Where the Sunflowers Grow

by Bluespectre

Chapter One - On Unsteady Legs

WHERE THE SUNFLOWERS GROW

CHAPTER ONE

ON UNSTEADY LEGS

It was blissfully quiet, with not even the hoot of an owl to disturb the tranquillity of the moment. The pillows were deep, soft, and just the right temperature - not too warm, not too cold – and carried just the faintest hint of her favourite scent - lavender. Celestia shifted under the covers happily; she’d stayed up with him for hours after he’d finally fallen asleep just to make sure all of this wasn’t some extraordinarily vivid dream she would wake up from at any moment to discover it had all been just that - a dream. He’d been frightened; terrified actually, and in some horrible way, it had been her fault. Pulling him here through the portal had been what they’d both wanted, but their ignorant enthusiasm had very nearly cost Rush his life. Only the quick thinking of the royal mage and the physician had saved him. If she’d lost him, if…if anything had happened after all of that, she didn’t know what she would have done. It was unthinkable! Celestia gave herself a mental shake and rolled over, snuggling into the pillows. It didn’t do to think of dark things like this. What would it accomplish? Had she always been so doubtful of herself? She reached out to touch him…

There was nothing there.

The Princess opened her eyes, “Rush?” A wash of panic sudden began to grip her heart. There was a space on the bed, a still warm spot where he’d lain, and the lingering smell of stallion. Thank goodness, she hadn’t been dreaming after all, but, where was he?

“Bloody hell fire!”

The voice carried to her through the close bathroom door and Celestia lifted her head in concern. “Rush?” she called, “Are you alright?”

There was a barrage of muffled cursing followed by the thump of something heavy,

“Damn it…”

Celestia pulled herself out of the bed and walked to the door, tapping on it lightly, “Rush, I’m coming in…”

“No!” the voice called back, “Don’t! I’m fine, I’m…OW! Damn it all!”

“Rush? What’s going on?”

“Nothing!”

Rush sounded frustrated, annoyed even. The Princess had thought she’d seen most of the sides to him, even in the relatively short time they’d been together, but this was new…and it troubled her. She pressed her ear up to the door; there was the sound of somepony moving, some grunting and snorting sounds, followed by the unmistakable clatter of hoof against tile and a stifled cursing. She closed her eyes, trying to stop herself from forcing the door open,

“Would you like me to send for somepony?” she said trying to keep her voice calm.

“No!” the voice came back. It was quickly followed by a muffled thump, “Yes! Just…make sure he’s a ‘he’, no women!” there was a pause, “Mare’s I mean. No mares!”

“I’ll ask one of the guards.” Celestia called back.

“Please!”

Celestia turned away as the voice called again, more urgently this time, “Quickly!”

Hurrying to the large double doors to her chambers, the Princess poked her head out into the corridor. The two guards snapped to attention; one of them, she was relieved to see, was male.

“Guard? Could you come inside please?” She asked.

The golden armoured stallion replied smartly, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Dutifully, the soldier trotted in, standing stiffly before the white alicorn Princess, his own white coat contrasting with his burnished golden armour and spear. Celestia shook her head; they would have to go - she couldn’t have them banging into things and chipping the porcelain of her newly installed bathroom suite. She held up a hoof encouragingly,

“What is your name, sir?”

He stiffened, “Guardspony Orange Grove, first battalion, second company, Your Majesty.”

Celestia nodded, “Orange Grove, would you please remove your armour? I have need of your services.”

The guard froze, his eyes going wide in surprise, “M…Majesty?” the poor fellow looked almost panic stricken. Eyeing him curiously, the Princess furrowed her brow. Perhaps he hadn’t understood her?

She cleared her throat and repeated her request, “Please, take off your armour.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Celestia smiled to herself. These army types could be so formal, but also a little ‘crude’ at times. She’d overheard their conversations from time to time and they always seemed to revolve around the same topics: partners, gambling, drinking, the various officers they didn’t like, and certain other ‘activities’ she blushed at the thought of. She’d still listened though; you never knew what you might learn that could come in useful at some…

The last piece of armour clanged on the ground, and was rather nervously stacked by the now orange coated stallion standing before her. The magically infused armour which changed the wearer’s appearance was a palace tradition, and one that she had to admit, she was particularly fond of. Orange Grove, a fit and strong stallion in his prime, stood before her looking decidedly nervous. His brown mane and tail, along with his brown eyes made him look just like any other Equestrian. She motioned towards the bathroom,

“Would you mind? My…’friend’…requires your help.”

The stallion blinked in surprise, “Your friend?” he suddenly caught himself, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

She couldn’t help but smirk behind Orange Grove’s back at his reaction to her request. Admittedly it probably did sound a little strange, but Rush needed help and for whatever reason, it apparently required a stallion. In some strange way though, she felt a little unsettled by being snubbed like that; what was wrong with her helping him? Didn’t he trust her?

Orange Grove glanced nervously over his shoulder at the Princess before knocking on the door,

“Hello?”

“Thank the Gods!” Rush’s voice called back, “Come in, but watch the floor.”

“Watch the…?” Celestia began, and tried to peek inside as the door swung open and the guard was admitted. She couldn’t see Rush, he must have been hidden behind the door, but there were towels all over the floor, and water…there was water everywhere! “Rush! Wait, what’s going on! My bathroom!” she squeaked in protest, jumping back as the door slammed shut and the lock clicked into place.

“I’ll clean up.” A muffled voice called back.

Celestia’s heart was racing. What in Equestria was he doing in there? Intrigued, she pushed her ear back up against the door and listened:

“You don’t know how to what?!” It was the guard’s voice.

“I’m…that is, I’ve never…look, it’s not as simple when you’ve…” Rush’s voice faltered in apparent embarrassment, “Look, just show me how to do this, alright?”

The guard’s voice came back a moment later, “I’ve never heard anything like this! But…alright, fine.”

There was the muffled sound of hooves clopping on tiles, more swearing and…

“Right…put your forehooves there. No, not like that, here…there. Now, lower your…not that much!”

There was a sudden and furious barrage of expletives the likes of which Celestia had never heard before, making her blush furiously.

“Right!” Orange Groves voice said, “Try again, but try and keep your balance this time, okay?”

Rush’s voice sounded alarmed all of a sudden, “Is it…is it meant to be like that?”

“You’ve never noticed?!” the guard nearly shouted in surprise, “You…” he sighed, “Never mind. Yes…yes it is.”

Celestia pressed her ear harder against the door.

“What now?” Rush asked.

“Just do what you need to do.” The guard replied, “Or do you need help with that too?”

The Princess grinned. She wasn’t averse to a little sarcasm herself but…

“I’m sure I can manage, thank you.” There was a pause, “Smartarse.”

A few minutes went by with barely a sound.

“Right…” Rush’s voice sounded relieved, “Oh, thank the Gods! I don’t think I could have hung on much longer.” Hooves clopped on tiles. “What now?”

“Push the lever on the right.”

“Right, and then…AGH!”

“Don’t put your hoof in it!”

Celestia listed to the sound of flushing water and held her hoof up to her mouth in embarrassment. So that’s what he was doing?

“There’s soap there, and water.” The guard sounded exasperated, “Make sure you wash your hooves thoroughly…sir.” Hoof steps came closer to the door and Celestia quickly backed away feigning ignorance as the door opened, admitting the guard. He called back over his shoulder, “I’ll send for the maid to clean up the…erm…mess.” Shutting the door firmly behind himself, Orange Grove saluted, “Mission accomplished, Your Majesty. Do you require anything further this morning?”

“This morning?” Celestia glanced out of the window; it was still pitch black outside. She shook her head, “No, thank you Orange Grove. I’ll be sure to put in a good word with the Guards Captain about your assistance tonight.”

The soldier looked a little embarrassed and began collecting his armour, “Thank you, Your Majesty. If you don’t mind though, I’ll put my armour back on in the corridor.”

“Why…yes, of course.” Celestia gave him a wry smile and a nod as he quickly bowed before hurrying from her bedchamber. She settled back on the bed to wait.

The bathroom lock clicked.

Slowly, the door opened once more, followed by the tentative steps of Equestria’s first fully grown foal. Or so the Princess had begun to secretly think of him due to his ponderous gait. She hid her amusement as Rush wobbled uncertainly out of the bathroom. His look of concentration as his legs propelled him forward had her all but biting her foreleg to stifle the laughter; she settle upon hiding her muzzle behind a pillow instead. Eventually, Rush fell into a chair by the fireplace, trying hopelessly to pull and push himself into a comfortable position, while simultaneously dragging at a large towel he’d draped over his back. She stared at it in wonder; was he still damp from washing? How in Equestria did he get his back so wet? Curiosity got the better of her and she got down off the bed to see for herself. Suddenly, Rush jumped in alarm as he saw her coming closer,

“Don’t!”

“Don’t what?” The Princess asked, frowning at his strange behaviour.

Rush pulled furiously at the towel, “Just…don’t look. Please!”

Celestia shook her head, “You’re not making any sense, Rush. Did you bang your head in the bathroom?”

“No!” He lifted a hoof and rubbed at his muzzle, wincing, “Well, yes, sort of, but that’s not what I meant.”

The Princess rolled her eyes in exasperation, “Well whatever it is, you can’t sit there in a towel all night, you’ll catch a chill.” She leaned forward, “Here, I’ll give you a hoof to…”

“No!” He pushed away from her, pulling the towel around himself with a clumsy flailing that kept the Princess at a distance. By the Gods he was infuriating! She’d had enough of this,

“Rush! Will you please calm down?” she said rather more harshly than she intended, “What in Equestria going on? I know you’re confused by everything, but I’m here for you. Have you forgotten that?” She stood tall, every part the ruler of Equestria, but Rush didn’t seem so much cowed by her, as resigned. The brown stallion closed his eyes and sighed,

“Tia…I’m sorry, but…”

“Yes?” She asked.

Rush blushed bright red, “You can…” he swallowed, “you can see…everything.”

“I don’t understand.” Celestia said, genuinely baffled by his words, “See what? Ponies don’t all wear clothes Rush, it’s…”

“That’s not what I meant!” he hissed under his breath, glancing towards the door in case somepony was listening, “You can see…everything!” he waved a hoof towards the towel covered parts of him, “Down…there.” He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully and squeezed himself even more into the chair.

“I…Oh!” The Princess blushed, looking away for a moment. Now it made sense. The alien environment of the human world had been so incredibly different to her own that the fact they’d all worn clothes simply hadn’t registered with her. Clearly this meant far more to Rush than she’d expected; Equestrian’s didn’t wear clothes the way humans did, they had fur to cover them and humans were furless…well, mostly, so it made sense that they wore outer coverings to compensate and keep themselves warm. Still, he was gesturing towards his nether regions and had his eyes shut. The Princess closed her eyes a moment and looked away,

“Rush…are you, embarrassed?”

She could see him blushing furiously, “Yes.” He replied clearing his throat, “Tia, I’m sorry, I didn’t realise everything was…” he took a shuddering breath, “on display.” Rush closed his eyes, willing away the images of the dream where he’d been running through the forest and Celestia was running after him, doubtless able to see…all of him.

“I think you’re mistaking human sensibilities with a pony’s” she said matter-of-factly, “I presume you feel that covering yourself up in clothes is a form of modesty?”

Rush kept silent.

“Did Equines on your world wear clothes?” she asked.

“No, of course not” Rush replied with huff. He stared into the fireplace, “They’re nothing like Equestrian’s Tia, that’s not a fair comparison.”

“But you can still ‘see everything’ cant you?” she raised an eyebrow, “By your definition, I expect you think I’ve been walking around naked and displaying my…’mare parts’, for the whole world to see, yes?”

“No!” he gasped, “Tia, you’re…oh, I don’t know.” He looked like he was going into one of those deep quiet moods she remembered so well from her time with him. She stepped forward quickly, snatching the towel away from him before he had a chance to stop her. Rush gave a startled shriek and tried desperately to strategically move his hooves and legs, succeeding only in…

“Ow! Damn it!” he gingerly moved his hinds legs together and squeezed his eyes shut in pain.

“That may teach you a valuable lesson, Mister Rush.” Celestia said flicking her mane, “I’ll expect more ‘appropriate’ behaviour from you as my consort in future.”

“Your…your what?” he gasped, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Celestia’s eyes glinted in the light, “I can’t keep you locked in here forever, especially as word is more than likely already out about you.” She poked the fire back into life, looking back at him over her shoulder, “I thought it best to introduce you as my consort. That should stop any wagging tongues in their tracks.”

“I don’t think so.” Rush replied trying to wipe the sweat from his face, “I don’t know about Equestrian’s, but you introduce me as your consort and there’ll be more tongues wagging than a dog with two tails.”

“And?” She asked nonchalantly.

Rush looked up, “What do you mean, ‘and’?”

Celestia sighed, “Do you think it matters? Do you think that my people will lose their respect for me because I have a special somepony?”

Rush hung his head and scrubbed his mane, “I don’t know. I don’t understand courts and royalty, but I do know about gossipers though, and the damage they can do.”

“Gossip will always exist as long as there are tongues in ponies mouths.” Celestia reasoned, “Let them talk, you’ll be old news before the end of the week.”

Rush took a breath and sighed, “I hope you’re right, Tia.” He winced suddenly, “Do you mind, you know…looking away while I get off the chair? My back’s killing me.”

“Yes I do.”

“I’m sorry?” Rush stared at her.

Celestia let out an exasperated breath, “Rush, I am going to stand here and you are going to get off that chair.” She lifted her head, her rainbow mane flowing out like a living river behind her, “I am going to stand here” she announced imperiously, “and I am going to watch you.”

“You can’t!” Rush nearly shouted, “Tia, please!”

“The Rush I know is quietly spoken, brave and forthright.” She replied, “A man, or rather, a pony, who fought a demonic beast from another world without hesitation to save his friends.” She stomped a hoof, “You are more of a stallion than you are acting now.” Celestia’s horn began to glow, “Get out of that chair sir!”

In a flurry of legs, his embarrassment forgotten, if only temporarily, Rush shot out of the chair like a cork from a bottle and found himself standing before the alicorn Princess. He didn’t know where to look, but Celestia did. Horrifyingly, her magic glowed, lifting the armchair off the floor and moving it aside leaving him standing in the middle of the rug, very much in his ‘natural’ state. The Princess raised an eyebrow,

“Now, let’s see what all the fuss is about shall we?”

Rush somehow found himself riveted to the spot, and eyed the door longingly. If he thought his new legs would bear him to them, he would…

“Chin up.”

He did so automatically, responding to the Princess’s words as if she were his mistress and he her stallion. He gritted his teeth and let her walk around him, humming and prodding, poking and…she lifted his tail, making his withers shiver. He could hear her muttering to herself, but kept himself standing stiff and rigid until she came around the other side. Celestia walked past him to the bedside table and poured out two glasses of something that smelled fruity and…delicious! Rush’s nose twitched; apparently it was a lot more sensitive than his human nose had ever been. By comparison he’d all but had to shove the thing into something to smell it properly, but this…this was incredible!

“Here.” She floated the glass over to him, “I’ll put it on the table for you, shall I?”

Rush nodded, taking a half step and finding he wasn’t quite as wobbly as he’d expected. Celestia raised an eyebrow,

“It’s elderberry liqueur,” she said in a disinterested voice, “it’s my favourite, and one I only drink with friends.” She gave him a meaningful look.

Rush froze.

The Princess lifted her glass with her magic and sipped her drink before setting it down before her. Sinking to her haunches, she waved a hoof at him to do the same. Now this, he could do.

“You may be surprised to learn, Rush” Celestia said pleasantly, “that you look perfectly normal.” Rush opened his mouth to speak, but the Princess raised a hoof, stopping him, “You are a stallion, an earth pony, and you look physically like every other stallion in Equestria. I don’t know how things are in the human world, I can only speak for my brief stay there, but I imagine you don’t go around staring at each others private areas like…like dogs in season!”

Rush’s mouth hung open in shock, and now Celestia looked just as scandalised as he felt, and yet…she had a point. Was he being foolish? Was he little more than a human’s mind in a pony’s body? But…but he’d known he was different since childhood, that he was meant to be who he was now all along, just…trapped, trapped in a body he was never meant to be in. In his dreams of Equestria, he’d never been embarrassed to run, to roll and to frolic, but…but to be here, like this in front of such a beautiful creature as this! It just…it was…

Celestia lifted the glass to his lips with her magic and let him take a sip. She watched as he closed his eyes while the flavour, so sweet and warming, flowed into his mouth. Rush groaned.

“Good?” the Princess asked knowingly.

Rush nodded, “Aye.” He licked his lips, “Tia, I’m sorry. I won’t lie to you, I’m finding this…” he waved a hoof meaningfully, “a lot to take in. It may take some time for me to find my fee- I mean hooves, and,” he hung his head shyly, “I hope you’ll tolerate me while I do.”

“Tolerate you?” Celestia shook her head in amazement, “Is that how you think I see you, as some sort of annoyance, Rush?”

“Not in so many words,” Rush began, “but Tia, look at me! I can barely stand on my own two,” he shook his head, “four hooves, and I can’t even use the bloody toilet without help.” He closed his eyes and looked away from her, “I feel useless to you.” He sounded distant, lost and alone, “I never wanted…to be a bur-”

“-If you dare finish that sentence and say you are a burden, Rush, I shall bend you over and tan your rump raw!” Celestia watched him with a gaze that brooked no dissent. Wisely, he kept quiet. The Princess smiled gently and gave him a nuzzle, “I know you’re frightened Rush, but this is your home, and this,” she touched his cream mane with her hoof, “is your body.” Celestia stood back and beamed at him, “This is how you should have been born, and you even have your mark. Did you notice?”

“My what?” Rush looked puzzled.

Celestia turned her flank to him and lifted a hind leg, “My cutie mark is the sun, surely you noticed?”

“I always thought it was a tattoo of some kind, like a sort of tribal marking” Rush explained, flushing slightly at the Princess’s gesture, “Are you saying you’re born with one?”

Celestia shook her head, “No, you’re not born with one, but…” she shrugged, “it’s complicated. Think of it as a sort of ‘coming of age’ ceremony, as you said you had in your world.”

Rush tried to get a look at his flank, nearly colliding with the furniture in the process. If he looked carefully, and lifted his leg just so, “There’s a picture there!” he exclaimed, “There’s one on the other side too!” And there was: two identical mirror images of three bulrushes, and…and they looked good too! He found he was grinning idiotically until he met Celestia’s sparkling eyes once more.

“I see you found them.” She tittered.

Rush blushed rose red, his ears burning with embarrassment. Celestia didn’t seem to mind though; she just lifted his glass once again and let him finish it.

“Tomorrow,” she said walking towards the bed with a slight yawn, “I’m going to find somepony to help you. I’m afraid I have matters of state to attend to today, but…I’ll think of something.” She staggered, all but collapsing into the bed before dragging herself atop the covers, “Are you coming?”

Rush nodded, awkwardly walking up to the bed and paused, lifting his hoof and hesitated,

“I’ll…”

“-Sleep in the bed.” Celestia finished for him, “It’s big enough, and you need to keep warm too. Doctors orders, remember?” She gave him one of ‘those’ looks, “Unless you’d rather I slept on the floor instead?”

Rush shook his head.

“Good, now stop being silly, you’re not in that stuffy world any more Rush.” Celestia said, moving the covers aside to let him in, “Here, you can be the pony you want to be.” She smiled sleepily, tucking the covers in around him, “And I’ll be here for you, so long as you need me.”

Rush took a deep breath as a warm sensation surged through his chest. Instinctively, he leaned towards the Princess and pushed his muzzle into her warm fur; she felt so comforting and wonderfully soft…He sighed, quickly forgetting all his worries and concerns; they all seemed so petty now, didn’t they? Gods above, had he learned nothing in his life? Silently he cursed the plethora of restrictive conventions and ludicrous societal rules he’d grown up with - they’d hamstrung countless people in his village over the years and seemed to have been created as more of a way to control their thoughts and behaviour, stifling their growth and creativity, than anything practical. Gods forbid one of the drones actually started to think for themselves! What would the Lord do? After all, wasn’t that why precisely why he’d cast village life aside to live life in the forests of the mountains, to live his life as he saw fit away from those sorts of rules? Dear Gods, even here his past still tainted him, and yet, as he moved into the Princess’s warm body, he couldn’t help but groan slightly at how wonderful it felt to feel his body against hers; his Princess, his mare. By the all the Gods and spirits of his old world and this, how he loved her…

Silently, Celestia smiled to herself, enjoying the comforting feeling of another beside her. It had been such a long time since she’d done this; In fact the only ones she’d ever done this with were mother and…Luna…She closed her eyes and sighed; she didn’t want to think of Luna right now. It was fully dark outside still, the moon riding high in the sky, but it was when it was like this, when it was quiet, dark and still, that her mind wandered unbidden back to that darkest of times, reminding her of what she had done. What she had done…

Beside her, Rush mumbled something and stretched a foreleg over her, snuggling against her back. That simply act, so gentle and loving, instantly dispelled the bitter memories that threatened to intrude into Celestia’s mind. Distracted, she nuzzled the muscular leg and took in his scent: he smelled…wonderful. It was quite different from what she remembered of her time in the human world, which wasn’t that surprising really now that he was a stallion, but regardless, it was still…Rush. She smiled and closed her eyes, slowing her breathing and heart rate as she gradually drifted into a restful sleep. This wasn’t a dream, it wasn’t a fantasy conjured up by her lonely imagination - he was here, beside her, and she would never let him go. Selfish maybe? She grinned to herself - yes, yes it was, and she didn’t care at all. Why should she? She kissed his leg and snuggled herself into him. Celestia, the Princess of the sun, had found her special somepony, and brought him home at last.

Comments

[DutchFeuer]

My my, what a great start keep up the work my dear friend!