“Prince Charming knows about your bachelorette party?” The bright turquoise mare deadpanned, a skeptical eyebrow raised with a toss of her white and light green mane.
There I was, sitting in my personal chambers with the three best friends I had in the world, having some tea. In Canterlot, tea is practically a religion, and one I was becoming fond of. But it wasn’t the steeping of dried leaves in boiled water that was drawing me in, but the ponies I shared it with; I could understand why Auntie was something of a tea fanatic. The various sweeteners and dairy helped a great deal.
“Of course, Lyra,” I ducked my head, slightly abashed and guilty, which was, you know, weird. Was I embarrassed that Shining Armor, also known as the forementioned Prince Charming, and I had such a strong relationship that I didn’t feel the need to hide anything from him? Or that I had agreed to a bachelorette party that was supposed to be somewhat clandestine? I smiled sheepishly at the three mares who sat with me, sipping tea to avoid more answers.
“I still can’t get over the fact that you’re getting married!” Minuette laughed. “And to that egghead’s big brother!”
“Oh, Twilight’s just shy. She’s really come out of her shell since Auntie sent her to Ponyville. I mean, she’s got not just one, but two stained glass memorials in the Hall of Heroes,” I looked in my cup, watching the liquid as I swirled it in the glow of my magic. “Shining actually listed getting a hero sister-in-law as one of his reasons why I should marry him!”
“Didn’t you used to foal-sit her?” Twinkleshine looked to me with interest.
“He’s such a big brother.” Lyra rolled her eyes.
“Hey, there’s something hot about that, you know?” Minuette leered. “There’s a lot of big brother there,”
“Minnie,” gasped the pink maned, white coated mare, her tail swatting daintily at Minuette in mock outrage. We shared a laugh.
Minuette and I had first met in beginner’s magic at Auntie’s academy. We were top of the class; I had already my horn and wings, while she’d always been ambitious. She initially saw me as a stepping stone, but as we advanced through class after class, my easy demeanour and her outgoing personality made us fast friends. I have to admit, she still far outstripped me in practical magic, even if I have been an alicorn since I was small. She had a cutting acerbity that other ponies never let loose around me, and I loved her for her honesty. She now served as an attache to The School, as Auntie’s academy is called in unicorn herds.
I’d met Lyra in university while studying international policy in Trottingham. She had been a randomly selected dorm mate. I had worried about being in regular dorms, as had Auntie if for different reasons, since it was kind of hard to hide the fact that you’re a princess, but Lyra, well, she’s Lyra. She’d always been a little bit of an odd one, if very personable. She now owns her own songwriting studio, and has sold songs to famous groups like the Pony Tones, Sapphire Shores, Lady Mama, Filly Azalea and myriad others. I was glad that we were able to spend some time together, what with her extremely jealous marefriend in Ponyville and all.
Twinkleshine was my latest friend. While I knew Auntie Celestia had sort of set us up by assigning her as my executive assistant, we’d become fast friends with her open nature, thoughtfulness and steadfast loyalty. She was the youngest of us all, fresh out of graduate school, and Minuette loved to tease her.
You know that saying they have about a group of mares? One is the pretty one, one is the dumb one, one is the smart one… what was the fourth?
“You’ve got it sooooo easy.” Lyra sighed.
“So do we.”
“I know that Twinkles, but having the Princesses as your aunts means that you don’t have to do anything.”
“But everything’s easy with Cadance,” Twinkleshine leaned over and patted my hoof with a wink. “You’re such a nice mare.”
“Thanks, mom,” I joked, my eyes sparkling. Twinkleshine chuckled at her nickname.
“I still can’t believe we really don’t have to do anything.”
“We do plenty. We eat, we shop, we sleep, we sh-” Twinkleshine coughed, interrupting Minuette’s curse. Minnie’s always had a bit of a mouth, but then, she also always tells the truth.
“Well, it’s time to break that ‘nice mare’ image, Kate,” Lyra smirked. The other mares looked positively wicked, preening with glee. I sat back on my haunches, perplexed and slightly disconcerted.
“You aren’t taking me to Bits and Bridles, are you?” I gave them a dour look.
“With all that quivering colt-flesh?” Lyra smiled wickedly, then frowned. “No, Twinkles wouldn’t let us.”
“It’s just not discreet enough, that was the issue. And we can’t just hire, you know how the Guard talks. Not to mention the house staff.”
“Like that rumour about you and Fair Flanks? No, the guards never talk about who they’ve topped,” Minuette waved a circling forehoof. “And no, not Bits and Bridles. No for you, dearie.”
“Forty North?”
“Pfft,” Lyra scoffed. “That place has barely edible food, and waaaaaay to many haunch dancers. You’re more liable to catch ‘seemo’ than have a good time, with all the flank rubbing that goes on there.”
“You’ll never guess,” Twinkleshine smiled in satisfaction.
“Hate to admit it, but it’s true,” Minuette added. “And you won’t guess who suggested it either.”
“Well, it can’t be hard, since there’s only going to be the four of us.” I stared each of the mares, who smooshed their muzzles together and assumed innocent wide eyed looks. It went on for a few seconds before my eyes settled on Twinkleshine.
“You,” I smiled confidently.
“Told you she’d figure it out,” sighed Minuette, as the youngest mare slid an envelope towards me. I clopped my hooves together with delight.
“First question of the game, it’s a gimme,” Lyra shrugged.
“I so love winning,” I smirked and we shared a laugh. With a light blue glow, the envelope lifted and I slid the note out. Inside was a pink feather, but not a pegasus feather. My forehead furrowed in thought.
“So does Prince Charming know we’re heading out tonight?” Minuette asked.
“Did you tell him how long we’ll be gone?” I retorted, trying to piece the tidbits they’d been hinting ever since they arrived.
“See!” Minuette pointed an accusing hoof at Twinkleshine as the mare smiled and slid another envelope over. “Too easy!”
Inside the second envelope was a private chariot ticket to Las Braygas.
“Sweet Celestia!” I flapped up into the air and twirled, hugging the ticket to my chest with a squeal, my mane and tail flying out. Lyra judiciously laid a shield on the table and its contents as I landed, hugging each of my friends in turn. “I’ve always wanted to go there! How did you know I’ve never been?” I hugged Twinkleshine last and smiled wickedly. “You, again?” She blushed in my arms then squeaked and writhed as my hooves tickled her barrel. “Didn’t you ladies do anything?” I enquired as the white mare squirmed under my assault, hemmed in by my wings.
“Hey, she’s your royal personal assistant for a reason, Kate,” Minuette said, reasonably.
“Ha! This is going to be so awesome!”
“You’re going to have to leave your crown behind, though,” Lyra interjected.
“Done!” I flung the offending headdress onto a well padded sette.
“And you’ll have to either hide your wings or your horn,” Minuette chimed in. At that, Twinkleshine produced a third envelope. I snatched it up with my magic, eager to see what my friends had brought me. Inside was an unassuming friendship horn ring, with a butterfly shaped garnet.
“It’s a horn-hider,” my assistant and friend explained. “It taps into your magic and hides the horn. It looks like one of those star-jewels they wear in Moonbai.”
“I don’t even want to know how you even knew where to get this,” I said primly, thoroughly amused.
“Try it on,” Minuette suggested.
I lifted the trinket with the glow of my magic and slid it down my horn. As the ring settled at the base of my horn, the jewel began to glow softly in the dimming light, the tapered spiral-ridge wavered and vanished from sight. The garnet sat flat against my forehead.
"That is so awesome!" I couldn't believe that my marefriends had taken the time to prepare all this.
"Hold on runaway filly," Minuette mock scolded, "there's one more gift for you to open. "
With the cool of her Magic she lifted one last box from underneath and placed it on the table. It was large and flat, and had a great big heart deckled in hot red sparkles. It was fastened with an equally sparkly red bow. I paled. I knew that packaging.
"I should have known that there would be a catch."
~.o0o.~
I was a wreck. I tried to curl up on the comfortably upholstered bench, but I was too nervous, and stood back up to pace back and forth. I sat down again, trying to contain the rampant feelings inside me but it was a lost cause. I stood up and began to pace again.
“Lottie,” Lyra sniffed, “would you just sit down? I swear, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor, and I don’t want to have to explain to the ruling Diarchs of Equestria why their niece had to pay for a busted private coach service just two weeks before the wedding.”
“If you were wearing what I am right now, you would be too,” I said a little crossly, “especially since you instructed the chauffeurs to land at the far side of The Strip from the hotel.”
I made a quick turn and flipped my mane at her. The turquoise mare laughed and grasped my tail, giving it a good tug.
“We need to comb you out so that you’re ready for the stroll on The Strip, Ms. Lottie Charms!” She nickered at my stage name.
The girls had taken an unholy glee when I had lifted out the outfit I was now wearing. The frilly white corseted saddle hugged my body, and although it hid my cutie mark, it accentuated the flare of my flanks. The deliciously devilish heart shaped panties was dreadfully tight and the ring that allowed my tail to protrude from the satin silk and lifted my tricoloured tail licentiously high. The garter belt was wrapped under the corset around my barrel, but I secretly admired the fine workmanship that clipped to the hose wrapped tight around my hind legs, which were, I admit, one of my better parts.
Lyra floated a stiff bristle brush from her satchel and began colouring and detangling.
Minuette and Twinkleshine had taken our overnight bags and Lyra had volunteered to keep an eye on me as I walked down the entire strip looking like some lingerie model escapee. But it wasn’t the corset and garters that bothered me.
It was the bit and bridle.
I could handle the bit; it was narrow and it was easy to keep my lips pressed shut. But the bridle harness… anypony who happened to hold the harness reins could control me. I shuddered at the thought of any pony seizing hold and controlling of me… there was no room but revulsion for a stranger. But for someone I knew and trusted… that was a different story.
I looked out at the bronze desert, broken by solitary crimson towers of stone. Auntie Luna had once said that the Palamino desert usd to be the Palamino Plains, a wide swathe of grassland where ancient ponies known only today as Mustangs roamed. I gritted my teeth as Lyra pulled at a particularly tangled knot in my tail.
“Sorry!”
“Do you help Bon Bon with her tail?” I asked to distract myself.
“You know, she hates it when people call her that, but yeah, I do. Did you know before she met me, her earth pony friends had to do that with their teeth?” Her voice was dripping with incredulous revulsion.
“It’s like preening.” I hesitated at the curious timbre of her voice from behind when she talked about Sweetie Drops. I turned towards Lyra as she concentrated on my mane before running the comb through.
“Lyra… are you alright?” The mare’s golden eyes met mine fo a moment, then flittered away.
“It’s nothing.”
“Lyra…?”
“I don’t want to tell you, because it’ll ruin the mood.” Her voice quivered, a telltale sign of repressed tears.
“I’m your friend. I’m here for you.” I put a hoof on top of hers.
“Alright, alright. We had a fight before I came to Canterlot. She didn’t want me going to Braygas. Anywhere but there, she said.”
“Oh, honey.” I wrapped turned completely as she withdrew the comb and wrapped my forehooves around her. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s her parents.” She waved a hoof in frustration. “She said they broke up, all because of Braygas. But I’m not them!” Lyra stomped her free hoof on the floor. “This was really really important to me, Caddy.” She looked away, then back at me. “You know how I was like when I was a filly.”
“Foals used to tease you, and the adults just let them.”
“When I met you, you treated me and my weirdness like they were fun, not just something for people to look down on. You made me feel… valuable. Important. And thats why I wanted to be here. That’s why it hurt so much when Sweetie didn’t want me to.”
“Lyr, if I’d know-”
“No, Caddy. You’re just too nice. I couldn’t let you cancel or change your plans just because my marefriend was being ber-rutish.”
I couldn’t repress the startled laugh. We used that to make fun of a few of our more unsavoury professors, one of which had pronounced “brutish” that way. I, however, remained unconvinced.
“But,-”
“No, Caddy. Enjoy our little getaway; we’ll deal with the fallout after.” The comb lifted in the light blue of her magic and I turned back around.
We stayed comfortably quiet as I pondered what was going to happen when we reached Las Braygas. The city of “mules.” Well, okay, not really, at least, not anymore. But everyone said it was a place that was dedicated to all sorts of... entertainment. Certain elements of society were tolerated or allowed in Braygas were prohibited or at the very least, frowned upon in most parts of Equestria.
There was a curt knock from the front of the carriage as one of the pegasi chauffeurs tapped a hoof on the wall.
“Yes?” Lyra called out.
“Ladies, we’re almost there,” was the muffled reply. “You can see the city just out the left side. Looks real pretty with the sun setting and all.”
“Alright, Thank you.” Lyra grunted as she pulled the comb through one last time. She ran her hoof through my tail and nodded in satisfaction. “And just in time, too,” she grinned. I cantered to the window with the growing excitement pushing aside the fear. Lyra joined me and we gazed out.
Las Braygas had been originally founded by a herd of mules who wanted to escape Auntie’s royal mandate. Back then, it seemed that the pony tribes that had founded Equestria were still plagued by separatists. Anyway, the mules didn’t want any part of ponies back then, and so wanted to have a place to call their own. The city had very strange ordinances because of that beginning. They needed some way to make their city viable and for a while, I heard, it was stop and go. But once they began the gambling and shows, and had finally accepted social and justice enforcement from Equestria, the small group of hotels had exploded into a tourist hot spot. With the number of visitors increasing every year from all over the world, the city and had grown and expanded as the need for employees and municipal infrastructure grew. Today, the Special Municipal Cordon of Las Braygas spread in the Palamino Desert for miles.
The buildings were even more lavish than the pictures I had seen. Bright lights were flashing everywhere. Ponies, young and old, mingled amongst the luxurious hotels, a happy and chattering throng. At one end, was a miniature tower of Prance. Close to it was a great big Sphinx, right beside a Roaman inspired Palace of white columns. We were staying at the opulent Roamanesque Bellacavalla, made famous by the movie Seabreeze’s Eleven about a gang of Breezie thieves out for financial revenge.
“Gentlecolts,” Lyra called out, “please set us down where we discussed.”
“You sure, miss? That neighbourhood ain’t so nice for a couple of fine ladies such as yourselves.” I couldn’t tell if they were being sarcastic.
“As we discussed, thank you.” Lyra ignored him. “Oh!” she clopped her hooves together with excitement. “We’re almost there!” She adjusted the ribbons that held my hair in an up-do.
“Just remember,” Lyra warned, “you can’t use your magic or it could short out the horn ring.”
“Got it!” The carriage tilted slightly as the stallions made their final approach after circling a few times.
“You know,” she said as we descended, examining her handiwork, “you look like Fleur’s younger sister.” She lifted a small mirror for me to see and I blinked at the pegasus that blinked back at me.
It was true. She had used the combs to apply the magical dye that had turned my mane and tail a nice alabaster white. Twinkleshine had said that my pink purple and yellow were too distinctive, but my coat was a popular colour amongst mares. Now, I was a taller version of Fleur de Lis, Hoity Toity’s supermodel wife, if with opposite colouring.
It was exciting! I was going to be in the City of Sin disguised as a high class call girl. It was deliciously wicked. But as the carriage came down and rolled to a stop, I began to have second thoughts.
“Lyra-” I could feel my heart beating faster and I licked my suddenly dry lips.
“Don’t get cold feet now, Lottie,” Lyra said firmly. “And don’t worry, I’ll be right there.”
I hesitated. The girls had gone through a lot to plan this for us. The clothing, the carriage ride, the hotel… those things weren’t cheap. And they would be so disappointed if I backed out now. I took a deep breath as one of the chauffeurs pulled open the door. Dressed in a high collared vest that freed his wings, and a visored cap, he took one look at me and then stared straight ahead, stiffening to attention. As I alighted from the cabin, I could feel him trying not to stare, his will warring with the arousal that my magic was finely attuned to as the Princess of Love. That is, love of all forms. His lust throbbed palpably across my mind and I gave a sultry swish of my tail as I passed. I could hear him gulp as Lyra stepped out.
Maybe the stroll along The Strip wouldn’t be so bad.
~.o0o.~
By the time I sashayed into the Bellacavalla, I was a mess, literally. Being able to sense the lust of nearly every stallion and nearly every mare on The Strip as they undressed me with their eyes had both repulsed and inflamed me in equal amounts; I was surprised that I wasn’t all lathered up, with embarrassing splotches of foam left in my wake. Unexpectedly, the panting sweating version of me elicited more interest than the shy and demure me.
My mane and tail were hopelessly tangled and I could feel… twitching between my hindquarters. My tail was just impossible to control, but with so much lustful stimulation, it felt like my whole coat was on fire. I caught the dreamy haze the doormare had when I swished by, her lust spiking at my scent, and against my wishes, stoking my arousal even higher.
Lyra was in similar shape and couldn’t meet my eyes without a blush. She’d never seen so many mares come up and just want to touch, not only me, but her as well. The stallions, surprisingly, were a little more circumspect. I wondered if it was because I stood much taller than most of the stallions we’d seen on the strip. Not that we didn’t get a number of invitations to dally.
“Wow.” My first thought was it was all elegantly, opulently grotesque.
“I can’t believe it.” Lyra stared, looking up at an immense marble statue of two mares that dominated the entry hall. It was smooth, gleaming marble and looked suspiciously like Auntie ‘Tia and Auntie Lulu swirling around each other. I couldn’t tell if it was because I was so aroused that it seemed disturbingly erotic.
“Yeah.” I tore my eyes away to look down the Receiving Hall. Lyra glanced at me in concern.
“Let’s… meet up with the girls. They said they’d be waiting at the bar.” Even her gentleness was sexy. Not good sign for a bride to be, but then, I was never the prim one.
The Bellacavalla was enormous both in size and scale. We wandered through the vaulted, frescoed ceilings of the market. We saw stilt walkers and clowns, quartet’s singing arias, acrobatic ponies and lazy floating gondolas. There were shops of all sorts from designer boutiques from Manehattan, Prance and Roam to chocolatiers. Ponies, Arabians, even a few young Griffons could be seen meandering from shop to shop and gazing at the indoor canal, the pegasi maintained indoor rainbow falls and the aerobatics. Much of the details, however, was inconsequential to me through the erotic trance I was in.
We made our way to the bar, which was, of course, in the middle of a massive organized confusion of bright lights and flashy sound. Mares, stallions, even the odd Diamond Dog, sat at gaming tables and slot machines. They stared as I swept past, whispering to each other, their lust trailing sensual tendrils along my subconscious. Frumpy housewives, seedy hustlers, high society matrons, thrill seeking nubile fillies, opportunistic business ponies.
“Holy buck,” said a familiar voice behind us, making us stop and turn. Minuette had a marejito in one hoof and a lever in her other, but she was staring open mouthed at us. I could feel the searing heat of her arousal at the edge of my mind, my face flushing even more. She stared for a moment longer, before physically shaking herself, the feeling of her interest fading slowly. “If I wasn’t such a cock hound, I’d be totally gay for you, Kate.”
“Did you get the suite?” I laughed nervously. Feeling aroused by a good friend was just not what I wanted or expected.
“Yeah. Twinkie’s gone looking for our casino lackey, the stuck up bitch,” she said without malice. Like I said, a mouth.
“Hello?” We stopped as an unfamiliar voice called out from behind us. An elegant unicorn mare approached, her haughty eyes fixed on mine. Her coat was a Nero gray, so dark it seemed almost like Khol. Her long, lustrous mane was a distinct tawawera with pelorus blue highlights. Her legs were slim and supple, her neck a long elegant sweep and her eyes were a deep, deep seafoam green. But there was something, something about her… Twinkleshine stepped out from behind her.
“Girl’s this here’s Chaser, our Entertainment Consultant.” Even as Twinkleshine introduced the members of our group, I could feel the touch of her gaze on me, a constant, sensual invitation. Oh Celestia, her eyes! Her impossibly large, dark, luminous eyes with flecks of gold seemed to bore into me and although her demeanour was calm, I could feel the sharp rise of sexual energy that made the glitz of the casino pale in comparison. I looked away first.
I knew her. I felt it, even if my eyes told me the lie.
“Nice to meet you. Welcome to the Bellacavalla. And congratulations!” That last was directed at me. “Are you ready to have fun ladies?” She smiled knowingly as the girls hooted and cheered. I joined in, hoping the enthusiasm would drain away some of the pent-up frustration. “Your itinerary tonight is a bit light. I’ve reserved a table for you at the Palaza for dinner and a show in about an hour. Then, if you’re still up for it, velvet rope access to the hottest club in town, Corral.” The girls squealed; I was struck mute by one artful sweep of Chase’s lashes.
“Here are your room charms,” she turned and floated out two pendants from a small stylish bag strapped to her forehoof. For a moment, I panicked. What if the pendant got caught on my horn? Chaser lifted it high enough to clear it. Did that mean she knew who I really was?
“I, uh, need to freshen up before that.” I fought the urge to cross my hind legs as the pendant settled around my neck.
“And we get our slutwear on.” Twinkleshine swatted Minuette with her tail with a roll of her eyes. “What?”
“Let me guide you to your rooms. Miss Lottie, you’re on our Suite Royale. It’s pretty big, so I should give you a tour.
“Why don’t we all meet you there, Lottie?” Minuette leered.
“If you’ll all follow me then.” Chaser walked past me but I swear, she deliberately brushed along my flank, making me choke back a gasp.
“Are you okay?” Lyra asked. “I feel like we sort of went too far with the whole, Lottie thing…”
“No, I’m… I’m fine. Just want to get rid of the icky lather.”
“You and me both. Did you see the looks those blonde triplets were giving us?” Lyra grinned, but the smile quickly faded. “I wish Sweetie was here.”
“Come on, Honey, maybe you could call her when you get back to your room?”
“Oh! Good idea!”
We trotted to catch up to the others. You could see the crystal and gold capsules floating around the inside of the casino; there were a number of rooms with balconies overlooking the casino, each with a secured gate for guests in the elevators to disembark directly to their suite. When one arrived, the doors slid open with a hiss.
“It’s a bit small for all of us,” I noted.
“Don’t make us wait,” Minuette shrugged. “We’ll fit.”
Chaser led the way with me following close behind.
The floor and shoulder-height railing were gold, but from the inside, everything turned nearly transparent. It was a neat little spell, but did nothing to assuage my rampant libido when the girls all squish inside, and I stumbled into Chaser’s flank. Blushing madly, I stammered out an apology.
“I don’t mind,” she smiled back, her eyes half lidded and knowing. My legs nearly gave out at her haughty smile. I glared back at Minuette, but her impish smile was so charming that I laughed.
“This is our stop,” Twinkleshine said as the lift floated to a balcony. “Our rooms are over here, so we should all get off here, but you Ca- Lottie.” She caught herself just in time. She pointed a hoof further up. “That one’s yours.” The balcony she indicated was not on the side, but was another crystal and gilt affair suspended at the very apex of the dome. An elaborate double-helix staircase disappeared into the ceiling.
“I thought we were going to room in the same suite?” I was on tenterhooks, trying to decide if I was elated or concerned.
“Our suite is the sleep suite. Yours is the party suite.” Twinkleshine explained. “We can still all crash in our suite, but yours is just better for the party.”
“Party?” The girls giggled.
“Of course, party,” Lyra punched me in the shoulder as the others disembarked. “See you in an hour!” The three disappeared through the balcony doors.
“Just the two of us, now,” Chaser murmured behind me as the gate closed and the lift began to rise. I turned slowly to her, my heart a jumble of emotions. “When we get into your suite, I’ll give you a tour.” I could feel the heat of her emotions running tantalizing tendrils of thought along my awareness, gossamer caresses, teasing and tasting.
The lift docked on the circular balcony. Far below, the clamour of the casino was distant and indistinct. We disembarked in silence. Wordlessly we climbed the stairs into the foyer.
“This is the security suite that we reserve only for the most exclusive clientelle. There are several wards set in place, including a magical shield, an eavesdropping and sound proofing deterrent, an intrusion detection spell and a privacy spell. The controls can be accessed anywhere in the suite like so.” She waved her hand in a motion and a set of runes arrangesd in a glowing semicircle appeared before her. With a tap of her hoof on one of the runes, the entire balconey was enveloped with a softly glowing sphere. “This is the anti-eavesdropping spell.” I waved my hoof in an identical gesture and the menu disappeared to reappear before me. I tapped the rune for privacy and the sphere turned opaque.
“Take it off.” my tone brooked no argument, held no uncertainty.
“I beg your pardon?” She looked confused.
“I know it’s you. Let me see you.” Chaser sighed.
“I never could put one past you.” A shimmering green circle surrounded her. Green flames erupted from her horn and her middle, burning away the fur coat to reveal a chitinous shell. Her eyes shone with a soft green glow, her legs had ventricles and her horn was stylishly hooked. Her eyes were as alluring as I remembered. Regal and proud, even taller than myself, before me stood Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen.
“I knew it. The moment I saw you.” I was in danger. Terrible, terrible danger. I knew everything about her and I knew she would be my undoing.
“I know,” she replied in that proud, haughty tone that I knew, oh, so well. "I suppose I overdid the hints?"
“Chryssie,” I breathed, my heart pounding, my throat tight, my withers ashiver. “Oh, Chryssie, why are you here?”
“I heard you were getting married. I thought-”
“You thought what?” Tears prickled my eyes. I had promised myself to not cry over her again, but here she was, and the tears were unstoppable. “That I would just leave him, to be with you? To leave my family, my friends? Why? Why should I do that?” My voice was rising, a whirlwind of emotion, long forgotten, hard to erase. “Why should I, when it was it was you who left me?” She looked at me with her round, unblinking gaze.
“You know why I left. You know everything about me. I have a duty to my hive, my people. A million souls are my responsibility. Is my happiness, mine and yours, worth the lives of my subjects?”
“You left me!” Her eyes dipped slightly in acknowledgement. All the hurt and exhilaration was rushing back into me. The years hadn’t helped. Not one bit.
“But I’ve come back.” I shook my head and backed away, as if to ward off whatever blow she might strike. “I’ve come back. For you.”
“Why? Why me, why now?” Deep inside me was a titanic conflict, self-preservation warring against my more basic nature, and one side was losing.
“Because your love is the purest in all existence.” She looked away from my anguished gaze, then firming herself, she looked into my eyes, into my soul. “And because I do love you.” I decided to use my most potent weapon on her.
I launched myself across the small confines of the balcony and my lips hit hers with enough force to bruise.
It hurt. A lot.
And it was heaven.
