Starfall

Chapter 8: Sacrifice

It was late when Star returned to the royal chambers. Princess Pony Head took one look and knew that she had been crying. Pony Head had been waiting near the school when the attack happened. She was not able to attend the emergency gathering.

"What happened, Star?"

"It's over. Ishtar beat me. The marriage is happening. I've lost." Star broke down and cried again.

"What?! No! You can't give up!"

"If I don't get married in three months, I'll be removed from power. Mewni will tear itself apart."

"Why now? It's been almost five years!"

"The attack. It was a lie. I'm not really in danger. No one wants me to die because no one wants a war of succession. But there's still no heir to hold the throne if I die. The nobles were all scared. They want an heir to be born as soon as possible."

"But removing you from power? That's just as bad as if you died! Who would take power?"

"It would be years of conflict before everything is settled. They know I won't let that happen."

"Maybe we could still convince a noble to contest the engagement!"

"We tried that. We couldn't find one willing to risk everything. Not their title. Not their wealth. Not their lands. Not their honor. And definitely not their life."

"Your Earth-Turd would. He wouldn't even have to think about it."

"Yeah, he would. But Marco isn't a noble. He doesn't have anything to risk except his honor and his life."

"That's worth more than everything those other losers have to offer combined."

Star laughed through her tears. "I wish I would be able to convince them of that."

Pony Head leaned against Star in her version of a hug. "You've found a way to convince them of a lot of things. He's noble in his heart. You'll convince them of that too."

"But he's not here with me. I miss him so much. I need him more than ever."

"I know you do."

"It's been almost five years. Do you think he still thinks of me? Does he still love me?"

"You still feel him, right? You know he does."

"I know he's sad a lot. He feels alone."

"So do you."

"I at least have you. I don't think he even has that."

"His friends? His family?"

"No. It's like he feels cut off from them too."

"Why?"

"I don't know. The bond doesn't work like that."

Pony Head thought about the bond. You can feel your lover's emotions. It was very rare and takes a special kind of love. A kind that most people couldn't even imagine. She doubted she was capable and felt a twinge of jealousy.

It's found even among the common classes. They had the freedom to follow their own hearts. One of the few things that they had that the nobles didn't. Most nobles had political marriages and didn't have that kind of love. Just a bond of duty. Pony Head's own parents didn't have it, but there were the lucky few like Star's parents.

Star had told her that people from Earth didn't have something like this. She wondered if Marco's parents would have been bonded if they were from a magical dimension.