//------------------------------// // Chapter 71 - Evolving Relationships // Story: Off The Mark // by Goldfur //------------------------------// Pony pregnancies being ten months in Equestria, it wasn’t long before the next mating season came around. That’s when I learned that nursing mothers didn’t go into heat, so Trixie and Twilight were spared that for this year. Naturally, I was not. Twilight offered me a solution though. “I know of a spell that induces lactation in new mothers who have trouble feeding their foals. If you’d like to share nursing duties with Trixie…?” Somehow, I could not quite wrap my head around that idea. Nevertheless, was I being selfish not offering to share the burden with my wife? I decided that was best answered by her. “Feeding our foal is Trixie’s job!” she told me most emphatically. “Besides, Lady Rarity would be most disappointed if you are not there for her this Season.” I blinked several times, stunned by that bald-faced statement. I know that Trixie had been fine with sharing me with Rarity last Season, but she was effectively giving me carte blanche to be alone with my occasional marefriend. Not that Trixie had lost interest in love-making with me when we had the time (and energy!) to spare, but she had made it abundantly clear that Gemini was her priority for several months. This was one step beyond that though. “It’s almost as if you want us to start a herd, Lulu.” “Of course, Dowser. Rarity would make a fine addition.” I stared at her for a long moment. “But herds are illegal,” I pointed out. My wife gave me that flat look she reserved for when I said something particularly dense, and I knew that I had somehow stuffed up big time. Then she sighed long-sufferingly. “Trixie sometimes forgets that you’re not born of this world, Stark Fells. To be precise, herds are not a legal form of marriage. De facto herds, though, are very common. You don’t think every unmarried mare who wants a foal raises it by herself, do you? While that’s true for some, many are in a herd relationship with a married couple and the foal is raised within the family.” “Why haven’t I heard about this before?” I complained. “Probably because you spend too much time among the nobility. They are the reason why herds are not a legal form of marriage.” “And why is that?” “You are already aware that mares have the right to ask any stallion to sire a foal with them, regardless of whether that stallion is married to another mare or not?” I had learned long ago that the disproportionate number of mares to stallions had necessitated that practice. “Yes, but only those stallions near their status in society.” Trixie nodded. “Yes, yes. Obviously. Usually. Well, that tradition includes the nobility, and while those stallions have the right to refuse, they frequently don’t. They are males, after all.” I felt slighted but I couldn’t really disagree with her. “However,” she continued, “no noble wants to have children born out of marriage having a legal claim to any form of rights peculiar to the nobility, and especially not any inheritance. Therefore, centuries ago, they successfully enshrined in law that herd relationships are not marriages. They had zero hope of banning them, but this law effectively worked around that problem. Fortunately for those already in herds, this only had the effect that the nobles desired and didn’t affect the relationships of the commoners.” “I see. It makes sense. So, what you’re saying is that not only is a herd arrangement with Rarity not a problem, you’re encouraging it?” I queried. “As Trixie said, Lady Rarity would make a fine herd mare for the royal family. Trixie knew that you had strong feelings for her long ago, but you chose to marry Trixie,” she replied smugly. I admit that I was glad that Rarity and I could continue our unusual relationship, but I never expected it to be quite like this. Every time that I think I have this world figured out, I get thrown for a loop. At least I didn’t have to worry about Rainbow Dash any longer. While it had been fairly obvious that she and Applejack had a growing attraction for each other last Season, a year later, it was pretty blatant. On the surface, they still bickered, but lately, they could hardly keep their hooves off each other in public. Maybe Dash would still seek me out one day for stallion service, but until then, I was happy that she was content with her marefriend. I said, “I won’t leave you to cope with Gemini alone since all our support is here. I’ll invite Rarity to spend the Season in Canterlot this year.” Trixie nodded. “A fine idea. I will have the servants prepare a suite for her.” So, that’s how I came to spend the majority of my Season with my marefriend. Trixie had seen the same thing in Rarity and me that I’d seen in Rainbow and Applejack and she approved. I have the best wife! I told Rarity about Trixie’s views on our relationship and she had to agree with my assessment. While the white unicorn still had no intention of having foals yet, becoming an official part of a herd sat well with her, and of course, with me too. I made sure to make my feelings for her well evident. The first evening when the Season had forced my change into my Marklestia form, Rarity and I sat on the balcony of her suite looking over the lamp lit city. She was snuggled up to me and I had a wing around her while we quietly watched the night sky. Then we looked at each other, turned, and wordlessly, we kissed. It had taken me a while to understand but I had finally realized something about myself. Or more specifically, about Marklestia. I had always thought my feelings were the same whether I was a mare or my normal stallion form, but I was mistaken. Marklestia definitely had the hots for Rarity and that feeling was certainly returned. I had been too close to the situation to recognize it but Trixie had seen it and acted for the benefit of all three of us. When we finally broke apart, Rarity said, “I suppose that makes things official, darling.” “Almost,” I replied. “I think we should let Trixie give us her blessing in person.” “Should we go see her now?” “Not if it means waking her. I’ll have a servant pass a message to Trixie to let her know we’d like to see her at a convenient moment.” “Yes, Gemini does tire the poor dear out. She will doubtless be in a more receptive mood if she gets to choose the moment.” “Speaking of Gemini, are you ready to be known as Auntie Rarity?” I asked with a grin. She returned it with a smile of her own. “Part of the perks, darling.” The Season was just the annual speed bump in our regular royal duties. With Rarity returned to her work, we triarchs settled down to the business of running Equestria again. High on the list of major projects was Twilight’s School of Friendship initiative. Unlike the alicorn’s castle, the new institution did not build itself and it needed to be completed in time for the new school year. Of course, constructing the building was only one part of the task. The biggest job was signing up students. Getting enough ponies to participate wasn’t a problem – it was all the other races that had to be persuaded that a mixed-species school was a good idea. Aside from the obvious inclusion of some changelings from Thorax's hive, a Canterlot griffon couple decided they would send their two cubs and, with the help of Princess Gilda, Twilight managed to get a promise of a third cat-bird student from Griffonstone. Queen Novo was a lot more helpful and she was going to send two hippogriff pupils – a brother and sister. Then there was an Abyssinian, two minotaur calves – male and female, two does, a parrot, a diamond dog, a buffalo, and even a yak. Tempest Shadow arranged to have a yeti girl and a young storm beast sent to learn our culture. It took a couple of months to acquire a zebra student, but the greatest surprise was the sphinx. Although she wasn’t any older than the average pupil, she was already a lot bigger than all but one of the others. When classes started, the yak girl would take the prize for largest being on campus! Good thing she was, by all reports, super friendly. Anyway, it certainly was going to be a very diverse class when the school opened. I hoped Twilight hadn’t bitten off more than she could chew. Naturally, there were the inevitable snags, and the biggest had the initials E.E.A. While the Triarchy was responsible for the budget and thus the financing of the construction, it turned out it also needed to be accredited by the Equestrian Education Association. Frankly, I knew next to nothing about the organization except that they were responsible for the codification and regulation of every aspect of all Equestrian schools. I was shocked when Twilight showed me the massive tome that contained every minute detail that needed to be complied with in order for the new school to gain accreditation. I had a terrible sinking feeling despite Twilight’s cheerful confidence. Anything that hidebound was not going to sit well with the alicorn’s radical new ideas. Nevertheless, this was Twilight’s baby and it was up to her to make it work. My focus was definitely much further abroad. While it was business as usual in Equestria, the new lands in the Southern Protectorate presented regular problems. Rooting out sympathisers of the Storm King was the hardest and at the same time the most important. The former rulers of the territories and cities were still unaccounted for. They had all been replaced with leaders who had flourished under the yeti’s rule. To a being, they were resisting changing back to how each region was run before it had been invaded. However, they were difficult to extricate from their positions of power so that new leaders could be elected. It was a slow process and Tempest Shadow sometimes had to resort to military action for the most recalcitrant. That was definitely the last option on our list and we only authorized it when all else failed. Many civilians hailed our forces as heroes for liberating them, but we certainly didn’t win friends in every place. The yeti clan that birthed the Storm King had resorted to occasional guerilla-style attacks in the high mountains of South Abyssinia. Their home village had been located but all the adults had left. After the first attack on our troops there, the remaining citizens were relocated for their own safety. Now the search was underway for the warriors’ hideout. It was one of those recently rare quiet times when my wife and I could spend a little quality time with our foal. I relaxed on a chair, watching my mate sweet talk Gemini. Trixie’s back was propped up against the headboard by a thick pillow and she had our child in her lap. “Say my name little one. You don’t have to say ‘Great and Powerful.’ Just ‘Trix-ie’… ‘Trix-ie’.” Our little filly gazed up at their mother and giggled. Trixie’s smile did not change. “Let’s try ‘Mom-my’… ‘Mom-my’.” A shift into pegasus colt form but the same delighted giggles. I smirked. “Are you trying to be funny, dear? Because you are certainly succeeding.” That earned me a dark glare that drew a wave of snickers from Gemini. Trixie blinked a few times then gave our little one her best scowl. Peals of laughter this time. Trixie proceeded to pull ever weirder faces which set off even more enthusiastic laughter. I was about to warn my wife not to make Gemini die laughing when I heard many hoofsteps outside our door followed by a brief conversation. A few seconds later, somepony knocked. “Your Highnesses, Tempest Shadow has asked to give you an urgent report.” I looked to Trixie and saw the same surprise that doubtless appeared on my face. The provisional leader of the Equestrian Southern Protectorate reported to the Triarchy on a weekly basis, always in person with the exception of last week because of an “ongoing operation.” Now she was reporting in three days early, and late in the evening. Trixie gave me a nod, wordlessly agreeing with my thoughts. This had to be something important or dire. “Let her in, please.” Tempest was preceded by our two door guards and four more who positioned themselves around the suite before the remaining soldiers allowed her to enter. I noted there were at least four more guards in the hallway. “You look most fetching in your armor, Tempest,” said my wife. Indeed, the unicorn wore a standard set of Equestrian officer’s gear, though she had not been allowed to bring in her helmet or saddlebags. Trust only went so far when it came to the welfare of royalty in their own chambers. Tempest Shadow bowed formally. “Thank you, Your Highness. The spells woven into the breastplate saved me from a homing arrow on more than one occasion.” “Fizz! Fizz!” Everypony’s attention turned to Gemini, who was jumping up and down in their mother’s grasp. “Buzz! Buzz!” They pointed vaguely in the direction of the newcomer’s horn. Tempest aka Fizzlepop put on a gentle smile and moved closer to the bed. The unicorn mare that kept legions in line with merely a disappointed frown now gave a theatrical gasp and let several colorful sparks escape her horn. “Eeeeee! Fizz! Fizz! Eeeeeeeee!” Our foal jumped even higher and laughed even louder, clapping their hooves together as fast as they could. Trixie rolled her eyes and I had to chuckle. All that effort spent to get our child to say their mother’s name, or (barely acceptable) their father’s. So naturally, who was the pony graced with the honor of being the first name uttered by our child? There was no denying it. Auntie Fizz (no pony else should even think about calling her that), was the most entertaining being in existence. Even Discord couldn’t get this kind of reaction. However, while "Fizz" was unquestionably popular with our foal, we did not begrudge it because Gemini was having a similar effect on Tempest. The normally taciturn mare was a different pony when with our child and, little by little, Tempest was opening her heart again to others. This boded well for her future and Twilight was particularly pleased that extending the hoof of Friendship to our former foe was paying off so well. I was happy that my recommendation to make her our provisional leader of the Protectorate had worked out. Under the circumstances, I could wait a little longer for Gemini to say "Daddy". I smiled, hating to bring the moment to an end. “Do you mind if I ask why you came to Canterlot early and obviously straight from the battlefield? And why the guard on our room has been tripled?” Tempest Shadow tore her eyes away from her number one fan. “Hmm? Oh. Quadrupled, actually. That’s because I learned of a serious threat to your life, Your Highness.” The mare then went back to making silly faces while sending up the occasional tiny firework that exploded against the ceiling to the unending delight of my now-daughter. This time, it was my turn to blink a few times. Well, that put a damper on the evening. # # # # # # # # #