Sat on the garden bench one afternoon, I had been wiling the time away dozing and reading the paper which Meadow would bring me from the market. It was always the same one, ‘The Inquirer’, your ‘top source for what’s happening in the eternal herd’, and your only one apparently. Not much in the way of independent news reporting here it seemed.

The ice cracked in the glass of fresh orange that sat on the table beside me, it was delicious. Meadow had collected the oranges from the farmers market and picked up a copy of ‘Mares Own’ too, which had a selection of recipes from ‘around the world’ for her to try out on me. She was an accomplished cook but some of the things we tried…I shuddered, there are some things you shouldn’t do with mayonnaise, and cakes was one of them. I’d read the recipe afterwards, ‘submitted by Mrs Finn of Higher Dene’. I don’t know about ‘submitted’, but Mrs Finn should have been ‘committed’ for subjecting that terror on the populace.

Clinking and the sound of bowls being moved about emanated from the kitchen and I made a point of keeping out of the way. The kitchen was Meadows domain and she protected it fiercely. Although a modern mare in many respects, she was still traditional at heart and had a fierce passion for cooking and baking. Today she was trying out a recipe for a sweet treat called ‘baklava’. I’d never eaten griffin cuisine before, due to them being carnivores, but she assured me this was suitable for ponies. I hoped so, I’d nearly eaten something called ‘bacon’ once. Good goddesses, I’d even had it in my mouth and could still remember the saltiness on my tongue which is what had attracted me to it in the first place. At least until Meadow had told me what it was and stopped me from potentially making myself ill; bloody street vendors. Why did it have to smell so good?

Meadow was chatting with Sparrow in the kitchen, the only other living thing allowed in there apparently. I’d had flour thrown at me last time and a whack from a large spoon when I’d attempted to sample the intriguing mixture in the massive mixing bowl. Damn it, I wanted to try some and I’d put money on our angelic little blackmailer getting her hooves on some too. Peering up at the window, I saw Sparrow…licking the bloody bowl! Hey! I had my hooves up at the glass and stared longingly down at the bowl currently being scraped clean and disappearing into the grinning maw of the very sticky looking foal.

Sparrow laughed at me, until her mum started wiping her mouth with a damp tea towel. Her exaggerated look of distress made me laugh and I put down the paper and indulged in one of the best things a pony can do, a damned good roll in the grass. Oh boy, did that feel good! It was so cool and soothing I went at like a pony possessed, waving my hooves in the air until I was thoroughly worn out…wonderful.

“I’m not interrupting anything important am I?” Starswirl smirked from over the hedge.

“Gah! Bloody hell!” I sputtered, spitting grass clipping from my mouth while frantically trying to get back on my hooves, “Couldn’t you have warned us you were coming?”

The old unicorn watched me with a half smile until I’d composed myself with a good shake to get rid of the grass stuck to my hide.

“Would you like me to come back at a later date my boy?”

“No!” I squeaked, coughing out a stuck blade of grass, “Its fine, come in, you just caught me off guard that’s all.”

Starswirl pushed the gate open, “Hmmm, apparently so.”

“Can I offer you some orange?” I asked motioning to the bench and the jug of juice. He shook his head and unhooked his saddle bags,

“No, I’m fine. Thank you for asking. I believe Miss Sparks spoke to you about the quarantine?”

“Its ‘Ms’”

“Sorry?”

“She likes to be called ‘Ms’ Sparks, not ‘Miss’.”

He lowered his eyebrows, “Quite”

With a flourish of his black and gold embroidered cloak, the bearded unicorn swept into the cottage to be met with a floury hug from Meadow and bouncing Sparrow. Like some long lost uncle or grandfather, Starswirl looked like he belonged here with them. My daughter jumped about between his legs nearly causing him to trip while Meadow guided him to a chair and the freshly made sweets. A pot of tea was duly brought over and I helped to pour him a cup.

I noticed something about the old unicorn then…he wasn’t, he actually looked more around my age. The beard did throw you, it was as white as it appeared in all the depictions of him and when I’d seen him in the glade, but here in the flesh he was a young stallion, bright and alert. I noticed he still had the staff strapped to his saddle bags, but he didn’t lean on it nor seem to have it for any particular purpose. Maybe he just liked the thing?

“So”, he began, “How have you been adjusting? I believe from ‘Ms’ Sparks that you have been having some difficulties since you arrived.”

I nodded, “I suspect she explained her findings to you and I’m sure you don’t want me to go through it all again, Starswirl.”

He smiled wryly, “Ms Sparks did explain to me about your discomfort, Fairlight, and I sympathise. Your death was something none of us predicted; there were no prophesies of this happening nor warnings of any kind.”

“So that’s it then is it?” I said slapping my hind leg, “That whole ‘destiny’ thing was a touch off the mark in the end, what with me being dead and all.”

Meadow rolled her eyes, passing a slice of the baklava to Starswirl, “He’s right though, Starswirl, I mean, if he’s dead, how can he affect destiny?”

“Or be affected by it”, I added sipping my tea.

Starswirl twirled his head with a hoof idly, “I’m not certain…yet. From what I can determine, you shouldn’t be here. Not for a while at any rate.”

I nearly dropped the tea cup, “What?”

Meadow grabbed Starswirls foreleg, “No, no Starswirl, that’s wrong…it’s wrong!” Panic began to enter her voice, “I don’t like where you’re going with this! My husband is here, he’s passed over and that’s that.”

He patted her hoof, “Meadow, please.”

Removing her hooves from the bearded unicorn with a reluctant glance, Starswirl continued, “Destiny and prophecy were not a field of magic study I had much interest in, in my lifetime I’m afraid, far too…’abstract’. They’re much better left to those ponies who understand that sort of subject matter better than I. All I can tell you is that our friend Fairlight here, shouldn’t be ‘here’, right now. The fact that he is though, may just be destiny changing its path.” He adjusted his hat, “It happens from time to time.”

Swallowing my tea, I fixed him with a look, “So what? I’m done rushing off to fight ‘goddess knows what’ all the time, Starswirl. All I want to know ‘right now’ is what’s happening with this quarantine business. As wonderful as it is here, I’d like to walk a bit further than a hundred yards like some bloody hamster in a wheel.”

Rummaging in his saddle bags, Starswirl pulled out a scroll and floated it over to me, “You don’t need to read it, I can tell you. Your quarantine’s been lifted my boy. I’m sure you’ll both be relieved to hear that.”

Meadow let out a breath, “Thank the goddesses.”

Polishing off his pastry, the grey unicorn stood and pulled out his pocket watch, “Well, I’d love to stop and chat but there’s no rest for the wicked. In any case, you’ll be wanting to get out and about I’d imagine.”

I nodded, by the goddess I did! As lovely as this prison was, it was still just that. Meadow still looked worried but managed a smile, “Starswirl, can we still visit the mortal realm?”

He nodded sagely, “The barrier has been lifted, my dear, so yes, you can.”

I shook my mane, “I guess I should be thanking you, Starswirl. You spoke up for me didn’t you?”

He shook his head, holding up a hoof, “Don’t mention it, besides, you have some very influential friends here in the herd. One day I’ll introduce you to them, for now just get out there and see what the herd has to offer.”

Meadow passed him a small box with some of the sweet treats for later. “Thank you Meadow, you’re a good pony”, he said accepting the gift.

There was a crash from the kitchen and Meadow rushed off to investigate, “Oh no! Sparrow!”

Our lovely daughter had somehow managed to cover herself in flour and was now a lovely shade of white, sneezing great clouds of the stuff across the floor. “I’ll see our guest out love, I’ll give you a hoof in a minute” I called in through the door, making a hasty escape.

She didn’t hear me, far too busy trying to dust off our floury foal. Starswirl laughed and clopped me on the shoulder, “Quite the family you have my boy, never had any time for one myself. Never short of mares though!” He chuckled quietly to himself, “Now, I’ve all the time in the world.”

Walking to the gate he pulled me to one side, “Fairlight, there’s somepony I want you to meet, but…I don’t want Meadow to know. She may not…understand.”

I looked the old stallion in the eye, “I don’t keep secrets from my wife, Starswirl. I’m grateful for what you’ve done for me, and for Meadow, but I’m done breaking my neck for anypony who clops a hoof. So, whatever ‘scheme’ you have planned for me, I’m sorry, I’m not interested.”

He shook his head, “I understand, I just thought you’d like to meet somepony who you know very well already…you could almost say, he’s a part of who you are.“

“What? Who?”

“Meet me by the cherry orchard tomorrow, around two in the morning.”

I sighed, scrubbing my mane, “Okay, but if Meadow asks me, I’ll have to tell her.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Very well, until tomorrow then.”

The old bugger had peaked my interest and he knew it. I hated the feeling I was keeping things from Meadow, but there was no harm in finding out who this pony was and what they wanted, was there? I’d go along, chat to them and then that was that. What was more interesting to me though, was finally being able to get out of here and see the world, so to speak.

In the kitchen, Meadow was struggling with a wriggly Pegasus foal who was completely covered in flour and…

“Oh no! Sparrow!”

“What is it?”

“She got covered in honey!”

I face hoofed. It looked like it was going to be a long day.

That evening I was dozing by the log fire, the latest newspaper on my lap; more mundane reports about ‘new arrivals’, recipes and celebrity carryings on. If nothing else, it was good at sending me into the land of nod. Sparrow was in bed and my wonderful wife was crocheting something in her craft room, the ‘inner sanctum’ as she called it.

A loud clanging from the doorbell made me jump,

“I’ll get it!” Meadow called from the hallway trotting to open the door.

I could hear the latch lifting and my ears twitched, trying to hear what was being said. It couldn’t be ‘Ms Sparks’ at this hour, could it? Opening one eye, I looked across at the old grandfather clock in the corner just as it began to chime eight o’clock. There was a squee of excitement and a rush of hooves before a loud clattering of plates and cups in the kitchen was followed by loud voices, female voices, drifting through to me. ‘One of Meadow’s friends probably’, I thought to myself, yawning. I snuggled into the chair and reached for my glass of juice. I wished I had a brandy, it was one of the things I really missed about home. Home…Smiling Borders? I sighed, this was going to take quite a bit of getting used to.

The racket from the kitchen continued. I could imagine Meadow putting on the kettle, arranging cakes, maybe even sandwiches despite the lateness of the hour. I had always been warned about eating late at night, but if it was my mare’s treats, I’d indulge…a little. I could smell them now, warm and spicy. A hint of lemon caught my nose making it twitch, “Mmmm”, I sighed, “Delicious…”

“I’m glad you think so, Captain”, A dark coated muzzle full of short sharp teeth was inches from my face.

I shot out of the chair like a cork from a bottle, sending the paper flying and barely catching my juice, “Wha! Good goddess!”

“Miss me, cute flanks?”

A muscular thestral mare stood in front of me grinning, her eyes burning as bright as the coals in the fireplace. I hadn’t seen her since…

“Glimmer?”

“The one and only, ‘ghost pony’. Pfff!” She sniggered and shook her long shining black mane, “You like the perfume? Meadow helped me pick it out, it’s called ‘Lemon Surprise’. Sure gave you one!”

Any sense of decorum lost, I reached out and touched her face, “It is you…My goddesses, Glimmer. The last time I saw you, you were…”

“Yeah, I kinda got over that”, she leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “I’ll let you into a secret…I’m a ‘real’ ghost pony…WHOOOO!”

I laughed and pushed her away, “Stop it! I don’t believe it, you’re here!”

“Where else? I’ve been trying to get to see you for ages, would you believe I needed a bloody permit to come here too. You know what the herd are like.”

“Permit?”

Meadow trotted in with the cakes and tea, “He didn’t read the manual”

“I did!” I protested, “And I listened to Sparky too, kind of. I know thestrals mostly live in their own realm, but I didn’t know you needed a permit of all things.”

Glimmer nodded to Meadow, accepting a chair and a cake, “To most Equestrian’s, we do a look a bit, y’know, scary.”

“What do we look like to you, then?”

She smirked, running a long red tongue over her teeth, “Delicious”.

My heart jumped at her gesture and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed by Meadow who tapped her friend on the flank, “Behave you, you’ll give him nightmares”.

Glimmers eyes flared as she laughed, “Bah! If he hadn’t already been taken, he’d have made a fine mate. Lady Shadow has a good eye, even if he is a little soft.”

“SOFT!?” I squeaked, “I am bloody well not soft!”

“You are too! You were in tears when I’d been shot, virtually blubbering like a little filly too.”

Meadow shook her head, “You can be a bit, um, ‘emotional’ at times, love.”

“And don’t you go agreeing with her, now! Good goddesses, give me a break!”

The two chuckled and began whispering to each other, Meadow blushing and giving me a look from under her long eye lashes. I was glad I was sitting down as it had a strange effect on me that evoked a stirring I really shouldn’t be having in company. The thestral warrior murmured something to Meadow and began roaring in laughter.

“Mummy?”

Sparrow wandered in, wearing a cute set of pink pyjamas and carrying her Celestia plushie on her back. Glimmer reached down and picked her up, “And how’s my favourite little girl?”

Hoisted into the air in front of the bony creature, I was waiting for a shriek of fright from my daughter. What I got was, “Auntie Glimmer!”

It all came back to me now. Meadow had said that Glimmer had missed me when I first arrived and it had gone completely over my head. Apparently, these two had become firm friends, their link to me helping create a common bond that had helped Meadow cope with my ‘absence’. Mind you, there were no doubt a hoard of relatives somewhere just waiting to pounce; Mum, Dad, Grandparents…I had the impression I was going to be busy doing the rounds.

Glimmer, Meadow and I talked for hours, Sparrow fast asleep and curled up with the ‘not so scary’ thestral. For all her references to Shadow being the ‘scary pony’, Glimmer didn’t seem to fall into the same category. She was simply, ‘Auntie Glimmer’. For somepony who’d been riddled with bolts, she looked amazing, especially without all that spiked armour on. She smiled at me and waved a hoof,

“You’ll need a bigger house when the others get here, cute flanks.”

“Who?”

“The rest of your herd of course, Shadow and that other one…’whats her name’.”

“Tingles?”

“Something like that, yeah”

Meadow clopped her on the shoulder, “Glimmer!”

The thestral chuckled, “Well, if you’re accepting new applicants, I wouldn’t mind signing up…”

I nearly choked, “Gah! Glimmer, what? I…”

She sniggered, “Just kidding, cute flanks. I’ve got a couple of stallions waiting for me at home, still,” she winked at me, “…you can’t beat a bit of that soft pony flank, ooooh yeah!”

I rolled my eyes, “You mares…”

The evening soon drew to a close and Glimmer carried Sparrow to her bed, carefully tucking the sleeping foal into her quilt,

“She’s so cute, you can really tell she’s your daughter. She has your colouring, Meadows eyes too.”

Meadow gazed lovingly at sleeping foal, “She’s an angel, bright as a button but a bit of hoofful at times. Get’s that from her dad, I reckon.”

Yeah probably, I always have been up to things. Mum used to say that of me all the time. Dad felt the discipline of the watch would make me a better pony and I suppose he was right.

“Time for me to be off then,” Glimmer announced “you guys going to festival next month?”

Meadow nodded, “Of course, we’ll be able to meet everypony and see the royal family too. I can’t wait to see the latest fashion lines, the music, the craft fayre too!”

“I’ll bring Shale along with me, he’ll be able to keep our ghost pony company while we go off and do mare things.”

Oh goddesses, what a bloody nightmare…

A ring at the door turned out to be Glimmer’s taxi, “Well, time for me to head off, you two.” She whispered into Meadows ear who blushed beet red again and held her hoof to her mouth.

Glimmer passed me on the way to the gate, turning suddenly and giving me a hard nip on the backside,

“Ow!”

“Ho Ho!” she nickered, leaping the gate in a single bound, “What do you know, you really are delicious!”

I stood there in shock, that bloody mare! Waving a hoof, our old friend, the mare who’d save my life in that deserted city, disappeared up into the night sky in the back of her taxi. Shaking my head, I wondered at the absurdity of life…and death, I guess. It was enough to make anypony’s mind reel.

“Oooh, she didn’t have nip my arse, the bugger. Those teeth are damned sharp.” I rubbed my bottom, I was glad that was all she’d nipped, thestral’s could do some damage with those choppers.

Meadow raised an eyebrow, “She likes you, you know…you’re special to her”.

“Jealous?” I asked cocking my head to one side, “Not like you love”

“Oh, you don’t know me as well as you think, ‘cute flanks’. I do get jealous, I was with Shadow and Tingles at first, but now…well, they’re family. Doesn’t mean I don’t want you all to myself though.”

I hung my head but she grabbed me quickly and looked into my eyes, “Don’t start that, now, you!” she kissed me gently, “I don’t mind sharing with the girls, but no more, okay?”

I nodded, “Okay love.”

“She’s right about one thing though,” Meadow said in a sultry voice, “You do have a cute arse and I’d better take care of that nip she gave your too, it looks sore.”

“It bloody well is! Dammit.” I complained rubbing where she’d got me, thestrals must have hide like armour plate if they carried on like this all the time. Come to think of it…Shadow used to…I shook myself, I couldn’t keep wallowing in self pity. Drowning in memories was something I did all too often and their odd pull would drag me down into the dark depths of emptiness that were never very far away. Meadow knew me all too well,

“Lie down there, Fairlight and lets have a look.” She took out some ointment and began dabbing it on my rump, “You’ll live. I’ll have a word with that thestral next time I see her, nipping you is one thing, but she’s got some cheek biting my husband bum.”

A soft whisper by my ear, “That’s my job”

I looked back and she licked my muzzle, “You worry me sometimes you know”.

“I’m sorry”, I sighed, staring into the fire while she rubbed, “You know me too well, love. I wish there was something I could do, but I can’t just switch off my feelings, or my heart.”

“There’s a darkness in all of us,” She said philosophically, “I don’t think many ponies like to admit it, but it’s there. In you, well, I know you dwell on things you can’t change. It frustrates me that I can’t make it better for you.”

I harrumphed, “Damaged goods, eh? That’s me; broken and unwanted, cast aside by society.”

“Now there you go again, that’s what I’m talking about.” Meadow put down the ointment and passed me a juice, “You know and I know that that’s not true. You’ve been through a lot, Fairlight, me too don’t forget. But we’re here now, you and I, and we’ve got a lovely home, a beautiful daughter, and friends. Don’t forget that.”

“I know love, I know”, I nuzzled her, “Sometimes I just fall into that dark place and feel like I want to hide away and lock the door. I know I’m being stupid, but I can’t seem to help it. No matter what I do, somepony gets hurt, or rather got hurt. Now I’m with the herd, that’s not an issue any more.”

Meadow nuzzled me, “There’s a pony here who could help you, she’s worked with pony stress disorders before.”

“You think that’s what’s up with me? PSD?”

“I don’t know, love, maybe. You’ve been through things nopony would normally have to, seen things I can’t begin to imagine. She helped me when I got here.”

“I…I didn’t know. Meadow, I’m so selfish, I shouldn’t be moping like this. You’ve been through so much more than me and I just kind of assumed that you were…”

She was what? Alright? Happy? Goddesses she’d been murdered and had a foal here, alone and frightened. Hadn’t the horror of that dawned on me? Fuck, I was such an arsehole. The black pit of despair loomed ahead of me and could feel its pull on my heart.

“Stop it.” She bopped me on the nose, “I know that look, mister. Here…” Meadow lifted my head despite my resistance and looked into my eyes. I could feel them welling up, she was so beautiful and I knew I didn’t deserve her.

Meadow kissed me gently on the lips, “I love you no matter what, do you understand? No matter what Fairlight. You are still the wonderful stallion I married and had a foal with. If I didn’t love you I wouldn’t be here now, okay?”

Closing my eyes I nodded, “Meadow…What happened when you came here?”

She sat on the floor next to my chair and leaned back into me, “I thought I told you”.

“Some of it, but I get the feeling you skimmed over it. You always know what’s in my heart, love. I want to know yours.”

She sighed, “Its not that important, but…” Meadow sniffed, “When I…died, I found myself in front of your friend Aethel.”

Some friend!

Meadow continued, “He passed me over to a case worked straight away and within days of arriving I went into labour. The doctor was fantastic, he came along with the midwife and helped deliver Sparrow. I was a special case as babies are fairly rare here in the herd, they’re more of a ‘mortal’ thing apparently. It was big news, what had happened to me, to us, it was dubbed the ‘Summer of Tears’”

“I saw it mentioned in the paper”

She nodded, “Starswirl came to see me soon after and I suppose you know the rest. Mum and dad have been fantastic, your folks have been great too, but Fairlight…I needed you. It was all I could think of, and when Starswirl showed me the way to reach you through the veil, I was so happy, I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

Meadows eyes looked damp, “It wasn’t enough though, I wanted more, I wanted you, here with me.”

Leaning down, I kissed her on the top of her head, “I’m here now love, knackered mind and all.”

“I think we’re both a bit messed up, especially after what’s happened.” She stood back up and walked over to the table collecting the medical kit. Meadow checked my poor posterior once more, “How is it?”

I winced, “Still tender, but a lot better thanks, nurse Meadow”

She giggled, “I know my trade, Captain Fairlight. I’ve had to patch you up before, remember?”

“You patch my heart up too, love.” I said happily, “When I’m adrift, you’re the rock I can cling to for support. I want to be that for you, too.”

Meadow smiled and licked my cutie mark, “You always have been, ‘cute flanks’.”

A shock of warmth rocketed through me and my heart began to race, “Meadow?”

“Shush, you…I want to try something Glimmer told me.”

“What?”

She put a hoof to my mouth, stopping my question and simply gave me a knowing smile as she glided alongside me. A soft pair of lips barely brushed up the edge of my ear and I could feel her warm breath around them. An involuntary shudder took me and I moaned under my breath.

“You like that, don’t you?”

I nodded. Her breath was like a warm breeze on a cold day, tantalising and delightfully wicked. She blew softly into my ear, the sensation odd but exciting at the same time. I wanted to kiss her, but I knew Meadow better than that, she had her own plan and would take her time experimenting with me, and goddess damn it, I loved it.

Meadow’s hoof lifted my chin and she licked from the bottom of my neck right up my throat to my muzzle, pulling away before I could react. Always on the edge of control, she kept me balanced there like some sort of talented acrobat; Meadow always seemed to know just how far to go.

Her horn glowed and I could feel its magic enveloping me, starting at the tip of my horn and working its way down. Meadows magic had a particular feel which gave me a shiver of sensation, running down into my body and sending little sparks of electricity through me. I kept my eyes shut tight against the tide of emotion and testosterone that was surging in my body right then. She chuckled and I felt from the tightness beneath me that I’d have to readjust myself before I ended up painfully uncomfortable.

Meadow reached down and, with both hooves, lifted my hind leg, exposing me for her inspection. She made a purring noise and blew…softly. I nearly cried out, the feeling was like gossamer and fire, a bizarre feeling that wracked my loins and mind. I wouldn’t be able to hang on at this rate…

Suddenly, she ran a hoof up the inside of my hind leg, up my hock, and hung on when I twitched instinctively. I hated anypony, or anything, touching my hind legs and like most ponies, would buck if I felt anything on there. I was frightened I’d kick her, but she knew just what to do and kept tight hold, putting me at ease with the strange feelings raging inside me and kept up her assault of licks and nibbles.

In a surprise move, Meadow ran a firm hoof along my spine, over my croup to my tail and lifted it. There was that horrible moment when I hoped I was clean down there, especially with what she did next. I nearly shot out of the seat when her teeth gripped my dock and scraped along it. I think the squeak I let out was the signal she needed, to know that I was about ready to either leap on her or black out; I hadn’t felt this excited in ages! She ran her hoof over my flank and pulled over a chair, leaning over it and presented herself to me, “Hungry?”

“Oh, Meadow…” I rumbled, reaching out and inspecting the offered banquet. She was soaking and smelled amazing, like the heather honey she’d been using in the kitchen. I took a taste.

“Celestia!” she gasped and reached out to bite the arm of the chair while I took another full length lick. My tongue was quite long, most ponies are I suppose, and I was able to fully indulge myself in the delicious mare. I moved gently but firmly, increasing in speed slightly in response to her moans. Meadow pushed herself into me, and I could see her own dampness seeping down the inside of her legs. I decided to repeat what she’d done to me. Squeaking in surprise, Meadow shook when I gripped her hind leg and began nibbling then licking up the inside, rising inexorably to her marehood. Finally, as she had done with me, I ran my teeth along her dock. She near screamed, her cries stifled in the fabric of the chair leg. I knew she was peaking and an expectant yellow eye looked back at me, as I pulled myself onto her now soaking hind quarters.

The beautiful green mare was as warm, soft and wonderful as she always had been. Her scent, the warmth and the knowledge that such a magnificent creature was in love with me was beyond anything any stallion could ever ask for, in any world. To enter her, to be one with her, was a gift that surpassed anything I could imagine. Her cries and gasps were a symphony of delight to my ears as I found my rhythm and moved with her.

In our passionate throws, Meadows drool dribbled onto the floor, her huffing increasing in speed until with a loud moan and shudder, her hind legs gave way. The green mare collapsed on the floor, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. I lay down next to her, taking in the bedraggled mess of green pony that was helplessly trying to compose herself.

“F…Fairlight…” she gasped, “…great Celestia…” She laughed and tried to stand, falling into me, “What have you done to me? You…you…my bloody legs have gone!”

I smiled as I held her, brushing some of her light green mane from her muzzle, “Did I make you happy, love?”

She reached up and kissed me, the heat from her was overwhelming, “What do you think? Good grief…I never…not like that…”

I felt a rush of warmth flood me from the tip of my horn to my tail; I’d made my mare happy and that alone made my heart soar. “I love you, my beautiful mare,” I whispered into her ear, “I really do.”

Meadow rubbed her face with a foreleg, “I love you too.” She laughed, “I’m going to need to wash my hair again now, look at the state of my mane, and my tail too!”

“Sticky Chic” I grinned.

Meadow clopped me on the chest playfully and looked down, “You didn’t?”

“Nah, I’m good. Seeing you like that is all I need, besides, I don’t want to wear you out too much!”

She shook her mane, “That’s not fair, Lord Fairlight. Come here…”

Meadow pushed me on my back and began to lick me, her tongue soft yet rough, it was wonderful. She looked up at me, “We can…you know, if you like?”

“Are you up to it? You look worn out.”

“Mares have more strength than you think, mister Loam”

“Hey!”

She pushed me onto the floor and then pulled over the rug and a couple of cushions, lying on her back before the fire. Her eyes glinted in the firelight, sparkling and alive. Holding out her fore hooves, I lowered myself onto her and kissed her softly. In a rushed she grabbed me and pulled me down onto her, moaning into my mouth,

“Goddesses, Fairlight…I love you so much.”

Kissing her I gazed into my beloved’s eyes, “You ready?”

She closed her eyes, nodding her ascent and I slid effortlessly into her. Meadow moaned and I bucked her with long slow strokes mindful of her fatigue, but soon she opened her eyes and murmured, “More…please, love…more.”

I increased my speed and she began to buck up into me, a little at first and then faster, harder, until her gasping and whimpers increased to fill my heart and soul with fire. I huffed out a breath and she reached down my flank, pulling me into her with a loud cry she couldn’t stifle any longer. In flood of heat, I released my pent up passion into her and collapsed by her side, my heart thundering.

Time seemed to stop. The fire’s dying embers were warm on my face, lulling me into a cosy sleep, my mare by my side. We could have gone to bed, but neither of us really cared to, nor had the energy anyway. Reaching over her tired body, I pulled the throw off the settee and covered us both, snuggling into Meadow. I kissed her on the muzzle and she returned it weakly, “You know, we’re going to have to see the girls soon, don’t you?”

I smiled gently, “But not tonight, eh? Bloody hell, I’m ready for the knackers yard.”

Meadow grinned, “They’ll be missing you, love. I did.”

“There’s a selfish part of me, that…” she stopped me with a hoof. “I know what you’re going to say, but don’t. I feel the same way, but we both know they need you as much as I do. They love you too, and little Lumin.”

I didn’t want to think about that now, and she tapped me on the nose, “One day love, we’ll be one big family, together. I don’t need to remind you do I?”

“No, but…can we not talk about that now love? I just want to feel you next to me, listen to your heart beating beside mine. You smell so wonderful.”

I saw a tear roll down her cheek, “You know just how to get me just there, you bugger.”

She snuggled into me, rubbing her head up against my neck, “You’re still mine”, she sighed “You always will be”.