The Midnight Dance 1/10

Family

Zealot was walking with Apple Blossom as he questioned 

Zealot: So these important guests from Strapgart have to come here every summer according to a treaty that your aunt and uncle help set up 

Apple Blossom: They didn't tell us until we were older what the treaty was made for, apparently, they were hoping that Snowy and Quill would fall in love so that there would be a marriage uniting Strapgart and Marendelle 

Zealot: And are Snow Gem and this Quill in love 

Apple Blossom: Not yet, but I think it's close, they do spend a great deal together whenever he comes to visit, and then there are his sisters, Barberry and Bubble Gum, for a long time, Lightning had a crush on Barberry and don't tell him I know, he was always smitten with her, but as time went on, he lost interest 

Zealot: What happened 

Apple Blossom: I'm not sure, maybe he grew out of it, that can happen, ponies tend to have crushes but grow out of them 

Zealot: Have you ever had a crush 

Apple Blossom: Ah 

She was at a loss for words, truth be told, she didn't because she was always surrounded by her cousins and family, even when she did come across boys on Marendelle, including Rock Salt, she just wasn't interested until Zealot came 

Zealot: I see, you had so many you lost count 

She giggled, Sunshine came up to them 

Sunshine: Are my ears deceiving me, or did Zealot make an actual joke 

Apple Blossom: He did, Zealot's finally coming out of his shell 

Zealot: I'm not out yet, but it's a start, so far, making jokes keeps my spirits and everyone else's high, I want to feel as happy as I can without falling into darkness again 

Sunshine: You really did have a rotten childhood, makes me ashamed for the things I've complained about in my life when they were others who had it far worse 

Zealot: Don't, you should live your life, it was not you who was responsible for taking so many innocent ponies' lives away 

Apple Blossom nodded: It's those horrible slavers, they think they can just take a pony without permission and sell them away with no regard to how that pony was living in the first place 

familiar voice: That's why my father has the whole Equestrian Navy looking out for them 

Snow Gem came into the conversation 

Snow Gem: You should have seen him when he came back to work after I was feeling better, he was ranting on and on about how evil some ponies were and he made me swear that I would never allow slavers into our kingdom after I become queen, of course I made the promise, the Pinkie Promise, in fact, and that helped Father calm down 

Zealot smiled: You're a good pony, Your Highness 

Snow Gem half-smiled: I try to be 

Apple Blossom scoffed: Stop selling yourself short, you saved Equestria from the Windigos, for Pete's sake, that makes you a hero 

Zealot saw the look of unease on the crown princess's face, deciding it would be best to change topics right now 

Zealot: You know, Apple Blossom was just telling me about the treaty that your parents have with the kingdom of Strapgart and how they hope you would fall in love with the prince 

Snow Gem gave a small smile: Quill is a dear friend of mine, but it was hard imagining having a life with him if there wasn't a life to have 

Sunshine: Yeah, that stupid prophecy made a lot of things uncertain for you