Then There Was You

“Then There Was You”

Chapter 3:
“A Memorable First Date”

Written by
JaydexTheShadowKnight

Following Friday, the second day of their meeting, the weekend went by and as the new week started, Jeanne began making the flight from Canterlot to Ponyville each day. At first Galen thought she was stopping by with new ideas for her sword, but she claimed to have come to simply check on his progress, and would then ask to watch him as he worked. Though unlike their second meeting, Galen was a bit busier, so their chats were quite limited. Another thing that didn’t help matters was that Anvil Clang and his grandson were also there, working on other projects. The resulting noise played another factor in preventing them form carrying on a proper conversation.

Thankfully, during Galen’s lunch break they could head out to the maple tree and enjoy a decent talk as they shared the midday meal together. Sadly, the time during his lunches always seemed to go by so quickly, not that Jeanne didn’t enjoy sharing it with him while it lasted.

As each day passed, Jeanne seemed to show up, almost like clockwork. Galen began to realize that she must have felt something for him. Sadly, there just really wasn’t a way for them to have long enough discussions for him to broach such a wonder. Nevertheless, with each passing day, he was just becoming happier and happier to know that she would be there, and they always had fun sharing lunch together. Knowing that her actions the first time they shared lunch weren’t an issue – Jeanne would lean beside him as they’d enjoy a few moments of silence together, under the cooling shadow of their favorite tree. They’d chat a little but it was never beyond her sword of minor details about each other. One thing Galen certainly enjoyed was hearing about her duties as a royal guard.

* * * * *

Thursday arrived, and the week had started coming to an end. It was late morning, a little after eleven. Galen was putting the final touches on Jeanne’s sword. After a good seven days of work, including time over the weekend, the blacksmith had all but completed the weapon. The blade held up beautifully, following the quenching and tempering processes. Quenching hardened the metal so it could hold an edge longer, while tempering helped to restore a good deal of the sword’s durability, as quenching can make the metal warp or become brittle, especially if great care wasn’t applied. Thankfully, Galen’s skills had come a long way, so there were no real issues.

He studied his work meticulously. Giving a nod, he saw that the sapphires he added on both sides of the cross-guard looked perfect, and the emerald he mounted to the pommel seemed to complement the other jewels nicely. Galen was grateful that he learned a great deal form the local artisans of Ponyville, as well as crafting techniques he learned from Clang and Blade. It really helped him in learning to decorate his creations, be they weapon, jewelry or even day-to-day items. Though weapons and armor seemed to be his true forte.

Galen was also thankful for his dealings with Rarity. Following the arrival of the first human on Equestria, Princess Luna’s partner, Rarity found she really enjoyed making clothing for humans. Naturally, Galen turned to her for clothing as well, seeing as he hadn’t brought that much with him when he first came to the pony world.

Over the visits he made to her boutique, Galen learned that Rarity often set out and used her magic to find gems. After becoming an apprentice blacksmith, Galen made an arrangement to help Rarity gather gems, whenever Spike was busy. In exchange for his labors, Rarity would offer Galen some of the gems for use in his projects and a discount on future clothing purchases. The two of them had a good working business relationship, but they also enjoyed hanging out from time to time at one of the local coffee shops, just to find out how things were going for each other. That was about as far as things went with them.

Checking the hilt, again, Galen was still pleased with the decorations. He looked to the sheath and felt equally satisfied with the matching sapphires he added to it. Turning back to the hilt, he noticed that the leather grip added to the overall appearance of the weapon. In addition, the engravings of her name and his first initial added a beautiful touch to the silvery sheen of the finished blade. Now, all that needed done was for Galen to sharpen the sword.

He took the weapon over to the sharpening station and began running the blade along the moving wheel of the stone.

Nearly an hour had passed after Galen finished using the sharpening stone. He had properly honed the edge of the weapon, completing the final step. He smiled as his labor was now, at last, complete.

All that needed done now was to polish the sword’s blade, and give it an even nicer shine. Galen checked his tools and grabbed some sword polish and a clean rag.

After carefully applying the polish, Galen looked up and noticed Clang approaching, no doubt checking on his progress.

The elder stallion stood by his human apprentice. “Hello, Galen, my boy. How are things going?”

Galen greeted his mentor with a warm smile, placing Jeannedarc’s sword back into its sheath, and then setting it on his workbench. “It’s going very good, Clang. I have finished Jeanne’s sword.” He announced in a proud voice.

Clang eyed up the sword, examining the work on the scabbard and admiring how the chape (the part that protected the blade’s point) was adorned with sapphires on each side of its point. The stallion placed a hoof along the blackened leather grip. “Do you mind?”

Galen shook his head. “No, go right ahead, just be careful with the blade, it’s very sharp.”

Clang gripped the sword and began sliding it out of its scabbard. The blade made a soft scraping sound as he drew it out from the locket of its sheath. Clang studied it carefully and noticed the care Galen had put into its creation. “You did a fine job on this, my boy. One of your finest swords yet.” He slid the sword back into its scabbard. “Jeanne will be very pleased with this, I’m quite sure.”

Galen grasped the sheathed weapon in his hands as he hoisted the sword from his workbench. “I’m confident she’ll like it. I put my heart into it.”

“It shows, it really does. Giving you little to fear.” Clang chuckled to himself. “You really are quite taken with Jeanne, aren’t you?”

Galen promptly set the sword on the table, and gave him a thoughtful look. “I guess there’s no fooling you, huh?”

The elder stallion laughed again, this time more heartily. “Oh, there’s no denying it, my boy. Blade and I both could see it. The way you worked so tirelessly, and the way you both behaved all week.”

Galen smiled, placing a hand on her sword, his thoughts shifting to her once again. “Yeah…she is really special. I enjoyed eating lunch with her each day. I only wish…” The human paused, and sighed.

“What is it, Galen?”

Turning to Clang, he gave him a strong glance with his expressive green eyes. “I only wish we could spend more time together. I’d really like to get to know her better, but I can’t do that here at the forge.”

Clang placed a supportive hoof on his pupil’s lower shoulder. “Then why not simply ask her out on a date?”

Galen’s eyes widened, it was a heck of an idea, simple, but brilliant. He smiled at his mentor. “Clang, that’s a great idea, oh, but would she really be up for it. I mean she seems interested.”

Clang shook his head. “Why the sudden backpedaling? I know she must feel something for you. Why else would she bring you lunch, and have made the journey here from Canterlot each day?”

“You’re right of course.” Galen placed a hand to his chin. “I’m just a little jittery, I guess. Though, I’m sure I’ll find a way to ask her. Now, if you’ll pardon me, Clang, I need to prepare her sword belt.”

“Of course. I trust she’ll be by for her sword sometime today?”

“She will. I told her to stop by this afternoon, that way I’d have time to finish the last details.” Galen patted her sword very cheerfully.

“I’ll keep an eye out for her.” With his piece said, Clang took his leave of Galen.

The human continued to smile, wondering how he should go about asking her out. One thing was certain; he couldn’t wait to see Jeanne again.

* * * * *

The sun had just passed its zenith, now that it was a little after one. Jeanne stood beside a nearby window along one of the many corridors of Canterlot Castle. She wasn’t alone. Merry Way, one of the castle maids and a friend of hers, was standing beside her. The white earth pony mare was wearing her typical maid’s ensemble, which consisted of a black dress with white lace, a big white bow along the back of her waist, matching white stockings, and a traditional maid’s black and white lace headband. The two ponies were gazing out the window and enjoying the view as they chatted.

“Can you believe it? Galen said my sword will be ready today!” Jeanne was beside herself with excitement. It was ever present in her voice and her words. She was thrilled to have another excuse to go see Galen. Since their first meeting about a week ago, she was really looking forward to visiting him again, and that was considering Jeanne had just been to the forge yesterday.

Merry Way giggled at her enthusiastic friend. “I sure can, but I don’t think you’re nearly as excited about the sword as you are at the chance of seeing Galen, are you?”

Jeanne saw the look in Merry Way’s sapphire eyes. She blushed a little as she nodded to her friend. “Yeah, I admit it. While I am excited about the sword, I really just want to see Galen, again. It’s hard to explain.”

The cheerful maid patted her hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “I think I understand. Galen has come to mean a lot to you, in a short time.”

Jeanne nodded, continuing to gaze out the window and in the general direction of Ponyville. “He has, Merry. In some ways it doesn’t make any sense. He’s not even a pony, but whenever I see him or when we share lunch, I feel incredibly happy.” For a moment she forgot herself and let out a dreamy sigh.

Merry Way continued to smile warmly. “You aren’t alone, Jeanne. There are a number of mares in Equestria that have been falling for these humans, since they started arriving…um…how long has it been…three years?”

Jeanne nodded. “Yeah, it’s been at least that long.”

The maid giggled again. “You know the princesses each have a human partner, don’t you?”

Jeanne turned her head to Merry Way, glancing at her wide-eyed. “Really?” Her friend nodded. “I heard a number of ponies talking about it, even amongst the guards, but I was starting to wonder if it was just a rumor. So you’re saying I heard them right?”

“Yep. It is true. In fact I met Princess Luna’s human partner, David. It must have been almost five years ago, since he arrived. Naturally, when I first met him, I was very shy. I’d never seen a human before, so I didn’t know how to act around him.”

Jeanne sighed again, leaning on the windowsill. Her thoughts remained on Galen. She couldn’t get him off her mind, nor could she stop thinking about the ways he gently touched her. While they were all perfectly innocent gestures, like: placing a hand on her shoulder, patting her back, or sweeping a lock of hair from her eyes, she couldn’t help but wonder how his fingers would feel grazing her in more intimate areas. She turned to her friend. “Merry?”

She smiled at the guard mare. “Yes, Jeanne?”

“Do you know…or have you, uh, heard what humans are like with their mares…you know, as lovers?” Jeanne blinked her sparkly blue eyes at the maid, full of awe and wonder.

Merry Way joined Jeanne, leaning along the window’s edge. “You know, I don’t have any first hand knowledge about them. Since we met, back when you were still training to be a guard, and even before then, I never had much luck with stallions, and I don’t know if I’d ever be brave enough to speak with one of the humans. Though, I have heard some rumors about them from the other maids.”

Jeanne’s eyes remained fixed on Merry Way. “What did you hear?”

Her white cheeks quickly became flushed as she reached up to sweep a stray lock of her purple mane off her face. “Well, it seems that most are very attentive and in many cases quite gentle lovers. They are eager to please their mares, and respond quite well when their mares return the favor. Oh, and I hear that when it comes to the bedroom, they aren’t just a quick rut and done, you know, like some of the stallions tend to be. But, these are only rumors.” Merry Way continued looking out the window, and let out a dreamy sigh of her own. “Still…if they are true…it would be so nice to have a special somepony like that. Good stallions are so hard to come by anymore.”

Jeanne had been hanging on her every word, right up to the part where Merry Way said the human males weren’t just a quick rut and done. From there, her mind went elsewhere…as she dared to imagine Galen’s touch along her most private regions. She caught herself and realized her focus had slipped. “Oh, Merry Way, I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

She giggled at her friend, one more time. “Day dreaming already? I was just saying it would be nice to have someone like these male humans, that’s all.”

“Yeah…I know what you mean. I wonder if Galen thinks about me as more than just a pony or a friend?” Jeanne sighed again, continuing to stare out over the view of Canterlot and beyond.

“From what you’ve told me, it sounds like he really does like you. Hmm, maybe you two should try getting together away from the forge. It might make things easier, you know, to learn more about each other. You’ve been chatting and seeing each other for a week now. You must mean something to him.”

“Yeah, you might be right. Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out…” Jeanne moved away form the window and gave her wings and back a good stretch. “I should get my bits and head to Ponyville. He said I should stop by sometime after lunch.”

“Okay then. I hope everything works out for you two.” Merry Way offered a smile along with her moral support.

“Thank you. Well, I’m off.” Jeanne waved to her friend and trotted down the corridor, bound first for her room at the barracks and then to Ponyville.

* * * * *

Heat rippled up from the fresh hunk of burning hot metal. Sweat dripped form Galen’s brow as he clutched the heavy sledgehammer in his left hand. The smell of the coals within the furnace and the warm scent of the metal crawled into his nose as he sniffed in a breath of air. Then, swinging one of the many hammers in his arsenal, he struck the hot steel, filling the forge with sounds of metallic clanging.

The human had begun working on a project for another customer, and was doing his best to pass the time till Jeanne’s arrival. Even as he began pounding the flaming steel into a proper shape, his thoughts rolled with images of her vibrant white coat, sparkling blues eyes, flowing locks of blonde silk and her heartwarming smile. He hadn’t been this smitten with a mare in quite some time. More than anything, Galen had an unrelenting desire to learn more about her. If his past relationships with other mares in Ponyville taught him anything, it’s that they were better and lasted longer, providing he got to know more about them, before simply rushing blindly into things. While in many cases it could take an irritatingly long time to learn about someone new, Galen found he knew plenty about Jeanne already.

Taking a moment to focus his thoughts, as he continued to work, he considered what he currently knew. Galen had learned that Jeanne’s favorite color was blue, and that she was an admirer of finely crafted swords, as well as swords in general. She worked as a guard in Canterlot, helping to oversee the welfare of Equestria. Then, there were a few more personal things he learned about her over the course of the past week. She enjoyed the sweets from Sugar Cube Corner, and bringing some of them to share with him as they ate lunch under the shady maple tree. Jeanne enjoyed his company, stated that she was lonely, since she didn’t have anyone special in her life. There were a few other minor details she also shared, but he froze holding his hammer. He couldn’t clearly think of them. As she had mentioned those points, he recalled being captivated by her beauty as he tried not to stare into her eyes, too obviously, as he knew she had a bit of a shy side to her and could be quite bashful at times.

Shaking his head, Galen was pleased at how much he understood about her already, as he resumed striking the hunk of steel, which remained securely gripped in his tongs. He then began to think of the things he told her about himself, but just as he went to start recollecting, he noticed a familiar scent fill the air. It was the delicate floral fragrance of Jeanne’s perfume. He noticed that she had started wearing it as of Monday, when she came to check on his progress.

Galen immediately set his hammer down, and turned to see if his nose hadn’t been deceiving him. There, he saw her, standing just beyond his workbench. Jeannedarc, the gorgeous guard pony, out of her armor and just as radiant as ever. He greeted her with a kind smile, eager to unveil the culmination of his week’s labors to her.

“Jeanne,” he called out to her.

She quickly made her way over to him, trying not to seem too eager. It was clear by the look in her eyes that she was more than happy to be there. “Galen, it’s so good to see you again.”

“Likewise. You’re timing is perfect. Just, let me place this metal into the slack tub, so it can cool.”

“Okay.” She beamed him a happy smile, standing near him.

Galen kept a strong grip on the metal as he moved it from the anvil. He immersed it into the slack tub, stirring up a cloud of hot steam as the steel began to cool. He set the tongs down on the anvil and walked back over to her. “All right then. I have your sword, all ready for you.”

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing it completed.” Her voice teemed with excitement as she followed him over to the workbench.

Galen removed a piece of cloth, which had been concealing her weapon. He gripped it in his hands and lifted it off the table. Holding it securely, he walked over to Jeanne. There, he knelt down before her and held the sword up, presenting it to her. “Here you are, my lady.” He spoke in a very chivalrous manner, which left Jeanne all but speechless.

She looked at him in awe, her cheeks blushing softly as she was touched by his thoughtful gesture. Her eyes quickly focused on her sword. The blade had been sheathed within its scabbard, and Jeanne saw that Galen had used a gold color on both the locket and chape of the sheath, as well as on the hilt itself. Giving it a closer look, she noticed the lovely blue of the sapphires, which seemed to stand out along the gold color of the weapon’s décor.

Jeanne reached for the sword, and carefully took it form him in her hooves. “Oh my.” She quivered softly, her mouth hanging open in silent awe as she continued examining the elegant weapon. The sapphires along the hilt’s cross-guard were just stunning, and then she noticed the complementary effect of the emerald, which had been added to the pommel. Not wanting to wait a moment more, she slowly drew the blade form its cover. It made a soft metallic scraping as she fully removed it.

She made her way into the open patch of grass at the center of the forge. Galen had returned to his feet and watched her intently. Jeanne swung the sword, and in an instant she could tell how nicely balanced it felt in her grip. Not only was it a lovely design, but it also had a good weight and feel to it. It was then that she noticed markings along the base of the blade. Looking closely, she saw it spelled out her name “Jeannedarc” in fancy letters. This made her smile, as she realized that this meant the sword was truly for her. Something else stood out to her eyes. Just below her name, she saw a small ‘G’ framed in a square. Her mouth fell open again as she suspected it was his first initial. “Galen,” she light gasped.

“Yes, Jeanne? Do you like the sword?” He looked to her, waiting for a response.

“I do, it’s beautiful. But, this.” She pointed to the letter below her name. “Is this suppose to be your initial?”

He nodded. “Yes, I thought in addition to your name, it would add a nice personal touch, so you knew the sword was made by me.”

She closed her eyes and gave him a big smile. “Thank you, Galen! I love it!”

“Hang on, there’s more.” He gleefully announced.

“There’s more?!” Her words had a slightly dumbfounded quality to them. Jeanne slid the sword back into its scabbard, and joined him by his workbench. “What else could there be?” She wondered with growing anticipation.

“This.” He announced, holding up her sword belt. “I thought a belt would be a fitting touch, so you could wear your sword and always keep it by your side, during a patrol, in case of trouble. Now, why don’t you set the sword on the workbench.”

“Okay.” Jeanne deftly set the blade down. She eyed the belt, thinking how great it would be to keep her sword at the ready.

He walked over to her, holding up the belt. “Do you mind if I put it on for you, unless that would…”

She shook her head before he could finish and offered a response. “No, I don’t mind. Go ahead.”

Galen smiled in response to her gentle words. It made him feel good knowing she wasn’t nearly as nervous around him, well, unlike she was during their first meeting. He placed the belt along her back, minding her wings, and then Galen knelt down drawing the two ends together. Tucking the one end into the buckle, he carefully secured it. His fingers inadvertently brush along the fur of her belly, filling Jeanne with welcomed chills that rolled up her spine.

He turned to the table and retrieved her weapon. Galen attached it to the belt, and stood back. “There…you look great.”

Jeanne turned her head to glance at the belt, which was partially hidden by the bottom of her folded wing. “Yeah, it does look nice, and like you said, this will make things convenient during my patrols.” She gave him a happy grin, but then recalled something important. “Oh, how much do I owe you for all of this?”

He didn’t even pause before replying. “Nothing...you're a Royal Guard, in the service of the princesses, and are helping protect everyone in Equestria. How can I charge you for this sword?” Galen gave her a truly genuine expression.

Jeanne placed a hoof over her heart. “Thank you. That’s so generous of you, but…I insist. Won’t you at least let me give you something in return for this remarkable sword? You worked so hard on it and deserve some kind of payment for your efforts.” He placed a hand to his chin, as he considered her offer. “Please.” Her kindness and yearning echoed with the utterance of that single word.

“Well…” He began, continuing to think, not that it was very hard to come up with an idea. This was actually quite perfect. Galen chuckled softly as he walked a little closer to her. “Okay, how about this? I’d love to see you again, but not here at the forge, rather, away from all the smells and noises, somewhere we can talk and get to know each other better.”

Jeanne smiled, and couldn’t help but feel both nervous and exhilarated. This was just what she was hoping for, even if it felt a little unnerving. “Yes, I’d really like that. If you want, I’m free the rest of the day. We could hang out now, if you like?”

Galen loved the idea, but had to present her with some bad news. “That’d be great, but I still…”

Before Galen could finish, Anvil Clang walked up to them. He had been innocently eavesdropping on them. “Now then, Galen, my boy. Did I just hear you ask this young lady out?” The elder stallion flipped his gray tail as he looked to his apprentice.

“Yes, I did. She wanted to offer something in payment for the sword, but I know I can’t just abandoned my duties here at the forge.”

“Nonsense. You are a fine worker and a very hard one at that. Such reliable effort deserves rewarding. With that said, you may have the rest of the day off.” Clang patted Galen’s back and gave them both a warming smile.

“Thank you, Clang. You’re the best.”

“It’s nothing. You’ve more than earned it.” Clang nodded as he looked to them both again.

Galen smiled at Jeanne. “Let me wash up, quick, then I just need to stop by my house to change, and from there we can go out and enjoy the rest of this gorgeous day.”

Jeanne smiled at him. “That sounds wonderful.”

He placed his gloves into his apron pockets and then removed it, hanging the protective covering on a hook by his workbench. Galen made his way to the sink, and prepared to wash up.

Meanwhile, Clang and Jeanne walked toward the front of the shop, where she could wait for him. The elder stallion looked at her and smiled. “That sword certainly looks very fitting on you.”

“Thank you. I’m very, very happy with it!” Jeanne gave clang a gleeful smile, while she glanced at her sword. It made her think even more about Galen.

“You know, Galen put a lot of hard work into crafting that for you.” Clang scratched his beard and gave a firm nod, looking over at her with his purple eyes.

She was silent for a moment, remaining almost lost in thought. “I know, Clang. And speaking of Galen, I was wondering if you could answer a question for me?”

Clang fluffed his beard and gave her his undivided attention. “What is you wish to know, my dear?”

“Well, I’ve become very fond of Galen.” She began.

“So I’ve noticed, but please, go on.”

“Do you know what his intentions might be? I’m glad he wants to get to know me better, but would he ever want to be with a mare?” Jeanne could only wonder, as she looked to Clang, hopeful for a positive answer.

He chuckled softly. “A good question. I know Galen has been with a few mares over the course of the last few years. But, if you wish to learn more, you’d best ask Galen himself.”

Jeanne smiled. “I will. Thank you, Clang, you’ve been very helpful.”

“My pleasure.” She then fished some bits form her coin pouch, presenting them to him. He looked at the money. “What’s this for?”

“Please, Galen worked so hard, but wouldn’t let me offer him any money. It’s not much, but at least take these bits for your trouble.” Jeanne placed the coins totaling 200 bits onto his hoof.

He took the money and smiled at her. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

“It’s nothing. Would you let him know I’ll be waiting out front for him?”

“Of course.” Clang, bowed his head respectfully to her and then trotted back to the forge.

Galen was drying his face and hands with a towel when Clang arrived. The pale-red stallion looked at his apprentice, while Galen hung up the towel and glanced back at his mentor. “What is it, Clang?”

“Here.” He held up his hoof, and dropped the coins into Galen’s hand. “Jeanne was kind enough to offer us these as a small token of her gratitude, since you wouldn’t accept a proper payment. I thought you should have them.”

Galen clutched the coins in his palm, and nodded. “Thank you. I know just what to use these for.”

“Oh? And what’s that, if you’ll forgive an old stallion for prying.” Clang chucked at his own curiosity.

He patted Clang’s back and smiled. “These will come in handy for our date. I’ll use this money for anything we might need.” Galen dropped the coins into his money pouch, which was now tied to the side of his pants.

“I’m glad you’ll put the money to good use. She will no doubt appreciate it. Speaking of which, Jeanne said she’d be out front when you’re ready.” Clang pointed to the front of the shop.

Galen nodded. “Right. Well, I should be off. I know it’s rude to keep a lady waiting. Thanks again for letting me have the rest of the day off.”

“Anytime, my boy. I hope everything works out for you two.”

Galen simply smiled as he took his leave of Clang. The stallion waved to his human friend as he vanished around the front of the shop. Galen arrived out front, where Jeanne was waiting for him. Jeanne heard the sound of his footsteps along the dirt and grass, causing her to look up and smile happily at him. “Ready to go?” he asked her. She nodded. “Now, we just need to stop by my house, so I can change into something more causal.”

“That’s fine. I certainly don’t blame you for wanting to get out of those dirty clothes.” Her thoughtful words reflected the joy that clung to her jubilant smile.

Galen shared her gleeful expression as they departed the forge, making their way across town to his place.

* * * * *

Jeanne and Galen arrived in front of his Ponyville residence. The human lived in a decent sized home. It was a single level dwelling, comprised of a combination of wood and brick, with a shingled roof. Needless to say, his income from the forge, along with the bits that he saved from his past jobs in Ponyville, allowed him the chance to purchase a nice home.

He looked to Jeanne and smiled. “Okay, I just need to get out of these dirty work clothes. Do you mind waiting here for a few minutes? I won’t be long.”

She returned his smile. “Of course not. Take your time.”

Her soothing voice made him take in a deep breath. He was so happy that they were going to have some real time to spend together. Just as he went to head to the front door, he noticed she was still wearing her sword. While she looked stunning with it on, Galen thought it might not be the most practical thing for her to wear on a date.

“Jeanne, did you want to take off your sword and keep it here, for now?” He gave her an inquisitive look.

She nodded and giggled softly glancing at her sword and belt. “Now that you mention it…this would most likely get in the way, and be a bit of a burden. Just let me take this off.” But to her dismay the buckle didn’t want to cooperate. Try as she might, her hoof couldn’t seem to get it to come loose.

Galen stifled a chuckle as he walked up beside her. “Hang on. Maybe I can help.”

“Huh?” She looked at him as Galen knelt down. Jeanne was still trying to free the belt, just as his hands moved toward the buckle and lightly brushed against her hoof. She froze for a moment, delighted by the unintentional sweep of his fingers.

Galen focused as he worked to loosen the belt. It even took him a little effort, but in a few seconds, he had succeeded. “There we go.” Carefully, he removed the sword and belt from around her. “I don’t get it. This shouldn’t have happened. I tested this thing ten times.”

“It’s okay. I’m sure it was just being stubborn.” Jeanne looked at him thoughtfully, placing a supportive hoof along his side.

He gave her a nod and smiled. “You’re probably right. You know…it could just be that the leather is still stiff, from being so new. Well, I’ll be back in a few.”

“Okay.” Jeanne continued smiling as Galen stepped into his house, carrying her sword, belt and all.

She stood there for a little over five minutes. Then, Galen emerged from his house, locking and closing the door behind him. Jeanne focused her eyes on him and couldn’t help staring for a bit. He was now dressed in a pair of casual black pants, had on a green short-sleeved shirt, and had switched from his boots to a pair of brown, laced sneakers. Lastly, she happened to see he had his money pouch tied to the belt of his pants.

He stepped off the small porch and joined her on the street. Jeanne nearly froze, from the heavenly fragrance that began assaulting her nose. It possessed a faint musky scent, which she found very pleasing. She took in a deep sniff of the scent. “Hmm…what is that I’m smelling? Are you wearing cologne?” Jeanne looked at him curiously wondering.

Galen chuckled softly and nodded. “Yeah. I thought you’d enjoy it if I didn’t smell like a blacksmith’s forge.”

Jeanne walked up close to him, and briefly forgetting herself, she rubbed up against him. “I like it.” Then she realized what she had just done. “Galen,” she gasped, “I’m so sorry. That wasn’t too much, was it?” Her cheeks quickly turned red, but she began to calm as she managed to look him in the eye.

Shaking his head, Galen patted her back gently. “It’s okay, Jeanne. No harm done. I actually enjoyed it.” He shared in her momentary feeling of awkwardness. “Um, shall we head out?”

Jeanne nodded. “Yes. Did you want to go anywhere special?”

“Yeah, I have place in mind. How would you like to stop by Ponyville Park? Maybe sit under one of the shady trees, and watch the ducks as they float along the creek?”

The delight seemed to pour from Jeanne’s face as her smile grew. “That’d be great. I love the park, and it’s been a while since I was there.”

“Splendid. Shall we be off, my lady?”

Jeanne couldn’t help but blush a little, in response to his kind words. “Oh my, yes.”

He grinned briefly as they started down the road, heading toward the park.

* * * * *

Following an enjoyable walk, Jeanne and Galen arrived at their destination. The park was calm and peaceful, like it usually tended to be. Galen spied a very inviting tree that stood several yards from the creek. “There.” He announced, pointing to a tall and leafy oak tree. “Care to rest under its branches for a little?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded happily.

They made their way over to the tree and much like the maple tree by Clang’s forge, the two of them sat under this fully-grown oak, among the others in the park.

Galen leaned against the trunk and let out a calming sigh. “It’s the perfect day to be at the park.”

Jeanne enjoyed his musings as she looked out across the way, spying a group of ducks splashing in the water of the large stream. Her ears twitched, as she heard the distant sounds of fillies and colts playing, most likely on the playground equipment beyond the far side of the park’s wooded area. She sat close to Galen and took a relaxing breath as she got comfortable. “You’re right. This is ideal. I always enjoy coming to Ponyville.”

Galen smiled over at her, and thought of a good way to draw her into a conversation. “Oh, so you come to Ponyville a lot?”

She giggled softly. “Well, I’m not sure I’d call it a lot. While I was born and raised in Canterlot, back when I was a filly, my parents and I would come here to visit relatives. And what trip here would be complete without stopping by the marketplace? Ponyville has a really lovely market.” Jeanne chuckled as she recalled more of her past visits to the town. “Oh, and I can’t forget about Sweet Apple Acres. Whenever we could, we’d stop by their farm stand and pick up some of their yummy produce. They have the finest apples in all of Equestria.”

Galen shared her polite laughter. “They do at that, and I know what you mean. This is one of the most peaceful towns I’ve ever lived in.” He paused to think about Ponyville. “Like you, I’ve enjoyed plenty of trips to the marketplace, as well as the various shops and businesses across town. But, I always enjoy coming here to unwind. Well, when I’m not chilling at home in my recliner.”

Jeanne couldn’t help but giggle. The idea of Galen in a reclining chair made her smile, but her cheeks began to feel flush as she imagined herself sitting with him in the recliner. She turned her head away, hoping her blush would go unnoticed.

Galen looked over at her. “You okay, Jeanne?”

She placed a hoof over her mouth for a moment, then smiled. “I’m fine. Just lost in thought.”

Galen crossed his arms behind his head and leaned against the trunk of the proud oak. “It’s nice to know we have that in common.”

“Oh, what do you mean?” Jeanne glanced over at him curiously.

“Like you, I have a habit of getting lost in thought at times. It’s nice to know, I’m not alone.” He snickered as he adjusted his head, letting out a quiet breath.

She smiled at him again. Then, she had an idea she hoped he would like. “Um, Galen?”

“Yeah?” He muttered lazily, resting with his eyes closed.

“Would you mind…if I, uh…” She froze, concerned that the simple gesture she had planned might be too much, again.

He opened his eyes, giving her a sincere look. “What is it? Come on, you can tell me.”

Jeanne returned his look and nodded. “Okay. I was wondering…could I lean beside you, like we usually do during lunch?”

He smiled at her, giving her a genuine look. “Of course. You don’t need to be so nervous about that. We did that most of the week. You know I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, I guess I just didn’t want to be rude.”

He smiled at Jeanne, motioning for her to come closer. The pegasus shared his smile, sliding closer to him over the soft blades of green grass. She leaned beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a quiet sigh. Galen placed his left arm around her, and gently stroked her velvety fur. “Don’t worry, Jeanne, you’re fine.”

“Thank you, Galen.” He chuckled warmly, and patting her side. Jeanne leaned her weight against him a bit more, marveling at having his arm around her, while they rested under the tree and enjoyed the calm of the park.

He took in a deep breath, the dampened smell of the creek and scent of nearby flowers rolled up his nose, along with the heavenly fragrance of Jeanne’s perfume. It made him sigh happily, as he felt even more relaxed. Galen chuckled as he gently ran his hand along her furry side. “So you used to like coming here in the past as well?”

“Uh-huh. During some of our trips, we’d stop at Sugar Cube Corner for ice cream and then come here and eat it. Then, I’d either play on the swings or in the sandbox. My dad would help me try to build a sand castle of Canterlot, but it never looked even close to the real thing.” She then giggled at her happy memories.

“That sounds like fun. I used to spend time with my parents when I was little, back on Earth.” He thought about them for a moment, feeling the bittersweet memories wash back to him.

Jeanne looked at him and asked, “Were you close with your parents?”

“For the most part, but let’s not talk about our families right now. I just want to spend some time with you and enjoy getting to know you better.” Again, Galen ran his hand along her incredibly soft white fur.

Jeanne adjusted her head along his shoulder and sighed gently. “Okay. Sorry, if I was prying.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He leaned his head so it could lightly touch hers. Jeanne shivered, lightly smiling from being so close to him, in this peaceful setting.

“This is nice.” Jeanne lightly rubbed her cheek along his shoulder.

“Yeah.” Galen let out a small yawn as he began to feel a little too relaxed. “But, I think we should move on. If we stay like this much longer…I’m gonna doze off.”

Jeanne giggled at him. “Would that be so bad?”

He leaned his head against her harder. “You know, it really wouldn’t be…but there’s another place in the park I’d love to show you.”

She smiled at him. “Okay. We can always come back here, right?”

He smiled back at her. “Of course.”

They slowly moved apart, standing back up. Jeanne and Galen left the oak tree, and he led her over to his favorite arched bridge. It was the one that connected the road back into Ponyville. The two of them stood along the beautifully crafted bridge. Jeanne joined him in casting her gaze off the side and into the clear surface of the creek.

“Is this the place you were talking about? It’s very lovely.” Jeanne noted fondly, enjoying the sight of the pristine water and its crisp scent. The creek was so clean that the plants and fish dwelling within could easily be seen, along with the ducks floating above its surface.

“That’s why I love coming here. Like the rest of the park, it’s always so peaceful.” Galen joined her in gazing at the fish as they swam randomly through their aquatic home.

“It really is peaceful.”

He smiled and gave her a nod. “That’s why I come here. It’s a good place to clear my mind. I like watching the fish or listening to the birds as they sing. But, I really love staring at the little waterfall and the creek itself. The sight and sound of the flowing water is very soothing.” Galen rested his right elbow on the bridge, leaning his chin on his hand as he eyed the small section of falling water.

Jeanne gave him a fascinated look, then proceeded to join him in watching the water flowing, the sound of its gentle trickle was almost mesmerizing. It didn’t take her long to see why he enjoyed it. “I see why you like it.”

He briefly glanced over at her. “Oh?”

“It’s soothing…just like you said.” Jeanne chuckled, as a pair of ducks landed on the surface of the water and started floating below them. She moved closer to Galen and placed her right hoof on his left hand. He turned his head and smiled at her.

“So you like it here?” Jeanne nodded. “I’m glad.”

She continued to smile at him as her vibrant blue eyes turned back to the water. “Galen, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. It’s just that during the past week, we didn’t have that much time to talk.”

“What did you want to ask?” He turned, offering his undivided attention.

Jeanne did the same, facing him so she could see she had his full focus. She took a deep breath, summing up her thoughts. “I’ve been wondering…what made you decide to leave your world and come here?” The pegasus paused after asking her question and quickly followed with, “You don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to.”

Galen smiled at her. “I’m happy to answer, there’s just no simple answer, you see.”

Jeanne kept her eyes on him, filling with wonder and overjoyed that he was willing to answer. “I can only imagine.”

He placed a hand to his chin, giving her query more consideration. As Galen had told her, this was an involved question with a rather lengthy answer, nevertheless, he was certain he could sum it up.

“Well, I won’t bore you with all the details. It began the day Princess Celestia arrived at my house on Earth. I was spellbound form her grace, her beauty and her presence, like that of an angel. Never in all my life had I met someone quite like her. She had a regal bearing and was beyond polite as she offered me a chance to come to this world and make a new life for myself.” Galen took a moment to let some of what he just said sink in for Jeanne, plus he had more to tell.

She continued hanging on his every word, patiently waiting for more. “Wow, I’ve heard that Celestia went to your world and brought a number of your kind to Equestria.” Jeanne placed a hoof on her chin. “If I’m remembering correctly, she searched for specific humans and then offered to bring them here.”

Galen chuckled. “You are exactly right, well, that’s what I learned from the princess anyway. I was understandably skeptical when she made her offer. It’s not everyday a human is given such a choice or meets an alicorn. Though, I wasn’t afraid of her, a little startled at first, but she had a calming aura about her, so I didn’t feel a need to run or panic.”

Jeanne tapped her right hoof on the wooden surface of the bridge as she thought of something. “Galen, I’m curious, what made you accept her offer? Was your life on Earth really so bad?”

“A good question.” He continued giving her his complete attention. “It wasn’t horrible, but it was less than ideal, and certainly not as fulfilling as life has been since I arrived here. Every year since I got out of school, on Earth, saw me drifting further and further from my friends. It was a real shame. Plus after six years of working the same dead end job, I was desperately yearning for a change in my life. I had no career ambitions and didn’t feel like struggling to afford going to college.” Jeanne remained silent, while she happily ate up everything he told her. Galen’s face had fallen a bit, but seeing her cheerful eyes made him smile, once more. “Oh, and I’m not going to even bother telling you about my joke of a love life. Let’s just say in a nutshell, I could never seem to relate to human females. I still don’t know if it was them or most likely…just me.”

Jeanne’s face filled with concern and her eyes reflected a strong compassion. “I’m sorry, Galen. No wonder you ended up accepting the princess’s offer.”

“Yeah. More than anything, I wanted something fresh in my life. I knew it was going to be a change if not a challenge going to a new world, but the romantic lure of this place was too strong to pass up. Princess Celestia told me all about Equestria, and I figured I had nothing to lose.”

“So that’s why you came here.” Jeanne found his tale to be quite interesting, but there was still one part she was preoccupied about. “Has it been hard for you adjusting to life here?”

As Galen recalled his brief but memorable history in Equestria, he couldn’t help but chuckle at it from an ironic perspective. “Well, at first it was a challenge.” Galen turned back to the water, casting his gaze at the waterfall. “I think it was mainly because I was new to this land. I didn’t have any friends, at first, plus it was a challenge adjusting my diet. Meat isn’t readily available here, so I had to adapt.”

Jeanne joined him gazing over the bridge. “Was it hard to adjust to your new diet?”

“It was for a time, but I learned to enjoy alternatives. Plus, I discovered that fish was a meat I could still enjoy here, and there were protein-rich foods you ponies enjoyed, such as eggs, dairy products, and beans, to name a few. Not that I’m a big fan of beans.” He chuckled, shaking his head briefly.

Jeanne smiled at him and giggled to herself. “I’m glad you were able to find alternatives. I guess everything else began working out then?”

He nodded in response. “Yes. The ponies here in Ponyville were very friendly, and to my surprise a human didn’t alarm them. I later learned that my kind had already been living in this world. Well it began with two, then there were a few more Celestia had brought, before she came for me. Then, after about seven months, I eventually met Clang and got my job as a blacksmith, and have been living here for a little over three years.”

“Wow, so that’s how you ended up here. I remember now, you telling me about meeting Clang from before.” Jeanne smiled, giving Galen a charming expression. “Thank you for sharing your story. I feel like I’m getting to know you better with every minute.”

“I feel the same way about you. And it was a pleasure to tell you more about myself. I just hope my story wasn’t too boring.” He snickered nervously, while thinking his life was anything but exciting.

Jeanne placed her right hoof along his left arm and shook her head. “Uh-uh. Your story was very fascinating, well, to me anyway.”

Galen smiled at her, and placed a hand on her furry shoulder. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Now, what do you say we head to the marketplace and continue our…I guess we can call this a date?” He grinned sheepishly.

“I’m fine with calling it that.” Jeanne beamed him a gleeful smile.

“All right. Shall we be off?”

“Of course.” Jeanne smiled, as they made their way out of the park and back into town.

* * * * *

After having spent a few hours in the park, Jeanne and Galen spent roughly the same amount of time, give or take a few minutes, browsing through the marketplace. They mostly window-shopped at the various shops and stands, all while they enjoyed spending more time together.

Their trek eventually took them to the flower shop. Galen and Jeanne took their time perusing the assorted flowering plants, enjoying both their beauty and fragrances. The two had stepped outside the shop, but Galen asked Jeanne to wait a moment, while he went back inside for something.

A few minutes passed, and Galen returned to her cradling a lovely red rose in his hands. Jeanne looked at him with a type of awe, wondering what the flower was for. “Is that…for me?”

He chuckled and nodded, bearing her a jubilant smile. “Yes. I saw these by the counter and thought you’d enjoy having one for your mane.”

Her face lit up at the sight of his thoughtful gift. “Aww, that’s so sweet of you. Do you mind putting it on for me, uh, on my left side, I think that’d look nice.” Jeanne’s shyly spoken words seemed to make him grow even fonder of her.

Galen nodded, laughing happily under his breath. He took the rose by its shortened stem and carefully placed it by her left ear, sliding it into her silky blonde hair. Galen partially weaved a few locks of her hair around the tip of the rose to help it stay in place. “There you are, Jeanne. You look lovely.”

She blushed in response to his kind words. “Oh, thank you, Galen. Huh?” She gasped softly, feeling his hand gently caress the side of her mane.

Jeanne looked at him, her eyes filling with wonder. He gave her a slightly bashful look of his own. “I hope you don’t mind, but after securing that flower, I was amazed at how soft your mane felt. I just had to touch it again.”

Her face got a little redder as she let out a faint sigh, enjoying the sensation of his fingers gliding gingerly across her hair.

Galen removed his hand, noticing how red her face had become. “I’m sorry, I’ve gone and embarrassed you.”

She placed a hoof on his hand. “No, you haven’t. You just took me by surprise, that’s all.”

“So you’re not mad?”

Jeanne shook her head. “No. Not in the least.”

Galen smiled at her and then looked to the evening sky. The sun was beginning to set, and he noticed his stomach began to grumble. “Jeanne, would you like to get something for dinner?”

She looked at him fondly, noticing that after he said “dinner” just how hungry she had become. “That sounds good. Oh, but what did you have in mind?”

He smiled, since he already had an idea. “Do you like pizza?”

Again, her face lit up. “Yes, it’s one of my favorite foods.”

Galen shared her enthusiasm. “Great, then why don't we head to Vinny’s. Clang recommended me to his place a long time ago, and he makes some of the best pizza in all of Equestria!”

“You’ve sold me! Shall we go?” She smiled at him, feeling half-giddy.

He nodded. “Sure. I’m glad you seem to be so happy.”

“Why shouldn’t I be? I’m enjoying your company, just like I did during the past week.” The expression on her face more than convinced Galen she was being sincere.

“Aww, that’s sweet, Jeanne. I know I’ve been enjoying your company as well.”

The two of them started toward Vinny’s restaurant, and as they walked, Jeanne remained very close to Galen, lightly rubbing against him. He looked at her and smiled, taking a gambit and placing his arm around her. Jeanne sighed happily, delighted by his thoughtful action, while they continued walking on their way to dinner.

* * * * *

Jeanne and Galen arrived, only to discover that Vinny’s was insanely crowded. There wasn’t a table left in the place, and what made matters worse, there was a line of ponies waiting to get in.

The two stepped outside to get away from the chaos. Galen looked at Jeanne, pondering their predicament. “Well, what should we do? It’s at least an hour’s wait for a table?”

Jeanne gave the situation some quick contemplation. She didn’t care for crowds and the whole point of their date was so they could talk with each other. She gently bit her lower lip, and felt conflicted. Jeanne wanted to enjoy dinning with Galen in a restaurant setting, but the crowd was a real turnoff. “I’m not sure. I’d say go for it, if it wasn’t so crazy inside.”

Galen placed his hand over his mouth, while he gave the matter plenty of thought as well. “Hmm. Well, what if we order a large pizza and drinks to go?” He turned to her and gave her a hopeful look.

Jeanne twitched her lips, and quickly broke out into a cheery smile. “That sounds like a good idea to me.”

He walked up to her and placed his arm around her again. “Once we get our food, we can sit on one of the benches and eat under the glow of the moon and stars.”

“Mmm, that sounds great.” Jeanne giggled, as she rested her head against him, enjoying the touch of his arm on her shoulder.

“Then, why don’t you wait here, while I order our dinner. Did you want cheese or extra cheese? Oh, and would you like water or soda to drink?”

She smiled at him. “How about lemonade, and just a large cheese pizza will be fine.” Jeanne nuzzled against him again, while he ran his hand along her shoulder.

“Okay, I’ll go put in our order. Back in a few.” Galen left her, looking back a few times, before he vanished into Vinny’s.

* * * * *

After placing their order, it took over forty minutes for their pizza to be ready. Thankfully, Jeanne and Galen didn’t mind waiting and passed the time chatting amongst themselves, happily recalling the events of the past week.

Once their pizza and drinks were ready, Galen made the purchase, and carried their meal to a secluded bench, near a group of trees, a good distance from the chaos back at Vinny’s.

He set the box between them on the bench and set the drinks, in their carrier, on the ground in front of the bench. Galen tucked the napkins beside the box and was grateful that the nighttime air was calm, devoid of any wind or breeze. He looked to his lovely dinning companion. “Ready for a great pizza, Jeanne?”

She nodded. “Uh-huh.” Her eyes glistened in the starlight.

Galen smiled at her, then proceeded to open the pizza box. Steam rose up from the warm cheesy pie, while its heavenly aroma spread into the air and made its way into their noses. He chuckled and took in a deep sniff of the yummy smell. The pizza itself have a wonderfully round shape, cut into eight, mostly even, slices. It’s covering of mozzarella cheese was uniformly melted and was lightly sprinkled with a hint of oregano.

Jeanne eyed the pizza hungrily, smiling as she looked at Galen. He reached down and removed a slice from the box. The wild aroma intensified as the cheese strung beautifully, while he lifted the slice. Galen carefully severed the strings of clinging cheese and placed a few napkins under it. “Here you are…my lady.” He presented the slice to her in a very noble fashion. Jeanne was tickled by his chivalrous gesture, much like the way he presented the sword to her. She continued to smile, glad that the cover of night and the dim glow of a nearby streetlight mostly concealed her rosy cheeks.

“Thank you, Galen.” She happily took the slice in her hooves. Galen grabbed a hunk of pizza for himself, while keeping an eye on her. Jeanne took in the scent of the pizza one more time, before taking a small bite off the point of her slice. She began chewing it as the rich flavors of the buttery and flaky crust, zesty tomato sauce, and bold but mild cheese meshed in her mouth, complimented by the light sprinkling of oregano. Her throat lightly flexed as she swallowed the first bite. “Mmm…Galen, you weren’t kidding. This is the most delicious pizza I’ve ever had!”

“Glad you like it.” He chuckled at her excited reaction, and proceeded to chow down on his slice. Like Jeanne, Galen equally enjoyed the consistent flavor of the zesty pie. After swallowing his first mouthful, he shared a happy gaze with her.

They continued eating their pizza and sipped from their cups of lemonade, enjoying the sweet but tart flavor of their beverages.

After they had both eaten enough, Galen closed the box; pleased that there was still half a pizza he could take home for later. “That was tasty,” he mused. “Uh, did you want any more?”

She shook her head and patted her belly. “No, I’m nice and full.” Jeanne turned slightly and gazed into his green eyes, which seemed a deep blue under the shroud of night. “Would you mind if we just…sat close for a bit, and enjoyed the calm of this lovely night?”

Galen set the pizza on his left side, and smiled brightly at her. “I’d love to. Let me just toss our empty cups and used napkins, okay?”

“Mm-hmm.” Jeanne nodded, just as she let out a dreamy sigh. Part of her felt a little alarmed by her growing feelings for Galen, but the rest of her was enjoying these captivating emotions too much to care.

After tossing their trash in a nearby waste bin, Galen sat back beside her, sliding very close to her. Jeanne partially lounged on the roomy wooden bench and rested against him. She placed her front hooves over his belly, while he placed his right arm around her, drawing her close. Galen began feeling a strong sense of serenity, one he’d not experienced in a quite a while. “This is heavenly.” His words were spoken softly, while he stroked her silky blonde mane. Jeanne cooed faintly, letting him know she was more than happy with his gesture.

“I don’t know if I’ve said this before, but I really enjoy your gentle touch.” Jeanne sighed contently, savoring the moment.

“I’m glad you like it,” he whispered back, continuing to trail his fingers through her delicate locks.

The chills his soothing touch brought her, teamed up with the scent of his cologne, all but began intoxicating Jeanne, making her yearn to be with him even more than before. She thought back to her conversation with Merry Way and felt her curiosity grow. Jeanne gazed up at Galen’s expressive face, as she wondered if what Clang told her was true – had he really been with a mare before? While she was really enjoying the moment, she had to risk spoiling the mood to ask this very important question.

“Galen…I need to know something.”

“And what’s that, Jeanne?”

“Uh…” She paused, and decided to nuzzle against him, hoping to quell her growing anxiety. This was a very serious matter, but she was hesitant to bring it up, nevertheless, it had to be discussed. Jeanne steeled herself as best she could, mustering all her courage. She faintly startled as Galen resumed walking his fingers through her mane. Jeanne tried not to lose herself in his captivating touch. “Galen…I’m not quite sure how to ask this.”

He sighed, leaving his hand rest along her mane. “That’s all right, ask anyway. If it’s that important to you, please, go ahead.”

She smiled up at him; he was unfailingly kind, which was one of the qualities she was growing to really love about him. “But…” Jeanne sighed part in frustration. “…I don’t want to spoil this perfect evening.”

Galen gave her a kind expression. “It’s okay, Jeanne. This date has been about getting to know each other…and so far I’ve enjoyed everything we’ve discussed.” His hand bumped into the rose he’d bought for her only a few hours ago. “You still look lovely with this flower in your hair. But please, ask away.”

“Okay, and thanks again for getting this rose for me.”

“You’re quite welcome.” He sighed happily, while stroking her mane one more time.

She smiled at him, and gave her question some final thought, now that she finally felt ready to ask it. “This may seem a little silly, but I couldn’t help but wonder…Galen, have you ever been with a mare before?”

He heard her every word and noticed the nervous overlay in her speech. Clearly, this question meant a great deal to her, which was what he suspected from her reluctance to ask it. Hoping to calm her, Galen resumed tenderly stroked her mane, starting along her crown and running his hand down along the hair covering the back of her neck. “So, that’s what has you sounding so nervous, right now.”

Jeanne nodded. “Uh-huh.”

He chuckled warmly at her, continuing to savor the silky texture of her flawless mane in his fingers. “Well, there’s no need to be too concerned. To answer you, yes, I have been with a mare before, a few in fact.” He stroked her mane again, and wasn’t sure if his answer was what she’d been hoping for. “It’s not a problem is it?”

“No, I was just wondering. It’s a little complicated.” She then glanced at him, while her eyes seemed full of a number of emotions as they shimmered in the glow of the moonlight.

“I think I understand what you’re trying to say.” Galen felt hopeful, it seemed Jeanne was indeed interested in him.

“Well then, you have been with a mare…b-but, you aren’t with anypony now…right?”

Galen shook his head. “No, I haven’t been with anyone for months now.”

She smiled up at him, and really started enjoying his fingers as they glided through her hair. “That’s good to hear.”

“Jeanne, can I be honest with you?” Galen asked her in the sincerest voice he could muster.

She nuzzled against him, rubbing her hoof along his side. “Of course.”

“Since meeting you last week, I can’t recall when I’ve been this happy. You inspired me while I worked on your sword, and brightened each day by spending lunch with me, and now this date.” He paused a moment, then continued, “I really like you, Jeanne.”

Jeanne looked up at him, while her mouth partially hung open, before she managed to close it. She felt an intense happiness bubble up within her, because those were just the words she’d wanted to hear. That’s when she turned her eyes back up to him. Jeanne was thrilled, because she could now tell him how she felt – though she was feeling just a tiny bit nervous about it. Even as her cheeks began to blush, she didn’t care, after all, she had no reason to be afraid.

“Awww, I’m so glad you said that. You see, Galen, I really like you, too. I just wasn’t sure if you felt exactly the same. I’ve never liked a human before and I didn’t know if you’d be interested in a mare.”

He leaned down and nuzzled his cheek against her mane. Jeanne gasped softly from his delightfully startling gesture. “Oh, but I do. I’ve grown to love spending time with a nice mare. When I first came here, I wouldn’t have thought so, but over time, I’ve found mares, like you, to be very beautiful.”

Jeanne gave him a cute look. “You think I’m beautiful?”

Galen blushed, but thankfully the cover of night hid it from her. “I do, and you really are.”

“Awww.” Words started to fail her, so Jeanne simply nuzzled against him, as she turned slightly to place her hooves around him, giving him a brief but tender hug. Galen placed both his arms around her and gave her an affectionate squeeze back. She sighed happily, glad to have her question answered. For a moment, however, Jeanne did feel a bit upset and a little jealous that she wasn’t going to be his first mare. That was, until she realized there must be a reason things didn’t work out between him and the others, plus if he’d been with a few mares, that most likely meant he knew how to please one as well. Thinking back to her chat with Merry Way, again, she wondered what kind of a lover Galen would be. Plus, she still wanted to know what his touch would feel like in some of her more intimate places.

There were most likely other concerns worthy of considering, but they hardly seemed like an issue at the moment. Rather than worry anymore about it, Jeanne was more than happy to enjoy spending the last of the night with Galen.

* * * * *

The hour began growing late as the two returned to Galen’s house. They walked up onto the patio. There, he set the leftover pizza on a small table, and returned to his date. “Well, I guess I’ll get your sword, that way you can head back to Canterlot.”

Jeanne nodded. “Yeah. It’s really getting late, but I had a great time, Galen.” She gave him a big smile, and he happily returned her expression, before giving her an almost yearning look. Her mouth fell open for a moment, as she understood what he seemed hesitant about.

She trotted right up to him and stood up partially, resting her forehooves on his shoulders. Jeanne saw his smile grow as she leaned in and gently kissed his lips. She figured there was no harm in a simple goodnight kiss. Well, that was till she felt his lips against her own. Jeanne hadn’t kissed many stallions, but this simple touching of her lips to Galen’s felt amazing, even though she couldn’t quite figure out the reason. Sadly, she knew it had to end.

Galen was half mesmerized by the touch of her delicate lips against his. He felt her start to pull away, but the touch of her hooves on his shoulders and an obvious hesitation made her seem reluctant to end it. That’s when Galen decided to place his arms around her, keeping Jeanne from pulling back. He waited a moment to see if she would try to break his embrace. She didn’t, and so, he happily pressed his lips back against hers, extending their kiss, turning it into a much more passionate one.

Jeanne felt her mind start to swim with joy. It made her soar with delight that Galen wanted the kiss to continue just as much as she did. She lightly twitched her hooves along his shoulders, trying to convey her delight as she moaned very softly from the pleasure their kiss brought her.

He was just as delighted by this turn of events. The delicate fragrance of her perfume and her soft moans made him respond in kind with soothing moans of his own, hoping to share his joy with her. Losing himself in the moment, Galen began caressing her mane, savoring its silky locks as they continued kissing just a little longer.

Their lips finally parted after several blissful seconds passed. They gazed into each other’s eyes, neither one spoke, rather they smiled gleefully together.

Jeanne was happy to present him with rosy cheeks, but sadly she turned her head away, for she knew it was growing later by the minute. “That was wonderful…”

“Yeah, it was. I’m glad we could share a goodnight kiss.” Galen kept smiling at her.

“Me too, but I should…” Jeanne let out a fairly loud yawn. “…really get going.”

“Yeah, let me get your sword…” Galen trailed off, he looked at Jeanne, just as she yawned again. “Are you going to be up to making the flight back to the castle? It seems you’re a lot more tired than I would have guessed.”

Jeanne wanted to say yes, but she knew her body all too well. She sighed. “Now that you mention it.” She yawned again. “Excuse me. I felt a little tired earlier, but I figured I could easily make it back to the barracks.”

“I don’t know.” Galen looked at her again and felt concerned. He hadn’t meant to keep her out so late. That’s when it hit him. “Jeanne, why don’t you spend the night at my place?” She looked at him, blinking groggily. “You could rest on the couch or if you’d prefer, I’ll sleep on the couch and you could use my bed.”

Jeanne looked off into the distance and saw the lights of Canterlot. It seemed farther away than normal. Seeing that his house was right in front of her, his invitation did seem more than a little tempting, and she really liked the idea of spending the night under the same roof as him. “Well, that does sound like a good idea…oh, but I wouldn’t want to impose.”

He shook his head. “You wouldn’t be imposing. Please, I don’t want you to try to fly if you’re that tired.”

She placed a hoof to her chin. Jeanne liked the idea of using his bed, but after sharing that kiss, she began feeling a strong stirring in her loins and feared what might happen if she used his bed, even while he’d be on the couch.

Jeanne gave him a nod and smiled. “Okay, but I’m fine with the sofa, all right.”

“You sure?” She nodded again. “Then please, won’t you come in.” Galen opened the door and motioned for her to enter. Jeanne stepped slowly into his dwelling, and once he recovered the pizza box, Galen followed behind her and both closed and locked the door for the night.