Bride of Discord

The Gift

Fluttershy's usual nightmare was interrupted by a loud, familiar voice: "STAY AWAY FROM HER OR WE SHALL VANQUISH THEE!"

The draconequus then vanished and a certain blue alicorn appeared before her in the darkness.

"Princess Luna?" she gasped.

"Are you alright, Fluttershy?" the princess inquired.

"Yes. Thank you, butI heard you could enter dreams, but how come you haven't shown up before?"

"Apologies, for I have many subjects. It was very inconsiderate of me not to have rid your head of that creature before. But Fluttershy, your friends worry about you. Has he hurt you? The real Discord?"

"So far, no"

"Has he been cruel to you in any way?"

"Well, not exactly, but"

"Yes?"

She gulped. "Hehe wants me to love him."

Luna's eyes widened. "Pardon?"

"You see, II convinced him to postpone the wedding, but he wants me to love him first."

"Can you love a creature so horrid and cruel?!" Luna asked angrily.

"He'snot so bad"

"Fluttershy, he is a deceitful creature! He could be trying to lure you into a trap!"

"Buthe already has me"

"He could be attempting to bend you against your will!"

"I don't know about that, buthe's taking good care of me, andhe said he'd give me anything I desired."

"What about your freedom?"

"Well"

She trailed off as Luna's image started shifting. "You're waking! I must go!"

"Tell my friends I'm okay!" Fluttershy shouted. "Tell them"

She didn't get to finish as the sunlight had awoken her. She checked the squiggly handed clock on the wall. It was seven in the morning. At some point in her weeping yesterday, she had fallen asleep. Had she really been asleep for that long?

There was a knock at her door. She didn't need to ask who it was.

"Come in?"

As she had figured, it was Discord who opened the door, a wide grin upon his face.

"Good morning, my beauteous bride!" he chimed. "You certainly were tired to have slept the whole day! Well, now that you're up, how about some breakfast?"

"Um, sure?"

Honestly, she wasn't hungry and did not want to spend more time with Discord, but she did not want to be rude. Give him a chance, she told herself. After all, he's probably not used to being nice to ponies.

With a snap of his fingers, she was seated at the table. Discord materialized behind her.

"What would my lovely fiancé like this morning? Pancakes? Toast? Muffins?"

"Um, pancakes would be"

A stack of pancakes appeared in front of her before she could finish her sentence.

"I trust you slept well?" he inquired.

"Yes," she fibbed.

"And the bed? Was it comfortable enough?"

"Oh, yes, very."

He leaned his face toward her. "I have a gift for you."

He opened his paw and summoned a jade bracelet. Fluttershy looked at it unsurely as he slid it on her hoof.