Cadance nodded. "Yes, I understood the first time." She forced a smile. "I will move things around as quickly as I can."

From the top of her head came an unholy shriek that sent the petitioner scrambling.

She reached up, stroking Midnight gently. The foal quieted almost instantly. "You are quite the effective dismissal signal, aren't you?"

The foal giggled with joy, any annoyance already forgotten.

Cadance brought her umbrum child down to cuddle. "My little nightmare..." She slid a bottle in and Midnight took it eagerly.

"Next." She nodded towards the next supplicant. "How can the crown assist today?"

Wensley bowed to Cadance. "Howdy! Um, ah ain't one ah yers... but ah wanted to change that..."

Cadance perked her ears. "You are an Equestrian, aren't you?" She gently bounced Midnight, attention somewhat split.

"'Course, ma'am!" Wensley nodded briskly. "Is that a problem?"

"I dare say it's the opposite of one." Cadance smiled at the hopeful stallion. "All citizens of Equestria are free to come and go as they please. The Crystal Empire is, itself, part of Equestria. You don't need to fill special paperwork if you wanted to move to Baltimare."

"N-no... Reckon not..." The look on his face implied he hadn't really thought about it before, brows creased with consideration. "But Ah wanna stay, not jus' visit, is all."

Cadance regarded the earnest earth pony thoughtfully as she gently rocked a contented Midnight. "Well, becoming an official resident of the Crystal Empire is not difficult," she reassured him. "Simply declare your intention before a magistrate to make this your permanent home, and you shall be granted the full rights and protections afforded to our ponies."

She tilted her head curiously. "Might I ask what draws you to settle here specifically? As much as we love welcoming new citizens, the arctic climate does not suit everypony."

Wensley scuffed a hoof, looking mildly abashed. "Well ya see, there's this here mare ah've gotten ta know...She's real nice and ah wanna be near her to see if, ah, maybe we hit it off, ya know?"

He glanced around wistfully. "Plus y'all got lots a' sparklin' crystals...prettiest place ah ever did see! Figure it's worth a shot tryin' ta make a life here, if yer Highness'll have me."

Cadance had to suppress a knowing smile at the thinly-veiled romantic motivations underlying his request. Young love oft went hand in hand with dramatic relocations.

"Of course we shall welcome you gladly," she proclaimed. "The empire thrives on the diverse skills and dreams new citizens bring. Settle your affairs, make your declaration at the eastern magistrate's office, and you may call these glittering streets home."

Midnight cooed softly, as if giving his own seal of approval.

Wensley's face lit up, tension dissolving from his posture. "Aw shucks, thank ya kindly, Yer Highness! Lookin' forward ta becomin' a real crystal pony." He spun on his hooves eagerly but paused at the doorway. "Say uh, what's it take ta get one a' them shiny coats anyhow...?"

Cadance chuckled. "You will not become a crystal pony." She curled a hoof at herself. "I haven't either, you can see." Despite being the princess of them, she was still entirely of flesh and fur, not crystal. "Only during special events will we feel that way of being. You'll be just as welcome, crystal or not."

She turned her child towards Wensley. "This is an umbrum. This is also my lovely colt. They aren't even a pony, and they are a beloved citizen of the empire. I imagine you, a pony, will have an even easier time."

Wensley smiled at the colt. "Aw, ain't they cute... Oh! Right, that there's Umbra's little one, ain't it?" He took an unsure step forward. "Can ah come see?"

Cadance relaxed, allowing her vision to slide into seeing the relationship threads dangling off ponies. Wensley had quite a few. She could see a thin and warm one leading towards the colt. It wasn't finished, trailing from him but not coming back from the foal.

He wanted to like the foal, but the foal had no idea who Wensley was. "Approach. You are a friend of Umbra's?"

"Sure am." With permission given, he trotted up to Midnight, there resting against Cadance, and fell right into the little babbles one saved just for little foals. "Look at you! Just a little sinister, but mostly cute. Just like yer mom!"

Cadance watched, intrigued, as Wensley cooed over little Midnight. The earth pony seemed utterly enchanted by the foal, grinning from ear to ear. Yet she could also sense his sincerity - he was truly at ease around Umbra's unusual child.

"My, he seems quite taken with you," she chuckled as Midnight curiously batted at Wensley's mane. "And I understand you are already dear friends with his mother."

Wensley nodded eagerly as he tickled Midnight's round belly, eliciting bubbly giggles. "You bet! She's real special ta me - gave me a whole new chance at life." His voice softened wistfully. "Figure maybe that's why ah wanna stay here so bad...ta be near her an' her sweet little family. Um, on top of... what ah hope to make..."

Cadance tilted her head knowingly. "I am sure Umbra will be absolutely thrilled you are settling in the empire for good." From the threads between this earnest stallion and her beloved wife, she suspected his fondness ran deeper than mere friendship. Thankfully, it was the rich connection of a true friendship. There was no spice of passion there.

"Well, you shall have to come to the palace for dinner once you are fully moved," she declared smoothly. "It is high time we properly welcome you into our unlikely little family, ragged edges and all."

She lifted Midnight in her glittering aura as proof of that statement. For though they came from disparate worlds, the bonds tying their patchwork herd together ran true and bright as crystal.

Wensley's face lit up. "Aw, supper sounds mighty fine! Always happy ta spend time with my pals." He shook his mane bashfully. "Ah ain't gonna intrude though if yer majesty's just sayin' that ta be polite..."

Cadance softened, sensing his insecurities lurking under that disarming rural drawl. "My invitation comes from the heart's honesty, not hollow courtesy," she pledged gently. "Any friend of Umbra's will find warm welcome here for good."

Midnight gurgled his own baby babble of agreement, one tiny hoof raised. Wensley's nervous smile blossomed fully once more. "Oh! Um... would it be alright if I brought that ladyfriend of mine?"

Cadance blinked. "Of course! Who is this mare that has caught your attention?"

"Shifting Prism." He reached up to play with Midnight, tickling at the squealing colt.

Cadance flicked her ears back a moment, forcing them right back up. "Oh.... Oh. I... hate to do this... But may I take back that invitation?"

Wensley shrank back, eyes wide with surprise. "Did ah do somethin' wrong?"

"No! No... You are still invited." She reached to set a hoof on his chest. "But Shifting and Umbra have a complicated background... Forcing them to have dinner together could upset them both. We'd need to consult each, privately, and delicately, before we did that."

Cadance gave Wensley an apologetic look as the earth pony seemed to deflate before her eyes. "Please believe me, I am not rescinding my invitation lightly," she said gently. "Any friend of yours is still most welcome here."

She chewed her lower lip, debating just how much to reveal of Shifting and Umbra's tender history. The truth could wound hearts anew. Yet neither did she wish Wensley entering this courtship blindly. He deserved to know what he stepped between.

"The complications between them are...personal in nature," Cadance began delicately. "I shan't break their confidence with details. But there was once something deeply special kindled there...something that has left scars in its extinguished ashes."

She met Wensley's eyes gravely. "My concern is only for all parties involved. Were Shifting to visit the castle presently, before matters are settled...it could reopen still-healing wounds."

Midnight burbled softly as if echoing her somber mood. Cadance gently bounced him, considering her next words carefully.

"I tell you this not to discourage your courtship," she continued. "Love often blooms unexpectedly! But also tread mindfully. The seeds of affection sometimes take root in the cracks of old fractures. One must gently tend the delicate shoots before they grow strong."

She offered Wensley a bittersweet smile. "My hope is someday we can all share fellowship again. But the heart must have time to mend...and prepare. Please know I shall support you however I can through this."

She couldn't know that Umbra and Shifting had already worked towards mending the rift between them. "I just want to be careful. You, to be clear, are still invited."

"Thank ya kindly." Wensley nodded as he stepped back with a clop of his hooves on the crystal floor. "Ah won't take up more of yer time."

Cadance gently shooed him away with a wave of her own hoof. "Go then, and know you're welcome here."

Wensley fled the palace, just to go right to Shifting. He barely had time to knock before a smiling bat pony appeared at the window of her house.

"Wens!" She rushed to the door and threw it open. "Why do you look stressed?" She nuzzled him without delay. "Come in here and tell me about it."

Wensley felt himself already relaxing. How could one stay tense with Shifting giving love and unfiltered joy? "Jus' comin' back from the palace." He kicked the door shut as he came in. "They invited me to dinner."

"Nice!" She clapped her hooves with a smile. "But... Are you nervous? Cadance is so sweet. Just be yourself and everything will be fine."

Wensley pawed the ground, still looking mildly distressed despite Shifting's encouragement. "Aw, I ain't worried 'bout fancy manners or nothin'," he admitted. "Her Radiance was real nice ta me."

He took a deep breath. "It's jus'...she told me you an' Umbra might not want to hang out."

Shifting stiffened, eyes clouding at the reminder. Wensley hurried on gently. "And it sounds like maybe things ended kinda messy between ya two. Her Highness seemed to think it best we not all go socializin' together right off the bat."

He watched Shifting anxiously. "Ah hope it ain't upsettin' ya, me accident'ly stirring up old ghosts." A shy sort of hope kindled behind the concern in his deep brown eyes. "Maybe we could still go, jus' us two...if ya wanted..."

Shifting let out a tense fit of laughter. "She's out of date."

"She is?" He hugged her gently, urging away her tension just as she had done for him. "Tell me 'bout it?"

"Umbra." Shifting rolled her eyes. "She doesn't like leaving things hanging. She already came to me, begged for forgiveness, and rolled on her back."

Wensley perked a brow. "Um... Not sure how to take that..."

Shifting waved his concern away. "We aren't together if that's what has you worried." She snickered softly at the idea. "That isn't happening ever again."

She touched Wensley gently, brushing down an arm. "Trust is a delicate thing... It's hard to put together again after you break it."

"Yeah... Yeah, ya mentioned that." He nipped at one of her tufted ears. "Ah won't do that to ya!"

"Good." She smooched his cheek and the two fell into warm hugs, flopping over on the floor with delighted snuggling. "I'm holding you to that."

"For the rest of days," he sighed out.

She inclined her head slowly. "Um... Not an expert... But did you just propose to me?"

Wensley went still, the room silent around them. Every second felt like forever. "Um... sorta... ah guess... What do--"

He didn't get to finish the question, being pressed to his back on the ground, Shifting straddling him from above. "I do! Um, acccept your proposal. We have to do a marriage, right? That's... how things work." She seemed quite eager.

Even if she didn't really know how some of that worked.

Why are the background creatures getting an episode?! What happened with Umbra?! I demand to know!

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