Five Weeks Later (Week 16)-

“Ergh!” Gleaming wiggled and squirmed as she fought the straps of armor around her belly. “Come on, you stupid thing! Fit!” She tugged harder to get the strap to go all the way, but even with it so tight that it left red marks, it remained centimeters shy. “Oh, for Luna’s sake... I just adjusted this last week!”

“Looks like you need to adjust it again,” Cadance said from over on the couch. “Both the flanchard straps and the crupper, I think. Your hips look like they’re about to burst right out of that armor.”

Gleaming’s eyes widened. She looked at her rump, groaning as she now realized how tight the back pieces felt. It was a wonder she’d gotten them on at all.

“Damn it…” There was a hum and a FLASH as Gleaming teleported out of her armor. “I don’t have time for this! It’s going to take at least a half-hour for the armorer to refit me, and I need to go in a few minutes!”

“So go without the armor,” Cadance said. “Not much you can do at this point. Or send word to Commander Spitshine to cover for you.”

Gleaming’s jaw dropped. “Are you crazy?! Leave a lecture on reactive adjustment of greater arcanometric pressures to that moron?! He couldn’t even put a barrier around his dick!”

Cadance bit back a laugh. “I’ll admit he prefers bigger and flashier spells, but I’m sure he can explain—”

“He’s a damned blithering idiot!” Gleaming picked up her fallen armor pieces and shoved them into her saddlebags. “Not to mention that he has less discipline than a crackwhorse at an orgy! You should’ve seen what he did just the other day—I specifically told him I wanted the recruits doing magic resistance training at fifty reps daily to strengthen their telekinesis, and how many does he tell them to do?! Forty-five! Oh, he says they can’t handle fifty so he’s trying to work them up to it, but I say I’m ready to shove a bayonet up his ass!”

Cadance pursed her lips. She stayed quiet as Gleaming paced back and forth, magenta sparks jetting from her horn.

“And holy hell, these recruits! Slack-jawed, mouth-breathing, cowardly little bags of smashed assholes! They can barely maintain a level five forcefield, none of them are above a Class A in power, and fuck’s sake, they ask me the STUPIDEST questions! One of the little geniuses thought it was a good idea to use a Gamma rune instead of a Theta in their containment array, and the forcefield popped like a damn soap bubble after only two dozen boulders! That wouldn’t last for SHIT in a real siege!”

Cadance noted the room was getting warmer. She folded her hooves and lay calmly on the couch, her eyes never leaving Gleaming.

“And Luna almighty, another couldn’t recite the formula for Starswirl’s Second Law of Abjuration!” Gleaming’s eyes were crackling now. “Never mind that that’s the fucking foundation of what I’ve been trying to teach them, oh nooooooo, that’s not important at all! They have no pride in their appearance, their techniques are sloppy, they never polish the brass on their uniforms, and I swear to Celestia I’m about ready to—”

“Honey.”

Gleaming whirled on her. “WHAT?!”

“You’re on fire.”

Gleaming stopped. For the first time, she noticed the shimmering heat and blazing magic within her. She glanced at the mirror and saw that her mane and tail were bright blue infernos, her irises pure gold.

Gleaming cursed and quelled her magic. “Sorry...”

Cadance got to her hooves and went over to her closet, pulling out the regalia and crown she wore whenever they left the castle. “I think you need a break—actually, scratch that, I’m telling you that you need a break. For the sake of everypony around you, I want you to take the day off.”

Gleaming sneered. “A break?! I don’t need a fucking break! What I need is a set of armor that fits me, a contingent of soldiers that aren’t morons, a second-in-command who doesn’t have SHIT for brains, and—”

Annnnnnnnnd Gleaming repeated the words she’d just said in her mind.

She hung her head and sighed. “...Okay, maybe I do.”

“C’mon.” Cadance guided her towards the door. “I know just the thing.”

“But the troops—”

“—can handle a day without their fearless leader,” Cadance said with a nuzzle. “If anypony has a problem, they can take it up with me. You need this right now.”

“Mrrrgghh…” Gleaming grit her teeth. “I’m not used to… you know I’m not usually… I didn’t mean...”

“I know.” Cadance put a wing around her. “It’s okay, really. I know this isn’t you.”

Gleaming slumped. “Stupid… body. Stupid everything. I swear, I wouldn’t be able to deal with this if you weren’t so into it.”

Cadance leaned over and nibbled Gleaming’s ear. “I most definitely am.”

Gleaming rolled her eyes. “Such a perv.”

Cadance looped their tails together. “You know you like it.”

“Never said I didn’t…”

They walked out of their apartment and down the hallway. Their usual escorts fell into step as they made their way down through the castle, guards and staff bowing and saluting as they passed.

“Dr. Endo took my measurements yesterday,” Gleaming muttered to Cadance. “He said I’ve gained twenty pounds already, and my fundal height is measuring at twenty-eight centimeters. Do you realize what that means? I haven’t even hit my first real growth spurt yet, and I already look seven months pregnant!”

Cadance giggled. “Oh, I know... I’ve had a front row seat to it all. Were the tummy rubs not enough of a hint of that?”

Gleaming bit her lip. “I didn’t think that those would feel so good…”

“You’re getting big early because of the spells,” Cadance said. “Normally your uterus would push both inward and outward as it grows, squishing all your other organs and making you uncomfortable. But we strengthened your insides a bit to avoid that, so the foals are pushing out more. That’s why your skin’s been so sore.”

Gleaming grunted. “I’ve been liking that coconut butter stuff you’ve been using. Smells good.”

Cadance smirked. “I kinda figured, considering you’ve been putting a touch of it on your muzzle after showers.”

Gleaming didn’t deny it. “I-I just can’t believe how fast this is all happening…”

Cadance guided them down a set of stairs towards the main door outside. “I did warn you that things were going to happen fast. Warned you were going to be huge, too.”

Gleaming looked away. “It’s another thing to experience it, y’know? I know I’m having this a lot easier than it could be, but even still, I just… ugh...”

Cadance kissed her cheek. “I love you so very, very much. Never forget that.”

Gleaming closed her eyes and leaned into the embrace. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“You were the first with the balls to ask me out, you’re a demon in the sack, and you most importantly, you put up with my crazy shit.”

“Ah. Right.”

Ding-a-ling-a-ling!

The entrance bell gave a pleasant sound as Gleaming and Cadance entered a small blue building on the edge of the city. Inside was a spacious waiting room decorated in colors of violet and cobalt with long curtains of sparkling moss hanging from the ceiling like chandeliers. The clean scent of lilacs was in the air, and a harp-like instrument could be heard playing a melody from unseen speakers.

“Azure Mist Day Spa?” Gleaming read aloud the cursive logo on the reception desk. “I don’t think I’ve been here before.”

Cadance waved at the pony at the front desk. “I’d have been surprised if you had. This is one of the best kept secrets of the Empire.”

“Princess Cadance!” The pony behind the counter squee’d and clapped her hooves. “Welcome back! So good to—ohmygoshisthat—AHHHHH! You brought her! And she looks so cuuuuuute~! Welcome, welcome, welcome!”

Gleaming winced at the mare’s high-pitched voice. “Uh…”

“Don’t mind Azzy. She gets excited easily.” Cadance cleared her throat and stepped forward. “It’s great to see you! How are you?”

Azzy tittered. “Things never change around here! Business as usual and nothing more. But what about you? I haven’t seen you in months! And I know I’ve never seen you, Miss Princess-Consort. What’s the occasion?”

Cadance exchanged a brief look with Gleaming before shrugging. “I decided we both could use some R and R.”

“Of course, of course.” Azzy trotted out with a clipboard and jotted down a few notes. “What would you like today? The usual?”

Cadance raised a hoof to her chin. “I know there’ll be some things that Gleaming won’t be able to do, so we can skip on those parts. Definitely everything else though, and we’d like to do as much as we can together.”

“Righty-o.” Azzy circled a few things on the paper while crossing out a few others. “So that’s a nix on the aromatherapy, hot tub and steam room, but we could do a normal warm bath or multi-spray shower in lieu of it.”

Gleaming’s ears drooped. “No hot tub?”

“It’ll still be in one of the jacuzzis with the nice-feeling jets,” Cadance said to her. “They just turn down the temperature. I’ve seen them do it for other mares.”

Gleaming perked up at that. “That’s all?”

Azzy laughed. “Not hard in the slightest.”

“Oh! Well, in that case, that sounds really nice.” Gleaming smiled. “Let’s do that.”

Azzy continued filling things out on her clipboard. “So facials, hooficures, horn filings, wing preening and oiling for one, mild-scent soaps and shampoos for Princess Gleaming, and of course, the massages. One deep tissue and one neonatal. You’re actually in luck—the only one in today certified in neonatal is Amber, and she happens to be free! She’ll need to know how far along in your pregnancy you are, though. What month are you?”

“Fourth.” Gleaming placed a hoof on her rounded tummy. “Just hit sixteen weeks.”

“Sixt—” Azzy did the smallest of double takes. “Right, right… you’ve got four in there. Heh, that’ll be new for Amber. Right then, all that’s settled. Do either of you have questions?”

Gleaming and Cadance shook their heads.

“Fabulous.” Azzy turned and began heading for a hallway. “Follow me.”

Azzy led them towards a quick-responding elevator, which opened and closed its doors with a gentle chime. It then began to take them down, and when the doors opened again...

Gleaming gasped. “Whoa...”

It was a cavern. A natural, underground crystal cavern. It began as a wide grotto with high ceilings and smooth floors, spreading out far with interspersed stalactites and stalagmites embedded with luminous jewels. Crystal formations of all colors were everywhere, each of them meticulously chiseled and sculpted into artful shapes that glinted and glittered. There were a number of pathways leading out of the main antechamber to other caves, and ponies wearing bathrobes could be seeing moving to and fro via these routes. The sound of running water could be heard from far off, the smell of perfume was in the air, and a thin blue mist floated throughout like a serene carpet.

Cadance grinned. “Not bad, eh?”

“How in the…” Gleaming turned to Cadance. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?”

“I’ve told you several times,” Cadance said with a patient look. “You said you weren’t interested in coming to a day spa.”

“You never said it was like this!” Gleaming gestured to the natural beauty before them. “This is amazing!”

Azzy laughed from just ahead of them. “Her Majesty approves of my little establishment? I’m flattered.”

Gleaming cocked her head. “You’re... the owner?”

Azzy turned with a small flourish and bowed. “Azure Mist, at your service.”

It took a few seconds for Gleaming to find her voice again. “...Why were you working the front desk?”

“Azzy likes being on the front lines,” said Cadance. “Give her a feel for what her customers want.”

“Customer service is the key to business!” said Azzy. “If you have that sorted, everything else works itself out.”

Gleaming didn’t know what to say. She tried a few times to form a reply, but nothing seemed like it’d hold against Azzy’s air of confidence. Her posture was tall and sure, her smile honest.

“You must be quite the professional,” Gleaming managed.

Azzy beamed and led them further into the spa. “I just know what’s important, that’s all.”

They walked some way through the caves. There were pools, massage tables, steam rooms, and reclining beds, many of which were occupied by relaxing ponies chatting and unwinding in the mist. The employees that saw the royal duo waved and bowed as they passed, and while Gleaming noted that while a good deal of eyes were on her, they seemed more curious more than anything else.

They moved out of the public parlors into a more private area, stopping at a set of doors emblazoned with Cadance’s cutie mark. After searching through her saddlebags a moment, Azzy produced a set of keys and unlocked it.

The rooms beyond looked like they could’ve been an extension of Cadance and Gleaming’s apartment. The overall style and color scheme was the same, although the ceilings were higher and set with bright, shining jewels. A stone garden with flower sculptures was off in the corner and surrounded by a carpet of moss that looked as soft as heather. All of the features of the spa they’d seen so far were present (albeit more luxurious) and everything was alicorn-sized.

Gleaming whistled. “Snazzy.”

Azzy motioned for them to go inside. “I’ll leave you to get comfortable. The staff will see to you shortly.”

Cadance waved at her. “You’re the best, Azzy!”

Azzy just laughed. “Why else would you keep coming back to me?”

And with that she closed the door, leaving Gleaming and Cadance in the suite.

“So…” Gleaming looked around, still taking in the details of their new surroundings. “You’ve got a private room at a secret underground day spa.”

Cadance held up her hooves. “I didn’t have anything to do with the place being built! I didn’t even ask for this room! Azzy just gave it to me.”

Gleaming wandered over to one of the beds to examine it. “Aww, the crystal ponies like to spoil their pretty pink princess.”

Cadance laughed despite herself. “Yeah well, the pretty pink princess is now going to use it to spoil her pretty pregnant partner.”

“Heh. ‘Pretty pregnant.’” Gleaming looked down at her sizeable baby bump. She hadn’t had many issues with discomfort, but carrying so much extra weight was tiring her out more easily. “I’d say that that’s accurate.”

Cadance took a few steps forward with an all-too-familiar look. “You look great, you know. I know I say it I lot, but you really, really do. I get hot and bothered every time I notice that you’ve grown a bit more, and it makes me wanna kiss and rub and lick every inch of you…”

A smile crept up on Gleaming’s lips. She slowly turned to her advancing mate, allowing a bit of her mane to spill over one of her eyes. “That so?”

“Mmhmm.” Cadance’s wings crept outward, extending to their impressive span. “You’re driving me stark freaking crazy with that body of yours, and you’re not even at the halfway point yet. I can barely keep my hooves off of you these days, and the only thing I can’t decide is whether to rut you as a stallion for hours or eat you out ‘til I can’t feel my tongue.”

“Hmph.” Gleaming pretended not to be interested and turned away, walking towards one of the massage beds with a bored look. As she did, she put a small strut in her steps that emphasized her twitching tail. “I bet if you had your way, you’d keep me at home all the time so we could have that much more sex. Would we even leave the apartment at all?”

Cadance’s voice was low and breathy. “I’d fuck you twenty-four seven if I thought we could manage it. I’d make your tolerance for pleasure endless so I could fill you over and over, and I’d alter your body so you could become pregnant countless times over. You’d become the most fertile mare in Equestria, only getting more so by the day…”

Gleaming bit back a moan. She quickly coughed and made it look like a yawn, but she knew Cadance heard. She wiggled her hips and tried not to pay attention to how much she was shivering. “But how would you manage that, hmm? That nasty curse of Sombra’s is why we’re in this situation in the first place. We can’t have any more children.”

“I’ll find a way.” Cadance was now only a few steps away from Gleaming, bent down low and ready to pounce. “By all that’s good in this world, I’ll find a way! So long as you’re willing, we will have more children than this. I don’t care what we have to do.”

That statement struck a chord for some reason. Gleaming turned and met Cadance’s eyes, who almost look like she was bowing from her current position. The thought made Gleaming stand a little taller, as she looked down with piercing eyes.

“Promise me.”

Cadance didn’t hesitate. “I promise.”

Gleaming held her gaze a long time, but Cadance didn’t waver. The spark in her eyes burned strong.

“Then in that case...” Gleaming stroked her growing belly. “I think that that nurse was right. Four’s not nearly enough.”

And Cadance pounced. She picked Gleaming up with a burst of blue magic and shunted her onto the bed. Gleaming suddenly found herself staring up at the ceiling, hind legs spread and presented before Cadance like an offering. Cadance dove into Gleaming’s nethers with a shark-like grin, lapping away like a pony dying of thirst.

“OH!” Gleaming’s voice cracked. “OH, YES!”

Cadance growled. She wrapped her hooves around Gleaming’s back legs and shoved her snout in hard, burying and wiggling her tongue in Gleaming’s slippery folds. The familiar sweetness of Gleaming’s juices filled her mouth, the familiar scent of need assailed her nostrils, and it just spurred Cadance on faster. She alternated between massaging her mate’s velvety walls and sucking on her clit—

There was a knock on the door.

“NO!” Gleaming’s horn glowed as she put a powerful barrier around the entrance. “CADY I SWEAR IF YOU STOP…”

Cadance’s reply was to lick even faster.

“FFFFFFFUCK!” Gleaming pounded the bed. She humped Cadance’s face while her tail thrashed. “OOOOH THERE! THERETHERETHERE! RIGHT THERE!”

Cadance was relentless. She ravaged Gleaming with her frantic tongue without mercy or pause. The taste of Gleaming was familiar, but damn if she couldn’t get enough. She nosed and tickled Gleaming’s clit for a few seconds until suddenly, she pulled back and carefully lowered her head. She peeled back the petals of Gleaming’s flower with magic, then in a fluid motion, she plunged her horn into Gleaming’s slit.

Gleaming lost it. She screamed loud and long as a mighty orgasm ripped through her. Her inner walls spasmed around Cadance’s fluted length, clamping down and shuddering. Cadance started channeling an unknown spell through her horn, and the vibrations very nearly caused Gleaming to white out.

“My dear sweethearts...” On a whim, Cadance called upon on her alicorn magic and willed it forth. They wouldn’t know for sure for another month at least, but a part of her knew that this was the right thing to do. “Hush now… Mommy’s here…”

A hot, syrupy essence bubbled out of her horn. It seeped into Gleaming to imbue her and the foals, and an inner light soon appeared from within Gleaming’s belly. It shone with a prismatic light for a few short seconds, and her navel, which had already been getting shallower and more sensitive the last weeks, now began to swell and throb. A shower of sparks shot out of Gleaming’s horn to fall down over them both in a glittering burst, and Gleaming cried out and thrust her paunch high into the air. With a loud POP, her innie pushed out of its tight prison to become a prominent outie.

Gleaming went limp. She gasped for air while staring up at the ceiling, her whole body warm and fuzzy. Cadance withdrew her horn with a soft shlick and looked her over, and upon noticing the changed bellybutton, she smiled and planted a kiss atop it.

Gleaming jolted. “AH! Whoa, what… what was that?!”

Cadance raised an eyebrow. “That feel good?”

“Your Majesties!” called a voice from beyond the door. “Miss Azure Mist sent us! Could you let us in? The door seems to be locked!”

Cadance winced and glanced at the barricaded door. “Please tell me you soundproofed that.”

Gleaming managed a weak laugh. “What do you take me for? An amateur?”

Cadance pretended to think. “I dunno, your shield spells are pretty basic.”

“Pfft.” Gleaming magicked away her fluids and rolled to a more modest position. “Your face is basic.”

Cadance stuck her tongue out and cleaned off her horn. “C’mon. We don’t want to start a panic.”

Gleaming hesitated. “You don’t want me to get you off?”

“Later.” Cadance went over to the other bed to sit down. “It’s pampering time right now.”

The previously-vacant room was soon filled with the hustle and bustle of spa ponies. They brought in a whole slew of equipment with them, most of them items to see to Cadance and Gleaming’s grooming. They explained that it was going to take them a bit to set up everything, so while they were waiting, one of the spa ponies began adjusting the settings on one of the jacuzzis.

“Nice!” Gleaming stretched her legs and sauntered over to the hot tub. After testing it with a hoof, she carefully stepped down and waded in, the sudsy water bubbling and splashing around her knees and thighs. When it got to her swollen belly, she let out a long sigh of relief.

“Mmmm…” She lowered herself in the rest of the way. She submerged up to her neck and let her mane spread out on the water like a blue-streaked island. Her legs became relieved of a good chunk of the weight they’d been carrying, and she just floated there for a few moments as the water swirled around her. “Yeaaaaah, that’s goooooood…”

Cadance stepped down into the water as well and swept past Gleaming, stealing a peck on the cheek as she went by. She sat on one of the bench seats and let her mane fall down into the water like Gleaming, closing her eyes with a small hum.

“Would your Majesties like to be washed while you wait?” Two of the spa ponies asked. In their magic was a small collection of soaps, shampoos, and brushes.

Cadance fanned out her wings so they could be cleaned. “Could you use the hazelnut oil today? I really liked that last time.”

“Of course,” the first spa pony said. She went over to Cadance and began attending to her with a practiced ease. Meanwhile, the second came up from the side and bowed.

“I have some special shampoos for you,” she said. “They’re mild-scented and specifically made for sensitive skin.”

Gleaming smiled. “That is much appreciated.”

The attendant took out a fluffy-looking sponge and wet it in the water. There was a clinking of bottles as she chose among her selection before pulling out a yellow one with a label in slanted cursive. She squeezed out a healthy dollop of the faintly-sweet soap and began scrubbing Gleaming’s back.

“Just relax,” the attendant said. “I’ll handle the rest.”

Gleaming shut her eyes and leaned into the sponge. The attendant’s touch was like a feather, knowing exactly how much force to apply without irritating. Gleaming soon found herself falling into a lull, the rising steam of the water combining with the light aroma and comfort of the gentle scrubbing.

The attendant started washing her mane. Switching to just magic, she began massaging a shampoo of rosemary and mint into Gleaming scalp. It felt pleasantly tingly, and Gleaming’s head soon fell forward a bit, allowing herself to enjoy the warm buzzing of the product sinking into her roots.

“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Cadance teased from beside her.

Gleaming made a small grunting noise. “Sleep is for the weak…”

Cadance chuckled. “Guess you must be pretty weak then, what with all those extra naps you’ve been taking.”

Gleaming cracked open one eye. “You try eating five full meals a day without falling prey to food comas.”

Cadance leaned to the side at her attendant’s urging. “Speaking of which, I’ve heard through the grapevine that you’ve been making a bit of a spectacle of yourself in the officer mess hall. What’s that about?”

“Oh, heh. That.” Gleaming idly pushed the water around a bit with magic. “The other officers have an ongoing bet that if any one of them can eat more than me in a single sitting, that pony won’t have to pay for drinks the next time they all go to the bar. Pretty silly, in all honesty.”

Cadance suppressed a snicker. “More like flat-out stupid. I’ve seen how much you can eat, and you’ve only been upping your portions! They don’t stand a chance in Tartarus.”

Gleaming snickered as well. “And here’s the kicker—I’ve been using more magic in drills lately, so I’m even hungrier when I come in. It’s getting to the point that they can’t even match half what I put away.”

Cadance lowered her eyes, shivering at the thought of Gleaming eating a group of big, strong military ponies under the table. She wasn’t entirely sure why that idea was hot to her, but she’d long stopped trying to understand such things.

The attendant finished with Gleaming’s mane and tail, before using a few other soaps on the rest of her. For her belly, she used a collagen-rich oil that smelled of vanilla, which was probably Gleaming’s favorite scent out of all the things used. After a few more final touch-ups, the royals were notified that everything else was ready.

“What’s first?” Gleaming asked as she dried herself off.

“Massages.” Cadance wiggled her wings to sluice out the tiny droplets of water. It was actually funny to see her wings like that—like a pair of sodden pink mats that dangled at her sides. “You’ll be getting a different one than me, though.”

Gleaming nodded. “Yeah, ‘deep tissue’ doesn’t sound very appealing right now.”

A duo of crystal ponies were already waiting for them over the beds. Cadance went to the first and immediately began chatting away while the second approached Gleaming with a slight hobble in her step.

“Princess Gleaming,” she said in a deep, smooth voice. “My name’s Amber. I’ll be giving you your prenatal massage today.”

Amber was a small and wiry thing with a brown coat, an almost gaunt frame, corded limbs, and a reddish mane and tail tied back in ponytails. She was an older mare, probably a little past middle-aged, and her eyes held a kindness that immediately set Gleaming at ease.

Gleaming took Amber’s hoof and shook it, noting the hard, toned muscle of the masseuse’s leg. “I’ve a feeling I’m going to be in good hooves with you.”

Amber looked Gleaming over as well, examining her legs and frame with a trained eye. “Your body seems to be agreeing with the pregnancy so far. That’s good. I have to turn some mares down because they’re just not well enough for it. Has your doctor said anything about not getting a massage?”

Gleaming shook her head. “Only to avoid steam rooms and hot tubs.”

“Right.” Amber led Gleaming over to the massage table and directed her to lay down on her side. “Is there any particular part of you that’s sore?”

Gleaming eased herself onto the bed and got comfortable. “Not really. The skin around my stomach feels irritated, though.”

Amber snorted. “I wonder why.” She brought over a few pillows and put them beneath Gleaming’s shoulders and legs. “I’ll be sure to give your tummy lots of love as I go through the motions, so don’t worry about that. I can also hydrate your skin with some special lotions, too.”

Gleaming’s ears twitched at the word ‘lotion’. “Do you… erm, I mean, by chance are you planning on using coconut butter?”

“Among other things, yes. Why?”

Gleaming’s cheeks turned a faint pink. “I really like the smell of it…”

Amber thought for a moment. She turned to a small basket of supplies she’d brought and rummaged around a bit. A few seconds later, she opened up a silver jar and held it under Gleaming’s nostrils.

“What do you think of that?”

A sweet, spicy aroma filled Gleaming’s nose, one that reminded her of fall days when the leaves were just falling and the wind was still warm. It was similar to a perfume her mother always wore in autumn.

“Wow...” Gleaming looked up at Amber. “What is it?”

“Coconut butter infused with frankincense and myrrh,” Amber replied. “It’s a little more fragrant than what I usually use in prenatals, but we can give it a whirl if you like it.”

“Yes, please.”

Amber moved out of Gleaming’s sight, and a moment later, she felt a pair of strong hooves spread a slippery substance onto her back. The scent of the infused lotion wafted past Gleaming’s nostrils as she relaxed further into the bed. She felt her mane being pulled to the side and tied back so it wouldn’t get in the way, the cool air of the room tickling the swan-like arc of her neck.

“That’s really nice,” she murmured. “Your Princess approves...”

Amber snickered. “You’re going to be putty in my hooves, aren’t you?”

“Mmm, probably…”

Amber started by pressing lightly along the base of Gleaming’s spine. She then began making her way up to gently knead the back muscles and work out any kinks she found. She did this a few times going back and forth in a methodical motion, each time she pressing a little harder. She always kept her touch on the soft side, though, and it was never so much that it was bothering.

“You have very good muscle tone,” Amber said after a time. She twisted her hooves a little bit with her touches now to loosen up the tight spots. “Whatever you’re doing, keep it up. It’ll help you support the extra baby weight.”

Gleaming felt like she was melting into the mattress. “Mmmhmm, s’part of the plan... these kids are gonna get big, so the stronger I can be, the better...”

Amber was concentrating on specific spots now, using both her hooves to squeeze and rub out the stiffness. “I can’t say whether I’m jealous or sorry that you wound up with four at once. A normal pony would have a brutal time of it, but you’re not exactly normal, are you?”

Gleaming couldn’t help but laugh. “I suppose not. I wouldn’t say that that’s a bad thing, though. S’made life interesting.”

Amber switched positions to get at Gleaming’s upper back. She rubbed and worked Gleaming’s shoulder blades for a while, humming softly as she fell into a practiced routine. Gleaming’s eyes almost crossed from how good it felt, and her head was starting to buzz, filled with a dizziness that made her feel pleasantly loopy.

“Your pectoral and neck areas are tight,” Amber commented. She started rubbing just above Gleaming’s collarbone in little circles, steadily moving upwards before switching sides. “That’s pretty common in pregnancy, but you might want to consider wearing a maternity brace. It’ll help with soreness and make it easier to keep your balance.”

Gleaming opened her eyes. “A maternity brace?”

“It looks kinda like a snuggie,” Amber said. “Helps distribute the baby weight and keeps your bump from swinging all over the place. Might be something worth looking into, especially since your coat is white. Most ponies won’t even know you’re wearing it.”

Gleaming thought that for a moment. “I’ll do some homework.”

Amber spent a few more minutes on Gleaming’s upper body working out the tight spots and kinks. Eventually she had Gleaming get up and lay on her other side, and after about ten minutes there, she moved down to Gleaming’s belly.

“Alright.” Amber pressed a button at the base of the bed, and there was a whirr as it started moving into a reclining position. “Roll onto your back so I can get at all of you.”
Gleaming complied with a small grunt. As she did, she felt the pressure of her womb shifting against her insides briefly before things readjusted. Now settled, the swell of her stomach stuck proudly out into the air, and as Gleaming looked down at it, she couldn’t help but blush.

“Got an outie already, I see,” Amber said fondly. “Cute. Is it sensitive?”

Gleaming squirmed in place. “Ah... w-well...”

Amber snorted. “Leave that area to your wife, got it.”

“Y-Yeah,” Gleaming said. “Probably for the best…”

Amber spread out more lotion onto Gleaming’s womb before kneading it in with a feathery touch. The slick, heavenly-smelling substance combined with the sliding of Amber’s hooves brought about a whole new set of wonderful tingles and flutters in Gleaming’s skin. Amber then started rubbing properly in a clockwise motion, starting at the base of Gleaming’s belly, slowly working her way upward.

“Oh, Celestia…” Gleaming broke out into goosebumps. “This should not feel this good.”

Amber smirked. “If I had a bit for every time I’ve heard that.”

“Mmh.” Gleaming started pushing into Amber’s strokes to get her to push a little harder. Amber kept her force steady though, staying focused on her task. She kept an eye on Gleaming’s reactions as to not go too far, but other than that she let the Princess enjoy herself.

Gleaming felt herself starting to drift off. Amber’s skilled touch was making her entire body feel warm and relaxed, and while she thought about fighting it at first, she finally just let mind sink into a floaty haze. She hovered in that place between sleep and awake, where time has no meaning and everything feels like it’s underwater. She wasn’t sure how long she was like that, but at some point, she did feel Amber begin working on her legs.

“All done, Your Highness,” said Amber in her ear.

Gleaming rose from the syrupy haze feeling the most relaxed of her life. She was still staring up at the ceiling, Amber wiping her hooves off with a cloth beside her.
“Whoa,” Gleaming said. “Didn’t think I’d doze off like that.”

Amber smiled. “Don’t worry. I take it as a compliment.”

Gleaming shook her head to try and clear out the fog. “I am definitely going to have to do that again.”

Amber bowed her thanks. “You know… I’d have to clear it with Azzy, but I could probably come to the castle for a session or two rather than have you come all the way out here. I imagine it’d be easier on you.”

“You’re hired,” said Gleaming immediately. “I hereby commission you for services as a Royal Masseuse. I’ll have the paperwork filled out by next week.”

Amber giggled. “Guess I’ll have to clear my schedule.”

“I guess you will.” Gleaming smiled and shook her hoof. “When you come, make sure to bring more of that coconut butter.”

A Few Hours Later—

“Feel any better?” Cadance asked.

Gleaming and Cadance were just walking back into the castle after finishing up at the spa. They’d had the facials, horn filings, and hooficures all at the same time, and they’d both been so relaxed after the massages that they were both content to just let the spa ponies work.

“Yeah,” said Gleaming. She Cadance were both wearing makeup, had had their manes done, and were clad in their finer sets of regalia. The end result was something that drew quite a few stares from the guards and castle staff as they passed. “That really did the trick. Thanks.”

Cadance patted Gleaming’s shoulder. “Anytime. I could tell your nerves were shot.”

“These moodswings are driving me nuts,” Gleaming grumbled. “One minute I’m upbeat and I love life, then I want to watch the world burn the next. I could be having a perfectly normal day, then one little thing goes wrong and I want to start crying. I’m not sure what’s worse, how much it sucks for ME, or how much it’s gotta suck for the ponies who deal with me.”

Cadance waved to a housekeeper as they walked to the dining room. “This is why I’ve been trying to get you to take things slower, hun. You won’t feel like you’re on a hair trigger if you’re not pushing yourself so hard. Trust me, I know what it’s like dealing with a lot of stress while at the mercy of hormones.”

Gleaming didn’t argue with that. “...I’m just surprised that I haven’t gone off on you. I thought pregnant mares were supposed to hate their spouses.”

Cadance giggled. “Your spouse can telepathically sense other ponies’ emotions. Not only can I tell when you’re at high risk of a moodswing, I know when you’re just venting about something. And even if I didn’t, I don’t take volatile emotions personally.”

Gleaming leaned into her. “Thank you. I hate it when I run into somepony that doesn’t understand that. It’s like they think I’m attacking them or something.”

They entered the main dining room. There were many places set up for eating in the castle, but this was the one most ponies preferred. Gleaming and Cadance had a private room here next to the kitchens to avoid bothering anypony, which was where they made for now. It was a small quaint space with crystal floors and a medium-sized table, decorated with transparent hexagonal crystals that allowed them to see underneath. A simple chandelier emblazoned with lavender stars hung from the ceiling, and a large window showing off the castle gardens was on the west side.

Gleaming and Cadance sat at their preferred spots to relax. It’d been quite a walk to the spa and back, and while neither of them were worn out, a short rest was quite welcome.

Gleaming’s stomach gurgled. This was her third meal of the day, but she really wasn’t picky about eating certain things at a certain time. She pretty just went with whatever she felt like.

Cadance seemed to pick up on this. “What’re you in the mood for?”

“Breakfast stuff,” said Gleaming immediately. “Pancakes, eggs, hay bacon, yogurt, granola, fruit, hash browns, muffins, scones, and cereal. Orange juice and milk to drink.”

Cadance took a few seconds to process all of that. “Were... those all just suggestions? Or do you actually want all that?’

Gleaming licked her lips. “I’m eating for five, you know.”

Cadance’s eyes flickered to her wife’s middle. Already so full and warm, and it was only going to get bigger... Cadance eyes became half-lidded for an instant, but she shook her head and coughed.

“I’ll send word to the kitchens.” She got to her hooves and walked away, tail twitching from side to side.

Gleaming zoned out for a while as she waited. Her mind flitted from one topic to the next, never fixating on anything substantial. She raised one of her arms to her muzzle and sniffed, catching the sweet smell of lotion and the perfume the spa ponies had used.

She glanced over at her reflection in the window. A part of her still expected to see a bulky buffed-out stallion, but instead she saw the very picture of femininity. Her face was slender and sultry, her bright, baby-blue eyes emphasized by silver eyeshadow. Her three-toned mane was full and sleek, almost glowing in the light as it spilled around her graceful neck. Her pure-white coat was unblemished, immaculate as Celestia’s, and she smelled of mildly sweet spices that’d make anyone’s head turn. Her frame was filled out and solid, the built muscles adding to her curves for an almost buxom look. Her round, full belly stuck out proudly as a symbol of her impending motherhood, and her soft, plush rump nearly spilled over the edges of her seat.

Gleaming examined herself for a few moments before whispering to herself amidst the silence.

“I really am a mare, aren’t I?”

“GENERAL!”

Gleaming jumped. She whirled and saw that her second-in-command Spitshine was at the entrance of the private dining area, flustered with grit teeth.

“Where have you been?!” Spitshine marched up to Gleaming, face twisted in a savage scowl. “You had a lecture with the troops at oh-nine hundred! I had to give it in your place and—are you wearing makeup?!”

Gleaming narrowed her eyes. “Careful, Commander. I had a matter of extreme importance that I’ve only now just got back from.”

Spitshine’s eye twitched. “...Permission to speak freely, General.”

“Granted.”

“What the FUCK was so important that you needed to skip out on training the recruits?!” Spitshine snarled. “You’ve been on everyone’s asses for weeks running these soldiers to their limits, and here you are looking like you just got back from a day spa! You may be knocked up, but you’re not a real mare, Shining Armor! Stop fucking pretending like you are!”

Gleaming swallowed hard. The sudden outburst left her completely tongue-tied, her usual courage replaced by a knot twisting in her chest.

“I-I—”

“Commander Spitshine.”

Gleaming and Spitshine froze. They turned as one and looked to the kitchens, where Cadance was approaching with a steely glint in her eyes.

“Princess Cadance!” Spitshine bowed low. “I-I didn’t realize you were here. I was just trying to—”

“Princess Gleaming and I have been off getting prepared to make a public appearance.” Cadance adjusted her crown before continuing. “We’re going to make another advocation for the Princess Luna’s B.R.E.A.S.T.S. program this afternoon, and we wanted to look our best.”

Spitshine’s face reddened at the acronym. “Y-You mean the thestral repopulation plan? I believe I’ve heard about that, yes… wait, you both are involved with its logistics?”

“Of course.” Cadance took her seat and folded her hooves. “As you may or may not know, this endeavor is a matter of considerable importance to all of Equestria. The longer we go without proper sentinels for our dreams, the greater risk we run of a mass psychic attack. Mental and psychic disorders have also steadily been on the rise the past millennium, which is largely attributed to the thestrals being unable to do their jobs. This has meant higher government costs overall, which means less money for other things... things like military funding.”

Spitshine fidgeted. “A-Ah, I see…”

Cadance leaned forward in her chair. “Princess Luna can’t be everywhere at once. She can protect us from large-scale assaults, but the smaller ones have been slipping through. The changeling attack on Canterlot happened because nopony noticed the psychic and emotional disturbance around Gleaming or Chrysalis, Commander. Do you want to run the risk of that happening again? Would you like to be left to rot in complete darkness for WEEKS while some filthy parasite pretends to be you?!”

Spitshine was at a loss. He looked between the two royals, but neither one held a note of jest. He blinked several times while he thought of how to reply.

“M-My apologies,” Spitshine said. “I didn’t realize that… I-I mean, I shouldn’t have assumed that—”

“You shouldn’t have assumed that your superior, leader of our military and co-ruler of the Empire, skirted her duties to go play Pretty Little Princess in her own little drag show.” Cadance’s voice grew dangerously quiet. “Your emotions have turned toxic, Commander.”

Spitshine’s eyes went wide. “NO! I’d never… that’s not—”

“DON’T lie to me.” Cadance stared him down as if he were a young foal. “I can see your emotions, Spitshine. The resentment, the scorn, the disgust. I’ve let it slide because you’ve kept those feelings to yourself, but if it’s going to make you do something this out of line, then you need to take a furlough. You can come back when you’ve pulled your head out of your ass.”

Spitshine went white as a sheet. He spluttered a bit for a while, but there wasn’t much of a counterpoint to be had. He fidgeted back and forth for a while until he gave up and hung his head.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Your Majesties. I really am having difficulty accepting the Prince as he is. I’m not sure why—I’ve been trying to push past it, but I’ve found myself frustrated at times…”

“You didn’t just storm in here because you were frustrated,” Cadance snapped. “The very thought of what we’re doing makes you sick. This whole effort is twisted in your eyes.”

Spitshine didn’t deny that. Instead, he looked past Gleaming and Cadance with hollow eyes. “I… accept your order of a furlough. I promise I’ll do my best to come to terms with these feelings. Maybe I can—”

Cadance shook her head. “Scratch the furlough. These emotions have already soured you, and I’m not going to allow that kind of vitriol to fester. I hereby order you to file for a transfer to another city, Spitshine. I don’t care where you go, but if I were you, I’d make it far, far away.”

Spitshine’s ears drooped. “U-Understood...” He gave a halfhearted bow, then turned and walked out of the dining room, tail dragging behind him on the ground.
It was a good minute before Gleaming finally unjammed her brain enough to speak. “Was he really…? I mean, did he actually…”

Cadance sighed. “I should’ve done something sooner. Maybe I could’ve helped him better if I had, but he’ll be miserable if he stays here now. It’s better for everypony if he just leaves.”

Gleaming curled her lip. “I-I guess he did seem a little on edge, and I have been kinda hard on him, but…”

Cadance fiddled with her fork. “Seems you’re going to have to find a new second-in-command. Sorry about that.”

“Are there other ponies like that?” Gleaming asked. “That you’ve sensed? There can’t be many, right?”

Cadance watched as their food was brought in, the majority of it going to Gleaming. “You’re never going to please everyone, hun. You know that.”

Gleaming suddenly wasn’t so hungry anymore. “Suppose we’ll actually have to make that PSA about Luna’s program now…”

“Yeah.” Cadance stared blithely at her food. “Let’s do it after lunch.”

Author's Notes:

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Thanks to The Masked Ferret for pre-reading, and thanks to Jake the Army Guy for helping me out with the army-themed ranting.