//------------------------------// // A Steady Heart - part 3 // Story: Mark My Words // by Goldfur //------------------------------// I had wondered what the work week would be like with Steady as I had resumed my normal stallion form. It turned out to be much like our relationship had been before our date. I think there might have been a bit more of a spring in his step and his smile was brighter, but there was no push from him to acknowledge my mare side as he prepared me for Day Court that morning. I made a joke about him getting some action on the weekend, but he didn’t rise to the bait. Steady remained professional when he needed to be, and my best friend when he didn’t. The week passed without anything significant happening and soon it was Saturday again. I was rather surprised by the outfit that Rarity supplied me for the day’s outing with Steady. She fitted me out with a simple skirt with matching short-sleeved shirt and a sun hat. One last addition was a horn ring that I thought was rather out of place with the rest of the clothes until I looked at myself in the mirror. My horn was nowhere to be seen! I could still feel its presence but it was invisible to my closest scrutiny. “Okay – what gives?” I asked my herdmate. Rarity smiled slyly. “Suffice to say that it fits in with Steady’s plans.” I shrugged. I would find out soon enough, I suppose. I had to admit that without the horn, I looked like a typical pegasus mare, and rather cute for my age. Steady did not seem to notice the lack of the appendage when I met him at the breakfast table. He did compliment me and Rarity on the choice of clothing, and he was similarly closed-lipped on the reason for it. My first hint was after the meal when he steered me to the main portal room instead of the personal one that was restricted to just the royal family and a few other trusted people. However, ours was limited to a few important destinations and the main room had access to every place in Equestria, and not a few beyond. “Is the daggerscale portal I requested set up?” Steady asked the attending Royal Guard mare who nodded. “Yes, sir.” “What’s this? Are you utilizing state resources for personal use?” I asked the stallion. Steady grinned and nodded. “Much as I would prefer to spend time with you on a lengthy train trip, we don’t have the luxury of time. There’s a lot to get done in just two days. Besides, Princess Trixie already approved it.” Of course, she did. Neither Steady nor the guard let me see the destination tag, so I was delighted to recognize Rabbit Island Amusement Park outside of Manehattan. My herdmates and I had taken our foals here on a couple of occasions when time and opportunity presented itself, but this would be the first time that I would be here on a date with just my coltfriend. The simple and practical outfit suddenly made sense. Steady must have told Rarity his plans and she had dressed me appropriately. And because my horn was hidden and I looked like an ordinary pink-maned pegasus, there would be no hassles from any citizens wanting to approach their triarch for whatever reason. Steady and I were just another couple there to have fun. And fun we certainly had! We rode every roller coaster and thrill ride, played the rigged games of skill, checked out the aquarium, and ate the gloriously unhealthy carnival food. And while I had been expecting more of the same theme as the previous Sunday’s activities, I had to admit that this was a brilliant idea. I got to hug my stallion in the scary rides, compete with him in the games, and laugh at our silliness in the attractions such as the House of Mirrors. In short, it was a marvelous day out and we did not get home until quite late. This time, Steady was the one to initiate the kiss goodnight, although I did meet him halfway. I went to bed tired but happy. I was wondering what he could do tomorrow to match the first two dates as I drifted off to sleep. The next day started out quite sedately. The Canterlot Flower Festival was in full swing and Steady and I spent a few pleasant hours wandering around the gardens arm-in-arm (or rather wing-in-wing). It was something that I had done with Trixie and my other wives in previous years, but it was nice to be on the other side of the gender relationship this time. I could not put a hoof on why it was different, but I was not about to argue that I did not like it. I did, however, wistfully look occasionally in the direction of a cloud structure hovering over the valley. It had been parked there yesterday and, but for my commitment to this date, I would be up there. The Canterlot Mustangs had made the hoofball playoffs and they were up against the Baltimare Bolts today. We had lunch in the pavilion overlooking the gardens before we left for our next destination. Steady took wing and I followed. To my surprise, it was quickly apparent that he was headed toward the cloud stadium. “Steady – are we going where I think we’re going?” He looked toward me with a shit-eating grin. “I knew you wanted to watch the hoofball game today. We would have been there anyway if we weren’t on a date.” “But this is a date, so why go here?” “Are Marklestia’s interests so different from Mark the stallion’s?” he asked. I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head. “No, not in this case anyway.” His smile grew wider. “And that’s why I bought tickets days ago. I figure that if we are going to share things as a couple, we’ll do activities we both enjoy. And we’re both mad keen Mustangs fans—” “Say no more!” I interrupted with a grin of my own. “You know how to get to this mare’s heart!” The game was awesome! The score was neck-and-neck all the way. Right up to the final minute, there was no way of knowing who the winner would be. I was going hoarse from screaming out encouragement to the Mustangs, and I bet the pegasi and griffons seated nearby wondered how I had such a pair of lungs. Ultimately, our team pulled off a win on the last play, and I hugged and kissed Steady just as enthusiastically as I had cheered on the team. We had indulged in beer and carrot dogs at the half-time break, but we had certainly worked up an appetite by the time we exited the stadium. I looked over to Steady as we winged our way back to the city. “Did you have dinner plans?” I asked. “Of course,” he replied. “I’ve made arrangements and we should be pretty much right on time. It wouldn’t hurt if we picked up the pace a bit though.” We sped up and I soon saw the familiar building outlines of Restaurant Row. I wondered which venue he planned to take us to. I was pleased when we landed in front of the cul-de-sac that led to one of my very favorites – The Tasty Treat. As always, there was a line of patrons waiting to get in. As had been Coriander Cumin’s policy since Day One, he would not take reservations. The only sure way to get a table was to join the queue or find someone willing to hold a place in line for you. This was a common tactic initiated by the Royal Guard, but others had adopted the idea, although it was difficult to find ponies willing to stand there for potentially hours, all while tantalizing odors drifted through the alley. “You can take off your horn ring now,” Steady said before we trotted past the potential patrons until we reached nearly the head of the line. I was greeted by a few off-duty Royal Guards who recognized me, but it was Golden Gleam who grinned at seeing us there. The pegasus and his wife, Silver Showers, waved to Steady and me and when we got close, the stallion said, “You’re just in time. I saw a party paying their bill and the ponies at the head of the line will be going inside in a moment. You’ll be up next.” I said, “Did Steady get you two to be placeholders just so we could dine here?” “When he told us you were going on a dinner date with him, it was a no-brainer. Besides, he promised to pay for a dinner for the two of us. We have reservations over at the Smoked Oat which is where we’ll be headed in a moment.” “I see you don’t have your foals with you tonight.” Silver replied, “They’re with a foalsitter. Tonight is just for my husband and me. Just like you two.” I blushed a little before asking, “So, how are they doing?” Golden said, “They’re doing great! I’m teaching my son how to read and he’s really into it. “Takes after his dad,” I said with a grin. “Anyway, I won’t hold you up. Enjoy your evening. I know we will.” The couple said their farewells and we took their place in line. The party of four ahead of us was let in immediately, so we chatted with the batpony husband and wife behind us until our turn came up. They had been told to expect a royal but did not expect it to be me in mare form. The mare, Nightbeam, complimented me on my outfit, and I’m sure I added plenty to the gossip that would spread out like wildfire tomorrow. And I didn’t care for once. Coriander greeted us enthusiastically as always, and Saffron Marsala’s cooking was perfect, as always. Their popularity had caused them to hire additional servers, but Saffron never let anypony else do the important part of running a successful restaurant. While we did not rush our meal, we did not dawdle either. Too many other patrons were waiting to be served. Steady and I elected to stroll back to the castle rather than fly, enjoying the evening air. The Royal Guards posted at the gate saluted me with a smile. Obviously, they had been forewarned about me and Steady. Indeed, I would have been shadowed by undercover bodyguards all today and yesterday, and there would have been few who did not know what I was doing by now. My popularity with the common soldier made them more than happy to go the extra mile in both protecting me and indulging my whims. My coltfriend and I did not go inside the castle. Instead, we turned off into the private gardens until we reached a gazebo in its midst. There was a two-seater swinging chair inside and we settled down together. Steady put a wing around me and pulled me close to kiss me. We cuddled for a while, enjoying Luna’s night sky in comfortable silence. Eventually though, Steady broke the quiet. “I hope you enjoyed the weekend. Is there anything you’d like to do next time?” I came to a decision and shook my head. “Steady, I went into this relationship with some trepidation. I may have had my fun as a mare for years, but I never fully understood the female side of me. You, on the other hoof, have awakened my romantic side. You have made me feel emotions that I’ve only had for my wives up until now. You’ve also shown that you know how to have fun with a mare, and you understand my likes and passions. And I find that so very sexy. Turns out that Rarity was one hundred percent correct about me. Maybe it isn’t common for stallions to feel the way I do, but I’m not an ordinary pony. You turn me on, Steady. You have done something that I thought no male could ever do – made me want to be a complete mare for my stallion.” I leaned over to kiss him passionately. When I eventually broke it off, I got up from the seat, pulling Steady along with me. “Fly with me, stud,” I said with a coy smile before taking off. “Always,” he replied, bounding into the air to follow me. We flew wingtip to wingtip around the castle before I landed on the balcony that led to my private room. The doors unlocked to my magical signature and we stepped inside. I divested myself of my outfit as I headed for the bed. Steady shut the doors, drew the curtains, and followed me. “Mark – I… I didn’t desire a relationship with you just because I wanted to have sex with you.” I giggled as I sat on the edge of the bed. “I know, and I sure didn’t either. But that’s changed. I want you Steady. I want my stallion to take his mare and make love to her.” The joy that I saw in his eyes thrilled me as he stepped up, tenderly pushed me to the covers, and kissed me. When we finally pulled apart to catch our breath, I put a forehoof on his chest and gazed into his eyes. “Steady – I may have had sex with many mares and sired many foals, but this will be the first time on the flip side of things. I’m… essentially a virgin, so be gentle.” “Don’t worry, Mark, I promise that I’ll be careful.” I rolled over and swept my tail aside, presenting my marehood to my chosen mate. Despite everything that had been said, I still had a touch of nervousness as he climbed up behind me. But then he mounted me and all doubts and fears were swept away as we made love. When I had been stuck as a mare during mating season, the other mares and I indulged in many practices to relieve ourselves of the burning need of our heat. That included strap-on dildoes worn by one of them. Let me tell you right now that the real thing wielded by a passionate lover far exceeded anything that I had experienced back then. Steady was no inexperienced colt and he showed it by the way he played me like a fiddle, bringing me to orgasm again and again. Eventually, I managed to push him to the same. As I was always in synch with my wives, I knew that I was nowhere near estrus, so I was in no danger of getting pregnant. Right at that moment though, I was almost regretful that I would not conceive. I knew now with utmost certainty that I was as much female as I was male and my life would never be the same. Steady rolled off of me, to my disappointment, and lay beside me. He kissed me briefly before saying, “Are you satisfied, my lady?” I giggled. “After that, no, I don’t think so. I can’t ever be satisfied with making love to you for so short a time. Before we do though, I want to formalize our relationship. You have won my heart, Steady. You were already closer to me than anypony barring my wives, but now you rank right up there with them. However, you always knew that a relationship with me would be complicated. I can’t be your mare very often, not even every weekend. I have obligations to my wives and to my country that will take precedence at times. But I don’t want you to be just my weekend fling when I am a mare either. I want you to be a member of my herd.” “How will that work, and would Trixie approve?” Steady asked with a concerned frown. “Don’t worry about Trixie or the others,” I replied with a smile. “If my wife hasn’t said anything by now, that means she’s onboard with this already. My mares are all smarter than me in these matters. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Obviously, there’s no precedent for this. On the rare occasion that a herd takes in a second stallion, I’m told he shares the mares with the lead stallion. I’m pretty sure that none of mine are inclined to that. You would have a similar status to a junior wife dedicated to her stallion. Can you be happy with that situation?” Steady cupped my cheek with a hoof and gazed lovingly at me. “If it means that I get to be with you, then the rest doesn’t matter. I would be happy to join your herd and play my part in it. And Mark, just because you will be a stallion for much of the time, it doesn’t mean that I will stop loving you. You are more than my best friend, and I did not go into this relationship blindly. You have given me far more than I dared dream and I love you for it.” “I love you too, Steady. Let me show you how much.” I then demonstrated what I had learned from my mares on how to please a stallion. After that, he mounted me again. By the time we were done, we fell asleep in each other’s embrace. I normally resumed being a stallion either Sunday night or first thing in the morning. This time, I decided to stay as a mare, although in my much larger form with the shorter aurora mane. Steady and I made love once more when we woke, and I wanted to do so in my more typical mare size. The sex was just as good, but I admit that it was nice when I was smaller and Steady could wrap his arms (okay, legs) around me. Due to our morning activities and subsequent freshening up, Steady and I were rather late to the breakfast table, and lots of heads turned as we entered the room. All my wives were present, even Loopy. Conversation stopped and they looked at me expectantly. I swallowed, my throat dry as I walked up to Trixie. “Good morning, love,” I said as I leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “Good morning, Dark Bells. Have you a reason for joining us as a mare today?” As if she didn’t know! Still, formality needed to be indulged. “Trixie Lulamoon, may I present to you Steady Flight, my candidate for joining our herd.” My lead mare made a show of looking Steady over and he shuffled his hooves nervously. She looked back at me and asked, “Are you sure about this, Dowser?” “As sure as I was when I married you, Lulu.” She looked back to Steady. “And you – do you understand the sacrifices that you will need to make to be a part of our herd?” “I do, Princess Trixie.” She looked back to me. “And do you intend to have a foal with him and deprive your mares of their stallion for many months?” “No. I have no desire to get pregnant, nor do I wish to be stuck as a mare.” “Told you,” Penumbra said as she stuck a hoof out towards my changeling wife. Chrysalis hoofed over a gold bit. “Indeed. It seems I have not sufficiently impressed the joys of motherhood upon our lead stallion.” She turned to face me. “Husband, I decree that your future visits to our hive must be made in your Marklestia form.” “A capital idea!” exclaimed Loopy. “With the lead mare’s blessing, all thy social visits to thy foals shall be as such.” Trixie’s predatory smile let me know her opinion on the matter. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Darn pushy mares. Celestia spoke up. “Mark, you are an immortal alicorn. Believe me, your feelings will grow and change over time, and it’s very unlikely that you will ever find a stallion who is closer to you, more devoted to you, and better suited for that task than Steady. Do not close yourself off to that possibility.” I smiled at her and shook my head. “I haven’t. Steady and I talked about it this morning. He’s not in any hurry to have foals, but by the time he is ready, perhaps I will be too. Regardless, I have some growing as a mare to do before then, and I hope my herdmates will help me with that.” “Darling, what do you think we have been trying to do ever since we recognized Steady’s feelings for you?” Rarity asked. I chuckled. “Perhaps I will need to pay more attention in the future.” Trixie said, “Indeed, you will. Now, does any mare have objections to bringing this stallion into the herd?” Of course, there were none. “Then, Great and Wise Trixie welcomes the new junior herdmate into our family. Now, kiss and sit down, you two, and tell us all about last night after the curtains closed in your room.” I looked over to Penny who smirked and winked. “And hurry up,” Trixie added. “Princess Marklestia has the morning session of Day Court.” A fitting way to start this new chapter in my life, I reckon. # # # # # # # # #