//------------------------------// // Chapter 1.2 // Story: Clown Mare // by Flora Blossom //------------------------------// The maiden walked to the kitchen and used her left hoof, grabbed the pot, and hung it over the sink.  She used her right hoof and turned the right valve. The water was poured out with a nice fresh of hot moisture that steamed in the faucet.  She looked at the counter, opened the far top left of the drawer with her left hoof, and used her right hoof to grab one of the black tea’s bags.  She took the tea bag, placed it into the pot, while she carried it to the fire place, and held it there.   Rane took another bite of the salad when the Grand Duchess came from her room.  Every pony stood upping from their seat.   The mother took her seat on the left of her son, then everyone sat back down.   “Is the tea ready my good son?”   “No, it will be in a few minutes.”   “Oh, dear me.  Will you pass the salt Mrs. Rane.”   “Yes, Grand Duchess Light Heart.”   “Ah, still being all professional aren't we Mrs. Rane?”   “Why of course. I must go through all royal family rules and standards.”   The prince opened his mouth wide with his teeth together.  Rane used her left hoof to pass the salt to his mother.  The mother grabbed the salt with her right hoof and put it right next to her. The maiden walked back to dinner room, walked to Grand Duchess Light Heart, used her left hoof, poured the tea pot into the small cup, walked to the prince, poured the tea pot into the small cup. “Do you wish to have some tea dear?” “Of course.” The maiden walked over to Rane, while she used her left hoof and poured it into the small cup. The Father woke up from the bed, used his right hoof, grabbed the left corner of the bed sheet, swung it to the right side of the bed, and got up from the bed.   “This place was the most cherished house I had ever been.  However, how long will it last?  I hope for several years.  Due in time, once was the days getting shorter each day as I grew old. The only time when I read the newspaper was if something came up with the other royal families' reputations.”   He then looked on the left side of him at the wall and rang the bell.  Petal Blossom used her right hoof and knocked on the master's door.   “You may come in.”   She then used her right hoof and walked in the room where it was all fancy decorations; to family heirlooms, to ancient paintings, and old relics of Equestria.  “Grand Duke Tipsy Tulip the other head of the household.  He is something not to step across when getting into an argument.” “Does my mane look alright?” He then got up and walked towards the detail mirror that was kept from the last Grand Duke.  He lived in this same household until he died of old age. “Yes, Grand Duke Tipsy Tulip.  Everything is in order right now.” “So, this is it then, the way of life, I Grand Duke Tipsy Tulip will surpass my father Grand Duke Butterfly Hunter.” Mrs. Petal used both hooves to fetch his black coat that had a nice threading, the buttons were about thirty years old, and the bow tie was his fathers.     “You look tremendous Grand Duke.”   “Thank you it’s been a pleasure to keep you for all those years in service.”   Mrs. Petal used both hooves to fix his bow tie near his neck from to the left side of him.  The maiden turned left and walked back to the door and opened it for him. The Grand Duke walked out of the room and went to dinner room, once he got to the room he sat next to his son on the right.  Mrs. Teddy walked in dinner room and gave the newspaper to the Grand Duke.  Mrs. Sky looked at the Grand duke. “Do you want some tea my lord.” The Grand Duke nodded his head yes, while he opened the darkest rumor, when he looked at the newspaper. Mrs. Sky used both of her hoofs and poured the hot black tea to the Grand Duke tea cup, while the hot steam came out. Every pony that was sitting down took a sip at their cup, sat it down on the glass plate, and made a small glass sound.   Grand duchess used her hoof and poured the salt on top of the tea cup, used her left hoof with a utensil to stir it, and took another sip to see if it tasted better.  Her mouth opened ever so slightly, with her teeth together. “The Galloping Gala will be opened in a few weeks. Gentle colts and lady mares.” Every pony got up, the maidens walked out of dinner room to the kitchen, the Grand Duchess walked out of the room and went outside, the Grand Duke walked to his library upstairs, the Prince walked to his bedroom.     Rane however, used her left hoof and picked up all the plates, walked back to the kitchen, set them in the sink with water, and scrubbed them with soap.     Everything was beautiful outside where the wind gust went across your face, when the flower began to bloom, and then one stranger came up to their doorstep.  It was as if the person saw a mare walking out of the house to get some fresh air.   The stranger knocked on the house, then the door opened slowly with a pony with a chain around her neck in a red skin fur coat.   “I say, it’s lovely to be outside but, is the Grand Duke Tipsy Tulip in there.”   “Yes, Princess Sapphire, he's at his library upstairs.”   The white Princess Sapphire walked in and headed upstairs with Rane in front of her, once they got to the library the Grand Duke was sitting down in his chair reading a book. “Grand Duke? I’m sorry for the troubles but, this Princess Sapphire wanted to see you.” “Really, very well, you are dismissed.”   Rane turned to the left and walked out of the room.   “So, Princess Sapphire. What can I do for you in this fine place?”   “The auction.” The Grand Duke Tipsy Tulip glazed at her, put his left hoof over his mouth.       “We don’t speak of it here my Princess. Only because it’s bad.”     He remembered the first time when he was there.     “Ponies shout of abuse, rape, and other fetishes. A small crowd of rich ponies in a dark cave tavern. Most of them are perverted. Some pony really did cut the slave eyes once. It wasn’t pretty to look at. They called it the second Black Market. It was for all the ponies who didn’t have a home to go back to. They were captured and bruised and some were even foals. It was a disaster. I couldn’t save all of them. I only managed to get two, and they both are my maidens. I never had sex with them, and they said they were still virgins. Well, they are still. I remember I couldn’t cook at that time and still to this day I couldn’t. I made a deal to get a head chef named Tenderheart. She was hard to get since it was in Manhattan after all, when I was there it was full of heavy rain.”