Of Maids and Mistresses

Dreams flashed through Trixie’s mind. Dreams of happiness and closeness, dreams of the one mare she adored and loved. Dreams wherein they partook in some of their favourite activities. She opened her eyes and found that the dreams flowed into reality, as her legs and lips had somehow found Twilight’s during the night. The librarian’s dreams had been much the same. The purple unicorn woke up, and for a moment they lost themselves in the love they saw reflected in the other’s eyes, before they broke off the kiss that had bridged the gap between the sleeping and the waking world.

“Morning, love,” Twilight muttered sleepily, as she cuddled up a bit closer.

“Trixie believes that should be ‘Morning, mistress,’” the showmare said with a grin. “And are you not supposed to have already prepared breakfast by the time your mistress wakes up?”

Twilight groaned slightly; she had already forgotten. “But how do you even manage to wake up earlier? I don’t get it...”

“How do you manage to wake up earlier, mistress,” Trixie corrected her. She broke into a loving smile, as she caressed the other mare’s cheek softly. “You are a terrible maid... Trixie is not even sure why she still tries.”

“Sorry mistress,” Twilight replied with a giggle. “I have a lot to live up to!”

Trixie let out a playful sigh, as she waved a hoof towards the stairs. “Go and make Trixie breakfast now then, before she sees fit to punish you again.”

“Oooo, promises, promises...” Twilight quickly ducked away from the pillow that suddenly flew in her direction, as she rolled off the bed and landed on her hooves. “Alright, alright, I’m going! Mistress,” she quickly added.

Trixie grinned; she would teach her maid her place before the end of the day, but she had other things to take care of first. She stayed in bed for a little while longer, before finally getting up and heading downstairs. Twilight was already done preparing breakfast by then, and Trixie ate with the enthusiasm of one who still remembered days of hunger and near starvation. It helped that she liked food in general, of course.

“Say, Twilight,” she started to ask, “can your gate spell take me to Canterlot?”

The purple unicorn looked surprised at the question. “Why... yes mistress, it most certainly could... But the calculations, preparations... you would reach Canterlot far quicker by train. But why... ?”

“Trixie’s reasons are entirely her own, my maid. Trixie will say only that she has some business to attend to...” She pondered her plans for a few moments. “Trixie will be back in the afternoon... You will prepare a cold meal for this evening. Something that can be prepared in advance and will keep. We are expecting two guests.” She stood up.

“I... Yes mistress. But, guests?”

Trixie only glanced back at her as she walked towards the door, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She went outside, leaving Twilight to her thoughts about guests and punishment. She was a little nervous about what Trixie had in store for her.

But perhaps it would be interesting?

***

Canterlot. The capital of Equestria, and a city Trixie was greatly conflicted about. On the one hoof, her life with Twilight had started there, and she’d performed for its ponies many times; on the other hoof, she had nearly perished in its streets not so long ago. She knew there were dark depths to the place that weren’t immediately apparent for those with money and good fortune on their side, but she wasn’t there for that. It was time to reclaim the last element of her past.

She made her way through busy streets, drawing ever closer to the financial centre of the town. She let her hooves guide her, as she knew they remembered the way, even if she did not. They passed by many banks, but when she finally stopped she found herself in front of one particular one: The Royal Bank of Equestria. She could not recall having ever been there before, but she knew she must have, at one point. She went inside, passing by the many guards that were drifting around the place.

“Greetings, madam!” the brown-coated pony with a monocle and a blue suit called out to her as she approached his desk. “What can we help you with today?”

“Trixie’s looking to collect the contents of her safe,” she said calmly. “It is here, right?”

“Uhhh... It should be if this is where you left it, madam. Name?”

“Trixie Lulamoon.”

The clerk opened up a big book, and flipped through the pages. “Loony... Lucky... Ah, here! Lulamoon, Trixie. Vault 509. If you would wait here, madam? I shall be right back.”

Trixie nodded, and the clerk headed for a heavy steel door behind him, flanked by two royal guards. They let him through without any problems, and the showmare started to look around the great hall as she waited. It had been quite masterfully decorated and built, with walls of white marble and beautiful statues spread throughout the room. Many more desks were present, and ponies were talking to clerks at each and every one. A shiver ran across Trixie’s spine, although she could not quite explain why. She realised that a hallucinant amount of bits had to pass through many hooves there every day, and the thought that she had almost died of poverty just a few blocks away from such a place angered her somewhat. But it was a cold anger, buried under the healing salve of time, as to her that had seemingly happened two lifetimes ago.

Finally the clerk returned, carrying only a small box. He put it down on the table and opened it, to show Trixie its contents. “Quite a marvelous piece... If I may be so bold to ask: How did you come to possess it? Such craftsmanship is rarely seen, even here.”

Trixie smiled as she closed the little box with a hoof, and stored it away. “It’s a family heirloom. Has been for generations. It used to belong to my mother.”

“Ah, and she’s... ?” He fell silent for a moment. “Excuse me for my impertinent questions, madam. I am sorry for your loss.”

“It’s an old wound.”

“I am sorry nonetheless.”

Trixie nodded, and forced a little smile. “Thank you. Does that conclude matters? No paperwork to fill out?”

He shook his head. “No, our own unicorn personnel already verified your identity for me, Miss Lulamoon. The paperwork is already being taken care of. Please have a nice day, and we hope you will make use of our services again.”

Trixie nodded; a magical scan could explain the shiver from before, and it did seem like a sound practice. After all, a spell powerful enough to fool the scan would light up all of the magic detectors they had no doubt scattered around the place. She mumbled a formal goodbye and walked away, exiting the building again. Once outside on the street, she took out the little black box and stared at it in amazement, as if she still couldn’t quite believe it actually existed.

Somewhere during her life, the last sane part of her had taken control, and had brought the box here. It contained her greatest treasure, and some part of her had felt that it needed to be kept safe, protected... even from herself. Especially from herself. And what better way to do that than to actually forget about its existence? It would have been somewhat ironic to starve to death while she had such a treasure in the bank, but she hadn’t starved. Even after Twilight had helped her regain her past, the existence of the box and its contents had remained vague, yet insistent. And here it was, in her possession. For now.

She stored it away carefully again, and made her way towards the station. If she hurried, she could still make the next train back. She had the box, but there was still somebody she had to meet.

***

Several hours later she was back in Ponyville, on the outskirts of town. She had asked for directions towards Fluttershy’s cottage and many ponies had been willing to help her out, although they had seemed a bit disappointed when she didn’t end up doing something unusual or interesting.

She looked at the door in front of her, took a deep breath, and knocked. It took a little time, but eventually the door opened slightly.

“Yes?” a gentle voice came. “What can I- Oh... oh my...” Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide, as she realised who she had in front of her. “Why are you... ?”

“Greetings. Trixie would like to talk to Spike, could you let Trixie in?” Trixie pushed the door open a bit further. The inside of the house looked quite comfy, and there were plenty of animals all around. They seemed to be everywhere, and the showmare could spot a wide open field behind the cottage through the backdoor.

“I... I don’t think he wants to see you... he said ummm... he said...”

“Did he say ‘If Trixie comes here, don’t let her in.’ specifically?”

Fluttershy shrunk back a little bit. “Well, no... he only mentioned Twilight, but...”

Trixie smiled; she had guessed that Spike wouldn’t even entertain the notion that she’d come to see him personally, and it seemed that she had been correct. “Well then, is there really any problem?”

Fluttershy nervously glanced over from her to the staircase. “I... I suppose not, I... Ok... but you have to be nice... a-alright?”

The showmare raised an eyebrow. “Trixie is always nice.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth for a second, as if to reply, but then she simply shook her head. She walked over to the stairs and looked up. “Spike? Spike, can you come down, please?” she yelled; which is to say: she said slightly louder than usual. Which was not very loudly at all.

Eventually though, Spike did appear at the top of the stairs. “What’s that, Fluttershy?”

“There... there’s somepony here to see you...”

“Oh boy!” Spike said enthusiastically, as he started to descend the stairs two steps at a time. “Is it Rarity? Are my scales shiny? I-” He paused as he touched down upon the floor, and laid eyes upon Trixie. “Oh... it’s you.”

“Please, leave us,” Trixie said to Fluttershy, even though her gaze was fixed upon the little dragon, who was staring at her resentfully.

“But-”

Neither Trixie nor Spike spoke, but the silence in the air was so tangible that Fluttershy felt cut off regardless. She swallowed, and then nodded her head before disappearing through the back door, several small critters following in her wake.

“So...” Spike began. “What do you want? Here to make my life miserable again?”

Trixie shook her head. “Not at all... Trixie changed. Trixie... Trixie wants you to come back home.”

“I don’t believe you. And besides, there’s no home for me to go back to!” Spike pointed at her accusingly. “You took that away from me.”

“Alright, look...” Trixie held up a hoof in a gesture of reconciliation. “Trixie doesn’t like you, but only because she’s never had a chance to get to know you under... agreeable circumstances. But Twilight wants you back. Trixie can tell. And if something can make Twilight happy, then Trixie will-”

“What right do you even have to talk like you know Twilight? What right do you have to get between us? Long before you ever came here, I...” the dragon sighed. “Can’t you just leave us alone?”

Trixie shook her head. “Trixie can’t help it, Spike... Trixie loves Twilight, and Twilight... Twilight loves Trixie as well. Who are you to decide who Trixie can and cannot fall in love with, who Twilight can and cannot fall in love with?” she bounced back his earlier question.

He turned away from her slightly and crossed his arms, a stubborn expression on his face. Trixie sighed; she wasn’t handling this very well. But she had expected that; it would be alright.

“Look,” she tried again. “Trixie does not expect you to decide right away.” That was, in fact, an understatement; it would have been rather inconvenient to her had he decided to return to the library then and there. “But please think about it, and also...” She paused as she took out the little black box.

“Also?”

“I would like for you to safekeep this for me...” She made the box float forward, and opened it so that Spike could look inside. He gasped, and immediately reached out for the box, holding it gently in his hands. There was a good amount of desire on his face: the default reaction for a dragon confronted with gems and jewelry.

“That gem... and the colour, I...” He looked up at Trixie. “But this is a... uh... it’s a...” He could not get the words past his lips. “Does this mean you... you want to?”

Trixie nodded solemnly. “Yes, Trixie does.”

A look of confusion passed over Spike’s face. “But then why would you give it to me? I mean, I’m a dragon, gems and me... and I don’t even want you to... to... So why... ?”

Trixie shrugged. “The Great and Powerful Trixie always has her reasons, Spike... But Twilight trusts you, and if there is anything Trixie can believe in, it’s Twilight’s trust in her friends. So please, keep it safe... you’ll know when Trixie wants it back.” She turned around and headed for the door.

“Wait! I don’t trust you, and I don’t like you!” he shouted after her, one claw pointing at her as the other held the box, before he looked at it. “But... but I’ll keep this safe.”

A smile spread across Trixie’s face as she glanced back over her shoulder. “Trixie knew you would. Thanks.”

Spike just stood there for several moments after Trixie had left, staring at the door. He lifted the box up on the palm of his hand, and stared at it, before opening it carefully. Another look of hunger passed over his face as the jewel inside was revealed. After a few seconds he closed the lid again, lest the desire become too great to control. He sighed. “What are you doing, Spike?” he asked himself silently. “You know what it’s for, and yet...” He sighed again, and shrugged.

He had a lot to think about.