,
, and
Praetorian is sitting down in his little room, praying to the Lares and Eudaemones of the house, when he hears a light knock at the door,. “Come in,” he says.
Serenity opens the door, trotting inside. “Hello there, Prae. I heard you were finally moving in with Maize?”
“Yup, that’s the plan,” he says as he stands. “You come here to help?”
“I did.” She smiles. “But I suppose there won’t be much to it. Neither of you have all that much to move.”
“Yes... I’ve never really seen much point in getting lots of ‘stuff’ to keep around,” admits the stallion.
Serenity giggles, and pulls him into a hug. “So, where should we start?”
Maize walks up. “Sorry I’m late. Little Mountain Dew was trying to hang onto my head for dear life.”
“Maize!” Serenity pulls her into the little group hug. “Glad to see you could come. With the three of us, this shouldn’t take any time at all.”
Praetorian, though enjoying the hug, is the first to break it. “It’s good to see you, Maize dear. We only really have a small bit to take across, you don’t need to exert yourself here.”
“Alright. Don’t skimp out on me, at least.” She wobbles a bit as she stretches her various muscles. “I might be pregnant, but that doesn’t mean I can afford to be lazy. I’d hate to go back to work and not be able to do as well.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” he says. “But really, there’s not much to move. Only a few small things, really.”
Serenity nods. “Okay, why don’t Maize and I start by stripping the bed, while you pack away the shrines in the corner?”
“That sounds a good idea,” agrees Praetorian.
Maize nods and moves over to the bed, starting to remove the sheets. “You get the other side, Serenity.”
Serenity does as she is told. “You know, I’ve seen both your rooms. Wouldn’t it have been easier for you to move in here?”
“It’s not like I have that much less stuff. His shrines are the only thing he has that I don’t, and the rooms are the same size.” Maize peels away the bedding until the mattress is completely uncovered.
“Yes. And Flamberge wanted this room, apparently.” Praetorian shrugs a little.
Serenity quirks an eyebrow. “But doesn’t he live right next door? Surely the view can’t be that different over there.”
“Sounds more like he wants to knock the wall down and make his room bigger.” Maize pulls the mattress off and starts looking over it, trying to see how they’re going to carry it to her room.
“That sounds awfully selfish. There are families who don’t even have rooms to themselves yet.” She goes to help Maize with the mattress. “Try rolling it up, I’ll find some cord to hold it together.”
Praetorian nods, a little. “Well... It is his right, as the commander.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s his right, personally.” Maize starts to roll the mattress. “But if Temperance says it’s okay, we can’t really object. We definitely couldn’t make a ruckus as bad as Flamberge, no matter how hard we tried.”
Serenity locates two sturdy lengths of rope in Praetorian’s chest, and ties up the rolled mattress. “Still, it isn’t like you two need that much space, even with a foal on the way.”
“Yes, I don’t think we will need much space.” Praetorian smiles. ‘And that might keep Maize from trying to put me and Serenity together, which will be a bit of a relief to myself.’
“Honestly, these are pretty big rooms. I think all three of us could fit in one, even with a few foals running around.” Maize perches the mattress on her back.
Praetorian flinches, a little, but manages to hide it somehow. “Hmmm, I’m not so sure we would.”
Serenity shows a little blush, but manages to hide it. “Oh, Maize, let me get that.” She moves beside Maize and tries to take the mattress.
“If you’re taking the mattress, I’m taking the frame, and I dunno which is heavier,” Maize points out. “Like I said, I’ll be fine, the work is good for me, and healthy moms produce healthy foals.”
Realizing that the frame would
indeed be heavier, Serenity relents. “Okay. I’ll take the frame, then.”
Maize nods gratefully. “Anything else I can grab, Prae-Prae? I can hold something small in my mouth, at least.”
“No, I think that will be all. I can take these,” he replies. After a second, he says “Well, it might be good if you could grab my spear in your mouth.”
“I’m pretty good at that, aren’t I?” Maize jests, before picking up the weapon.
“I cannot tell a lie; you are indeed quite good,” teases Praetorian back.
Serenity blushes brightly, quite certain that such comments aren’t meant for her ears.
Maize looks over and giggles a little. “You’re allowed to tease too, you know. You’re sort of like a part of the family, anyway.”
She blushes even brighter. “Oh, I-I wouldn’t know anything like
that about either of you...”
Maize lifts her tail, brushing Serenity’s face gently with the end of it. “Oh, I’m sure you have
something to share about me.”
It is now Praetorian’s turn to go bright red, and he makes to leave with the idols.
Maize’s smile fades a little. “I... really wish you two were more comfortable around each other. It makes me feel bad when I make you guys embarrassed.”
Serenity steps in, leaning against Maize. “I know, Maize. But... we just aren’t ready for that. It’s not your fault, I promise.”
“I know. And I’m trying to be patient.” She looks up to Serenity. “It just sorta stinks when I can’t really mess around much because it gets everypony flustered.”
Serenity takes one last glance around to make sure nothing has been left behind, then takes the opportunity to give Maize a gentle nuzzle, lifting her chin. “Well, you and Praetorian can mess around all you want in your new room.”
Maize chuckles a little at that. “I probably will.” She nuzzles Serenity. “Don’t think I’ll forget about you, though.”
Serenity beams, unashamed now that Praetorian is out of earshot. “Of course. I never thought I’d be so glad to have that couch.” She leads Maize out, and down to her room.
Maize stays beside Serenity, helping her keep the bed frame steady. It doesn’t take too long to catch up with Praetorian. “Hey, Prae-Prae.”
“Hey again,” he says, turning his head a little to steady the idols on his back.
Maize, being the one with the least worry about dropping her burden, takes lead so she can open the door. “It’ll be sorta nice having everything in one room. We’ll be nice and cozy.”
“Oh, I’m sure we will,” he says, smiling.
Maize pops open the door and moves aside, letting the other two enter first.
Praetorian stands to the side, letting Serenity and Maize go through first.
Seeing that both of her friends have stood aside for her, Serenity blushes and makes her way inside.
Maize stands for a second or two longer, but decides that Praetorian is not going to move first and heads in.
Praetorian follows Maize in afterwards.
Serenity sets the frame down and proceeds to assemble it beside the one already present. “Well, Flamberge and Crosshair may have a more spacious room, but you two will have a much bigger bed.” She blushes, “I-I suppose you two will be putting it to good use.”
Praetorian, who is busy setting up the idols in the corner, freezes, his face bright red.
Maize giggles a bit. “Yeah, we probably will. I’ve heard I tend to toss and turn a lot in my sleep, so Praetorian will probably want to be as far away from my flailing as possible.”
Praetorian’s face begins to resume its normal colour. “Oh, well, yes, perhaps.”
Serenity forces a grin. “Yes! Yes, that’s it.” She moves to help Maize with the mattress.
Maize finishes placing the mattress and starts working on the sheets with Serenity’s help. “Good to know I can still keep everypony happy, at least.”
Praetorian finishes placing the idols down, and, almost without anypony seeing it, takes a copper piece from a pouch on his side, and lays it in front of the largest idol.
Maize barely notices his movement, and it doesn’t register in her mind that it might be important, seeing as everypony is moving at this point. She continues to tuck the sheets until they’re finished. “Alright, that’s done. Not often you can move an entire room in one go.”
Serenity sits back, looking over the whole room. It certainly looked much more lived-in now. “I wouldn’t know. This is only the second time I’ve had to move anypony.”
“I’ve helped with a few moves as an odd-job. One of the ones I liked more, honestly, and the people who I helped liked me doing it, too.” She sighs contentedly. “Other ponies that got hired would usually try to sneak stuff off instead of moving it all, but I never did that. A lot of ponies ended up paying me a little extra for being trustworthy.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever really moved places. Never had a very permanent home in the army,” says Praetorian.
Serenity looks at each of her friends. “Well, how do you like it? Anything you’d like to rearrange?”
Maize looks around at the room. The lack of decorations and minimal furniture, plus the immense space within, means that the room has little need for rearrangement. There’s just not anything to rearrange. “I think it’s fine as it is. It’s not like there’s much to move.”
“I don’t see anything that should be rearranged,” says Praetorian, before a little smile comes on to his face. From a side pouch he takes two small boxes, hiding the second as best he can and sliding it across the ground to behind Maize’s hoof and tapping it lightly, while the first he moves across to Maize in plain sight. “Maize, I made a little something for you. I was saving it for our engagement...but, well...” The box opens, and inside is a black opal necklace. “I also see you’ve made something for Serenity,” he says with a quick wink.
Maize looks at her own gift with a happy smile and a “Thank you, Prae-Prae,” before she grabs the other box and hands it, a little hesitantly, to Serenity. “Here, I hope you like it...”
Serenity’s breath quickens, and a slight blush creeps into her cheeks as she sees that the box Maize has given her looks
precisely like the one Praetorian just presented to her. Slowly, she lifts the lid. Inside is a citrine ring. “Oh, Maize...” She smiles up at her. “It’s
beautiful.”
“Th-thank you...” Maize half says it to Serenity, half to Praetorian, as she blushes happily. She puts on her own necklace and watches Serenity put on her ring.
Serenity takes a moment to admire the jeweled band around her fetlock, before pulling Maize into a hug. “Thank you very much, Maize. I’ll wear it always.”
Praetorian smiles happily to himself. This would surely work.
Maize hugs her back. “I can’t really take
all the credit... Praetorian helped a bit in getting it. He used his money from being a soldier to buy the gem.” She looks up at Praetorian, curious if she’s actually right.
Praetorian goes along with Maize’s little lie. “Yes, that’s true, though I didn’t know what you wanted it for.”
Serenity begins to process his words. “Maize... this is a bit more than just a token of friendship, isn’t it?”
Maize nods. “I... I really do love you, Serenity. I don’t really know if they’d let us marry one another, since I’m already married to Praetorian, though... but we’ll always have each other anyway, right?”
Slowly, a wide smile creeps across Serenity’s face. “...Yes, we will. Always.” She leans in closer to Maize, but seems to hesitate.
Maize smiles as well, moving her own mouth forward and pressing her lips to Serenity’s, letting them part just a bit as an invitation.
That is all the encouragement Serenity needs. She leans into the kiss, holding it as long as she can.
Praetorian turns his head away, and back to his idols, with a little bit of a sad smile on his face.
Maize lets Serenity take control, just enjoying the kiss for as long as it lasts.
After a few moments more, Serenity breaks the kiss. Noticing Praetorian staring off into space, she releases Maize and gives her a gentle nudge in his direction.
Maize nods silently and slinks over to her husband, carefully wrapping her forehooves around him while trying not to alert him. At the last second, she grips him in a hug and gives him a big kiss on the cheek. “Thank you so much, Prae-Prae. I’ve actually got a gift for you, if you’d like it.”
“Hmmm?” he asks as he turns around. “Sorry, I was just...uh, thinking.”
“Don’t think
too hard, now.” She gives him another kiss. “I asked if you wanted my gift for you.”
“Oh, of course,” he says. “What is it?”
Maize gets up and goes to her drawer, pulling open one of the shelves. From it, she pulls a small cloth bundle, and brings it to Praetorian. “This is very special to me. But you’re
more special to me, now, so I really want you to have it.”
Praetorian looks at the bundle. “What is it?” he asks.
“It’s not much. It was my mother’s, you might be surprised at what it is.” She nudges him. “Go ahead, open it up.”
Praetorian slowly opens up the bundle, being careful not to damage the cloth. It’s not the cloth that turns out to be special, though, it’s the gleaming blade held within, its hilt decorated with gold and gems of many kinds, colors and cuts and its guard inscribed with runes.
“It’s made of silver. I know it’s not your weapon of choice, but... I want you to have it.” She looks up. “It has tasted the blood of evil, and hopefully, with you using it, it might one day protect you from such things.”
Praetorian lifts the blade, looking at it with a sense of awe. “It’s... amazing,” he whispers, turning it over.
Maize smiles. “You like it?”
“Yes... it’s beautiful. Not as beautiful as you, of course, but still a prized weapon,” he says.
Maize carefully hugs him, trying to avoid being too aggressive with the weapon still held between them. “I’m glad you like it. Thank you, Prae-Prae, so much. You’re the best stallion a filly could ever ask for.”
Praetorian carefully puts the weapon to one side, and hugs Maize tightly. “I love you, Maize. There’s naught else I could do.”
“You have a good point, there.” Maize kisses the stallion, even more deeply than she did Serenity just a moment ago. “You already do so much for me.”
Praetorian answers that with another kiss, holding it deeply.
Serenity just sits on the sidelines, happy to let the pair have a few moments together without her butting in.
Maize keeps going, pushing against Praetorian until he falls back onto the bed and lying on top of him.
Serenity blushes hard, but still manages a slight giggle as she slinks towards the door.
Author
Topic: Duskfields (My Little Fortress) (Read 48523 times)