find it to be insufficient. I shall honor that for her indiscretions against you. Let it be written for instigating the cucking of Herd Blush that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, by the most merciful request of the plaintiff, is to aid in the repairing of the herd. Let it be marked that this is an assignment, not a punishment. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, in lieu of punishment, I give you an assignment. I command that you shall be required to use your knowledge and abilities as the Princess of Love to make herd Blush whole. Help with the teaching of Tim in the ways of life in Equestria along with Princess Twilight Sparkle. What you damaged, you must heal. And now, as for her gross conduct unbecoming of a princess, so I shall pronounce her punishment. Let it be recorded that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Equestria is to have her title struck. She is from this moment forth, until restored by unanimous consensus of princess, to be known as Duchess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Equestrian Crystal Empire. Her access to the Royal Treasury is to be cut off except by strict allowance, her holdings in the Aeolian Sky Islands are forfeit for auction, and all proceeds from their sale will go to Herd Blush. She shall be able to purchase them back with the consent of their new ownership after a twenty-five year moratorium. And finally, she shall be barred from the Canterlot Day and Night Courts save by special invitation until her princesshood is restored. As a mercy, these punishments will not impact her family, Prince Captain Shining Armor and Princess Flurry Heart. They shall retain all titles, ranks, and privileges.” Celestia stands tall.

Twilight interrupts. “What about me, Princess Celestia? This is all my fault.”

Luna answers her. “Thanks to what the duchess has told us, while you are not blameless, your reparative actions in the wake of your indiscretion, as well as your great youth and inexperience, the forgiveness of Herd Blush, and how you were manipulated while vulnerable, has given us more than enough reason to stay our hoof.”

“Bu- but, Princess Luna, I really did do something very wrong. I disgraced my office as princess, and if Cadance has to suffer consequences, then I should, too.”

“Very well, Twilight Sparkle, if you insi-“

Tim interrupts. Dead quiet. All eyes on him. “Twilight, we’ve forgiven you!” He turns to the great, dark alicorn. “Princess Luna, I, Tim of Herd Blush, Ambassador of Earth, request that you grant her clemency. She has expressed great remorse, and I believe that she will make amends on her own of her own volition.”

Luna and Celestia confer for a minute together in whispers. Finally, Celestia says, “Upon your request, Tim of Earth, we have decided that Princess Twilight Sparkle is to face no official judicial punishment, with a proviso, that proviso being she work with your herd and Duchess Cadance to help you and your herd, and let her be warned that this is her second chance. Any further severe indiscretions will be punished to the fullest extent of law and tradition.”

“Thank you,” he says as he bows.

Celestia continues, “Princess Twilight Sparkle, do you accept our judgements?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Duchess Mi Amore Cadenza, do you accept our judgements?”

Duchess Cadance looks over at Citrus, then at Tim. The she looks back to Celestia. “Yes, I do, and they’re less than I deserve,” she says with a deep bow.

“Come with me,” Princess Celestia says, and the younger alicorn walks with the older over to Luna.

“Tis not yet over; we shall discuss what remains this matter privately,” warns Luna. Thus, they exit. Tim swears he hears something like, “We have rule over these ponies because they trust us because we govern well, not because God gave us thrones.”

Tim looks on, completely stunned. “They really threw the book at her, didn’t they?”

“Nah,” replies Silver, “nopony got banished to the moon for a thousand years. This is more of a wound to her pride than anything given the alicorn lifespan, plus an embarrassing confession to have to make for however long it lasts. But for a mere mortal, yeah, it’d be throwing the book at them.” Silver turns to him, a lopsided smile on his face.

Citrus brushes against Tim. “That was a brave thing you did, standing up for Twilight to Princess Luna like that.”

Tim blushes, “I wasn’t trying to be brave, Citrus.”

“Like hell you weren’t, love,” she laughs, kissing his jaw thrice.

"C’mon, we're going home, Cock Blockington."

"What, why? Silver, you have to still be in pain,” Tim objects vociferously.

The pegasus rears up to lay a bloody wing on his shoulder. "Tim, buddy, I just took a sword to the face and it’s all good now – they’ll be making amends and nopony’ll dare make a move or say a slight against us for quite a while. So what we're going to do is go home, and I'm going to rut our lovelies until we all pass out. Cadance got me patched pretty good for the moment. Now, are you going to stand there flapping your jaw, or are you gonna shut the fuck up and enjoy our first big night as a family in months? I love you, man, but I’m not watching you sputter and make astonished fish faces all night.”

As if on cue, the three mares circle Tim, grinning. Citrus whispers in his ear, "Come on, my stallion, chief needs some lovin."

"Fuck me too," said Cayenne.

"You could take me right now and I wouldn't care that they can all see us," moans North, then she looks around and blushes deeply.

Citrus plants huge kiss on his lips. Suddenly, he finds himself kissing her back harder than he'd ever kissed her before, drinking in her touch with his skin. "Attaboy."

"Lead the way," he replies with a grin, smacking her sashaying flank.

And thus ends the troubling adultery arc of this story. We have a lot more planned, starting with the herd healing, and Tim being brought more into their society. Hope you all enjoy.