That night, the palace gardens were once again alight with the sounds, sights, and smells of a party. That was another part of the Triumph; the parade after-party. Officers in her regiments mingled with the politicians, including some of the new Parliamentarians from the mainland provinces. Unlike the party she attended under Drusilla, she wasn't shown to them like a prize steer or a pristine new hunting crossbow. Instead, she was the talk of the party and center of attention.

Why shouldn't she be? She was getting the first Triumph in a few hundred years; it was kinda a big deal. This time, she talked to some of them, out of a mix of obligation and her own little ego boost. Mostly these questions were about her regiment, the Unification Wars, as the campaign was called, and various other subjects. She answered them as best she could, but even when they were satisfied, it seemed another one would come up to take their place. Eventually, she excused herself to go get some dinner from the buffet.

The table in question was piled high with food, yet not to a ridiculous and wasteful degree like last time. She grabbed one of the plates, scooped on some puls, a bit of fried fish, some figs, and a bit of bread, then made her way over to one of the tables. She spotted one with a few of her officers, as well as Castus, and made her way over to it instinctively. "Sup, gents!"

The officers immediately froze, as if they were foals caught with their paws/hooves in the honeycake jar. They then scrambled up, saluting with a stiff "Ave, Praetor".

She shot Castus a look like, 'Can you believe these guys?' She then turned back to them and said, "Chill, guys. Chill. You're technically off duty. Besides, it's my Triumph! Take a load off; relax! Damocles knows you lot need it."

They did as they were ordered, or as they felt, sliding back into their seats to eat. Cato said, "So, any idea where we'll be posted for garrison duty? I mean, I'd heard some of the rumors, but nothing concrete. And besides, you know what they say: 'A rumor has all the trust of a salesperson; they could be true as they say, or they could be nothing but a cheap fabrication.'"

Rainbow shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know yet," she said. "The Caesar said he'd be posting the position in a few days after he and the higher-ups work everything out."

They spent much of the next while just eating, drinking, and talking. Around them, the party raged on. It was by no means as crazy as Pinkie' every got, but it still wasn't the complete bore-fest that the Gala was. Many danced to the music, darting back and forth and swaying to the symphony of Trumpets, Frame drums, and Citharas. Children, including her own son, ran around the hedges and flower plants around the outskirts of the party, playing tag among the edge of the flickering lamplight.

(Music in background: Roman City by Derek and Brandon Fiechter.)

Speaking about the party's music, the sound changed to the music. The dancers began to go at a slower cadence, almost swaying like trees in the wind. Several more people, including some from her table, began to step up into the large, bare square of grassy land used to dance on. Castus said, "Er. Y-you wanna dance?"

Rainbow looked at him like he had suddenly sprouted a horn and wings. "Are you kidding me? I don't dance."

"Don't tell me the great Rainbow Dash, Triumphator of the Empire, is afraid to dance with a good friend?," he said, giving him his own version of Rainbows 'I'm awesome so go eat shit' grin.

"N-no! I, I just don't want to is all." After a few seconds of him looking at her, still holding that grin, she relented. "Fine, I'll dance with you. But don't expect this to me to enjoy myself."

"What were you saying about not enjoying yourself?," Castus asked as he led her and her son back up to her apartment. Depressi was sleeping on her back as they opened the door, having tuckered himself out playing with some of the foals of the Parliamentarians and other officers. Rainbow herself wasn't that much better, but still had enough energy left in her to shoot back a withering retort.

"Go fuck yourself, Cocks-for-brains. See you tomorrow." She trotted up the stairs, gently sliding her son into his small bed in the loft. She had turned in the purple cloak and crest earlier, so she just slung her armor and helmet back on the stand by the left side of the loft. The weapons went back in the small hoof-locker by the base of her bed, and her tunic was thrown so it dangled off the edge of the railing haphazardly. She was about to just hit the hay then and then, when she noticed that Castus was still in her room, pawing the floor nervously. "Yo, Castus. Why are you still here?"

"C-could I talk to you?"

She deadpanned, "You are, aren't you?"

"No. Like, er, personally?" Ok, now her curiosity was peaked. She flew over the railing, landing in front of him.

"Ok," she said. "What is it? I got something in my teeth?"

"N-no, not that," he said. He was, by this point, sweating profusely. "W-what I wanted to say was, th-that we've known each other for, what, four years now. A-and in that time, the t-two of us have gotten close to one another. S-so, I, I, I-"

"Well, spit it out," she said, growing impatient.

"I-ah, balls to it." He sat down on his haunches, pulling out a small wooden case. Before she could even ask what it was, he opened it up, letting her gaze inside. It was a small, golden earring, no bigger than an Equestrian bit. In the center of it, as to dangle down when worn, was a small red jewel. When she squinted at it, she saw it had a definitive shape: that of a red lightning bolt. If she didn't know any better, she would've guessed it was the Element of Loyalty shrunk down. Rainbow had seen a few others wearing earrings like this before, and all of them were... Wait.

"Will you marry me?"

Rainbow just stared at him, eyes wide. She slowly began to shake a little bit, then began to tear up a little. She choked out, "A-are you m-messing wit-with me? Pa-payback for the, *sniff*, the 'incident?' 'Cause i-if you ar-are, I-I'll gut you like-like a fish!"

"I'm not, Rainbow. Will you have me?"

Rainbow practically fell into him, wrapping her forelegs and wings around him and lightly sobbed into his neck. While she did, she hoarsely choked out, "Yes, yes, yes, yes!" The two of them then sat there, simply enjoying each other's embrace.

Next Chapter: Interlude~Last Holdouts Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 38 Minutes