Rarity stared at Cadance in quite evident disbelief once she'd heard the request. “I beg your pardon?”

“Please, Rarity, this is really important to us. I'll do anything necessary to make it worth your while.” She gave a blatant wink that would hopefully get the point across.

“Anything?”

Cadance nodded solemnly. This was always the fun part.

“Well, I was supposed to host an exclusive fashion show this afternoon. A backroom sort of thing, if you catch my meaning.” Rarity gave her a significant look and only continued once Cadance returned it understandingly. “You see, the model I'd been working with – a lovely unicorn, perhaps you know her, Fleur De Lis...?”

Cadance shrugged slightly. She didn't make a habit of keeping up with the fashion world, unfortunately.

“Well, anyway, it turns out that her contract as the 'personal assistant' of the Saddle Arabian princes has been extended. Apparently, they've taken quite the liking to her ... and one simply does not turn down that sort of opportunity. They're paying her more in a month than my fashion line has made in the last ten years.”

That did raise Cadance's eyebrows. If the mare was that talented at 'personally assisting' Saddle Arabian princes, perhaps a certain Prince and Princess in the Crystal Empire might have need of her services ... once her Saddle Arabian contract was over, of course. She'd have to ask Rarity for some fashion magazines later and see what this mysterious mare looked like.

“Er, Princess?”

Cadance shook a little. “Yes! Of course I was paying attention!”

“Mm-hm...” Rarity looked skeptical, but she shrugged it off as one does when speaking to a princess. “Well, as I was saying, I was going to alter the outfit and fill in myself, but Fleur's measurements are actually quite similar to yours, so the new centerpiece I want to show off just might fit you instead ... if you'd deign to model it for me?”

Was that all? This was going to be easier – though less sexy – than Cadance had thought! “Of course I'll do it,” she said brightly. “When should I show up?”

“Oh why immediately, of course! There will still be some alterations to do, and darling, you look as windblown as if you flew all the way from the Crystal Empire yourself!”

Well, she had, actually. It was the fastest way ... and Cadance hadn't exactly wanted to make a scene as arriving by train or pegasus-drawn carriage might have done. With the sort of favors she'd expected to be doing for Twilight's friends, privacy would have been paramount. It was still odd that Rarity needed her right away, though. “But I thought you said the fashion show was in the afternoon. It's hardly mid-morning yet.”

Rarity tittered. “I can tell you've never done a back room fashion show before! We'll start with a trip to the spa before heading to the hairdressers, I think. And then it will be time for the alterations and last-minute fitting. With garments this intimate, a perfectly tailored fit is paramount, of course.”

“Of ... course.” Cadance sighed and went along with it. She'd hoped to convince another one or two of Twilight's friends before the fashion show, but at this rate, it looked like Rarity might be monopolizing her until well into the evening. Oh well. What had to be done had to be done, and she would do anything in the name of love.

* * *

Rarity sidled up to Cadance and whispered, “Lights on in less than a minute. You're ready, darling?”

“Of course.” Cadance was more than ready. The two of them had been working for hours to get her ready. The spa had been quite nice. Ponyville had a top-notch spa, despite the provincial nature of the town. The hairdressers had been tedious, of course. Even the best hairdressers would take a lot of time to meet Rarity's exacting standards. And standing perfectly still as Rarity had all but sewn her into this ... this thing that would make lingerie blush, well, that had been downright uncomfortable by the end.

It would all be worth it, though, she reminded herself. Anything for love.

From the dim room came the milling of many voices, though it was too dark to make out anypony present. They'd all been ushered in by following little dots of glowing unicorn magic, Rarity's own touch.

And now, Rarity's voice suddenly rang out into the dim quiet, well amplified by magical means. “Welcome, everyone, to the backroom debut of Rarity's Sheer Brilliance intimates collection!”

There was a small break for applause. Dozens of ponies must have been there, from the sound of it. The back room of Rarity’s boutique was packed.

A spotlight clicked on to Cadance's left, illuminating only one of the three pedestals in the room – not the one Cadance stood posing on. In the dazzling beam of light appeared a mannequin mare bedecked only in shimmering stockings that came up as high as physically possible, as well as a glistening jewel-studded bridle with blinders and a shining silver bit.

The crowd made appreciative gasps, but their applause was restrained. They knew as well as Cadance or Rarity that the best would be saved for last.

“This stunning Comfort of Control ensemble,” Rarity said with pride, “is perfect for the discerning mare who enjoys letting someone else take the reins – quite literally; reins sold separately – in the relationship, while showing off some of her best assets to the greatest possible effect.”

Another spotlight came on, to Cadance's right, illuminating another mannequin. This one wore a neglige so thin it was mainly visible by the lace-bordered outline of it and the slight shimmer in the air under the bright light. Its neckline was cut so low that it ended down between the mannequin's front legs. A small silver circlet atop the mannequin's head and glittering silver horseshoes completed the look.

“The sensual Fairy Princess ensemble is inspired by the legends of flutterponies in the far west, and tells your lovers that you're ready to be pampered like the delicate royal flower you are. It may look delicate enough to drift away on a breeze, but thanks to the miraculous new enchanted fabric that's exclusive to the new Sheer Brilliance collection, it's ready for even the most vigorous of lovemaking.”

The applause was a little more enthusiastic now ... even if it sounded a bit more anticipatory than celebratory.

Finally, the third light came on, beaming down on Cadance herself. This time, the audience's gasps of appreciation were wholehearted and quite obviously genuine. They hadn't been expecting a princess to be there modeling it, that was for sure.

Cadance preened under the light, moving gracefully from one understatedly erotic pose to another. It wasn't as if posing was something she'd never done before, after all, even when it came to posing for an audience. And it helped that she knew her spa-pampered fur would be gleaming in the light, that her hairdresser-primped mane would be absolutely flawless, that her outfit would be tailored to stunning perfection. She was glad now that Rarity had taken the time for all of it.

And the clothing... Cadance had to admit Rarity's talent. She'd worn hundreds of suggestive outfits before, but none of them had made her feel quite so ready for the spotlight. The most eye-catching piece of it would of course be the saddle on her back. Purely decorative of course – and therefore highly decorated – but it served to give the impression that she was ready and eager to be ridden. From it, rather than a simple girth strap, which would be far too straightforward for Rarity's sophisticated clientele, the saddle was held in place by a complex network of curving and spiraling suggestions of straps. They extended from the saddle to nearly all the way up her long neck and all the way down her long legs, where they joined with diamond-studded horseshoes, covering her whole body in a network of decorative spiraling lines that made her natural curves more visible ... as well as providing a bit of an optical illusion to make her look all the more curvaceous in the right places. That had been the part that was so tedious to precisely tailor. And then, of course, there was the pièce de résistance: a thong that dipped low beneath her tail, cupped her marehood delicately in barely-there fabric, and came down under her belly just far enough to press her teats up and together without entirely covering them.

When the applause finally subsided enough, Rarity spoke again. “Thank you, thank you. The centerpiece of the collection is this – the Flower of Love.”

Cadance had to suppress a grin. This outfit's original name had been a play on the intended model's name, and Rarity had quickly renamed it to fit her new last-minute model choice.

“A study in perfectly balanced contradictions, this ensemble evokes the innocence and delicate beauty of the rarest flower, but when your lover is drawn in for a closer look, as they naturally won't be able to resist doing, they will find themselves quite poignantly reminded of the flower's true purpose.” Rarity's voice dropped to a seductive whisper. “Reproduction.”

As the applause built anew, the lights for the entire room came on, and Rarity took a bow, which only intensified the applause further.

“Thank you, thank you!” she said, barely able to make herself heard. “Please, feel free to take a closer look. And be sure to touch! You will never find another fabric more pleasant to the touch than the exclusive Sheer Brilliance provides here today, and it's more than durable enough to survive a little handling.”

Wait ... touching? Cadance glanced sharply over at Rarity.

Rarity grinned back smugly.

Oh, so that's how it was to be... Well, it wasn't anything more than Cadance had already been prepared to do. And even if it was a bit of a surprise, it was something she might just enjoy.

A few ponies moved to the other two pedestals, probably the true fashion types who would be more fascinated with the clothing than who wore it. But the vast majority of the crowd came to huddle around Cadance's pedestal, gazing up at her appreciatively.

And she could feel every single pair of eyes on her, even though she took pains not to show it. The nervous elation running through her was a surprise, actually. Back in her teenage years she would have thought nothing of displaying herself in front of a bunch of strangers like this. But now it made her fur tingle and her chest tighten, not to mention her tail rising a tad. Was she getting out of practice after being so monogamous – or at least kind of monogamous – with Shining Armor? How long had it been since she'd had strangers looking at her like this?

And they were all strangers. Except for Rarity, of course, but she was busy chatting up potential clients. The rest of them... Despite having run in high-class circles almost her entire life, Cadance didn't recognize a single one. Her experience tended to be more with dignitaries, ambassadors, and nobles, rather than the fashion ponies who dressed them all. And even though it would surely offend everyone present if she dared to say so out loud, she'd never paid all that much attention to who made which dress. She just bought what she thought looked nice and had her private staff alter it for her if necessary.

That didn't mean she was completely ignorant of the fashion world, though. At least she knew how to pose for them. She shifted to another pose: three legs forward, one hind leg stretched out far behind her, wings ruffled outward to make them more prominent. Despite being born with wings and gaining a horn when she ascended, these upper-class types tended to default to unicorn thinking, which meant that it was her wings that were the true symbol of being an alicorn princess. That, combined with the way the pose made her ass cheeks flex and drew the thong more tightly against her vulva was sure to strike awe in them all.

It certainly did. She heard appreciative sighs and nickers from all around her ... and especially from behind. On all sides of the pedestal, ponies leaned even closer.

Cadance gasped when she felt a hoof caressing her inner thigh. She couldn't help it. She'd been so focused on staring confidently forward that she hadn't seen it coming at all. It was worth risking a glance backward. It was a mare – a cute little cream-colored mare with a light seafoam mane and an adorable little purple collar. The mare caringly traced one of the faux straps in its curving line down the inside of her leg.

It made Cadance's fur tingle even more, and she liked it. She leaned into it a little, shifting her pose to help the mare follow that curving line back upward.

That cute mare wasn't ready to touch where Cadance wanted to be touched, though. She shyly pulled her hoof away at the last moment.

But now that she had touched without being struck down with divine lightning by royal decree, the floodgates had been opened. Hooves reached up and gingerly touched her all over, starting with all four legs, but quickly working their way upward.

Cadance glanced toward Rarity, wondering if this was usual conduct for a 'back room' fashion show. Rarity looked back with a barely perceptible – but quite smug – little smile and a lift of her eyebrows. Ah, well it seemed that this was perfectly expected.

Not that Cadance minded ... if only these ponies would get to the good part...

They were getting there. First, a brazen stallion ran his hoof down along her belly, going deeper and deeper toward her underbelly before he finally touched her stiff and aching teats. Cadance kept herself from moaning, but she did stretch appreciatively, giving him better access.

Mere moments later, another pony – Cadance wasn't even sure which one – finally did the unthinkable: reaching right up underneath Cadance's tail and stroking the soft inner part of their hoof up and down where Cadance's pussy bulged against the tightly hugging thong.

Cadance couldn't help it. She moaned a little. After the experience with Rainbow, she'd been put deeply in need of this sort of thing, and now after all of Rarity's primping and preparations, she was finally getting it!

After that point, Cadance never had to go a moment without being touched there again. All the ponies around her vied for the chance to fondle her next. Some even pressed their faces up between her ass cheeks to get a more delicate feel with their lips and noses.

And, of course, it had the inevitable effect on Cadance. She felt the heavenly soft fabric slide against her most sensitive spots as her pussy winked underneath them, kissing her clit out against it. Her tail lifted all on its own, going into a full lewd display despite everything Rarity had told her about being restrained and aloof.

The others didn't let up, either. She almost always had someone brushing their hooves over the softness of her exposed teats, and every last part of her was fair game, from her hooves to her mane. These ponies seemed especially fascinated with touching her wings.

“Ah,” one stallion said from behind her, “look how the fabric turns even more transparent when wet – it's marvelous!”

“It gets softer, too!” a mare said, taking his place and stroking Cadance's pussy.

As nice as it felt, it was nowhere near enough to get her off. But to Cadance's consternation, these ponies seemed completely content to stroke and fondle. Despite her growing and growing anticipation, nopony pulled her thong off or began to suckle her teats. What were they waiting for? Some signal from Rarity?

All Cadance really had to go on was the sheer debauchery of being touched and explored by so many different ponies she didn't know at all. And as much as that made her feel tingly-warm inside and raised her tail ... she wasn't about to reach orgasm from it.

There were some promising signs among her audience, though. Cadance shifted into another power pose, now kneeling on her hind hooves with her body upright, which gave them all better access to her teats and brought the insistently winking contents of her thong even closer to the crowd for better access. But the real reason she chose that position was to get a better look from above, and what she saw was quite promising.

Here and there throughout her audience, she caught glimpses of stallions' cocks hanging loosely out of their sheaths or even completely erect and bouncing under their bellies. Every mare she saw had her tail raised, and even though they rarely faced away from Cadance, when they did, she was clearly able to see the little flashes of pink as they winked.

The better access for the ponies around her was paying off, too. One mare came up in front of her, rubbing her nose along the front hemline of the thong, ostensibly to get a better feel of the fabric. That was only a pretense, though, and she quickly moved on to nuzzling the soft bare skin of Cadance's teats where the little built-in cups of the thong presented them by pressing them upward and together. She didn't lick or suckle, but Cadance felt sure she'd start any moment. Oh how nice it would be to get some real stimulation!

And behind her... A stallion had actually climbed up onto the pedestal with her. He had one hoof insistently and deliciously rubbing her pussy lips through the barely-there fabric of the thong. More promising still, she felt the weight of his cock resting against her flank, occasionally throbbing upward a little and slapping back down. Oh yes, he was nice. Not as big as Shining, but at this point, she wasn't about to be picky. She needed this! Even just the rubbing might soon be enough to bring her to orgasm, and maybe then these ponies would finally have their way with her one after another until she was fully—

“That's all the time we have for today, everyone,” Rarity's amplified voice rang out. “Thank you all so much for coming, and please remember Rarity's Sheer Brilliance collection the next time you or your lovers are in need of the very finest intimate apparel!”

To Cadance's surprise and immense disappointment, all the fashion ponies around her quietly and agreeably went along with it. After just a few longing goodbye brushes of their hooves against her fur and skin, they dispersed from around her pedestal, mingling and chattering with each other as they filed out of Rarity's back room. In mere moments, everything was quiet again, with only Rarity and herself left.

Cadance looked at her. “Oh you are such a tease!” She grinned at her own joke, sticking her tongue out at Rarity just for spite.

Rarity just winked and sashayed off toward the dressing rooms. “Come along, darling. If you want to be out of that ensemble before dark, we'd better get started now.”

She really was a tease. That look in her eyes! She'd meant to put Cadance on edge and leave her with no means of relief. It was a travesty! And ... well, she had to grin and shake her head. It was a brilliant move, one worthy of the Princess of Love ... assuming that one wanted to make the Princess of Love suffer most deliciously in exchange for certain sexual favors.

With a sigh, Cadance followed Rarity toward the dressing rooms. Perhaps if she was lucky she could find Fluttershy before it became too obscenely late to visit anypony. And then she'd only have two more ponies on her list...

Author's Note

This story is brought to you thanks in part to my Patreon supporters! Their support is essential in keeping me going, and it helps justify writing stuff like this instead of more 'commercial' fiction.

If you'd like to help keep me writing, and even decide which stories I write next, please check out my Patreon page.

Or if you want to send some love and Patreon seems like too much of a commitment, you can send a gift on your own terms through BEABACKER, with no strings attached!