Dust and Sand

Dust and Sand-By Celestia’s Disciple

His helmet is grimy, again. Sighing he puts it down by the bed stand, and flops onto the bed itself, the dust and sand irritating his skin under his fur.

‘It wasn’t so bad’, he mused. Idly taking off his mostly ceremonial armour, shedding it to the floor with a “Clang!”. His eyelids droop in the candle light, slightly blood shot eyes contained within stare at a familiar ceiling.

There’s a small picture on the bedside table, a photograph of young stallions in shiny gear, smiles wide holding scrolls. Signatures sprawl over the edges of the photograph. Besides that, the room is fairly bare.

There’s a sigh of air, and the stallion rises from the bed to take a bath.

The room is steamy, and warm, the water a luxury earned by work done earlier in the week.
‘They sure know how to put a guardspony to work around here’ Smiling a soft smile, he relaxes, brown fur soaked through, blue on light blue mane free to flop about unceremoniously.

His mind wanders, to a letter he’d received recently. About a changeling queen! Living in canterlot, working as an escort. He didn’t quite believe his friend, but his mate had never been a good liar.

‘I’d never visit, but it’s nice to dream right?’ His smile is bogged down, trying and failing to stay maintained.

He decides to dream instead, popping his head back in the bath, and letting creativity take him whatever way.
~~~~~~~~~~~
There is jazz music playing. He’s sipping some kind of non-alcoholic wine. ‘Does that even exist?’,

She’s there, talking to him about some idle subject, perhaps she’s wearing a red dress? ‘Red’s a nice colour… through what colour is a changeling anyway?’,

She’s a mint green, carapace and wings like the designs shown in training. ‘Through, they can shape-shift right?’,

‘Maybe, she could look like her? Just for him, privately.’ -A cold chill seeps in through the warm water-

They are having sex he decides, dashing that previous thought to the void. He’s alright, and she’s amazing, naturally. ‘Couldn’t let anyone know what kind of first time I’d had through, if I did visit her, and she does exist’,

They are eating snacks afterward, it’s a nice night, and they are talking about blacksmithing. ‘I bet she’s never had that kind of conversation with a client before’

She’s going to commission a piece of metal work from him. ‘Celestia knows I’ve been doing it all day in this town’,

He leaves, his wallet a bit lighter for the time, but his heart warmer for the experience.

~~~~~~~~

He gets out of the bath, the water starting to get cold, and his heart is lighter somehow, his visit to Ember’s successful, despite the distance. Finishing drying up, he gets under the covers, and drifts off to sleep, jazz music playing in his mind. Tomorrow will be dust and sand, but for tonight, he’s having grapes and wine.