The Tale of Lady Hoofwise

Those first few weeks in Drumble were enjoyable, taking to our new identities and probing the social circles; all under the watchful eye of Mr Happy I have no doubt. Soon enough though, he appeared to accept our presence and one night we retrieved our remaining hoard, skirting back to the house stealthily.

For the next few days we waited apprehensively for that knock on, or through the door as the case may've been. No, we were safe and we returned to our life of domestic tedium and pleasantry. I use the contradiction for a  reason: Having nothing worthwhile to do was jarring; but, we found ways to compensate.

For instance, we found the Drumble mares intriguing; they were very Amazon in their approach and were very much dominant over their husbands; I think I met one or two of them at social events and house parties, but they slunk away soon enough; a combination of boredom and the death glares their wives would give them if they pestered us.

After our settling we received an invitation to a small gathering; I suppose they wanted to size us up as it were. We were both nervous, although I hid it better than Miriam, who emptied her new wardrobe looking for something suitable; we didn't have anything expensive mind, no need to attract undue attention.

While Miriam fretted and knocked about in her room, I decided on the minimalist approach; It was a hot day and I'd rather be talked about ,than suffocate in silks. I chose four cuffs, one for each hoof, each one had a small button securing it. I styled my silvery mane for some time until it fell the way I liked it, my tail too. I chose a pair of violet tinted sunglasses to match my coat. I thought it made my eyes all the more striking. I played around with putting them on and off; ice blue, violet, ice blue.... you get the picture. Oh and a collapsable paper fan because why not?

I then went to help Miriam. She hadn't put anything on and was agonising over it. I walked over and picked up an emerald coloured vest, it opened at the neck, giving some ventilation. She was laid on her bed, surrounded by clothes, I passed her the vest.

"Put that on, it's light and it goes with your mane. I then busied myself putting her things back on hangers and into the wardrobe.

I heard her sit up and I went across to her chest of draws, atop it was her hairbrush and several makeup items, I picked up the brush and walked over to her, watching me from the quilted bed.

I sat down at the edge of the bed and passed her the brush, but she stopped me. "Could you do it? Yours is always so well styled.." She smiled and turned to face away, her mane spilling out behind her like some glinting wave.

I complied, we sat in silence for a while, then Miriam spoke in her sweetly accented voice. "Do you think I'll make a good impression?" She twiddled her hooves in her lap.

"Of course you will." I said, concentrating on my work.

She subsided again then chirped. "These has been an interesting few weeks haven't they?"

I smiled at that "They certainly have. I don't know how I'll adjust to this new pace though; no more shows to prepare for, just the social and domestic stuff."

"It's nice." Miriam said, I hummed my agreement. "Or it should be once this is over with." Her mane having that silken feel, I turned my attention to her tail, she stood up for that, I sat at the edge of the bed and we talked more.

"We get a new start, how many ponies can say that?" she smiled " What do you think Rose?"

I smiled too, curling the soft flow. "I don't know Jasmine. How many?"

Satisfied, I stepped away "Voila!" I exclaimed. Miriam looked at herself approvingly in the mirror. "You did a good job, she said, her left eye, covered by a fluid curl. She smiled prettily and I had a thought.

"Stay here a minute, I've  got something for you."  I came back moments later with a pair of green-tinted sunglasses, she tried them on.  "Now we're a pair." I said, admiring my fashion sense. I didn't know what others would think, but who cares? I liked it and Miriam did too, judging from the sound she made.

     Prepared, we set off to the park, a white pavillion had been set up in the centre; ponies milled around the interior and outside. Our presence was noted instantly, two fashion xenos amongst the mass of heavy dress. They chatted amongst themselves and one conversation that I was told of later between a mare and her husband went like this.

"Look at them. Not dressed up at all." She sniffed, fanning herself against the heat.

He murmured. "Yeah..." not focusing on his wife. "Two mares together did you say?"

  She whacked him with her fan. "You pig! I know how that brain of yours works." she glared.

"Even if it is like that, it doesn't matter. Now behave! They're coming this way."  Suitably cowed, he did as she commanded.

The mare was Mrs Hale; she became one of our closest companions on our later adventure, but you'll have to wait for that.

We hit it off well and after a short time the other mares adopted our style, gratefully shedding the extra layers that discomforted them. We enjoyed the attention very much and our company must've been agreeable because we were invited to a number of events. Having passed the ritual, we were in.

This was how it was for some months; then came the party at the Hale's home. It wasn't particularly grand, but what was said was important to my story: We were told of an annual trip to Canterlot and since we'd impressed them so much, we were invited along. We fluttered our fans and nodded acceptance, as that was the way of the Drumble ladies; while the husband's breathed a unanimous sigh of relief.

We had waited till we got home before showing our pleasure.  "In with high society now!" Miriam said gleefully. We took out a bottle of champagne to celebrate and clinked our glasses together.   "Ha! two common ponies rubbing shoulders with the elite!If only they knew." I smirked "Can you imagine Mrs Hale's face?"  We both laughed then.

"One too many lemons" added Miriam. After we'd drained our glasses ,we resealed the bottle.

We'd drunk a small amount at the party; alcohol never agreed with Miriam, it made her face come out in a flush, that we always teased her about.

Feeling an odd stirring in my chest, I decided to go to bed. We said our goodnights and hugged, it seemed far more intimate than usual, but I put that down to the wine. Miriam's jade eyes glittered as we parted and we went upstairs.

I went into my room and steadied myself on the dresser, shaking my head. "Too much wine." I said to myself.  Soft hooves wrapped around my stomach, I started as I hadn't seen her enter. She stared into the mirror, rubbing her hooves along the flat of my stomach.

Up until this point, our relationship had been strictly platonic, so I was unsure how to respond. "M-Miriam?" I said thickly. She smiled and kissed my neck, I instinctively moved into it, the warmth of her breath raising the hairs on my neck . She moved her hooves to my hips, swaying us to some imagined beat. She moved in closer and pulled back, staring at me with those soothing eyes of hers; a thousand emotions flashing through them.

I gave in to the strums of my heart, kissing her then, in harmony with the beat. Some unconscious emotional dam had broken, perhaps it had always been there?, in any case this was happening.  I turned around my tail batting against the drawers, I placed my hooves on the curve of her body, still swinging in time. Our eyes locked and we giggled shyly.

"How long?" I asked placing my head in the crook of her neck.

Her seductive lilt responded. "About as long as you have." she nibbled my ear.

I closed my eyes any inhibitions I might've had dissolving. "We should have done this a long time ago." I murmured.

She shushed me, pressing a hoof against my lips. She motioned to the bed and I smiled. We locked lips and our hidden emotions went too and fro between us. The tang of her lips and tongue overwhelming my senses and that was just the beginning.

We were both excited as later motions dictated. Miriam expertly relieved that  and I bucked and writhed under her touch. She enjoyed drawing it out, making me look at her beseechingly. She knew I was in her power, so we tried something entirely new to me; her lying atop yet facing away from me. I payed her back by commencing my own assault. Her quivering and the vibrations of a moan from her, told me I was doing it right; so I continued.

Once that venture was ended, we lay in each others hooves, panting. I had my face pressed into Miriam's chest, one eye looking up at her. She kissed my forehead tenderly and said the unspoken words that had already been echoed in the symphony of our hearts:

"I love you."