Polish

Chapter 3 - “Respects”

The lancing shaft of sunlight hit her full on the eyes, making Silver groan and squirm. She emerged from the fog of unconsciousness, blinking several times to clear her eyes. The blinding sunlight shifted as the curtain fluttered in a gentle breeze, giving her time to adjust to the low lighting. It was morning, that moment when the sun crested the horizon and bathed the open spaces with it’s light. Much of Equestria was still shadowed by large hills or mountains, but the world was waking up. Celestia was hoisting the sun into the sky for another day…

And Silver Spoon was crying again.

“Shh, shh… It’s okay.” A soft, warm presence pressed into her neck, nuzzling her gingerly. She reached a hoof out, searching for whoever it was… The voice… It was Miralee. “Okay, I suppose… Don’t hold this against me, though.” The warm presence intensified as a slight weight settled into the bed next to her. She turned over into Miralee’s crimson coat, burying her face into the mare’s chest. A soothing pair of hooves wrapped around her, pulling her close. She cried long and hard into Miralee’s coat, letting out all of the frustration and anger that had built up in just the past few days.

Leaving Ponyville, being kept in the dark, saying goodbye to my friends, finding out my mother is dying, discovering she wasn’t a whore, but instead a Matron, and now I have to take her place…

“Get it all out, kiddo… You’re scarin’ me here.” Silver sobbed and sniffled a couple more times, choking as she pulled back to look up at Miralee. The soft smile she got in return was heartwarming. She wiped a hoof across her snotty face, feeling disgusting all of a sudden.

“Ugh… I’m sorry.”

“’S fine, sugar. I’ve had worse things stuck in my coat.”

“Eew…”

“Haha,” The gentle laugh made her smile nevertheless. “Come on, kiddo. Go get washed up. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Yeah… Hey, Miralee…?” She stopped the pegasus as she slid out of bed with a look.

“Hmm?”

“Did I pass out or something?”

“Right on the drive. Scared the daylights out of your father and me.” She glanced to the side, and Silver followed the slight gesture. Her father was there, his head on his hooves as he slumped over the table. “He stayed up almost the whole night watching you. Poor guy only passed out an hour ago.”

“Sheesh…” Silver groaned, feeling bad. “We can’t just leave him there… Can you help me carry him?” She slipped out of bed, hoping she was strong enough. She was an earth pony, hardy and durable. She could at least do this much. Miralee pulled the chair away and she ducked under her Father before he could fall forward. Hoisting his considerable weight, she managed to haul him over to the bed. It took some doing, but together she and Miralee managed to push him up onto the bed and cover him up. He didn’t stir once. Staying up an entire night after hauling a carriage from Ponyville to Canterlot apparently meant coma-like sleep. Still, his chest rose and fell smoothly, and he even snored slightly. Like he always did during the day.

“He’ll be fine. Come on. When you’re washed up, meet me downstairs for breakfast.”

“Thanks… For, you know.”

“Don’t mention it.” Miralee smiled at her before glancing at her slumbering father. “Especially not to him.”

“Right.” Silver chuckled slightly as Miralee left the room they were in. Idly, Silver wondered if this was a room for customers or otherwise… The lack of obnoxious throw pillows everywhere, candles, or a fireplace indicated it was just a regular room… Even a whorehouse was bound to have some of these regular rooms about. She found a closet before the bathroom, which was fine because she needed a towel. The bathtub had a showerhead, so she cranked the water on hot and basked in the scalding flow. In the steam and the water, she relaxed, feeling the stress and tension melt away. Today was going to be a very, very hard day, and she needed to be composed.

Only the grumbling of her stomach distracted her enough to shut the water off and step out. The steam had completely enveloped the bathroom, and she couldn’t see a thing in the mirror. Rather than try to style her mane without it, she just dried it out and pulled it back into a simple braid. Nothing fancy. Utilitarian. It would be enough. When she exited the bathroom, she felt ravenous. Making sure her father was well enough tucked in, she left the room and entered the rest of the building.

The mansion was, officially, called the ‘Hearthwarm Manor.’ It was commonly referred to as brothel, whorehouse, inn, lounge, hotel, or ‘that one place.’ All of them with varying degrees of accuracy. To Silver, it was the manor, and apparently it would be her home. She thought the old brick architecture was rustic compared to the magically-constructed buildings all over the rest of Canterlot, but when she was a filly, the ivy-clad walls and cobblestone drive had mystified and fascinated her. She was just as happy to walk around the gardens surrounding the massive mansion than spend time with her mother, or worse, venture outside of the wrought-iron fence enclosing the property. Out there, ponies scowled at her, looked down their noses, called her names and generally held contempt in their hearts for her. In the gardens, she could explore and daydream and nap all she wanted.

Inside, the mansion was much larger than it appeared. The main foyer held a grand staircase leading up to any of the four floors, and served as a hub for accessing other parts of the building. The Western wing, to the left from the entrance, was the business section. There, all four floors were filled with lounges, guest rooms, billiards, smoking rooms, and on the ground floor, a bar. To Silver’s understanding, the bar was where most of the whoring took place, mares would lounge about, waiting for colts to blow money buying them drinks before luring them into one of the other rooms of the expansive wing and charging them more money for-

Silver pushed the thought out of her mind. Better to save those things for later. As it was, she wasn’t in the Western wing. Instead, she was on the third floor of the Eastern. This side of the mansion was dedicated to the girls who worked there. Private apartments and rooms where the girls lived their private lives took up the majority of this portion, though on the ground floor, far removed from the business end, was a bathhouse. Silver remembered swimming in the pool-sized hot tub when she was a filly, or relaxing in the sauna… One of the few memories she had of her mother was when Heirloom had combed her mane in a station specifically for it… A pony could lay back in a specialized chair, and their mane would rest in a large bowl of heated water. Heirloom had combed her mane for a long time, humming a soft tune… It was one of the few memories Silver actually cherished from her foalhood.

However, her current destination was the central wing. Smaller than all the others, this wing was straight in from the entrance. The ground floor held one half of the kitchens and a large restaurant area. They served high-class food for dinner parties, and often accepted reservations. Nights that they didn’t have reservations, though, Hearthwarm Manor accepted anypony willing to pay the price for some good food. The second floor of the central wing was reserved solely for the staff of the building, and was her final stopping place. The second half of the kitchens were on this floor, along with a large dining room where all the employees could eat. Some of the apartments and rooms had a kitchen in them, as Heirloom’s did whenever she visited. Not many of the mares and few stray colts who were contracted ate here. Mostly cleaning crew and servants. Silver had never eaten here for a proper meal, but she had been known to nip in for snacks now and then. The kitchens were almost always active, and accepted orders at any time of the day.

“Eggs, over easy, hashbrowns, and a salad please. Double order on the hashbrowns.”

“Well hey, Silver! I haven’t seen you in… Shoot, six years now? Seven?” She blinked at the friendly unicorn beaming at her, and saw it was yet another familiar face from her childhood.

“Spats! Oh my goodness, come here!” She raced around the counter and into the kitchens to hug the large pony, laughing as he wrapped his hooves around her. His full name was Spatula, but he was affectionately referred to as Spats by his friends. He was going on in years now, his black mane streaked with much more grey than she remembered, but still as friendly as ever. “What are you still doing here?! I thought you would have moved on by now!”

“Naah… Sous moved on to retirement three years ago. I run the show now. It’s good to see yeh again, Silver.” He ruffled her mane playfully, making her laugh and smile wide. Spats had always been the prime hookup for snacks, and had plenty of stories to share with her. In fact, the only times she ever spent in the central wing were to see this particular unicorn when he wasn’t busy. His dark brown coat swelled a little bit more around the middle, a sign of his indulgence. Still, he was just as wonderful as she remembered.

“It’s so good to see you again, Spats.” She beamed, feeling so happy that she had met somepony nice… Aside from Miralee, of course. She was nice enough. At least she told the truth, unlike her father… As her expression fell with the thought, Spats nudged her.

“I’m sorry to hear about your mother… The Matron is one of the kindest ponies I’ve ever known… If it weren’t for her, I’d still be slingin’ hash on a corner cart in Manehattan. Now, I’m workin’ here, and I gotta tell you, the benefits are REALLY worth the stress.”

“Oh, you old lecher!” Silver punched him playfully, laughing along. He had a belly-rolling sort of gut laugh that was loud and infectious. Spats was the life of the party wherever he went, a pony wise and strong in equal measure. Silver could hardly believe she had nearly forgotten about him… The next few days, weeks, years, whatever they were seemed like they could be much more bearable with him around.

“I’ll make them hashbrowns nice and crispy for yeh, Silver. We’ll catch up later, after the breakfast rush. Yeah?”

“Sounds great. Thanks again, Spats, I can’t wait to talk some more.”

“Git goin, you little rascal.” He swatted at her flank, making her yelp and scamper out of the kitchen. Smiling despite herself, Silver went to sit near the kitchen, watching Spats over the counter as his magic filled the kitchen. He was a master of culinary magic, and sang a loud, jolly tune as he worked. The booming sound of his voice could likely be heard all over the dining room, and ponies that weren’t talking listened to him sing. When her breakfast was finished, he levitated it over to her with a wink, setting the steaming plate in front of her. She waved back at him before setting in ravenously. It was all prepared fantastically well… Such a simple recipe, but executed masterfully. The hasbhrowns didn’t break apart when she nudged them apart with the edge of her fork, stayed nice and clumped together, and the eggs had just enough runny bits in the yolk for her to dip toast into them. The dressing on the salad was light and spread evenly, making each bite delicious.

Stomach full, she dropped her plates off and ran into the kitchen to nuzzle Spat’s side once more before leaving. She decided it was time to go find Miralee while she was still happy… No sense in being depressed for what she knew was coming next. Miralee was just entering the dining room as she exited. They nearly collided.

“Oh! Hey, good morning.”

“Hey there. Did you already eat?” She asked, smiling that warm, gentle smile once again.

“Yeah… I caught up with Spats again. It’s hard to believe I nearly forgot about him.”

“Aah. Good deal. Listen, we do need to talk… But not until I get some coffee in my system. Where can I find you?” Silver blinked a few times before a thought struck her.

“Do we still have that gazebo out on the corner of the property? The one covered in ivy?”

“Naturally. Your mother was adamant about keeping it maintained.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good choice. I’ll see you in a little while.” Miralee leaned in to nuzzle her neck affectionately, making Silver smile yet again. Despite the depressing reason she was here, Silver had plenty of reasons to smile now… Still, as she made her way out of the main entry and out onto the grounds, several questions began to weigh heavy on her mind.

What does mother’s passing have to do with me?

Why did my father not tell me about this sooner?

Is there any way I can get out of this?

Silver wanted anything but to run Hearthwarm Manor… There were ponies here that were nice, sure… Like Miralee and Spats. But Canterlot wasn’t her home. It wasn’t where she wanted to be. Nor did she want to be associated with any more whores than she already was… The freshly-cut grass sifted under her hooves as she walked around the edge of the building, stopping now and then to inhale the fresh scent of flowers in planters that dotted the landscape here and there… Rounding the corner of the eastern wing, though, she was glad to see the gardens once again… Latticework sporting vines made passageways through the green that she had wandered many days as a young foal, and there were small benches and ponds or fountains to be found here and there. In the steadily-warming morning, the air felt fresh and new, not unlike the air back in Ponyville…

She took her time getting to the gazebo. This had been a discovery she made as a young filly, during one of her first summers visiting. Another fond memory came to light as she laid eyes on the familiar hideaway. It had been run-down and was on the verge of collapsing when she first found it. When she asked her mother about it, she was told that it was dangerous to go inside, and they had plans to remove it. But Silver liked it so much that some begging on her part and a promise from her father had kept it around.

Together, Buzz Saw and the groundskeeper had repaired and renewed the gazebo, and Silver Spoon helped the old groundskeeper with growing the vines that clung to each arch, that twined through the latticework that enclosed the gazebo. A nearly-overgrown archway was one of two ways in and out, but once inside, she was completely enclosed. The shade was cool and refreshing, and the scent of foliage hung heavy in the air. She inhaled deeply, fond memories of long summer days spent reading or napping or just plain being in this place coming back… It had been her hideaway. Her safe haven from the fights. More than once, she had tried to sleep in here. Often, she was successful. Now, she ran a hoof over one of the ivy-wrought benches before slowly slipping onto it and sitting down. This place relaxed her. She felt the tension melt away completely, her thoughts much more peaceful.

“I see now why your mother wanted to keep this place.” Miralee’s voice didn’t startle her at all, but she looked up at the crimson pegasus with a smile. “You look so blissful. Happy. After how upset you were yesterday, even I would pay for the repairs on this old thing, if only to see you smile like that again.” The smile she spoke of didn’t fade as Miralee entered the gazebo, sitting opposite Silver. They were alone, and in this place, her safe haven, she felt like she could handle the answers to her questions.

“You said yesterday the Matron’s daughter takes over her role when she… Passes. What does that mean for me?” Miralee shuffled her wings at Silver’s question, thinking over her answer for a few moments.

“It’s like a will. A tradition. Your mother’s mother ran Hearthwarm Manor. And her mother before that. Your great-great-grandmother founded Hearthwarm Manor long, long ago. Almost a hundred and fifty years. It was and always has been a place of passion, good food, good company, and good booze.”

“Good sex?”

“Naturally.” Miralee smiled before continuing. “It’s just tradition… Nopony’s forcing you, Silver… But it’s in your bloodline that you be the one to own, operate, and oversee Hearthwarm Manor. It’s tradition.” Silver thought for a few long moments about those words…

This place could be mine in it’s entirety… I wonder how much of it I could control.

“How much command would I have?”

“All of it.” Miralee smiled. “There was a time when the Matron before your mother, Softhoof, wanted to tear this place down… She thought it was a corrupt establishment filled with greedy ponies who wanted nothing more than their own lecherous devices. She had it well within her power, too.” Miralee crossed her hooves. “You could do the same. Nopony would stop you. A lot of them would hate you, and many would try to convince you otherwise, but nopony could tell you no.”

“Wow, really?” Miralee’s nod confirmed it. “But, aside from that…”

“If you’re not satisfied with anything about the manor, you can change it. But there are so many things to keep up on. I could never have done your mother’s job for longer than I already have… I don’t have the presence of mind for it.” She sighed and shook her head. “Heirloom intereviewed every stallion and mare that works for the manor herself. Every cook, servant, maintenance crew, groundskeepers, whores, contractors, and servers alike. There isn’t a single pony in this place that doesn’t owe their job to her. Some of them, like myself, owe her much more than that…”

“What do you mean?” Silver asked. The last part had her intrigued. Miralee’s smile was sad now, her expression slightly downtrodden.

“I… Was a whore before I worked here… A teenage filly without my mark, taken from my mother and father for their debt by a horrible pony… Heirloom was a young girl, and she found me on a street corner after I had been dumped there after one… Particularly bad night. She was a young Matron at that time, new to her position… If it weren’t for her, I would have either died or kept getting whored out to that horrible pony’s friends… It was a dark time for me, but your mother pulled me out of it. I became her friend. On more than one occasion, her lover.”

“Gross.”

“Shush.” Miralee teased. “It’s thanks to her I have my mark.” She lifted her hips slightly, showing off the two white wings wrapped around a pink heart. “I’m a lover, Silver. Always have been. It’s all I know. It’s what I do best, and it’s my talent… I’m damn good at it. Thanks to your mom, I have a job that lets me support myself while doing what I love best. I can’t have kids, so I don’t have any expenses… All the money I make goes into savings, and when I die, it’ll go straight back into this place. If it’s burned to the ground by your hoof, I’ll build it back up again. It’ll be a shadow of what it was, but I won’t see this place, this ideal, gone.”

She was so adamant… So resolute. Her green eyes blazed with the fire of her resolve, her expression set in stone. Silver felt intimidated, humbled, and a little saddened at her story…

“You can’t have kids because…”

“Because of what happened to me. But I’ve forgotten my past. It took more than a few bottles of strong liquor and your mother to do it, but I did it. And I’m a better pony for it. Seeing Heirloom so sick at such a young age… I’m heartbroken… I love your mother. I really do.” Her voice cracked a little as she spoke. Silver slipped off of her bench, going to comfort the sniffing pegasus. “If… If she didn’t have to have a daughter, we could have been together…” Silver froze halfway between the bench and Miralee. “If it weren’t for your father, we’d have… We could have…”

“Miralee, I’m… I didn’t know…”

“How could you have?” Miralee sniffled. She managed to avoid breaking down completely, wiping a hoof over her eyes. “Not even your father knows… If he did, he’d beat himself up more than he already does… But hey… That’s a story for a different time.” She stood up, wiping a hoof across her eyes to make sure she was as presentable as she could be. “Right now, we need to see your mother.” Now it was Silver’s turn to be choked up… She had learned so much about her mother… All the other questions she had feel by the wayside. There would be answers to them later. Currently, the only thought running through her mind was the need to be with her mother… To be by her side.

“Take me to her.” Silver said quietly. “I’m ready.”

The steady beep of the machine next to the large bed was the only sound Silver could hear. She was standing in the threshold of the bedroom, which was located at the center of the master suite… She hadn’t noticed previously, since she thought all the women who worked here had large apartments… But Heirloom lived in the largest living space available. She remembered the rooms well, since she spent much of her time in them when she was younger. The master suite boasted a lounge, full kitchen, dining room, music room, massive bedroom with a large bath attached, and a library.

Currently, though, Silver was focused on one thing and one thing only. Her mother, laying curled up in the middle of the massive bed. As she approached, another pony laid a hoof on her shoulder. A doctor. The unicorn’s face was drawn in a slight frown as he commanded her attention. He spoke low.

“She is very weak… Her heart is failing. She doesn’t have long at all. If you want to say something, please… Say it now. There’s nothing more I can do for her.” Silver swallowed hard. Shaking, she nodded, padding slowly towards the bed.

Heirloom, even on her deathbed, was a beautiful unicorn. Her pale grey coat was simple and elegant, her mane a silvery white. Silver owed it to her mother her own colors, and she was thankful for that… There were several ponies throughout school who had sought after her, male and female alike. The attentions didn’t go unnoticed, and Silver had plenty of warm memories of teenage and twenty-something lovers. She realized that her good looks came from her mother. Heirloom was a full-bodied mare, tall enough to offset the curves. With a graceful horn that rose straight from the middle of her forehead. Her complexion was fair, her features delicate and attractive… Silver was actually somewhat envious in that moment…

Something distracted her, though… Through the gentle rise and fall of her mother’s sides, she saw a slender gold chain looped around her neck. It appeared to sport a medallion of sorts, but she couldn’t see it the way her mother was curled up. Gently, Silver placed her hooves on the bed. The depression was enough to rouse the slumbering pony.

“Silver.” Her mother said, opening a steely-grey eye to look up at her. She gave a weak smile, raising her head. Silver saw the tube stretching from her mother’s foreleg to the machine, filled with a clear liquid. Medicine or fluids… Not good. She was really in a bad way.

“Mom,” Silver choked, feeling the tears begin to come.

“Shh. Shh,” Heirloom lifted a hoof, weakly beckoning her closer. “Come here, Silver…”

“I’m so sorry,” Silver whimpered. She slid up onto the bed, gently curling up in her mother’s embrace. Her tears flowed fast and free, but Heirloom nuzzled them away, her lips spread in a weak smile.

“Nothing to be sorry for, my love… If anything, I should be the one apologizing…” Her voice was thin and weak… But still graceful. In it, Silver could hear a different sort of strength… A feminine prowess that not even death could dim. “But this place isn’t suitable for any young mare to grow up in… I never should have sent you to Ponyville… But I wanted you to… To live a normal life.”

“Sent me away?” Silver choked, looking up at her mother. “I… I thought dad ran with me after… After you…”

“No…” Heirloom’s face drew down in a sad frown. “No, I sent him off and away with you… Your father gave up everything for you, Silver. He gave up a career as Commander of the Guard… All because I asked him to.” A single tear slid down her cheek. Silver felt compelled to wipe it away. Her hoof gently caressed it off her mother’s cheek, and Heirloom nuzzled into her gentle touch. “I could have loved him… If I tried…”

“M-mom?”

“Tell Miralee… I’m sorry…”

“Mom?”

“One last thing, Silver… Here…” Heirloom’s horn flickered for a second before lighting in a milky-white glow, the faint glimmer very weak… The necklace unlatched from around her own neck and levitated around Silver’s. The medallion, Silver noted, was three circles joined at the middle in a continuous loop. It was their family seal. The seal of Hearthwarm Manor.

“You’re the Matron now… Please…” Heirloom lowered her head, a phantom of a smile on her lips. “Please, my dear Silver Spoon… Don’t make the same mistake I did…”

Heirloom closed her eyes. The machine let out a long, steady tone.

She was gone.