Polish

by Loyal

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Other, Silver Spoon, Sex, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Sad
Length: 13370

Silver Spoon comes of age... In many ways.

Silver Spoon is growing up, but she's forced to make some tough decisions when her mother falls ill. What will the future hold for an immature and unprepared mare in a city that's as cold as she used to be?

Published 2012-11-30 17:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-12-05 19:51:03 UTC

Leaving Ponyville

Chapter 1 - “Leaving Ponyville”

“We’re gonna miss you, Silver.”

“I’m gonna miss you guys, too…” Silver Spoon fought back tears as she wrapped her friends in a gentle hug. “I hope someday I can return the kindness you three showed me.” Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all smiled, though the sadness was apparent in their eyes.

“We would have come by later, but we just plain didn’t wanna risk missing you.” Scootaloo muttered, sniffling a little.

“It’s fine, we’re just loading the carriage, then we’re off…” Silver kicked at the dirt. “Look, I know I was a total bitch back in the day…”

“No complaints here. Ow!” Sweetie Belle rubbed her shoulder as Applebloom punched her.

“But I owe it to you guys for showing me the way. So, thank you. All of you.”

“I just wish Diamond Tiara would have come around…” Sweetie Belle sighed.

“Aww shucks. Don’t worry ‘bout her. She’ll see that bein’ mean jes means bein’ alone. She’ll come ‘round before long.” Applebloom threw a hoof over Silver’s shoulder, pulling her close. “Y’all just visit whenever yeh can. Let us worry about keepin’ Ponyville safe.”

“Thanks, guys.” Silver felt tears well in her eyes as she smiled at the three ponies gathered around her. “Our friendship means a lot to me… Thank you so much for all of your help. Really.”

“Promise you’ll write?”

“As much as I can. I’ll send a letter to each of you with my new address when I get there.”

“Lookin’ forward to it, sugarcube.”

“And, again… Thank you.” They all shared one last hug before the bittersweet farewell. Silver waved idly as they all walked away. With a heavy sigh, she turned back to her task, loading the carriage that would take them away from Ponyville, away from home… Still, as she silently worked at hauling boxes and luggage onto the carriage, she thought back to her time in Ponyville…

Ever since grade school, she and Diamond Tiara had been really close friends. They both got their cutie marks, they both thought ponies without their own marks were silly for not discovering their talent… But that was where the similarities ended, it seemed. In fact, it was right around the time that Babs Seed had visited that Silver Spoon began seeing how cruel and mean Diamond Tiara really was… Thinking back on it now, her stomach churned. The things she had done and said to the Cutie Mark Crusaders made her feel horrible. Thankfully, the three of them had as much forgiveness as they did passion for adventure.

Silver Spoon had been inducted into the Cutie Mark Crusaders, despite her already having a Cutie Mark. It didn’t really matter to any of them. They were just glad to have another friend, and Silver Spoon was glad to finally fit in somewhere. She had been there when Applebloom received her mark, and had even helped Sweetie Belle find hers. Scootaloo was out flying when she got hers, but the excitement was shared nevertheless.

Now, though… All of that was going away. The last box was tossed up onto the carriage, and she took a moment to look around. Outside of her home in Ponyville, she could see up and down the main street, the slow and easy pace of everypony around her… They all meandered about their business, moving slow, talking happily with passing friends, or working on one thing or another… It was all so peaceful and quiet. She knew from previous visits to Canterlot that the city could be alive with hustle and bustle, and all the high-brow aristocrats looked down their noses at anypony they didn’t personally know.

Here, she knew everypony in town. And if she saw anypony new, she could talk with them without feeling awkward. In Canterlot, you were cursed at and in one case kicked. It was a cold city, loveless and dispassionate. Ponyville was her home. She didn’t want to leave.

“Somethin’ on your mind, Silver?” The voice of her father made Silver start and wheel around. She spotted her dad, hoisting the last of his own personal belongings onto the cart.

“Nothing.” She snipped, hiding the tears in her eyes by staring down at the dirt.

“You’re lying.”

“Shut up.” She glared at him before going to sit in the carriage, sniffling as quietly as she could manage. It wasn’t her dad’s fault they had to leave, but that didn’t mean she didn’t blame him. He was hardly there for her during the hard times since she had graduated, let alone since they even moved out here… Being a guard, he worked nights and slept during the days, and whenever he was awake, he was too tired or disinterested to care about her. Sure, he asked the standard father questions, ‘how was school, what did you learn?’ But he didn’t care. She could tell in his dead expression, his cold eyes…

Her father, the guard pony Buzz Saw, was originally a prestigious member of the Canterlot guard. But, not unlike several other guards, he had fallen for a whore. Silver Spoon had been the daughter of the two, and Buzz Saw was discharged from the guard. He couldn’t stay in Canterlot, so he had moved to Ponyville. He held a job as security for the local hospital, which was enough for them to live on. Nothing fancy, just enough for food, rent, and some small things here and there. She really didn’t like being so hard on him, but over all the years, he had never really been there for her. He was either asleep, drunk, or at work. Which meant Silver Spoon was either in bed herself, at school, or with her new friends. He wasn’t a violent drunk, but he certainly wasn’t friendly. The things he said sometimes hurt.

With a grunt, her father loaded the last box. “Silver,” He said gruffly. “Help me get hooked up.” With a huffing sigh, Silver Spoon wiped the tears from her eyes with a hoof and went to help him with the harness. “Buckle that for me… Not too tight, there you go. Thank you. Are you ready?” He wriggled in the harness, getting comfortable for the long hike. The question he asked, though, was loaded. She understood the meaning behind it, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

“I never was ready. I’m still not ready. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.” She felt the tears coming on again.

“Silver, come on…” Her dad groaned. “We can’t keep having this discussion-“

“We haven’t ever had it!” Silver cut him off. “You always blow it off! I mean, I don’t even know why we have to go to Canterlot!”

“Trust me, it’s important-“

“Important to you, or important to me?”

“Important to us.” Buzz Saw, despite his failings as a father, never raised his voice to her. Standing there in his harness, he calmly talked to her, his expression platonic and unresponsive. He always looked like that. The only time he didn’t was when he was working. Then, he was serious and even slightly grim.

“So you say,” Silver whimpered. The tears began to flow freely now, falling to the dirt beneath her hooves. “But you never tell me why. Why do we have to leave? This place is my home… Canterlot isn’t.”

“It’s more your home than you think it is,” Buzz Saw muttered quietly. “And trust me… If you were old enough to understand, I’d tell you.”

“I’m twenty-two, dad… I think I’m old enough to understand something like this.” The look he gave her was markedly different from any other she had seen on his chiseled face. Was that sympathy? Now she felt anger mingle in with the sadness.

“What’s that look for?!”

“I suppose you are old enough…” With a sigh that made the leather harness creak, Buzz Saw appeared to be preparing himself for something. Still fuming, Silver was about to tear into him when he spoke. The words he said shut her up effectively.

“Your mother is dying.”

Her anger died away completely, replaced first by shock, then by sadness.

“M… Mom?”

“I just found out two days ago… That’s why we’re rushing to leave…”

“Is… That why you left?” She asked quietly, the tears spilling from her eyes. Buzz Saw had gone away for a few days, and he never told her why. But when he returned, he told her they were moving to Canterlot. That she had to start packing immediately. His soft nod confirmed it. He had gone to Canterlot, seen her mother, and hadn’t told her when she returned.

Silver Spoon never felt strongly towards her mother. They visited often enough, or at least they did in the past… She hadn’t been back to Canterlot since junior year of school… Five years, already… Before that, it was about once a year. Once she graduated, they never returned. Silver didn’t mind. She had never really enjoyed spending time with a whore anyways. Instead, she focused on spending time with her friends, finding a job, studying whatever she found interesting… She just tried to live her life.

Now, though… Her mother was dying. Silver felt oddly sad for a pony she never cared much for from the start. Why was she crying? She couldn’t stop… Sobbing helplessly, she turned away from her father and climbed into the carriage. Curled up on the seat, Silver Spoon cried, too afraid to look out of the window…

Too afraid to watch them leave Ponyville.

Canterlot

Chapter 2 - “Canterlot”

The carriage bumped and rattled, creaking as it swayed back and forth on the mountain pass. Silver had cried herself to sleep, but one such jarring bump in the road woke her up. With a start, she jerked upright, inhaling through her flared nostrils. Looking out of the window, she saw sky on one side, and dull, brown earth on the other… They had already left the flat farmland around Ponyville and were in the mountains. The sun hung low in the sky, lighting everything with an amber glow. She opened the door and peeked down, seeing plenty of room on the mountain path to walk beside the carriage.

“Silver? Is that you?” Her dad grunted. She hopped down out of the carriage, trotting to catch up with her burdened father.

“Yeah… You doing okay?”

“’M fine… I think this is the last rise…” He muttered. Her father was certainly strong. He was a stocky earth pony, not quite as Applebloom’s bigger brother, but he could certainly give Big Macintosh a run for his money in a fight. He was lathered in sweat from pulling the cart all day, but his breathing was deep and steady. He plodded on, hauling the carriage with all their important belongings up the rather steep incline. If Silver wasn’t afraid of interfering, she would have helped. Instead, she trotted ahead, to scope out the road. Indeed, at the top of the rise, she was able to look slightly down at the city of Canterlot.

“This is it.” She called back to him, waving. “It’s all downhill after this.”

“Thank Luna,” he grunted. She watched him put a little more effort into the cart, sweat dripping from his chin as he crested the incline. “I’ll be… I didn’t think we could make it in a day…” He panted, looking rather worn now. He breathed easy enough, though. “I’m gonna rest for just a moment before we start. Put the brakes on?”

“Yeah, hang on…” Silver clambered up to the top seat of the carriage, pushing the brake down until it clicked. The cart wouldn’t move from it’s crested spot atop the last rise before Canterlot. Her father disengaged the harness from the frame, still wearing the leather buckles and straps as he walked around slowly.

“I thought you were taking a break?” She asked.

“I am… Gotta keep moving, though. ‘S bad for your muscles otherwise.”

“Oh…” Silver and Buzz Saw grew quiet, the daughter looking down at Canterlot while her father cooled down with a few laps around the carriage. About fifteen minutes later or so, he ducked back into the harness, and Silver jumped down from the top. “Are you going to be okay?”

“It’s downhill. I just can’t go too fast, or it’ll get away from me. Do me a favor, stay up there with the brakes?”

“Right. Sorry.” Grumbling slightly, she scrambled back on top, tearing her focus away from the mountainside city below. She disengaged the brakes, and paid careful attention to their decline down the hill into the city. Before long, though, they evened out and the road turned to cobblestone. As they approached the edge of the city, she saw the guard post. A solitary pegasus hovered above it, spear in his hooves. He arched an eyebrow at them as they stopped at the checkpoint, taking a moment to appraise the situation before he landed in front of Buzz Saw.

“Name?” He asked.

“Buzz Saw and Silver Spoon.”

“I don’t have you on the schedule. What business do you have in Canterlot?”

“Silver, toss me my bag, will you?” She searched around for a few moments before locating his satchel. He caught it deftly in his hooves as she tossed it, and pulled a rolled scroll from within. “The family crest should be sufficient. If you need to break the seal, you’ll have to deliver that yourself.” The guard’s eyes went wide at the sight of the wax seal.

“No, sir! Sorry, I didn’t know… Are you-“

“Shh.” Buzz Saw raised a hoof at the guard, glancing up at her before beckoning him close. The guard leaned in as her father whispered hushed words that she couldn’t hear. The pegasus guard looked up at her, then back at Buzz Saw.

“I see… No, sir I apologize for the delay. Please, go right in. Would you like an escort?”

“Directions would be better.” Her father grumbled. “Can’t remember the way there from the hoof-path…”

“Aah. It’s not far. Nine blocks straight ahead, and a left on Hoofington Lane. It’ll be the fourth on your right.”

“I remember Hoofington… Thank you, friend.”

“So, quick question… You’re Buzz Saw?” The pegasus leaned his spear against the nearby wall, eyes wide. “You know, the pony that-“

“Shush. Please.” Another glance up at her. “She doesn’t know what happened back then…”

“Oh. Right. Look, you’re… Well, you’re kind of an unsung hero around here. I hear your name passed around the other guards… We’d love it if you’d come hang out with us… There’s a lot we new guys could learn from a vet like yourself.” Her father listened carefully before heaving another sigh.

“I’m just a washed-up security guard now. I couldn’t teach you a thing.” He started forward, leaning into the harness firmly. “Thank you for the directions. Have a good day.”

“Oh! Eer… But, Buzz-“

“Bye!” Her father called back, moving as fast as he dared with the carriage. They entered the city of Canterlot proper, just as the sun began to sink down behind the mountains… Silver wanted to ask her father what the whole exchange with the guard had meant, but they were soon surrounded by socialites and high-brow ponies, all of them trotting or walking about as if they were the most important things in Equestria. Nopony spared either of them a second glance, and indeed, many of them sneered at the sight of an earth pony pulling a carriage. Silver, however, got several appraising looks. Everything from jealousy to admiration crossed the faces of the ponies looking at her.

Did they think Buzz Saw was her chauffer? That she was being led along by a servant, or a driver, or… Oh no… Silver wanted to glare at them all, to tell them that this was her father, and she was up top to handle the brakes. Instead, she remained quiet, her expression blank, her gaze set on the road just in front of her father. She didn’t know how she felt about the looks she was getting… She didn’t know how she felt about being back in Canterlot. In short, Silver just plain didn’t know how she felt…

All she knew was when they turned onto a side-street and she saw the large mansion for the first time in almost six years, she wanted to cry again. But she was too tired to cry. The nap in the carriage had been restless, and now that night time was almost completely upon them, she could only think about curling up in her bed at home, and waking to the sound of the farmers at market the next morning… The large brick mansion was both home and business place for Silver’s mother, along with a rather large amount of other whores. It was, for lack of a better term, a whorehouse. A large and well-appointed, fully staffed, and rather prestigious whorehouse. But a whorehouse nevertheless.

A group of four servants in matching tuxedo uniforms trotted out of the front doors as they pulled up, helping Buzz Saw with the harness, helping unload the boxes and bags and effects from the carriage. Silver clambered down to stand by her father as another pony exited the large mansion, smiling at them as she approached.

“Buzz, so good to see you again.”

“Hullo, Miralee. I wish the circumstances had been better.”

“Don’t we all… Is this Silver? My, how you’ve grown.” Miralee was a pegasus, and a rather beautiful one at that. Her sleek coat was a deep, crimson red, and her eyes a striking emerald green. The contrast was both mesmerizing and slightly intimidating… But the warm smile she wore was disarming. She slowly walked up to Silver, her hooves open for a hug. Silver stood stone-still as the pegasus embraced her, trying hard not to gag at her overpowering perfume. It wouldn’t have been that bad if she hadn’t shoved Silver’s face into her neck, where she had obviously sprayed it directly onto.

“Hello, Miralee…” Silver grumbled. Miralee was, for lack of a better word, the one who ran this place Silver was at. She handled contracts and hiring new mares and all manner of other things about the official part of the business. For not having seen her in six years, Silver thought she hadn’t changed much. Maybe a ghost of a line around the edge of her eyes, but Miralee was still very attractive. She wore a flowing dress the covered her mark, but Silver knew it was two wings wrapped around a heart. A mark of her trade, it seemed.

“You two must be exhausted. Our night is just beginning, but we’ll make sure you’re somewhere quiet. Don’t worry, your things will be moved in for you.”

“Our things? We’re staying here, then?” Silver asked. Miralee blinked at her like she was crazy.

“Eer… Of course. Where else would you stay?”

“A hotel would be preferable…” Her summers staying in this place had invariably exposed her to things she’d just as soon not recall. Predominantly were the arguments her mother and father seemed constantly engaged in… But the fact that they were almost always about her was close behind them. Further down the list were the several times she had walked in on the whores of the building engaged in their service. She’d just as soon not remember any of those things.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Silver. We have to stay here.”

“You say that like it’s final…”

“It sort of is…” Buzz Saw grumbled. Silver glanced between him and Miralee. The two of them appeared to be having a silent conversation… They conversed with nothing but raised eyebrows and slight expression changes. Finally, Miralee asked a question.

“Does she not know?”

“She does not.”

“Oh dear… I thought you would have told her.” Miralee raised a hoof to her lips, looking down at Silver sympathetically.

“Told me what?” Silver asked, perking up slightly. This was only all too reminiscent of the silent arguments that took place whenever she was in the presence of both parents. Questions asked about her, to her, but always left unanswered… Buzz Saw shook his head and nudged Silver.

“Tomorrow. I promise. You’ll find out one way or another.”

“I’d rather find out right now!” Silver stood her ground, planting her hooves. “You drag me away from my home with just the news that mom’s dying, and now this? No. I’ll not set one hoof inside that building until I know exactly why I’m here. What’s this about me not knowing? What are you two even talking about?”

Miralee looked between her and Buzz Saw several times, trying to decipher all that happened.

“You didn’t tell her anything? Neither of you did?”

“No…” Buzz Saw mumbled softly.

“Oh my goodness… Luna help me, this is going to be hard for you to hear…”

“Don’t-“

“Don’t stop me, Buzz.” Miralee cut him off. “She deserves to know more than anypony else.” If ever Buzz Saw looked like he would lose his cool, it was then. He stared at Miralee, his expression a mixture of rage and shame. Finally, he dropped his head.

“Fine. Tell her.”

“I’m assuming she thinks I’m the pony who runs this place?” Her father nodded once, an almost imperceptible gesture. Miralee looked back to her with an expression that was sympathetic and sad at the same time. Silver was very, very confused… “Well, that’s a lie. I don’t run this establishment. At least, I didn’t.” She straightened up, her wings ruffling slightly as she looked down at Silver.

“Your mother did.”

Silver’s heart skipped a beat.

“Wha… What?”

“Your mother wasn’t a whore, Silver. Your mother was a Matron. She was the pony in charge of all the whores. What you think my job was, that was hers… Once she fell ill, I stepped into the role temporarily. I’m the whore here, not your mother.” Miralee’s expression then turned very serious, her tone low.

“She’s dying, Silver… The house can’t go without a Matron.” She leaned in a little, her emerald eyes fixed on Silver’s. “The Matron’s daughter takes her spot when she passes.” The next was a whisper, and it sent chills through her entire body. “That would be you.”

The world went black.

Respects

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.

A Time to Mourn, A Time for Business

Chapter 4 - “A Time to Mourn, A Time for Business”

Despite the multitude of lives Heriloom had impacted, for better or worse, her ceremony was remarkably small. Buzz Saw refused to attend, Spats was busy preparing for the reception, and many of the other mares didn’t want to attend such a sad event. In the end, there were maybe a dozen ponies present, Silver included. Gently, she laid her rose at the head of the gravestone, set near the corner of the property. There were no more tears to cry. Silver had already given them all as she laid on the bed with her mother.

She had begged her mother to wake up. Screamed, even. Only when the doctor insistently pulled her off, quiet and stoic, had she stopped. Miralee had been there, holding her, letting her cry it out. They shared tears then. Now, as the wind blew cold and heartless across the grounds, the two of them were quiet and calm. Words were said. Memories were shared. In the end, her mother was still gone.

Miralee and Silver were the last two at her grave. In the past two days preparing for the ceremony, neither of them had shared a word. Not after what Silver had learned. Not after Miralee’s confession. But now, in that moment, Silver spoke.

“I never even knew her.”

“She never let you.”

“What kind of daughter does that make me? That I would ostracize my own mother simply because of what I thought she did? Because I never had the presence of mind to ask her?”

“You lived the way she wanted you to.” Miralee said quietly. “I never agreed with her logic, personally… Did you know I helped deliver you?” Silver glanced at her, blushing a little more.

“She told me to tell you she was sorry.”

“I know.”

Silence again. Silver’s eyes fixed on the headstone once more, reading over the words engraved on the granite slab.

Heirloom, Matron of Hearthwarm Manor. A mother, a lover, a friend.

“We need to talk.” Silver leaned against the doorway. Buzz Saw’s suitcase was halfway packed. It lay open on the bed, and he was currently shuffling about his security uniform.

“You know me and talking,” Her father said quietly. “I never was too good at it.”

“I think you can talk about this.” Silver was insistent. Her father paused for a few long moments. He was silent, his shoulders rock-steady and his back turned to her. He didn’t say anything, hardly moved. Silver continued. “Commander of the Guard?”

“She told you, huh?”

“Why would you give that up?”

“Because she asked.” Buzz Saw returned to all four hooves, looking at her. In all her years, Silver Spoon had only ever seen her father’s face blank, or serious. Occasionally drunk, but never had she seen him what he was now.

He was smiling.

“Because a mare asked, you dropped everything and left your life behind?”

“I left my job behind, Silver. I dropped my career and entered a new life. A life with you.” His voice dropped a little. “My daughter…”

“Dad, I… I never knew. How come you never said anything?”

“I don’t know, Silver. If I did, I’d tell you. I would. I figured if you never knew the circumstances, I figured if you thought less of me and your mother, you’d live your life the way you saw fit. And you did. Which is exactly what she wanted.” His voice dropped again, hardly more than a whisper. “What we wanted.”

“Dad, that’s… How could you just leave her?”

“Things between your mother and I were complicated…” Buzz Saw sat on the floor, sighing heavily. His smile wilted, replaced again by the blank expression. “Our relationship was not… Voluntary.”

“Wh… Why?” Again, the sigh.

“Sit down, kiddo… I’ve got a story to tell you.” Silver slid into a chair, looking openly at her father. It seemed she was finally going to get the story, the answers she had always sought and never accomplished. Her father looked at her for a few long, agonizing moments before finally speaking. “I was a guard here in Canterlot long before I met your mother. I was good at what I did, for an earth pony. We normally didn’t advance through the ranks very quickly, being brute force better suited for following orders than giving them… But for one reason or another, I made lieutenant, then captain, soon I was commander of my own unit. That unit was Celestia’s private guard. You wouldn’t know this, but even close to a thousand years after her banishment, Luna was still seen as a prominent leader. There were dozens… Hundreds of ponies, even, who preferred her to Celestia… Some of them, a very small group, tried to make an attempt on Celestia’s life.

“I led the party that shut them down. They remain imprisoned to this day. For my efforts, Celestia rewarded me and my men with whatever I wanted. Well, much to my dismay, the men wanted a night on the town. Specifically, at a brothel. Back then, I was pretty young. I could identify. I would prefer they did it in a more… Traditional way, but I couldn’t deny them. Celestia made the arrangements, and we spent the night here.” His smiled returned, this time much more warm than Silver ever would have expected him to be capable of making.

“It was love at first sight… She greeted us at the door, wearing this stunning dress, looking as beautiful as ever…” Silver felt the tears threaten to spill over again. She fought them back, intent on listening to her father’s story. “I courted her properly. Traditionally. For every subtle advance that I made, though, she took it a mile further. It seemed she thought I was just another customer. I half expected her to name a price. It infuriated her… Week after week, I’d visit with flowers, she’d invite me to bed, and I’d refuse. Not until she understood…” He sighed, looking up at Silver.

“We were married four months later. Two months after that, she was pregnant… One month after your birth, she told me why she had done what she did… About the Matron and her daughter… About her feelings for Miralee…” Silver’s eyes went wide. Her father knew. “When she asked, I didn’t hesitate. I took you and left Canterlot the next day.”

“Wh… Why?” Silver asked quietly. “Why would you do anything for her after learning she… She used you?”

“Would you rather grow up in a household with a mother and father who didn’t love one another? Whose every night was spent arguing? Or would you rather have grown up with a single father, in a quiet town, where you could learn about life, love, and happiness on your own?” Silver paused for a long while. He had a point. The weeks they spent in this place were unbearable. The arguments, the drinking, the awkwardness at meals…

“She said she could have loved you if she tried.”

“You don’t try for love.” Buzz Saw said quietly. “You can’t make it work for you… It just happens. I loved your mother, but it was clear she didn’t love me… It’s my mistake, Silver. I never should have married her… I never should have…”

“Don’t. Please.”

“Let me finish.” He said firmly. Quiet, but firm. “It was the best mistake I ever made. Do you know why?” She lifted her eyes to his, staring straight into those cold grey orbs. The silence stretched on as she tried to read the expression in his face. She could see nothing.

“Because of you.”

“…”

“Because I got to watch you grow up. I love you, Silver. I did everything I ever did for you.”

“I’m so sorry…” Silver muttered. “I… I never was a good daughter. Not to you, not to mom…”

“Shh.” Buzz Saw rose to his hooves, walking closer. For the first time in her life, Silver didn’t flinch when he reached his hoof out to caress her mane. She nuzzled into his touch, whimpering softly. “You were living your life. I tried to drink away the memories, so I could focus on our life… But I spent so much time forgetting old memories that I never took the time to make new ones with you. For that, Silver… I’m very sorry.” With a sob, Silver collapsed against her father, crying yet again as he held her.

For the first time in her entire life, Silver found solace in her father’s embrace.

It felt… Right.

“You’re gonna hate me.” Miralee said gently, smiling at Silver. She looked up from the paper before her, removing her glasses. “Oh? I haven’t seen you wear those…”

“S-sorry… I really don’t like wearing them. But I need to if I’m going to read. Why am I going to hate you, now?” Miralee leaned against the door, chuckling slightly.

“I know you’ve got your plate full, and you likely will for a long time now. But there’s something important we need to discuss. About a contract.”

“Contract?” Silver was the official matron as of that morning at the funeral, but she still had quite a bit to learn about the position. So much, in fact, she wondered how this place would ever run with her at the helm.

“It’s… Essentially, a standing account. If one of these particular contracts comes in, we don’t discuss price, or ask for payment. Instead, we give them the service, then automatically charge an account we have on-file. This contract is our lagest, and accounts for about a quarter of our entire profit.”

“Wow, really?” Silver asked. She was reviewing budgets as it was, so this was fitting. “Go on.”

“Well… I just received word… Celestia will be arriving tonight to discuss it with you.”

Silver nearly fainted.

“T-tonight?! Celestia?!” Her heart hammered hard in her ears, her thoughts racing a million miles an hour.

“Yes. Calm down, now, I know you’re worried. Look, here’s how it works.” Miralee flapped over to the desk, raising her hoof. Silver spotted a thin golden bracelet clasped just above her elbow. “These bracelets are given to soldiers who need a break. They bring it here, and it acts as a sort of voucher. We give them a night with one of our girls, they give us the bracelet. We return them to the treasury, and receive a payment.”

“And that’s… A quarter of our entire income?”

“Six hundred thousand bits a year.” Silver’s jaw dropped. Her father made a fraction of that, and they barely scraped by. And that was only a quarter. “But I just found out that with each new Matron, Celestia herself comes to discuss the terms of the contract. For better or worse. She arrives tonight to discuss this one in particular. Here.” Silver pulled the bracelet off and offered it to Silver, who hesitantly let the pegasus clasp it around her own fore leg.

“Wh… What do I do?”

“Fucked if I know. She just talks about it, I guess… I don’t know what it means.”

“I… Miralee, I’ve been Matron for a day! Less than that! I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Relax.” Miralee chuckled. “I checked the files… This particular contract extends back to opening night. The first Matron likely had no clue what she was doing when Celestia discussed this contract with her, too. Just talk to her, tell her the truth. She’ll likely understand your situation, and be willing to work with you on it.”

“Miralee, I don’t… I don’t even know anything about. About prices, or services, or… Or…”

“Relax. That’s why I’m here. To help you. Look, I’ll be damned if the daughter of the mare I loved is tossed into a business she doesn’t know the first thing about. So, let me explain how our usual nights work.” Miralee took the seat opposite the desk from Silver, smiling faintly. Silver perked up. She might not approve of paying money for sex, but like it or not, this was her business now. She had resolved herself to running the Hearthwarm Manor. The passing of her mother, making up with her father, being reunited with Spats and learning all she had learned about Miralee… She couldn’t leave this place behind. She didn’t have it in her. It meant never returning to Ponyville. It meant never spending any more time with her friends. But so help her, Silver was determined to make this place work.

It was beginning to feel like home.

“So here’s how it goes. Some stallion walks through those doors, saddlebags jingling with bits. He can go anywhere in the building, save for the east wing. Any room, any lounge, the restaurant, the bar. Anywhere is open to him. Or her, depending.”

“Wow, really?”

“Trust me, hon. Mares need love, too.”

“Huh. I guess so.”

“Anywho. We get customers who just come into the bar for the company, the conversation. Other customers are straight down to business. And everywhere inbetween. Our goal is to never send any customer out of our doors with a frown on their face. It’s an open process. Anypony and everypony is welcome. Ahem. Now, as far as prices go… Our flat rate is five hundred bits. The house’s take on that is one-fifth. One hundred bits. That pays your salary, the wages of the kitchen staff, and groundskeepers. As far as the prostitutes go… Well, if they don’t work, they don’t get paid. Some mares can take three or four customers in a night. Others can hardly handle one a week. It’s up to them. So, as you can imagine, our income fluctuates.”

“I can see that,” Silver grumbled, looking at the figures before her. “But… You said flat rate…”

“That means just sex. But also, anything else up to that. Meaning foreplay, conversation, cuddling, whatever. No matter what a pony comes here for, if they do it with a girl, it costs five hundred bits. No questions.”

“Do they come here for anything else?”

“I’ve had at least a dozen stallions and two distraught mares who just wanted someone to hold them.” Miralee said quietly. “They sometimes cry. Other times they just sleep… I used to think it was easy money, but now that I haven’t worked in a few weeks, I can identify… Sometimes, you just want somepony to hold you.” Silver could empathize… It had been quite some time since she had had a partner herself.

“Okay… So, anything else?”

“Well, yes. But it varies from mare to mare. Some of them won’t do anal. Others of them charge extra. Sometimes two colts want to go down on one mare. Sometimes we get groups, parties of them… The rate changes here and there, but the house’s take is always one fifth. No matter what. After five hundred bits, it’s the girl’s choice what she wants to charge, but we always take one fifth. Plain and simple.”

“Okay… So… If she decides to charge two thousand bits…?”

“Hon, I’ve seen prices as high as fifteen thousand.”

“Wow… Really?”

“No joke. The highest I’ve ever charged was ten thousand.”

“What… Why would you…”

“He wanted to put it in my ass… I named a price, and he paid it. Didn’t walk straight for a week.” Miralee shrugged. “I gave a quarter to the house… I usually do.”

“That’s awfully nice of you…”

“The only time we don’t take a fifth is for reservations in the dining hall. We take one-tenth of the menu price, minus gratuity. As far as the bar’s take, we take a quarter. The rest pays the bartenders and alcohol expenses. Every four years, we have to renew our liquor license, so the restaurant and bar pitch in for that together.”

“Okay…”

“As far as this contract with Celestia goes, we charge the flat rate. Soldiers are told beforehoof if they want anything more, they have to pay themselves. Normally, the girls keep the extra amount, and we just take one hundred of the five we get from turning in the bracelet.”

“Okay… I think I’ve got my mind wrapped around it…”

“Are you sure? Do you feel comfortable?”

“Fuck no… But what choice do I have?” Silver sighed. “I’ll talk to her tonight. Sheesh, a visit from Princess Celestia herself… That’s incredible.”

“It doesn’t happen all that often, I’ll tell you that much…” Miralee chuckled. “Though there was one time when I was still kinda young… Your mom-“

“AAHP!” Silver cut her off. “I… Don’t want to hear about it.” Miralee chuckled and lifted a shoulder indifferently.

“Was a fun night. All I’m saying.”

“Urgh… Thank you, Miralee…” Silver rolled her eyes and went back to the paper, but the pegasus didn’t move. “Was there… Something else?”

“No pressure here, Silver… But the guys and girls are getting a little antsy… They want to hear from the new Matron.”

“Hear from me? What do you mean?”

“As in, they want to talk to you. The general consensus is they don’t mind having a… I dunno, a get-together of sorts.”

“Like, what… A team meeting?” Silver thought briefly of high school athletics.

“I guess you could call it that. They just want to know who you are. Many of them never even knew Heirloom had a daughter. Two have left already.”

“Wait, they’re leaving? Just straight up-“

“Already packed and on the train, love. Nothing you could have done. As soon as Heirloom got sick, they started talking about it…” Miralee sighed and hung her head.

“That’s…”

“Shallow? Silly? Weak? Stupid? Trust me, they won’t be missed.” Miralee grumbled. “Not even in the slightest… Don’t worry about them, Silver. You have me, and a hundred others to keep you company. Now, just focus on meeting with Celestia. Later, you can talk with them. One-on-one, in a group, it doesn’t matter… But it would be conducive to chat with them.”

“Okay… I understand.” Silver smiled as Miralee stood, making for the door. She stopped on the threshold, though, looking back at Silver.

“I’m no stranger with how a whorehouse is ran, Silver. I prefer to work with the customers, but if you ever need advice, or dare I say an assistant, I can help you.”

“Miralee…” Silver groaned. “Before today, I never knew a thing about prices or contracts or… Or anything. I’m sorry, but I’m going to need your help. Or somepony’s help.”

“Hey.” Miralee came back across the room, this time rounding the desk to nuzzle Silver’s neck. “I’m here to help. It may seem cliché, but you are the daughter of the mare I loved. I want to see you do well. If it means taking a break from my own job for a few weeks to look after you, then so be it. There are other girls here, too, who would be willing to help… Manage the stress, if you will. Just because your mother could do it doesn’t mean you can.”

Silver wondered if she could do even a fraction of what her mother had accomplished…

Evening came at last, and Silver had resorted to a shot of bourbon to steady her nerves. It had been so bad a half an hour ago that she was shaking. She was stressed and nervous, apprehensive that Celestia would find her a dissatisfactory Matron, that she would be removed or banished or-

“Matron?” Silver nearly jumped as a shy mare peeked her head into her office.

“Yes?” She said, wiping a stray strand of hair off of her face.

“The Princess is here… Would you like me to show her in?”

“Yes. Please.” The moment of truth. Silver tried hard to still her hammering heart, to no avail… It thundered in her ears, making her breathing short and her hooves shakier… The mare departed, leaving Silver in an apprehensive state of anxiety. What only took two minutes felt like an eternity. When the door finally opened, though, Silver felt an odd sense of calm wash over her. Like she had accepted her fate. She slipped around the desk and bowed low as Princess Celestia slipped into her office.

If Silver’s mother was beauty, this was the definition she had received it from. Celestia was graceful and powerful all at the same time, all the while exuding this powerful sort of feeling… Here before Silver was a pony as timeless as the sun itself, as beautiful as a burning sunset. “Princess Celestia. I’m honored.” Silver said with a low bow, her muzzle nearly brushing the floor.

“Oh come now, Silver Spoon. No need to be so formal with me.” Celestia’s playful tone of voice nearly made Silver fall on her face. She looked up, eyes wide, at the beautiful princess before her.

“P-princess?”

“Your mother and I were good friends, Silver Spoon.” Celestia smiled warmly, her face calm as she looked down at the grey mare before her. Silver felt unworthy. “We would chat often. I had her over for dinner on more than one occasion.”

“Really?” Silver swallowed. “I… I never knew.” Celestia’s smile was unnerving. She was remarkably warm. Friendly, even. This was not what Silver had expected the ruler of all of Equestria to be like. Not in the slightest. She was afraid to even look at Celestia.

“Would you… Be more comfortable if we sat down?” Celestia asked gently. Given her tone of voice, it seemed Celestia was not unfamiliar with the effect she had on ponies. Silver nodded and offered a large, comfortable chair to the Princess, taking one herself. “It’s true I came to discuss business, Silver Spoon, but that does not mean we can’t be friendly. As I said, I considered Heirloom a close, personal friend. I’d like to say the same for you. But that means getting to know one another. So tell me about yourself, Silver. May I call you that?”

“I actually prefer that name…” Silver muttered with a slight blush. “I’m glad for my full name, but there are times it doesn’t quite seem to fit, you know?”

“Trust me, I share your pain… Everywhere I got, ponies insist on calling me Princess. I can name maybe five ponies in all of existence who address me simply as ‘Celestia.’ Four now, I’m afraid…” Celestia’s face appeared crestfallen for a moment. Silver felt incredible empathy in that moment… She prayed she never had to see Celestia look so sad ever again…

“You can say five now, if you’d like…” She offered a brave smile. “Celestia…”

Her smile could have lit the entire room… Nay, an entire kingdom.

“Thank you, Silver. It means much to hear you say that. Now please, tell me about yourself.” Silver swallowed gently, thinking about where to start.

“Well… I grew up in Ponyville with my father. It was odd, given my name and the company I kept, trying to keep up with all the high-brow fashion in such a small town… I really couldn’t do it in the end. The one friend I had had throughout elementary school turned out to be… Well, for lack of a better word, a bitch.”

“I’ve met a few in my day.”

“Heh. Well, there was a group of three fillies in school who were usually really nice. Me and my old friend had always been mean to them, bullied them even, but when I apologized, they accepted me. It’s thanks to them that I understand friendship, love, and kindness… I owe them a lot…” Silver’s tone dropped, and she looked to the floor. “I miss them.”

“Distance doesn’t make friendship fade, Silver.” Celestia said gently, reaching out to gently touch Silver’s chin. Slowly, the princess lifted her chin, her touch gentle and coaxing. Not forceful in the slightest. She felt so warm, so kind… So gentle. Silver stared into Celestia’s eyes in awe. “Take it from me… Good friends are hard to come by. Focus on your memories with them, Silver, and you’ll find they aren’t as far away as you think.”

“Celestia…” Silver felt tears well up in her eyes. Celestia smiled, her hoof maneuvering to gently wipe them away.

“No tears now, Silver. We DO have business to discuss, after all.”

“Right.” Silver sniffled and wiped a hoof across her eyes, inhaling shakily. “Sorry. What did you have to as-“

“MATRON!” A mare burst through the door suddenly. Both Silver and Celestia whipped their heads around, staring at the intruder with wide eyes. “You have to come! Quickly!” She vanished then, leaving only an open door in her wake.

“What…”

“I’m sorry, Princess… This sounds urgent. Please, excuse me!” There was a sudden air of emergency. Silver slipped from her chair and dashed off. Abandoning the princess was the furthest thing from her mind. Something about the mare that had burst in on them had her extremely worried. At the fore of her mind was the panic and emergency. As she followed the panicked mare into the foyer, she heard why. Below, there was an argument of monumental proportions taking place.

“THAT BITCH LOOKED AT ME WRONG!”

“Please, sir, calm down-“

“I DEMAND A REFUND!” Silver dashed down the stairs and emerged into the midst of the argument, eyes wide as she drank in the situation. Flustered, a medium-sized pegasus stood with his wings flared wide, staring directly at a sobbing mare being comforted by two others. There were two stallions inbetween the pegasus and the poor mare, but they could hardly hold him back.

In an instant, Silver comprehended what was happening. This mare worked for the house, and this pegasus had abused her. In fact, as she walked forward, she saw the dark mark on her neck. It looked like a hoof-print. The pegasus had struck her!

“What’s her name?” Silver asked one of the two mares comforting her sobbing friend.

“A-Amy… Who are-“

“Amy, darling,” Silver gently cupped her chin, lifting her eyes up. “Did he strike you?” Amy sobbed several times, tears running from her puffy eyes freely.

“Y-yes!” She sobbed, crying harder now. Silver could have sworn she saw red. Turning around, she shouldered past the two large stallions, her intent glare set on the fuming pegasus.

“Who the fuck is this bitch?!” He spat at her, his cheeks flushed with anger. “Step aside, you foal. I’ve business to settle with that fucking who-“

“Your business,” Silver cut him off with a dangerous tone. “Is with me. And with my establishment.” Confused whispers traveled outwards, questioning Silver, wondering who this new grey mare was. But at that moment, Silver’s vision was fixed firmly on the pegasus before her.

“No, my business is with-“

“Shut up.” Silver cut him off again. “I’ll not hear a word from any stallion who sees fit to lay a hoof on my employees under my roof. Not after all my mother put into this place. You, sir. Are leaving.” Silver was slowly speaking louder and louder, advancing on the pegasus step by step. For each step she neared him, he shrank away half a step, at least until her face was an inch from his.

“I’m not leaving! Even if you own this place, I demand a refund! Now back away before I give you the same lesson I did her!” Silver didn’t retreat an inch. She stared at him dangerously, her expression saying the words that were on the tip of her tongue. ‘I dare you.’ This pegasus was threatening an employee her mother had interviewed and hired herself, had made her cry. Now he was disrupting a business that Silver had vowed to run, had hoped she could run half as well as her mother did.

“I said back away!” A gasp went around as the pegasus lifted a hoof, his fore leg cocked backwards. Too slow. Silver whipped around, lifted her hind legs, and delivered a blow that echoed through the foyer audibly. The pegasus was lifted off of the ground, and thanks to his light weight, flew back through the doors. Landing on the dirty cobblestone, he tumbled several times, finally coming to halt with his face in the ground.

“You ever show your face around here again,” Silver followed after him, bringing with her a stream of shocked guests, contractors, employees, and whores alike. “I will see to it you become much more familiar with the ground than you are now.”

“How dare you,” The pegasus panted, his breathing shallow and fast. “I’m the cousin of the weather team’s capt-“

“I don’t care if you’re the captain of the guard!” Silver shot back. “I don’t care if you’re the most prominent foreign dignitary from Saddle Arabia! I don’t give a damn if you’re Princess Celestia herself! You ever make an employee of mine cry like that, and I swear to everything I hold dear, I will see you cry twice as much!” The pegasus looked up at the frightening grey mare standing above him, with an entire house worth of other ponies watching him. “Leave now, and never come back.” The pegasus couldn’t say anything against that. Scrambling to his hooves, he ran straight for the gate, cursing and panting. Silver watched him leave, making sure he was well out of sight before returning to Amy. Ponies moved aside, eyes wide as they stared at her passing. Amy sniffled as Silver approached, her own eyes wide with shock.

“Are you okay, Amy?” Silver asked gently, giving a warm smile. Gone was the stone-cold face she had worn just a moment ago. Now, she was every bit as concerned as a mother mare for her young filly.

“F-fine,” Amy muttered. Silver gently turned her head to the side, surveying the dark mark. Just a bruise. She tsked and shook her head.

“I’m so sorry you had to deal with him, Amy… He won’t bother you or anypony here anymore. Take as long as you need to recover, and double your take for the evening. For your trouble.”

“Wh… What?” Amy whimpered.

“How much do you charge normally?” Silver asked again with a soft smile.

“F-five hundred… Eer,”

“Silver. Please. Miralee? Are you here?” Silver looked around.

“Up here, Matron!” Silver looked up to spot Miralee on the third floor balcony, smiling down at her.

“There you are. Be a dear and fetch Amy eight hundred bits, would you?” Silver glanced down at Amy with a smile. “For her touble.”

“Right away!” Miralee vanished, but everypony in the foyer was looking at her still. Amy was the first to speak, her tone shaky.

“Who… Who are you?”

“I can answer that question.” Celestia strode down the steps, parting ponies around her with a serene smile on her face. Ponies everywhere dropped to a reverent bow as she passed, everypony save Silver and Amy. As Celestia approached, the rest looked up at her, shocked and in awe at what was happening.

“She is Silver, daughter of Heirloom, and heir to Hearthwarm Manor.” Celestia leaned in, her horn glowing brilliantly for a moment. The dark mark on Amy’s neck faded away in a moment, leaving her fully healed. “More importantly, dear Amy,” Everypony rose up, looking at the Princess as she smiled down at Silver.

“She’s your new Matron.”