Sireen yawned and licked her lips, gently running her tongue over her fangs, making sure they were still semi-sharp. When they passed her expectations, she stretched out her wings and hooves. The last dredges of sleep slowly left her as she blinked and chirped in content. She was hanging upside down on her bat bar, that hung over Iron Crest's bed. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she eyed her stallion.

Iron lay sleeping right below her, her mane hung a couple inches short of brushing his forehead, she smiled as she watched him. He snuffled his pillow, breathing deeply and snorting. A single leg kicked gently, and then another. He was dreaming of something pleasant judging by the smile that brimmed on his lips. Almost immediately after the leg twitches started so too did his wings begin their own movements. The appendages slid and shifted on his back as he murmured and rolled over.

She kept her wings open and then dropped into a flip. the air caught her membranes and she glided over the top of him ever so carefully, her tail being the only thing that touched the bed, and it hit the comforter and not Iron. Her hooves tapped onto the carpeted floor silently, her metal shod shoes muffled by the carpet. She turned and walked up to the side of the bed. Iron kept sleeping peacefully, a couple more hours and he'd be awake though.

She leaned in and gently kissed his cheek, adding in a soft nuzzle before backing away. Her mind picking up speed and her excitement increasing as she walked away.

For Sireen, it was her first day back at work and she couldn't be more happy. Her wing had healed up and she could do things like basic gliding again. Nothing crazy yet, physical therapy was required first for a week or so, but then she could go flying with Iron again. Physical therapy was the reason she'd woken up earlier than she normally did too. She had extra stretches and exercises to do. Entering into the bathroom, she gently closed the door and then shook her self vigorously. her mane slapped back and forth, and her mouth let escape a subtle chirp and growl of pleasure as her fur settled. Her teeth chattered and clicked as she started preening her wings. She had to look her best today, that meant a full scrub down, wing preen, and combing of her mess she dared call a mane and tail.

Actual shower time was short but concise and efficient. In the military, one had maybe 3 minutes if they were lucky, so she got used to being quick. Iron had gotten her more used to longer, more intimate, higher temperature showers, but she couldn't help falling back on her regime. It also was a lot more pleasant to have her own stuff now. She'd managed to bring all her hygiene products to his house, and her stuff from the barracks had been easy to move over. Her wing claws gripped the brush and she began tugging the knots out of her mane, thinking back to the gifts Iron had showered her with.

She'd come home to find the bat bar installed, a bookshelf on her side of the bed for anything she wanted to place on it, half his closet was cleared out so if she had any clothes, she now had a place to hang them up. At the moment the red dress she'd worn recently and the shawl, along with a military dress suit were the only things hung up in there. As she removed a rather ornery knot, she vowed to go shopping for more.

Maybe with fleur, she probably had a great sense of style, and I can try and get to know her better.

The brushing paused as the memories of the dinner date came to mind. Sireen hummed and went to work on her tail. Fleur and Fancy wanted her to sire a foal for them. While it wasn't immediately something she would jump at, it wasn't bothering her either. Fleur and Fancy pants were nice ponies, and after the dinner they asked for more time to spend with the trio.

"It's rather hard making, becoming, and keeping friends, planning time to hang out with them, and be a political elite, sadly." Fancy Pants had said as they departed. "But we want to try, with Princess Twilight Sparkle advocating for friendship among peers, we want to be first in line to show our support and genuinely mean it."

Fleur had hugged and doted on Crisp as much as she could without smothering the foal, and said they'd visit when they could, and she'd bring Crisp more "fancy ice cream" as long as he behaved. He seemed to find this arrangement acceptable, and had started a list in his bedroom of all the "fancy foods" he wanted to try.

Where he would get fancy cottage cheese, she had no idea. She just knew he wasn't going to give up on it either.

Setting the brush down after a thorough attack on her tail, and her reflection in the mirror nodded her approval. She looked ready for anything!

Exiting out into the hallway, she slipped passed Crisp's room, her ear tufts flicked lightly atop her head as the foal's snoring loudly through the door made her chuckle. He could rival his dad occasionally. She felt a light twinge in her teats as she walked thanks to him. The energetic foal had started nursing from her intermittently. He seemed to randomly get a foal-like urge, and followed it. She'd been washing dishes once and he just shuffled up to her side and started.

She'd nearly dropped a pot on him from surprise. After wards she'd taken care to escort the little scamp to the couch, where she would preen and nuzzle him as he suckled. The sensations were...almost indescribable. They simply felt right, and she would relax into a dazed state that Iron found cute. Apparently her happy, motherly, dopey faces were something he found endearing.

Her movement brought her to the downstairs and she looked around, the living room was clean from the previous night, and the dishes in the kitchen were already done. She set into the kitchen and began the process of making herself some food. Oatmeal with a dash of butter and cinnamon, and a glass of orange juice were in order. As the food cooked, Sireen went through her stretches, her legs were first, each limb pulled in different directions to work specific muscle groups, and then her wings got worked. First the good wing, and then the newly healed one.

Sireen noted that the muscles connecting to the joints at the elbow seemed rather stiff, and she worked those more. From there she broke away to stir the food a moment, and then her neck, shoulders, and thighs got their stretches in. She took her time, knowing a good work out routine meant pacing one's self. The satisfying pops and cracks in her bones felt good to work out, and Sireen purred in delight.

Breakfast was short, quick, and delicious, then out the door the mare went. Sireen took the stairs two at a time and made it outside faster then normal. A sharp intake of air as the mare exited excited her further, the evening temperatures just beginning to cool off for the night made her body tingle. She started trotting down the road, slowly increasing her speed until she was in a full run. She past by Calamity's Curios and saw the owner stallion. He waved to her and she whinnied back. Iron and Crisp needed to visit still. Sireen knew Crisp would get a kick out of the ambiance of the store.

Crisscrossing through the city streets, her path premade the day before after looking at a map. Iron's house placement and the distance to the castle had several main roads she could take, and several side passages and alleyways that cut the time down if she needed it. For now she just followed the main roads, dodging around late evening ponies and tourists. A couple of them watched her with curiosity, and a pair of royal guards waved to her as she passed them by.

By the time she made it to the castle, she'd worked up a good sweat, her coat had a light shine to it. Sireen saluted the two gate guards and then entered into the main courtyard. A couple elite ponies and bureaucrats were talking in a group by the stairs that led inside the castle, but they ignored her as she entered. The main hall of the castle was lit by blue torches, showing that Princess Luna was now presiding over the castle's nightly occupants and dealings. The normally red carpet that took up the middle of the hall, was now a dark purple, and the tapestries that hung from the ceiling held Luna's cutie mark of the moon.

She smiled as the magic in the air swept over her, bringing forth a chitter of excitement. She was back and ready for more work. Her job with Mrs. Fuzzdrought had sadly ended due to their schedule changes, but she made sure to let the mare and her new griffon partner know she'd be keeping in touch. They had still yet to work out the kinks in their businesses, but they weren't giving up.

The night guard barracks were on the opposite hall of the royal guards, and deeper in the castle's underground structure. The deeper she went, the more thestrals she came across. Some were clearly just woken, and were preparing their evening routines. Some were in full armor, and seemed to be either just getting off shift, or in the middle of one. She by passed the main barracks, and headed for the armory. It was a typical armory room, the older, more grizzled stallion behind the barred off counter saw her approach and nodded.

"Good to see you back, the usual set up, Miss Wind. Standard issue night guard armor, battle spear, and multi purpose utility kit. Schedule says you've got wall duty in the secondary battlements of the castle."

Sireen nodded sharply, "Yes sir. Ready to receive."

He went into the back to retrieve her gear. She stood there waiting for a moment before he came back and gave her the supplied items. The stallion saluted her. "Have a fellow guard return these if ya get injured again, okay?"

She saluted back. "Understood, though, I don't plan to do that again so hopefully these will be in my care for some time."

He grunted and shrugged noncommittally. "Just keep it in good condition, makes my job easier."

She left him to his work, and then entered into the main barracks to suit up. Around her, several thestral guards like her were doing either the same, or they were stripping down. She found an empty bed and set out her gear. She took her time checking over each piece and making sure it was properly sized, and in working order.

She worked this way for a couple minutes and then noticed another guard was standing nearby staring a her. When she made eye contact he swallowed and saluted her.

"Um, excuse me, are you Sireen Wind?"

She slowly dropped her helm over her ears, taking care to clasp the straps under chin tight enough so the head piece didn't wobble.

"Yup, I'm back on duty." She looked him over, realizing she didn't recognize him from her usual group. He must be new. His armor was overly polished, a little too tight on his form too, like he'd over tightened the straps.

"Who're you? Can't say I've seen you around before." She slipped into her armored shin guards, checking the blade activation slots, pleased to see someone had oiled them so they didn't make a sound upon sliding into the ready position.

The stallion kept saluting.

"I came in with the most recent group of newly minted recruits, ma'am. My name is Graceful Fall."

Sireen nodded and smiled, saluting him back. "Oh, well congratulations on your arrival and joining. Glad to have you."

She shook herself to settle any pieces of armor that might be off, and then looked him over. He was a young thestral stallion, maybe just into his early twenties. A standard dark grey pelt and blue mane and tail adorned his rump and neck. He had the natural golden amber eyes of most of their species. His ear tufts were clean and orderly, and he held himself in good form. He too was carrying the standard issue gear and spear for wall duty and it clicked in Sireen's head why he was slightly nervous.

She picked up her spear and locked it into it's mobile state on her back. "Gonna go out on a wing here, and take it you are my wall partner for the night?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am. The captain wanted me with an experienced guard, and said you came highly recommended." He bowed. "I'll do my best to listen, learn, and be an efficient partner for the night."

Sireen chuckled. "Well, don't be so formal for one thing, we are all family here, okay?" She fell in step and waited for him to form up next to her, and they marched out into the main hall together. Graceful still had the recruit stiffness to his marching that brought back memories Sireen fondly acknowledged. His eyes were scanning, his ears were swiveling and his tail was twitching as he over analyzed everything they passed by.

He nodded sharply, "Sorry, ma'am, it's sort of a habit I built up in basic." She nodded with a closed eye smile and then without prompting, punched him in the shoulder. Graceful flinched and rubbed his armor plating, even though she hadn't hit him hard enough to feel it underneath. "Wh-what? Did I do something wrong?"

She chuckled. "Stop calling me ma'am, Graceful, call me Sireen. If we are gonna be partners for the time being, you need to learn how to loosen up juuuust enough for it to be normal." She patted the shoulder she punched and then kept walking. He followed after a moment. She calmly scanned the area as they went up some stairs and deeper into the castle.

"The only time we really need to be aware of our etiquette is when a superior enters our area, talks directly to us, or we come across the Royals. Any other time, just be mindful of your surroundings, stay alert, but not stiff, kay?"

He nodded, still a little too sharply and she bit the inside of her cheek. The captain was giving her a newbie as a playful punishment for being gone so long, she just knew it. They exited out onto an open air walk way that Sireen knew was the first wall of Canterlot castle. She could see that there were a few new faces out here as well, and it made her realize she wasn't being targeted. They'd had a whole new batch of recruits graduate and join their ranks. Most if not all her former fellow recruits, were now walking with a new partner.

"Seems we aren't alone in this set up, I think the Captain did this on purpose to help meld the inexperienced with the experienced."

Graceful nodded, looking around at what could only be his fellow cadets, "Seems that way, um, Sireen."

She smiled. "Well, lets get up to our post then. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, okay? I might be your senior officer, but only by experience."

He saluted. "Understood, ma'am."

She grimaced.

"I'm gonna punch you every time you call me ma'am." She snipped. Graceful flinched, dropped his gaze and pinned his ears back.

"Er, sorry, force of habit."

She sighed and chuckled, "Well that we can work on with time. Come on, I'll start by asking a few questions for our own partner synergy. Step one, lay out and mapping of the grounds. Have you been up here before?"

"No, ma'am, I was--" she socked him firmly in the shoulder plate and he winced. "Ow! --t-told to wait for you at the armory and barracks area. I did not leave that area until you arrived!"

Sireen sighed and her ears drooped a little. "Oooof course. Right then, time for a tour."

She pointed to her left "On our left we have the main wall battlements, there are two wall set ups, the inner and the outer. We are on the inner, or the secondary wall as it's called. Any of this ringing a bell?"

He owlishly blinked at her. "W-we have two walls?"

It was gonna be a long night.

Iron felt really out of place. He was standing in the elite district, a place he didn't frequent often or ever if he could help it, not since his ex-wife's death. He always worried that he'd come across her side of the family and that wouldn't be fun for anyone involved. Yet he'd let the carriage pick him up, and he'd let it take him here.

Here was Fancy and Fleur's mansion.

He stood just outside the door, a couple steps back from it, with his wing pits slowly gaining an edge over the half assed attempt he'd done to deodorize. He was fidgeting, he didn't want to go inside, but he kind of had agreed to meet with Fancy today. They'd talked about doing so at the dinner meet up. Fancy had invited him over for a get together between him and a couple of colleagues from work. A way to better get to know him, and to make friends.

He checked his tie once more, was it on right?

It was. He'd already smoothed it over on the way here multiple times. He sighed, he couldn't just flake out now, it would be even more awkward! He knew why he didn't want to go in, and he wanted to avoid the topic at all costs.

Fancy and Fleur wanted to sire a foal with his partner. This concept sat uneasily in his thoughts. He was raised in a non-herd style home. He had one mom, one dad, and no brothers or sisters in between any extras. He liked it that way. It was what he felt was normal. Besides, what stallion thought it was a good idea to try and live with multiple mares?

One was hard enough to keep happy!

He groaned rolling his head in a circle until the joints popped. "Okay, just...if Fancy brings it up, I tell him to drop it. He's a good stallion, he'll understand..."

He reached up and went to knock but the door swung open rather suddenly and an older aged earth pony butler startled him. The stallion bowed, his voice measured and calm. "Hello, Mister Crest. You seemed to need a moment to compose yourself on the porch, so glad to see you've decided to join us."

Iron blinked. "I...uh, yes, yes I did?"

The butler said nothing and merely allowed him to enter the house at his own pace. "Master Pants is in the billiards room with the other guests, I can escort you there once you are ready." He closed the door behind Iron once he'd fully entered and then stood off to the side.

Iron looked around him. The main foyer was well lit with natural sunlight streaming through several large windows on either side of the door frame. Off to his left was a set of stairs that must curve up and around the building to the upper levels. Down the hall from the stairs were two doors, currently closed, and then an arch way that led off to other parts of the house. To his right was another hall, that had multiple doors on the left side wall. One of those rooms must be where the guests were located.

He nodded to the butler, who silently began walking down the hall, Iron read the door plaques as they went further in. One room was labeled "Art and Creativity", he guessed that Fancy or Fleur might have some artistic hobbies if they had a whole room dedicated to it. That made sense though, he doubted Fancy spent all his time in court. Maybe Fleur painted in her off time from modeling?

I'll have to ask when I get the chance.

The very next room had no plaque, no fancy add-ons, and nothing really marking it as special. He tilted his head and walked closer, the mystery and interest in this plaque-less door rising. When he looked from it to the butler in question, the older stallion shrugged. "All houses have broom closets, sir."

Iron pivoted an ear back. "I suppose they ah, do. Yes."

Well now I just feel dumb, of course the would need a room for the cleaning supplies, this place is huge!

They moved on to the final door, the hallway ending at a wall with a massive painting of Fancy and Fleur hung to cover the space. The pair were dressed in their finest attire at the time, seated next to each other and both were smiling. Iron analyzed the painting while the butler opened the final door.

Whoever had painted the pair had done a fantastic job. The likeness and realism captured their emotions and status quite well. Iron leaned back, and even found himself rearing up on two legs to try and grasp the magnitude of the painting. His hoof tips couldn't even touch both sides at the same time. He grimaced, feeling slightly small.

"Ah, I see you've been caught up in the mural made for my wife and I." Fancy's voice broke Iron out of his trance and it wasn't until he'd fallen back down onto all his hooves that he realized his wings had fully opened in an attempt to make himself look bigger. He groaned in embarrassment, putting a hoof on the back of his neck.

Stupid primal traits. He inwardly grumbled.

He looked over and found Fancy standing in the open doorway to the billiards room, a martini glass complete with a little umbrella floated in his magic next to him. Fancy chuckled. "You aren't the only pegasus I've seen do that when they lay eyes on it, something ingrained in them I suppose. Got to feel larger than life eh?"

Iron chuckled quietly, and dropped his hoof. "I ah, yes. Sorry about that. I really like it, very life like."

Fancy's eyes twinkled lightly as he looked up at the painting. "It was a gift to us from Celestia, she had the royal painter come out to our house and everything. She gave us quite the surprise, I'll tell you that. Not even a letter or notice that it was happening. We were thrown rather off kilter by the sudden gift. Mare wouldn't even tell us how much it cost!"

He laughed shortly and then waved it off. "Ah but I forget my manners, you didn't come over just for me to show my connections, you came to hang out!" He swung his leg into the room behind him. "Come in come in!"

Iron entered the room and inspected it. The room had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on the left and right walls, filled to the brim too. The far back wall of the room had three paintings, in low lighting, so he couldn't clearly see what was in their frames. The foreground center of the room closest to the door was taken up by a double set of billiards tables, each one seemingly special in their own ways. one was dark wood, with silver trims and a light blue cover for the top, the pockets were a nice black mesh that imitated leather.

The back table was a lighter wood, oak or pine possibly, and had a red top cover with darker brown mesh pockets. The space beyond the tables was dropped down into the floor by two or three stair steps, and a white pseudo leather sectional couch wrapped around the space, facing the wall with the paintings. A black semi see through glass coffee table sat in front of this with multiple little foot rests circling it to allow for reclining.

The room was lit with three small iron chandeliers, enchanted candles glowing about four to five feet above their heads. The second billiards table was currently being used by three other stallions. Iron only knew one of them personally, and he was so thankful they were present.

"Fissure Quill? What are you doing here?" Iron asked, as the younger buck looked up at him.

"Iron! You made it!" He set his pool que down and went over to give Iron a hoof bump. "I was hoping to see your ugly mug!"

Iron snorted. "Har Har, kiddo, you'll look like this after you grow up some more."

Fissure stuck his tongue out and gagged. "Euugh, no! No I wont!" He spun on his heels and practically pranced back, tail high and proud. "I will be sexy, prim and proper for all of eternity. When aliens from beyond the stars find our world and they dig up my tomb, they'll be stunned by my sheer untouched beauty."

Next to him, Fancy chuckled. "And why ever would they do such a ghastly thing?"

One of the other stallions, a light grey coated unicorn buck closer to Iron's age rolled his eyes. "They probably wouldn't, Fissure here just hopes that they'll probe him." He grinned over at the younger stallion who blushed and scuffed a hoof on the floor.

"W-well I mean...maybe if the probe was soft..."

The last stallion, a orange coated and black maned pegasus groaned and bonked Fissure on the nape and then hit the other stallion too for good measure, with his pool stick. "Can we please play the game without you two making crass sexual humor?"

Fissure chuckled and rubbed his neck, blushing sheepishly "Y-yeah, sorry."

Iron felt his lips try to smile, but his anxiety was rather high. Fancy seemed to notice and touched his side gently. "Hey, you okay, Iron?"

Iron nodded after a breath or two, "Y-yeah, just...nervous I guess? I don't usually do this um...sort of thing. Being a single dad kind of takes up a lot of my time."

Fissure took his turn at the table, attempting to knock the seven ball in the corner pocket, it missed and ricocheted off the corner piece and smacked into three other balls along its path before settling right behind the eight ball.

Fissure swore and the other two stallions laughed at his bad luck. Fancy stepped up beside Iron and nodded slowly. "Well why don't we get some introductions out of the way? That usually helps break the ice a little."

He spoke loud enough that the three other bucks heard him and they paused. The orange pegasus went first while the unicorn took his turn. Twirling his que stick like a staff, he then set it down and leaned on it, wrapping a wing around the wood.

"Name's Firm Spirit, I work down in the iron works with the royal smiths, Met fancy pants about a year ago when they needed some custom work done on a carriage, but the smiths were all booked. My master in my trade said I was old enough and skilled enough to do it so they put me on the job, and then I sorta befriended the pearl standing next to ya."

When Iron looked perplexed by the title Firm had given the unicorn next to him, Fancy chuckled and swirled his drink. "We have nicknames too. I found it in a book on social skills at the library, apparently it helps build comradery."

The unicorn behind the table, having successfully knocked the fifteen into the side pocket, continued focusing on his targets as he spoke. His voice was gruff, firm and almost had a militaristic feel to it. But he smiled as he spoke, showing he wasn't so hard.

"My name is South Wales. I run a river boat shipping company, Wale's Wharf, ya heard of it?"

When Iron shook his head, South shrugged. "Ah, that's okay, it's down lower in the valley anyway, not many Canterlot folk know it. The actual location of my work is closer to Ponyville but also near the river system. I manage multiple shipments and help other companies get their products where they need to go on time and every time."

He knocked another ball into a pocket and Fissure cursed again. "As for how I met Fancy Pants, I was taking one of my boats down the river and saw him and his lovely lady mare on the docks I was gonna offload to. The person picking up the shipment seemed energetically pleased to see his order an hour earlier then scheduled, and Fancy overheard the buck complimenting my services. He and I chatted for a while and then we hit things off from there. Aft that I started running shipments for a couple of Fancy's companies."

South grinned as a third ball disappeared into a corner pocket. Next to him, Fissure growled.

"How the fluff are you so good, River?"

South, elbowed the younger stallion. "lotta practice is all." He looked to Iron.

"So who're you? You seem to know Softy here," He nudged Fissure as the colt went to shoot his ball and the stallion flailed to save the que stick before it moved the que ball. He bared his teeth at the unicorn and bat him away with his hooves.

"I swear to Celestia if you make me miss my shot, Ocean I will stick the eight ball up your arse!"

South backed off while chuckling. Firm just grimaced and rolled his eyes. South then watched as Fissure leaned over the table and focused. He turned back to Iron. "So you know Fissure, which means you probably work in his area right? You a paper pusher?"

Iron nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am. I don't own any private business or anything grand, so you guys have me beat there. I go through the legal documents that get sent down for authentication and editing, and I make sure they are properly processed." He ran his hoof through a swath of his mane, "lotta errors the elite ponies don't take the time to notice."

Fancy smirked. "Have you ever received any paperwork from Fleur or myself with errors?"

Iron put his primary feather to his chin and thought it over. He shrugged after a moment. "Not that I know of, but it is possible."

Nearby Fissure swore again and bonked his head on the edge of the table as the seven ball missed its target and the eight ball rolled right into a side pocket.

"Son of a...aaahg, I'm not on top of my game today."

South took his que stick and pushed the younger stallion to the side so he could shoot. "Yeah you need something on top of you to have any--"

Firm coughed loudly and raised an eyebrow at South, who rolled his eyes. "Oh come off it, Ghost, you know you like some of the crass humor that happens in this room!"

Firm shook his head. "While I may find some of your back and forth bantering humorous, I still find the content vulgar. Just because I work with ponies who like to be verbally gross all day, doesn't mean I have to put up with it on my days off, nor do I want to. You don't need to bring it here as well." He watched as South missed his pocket and then he took his turn. "We can be civilized as stallions when mares aren't around too, can we not?"

He emphasized his shot by absolutely blasting his final ball into the left corner pocket, and then blowing his que stick off like it was a smoking gun. "Another victory in my pocket, say, Iron, you any good?" He pointed a primary at Iron, and the stallion shrugged.

"I've never played."

All four other stallions gasped. "YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED?!"

Iron felt his heart lighten a little as Fancy pants started pushing him towards the table, grumbling about the horror of not knowing how to play billiards, and even laughed the other three stallions argued amongst themselves who was "going to teach this plebian a true gentle-stallions sport".

It wasn't so bad after all. He learned a little from all of them, Firm helped him figure out what pose he liked best for shooting, Fissure told him the different types of games they could play, and South taught him how angle the stick and hit the que ball so the other balls would go the directions he wanted them to.

He didn't win any games, but he came close in a one on one against Fissure. More times than he could count they would all laugh when some one lost the que ball to a scratch, or a ball went bouncing off the table from too harsh a strike. Fancy pants ended up telling them a grand story of a party where one stallion had the que ball land in his drink, and he got into a fight with the two other stallions playing.

The butler had apparently broken it up by hitting all three of them with a really gross feather duster he'd found in the closet next door. They'd gone from fighting to frightened when he started chasing them out of the party with the degusting dirt covered duster, fearing for their expensive clothing.

The hang out only lasted a couple hours into the morning, before Fancy had to call it quits, but the three were allowed to stay until they wished to go home so long as they kept it down. Iron ended up enjoying himself thoroughly until the end.

He might just want to do it again too...

Sireen groaned and simply leaned against the door to the cafe below her new home.

so...many...stairs... She slipped inside and very nearly flopped to the floor right there. Her legs were sore, her back was sore, she was sore, hersore was sore.

The wall guard position had gotten a lot more active due to the cadets following them around. They were told to repeatedly show the newbies the routine, the routes, the rules, the regulations, and where they were supposed to sit vs stand. All of these depending on the situation, where they physically were located AND they had to make sure they were equidistance from the other patrols!

So in short, Sireen had gotten her ten thousands steps in that night...She knew in her heart though, it was definitely more. Graceful had be kind enough to stop calling her ma'am after the fifth punch to his shoulder, and maybe a kick to his leg when a superior was talking to them. However, he was slow. glacially slow. He asked her the same question multiple times before understanding it and actually meaning he did. If a concept or bit of information was too broad he got all discombobulated and lost his sense of up and down, leaving Sireen to go over it again, and again.

She later found out he'd BARELY made it into the night guard, lowest scores, all across the board. She wasn't gonna let it deter her, but she got all the chuckles and laughs from her fellow guards for having the bottom of the barrel. Graceful seemed to know what was up and really tried his best to do his best, but...it usually ended in he reteaching him something.

The end result had been that she'd taught him a lot and been a good teacher, but in doing so also learned how many stairs there were between the barracks, the throne room, the royal state rooms, the war room, the bath houses, her wall post, the gardens, the kitchens, the maids quarters, and the palace gate....all in one night.

"Seven-thousand and forty-two steps...Goddess above why were there so many? I feel like no one gave him a tour of the grounds, on purpose!" She hissed as she literally crawled up the stairs to home. "Stupid captain, stupid guard rules, stupid stairs!" She growled and smacked one of them. "Why do we have to live on the fourth floor!?"

Twenty grouchy angry growly minutes later, and she was in the home stretch. Her belly fur dragged across the carpet of the outside hall as she kept crawling her way to the door, she prayed to Luna that no one heard her or chose to venture outside in that current moment.

She would die of embarrassment for sure. No doubts. the funeral would happen the next day!

She dryly laughed. "My epitaph would read "She stairedherself to death, but her spirit always rose up to the challenge."

She griped, hissed, and groaned as she opened the door and collapsed just inside. No effort was even made to kick the door closed. The mare wriggled, inch-wormed, dragged, and scooted her way to the couch, and with herculean effort, hoisted herself onto it and collapsed into the cushions. She was thankful she had to leave her armor at the barracks. Sleeping in it would not have been comfortable. Her face found a pillow and disappeared into it's soft squishiness.

A moment later she snarled into the pillow. Then she did it again, and again...

Her mind sort of shut down after that, and she fell asleep. For how long she wasn't sure. She didn't dream, so tired was her body and mind that when Luna came to check in on her dream realm that morning, she simply found a "do not disturb at all costs" tag hanging on her dream door.

What she did know is that at some point, Crisp had come back home, poked her a bit, talked to her, and then when he received no response, curled up with her on the couch, to which he promptly regretted/loved as he was consumed in her arms and wings and snuggled into submission by her subconscious motherly instincts. From there Iron came by, spoke to her a moment, and then put a blanket over the both of them. A softer pillow some how made its way under her head, and then the lights had all been dimmed, the blinds lowered and the black out curtains pulled close.

She was then snuggled herself by Iron, who basically spooned her tightly in his arms, wrapped his wings around her, and rest his head atop hers. He nibbled her neck for a bit, and she did enjoy it, but to be fair she was so conked out, that all of it was like a dream.

Sireen woke up the next evening in a mass of warm fuzzy bodies, feathers, and Iron's muzzle nestled right in the crook of her chin and neck. Some of her mane was in his teeth, having been nibbled. Crisp had burrowed under her hind leg and she could feel his little snout nestled deep between her teats, his little feet twitching as he dreamed. To be perfectly fair, she didn't give a damn that she might have overslept.

This... She nuzzled Iron's cheek and licked him a few times.

This is what I want...what I need. She purred and rest her head back down on the pillow and continued purring.

A happy mother, a happy father, a happy son...

A real family.

Sireen could have laid there for several more hours, perfectly content, sadly, the call of nature demanded she move. First she woke up Iron, nipping and biting him seemed to work, and he only groused at her for a moment, before mashing their lips together in a kiss. He murmured a "Love you", and then crawled off her.

She then gently and carefully extracted her foal from her legs and lay him between her shoulder blades. Crisp whimpered and shivered at the loss of warm but then curled up tighter and went still on her back. Together, Iron and Sireen climbed the stairs, Sireen groaning and growling at the stupid things the whole way.

Iron noticed and nuzzled her to show his support. "Rough first night, love?" He whispered.

She growled more.

"Ah, sorry to hear that." He kissed her forehead as she entered Crisps room. As she attempted to slid the foal off, she ended up losing her balance, and very nearly dumped the kid onto the bed unceremoniously. Iron had noticed her swaying and caught her with a wing just in time. She thanked him with a grunt, and then tucked Crisp into bed. She licked his mane and cheek a few times, her instincts making sure he was safe in her own way, before she exited with Iron.

Together they simply stood in the hallway for a moment, basking in the sleepiness.

Iron had the audacity in that moment to let off a large yawn and then Sireen followed suit a moment later. They then wordlessly slipped into the bedroom. Iron waited until Sireen exited the bathroom, and then the two collapsed into bed together. Iron didn't ask why she didn't use her bar, mostly because she quickly and firmly latched onto his side, chittered in pleasure as she rubbed her cheek into his fur a couple times, and pulled both his left wing and the blanket over herself and then growled, hugging him tight.

"I hate stairs." She mumbled, pushing her cheek and nose against his neck and chest.

Iron merely leaned down and kissed her head a few times, letting her grouse and bury her face into his chest fur.

"Luna should ban them, stupid stairs...I'm sooo sore..."

He nuzzled her nape, nibbling the mane gently. "Do you have to work tonight too?"

She groaned and pushed her snout deeper into his chest fluff.

"I'll take that as a yes."

They fell quiet for a moment before Iron yawned again and shook his mane. "Well, how about I run you a really hot bath? I can add some oils to it, both help with sore muscles."

Sireen responded by growling. "Any fairth?" Her question was muffled by his fur.

He grinned and shook his head. "Nope, no stairs in sight."

Slowly extricating her right hoof from the wings and blankets, Sireen patted his face in random places, not being able aim.

"Yer a gooth stallion..." She mumbled into his chest. "I loff you..."

He laughed gently and nuzzled her mane, before she lifted her head, pushed her snout against his and purred into the kiss. They held it for a moment before she pulled back. Here half lidded eyes drew him in, even if she wasn't trying to seduce him, he was caught.

"Join me?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "Certainly, I can even give you a massage while you relax."

She kissed him again firmly, growling into his mouth, before pulling back and flopping her head onto the pillow. Her eyes closed from sleepiness, and she nuzzled the pillow. "I take it back. you're not a good stallion...you're my fantastic stallion."

He slipped out of bed, and flared his wings, strutting to the bathroom proudly as she rested. "Well I'll not disagree there, but then that means you are my amazing mare. It's only fair to return the compliment."

He looked back and hoped for a reply, but Sireen was too tired to do so. He chuckled and entered the bathroom. He turned on the water and let it start heating up while grabbing several oils he'd been given as a gift from Fissure once for a birthday. The oils had barely been used in the past. Mostly Iron used them to ease his shoulder and wing joint pain from sitting at a desk all night.

"Lets hope tonight isn't so rough on you, my love." He whispered. "You really deserve to come home in one piece."

Sireen didn't hear him, she'd already drifted off to sleep once more.

Author's Note

Sundays are now my writing days, so chapters should come out for all my stories more regularly. It doesn't mean a chapter every Sunday but it does mean more words sooner.