Bucky slowly came to awareness and heard the sounds of somepony crying. He could feel the rough wood of a table beneath him pressing into his flesh and there was hot breath near his face. Before he could even open his eye, he knew that it was Derpy near him, he could smell her. His eye opened slowly and white spots danced in his vision.

“Who is crying?” he mumbled, his voice dry and raspy.

“Don’t worry about that right now,” Derpy whispered in reply.

“Who is crying?” Bucky insisted.

“Ripple,” Berry Punch answered from somewhere nearby in Bucky’s blindspot.

“Ripple isn’t used to flying and her wings hurt,” Sparkler explained.

“What happened?” asked Derpy in a gentle and motherly voice.

“I don’t know,” Bucky answered. “But I feel alright. I am just a bit light headed. In fact, I feel better than I have in a while,” he said, noticing that he did indeed, feel pretty good. His eye wasn’t itching as bad as it was and much of the pain in his body was greatly reduced. Still there, but barely noticeable after living in such constant pain for so long.

Derpy mounted the table and stood over Bucky, looking down at him, one eye closed so she could focus on her husband. She saw him peering up at her and she felt a rush of heat through her body. “Your scars look different Bucky,” Derpy observed. “Not so red looking. Something has changed you. This has me worried,” the grey mare stated.

Bucky didn’t feel worried… he felt something else entirely. He reached up with his forelegs and with a fluid motion, brought the pegasus down on top of him, pulling her close. He found her lips with his own and kissed her, his forelegs now pulling her as close as he could. One leg wrapped up over her withers while the other snaked its way past her wings and over her croup, and Bucky could feel her belly grinding against his own. There were gasps from around the room that Bucky assumed was the dining hall.

Derpy resisted his affections only for a moment out of concern for his well being, but then she could resist no longer. She needed this sort of affection. As a pegasus and a mare, this is what she understood as love. She kissed back and ground her hips into Bucky, completely lost in the moment, not for one moment remembering that there were other ponies standing around, including her own foals. For a moment, she and Bucky were the only two ponies in existence.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, the kiss ended as Derpy pulled away, panting for breath.

“You seem okay,” she panted.

“Did the ley line do something to you?” Berry asked, still concerned. Burning thoughts tickled through the back of her mind. The kiss was sizzling hot… and Berry desperately wanted one herself. She could wait through, knowing that her moment would come. Derpy had been frazzled for quite a while and Berry was relieved to see some of the mare’s frustration eased.

“It looks like he has had several months of healing,” Sparkler observed. “Look, he even has some hair growing back now in his bald spots,” she stated, pointing at the large gnarled scar on his side.

“So he is okay?” Dinky asked.

“I think so Dinks,” Berry replied.

“Ripple, are you going to be okay?” Bucky asked, still laying on his back on the table.

“I can fly again,” Ripple replied as she continued to let out shuddering sobs of pain.

Bucky rolled over and eased himself off of the table and back onto his hooves. His hind legs still felt stiff, but not nearly as bad as they had been. He felt a sense of growing bewilderment, he couldn’t explain what had happened. He had never heard of ley lines healing a pony before. Then again, there were many mysteries left in the world. It had only been recently been discovered that friendship held a magic all its own. He felt an overwhelming compulsion to continue to study the ley lines, to plumb the depths of its secrets. Not for power, but for curiousity’s sake.

Bucky was barely steady on his hooves when he saw a flash of plum in his vision and then suddenly he was locked into another kiss, and giving the teasing probing of the tongue involved, he knew it was Berry. He lifted one foreleg, wrapped it around her neck, and pulled in her closer, making the mare whimper with need. Her tail flicked from side to side as the kiss intensified. Finally, she pulled away, gasping for air as she did so.

The overwhelmed stallion felt dizzy now, but remained on his hooves.

“I feel a little better in some ways, and a little worse in others,” Berry huffed.

“I know what you mean,” Derpy mentioned in reply to Berry’s words, her eyebrow raised suggestively as she spoke.

“Uh, I don’t mean to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, but I don’t think Bucky is done yet,” Rising Star said, gesturing at Thistle as he did so.

She stood close by, looking hopeful and afraid at the same time. She almost seemed bashful, one front hoof kicking at the stone floor as she looked on hopefully. “Yeah, I was kind of hoping for a kiss,” she admitted. “But I understand if- oooof!” she grunted as she was pulled forward suddenly by an unseen force, her hooves dragging over the floor.

Thistle closed her eyes and allowed the moment to happen. The kiss wasn’t quite as forceful as the other two had been, it was gentle and soft, and she felt her breath catching in her throat. She leaned into the kiss, angling her head to the side to allow for an easier connection between her and Bucky. She could feel his hot breath in her mouth. She parted her lips, unsure of what would happen, and then the kiss went to places that she was not prepared to go. A terrible fear flooded through her body and she began to tremble. She squeaked as Bucky pulled away.

“Thistle?” Bucky asked, looking at her in concern.

“I’m fine… I just got scared for a moment, I don’t know why,” Thistle said, averting her gaze down to her own hooves.

“Thistle, there is a big difference between sex and intimacy,” Berry said reassuringly, shooting a meaningful glance at Sparkler, Rising Star, and Loch Skimmer as she did so.

“I didn’t mean to get scared and ruin it,” Thistle murmured, now sounding panicked.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Bucky said soothingly.

“But I’ve been kissed before… by all of you… I don’t know what happened,” Thistle said as she squirmed uncomfortably.

“Just take things slowly,” Derpy said to the filly in a soft and reassuring voice.

Thistle continued to tremble, standing there surrounded by ponies who all looked at her curiously. She nearly jumped out of her skin as Bucky eased up against her side.

“I am sorry Thistle, perhaps I became a little too forward,” Bucky apologised.

“No, you didn’t, I wanted it, I don’t know what happened,” Thistle whimpered.

“Maybe it is mommy hormones,” Berry suggested.

“I am going to take Ripple back to our room so she can lay down and maybe get a nap,” Loch Skimmer said. “Don’t worry, I will not disturb the sleepers,” she promised.

Bucky watched as the two departed through the large double doors and then turned his focus back to Thistle. “I need some fresh air. This room is stuffy. I am going outside. Walk with me Thistle,” Bucky said as he moved slowly towards the doors.

There was a clatter of hooves as everypony moved to follow him. Thistle remained close to his side, and he could hear Derpy and Berry just behind him.

The sun was warm and soothing on his tan coloured pelt, and the heat sank down into his bones. The grass tickled his sides. Thistle was beside him, and he could feel the warmth of her body against his own. He could hear Dinky and Piña playing a short distance away, running away from Derpy, who was chasing them. Berry was sprawled out in the grass nearby, lying supine with her belly exposed to the sun. Bucky couldn’t help himself. He looked at her and felt a twinge of need that made his whole body tense.

Sparkler was off some distance away with Rising Star and Loch Skimmer, and Bucky could hear them all giggling and laughing together.

“Thistle?” Bucky asked the filly beside him.

“Yes?” Thistle replied.

“Do you want to be my wife?” Bucky asked.

“More than anything,” Thistle replied.

“No,” Bucky said in a low voice. “No, let me ask you this again in a different way. If Keg Smasher hadn’t arranged this for you, and if you weren’t pregnant, and you were under no obligation of any sort to be married, if you could be free and enjoy your youth, would you still want to be my wife?”

Thistle did not reply right away and she fell silent. Berry took notice, rolling over on her side to look at Bucky and Thistle. The kelpie realised that this was probably some sort of test of her character, something Derpy had done on several occasions. She tried to think of a careful reply that would make her sound mature, but no good answer seemed forthcoming. She felt another jolt of fear spike through her, and she realised that Bucky had felt it as well, because he looked at her when she had tensed up for a moment.

“There are no wrong answers,” Bucky said reassuringly.

Thistle took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks, looking adorable as she tried to think of a good reply. “Having seen what a bad husband could be like, I think that trading some of my youth for a good husband is good idea,” said Thistle carefully as she rubbed her head up against Bucky’s jaw. “I can still be young and be with you.”

“Yes, but what if you didn’t have to be married? What if you weren’t one of the last kelpies in existence and could just be a normal filly?” Bucky asked.

“But I am not a normal filly. And I am one of the last kelpies that exist. It is all I can think about. It is all I know. The need to continue my kind is my entire life and I don’t know anything else. I can’t imagine anything else,” Thistle replied.

Bucky heaved a sigh and kissed Thistle gently on her nose.

“You can only be young once, and then it is gone. I get that. I do. I understand that youth is fleeting. I’d rather spend my youth with you. All of you. I’ve had a taste of what life could have been like for me, and that would have been far worse than anything you might have planned for me,” Thistle said.

“She’s right Bucky,” Berry quipped. “With us, she’ll still have a bit of time to enjoy being young. Sure, she will be a mother with a foal to look after-”

“What about Derpy? When she was Thistle’s age and she had Dinky, she had help. She had you and Sparkler’s mother. And look how much she suffered. She had to grow up right away and do the right thing,” Bucky interrupted.

“Yes, she did, but things will be different. We’re a proper herd. We have you. I know you Bucky, you will look after her. You will be there as she grows up and matures into a proper mare, and you will help her every step of the way. She needs a stable male influence in her life. There are also other mares in our herd that I know for certain that will be more than willing to look after Thistle’s foal and allow her a bit of time to enjoy what bit of youth she has left. She’ll even have some ponies her own age to hang out with, even if it seems a bit awkward that she might be one of Sparkler’s mothers in the future. But she will be able to do fun stuff with Sparkler, Rising Star, Loch, and Ripple,” Berry explained patiently.

Bucky scowled. “This is getting weird… I don’t know what I can be both a husband and a father figure. I mean, the age difference isn’t enormous, but it already feels strange sometimes,” Bucky said.

“And, as a practical matter, she will have a healthy sexual outlet if she has you… if she has us. Cause let’s face it, with the exception of a few uptight unicorns, most teenagers have lots of careless sex that usually leads to foals… which leads to situations like the one that Derpy ended up in. At least if she is married, she can go to you to get that horny teenage itch scratched and not have to worry about being in a bad situation. Plus, she will have somepony she can love and trust to scratch those itches. Somepony who will actually be there for her, rather than a lot of empty promises made by some horny colt that does entirely too much thinking with his dick rather than what is between his ears,” Berry said.

Thistle blushed and made a soft “meep” sound in the back of her throat.

“Oh look, she’s still kinda innocent after everything that has happened,” Berry said teasingly, causing Thistle to scowl at her.

“I’m not innocent,” Thistle grumbled.

“The dick goes in the foal hole,” Berry announced.

Thistle made an odd choking sound and her face turned into a shade of puce as she tried to stammer out a reply. Thistle became even more flustered when she heard Berry chuckling.

“Berry, don’t tease,” Bucky scolded after Thistle spent several moments sputtering.

“But look at her, she is adorable. She’s gonna be a lot of fun to play with when the time comes. Thistle sweetie, sex isn’t something you endure. And it is a lot more than just a dick going in the foal hole. There is licking, and tickling, and kissing, and there is grinding… oh I could use a good grinding right about now,” Berry said as she rolled her eyes. “And there are all kinds of sounds too… squelching. Squealing. Heavy breathing. Grunting. Squishy noises. And it isn’t over in just a few minutes either, not if you are doing it right. And all kinds of things can go into a foal hole. A twat. A spasm chasm-”

“Enough!” Bucky interjected. “Thistle, take a deep breath. Remember to breathe Thistle, you are purple,” Bucky said in alarm.

Thistle took a deep breath, let it out, and then took several more.

Bucky glared at Berry, who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. “Happy now?” he asked.

“I just wanted to prove a point,” Berry replied.

“Was it worth it?” Bucky growled.

“She’s right though,” Thistle interrupted. “There is a lot I don’t know.”

“Are you coming to Berry’s defense after what she did?” Bucky asked incredulously.

“I suppose I am,” Thistle replied in a frightened voice.

“Unbelieveable,” Bucky muttered. “Don’t be scared Thistle, I am not mad at you. I am mildly annoyed with Berry though,” Bucky explained. “Look, being embarrassed by those words doesn’t make you any less mature. Not everypony can be as open as Berry Punch. She’s special," Bucky snarked.

“And Bucky proves my point that I made earlier,” Berry quipped.

“What?” asked Bucky, a look of confusion on his face.

“Think about what you just did,” Berry said.

“Huh?” Bucky grunted.

“A colt her age wouldn’t have swooped in to rescue her, he wouldn’t have reassured her, he wouldn’t have tried to comfort her. Instead, he probably would have joined in with me to tease her mercilessly or would have brayed like a donkey as he laughed at everything I said,” Berry explained. “I am sorry Thistle… I was trying to make a point to Bucky here, and I used you to do it. I hope you will let me make it up to you,” Berry said in apologetic tones. “See Thistle, you will be able to go to Bucky about anything and he will play the role of the gallant knight for you. He just can’t help himself. So you can have it all if you want it Thistle. You can be young and silly but still be married and happy. As you grow up and mature, Bucky will be able to adapt to any needs that you might have. Lover, friend, a moral guide, which I think sounds a bit better than ‘father figure’ which I will admit seems a bit creepy in this context.”

“Wait, did I just get manipulated into helping you prove a point?” Bucky said slowly.

“Yes you did,” replied Berry in smug tones.

“What?” Bucky grunted yet again, looking utterly confused.

Thistle let out a nervous giggle and kissed Bucky on the cheek.

“I’ll teach you how to wrangle Bucky,” Berry offered. “To make up for teasing you.”

“Wait, no,” Bucky stammered, still confused. “Why did I have to marry a mare that was smarter than I am?” he asked himself. “No no no, I am not to be wrangled,” he protested.

“Also,” Berry said, returning to her point. “You can clearly see that Bucky isn’t some young dumb and full of cum horny colt that thinks only with his dick Thistle. If he didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have come to your defense, going back to what I said earlier about colts your own age. Rising Star is the exception of course. I wouldn’t want to insult him and all the good he does. Bucky’s love for you isn’t going to be a bunch of empty promises and meaningless words to try and bed you. He is going to do what is right for you, he will be responsible for you, and when he says that he loves you, you will have something that most fillies your age do not have, which is the truth. When Bucky tells you that he loves you, you will know that he means it, because you can see how he really feels by his actions. Remember this Thistle. Remember how he came to your defense because he respects you and wants what is best for you. He stood up to one of his own wives to try and protect you. Think about that Thistle.”

Thistle nodded and she felt her heart flutter within her chest. She did not reply, overwhelmed and overtaken by everything that had been said.

“You sneaky minx,” Bucky said to Berry.

“I am a clever pony,” Berry bragged.

Bucky let Berry bask in her moment of glory, knowing full well that she deserved it.

Author's Notes:

The pacing is picking up. I can feel it as I write it. Feels good to move along with some speed after everything moving so slowly for a while.