Several hours later, the train pulled into Vanhoover station with a squealing of brakes. Tootsie leapt off the train onto the platform almost before the train had stopped moving.

"Tootsie, hold on!" Bon Bon called, chasing after them. "We still have plenty of time to catch the ferry, there's no need to rush. Not that I'm looking forward to being cooped up with you two for much longer," she added beneath her breath.

"It's only a hop, skip and a jump to Mareland!" Lyra said, demonstrating each action as she bounded out of the train. "I can smell the clovers already—whoops!" she cried out as she bumped into another pony, knocking them both over. "Sorry!" Lyra squeaked, reaching to help her unintentional acquaintance back up.

"That's all right," the green-coated unicorn said with a smile, recollecting his suitcase. "I should have been watching where I was going. Say, I couldn't help but overhear," he added. "Are you headed for the ferry to Mareland?"

"We are!" Lyra said.

"Oh, good; so am I! We could share a cab," he suggested.

"Can we, Bonnie?" Lyra asked.

"All right," Bon Bon replied, hailing a large cab. "As long as he agrees to split the fee."

"No problem," the unicorn said as he followed the trio onto the cab, taking a seat next to Lyra. "I'm Coin Toss, by the way. I'm visiting Mareland on a business trip."

"You picked the best time to come!" Lyra said energetically. "Tomorrow is Shamrock Day!"

"Shamrock Day? Can't say I've ever heard of it," Coin Toss said as he set his suitcase in the trunk of the cab.

"It's a national celebration of the Mareish culture," Lyra explained as she helped her family pack their luggage into the taxi. "Families all gather together in cèilidh, special gatherings where everypony sings and dances, for three days. If the celebrations go off without a hitch, then it assures good luck for the rest of the year."

"And if the celebrations go badly?" Coin Toss asked as he followed the trio into the cab.

"We try not to think about that," Lyra said softly, sitting down next to him.

"To the docks, please!" Bon Bon called to the cab driver, who tipped his cap and hurried away down the street. The travelers began to chat amongst themselves as a group of acquaintances might.

None of them noticed the stallion in the gray hat and the green vest standing on the curb behind them, waiting for a cab of his own.

Less than half an hour later, the cab pulled up to the ferry dock. A large white ferry flying the green, white and orange flag of Mareland sat in the water of the North Luna Sea, waiting for passengers to board. In the distance, through the ever-present fog that hung over the water, the green mountains of the island region of Mareland could be seen.

"So what's in the suitcase?" Tootsie asked Coin Toss as they boarded the ferry. "Is it a secret?"

"It's the best kind of secret," Coin Toss replied. He dramatically looked around, then softly asked, "Would you like to know what kind of secret?"

Tootsie nodded eagerly. Coin Toss leaned in close and hissed into her ear: "It's a secret!"

Bon Bon and Lyra both laughed. Tootsie frowned and blew a raspberry at the chuckling Coin Toss as they boarded the ferry. Soon after they boarded, the ferry cast off ties and set sail, trundling across the choppy waters to the island. Standing on the bow, Lyra placed her front hooves on top of the railing and lifted herself up, watching the shores of her homeland approaching. The wind tossed her mane about wildly.

"Almost there now, girls," she said to Bon Bon and Tootsie. "Just smell that sea air!" She drew her head back and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nostrils. At that exact moment, however, the ferry crested a wave and splashed down hard, tossing up foam. The result was that instead of breathing in the sea air, Lyra inhaled a significant portion of the sea. She doubled over the rails, coughing, while the others laughed at her misfortune.

"Maybe we can smell the sea air away from the rails, hon," Bon Bon said, guiding her away from the rails to search for a towel.

Thirty minutes later, the ferry bumped against the docks with a shudder. "Welcome to Trotterford, ladies and gentleponies!" the pilot called out over the PA. "Please be careful disembarking and have a wonderful visit!"

"We're here!" Lyra and Tootsie cheered in unison, hurrying to collect their luggage. The family joined the outgoing passengers and exited onto the dock.

Coin Toss, still holding his suitcase tight, paused at the gangway to allow them to go first. "Well, enjoy your trip," he called after them.

"Bye!" Tootsie waved cheerily at him as they departed, and he smiled at her in return as he walked the opposite way from them, disappearing into a waiting taxi carriage.

Bon Bon, Lyra and Tootsie paused on the street outside. Trotterford, the main port of Mareland, sprawled out before them. Red brick taverns, apartments and shops stood before them behind rows of street lamps like the front lines of an army; behind them, skyscrapers and steeples reached up towards the shining blue sky. Groups of ponies, many of them dressed in green to mark the three-day celebrations, smiled as they walked by. A Mareland Guard, adorned in shining green and orange armor and wearing an emerald beret, saluted as he walked by.

"Where are they?" Bon Bon asked, scanning the crowds of ponies. "They said they'd be here."

"Don't worry, they..." Lyra paused, her eyes widening at the sight of two ponies waiting on the other side of the cobblestone street. "Ma! Dad!" she shouted, racing over and leaping into her parents' embrace.

Lyra's father was a plump unicorn with an emerald green coat and a reddish mane, goatee and tail, and a cutie mark of a four-leaved clover. He was wearing a gold-trimmed vest and a bow tie. Raising himself up onto his hind legs, he wrapped Lyra up in his forelegs and twirled around in place, spinning his daughter through the air. "How've you been, sweetie?" he asked her in a gruff voice, tussling her mane affectionately. "Seems that Shamrock Day comes later every year!"

Lyra's mother was a small, pale blue unicorn with blue-white hair and emerald green eyes and a cutie mark of a pair of black dancing shoes with a rose. "Good to see you again, dear," she said, kissing Lyra on the cheek before turning her attention to her granddaughter. "Come here, you gorgeous filly!" she cooed, lifting Tootsie up and into her embrace. "Look how skinny you are! What are your mothers trying to do, starve you?"

"We feed her just fine, Rose Jig," Bon Bon sighed, greeting her mother-in-law with a hug. "Although I'm sure she's been looking forward to some of your cooking."

"So have I, I'm starving!" Lyra's father declared, setting Lyra back down.

"Ah, you're always hungry, Clover Step," Rose sighed, shaking her head. "I swear, your daughter is exactly like you!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Clover grinned in reply. "Come on, girls. While we're walking back, I can tell you about that leprechaun we saw in the garden last week."

"A leprechaun?" Lyra and Tootsie squealed simultaneously, hopping after the other two ponies, enchanted by their tale. Bon Bon followed, rolling her eyes with a broad smile.

Meanwhile, half a mile away, Coin Toss exited his cab outside a two-story building with a hanging wooden sign over the door that displayed the green silhouette of a bull. Paying the cabbie with a smile and a couple of bits, he entered the bar. The bell above the door jingled as he crossed the threshold.

The tavern inside was well-lit with chandeliers of candles hanging from the walls. Crowds of ponies huddled around the tables, talking loudly as they guzzled down cider from tankards. The Mareish flag was hung up on the wall, surrounded by black-and-white photographs of regular customers. Coin Toss headed for the bar at the head of the room.

"Coin, me boyo!" the blue-bearded bartender greeted him with a broad grin, washing out a tankard with his magic. "The usual, mate?"

"Definitely," Coin replied, sitting up at a stool and dropping some bits on the bar. The bartender plunked down a tall glass filled with a clover green liquid topped with bubbling foam that dripped down the sides of the glass. The bartender also gave him a napkin with a wink. "I just wiped this down, so don't go messing it up, right?"

"Of course," Coin replied, taking a long sip of his drink as he unfolded his napkin. He quickly examined it, then wiped off the foam around his frowning lips.

There'd been a small change of plans. The meeting would have to be delayed a couple of days. In the meantime, he should lay low and wait for further instructions.

With an annoyed sigh, Coin Toss finished off his drink and asked the bartender if there were any rooms available at the Green Bull.

"Welcome home, Lyra," Clover Step said as they passed through an iron wrought gate. The grounds of Heartstrings Manor sprawled out before them, fields of grass and clover shaded beneath ancient oak trees. Sitting imperially atop the hill before them, crowned by the afternoon sun, was the manor proper, a tall brick building with two wings that spread out wide open like they were waiting for an embrace.

A crowd of ponies milled on the grounds outside. Adults sat on benches while foals and fillies chased each other through the trees. Mouth-watering smells wafted towards the newcomers from the sizzling grills.

"Ah, just in time for brunch!" Clover licked his lips, heading for the grills. Rose Jig rolled her eyes at her husband. Tootsie ran off to play with some of her cousins.

Lyra grabbed a couple of green-colored ciders and gave one to Bon Bon as she guided her to one of the oak trees. This particular tree was her personal favorite: it had been planted by her ancient ancestors, the founders of Trotterford. As a filly, she had always imagined that the tree was tall enough to touch the clouds, and she had injured herself a number of times trying to climb to the top. An old swing, placed by her grandparents, dangled from one of the lower branches. Lyra sat down on the creaking swing and pushed herself back, allowing herself to swing in the breeze.

"It's always good to come back here," Bon Bon sighed, sitting up against the base of the tree and sipping her cider while she watched their daughter chasing her cousins around.

"You said it," Lyra said, continuing to swing back and forth gently. "Being here always makes me feel like a filly again."

"You are a filly, Lyra," Bon Bon said.

"Eh, growing up's overrated," Lyra shrugged. "Push me!"

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow at her. "What's the magic word?"

"Please push me?" Lyra simpered, pouting.

"Oh, all right," Bon Bon sighed. She got up and stood behind her wife, gently pushing her on the swing, smiling at her delighted laughs that joined the chorus of joy.

Author's Notes:

The second chapter, and this story is well and truly underway. What do you guys think so far?

Note: cèilidh is pronounced like "kay-leed"