A LIGHT THAT NEVER COMES

Epilogue

Star walked through the dark corridors his cloven hooves clicking against the marble and stone floors. His red magic casted brilliantly against the walls as he approached the door at the end of the hall.
The silky curtains danced against the walls that were blackened by the night, causing Star's magic to look eerie in the dark, like it had back in Ayria. 
    Just before he knocked, the door opened, and Star was pulled inside by his secret lover.

"You summoned for your whor-?" Star began to joke, before he was cut off by a kiss.

"Beloved," Calm Mind said in a hushed whisper, Star's horn going out. The temporary happiness from Calm Mind's embrace and his passionate kisses was what he needed to get through every day. "I missed you."

Calm Mind's hooves were rather quiet on the floor, as the two would get in trouble if caught. Their horns clicked together and they nuzzled each other, Star stepping closer to him. Their chests pressed against each other and their necks locked in what one would say was a hug. Calm Mind kissed Star's neck, before pulling away to see the unicorn's face clearly.

"Come towards the candlelight, beloved," Calm Mind whispered, Star following him to the candle. "I love the way the light hits your mane and eyes."

"Your tail is wagging, darling," Star teased, Calm Mind clicking their horns together again. It sparked this time, the pink and red mixing.

"I love you, dearly," Calm Mind whispered, the two interlocking their hooves. "I miss being able to speak with you. I think my father knows about us."

"Knowing your father, I doubt he cares, dear," Star said, matching Calm Mind's voice. "I can stay with you all night tonight. And tomorrow."

"Then, I shall treat you as King," Calm Mind purred, Star smiling back at him. "Or are you my Queen?"

"Don't push it," Star warned, before the two fell into silence. Their gazes locked, smiling at once another. Calm Mind's face slowly contorted into one of worry, but his love for Star remained trapped in his eyes.

"You look exhausted, beloved," Calm Mind fussed, before fixing the red bandana that rested around Star's neck. "You should rest a while."

"Only if you lay beside me," Star whispered, Calm Mind accepting this trade off.

    Star lay in Calm Mind's hooves, fading in and out of consciousness.
Star found himself dreaming of marrying Calm Mind, of their dozens of foals they were going to have. Then he thought of Calm Mind's confession, remembering his initial shock and discomfort.

"What did you say?"

"I said you're beautiful," Calm Mind repeated to Star, having gifted him with a tulip. "Should I tell you more?"

"Where has this come from, My Liege?" Star asked. Calm Mind closed the distance between the two.

"I would conquer worlds for you," Calm Mind whispered, Star astounded and stunned as to where this was coming from. "I would die for you as I would live for you. I would bring you every beautiful flower I should come across if it would make you smile. Should you consider, I would have dozens of foals with you."

"Sir," Star whispered, able to hear his heart pounding. "Why so suddenly?"

"This feeling of butterflies has been festering inside of my stomach for nearly a decade now," Calm Mind continued, his words something of an enchantment to Star. "I think of you every second, even when I sleep. You appear in my dreams, and I simply can't stop thinking about your eyes, Doctor."

"What about my eyes?"

"They're always so heavy," Calm Mind retorted, his face coming closer. "Be it exhaustion or depression, I cannot tell. You have taught me how to appropriately gage decisions for when I am king, and you have taught me the importance of my emotions. I hope you agree to reside beside me when I am king."

"Do you mean.. marry you?" Star queried, Calm Mind's ears twitching up for a moment. They would never stand straight up, but sometimes Star thought they would.

"Why, that would be splendid," Calm Mind sung, his tail wagging. He had a smile that crept onto his face, Star finding his own face relaxing. "Could you imagine? Unicorns ruling Yruxwood."

"One could say it's obscene," Star joked, Calm Mind rubbing their horns together. The horns sparked, Star shivering from the warm feeling in his belly. As a servant, it was improper for his emotions to match Calm Mind's, but the prince had proposed. How was Star supposed to reject a prince's wishes?

     So came their wedding. Star, with Calm Mind's help, casted that same spell he casted between Absentia and Destiny, and they were struggling to have their first child.
Not only was this their wedding, it was also Calm Mind's coronation. Star felt a sense of pride knowing his soon-to-be husband was going to be crowned King of Yruxwood, as well as the first unicorn on the throne. Star, being a servant and all, captured the attention of the ponies of both Ayria and Yruxwood. Perhaps it was because he was from unknown origins, or maybe even because he once served Ayria's throne.
    Star would be lying if he said he expected he'd be marrying Calm Mind. Their initial introduction was anything but romantic, but perhaps it was because Calm Mind's love was forever pure and chaste. Maybe it was his beautiful words, or his secretly gentle heart. Perhaps it was his simple looks, but Star knew himself better.

"I'm sorry that we have to wait," Calm Mind whispered, the unicorns waiting in a separate room from the ponies waiting to celebrate, or criticize, their union. "But at least we're together."

"We haven't been discussing names," Star said, matching Calm Mind's volume. "Now would probably be a good time, especially since we'll have to try harder after we're married."

"Or I could tell you more things I love about you," Calm Mind retorted, Star raising an eyebrow.

"What haven't you said you loved?"

"That eyebrow raise when somepony suggests something that makes no sense," Calm Mind mused, Star rolling his eyes. "Oh, and even the way you roll your eyes."

"There's still time for me to change my mind about marrying you," Star joked, Calm Mind kissing his cheek.

"You love me too much," Calm Mind whispered, nibbling on his ear. "Your coat is so soft."

"Let go of my ear!" Star laughed, Calm Mind laughing with him. "You're unbearable!"

"But you adore me," Calm Mind purred, their horns clicking together again. "Don't you love how our magic knows how deeply we love each other?"

"If you're not careful, I might kiss you," Star said, being pulled closer to Calm Mind. Calm Mind was about to kiss him, before the two were startled by a different maid knocking on the door to summon them.

    Their wedding wasn't as much of a focus as Star expected, but he didn't mind only having his husband's attention. Calm Mind could barely look away from him for more than a couple minutes.
Better yet, his coronation went perfectly. Star found himself simply resting against his husband by the end of the night, exhausted from all the celebrating and sparkling champagne.

"I love you," Calm Mind whispered, Star peering up at him. "You're even more beautiful in the moonlight. That's another thing I love about you."

"I sense I'll be finding a poem on my nightstand come morning," Star chuckled, Calm Mind kissing him again.

The two sat there for possibly minutes, or even hours, listening to the chatter and music in the background. Star happily sighed, before hearing Calm Mind speak again.

"What if we don't, or even can't have children?" He asked, his voice laced with anxiety.

"We'll adopt children and pick the one best suited to be king," Star retorted, Calm Mind laying his head on Star's. More silence followed, before the two made eye contact again.

"Do you believe this is fate?" Calm Mind whispered, Star feeling himself tear up. He sniffled, Calm Mind following his husband's face, even as he moved away. "Star?"

"No," he answered softly, before smiling. "It was Destiny."