Chapters The morning sun above was weak, white and watery as it filtered through the thick clouds of lingering winter mist. The breeze was cool and damp, throwing motes of fog and frost about in tiny whirlwinds as it whistled through the empty rockfields. Little crests and outcrops of light grey poked through the dull grit, sparkling as the pale light shone on scatterings of exposed crystals and gemstones.
A gentle metallic tolling echoed across the open field, like a muted clock lazily counting the seconds and minutes with the occasional skip or chime. The faintest of sighs carried in the quiet air as a slate-grey mare worked, delivering precise strikes to the small rock in front of her with the rusty pick in her jaws. Beads of sweat lined her fur as she toiled, her mane trailing like a stony banner as she reared up and brought her tool down in a neat rhythm, slowly but surely exposing a sizable gemstone from the dim rock. Crystalline dust and splintered scree patched her coat as the well-trained muscles in her shoulders and hips tensed and rippled on each swing.
With one last hit, the rock shattered into a pile of gravel, leaving behind a large, rough stone the size of her hoof. She dropped her pick and stooped to pick up her treasure, biting down on the tiniest corner. There was a muffled crunching as she worked her jaw, then her eyes flashed wide and a pleased sigh escaped her lips in a plume of vapour.
“Marble!” A loud shout split the lonely tranquillity and jerked her attention away from her find. A tiny murky figure, little more than a smudge on the misty horizon, was gesturing wildly and irately for her to come. She smiled inwardly as she ignored it and turned her pick on another rock, tossing the previous stone into one of her saddle-packs. The first few quiet pings rang out as she checked for any structural weaknesses.
“Marrrble! Hurry up!” The tone grew sharper and louder as the little annoyed speck of dull colour resolved into a similar mare stomping towards her. Her eyes were narrowed and angry; her curt, spiked mane carried the faintest hint of green, and her coat was a cold blue-grey. “Hey, Marble! You deaf or something? Come on! Pinkie’s gonna be here any minute!”
It was awfully rude of her to ignore the summon, Marble mused as she struck away, but, a warmer and more selfish part of her heart chimed in, it also let her draw her feisty sister out into the one place she felt confident enough to speak. Her solitary job was so isolated out on the farthest fields she could say whatever she wanted, with no-one but the rocks and crows to hear her. They would never share the secrets she whispered, or judge her for her foolish thoughts.
“Hey! I’m talking to you!” A grey hoof grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her around a little too roughly.
“Um, I’m sorry, Limestone. I, um, didn’t hear you.” She answered timidly, trying to look anywhere but toward her sister’s beautiful, angry eyes.
Limestone grunted and let out a loud, obnoxious sigh, “Yeah, whatever. Just finish up and get in soon- Ma wants us all in to welcome her back.” She marched off, her stomping dampened slightly by the damp earth and grit. “Stupid ‘Hearth’s-Warming-Spirit’ ponyfeathers taking up all my time.” She muttered, her complaints quickly vanishing into the fog.
Marble stared after her, following the dull shadow as it grey fainter and smaller. A familiar heat was working its way into her chest, and up into her cheeks. She felt almost breathless, though she knew full well she hadn’t done anything to warrant such a feeling. Her face was torn between a small smile and a bemused frown.
Did she like Limestone? Of course; she was family. She had a rather abrasive personality, and at times could be downright mean, but she was just doing what she thought was best for the family- trade, and profits had increased since she took over the rock farm’s dealings, after all. But there was something else too, and Marble blanched at the slightest hint of a thought of it. Something terrible.
Family love was expected, but to what degree? Every sibling ever hugged and fought, at least, that was what her rare moments off the farm and Pinkie’s tales had told her. How many siblings hugged, fought, and kissed? Not that she did- though she felt she wanted to, and therein lay her problem: sisters and brothers could not love each other romantically. Old Granny Pie hadn’t been sure of much, but that, along with her Zebra prejudices, was one of the few things she had been adamant on. Of course, there were tales of incestuous relations in every level of society, from the lowliest farmers to the Royal Guard, to the princesses themselves, but they were just that: Tales. Nothing like that happened, because it would be wrong.
She kicked out at the sudden feeling of injustice that stole away her happy warmth. Her hoof met a chunk of granite, and with a sharp nip of pain, the rock shattered. Her reinforced shoe had a new nick in it too.
Once upon a time, nobles and commoners had been put in prison for loving each other; mares and stallions who loved their own sort had been bullied and shunned- they were perfectly acceptable now, in fact, a large percentage of Equestria’s population were in same-sex relationships, married or no, and the class division was non-existent in all but the most stagnant of Canterlot nobility.
Why couldn’t Celestia take the next obvious step and make it just as okay to feel for a sibling?
The mist rolled in thickly on a chilling breeze which snapped her from her internal rant. She sighed and dusted through the remnants of the rock she had smashed, collecting a small ruby from the shards and slipping it into her bag before turning in the direction of home. With one last reluctant look around, she left her little lonely sanctuary and trotted off.
At least Pinkie was coming home. She could distract anyone from anything with her silliness and stories.
A few minutes of walking through the thickening fog later, Marble came into view of the old, rickety cottage she and her family called home. Though it was little more than a dark shape in the mist, the crooked chimneys and jagged roof stood out like fireflies at midnight. She could already see the faintest of yellow glows from the windows as she drew nearer; a little shudder ran down her spine and she perked up a bit at the lovely scent of wood smoke from the fireplace- maybe, she thought, her romantic crisis could wait until she had a mug of hot cocoa and a pillow by the fire.
With a hopeful hum in her chest, she opened the door and was almost stunned by the wonderful feeling of heat. She had forgotten what it felt like to not be cold- Pinkie must already have arrived then, there was no way Mother would have used the sparse few logs they had left for heating for anyone but her or royalty. Though given Pinkie’s latest few tales, having a princess over for Hearth’s Warming didn’t seem that unlikely anymore.
“There you are, Marble. Took your time.” Limestone glowered at her. To be fair, she had been walking rather slowly.
“I’m sorry, it, um, shan’t happen again?” She answered meekly.
Limestone seemed satisfied with her apology and strutted off. She was always such a busy, hard-working pony. It was just another thing to admire about her. She had a whole farm to manage, and she did so perfectly, it was just a shame it left with little-to-no time to relax, and for Marble to get a little closer to her. It was just too bad- their livelihood was more important than a silly crush which was probably pointless anyway.
Her melancholy must have shown on her face, because a second later a pink hoof had grabbed her by the chin and hoisted her face-to-face with a pair of wide, gleaming cyan eyes. “Oh! H-hello, Pinkie Pie.”
Pinkie regarded her suspiciously as she tried to fake a smile. She would stop at nothing to make sure everyone was happy, but there were some things she wasn’t to know. Crushing on a sibling was one of those things.
“Heya, Marbs! You can stop wandering round like a mopey-Mc-Mopeyface now, your big sister Pinkie is here to make everything better!” Her smile and energy was infectious, and before she knew it, Marble’s façade had turned into genuine grin.
A sudden flicker of darkness flashed across her sister’s eyes for a split-second and a frown appeared on her ever-smiling lips. “There’s something wrong…”
Marble was sure she could feel Pinkie’s eyes boring into her mind and rattling through her secrets. She was sure to figure something out sooner or later- she had to get away before she confessed just to get out from under that wilting look.
“Pinkie.” Came a monotone voice from upstairs. Maud had taken mercy on her, it seemed. “Come and help me lay the beds, please.”
“Okie-dokie-lokie!” Every trace of that piercing horror vanished into oblivion as the pink pony hopped up, her familiar smile back in place, and literally bounced up the stairs and out of view.
She let out a relieved sigh and her rump hit the floor. Was she really related to such a strange, joyful, and terrifying pony?
“Marble, dear, these potatoes will not peel themselves!” Her mother’s shrill voice called from the kitchen. There went any hope of a rest in front of the fire. She shook a bit of moisture from her coat and blew the few strands of damp mane from her face then trotted in with a resigned sigh.
After all, Hearth’s Warming preparations waited for nopony.
-
That evening, as the weak daylight gave way to the velvety purples of dusk, and the dark clouds began to glow a ghostly silver with the moon’s light, Marble found herself alone in the fields once more.
She hadn’t meant to come all the way out to the furthest field again, but her hooves had taken her wherever they had wanted, and she had given in, exhausted from the non-stop rush of cooking, washing, cleaning and the other two-dozen jobs that only seemed to surface when she needed a rest. At least things had quietened down a little now.
Around her neck, a small glass bottle of purple-red liquid bounced against her chest on each step across the unsteady ground. As she wandered, she flicked the stopper with her teeth and took a delicate sip. It was warm, beautifully warm, and it warded off the creeping winter chills perfectly. A lovely heat blossomed in her belly and worked its way through her cold limbs until she felt almost as if she had never left the steamy kitchen. Tiny bubbles fizzled out on her tongue as she licked the neck of the bottle clean and resealed it; the wonderful spices tingled on her lips and she began to hum happily, a skip working its way into her step. She had no idea what went into making Pinkie's 'Winterspice Warm-Up', only that it involved a lot of chocolate powder and sugar, and more herbs than she could name.
A chilly breeze stirred, ruffling her mane. She sought shelter in the lee of a particularly large pillar of crooked rocks and settled down on a patch of coarse, scrubby grass poking through the gravel-strewn earth. She nipped at a few thin leaves, but then spat them out with a grimace as the dusty taste filled her mouth, deciding instead to chew on a small, smooth pebble. Apparently ponies elsewhere didn't often eat stones, according to Pinkie and Maud, but it couldn't just be a Pie-Family thing, could it? After all, why would ponies need rock farms if they didn't- Gemstones only made up around half of their business; A lot of builder and gardener ponies bought rocks of all sorts by the bagful.
"Mmh, it's cold..." She muttered, wincing at how small and pathetic her voice sounded against the vast dark skies. Her hooves had snaked around her own body, hugging her barrel tightly as she supped at her drink. Her fur was cool and soft, and slightly gritty from her day's work. She could do with a nice warm bath, maybe with some of those lovely bubbly soaps that Pinkie always used. It was a shame she'd probably missed the chance to have a warm bath today- she'd been run off of her hooves without a spare second to herself when her sisters had been cleaning up. Maybe she could pop in with Pinkie like they always used to, but that would probably turn into some sort of strange interrogation again.
She shivered despite the pleasurable warmth inside her. A pale frost was already descending on the fields, and it had only just turned to night. She should really have gone inside, or not have come out in the first place, but inside was so frantic and rushed compared with the leisurely, pondering pace of the rock fields. And inside there were ponies she would rather not face: Pinkie was determined to figure out her deepest, darkest secrets; Maud would do the same, just with less bouncing and smiles, and a lot more silent staring until she broke and spilled everything; and Limestone was busy being both the best and worst pony in Equestria at once.
Limestone was so pretty and confident, feisty and strong, but every second she spent being perfect near Marble was like some sort of perverse torture, tempting her so very much to just take up those beautiful hooves and wrap them around her neck to hold her close whilst kissing her sweet lips and-
She was panting and her cheeks were burning red. The thumping of her racing heart was filling her ears, and a great yawning pit was opening in her stomach. She felt so hot and high, but a single black thought was pouring the bitterest of arctic snows onto her fires:
What sort of disgusting pony got so worked up about loving their own dear sister?
A horrible, stark sobriety pressed down on her, everything that felt good evaporating in an instant.
Supposedly, when a pony was in love, they knew it, that was one thing she had learned from the few story books scattered around the house. Maybe it would be a lightness of breath when they spoke, or a fluttering heart when they walked by. The infatuated also often dream passionately of the object of their desires. Limestone elicited all of these signs in her, though the dreams were new and strange- she was torn between welcoming them as a few heavenly moments with the pony she couldn't possibly have, and the reminder that there was something so wrong with her that even Celestia's wise laws forbade her. There was one comforting thought that slipped through the scary, confusing mess of feelings and thoughts though: It was more than just some silly crush. What she felt was real and serious, and though the world may have stood against her, her thoughts and feelings were her own, and Limestone Pie was the beautiful pony she wished to love and embrace.
There was an old saying in Equestria, 'Love always finds its way.' Maybe it was true, maybe not. Marble would believe, no matter what. Her will and heart stood against the laws of the land, but perhaps, on the slimmest of hopes, her story could end happily.
A cloud cleared as she hardened her resolve, throwing white moonlight across her fur. Through that blurry hole in the foggy sky, the stars twinkled and shone. Maybe they were listening, just as the rocks did? A crow called as it lazily glided across the moon like a shifting shadow. It may as well have been the world's affirmation.
She tossed back the last scraps of the bottle's contents and balked as the sharp tang of sugary grit hit her throat. The smoothly-blended flavours had all gone, leaving only sickly sweetness and a faint alcoholic twang. How was Pinkie to know she'd take so long to drink it anyway? It wasn't her fault it had settled out a little more than was pleasant.
Soon, she had decided, soon she would throw herself to the mercy of her loved ones. Marble Pie would make her feelings known to her sweet, oblivious love. When was a matter for another time, maybe when things weren't so hectic? Perhaps after Hearth's Warming- or maybe a little after, when Pinkie and Maud had left so there were fewer ponies about. Surely Heart's and Hooves wasn't all too long away, but they were awfully busy around then with all of the gemstone orders, and poor Limestone would be run ragged. She wouldn't want to stress her out any further. The first day of spring was-
She let out a long, tired yawn. Maybe those panicked thoughts of timings could wait a little, it was getting awfully late, after all. She could do with just a few minutes' rest before she could think properly of such serious things. It would all seem much clearer when her eyes stopped wanting to close.
She slumped down in her makeshift perch of rough grass. As long as she just had a short nap, she could get inside before she got cold. Just a couple of minutes so her body would listen to her again.
Just a minute or two...
Marble was rudely awoken by a sharp pain in her flank. She squeaked and leapt up, flailing her hooves, but she had slept awkwardly on the solid ground and her legs refused to move as quickly as she did. She tumbled to the side, landing in a dusty pile of semi-functional limbs and a heartbeat which threatened to tear her chest in two.
"Oh m-my, what w-was that?" She scanned the surrounding area, her gaze alighting on a cheeky black crow. "Hmph," She snorted as she slowly untangled herself and made her way back to her hooves, "And to think, I fed you and your friends only the other day on half my lunch. Can't even let a lone mare sleep in peace."
It was still night. The moon was covered by thick clouds, and a low rumbling from far away spoke of poor inbound weather. A bone-chilling wind whipped and whined through the sparse, rocky landscape throwing eddies of dust and the odd dead leaf into spiralling twisters all across the fields. A bitter cold hung in the air, cutting straight through her fur and hardy body and freezing her insides to the point every muscle felt tense and achy, and her breaths came short and shallow, threatening to ice her lungs should she draw too deep a glacial breath. Shivers wracked her whole body, threatening to break her balance with their violence.
A prickling feeling on her back made her wince as she moved. A patch of white frost was forming on her fur with spreading numbness. It looked almost like glitter on her dull coat but it stung like a long line of nettles.
The rocks around her creaked and groaned, cracking and splitting as ice formed in the crevices and forced them apart.
Across the field, her home lay still and dark, save for a single lame light by the attic window. Wisps of smoke still leaked from the chimney, curling away into the sky.
She had to get inside, and quickly, before she succumbed to the cold. Her chest was already feeling tight and weak and the freezing air was stinging her nose and lips. She staggered around and tried to work some feeling back into her legs as she began to walk.
That crow, though rough and downright rude, had saved her life. She winced as the bitter air made the nip on her flank throb painfully, but at least she had awoken. She would be giving a whole lot more bread to the birds in the future. It seemed to acknowledge her thanks as it stared at her with its dark eyes, before it took off into the night and disappeared.
Every step was a pain, but with each gasp and grunt, she could feel herself growing a little warmer inside, and the cataclysmic shivers subsided somewhat. As she stumbled her way up the path to the front door, a niggling fear began to surface.
Being out alone in such weather was utterly foolish. What would Limestone think of her for being so silly, and then waking everyone up and disrupting their well-earned sleep? If she wanted even a chance of romancing one as sensible and hard-working as her sister, then she had to start behaving more like that. Falling asleep during a mid-winter's night in some unknown corner of the rockfields was just about the furthest from responsible she could have gotten. And that was ignoring the fact she had been drinking alone, even if Pinkie had said it was fine.
Fortunately, she would not have to face the prospect of awakening her family by knocking at the door like a vagrant as a pony opened the door for her. However, fortune was a fickle beast, and the pony who stared out at her with sleepy eyes and a deadpan frown was none other than the very pony she had wished to both avoid like the plague and twine her tail with to keep her close- Limestone Pie stood stock-still and even the cutesy pink scarf around her neck did little to hide the disappointment and angry incredulousness she radiated.
"M-may I c-come in?" Marble stammered, her teeth chattering too much for her to control. She may as well have not spoken as her sweet Limestone continued to stare at her. "P-please?" Maybe it was the desperation in her voice or the pathetic whimper she gave, but her sister moved aside and ushered her in with an impatient hoof gesture.
The door closed, locking them both in the gloom of the hallway, every lamp and candle having long-since been put out, save the weak, flickering firefly lantern on the floor between them. By the faint light, a powerful glower tore into her with all the emotions of a worried sister and the concerns of a business-pony. She was reduced to a shuddering, quietly sobbing mess on the floor in a few seconds.
"Marble, you foal." Limestone said at last, her voice as cold as the winter outside, "Do you have any idea what could have happened if I hadn't seen you wander out earlier? I know you're upset about Mac, but you can’t do something so stupid!” Her sister’s body was shaking and her eyes were shining. She had been worried; she had given up her priceless sleep to make sure she was okay.
“Mac?” The temptation to just go with it was enormous. Could she pass it off? Just throw away everything and decide that the one stallion she had ever met who was as quiet as her was to be hers? One look at the mare before her quashed any such thought. He may have been sweet and gentle, but only Limestone made her feel like anything more than the nervy, lonely rock-farmer she was. “O-oh, no.”
Limestone raised an eyebrow. “No?”
“Ah, it’s, well, um,” Marble swallowed and tilted her mane in front of her face so she didn’t have to look at the mare that commanded her attention, “Y- A…Mare.”
Limestone laughed. Not maliciously, but quite happily. Her hushed hilarity was enough to bring Marble from her nervous hide in confusion and embarrassment. “Really, Marbs? Pinkie said there was something wrong, were you seriously worried what we’d think? Half Equestria’s a bunch of filly-foolers these days- I know Ol’ Granny Pie never quite understood that, but she was from another time.” She closed the distance between them and hugged her tightly. “Silly filly.”
Marble could feel herself heating up instantly as her sister’s sleek, downy fur brushed against hers and her muzzle nestled into her shoulder as she continued to chuckle softly. She should probably have moved apart before the blush made itself too obvious and she grew too passionate. It was just a friendly expression of family love, she knew, not an invitation to anything more. Certainly not what she longed for, but even the stealing even the smallest moments of affection from such a busy, important pony meant so much.
All too soon, the beautiful warmth of Limestone’s body moved away. She let out a faint sigh of disappointment before cutting herself off. It would hardly do to interrupt this moment with her stupidity if she wanted to make anything more of it; she’d had more than her allotted number of stupid slips today as it was. They parted, and then her sweet sister, whether wilfully torturing her or not, decided to end it with a quick peck on the tip of the nose.
“Come on now, Sis, it’s time to go to bed. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow!” When didn’t she have a busy day? Limestone was probably the most overworked pony to have ever walked the land, and she loved it.
Limestone led the way to the stairs. They quickly and quietly trotted up to the attic bedroom the four of them shared. Wordlessly, they sneaked in, avoiding the various bedroom-detritus strewn about the room from Pinkie’s attempts at unpacking.
All she had to do was somehow squeeze herself between Pinkie, who had managed to sprawl so far about her bed that she was more off than on it as she snored comically, and Maud, whose tail formed a purple barrier across the beds. At least they were both undisturbed. She glanced over at her other sister who was busily digging herself into a nest of thin sheets and let out a curt sigh. She would simply have to be careful not to awaken either of them.
She tip-hoofed forward, crouching down to the point her muzzle was scraping the floor as she attempted to crawl underneath the tangle of limbs and mane. The darkness was hardly helping, but she couldn’t just put a light on and wake everyone up.
“Mmph…” She nudged a pile of dust and had to quickly dart backwards and bury her face in her hooves to muffle a sneeze with a lame squeak, “...Choo!” Maybe she’d just lay on the floor then, after all, if she could fall asleep in the fields, surely a nice warm, wooden floorboard wouldn’t be too bad.
“Marbs.” A whisper caught her ear, “Just come here and share. Don’t worry ‘bout stirring them.” Limestone was beckoning her, holding aside a stack of blankets from her makeshift sleep-den. “Besides, I’m freezing, I could do with something warm in here.”
She hardly needed telling a second time and had to keep herself from all-out sprinting to the offered bed. With a somewhat overenthusiastic scrabble and leap, she slipped into the blankets and snuggled down next to her sister. Would she manage to keep her hooves to herself all night? She was willing to let fate decide itself though, as long as she got to spend the night in the warm caress of the one she loved.
She lay back against the pillow and let her mane pool around her head. The warm, slow breaths of her sister danced over her neck and she let out a pleasurable, sleepy sigh. Limestone had her forelegs draped around her chest, hugging her close for heat, and she was only too happy to let her and return the hug, pushing as much of their bodies together as possible. The last thing she saw as she closed her achy eyes was a shaft of moonlight highlighting the contented smile on her sister’s face. She’d be happy if this was as close as she ever got to a relationship.
Her mind began to wander as sleep closed in. Was Limestone aware? Had she somehow guessed what she’d been hiding- no, she’d thought her anxieties had been about Mac, or her filly-fooling tendencies. She was probably completely oblivious, and, given how happy she seemed, maybe it would be cruel of her to confess any feelings towards her. It might destroy everything they had together, but at the same time, it was most definitely the right thing to do. There was no way she could go on much longer before someone guessed what was up and outed her, or she broke down by herself.
“Mmmarrble?” Limestone whispered blearily, drawing her from her chaotic thoughts.
“Hmm?”
“You got any problems, like, y’know, love stuff, jus’-“ She yawned, “-jus’ come to me ‘bout it, alright? I’m here for you, no matter what. No more running off to hide or anything- Care too much ‘bout you to let you go get yourself hurt.”
“Mmhmm.” She passed it off as calmly as possible, but inside she was screaming and melting. Limestone cared enough about her that maybe, just maybe, she’d listen to her and wouldn’t run for the hills if she asked for her love. Any love problems at all, just go straight to her. It was a more welcome option than asking Pinkie or Maud; the prospect of talking about something so sensitive to them seemed terrifying- Maud would probably just give her that unending wilting stare over the top of a thousand grim romance poems, and Pinkie would throw some sort of ‘Glad you’re gay for your sister’ party.
“Good, good.” She was asleep in an instant, her dainty whinnies so unlike the tough business-pony she was during the day.
But what if she was the love problem? Well, she’d just have to find out. As scary an idea as it seemed, if anyone would tolerate her, it would be the cute, sweet pony who had just lent her a bed for the night; who had gone to look for her when she was sulking off in the deathly cold; who had extended a heartfelt offer to confide her most tricky and complicated thoughts and feelings in.
Their semi-conscious hooves met under the covers and held tight. But Marble fought off the lovely clouding warmth that threatened to make her cheeks burn until she melted.
Limestone Pie was beautiful, brawny and loving. Any passing pony around could see that, and with the frequent business-trips and meetings, any rich, gallant stallion or sleek, sexy mare might sweep her from her hooves off to their distant manor, to leave Marble alone and longing.
Her time was up and there was nothing left to stop her but her own silly nerves.
Tomorrow, tomorrow she would unveil her darkest secret to her beloved, and only tomorrow would tell whether she was sent scurrying, disgraced, from the farm with her tail between her legs, or whether she would be accepted, and thrown to the ground by her powerful forelegs, only to be smothered in tender kisses and-
Limestone had been right, it was going to be a busy day tomorrow. She let a smile fill her face as she relaxed, sinking into the bed, and the sleepy, warm embrace. She should really get some sleep and stop fantasising- though given the gamble, maybe she had the rights to be allowed a little fantasy or two.
She did have such a fine, slender body, after all, and with her cute smile and short, rough-tough mane, how could she not spend every moment, awake or asleep, thinking about her?
A thick darkness began to weigh down heavily on her tired mind, and she gave in, letting it take her away to a restful, stress-free place where the only things to worry about was making her partner feel as loved as she, and when to breath in her deep, passionate make-out session with a gorgeous, gleaming Limestone.
She was soon deeply asleep, curled up with her sister, and with only the red on her cheeks and the occasional school-filly giggle to give any idea of her wonderful dreams.
Author's Note
Time has escaped me, but the third (and probably final) chapter is almost complete. A little formatting and editing, and it should be up tomorrow midday. I'll be damned if I don't get it done before 2017.
Chapter 3: Love on the Rocks
Warm, rested, and calm- An awakening Marble hadn’t felt in a while. The gentle light of the morning sun had broken through the gloomy cloud layer and sent beams of vibrant light all across the bedroom, the brightness of the shaft that swept across her face forcing her eyes to flicker open. The welcome smell of baking and the clattering of pans took only a moment to rouse her from her sleepy stupor.
Fresh bread, spice and something chocolatey; Pinkie had retaken the kitchen, then. That gave Mother a rest and meant they’d have several tonnes too many impressive and delicious snacks and cakes for the next month. Someone had said that they were supposed to eat extra food during the winter so their bodies could keep up with the cold weather, and the resident baker was just doing her part.
She reached out and stretched her legs and back, earning a series of little cracks from her joints as she let out a purr of satisfaction. It seemed Limestone had already woken and gotten to work as the bed was otherwise empty, but the blankets had been considerately left. She was such a thoughtful pony, she hadn’t disturbed her even though they’d been in the same bed. That was especially impressive given how wrapped up they’d been in each other’s grasps.
Even the vague thought of last night’s closeness brought a rosy tint to her cheeks, only for her to quickly bury her face under the covers as she heard hoofsteps approaching.
“Marble. It’s time to wake up.” Maud had come hunting. It was well past dawn when she should have been up. She was amazed no-one had forcefully pulled her out of bed yet.
“Mmh?” She feigned a sleepy yawn. It felt a little wrong to deceive her sisters, but it would hardly do for her to start questioning her actions, so ignorance was probably safest. The fact she’d left her in bed was weird enough already.
“Limestone said you were working late last night. You weren’t to be disturbed until lunchtime.” How Maud managed to maintain her perfect calmness was so far beyond her. She hadn’t just overslept, she had wasted most of the day already- from dawn until midday was the optimum time for spotting the crystals in the rocks, much later than that and the sun stopped shining on the bulk of the fields. This was catastrophic. Maybe if she worked until the following sunrise non-stop she could make up for the lost time.
Marble was primed and ready to launch herself down the stairs when a stone-still hoof caught her about the shoulders and prevented her moving. “But I- Work! Need to work, I’m so late-“ What was Maud playing at? She clearly didn’t understand quite how serious the situation was.
“She also said to remind you that you’re not working today. It’s Hearth’s Warming. She was worried you might forget with how tired you were.” Every millimetre of her body lost tension and she collapsed against her monotonous sister. Typical clever Limestone! She’d thought of everything, and how nice it was of her to give them the day off. Old Granny Pie had never given them the whole day off on Hearth’s Warming, and neither had Mother. Maybe it was some sort of tradition Pinkie had brought back. A day off from working the bitterly cold rockfields sounded good by her. She should probably thank Limestone for that, and whoever had inspired her.
“Th-thank you. I’ll b-be-“ She was cut off by the low rumbling of her belly. The last time she’d eaten must have been a quick snack on the way out of the door the previous morning, and that cooking did smell awfully good. “Um, yes, that…”
“Come on down when you’re ready. Pinkie has made something…Interesting.” With that, Maud turned and left. Her mastery over her expression was incredible. She should probably learn how to do that petrifying, drilling stare as well, it would help so much if she ever had to negotiate business deals like Limestone did all the time.
As soon as she was alone, she let herself relax. She need a plan. She had to confess to Limestone soon, for her sake, and what better time than Heath’s Warming? It was a celebration of harmony and love amongst ponykind, after all. It was probably the closest thing to tolerance from Celestia’s laws she was going to get, and Hearts and Hooves was way too far off to be sure that another pony didn’t swoop in and steal her away. No, today, for better or worse, she would ask her love to accept her- but what in Equestria was she going to say? ‘Hey, it’s not incest if it’s wincest, right?’ didn’t quite sit comfortably with her. She never had been one for pickup-lines, not that she’d ever needed them either. Maybe she could just rely on her feelings to say everything she needed to? It was her safest bet, instead of hopelessly fumbling some half-baked line she’d picked up from a novel.
Voices chattered down below; her whole family was waiting for her. All she had to do was get Limestone alone, and nervously bleat at her enough that she got her love across. Then it was out of her hooves.
She shivered in anticipation and nervousness- It would be one Hearth’s Warming to remember, regardless of the result; whether she’d be looking back when her coat had turned grey, well, greyer than it already was, and knowing that this had been the day that marked a beautiful relationship, or…It didn’t do to think about such things. She’d know soon enough, no need for added mental torture.
The stairs seemed especially squeaky as she crept down. She had to keep her behaviour absolutely normal, in case anyone got suspicious. If she was interrogated, she wasn’t sure if she could keep it to herself much longer.
Deep, slow breaths.
Her whole family loved her. For now, at least. There was nothing to be afraid of, not until she made her move. Everything was fine.
“Marbsy-Mc-Moperson!” The steam-filled, chatty atmosphere of a well-stocked lunch greeted her as she rounded the dining room doorway. Pinkie had managed to stick a bright blue party hat on her before she’d even gotten past the door, and the sight of the normally so austere and quiet family looking so joyful- Father was laughing, Mother’s lips were curled up at the edges, bordering on a smile at Pinkie’s antics; her remaining two family members were comparing mane-styles, with Limestone flicking her spiky mane around proudly, and Maud combing hers down so it resembled the sweeping, elegant Canterlottian fashions from those magazines she read sometimes. It certainly looked cultured and expensive, even if the pony sporting it was literally more interested in the grit on her hooves than the fashion world.
“Hello, Pinkie Pie.” She said with a genuine smile. There was no need to fake smiles around such a pony, Pinkie could make anyone perk up until they shone if she wanted.
It seemed to appease the party pony as she skipped away lightning-quick to deal with something else. Truly, her energy was limitless. There was no way she, Limestone, Maud and Pinkie were all hewn from the same rock. One of them, or more likely all four of them, must be adopted. Permanently-hyper party-planner, nervy shyster, savvy business-pony, and emotionless super-geologist. If anything, she was attempting to do the world a service and take care of two of them in one fell swoop, though she felt Limestone and herself were probably the more normal of the four, not counting her incestuous romantic streak.
She took her place at the table, between Pinkie and Limestone, and focused wholeheartedly on enjoying herself, despite the internal drive to lean over and kiss that beautiful pony beside her. It may well have been her last family Hearth’s Warming, so she had to make the most of it before she took her gamble. And as soon as she let the thoughts slip to the back of her mind, and embraced the energy and togetherness of her whole family having fun, a whole realm of happiness she hadn’t felt in months piled back into her, and her small, cheerful smile stayed on her face for the whole afternoon.
As evening fell the party atmosphere began to calm down, and the four sisters found themselves sprawled on a pile of cushions before the roaring fire. Mother and Father had volunteered to clean up, and none of them were going to argue with that.
It had been such a long time since they’d all been so close to each other and been able to whisper like school-fillies about the silly gossip they’d picked up throughout the year. Marble’s input had been limited to the scant few times she’d left the farm to buy supplies in when Mother had been busy, but none of them seemed to mind. They all knew Pinkie’s wonderful tales would trump all of theirs anyway, but then again, she was best friends with the newly-crowned Princess Twilight, and on first-name terms with both of the legendary Royal Sisters. It had sounded a little far-fetched, until Maud had confirmed it. Maud’s geology escapades at Trottingham University, and Limestone’s ‘Backstabbing-business-banter’ seemed dull and trivial in comparison, especially when she had descended into something of a rant, calling her fellow traders by rather rude nicknames.
Soon the spiced wine began to flow. Glasses were passed around and sipped as the fire crackled on and the inane conversation took on a particularly giggly note.
“…And she was like ‘BLAM! KAPOW!’ and Tirek went ‘Aaaargh!’ and then we got super-rainbow-friendship-powers and beat him and saved Equestria! And then the next day…”
Never had she known a pony to be quite so expressive when telling their stories. With Pinkie, it was always a full-body effort. No wonder she kept so slim despite living in a bakery.
“…Then she did the cutest, most adorable-est thing and I thought ‘Hey, Pinkie Pie, you should go and ask her on a date’, but then Rarity said…”
The talk predictably turned to matters of the heart. Pinkie boisterously listed off a few ponies she thought were pretty or interesting; Maud had remained resolutely silent, though the her slight blush and the faraway look in her eyes made her thoughts clear enough; Marble had squeaked, felt her cheeks redden, then buried her face under a pillow to a chorus of good-natured laughter; and Limestone had mysteriously said she ‘had her eyes on a couple of ponies.’ Which, if anything, made Marble even hotter and more bothered as she tried to hide a feeling of jealousy blooming icily underneath the jolly warmth.
In all, the afternoon tailed on into evening without incident, turning sillier and louder with each passing drink.
It hadn’t long since turned to dusk, when Marble had excused herself from the chattering group and made her way to the door. The combined heat of the fire, the four of them, and the embarrassing conversation had made her somewhat uncomfortable, so she had decided a quick break outside would help her cool off.
The night was surprisingly clear, with not a cloud or scratch of mist in sight, leaving the thousands of stars and crescent moon in perfect view. It was quite a welcome change from the usual dreary fog that haunted the farm during wintertime. The bubbly warmth from the glass or two of wine she’d shared quickly faded away in the frosty breeze, and she could already feel the tips of her ears turning numb. She sat back against the fence, just out of view of the door and windows. A moment to herself seemed good about right just then.
She wasn’t lonely, far from it- her sisters were having a great time, and she’d been joining in the fun and festivities as well, but so many clashing personalities made her head hurt. Limestone’s hopeless explanation of marketing to Pinkie, who, by her own experience, stood by the idea of simply giving things away and inexplicably gaining bits. Strangely enough, she’d managed to make it sound so much more sensible than she could possibly fathom.
She sighed deeply, shivering as she watched her breath coil away from her muzzle in a twisting plume of smoky mist. The dull murmur of alcohol had almost completely disappeared from her mind and her thoughts were becoming clearer. She should probably have gone back inside, but something told her to stay and relax under the wonderful night sky for a moment longer.
The door creaked and she looked around, but nothing had moved. Maybe it was just the wind.
Then a hoof tapped her on the shoulder and she leapt up with a barely-suppressed scream. Only scary things could creep up like that! And, it appeared, so could Maud.
“Just came outside to clear my head. A little more drink than I’m used to.” She offered in way of explanation as Marble tried to prevent herself from hyperventilating.
They sat in silent for a moment. There was nothing that needed saying. Maud was just so incredibly calm that any worry managed to slip away easily.
“I’m going back in.” She said a few minutes later. “It’s cold out here.” And then she got up and made for the door. But then she paused and looked back. “By the way, you’re about as discrete as Pinkie on a sugar-rush. I’m amazed she hasn’t caught on yet.”
Fire and ice united as one as the horrible realisation came to her. Her face burned and her chest froze- how many other ponies had guessed? Had everyone else just been ignoring it in hope she’d drop it, or had they been so horrified by the thought that she fancied her own sister that they’d just refused to acknowledge it? Everything was bad, and any trace of festive spirit up and died deep within her below her fluttering, spastically-heaving heart.
“B-b-but w-“ She stammered, her whole body shaking violently from the mixture of abysmal terror and chills.
Maud snorted. “Do what you will. You have my support whichever way you choose. And you can rely on Pinkie to follow anything that makes you happy.” She stepped inside, then added, “I’ll see you later, Marble.” And she was alone once more.
There was no denying that having Maud’s approval was reassuring. All she needed now was the pony she loved to approve her.
In the distance, a few birds wheeled and cried, their harsh caws echoing across the empty fields. Rock Rocs, she thought, though she was hardly much of a twitcher given the rather limited variety that frequented the rocky plains. A trio of dark shapes whipped and whirled, dancing across the night sky, black on deepest darkest blue, little more than tiny shadows that flickered across the twinkling lights and calm glow of the moon. Supposedly the second princess, Luna, watched over all Equestria at night. Did that mean she was watching her right now? Could she tell what she was thinking? She could ask Pinkie about that, she was apparently quite close with her.
The door slammed open, the staggering figure of Limestone tripping down the step towards her. “Whoa-hey, Marbs! Maud said you wanted to see me- pretty sure she just wanted to grab the drinks before me an’ Pinks finished them all off.” She unsteadily made her way to Marble, before planting her rump down and sitting, swaying slightly. “So, what did she-you want?” She asked, concentrating a little too hard on staring at her.
“Um…” She could hardly chicken out now. She might have survived, but she’d have wished she didn’t. It was now or never, but how could she ask such an important thing when her sister was drunk? It just seemed wrong, and there was no way she could get a true answer unless she was stone-cold-sober. “J-just a minute, please.”
It had to be tonight. That was certain, before she scared herself silly with the nerves and clammed up forever. All she had to do was wait it out for a short while- the icy conditions would vanquish her drunken stupor quickly.
“It’s, um, a lovely night, mmh?” She said awkwardly, trying to bridge the silence that had fallen between them and make it pass as quick as possible.
“Yeah, sure. You didn’t call me out here to chat weather, right?” Limestone was short, curt, and something of that efficient anger had appeared in her tone. Her yawn completely offset her attitude though, with the same dainty cuteness she exhibited when asleep.
“No…It’s, um-“ A minute had passed, but it seemed that was a minute too long for Limestone’s addled state. The only answer she gave was a gentle snore.
Well, to be fair, it had been a busy day, and Limestone never rested. She deserved a rest, certainly, but she’d probably prefer to be indoors instead of roughing it in the bitter rockfields.
“Limestone, would you like to go in?” No answer, but her sister rolled over and slumped entirely over her. Marble’s cheeks lit up despite the cold- if anyone saw them, they’d think they were, well-
“Shh-not…You’re comfy.” She murmured in her sleep. The icy nerves gripping her heart melted away at the adorable whisper, and the little foal-like kick her backleg gave. She wondered what she might be dreaming about. It must have been nice, because she had a wonderful smile.
Well, she was pinned beneath a sister she wanted to keep right there and didn’t dare wake after her busy day. It was getting rather late, and she hadn’t quite caught up on all that lost sleep the previous night. Just a short rest wouldn’t hurt, then Limestone or Maud would probably wake her up and take her in.
It was awfully nice having the warmth of her beloved on her against the cold. And how could Limestone chastise her about sleeping out like a ‘silly filly’ if she was on top of her?
The loneliness of the fields seemed to back away from them. And with that comfortable feeling, Marble felt her head slump forward and she let out a single tired mutter.
“G-goodnight, Limestone, sister. I love you.”
And she fell asleep.
-
“Mmff!” A sharp nipping at her flank awoke her. Was it that crow again?
She cracked an eye open. The field was gone, her back was stiff, and she was lovely and warm, and wrapped up in blankets.
A giggle caught her ear and turned her around, “Heya, Marbs. Thought I’d bring you up to bed. It was getting a bit chilly outside. Sorry for, y’know, passing out on you and everything.” Limestone’s sheepish grin met her sleepy gaze.
“My flank?” She rubbed at the sore spot, and her hoof met another. Her eyes opened wide and any trace of sleepy bleariness was wicked away in an instant. Was that Limestone’s hoof holding her flank? It was definitely unexpected, but far from unwelcome. Her sisterly teasing sometimes involved splashing her with icy water to wake her up, but never a- Oh, a flank massage?
“Hey, Marbs…” Limestone turned away. Was it just her or were her cheeks slightly flushed? “…Did you know you talk in your sleep?”
Burning, blistering heat from the depths of Tartarus blitzed her face. The one pony who she had managed to keep it from- the single most important pony- and she had blurted it in her sleep! She hopped up, throwing aside the sheets with an apologetic whimper. It was time to leave, to go forth, and to forever wander the land alone and disgraced, disowned by all and sundry for her filthy, incestuous love.
Why wasn’t Limestone yelling at her to get out of there yet?
A quick look revealed her sister to be looking after her, surprise written all over her features. A half-raised hoof dangled in the air and her mouth hung open just a little, as if she was about to whisper something.
A moment of tense silence passed, until she broke it.
“I-I’m so sorry.” She muttered quietly, hanging her head and turning to leave. Not quite the standing hatred she had expected, but maybe the unnatural quiet was deserved- she had befouled one of the few laws of the land, and she was, after all, unnatural.
A hoof whacked her across the back of the head. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to knock her down. Limestone looked angry.
“Now listen, you silly filly, and listen good.” She raised another hoof. A good beating then, to send her off.
She wasn’t expecting the hoof to yank her back or throw her on the floor. Her grip was so powerful, how in Equestria did she manage to be so strong and yet remain so slender and graceful?
She definitely wasn’t expecting the lips that met hers in a gentle, yet passionate kiss. There was love in it, she could feel that.
Limestone withdrew her sweet touch and tittered, her face as red as hers. “Yeah, that.” She said sternly, though she kept Marble pinned. She lowered herself so that she lay on top of her, drawing a squeak from Marble’s stunned lips.
“Bu- wha- Family! Parents! B-but you- me?” She stuttered.
“Yes, you and me.” She kissed her again, earning a little loving moan. "The farm's cold and lonely. We're the only ones that really know what it's like, so surely we're the only ones who can provide that warm company, right?" Limestone nickered and lay to the side, holding her against her warm, firm, muscular body. Their heartbeats, as their chests rubbed together were fluttering like caffeinated butterflies- maybe they weren’t so different from Pinkie, after all? “As for the parents,” She sighed and let out a little yawn. “We'll worry about them later. For now…” She motioned towards her bed with a coy smile, “…I think we have some unfinished sleep to catch up on.”
Marble wouldn’t complain. She might burst from happiness, or melt from the heat radiating from her cheeks, but she wouldn’t complain.
Author's Note
My longest published fic to date, and I'll be damned if it wasn't one of the most fun things I've done in ages. It started off as a little characterisation exercise when I had no internet over Christmas, and I just wondered how Marble would sound. Would she be like Fluttershy and shrink away from everything, or more stoic like Mac? Well, it turned into a fic. It's amazing how fast a character's internal monologue turns into a romantic confession of desire. I wanted to keep her in her home setting, so Limestone just sort of appeared as a distinct, attractive idea.
