Today was a momentous occasion for the royal couple. One year ago, they had barely met, but now, after months of getting to know each other intimately and choosing to love each other, they couldn’t imagine a life apart as they celebrated their first anniversary.
Though a conflict between their kingdoms was what brought them together in the first place, things were fairly peaceful now and both families saw it as appropriate to meet up again now that a year had passed. A grand ball was to be held which the monarchs of both Equestria and Saddle Arabia would attend to celebrate the couple.
Which meant Sahar’s parents were coming to Equestria!
The Saddle Arabian mare could hardly contain her excitement as she waited for her cue, looking around excitedly in hopes that she could spot them before the ball.
“At the wedding you meet my parents, yes? You do not talk to them a lot. Today you meet again, a real meeting.”
Heavenly nodded in response, feeling more nervous than she wanted to admit. She didn’t think she’d find herself so desperate to earn the approval of her in-laws, but she felt a lot of pressure especially after all the rumors that spread among the dignitaries about her. She felt like she had a lot to prove.
As much as she tried to hide it, Sahar noticed her hesitation right away as she tried to put her worries to rest.
“Do not worry! Very nice my parents are. They will like you very much.”
The hippogriff mare tried to calm her nerves as she was escorted to the ballroom doors. Sahar was probably right. If Gaia willed it to go well, it would.
For now, she stood up straight by Sahar’s side, both mares looking their most regal as the doors opened for them and a guard announced their presence.
“Presenting the Grand Matriarch Princess of the Celestial Church Heavenly Glow: Bishop of Equestria, Vicar of Celestia—“
“Her Royal Highness Heavenly Glow will do. We don’t have all day!”
Heavenly interrupted the guard curtly and impatiently.
Everypony’s jaws dropped upon hearing this. Princess Heavenly Glow, for once not insisting that everypony refer to her by her full title? Outright rejecting it? It was as if the sun was shining at midnight!
“Y-yes, your highness—“
The guard struggled to conceal his shock as he started again.
“Presenting Their Royal Highnesses Heavenly Glow and Sahar!”
“That’s better.”
Heavenly nodded in approval, gliding into the ballroom with her head held high. Even Sahar looked flabbergasted as she trotted beside her.
“You do not use the very long name? Very strange!”
“It has simply grown inefficient. I am tired of it.”
Heavenly answered matter-of-factly.
“There’s a time and a place.”
Sahar decided not to ask any further questions, turning towards the door just as it opened again to welcome more guests.
“Now presenting King Daler and Queen Farah of Saddle Arabia…”
She tuned out the announcer the instant she saw them, the two ponies she’d been waiting to see this whole time. The ones she held dearest. Her parents!
There was no hesitation on her part as she galloped towards them, abandoning all regality for just a moment as she called out for them in her native tongue.
“Mother! Father!”
The instant their eyes met their daughter, Daler and Farah’s regal demeanors brightened up.
“Sahar! My filly! My sunshine!”
Her mother was the first to cry out, opening her forelegs to embrace her. Her father quickly followed.
“I’ve missed you so much! I’m so happy you’re here!”
“You should have written! There is so much to catch up on.”
Daler smiled warmly but there was a hint of hurt in his eyes, having not received responses to most of his letters over the past year.
“Oh! This must be Princess Heavenly Glow!”
Farah had no time to dwell on that as she turned towards her daughter-in-law.
Heavenly was utterly disoriented as she heard so many ponies speaking Sahar’s language, only able to pick out bits and pieces herself. She’d only been learning the language for a few months and didn’t consider herself an expert by any means, but in this moment she felt as if she’d overestimated her skill.
“Hello, Your Majesty! I am so glad to see you!”
Was what Heavenly tried to say in Saddle Arabian, but she knew it sounded really broken and was embarrassed by that fact.
“It’s okay! I understand you!”
Farah spoke in Equish to Heavenly’s surprise, taking her hoof in hers and shaking it way too hard.
“I have been waiting to know you! Every day I wondered, who is this mare who has married my daughter? What is she like? I am sure she is a good mare!”
“I think she is a good mare indeed. You are learning our language like Sahar has been learning yours. You speak very good Saddle Arabian!”
Daler shook Heavenly’s hoof next, also speaking Equish and showering her in praise that she didn’t know how to respond to in her humbled state.
“Why…thank you, Your Majesty.”
But even as he praised her, she felt like he was still suspicious of her after all the rumors that had undoubtedly spread about her treatment of Sahar. Whether he really felt this way or she was just imagining it, her face grew hot with shame just thinking about it.
“I must know all about your life with my daughter! You are getting along? You make each other happy?”
As Farah started bombarding Heavenly with questions and ultimately distracting her, Daler stepped aside to talk to Sahar, the hurt returning to his visage as he spoke in their native language.
“Sahar, my daughter, why haven’t you written? Your mother and I have been very worried!”
He took her hoof in his, gripping it earnestly.
“We did not know if you were sick, or hurt, or unhappy in your marriage! You hardly wrote at all except for a few very short letters!”
“I’m very happy, Father! Heavenly and I did not understand each other very well at first. It took a lot of effort to learn how to work together. But it was worth it. I have learned a lot from her, and her from me. Now I love her more than almost anything! I didn’t want you to worry about me.”
“You didn’t want us to worry?”
Daler scoffed.
“If you don’t write to us, we’ll worry even more!”
“I can handle myself, Father!”
Sahar chuckled, though she felt bad for making him feel this way.
“I know. You are a strong mare. But I still need to know that you are okay.”
“Yes Sahar! Where were all your letters? Did they get lost?”
Farah joined in the conversation at the end, prompting Sahar to explain it all again as Heavenly watched from the outside. She could hardly understand what they were talking about, but judging by their concerned expressions and mentions of her name, she feared the worst.
Heavenly Glow had made a bad impression, hadn’t she? Was she really enough for Sahar? Would she ever be enough?
With all the attention turned away from her for once, she stepped outside to ponder this.
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