Of Souls, Swords, and Ponies
Chapter 1: Ch1: His Princess (Siegfried x Twilight)
The morning sun shone through the windows of their shared bedroom, rousing a lone blonde awake from his dreams. His blue eyes shot open, greeted by the same ceiling that had become a welcome sight to him.
A quiet, gentle breathing to his left side confirmed where he was. He sighed, a sad smile on his face.
Even now, after all he’s been through, Siegfried still sometimes needed a reminder that he was no longer there. That the nightmare had long since ended, and he was freed from the Cursed Sword’s grip.
Looking to his left and seeing her lovely face always helped. She always looked so peaceful in her sleep.
Getting out of bed without waking his beloved was easier said than done. He was still figuring out exactly how to do it, but this morning it seemed fortune favored him, as he managed to slip away, reaching the door with minimal noise.
“Mmmggh… Siegfried?”
‘Rats,’ he thought to himself, though the smile on his face betrayed his true feelings.
“Good morning, Twilight dearest,” he said, turning back to greet her.
The princess of friendship let out a small yawn, blinking away the last of her sleepiness. “Good morning to you too. Did you sleep well?”
“I always sleep well with you by my side,” he told her. “I… I dreamt of my old world. Of my family.”
Twilight said nothing, getting out of bed and stepping closer to her husband. Mentioning his homeland was an exceedingly rare thing between them. It had been a minor annoyance when she first tried to properly ask about his species, but now, hearing that he mentioned it was cause for concern.
“Wh-what happened in the dream, Siegfried?” she asked, knowing his tale by this point. The more logical part of her mind wanted to believe it was good; she did not feel any tossing or turning from him last night.
When she looked to his face, it seemed like it might have been the case.
“I…”
Siegfried paused, the vision still playing out vividly in his mind. Moments like this were always difficult for him. But he truly did want to share this with her, his most trusted confidant. It was just…
“I-if it’s something you’re not comfortable sharing, I understa-”
“No, Twilight, it’s not that,” he told her, interrupting her attempt. “I just… I’m unsure how to explain it. The words I need fail me.”
At this, Twilight nuzzled up to his side, using her wing in an attempt to stroke his back. “Take your time. How about you just start from the beginning?”
The beginning. Yeah… that seemed like a good place to start. It wasn’t a particularly long dream, so much as it was an eventful one. All he had to do was figure out how to convey it, in all of its momentous glory.
However, that would have to wait, as a roaring rumble came from his stomach.
Twilight giggled. “Perhaps breakfast first?”
“Perhaps,” he agreed, a slight grin on his face. “We can continue this discussion after a nice meal.”
By this point, Siegfried had gotten used to a much more vegetarian diet, seeing as meat was rare, almost nonexistent in Equestria. They knew of creatures that ate meat and did respect that Siegfried and friends would eat it (at least now they did). However, he was still under the restraints of a human in a pony’s world.
At the very least, eggs were serviceable when he didn’t have access to fish.
As he silently chewed his eggs and toast, he couldn’t help but steal glances at his beloved princess. She had been beaming with excitement the first time he’d told her a story about his life. However, he could never forget how quickly that excitement turned to horror as she heard the deeds he’d done.
It was a horror not unlike his own when he was first freed from Soul Edge’s grasp, and the memories flooded back.
‘And yet, here we are now,’ he reminded himself. ‘No matter what wrongs you’ve committed, she placed her faith in you. She believed in you, cared for you… loved you.’
The knight glanced back to his right hand, a sudden boost in conviction replacing his previous uncertainty.
Once he finished his meal and the rest of his milk, Siegfried nodded.
“Twilight?” he asked.
She perked up. “Yes, Siegfried?”
“I believe I know the words now. Would you like to know what I dreamt last night?”
A small nod was her confirmation, and with that, Siegfried was ready. He took a deep breath in and recalled the memories.
“It… it was the night of my final raid with Schwarzwind,” he began, recalling that fateful night and how it ended in reality. “When we ambushed my father’s platoon, I knew it was them. I called off the assault, despite my men’s indignance, and we offered the soldiers refuge for the night.”
The look of relief on the crusaders’ faces was not something Siegfried would easily forget. As they rested after a long journey, Siegfried had been thinking constantly of what could have been. How if he hadn’t been so impulsive, so much pain could have been avoided…
‘No. Focus Siegfried,’ he told himself. ‘Continue the story.’
“When father stood up, he requested to meet with me,” Siegfried explained. “He asked that we discuss the issue in private, and so, we moved to a part of the forest, away from the others. I hadn’t noticed at first, but as we did, the sun was rising, despite it being midnight during the attack itself.”
Twilight listened intently, steeling his resolve even further. To know she cared was a large comfort, especially as this dream had left him with a whirlwind of emotions. So, he pushed on.
“When he addressed me, he… he did so with my real name. He asked me to take off the mask, and so I did. There was no use in a son hiding from his own father. For the first time in years, I felt like a child again, face-to-face with the man who meant more to me than any other. I nearly broke down in tears right then and there.”
“I don’t think he would have thought any less of you if you did,” Twilight chimed in, trying to be supportive.
“… Twilight, he knew of my sins,” Siegfried continued, his voice slightly shaky. “Every village I razed, every person I slaughtered, every mistake and misstep I made on my journey, both as the Azure Knight and as Siegfried. And do you want to know what he said?”
The princess nodded.
“He… he forgave me. He told me that he knew my remorse for killing him. And he told me, that despite all of my mistakes, all of my crimes, all of my sins… that he forgave me. And that…”
The knight took a moment to recompose himself, wiping away a stray tear that managed to escape.
“And he told me that… he was proud of the life I had built for myself here in Equestria. He was proud that I found someone I could love, and that I would work so diligently to protect this new world. He told me that he was proud of me.”
The smile on his face was warm enough to melt a glacier, and that fact alone brightened Twilight’s mood immensely. He took a moment of silence, regaining his composure.
“It felt so real,” the knight continued. “Like he was actually there. I’d been half-tempted to reach out and embrace him, but I feared that if I did… I would never want to leave.”
“I can understand why,” Twilight told him. “Celestia knows if I lost my mother and I had one more chance to hug her…”
A small nod was his only response, still remembering the warm smile Frederick bore. So much pride, so much compassion, and all for Siegfried. In that moment, none of what happened mattered. There was no past or future, just a father and a son, reunited and reconciled.
“Siegfried? Do you ever… miss it? Your homeworld, I mean?”
He was silent for a bit, and Twilight feared the worst.
“Truth be told… I miss my mother,” he explained. “She probably believes me dead, and if I could grant her peace of mind, I’d take that chance in a heartbeat. But as far as everything else is concerned…”
He stood up, and closed the distance between their two forms.
“I will not deny it has been a difficult change to adjust to. But I would not give up my place here in Equestria for anything my world could offer me.”
Siegfried cupped her cheek with his right hand, the greyish appendage a constant reminder of his past, as well as how far he’s come from there.
“Twilight, this is my home now,” he said reassuringly. “I am your knight, and you are my princess. Despite all the hardships suffered to reach this point, I am happy. And I will serve you, as both knight and husband until death should part us. This, I promise.”
The floodgates Twilight had were broken by his words, as the princess felt tears sting at her eyes. She pulled him into a hug, which the man happily reciprocated.
Neither knew how long they sat there, but by the time they separated, neither one could keep the joy off their faces.
“Siegfried,” Twilight said quietly. “Thank you so much, for being a part of my life.”
“No, thank YOU so much,” he answered. “For letting me be a part of it.”
Ignoring what little was left of her breakfast, Twilight stood up, grabbing both of their plates, and putting them away to wash later. She was now feeling energized, and from more than just a good meal.
“Well, I think it’s about time for us to face the day, dear,” Twilight said. “First order of business, I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to Applejack’s farm. Want to join me?”
Siegfried nodded, grabbing his greatsword from its resting place. “I believe I would.”
“Then let’s go, my knight.”
“Of course, my princess.”