- - - ch 10 Day 3 pt 3 - - -
Merry Hearth woke from her mid-day nap with a slow stretch. She let the fireplace warm her old bones a moment before standing. The mail needed to be checked, but first a cup of tea was in order.
Putting a kettle on the burner, she rummaged through the icebox and pantry. She’d have extra mouths to feed tonight; she needed to start thinking about what she would be serving. Rarity was a bit of a picky eater, but not that bad. Twilight hated alfalfa and lima beans, but past that she would eat most anything. Pulling a few things out, she started planning dinner while the water came to boil.
A soft knock on the front door interrupted her, but she heard it open without waiting for an answer. “Hello?” Twilight’s voice called.
Sticking her head around the corner, she saw movement in the vestibule. “I’m in the kitchen. Luna is still asleep.” Returning to the stove, she picked up the kettle, and added more water to it.
“I’ll drag this stuff to the library,” Spike said in the other room. A heavy scratching sound told her she might be calling Wood Wright to sand the floors again.
“Hello Ms. Hearth,” Rarity said, walking into the kitchen, and giving her a little bow. Her magic floated a few letters and a small box onto the dining table. “I brought the mail in for you.”
Merry nodded to the young mare. “Thank you, dear. Care for some tea?”
“I would love some. Let me put my bags in the room, I’ll be right back.” Rarity turned and headed towards her regular room with her luggage. She was traveling light today. Only one large suitcase, and what Merry was pretty sure was an old-style travel sewing machine.
From the other room, Merry could hear Twilight and Spike fussing over something. The dragon sounded tired, while Twilight’s voice was harsh and strained. Merry had known Twilight since she was a little filly, and knew that tone meant she was on the verge of one of her manic attacks. Unfortunately, Celestia wouldn't be home for at least two hours. Celestia had a way of grounding Twilight that no other pony had.
She would have to do what she could. Grandmothers had their own kind of magic, and it worked on honorary grandfoals just as well as blood relatives. Reaching up, she pulled Twilight’s favorite spiced tea from the cupboard. Opening the can, she breathed in the aromatic spices. They burned her nose, and brought tears to her eyes, but it was a wonderful smell. Sprinkling some into the pot, she resealed the can, and pulled the kettle off the heat to steep.
Hooves on hardwood warned her that Twilight was walking through the great room. Opening the icebox, she took out the cream, set it on the table, and pulled out a cushion.
Twilight trotted into the room with a twitch in her eye. She looked around for something, then paused. “Merry, where-”
Merry smiled at the twitch in Twilight’s nose that interrupted her. The lines of stress in her neck faded as she turned to sniff at the smell. “That smells good. Is that the Seven Spice?”
Picking up her favorite tea cup, Merry looked back at Twilight. “Just made a pot. Want some?” she asked, hovering a hoof over the cup Twilight always liked.
“Please,” Twilight said, sitting down on the cushion Merry had pulled out. “It’s my favorite.”
“It always has been.” Taking a seat next to Twilight, she poured them both a cup. Twilight in turn, added a healthy splash of cream to each cup.
Merry didn’t have Celestia’s ability to set thousand year plans into motion, but she knew the comforts of home, and what would set ponies at ease. Sipping her tea, she watched Twilight drink hers. She let silence hang for a moment, till Rarity’s hoofsteps again echoed in the hall.
“Join us for tea,” Merry said as soon as Rarity was close enough to hear her. “Clover’s foalsitter should be bringing him home in about an hour.”
“Why, thank you.” Fetching a cup with her magic, Rarity sat across from them. “I take it Clover is the one I’m making a coat for?”
“It is. He’s about this tall,” she said, holding a hoof off the ground to show where his withers came to. “Olive brown coat, chocolate mane, eyes like emeralds.”
“Hmm…” Rarity scratched her head, trying to assemble a color scheme to match. “Rather dark tones.”
“Do you know what Celestia and Luna need me to do?” Twilight asked.
Merry shrugged. “I’m afraid not, dear.”
“It is something very dear to Celestia, and I would prefer if she told you herself,” Luna said from the hallway.
“Sorry,” Twilight shrank in her seat a bit. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
Luna patted her on the back with a wing as she passed. “Do not worry. I have been awake for an hour. I was merely reading.” Filling the pot with water, Luna set the coffee machine to brew.
“Sleep well?” Merry asked.
“I did, thank you.” Looking to the clock, Luna calculated something in her head. “It is yet early. I think I shall go out shopping. I have yet to finish my gift shopping. Care to join me?”
Rarity polished off her tea and stood. “I would like to see what the haberdashers have in their windows. Anypony else?” she asked Twilight and Merry.
Merry waved a hoof. “Somepony needs to be here when the guard brings Clover back.”
“No, you go if you want,” Twilight said. “Spike will probably want to nap once he’s finished unpacking for me, and I should really finish the reading I started.”
“You sure?” Merry asked.
“I’m sure. Go have fun.”
- - -
Clover was dead asleep on Green Bean’s back as he carried him home from the community center. It turned out Clover swam far better than he ran.
Still, Green wished he could have gotten Clover to play with some of the other foals, but at least he got him around a few ponies, and some good exercise.
Nodding to his fellow guards, he climbed the stairs to the royal suites. His momentum died at the top of the stairs. Green Bean hesitated to knock on the wooden doors. This was the line that separated the princesses of Equestria from just two sisters that live together. Stepping past that line was stepping into their personal lives. He looked back to the foal napping on his back, then knocked on the door.
The door cracked open far too fast. “Who is it?” a strange voice asked.
“Sergeant Green Bean, volunteer guard,” he said, snapping to attention.
Princess Twilight Sparkle opened the door wide, and gave him a confused look. Craning her neck, she spotted the foal on his back, and smiled. “That must be Clover. Come on in.” Waving for him to follow, she turned around and walked back into the house, leaving the door open for him to follow her.
Green took a moment to stare blankly into the vestibule. There was a colorful little Hearth’s Warming tree against the far wall. Not much taller than eye level, it was the common type found in offices, or homes large enough to have more than one tree. Next to it stood a bench, and a coat rack not unlike the one in his own home. Except he was pretty sure that Princess Luna’s regalia was hanging on it.
Not wanting to be asked twice, Green took a breath and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He followed the sound of Princess Twilight’s hoofsteps into a formal parlor. Rounding the corner, he found himself uncomfortably close to the princess who had stopped just inside the room.
“Where do you want me to put him?” he asked taking a step further into the room, giving the princess her personal space back. “He wore himself out swimming.”
“I’ll get him,” she said, facing him with a warm smile. Green started to bend down so she could reach him, but stopped as her magic took Clover from his back. He was surprised how casual but caring she was with the foal. She moved with a mother’s confidence, not a young pony awkwardly holding a stranger’s foal.
He watched her carry the colt over to the cushion by the fireplace, and set him down next to the baby dragon sleeping there. He’d forgotten about that.
“Thank you for your time, Sergeant,” she said with a hushed voice, careful not to wake the sleeping little ones. “Sit and relax a bit before you go. Are you thirsty?”
“No, thank you. I think I’ll be heading home to the wife now.”
“You’re married?” Princess Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Yes, your highness,” Green said, trying not to look confused.
“Sorry... I didn’t mean-” The princess fidgeted a bit. “My foalsitter wasn’t. I don’t know why I expected you to not be. Big herd?” Princess Twilight hung her head. “Sorry. I’m asking personal questions again. I didn't even ask you your name.”
Green stifled a laugh. “No, it’s okay. My name is Green Bean, my wife is Lily. And It’s just the two of us, and our three foals. We don’t really have the land for a second mare. Though, my wife has been talking with the neighbor a lot lately.” He shrugged at that last bit. With Tea Leaf looking to retire from the fields, the old grudge could be forgotten. Tea's granddaughter had always had an eye for him, and as the new Tea family matriarch, Camellia could join with any family that wanted her.
“Well, I don’t want to keep you. I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty of each other in the future,” The princess said, standing to walk him back to the door.
After a formal goodbye, she waited for him to disappear down the stairway before closing the door. She started to go back to her reading, but paused to watch Spike and Clover sleep. Spike shivered, curling in on himself; while Clover pressed against him for every bit of warmth the little dragon could produce.
Twilight smiled. Floating another log into the fireplace, and a blanket over the two little ones, she returned to the study.
Aye, how cute.
Bit of an interlude/arrival sequence? Cool, cool.
This was a sweet chapter.
oh soo CUTE
Sweet story. I hope there isn't a big commotion when Clover wakes up. Interesting take on marriage in equestria. Good luck with the next chapter. Thanks for the rapid update.
... it's very sweet and all... but all I can think of is how absolutely Terrified Clover is going to be, waking up beside a dragon.
Also, stealth worldbuilding! :D Loved that little piece about herd relationships.
Oh dear... Clover is gonna really freak out waking up next to Spike...
5442540
Stealthy as a fat kid in a candy store. But world building.
5442579 *chuckles* I suppose.
I can see why this got featured. "Short and sweet" is the moto that applies here.
Looking forward to more.
That period after "smiled" is supposed to be a comma. The second clause there is entirely subordinate to the main "Twilight smiled" one, and can't be separated from it by punctuation that closes off sentences.
Also, why the heck is Twilight acting so familiar to Clover? Is it because he's not conscious to make her feel awkward?
5442617
Or a quick adjustment of the wording on the second sentence would make the current punctuation apt:
EDIT: JUST noticed that is what I'm reading as opposed to the comment I just read. Good jorb me!
5442686 That correction works too.
stay classy
Everyone assumes the Royal Regalia gets taken care of by servents, put on velvet cushions, treated like a State Treasure. No, Luna leaves it on a Coat Rack like a common Fedora or Leather Coat.
5442617 I reckon she has had a lot of practice with a sleepy baby Spike.
5442514 5442540 I have done it! I have figured out why these mild comments are getting downvotes! Somebrony who hates polyamory is downvoting any comment that refers to it in any even vaguely positive way!
That was bugging the hell out of me and the reason was so stupid it took me twenty minutes to even conceive it. It was very nearly inconceivable!
5442707 Thanks for finding out the source of these down votes.
5442707 *chuckles* Figured it was something like that. Can't please them all, I suppose.
5442686
Yea, I changed it immediately after I hit the publish button.
Awww. I love this cute story. It brightens up my day when I see you added a new chapter.
5442560
Don't think Spike would enjoy waking up next to a stranger very much either. Especially if said stranger is screaming his lungs out.
Kinda irresponsible to leave a kid, who they know is afraid of strangers, asleep and alone with strangers. Though, I imagine Celestia would be around by the time he woke up.
I'm really enjoying this fic. It's short (in a good way) and sweet. It's definitely worth a favorite from me (first one since the tracking button was added I believe). I can't wait to see what happens next.
The in-the-background world building and mentions of herds adds an extra-personal, good flavor to this work. This world isn't just pony, it's alive and clearly has its own rules. Well done.
i don´t like the herd idea, but i guess that is personal taste, i always have to think that they could not really pay anyone the same attention and such things.
I always try not to judge people who like that, real or not...but i can´t stop to dislike it. I don´t mind it if it is only mentioned, and as long as not anyone of the main Chars is in such a relationship, it is usually not a problem for me.
I had read once a story which Carrot Top and it was nice, but as they had a big Party and everyone, was nearly together with everyone, well it was weird to see that Carrot Tophad nothing against it, that another Mare liked her Human a bit to much.
I guess if i would see a slow...build up? herd relationship it would be okay too, i can´t just get five or six Ponys which like each other and believe they like really everyone as much as the others.
Enough about this (sometimes i just like to talk a bit), i am happy for every chapter, but they are feeling really short, i don´t know if it is because of what you write or if it is really short but i would like a little bit more if you don´t mind, i don´t demand on it.
I really like the story, but it seems to be a bit short
Nothing happened.
5442701 Just the kind of home town girl Luna is
I do wonder how Clover will react to waking up snuggled with Spike and to seeing a 3rd Alicorn. I have a feeling even in his short time with them Alicorns cause a slightly different reaction for the little colt, but then I am pretty sure ponies just react different to a Alicorn than anypony else(once they know it's an alicorn), seeing her would at first be scary, but once he saw wings and a horn I expect curiosity would suddenly take hold.
Love the story so far, keep it up.
-----
Also to 5442707 When you said the word "inconceivable" it reminded me of this:
5442846 Irresponsible maybe. But Twilight doesn't know about Clowers normal response to new ponies. She most likely thought he was Celestias next student or something.
5444151 Twilight doesn't, but Merry and Luna do.
Also, I don't think anyone has told Twilight that he barely knows any Equestrian. That should make things even more interesting.
5444011 Why do you think I said it?
Drop a Sicilian reference, like a sir.
I love it when authors use herds instead of "traditional" families.
I don't mean to be downer here since I actually like this story, but this chapter was boring. The point of splitting a story into chapters is to break it up into parts where different things happen, but nothing really happened here. Just ponies waking up and making smalltalk.
If I were you, I'd merge this chapter with the last one.
Yay new chapter!
Cute. I like these little moments. Builds character.
5445358
I needed a clean scene break. There was a lot going on at the same time, and I wanted to separate the two locations. I probably should have waited, and published 9, 10, and 11 at the same time.
5444429 XD
I'm sorry, is there some sort of custom I'm unfamiliar with? This makes it sound like polygamy is common or something. :\
5446414 I'm running with the fan-canon idea that there are four or five mares for every one stallion in Equestria. It's not something vital to the story, just giving Green a bit of depth. It would actually be good for both families, if they pooled their resources more, but the Bean and Tea family never got along after the kudzu incident. Lily is trying to be the third party, and patch things up.
5443296 Well, no action or further character development for Clover, anyway. It's scene-setting: Clover is now in the care (if only for a short while) of Twilight. Green Bean's been released from the picture with an extra fillip of backstory. Clover's in a position to meet Spike and Twilight when he wakes, and we'll get to see his reaction to a dragon. Twilight, too, may pick up on his desire to learn and his unexpected intelligence, and see about making communication inroads. It's a short, slow, scene, and I would expect it to be in preparation for a change in direction, setting, pace, or cast for the story. It feels like the end of Act One - Clover's been rescued from his initial situation, introduced to the audience, and is now in place for the main plot to start rolling.
It may not have the obvious dramatic tension that can come with some Act changes, but it's still there behind the scenes; Clover is asleep and therefore his vulnerability is highlighted. He's next to Spike, an unknown in the story so far. He's being watched over by Twilight - again, an unknown at this point. Celestia, who has been his shield and source of comfort throughout Act One, is absent (if only temporarily). This is mirrored and reinforced by Green Bean and Merry leaving. The new players (Rarity and, to a degree, Luna) have concerns and tasks of their own which take priority over tending to Clover. Effectively, from his perspective, while he was asleep every pony who had been nice to him has abandoned him and he's now surrounded by strangers. (And of course neither Twilight nor Spike seem to have been informed that he doesn't speak much Equestrian and isn't good with magic, which sets up plenty of potential communication/assumption complications.)
So yes, the scene is short, but it's being used to shove Clover onto potential thin ice and (probably) set up an initial awkward meeting with Twilight which might have otherwise been ameliorated by Celestia's presence. This allows us more insight into both Twilight and Clover (as we see how they operate under stress), and possibly Spike depending on how the author wants to use him - as a semi-sidekick character he tends to have a very wide range of portrayals and amount of 'screen time' in fan fiction.
5446747
yeah yeah tl;dr nothing happened
5444698 I love both
"He was surprised how causal but caring she was with the foal"
*casual. What an insidious typo to find :)
Finally, someone who agrees with the herd idea!
Green stifled a laugh. “No, it’s okay. My name is Green Bean, my wife is Lily. And It’s just the two of us, and our three foals. We don’t really have the land for a second mare. Though, my wife has been talking with the neighbor a lot lately.” He shrugged at that last bit. With Tea Leaf looking to retire from the fields, the old grudge could be forgotten. Tea's granddaughter had always had an eye for him, and as the new Tea family matriarch, Camellia could join with any family that wanted her.
I'm not sure what this means?
Up at this point, I really love the story.
I like how the characters are natural and pacing for them is nice and smooth. Rare to find a simple "Slice-of-life" story that doesn't needed to add in some "Over-the-top-drama".
But... When the whole "Herd" idea comes into play... I don't know if I should continue or not...
Cause... Well... I'm not much of a fan to that idea and I usually avoid those stories, cause the whole "Herd" idea leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.
Heck! I can name a dozen cons that most people tend to not pay attention to or don't care about it...
...
So... I don't know if I should continue?
The story is really great and I like to see how the rest plays out... But... having something that grinds my gears in it, even if it's only on the side or even mention once and that's it, doesn't sit me well...
P.S. - I don't want to start any stupid flames or get into any fights.
5685264
I have the same feeling towards it.
As long as it isn't a major point, I have no issues with it; just the authors take on the pony culture, but you're not the only one with that view.