> The Freeville Chronicles (A Fall of Equestria: Shattered Order Story)
>  by Aristagtle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Confessions [reworked]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The door opened, and Eadgil entered the living room of his new acquaintance, the other caribou, who had introduced himself as Baldr, directly behind him. He was almost surprised to find a potential recruit for his project so quickly - but everything he had heard about Baldr added up so far. But he knew that he had to make sure. The difficult part of the evening was still ahead of him.

The other caribou pointed to a chair. “Please have a seat and make yourself at home”, he said with a smile.

Eadgil sat down, and the other stag turned his head to a cow that was with them in the room, doing some light chores. Eadgil hadn’t even noticed her at first - but now he realized that she hadn’t knelt down and waited for orders when they had entered the room. A year or so ago, he would have taken at least light offense - but now, he saw it as a potential good sign.

“Would you like a drink?”, the stag named Baldr asked him, and he responded with a nod. 

Baldr then turned his head to the cow. “Bruna, would you bring a bottle of my special brew for my guest and me?” No harsh command, just a simple request - more like how a stag would talk to a subordinate male and less like how he would talk to a slave.

The cow rushed away, but returned only shortly after with a bottle and two glasses. She placed the glasses on the table between Eadgil and Baldr, then uncorked the bottle. While she poured his glass, she gave him a look with deep, brown eyes that almost looked thoughtful. For a brief moment, he was surprised and almost a little offended that she didn’t keep her eyes down, but dared to look a male directly into the eyes without asking for permission - but then, he smiled back at her.

During all of this, he couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that Baldr was observing him and his reactions - but he couldn’t make out any unusual reaction from the other stag. The cow didn't say a word, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that this cow was somehow different. Something about her smile seemed unusual. Cows often smiled, at least when they weren't about to be shoved in the dirt and trampled upon by someone, but her smile seemed… different. There was no other word to describe it.

The cow left to do her work somewhere else, and Eadgil took a sip from his glass. To his surprise, he found a rather strange taste, sweet and bitter at the same time, but the notes didn't clash.

“This is really good”, he said. “But also strange. What is this?”

The other stag smiled. Eadgil noticed that he also had amber brown eyes, just like the cow, which could indicate some kind of family relation. Eadgil had never really given it much thought, but most caribou had eyes of some shade of blue or green. He had noticed that ponies had a wide variety of different eye colors though, as well as many other sapient species. He still wondered if this was some kind of inherited anomaly.

“Oh, just an old family recipe”, the other stag answered. “I use rum as the base and cherries and bitter herbs for the taste.”

Eadgil smiled back. “Does it have a name?”

The other stag shook his head. “It doesn’t have one yet. I invented it only recently. My family always made good cherry liquors and spirits, but I discovered the herbs I use for this drink here in Equestria. I've never tasted anything like this before. The bitterness of these herbs should clash with the flavor of cherries, but for some odd reason, it doesn't. The herbs also give the liquor the distinct coloring.”

Eadgil involuntarily took a look at the liquid. It was brown of color, almost the same shade of brown as the eyes of the cow who had poured it. It also seemed to emit some kind of glow, which Eadgil suspected to be a sort of optical illusion, created by the light in the room. “What do you think of the name Cherry Glow?”, he asked.

  The other stag raised the glass to look at the liquid himself. “Glow, definitely”, he said. “But I find it odd to refer to the glow, but then name it after its ingredients and not after the color, and not even after the ingredient which gives it this distinct color. It's very dark shade of black amber, so the name Amber Glow would be more fitting, don't you think?”

“Fine”, Eadgil answered. “Amber Glow it is, then. It's a more poetic name anyway. Here’s to you!” He raised his glass.

“Thank you”, the other stag cheered. “You said your name was Ari?”, he asked.

“It’s a chosen name”, Eadgil admitted. “My father named me Eadgil, but all my friends call me Ari nowadays.”

“A bit unusual, but why not?”, Baldr responded. “Is there a story behind it?”

“Yeah”, Eadgil said, averting his eyes. “I swore an oath to my father on my birth name… but then I… kind of... broke it. So I picked a new name. It doubles as a promise of sorts…”

Baldr rubbed his chin. “Interesting”, he said.

“But anyway… thank you very much for inviting me to your house”, Eadgil said - trying to divert attention away from the topic, but also trying to get to the points that he needed to clear up. “I’m a bit curious”, he admitted. “I hope you don’t mind if I ask a question. You have this cow here who brought us our drinks, and another one in the entrance area who took our mantles, but I haven’t seen any mares…”

The other stag took a sip. “That's because I didn't claim any. I'm simply more comfortable with cows.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil inquired. “Why is that? Are they simply not your type?”

Eadgil already knew that Baldr didn’t own any mares, of course. He had done his homework. He was aware of the irony in this, but it was part of the reason why the other stag had drawn his attention in the first place. However, he still needed to know the reason.

Baldr raised an eyebrow.

“Did I say something wrong?”, Eadgil asked, trying to make an innocent face.

“It’s just that… I don’t really know you that well yet. Let me ask you a question in return. It is generally held that cows need training in order to learn how to behave, but despite that, most of them seem to have an instinctive desire to please their males. Do you think the same is true for mares?”

Silence filled the room. Eadgil knew the answer to that, of course. It was the reason he was here in the first place - the reason for all of this. But this was the first time another stag asked him - and he had expected to be the stag asking it, not the stag being asked.

After what seemed like a very long time, Eadgil shook his head. “No”, he said.

Another long moment passed. Eventually, the other stag nodded.

“Indeed. They don't desire it, we have to force it onto them, and then bend or break them until they submit. I... have no wish to do something like that to anyone.”

Eadgil nodded. “I feel the same.”

Baldr smiled. “So do you own any mares, Ari?”

Eadgil gave a slow, sad nod. “Yes”, he responded.

They fell silent for a long while. Eadgil stared at his cup, then took another sip.

“That may sound strange, but… I envy you, Baldr”, he eventually said, almost more to himself.

“Oh?”, Baldr asked.

“You… never had to cut off horns, or pluck feathers. You can’t imagine what that feels like.”

Baldr smirked. “Just imagine how they feel. But what do you mean you had to?” 

“Well, if I hadn’t, then someone else would have”, Eadgil responded.

“Yes, but then you wouldn’t have”, Baldr remarked. “So why did you?”

Eadgil took a deep breath. “Because then they would have been given to someone else. I couldn’t let that happen. I had sworn an oath.”

“The oath to your father?”, Baldr asked.

Eadgil gave him a nod.

“The oath you broke”, Baldr said matter-of-factly.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t feel obligated by it anymore though”, Eadgil said. “On the contrary. If anything, today more than ever.”

Baldr nodded, rubbing his chin. “I think I’m beginning to understand.”

“I have to admit, I’m still confused as to why we did it”, Eadgil said. “Even from the king’s perspective, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it? We have nullifier rings to neutralize horns. Wings are more of a problem, but they can be bound, or if you want to make them permanently unusable, clipped - which would have been a lot easier. Maybe you as a medic have some insight in this matter. Why plucking the wings instead of clipping them?”

  The other stag thought for a minute. “I think we did it because it is humiliating and must hurt like hell. It ‘puts them in their place’, as we say. It shows them what we're capable of, and discourages them from resisting.”

Eadgil nodded. “The foxes were subjected to fairly harsh treatment as well after King Svardagr conquered them.”

Baldr looked his new friend in the eyes. “Ari, do you think foxes are inferior to us?”

“Males or females?”, Eadgil asked.

Baldr smirked. “Either. Both. Does it matter?”

“Depends on who you ask”, Eadgil answered. “King Svardagr clearly thought foxes were inferior to male caribou regardless of their gender. On the other hand, King Dainn seems to think that males are equals, regardless of species… though that doesn’t go as far as switching back former male foxes that got switched to females during Svardagr’s conquest, which seems a little bit inconsistent if you ask me.”

“Seems like we can’t even agree on who’s inferior and who isn’t”, Baldr chuckled softly.

“Are you testing me?”, Eadgil asked. “Both kings believed that females are inferior, no matter what. The point of contention between them is whether there are also species that are inferior to us as a whole, males included. King Svardagr believed that there are. King Dainn believes that there aren’t. King Dainn happens to have strong beliefs when it comes to male equality, but honestly, I actually think most of our leaders don’t even care too much.”

“What about you?”, Baldr asked. “Do you share King Dainn’s views about male equality?”

“Yes”, Eadgil responded, pausing for a moment. “I just think he doesn’t go far enough.” He decided to leave it at that for now.

Baldr rubbed his chin once more. “Interesting…”, he said.

“And you?”, Eadgil asked, a little frustrated about the fact that he didn’t quite seem to be in control of the conversation. “Do you share the king’s views? Or are you on King Svardagr’s side in this debate.”

“Can’t you guess by now?”, the other stag asked. “Neither, of course. We reject the entire premise of this debate.”

“‘We’?”, Eadgil asked.

“My family”, Baldr responded. “Though I guess I’m the only stag left by now.”

Eadgil nodded. He knew the burden of being the last remaining member of a once proud household all too well.

They fell silent for a long while.

“So you do own mares”, Baldr eventually said. “I assume you didn’t buy them, but took them during the invasion?”

“I rescued one of them from the Canterlot dumps”, Eadgil responded. “The others, I took during the invasion, yes. Two in Lindisbarne, one in the Crystal Empire, one in Canterlot. That latter one, the one from Canterlot… she really got me thinking.”

“Is she the reason why you think the king’s views on equality… don’t go far enough?”, Baldr said, paraphrasing Eadgil’s own words from earlier.

Eadgil nodded. “I'm really not proud of some of the things I've done.”

He sighed. What he was about to say was potentially incriminating, and he really hoped he had gotten the right idea about Baldr - but if things went on like this, they would dance around the issue forever.

“Something about forcing mares into our households never seemed right to me, but a while ago, I started to feel guilty for it. Ever since we landed in these new lands, a series of events made me gradually question my old beliefs - but for quite a while, I did still believe that they probably had it better with me than with any other male under those circumstances. One of my mares - the one I had claimed in Canterlot - convinced me otherwise. It was almost literally a revelation for me. I believe now that there must be another way of life. In fact, I believe that we have to find another way if we want to secure the survival of our species, and by now possibly that of the ponies as well. After all, the stallions had lived different lives as well before we allegedly 'cured' them. By the way, I know something about that as well."

He paused for a moment. “That’s why I have contacted you. You seem to be… different as well. I have acquired a piece of land west of Ponyville called Everfree forest, including a few ruins within it. I want to build a new colony there. With regards to the mares, I wish to gain an idea of how they lived before we came to Equestria. I also want to find a new way of life for ourselves. If we can make something work, we might even… apply it to all of Equestria.

“Gain an idea of how they lived before we came…”, Baldr repeated. Then, he lowered his voice a bit. “So you want to abandon slavery for mares in your colony?”

“That’s… more straightforward than I would have put it”, Eadgil admitted. “But yes, essentially.”

Baldr nodded. “I’m with you on that one. As for ourselves, you mentioned finding a new way of life. If I may suggest something…” He gave a mysterious smile. “We could even try out new ways of handling the cows. If we're trying some social experimentation anyway, why not in this area as well?”

“You want to abandon slavery for cows as well?”, Eadgil asked in disbelief.

Baldr smiled softly. “I don’t quite think it works like that. The mares know what it’s like to be free. The cows don’t, and I think most of them don’t really want to know.”

Eadgil nodded. “But we have to try out something new.”

Baldr leaned back and took another sip from his glass. “Exactly. As a matter of fact, if you’re ready to move out, I can gather my cows and come with you as early as tomorrow morning. I'd like to pack my medical equipment and some of my bottles, but not more than we and the cows can carry. We can fetch all my other stuff later. After all, we also need to find more recruits, and I think I might be able to help you with that.”

Eadgil nodded.

“But for now, let’s just enjoy the evening”, Baldr said. “As a matter of fact, your ‘chosen name’ reminds me of a story I would like to tell you.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “Is this a story you picked up here in Equestria? I’m a scholar, and fairly confident that I know all of our people’s stories.”

Baldr smiled. “My family has its own stories”, he answered. “There are a few among them that are quite original, but most of them are... different takes on the more popular stories of our people, as it were. This one is probably of the latter category. The names are changed, but I always saw it as an alternative take on the story of Veizla and Matask.”

Eadgil grimaced. “Ugh, that one! I never liked that one!”

Baldr smiled gently. “Of course not! You're a good stag, you're protective of your females.”

Eadgil nodded. “Thank you. You know, when my father told me the story as part of my education on our culture, I noticed quickly that he was just as appalled by the story as I was… but I also managed to surprise him by coming up with a different ending for it.”

His vis-à-vis raised an eyebrow. “Really? Care to tell me?”

“Well, it… plays out the same way up until the very end. You know the setup. There are two stags, Matask and Illskr, and each of them owns a cow, but both are not happy with their respective cows. Matask has been mostly nice to his cow and now sees her as spoiled for having developed a will of her own, Illskr has beaten his cow into a twitching mess of fear, and they both want their cows to change instead of considering to change themselves, so they exchange cows for a while. But once the cows are returned to their original Masters, things take a different turn. Soon after, Matask and Illskr get into a fight with each other. Illskr accuses Matask of having spoiled his fuck toy rotten… and Matask accuses Illskr of having reduced his wonderful Veizla to a twitching mess. Eventually, the entire town joins the fight about who is to blame…”

Baldr laughed. “I like that. Seems pretty realistic to me. I can actually see that happen. To be honest, I think that's the more plausible outcome. Matask and Illskr are both pretty shitty people, but they are still very different temperaments, with very different likes and dislikes.”

Eadgil nodded. “The point I wanted to make is an ironic reversal. I mean, you know the lesson of the original story. 'Each stag had helped the other, and in doing so, helped themselves.' So is the lesson that stags dominate cows because they work together? Now what if the cows also did that? I mean, that's also how we rule Equestria – the males organize their efforts, and they prevent the females from organizing. You know I want to change that – and the lesson of the story sort of points to a possible solution, doesn't it? Even though the males in Equestria organize their domination over the females by running the state and taking all important positions, they still insist on keeping the private households. But what if we had a community that abandoned private households in favor of real cooperation, and if it included the females? Maybe even with some of them in positions of authority. I'm not sure about cows, but mares are definitely capable of that. I guess in time, it could even become an agricultural and economic powerhouse of sorts. That's what I want to try. That's why I bought Everfree forest.”

A broad smile crossed Baldr's face. “That sounds very interesting. Don't tell anyone, but it's… actually not too different from to how we handled things in our family. Of course we didn't have cows in positions of authority, and we recognized the wisdom of our Elders – but we never had a single head of the household. The fathers in our family never made use of their official, legal absolute authority. It wasn’t our way. We debated and made decisions together at the dinner table – and we even allowed the cows to eat with us at the same round table. It was an important ritual for us.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, I'm the only male in our family who made it to Equestria, at least as far as I know. As a matter of fact, the greater part of my family had already left our old home years before Dainn's departure. We… weren’t exactly fans of Svardagr. I was one of the few of us who hadn't left. While Dainn sailed west, my family moved east. Believe it or not, but some of us have friends in the cat kingdom.”

Baldr stopped for a moment, waiting for a reaction from Eadgil to his mention of one of the caribou's oldest enemies. When the other stag showed no reaction, Baldr decided to finish his thought.

“Now of course, we were only one single family – but imagine this extended to an entire village. Or even an entire nation!”

Eadgil laughed. “That would have to be a big dinner table.”

“Yeah, I guess it would”, Baldr responded, joining in with the laughter. “But… I still wanted to tell you the story I mentioned earlier”, he then said. “As a matter of fact, I'll read it to you.”

He paused for a second. Then, he called for his cow. “Bruna!” 

She came rushing from wherever she had been.

“Bruna”, Baldr said when she had arrived. “Would you be so kind as to bring me the book with our family's tales and fables? I want to read the story of Eli and Joba to our guest.”

“Oooh”, the cow said. “May I sit here with you and listen, Master?”

Baldr raised an eyebrow. “I thought you didn't like that story, because of how sad it is.”

“I know, but…” She giggled, gave Eadgil a shy look, then looked back at him.

Baldr's face brightened. “Oh. Oooh! I see! Well, if our new friend has no objections…” He suddenly had an odd grin on his face, while Eadgil's face betrayed an increasing confusion.

For a brief moment, Eadgil couldn't shake off the odd feeling that he was being tested. But of course he had no problems with her being here. “No, I'm… fine with that”, he said.

The cow rushed to get the book from another room, brought it to her Master, then whispered something to him. “For now, yes”, Baldr answered. “Take the cushion.”

She placed herself on a cushion next to Baldr's chair, giving Eadgil a friendly smile.    

Baldr opened the book. "Well, then, let me begin. This is the story of Eri and his cow, Joba." He began to read.

   Once upon a time, there was a stag called Eri. He had many cows, but there was one he valued more than all others. Her name was Joba, and in his eyes, as well as the eyes of the townsfolk, she was everything a cow was supposed to be. She was obedient, carried out any task her Master would ask her for without ever complaining, and she had already given him a healthy heir, and also several healthy cows. She also didn't show the usual signs of weakness that were known of females, she didn't stumble and trip over her own hooves all the time, and she wouldn't tremble in fear from sudden noises, but instead continue with whatever task she was doing for her Master. For this reason, he loved her so much that he gave her all the comfort a cow could wish for, and more. He very rarely punished her because he saw no reason to, and he also gave her cushions of satin to lie on, he gave her the same food he ate, and she had many wonderful things.

   One day, Eri was in a pub drinking beer when another stag entered the tavern. It was Loke, who was called the Dragon by the other stags, because he was known to be as cruel and uncaring as a dragon towards females, and it was whispered that he wouldn't even shy away from cruelty towards other males when he could get away with it. Eri was already drunk and boasting about his cow Joba, how well she served him, and how much joy and benefit she brought to his household. Loke couldn't bear this talk, so he decided to challenge Eri. He laughed at him with scorn. "The only reason your cow is so good and obedient is because you pamper her", he said. "I bet if you take away everything you have given her and subject her to harsh discipline like I do with my cows, she will very soon show the same weaknesses and shortcomings as all other cows." Eri was already drunk and didn't see through Loke's deception, so he accepted the bet.

   When Eri came home, Joba was asleep, so he took away her toys. When she awoke and wanted to use them for her pleasure, and in order to train to serve her Master even better, but couldn't find them, she felt sad and confused. Had the other cows taken them? Should she ask her Master? No, she wouldn't address him without permission.

Baldr stopped reading and let out a little sigh. “To be honest, I always found this part a bit annoying. I get that the story wants to emphasize how well behaved she was, according to the usual standards of our culture, but for as long as I can recall, the stags of my family always let the cows speak freely as long as no outsiders were present, and I think everything else is a big mistake. This is one of my family's stories, and we don't usually share these stories except with very few chosen friends, so I really don't know why this part was added.”
He took another sip from his glass. “On the other hand, it's crystal clear to anyone in our family that Eli isn't supposed to be one of us, and as I see it, one of the lessons of this story is precisely to show why it is so important to let them speak, and to talk and listen to them. But we'll get to that.”

Eadgil gave his new friend an agreeing nod. “I agree with this. Letting the females speak freely, I mean. It's also something I learned from my father. 'Silence is death, son', he used to say. 'You don't want your females to die inside, do you?' From the very beginning, I also made it clear to my mares that they were allowed to speak to me freely – at least in private.”

The cow giggled and gave Eadgil what he took to be an admiring look. Her Master just gave him a nod. “I see”, he said. “Your father must have been a wise stag, and it seems he has taught you well. But now let me continue with my story…”

   But soon he came and ordered her to do her daily work. But this time, he was paying close attention to every little detail of what she was doing, and whenever something wasn't to his liking, he would give her a hard slap to the butt, like she hadn't known from him before. And when she was finished and her ass cheeks were already red and glowing, he bent her over a table and forcefully took her up the ass until she cried.

   In the evening, her Master didn't let her eat her usual food out of her bowl, but instead threw her some leftover from the meal the other cows had earlier that day. He threw it right at the floor and ordered her to eat it. "I really hope you did a good job cleaning it", he said coldly. "For your sake." She did not understand why her beloved Master was so cruel to her all of a sudden.

   When she returned to her sleeping place on his orders, she found all her cushions removed. Eri had not even replaced them with straw. He just ordered her to sleep on the hard, cold floor.

   The next day, when Eri opened the door, he found a riding crop lying on the ground in front of the door, and a card from Loke which said "Time for the next step". Eri didn't feel well, He had never beaten his cows with anything else than the palm of his hand. But he had made the bet, and he would go through with it. He took up the crop, and this day, he used it on Joba instead of his hand when she was doing her work. And once again, after she was done, he bent her over and fucked her until she cried.

   This went on for a while. One day, Eri found a cane lying in front of his door. Attached to it was a card from Loke, saying "Continue with the crop for now, but take this cane and put it somewhere safe. You will need it soon. You will know when." And Eri did how he was told. He continued with the usual program he had established, but he kept the cane somewhere where he would always be able to grab it quickly when the time would be right.

    With every day, Joba became more and more fearful and clumsy, and every night she cried herself to sleep.

    "Why are you crying?", one of the other cows finally asked her.

    "Master is taking everything away from me, he is punishing me, and I don't know why", Joba said.

    "Well, you sure must have done something wrong", the other cow said. "Master is just, he knows what we deserve and what is best for us."

    Joba shook her head. "That may be, but I don't know what it is. And he won't tell me. So how should I know what to change in order to please him again?"

    Another cow now joined in. "You're selfish", she said. "You only want to change in order to get all your fancy stuff and priv... privi... nice things back. You should think about what he wants. If it pleases him to punish you and to treat you roughly, you should accept this as your Master's will."

    "I am not selfish", Joba answered. "If this really is how Master wants to treat me from now on, I will accept it. All I ask for is to learn the meaning of it."

    Yet another cow now also came to her. "But you shouldn't ask for meaning. We are just cows, we can't understand such things, and we shouldn't even try."

    Joba's eyes were full of tears. "I know!", she cried. "But I can't stop asking!"

    What she did not know was that Eri had observed her, like he had always done during the last evenings – and now he realized that it was time.

    He quickly reached for the cane and approached his once beloved cow. "You can't stop asking?", he yelled at her, cane in hand. She instantly stumbled backwards from the shock and fell on her own plushy butt. "You can't stop asking? Have you ever asked for meaning when I still treated you well? Have you ever asked for the meaning of this house that I built with my own hands? Have you ever asked for the meaning of the walls that I raised, the roof I put over your head? Have you ever asked for the meaning of the food on your plate, or the toys, or the cushions? Now you start to ask for meaning? Here, let me teach you a lesson on what happens when you ask about the meaning of things you don't understand!" He raised his cane, ready to give his cow the beating of her lifetime.

    He looked down at her, and saw a trembling mass, shivering in fear. A mere shell of the wonderful creature he once used to love so much, and be so proud of.

    He dropped the cane. In the back of his head, he heard Loke's scornful laughter.

   Baldr closed the book. Eadgil noticed that his cow's eyes had become a little wet. She looked at him as though she was searching for comfort.

Baldr emptied his glass as soon as he had finished his narration.   

“I think I want to kill Loke”, Eadgil said.

Baldr looked at the other stag with feigned surprise. “Loke, huh? Why is that? He didn't do anything. It was Eri who did all these things to Joba.”

Eadgil just stared at him blankly. “Eri huh... why... but... Loke is the bad guy of the story, isn't he? I mean... what did he do, huh? Um…”

Baldr grinned deviously. “Surprisingly articulate. I stuttered even more when my father read me the story for the first time. But then again, I was quite a few years younger than you are. But indeed, Loke never directly does anything evil in the story. He just plants all those evil little ideas in Eri's mind, and it's Eri who chooses to act on them. So unless you want to say that Eri is somehow non compos mentis, why the hell would you blame Loke?”

It took Eadgil a second to even process what his new friend had just said, but then he virtually erupted.

“Because this story is about me! I mean, it's… similar to the last months of my own life. All those things I had to do, in Lindisbarne, in Canterlot... those things I had to do to my mares... cutting horns, plucking feathers, violating them... it's... no! It was Vestri! It's all his fault!”

The cow grabbed her Master’s leg in fear. For a moment, Eadgil felt sorry for his outburst. Baldr immediately let his hand run gently through the cow’s mane, comforting her. “Shh, it’s okay”, he whispered. Then, he turned back to Eadgil. “Do you mean Lieutenant Vestri?”, he asked. “How do you know the king’s right hand?”

“He was my commanding officer, from Lindisbarne to shortly after the invasion of Canterlot”, Eadgil answered. “He forced me to cut the horns and pluck the feathers of my mares, even though I was opposed to that from the very first minute, even before I came to reject slavery for the mares altogether! Have you ever seen the face of a mare when you cut her horn, or pluck her wings? I had sworn an oath to my father to keep them safe! He forced me to take Deepest Desire, to force myself onto her! I... I had no choice. He would have taken them from me! They relied on me for protection! But I let them all down, because of him!”

Baldr nodded. “I see”, he said. “Vestri put you in a situation where the only way to uphold your oath was to break it.”

“Oh, that’s not all, believe me!”, Eadgil glanced at him. “A few days after Lieutenant Vestri had forced me to cut Dawn Blaze's horn and to pluck Misty Skies' feathers back in Lindisbarne, I came to his tent and asked him if he really believed all the things he and the king had told us and the ponies: That we were doing what was best for them, that we were freeing the males from oppression, bringing the true natural order to all sapient beings, showing them the true way of living. You know all the stuff - the stuff that has been around at least since Svardagr and that Dainn seems to love even more. Vestri just stared at me for a second. Then he fell into broad, condescending laughter.”

Baldr smirked. “Really? That’s interesting.”

“And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. One day after our first big defeat, a few months before we finally conquered Canterlot, I was on guard duty for Vestri, and I accidentally overheard a conversation between the council. That ‘cure’ they used on the stallions… it’s a form of magical mind control. They’re using an artifact they found in the Crystal Empire, and then somehow altered for this purpose. I don’t know how exactly, but they somehow… altered it for that purpose. And I don’t think they quite understand what they were doing.”

Baldr nodded. “Shocking that they would resort to such means, but I wouldn’t put it past them. I believe it. I assume you also want to find ways to disrupt that spell.”

Eadgil nodded.

“Alright”, Baldr said. “What did you tell him?”

“Whom?”, Eadgil asked.

“Vestri”, Baldr responded. “When you asked him for permission to claim that land and set up a new colony there. What did you tell him?”

Eadgil chuckled. “Well, I marketed it as an agricultural colony, meant to turn parts of the forest into farmland so as to secure our food supply. I also casually mentioned that this ruin might become a hiding spot for rebels and refugees if we don’t put it to use.”

Baldr smirked. “So you’ll put it to use by turning it into a hiding spot for rebels and refugees.”

Eadgil laughed. “Yeah, pretty much. But I didn’t tell him that, of course.”

Baldr nodded. “Of course not.”

“Honestly, that’s another reason why I want to do this”, Eadgil said. “In the long run, I want the king and Vestri removed. I think they corrupt everything they touch - myself included. I will never let the things I was forced to do happen to any mare under my watch, and I don’t want any males or females to be forced to go through the same thing either.

Eadgil shot a glance at Baldr's cow. She had calmed down completely, and gave him even more glances now. For a moment, he wondered if she and Baldr had ever gone through something like this as well, though there was no indication of it at all. The longer he stared into her eyes though, the more his thoughts wandered off, and the more he began to wonder how far her admiration for him went. Had his determination impressed her? Or had her frightful reaction to his anger somehow turned into admiration? For the first time, he realized that by now he understood mares better than the females of his own species.

Her Master gave him an apologetic look. “I'm sorry. Seems like I still hit a nerve. I didn't intend to trigger a panic attack. Your situation is obviously a bit different than Eri's. You're right, you had very little choice. Loke was just a mean-spirited drinking companion. Vestri was your commanding officer and a political authority, and you're right in saying that you had an obligation towards your mares. I also actually buy that they would probably have had a harder time with most other males. As a matter of fact, if you keep the usual mindset of our people in mind, I think the very fact that you saw yourself as obligated to protect them instead of just seeing them as disposable toys proves that. But... it also shows something else. I think Eri's story isn't only yours. I think quite a few stags had similar experiences. Social pressure, soft or hard, forcing them to do things to their females that they don't want to do. I think this because my family always had to struggle with such reactions – and we at least had each other and our tradition of family solidarity, but what about stags from smaller households with similarly unconventional ideas? I always guessed the pressure they feel must be immense. The story tells us that we have to resist the whispers of mean-spirited stags, even if they're in positions of power, or else we will ruin our own happiness and that of others. It also tells us to take responsibility for our own actions instead of blaming others. You seem to be willing to do that. Otherwise we wouldn't have this conversation, would we?"

Eadgil chuckled. “Or maybe the story just tells us not to drink too much, and be careful about who we drink with.”

Baldr laughed. “That too, of course. There is of course also yet another lesson that can be learned from that story… but maybe another time”, he added. “Once again, I'm sorry that I pushed a button.”

Eadgil shook his head. “It's... not your fault. The story hit home, but in just the right way. It also helped me to remind myself of why I'm doing this.”

“Of course”, Baldr answered. “I just wanted to let you know that you have my support whenever you need it.”

Eadgil gulped. “Thanks for the offer.”

Baldr gave him a worried look. “Look, I don't usually do that, but... you seem to be a good stag, despite everything, so... if you want one of my cows to help you calm down, just say so.” 

His cow let out a small giggle.

Eadgil shook his head. “No, I... we barely know each other, I don't even know any of them yet... I'm not sure if it would be appropriate. Besides, it's okay. I'm already beginning to calm down… just pour me another cup of that wonderful drink of yours.”

Baldr smiled and glanced at his cow, who was still casting the other stag looks and smiles. “I see. But I think there's at least one of my cows who would find it quite appropriate.”

Eadgil finally got it.

“Well… maybe once we've gotten to know each other a bit better”, Eadgil said. “I prefer to get to know people before I allow them to come close to me.” He looked at the cow again. “I… hope you're not too disappointed, little one. What was your name again?”

She looked at her Master. He gave her a nod in response.

“Bruna”, she said, smiling at Eadgil. Then she cast her eyes down. “And… it's not my place to be disappointed about a male's choices, but… since you asked… yes, a little bit.”

Eadgil smiled. “Well, in that case, we should start getting to know each other quickly. You can call me Ari.” He extended my hand towards her. “Nice to meet you.”

She stared at my hand for a moment. "It's okay", Eadgil said. "Take it."

“I think you can trust him”, Baldr said. “I'm still evaluating him, but I have a feeling that we're going to adopt him.”

Bruna smiled broadly. “Oh, I see! How wonderful!" She took Eadgil's extended hand in both of hers and shook them enthusiastically. "Nice to meet you too… Ari.”

Eadgil just stared at her. Suddenly, he felt he was the one who was left confused.
> Chapter 2: Foundation [reworked]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not even two months later, Eadgil and his new friend were standing in the yard of Luna’s castle, alongside a number of other stags that they had recruited in the course of the last months. To his surprise, finding suitable candidates had proven to be easier and less time-consuming than he had feared. Baldr seemed to have an unwritten list of signs to look for that helped identify stags with similar ideas, and Eadgil began to wonder if his friend had been thinking about something like this even before they had met. Of course, all of them had owned mares, most of them for similar reasons as Eadgil. As a matter of fact, the mares would be outnumbering them two to one - not counting the cows. Upon arrival, they had informed them about their plans, and then given them time to discuss matters among each other and select representatives.

The stags themselves had chosen Eadgil as their representative, and he had asked Baldr to accompany him. Behind the stags, their cows were waiting patiently. Baldr had suggested to let them be present for their deliberation with the mares.

Eventually, the mares arrived in the yard, gathering on the other side, as two of them approached the two friends. Even from the distance, Eadgil was able to recognize one of them as Deepest Desire by the rather unusual combination of her dark grey coat and the light grey mane. The other one was a pegasus, green-coated and with a short green mane. The mares were wearing the long coats they had brought for them. The coats were technically stallions' clothing, a bit too long and wide for most of them, but it had been impossible to find any pre-invasion mares' clothing that hadn't either been destroyed or altered and turned into what his people deemed ‘slave-appropriate’ clothing. The stags had decided to also provide the mares with materials, so they could start producing their own clothing if they so desired. The mares also still wore their collars, as there hadn’t been an opportunity to take them off yet, but they were planning to do so after this talk.

The green-ish pegasus approached Eadgil. “I am Spring Breeze”, she introduced herself. “The mares have chosen me to represent them. I understand you already know Deepest Desire?” 

She didn’t bother to offer them her hand, but he wasn’t really offended by this lack of courtesy. He guessed it was simply understandable if most mares never wanted any physical contact with one of his kind ever again. After introducing himself and his companion, Eadgil turned to Deepest Desire. Instead, he raised his hand. “Indeed I do. Pleased to meet you. My name is Eadgil, but everyone calls me Ari. My friend here is Baldr.” The pegasus gave the other stag a nod, and Baldr returned the gesture with a friendly smile.

He then turned to Deepest Desire. “Good afternoon, Deepest Desire. I have to say, I'm a bit surprised they didn't choose you as their representative.”

“I didn't apply", she said. "I thought it wouldn't be right if I represented the ponies…”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow at that odd statement, but left it at that.

“I will assist Spring Breeze in any way I can, though”, Deepest Desire continued. “I worked out a good part of our plan after all. But aside from that, I also simply think that I am needed for other tasks in the near future. Many mares here are in need of a therapist. I don’t know if you have a healer in your group who has experience with matters of the soul, but I really doubt many of them would want to see a caribou anyway.”

Baldr nodded. “Fair enough.”

“Deepest Desire has discussed the details of her plan with me”, Spring Breeze said. “It sounds promising, but I'm obviously still skeptical that you really mean what you say. It wouldn't be the first time your people play mind games. I think my owner is honest, but this might still be a trick to expose mare sympathizers among your own ranks.”

“I understand your doubts”, Eadgil admitted.

Spring Breeze continued, visibly unimpressed by his words. “In order to test if you’re being honest, we've decided to push you out of your comfort zone a little bit more”, she said. “Of course, we have no power, no means to back up our demands, but if you really want us to believe that you mean what you say, that you really want to find ways how our species can coexist peacefully, you'll at least listen to them and give them some consideration.”

Eadgil nodded with unease. “Very well. Speak.”

“Deepest Desire told me that you want to abolish slavery. Very well, but nonetheless, you still have the upper hand here. We need you in order to keep up appearances, to buy necessary resources from Canterlot or Ponyville, and to keep track of what’s going on with the rest of Equestria. We're still clearly at a disadvantage here. Right now, we depend on you so much that if you wanted to play politics with us, we might just as well be slaves.”

Eadgil nodded. “I see the problem. What do you propose?”

“We only have two demands, but they're big ones”, Spring Breeze said. “First off, this land is ours. This castle is ours, our ancestors built it with their own hands. We cannot claim rights to this castle as far as the rest of Equestria is concerned, but we expect at least you to respect our rights. At least for now, you will live in the eastern wing of the castle, you will stay there, and you will ask for permission before you use any other part. Most importantly, you will stay away from us. You and I will meet once a week to discuss matters of the community, but other than that, most of us really don't want to see any of you, for a while at least. For those of us who do wish to continue to see you, we'll figure out something later.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious…?”

Baldr interrupted him and took him aside. “Ari, I think this is a great idea. This way, we will be forced to listen to them and to negotiate our interests. It practically forces us to respect them. We’re here to unlearn old patterns of behavior. This sounds like a good start."

Eadgil sighed. “I hate to say this, but you make a good point. If we agree to this though, you will be the one to explain this to the other stags. It's bad enough that I'll be the one who has to discuss matters with Spring Breeze and mediate conflicts between the two groups from now on.”

“She can’t be as bad as she makes herself out to be”, Baldr said with a soft smile. “But can you blame her for trying to act tough when facing the people who ruined her life?”

Eadgil shrugged. “I guess I will have to gain her trust somehow.”
   
The two stags turned back to the mares.

“Alright. We agree”, Eadgil said grudgingly. “What's the second demand?”

“Oh, that's easy”, Spring Breeze said with a smile. “You'll disarm.”

The stag raised an eyebrow. “We will what?”, he asked.

“You will disarm”, Spring Breeze repeated slowly, as if she was speaking with an idiot. “We can't really prevent any of you from calling in the Royal Guard if something goes wrong, so we have to trust you on that part – but that doesn't mean we can't make it more difficult for you. You will hand over your shock rods and rune armor. We know that at least some of you are officially members of the caribou military, or otherwise the authorities in Canterlot would never have given their permission for your project, so some of you should still be carrying those. We will take them for now. We don't want any of you to have access to these kinds of weapons around here.”

“That sounds reasonable”, Eadgil responded.

“You will also turn over weapons of… everyday discipline”, Spring Breeze continued. “Crops, canes, whips, that kind of stuff. Not to mention bladed weapons; daggers and swords if you have any. You will also permit us to periodically search your rooms for these.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious? Do you also want to take away our spoons? They can be used for beatings too, you know?”

“Don't be silly”, Spring Breeze replied coldly.

Eadgil was getting slightly agitated at Spring Breeze's attitude. “And by the way, how are we supposed to deal with our own females without the ability to discipline them…”

Spring Breeze just shrugged. “Not my problem. Maybe you could try talking to them for once.”

Eadgil noticed that Baldr now also looked at him slightly aghast. “Ari… eh, both of you… please, don't negotiate topics you both have very little experience with. Spring Breeze, I think you mares should be interested in how we treat our own females. Then again, maybe this requires a different mare.” He then turned to his friend. “Ari, I assure you, when it comes to disciplining the cows, bare hands are more than sufficient. Think of Eri and Joba. I highly recommend we agree to Spring Breeze's demand.”

Eadgil had to smile a little. His friend had a point. He suddenly realized how little he knew about his own people’s females, at least in comparison to other stags. His father had owned a few cows, but none of them had made it to Equestria - and he had never been particularly interested in them. He had used them occasionally, of course - but he had left the task of handling them to his father. He gave his friend a nod. “Very well, I trust you on this one, Baldr. Spring Breeze, we once again agree to your proposal.” Suddenly having an idea, the stag took a short blade from the pocket in his jacket. “And… I want to begin by handing over my own dagger. I just don't want it to be thrown on a pile. It's a family heirloom, given to me by my father before he died. Spring Breeze, would you be willing to personally take care of it?”

The pegasus took it from his hands. “Very well”, she said, taking a closer look at it. “It looks nice. Don't worry, I'll take good care of it. As a matter of fact, maybe I'll keep it.” She gave him a malicious smirk.

Unable to read in her face whether she meant that seriously or as a joke, Eadgil sighed.

“Oh, there is one more thing…”, Spring Breeze said. “I've been talking to a mare named Dawn Blaze today. I understand she was one of the mares from your household. She asked me to deliver a message to you. I don't know why, but I also don't particularly care.”

“What message?”, Eadgil asked.

Only seconds later, Spring Breeze's fist made contact with his face.

It was more from surprise than from the pain, but the stag stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. He felt his face with his right hand, and found his nose was bleeding. That had been one hell of a punch.

Spring Breeze didn't make any efforts to follow up on what she had just done. She just stood there, calm and without even a hint of anger in her face. Eadgil shot a glance at Baldr, worried that he would prepare for retaliation or defense, but the other stag had always been a doctor, not a fighter. Right now, Baldr was more concerned about helping his new friend than about reacting to Spring Breeze's aggression. He was already kneeling beside him, waiting to take a look at his friend’s face.

At the same time, a cow rushed toward them from where the caribou had gathered. The other stags where so focused on what had just happened that none of them tried to stop her. She was quick, reaching Eadgil only moments after Baldr.

They both looked down at him. Baldr seemed concerned, but Eadgil also noticed an odd spark of excitement in his eyes, as if what had just happened had somehow impressed him deeply. “Are you okay?”, he asked his friend.

“Yes, I'm well, thanks. I think it's just a bloody nose. It was the shock that sent me to the ground. It might hurt a bit during the next days, but I think it's nothing serious.” Eadgil looked down, avoiding his friend's gaze. “Also, I think I deserved that.”

Baldr smiled. “That may very well be, but I'm the doctor here, so leave judgment about the seriousness to me. You might be right, but I want to have an eye on you during the next days.”

Eadgil then cast a look at the cow and immediately recognized the amber eyes as those of Baldr's cow, Bruna. She seemed to be trembling. “M... master…”, she said to Baldr. “I'm sorry for leaving the others without permission. But... I... I was so scared.”

Baldr embraced her gently to calm her down. “It's okay, Bruna. Don't worry, it's... all okay.”

Spring Breeze now also approached them and offered her hand to the stag she had just punched in the face only a minute ago. He took it reluctantly, and she helped him up. Being a bit smaller than most stags, Eadgil was face to face with the mare now, who in turn seemed to be a bit bigger than most pegasus mares. The two were about the same size. “That felt kind of good”, Spring Breeze grinned. “Don't worry. I won’t make beating up stags whenever I see one a habit. But I made a promise to deliver that message. I'm not going to apologize, neither for myself nor for Dawn Blaze.”

Eadgil nodded. “I'm the one who has to apologize.”

The pegasus smiled a little. “You'll get your chance to do so. Deepest Desire and I will return to the other mares now, and we'll discuss your decisions and choose our quarters. I'm glad that it turned out this way. I had feared that you would reject both proposals. It seems you really mean what you say. You should go tell your people about the changes. I guess they won't be happy, so we'll give you some time. I want to meet again in two hours, and then you can take these things off our necks. After that, you can choose your quarters.”

   Eadgil nodded silently, and Spring Breeze and Deepest Desire left the stags, heading in the direction of the other mares. For a moment, it seemed like Baldr was gazing after them…

   Bruna was still visibly nervous. “Master”, she asked Baldr. “What... what will become of us cows now? Do we belong to the mares now? Are they our mastr... mistr… mastress... masters now? Will we be allowed to keep our collars? Wh... who do we belong to now?”

Baldr calmed her down gently, then looked at his friend. “What do you say, Ari?”, he asked.

Eadgil was a bit surprised that his friend would ask him. Baldr was the expert for cows among the two. Eadgil wondered if that was yet another test.    

“You belong to us”, he answered slowly, looking at Baldr for confirmation. Suddenly, he felt a wave of intense confusion wash over him. Something new was forming in his mind, but he couldn’t grasp it just yet. “I mean, we… all belong together, don't we?”, he stuttered, more to Baldr and himself than to her. “We are one people, aren't we?”

Baldr grinned. “I think we can adopt him now.”

Bruna looked at Eadgil with one of the happiest smiles he had ever seen in his life.

Baldr let go of her and embraced his new brother amicably. “Welcome to the family.”

Eadgil had no good idea what was going on, but he smiled back at his new 'brother'. “Thank you, I… appreciate this very much.”

Baldr broke the embrace, but then his eyes seemed to fall on something. He suddenly reached for Eadgil’s left hand, glancing at the back of it. “Huh… I didn’t notice that before”, he said. “Is that a… tattoo of some kind? It looks like a snake coiling around a broken mirror. Is there a meaning behind it?”

Eadgil’s own eyes wandered to the back of his left hand, looking at the strange mark it bore. “Yeah, about that… I… actually don’t quite know how I got this”, he admitted.

Baldr smirked. “Got drunk someday and then stumbled into a tattoo shop?”, he asked.

Eadgil smiled softly. “Not quite. When I found this castle, I spent a night here with Deepest Desire, and… I had a really weird and really disturbing dream about an odd cow.”

Baldr’s ears perked as he heard his friend mention a dream about a cow, as did Bruna’s. Eadgil barely noticed, and continued his tale.

“When I woke up, I found this strange mark on my left hand. First, I thought Deepest Desire had played some kind of practical joke on me - but I couldn’t remove it, and she told me she knew nothing about it - and I believe her. I even asked a tattoo artist in Canterlot about it - and he told me he wouldn’t be able to remove it, and that it was probably put there by magical means. As a matter of fact, he said he had never seen something like this.”

“A strange tale indeed”, Baldr said. “Yeah, now I also notice that this mirror is actually reflecting. It’s barely noticeable because it’s so small, but it’s not just an image of a mirror, it acts like an actual mirror. I’ve never seen something like this. Maybe there are some ancient magics at work in this castle that we don’t understand yet. You have to tell me about that dream some time.”

“Me too”, Bruna giggled. Her brother cast her a glance, and she fell silent again.

Eadgil nodded. “I will, my brother. But now, we should return to the others. Don't forget your promise. You will be the one to tell them what we just agreed to.” He chuckled. “Once they have calmed down, we can return here and remove the mares' collars.”

Baldr nodded, and they returned to their people.





After returning, they fetched the cows and found a room where they could be kept while the stags would discuss matters. They told them not to leave the room and not do anything stupid, gave them permission to get to know each other, then left them to themselves.

The stags gathered in another room, and Baldr gave them a detailed report on the agreement they had made with the mares. Predictably, the reactions of most of them were less than enthusiastic.

“You did what?”, one of the stags yelled once Baldr had finished.

“We gave the castle to the mares, agreed not to leave the eastern wing except for restoration work, and we also told them we would give them our weapons, tools of discipline included”, Baldr repeated.

“Excuse me if I misunderstood something”, another, older stag said. “I thought we had agreed on abandoning mare enslavement, not on letting the mares enslave us.”

Baldr nodded his head. “Don't be silly. They have no interest in enslaving anyone.”

“And how do you know this?”, one of the younger stags asked.

Baldr shrug his shoulders. “It's not their way.”

“Yeah, you know so much about their way”, the other one said angrily. “You didn't even have a mare."

“Well, I did”, Eadgil said. “More than any of you in fact. I'm not proud of it, but I agree with Baldr. It is not their way. They don't want slaves. Some of them might want revenge, but I think they will focus this desire on the king and his regime, for the simple reason that they still need us in order to stay in contact with the outside world and keep pretense that everything here still works according to the rules of the regime. Aside from that, they are still in a disadvantaged position compared to us. Our agreement to these terms levels the field.”

“The idea was freeing them from slavery”, one of the others said. “Not leveling the field.”

“I’m fine with leveling the field”, yet another one remarked.

Eadgil frowned. “Honestly, that's the same thing. I know some of you still think of mares as somewhat inferior to yourself, although I think you’ll change your mind in time. For now, let me remind you we all agree that enslaving them was wrong, that they should be allowed to live their lives as free mares. We also all agree that Dainn's regime needs to end, for the sake of our own people just as much as for the sake of theirs. You know very well that this project is not going to work unless we get the mares to trust us, but they are not going to unless we show them that we can respect and trust them. By leveling the playing field, we'll be forced to take them seriously. And remember that it's not you who has to deal with them. You chose me as your representative. If you need anything or have any complaints, you can ask me and it'll be my job to deal with Spring Breeze. Keep in mind that I'm the one with the shitty job here. I will always represent your interests as well as reasonably possible.”

Eadgil paused and shook his head. “Seriously, I can't believe how far ahead of all of you I am. I didn't even bring any tools of discipline. I left a few in my house in Canterlot, but I gave most of them to Deepest Desire weeks ago. When I heard Spring Breeze's proposal, I instantly gave my dagger to her in order to gain her trust. A dagger that is a family heirloom. Do you understand? Do you see how serious I am about this?”

He paused for a moment. “But if you don't trust me, go ahead. Elect a new representative and start the negotiations all over. I'm sure you'll gain the mares' trust. It'll turn this entire endeavor into a joke, but go on. Or even better, just go home. Go home, abandon and betray this project. Return to your mindless lives. When everything comes crashing down, you'll lie in your bed and wonder: What if I had stayed? What if I had made a difference? But go ahead. I won't stop you. You're free stags after all.”

The stags fell into an awkward silence. It was palpable that none of them wanted to leave.

“Is there anyone of you who can see reason behind my decisions?”, Eadgil asked.

“I... I can.”, another one of the younger stags said. “I trust your decisions. That's why we chose you to represent us after all. But... with so much opposition, and even the older stags speaking up against your decisions, I... didn't dare to speak up. I didn't want to look stupid in front of the others.”

A few other stags nodded in approval, and Eadgil calmed down.

“This is a perfect example of one of the things that are wrong with our culture”, he said. “We have produced echo chambers, and we're... so used to it that I almost did the same thing only a moment ago.” He turned to the other three stags who had voiced their disagreement. “I apologize for my fit of rage. I understand your concerns, and I never wanted to discourage you from speaking your minds. On the contrary, I appreciate the free expression of your concerns, even though I don't agree with them, and I've of course expected them. Don't hold back. If anything bothers you, I want you to let me know, and then we can discuss things and see if we can find a solution. Right now, I think your concerns are entirely unwarranted, but that shouldn't stop you from expressing them. If I'm going to represent you, I have to know what you think.”

The other stags had also visibly calmed down. “Alright”, one of them said. “We'll go along with this for now. I guess with you as our representative, it won't be that big of a deal.”

“Thank you for trusting me”, Eadgil responded.

“There is still the issue with the cows”, another one remembered. “How are we supposed to keep them in line if the mares take away our tools of discipline?”

Baldr smiled. “Ari asked me the same question when I suggested to him to agree to Spring Breeze's demands. I think you don't need those. I've never used a crop or cane in my entire life, and I took more cows into my household than any of you. I can show you how to deal with your cows without using any such tools. Of course, you will have to change your expectations a good bit. The way you deal with them will have to change, and the way they react to you will change, and the way you feel and think about them will change. You all know that freeing the mares wouldn't be the only change necessary here. We’re all here because we want to find new ways of life, remember? At least on some level, you all know that our entire culture has to change and to adapt. You’re only here because you know.”

Eadgil nodded, deciding to finish with an appeal to their sense of pride. “Every single one of you has already proven to be more open to new ideas than any other stag I've ever met. I'm just asking you to go one or two steps further. I haven't discussed this idea with Baldr yet, but I think I... also have an idea when it comes to the cows. I want to make them communal property. Let's share them, and the task of handling them. It will help us grow together as a community. You probably think I only suggest this because I don't have any cows of my own, but believe me, that's not the reason.”

Baldr chuckled. “And it's also not true. In my family, the cows are traditionally owned by the entire family. Not by the head of the household, not by individual stags, but the entire family.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “I don't see your point.”

Baldr looked at his adopted brother, grinning. “Have you forgotten that you're part of the family now, brother?”

The stags all fell silent for a short time. 

“So does this suggestion essentially amount to you adopting all of us?”, one of the older stags finally asked.

Baldr smiled. “Heh. Good question. I haven't thought of it that way. But I guess one could see it that way.” He stopped for a moment. “It makes a lot of sense, actually. I guess I'll look at it that way from now on. After all, I am the only stag of my family who made it to Equestria, and there's at least some chance that I'm the only one left. Now there is a chance that my family won't die with me. So... all of you, welcome to the family, I guess.”

“I don't want to interrupt the adoption ceremony, but I think it's time to return to the castle yard and uncollar the mares”, Eadgil said.

“Ah yes... sure”, Baldr responded. “I guess for the next days, the cows should stay with their respective owners. We'll inform them of our decision some time during the next days – maybe tomorrow if we can muster the time. After that, we can decide how we want to handle them from now on. I guess most of them will want to keep a closer connection to their previous owners, and there's nothing wrong with that, but from now on we'll all get involved.”

“Alright”, Eadgil decided. “This meeting is concluded. We'll meet in the castle yard in five minutes.”





When they arrived in the castle yard, the mares were already waiting for them, with Spring Breeze approaching Eadgil the moment she saw him.
   
“You are late”, she said.

“Are we?”, the stag asked. “Then we apologize. It took me and Baldr some time to calm the others down after informing them of the results of our last deliberation.”

Spring Breeze laughed. “Yes, I guess it did. But now that you're here, we would like to make a suggestion.”

“What would you suggest?”, Eadgil asked politely.

“We would like to suggest that each stag personally removes the collars of the mares from his respective household. That way, you also have the chance to apologize to each of us individually.”

He nodded. “That sounds reasonable.”

Spring Breeze then left him and approached her previous owner. The stag said something to her that Eadgil couldn’t hear, and Spring Breeze nodded without saying a word. He then put his hands on her collar, his antlers glowed, and he removed it from her throat. She ran her right hand across the back of her neck.

Deepest Desire and the other mares from Eadgil's old household moved in his direction, and he decided to meet them halfway. “Deepest Desire, before I do this... I'm sorry for what I've done”, he said, looking at the stump on her forehead. “Especially for... you know.”

She nodded. “You're moving in the right direction. That's all that counts right now.”

He put my hands on her collar, his antlers glowed, and he took it off. She looked at him.

“Eadgil... I mean Ari. I have to be honest with you. I'm trying to forgive you, but I'm not entirely there yet. To be honest, I would prefer not to see you for a while. That's... actually another reason why I didn't apply for the position as representative. I knew you would end up representing the stags. You were the one who gathered them. But more importantly, you're a born leader.” She smiled.

“I understand completely”, he responded, not without sadness.

“I just wish we had met under different circumstances”, Deepest Desire continued, turning her eyes away from him. “Things might have been different between us.”

The two stood there in silence for a moment.

“But enough of this!”, Deepest Desire broke the silence. “Don't just stand there! Don't you have four other collars to remove?”

The stag nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”

Misty Skies approached him next. He had taken the pegasus briefly after the Lindisbarne landing, together with Dawn Blaze, by command of Lieutenant Vestri.

“Misty…”, he said. “I want to apologize to you, too. For everything. I should have treated you better. I knew you were faking the red, but I guess I didn’t always understand what that means. And of course I also apologize for the wing plucking.”

Misty Skies nodded. “As I see it, you had no choice in the plucking. I know you never wanted to do that – and at least you let me take the red collar at all. You also already apologized for the rest. Just like Deepest Desire, I haven't reached the point of forgiveness yet, but given what you're doing now, I think I'll get there in time. But for now, I want you to stay away from me.”

Eadgil took off her collar. She nodded, then left.

Dawn Blaze was next. She approached him, glancing at his nose. “I see Spring Breeze has given you my message”, she said. “Good.”

“Dawn Blaze, I…”

She interrupted him. “I'm not interested in your useless apologies, caribou!”

Eadgil sighed. “I'll apologize nonetheless. I'm sorry, Dawn Blaze. For everything.” Without further words, he put my hands to her collar and took it off.

“You know, I really want this project here to succeed”, Dawn Blaze said. “Right now, it's our best chance to dispose of this regime and get things back to normal… whatever that means. At the moment we still need you for this. You’re our best hope right now. But you are still the person who ruined my life. I would really love to cut you into tiny little pieces and spread them all across the country so they can never be put together again. Thank you very much for giving me contradicting desires, caribou. You should be happy that I hate Vestri and the king even more than I hate you. I'll leave now. You better don't come anywhere near me for a long time, or else I guarantee for nothing.”

Eadgil nodded, and she left. As he looked around, most stags were already finished with removing ‘their’ mares’ collars, with only a few remaining. He had taken more mares into his household than any other stag present, so it was going to take him longer than the rest of his brethren. He sighed. Two more.

Snowflake approached him.

“Hello, Ari”, the light-coated pegasus greeted him. “I know I already told you, but I just wanted to say again that I think it’s great what you’re trying to do here.” She smiled friendly. “I guess it makes sense to change your name. I realize this is a radical change for you... almost a new life.”

“Snowflake, I apologize…”, Eadgil started.

Snowflake gave him a friendly smile. “For what?”, she asked.

“You know, for…”

She interrupted him. "For rescuing me from the dumps, taking me into your household, feeding and protecting me… and even helping me overcome my inhibitions and my panic attacks. I guess I accept your apology.” She laughed. “Honestly though… as far as I'm concerned, you have nothing to apologize for. I know you did some ugly things to the others, especially before Deepest Desire joined us, but as far as I'm concerned, you have never wronged me. I'm thankful for what you did for me. And…” She blushed and smiled. “Despite the situation and everything, I actually liked serving you.”

“Really?”, he asked. “Thank you. It's just... I don't know if I deserve this. Most of this is really because of Deepest Desire. Without her good influence, I'm not sure if I would even have saved you... but I know that even if I had, without her advice, I might have treated you in ways that would have been… less helpful. It was Deepest Desire who opened my eyes... you should thank her, not me.”

Snowflake nodded. “I already thanked her many times.” She giggled. “As a matter of fact, I do so every evening. ‘Thank you, Mistress.’ - It’s like she can’t get enough of hearing me say it.” She laughed again. “But then again, I can’t get enough of saying it either. I know what she did to help both of us, and that's why I will stay with her and not with you – but still, as far as I’m concerned, you have nothing to apologize for. I only have good memories of the time in your household – especially compared to what I had to live through in the months before you saved me.”

Eadgil nodded, then took off her collar. She continued to smile at him while she left.

Shadow Amethyst was the last. The dark blue crystal mare didn't approach him, she just stood there. He approached her, then put his hands on her collar. She put her hands on his and stopped him.

“You can take the collar off me, but you can't take the collar out of me”, she said.

For a moment, he stopped in confusion. Then he collected myself. “I... kind of guessed that you would object to what we're trying to do here”, he said.

Shadow Amethyst laughed. “Object? Nah, I find it hilarious. It's really big entertainment. I could start to ramble about how you will inevitably fail, how you will either be conquered and enslaved again by someone who is stronger than you, or you will have to resort to subjection and oppression again in order to remain strong yourselves. But you've already heard this kind of stuff from me, and given what I know about your kind, probably from others as well. So I think I'll just sit back and watch for now. This is too delicious – particularly the fact that this project of yours is already failing.”

“How so?”, Eadgil asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Well, you're here to set all mares free, right?”

“Of course”, he responded.

“And now that we're free, we can go wherever we want, can't we?”

“I guess so”, he said. “Oh... wait. I think I see what you're going to say next.”

She grinned widely. “Yes, indeed. The moment you'll take my collar off and set me free, I'll use my freedom to run back to Canterlot and find myself another Master. Of course, chattering about this place won't exactly be the first thing I'd do, but if a mare without a collar walks into Canterlot from the general direction of the Everfree Forest, it will raise questions. They will wonder if I ran away from my Master and somehow got rid of my collar. They will almost certainly investigate. Also, understand that the moment I get a new Master, my loyalty will belong to him and no one else. So if he asks me, I will tell him the truth about what's going on here.”

Eadgil just stared at her. He hadn't thought about this, or about her at all.

“You really should have sold me before I learned anything about that project of yours”, she continued. “But then again, selling someone into slavery would have been a rather bad start for an abolitionist movement, wouldn't it? At least from a symbolic point of view.” She chuckled. “So what are you going to do now?”

“I don't know…”, he admitted.

She grinned, visibly taking delight in his lack of any contingency plan for this situation. “As I see it, you have three options now”, she said. “Or rather, there are three different ways for you to admit defeat.”

“I'm listening”, he said.
   
“Of course, the easiest way would be to just kill me, but that also wouldn't exactly be a good start for your project now, would it?”

“No one is killing anyone here!”, Spring Breeze said from somewhere close behind Eadgil. Shadow Amethyst's speech had completely drawn his attention. It was only now that he noticed that Spring Breeze and Deepest Desire had followed him and were now only a few steps behind him.

After a moment of confusion, he nodded. “Of course not. What's the second option?”

“You could lock me up somewhere”, Shadow Amethyst said.

Spring Breeze nodded. “I have to say, after what I've heard from you, I am somewhat tempted to do just that – but it would be a lot of trouble. We'd have to feed you, even though you contribute nothing, not to mention that we'd have to guard you... also, so far you have done nothing wrong. I doubt the other mares would agree to that plan. It's in no way an ideal option, but I'll keep it in mind.”

“What's the third option?”, Eadgil asked.

Shadow Amethyst grinned. “You could take your little slave back, or find another stag to take me. As I said, I will be loyal to any Master who is ruthless enough to exert full power over me and to keep me in my place. Of course, you would have a stag enslaving a mare again here. I wonder what the other mares will say about that… or the other stags, for that matter. Do you think they will be jealous? Do you think they will want to get their own mares back as well?”

He looked at her sternly. “You damn crystal ponies…”, he said. “Who knows how many years of Sombra's reign, rooted deeply in your heads. Sometimes I wonder if your people actually manage to be even more fucked up than mine.”

She shrugged. “I really don't see this as a competition – but if I did, yours would still be way ahead. Honestly, I have to give credit where credit is due. Cadence and Shining Armor managed to fool my people for a few months, but your takeover made many of us see reality.”

"I really don't want to discuss that topic right now.", Eadgil said. Purely by chance, he had learned a few things about this topic that even most stags had only vague ideas about, but Shadow Amethyst wasn't the right person to talk to about this. He would have to inform Spring Breeze soon, and maybe also Deepest Desire, although he guessed she already had a clue. Eadgil knew she had observed him and paid close attention to his research closely during the months she was part of his household, and she was definitely smart enough to figure out a few things on her own as well.

Spring Breeze joined in again. “I think you have spelled out very clearly why this isn't an option. I agree. No stag will enslave any mare here, even if she begs for it. Not on my watch.”

“Indeed”, Eadgil said. “This isn't an option at all.”

“So what are you going to do with me?”, Shadow Amethyst said and blinked.

The stag heard Deepest Desire sigh behind him. “I really have to do this again, don't I?”

She suddenly passed by him, grabbed Shadow Amethyst's collar and dragged her towards herself until their faces almost clashed, forcing the other mare to look into her stern eyes.

“Alright then, seems like it's up to me to take up this burden”, she said. “You want to be kept as a slave? Fine then, I'll take you. Don’t try to fool me. The caribou may care about gender, but I know well enough you don't, and this place follows different rules. I also know you well enough to keep you in check – you know it wouldn't be the first time. So you will call me Mistress from now on, and you will be just as loyal to me as you would be to any other Master. As soon as we're alone, I'll give you a good old-fashioned caning for this little speech of yours. If you behave from now on, I might allow you to pleasure me afterward.”

For a moment, Shadow Amethyst was completely surprised. Then, as soon as Deepest Desire let go of her, she sank down before the other mare and kissed her hooves. “Mistress, I thank you. Thank you so much. I promise I will be good from now on. I won't disappoint you, I promise.”

“Stand up!”, Deepest Desire commanded. “You're embarrassing your Mistress in front of her friends!” 

The crystal earth pony immediately complied and got back on her feet with an almost unbelievable speed.

“I am not happy with this arrangement”, Spring Breeze admitted. “Deepest Desire, if any other mare but you had made this suggestion, I'd veto it – but it was you who came up with this project in the first place, and you managed to convince a caribou to abolish slavery. Therefore, I believe you that you suggest this out of necessity and not out of a desire to subjugate others. I hate to admit it, but right now this seems to be the best solution. At least she seems to be okay with it – and to be frank, I couldn't care less about what consenting mares do with each other in private. We just have to make sure that it doesn't become the foundation for new forms of actual oppression and abuse…”

Shadow Amethyst laughed cynically.

Deepest Desire immediately grabbed the crystal mare's collar and pulled her towards herself again, looking sternly into her eyes. “Forgetting your promise?”, she asked.

Shadow Amethyst yelped, then mumbled a short apology, and Deepest Desire let go of her again.

“I wasn't finished”, Spring Breeze said. “I don't want you treat each other like this while other mares are around, at least not if it can be avoided. It could trigger bad memories. She also still has to lose her collar. Ari, your job!”

For a moment, Eadgil smiled. Spring Breeze hadn’t addressed him as ‘caribou’. She had used the name he had told her he wanted his friends to call him by. He wasn’t sure if it meant anything, but he saw it as a good sign.

“Stand still!”, Deepest Desire commanded Shadow Amethyst. She obeyed immediately.

“Alright then”, the stag said and took the crystal mare's collar off. She sighed a little.

“Don't be disappointed”, Deepest Desire said. “If you're a good mare, I'll ask Spring Breeze and the other mares for permission to give you a simple non-magical leather collar later.”

Spring Breeze sighed. “A bit weird if you ask me, but this is all a bit weird. We'll discuss this with the other mares later. We might want to set up rules for this kind of relationships, defining your responsibilities toward each other, so the community can intervene in case of... undesirable developments.”

For a moment, Shadow Amethyst seemed to be amused again, but a stern look from Deepest Desire disinclined her from making any further noise.

Spring Breeze clapped her hands together. “Well then... now that this is settled, let's return to our quarters. Ari, as mentioned earlier, we have decided to give the Eastern wing of the castle to you and your people. It's in a bad shape and requires quite a bit of work, but there should be enough habitable rooms for all of you, including your females. Of course, we will expect you to restore it on your own, as well as help us with the rest of the castle. You'll do that instead of paying us rent. I think that's a fair offer.”

He nodded. “That’s more than generous. Thank you.” Restoring the castle had always been their plan anyway.

She continued. “You and I will meet tomorrow evening to discuss further matters. You'll come in the evening. Also, none of us has any medical education, so that doctor of yours will come tomorrow and begin taking off the wing sheaths of the pegasi, inspecting our general health and treating those of us who need treatment. Aside from that, we don't want to see any of your people in any other part of the castle for now. The east wing has its own exit, so if you need to leave the castle, you can take that one. I don't think it will be necessary though. We have enough supplies to sustain us for quite some time.”

“Well, we have quite a lot of work to do”, Eadgil added for consideration. “The castle needs to be restored, and we should also start to cultivate the land around the castle and turn it into farmland as soon as possible, so we can start growing our own food here once spring comes. I know you don't want to see us, but I think these works require the cooperation of both our groups. This project will go nowhere unless work together. You also have to take into account the fact that until we find a way to restore your horns, we stags are unfortunately still the only ones who can use magic.”
   
“Don't remind me of that”, Spring Breeze said. “But you have a point. I still have to discuss this with the other mares, but for now I'd say we meet each day at 10 am and work together for a few hours. But as I said, I'll need to discuss this with the others. I'll personally come to inform you about our decision tomorrow morning at 9 am.”

Deepest Desire sighed. “You shouldn't go alone. I'll come with you.”

“Alright then”, Spring Breeze concluded before turning back to Eadgil. “You've removed all our collars, so you may leave now.”

The two groups separated, and Eadgil went to the east wing with the rest of his people to choose their new quarters...
> Chapter 3: Ein Hauch von Heimat (A Scent of Home)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As they had decided the day before, Eadgil visited Spring Breeze in her office room the next evening in order to discuss matters of politics and of building the community. He knocked at her door, and upon hearing her voice asking him in, he opened it and stepped in.

"Well then, caribou", the pegasus said, sitting at her desk, not bothering with any formal or informal welcome. "Please, sit."

The caribou sat down on the second chair in front of her desk, facing her. "How is it?", he asked.

She looked at him coldly. "Most of the other mares feel very well, and they really like it here. Unfortunately, I'm not similarly well. Your doctor has been here earlier today to remove my wing sheaths. What was his name again... Baldr, I believe. The name is tricky to pronounce, but I have to say, he is kind... for a caribou. He said that with the right treatment, the pegasi who were red collars might regrow their feathers relatively normally and might be able to fly again in a year or two. But the wing sheaths of black collars are less... gentle to the wings, so in my case, they seem to have caused permanent damage. He admitted to not being an expert for pony anatomy, but in his opinion, if we don't find a way to cure them somehow, I almost certainly won't be able to fly any more, and it's even doubtful whether I'll regrow my feathers. Your doctor says he has no idea if there is any way to heal them. I still have a faint hope that he's simply wrong."

"I'm... really sorry to hear that", Eadgil said. "If I can do anything..."

"Unless you want to offer yourself as a punching bag for my frustration again, you can try to stay out of my way, thank you", the pegasus responded rudely. 

"Of course!", Eadgil said. 

"Even in case of the former red collars, it isn't entirely without problems", Spring Breeze continued. "With the wing sheaths removed, there is a certain risk of infection. Your doctor wants to monitor the wings of all of us regularly, to make sure they stay healthy and recover correctly."

"I see", Eadgil answered. "Very well, I will tell Baldr that he is freed from construction and restoration work, so he can take enough time for you an the others. That said, I wanted to thank you."

"Huh." Spring Breeze scratched her head. "For what"?

"Well... the mares came over earlier today to search our rooms for whips and canes. I wanted to thank you that you left us our ropes and leashes. Most of our cows still like being tied down or lead on a leash, you know...?"

"Well, I guess I have to trust you about this... for now", she said, apparently not convinced. "But what do your cows have to do with anything? Ropes are essential for your construction and restoration work. You should know this."

Eadgil looked down. "Um... yeah. That too, I guess."

She chuckled. "As I see it, the important thing for us was to take away your weapons. Shock sticks, anti-magic breastplates, blades, whips, these sorts things. Taking away everything that could theoretically be used as a tool to discipline your cows is simply impractical. It's not just that this would leave you completely incapable of doing any kind of work here. It goes far beyond that. For example, how are you and your cows supposed to keep the floors clean if we took away your brooms? As I see it, taking away your canes was more of a psychological thing – but no, you're not getting them back for now. But I guess that we'll also soon have to return your knives to you, for pretty much the same reason. They're needed for work. Of course we're sceptical of your treatment of your own females, but right now we also have no idea what we could do for them short of throwing you out and keeping them here – which is also impractical for obvious reasons. Plus, we would have no idea what to do with them either, and most mares really don't want them close, myself included. Right now, I don't see any other option than leaving them with you. You seem to be trying to find a different way with them as well, and I guess we just have to trust you for now."

"Well, I actually do have a suggestion when it comes to this", Eadgil said. "But I'll come to that later. What about the leashes? Why didn't you take those away?"

Spring Breeze shrugged her shoulders. "Quite frankly, we couldn't care less about that. If we take them away, you'll just end up using ropes instead. Plus, we can't take away the collars of your cows anyway. Not only would we need you to remove them, but, weird as it sounds, they seem to have a rather strong emotional attachment to them."

Eadgil smiled. "That's... probably true. Thank you, Spring Breeze."

The two went silent for a while, then Eadgil spoke again. "Spring Breeze, I have to tell you something. I know details about the... I know details about what my people call 'the cure'. The thing that brought most of the stallions to our side. It is magical in nature."

"Well, I'm not an expert, but I guessed that much", Spring Breeze answered.

"That's not all", Eadgil said. "It's not just magic, it's pony magic."

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. "What? Is this supposed to be an insult? What could have..." Mid-sentence, her face suddenly changed from anger to sudden realization, then to pure shock. "It's the Crystal Heart, isn't it? Or the... Crystal... whatever it's called now. I knew it. The power to manipulate the emotions of all of Equestria... no one should have that power, no matter how it's used. The thing should have been destroyed after we defeated Sombra. But anyway... how do you even know about that? I guessed something like that would only be known by the caribou leaders, and by those who altered the artifact's magic."

Eadgil nodded. "Among us caribou, it's probably not that big of a secret. The king and his men are bragging all the time how they used the ponies' own magic to 'cure' them, and they did showcase the Crystal Heart during the parade shortly after the takeover of Canterlot. I guess many of us have counted two and two together by now, and I think quite a few ponies might also have." He paused for a moment. "However, unlike most of them, I actually have confirmation. When I was still in the military, I was serving under Vestri's command. One day, shortly after we took the Crystal Empire, I had guard duty, and I overheard a conversation of the council where they discussed the Crystal Heart, and how it could be used to bring the Princesses to their heels."

"Interesting", Spring Breeze said. "So you were one of Vestri's men, huh? Anyway, do you have any idea why it only affects stallions?"

"Honestly, I don't know", the stag answered. "At this point, even they didn't know yet what could be done with it, but they wanted to use it to manipulate the population of Equestria in order to swing the balance of power in their favor. As I see it, there are two possibilities here. Either something about the Crystal Heart made it more feasible to use it this way... or the council simply considered it more important to change the minds of the males than those of the females. But then again, there are some females that do seem to be affected in a way – mostly female unicorns and crystal ponies."

She nodded. "I know what you're talking about. It is a bit odd, but then again, I don't even understand why your people want to enslave us mares in the first place. Your own females seem to be so much more suited to fit your needs." 

The stag sighed. "You have a point, clearly – but the important part here is that if the behavior of the stallions is the result of mind control magic, there might be ways to disturb their mind control. We just have to find them. But interesting that you would mention the cows. That's actually one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. There is something regarding the cows I would like to ask for."

"What is it, caribou?", she asked.

"Well... we have promised to stay out of your way until you decide otherwise, and we will keep that promise. But... may I ask you... if you would allow the cows to spend some time around you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Is this a trick, caribou? Are you hoping that contact with the cows might make us a bit more like them? More subservient? If this is what you're trying, I can tell you in advance that it won't work."

"No, it's nothing like that", he answered. "You don't even have to let them interact with you at all. Just... let them spend some time around you. I promise they won't be a bother." 

He sighed once again, then continued. "As a matter of fact, it's exactly the other way around. I ask this because I hope that they might become a little bit more like you. As they are now, they simply need us as their Masters. But we're more like... a necessary evil, aren't we? I mean... I think you will agree that we're not exactly the best influence. So while they still need us to give them direction, I don't want them to spend all of their time with us. So I wonder if they could stay with you for some time each day. As I said, I think you might be a much better influence than we are. They won't bother you, I promise. As a matter of fact, we will order them to obey your commands to the letter."

She raised an eyebrow and smiled a little. "Interesting. That's what you talked about earlier, isn't it? Your suggestion about how we could have an eye on how you treat your own females? I have to say, I'm... flattered. You put quite a bit of trust in us with this."

He grinned widely. "We will of course also use them to spy on you. Just so things are clear between us."

She laughed. "If you want to spy on us, I think it's not exactly a good strategy to let us know about it in advance."

The stag chuckled and winked. "Yeah, that's the point."

"Well, in that case, we'll also poke them with questions about you.", she said. "If you really tell them to obey our every command, you should expect your darkest secrets to be revealed to us!"

Eadgil looked down, avoiding her gaze. "To be honest, I don't think we have that much to lose in this respect any more, unfortunately."

The pegasus became serious again. "Well, this certainly is a good opportunity for us to have an eye on how you treat them. We might notice if a cow is treated in a way that is harmful to her or to the community."

Eadgil smiled. "That was exactly one of my thoughts. It's also the main reason why we made the cows communal property – so the stags can have an eye on each other's behavior as well. We'll still have to see if that idea works out, but I guess it would help if you mares also got involved."

"I can see that", she said. "Seems to be a good idea. Personally, I don't really have any objections, but I will have to discuss this with the others. It's late, but I will call a meeting immediately, and inform you about our decision tomorrow morning. If it is positive, the cows can come over and spend some time with us as of tomorrow. I think that would be all for now. If you would excuse me, I have to call in the meeting."

The caribou stood up, nodded respectfully, then left the room and returned to my quarters.





The next morning, Spring Breeze came to Eadgil's quarters to inform him about their decision. "Please enter", the stag said when he heard her knocking at his door. 

She opened and came in. "Good morning, caribou", she said in a not-too-friendly but polite voice. "I am here to inform you of our decision. We have discussed your request and decided to allow this for now. But do not make the mistake to take this for granted. If the cows cause any trouble, we'll void this decision immediately. Most importantly, we don't want them to come too close to us without our permission. You know what I mean. Tell them that."

He nodded. "Thank you very much, Spring Breeze. I very much appreciate it. I will immediately tell the others. Expect the cows to come over this afternoon."

She nodded. "I also have important business to attend. Normally our next meeting would be in six days, but I would like to see you tomorrow evening, to give you a report on how the cows are doing, and whether they have caused any trouble."

"I will be there", he said. "But now I really have to inform the others." 

She nodded. "I also have to leave." 

They left the stag's room together and then went separate ways.

Eadgil immediately went to gather the stags, and then they gathered the cows. The stags still hadn't told them what to expect of the future, mainly because they hadn't even been sure themselves, so they were still visibly afraid. He addressed them.

"You probably wonder why we have gathered you all here. First of all, we wanted to assure you that will still give you everything you need. Our guidance, direction, protection, our hard cocks..." Eadgil saw the eyes of most of the cows brighten with anticipation as he spoke of the sex to come. The caribou were still settling in and the stags had a lot of work to do, so the cows hadn't gotten that much from them the last days.

"However", he continued, "there will be a few changes from now on. First of all, we have decided that from now on, each of you doesn't belong to a single Master. Each of you will see all of us as their Masters from now on. This is not meant as a punishment. You have not disappointed us. We simply decide to try something new. Also, we have another new task for you, starting from now on. You will observe us and how we do things. And you will also observe the mares. You know we've told you not to go to their part of the castle, but we cancel this order. From now on, you will spend a few hours each day with them. You will observe them, learn from them. If you have any questions, you can come to us and ask at any time, and about once a week, you will come to us and give a small report about what you have seen. Can you do this?"

The cows nodded weakly, not sure what to think about this. 
"You will not cause them any trouble", Eadgil continued with a stern voice. "If they tell you to do something, you will do it. If they tell you not to do something, you won't. You will not touch them unless they give you permission to do so. We have decided to have a very relaxed approach to punishments here, but forgetting about these particular orders is one of the things that will result in a severe punishment. To make sure you don't forget, I will repeat the rules once again. While you are around the mares, you will treat them like Masters, which means you will follow their orders to the letter. Most importantly, you will not touch them without their explicit permission. You may touch us while you are with us though."

The cows' eyes went wide with surprise. Had he said something wrong? Eadgil suddenly felt a sense of confusion.

Bruna stepped forward. "Master... are we really allowed to touch you now without asking for permission first?" She giggled a little. "My Master doesn't have many rules, but… such an idea never came to me."

In an instant, Eadgil realized what he had done. He cast a look at Baldr. The other stag grinned, but then he gave a quick nod. Eadgil really hoped the others wouldn't hang him for this, but he decided to go along with it.

"We're giving you permission now, aren't we? Yes, you can seek out contact with any one of us whenever you feel like it. If it's not a good time, if we're busy or not in the mood, we'll just chase you away or order you to do something else. You don't have to worry. If that happens, it doesn't mean you did something wrong, it just means this Master is busy right now."

Hearing this, the cows instantly rushed to their Masters to make use of their newly found feeling of freedom. The stags had some time at their hands, so they decided to let them. 	Bruna approached Eadgil with a big, happy smile. She slowly reached out with her hand, giggled shyly, then withdrew it again.

Eadgil shot a quick glance at Baldr. He was already busy with two cows, having one arm around each of them. He had the one to his left locked into a deep kiss. Eadgil didn't know why, it didn't even make any sense, but for a brief moment, he found the sight of a cow and a stag kissing slightly odd – but he dismissed that weird feeling. The other cow was passionately kissing and licking his chest while her hands clumsily fumbled on his belt. It was obvious that Baldr didn't even think about paying any attention to him or Bruna.

Eadgil smiled a little, then returned his attention to the cow in front of himself. "What are you afraid of, little one?", he asked. "I gave you permission, didn't I?"

Bruna's smile widened as her hand touched his chest, then moved downward across his belly. "Oooh, you're heavyset...", she mumbled.

The cow's remark caught him completely by surprise. "I... apparently... I mean…", he stuttered. "I mean I gained some weight during the last months. The life in Canterlot made me lazy. I really need to start to exercise again..."

Bruna blushed, withdrew her hand and looked down. "I'm sorry, Master. It wasn't meant as an insult. I... I wanted to say... I like that, Master."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?", he asked. He then let his hand run down her cheek in a comforting manner until it was under her chin, then raised her head so he was looking into her eyes. "No offense taken, little one", he reassured her. Then he bowed down a little and kissed her on the lips.

"Mmmh", she whispered softly. "Your kisses are sweet! What can I do to serve you, Master?"

He looked around. The other stags and cows were already enjoying each other in various ways. "Very well. You will begin with sucking me off, Bruna", he decided. "Would you like that?" 

The cow gave an enthusiastic nod. 

"Very well then", he added. "Go to your knees and present yourself."

She went to her knees, spreading her legs a little and presenting her nude body to her new Master. "Does Master like what he sees?", she asked, giving him another one of her smiles.

"You're lovely", he answered. "But now do as you were told."

She reached out with her hands, undid his belt, and opened his pants to reveal his cock. It was already semi-hard, and she gave it a few quick rubs with her hand to get it fully erect. She was talented with her hands, there was no doubt about that. Eadgil wondered if she was equally talented with her mouth and tongue – but he found out only a few seconds later, when he felt her tongue running along his throbbing shaft. "Mmmh, that feels good", he said, giving her a few gentle strokes between her small horns. "Now take it all in!"

She instantly wrapped her muzzle around his cock and began to suck it, while continuing to caress it with her tongue. Eadgil realized how eager she was to please him. For a moment, he wondered if she intended to swallow him whole. He didn't even have time to pull out when he came – not that he would have wanted to anyway. 

After he had come in her mouth, she swallowed, gave his cock a few more licks to clean it up, then leaned back again and smiled. "Oooh... sucking you off has really made me horny, Master." She grinned. "May I... touch you some more?" 

"Sure", he said, returning the grin. "Would you mind if we went somewhere else? Like my room?" He wasn't used to having sex while others were present. He had detested most other stags he had met in the past, with only very few exceptions, and even more so the stallions ever since the king and his men had altered their minds, so he used to avoid situations where he was around too many other males, particularly if sex was involved. The stags here were all far more pleasant to be around than most others, he had even already made friends with a few of them, and he had to admit that such an orgy did have its appeal when the stags present were all good friends and the cows were willing and eager – but he felt it still wasn't exactly his thing. At that moment, he just wanted to be alone with this wonderful cow that had come to him so willingly, and was so eager to please him.

"Whatever pleases you, Master", she answered softly.

He instantly grabbed her by her hand and dragged her to her feet. "Come with me, then!", he commanded, dragging her along while rushing towards his bedroom.

Bruna giggled. "It seems like Master is just as horny as I am!"

Not giving this remark any response, Eadgil dragged her into his room, then lightly tossed her on the bed face down. "Present your ass and cunt!", he commanded.

She instantly complied, stretching her ass up and out and spreading her legs. 

He smiled a little, then went straight past her to the desk at the end of the room, grabbed a bottle of wine and poured himself half a glass, letting her wait for him in this position while taking in the view. He realized how much he still enjoyed such little mind games.

He turned around to look at her again, then took a good sip. "So, Bruna… how do you like it?", he asked with a devious grin on my face. "Gentle? Or rough?"

He wasn't sure if he had caught her by surprise with his question or if cows are simply generally insecure about what they want, but Bruna began to stutter. "Um… well… Master… I mean, Baldr is always very gentle."

He took another big sip from my glass. "I think that isn't an answer to my question, cow", he said in a more demanding voice.

“I'm sorry, Master ", she responded. "But I think I… would like to try something new."

Once again, he wasn't sure if she had answered like that because she really wanted to, or because she had guessed that he was hoping for that answer. "Are you sure?", he asked.

"Yes, Master", she responded. "Please take me roughly!" It sounded quite a bit more certain this time.

He grinned. "I have an idea. Stretch out your arms above your head." Once again, she complied without question. Eadgil didn't know if Bruna liked being tied, but he was about to find out. He emptied his glass, put it back on the desk, took out a rope from a drawer, then sat on the bed besides Bruna. "Roll around, face me and give me your hands", he commanded.

Awkwardly, she rolled to the side, stretching out her hands toward him. "Tying, Master?"

"Is something wrong?", he asked in a softer voice.

"No, it's just... Baldr doesn't like tying us down while fucking us, and he doesn't usually share outside the family." She giggled again. "I have been tied up, of course – on the ship, for example. Just not really during sex. It's… a bit new to me. I'm a bit scared... but also excited."

Eadgil was a bit surprised about this new information. Baldr was the only stag he had ever known who wasn't into bondage. He had to ask his friend about that later. But for now, he just nodded. "I see. So you don't want me to tie your hands?"

"No, it's okay, Master", she replied. "I said I was scared, but… the thrill feels arousing." She blushed a little. "I.. have been dreaming about this. About a stag who takes me, ties me up and uses me roughly. About a stag who really owns me. But... Baldr really doesn't like that sort of thing." She thought for a moment. "I also think he wouldn't be good at it."

Eadgil found that statement a bit odd, but decided to postpone his inquiries in favor of the more immediate concern in front of him. "Well, for now, I'm just going to tie your hands, and in front of you, not behind your back. I promise I won't make it too uncomfortable for you." He took her hands and skillfully tied them together.

"That seems fine", he said, pleased with my work. "Now return to your position!"

She turned on her belly and stretched out her ass and cunt again, stretching out her tied arms in front of her head. The stag stood up, gently moved his hand along her right ass cheek, then grabbed it firmly while fingering her cunt with his thumb. He looked at the beauty in front of him like a price he was about to claim. Then, he rubbed his cock between her legs a few times until he noticed she was getting wet, finally placing the tip of his cock right outside her vaginal opening, ready to push in.

Involuntarily, he licked his lips.

Without giving her another warning, he rammed into her cunt and began to pound her hard, making her moan in surprise and pleasure. He put his left hand on her shoulder and pushed her down into the cushions. Then he put his right hand below her right leg and lifted it up. This seemed to please her, as she started to push herself toward him even more, as well as she could, while letting out soft moans of pleasure.

Her movements got him even more excited. In one movement, he let go of her leg and instead put his right hand under her hip and pushed her towards him, grinding himself into her even more. Then he let himself fall onto the bed on top of her, using his hands to control his descent so as not to hurt her, but now pushing her down with the full weight of his body, his belly pressed against her back. Her moaning intensified. "Mmmmh… M... Mast...er… this... is why…" - she didn't finish her sentence, and Eadgil never found out what she wanted to say.

He continued to remorselessly push her down with all his weight and pound her from behind, now also letting the fingers of his right hand run along her clit, while letting his left hand run across her entire body, shifting between holding her down and roughly feeling her up. Her intensified moaning indicated that she was approaching her climax – and so was he. 

"I know you want to cum", he whispered. "You are allowed to do so." 

She instantly made use of his permission. 

"Aaaah, thank you, Master!", she moaned while coming hard. He also came inside her only seconds later. 

He rolled off from her, lying on his back next to her, both of them panting heavily. Then, he pulled her towards him, holding her in a close embrace while unbinding her hands, then guiding them until they came to rest on his chest. He then let his left hand rest on her soft caribou butt while letting his right arm fall to his side.

"Ah, Master...", she whispered. "I haven't been fucked like this since… mmmh, ever, I think. It was just like in my dreams! You were in full control. It was so wonderful… just giving in to you, Master."

"Interesting", he said. "You already said that Baldr prefers to be gentle. But does he not take control at all? I find that hard to believe." He thought for a moment. "As a matter of fact, given what I've seen and heard from you so far, I don't know how that would even work."

"Master... I mean, Baldr is nice, and he takes control, sure, but... it's not the same. I can feel it's not what he wants. D… does that make sense, Master? Or am I... rambling stupid cow stuff again?" She giggled a little.

"No, I think you're making sense", he answered. "But of course, that begs the question. Baldr doesn't like bondage, he doesn't like to fuck roughly, or to take control... so what does he want?" He chuckled a little. "Except being a gentlestag, I mean."

"I think he... I mean, he hasn't told me, but I know him. I think he wants the same things I want", Bruna said.

"What do you mean?", he asked.

"I mean he also wants… someone who takes control of him", she replied hesitantly.

"Oh, so he wants another male?", Eadgil asked instinctively. "Interesting. Maybe I should make a move…"

Bruna looked at him with sadness and compassion in her eyes. "No, Master. That wasn't what I meant. No, I'm sure about that. He doesn't want a male."

It took Eadgil a moment to parse what she had just said. "Oh", he finally said. "Oh, I see."

He realized how stupid his remark had been. He had instinctively assumed that Baldr's wish to be dominated amounted to him wanting a male. The thought that this might not be the case hadn't even occurred to him – but he realized that this was another example of how one's acquired bias could override what one knew from experience. After all, he knew a female who was able to dominate. He had seen Deepest Desire assert dominance over Shadow Amethyst more than once, and he had no doubt whatsoever that she was able to do the same to a male. She also had a certain dominance over Snowflake, although in a different, much sweeter sense. Seeing a mare this capable of taking charge had actually been one of the things that had convinced him to abandon enslavement of mares altogether. Deepest Desire was his equal in all meaningful ways, if not even more than that in some ways. Eadgil instantly considered the possibility to set up a date between her and Baldr. But first he would have to verify what Bruna had told him about his friend.

"It's impossible, isn't it?", Bruna asked in a sad voice. "My brother wants something that doesn't exist."

"What makes you think that?", he asked. "Why do you think it's impossible?"

"I… simply... don't know any female who could give him what he wants", Bruna said.

"But Baldr only owned cows.", Eadgil argued. "Mares are different. You’ll find out soon."

"Oh!", Bruna said, suddenly realizing something. "Oooooh! Is that why Baldr was ogling that green pegasus mare who punched you in the face, Master?"

"You mean Spring Breeze?", he asked, getting a quick nod from Bruna in response. Thinking back, he realized that he had indeed seen Baldr look in her general direction a few times. He also remembered the weird expression on his friends when he had helped him up after Spring Breeze had knocked him to the ground with her punch on Dawn Blaze's behalf.

"I don't know", he said. "Maybe."

They both went silent for a while. He continued to hold her close and firm, realizing he hadn't felt that much at peace for a long time. He wanted to feel like that forever.

"Master", Bruna finally asked. "Have you claimed me now? I mean... am I... yours now? I mean, only yours?"

"Hm", he said. "Didn't Baldr say cows in your family are property of the entire family?"

"Yes", Bruna answered. "But ever since we left the old homeland, Baldr was the only stag in the family. He owned us alone, and I was fine with that." She giggled. "As I said, I want to feel owned."

For a moment, Eadgil struggled to come to terms with what she had just said. The idea to declare the cows communal property had come to him relatively spontaneously, but by now, he had found good reasons for it, and built a strategy around it. His aim was threefold. He was trying to prevent each cow from becoming emotionally and materially dependent on a single individual stag, thereby preventing the return of the patriarchal familiar relations that subjected the cows to the heads of their respective household, and their individual caprice. Second, with the cows being communal property, it would be in the interest of all stags to make sure no stag treated a cow in ways that would harm her. And third, with the cows not subject to a single Master, but a greater number of relative authorities, they would have to become more independent in their reactions to every single Master's commands. His idea to have the cows spend time with the mares was another piece of that strategy. 

He realized that Bruna was presenting him with the one possibility he hadn't considered. What if the cows – or at least some of them – actually wanted to be the slaves and private property of individual stags? He had suspected that the greatest resistance to his plan would come from the stags, but now he had to consider the possibility that it would come from a completely different direction.

But was that really what was going on here? Or did he have to frame things differently?

He decided to ask himself a different question. Why did Bruna want him specifically as her owner? She had come to him after all, effectively selecting him. Baldr couldn’t dominate Bruna the way she would have liked it, and Eadgil had been the first stag who could, but she couldn't have known that in advance. Other stags in Freeville would be just as capable of dominating her as he was, and he was fairly certain that she knew this. Maybe what she really wanted was a relationship, and apparently with him. He felt flattered, but that also meant that he had already re-privatized her in a certain sense. He would have to choose his words carefully from now on though, so as not to hurt her emotionally.

"Look", he said. "You don't have to spend time with other stags if you don't want to. You also don't have to have sex with any stag if you don't want to. You can tell that to the other cows as well..."

He suddenly noticed an expression of confusion in Bruna's face. He stopped, nodding to her as a sign that he was pausing in order to allow her to speak.

"I will, Master. But… I'm confused. Why would I not want to have sex with a stag?"

Eadgil blinked, now confused himself. He had lived with mares for too long, but Bruna was still a cow. But then again, she had told him that she wanted to be owned by a single stag – but that apparently didn't stop her from wanting to fuck other stags as well. He realized cows were just as complicated as mares – only in a completely different, even opposite way.

"I mean... the stags here all seem nice", she said, stuttering a bit. "Sure, if I had a Master and he wouldn't want it… I want to please him after all. But Baldr has adopted them all, and now you say they're all my Masters. So why would I not have sex with them? But… well, I… maybe I have to think about this some more." She giggled. "We cows aren't exactly used to thinking too much."

Eadgil smiled a little. "Well, that's the point. The idea is to force you cows to think for yourselves about what you want. And also about who you want to be with."

"Oh", Bruna responded. "Yes, I… think I understand. I sometimes have… trouble to tell apart what I want from what Masters expect of me…", she confessed. "I know many cows have even more trouble with that than I do. Is… is that why you want me not to spend too much time with you, Master? So I… don’t get confused about this any more?"

He felt a glimmer of hope again – hope, and also pride. He had helped a cow understand what was at stake here – but he was also proud of her. It became more and more obvious to him that she was particularly smart for a cow. However, he also realized that this problem couldn't be solved as long as the cows just stayed among the stags and each other. He began to suspect that his decision to let the cows spend time with the mares might prove to be more important than he had realized at first.

"Look", he said. "If you want to spend time with me specifically, that's fine. I'm sure you'll find a way to stick around me." He gave her a little wink. "There are enough cows here for all of us after all – more than enough, not least thanks to your brother. How many cows did he bring in? Eight? Nine? More than any other stag, that's for sure. I just don't want you to be around me all the time, or see me as your only Master. One reason why I've recommended giving up private property is because I think it isn't healthy for a cow to let a single stag have total power over her."

She didn't seem satisfied with that, and he also wasn't – but he also knew didn't have to have an answer to everything.

"You know what?", he asked. "Why don't you ask Baldr what to do, at least for now? He knows you longer than me, he knows more about cows than I do, and you have more reason to trust him than me. I'm sure you can talk to him more openly about your feelings for me than you could with me."

She nodded. This seemed to be more satisfying to her.

He continued. "But that aside, I also want you to remember the order I gave you and the others earlier, concerning the mares. You will take a few hours each day to spend time with the mares, you'll observe them, report to us, and you will obey the orders we've given you with regards to that. Do you still remember them?"

"Of course", Bruna responded. She began to recite the orders almost mechanically. "Observe them. Tell you what they do, and what we feel and think about it. Do what they tell us. Most importantly, don't touch them without their permission. I don't think any cow will forget about the last part, especially not after what you said about punishment." She smiled shyly. He smiled back at her and nodded in approval.

Once again, we lay silent for about a minute, her head still resting on my chest. 

"Master, you like punishment, don't you?", she finally asked. 

The stag looked at her in surprise.

"I mean you like to... punish your females, d… don't you?", she stuttered. "It turns you on..."

She had managed to surprise him again. How had she guessed that? And why did she have to bring that up? He would have preferred to discuss this topic somewhere else, at another time, and most definitely with someone else.

"Yes, Bruna. Yes, I'm a sadist. It's a way to demonstrate power, to show myself and my partner who is in control. You already know I like that. It doesn't have to be a female though – I would take a male if I found him attractive and knew we were both into it. Unlike some other stags, I do have limits though. But how do you know that?"

Bruna looked up to him shyly. "I don't know, Master. I just... took a guess?"

"Well… now that you know the truth, does it scare you?", he asked.

She paused for a few seconds, collecting her thoughts. "Yes, Master", she admitted. "I want to be taken and used, even harshly if Master desires so… and you showed me that I also like being tied, and feeling helpless. Thank you so much for that..." She giggled a little, but then became serious again. "But… real pain… as in whips and canes… I don't think I would like that, Master. I know many Masters enjoy doing it to their cows, and I know some cows enjoy it as well. But… I'm not one of them. I hope… I hope this doesn't disappoint you, Master."

"You're very eloquent for a cow", Eadgil noticed.

"Ehlok... I'm... what?", she asked.

"I was giving you a compliment", he said. "It means that you can speak very well. You can say clearly what you think and feel. It seems to me that this is an ability you don't find very often among cows."

Bruna smiled. "Baldr taught me. He says that it is important for a cow to learn to say what she feels. I'm also… I really don't want to brag, but… I think I'm learning such things a bit faster than most other cows, Master."

"It seems so, yes", he affirmed. "As for Baldr's lessons, I couldn't agree more. I always wanted my females to be able to speak as clearly as possible. I don't know if Baldr wants to continue your lessons, but if not, I will teach you instead. I will talk to him about that."

"Thank you, Master. But... let me say what I wanted to, before I forget it, um... what was it about again…" She giggled softly. It seemed to take her some time to recollect her thoughts again. "The way you fucked me earlier was… wonderful", she finally said. "The way you took control of me. If you give me that again, I... I think I can also take the pain." She stopped herself for a moment, seemingly struggling to correct herself. "Or at least some of it", she then said.

"Bruna, I don't want to cause you pain", he said.

He realized with surprise that he hadn't even thought about it. He had never really wanted to hurt anyone who wasn't into it as well, and he still felt deeply ashamed about the fact that he had wronged others in the past. But this was more than that. This wasn't just his conscience, nor was it merely the fact that he didn't want to disappoint Baldr. He realized Bruna was trying to offer him a bargain, an agreement, a quid pro quo of sorts. She was willing to accept his bad side along with his good side, or at least with what she perceived as such, as long as she got enough of the latter – but he didn't want her to have to bear up with his bad side. He had somewhat similar feelings towards Snowflake, but that was in part due to Deepest Desire's influence, and it didn't feel exactly the same. For Snowflake, he felt sympathy and compassion, but what he felt right now seemed to be something else.

Hearing his words, Bruna slipped from his embrace and turned to her back, stretching her body and letting her hands run over it, emphasizing her features. "But why not, Master?", she asked, letting her hands run across her big tits. "Do you not find me sexy?"

He turned towards her and let his right hand run across her upper leg, then placed it between her legs and began to finger her gently. She began to moan softly.

"Bruna, I find you very sexy", he said.

"Oooh... thank you, Master. But... then why do you not want to hurt me?"

"I guess... I want my partner to enjoy it as well", he answered. "I don’t want to do it to someone who doesn’t like it. I don't want you to agree to it just because you want to see me happy. If you don't really like it, I don't want to do it."

"I understand, Master… I think. It's the same problem again, isn't it? I need to tell apart my wishes from what I think you'd expect from me." She smiled, spreading her legs wide. "But you want to fuck me again, don't you?" She smiled at him. "Please, Master, take me again. I… also want and need it."

He gave her a brief nod, rolled on top of her, put his hands around her waist and pulled her towards him. He decided to be gentle this time – and it would be a good opportunity to show that he could nonetheless take control. "This time, I will be more gentle", he said. "I know now that you like it rough, but you will comply." 

She blushed a little, smiled and nodded. "Yes, Master. It's your choice. You're in control."

He slowly pushed forward and entered her. "I want to look upon your face this time", he informed her. Being slightly smaller than him, she raised her head so he could look into her wonderful amber eyes. He pushed forward slowly, embracing her and pulling her towards me while doing so. She moaned softly, her mouth slightly opened. While fucking and kissing her, he took her wrists in his hands and pinned her arms down at the sides of her head.

While continuing to fuck her gently, he let his lips make contact with hers. His tongue entered her muzzle and began to explore. Hers made a few shy advances as well, and when she noticed that he didn't stop her by breaking the kiss or otherwise showing disapproval, she became bolder. After a few seconds, they were locked in a long, deep kiss while he continued to pin her down and fuck her slowly. He moved his right hand from her wrist to the back of her head, firmly holding her in place while continuing to kiss her. Not moving her arm despite it being free again, she moaned into his muzzle.

He broke the kiss the moment he felt his orgasm approaching, and looked into her eyes again. They both came together, in a soft wave that ran through both of their bodies.

When their orgasms slowly faded, making way for soft feelings of afterglow, he rolled off her again, assuming the position they had before they had started to fuck again. Bruna instinctively also returned to that position, resting her head and arms on his chest. He put his arm around her again and pulled her close.

"Ah, Master... that was wonderful... again", she moaned in afterglow. "You were gentle, but you still held me down and enjoyed me the way you wanted without shame." She was still blushing. "You are a true Master. My Master. I know I'm not yours alone, but I'm so happy and proud that you want to spend time with me."

He gently let his hand run across her head. She let out a soft sign.

There was one thing he still needed to address. He knew he would have to talk to Baldr about this matter anyway, and he would have preferred to do so on his own terms, but now that Bruna already knew it, he could just as well bring it up as soon as possible.

"Bruna, are you going to tell Baldr about that talk we had... regarding my sadistic tendencies?", he asked.

"I usually… tell him everything important that happens to me", Bruna answered shyly. "But I won’t tell him if you don't want me to. I trust you."

He shook his head. "Thank you, Bruna. That means a lot to me. But I actually want you to tell him. I want there to be no secrets between him and me, and I also most definitely don't want there to be any secrets between you and him. This is part of why I made ownership of cows communal – so we stags can have an eye on each other. I would have preferred to bring this up myself in time, but now that you already know about it, why not bring it up now? I'll bring this up next time I talk to your brother anyway, so feel free to tell him. As a matter of fact, I want you to give him a full account of what happened between us, from your perspective, as soon as possible."

He was proud of himself. It was a first application of his new approach. He wondered what would come of it, but he was hopeful.

They both went silent again and lied beside each other for a while.

Finally, he took a short glance out of the window to assess the time. Bruna's gaze followed his. It was already late afternoon.

Suddenly, Bruna became nervous. "Oh, Master... I'm so sorry! I almost forgot my orders! I am to spend time with the mares every day, no? I... I'm sorry, Master. I have to leave!"

Eadgil nodded. "Then go. But before you go to them, I think you should take a bath or something. I don't think the mares would appreciate you running around their area with spots of my hardened cum all over you." He smiled. "You have permission to leave now, little one.

Bruna giggled again. "Yes, Master. I'm sure you also have very important Master stuff to do. I will leave you now, with your permission."

He smiled. "Permission granted, little one." He thought for a minute, then he rose from the bed as well. "As a matter of fact, I will accompany you. I completely forgot that I promised Spring Breeze to come by today. Just give me a minute to get dressed."

He quickly put his trousers and my shirt back on and they left together.





Once they had arrived at the mares' wing of the castle, Eadgil and Bruna parted with each other. He promised her to see her again as soon as he could find the time.

He arrived at Spring Breeze's quarters and knocked at the door, and she asked him to come in.

"Good evening, Spring Breeze", he said after he had taken place at the chair in front of her desk again. "How's the situation? I hope the cows haven't caused you any trouble."

"Well, it has only been two days, but so far, they have been quiet and not much of a nuisance. We haven't interacted much with them yet, but some of them might even prove useful."

He grinned. "Yeah, that sounds like a good description of the females of my species."

She was unimpressed by his joke. "There is one thing though. On our very first plenary meeting, we had already decided to only walk around dressed except in our own private quarters. A few former red collars objected, but they were overruled. The cows, however, are nude all the time except for their collars. I realize we can't ask them to remove those, they seem to place quite a big importance on them. It's almost as if they wear them with pride. We just ask you to order them to get dressed when they're around us. Their nudity simply further fuels existing conflicts among ourselves, and we really don't want that to happen."

He grinned at her and said: "Why don't you tell them?"

"What?", she asked.

"As promised, we've told them to obey your orders as long as they are around you, so you can simply tell them to cover themselves – if they're able to obey your order, they will. But this is quite a problem, isn't it? We only have males' clothing here, it's even a bit big for most of you, and our cows are even smaller. For now, I might suggest you give them some sheets or pieces of cloth to cover themselves. I'm not sure if all of them know how to do this though. Since you don't want to touch them, we might show them, but as you may have already guessed, we are also not really experienced in getting a female dressed properly."

"Well, I think this won't be a problem", Spring Breeze said. "Frankly, I don't really want them anywhere near me, but there are a few of us, particularly former red collars, who have already said that they have much less problems with touching a cow, at least as long as she doesn't get frisky. I think they would be willing to help them. Also, we'll provide them with what we can spare."

"Thank you, so this problem should be solved", he said. "I also have another request. We want to ask if we stags might use the library of your castle. We don't want to take it from you, we just want to be able to use it for our studies."

Spring Breeze was immediately back to her usual suspicious, abrasive self. "And why exactly should we allow this to you?", she asked.

He sighed. "Well, for a start, some of us, myself included, know how to deal with old books. They are a quite delicate matter, you know? We can work to preserve the library. There seem to be some magical wards in place that already prevent decay, but it'll help if we can put some additional work to preserving the library. Second, we will also add most of our own books to the library. Most of us want to keep one or two books that are special to us for ourselves, but we are willing to give most of what we have to the library. After all, we also have an interest in making those books available to each other. Third, you know that this isn't just a new kind of community, we are here to find ways to change and free all of Equestria. We also have to find ways to disrupt the magic of the Crystal Heart. Maybe we'll find knowledge in the library that might prove useful for this aim."

She relaxed. "I still don't exactly like you, but what you say makes a lot of sense. I will discuss this with the others tomorrow, and I'll come by to give you our decision afterward. This time I'll vote for your request myself, actually. I'm not really interested in books anyway, and you did make a reasonable argument. Oh, before you leave, another thing. That doctor of yours came by earlier today and asked if we would allow him to use a small plot of land to plant some herbs, and maybe one or two cherry trees. Now I can get the herbs, he's a doctor after all, but do you know why he would want to plant cherries?"

He smiled. "I think it's for an alcoholic beverage. A secret recipe of his. Seriously, you have to try this, it's really good. I think he still has a few bottles left. I'll ask him to give me one, so we can drink it together some time."

"Sounds good", she said. 

"Now if you will excuse me, I have a long night of wing pain and uncomfortable lying positions ahead of myself." Once again, the caribou gave her a sheepish look as he left the room.





For some reason, he felt the urge to take a walk. He returned to the eastern wing, but instead of returning to his quarters, he left the castle through the eastern gate. He knew if he went straight ahead, he would come across the Tree of Harmony in only a short walk – but he had already taken a look at it when he and Deepest Desire spent our first nights here, and he wanted to go a bit deeper into the forest, so he decided to turn north instead. He felt the grassy forest ground under his hooves. He had gotten used to concrete during his time in the Crystal Empire and Canterlot, but walking the forest felt unusually well. He couldn't help but admire its beauty. Not only was it impressive, it also felt oddly familiar, in a way his people's old homeland across the sea never had to him. He almost felt at home here. He knew there were dangerous plants and animals in the forest, and he was on his guard, but he couldn't shake the odd feeling that the forest didn't intend to harm him. He almost had the feeling that it was welcoming him.

After about ten minutes, he stumbled upon a small clearing, with a creek running through it, and only a single tree in the middle. Its bark was white, and just like most of the trees, it had not yet begun to drop its leaves, but they had taken a bold shade of red. He did not know if that was normal for trees in this region, or if this year's autumn was simply unusually mild. For some reason, he felt drawn to it. He approached it, and finally touched it with the palm of his right hand. Immediately, he felt an odd, almost magical connection with the tree. Almost as though he and the tree had become one. Almost as though his consciousness had somehow fused with the tree, he felt the gentle breeze of the afternoon touch its branches, which only a few hours ago had still felt the sun of autumn. He felt its roots, deeply ingrained in the ground. He also felt the change of seasons, but this autumn was milder than usual.

He felt something landing on one of the tree’s highest branches. Instinctively looking up, he saw an owl sitting in my crown.

"Who", said the owl.

"Oh, hello there", the stag said. "Are you watching over the forest for me?"

"Who", said the owl.

"I see", he answered, smiling. "Well, that is good to know. I feel much safer now. Well, then... fly, little owl",  he said. "Fly, and watch over the forest!"

The owl stretched out its wings and rose to the sky.

"Farewell, little owl", he said. "I'm sure we'll see each other again."

He withdrew his hand from the tree. The connection, or the illusion of connection, immediately passed away. He was alone in his own body again. What an odd experience. He had to tell Baldr about it. But for now, he decided to return to the castle. He felt tired. He knew he needed to get some rest.
> Chapter 4: Encownters (part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"I don't get it."

Baldr shook his head, then took a big mouthful of Amber Glow from his glass.

"Is this some new kind of fetish?", he asked. "I mean, why would anyone want to be a tree?"

Eadgil shook his head. "That wasn't what I said. I didn't say I was the tree, or that I wanted to be the tree. I said I felt connected to the tree – as if my consciousness had merged with it somehow."

His eyes scouted around the room. A cow was wiping the floor. Something about her seemed familiar to him. He knew she was one of Baldr's, but he could have sworn he had seen her somewhere else before. She cast the stags, and particularly him, glances that seemed like she was frightened - following every move, almost as though she was afraid he would jump up any moment and do something terrible.

He was certain he had seen her somewhere else before. But he couldn't say where.

Baldr's voice disrupted his attempts to dig deeper into his memories.

"If what you say is true, it sounds like some kind of magic. Maybe you accidentally stumbled across that… tree of harmony thing. I don't know much about it, but I know it's supposed to be somewhere close to here."

"No, I know where the Tree of Harmony is and what it looks like. This was just an ordinary Everfree forest tree, albeit admittedly a strong and healthy one."

"I see", Baldr responded. "Or maybe it was just afterglow. After all, you did have sex shortly before, and from what I've heard, I infer that it was quite pleasurable."

"Several hours before", Eadgil corrected him.

He grinned. "Well, Bruna was still smiling several hours after she came from you."

Eadgil stared into his glass. "She did tell you what I told her?", he asked.

"Of course", the other stag answered. "Nothing I hadn't already guessed."

"Hmmm...", Eadgil just said.

"I mean, it's not exactly uncommon among our people to feel this way, is it?", Baldr said. "The desire to assert one's domination over the partner by letting him or her feel some kind of distress."

"True, but the majority of stags don't exactly qualify as role models", Eadgil responded. "I would rather not have too much similarity with them."

"Unfortunately, we don't really choose our fetishes", Baldr remarked. "Believe me, no one knows that as well as I do."

Eadgil decided not to inquire about Baldr's preferences for now. "But why do you trust me?", he asked.

"Well, you came up with this project, and you seem to be serious about wanting to change yourself and our people. I guess that already speaks for you. Aside from that, Bruna trusts you. She was almost enthusiastic when she returned from you. I think you really struck a chord in her. Bruna clearly has a wish to be dominated, and despite her low pain tolerance, I also think she does have a certain masochistic side to her. It's rather common among cows, even though my family and I don't encourage it. But she wants and needs someone who can deal with this responsibly, someone who actually cares for her."

Eadgil nodded. "I guessed something like this. She wants a relationship. It's still not without problems though. She also said she wants to be owned. We only recently abandoned the idea of private ownership of cows, and for good reason." His eyes darted around the room again.

Baldr sighed. "Yes, I know, and I also know you already told her that that's not going to happen. Bruna may have had a more fortunate upbringing than other cows, but that doesn't mean she always knows what's best for her. But I think she also kind of understands why we abandoned private handling of the cows in Freeville – or at least what she told me about your conversation with you seems to indicate that. Our family was similar after all, although for the last years it had only been me."

The stags fell silent for a minute, and Eadgil's eyes once again fell on the cow who was still on all fours wiping the floor.

"Hey, Baldr… is that cow there one of yours?", he finally asked. "She looks familiar. As though I had already seen her somewhere else. Maybe only in the corner of an eye… but still…"

Baldr thought for a moment, then he smiled a little. "That's actually quite possible, now that I think about it. I bought her in Lindisbarne about a year ago, only months after we've taken the town. You know quite a few stags sold their cows once they had taken a few mares." He chuckled a little. "But we're horribly impolite, aren't we? Why don't you ask her?"

"Hm. Didn't think about that." Eadgil looked over to the cow. "Hey, you there! Cow! Would you come over here for a second, please?"

She instantly dropped what she was doing, lowered her head and crawled towards him. "Master", she said with a meek voice that sounded frightened, pushing her head to the floor. "Use this slave in any way you like, but please..." She interrupted herself.

"Please what?", he asked.

"P… please give this slave whatever she deserves", she whimpered.

He looked over to Baldr. "Huh. What's her deal?", he asked. "You said she has been with you for more than a year...?"

Baldr sighed. "Her former Master was thorough with his 'training', and he must have had her for quite a while. I'm absolutely certain he's one of those stags who enjoy this kind of 'training' – breaking a female down until she's nothing more than a twitching mess, scared to death of every male who comes by her. In addition to that, I'm fairly certain he regularly used the Veizla treatment on his females. You know, the owner switcharoo, in order to ingrain feelings of insecurity. I think she still fears that if she shows even the slightest bit of misbehavior, her old owner will jump from some corner to take her back and give her a good beating to start with. Of course I told her over and over again that this isn't going to happen, but her former Master was very effective at ingraining a general fear and distrust of all males into her."

"Hm...", Eadgil made, turning my attention back to the female. "Alright then", he said. "You may sit up."

She instantly raised her head and body, now kneeling on the floor, legs spread, back stretched in order to present her tits, hands resting on her thighs, her eyes still avoiding his gaze.

"I would like to know your name, little one", he asked.

"This slave's name is Ivana, Master", Ivana stuttered. "Given to her by her former Master."

"Ivana...", he mumbled. Then it clicked. "Hey, now I know you!", he exclaimed. "You were one of Vestri's cows, weren't you? He sold you all shortly after he took that Sunny mare. Now I remember!"

Baldr nodded. "Yes, and I bought two or three from him - as many as I could afford back then. They are all like this. There are a few cows I could help, but not the ones I bought from him. I told you, he's thorough."

Eadgil gave him a nod of understanding, then turned his attention back to the cow. "What did he do to you?", he asked. "You said he gave you your name. He named you after his brother, I assume?"

She nodded. "Yes, Master. His brother gave me to him for his birthday. They trained me together. I will... th... this cow will be forever thankful to them, for teaching her how a slave should behave, for giving her the discipline she required, and... for giving her her true name."

"I see", Eadgil said. "What were you called before that?"

She started to shake again. "I… don't remember...", she confessed.

"Why not?", he inquired further. "Has it been too long ago?"

"It has been long ago. Or it feels like… long ago. But they… taught me my true name", she whimpered. "They made me forget the wrong name I had before that."

"Made you forget?", he asked. "How?" The mindwipe spell was a pony invention. Vestri couldn't have had access to it that early.

"They… at first, they still sometimes called this slave by her wrong name, and then... gave her the harsh punishment she deserved whenever she reacted to it. They taught her well. She owes them thanks for all eternity." She was shaking even more than before.

"And that really worked?", Eadgil asked. Seeing how she was shaking, he decided not to ask her about what exactly they did to her. She had said they had trained her together, and he knew that whenever the two brothers actually agreed on something, Ivangir's brutish cruelty and Vestri's inventiveness when it came to things like discipline and manipulation usually proved to be a bad combination. 

Eadgil decided to shift the topic away from them and investigate in a different direction. "I guess you also don't remember much about your life before you came to Vestri?", he asked. To his disappointment, but not to his surprise, she shook her head.

"I told you he was thorough", Baldr said.

Eadgil didn't pay attention to his friend's sideline remarks. In his mind, his wish to help the cow in front of him blended together with his own anger at Vestri, with his desire for revenge. He felt how he became determined to break through this conditioning, to undo what his old Lieutenant had done. Ivana's entire body was shaking of fear now, and she was struggling hard to hold back her tears. "Give me your hands", he ordered her.

Ivana stretched out her hands, shaking in fear. Eadgil took them into his own and just held them, looking into her eyes, trying to be as comforting as he could, despite his rising anger at his former commanding officer. "You don't have to be afraid any more. Vestri isn't here, and he never will be. I don't know what exactly he did to you, but he will never do it to you again. You're among friends here. We are all here to protect you. Whatever he did, I promise to you that I will make sure that he will never get the chance to do this to anyone ever again." He spoke his last words slowly, with emphasis. "Do you understand?"

She was still looking at him with wet eyes.

"Don't be afraid", he said. "It's okay. You don't need to hold back any more."

When she let her head sink into his arms and started to cry, he caught her. "It's okay", he reassured her. "Don't hold back."

She cried for a while, and with the tears came relaxation. She stopped to shake and calmed down. "You don't have to be afraid any more", the stag repeated, gently letting his hand run across her head.

When she was fully calmed down, he gently let go of her, and she sank to her knees again, daring to speak again. "Does Master want to f… to use this cow now?", she asked.

"Is this really what you want?", he asked. "Or just what you've come to expect?"

"I'm… not sure, Master", she admitted.

"Well, then take some time to think about it!", he commanded. "You can take as much time as you need to work through all the thoughts in your head. Think about what you really want, and try to tell it apart from the stuff you only believe you need because Vestri and others taught you to. If you've made up your mind and then you still want me to fuck you, I will. I promise. But only if you really want to."

"That's… I'm not sure if… that's how… is that... right?" She didn't move an inch. Her eyes were scanning the room, desperately searching for some kind of confirmation, no matter from where.

When Ivana's eyes finally looked at Baldr, he chuckled a little. "I'm fairly certain that was an order. Ari, was that an order?"

"Damn right it was.", the other stag affirmed.

She clumsily struggled to her feet, then bowed down slightly. "Th… thank you, Master." She seemed to think for a moment. "I just remembered… you gave all of us the order to join the mares for a few hours each day. I haven't been there yet today. I hope you are not angry." She stiffened up again for a moment, but when she saw both stags shake their heads, she relaxed. "May I… take my leave and go there now, Master?", she asked the stag in front of her.

"Permission granted", Eadgil said, giving a quick nod. "But don't forget to set some time aside for yourself, to think about what I've told you."

She nodded, then rushed out of the room.

"Great...", Baldr mumbled. "Now who's going to finish wiping this floor?"

The other stag grinned. "I'm sure you'll find someone."

Baldr grimaced. "Yeah. I guess I will."

Eadgil grabbed his glass of Amber Glow. It was still half full. "Why can't I shake the feeling that this was some kind of test?"

"You seem think I'm more cunning than I actually am", Baldr answered. "But if it had been a test, you would have exceeded all my expectations. I have no idea how you did what you did, but you accomplished in an hour what I couldn't do in over a year. Ivana is probably still far from fully overcoming her fears, but she made a first step today. Really… no idea how you did that."

"I fear now you are the one who is giving me too much credit", Eadgil said. "To be honest, I also have no idea what I did. I just tried to tell her as honestly as possible what I think of Vestri."

"Maybe that's it", his friend just said.

After a few seconds of silence, Eadgil spoke again. "I have to admit… watching her crawl before me and degrade herself... seeing her whimper as I tortured her poor mind with my questions... it did feel somewhat arousing", he said sheepishly. "Although hearing her glorify Vestri was kind of a downer", he then added, more to myself.

"I guessed it was", Baldr said. "And judging from some of her reactions, I'm fairly certain Ivana noticed it as well. But you don't choose to be aroused, it just happens. When it comes down to it, it only matters how you acted."

"I guess you're right", Eadgil said, emptying his glass of Amber Glow.

Once again, the two stags sat there for a minute.

"Is it true?", Eadgil finally asked. "What Bruna said about you."

"Probably", Baldr chuckled. "What did she say about me?"

"She said you have... submission fantasies", his friend said bluntly.

Baldr sighed. "Ari, you're a good friend, but I'm not interested in you that way."

"That is really not the reason why I'm asking", Eadgil said quickly. "Bruna already told me that you're not interested in males."

Baldr nodded. "She's correct, I'm not. I tried it, of course. It's not that it disgusts me… it just doesn't give me anything, that's all. It's not what I'm looking for."

"So is it true?", Eadgil asked. "Do you have submission fantasies?"

''Yes, Ari", the other stag admitted hesitantly. "It is true."

"That's really good to know", Eadgil said enthusiastically. "You know, I was actually thinking about trying to set up a date between you and Deepest Desire. I know for a fact she's a dominant, and she is interested in both genders. But Bruna told me she thinks you're interested in Spring Breeze. Is that true? I don't know if she's into that sort of thing though..."

"So you don't find it weird?", Baldr asked.

''Why would I?", his friend asked. Thinking for a moment, he added: "Well, yeah, if… if you had asked me two years ago, yeah, I would have found it weird. But now… I know for a fact that there are dominant females. So why wouldn't there be submissive males as well? If you think about it, it would be kind of weird if one existed and the other didn't, wouldn't it?''

Baldr sighed with relief. ''I'm… glad that you don't find it weird. So far, Bruna was the only one who had a clue about this… it does feel like a relief to have someone else know.''

Eadgil smiled. 'Well, I have to leave now. I've got a lot of things to do tomorrow and need some rest.'' He rose from his seat.

Baldr nodded. ''See you soon.''

"See you", Eadgil said and left the room.





The next day, Eadgil sat at his desk when he heard a faint knock at his door.

"Yes please?", he answered.

"Master", he heard a voice say. "I'm returning from the mares to give you my first report."

Eadgil recognized the voice as Bruna's. He had somewhat expected her to go to Baldr with her report though – but he also knew she was drawn to him, so he wasn't too surprised.

"You may enter", he said. She opened the door and stepped in.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Bruna, you're still wearing your clothes?", he asked.

She blushed and immediately let her clothes drop to the floor. It wasn't too difficult, they were improvised and the mares had created something simple enough for the cows (who weren't used to putting on clothing after all) to put on by themselves. "I'm sorry, Master", she said. "I just came back from the mares and I forgot to take them off. I hope I haven't angered you."

"You didn't anger me", he responded, smiling at her. "I was just surprised, that's all. I actually like these clothes, you look nice in them. So, you're here to report about your observations about us, and about the mares? Please sit down and begin."

He hadn't specified where she should sit, so she instinctively chose the bed.

"First of all", she said, "they don't need sex that much. Not as much as we do, I mean. When we don't feel the closeness of our masters' bodies for some time, we become afraid and insecure. It's not like that with them. They don't need it. Or at least not that much."

"Well, that one is for certain", the stag responded. "Good. What else?"

"I find it extremely odd that they want us to wear clothes, and that they don't like our collars. They don't want us to talk well about our Masters, or about how we enjoy serving you, or about how we can serve you even better. Some of them even become angry. Most cows don't have much else to talk about, so they remain silent. I spoke a bit with some of the mares though. One of them asked me a lot of questions about you." She smiled.

"About us stags?", Ari asked.

"No, about you, Master." She giggled softly. "I had mentioned that you have taken me after moving in, and that one mare wanted to hear details about you – about us." She giggled again. "Some other mares would have become angry if I talked about that, but she specifically asked me. Pulled me to a table far away from the others and started to ask questions."

"Huh, odd", Eadgil said. "Anyway, proceed. What about the others?"

"Well… they don't like to talk about the same things we cows like to talk about, so I tried to listen to their conversations closely to find out what they're talking about among each other. Maybe to find some… common ground?", she asked, a bit insecure.

Eadgil smiled. "You're quite clever", he said.

She smiled back. "Thank you, Master. Well, the… the mares mostly talk about what they want to do, about things they like to do, about plans they have for the future. Most of us don't understand that. We are usually happy to have Masters who make all those bothering decisions for us. But on the other hand, it did feel nice when I made the decision to come to you the other day instead of sticking with Baldr, or just picking any stag at random, Master."

"Maybe you like making decisions on your own more than you thought?", Eadgil said.

"Yes", she responded softly, with a hint of insecurity in her voice. "I guess I'm also more comfortable with the idea than most cows. But most of the mares seem almost obsessed with being in control of their own decisions. They often talk about how horrible it was for them to be slaves, and how happy they are that they aren't any more. I know my family raise cows differently, we're more open to ideas like this, but even I have trouble understanding it – the others even more so. Usually we would try to find out about this by touching them and feel their reactions – but you have forbidden, and we respect your word."

"Good", Eadgil said. "It is important that you follow this instruction. Don't touch them unless they give you permission. The idea of finding common ground has merit though. For now, I would suggest that you ask the mares if they would be willing to introduce you to the things they do. Just the easiest and least dangerous ones. Maybe ask them if you can do a few chores for them. You know, all the little things we also let you do for us."

"We should serve them just like we serve you?", Bruna asked.

"If you want to put it that way."

Bruna seemed a bit scared of the idea. "Well, they are... better at doing things on their own than we are. They make mistakes sometimes, but they don't need correction from Masters, they correct themselves. They are almost a bit like..." She stopped short.

Eadgil raised his eyes to look at her. She instantly had his full attention. "They are almost like... what?", he inquired.

He immediately realized that he had made a mistake with that reaction. She seemed to think he was trying to correct her, or prevent her from saying something stupid. "Sorry, no", she stuttered. "I was mistaken. I thought something dumb for a moment. I sometimes think silly things." She giggled.

Now Eadgil really wanted to hear the rest of what she had to say. "Don't worry, you didn't say anything wrong. Go on, please."

"How do they do it?", she immediately asked. "The mares, I mean. How do they do it. Making plans, doing things on their own without Masters. How do they do it? How do they know what to do?"

Eadgil said a short thanks to the Ancestors in his head. That cow had just given him something to build on.

"How do we do it?", he asked.

She was confused. "I don't understand... Master." Had she already forgotten that she wanted to make the same comparison herself only a second ago?

"Well, how do we do it? Remember, we also gave you the order to observe us – your masters. We decide what to do all the time. And not just for ourselves but for you as well. So how do we do it?"

She thought for a minute. "So it's the same with… you and them?", she asked.

Eadgil nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Bruna giggled softly. "We've… talked about this, haven't we? I remember. About… females who are like Masters. When we were lying beside each other the other day, talking about what kind of female Baldr wants. So does that mean that the mares are Masters, too?"

Eadgil chuckled. "Not quite, I think", he responded. "Although for now, it might be a good idea to think of them that way. They're definitely more similar to Masters than to slaves."

Bruna giggled again. "Well, I… as I said, I made a decision as well when I came to you, and it felt kind of good. I also think I didn't make a mistake with it. Does that mean I'm like a Master, too?"

Eadgil smiled. "I wouldn't go that far, although I think you're closer to us than most cows are. I think it's not entirely a matter of nature – you said it yourself, you had a different upbringing. But remember: You still have a tendency to confuse what you want with what is expected of you, and you also still crave for a male who takes control."

"Yes, I do", Bruna whispered seductively, spreading her legs.

Eadgil looked at her firm, big tits and exposed cowhood and found what he saw very pleasant. How could a healthy caribou male not find this arousing?

"You want me to take control?", he asked.

"Yes, Master", she said, smiling at him happily.

"You want to try out some more bondage?", Eadgil inquired. "Something a bit more daring this time?"

"Oh yes, Master. That would be wonderful."

Eadgil went over to his cupboard and took out two long ropes. "This will require two ropes", he said.

"Oooh!", Bruna mooed. "Double the fun!"

Eadgil chuckled a little. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to use the first rope to tie a chest harness, and the second to tie your hands to your back with a one-column tie, tied to the harness."

"Sounds complicated", Bruna said.

"It's fairly simple", he responded. "First, I want you to stand up from the bed."

Bruna immediately stood up from the bed, presenting herself with her breasts stretched out, hands behind her back, and legs spread.

"Not like this", Eadgil said coldly. "We're tying the chest harness first, so you don't need to have your hands behind your back just yet. As a matter of fact, I need you to raise your arms to chest height."

She complied, stretching out her arms to her sides at chest height.

Eadgil looked at her while feeling up the rope to find the exact middle of the rope. "Wonderful", he said, smiling. Once he had found the middle of the rope, he folded it back onto itself, forming an U-shaped bight. He moved around her, then ran the rope over the top of her breasts and around her until the bight came to sit in the middle of her back. Then he took the other side of the rope with the ends, ran it through the bight, then cinched. He then lead the rope back along the front of her body, this time underneath her breasts, leading it around to the back on the other side. He then ran it through the middle and let it go the opposite direction again, making another pass on top of her breasts, making sure the lines were parallel to each other. Once he had brought the rope back to her back, he ran it through underneath the middle, then pulling upwards.

"You can drop your arms now", he said, and the cow let her arms sink to the side of her body.

He then led the rope across her right shoulder, to the front of the harness, underneath the top line, then underneath the bottom line, then tugged it back up and around both the bottom line and itself, finally leading it back up, through the top line, and across her left shoulder, back to her back and to the middle, where he finished off with an overhand knot.

He grabbed the knot and tugged her back a little. "Nice and tight."

"Mmmh… it's squeezing my tits nicely, Master", Bruna noticed.

"Eh, not too much", he replied. "Now, hands to the back!"

She complied, putting her arms behind her back, crossing them slightly above her butt.

"Not like that!", he commanded. "You need to put them in parallel to each other, and further up." Once again, she complied.

He took the second rope, folded it at the bight, then let it go around both her wrists three times. He passed the bight over and through, then tied a square knot. He then pulled her arms up a bit further, then took the rest of his rope and tied it into the chest harness.

"Mmmh, I'm tightly packed", Bruna muttered. "Ready for you to use me any way you want." She giggled.

"Not as tightly as you could be", he answered. "I could tie up your arms as far up as this." He took the rope that tied her arms to the harness and pulled up, then held it like that for a bit.

"Oh… that feels… oh. Oh, mh. Why… don’t you tie it like that, Master?"

Eadgil sighed a little. "Because then it's more difficult to undo the rope. It's not safe right now. Usually I always have my dagger at hand when I do bondage, so I can cut the other person free if something goes wrong. But Spring Breeze has my dagger right now, so I have to see how quickly I can undo this setup if necessary", he said, then quickly tied her hands to the chest harness again.

"Now this is very important", he continued. "If your hands go to sleep, tell me, because then I have to loosen it a bit more. If you feel any sudden, shooting pains, I need to know immediately. Understood?"

Bruna nodded. "Yes, Master."

Eadgil let his right hand run across her cheek, smiling at her. "That's my good girl."

She giggled. "Master, I… I'm so excited. My legs feel like pudding. May I go to my knees for you?"	

"You may", he responded, smiling as he watched her slowly sink to her knees before him. He then approached her from the side, taking her head with one hand and pushing it towards his crotch while he was still wearing his pants. He hold her head tight in this position, close to him, while she was moaning in blissful expectation. They remained like this for about a minute.

"M… Master", Bruna finally said. "Please, leash me."

"Huh?", he asked. "Alright."

He let go of her head, leaving her in this kneeling position, then he went to his cupboard and opened it again, taking out a leash. He then returned to her, bowed down a little, and slowly attached it to the ring in her collar.

She giggled a little. "Mmmh… will you use this to pull me close again, Master?"

He smiled. "I will." He then pulled on her leash, pulling her towards him and holding her head in position with his hand again. They remained like this in silence for a while.

Finally, Bruna spoke again, blushing and looking down. "Master, you probably want me to suck you off now, then fuck me, but… may I ask you of something Master? A little dream of mine that I had for a while?"

He let his hand run across her cheek again. "Of course, Bruna. You may always tell me your dreams. As a matter of fact, I want to know. I will decide which one of them is safe, and which one of them I'm willing to fulfill with you. So by all means, tell me."

Bruna still looked down. "It's… something I've wanted for a while now. Baldr wanted to hear nothing of it, and in a place like Lin… Lindis… that town we lived before we came here, it wouldn't have been a good idea anyway. But I think it would be okay here. Also… I actually feel more comfortable asking you than him. You seem to be… into such things."

This was beginning to get interesting.

"What is it, little one?", he asked.

She lifted her head and looked up at him with big, begging cow eyes. "Would you be willing to… take me for a walk?"

Eadgil scratched his chin. "You want me to drag you on a leash and parade you around the caribou quarters?"

"Yes, Master. Mh… drag me closely behind you, keep me on a short leash. Make it difficult for me to keep up with you." She giggled. "Make me struggle to please you! Show my weakness and helplessness to everyone!"

The stag smiled. "Intriguing. Yes, I think I could do that. Stand up!"

Without her hands to support her, the cow awkwardly stumbled to her feet. Once she stood in front of him, Eadgil instantly grabbed her leash close to her collar, giving her very little room for movement. "I will keep you on a short leash and drag you along. You better keep up!"

Bruna nodded, giggling a little. "Yes, Master."

Eadgil instantly turned around and left the room, dragging her with him closely behind him. Still holding her leash close to her collar, he gave her only very little space to maneuver, forcing her to stay close. She stumbled behind him, trying her best to keep up with her new Master. She found it funny, but the fact that she had chosen him actually made her even more eager not to disappoint him. After a while, she was able to keep her balance and even keep up with his fast steps, although she had to keep fully focused on the task. She giggled as he was dragging her along.

He paraded her through the eastern wing. Some of the stags who came by turned their heads, but they all didn't think too much of it. A few of them were dragging along or carrying cows themselves. Once again, Eadgil noticed that cows and mares behaved very different from each other. The cows here seemed happy with the attention they were getting, and excited for it. But he also noticed a clear difference between the treatment of cows here in Luna's castle and what he had seen among the rest of his people. There was no pressure here, no need to constantly physically enforce discipline. The interaction between stags and cows here was a fun game. While cows had been forced into silence in the rest of caribou society, here in Freeville, where their free expression wasn't constantly repressed and they didn't have to dedicate themselves to the whims of a single Master, at least some of them were flirting with the stags and teasing them much more openly. For a moment, Eadgil was reminded of the months of building Hornvik, before they had taken the Crystal Empire. 

Back then, King Dainn and the council had decided to rent a bunch of cows from private owners for easy construction and decoration work, but mainly for keeping the stags entertained. For the time they were leased by the state, they had been in a somewhat similar situation of de-facto public ownership – and for a brief moment, a similar scent of free expression had been hanging in the air. Only here in Luna's castle, it was even more open and light-hearted than it had been back then. Back in Hornvik, the cows were eventually re-privatized once the outpost was complete, and particularly once the Crystal Empire was taken – and even during this short period of buildup, most stags had of course still seen the cows as mere tools at best and worthless meat at worst, hadn't cared too much about their feelings or fates, and had demanded perfect behavior from them and often harshly enforced it.

The stags they had gathered here in Luna's castle were far more light-hearted in their approach to cows. Of course they were still the dominant partners in all interactions, but they didn't feel the need to constantly punish them, or keep them sexualized and humiliated at all times at any cost, or enforce perfect behavior. Instead, they focused on discovering new ways to simply enjoy their females' company. It was an atmosphere of experimentation. New relationships were formed, and old ones were re-explored in new ways, and seemingly with very little pressure. There was of course also a certain potential for missteps, and Eadgil guessed that they would sooner or later have to find ways to identify and stop eventual mis-developments. But for now, it seemed to him that they had really started something new and so far unheard of – or at least unheard of outside of the protective secrecy of Baldr's family.

But of course, many of the stags they came across weren't even with cows. They had a lot of restoration and construction work to do right now, so they didn't have too much time for fun and games. For the same reason, most of the cows weren't even around the stags. Eadgil knew that quite a few of them were around the mares right now in order to study them, but he also guessed that the great majority of the cows were among each other in the rooms that had specifically been set aside for them. Of course it wasn't a prohibited area for the stags, they still went there to fetch one or two willing cows whenever they felt the urge, but for the most part, this was a place where the cows could be among themselves and interact with each other without constant male interference. The stags hadn't even consciously decided to arrange things that way – it seemed to be a direct result of keeping the cows as public property, and of the fact that the stags had much work to do.

Once they had explored most of the eastern wing, Eadgil finally took a right turn in order to return to his quarters. Somewhere along the way, his subconscious must have decided that it was also more comfortable for him to give Bruna more room for maneuvering, for by now he was holding the leash further toward its end, and Bruna was behind him a few steps. "Master… are we returning to your room already?", she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "There are so many places we haven't been to yet."

Eadgil turned around. "We can't visit the mares like this, if that's what you're talking about."

Bruna shook her head. "No, I… was talking about visiting the other cows. I've told them so much about you. How amazing you are. I want to show it to them, Master."

Eadgil chuckled, moved close to her, let his right hand run along her cheek and below her chin, then raised her head gently, like he had done a few times already. But this time, Bruna was surprised not to see his usual gentle smile, but a stern, imposing stare.

"Bruna… are you saying that you want to showcase me?", the stag asked. "Like a new toy you've found? Is that what I am to you? A trophy Master you can present to your little pals to make them jealous?"

"Master...", Bruna stuttered. "I… I..."

Eadgil grinned. "Well, I guess given everything, that's just fair. Let's go!"

"So, you're not angry with me?", Bruna asked.

His grin got even wider. "Nah, I was just messing with you." He grabbed her leash close to her collar again, once again giving her little room to maneuver. "No reason to go easy on you though." She yelped as he started to drag her along closely once again.

After a short walk, they reached the cows' rooms. A few of them were busy getting to know each other, but a surprising amount of them was busy with different things altogether. Some were doing some easy decorating, others were drawing or painting images.

Once again, Eadgil felt reminded of Hornvik. There were of course many images with sexual content, most of them more expressions of the artist's fantasies than adequate depictions of reality. But there was also a surprising number of images with no sexual content whatsoever. There were quite a few landscape paintings that showed the parts of the Everfree forest that were visible from the castle windows, and Eadgil found them surprisingly well done. There were also a few still lifes, some of them of sex toys, but also some of them of completely nonsexual objects like food. Cows were frequently horny, there was no doubt about that, but Eadgil found that the usual idea that they were incapable of thinking about anything else than sex was simply not true. Maybe they were simply easily aroused by the presence of males.

The reactions he got seemed to confirm this idea. He and Bruna had only just arrived, but he was already turning heads and earning giggles. Quite a few cows had dropped what they were doing and gathered around them.

"Hello, Ladies", Eadgil said, smiling and tipping an imaginary hat. The cows giggled.

"See?", Bruna asked around, to no one in particular. "Isn't he exactly how I said he was? I'm tightly packed, and once we leave here, I bet he'll take me somewhere else and do all kinds of naughty stuff to me, and there's nothing I can do to stop him!" She giggled, and the other cows joined in again.

Eadgil sighed. "Seems like I really am a trophy Master."

"Oooh! Take me, too!", one of them said.

"No, me!", another one joined in.

Eadgil looked at Bruna. "What do you say? Should we take one or two of your girlfriends with us?" He chuckled. "I let you choose."

Bruna looked down, blushing a little. "If you want to, Master. But… I had hoped to spend some time with you alone later."

"Well, then why did you bring me here to begin with?", Eadgil asked. Then he turned back to the others. "Oh well. You heard her, ladies! Today I'm going to abide by her wishes. That is, at least until later when I'm all alone with her – then I'll make her abide by my wishes, and I'll make her love every moment of it!" 

Bruna giggled again at this, and despite their disappointment, the other cows joined in. 

Eadgil tipped his imaginary hat again. "Sorry to disappoint you, ladies. Maybe another time. I'm sure I can make some time to get to know at least some of you a little better. You should keep in mind that Bruna is particularly dear to my heart – but there are many other good, kind stags here in Freeville. Many of them are better people than I am. You are all really wonderful, and I'm sure each of you will find a stag who sees you as dear to his heart. We will take our leave now. Bruna, say goodbye to your friends!"

"See you later", Bruna said, smiling friendly.

They left the cows' place. Once they were far away enough that Eadgil was certain they wouldn't be heard, he looked sternly at Bruna again. "You really did let me lead you there to make them jealous, didn't you?"

She looked down, blushing. "Y… yes, Master."

"You're a naughty little cow. I'll have to see how I punish you. Don't worry, I won't be harsh. I'm glad that you're honest. Did you come up with this idea all on your own?"

"I… yes and no, Master. I decided to try this out, so I accept your punishment. But… you remember that mare I told you about earlier? I mentioned to her that I wanted to be led around by you. She asked me if I wanted you to parade me in front of the other cows in order to make them jealous. I didn't think of it that way before she said that."

"A mare gave you that idea?", Eadgil asked. "Now I'm really curious about her."

"I'm sure she'll turn up sooner or later. She seemed really interested in you, Master", Bruna said. "But… before we return to your room... I was wondering if we could go outside. I want to see the forest. Something… draws me out there. I know I can't go alone, it's too dangerous. There are all the nasty animals and plants we brought here from our homelands, and I know this forest also has dangerous animals of its own. I could ask Baldr to keep me safe, but..." She looked at him with begging eyes. "But I really want to go with you! We can have our fun times out there if you know a romantic place." She giggled.

Eadgil smiled at her. "How could I say no if you ask me like this? Also, I do indeed know a romantic little clearing in the forest that I could show you. It should be safe going there."

Bruna smiled happily.





Ivana was stumbling through the hallways, on her way to her daily visit of the mares' quarters. The castle was complicated and a cow could easily get lost, but by now Ivana knew the way with relative certainty. So far she hadn't really interacted with the mares, but she enjoyed watching them. They were so pretty. More independent, more certain of themselves than any female she had ever known – even a little bit like Masters, she sometimes thought. They almost seemed like the females from her dreams – but of course, she knew that was impossible. These were just silly fantasies of a dumb, useless cow.

Ivana somewhat suspected that the illusion that the mares were like Masters was created by the fact that, for some reason she did not understand, the Masters now forced them to wear clothing and cover themselves. It must have been difficult for them, she suspected. She herself still had great trouble getting accustomed to clothing, but the mares had told her to do so, and the Masters had told her to obey their commands to the letter. 

In the end, she figured she was just a dumb cow and couldn't possibly understand the intentions of the Masters, and really shouldn't even try. It was better to get along with everything that was demanded of her. She only wished she could get closer to a mare to get to know her, the only way two females could really get to know each other, so she could at least understand them a bit better – but the Masters had also forbidden her to do so without the mares' explicit permission. For now, she could not do much more but observe them, wait, and hope. She sighed a little.

She had almost reached the mares' community rooms when she encountered a mare, blocking a doorway she was about to pass. The mare was pretty, Ivana thought. She had a dark blue coat that seemed to sparkle mysteriously. Ivana had heard that mares like her come from a place called the Crystal Empire. She had never been there though. Back in Lindisbarne, after Master Vestri had sold her, Master Baldr had stayed there when the other the caribou marched to conquer the rest of Equestria. He had never left the town until they had moved to this castle, and subsequently, she also hadn't. This was the first time she saw a mare like this one from close.

"Look what we have here!", Shadow Amethyst smirked. "A little caribou cunt, on her way to spy on us for her Masters. Now what are we going to do with you?"

Ivana sheepishly cast her eyes down. "Th… this cow does not know of spying. She is here to spend time around you and the other mares... as the Masters have commanded", she responded. She looked up and smiled at the pretty, sparkling mare. "M… maybe I could spend some time with you."

In a quick move, Shadow Amethyst grabbed her right shoulder and pushed her against the wall, making her yelp in surprise. "You think you're clever, huh? Listen, bitch! I don't care what your own males do to you when you're over with them. But from now on, as long as you're here with us, you'll be my personal punching bag. Do you understand? You're my property now. You will do as I say, and you will gladly offer yourself as a punching bag and pleasure toy whenever I need to act out my frustrations. From now on, you will call me Mistress Shadow Amethyst." She pushed her even harder against the wall. "Do. You. Understand. Cunt?"

Ivana was completely surprised. "Yes, M... Mistress Shadow Amethyst… b… but… wh… what is a… Mistress?", she stuttered.

Shadow Amethyst put her left hand on the cow's tit, which was still covered by her thin white blouse, pushing and squeezing harshly at the same time, which caused Ivana to yelp in pain. 

"Damn, you cows really are as stupid as everyone says!", the crystal mare said while placing her right leg between Ivana's legs and continuing to push her harshly against the wall. "Do you know nothing? A Mistress is a female Master."

Ivana's heart made a jump. She couldn't believe it. This was so much like her dreams! For a moment, she was wondering if she was indeed just having yet another daydream. But here she was. For all she knew, this was as real as anything could possibly be.

Shadow Amethyst moved her left arm under the blouse, starting to fondle the cow's tit directly. Then, she moved her leg upwards until it was directly below Ivana's cunt, which, pushing against it, with only the cow's thin skirt preventing her leg from making direct contact. She would get rid of that soon enough. "What are you waiting for?", she asked. "Hump my leg like the stupid fucking bitch you are!"

Ivana began to rub herself against the mare's leg slowly, but eagerly. She was almost ecstatic. She couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"Damn, you're enjoying this, aren't you?", Shadow asked, giving the cow a short but harsh slap to the face. "You enjoy being bullied and raped, you dumb fuck! Seems like I have to teach you a lesson..."

She was interrupted mid-sentence. A hand covered in dark grey fur grabbed the crystal mare by the shoulder and forcefully dragged her away from Ivana. "What is going on here?", a female voice asked.

Ivana looked up to see who the hand and the voice belonged to. What she saw was the prettiest, most beautiful female she had ever seen. The mare was tall, quite a bit taller than Shadow Amethyst, and also seemed quite strong, but she was still very feminine. Her coat had a wonderful, dark grey shade and seemed almost silken. She had a long, light grey mane, almost white, and the most impressive, light blue eyes Ivana had ever seen. She also seemed to be quite strong, holding Shadow Amethyst in a tight grip that prevented the smaller crystal mare from doing anything – and Ivana had just gotten a taste of Shadow Amethyst's own strength, which had already surpassed that of any female she had known so far. Nothing about the looks of this new mare would have given away her physical strength though. Ivana knew that the horn stump on her forehead identified her as a unicorn, just like the mare Master Vestri had taken back in Lindisbarne, briefly before he had sold her to Master Baldr. Ivana thought that this grey mare must have been even prettier when her horn was still there – but then she cut this train of thought and stopped herself from questioning the will of the Masters.

"M… Mistress Desire!", the crystal pony stuttered. "Please! It's not what it looks like!"

Mistress Desire? Ivana was confused. Hadn't Shadow Amethyst just commanded her to call her Mistress? The cow had heard and guessed that mares thought somehow differently of Masters and slaves than her own people – but were they really so confused about their place in the world that even their slaves were allowed to have slaves?

"Uh-huh", Mistress Desire said. "And what exactly does it look like?"

The crystal mare stuttered something Ivana couldn't make out.

"Yeah", Mistress Desire said with a stern voice. "That's what I thought." Then, she turned her gaze to Ivana. "You there! What's your name, little cow?"

Ivana instinctively looked down, avoiding the Mistress' gaze. "This cow's slave name is Ivana, Mistress", she responded.

Mistress Desire nodded. "Very well, Ivana", she said. "Since this crystal bitch here has apparently forgotten how to speak properly, I want you to tell me what happened here. Leave no detail out, I want to know everything. No opinions, just the facts."

The Masters had told her to follow the mares' commands to the letter, so Ivana gave the unicorn a detailed description of what had happened, reproducing her exchange with Shadow Amethyst word for word. Master Vestri and his brother had beaten most of her long-term memories out of her, but her short-term memory was still quite intact. She was confident that she hadn't missed a single detail. However, it made her a bit sad that she couldn't tell Mistress Desire about her dreams, about how Shadow Amethyst's actions had matched them so well, and about how she had enjoyed it. But the mare had commanded her to leave out opinions, so she only gave her the facts.

"So this is what you do when I'm not around to keep an eye on you, huh?", Mistress Desire asked the other mare. "Harassing and almost raping poor, helpless cows now? I know you're fucked up in the head, but that's low even for your standards. Seems like I can't leave you alone even for a second. I’ll have to come up with a fitting punishment for you."

Shadow Amethyst whimpered a little.

"I have to find a punishment that actually affects you. You clearly need some time to think about what you've done." She paused for a moment. "Ah, I know. Give me the key to your room. I'm going to lock you in for two days, so you can think about what you've done. If Spring Breeze asks where you are, I'll tell her what you did, and that I locked you up in your room as a punishment. I have no doubt she'll support my decision."

"Mistress, please", Shadow Amethyst pleaded.

"Give me. The key. To your room. Now!", Deepest Desire repeated slowly and insistently.

Shadow Amethyst gulped and reluctantly pulled out a key, then put it into her Mistress' hand. She was still whimpering and trying to stutter half-assed excuses.

"You're getting off easy with this", Deepest Desire said coldly. "I'll take the two days to think about what other punishment might be appropriate, so you better behave from now on." Still holding the whimpering crystal mare, she now started to push her towards what Ivana assumed was the direction of Shadow Amethyst's room. The cow almost instinctively followed them, keeping a small distance from them.

A little more than a minute later, they reached a door to another room. Mistress Desire quickly pushed the crystal mare through the door, then closed it behind her, took out the key and locked the door. Then, she turned around to Ivana.

"Still here, huh?", Deepest Desire sighed. "Look, I'm really sorry this happened. I guess it's my fault. I should have kept a closer eye on Shadow."

Once again, Ivana looked down, avoiding her gaze. "Th… thank you, Mistress. M… may this cow speak her mind?"

"Of course!", Mistress Desire responded. 

"This dumb cow apologizes, but she is confused. She understands little about how ponies think, but… she understands that the crystal mare needs to be punished for not knowing her place as your slave, for… p... pretending to be a Mistress herself. But... Mistress seems to think that the crystal mare needs to be punished for wronging this slave somehow."

Mistress Desire looked down at her and blinked. "Of course she wronged you", she said calmly. "She was bullying you, she was practically about to rape you when I intervened, and she would have done who knows what other things to you. Your Masters might see such things as desirable everyday trivialities, but as far as we are concerned, that means she wronged you."

"It's...  um, it's… just... th… this cow had dreams of something like this…", Ivana said. "Of a… what do you call it… Mistress. A female that could act like a Master, and claim this cow as her little slave." She looked up briefly and gave the mare a shy smile, but then immediately cast her gaze down again.

"Huh", Mistress Desire said. "Now that's a surprise. Who would have thought?"

"This slave thought it was just a silly cow fantasy", Ivana continued. "Something she had to forget in order to become a good slave for her Masters, but that kept returning in her dreams because she is a dumb, worthless cow. This cow would never have guessed that... it could actually be real."

"I see", Mistress Desire said.

She came a step closer. "Listen, I understand if you want to have a Mistress. I find it endearing, actually. In a way, you're about to liberate yourself from your own culture. But trust me, Shadow Amethyst is not a suitable candidate. She wouldn't be a good Mistress. She would only use you and have her fun on your expense, without caring for you even the slightest bit."

"Isn't… um... this cow apologizes if she is saying something dumb, but isn't that the point of… being a Master?", Ivana asked. "I mean a Mistress", she quickly corrected herself, not even noticing her use of the first-person pronoun.

"It really isn't", Mistress Desire said, with an absolute determination in her voice that made Ivana shiver.

"Mistress… when the crystal mare pushed this cow against the wall and started to make use of her… it felt like one of this cow's dreams. But… this cow does not really want the crystal mare as her Mistress."

"Well, good that we agree on this", Deepest Desire said, then turned around and started to walk down the hallway. Ivana instinctively followed her. In order to get to the communal area of the other mares, she would have to go in the other direction. But she couldn't take her eyes or thoughts off this wonderful, pretty, strong and smart mare. She didn't want the crystal mare to be her Mistress, but that didn't mean she didn't want a Mistress any more.

After a few steps, Deepest Desire turned around, looked at the little cow, raised an eyebrow and sighed. "You want me as your Mistress, don't you?"

Ivana nodded weakly. "Th… this cow… knows that she has no say-so in this matter. She is just a slave. But… if Mistress wants to take her, she will happily submit."

Deepest Desire sighed again. "Why do the problem cases always end up being sent in my direction here? Well, I guess it comes with my profession."

She approached the cow who still had her eyes cast down, put her hand under her chin, softly raised it so she could look into Ivana's eyes, and gave her a welcoming smile. "Very well, little one. As I said, you might be in the process of liberating yourself from your own cultural upbringing, and who am I to deny you that chance? If you really want to be with me, I will take you. Don't worry, I will be a kind Mistress." She looked deeply into the cow's eyes. "You have pretty eyes, little one. Have you ever been told that?"

Ivana beamed with joy. "No, Mistress! Thank you, Mistress!"

Suddenly, Deepest Desire noticed something really odd about the cow in front of her. Her eyes widened in surprise. How was this even possible?

"I mean, um...", Ivana stuttered sheepishly, noticing her new Mistress' reaction, but interpreting it wrongly. "Th… this cow is not worthy of her Mistress' praise. She thanks her Mistress, but she promises not to let it go to her head..."

Deepest Desire was still so surprised that she didn't even listen to the cow's self-humiliating stuttering. How could this even be possible?, she thought once again.

She had to be sure. Slowly, she put her right index finger on Ivana's muzzle, shutting her up. "Shhh", she made. "It's alright. I mean it. Your Mistress isn't lying to you, so just accept her word. You have beautiful eyes and a cute smile, and I know you have a good heart." Then, she moved her head down and forward, pushing her lips on Ivana's. Only slowly at first – but then, a familiar feeling kicked in, and with a force she hadn't expected. She put her right hand on the back of Ivana's head and locked her in a deep, passionate kiss.

Don't be too brisk, she had to remind herself. There is still the possibility that you're wrong. Everything seemed to point to the contrary though. But still, better to err on the side of caution.

She broke the kiss, then looked the cow in the eye again. "That was… wonderful", she said. "You… are wonderful, little cow."

"Mistress...", Ivana stuttered, about to fall into her usual verbal self-degradation again. Once again, Deepest Desire smiled and put her index finger on her muzzle. "Shh, don't say anything. Take your Mistress' word for it."

"Yes, Mistress", Ivana said, her eyes cast down, avoiding her new Mistress' gaze.

"What do you say?", Deepest Desire asked. "Do you want to come with me to my room to deepen this… relationship?"

"If… if Mistress wants her cow to follow her... so she can make use of her cow's body for her pleasure… th… this cow will be happy to comply", Ivana said with a smile that was outright serene.

Deepest Desire smiled. "I take that as a Yes. Very well, give me your hand. I'll lead you." She extended her open hand towards the cow. 

Ivana slowly placed her own hand in that of her Mistress. Deepest Desire smiled at her.

"Let me show you the way", she said. "From now on, I will show you the way."

As Ivana followed her new Mistress, her smile was as bright as the sun.
> Chapter 5: Encownters (part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was late afternoon when Eadgil and Bruna arrived at the clearing. The light of the autumn sun painted the forest in a mysterious and romantic light. Most of the non-evergreen parts of the forest had begun to lose their leaves, but the lone tree in the middle of the clearing still kept a full crown of red leaves, having lost only a few. Eadgil had untied Bruna’s hands for the time being, but she was still wearing the rope chest harness, and he still lead her on the leash, so they wouldn’t lose each other on the way through the woods.

When she saw the beauty of the place, Bruna smiled happily. "Master, it is wonderful here!", she said. "Thank you for leading me here. It's so beautiful..."

"It is, isn't it?", Eadgil confirmed. "This is my favorite place here so far, and the path isn't too difficult to find... but now, put your hands behind your back!", he commanded firmly, preparing the second rope he had been carrying in his other hand. "I'm going to tie them to your back again."

Almost like in trance, Bruna obeyed while enjoying the view of the clearing and the forest. Eadgil took her arms and tied them to her chest harness, once again using the one-column tie. "Tightly packed", he said, pleased with his work. He then took her leash again and led her to the tree. "Lean against it!", he commanded.

Bruna leaned against the tree with her back, spreading her legs so as to give the stag a good view of herself. "It's so lonely here", she said, as if lost in thoughts. Then she giggled a little. "Master, I'm tightly packed. If you wanted to turn me around and spank me, and then use me roughly from behind, there would be nothing I could do to stop you." She giggled again.

Eadgil chuckled and put his right hand to the tree next to her head, then brought his own head and body close to hers and looked her deep in the eyes. "That almost sounds like you want me to do that."

The cow giggled again. "Who says I don't?"

"I thought you don't like pain and punishment?", Eadgil inquired.

"Not too much, probably", Bruna answered, blushing a little. "But… you still have to punish me for showing you off in front of the other cows, remember?" She giggled softly. "I never expected to get off free for that. I wouldn't want to. I mean… you can't let me, can you?" She gave him a shy but encouraging smile.

With a quick move, Eadgil roughly turned her around and pushed her against the tree, then he let his hand run along her butt. "Do you really want this? Or are you suggesting it only because it would please me? Bruna… is this you confusing your own wishes with your Master's again?"

"I..." Bruna hesitated. "I'm not… I don't think so, Master. I told you I can't take too much pain, but… that doesn't mean I haven't been dreaming about it. Plus, as I said, I deserve it this time." She giggled again. "I've been a naughty cow, haven't I? Presenting my Master in front of all the other cows, using him to make them jealous… without asking for his approval first..."

Eadgil laughed. "Alright, you've convinced me. Don't worry, I won't be too harsh. A good old-fashioned sensual spanking, to get us both in the mood for a good fucking." He chuckled again. "But seriously, you have to introduce me to that mare who put these ideas in your head. I think I have to have a serious talk with her."

He raised his hand and brought it down on the cow's butt with medium force - strong enough to cause some pain, but still gentle enough to be sensual. Bruna yelped loudly. She was right, she was indeed sensitive to pain.

"Too harsh?", he asked?

"No, it's fine, Master", she responded. "I think I like it… a little bit."

Eadgil smiled deviously. "Well, that's not exactly the purpose of a punishment now, is it?" He raised his hand and brought it down on her ass once again, this time with more force, which resulted in an even louder, more painful yelp. 

"Are you alright?", he asked after a few seconds.

"That... hurt", Bruna said. "But it's okay. I still feel like I deserve it." She giggled shyly.

"Well, in that case...", Eadgil mumbled, then slapped her butt harshly once again, which resulted in yet another loud yelp from his beloved cow. Not asking again, he continued the spanking, now returning to the more sensual slaps he had started with. He noticed how her little yelps slowly got him semi-hard.

"Master… I think I'm getting wet", Bruna observed.

Eadgil stopped with the spanking and indeed started to feel up Bruna's cunt with his fingers. She was indeed starting to get wet. "Given that this is supposed to be a punishment, you're enjoying this far too much", he said. "But alright… you're wet and I'm getting hard, so let's conclude the punishment and move on." 

He unzipped his pants, released his cock and placed its tip right outside her vaginal opening. Without pushing in yet, he pushed the entire weight of his body against hers, pinning her to the tree. "Since you enjoyed the spanking, let's give our fuck a little punishment aspect as well. I'm going to use you roughly and without regard for your desire. You are allowed to come if you can, but I won't bother taking care of it."

Bruna sighed a little. "Yes, Master… that… sounds fair."

Eadgil chuckled and placed two fingers of his right hand on her clit while putting his left arm around her right below her breasts, pulling her towards him. "Don't worry, I also won't make it too difficult for you to get some pleasure out of this." 

With these words, he forcefully pushed into her and started to fuck her harshly, while starting to tease her clit. She mooed in pleasure as he pounded her harshly, alternating between pushing her against the tree and pulling her back towards himself, not leaving her any moment of rest. Meanwhile, he started to roughly feel up her tits with his left hand while using the weight of his own body to push her against the tree. She yelped loudly as she felt more and more overwhelmed, a first orgasm building up inside her. Finally, she came, and involuntarily released a loud mooing sound.

Eadgil moved his right hand below her chin, holding her head gently but firmly. He was far from done himself. "You came, hm? Good for you, but you're far from having earned a rest. I still can go on for quite a while, and you're going to endure it as long as I wish."

Bruna blushed a little. "Yes, Master. I'm yours, use me for as long as you desire."

The stag now moved his left hand to her clit and continued the stimulation, while he guided her head to face left, bringing his own face close to hers. Instinctively knowing what he wanted from her, she opened her muzzle a little, expecting his kiss.

His lips connected with hers, and his tongue began to explore her muzzle. Her own tongue stayed down obediently, waiting for permission or nonverbal encouragement – but none came. He wanted her passive and receptive for now, and she felt content to comply to his wish.

With his own orgasm slowly approaching, his thrusts became even more rough and fierce. Being pushed against the tree by the weight and force of his body, having her muzzle filled with his tongue and her cunt filled with his cock, Bruna felt her second orgasm approaching.

"You're about to come again, aren't you?", Eadgil asked, breaking the kiss. "You will come with me this time", he commanded.

"Yes, ah… Master…", Bruna responded, struggling to keep herself restrained.

When he finally shot his seed into her womb, she also let loose and came a second time. They moaned and mooed in their shared pleasure, and finally relaxed, remaining in this position, leaned against the tree in their embrace, both panting heavily, enjoying the warmth of each others' bodies.

Eventually, Eadgil took a few steps back from the tree. Then, with one move, he grabbed Bruna and turned her around, then let go of her again and yanked her leash to make her stumble towards him. With a broad grin, he caught her in his arms as she fell towards him.

"Oh", Bruna yelped in surprise. Feeling his strong arms around her again, she started to giggle. "Master, you know how to make me feel weak." She let her body sink into his arms and pushed her head against his chest, burying it in his chest fur. "Mh, so cozy", she mooed softly.

He held her tight and once again, they just stood there for a while, enjoying the presence of each others' bodies. 

"Master… you lied to me", Bruna eventually whispered, giggling a little.

"Huh?", Eadgil wondered.

The cow giggled even more. "You said you wouldn't bother to take care of making me come. But you did, didn't you? You made me come twice. After you said you wouldn't bother, I wasn't sure if I would come at all..."

Eadgil had to chuckle. "Heh… maybe I just can't bring myself to using you without giving you at least something in return." He paused for a moment, then he chuckled again. "Or maybe you are so turned on by me that my mere presence inside you was enough to make you come twice, and you misinterpreted it as me putting in effort. Who knows?" He chuckled again. "Or maybe both is true. I wouldn't count on it though."

Bruna giggled. "Well, um… if you wanted to try to make me long for you even more by not letting me come for a while, I might come to like that, I guess."

"You mean orgasm denial? Very well, I will keep it in mind, little one", Eadgil said, continuing to grin widely.

"Master…", Bruna whispered while pushing closer into him. "I want to thank you, and give you something back. Your cock is still covered in your cum and my fluids." She giggled again. "May I… clean it up for you, Master?"

The stag smiled and let go of her. "You may. Very well, Bruna. Go to your knees and do your work."

Smiling happily, she went to her knees before him, taking his cock into her hands and beginning to lick off his fluids, as well as her own.

Eadgil noticed how he was getting hard again. He grinned down at her. "You're doing a good job, Bruna. Keep this up and you're going to get a creamy, salty treat."

Bruna giggled a little and continued to lick his cock and balls clean. Eventually, she was done cleaning him, and he was rock hard again. She stared at his cock and licked her lips. "May I?", she asked. After a moment of thought, she added: "Um… Master?"

"Well, you don't want to just let it stand like this, do you?", Eadgil asked. "Get on with it!"

She instantly wrapped her muzzle around his cock and began to suck while massaging it with her tongue. A wave of pride rushed through her mind as she heard the stag moan in pleasure, a sound that instantly made her more eager. She was practically milking his cock with her muzzle at this point, and it didn't take long for him to cum into her muzzle. Feeling his cock going limp, she released it from her muzzle, keeping the cum in for a bit longer, savoring the flavor, before she swallowed. Then, she stuck out her tongue and cleaned up the rest of his cum as well.

Eadgil let his hand run across her head, petting her behind her ears. "Mh, that was good. You did an excellent job, little one. I'm proud of you." 

Bruna smiled at him happily. "I… also really liked what we did, Master. I think the tree also liked it."

For a moment, Eadgil looked at her in confusion.

"I mean… um… at first when you were spanking me, the tree was almost disturbed, until he realized I was okay with it. Then it was fine. Especially when we were…" She giggled. "Making love. The tree seems to be really happy about our feelings for each other, Master. Maybe it'll even make the tree more healthy… or something." She interrupted herself for a moment, seemingly unsure. "Or… did my mind just… make that up? Am I rambling stupid cow stuff, Master?"

Still pondering what she had just told him, he didn't even seem to notice the insecure stutters she followed it up with. "So you felt a connection, too…", he mumbled, lost in thought.

Bruna's face became brighter. "So it's not just me? You felt it too?", she asked.

"Not this time", Eadgil said. "But the last time I was here, I felt a similar connection. Not words or thoughts though… it was more like I was picking up feelings and impressions from the tree."

"Yes", Bruna admitted. "No thoughts. Feelings. You didn't pick them up this time?"

The stag grinned. "Well, I didn't have much direct contact with it this time. After all, you were between us."

Bruna smiled. "That's true, Master."

"We still have a bit of time until we have to return", Eadgil said, sitting down and leaning against the tree. "Still a bit of time to just be here and relax. Come on, sit with me! I just want to hold you close…"

Still smiling, Bruna nodded and sat down in his lap, her hands still tied behind her back. The stag pulled her towards him and held her close. They closed their eyes and began to relax…





Deepest Desire had to go only a few steps from Shadow Amethyst's quarters to her own. Ivana followed her, still holding her hand.

The unicorn mare took out the key to her own room and put it in – but then she realized that the room wasn't locked. Snowflake had a key as well, and she suddenly realized that she had completely forgotten about her, and the fact that they wanted to meet up here. Immediately, she also noticed her own appetite.

She sighed and stepped in, Ivana following her. Snowflake's clothes were lying folded on a chair in the corner. The pegasus herself was lying on Deepest Desire's bed, naked save for a leather collar and cuffs. "Mistress, I'm ready for our daily… oh!"

Snowflake sat up in the bed. "Now look at that... Dee-dee, you realize that a cow has been following you here?" She smirked a little.

"Yeah, Shadow Amethyst was bullying her, and was about to take advantage of her", Deepest Desire reported. "I swear to Celestia, that crystal mare is a real pest! You can't leave her alone for even a second! I locked her up in her room now, so she can think about what she's done. Well, and then… this cow just started to follow her. I think she wants me to be her Mistress. I also… I've discovered something that I need to tell you about. It's kind of huge."

"First things first!", Snowflake said. "Don't you need… you know..." She cast a glance at the cow.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about", Deepest Desire answered. "I only know Ivana for maybe half an hour, but… I think she loves me. I showed her only a little bit of kindness, but she already feels real, genuine love for me. You understand?"

"Oh", Snowflake responded, walking over to the chair and picking up her clothes. "Well, I think that means you don't really need me today, do you?"

Deepest Desire moved close to the pegasus, gently grabbed her collar and forced her to look her in the eye. "Hey", she said. "You know that's not the only reason I want to be with you."

Snowflake smiled. "Yes, I know. I'm not disappointed or jealous, or anything silly like that. Believe me, no one knows as well as I do how you feel for me. But I still think I should leave."

Deepest Desire let her hand run along Snowflake's cheek. "You really don't need to leave."

Snowflake shook her head, still smiling. "No, it's fine. You should really take some time to get to know your new cowfriend." She chuckled a little, then looked over to Ivana. "Ivana was her name, right? I'm looking forward to getting to know her. I really do. Just… not today. I should really give you two some time to get to know each other better."

The unicorn let go of her, and she started to put on her clothes again. "I understand", Deepest Desire said.

Once she was dressed again, Snowflake moved in the direction of the door. "Hey!", Deepest Desire said, shortly before Snowflake left the room.

"Hm?", Snowflake made.

"If you don't want to be alone for the rest of the day, I could give you the key to Shadow Amethyst's room. I don't want you to let her out just yet, but you can tell her that if she promises to be a good girl, keep you company and do what you say, I would be willing to let her out a bit earlier. Maybe tomorrow evening. Of course, you can also discipline her in my name if she acts out."

Snowflake giggled. "Not sure if it would be okay to use her like that."

Deepest Desire shook her head. "You seem to forget that this is how she wants to be treated. She will only respect us if we show her that we don't hesitate to make use of her. I know it's fucked up, but that's how her brain seems to be wired. She gave herself to me willingly because she knew I wouldn't hesitate, and I already made it clear to her that I expect her to pay you the same respect she would give to me."

Snowflake raised an eyebrow. "Dee-dee, if you're trying to convince me that this is an okay situation, you're failing."

Deepest Desire sighed. "You're right. It's fucked up in all kinds of ways. It isn't her fault that she turned out the way she is now. I have taken Shadow Amethyst and treat her in the only way she seems to be able to respect because it's our only option. I would prefer if I didn't have to do this. I can't force you to go along with it like this." She pulled out the key to Shadow Amethyst's room. "I just want to give you the opportunity to help me deal with her, that's all. Maybe we'll change something if all three of us grow closer together. But it's your choice if you want to do it this way."

Snowflake thought for a moment. Then she reached for the key and took it, said another quick Goodbye to Deepest Desire, then went back to the door. Before leaving the room, she turned around again, facing the cow, who was still waiting patiently on one side of the room. "Bye, Ivana", she added. "I hope we'll be seeing each other again soon." She gave her a friendly smile, then turned around, left the room and closed the door.

"Well, that was Snowflake", Deepest Desire said. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to introduce you two properly. I'm sure I will be able to do so next time." She smiled. "I have to admit, this was a bit awkward…"

The cow still seemed to be confused. "May this cow ask a question, Mistress?", she asked.

"Always", Deepest Desire answered.

"Thank you, Mistress. Is… is Snow… Snowflake another one of your slaves, Mistress?", she asked. "Is she your… top mare?" She giggled a little.

Deepest Desire smiled patiently. The menage a trois between her, Snowflake, and Shadow Amethyst was already complicated, way out of the ordinary, and difficult to understand for the three of them, let alone anyone who would look at it from the outside. For a caribou cow, it was probably almost impossible to understand what was going on - at least judging by what she knew about them.

"Well… not quite", Deepest Desire answered. "Snowflake enjoys serving me, but she is here entirely of her own free will." She sighed. "Sadly, it's not that easy with Shadow Amethyst. But yes, I guess you could say Snowflake is my… what did you call it… top mare? I guess that would be a mare who is in charge of keeping her Master's or Mistress' other females in line?"

The cow smiled a little and nodded.

"Well… then yes, I guess you could call her my top mare. Shadow Amethyst knows that Snowflake is in charge whenever I'm not around, and that I'll punish her if she defies Snowflake."

Ivana looked down and giggled a little. "Will Mistress expect this cow to obey her like that as well?"

Deepest Desire moved close to her, let her hand run down her cheek and under her chin, then raised up her head to look into her eyes. "I don't expect you to do anything you don't want", she informed her.

The cow blushed and tried to avoid the unicorn's gaze. "But… this cow is a servant. She is not allowed to refuse her Master… or Mistress… or to have her own wishes." She thought for a second. "Although… one of the Masters also ordered this cow to take time to think about what she wants. That… friend of Master Baldr… umm…" She was trying to remember the stag's name. "Master A-ree?", she pronounced clumsily.

"Hm? Oh, Ari", Deepest Desire said. "You talked to him? Yeah, I guess he would say such a thing. Good idea, by the way. I also want you to do that."

Ivana smiled. "Thank you, Mistress. This cow thinks that Snowflake is pretty. Not as pretty as Mistress, of course. She seems nice as well. This cow wouldn't mind serving and obeying her as well. She will give her the respect befitting of Mistress' top mare."

Deepest Desire smiled. "I'm sure she will be glad to hear that. But there is another thing. I want you to stop refering to yourself in third person." She paused a moment, but once she noticed Ivana's confused face, she continued. "I mean I don't want you to refer to yourself as this cow or this slave any more. I know I said you don't expect you to do anything you don't want, but this is not negotiable. You're not a thing, you're a person, and a wonderful one at that."

Ivana blushed heavily. "Th… thank you, Mistress. This c… um… I just hope I will remember it. W… will you punish me if I slip up?" She gave Deepest Desire a shy look and a little smile.

"Hmmm…" Deepest Desire scratched her skin.

"It would really help me remember, Mistress", Ivana emphasized. "Mistress doesn't have to be harsh if she doesn't want to, just a quick spanking…" She still smiled.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me", Deepest Desire said. "I also don't want you to address me in third person as well. But okay, if you really think it could help you remember, I'll think about it."

Ivana smiled widely. "Thank you, Mistress!" She placed herself over the chair, belly down and butt up.

"What are you doing?", Deepest Desire asked.

"Um… I already… got it wrong a few times, I think", Ivana answered.

"Not since I gave you the order", Deepest Desire said. "You want me to punish you retroactively?"

"M… Mistress should do what sh… you… I mean…", Ivana stuttered. "You should do what you think is right."

Deepest Desire took place behind her and placed her right hand onto the cow's butt cheek. "Very well, if this really helps you remember and not slip up any more. You will get ten hard slaps. You will count, and thank your Mistress for them."

Despite her awkward position, Ivana nodded. "Yes, Mistress."

Deepest Desire raised her hand, then brought it down on the cow's ass harshly.

"Ah!", Ivana yelped. "One! Thank you, Mistress!"

Deepest Desire raised her hand again, then brought it down again.

"Th… two! Thank you, Mistress!"

Deepest Desire continued, keeping up her established rhythm, until the cow had counted to ten. Then, she gently let her hand run across her butt cheek. "You're a good cow, Ivana", she said. "A wonderful cow. You feel so soft, mmmh." She let her hand find its way between the cow's legs, then started to slowly and softly tease her with her fingers. The cow responded with soft moans of pleasure, and a few giggles. 

Finally, Deepest Desire removed her hand, which got her a slightly disappointed sigh from the cow. "Leave my lap!", she commanded, and Ivana obeyed immediately, now kneeling before her. Deepest Desire rose from her seat and smiled down at her. "You may stand up." She pointed over to her bed. "I want you to go over there and lie down on your back for me."

Ivana slowly rose to her feet, nodded shyly, then walked over to Deepest Desire's bed and lay down on her back. Trying to look appealing to her new Mistress, she stretched, lifting up and presenting her firm, round breasts, and spreading her legs a little to give her Mistress a view, and access in case she wanted to take her. She turned her head to Deepest Desire and gave her another shy, but inviting smile.

Deepest Desire walked over to the table and picked up something. "Look at that. Looks like Snowflake left her leather handcuffs here." She looked over to Ivana. "Would you like me to use them on you? I won't do it if you don't want to, but I figured maybe you'd like that." She paused for a moment. "I don't… I mean I don't really understand how you cows work yet, so maybe I'm completely off..."

"This c...", Ivana started to answer, but then interrupted herself. "I have been chained or tied up often in the past. Master Baldr didn't do it, but Master Vestri put me in chains very often, for punishment or for his own amusement..."

Deepest Desire's eyes grew wide as she heard the name of the stag who she really held responsible for the loss of her horn, even despite the fact that it had been Eadgil who had done the cutting. "Vestri?", she asked. "Do you mean Councilman Vestri? King Dainn's right hand? Are you telling me that you were his cow once?"

Ivana nodded shyly. "Yes, Mistress. He sold me and his other cows after we landed in Lind… Lindis… that town where we landed, after he had taken his first mare."

Deepest Desire shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?", she asked, more to herself. "I assume he didn't give much about whether you wanted it or not?"

Ivana shyly shook her head. "No, Mistress."

"I'm sorry", Deepest Desire said. "I'm really sorry. For a moment, I forgot what you've been through. I shouldn't have asked."

"But why not, Mistress?", Ivana said, with a hint of disappointment in her voice. This c… I mean… I'm not entitled to an opinion, Mistress. If you want to cuff me and then take me, it is your right to do so."

Deepest Desire sighed. "This isn't going to work", she said. "I already said that I won't do it if you don't want me to."

Ivana turned her eyes toward Deepest Desire again, looking into her eyes. She blushed heavily, knowing that this was technically a transgression, and she prepared herself for Mistress' punishment - but she had to say something, and she had to look into her Mistress' eyes. "Mistress, I've… I've dreamed of this for so long. Not just of being with a female - of having a female Mas... Mistress. A female who would use me for her own pleasure, and value me depending on how well I serve her."

"Why do the difficult cases always end up with me?", Deepest Desire sighed. "You're not just submissive, you're codependent. It's probably the result of how Vestri and others treated you, probably all your life. Not to mention that you're highly susceptible to that sort of thing anyway. I should really have realized it. I shouldn't even have asked about the cuffs without further inquiry." She sighed. "Sometimes my own will to dominate others gets the best of me, I guess. I apologize"

Ivana didn't understand anything anymore. Was there something wrong with her? Had her Mistress just rejected her? Despite her Mistress' orders, she crawled out of her bed. On all fours, head close to the ground, she crawled towards Deepest Desire. "Mistress, did I do something wrong? Do you not want me any more? Please, this was almost a dream come true for me!" She reached out and grabbed her Mistress' leg, clutching close to it. "Y… you still want me, yes?", she whimpered - oddly enough, now with a bit more certainty in her voice.

Suddenly, Deepest Desire remembered what she had discovered about caribou cows - or at least about this caribou cow - earlier today. That little, very interesting feature about the psycho-magical setup of their minds that she had picked up. It was almost certainly part of what had turned Ivana into the whimpering mess she was now, but Deepest Desire realized that if she interacted with her in the right way, she could use this to help Ivana, maybe even fairly quickly. She also suddenly remembered why she had agreed to become her Mistress in the first place. She was fairly certain that she would be able to help this poor little thing - and a sudden feeling of emptiness reminded her that there was also still something she needed from her as well. But she would have to guard her feelings closely. Any wrong step could make the situation worse - but she also realized that rejecting Ivana now would also be a wrong step. For better or for worse, she would have to be dominant - and in this case, it first and foremost meant controlling herself.

She went to her knees so she could look the cow in the eyes. Then, she put her right hand on Ivana's cheek, gently holding her head. "Ivana, I'll say it again", she said firmly. "I won't do anything you don't want. I don't want you to comply because you feel obligated to me, or because you think you don't have the right to object, or any such thing. I only want to do it if you want it as well. I want to get an honest response from you." She held the cuffs in front of the cow's eyes, showing them to her. "Do you want me to use these to tie you up, and then make love to you? Yes or no?"

The cow nodded weakly. "Yes, Mistress." Then she smiled at her Mistress, affirming her decision. "Yes, I want you to tie me up and use me. I'm sure I will enjoy it very much, being used by a kind and beautiful Mistress like you."

Very well, Ivana", Deepest Deepest said. "I will take you - any way I want, just like you expect it from your Mistress. Stand up, return to the bed, and assume your position again."

The cow weakly rose to her feet, stumbled back to the bed, and laid on her back again, assuming the position she was in before she had left the bed, presenting her curves to her Mistress.

"Now that's a good servant", Deepest Desire said, picking up the cuffs again, then walking over to her bed as well. "Now lift your arms above your head", she commanded. "I will cuff you to the bed, and then I will… mmmh… enjoy you." Gazing upon the exotic beauty in front of her, she couldn't help but lick her lips.

Obeying her orders, Ivana looked at her shyly and gave her a little smile. "Mistress wants me...", she whispered happily.

Deepest Desire nodded. "Yes, I want you, Ivana." Lying down on top of the cow, she carefully cuffed her hands to the bed. Then, her right hand moved to Ivana's breast, while her left hand moved further down, finding its way to her thigh. 

Ivana instinctively spread her legs even further in expectation of her Mistress' hand to move upwards. She didn't have to wait long. Only a few seconds later, she felt Deepest Desire's fingers gently massaging her outer folds. "Oh!", she moaned in pleasure.

Deepest Desire began to gently caress the cow's breast while continuing to feel up her folds. Eventually, her fingers found her way into Ivana's folds, and she started to gently finger-fuck her, trying to find her G-spot. Ivana's moaning got stronger.

"I love you, Ivana", Deepest Desire gently whispered into Ivana's ear.

Ivana looked at her with wide, happy eyes and a big smile. "Really?", she said, though she needed no confirmation.     "Mistress… I lo..."

Before she could finish that sentence, Deepest Desire pushed her lips onto the cow's and locked her in a passionate kiss. She almost felt a bit guilty about using the cow that way – but she also remembered that it was also the only way to test her hypothesis, and that it might help Ivana as well.

When her Mistress broke the kiss, Ivana felt a bit dizzy, and even oddly distant – but Deepest Desire was already back to caressing her body with her hands, entering her with her fingers and beginning to finger-fuck her. While her other hand caressed the cow's left breast, the mare began to gently suck on the nipple of her other breast. Ivana moaned in pleasure while Deepest Desire once again began to tell her what a good cow she was, and how much she valued her. When the cow felt her feelings of dizziness slowly disappear and be replaced by renewed feelings of love and lust, she let herself fall once again, basking in the pleasure of her Mistress' fierce, but still gentle touch.

Finally, Ivana felt her orgasm approaching. Overwhelmed by the pleasure, she only managed to stutter. "Oooh, M… Mistress… I'm c… may I c… ooh!"

Deepest Desire looked her in the eyes and smiled. "Come for me, little cow!", she commanded.

Ivana exploded with pleasure, her entire body convulsing. Immediately, Deepest Desire pushed her lips onto the cow's again and locked her into yet another kiss that lasted until Ivana's orgasm started to ebb down.

Don't overdo it, Deepest Desire reminded herself, finally breaking the kiss, then gently undoing the cuffs.

She let her right hand run along Ivana's breast. "How did you like that, little cow."

Ivana smiled at her Mistress. "Mh, Mistress… your touch feels sooo wonderful." She thought for a moment. "Your kisses feel a bit odd, if… if I may say so. But only a little bit." She giggled.

Deepest Desire smiled back at her. "Yes, I guess they would. But good to hear that you're satisfied."

Ivana smiled at her shyly. "Mistress, you… you haven't come yet", she asserted truthfully.

"You're right, I haven't", Deepest Desire said, still smiling benevolently.

"Shall your little slave do something about that?", Ivana asked, blushing a little.

"First person, Ivana!", Deepest Desire reminded her, which resulted in Ivana blushing even more. "You don't have to do that if you don't want to. You already gave me more than you can possibly imagine."

"I did?", Ivana asked. "Well, I… it… it doesn't feel right, receiving the gift of such a wonderful orgasm from my Mistress and then not giving anything back. It's just not how things are supposed to be."

Deepest Desire put her hand on Ivana's cheek again. "I understand why you feel that way. Very well, you may pleasure me." She looked out of the window and noticed that it was getting dark already. "But we have to do it quickly, I still have other things to do." 

She sat up in her bed. "Very well, Ivana. Kneel before me!"

Ivana left the bed and knelt before her Mistress, who parted her legs. The cow licked her lips as she got a good look at her Mistress' marehood.

Deepest Desire grabbed her by the collar and dragged her head toward her. "Very well, Ivana. Let's see how well you can use your tongue. Start to pleasure your mistress!"

Ivana began to lick her Mistress' outer folds, and eventually moved her tongue a bit up to lick around Deepest Desire's clit. The moans of her Mistress made her bolder, so eventually, she moved her tongue down again and entered her. 

Almost instinctively, Deepest Desire put her right hand on the back of 'her' cow's head and held her in place.

Ivana's tongue was now deep inside her Mistress' cunt, exploring every last centimeter of it, taking in the taste. But her Mistress had commanded her to hurry, so she made sure to concentrate on the sensitive spots. Meanwhile, Deepest Desire had begun to pet the cow and compliment her again, encouraging her to continue.

Eventually, Deepest Desire came. It wasn't a spectacular orgasm, but when she pulled Ivana's head away from her again, she looked her in the eyes and praised her. "Mh, that was good. You're such a good cow." Upon hearing her Mistress' words, the cow smiled happily.

Deepest Desire pulled her up by the collar, then pulled her into another fierce kiss. This time, she broke it quickly though. Then, she moved backwards, onto the bed, bringing some distance between her and Ivana, who now stood before her. They smiled at each other for a moment.

Ivana herself now took a glance out of the window. It was getting dark fast.

"Mistress, I'm sorry that I took so much of your time. I know you have very important Mistress stuff to do", she said, giggling a little. "And I think Master Baldr is probably worried sick about me by now. I have to return to him, and tell him that I found a wonderful Mistress here."

Deepest Desire smiled. "Will I see you tomorrow."

Ivana smiled back. "If Mistress wishes it. I will be here with the other mares again tomorrow, so you know where to find me."

"Very well", Deepest Desire said. "Dismissed!"

Ivana looked at her for a moment.

"That means you can go", Deepest Desire added.

Ivana giggled, turned around and left the room, humming a little tune to herself – something she hadn't done since Master Vestri had beaten it out of her, but for some reason, she now felt the confidence to do it again. She didn't know what it was, but something about her Mistress was special.

Once the cow had left the room, Deepest Desire rose from the bed and went over to the great mirror that hang on the wall in her room. Carefully, she let the fingers of her right hand run around her horn stump, then over it. For a moment, she gave her own image in the mirror a mysterious smile.
> Chapter 6: Speaking Differences
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eadgil sat under the tree, his arms wrapped around Bruna, holding her close, for quite a while before he decided it was time to return back to the castle. 

He told her it was time to return, and they made their way back the same way they had come, arriving at the castle shortly before dusk. When they arrived at his room, he pulled out his key, opened the door, and let Bruna in. She was still tied in her chest harness with her arms bound behind her back.

They stood beside each other for a moment. Then he grabbed her by the collar and gently forced her to her knees, standing close to her.

Bruna giggled. "Do you wish another blowjob, master?"

Eadgil smiled, letting his hand run across her head gently. "No, I just like to see you kneel before me." He grinned. Bruna giggled shyly.

"Alright, time to get you untied, Bruna", Eadgil said. "I want to do some reading, and you probably want to return to the other cows."

He went around her, then began to untie her. She sighed a little as she felt her arms being freed.

"Very well", he said when he was finished. "Rise!", he commanded.

Bruna stood up. "Thank you for this afternoon, master", she said. "It was wonderful."

Eadgil nodded. "May many wonderful afternoons follow this one", he said, putting his right hand to her cheek and giving her muzzle a short, gentle kiss. "I will see you tomorrow, little one."

Bruna nodded, picked up her dress which she had left in the room when they had left for the forest, then slowly left and softly closed the door behind her.

Eadgil returned to his desk and opened the volume of Clover the Clever's Magical Stones and Their Uses, which he had borrowed from the castle library. Like the other tomes in the library, the book had somehow survived the centuries in the midst of a ruin - Eadgil somewhat suspected that some kind of magic was preventing their decay, yet he did not understand why it had not stopped other parts of the castle from aging. Or maybe the books themselves were enchanted. If so, it was a magic his own people had sadly never heard of, and he also wasn't sure if it was still known to ponykind today. There were of course ways to test the books for magic, but so far, he hadn't had the time to do so. He also feared that testing things without proper precaution might damage the books.

But this was not the time to solve this riddle anyway. In time, he would conduct the appropriate tests and try to find the books about the castle itself in the library, but right now, he had more important tasks. He opened the book carefully. Maybe here he would find something useful for breaking the Crystal Heart spell, or at least weakening it.

After only a few minutes, he heard a knocking on his door.

"Bruna, is that you?", Eadgil asked loudly. 

He got no response. Instead, there was just a repetition of the knocking sound.

Eadgil sighed, and turned around in his chair. "Come in!", he said. "The door is not locked."

The door opened, and a light-blue coated mare entered the room. She was a unicorn, and quite attractive. She was dressed in something that was surprisingly revealing - probably as revealing as she could get away with within the rules set up by the mares. It reminded him of Bruna's dress.

"Hello… there", Eadgil said, still not sure how to talk to her. "I didn't expect any mare but Spring Breeze to come here. How can I help you?" He paused for a second. "I hope there isn't any problem with the other stags?", he said in a worried tone.

"Huh? No, nothing like that!", the mare said. "Sorry if I've worried you. I just wanted to meet you. I mean I wanted to get to know you, sir."

She emphasized the last word, but there was nothing meek in her voice. She stood there with the certainty of a mare who knew exactly what she wanted.

"Oh?", Eadgil just asked.

"Yeah, I think you're a fascinating individual", the mare said. "I've been interesed ever since I saw you – back when you and the others took off our collars. Of course, I wanted to learn a few things about you before outright approaching – I would have come far earlier otherwise." She chuckled a little.

"You've been stalking me?", the stag asked.

"Nothing so drastic." The mare shook her head. "No, I just asked that cow of yours a few questions. A sweet thing, isn't she?"

Eadgil nodded, and then his mind connected the dots. He rose from his seat with a neutral expression on his face.

"So you're the mare who put all those wicked little ideas into Bruna's head?", he asked.

The mare lowered her head and looked at him with playfully apologetic eyes. "Yeah, that would be me", she admitted with a grin. "Are you mad at me, sir?"

"Don't tease me like that", Eadgil said in a harsh voice. "You should just know that I punished Bruna for showing me off to the other cows like some sort of trophy."

The mare's face went from playfulness to genuine worry in a second. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to get your cow into trouble." There was something in her voice that seemed like she was reconsidering her choice to come here.

Eadgil abandoned his stern face and laughed. "Trouble? That wasn't trouble. I think Bruna had more fun at it than I had. You can ask her tomorrow if you don't believe me."

The mare visibly relaxed. "I believe you. Good to hear that I didn't misjudge you, sir."

"To be honest, I find it refreshing", Eadgil said, apparently ignoring her last sentence. "Bruna is already bolder than other cows, which is how she came to me in the first place. I think supporting this trait is beneficial. But I think you haven't introduced yourself yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry", the mare said. "How improper of me." Once again, she chuckled. "I'm Star Charmer. And I understand your name is Ari?", she asked. "Is that a usual caribou name?"

"It is a chosen name", Eadgil informed her. "It's not usually used as a name, but it is a word in our language. Or rather, it used to be – it was a word in an older version of our language, and today it is used only in poetic language."

"I see", Star Charmer said. "What does it mean? I know it means lion in Zebrew, but I guess it's different in your language."

"Ari used to mean eagle", Eadgil just said. "But I didn't choose it because of that. Someone called me that… in a dream."

Star Charmer suddenly became very interested. "A dream?", she asked. "You have to tell me about that!"

"You sure are a curious mare", Eadgil said. "But I would prefer not to speak about that topic right now." He still remembered the nightmare he had in the first night he and Deepest Desire had spent in the vast, dark castle ruins. As a matter of fact, he remembered it a bit too vividly for a mere dream. It still sent chills down his spine, and he sometimes worried that if it weren't for Baldr, Bruna, and the great aim they were all working toward, it would pull him into another depression. He hadn't had any further nightmares he was aware of, but finding sleep was sometimes difficult, and the memories still haunted him.

The mare frowned. "If you want to bottle up, fine. At least tell me your birth name", she demanded.

"Eadgil", the stag replied. "It means first lance."

"So your names are Eagle...", Star Charmer said, "...and First Lance. Dammit, I really can't decide! I think I'll stick with sir for now."

"Suit yourself", Eadgil said disinterested. "As long as you don't call me Master." He smirked.

The mare chuckled again. "Nah!", she said. "You haven't earned that title yet."

Eadgil came a step closer. "Is that so?", he asked, smiling.

Ancestors be damned, get a grip on yourself!, he thought. He couldn't believe he would fall for a little bit of teasing so easily.

"What do you want?", he asked the mare after a moment of silence.

"Oh, that's easy", Star Charmer said. "I want the same thing Bruna has."

Eadgil couldn't stop himself. He laughed. "Yeah, no you don't", he said.

Star Charmer looked away. "Well, not exactly the same thing", she admitted. "I don't want to be a slave. I just want you to occasionally grab me, pin me to the wall, give me a few good slaps and then stick your tongue into my throat." She laughed.

Damn, that was direct, the stag thought. He came a step closer, looking into her eyes.

"I think I might like that, too", he said. 

Then, he took a step back and turned half away from her. "Alas, I think Spring Breeze and the other mares wouldn't like that", he said.

"You aren't supposed to do it to them, silly!", Star Charmer exclaimed, chuckling.

Eadgil laughed. "You know that's not what I meant. After everything that happened between our two peoples, and everything that's still going on in the rest of Equestria, I think it would make a lot of mares very nervous if we just started something along those lines. Particularly because it doesn't just seem to be sex you're after, am I right?"

Star Charmer nodded. "I think that was obvious."

The stag continued. "My point is, I think we should speak to Spring Breeze first, and then at least bring it to the attention of the other mares. That way, we can make sure that everyone knows what's going on. I think we should be open about these things here in our community."

She nodded again. "I agree with that", she said.

"Good", Eadgil said. "My friend Baldr has invited me over for a few drinks the day after tomorrow, and I know that he also wants to invite Spring Breeze eventually." He ignored the small chuckle that came from Star Charmer's direction. "Maybe you two can come over that day and then we can talk about it together. I'll talk to Baldr tomorrow, and then I'll send Bruna over to inform you and Spring Breeze. You should also talk to her."

"Sounds like it's a date", Star Charmer said, smiling at him.

Eadgil nodded, and then the mare left his room – turning her head one last time and giving him a wink.





The next morning, Deepest Desire and Snowflake were sitting together in the common room, enjoying their breakfast.

Snowflake took a sip of her coffee. "So, tell me about your evening with Ivana yesterday."

"We spent a few nice hours together", Deepest Desire told her. "Then I sent her home so her Masters wouldn't worry about her. This wasn't just sex though. I told you yesterday. I only just met her, but she already has feelings for me. Strong feelings."

"So… you're not hungry?", Snowflake asked with a lowered voice, absently looking around the table.

"Not one bit." Deepest Desire grinned, then took a big bite out of her hayburger.

"Well, good to hear", Snowflake responded. "Does this have to do with… what you discovered?", she asked.

The other mare nodded. "Indeed, it does."

"So what have you found out?", Snowflake poked further.

"Well, she's an excellent… source", Deepest Desire responded.

Snowflake frowned a little. "Yes, I've gathered that by now. Is that all?"

Deepest Desire chuckled. "So impatient… I was going to get to it. What I was about to say is that Ivana is an empath. A strong one. Immensely strong, in fact."

"An empath?", Snowflake asked.

"Of course, all intelligent creatures have some empathic ability", Deepest Desire began. "The ability to pick up other people's emotions and mirror them to a certain degree seems to be a prerequisite for intelligence, although not the only one. But of course, not all species develop this to the same degree. For example on average, a pony is likely to be more empathetic than a diamond dog. There are exceptions, of course, but on average."

Snowflake nodded. "So what's the difference between Ivana and… let's say… me?"

"The degree of her empathy, obviously", Deepest Desire responded. "Ivana is at least a total empath. The overwhelming majority of intelligent creatures only pick up other creatures' emotions and intentions partially. Anything more would overwhelm them. She picks it up and mirrors it completely, virtually unfiltered."

"Oh", Snowflake said. She took a sip of her coffee.    "Explains why they often seem to be overwhelmed by their surroundings, particularly if many people are present - and why they often stay close to their respective Master. I thought it was instinct, or maybe cultural conditioning... "

"I'm pretty sure the latter plays a role", Deepest Desire said. "Maybe also the former."

Snowflake was still thinking. "So she picked up your sympathy for her..."

She paused. "Wait. That doesn't make sense. If she just mirrored your own sympathy for her, that would only have produced a relatively small amount of positive emotion, not larger than your own. Definitely not enough for an entire day."

"Not that small", Deepest Desire admitted. "But you are correct, of course - which is why I said she was at least a total empath."

"Oh?", Snowflake asked.

"Total empaths are very rare, but they exist", Deepest Desire said. "Of course, people from my… peer group have always tried to get their hands on them whenever one popped up. But you're right, if she was just a total empath, that alone wouldn't explain the intensity of her reaction. The likely explanation is that circumstance plays a role here. She has a troubled past to say the least, her mind broken down by people who hated her, the stress of the new situation here in Freeville, and then I come and save her from Shadow Amethyst's bullying… plus this is possibly the first time in a long while that she gets that much affection, and attention. Her last owner seems to be a decent guy from what I could gather, but I know he has a lot of cows. Maybe her overreaction to my affection is a result of the circumstances. And then you should also consider the fact that she has wished for female Masters, and I'm the first one who fits the bill. Well, possibly the second one, so far the Mistress of her dreams was apparently more like Shadow Amethyst - but fortunately, she seems to have gotten that idea out of her head at least, probably due to Shadow addressing me as her Mistress. This is the most probable explanation by a long shot."

Snowflake nodded absently, her thoughts apparently being stuck somewhere along the way.

Without really noticing, Deepest Desire continued. "I have to admit, the intensity of her reaction initially made me come up with a far weirder, more unlikely hypothesis. There is a legend among my people - a legend that there might be a creature that is more than a total empath. An... amplifier. A being that doesn't just mirror the feeling when I show her affection, but increases the intensity of the feeling to a massive amount. Of course, this is almost certainly wishful thinking. No one from my… peer group takes this legend seriously. I saw it as something similar to how every sapient species has legends about a land where resources are so overabundant that all material worries are gone - a collective coping mechanism for the hardships of the world. As a matter of fact, something like this shouldn't be possible. It violates the laws of magic as we currently understand them." She paused.

"There is one thing I don't understand", Snowflake admitted. "You said you showed her a bit of affection, and she mirrored it by falling in love with you head over heels."

Deepest Desire nodded. "Apparently, yes."

"So… if she really was an… amplifier, does that mean that if I felt a little bit contempt for her, she'd start to see me as the most disgusting, degenerate, wretched filth that has ever walked the earth?", Snowflake asked.

Deepest Desire shook her head. "That's not how this kind of mirroring works", she said. "The ability to mirror the feeling itself is innate. But the mind's decision about towards whom to direct that feeling, whether consciously or unconsciously… that's something that is learned. Ivana is conditioned to mirror affection from an authority figure back to said authority figure, but to mirror negative feelings by internalizing them. It's of course an unhealthy way of mirroring, but the opposite would obviously be just as unhealthy. So… she likely sees you as the top mare of her Mistress' harem, so if you showed her contempt, it would likely result in her despising herself, at least to some degree. Or it might only result in a general sense of depression whenever you're around, since her self-definition might be more focused on her Masters than on their other..." She paused, struggling with words.

Snowflake nodded. "You don't have to say it. I know what you want to say. Ivana can't fully grasp the idea of a free relationship just yet, so she applies her own conceptual coordinates to you, me, and Shadow Amethyst. That aside, I also get the general idea you were trying to convey now. The ability to mirror feelings like this is innate - but the way how they are mirrored is something that is learned. It's a bit complicated to wrap your head around, this intersection of nature and upbringing, but I think I get it."

Deepest Desire nodded.

"What was that one thing about amplifiers you said earlier? They're not supposed to exist or something. I didn't fully get that. I was too busy trying to wrap my head around the whole mirroring thing."

"Oh, that." Deepest Desire grinned. "The whole amplifier hypothesis is probably just a crazy idea of mine - or maybe wishful thinking. You know I often ponder several contradicting ideas at the same time until I can definitely prove one and disprove the other, but that one was probably just silly. Ivana's strong reaction to me is probably the result of circumstance just as much as of her empathy."

"You have to explain it to me in more detail another time", Snowflake said. "Maybe we can find ways to test all of your theories… as silly or insane as they may sound."

Deepest Desire smiled. By now, her student knew the drill. 

Of course, she had one more piece of evidence that she hadn’t told Snowflake about, and that really made her wonder if the world really was far weirder and more crazy that she had thought so far - but that was still flimsy and she had to make sure first.

"But Dee-dee...", Snowflake said, lowering her voice. "You have to tell her."

Pulled out of her train of thought, Deepest Desire felt confusion for a moment. "Tell her what?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Dee-dee!" She lowered her voice again. "You have to tell her what you do with her emotions." 

"Sorry", Deepest Desire said. "You're right. The next time I'm alone with her, I will tell her. Oh by the way, did you visit Shadow Amethyst yesterday evening?"

Snowflake looked up from her coffee cup and shook her head. Then, she spotted Ivana, who had just entered the room. "There's Ivana", she said.

Deepest Desire turned around on her chair, looking in Ivana's direction. When she spotted her, she waved. "Good morning, Ivana! Come here, join us at our table!"

Upon seeing her Mistress, Ivana smiled and rushed over to their table.

Once she had reached the table, the caribou cow fell onto her knees before Deepest Desire, pushing a small kiss on her hoof. "Good morning, Mistress. This c… uh, um… I am at your service."

"Well, good morning, Ivana", Deepest Desire said. "Have you slept well?"

"Yes, Mistress. My body is well-rested and ready to serve again."

"Good", Deepest Desire said, smiling a little. "What about breakfast? Have you already eaten?"

Ivana shook her head. "No, Mistress. I know I should eat to make sure to stay healthy for you, Mistress, but… my first thought upon waking up was coming here to see you. I apologize. Do you wish to punish me, Mistress?"

"No, silly", Deepest Desire responded. "I want you to have breakfast with us." She picked up her hayburger. "Would you like a hayburger?", she asked.

Ivana looked up, her eyes widened. "Is that… Mistress' food?", she asked.

"I'm really not hungry." Deepest Desire smirked. "I've eaten a lot yesterday evening."

Snowflake shook her head. "Subtle", she mumbled.

Ivana looked down again. "I… I can't take that, Mistress. It's too good for me. And it belongs to my Mistress."

Deepest Desire handed her the hayburger, holding it right in front of her face. "Please, I insist", she commanded.

Shyly, Ivana moved her head forward and took a small bite from the burger.

"Not what I expected", Deepest Desire said, chuckling a little. "I guess I should have known better. So, you want me to feed you like this?"

Ivana looked at her in confusion. "Want you to…?"

"I see. Well then. Don't be shy! Take another bite!"

Slowly, Ivana's head moved forward again, then took another bite - a slightly bigger one this time.

"Go on", Deepest Desire said. "When I withdraw my hand, I want to have nothing of the hayburger left in it."

Ivana nodded, then moved forward and began to eat the burger from her Mistress' hand.

Snowflake chuckled. "And I thought I was submissive!"

"Not overly", Deepest Desire said with a big grin, making Snowflake chuckle again.

Once Ivana was finished, Deepest Desire put her hand on her new pet's cheek and gently forced her face upwards in order to look into her eyes.

"Ivana, I have to tell you something important", she said. "But not here. Please, follow me to my room."

Ivana nodded. "Will your mare be with us this time, Mistress?" She looked at Snowflake, giving her a little smile, then at her Mistress.

"Well...", Snowflake said. "What do you say, Dee-dee? Do you want me with you when you tell her?"

"Sure, you can join us", Deepest Desire said. "Not that I need you, but Ivana seems to like you. So if you have nothing better to do, sure."

Snowflake nodded. "Very well, I'll accompany you. Dee-dee, you have made me curious. I do want to get to know our new… friend." She smiled at Ivana.

Deepest Desire rose up. "Alright, then. Onward!"

Snowflake stood up as well, and they both moved to the exit of the dining hall. Ivana followed them on all fours.

"I would be more comfortable if you followed us on your hind legs", Deepest Desire told her after noticing a few weird glances from other mares. She smiled. "At least for now."

Without a word, Ivana stood up and followed them.





They arrived at Deepest Desire's room, and the grey unicorn opened the door. She waited a moment to let the other two enter. 

Snowflake immediately stepped in. Ivana stayed behind, giving her Mistress an insecure look.

"Please, enter", Deepest Desire said.

Ivana cast her eyes down and blushed a little. "Before Mistress?", she asked. "That wouldn't be right. I should be crawling behind you, on all fours."

Deepest Desire sighed. "Alright, I shall go first."

She entered the room, and Ivana slowly followed her. 

Snowflake had already taken the chair, so Deepest Desire walked over to the bed and sat down. Ivana followed her in a respectful distance, and eventually went to her knees in front of her. Legs spread, she stretched her neck to give her Mistress a good view of her body, and placed her hands on her upper thighs, palms faced upwards. Her eyes were still cast down in submission.

"You may sit on the bed beside me", Deepest Desire said. "There's enough space for both of us."

Ivana blushed again, but kept her eyes down and said nothing. She made no move to change her position.

"That was an order, Ivana", Deepest Desire said with a harsher voice. "I told you we'd have to talk about something important, and this is… mh... distracting."

Ivana blushed harder, now smiling slightly. "Th… thank you, Mistress", she whispered. Then, she moved over to the bed and sat down beside her Mistress.

"Let's see how she handles this...", Snowflake said, not sure herself whether she meant Ivana or Deepest Desire.

"Ivana...", Deepest Desire said, putting her hand under the cow's chin and gently moving it upwards and towards her, forcing her to look into her Mistress' eyes. "Do you know what a changeling is?"

"No, Mistress", Ivana said. "I have heard the word. I think Master Vestri mentioned it once or twice. Maybe also Master Baldr. But I don't know what it is."

Deepest Desire hesitated for a moment.

"A changeling...", Snowflake began to explain, "...is a normally vaguely equine-shaped bug creature that has the magical ability to assume other shapes, disguising as ponies or other sapient creatures."

She paused for a moment. "Do you follow so far?"

Ivana nodded weakly.

"Dee-dee, do you want to continue?", the pegasus asked.

"No, you're doing fine", Deepest Desire said.

"Thank you, Mistress", Snowflake said, grinning and winking at her.

After another short pause, she continued. "Changelings use their ability for disguise in order to blend in with societies of other creatures. They do this because they drain positive emotions, particularly love, in order to acquire the magical energy to sustain themselves. Do you understand?"

Ivana shook her head. "No..."    

"Changelings feed on sympathy and love", Deepest Desire put it in simpler terms.

Ivana said nothing for a long while.

"Mistress, may… may I ask a question?", she eventually asked.

"Always, Ivana", Deepest Desire answered.

"Why… why are you telling me all this?"

Deepest Desire sighed, struggling with words. "Yesterday evening, when we were together and I used you, how was it for you?", she eventually asked.

Once again, Ivana looked down and blushed. "A slave… shouldn't think about her own pleasure. All her thoughts should be about Mast… Mistress' wants." She paused for a moment. "Did… did I please Mistress?", she asked.

"Oh, you have no idea how much", Deepest Desire responded, smiling at her.

Once again, she moved her hand to the cow's chin and forced her to look into her eyes. "But that's not what I asked for, is it? I don't want to be flattered, and I don't want to give you my feedback. I want an honest answer."

She paused for a moment. "How did you feel?", she asked again, more pronounced.

"It was wonderful, Mistress", Ivana said. "Everything I dream of, and more! Except..." She fell silent.

"Tell me how my kisses made you feel", Deepest Desire demanded.

Ivana looked down again and blushed heavily.

"Ivana, your Mistress demands an honest answer", the grey mare sitting beside her insisted.

Ivana burst into tears. "They… weren't what I dreamed of", she admitted. "It was supposed to be wonderful! True feelings of... heartfelt submission! But it just felt… cold. Lonely. But..." She paused, sobbing. "But only a little bit, and... only for a moment, Mistress! You were so..." She paused. "So kind to me, and everything else you did was wonderful!"

She sank off the bed, falling to her knees and clutching at her Mistress' legs. "Please, Mistress! Don't make me go away! I'm so sorry, it's my fault that your kisses feel weird to me! I… I think I'm not doing it right! I disappointed you, please punish me, but don't send me away!"

Deepest Desire grabbed her by the collar and roughly pulled her upwards, looking into her eyes.

"Ivana", she said with a harsh voice. "Stop being ridiculous! I'm not going to send you away."

Immediately after, she bowed her head down to her cow and pushed her lips onto hers, locking her into a long kiss.

Ivana's eyes widened. It didn't feel like yesterday. It felt… wonderful. Just like she had dreamt it would feel.

Eventually, Deepest Desire broke the kiss.

"You see?", she asked. "This has nothing to do with you."

"What… how...", Ivana mumbled in confusion.

"Well, this was a normal kiss", Deepest Desire said. "Or rather, this one was actually a kiss. The others I gave you yesterday evening... weren't."

Ivana looked at her in complete confusion.

"She doesn't make the connection", Snowflake observed.

Deepest Desire sighed. "Ivana, do you still remember what we told you about changelings?"

"The can change their form", Ivana said. A moment later, she giggled. "I wish I could do that. I could take whatever forms my Mistress wished. I could give you so much pleasure, Mistress. Anything you wished for..." A big smile crept onto Ivana's face.

"Trust me, you don't want to be a changeling", Deepest Desire sighed. "It comes at a high price."

Ivana thought for a moment. "Oh yes, the other thing…" She struggled to remember. "Mistress… you said they feed on… love, right?"

Deepest Desire nodded. Ivana remained silent.

"She still doesn't make the connection", Snowflake said. "You will have to spell it out for her."

The mare on the bed sighed again. "Ivana, look at me."

Ivana moved her head up again, still kneeling before her Mistress, now looking into her eyes.

"Ivana, the reason why my kisses briefly made you feel empty and distant is because I was feeding on your feelings for me."

The cow needed a moment to process what she had just heard. Eventually, her eyes widened.

"You are...", she said, not finishing the sentence. But her eyes gave away that she had understood.

"Yes, Ivana", Deepest Desire said. "I am a changeling."

Ivana nodded. "That's why it felt... so cold. My love was… taken."

Deepest Desire nodded. "Well, not all of it, of course, but yes. Unlike other changelings, I have principles. You produce a lot of love, and you replenish quickly. It was more than enough to feed me for a day, but it was only a small amount of what you have. Otherwise you would have fallen into depression. I don't do that."

Ivana nodded. "I understand, Mistress. May I speak?"

"Yes, Ivana. Always"

"I still love you, Mistress", Ivana blurted out. "More than anything. Every moment I was away from you, I... thought of nothing but you."

Deepest Desire nodded again. "As I said, you replenish quickly. I only show you a bit of affection and you fall in love with me head over heels. And it still works instantly and without detriment after feeding. It's… astonishing. I have never seen something like this, and I think neither has any other changeling."

"Is that… surprising?", Ivana asked. She giggled. "I always thought all females felt like that for their Masters. Master Vestri always said that most mares just don't see it because they're stubborn, and have to be taught to understand it."

She paused for a moment. Another realization dawned in her mind. She looked at Deepest Desire in shock.

"But if that isn't true… then... then…what Master Vestri and the others do to them… isn't right! It isn't..."

Tears were welling in her eyes again.

Deepest Desire let herself sink off the bed, now kneeling besides Ivana. She wrapped her arms around the cow and pulled her into a close embrace. "Ivana… that's what I was trying to tell you yesterday. What Vestri did to you also wasn't right. Just because some kind of magical power lets you pick up his contempt for you and internalize it, it doesn't make it right. In a way, it makes it worse. A mare can at least decide to resist it. You… you just fall for it. You fall into this tar pit of contempt and it engulfs your mind."

Ivana gulped. "When I was with Master Vestri… it felt worse than your feeding. Far worse. I… I thought I justly felt bad about myself because I wasn't able to serve him well. But… but… he made me feel like that!"

"Stags are probably not fully aware of the degree to which cows pick up their feelings, and of how much it can hurt them", Deepest Desire said. "But in case of Vestri, it's safe to assume that he wouldn't care even if he knew. He and the others around him don't even care about mares' feelings, and in their case, it's much more obvious that what they do to them harms them."

She paused for a moment, her fur slowly becoming wet from Ivana's silent tears.

"I… I'm sorry, Ivana", Deepest Desire said. "I also harmed you. I fed on you without telling you. The reason I told you was because this is your choice. If you don't want me to feed on you, I won't. I will not send you away because of it. You should make this choice freely and without pressure."

"Mistress...", Ivana sniffed, her head still pressed against her Mistress' bosom, her eyes still wet. "F… feed on me."

Deepest Desire put her hand to the back of Ivana's head, holding her close. "Are you sure?", she asked. "You need to make this decision freely. I think if you only agree out of fear or a sense of obligation, that wouldn't be right."

"Mistress, feed on me!", Ivana repeated, now with more certainty in her voice. "Just a little bit, to keep my… love low. I want to love you forever. I don't ever want to lose that, but… I also don't want to..." She was struggling with words. "I don't want to lose myself to it. Please, Mistress, help me..."

Deepest Desire smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Not sure if this applies to all cows, but it seems like you're smarter than your Masters give you credit for. I had similar thoughts yesterday. That's how I justified feeding without telling you."

Snowflake raised an eyebrow, but decided to remain silent.

Ivana cast her eyes down again, smiling softly.

Deepest Desire put her hand under Ivana's chin, gently raising her head until they were looking into each other's eyes. She brought her own face closer to the cow's and opened her own muzzle, as if to kiss her…

Their lips didn't even touch this time, but Ivana felt a sensation of coldness and distance inside of her again - though only slowly. The changeling took care not to overexert 'her' cow.

Ivana's eyes widened. For a moment, she noticed that with the distance also came a certain clarity of the mind - the feeling of being clearly separate from those around her. Such a feeling of clarity had been unknown to her so far.

Then, the coldness stopped to increase - and as Ivana felt her Mistress' hand on the back of her head, holding her in place, Deepest Desire's lips made contact with hers. Once again, she lost herself in the passion of being owned.

Eventually, her Mistress broke the kiss, smiling at her. "You took the feeding very well, Ivana", she said. "I thought a little reward would be in order."

"Thank you, Mistress", Ivana replied.

Suddenly, a thought came to her. "Mistress, may I ask a question?"

"Always, Ivana", Deepest Desire replied.

"If you are a changeling, can you… change shape? Can I see it?"

Deepest Desire shook her head. "Not right now, no. Your people cut my horn. I'm stuck in this form until I can gather enough love to regrow it."

"I want to help you, Mistress", Ivana said.

The changeling smiled. "You're already helping me."

"I still don't understand why you're stuck in this form", Snowflake observed. "If a unicorn casts a sustained spell, she has to pour magic into it constantly, or else it disappears. So cutting her horn would simply dispel the magic as well - so I would assume it's the same with a changeling. Unless changeling shapeshifting is more similar to permanent object enchantment than to sustained spells - but then it shouldn't be that easy to change, particularly over and over again."

"I think we've talked about this", Deepest Desire said. "I have no idea why I still look like that. There are no known precedents of a changeling queen losing her horn in such a way. To be honest, when Vestri forced Eadgil to cut my horn, I was worried sick that it would dispel the spell. I'm still somewhat worried that the disguise might fade over time."

"Maybe we should tell the other mares", Snowflake suggested.

Deepest Desire shook her head. "Not yet."

They both went silent for a moment, until Deepest Desire started speaking again. "My point is, I guess we don't even fully understand how our own magic works - yet another mystery to solve." She smiled. "Grandma might know something, she's been around for a good bit longer than me after all. But I'm definitely not going to ask her. The last time we met, she tried to kill me." She smirked.

"Yeah, you two have some fairly obvious ideological differences", Snowflake pointed out.

"I have no idea what you two are talking about", Ivana giggled. "But, um…" She turned to Snowflake, then back to Deepest Desire. "Mistress, may I… ask her a question?", she asked, pointing at Snowflake.

Deepest Desire smirked. "May she?", she asked the pegasus.

Snowflake nodded.

Ivana turned to Snowflake again. "You… are not a changeling, are you?"

Snowflake shook her head. "No."

"Does Mistress feed on you?", Ivana asked.

"Yes", the pegasus answered.

"Are you her… um… are you her slave as well? Mistress Desire seems to grant you dominance over the crystal pony. Are you her… top slave?"

"I'm not a slave", Snowflake answered, smiling. "I just like to submit."

"Oh", Ivana said, thinking. "I see, it's like… yeah, I think understand. Sometimes when... two Masters feel very close to each other, they decide live together, and share their slaves. And some Masters like to be on the bottom when they are with each other." She paused for a moment, thinking of something.

Snowflake and Deepest Desire looked at each other. It was almost eerie how well that described their situation. They were also both surprised about how accepted male homosexuality seemed to be in caribou society.

"It's similar to what the Masters are doing now as well. They're sharing us here now." Ivana giggled. "I wonder what they do with each other when we're not around."

Deepest Desire grinned. "I have no idea, but I don't think that's the primary reason why they've decided to share ownership of you here."

They all fell silent for a moment.

"But that means...", Ivana stuttered.

Finally, she turned around and crawled over to Snowflake, her head on the ground. When she arrived, she put a small kiss on each of Snowflake's hooves. "If… you two are together like that, it means you are my Mistress, too..."

Snowflake looked at Deepest Desire. "Well, this is awkward."

"I guess it is how the traditions of their society would make her see this situation", Deepest Desire said. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

Always the professional, Snowflake thought.

"Yes", she admitted. "Please, Ivana", she then told the cow who was still kneeling in front of her with her head to the ground. "Seeing you like that is making me really uncomfortable."

Deepest Desire chuckled. "You feel uncomfortable? Just think about how she must feel right now in this position." She turned to Ivana again. "You may take a more comfortable position again, Ivana."

Ivana raised her head, straightened her back, and placed her hands on her knees once again, palms upward.

"Snowflake prefers to take a more submissive role in her relationships", Deepest Desire informed her. "As a matter of fact, I don't think the idea of domination appeals to her at all. And… she also isn't comfortable with your cultural background, it seems."

Snowflake frowned. "You make me sound like a bigot. You know very well that there are good reasons not to be comfortable with that in this case."

The changeling grinned. "Oh, of course. I just wanted to tease you a little."

Snowflake gave her a very light punch to the upper arm.

"So much for being submissive", Deepest Desire smirked. Still grinning, she turned to Ivana. "You see what I have to put up with here?"

Completely failing to grasp the dynamic of their relationship, Ivana giggled. "I… have no idea what you two are talking about again. But I understand the first part of what you said. Snowflake… does not like to be a Mistress?"

"That was the first part and the second", Deepest Desire grinned.

Now Snowflake had to chuckle as well. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Hmmm...", Ivana pondered. "A Mistress that… doesn't want to be a Mistress." She shyly looked up to Snowflake. "I… do not know how I could please you, Mistress."

"Well, you don't have to", Deepest Desire said, smiling a little. "That is one job you could leave to me."

Snowflake gently put her hand on Ivana's cheek. "Look at me, Ivana."

Ivana raised her eyes.

"Deepest Desire is probably going to spend a lot of time with you in the near future", Snowflake said. "She has good reasons for that. I think she wants to help you in ways you don't understand yet. I want to be part of that."

"Snowflake, I'm not going to neglect our relationship just because I want to help Ivana", Deepest Desire said.

"I know", Snowflake said, turning to her. "I'm not worrying about that."

She turned back to Ivana. "I want to be part of it because I think I like you. Below the extreme slave mentality and the cultural differences, you remind me of what I was like before Eadgil and Deepest Desire rescued me from that mare dump, and in part even before the invasion. Frightened. Confused. Insecure. With little sense of self-worth. You… you remind me a lot of myself."

Deepest Desire grinned. "See, you're already starting to bridge cultural gaps."

Snowflake gave her a sharp look. "The point is, I want to help you to help Ivana the same way you helped me."

She turned back to Ivana. "If that helps me get into contact with you, I might try out… I might try out being a Mistress to you, Ivana. I'm sure Deepest Desire will help me."

Deepest Desire's eyes widened. "That's quite a big step out of your comfort zone. Are you sure?"

Snowflake nodded confidently.

Deepest Desire smiled at her. "I'm proud of you."

Snowflake stood up from her chair. "But not today. I'll take some time to get used to the idea. I'll leave you two to yourselves."

"What are you going to do with the rest of your day?", Deepest Desire inquired.

"Not sure yet, maybe find some work to do around here, maybe take time to get to know some of the other mares a bit better", Snowflake responded. "I had a few chats with one of the others recently. She's a bit weird, but she seems nice. Get this: She initially approached me because she wanted me to tell her about Eadgil."

"Yeah, I know. Star Charmer I think was her name. She approached me as well."

"Did you tell her anything?"

Deepest Desire shook her head. "Professional discretion."

Snowflake nodded. "Yeah, I figured."

"And you? Did you tell her anything?", Deepest Desire asked. "You're not bound by anything like that."

Snowflake nodded. "A few things. I told her that he rescued me from the dumps, and that was kinder to me than any other male since the takeover, and that I enjoyed serving him. I also told her that when he rescued me, you already had him convinced that the ways of his people are wrong, and that others who had been with him for a longer time might see things differently."

Deepest Desire nodded. "What do you think she wants from him?"

"No clue", Snowflake said. "Love at first sight, maybe?" She smirked.

Deepest Desire smiled. "Well, I can't think of anything else at the moment. I guess that's as good a guess as any other. See you later, Snowflake."

"See you later. You too, Ivana." Snowflake gave the cow a smile, then turned around and walked to the door.

"Come here, Ivana", Snowflake heard Deepest Desire say behind her.

Once she had left the room, she carefully closed the door behind her.





Later that day, Eadgil was walking through the hallways of the castle when one of the other stags approached him. He seemed bothered.

"Eadgil, I was looking for you", the other stag said.

"What is it, Skorri?", Eadgil asked.

"I was outside the castle walls when I ran into a messenger from Canterlot", the other stag reported. 

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. "Did he notice anything?"

"No chance. He didn't even enter the castle, and he was in a hurry to get back to Canterlot. Seems like he had trouble even finding the way here, and he didn't want to stay in the forest any longer than necessary. He gave me a letter for you. For the Magistrate, I mean." He handed over a small parchment.

"That's Vestri's seal", Eadgil noticed. "Damn. I didn't think the bastard would start bothering me that early."

"I hope it's nothing serious."

"Anyway, thank you. I'll read this later. I'm on my way to meet Baldr and Spring Breeze, so I can discuss whatever it is with them. I'll inform you all tomorrow. If it's relevant, Spring Breeze can inform her people as well."

The other stag nodded and went on his way. Eadgil put the parchment away and continued on his own way as well.

He arrived at Baldr's room and knocked at the door.

"Come in", he heard Baldr's voice from inside.

He opened the door and stepped in. Baldr was already sitting on an old sofa he had brought from Lindisbarne, and Eadgil took place in a chair.

"Hello, my friend", Baldr said.

"Hello, Baldr", Eadgil responded. "Skorri just gave me a message he received from a messenger outside the castle walls." He held up the parchment. "Don't worry, Skorri swears the guy didn't notice anything unusual. But the wax has Vestri's seal."

"That means bad news", Baldr said.

"Probably, yeah. I want to wait for Spring Br..."

His sentence was interrupted by another knock at the door.

"Please, come in", Baldr said.

The door opened, and Spring Breeze entered, Star Charmer directly behind her.

"Good evening, Spring Breeze", Baldr said. "And you must be Star Charmer. Eadgil informed me that you would come as well today. Please, sit down and have a cup of Amber Glow with us."

"Hello Baldr", Spring Breeze said, smiling at the caribou. She gave Eadgil a quick look as well. "Ari. Good evening."

"Good evening, Spring Breeze. No 'caribou' any more?", Eadgil asked, grinning a little.

"No, that would be rude", Spring Breeze answered, sitting down. "We're both Baldr's guests after all."

"Hello, sir", Star Charmer said to Eadgil, sitting down as well. She looked at Baldr. "So you're Baldr, I assume? Nice to meet you. What's Amber Glow?"

"A liquor", Baldr answered. "I made it from herbs and cherries."

"That's what I'm here for", Spring Breeze said, grinning.

"Yes, ma'am", Baldr said, stood up, fetched a few cups and a bottle, poured each of them a cup and placed them on the table, along with the bottle.

Spring Breeze picked up the cup and nipped on it. "This is… really good", she said. "If we could produce more of it, we could make quite a few bucks."

Baldr grinned. "So you want me to plant even more herbs and cherry trees?"

"Sure, why not", Spring Breeze responded. "We might also consider buying supplies for this stuff so we can produce more of it."

Star Charmer picked up her glass and took a big sip from it. "Yeah, this is really good. Could become a popular party drink."

"I might have bad news", Eadgil said. "One of the other stags just gave me this parchment. He said he got it from a messenger he met outside the castle today. He swears the guy didn't notice anything, but this has Vestri's seal on it."

"Yeah, that is bad news", Spring Breeze nodded with a sense of dread. "Go on, open it."

The stag carefully removed the wax seal and opened the parchment. "Oh. This is bad news."

"What is it?", Spring Breeze asked.

"Vestri wants us to allow stallions to settle here as well. He has a few who might be interested, and he'll send them over during the next months so they can take a look. He writes that this is non-negotiable. Some bullshit about 'not upsetting Equestria's native stallion population by claiming historical Equestrian sites as exclusive caribou property'."

"Excuse me?", Spring Breeze said angrily. "Does that moron even think before he writes?"

"To my experience, Vestri hardly ever thinks at all", Eadgil responded. "But yes, this is bad. Not only will we have to prepare for giving visitors a show much earlier than we thought, but we're also balancing on a thin line here. If we make it too attractive for them here, they might want to move in, and then this project will be in jeopardy."

"Which means we have only weeks to think of something to either disrupt the mind control spell, or make this project look unappealing without raising suspicion", Spring Breeze concluded. "And if we just get rid of stallions who want to move in here, that will cause even more suspicion - not to mention it's something I would prefer to avoid unless absolutely necessary. Yes, this is bad."

Eadgil nodded, and they remained silent for a while, nipping on their drinks.

"Ah!", Star Charmer eventually yelled. "I got it!"

"You got what?", Eadgil asked.

"Your cows are… what did she say… communal property here, right, sir?"

Eadgil nodded.

"Is this legal?", Star Charmer asked. "By your people's laws, I mean."

"Several stags forming one household together isn't unheard of, yes", Eadgil answered. "It's usually not more than two or three though."

"Could this be enforced?", Star Charmer asked.

"If we set up our community as one shared household, I guess", Eadgil said. "It's a gray area. Something like this is not illegal, but unheard-of. But if someone tried to say something against it, I could point out that King Dainn himself kind of set precedent cases for this by temporarily making cows communal in Hornvik, and by creating the institution of state property. After all, it did involve, um… 'convincing' stallions of letting go of 'their' mares, and if that exists on a national level, why not also on a communal level?"

"Well, then it can be used as a deterrent", Star Charmer said. "Just make us mares communal property as well."

"Excuse me?", Spring Breeze said.

"Officially, I mean. And then tell the stallions who come here that this is how we run our community. So if they want to move here, they have to sign an agreement to turn over their mares to the community as well. I think that should deter them. By the way, how do shared households usually come to be? I mean, why would a stag do something like this?"

"That… sounds like an interesting idea", Eadgil said. "It wouldn't change anything for us, but it would deter most stallions. As for your question, you know most of my people are bisexual, and we're open about that. Sometimes friendships between stags go beyond mere affection or sexual attraction."

"Ah", Star Charmer chuckled. "That's even better. In addition to the communal property thing, you stags also have to act really, really gay around each other when a stallion comes to visit us."

Spring Breeze burst into laughter.

Star Charmer continued. "Bisexuality might be common among your people, but most stallions don't swing that way - and from what I've seen, I don't think your king's so-called 'cure' changed anything about that. I don't think most of them would appreciate being around lots of really gay caribou males every day."

"That could work", Eadgil said. "But what if a stallion isn't deterred by that?"

"In that case...", Star Charmer said, "...we'll find another solution."

"Of course this is only a makeshift solution", Spring Breeze said, having calmed down from her laughter again. "In the long run, we have to find ways to break the mind control anyway, at the very least on an individual level, if we want to overthrow Dahrin."

Eadgil blinked. "Excuse me... who?"

Spring Breeze stopped, seemingly confused. "Dahrin", she repeated. "That king of yours."

"Oh, you mean Dainn", Eadgil said.

"That's what I said", the pegasus responded.

"No you said 'Dahrin'."

Spring Breeze nodded. "That's what I said."

Eadgil sighed. "There seems to be some kind of language barrier here. Tell me: What do you think is the first vowel in his name?"

"The same one as in your name", Spring Breeze said. "Your chosen name, I mean – Ari. Isn't that correct?"

"Yes, it is. But when you speak the king's name, you make it sound like you're trying to cram that entire name in there."

"Well, isn't that correct?", Spring Breeze asked.

Eadgil shook his head. "No, it only contains the first and the last phoneme of my chosen name."

Spring Breeze looked at him as though he had said something completely outlandish. "What are you talking about? Ari consists of only two sounds."

"No", Eadgil said calmly, "it has three."

"Am I pronouncing it wrong?", Spring Breeze asked. "Ahr-ee is correct, isn't it?"

Eadgil nodded. "Yes, that's correct. And that's three sounds."

"Huh", Spring Breeze made. "No it's two. Ar and Ee."

Star Charmer suddenly had a big grin on her face. "Oh, I get it. This is gold. I only now realize how weird our own language is."

"These are three phonemes", Eadgil said. "Ah"; "R"; and "Ee".

"You just said Ar twice", Spring Breeze remarked, a little bit annoyed.

"The a in Dainn is the same as in Baldr", Baldr said with a chuckle. "But then again, you're also pronouncing my own name wrong."

Spring Breeze gave him a surprised look.

Eadgil sighed. "I see the language barrier goes deeper than I thought. Maybe we should write it down. You write down how you would write the name based on how you think it should be written based on how you've heard us say it, and I'll write it down in our contemporary rune alphabet, and then try to find an Equestrian equivalent. Let's stick to Equestrian letters for now since we both know them."

"I'll get paper and a quill", Baldr said, stood up and left the room.

Star Charmer's face changed a little, as though she just had a sudden realization. Then she began to chuckle, like someone who knows a hilarious secret that all others are oblivious to. "Oh, this is too good!", she said. "There actually are words in our language that uses the same vowel as Dainn's name. I just thought of one of them. But I want to see what you write down."

Baldr returned, handing Spring Breeze a piece of paper and a quill.

"Well then", Spring Breeze said. Then, she paused for a moment. "I'm actually not completely sure", she said. "I... have several different versions in mind. I'll pick the one I think is most likely." She paused for a second. "Actually, I'm not sure about one letter. I'll write it twice, so it's clear what I'm going for."

"Go on", Eadgil encouraged her.

She wrote something down, then handed it to Eadgil.

He looked at the paper. Darin, he read. Then, he looked at the second version. Dahrin.

"These are both not how I'd spell it in Equestrian", Eadgil said. "I'll write it down in contemporary caribou runes, and then try to carry it into the Equestrian alphabet right next to it."

He wrote down two words, one in our contemporary version of the rune alphabet, one in Equestrian. Then he handed it back to Spring Breeze.

She looked at the version in Equestrian letters. Dainn, it said.

"Huh", she said. "With this spelling, I would pronounce it differently."

"How", Ari asked?

Spring Breeze said a word that sounded like Dæinn to him. "Like our word pain", she explained.

"Ah, I see", Eadgil said. "Well, I can see how you come to that conclusion, but in our language, that would be spelled differently. Let me write it down for you in Runes, then improvise a makeshift Equestrian version."

Spring Breeze looked over the table to see what he would write. At first, it seemed like he was writing the exact same runes again. But in the end, she saw that he had slightly altered the second letter. Then, he tried to improvise an alteration in Equestrian, which looked like this:

Däinn.

"Incidentally, it also means something different", Eadgil said. "Dain or Dainn means 'dead one'. Dæn or Dæin, on the other hand, means 'stag of the plains', with the connotations of 'uncivilized', 'commoner', or possibly 'troglodyte'."

Spring Breeze couldn't help but chuckle a little. But then she remembered something. "Star Charmer, you said you know a word in our language that uses the same sound as the first vowel in the king's name? That seems to be the problematic one."

Star Charmer began to chuckle again. "Oh yes. You'll love this! The a in Dainn is pronounced the same way as the u in cunt."

Eadgil also had to chuckle. "How very astute of you! Yes, indeed. That's how it's pronounced. There are other words like that in your language as well - fun, sun, run… they're spelled with u's in your language instead of a's, aren't they? As a matter of fact, that is the default a-sound in our language."

"Huh", Spring Breeze said. "To be honest, I still have trouble to pronounce it in my head. I try to start by forming a d-sound, then the u-sound from cunt – but then I don't know how to lead over into the i."

Eadgil thought for a moment. "I think we could have had this much easier", he said. "There is a word in your language that is pronounced exactly like the name Dainn. It's the verb to dine. As in having dinner."

Spring Breeze noticed that the stag had dragged out the i-sound in dine a little bit longer than ponies normally did.

"Interestingly enough", Eadgil continued, "you ponies seem to perceive this as one vowel – i – while we perceive it as two – a-i. On the other hand, this a sound even without the i does still exist in your language, as words like cunt, sun or fun prove – you just spell it as u now. It's almost as though our a-sound has been absorbed into a bunch of different other vowels in your written language, and that's why we have trouble pinning it down. Maybe the reason for this is because you don't have this way of modifying vowels. We call it an Umlaut. In words like train, the a is pronounced in a way that we in our current language would write with this modified vowel - the ä we talked about earlier."

He thought again. "But then again, our Elder Runes - the ones we use for magic - don't have this way of modifying vowels yet. It must be a recent development - maybe a few hundred years at most. Probably an adaptation to changes in our spoken language."

"It's almost as though knowledge of written language retroactively reshapes the perception of spoken language", Spring Breeze said, lost in thought. "Maybe that's one reason why learning your mother tongue is easier than learning new languages once you've learned to write. Maybe the younger generations of our two peoples will have less trouble communicating with each other."

Eadgil nodded. "We can hope at least. But first we have to make sure that they grow up in an environment where communication is possible in the first place."

They all went silent for a while. Eventually, Star Charmer spoke again.

"There is another matter we should discuss, isn't there?", Star Charmer asked, looking at Eadgil. "That's why you invited me after all."

"Huh, oh yeah. Star Charmer is... interested in me", Eadgil informed the other two. "I mean she made it clear to me that she wishes a relationship, and I can't say this isn't reciprocal. Our... desires seem highly compatible, you see..." He stopped, preferring not to spell it out for Spring Breeze's sake.

"You want to submit to him", Spring Breeze said to Star Charmer. It sounded more like a statement than a question.

Star Charmer nodded enthusiastically.

"Normally, I wouldn't even care about what consenting adults do behind closed doors", Spring Breeze said. Looking at Eadgil, she continued. "But you people haven't exactly left the best impression, obviously. If one of us gets into a relationship like this with one of you, it will make a lot of us really nervous. If you do this, there need to be clear rules and agreements, and the community has to be informed about them."

"What do you propose?", Star Charmer asked.

"A… written document that will spell out in detail what he can and can't do", Spring Breeze answered. "Signed by both of you. I will get a copy and have it approved in plenum."

"A contract?", Star Charmer asked.

"If you want to call it that", Spring Breeze answered. "This is for your protection though. He can not put any obligations for you in there. This is only to define your terms and limits, and to define a safe word you can use if you want your partner to stop what he's doing. Anything that isn't safe is out of the question anyway, but I will demand that you formulate your own limits as well. Deepest Desire and I will take a close look at the document before we even present it. Deepest Desire has the psychological knowledge and experience with these kinds of relationships, and I'm in charge of this community, and I'm not completely clueless either."

"You aren't?", Star Charmer asked.

"Well, I never tried it myself", Spring Breeze responded. "But yes, I was somewhat interested in the topic of BDSM before Equestria was conquered. Read a few books on it."

"You have… submission fantasies?", Star Charmer asked.

"No", Spring Breeze said calmly.

Baldr and Eadgil exchanged glances.

"Sounds good to me", Star Charmer said. She looked at Eadgil. "Do you have time tomorrow, sir? I'll come by tomorrow after we've discussed this with the others in plenum, and then we can discuss conditions, and then we'll both write down our limits..."

"He can not put any obligations for you in there", Spring Breeze reminded her. "If he doesn't want to do something, he can just not do it."

"I think it would help us both if he thought about it and wrote it down as well", Star Charmer said.

"Fine. I just don't see why I have to read that stuff", Spring Breeze said. "But then again, it might interest Deepest Desire. We'll simply keep the actual purpose of that document in mind. This is once again only a makeshift solution anyway."

"We could use rune magic to prevent Eadgil from violating the contract", Baldr suggested.

"If I was sitting closer to you, I'd give you a hard smack to the head for that idea", Spring Breeze said coldly.

Baldr looked down, mumbling something.

"I would also prefer if we didn't do that", Eadgil said. "Not least because I really don't want to get a tattoo. Not to mention that one would be incredibly suspicious anywhere outside Freeville."

Baldr nodded.

"There is one more thing I wanted to ask you", Star Charmer said. "Today, I found a bunch of caves on my daily walks. Some of them are full of gemstones of all kinds. One of them has massive amounts of a really weird kind of stone in it. It doesn't shine in some kind of color like most gemstones found in Equestria. It's pitch black - and yet it's not an ordinary stone. I'm certain of that."

Star Charmer took out a stone and placed it on the table.

"I find that stone really impressive", she said. "I wonder if one of you can tell me what this is."

Eadgil's eyes widened.

"I think you just found a first step towards breaking the mind control spell", he said, obviously impressed.

"She did?", Spring Breeze asked.

"That's a black Tourmaline", Eadgil said. "Or Schörl, as we call them in our language. My father tried to get his hands on one of those for decades, to no avail. They were extremely rare in our homeland, and most deposits were on cat territory."

"A Tourmaline, huh?", Spring Breeze said. "I think I've seen green Tourmaline in the past. Before the invasion, well-crafted green tourmalines were used as cheap replacements for emeralds in fancy jewelry for ponies who weren't overly rich, but wanted a feeling of luxury. I didn't know there was also a black variant. How does this connect to the mind control?"

"Well, black tourmalines have interesting magical properties", Eadgil explained. "Worn in direct contact with the body, or held in the hand, they provide focus and self-awareness. But that's not all. The cats used them to combat the influences of evil spirits on the mind. I read about similar ways to use them in a book by Clover the Clever just earlier today. Given the right treatment, they can be used as potent blockers for most kinds of mind-altering magic. Not all kinds, but most. We could try out if it can block the magic of the artifact - and Vestri just promised to send us test subjects soon."

"Experimenting on stallions, hmm...", Spring Breeze rubbed her chin.

"Spring Breeze, there is no way to find ways to break the mind control without doing that", Star Charmer pointed out. "Plus, it's not like we would be mind-controlling them or anything. They're already mind-controlled, and we break them out of it."

Spring Breeze sighed. "I know. I can't say I'm happy with it, but I know."

"May I have this?", Eadgil asked, putting his right hand on the stone. "I want to run a few tests with it, see if I can get a better idea of its magical properties."

Star Charmer nodded. "Of course, sir. There are lots of those in that cave I mentioned. This one isn't even particularly impressive. I can just get another one. As a matter of fact, what if I show you these caves tomorrow, after we've set up our contract?"

Eadgil smiled. "Sounds like a date. I'll make dinner for us afterwards."

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I won't touch her before you've approved of the contract", Eadgil told her.

Star Charmer looked disappointed. "Alright. Dinner sounds lovely. Maybe that cow of yours wants to join us? I think she's nice."

"By the way, where is Bruna?", Eadgil asked Baldr.

"Asleep", his friend answered. "She was tired, so she went to bed early today."

"She's… your sister?", Star Charmer asked Baldr. "You have the same eyes." She smiled friendly. "Amber brown. The same color as that drink of yours. You're the only caribou I know who don't have blue eyes."

"Half-sister", Baldr said. "And yes, it runs in the family."

"Well, this was a nice evening", Spring Breeze said. "I'm tired now, so I'll take my leave. Baldr, I think we're scheduled for another checkup of my wings tomorrow. I have a lot of things to do tomorrow, so we should postpone the checkup to evening." She smiled. "You're invited to stay for dinner. Bring a bottle of Amber Glow - I think I like that stuff. See you tomorrow."

Baldr nodded, smiling at her happily.

"I'll also leave now", Star Charmer said. "Tired, et cetera."

"See you tomorrow", Eadgil said.

The two mares stood up and left the room.

The caribou had a few more cups of liquor before Eadgil decided to leave as well.
> Chapter 7: Shadow's Awakening
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, like they had almost each morning since they had moved to Luna’s castle, Deepest Desire and Snowflake met in the mares’ common room to have breakfast together. They fetched their meals and sat down at a table.

    “So… how was the rest of your day yesterday?”, Snowflake asked. “After I left, I mean. Did you discover anything new with regards to Ivana.”

    Deepest Desire nodded. “A few things. I have to make sure about them, though. But I think Ivana adapts to more than just my emotional state. It almost seems she also adapts to my expectations of her - possibly down to the level of physical reactions. Not entirely sure, but I guess that’s only the case with people she sees as her Master - or Mistress.”

    Snowflake took a sip of coffee. “Dee-dee, that sounds really scary.”

    “Yeah, it is”, Deepest Desire responded. “Particularly if that’s common to all cows. It’s probably really easy for someone to make a mistake and cause lasting problems if he or she doesn’t exert self-control, and the stags don’t even seem to care. Well, except for those here in our community, of course - but caring doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re able to make the right decisions. I guess preventing the cows from forming too close relationships with individual stags by making them ‘communal property’ was a good idea. The cows seem to seek out individual masters, of course… but if you really want to take up such a task, you need an immensely adaptable mind.”

    Snowflake nodded. “I can follow that trail of thought.”

    Deepest Desire sighed. “Treating them responsibly is more difficult than it sounds. You need to be able make adjustments to your own behavior, even your own emotional state, in order to prevent negative effects.”

    “I see”, Snowflake said. “So you’re going to experiment with mental modeling again?”

Deepest Desire nodded, and they both went silent for a moment.

“Snowflake, I have to tell you something else”, Deepest Desire whispered. “I think my horn is regrowing.”

    “Really? How… how is that even possible?”, Snowflake asked.

    “As you know, the innate regenerative abilities of my body only kick in if I have enough energy to fuel them”, Deepest Desire continued to whisper. “Normally, two persons shouldn’t be enough - not if I don’t drain them. But Ivana produces more than anyone should be able to, even with total empathy.”

    “So this is evidence that she’s an... amplifier, then?”, Snowflake asked.

    “There could still be other explanations”, Deepest Desire responded. “Maybe some external force here in the forest or the castle is amplifying empathic abilities. I don’t know, I’m not sure. Obviously, I would prefer finding other explanations before I jump to one that defies the laws of magic as we understand them, and is almost too good to be true. I would hate to put my faith in something like this just for it to turn out to be nothing but wishful thinking.”

    Snowflake nodded. “If your horn really is regrowing, I wonder how long you can hide it. Are you going to tell the others?”

    “Not yet”, Deepest Desire responded. “I want to wait a bit and see how this develops. As a matter of fact, I would prefer if we had an explanation for why this is happening before we involve others. We might not have that much time, but we should use the time we have.

    Snowflake gave another nod, just as Spring Breeze entered the hall.

    At the next table, Star Charmer stood up, walked towards Spring Breeze, and started to talk to her for a moment.

“Huh”, Deepest Desire commented. “Haven’t seen this two interact with each other much so far. I wonder what this is about. I guess Spring Breeze is going to open the daily plenum meeting - so we’re probably going to find out soon.”

Spring Breeze walked up onto a little improvised podium and cleared her throat.

“May I have your attention, please? I would like to open the daily plenum meeting.”

    The mares continued to eat, but stopped their conversations.

    “We have three things to discuss today. First of all, the stags have received a letter from Councilman Vestri. He wants to send stallions here soon who might want to settle here - which means we have to begin with our masquerade earlier than we thought.”

    A few of the mares nodded grimly.

    “Of course, we need to present ourselves in a way that detracts them from actually settling here without being suspicious. Not an easy task, but we already had a few ideas - we have to thank Star Charmer for most of them. In essence, the stags will also put up a little masquerade that has good chances to disincline stallions from settling here. I will give you details later, once we’ve worked them out.”

    A few more nods.

    “We also have good news though. Star Charmer has found a stone in a cave nearby that might help us disrupt the mind control spell. She says there’s a lot more of those where it came from. We should start to gather these stones. We don’t know if it’ll help against the artifact’s magic yet, but according to Eadgil, it can be used to disrupt mind control magic, so there is a good chance that it might help in this case as well.”

    “What kind of stone?”, Deepest Desire asked.

    “A black tourmaline.”

    “Black tourmaline, interesting. And there is a cave with lots of them nearby?”

    Spring Breeze nodded. “If it is capable of disrupting the artifact’s effect, even if it’s just on an individual basis, it essentially solves the problem Vestri caused us.” She chuckled. “He would essentially be sending us recruits - but then again, maybe I’m overly optimistic.”

    Deepest Desire nodded. “Let’s not get our hopes up too much, this is powerful magic we’re dealing with here - but it is worth a shot.”

    “Exactly. I want to give Eadgil a bit of free time so he can study these stones. Anyone opposed to this proposal?”

    No one spoke up.

    “I think we don’t need to vote on it if there is no objection”, Spring Breeze said. “However, there is yet another issue. Star Charmer has expressed the wish to… mh… date Eadgil. This alone would potentially be an issue given the circumstances, but she apparently has a submissive side, and wishes to incorporate it into the relationship.”

    Star Charmer chuckled. “That’s not a side, I’m all submissive.” 


Murmuring filled the hall.

    Spring Breeze didn’t react to it. “Yesterday evening, we had the idea to let them write a contract, defining the exact nature and limitations of their relationship. I would get a copy, and Deepest Desire and I would read it before giving our approval. It seems she knows most about these kinds of relationships. I will make these contracts available for all of you, so you can get a look at them if you think something is fishy. This gives the community a good bit of control without necessarily involving everyone in everything. Of course, Star Charmer and Eadgil will also each get a copy. These contracts won’t obligate any partner to do anything - they’re only meant to define their relationship and its limits.”

    Deepest Desire nodded. “Something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m glad to hear that Star Charmer chose Eadgil. I think he’s trustworthy. The contract solution seems pretty much optimal given the circumstances. Was it your proposal?”

    Spring Breeze nodded. “It was. So you are in favor of this solution?”

    “As I said, it sounds pretty much optimal.”

    Snowflake chuckled. “Also, it will help us with the masquerade if some of us have stags they can trust - provided it will even be necessary.”

    A little bit of murmuring was audible.

    “Are there any objections or counterarguments to this proposal?”, Spring Breeze asked.

    One mare stood up. “I think it sounds reasonable enough, and I trust your judgment. But if we’re doing this, it stands to reason that we should demand contracts from Deepest Desire, Snowflake, and Shadow Amethyst as well. They are in similar kinds of relationships after all.”

    Deepest Desire slapped her hand against her forehead. “Shadow Amethyst! She’s still in her room. I forgot that I wanted to get her out this morning. I’m going to get her.” She stood up.

    Spring Breeze chuckled. “Since there seem to be no objections to Star Charmer’s proposal, I think we can conclude this meeting. Deepest Desire, would you be willing to set up contracts with Snowflake and Shadow Amethyst as well?”

    Deepest Desire nodded.

“I don’t think it’s necessary in my case, but I’m fine with this”, Snowflake added. “I think it’s not a bad idea for Shadow Amethyst though. I know she’ll respect a contract, and this could help keep her in check.”

“A contract can not contain positive obligations”, Spring Breeze reminded her.

Snowflake chuckled. “No, but it can contain negative ones. What if Deepest Desire defined Shadow Amethyst’s harassment of caribou cows as a hard limit of hers, for example? I mean, she already made it pretty clear that this is a no-go, as it should be... but Shadow Amethyst might be more inclined to actually stick to it if she has it in writing. Like many other crystal ponies, Shadow Amethyst is a firm believer in… Sombra’s messed-up version of the Rule of Law.”

Deepest Desire facepalmed.

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “Not exactly what the contracts are for, but fine. At least it’s used for the right cause in this case. I’ll review the thing anyway before I give my okay.”

“I think in case of Shadow Amethyst, the community might have an interest in taking a look at it as well”, the other mare said. “You can see this as a pre-emptive request for plenum inspection.”

Spring Breeze sighed. “Alright. I’ll present it to you at tomorrow’s meeting. Anyone opposed to this proposal?”

No one spoke up.

“Alright”, Deepest Desire said. “I’m going to tell Shadow Amethyst.

She then left the room.

Snowflake stood up and followed her without another word, while the other mares returned to their breakfast.





    In Shadow Amethyst’s room, the crystal mare was lying on her bed, curled up. When she heard a key turning in the lock to her door, she left the bed, went on her knees, placed her hands in front of her and faced the floor.

    The door opened, and her Mistress entered the room.

    Deepest Desire raised an eyebrow. “Have you been sitting here like this for the entire time?”, she asked.

    “No, Mistress”, Shadow Amethyst said contritely.

    Behind Deepest Desire, Snowflake had now entered the room.

    “I think your time is over”, Deepest Desire announced.

    “Mistress, I wish to apologize”, Shadow Amethyst said.

    “Oh? Now that’s a surprise.”

    “I mean it”, Shadow Amethyst affirmed. “I… didn’t know why I did that. This isn’t like me.”

    Deepest Desire raised an eyebrow.

    “Isn’t it, though?”, Snowflake asked.

    “I’m not the person you need to apologize to”, Deepest Desire reminded the crystal mare.

A spark appeared in Shadow Amethyst’s eyes. “You misunderstand me, Mistress. You know my beliefs about the strong and the weak, and their places in the world. I still do not believe I wronged Ivana, particularly because she seemed to like what I was doing. I may be messed up in the head, but I’m not stupid, and I know my place. I knew there was no way I would get away with this, and I knew it would displease you, Mistress. That’s what I’m apologizing for.”

Deepest Desire frowned a little, but shrugged. “Not the apology I had hoped for.”

Shadow Amethyst continued. “I honestly don’t know why I did it. Something about that cow… made me want to do it to her.”

Deepest Desire gave her a quick slap to the face. “Do not blame her for your actions!”, she said.

    “Ow!”, the crystal mare yelped. “I understand why you did that, Mistress - but that wasn’t what I meant. I wouldn’t be apologizing if I didn’t think my actions were entirely my own responsibility. What I’m saying is that I don’t understand why I did that.”

    “You saw a creature that was obviously weaker than you are, and felt the sudden urge to take advantage of her”, Deepest Desire said.

    “Yes”, Shadow Amethyst replied with no discernible emotion in her voice.

    Deepest Desire placed her hand under the crystal mare’s chin and slowly lifted her face up, forcing her to look into her eyes. “I understand that urge. I really do.”

    The crystal mare’s eyes widened. “You do?”

    Deepest Desire removed her hand. “Don’t get me wrong. What you did was more than messed up, and a few days of detention in your own room is a merciful punishment.”

    Shadow Amethyst averted her gaze. “I understand how much I have disappointed you, Mistress. I will accept any further punishment you decide on.”

    Deepest Desire sighed. “What am I to do with you? Just because I understand such urges, it doesn’t mean I act on them. So why do you?”

    Shadow Amethyst shrugged. “As I said… I don’t understand.”

Deepest Desire towered above her, once again putting her finger under her chin and forcing her to look her in the eyes. “Listen closely. Your value system is... inconsistent. You need to work out these inconsistencies, or else you will likely keep displeasing me like this. Of course I will help you, but you need to open up. Do you understand?”

    Shadow Amethyst nodded weakly, still trying to avoid her Mistress’ gaze. “Yes, Mistress.”

    Deepest Desire smiled. “Good. I think we finally made at least some progress today. I still think you should apologize to Ivana.”

    “If you wish it, Mistress”, Shadow Amethyst responded.

    “You understand why I demand this?”, Deepest Desire asked.

    Shadow Amethyst nodded. “As I said, I’m not stupid, Mistress. I understand what you believe. I just don’t feel the same way… about the world.”

    Deepest Desire smiled. “We’re going to work on that.”

    “By the way, where is Ivana?”, Snowflake asked. “I didn’t see her in the dining hall today.”

    “I don’t know”, Deepest Desire responded. “I don’t exactly want to bother the stags yet, they’re probably busy - but if we don’t see her tomorrow either, I’ll make sure to find out where she is. For now, I will return to my room. Shadow Amethyst, would you mind joining me? I have some other things to talk to you about.”

    Rising to her feet, but still keeping her eyes downcast, Shadow Amethyst nodded. “As you wish, Mistress.”

    “Excellent”, Deepest Desire said, then turned around and left the room. The other two followed her.





    Deepest Desire’s room was on the same floor, just a few steps away. When she entered, she found Ivana kneeling on the floor, a bunch of ropes, cuffs, and various sex toys lying on the floor. She had her eyes cast down, but when she noticed the door opening, she smiled softly.

    “Damn, I must have forgot to lock it when I left for breakfast”, Deepest Desire mumbled. “Good morning, Ivana. Ummm…”

    “G… good morning, Mistress”, Ivana responded shyly. “This c…” She stopped, correcting herself. “Um… I borrowed these tools from the stags. I wanted to surprise you with, um… new amusing things to do to my body.” A hint of contrition crept over her face. “I’m sorry, Mistress. I couldn’t find any things like crops or canes. The stags told me you mares have them now.” She giggled. “Are you having fun with them?”

    Deepest Desire couldn’t help but chuckle. She hadn’t noticed that the other two mares had likewise entered the room.

    A big grin had crept upon Shadow Amethyst’s face - the grin of someone whose basic world view just had gotten an additional piece of confirmation. “So after preventing me from taking her, you took her, huh?”, she asked.

    Deepest Desire sighed. Finally a little bit of progress with Shadow Amethyst, immediately undone by an unforeseeable, admittedly sweet gesture of a cow.

    Snowflake turned around to Shadow Amethyst. “Shut up, jerk!”, she snapped, surprising even Deepest Desire. “After you harassed Ivana for no reason, it was her who followed Mistress Desire around, begging her to be her Mistress. She agreed to it because she wants to help Ivana overcome her anxiety and self-hate, like she did with me. She’d help you too if you’d let her, but she gets nothing but shit from you despite your alleged acceptance of her as your Mistress. God knows she’s trying.”

    Shadow Amethyst continued to smirk. “Trying to help her, uh-huh. So that’s how you rationalize it.”

    Snowflake suddenly took a step towards the crystal mare. When Deepest Desire realized what was going on, it was already too late. The palm of Snowflake’s hand was already on its way towards Shadow Amethyst’s face, giving her another hard slap against the cheek. “I told you to shut up!”, she yelled.

    Shadow Amethyst stumbled back a step and held her cheek. Unlike earlier, when Deepest Desire had hit her, she seemed completely caught by surprise, unable to say a word.

Snowflake stared at her own hand, her expression turning from anger to horrified surprise.

“I did not see that coming”, Deepest Desire just said.

“I… didn’t… either…”, Snowflake stuttered.

As if to add to their surprise, Shadow Amethyst took a step forward and then sank to her knees before Snowflake, eyes cast down. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked back. I didn’t realize… I should have realized sooner.”

“Realized… what?”, Snowflake continued to stutter, still in shock about her own action.

“That you were above me”, Shadow Amethyst responded. “I promise I will respect your higher station from now on.”

Deepest Desire blinked. “Shadow Amethyst, you are the biggest idiot I’ve ever met in my entire very long life. I think Snowflake still owes you an apology though.”

    Shadow Amethyst looked up to her again. “No, I’m the one who owes one to both of you. Mistress, I was disrespectful, and I deserve to be punished for it. And Snowflake, I should have realized your place far earlier, but I didn’t. Mistress, if you want to make Snowflake apologize to you for acting without your permission, do it, but she doesn’t owe me. I know my place now.”

    Ivana giggled. “Mistress, if I may… I’m really confused right now, but... I get you, Sh… Shadow? Learning one’s place is… a wonderful thing. It’s like… letting yourself fall.”

    “Oh for Love’s sake!”, Deepest Desire exclaimed.

    Shadow Amethyst pointed at Ivana, smirking. “See? The cow gets it.”

    “I’d… do anything for Love’s sake, Mistress”, Ivana giggled.

    “What am I going to do with you two?”, Deepest Desire asked rhetorically.

    Ivana looked at her, smiling softly. “Whatever you wish, Mistress.”

    “Ugh”, the changeling groaned. “Enough of this nonsense! Snowflake, you’ll apologize to Shadow Amethyst. Shadow, you will apologize to Ivana. In this order. Do I need to count?”

    Snowflake was still in shock, alternating between staring at the palm of her hand and staring at the crystal mare kneeling before her.

    “Shadow, I… I’m… I’m s…”, she stuttered. “No, this won’t do. Not like this.”

    She went to her knees herself, now being face to face with the crystal mare in front of her. She grabbed Shadow’s hands, holding them in hers. “Shadow, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I got mad and lost control. I’m definitely not above you. I don’t want to be.”

    Shadow Amethyst smiled. “We’re not so different, are we?”, she asked. “Not that different, I mean. You did it to defend Deepest Desire. We both want to please Mistress.” She blushed and looked away. “I just think you’re… a good bit better at it than I am.”

    Snowflake smiled as she slowly rose up again. “Thank you… I guess.”

    “It’s probably because you do it for all the wrong reasons”, Deepest Desire said.

    “I don’t… umm…”, Shadow Amethyst stuttered.

    “Shadow Amethyst, do you…”, Deepest Desire stopped mid-sentence. “Oh God, I know I’m going to regret this. Do you know why I haven’t told you yet that I’m a changeling?”

    Shadow Amethyst looked up to her Mistress with eyes as wide as the sun and moon. “You’re a what???”, she asked.

    “I am a changeling”, Deepest Desire repeated. “More specifically, a hive queen, and a direct descendant of Queen Chrysalis. We have broken with each other though, due to… ideological differences. I would prove it to you, but I fear I can’t. Not right now at least. Ever since my horn was cut, I’m stuck in this form.”

    Shadow looked at Snowflake as if searching for help. “She’s kidding, right? She’s… messing with me.”

    Snowflake shook her head.

    The crystal mare sighed. “Alright. Suppose I believe you. So... why didn’t you tell me so far? That was your question, right? I have no clue what the answer is. I assume you asked me for a purpose, so I’m sure you’ll tell me. Does it have to do with lack of trust?”

    “That plays a role, certainly”, the changeling answered. “But it isn’t the main reason.”

    “Then what is it?”, Shadow Amethyst inquired.

    Deepest Desire came a step closer and looked down at the kneeling crystal mare, right into her eyes. “Because I usually only tell the people I feed on.”

    A little smile crept on Shadow Amethyst’s face. “I see. Try to find water in a desert.”

    “So you understand.”

    “Of course I do”, Shadow Amethyst responded in a dry, sullen voice.

    “How… how do you feel about that?”, Deepest Desire asked, now back in her therapist mode.

    “I don’t”, Shadow Amethyst said dryly. “Not at all. That’s kind of the point.”

    All three mares went silent for a moment - just enough to hear Ivana sob behind them.

    Deepest Desire turned around and saw the cow’s watery eyes. It wasn’t a stream of tears, but more like what you would expect to see from a sensitive person reading a tragic love story.

    “Ivana, are you crying?”, Deepest Desire asked.

    “Yes, Mistress… it’s… it’s so sad. Shadow Amethyst has the most wonderful Mistress she could wish for… and she can’t even feel love for her. I… I feel so sorry for her.” She continued to sob silently.

    Shadow Amethyst’s gaze turned to Ivana in surprise. Then, blushing, she slowly crawled over to Ivana on all fours. Just like when Snowflake was apologizing to her, the two of them sat on their knees in front of each other, facing each other. “Alright… Ivana, I… I think I should… I want to apologize to you.” She paused for a second. “You understand your place far better than I do, it would seem. It’s… it’s so… ironic in a way. I always lecture people about their place, but it would seem like everyone knows their place far better than I do my own.”

    Ivana moved towards her and wrapped her arms around her. “Sister!”, she exclaimed. “Don’t be sorry. I have to thank you. Without you, Deepest Desire would have never found me.”

    Shadow Amethyst swallowed, then wrapped her arms around the cow as well. “Ivana…”, she stuttered.

    “Interesting, hmm… now I actually wonder...”, Deepest Desire rubbed her chin. “No, that’s impossible. It contradicts widely known evidence.”

    “Another theory of yours?”, Snowflake asked.

    Deepest Desire clapped her hands. “Nope, just a silly thought that came to mind. Either way, seems like Ivana made more progress with Shadow Amethyst with only a few sobs than I did with months of therapy.” She went over to the two and patted Ivana on the head. “You probably have no idea what you did, but I’m proud of you.”

    Not breaking from her embrace with Shadow Amethyst, Ivana looked up to Deepest Desire. “Th… thank you, Mistress. But… no, I don’t.” She smiled shyly, continuing to hold Shadow Amethyst.

    Deepest Desire took a few steps back, returning to Snowflake. “So… what do we do with the rest of the day?”

    Snowflake shrugged. “No clue, but I guess you’re getting hungry, Mistress?”

    “Speaking of it, yes”, Deepest Desire admitted.

    Ivana giggled behind them, still holding Shadow Amethyst in her arms. “Is… is this the point where we all get naked, Mistress?”

    Deepest Desire chuckled and turned around to them. “I wouldn’t mind. Shadow, what about you?”

    “Whatever Mistress commands”, Shadow Amethyst responded with no hesitation in her voice. “I guess it will be fun.” She chuckled. “I... guess I’ll finally get some with you, hm Ivana?” The cow responded with a giggle.

    The changeling chuckled again. “In that case, I don’t see why not.”

    To Shadow Amethyst’s surprise, the cow suddenly pushed the entire weight of her body against the crystal mare, making her fall onto her back while Ivana herself landed on top of her.

    “Huh”, Shadow Amethyst yelped. “I didn’t see that coming either.”

    Ivana was already starting to fumble with Shadow’s clothes as well as her own, beginning to get them off.

    Deepest Desire rubbed her chin. “Indeed. This day is full of surprises - big ones and little ones.” She sat down on a chair. “Snowflake, would you join me?”

    Snowflake walked over to her Mistress seductively, then took place in her lap sideways, wrapping her arm around Deepest Desire’s shoulders. “Ready to feed, Mistress?”, she asked.

    Deepest Desire put her hand on Snowflake’s cheek and softly made her face her. Then, she pushed her lips onto Snowflake’s, and a familiar feeling of coldness ran through the pegasus’ body.

    After only a few seconds, Deepest Desire removed herself from Snowflake’s muzzle.

    “Aw, that always makes me grumpy”, Snowflake chuckled a little. “Come on!”, she smirked, giving Deepest Desire a look. “Refill the battery.” She gave another chuckle.

    Deepest Desire smiled. “You know that’s not how it works - but sure.” Once again, she pushed her lips onto Snowflakes, putting her hand on the back of the other female’s head - pushing her into a real kiss this time.

    “Oh yesh… that’sh more like it…”, Snowflake mumbled into Deepest Desire’s muzzle while her Mistress kissed her passionately.

    Meanwhile, Ivana was still lying on Shadow Amethyst, awkwardly removing her and Shadow Amethyst’s clothing, while the crystal mare merely lay on her back, pretty much letting the cow do the work. They were both almost completely nude by now, and Ivana began to put small kisses onto various parts of Shadow Amethyst’s body. “I hope this pleases you?”, she giggled.

    “It’s… enjoyable”, the crystal mare responded.

    Deepest Desire chuckled from her chair. “It’s definitely fun to watch you two”, she said, earning a smile from Ivana, who was now completely undressed.

    The cow eventually removed herself from Shadow Amethyst and began to look over her toys, picking up various dildos and giving them close looks. “What to do next? What to do next?”, she mumbled.

    Snowflake suddenly chuckled. “I think Deepest Desire might have something that could interest you”, she said.

    “Huh”, Deepest Desire made.

    Snowflake moved her face close to Deepest Desire’s ear and whispered something.

The changeling chuckled. “I see, I see. Would you mind fetching it for Ivana?”

    The pegasus stood up, leaving her Mistress’ lap, and went over to a large cupboard. Opening it, she pulled out a strapon and held it up for Ivana to see - with a dildo on the inner side and one on the outer.

    Ivana giggled. “Why didn’t I think of bringing one?”, she wondered.

    Snowflake handed it to Ivana, and the cow immediately crawled back to the crystal mare and was about to begin strapping it onto her - but Shadow Amethyst stopped her. She smiled up to the cow. “Please, put it on yourself”, the crystal mare said.

    Ivana’s eyes widened. “Really? You want me to… but I… I’ve never…”

    “Well, that’s a twist”, Deepest Desire chuckled.

    “As a matter of fact…” Shadow Amethyst went up and onto her knees, picked up a pair of leather shackles that Ivana had brought, and crawled over to Deepest Desire. She placed them in front of her Mistress’ hooves and then knelt before her, her back facing towards her Mistress, her arms behind her back. “Please, Mistress… would you cuff this unworthy servant, so a more deserving slave can have her fun with her?”

    Deepest Desire laughed. “Are you really serious.”

    Shadow Amethyst nodded. “I just want to lay back now, not having to think about anything. And besides, I… I think I still owe something to Ivana.”

    “Not a good reason for this, but does that mean you do feel sorry for what you did, for Ivana’s sake and not for mine?”, Deepest Desire inquired.

    “Yes”, Shadow Amethyst answered. “I think you’ll still disagree with my reasons though. But that doesn’t matter now. As I said, I want this.”

    “Shadow Amethyst, I still don’t understand you… I think”, Deepest Desire admitted. “But very well.” She picked up the cuffs and cuffed the crystal mare’s hands together behind her back.

    Shadow turned around, giving Deepest Desire a small smile as confirmation, then averted her gaze again. Awkwardly robbing back to Ivana on her legs, she laid down on her back again. “Ivana… please take me.”

    Ivana smiled shyly, having attached the strapon to herself now. Blushing a little, she crawled on top of the mare, rubbing the device against her folds.

    “What a twist!”, Snowflake said, moving over to Deepest Desire again. “This looks fun to watch. I think I just want to watch for a while.”

    Ivana chuckled. “Master Vestri always said giving him a show with other females was the only thing I’m good for.”

    Deepest Desire smirked. “What a cruel thing to say! And also false. You’re good for a lot of things.” She then turned her eyes to Snowflake, gave her an inviting look and patted her own thighs with her hands.

    Snowflake chuckled, then took place on her Mistress’ lap again. “Aaah… comfy”, she said.

    Ivana slowly began to insert her device into Shadow Amethyst, who was beginning to moan. “Please, Ivana…”, the mare begged. “Pound me! Don’t be gentle!”

    Ivana blushed and stuttered. “I… I’ll try.” She put her hands on Shadow Amethyst’s shoulders, pushing her down, and then pushed into her with all the force she could muster - which admittedly wasn’t much, she was just a cow after all.

    Shadow Amethyst moaned softly. “Don’t… don’t spare me. Do what you wish with me.”

    Deepest Desire and Snowflake exchanged glances.

“I’m beginning to wonder if this is some kind of experiment”, the changeling said. “If so, it might be secretly brilliant. I’m not sure if I could have come up with it.”

Snowflake made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “Eh. I’m just enjoying the view.”

Ivana, having gained more confidence now, began to grind herself against Shadow Amethyst’s body, pounding into her hardly. The cow started becoming a bit more confident, feeling up her partner more roughly and even giving her little, playful slaps. Shadow Amethyst played along, giving groans of played discomfort amidst the pleasure.

Eventually, Shadow Amethyst felt her orgasm approaching. “Mistress”, she moaned. “May I come, please!”

Deepest Desire smirked. “Ask Ivana”, she ordered.

“Ivana, please”, Shadow reacted. “May I come, please? I’m so close.”

Ivana pushed her entire body against the mare, whispering into her ear. “I’m also close… so close. Come… come with me.” She paused for a second. “N… now!”

They both moaned loudly as they came together. Ivana kept lying on Shadow Amethyst for a good while longer, both panting heavily.

Eventually, the cow removed herself from the mare, and Shadow Amethyst stood up on shaky legs. Walking over to Deepest Desire, she stood in front of her, once again with her back turned to her. “Mistress… if it pleases you, would you remove the shackles? I would like to take my leave. I would… I would like to spend the rest of the day in my room. I have to think about a few things.”

Deepest Desire smiled. “Sure.”

With Snowflake still sitting in her lap, she awkwardly took off Shadow’s shackles. The crystal mare let out a small sign, turned around, knelt before her Mistress, put two small kisses onto her hooves, mumbling a faint “Thank you”.

Standing up again, she picked up her clothes, quickly put them on, and left the room without a word.

“Well, that was interesting”, Snowflake said.

“May I remove this one now as well?”, Ivana giggled, pointing down at her strapon.

“Yes, Ivana”, Deepest Desire ordered. “Remove it, and then come over here. If that’s okay with you, I would like to feed on you. I didn’t take much from Snowflake, and I am still hungry.”

Ivana nodded. “Yes, Mistress. I am ready.”

Deepest Desire smiled. “And after that, we’ll have more fun together.”

Snowflake smiled. “Count me in”, she said. “Damn, I’m pent up by now. That was a good watch.”

“Seems like you enjoy watching Shadow Amethyst get dominated”, Deepest Desire smirked.

Remembering something, she slapped her hand against her forehead. “Fuck! We haven’t done the contracts! Shadow Amethyst doesn’t even know about them yet. So much happened this morning… I just forgot.”

Snowflake giggled. “Let it go for now. I’m sure Spring Breeze and the others can wait another day. After all, it’s not like you’re a caribou.” She giggled. “They all still think you’re a mare.”

Continuing, she got serious again. “Plus, Shadow Amethyst said she needed time for herself to think. We should really give her some time for herself before harassing her again with something like this.”

Deepest Desire sighed. “You’re right. We can do this tomorrow. Ivana, come here.”

The three of them continued to spend their morning in the same spirit.
> Chapter 8: Mysteries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Around the same time, Eadgil left his quarters in order to inform the other stags. Along the way, he was joined by Baldr.

“Good morning, Ari”, he said.

“Good morning, Baldr”, the other stag replied. “I take it you’re also on the way to join the other stags in our common room?”

Baldr nodded. “Of course. There’s a lot to talk about.”

“Hm”, Eadgil pondered. “Where’s Bruna? I think she might want to hear about these things as well.”

“She got up early in the morning”, Baldr said. “She said she wanted to take some time for herself. She said something about wanting to find a calm place in the castle to meditate on a tree in the forest that you showed her - I didn’t quite catch that, but was she talking about the same tree you told me about? The one you think gave you visions?”

“It wasn’t a vision”, Eadgil said. “More like a… mental connection. But yes, I guess she’s referring to that. I showed it to her yesterday, and I think she likes that place. She told me she felt a similar connection.”

“Hm”, Baldr made. “We can talk about that later. Of course, before she left, I informed her of what we discussed with the mares yesterday evening.”

“How did she react to the idea of me and Star Charmer making a contract?”, Eadgil asked. He didn’t think Bruna would object, but he did care for her opinion - and he hadn’t had the time to ask her.

“She wasn’t too surprised”, Baldr answered. “I think she expected something like that. She does have a way of… knowing or sensing things in advance that escape me. Has she even ever seen you two together?”

“No, but she has interacted with Star Charmer”, Ari responded, but then rubbed his chin. “Thinking of it, Star Charmer only introduced herself to me after the last time I was with Bruna. This is quite astonishing. Do you think Bruna is capable of some kind of… magical precognition?”

    “Don’t be silly”, Baldr said, a small smile forming around his lips.

    Eadgil grinned. “Well, as long as I can’t think of a way to test this idea, it’s pure speculation anyway.”

    “That said, it should go without saying, but Bruna told me that she has no problem with you taking other females as well. I had several different cows as well after all, so she’s used to sharing - and Bruna also gives herself to other males beside you as well.” He smirked. “Not too many others though, I think.”

    “Yes, it should go without saying… but somehow I’m glad Bruna feels that way”, Eadgil said.

“Good to hear that you care for her opinion”, Baldr said, arriving at a big, newly restored wooden door. “Seems like we’re here. Oh, another thing. After we’ve informed the others about what we discussed yesterday, I would like you to show me the clearing with the tree we talked about. I have to check up on Spring Breeze’s wings, so we don’t have too much time, but it should be enough.”

“Sure!”, Eadgil said, opened the door and stepped inside, his friend following him.

    Inside, the stags were having breakfast, and a good number of cows was keeping them company - serving them breakfast, or serving them in other ways. The stags were clearly enjoying their time, and so were the cows. The feeling of being free to leave at any time was new to many of them, and the ones that were here were only a small part of the castle’s cow population, but those who were here at the moment didn’t seem too eager to exercise this freedom right now. Still, an atmosphere of playfulness filled the air that Eadgil thought felt very different from the compelled debauchery of more traditional caribou communities. The cows seemed happier, but interestingly enough, he also saw more smiling stags than he was used to.

    Eadgil’s attention was taken by a doe in the middle of the room, bent over a table, legs spread wide, with no bondage besides her collar and a leash attached to it, moaning in visible pleasure as a large, muscular stag was taking her from behind. The caribou male groaned and gave her butt a playful slap as he came inside her, to which she responded with a giggle. He then pulled out and went his own ways.

    Eadgil approached the cow up front, looking her in the eyes. “Hello there”, he said. “Having fun?”

    “Mh, oh yes”, the cow sighed in afterglow.

    “How many did you have already?”, he asked.

“Six… I think”, she said, giggling a little.

Eadgil smirked. “You’re eager, huh?”

She giggled again. “Doing my best, Master.”

“Many cows seem to mostly stick around one or two stags despite our new communal approach”, Eadgil observed. “You seem more… adventurous.”

“Master, if I may say so… that… communal handling is a wonderful idea. I never had that much fun in my life before, and I still also have much more time for myself now, to try out other things. I want to try everything!” She giggled again. “And everyone!”

Eadgil walked around her and let his hand run along her butt cheek. “You think you can take one more?”, he asked.

“I’d love to, Master”, she giggled. “You’re the… leader here, right?”

Eadgil took out a handkerchief and gently cleaned up her cowhood. “We make decisions together now, but I guess the stags here see me as kind of an authority, yes. I came up with the idea for this community.”

The cow giggled. “In this case, it’s a par… parti… special honor for me to pleasure you, Master.”

Eadgil chuckled. “Trying to learn new words, I see. Very good.” He unbuttoned his pants, revealed his semi-hard cock, and started to rub it against the cow’s outer folds. She instinctively spread her legs a bit more. “It’s particular, by the way.”

“Thanks, Master. I’ll make sure to rememb… ah!”

While she was still finishing her sentence, Eadgil pushed into her and started to pound her. Taking her leash, he gave it a small, playful push, forcing her to push herself against him.

“Ah!”, the cow moaned in pleasure.

Eadgil gently let his right hand run along her butt cheek. Then, he gave her a small slap. “Enjoying yourself?”, he asked.

“Oh… harder, please!”, the cow moaned in pleasure.

Reacting to her request, Eadgil increased the ferocity of his thrusts.

    The cow giggled. “Oh! That’s… good, Master. But…” She giggled. “It wasn’t quite what I meant.”

    It took him a second. “Ah, I see!”, he said, then gave her a hard slap on her butt, accompanying his next thrust.

    “Yes… that… ah!”, the cow moaned.

    He continued to spank her as he felt his orgasm approaching. Eventually, he came inside of her with a loud groan.

    He pulled out, then grabbed her easily, turning her around and placing her on the table, so he could look her in the face. “Did you like that, little one?”

    The cow smiled at him. “It was... enjoyable, Master.”

    He smirked. “You think some of the others were better.” He didn’t phrase it as a question. It was an observation.

    The cow blushed and looked away.

    “Hey, you can tell me”, Eadgil smiled.

    “Yes, Master”, she admitted in a hushed voice.

    Eadgil smirked. “I promise I’ll do better next time.”

    “Now you’re messing with me, Master!”, the cow complained.

    Eadgil smirked. “Well, I will try to keep it in mind at least.”

    The cow giggled again. “If you say so. If you don’t mind, I will take my leave now, Master.”

    “You have permission”, Eadgil said. He removed himself from her completely, took his handkerchief and quickly cleaned himself up, then handed it to the cow. “Clean yourself up first, though”, he commanded.

    The cow quickly cleaned herself up, then gave it back to him. “If… you… I mean... you asked me to be honest, Master. I think you… you were... you’re a bit… soft.”

    Eadgil laughed. “Haven’t heard any complaints from Bruna so far. Different cows have different tastes, it seems.”

    “Ah!”, the cow giggled. “You’re Ari. Yes, Bruna mentioned you. She speaks very… what’s the word... highly of you.”

    He smiled. “Good to know. Looking forward to meeting you again, little one.”

    The cow smiled back. “Same… I guess.”

    “I won’t hold back next time, I promise”, he said.

    “It’s okay, really”, she assured him. “I already had a lot of fun today, and as I said, it was enjoyable.”

    The cow left, and Eadgil buttoned up his pants again. Baldr was already sitting down at one of the other tables, enjoying his breakfast.

    “Had fun?”, he asked as Eadgil sat down beside him.

    “It was… enjoyable”, Eadgil said with a smirk.

Then, he suddenly slapped his hand against his forehead. “Damn! I forgot to ask about her name! So much for my promise, I guess.”

Baldr didn’t look up from his meal. “Some old habits die hard, I guess. Not quite sure, but I think her name is Selma or Selda or something like that.”

“So she isn’t one of yours?”, Eadgil asked.

    Baldr shook his head. “No. I think you’d know her if she was.”

    Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Anyway. I’m hungry.”

    He looked up and snipped his fingers, and another cow came by and served him a small meal. He began to dig into the food immediately.

    Once he was finished, he stood up. “My brothers, may I have your attention for a moment?”, he asked.

    The caribou in the room turned their eyes toward him. A few stags were still busy with their cows, which led to a slightly awkward moment.

    Eadgil chuckled. “Alright… I’ll wait until you’re finished with who you’re doing right now.”

    He kept standing, waiting for the others to finish their business. Once they were done, he addressed them again. “May I have your attention now?”, he asked.

    A stag chuckled. “I think we’re all ears.”

    Ari nodded. “Alright. There are a few things to discuss. First of all, Councilman Vestri sent us a message. Apparently, a few stallions are interested in joining us here, so he’ll send them over soon and let them have a look. They are of course likely to be affected by the artifact.”

    Murmuring filled the hall.

    “Since we haven’t found a way to counteract the artifact that we know for certain will work, our purpose will be to deter them from actually wanting to live here, but without raising any suspicions. Fortunately, we already have a few ideas for that. First of all, I’ve been talking to a mare who has found something interesting in a cave nearby.”

    He reached into his pocket and held the tourmaline stone high.

    Most of the caribou’s faces showed confusion. “Is that a tourmaline?”, one of them asked.

    “Indeed”, Eadgil responded. “You know of them?”

    “I know that the cats use them to fight evil spirits… or something”, the caribou answered.

    Eadgil smiled. “Almost. They do use it to counteract possession, yes… or in other words, mind control. It doesn’t just work against possession though, but against almost all known kinds of unwanted mind magic. I think I might find a way to use these stones to counteract the magic of the king’s artifact. I’m not sure if it works, and to what degree, but if it does work, Vestri might end up involuntarily and unknowingly sending us new recruits.” He smirked.

    “Of course, we can’t be sure if it will work”, he added after a pause. “Which is why the same mare who found that stone proposed yet another measure. She told me that it might be a good deterrent if we acted… how did she put it… really, really gay while showing them around.”

    “Are we going to dance and sing jolly songs or what?”, one caribou asked. “I don’t see how that would be a deterrent.”

    “That wasn’t what she meant”, Eadgil corrected him. “Apparently, bisexuality isn’t as common among pony males as among us. By far not. As a matter of fact, many seem to at least detest the idea of getting personally involved in sexual activity with another male. In other words, her proposal is that we show a lot of… affection towards each other while they’re around. More than caribou males usually display in public.”

    One caribou who was sitting beside another suddenly put his arm around his neighbour’s shoulder, moving closer to him until their bodies touched. “Sounds like a plan to me. Sure, we can do that.” They both chuckled.

    Eadgil smiled. “Looks like it. There is another matter. That same mare I told you about also wishes to pursue a… relationship with me.”

    “Oh”, one of the caribou just said.

    “I’m not exactly sure, but she might not be the only one - which is why we needed to find a solution for this. Spring Breeze proposed a system of mutual contracts, wherein the nature and limits of each individual relationship can be determined in detail. These contracts can’t contain any positive obligations, merely limits, and Spring Breeze and Deepest Desire will read through all of them and approve them, or reject them if there is an issue. Of course, the mares still need to approve of this in their plenum… but I think they will. It’s Spring Breeze’s idea, and I’m pretty certain Deepest Desire will speak in favor of it as well.”

    “That’s… interesting”, one of the stags said.

    “I have no issue with this”, another one responded.

    “I don’t see any issue either”, a third one said. “Sounds like a good system.”

    Eadgil nodded. “I would like to ask you to not see this as an invitation to actively pursue a relationship with a mare though. Many of them probably won’t exactly be happy with any advances from our side. As for the others, let them come to us.”

    The stags nodded.

    “It should go without saying”, one of them remarked. “After all, we’re all here because we understand that mares feel and think a bit different from cows, and want to avoid further transgressions on part of our people. You have chosen us not just for that insight, but also because you thought we had the discipline to also follow through with it.” He smirked a little. “Also, there’s enough cows here for all our needs, and they’re more than willing to be here for us.” He gently let his hand run across the head of a cow that was still kneeling beside him. She let out a soft purr in response. “Seriously, I have a hard time to understand why our people wanted to take those mares in the first place. It’s pretty obvious this isn’t their way.”

    Another one nodded. “This is a matter of honor.”

    “Well said!”, a third one joined in.

    Baldr smirked. “Seems like you chose wisely”, he whispered to Eadgil. “Or at least there’s hope that you did.”

    Eadgil chuckled. “You know just as well as I do that you were the one who found most of them”, he whispered back.

    Baldr’s smirk widened. “Yeah, I know.”

    Eadgil gave his friend a playful little punch to the shoulder.





    About half an hour later, the two friends were standing on the clearing. The tree still hadn’t lost its leaves, standing tall in the middle of it. A cold autumn wind was blowing through the leaves.

    Baldr approached it, looking at it from all sides.

    “So this is the tree you told me about, huh?”, he asked. “This clearing certainly is beautiful. I feel at peace here. Almost… at home. Still, I don’t feel a connection like the one you and Bruna told me about.”

    His friend smiled. “Bruna and I both felt the connection when we had direct, physical contact with it.”

    Baldr nodded, then slowly extended his right hand, finally making contact with the tree.

    It took a few moments.

“Yes, I definitely feel it”, he finally said. “It’s like I am the tree.”

Eadgil nodded. “Kind of, yes.”

Baldr kept standing there, his hand pressed onto the bark of the tree, apparently exploring, for quite a long while. His friend waited patiently.

    “Its roots go deep”, he eventually said. “They go deep, and they spread wide. Very wide. And this isn’t the only tree of this kind.”

    “Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “I didn’t notice that. Maybe I didn’t have contact long enough.”

    The other stag nodded. “It’s like they’re all growing from the same root. A root that grows underneath the entire forest - like a web. It seems incredibly powerful, and the roots emerge from at a single focus point, deep inside Everfree forest. I can’t quite reach that point though. It’s like the tree - or trees - are keeping me out. They do let me see pretty much everything else though.”

    “Wow”, Eadgil just said.

    “It’s… this forest is theirs. Their mind or minds connect to everything in it on some way. Other plants, even animals.” Baldr’s voice seemed distant, as if he was in trance.

    Eadgil slowly approached the tree. “Let’s see.” He likewise extended a hand, and placed it on the tree’s bark.

    He immediately felt the connection, but it took a while until his mind tuned into it. He even felt Baldr’s presence in the web as he delved into it far deeper than he had the last time. It felt like becoming one with the forest, and not just metaphorically like in the mystical texts he had studied.

    He eventually sensed the focal point his friend had talked about - but his mind wasn’t able to reach there, held back by an unseen force, clearly connected to the web itself.

    You’re right, he thought, directing his thoughts to his friend. They’re keeping us out.

    He wasn’t sure if Baldr could hear his thoughts in there, but given that they both were connected to the trees, he assumed that there should be some kind of connection between them as well.

    Baldr removed his hand, and Eadgil immediately lost connection to him.

“I told you so”, he said. “It seems like they don’t want us to go there. Maybe they don’t trust us yet. I’m fairly sure they’re reading us as well while we’re in there, so that might not be too big of a surprise, all things considered. It still begs the question why they trust us enough to connect to us at all.”

Eadgil removed his hand as well. “So you did hear me in there.”

Baldr nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, this is interesting”, Eadgil said. “I’ll see if I can find anything about this in the castle library. This castle was built in direct proximity to the forest, so it should have something on it.”

Baldr nodded. “Do that. I need to leave now though. I told Spring Breeze to check up on her wings today. And… I might have something else to discuss with her.”

“Oh?”, Ari asked.

A little smile appeared on Baldr’s face. “Let’s just say the trees gave me a push in the right direction. I’ll tell you later.”

“Alright then”, Eadgil said. “I also have to return. I think Star Charmer wanted to come by, tell me how the mares reacted to the contract idea, and eventually make a contract.”

Baldr nodded, and they returned to the castle together.





    Once they had reached the castle, they split up. Baldr walked straight to the mares’ quarters, towards Spring Breeze’s room.

    When he arrived there, he waited for a second, then softly knocked on the door.

    “Yes?”, he heard Spring Breeze’s voice from inside.

    “I come to check up on your wings, Spring Breeze”, he said.

    “Oh yes, Baldr. Please come in”, he heard Spring Breeze’s voice from the other side.

    He opened the door and entered.

    The green pegasus mare was sitting on a chair at her desk. She turned around when he entered.

    “Good morning, Spring Breeze”, Baldr greeted.

    “Good morning, Baldr”, the mare responded. “I… guess I completely forgot about my appointment. So much to do around here… but this has priority, of course.”

    She turned her back to him, waiting for him to check up on her wings.

    He approached her, and carefully inspected the wings, gently letting his hand run over them. “They seem to be okay, all things considered”, he finally said. “The feathers still need time to regrow, but there seem to be no infections, no other problems…”

    “Good to hear”, Spring Breeze said.

    Baldr took a step back. “There is… something else… that I would like to talk about.”

    Spring Breeze turned around. “What is it, Baldr?”

    Baldr stood there for a moment, seemingly undecided. “Ancestors…”, he finally mumbled. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

    Spring Breeze’s eyes widened as the stag went to his knees in front of her.

    “Baldr, what are you doing?”

    The stag didn’t respond at first, awkwardly looking to the ground in front of him, merely stuttering something unintelligible.

    Spring Breeze’s conscious mind slowly began to form a picture of what was happening in front of her. “Don’t tell me you want to make a contract with me. And with me as the… dominant part?”

Baldr didn’t rise his gaze. “I… I understand if you… aren’t interested. And if you need time… I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

He paused for a second. Without him noticing, Spring Breeze had stood up and taken a step towards him.

“I… feel so ashamed”, he admitted. “Earlier today, Eadgil and I had the other stags promise that they wouldn’t take the contracts as a reason to try to actively pursue relationships with you mares. And now… and now I’m doing it myself… but I couldn’t… I just couldn’t leave this...”

Spring Breeze put her index finger on Baldr’s muzzle. “Shhh”, she made. Then, she moved her hand under Baldr’s chin, gently lifting his head upwards so she could look him in the eye.

She smirked. “Call me Mistress.”

His heart made a jump.

“M… Mistress”, he mumbled.

Spring Breeze turned around and slowly walked back to her desk, taking place on the chair again.

“Stand up and move your ass here”, she commanded, still smiling. “We have a contract to make.”






    Several hundred miles further south, a small creature was standing on a little hill, looking north, trying to get a concept of the way ahead of him.

    It was about two thirds the size of a grown caribou male, a good bit smaller than a mare, and even a bit smaller than most cows. It wore a hooded robe, its hood protecting the creature from the cold wind. Small, white-coated paws protruded from the robe’s sleeves, the right one raised to the creature’s head, holding the hood in place.

    Following the instructions given by its Master, the creature would venture north from here, through the lands of the zebra and into the realm known as Equestria, to fulfill the task given to it by its Master.

    Its left hand reached to the simple cord around its waist holding its robe in place. The silver dagger that had been given to it for one part of its mission was still safely there.

    Ever since it was serving its Master, the creature had never ventured that far north - or even just outside the Realm. The landscape looked a lot more normal here. Far less weird angles and cyclopic cityscapes - just the lush savannah of the lands of the zebra ahead of it. The creature had not left the Realm yet, but it was only a few steps away from the invisible line that separated its Master’s sphere of influence from the lands that lied beyond it.

    The creature let its gaze go over the landscape, trying to memorize it, and to plan out its way for the coming days, when it heard a familiar voice in its head.

    The Monolith has another task for this one, in addition to the one given to it already.

The creature’s mind immediately focused on the familiar voice instinctively, putting all effort into picking up every detail of its incoming new order.

    When this one ventures into the realm of the mad king, it will also seek out a prophet. That one is of the same species as the mad king. This one will recognize it by the red mark on its left hand. A symbolic depiction of a snake, coiling around a broken mirror. This one will find the prophet in the castle ruins in the eternal forest, in a free village. This one will protect the prophet and keep it safe from danger. It will also obey the word of the prophet as though it was the Monolith’s.

The creature felt a rising confusion. A strange order, and potentially in conflict with the other order it was given by the very same voice. It also felt like there was something wrong with the voice. But as always, it felt incapable of disobeying the voice of its Master.

    It made a step forward, and began to descend the hill to the north.

    The cold autumn wind was blowing around it, making a sound that almost sounded like a chuckle.
> Chapter 9: Contract Matters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eadgil had just returned to his quarters and taken place at his desk when he heard a knock on the door.

“Come in, please”, the stag said.

The door was opened, and Star Charmer stepped in, giving him a smile.

“Ah, good morning, Star Charmer”, Eadgil greeted her politely. “Have the mares agreed to your proposal regarding the contracts?”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Eadgil rose from his seat and walked a few steps in her direction.

“So you’re here to make a contract with me.”

“I am, sir”, the mare responded, nodding again.

The stag walked back to his desk again, sat down and grabbed a quill and a piece of paper. “Very well. I’m not sure how to begin, so I’ll start by writing down our names and roles in the relationship. I think you made it very clear that you wanted a relationship involving… how do you call it... power exchange.”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Good”, Eadgil continued. “I’ll put you down as the submissive part and myself as the dominant part. I think the next step would be to define hard limits.”

“Knife play”, the mare immediately said. “Or anything with blades or sharp objects, really.”

The stag wrote it down. “We can consider that a shared hard limit. The idea of cutting into skin is a big turn-off for me.”

“Good to hear, sir”, the mare responded respectfully. “Also, I don’t want you to directly touch my horn stump”, Star Charmer continued. “It’s damn painful, and not in a good way. You can touch the area around the stump, but be careful. Having my forehead pushed against something like a soft cushion also isn’t really a problem, so you can hold me down if proper precautions are made - but it really shouldn’t touch anything hard. This is until we find a way to fix my horn, obviously.”

Eadgil smiled. “Good to see that you know what you want and have put some thought into it. But give me a moment to get this all down.”

Star Charmer walked around the desk, positioning herself behind him and taking a look at the paper to ensure the wording was in line with her thoughts. Then she walked around the desk again, standing in front of it.

“Is that all?”, Eadgil asked.

“Not quite, sir”, Star Charmer said. “For now, I want you to define 24/7 as a hard limit. I really like the idea… but not with everything that’s going on. I need time for myself. Not to mention that I don’t know you very well yet. Also, I wouldn’t consider it an option as long as we’re still fighting this regime.”

Eadgil paused for a second. “ I’m not sure if Spring Breeze will allow us to change hard limits retroactively. Incidentally, I wouldn’t actively push for something like that for pretty much the same reasons. Within the context of this community, how would I violate that point anyway?”

“I’m not sure”, Star Charmer responded. “The reason why I want this in is because after we’re done with the contract, I would like to talk a bit about my wishes with regard to being dominated. You’ll find that they’re quite far-reaching in terms of power exchange. I guess I brought this up to make it clear to you that I’m not aiming for that, at least not now. I guess you don’t necessarily have to put it in.”

“Fair enough. I’ll put it in as a shared soft limit, specifying that we both categorically rule it out under current circumstances.” Something seemed to bother Eadgil, but he put it down.

“Yeah, that seems fair. I think that covers it”, Star Charmer said. She let out a small giggle. “And you, sir? Do you have any hard limits?”

The stag nodded slowly. “Age play”, he said.

As he had said this, Star Charmer’s gaze shifted away from him, looking out of the window with what almost seemed to be an empty stare. She didn’t respond for quite a while.

“Did I say something wrong?”, Eadgil asked.

“I’m sorry”, Star Charmer said, returning the gaze to him. “I… got distracted. For a moment, I had to think of… everything going on outside these walls. You can put that down as a shared hard limit.”

The stag nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

Star Charmer quickly returned to her more cheerful self. “Anything else?”

“Two soft limits”, Eadgil said. “First of all, I’m fine with sir, but I would like you to call me Ari. I would like not to be addressed with my birth name by anyone I consider a friend. It… doesn’t really constitute a soft limit, but I would like you to not call me Eadgil.”

She nodded. “Okay, I can do that. You don’t need to put it down.”

Eadgil nodded. “The second point is the title Master. You already told me I still have to earn it. Even if a point comes where I do earn it in your eyes, I want you to ask me first before you use it.”

“Yes, sir”, Star Charmer nodded. “Since that might change in the future, I don’t think we need to put it down. That said, I already mentioned that I wanted to talk about our expectations with regards to sex as well. I’ll let you start, sir. Anything you particularly like?”

Eadgil smiled. “Well… except for the things I already specified, I generally enjoy things like domination, bondage, sadism. There isn’t anything that particularly stands out. I like to try out different things, but I am concerned with safety, and always have been, so if you want something harder or more risky, you’ll probably have a bit of convincing to do.”

The mare smirked. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Eadgil continued. “For example, full suspension bondage is probably pretty generally out of the question, because I’m simply not that skilled. This might change in the future, of course, so it’s not a limit in the strict sense of the term. But I simply won’t do it as long as I can’t be sure to be able to play it safe.”

“Yeah, I agree with that”, Star Charmer nodded. “I wouldn’t even bring this up unless I knew with certainty that my partner knows what he’s doing.”

“Alright then”, Eadgil smiled. “What do you particularly like?”

“Oh, I also like to try out a lot of different things, sir”, Star Charmer said politely, smiling at him. “I particularly like verbal humiliation, Rough Body Play, Impact Play… of course, right now you don’t have any crops or canes available, but I’m sure you can do a lot of interesting things with your hands. Being tied up and helpless is nice occasionally, but being wrestled down and taken is delicious. When it comes to impact play using your hands, my face is not off-limits. I trust you to play it safe, but I think a good slap to the face at the right moment can be just as intimate as a kiss. At least to me.” She smirked. “I’ll give you ample opportunity for both.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow, smiling a little. “Interesting.”

“Oh, there is another thing”, the mare continued. “I might resist verbally or physically at times, but as long as I don’t use my safe word, this should not deter you. My safe word should be the only thing to stop you - so if you come across me in the hallways, for example, feel free to push me against the wall and take me right there if you want to. If it’s not a good time, my safe word will let you know.”

“I see”, the stag observed. “You have your safe word, but this still borders on TPE. I will need to put what you just said down when we actually define the safe word, but let’s limit this to the eastern wing and possibly the forest if we go there. I’m not going to do any such thing to you right next to the mares’ quarters, and you’ll probably only come here to the eastern wing for this purpose anyway.”

Star Charmer nodded. “Fair enough, sir.”

Eadgil rose from his chair. “Incidentally, all of this raises one big question.”

“Oh?”, Star Charmer asked.

Eadgil turned around and went a few steps, looking out of the window. “Am I even the right stag for you?”

“I don’t follow”, Star Charmer said.

“Earlier today, a cow called me too soft for her tastes”, Eadgil explained.

Star Charmer giggled. “Is that so?” After a second, she added an ironic “sir”.

The stag turned around again, facing her. “Out of all the stags in this community, why do you approach me specifically to make a contract with? You could have gone to your former owner, for example - although given what I know from Deepest Desire, I sort of understand why you didn’t.”

She shook her head. “No, sir. It’s different in my case. I have no bad memories with regards to him. Believe it or not, but I used to be a black collar when I came to him. We then made a deal - he would give me the red collar and do his best to respect my limits, I would pretend to be an obedient little slave mare, and he could brag to his friends how he tamed a black in almost no time. Since he was a caribou, evaluation was a formality. In exchange, he respected my limits. It was reasonable given the circumstances. I have no bad blood with him and we did have our fun, but it was never an overly emotional relationship.”

Eadgil nodded. “Alright, I believe you. But this makes me wonder even more. Why me?”

She gave him a soft smile. “I think you’re cute.”

“That’s all?”, he asked.

She nodded. “That’s all.”

He smiled. “Alright then. Keep a mystery. I’ll figure it out sooner or later.” Walking back to his desk, he sat down and reached for the quill again. “By the way, have you already decided on a safe word?”

“Of course, sir”, she nodded. “Tourmaline.”

He gave a quick laugh. “Ha! I guess that makes sense. Alright, I’ll put that down.”

Eadgil wrote down the safe word, and then included a descriptive passage of how it should be the only thing to deter him. He then handed the paper over to Star Charmer. “Go over it and see if everything is as intended”, he said in a commanding voice.

Star Charmer gave a giggle and read through it. “Oh, I’ve forgotten something important! I think it should go in the passage about the safe word.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked.

Star Charmer blushed. “I... like to be shared. You know, to be passed around… that kind of thing. So if you want to invite a few friends one evening and share me, feel free. Just… let me know in time if you decide to do something like that. I trust you to make sure they respect my limits and safe word, and the stags here seem to be good people, otherwise they wouldn’t be here.”

Eadgil looked up from his desk. “Are you really sure about that?”, he asked.

Star Charmer bit her lip and nodded.

Eadgil sighed. “Alright, I’ll put that down as well. Not sure if Spring Breeze will agree to it though...”

Star Charmer had already walked behind him, spying over his shoulder. “Yes, this should do, sir”, she giggled as he finished writing.

He nodded, grabbed two more sheets of paper, and started to copy it twice so they would have three copies - one for himself, one for Star Charmer, and one for Spring Breeze’s archives.

“Negotiations are always such a dull affair”, Star Charmer said. “I bet anyone who has to read through all of this will be bored as hell afterwards. Poor Spring Breeze and Deepest Desire. I’ll get this approved by them, and then I’ll be back so we can do something more cheerful.” She giggled, then rushed out of the room, leaving Eadgil behind.





Star Charmer rushed through the hallways of the mares’ quarters, the copies of the contracts in her hand. She had decided to frequent Deepest Desire first, since her quarters were closer. She had just entered the hallway when she noticed Shadow Amethyst coming out of Deepest Desire’s quarters, a serene smile on her face, heading in her direction.

“Hello, Shadow Amethyst”, Star Charmer smiled as she gave the other mare a friendly greeting.

“Star Charmer. Good afternoon”, the crystal mare responded in an unusually friendly voice.

“You come from Deepest Desire?”, Star Charmer inquired, taking a closer look at the other mare. “Shadow, you’re glowing!”, she observed. “I’ve only known you for a few weeks, but so far, I’ve never seen you smile before, let alone like this. What happened?”

Shadow Amethyst looked at her with a friendly smile, yet seemingly lost in thought. “Something wonderful. I’ve learned my place, Star Charmer.”

The other mare raised an eyebrow. “O-kay, whatever that means. I assume Deepest Desire had a breakthrough with you? If so, I’m happy for you. Did you make your contract?”

“Contract?”, Shadow Amethyst asked.

Star Charmer nodded. “Yeah, there are mares among us who wish to pursue relationships with caribou males. We had to find a way to make sure both their interests and those of the entire community would be protected in such a relationship - so we came up with the contracts. Documents that would contain the terms and limits of these relationships in advance. Copies will be given to Spring Breeze and Deepest Desire to approve or deny, and for the archives. Some of the mares demanded that Deepest Desire herself should also make such contracts with you and Snowflake, since your relationship also involves an element of domination and submission. Deepest Desire agreed to that. Hasn’t she told you yet?”

Shadow Amethyst gave an amused smile. “What an… interesting idea.” Then, she shook her head. “No, Deepest Desire hasn’t told me yet. We just had a few rather… intense hours.” She looked down to the ground. “Alright. If Mistress wishes it, I will make a contract.”

Star Charmer had to look closer. Was she just imagining things, or was the crystal mare blushing a little?

The two mares stood there in awkward silence for a few moments.

“So, where are you heading?”, Shadow Amethyst asked.

“To Deepest Desire’s quarters, actually”, Star Charmer responded. “I have some… documents she needs to read over.”

Shadow Amethyst smiled. “You’ve made a contract.”

“I’ve made a contract”, Star Charmer nodded.

The crystal mare smiled at her. “May I ask with whom?”

“Eadgil”, Star Charmer responded.

Shadow Amethyst nodded. “Ah. My former owner. Yes, I remember that you asked about him a few days ago. He’s a good guy.” She smirked. “Or in other words, he’s a spineless wimp.”

“Well, he pretty much called himself a softie today, but I’m sure he can be rough and demanding if he wants to”, Star Charmer objected. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have considered him as a partner.”

“Oh yeah, I’m also sure he can be if he wants to”, the crystal mare responded. “The issue is that he doesn’t want to. He has gotten it into his head that that’s somehow wrong - which is why we’re here.”

Star Charmer frowned. “That’s something else entirely, and you know it!”

Shadow Amethyst let out a wicked giggle. “If you say so. Anyway, I’ll take my leave now. I have a lot of things to think about. Oh, one more thing.” She pointed to Deepest Desire’s door. “Snowflake and Ivana are still in there, and I’m not sure if you want to disturb them.”

“Oh”, Star Charmer responded. “Alright, I’ll go and see Spring Breeze first.”





A few minutes later, she was standing in front of the door to Spring Breeze’s quarters. She raised her fist and knocked three times.

For what seemed like a long time, there was no response. Then she heard the sound of a key being turned in the lock. Eventually, Spring Breeze opened.

“Star Charmer”, she said. “Good afternoon. I assume you have made the contract with Eadgil, and now want to have it approved. Though I wish you had gone to Deepest Desire first.”

“I wanted to, but I met Shadow Amethyst, and she told me Deepest Desire was currently with Snowflake and Ivana”, Star Charmer said. “I assume she and Snowflake are making their contract as well. I didn’t want to disturb them. I hope this isn’t a bad time for you?”

Spring Breeze smiled. “Not really. I just finished what I was doing. Please, come in.” She held open the door, and Star Charmer walked past her into the room.

Once inside, the first thing she saw was Baldr, kneeling next to Spring Breeze’s desk.

She raised an eyebrow, looked at him for a moment, then back at Spring Breeze. “Are you sure this is a good time?”, she asked.

The pegasus gave her a comforting smile. “Not overly, but it’s okay. We just finished our own contract.”

“So he is submitting to you, huh?”, Star Charmer asked. “Well, that’s new. In retrospect, it’s not too big of a surprise… but a submissive caribou male… and one that even goes through with it... wow, interesting.” She gave a genuine smile.

“I… uh…”, Baldr stuttered.

Spring Breeze walked past the unicorn mare, standing beside him. She gently placed her hand between his antlers, petting him a little. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to”, she said in a comforting voice.

“Well, I think it’s wonderful”, Star Charmer said. “Admitting your true feelings like that, even against the norms of your own culture.”

Baldr’s face turned to an amusing shade of red.

“That was… undiplomatic”, Spring Breeze said coldly.

“I’m sorry”, Star Charmer responded, looking down. “I’m not too good at being diplomatic. It was meant as a compliment, really. I mean, we all here agree that the mainline of caribou culture is pretty stupid, don’t we?”

Spring Breeze nodded slowly. “Baldr and I have talked about this. The stags here in Freeville all agree that their culture is a plethora of mistakes and needs reformation badly, but we still don’t know if they’re willing to accept one of their own going that far. There is a chance that he’ll have to face antagonism from some of them. We’re stepping far out of their collective cultural comfort zone with this.”

“I’m sure at least Ari will be fine with it”, Star Charmer said, earning a little nod from Baldr. “And he seems to have the others under control. They all know that this is a place for experimentation. I’m sure they’ll be fine with it, at least eventually.”

“I hope so, too”, Baldr said calmly. “I have helped to find and pick them after all. It… still feels weird. But I know that this is the right thing for me. Kneeling here feels… right.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

Then, she handed Spring Breeze the copies of her contract with Eadgil. “Speaking of which, would you look over this and tell me if you can approve of this.”

Spring Breeze read over the paper. “This is quite far reaching.” Finally reaching the part where Star Charmer had specified that Eadgil could pass the unicorn around, she gasped a little. “Quite far-reaching. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

Star Charmer giggled. “I was the one who pushed for most of this. Eadgil is a softie. I know he wants to be dominant, and I also know he can be - but he is inhibited. I guess he feels guilty about what he did before he came here. I’ll probably have to push him a bit until he goes as far as I want him to.”

Baldr chuckled. “There was a cow earlier today who also called him a softie.”

“Oh?”, Spring Breeze asked, raising an eyebrow.

Star Charmer joined in the chuckling. “Yeah, he told me that as well.”

“I was there”, Baldr said, grinning a little.

“Alright”, Spring Breeze said. “Not sure if I agree with your reasoning, but then again, I see nothing here that’s not safe or sane, or would inhibit your freedom of choice in any unreasonable way. You have a safe word, and both of you have defined hard limits - and my contract with Baldr is also far-reaching in a way. Honestly, I’m fine with this. The community should keep an eye on you, but we look out for each other anyway. As far as I’m concerned, this gets my approval.”

Star Charmer smiled. “Thank you, Spring Breeze.”

“You probably want to have your contract approved today?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“If possible, yes”, the other mare responded. “I’m not sure if I can disturb Deepest Desire right now though.”

“Well, we would like to have ours approved today as well”, Spring Breeze said. “How about this. Eadgil knows Deepest Desire better than any of us. You go and get him, and we’ll wait for you in the main hall - and then we’ll go to her together, provided he thinks it’s not a bad idea.”

“Sounds like a plan”, Star Charmer said. “I’ll go fetch him, and we’ll meet in the main hall. See you soon!”

Spring Breeze gave her a nod, and then Star Charmer turned around and left the pegasus’ quarters.





Only a few minutes later, Star Charmer was standing in the middle of Eadgil’s room again.

“So let me get this straight”, Eadgil asked. “You already got our contract approved by Spring Breeze, but you didn’t want to disturb Deepest Desire, because Shadow Amethyst told you that Snowflake is currently with her - but you really want to get that contract approved today because you can’t wait to feel my cock inside you. So you want me to come with you to see if we can bother her now because I know her better than you do. Is that an appropriate summary?”

Star Charmer bit her lip, blushing a little over his bluntness. “I… yes, sir.”

Eadgil came a step closer, donning a wicked smile. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do. Remind me to punish you later for this inconvenience.”

The mare bit her lip. “Yes, sir.”

“Alright”, Eadgil said. “We will go to Deepest Desire’s quarters together. I’ll knock, and see if it’s a good time.”

“I promised to meet Spring Breeze and Baldr in the main hall first”, Star Charmer responded. “They’re going to join us when we talk to Desire.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “Baldr told me earlier today that he had something important to talk about with Spring Breeze. But what does Deepest Desire have to do with that?”

Star Charmer giggled. “Take a guess… uh, sir.”

Eadgil’s eyes widened as they focused on Star Charmer’s face. “Don’t tell me they made a contract.”

Star Charmer nodded.

The caribou smiled with amusement. “I guess I already know who’s going to be the dominant one in that relationship.”

The mare nodded again. “When I entered Spring Breeze’s room, they had just finished their contract, and your friend was kneeling beside her desk. Even I was surprised to see him actually do it.”

“The last months have been full of surprises”, Eadgil reflected, still smiling. “I learned that almost everything I had been told about mares was wrong. I had already assumed that our leaders were full of shit before that, but not to that degree. I met not just one, but at least two dominant mares. And I met Baldr and Bruna, who showed me that most of what I assumed about our own people was also wrong. Alright, I’ll come with you. You’re the first submissive mare who wants to have a relationship with me, and I can’t wait to learn what you are like, little mare.” As he said these last words, he looked into her eyes and let his hand gently run through her hair, resulting in another lip bite from her.

“I have to say, I find that really cute”, Eadgil said. “That thing you do with your lips.”

Star Charmer blushed. “The first, sir? What about Snowflake? She’s a sub and she seems to like you. Didn’t you have… I mean…”

Eadgil shook his head. “We had, but that was different. Snowflake was thankful that I rescued her from the streets, and then she was also thankful that Deepest Desire and I helped her overcome her panic attacks. I’m not entirely sure, but I think when it comes down to it, she submitted to me willingly, but more out of gratitude than affection. Once she was able to choose, she chose Deepest Desire.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Snowflake once mentioned in passing that she sometimes wishes you and Deepest Desire had stayed together.”

“Did she?” Eadgil sighed. “I wish things had been different between me and Deepest Desire. I have to admit, I admire her. She’s incredibly smart and has an amazing way of understanding people and their needs. I’m not sure if I could have a relationship with a dominant female though.”

Star Charmer chuckled. “Yeah, you two don’t seem overly compatible.”

“Of course, there is much more between us than just that. I’m the one who cut her horn, and…”

Star Charmer put her index finger on Eadgil’s lips. “You don’t have to say anything more. I’ve been through the same after all.”

Eadgil looked away. “Then why do you want to be with a male who has done these things to others? Please don’t tell me that I had no choice, that we’ll find a way to fix the horns, that I’m already atoning for what I’ve done… I’m tired of hearing these platitudes.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Let me phrase them a bit differently. While my former owner rambled every day for months about how he would one day go against the regime if only an opportunity presented itself, continuing to wait for one to just pop out of thin air while sighing that it didn’t, you were already planning out this community here. You were doing things while others were talking, and it took you to convince him to become active as well. I just… I feel drawn to ambitious males. I always have.” She giggled again. “Not too big a surprise there, huh?”

Eadgil smiled. “Fair enough. We should go. Spring Breeze and Baldr are probably wondering where we are.”

Star Charmer nodded, and they left the room together.





A few minutes later, Eadgil and Star Charmer entered the main hall.

“There you are”, Spring Breeze said. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Eadgil smirked, giving his friend a look. “So you two made a contract, huh?”

Baldr blushed and nodded.

“No need to be ashamed”, his friend reassured him. “Personally, I think it’s wonderful that you’re trying out something so radically different. Hmm… does the tree have anything to do with it?”

“Tree?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“There’s a tree on a clearing in the Everfree forest...”, Eadgil began.

“I’d assume there are hundreds of thousands of trees in the Everfree forest”, Spring Breeze interrupted.

“Please let me finish”, Eadgil said. “There’s a tree on a clearing in the Everfree forest, and Baldr talks to it.” He smirked.

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “Uh… that’s not at all weird. Do I have to worry for his sanity?”

“I wouldn’t call it ‘talking’”, Baldr said. “It’s more like a telepathic connection or something like that. Also, Eadgil and my sister had the same experience with that tree.” He looked at his friend. “You conveniently left that part out, didn’t you?”

Eadgil grinned and nodded. “Spring Breeze, you can be assured that everything is alright with Baldr’s sanity. Unless we suffer from some kind of collective delusion, his connection, as he put it, is in fact real, and he wasn’t the only one who had such an experience.” He thought for a minute. “Maybe we should see if you ponies have similar experiences around that tree.”

“Maybe you can show it to me tomorrow”, Star Charmer smiled. “Even if it should turn out that I don’t have this… connection, a clearing in the forest sounds romantic. I’m sure we can think of other things to do there besides talking to trees.” She giggled.

“I’m sure we can”, Eadgil laughed. “For now, we should focus on getting this approved by Deepest Desire.”

The others nodded, and they walked the way to Deepest Desire’s room.





When they arrived at Deepest Desire’s room, they ran into Ivana, who had just come out of it.

“Oh. Hello Ivana”, Eadgil greeted her.

“Hello, Master… Ari, right? And hello, Master Baldr.” She looked at the mares. “Uh… I don’t quite remember your names.” She giggled shyly.

“I’m not sure if we have been introduced. I’m Spring Breeze, and this is Star Charmer”, Spring Breeze responded. “You must be Ivana. I think Deepest Desire mentioned you.”

“Wait…”, Eadgil interrupted. “You’re with Deepest Desire now? She’s your… Mistress?”

Ivana nodded shyly. “Yes, Master Ari.”

The stag smiled and clapped his hands together. “Well, seems like you’re in good hands. You couldn’t have found a better Master. I’m happy for you, Ivana.”

Ivana’s eyes became dreamy. “She’s so wonderful, isn’t she? A dream come true… with your permission, I would like to take my leave now, Master.”

Eadgil nodded. “Sure.”

They waited until Ivana had walked her way to the end of the hallway and left. Then, Eadgil gave the door an audible knock.

“Who’s there?”, Deepest Desire’s voice came from inside.

“It’s me, Eadgil”, the stag said. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

“A little bit”, the voice behind the door answered. “Is it something important?”

“Spring Breeze has approved of my contract with Star Charmer”, Eadgil answered. “We would like to get your approval as well. And… there’s someone else who wants to get a contract approved.”

“Alright, just give us a minute”, Deepest Desire’s voice said.

A bit later, the door opened and Snowflake came out. “Hello, Ari”, she greeted him. “Hello Spring Breeze, and… you’re Star Charmer, right?”

The other mare nodded, and Snowflake’s eyes turned to Baldr.

“I don’t think we’ve met, have we?”, she asked, reaching out with her hand. “My name is Snowflake. I’m Deepest Desire’s…” She giggled. “...plaything.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “That sounds more like something Shadow Amethyst would say.”

The pegasus giggled. “I know. I feel playful at the moment. I just had a few very nice hours.”

Star Charmer joined in the giggling. “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

“Anyway, I’m going to return to my quarters now”, Snowflake said. “I think Deepest Desire has time to see you now.”

The others nodded, and then entered the room. The changeling was already dressed again, and sitting on her bed.

“Hello, Eadgil and Star Charmer”, she said, then pausing for a second as she saw Baldr and Spring Breeze enter the room right behind them. “Oh. Hello, Spring Breeze.” She turned to Baldr, giving him a polite smile. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet. I’m Deepest Desire.”

“My name is Baldr”, the caribou said. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Thanks. I assume you’re the other one with a contract Eadgil mentioned? May I ask with whom?”

Baldr pointed at Spring Breeze. “With her.”

Deepest Desire raised an eyebrow. “Really? Spring Breeze, you didn’t strike me as the type for that sort of relationship.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Oh, you’re in for a surprise! But could you look at our contract first?”

Deepest Desire nodded. “Impatient, huh? Alright, let me see it.”

Star Charmer handed her the piece of paper, and she went over it. “This is… quite far-reaching, particularly the part about being passed around.” She looked at Star Charmer. “I hope he didn’t push you into this.”

Star Charmer burst into laughter.

The changeling raised an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”, she asked.

“Oh nothing”, the other mare responded. “It’s just that you’re the second person to ask me this today. No, he did not. As a matter of fact, I had to push him to agree to this.”

“Really?”, Deepest Desire asked.

“Yeah, he’s pretty restrained”, Star Charmer said, giggling a little.

“He probably doesn’t want to do anything that could endanger what we’re trying to build here”, Deepest Desire said. “Which is a wise stance, by the way.”

“Noted”, Star Charmer said, nodding.

“Well, if that’s the case, I see nothing wrong with this”, Deepest Desire said.

“I came to the same conclusion”, Spring Breeze remarked. “We can still have an eye on them after all. That’s why I approved it.”

“Well, if you’re okay with this, so am I”, Deepest Desire said. “Alright. Now show me yours.”

Spring Breeze handed her another sheet of parchment. She quickly read over it in seconds.

“What is this?”, she then asked. “No limits, just the definition of your roles in the relationship and a safe word? Didn’t we agree that we would insist on both for relationships between stags and mares? Besides, you don’t even strike me as a subm…”

She interrupted herself as her eyes went over the parchment again.

“Wait a second… am I reading this correctly?”

Star Charmer giggled. “I told you you were in for a surprise with their contract.”

Deepest Desire rose from the bed, approaching Baldr. “So you are a submissive caribou male, huh? There are indeed strange things under the sun…”

The stag nodded.

“We’re both new to this”, Spring Breeze began. “I had been interested in dominating before the invasion, but I never actually did it - and Baldr had apparently always dreamt of this, but with no chance whatsoever to actually do it. We essentially don’t know our limits yet, but we will start slowly anyway. But now that I think about it… I really don’t ever want to do Age Play. I didn’t even consider it before I saw that Eadgil had defined it as his hard limit. The concept is… alien to my thought processes. If you insist on a hard limit, you can put that in there.”

Deepest Desire went over to her desk, took a quill and added something to the parchment. “The dominant part has a hard limit… and the submissive part doesn’t. Well, this is an unusual relationship anyway.”

She returned to Spring Breeze. “This has my approval”, she said. “As a matter of fact, I can’t let an opportunity like this pass. This is both unusual and fascinating. Would you two be okay with giving me a report on your relationship once a week? I don’t think you need therapy, but I would like to study this. It would be for science, I would of course treat this absolutely confidential, and you don’t have to include anything you don’t want to.”

“Like a journal?”, Spring Breeze asked.

Deepest Desire thought for a moment. “Yes, it would be best if you did this in written form. I hope that’s okay for you.”

“Fine by me”, Baldr said.

Spring Breeze nodded. “If you treat this with absolute confidentiality, I don’t see why not.”

“Of course”, Deepest Desire responded. “I’m a professional.”

Spring Breeze clapped her hands together. “Well, then it’s settled. Thank you for your approval, Deepest Desire.”

Deepest Desire smiled. “Now I would like to be alone for a while. I don’t want to throw you out, but I had a rather… exhausting afternoon so far.”

Star Charmer smirked. “Yeah, Ivana and Snowflake already informed us of that.”

“Behave, Star Charmer”, Eadgil commanded.

Star Charmer bit her lip again. “Yes, sir.”

Spring Breeze chuckled, then went a step closer to Baldr and gently let her hand run along his cheek. “Come, pet”, she commanded.

Baldr lowered his gaze. “Yes, Mistress.”

Spring Breeze left the room, and Baldr followed her slowly.

“We should go, too”, Eadgil said. “Star Charmer and I have a lot to talk about.”

Star Charmer chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure there will be lots of… ‘talking’.”

“Star Charmer, behave”, Eadgil commanded sternly once again.

The unicorn giggled. “Yes sir.”

“As I said, we’ll take our leave now. Have a nice evening, Deepest Desire.”

Deepest Desire was already pouring herself a glass of brandy. “Don’t worry, I will. You two, too.”

“Thank you”, Eadgil said, and they both left to return to Eadgil’s room.





Eadgil opened the door, stepping into his room. Star Charmer swiftly followed behind him, closing it silently. He now stood in the middle of the room as he turned around to face her.

The mare was still standing next to the door, waiting patiently.

“Sooo…”, Star Charmer said after letting a few moments pass.

Eadgil came a step closer. “Sooo… I guess this is the point where you want me to push you against the wall and start having my way with you.”

Star Charmer noticed that the stag was visibly nervous and hesitating.

She turned her gaze away. “I… didn’t think I would be this awkward”, she admitted. “I mean… you want me, don’t you?”

“Yes”, Eadgil said quietly.

Their gazes met again, neither of them making a move.

“It’s just that… I barely know you, and the situation is less than ideal for this. I mean, if anything goes wrong, it could put this entire project in jeopardy. Not to mention…”

He stopped.

Star Charmer looked down. “Not to mention it reminds you of things in your past.”

Eadgil nodded. “That, too”, he responded in the same calm voice.

“I…”, Star Charmer stuttered. “Eadgil, I… I half expected you to push me against the wall and take me the moment we entered the room. In case you wouldn’t, I had planned to push you into it by being bratty and annoyingly teasing until you assert your dominance. But… I can’t. This… this was a mistake. I’m sorry. I’ll leave. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow.” She turned around, putting her hand on the doorknob.

“Wait”, Eadgil commanded calmly.

Star Charmer turned around - but Eadgil was already on his way to the door, grabbing her hand with his own while pushing his other hand against the door right next to her head.

“Star Charmer, I don’t want you to go”, he said calmly, moving his head close to hers, looking into her eyes. “So you won’t - unless you want to use your safe word, that is.”

Star Charmer bit her lip. “Not a chance… sir”, she said.

“I thought so”, Eadgil said calmly, letting go of her hand. “I’m sure we can make this work. I just need some time to get to know you better before I go all-out. Let’s start slowly.”

“That seems reasonable, sir”, Star Charmer said after a moment.

Eadgil softly let his right hand run up her arm and over her shoulder, along her cheek and under her chin. She looked up into his eyes, and he gently pushed his lips onto hers.

The kiss lasted only for a short while before Eadgil broke off.

Star Charmer giggled. “That cow of yours was right. You are a softie.”

Eadgil chuckled, moved his hand from her chin to the back of her head, grabbing her by her mane and roughly holding her head in place. His lips made contact with hers again, this time more fiercely, and his tongue began to roughly explore her muzzle. Star Charmer remained passive during all of this, letting it happen, moaning into his muzzle from the pleasure.

Eventually, Eadgil broke off the kiss again.

Star Charmer needed a moment. “This… is more what I was thinking of… sir”, she said.

Eadgil stared into her eyes, grinning. “Yeah, I thought it would be.” He removed his right hand from the door, placing it behind her head as well, now holding it in place with both hands - and then pulled her into another brief, rough kiss. When he broke off, he stepped closer, pushing her body against the door while letting his left hand run down along her neck to her tits, beginning to roughly feel them up.

“Mmh, your body feels nice”, he said. “You have very sweet tits. Let’s have a look at them.”

His left hand moved upwards again and he began to undress her. She gave a bit of symbolic resistance, but eventually, she stood in front of him naked. He took a few steps back and started to inspect her body.

Star Charmer smiled softly. “You like what you see, sir?”

Eadgil gave a slow nod. “Now come here and help me get rid of my shirt.”

The mare giggled and slowly approached him, rocking her hips and stretching out her chest to better present her tits to his view. Eventually, she laid her hands on his shirt and gently, slowly began to pull it upwards. The stag aided her by raising his hands, and eventually, he stood before her shirtless.

With her standing close to him once again, he grabbed her by the back of her head again, then pulling her into another deep kiss.

Their tongues danced for a while, but eventually, he broke the kiss again - and then immediately grabbed her by her mane, dragging her over to his bed, sitting down on it and pulling her over his lap. She yelped in surprise. “Ah… sir…”

He put his hand on her right butt cheek. “This is for stalking me, and pushing me into this contract.”, he said.

Then, he raised the hand and let it go down harshly onto her butt.

“Aah!”, she yelped. “Th… thank you, sir!”

Eadgil let his hand run gently along her butt cheek. “That’s a good girl. One!”

He raised his hand again, and then slammed it down once more.

“Ah! Thank you, sir!”, Star Charmer shouted.

“Two.”, Eadgil said. “I’m going to count to twenty-five.”

“Yes... sir”, Star Charmer stuttered.

Eadgil was already raising his hand, bringing it down hard a third time.

“Ah! Thank you, sir!”, Star Charmer shouted.

“You like that, mare?”, Eadgil asked.

“Y… yes sir”, Star Charmer responded.

“I guess then I’m doing something wrong”, Eadgil said. “This is punishment, remember?”

He raised his hand again, bringing it down even harder. Then, he immediately followed up with another hard hit.

“Aaah! Thank you, sir!”

“Three and four. You still enjoy it?”

Star Charmer bit her lip. “I fear yes, sir.”

“You sure are a pain slut”, Eadgil said harshly, raising his hand again.

As Star Charmer felt the breeze of a hand descending, she braced herself for another impact…

“Thank you, sir!”, she shouted.

“For what?”, Eadgil asked.

Only now did she notice that the stinging sensation hadn’t come. Eadgil had stopped his hand shortly before impact.

He didn’t wait long though, raising his hand again and then letting it descend when she least expected it. He chuckled as she yelped in surprise. “Now you can thank me”, he said.

“Y… yes”, Star Charmer stuttered. “Th… thank you, sir!”

Eadgil smirked. “You know, I’d ask you again if you still enjoy it, but unless I hear your Safe Word, I really don’t care any more. That was four...” He paused for a second, smirking. “...I think.”

“We’re at five, sir… AH!”

While Star Charmer was still talking, Eadgil had raised his hand again and given her another hard slap. “I can’t remember giving you permission to contradict me, slut. This one is for free. We’re at four.”

Star Charmer sighed. “Yes, sir.”

They continued this game until Eadgil was at twenty-five, but by this point, they had de facto gone way past thirty. Star Charmer panted in exhaustion, her ass beginning to gain an amusing shade of red.

“Th… thank you, sir”, she stuttered. “Permission to leave your lap, sir?”

Eadgil nodded. “Permission granted. I want to see you kneel in front of me. Present yourself.”

“Y… yes sir”, Star Charmer responded, climbing off his lap, then kneeling in front of him, legs spread, hands placed on her upper legs, palms facing upwards, breasts stretched out and eyes focused on the ground before her.

Eadgil took a long time to take in the view. Eventually, he grabbed her by the back of her head and pushed her towards his crotch. For a moment, she had to gasp for air.

The stag chuckled. Mh, this feels nice… to have your face so close to my cock.” He kept her there for a while, enjoying the moment.

“You can probably guess what I want”, he eventually said. “Get on with it.”

Star Charmer nodded as best as she could, then began to unzip his pants, eventually revealing his semi-erect cock.

“You like what you see?”, he asked. “I want your lips and tongue on it now. Get it all hard and throbbing.”

A moment later, he felt the mare’s muzzle and tongue caress his cock, going up and down along the shaft.

“You’re doing very well, little mare”, he said, feeling his member harden to the point of full erection. “Now stop, and assume position again.”

Star Charmer immediately removed herself from him and assumed position again. She couldn’t help but stare at his throbbing member.

“Are you staring, slut?”, the stag asked.

Star Charmer bit her lip. “Yes, sir”, she admitted, blushing a little and averting her gaze.

Eadgil smirked. “You are forgiven. It’s obvious that you want this, so let’s give you what you want. Get on the bed, lie on your back, and present yourself to me.”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yes, sir.”

She began to crawl onto the bed beside him, then laid down on her back, spreading her legs to give him the best possible view of her entire body.

“Good girl”, Eadgil said, taking in the view while his hand made its way up on the inner side of her legs, eventually finding her outer folds, starting to tease them.

Star Charmer let out a small moan.

“Silence”, the stag commanded. “I don’t want to hear anything from you.”

The mare immediately fell silent - but she had trouble to control herself as two of his fingers made their way inside her, beginning to finger-fuck her. She bit her lip hard in order to stay in control. She knew even small moans would upset him right now, and she wanted nothing more than to feel his cock inside of her as quickly as possible.

“It goes without saying that you’re not allowed to come until I tell you to”, Eadgil said.

Star Charmer nodded. She was still nowhere near an orgasm, but she didn’t know how long he was planning to continue this. Given how dedicated he seemed to push her to the edge, she half assumed that she might get there sooner than she thought she would.

Eadgil pushed in a third finger and began to finger-fuck her roughly, dedicated to driving her to the edge. “You will tell me when you’re close”, he instructed her.

Star Charmer nodded again, having to bite her lip even more strongly in order not to moan now.

Eventually, she felt an orgasm approaching. “Sir… I’m close”, she said, panting heavily.

Suddenly, the fingers were gone. She couldn’t help but sigh a little.

“So I have my little slut on the edge, do I?”, he asked. “You want my cock, don’t you?”

Star Charmer nodded.

“I want to hear you beg”, he said coldly.

The mare sighed a little. “Please, sir… fuck your little slut. Plunge your cock deep inside of her. Fill her up, and then shoot your seed deep inside her womb. Your little slut needs it so badly.”

Eadgil chuckled. “That’s a good girl.”

He moved fully onto the bed and on top of her, pushing her down with his whole body while placing his hard cock between her legs, rubbing against her folds. He put his right hand on her cheek and looked her in the eyes.

“You will not come before me”, he commanded. She bit her lip and nodded.

Then, she felt his cock inside of her. She was already on edge, so she couldn’t help but let out a single moan.

The moan turned into a yelp as Eadgil placed his right hand on her tit and gave her nipple a good squeeze. “Didn’t I tell you to be silent, cunt?”, he asked.

The mare fell silent again as she let him take her. She let her arms rest at her sides, not daring to touch him without permission. Meanwhile, his own hands began to feel her up roughly while he thrust inside of her.

Eventually, he pushed his lips onto hers once again, exploring her muzzle with his tongue while his cock was plowing her nethers. He fucked her into the mattress with his whole body while kissing her roughly and fiercely.

“Fir”, she muffled. “I compf… I canf… holf if…”

He broke the kiss. “Speak, cunt”, he commanded while continuing to plow her.

“Th… thank you… I can’t... hold it… much longer… sir”, she panted.

Eadgil smiled. “Come with me”, he said softly.

Then, he pushed his lips onto hers again, continuing the kiss. He felt his own orgasm approaching only seconds later, and released inside her. She moaned as she followed his orders, finally letting go. Her whole body welled up in an orgasm.

Feeling his member soften, he pulled out - but he continued to lie on top of her, continuing the kiss, now more soft than passionate. She let him continue, enjoying the feeling of his tongue in her muzzle.

Eventually, he broke the kiss, rolling off her.

“Sir…”, she began, but then stopped herself and bit her lip, remembering that she still didn’t have permission to speak.

“I hope that was to your liking”, Eadgil said, not paying attention to her little transgression.

“It was enjoyable”, she said, smiling in afterglow.

Eadgil sighed. “Gee, I wonder where I’ve heard that before.”

She turned around to him, putting her hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes. “I mean it”, she said. “Given how inhibited you were earlier, this was a surprisingly intense experience.”

He smiled. “Thank you, Star Charmer. I think I’ll be able to do more eventually. I just have to… ease into it a bit.”

Star Charmer smiled back. “If I may say so… I think you’re already fairly eased in.”

His smile turned into a smirk as he grabbed her by the mane on the back of her head again. “Don’t you forget your place, mare.”

She blushed and turned her gaze away, but didn’t lose her smile. She wanted to say something like See, I’m already helping you - but she knew better, instead just giving her lip a short bite.

“You wanted to say something?”, Eadgil smirked.

“Sir, I… I just wanted to say again… I understand why you have problems doing this. I just wanted to say this was wonderful. I really look forward to the next time.”

Eadgil nodded. “We’ll go a bit further each time, step by step, until I am the Master you’re looking for.”

Star Charmer blushed again. “Thank you, sir.”

Suddenly, Eadgil seemed to have an idea. “Time for the next phase”, he mumbled.

“Next phase?”, Star Charmer asked, smiling. “Are we going for another round?”

Eadgil shook his head. “Not today, no. My mind just drifted away for a moment. I was talking to myself, and what I meant was the next phase with regards to cows.”

“Oh?”, Star Charmer asked.

“Yes. As you can probably imagine, we stags aren’t the best of influences - but right now, the cows depend on us, psychologically as well as otherwise. I want to bring them to greater levels of self-determination.”

Star Charmer smiled. “Yeah, I figured you were doing something like that. The whole communal property thing… it’s fairly unusual, isn’t it?”

Eadgil smirked. “That was Dainn’s idea, actually.”

Star Charmer’s eyes widened. “What?”, she asked.

“Well, it’s complicated. He did this only temporarily, and only in one single place - a caribou settlement called Hornvik, northeast of the Crystal Empire. But yes, I got the idea from him. My aim is a different one than his, obviously.”

“I see. Interesting. I guess inspiration can come from the strangest of places.” Star Charmer giggled. “So, what’s the next phase?”

Eadgil waited a second with his response. “Star Charmer, would you be willing to spend some time with Bruna during the time she spends around the mares? Show her around, show her how mares do things, explain to her how you think about the world… that sort of thing. Among all the cows here, Bruna’s mindset is arguably already closest to that of a mare, and I want to see how much she can pick up. I also think you’re the best candidate to teach a cow, because...” He paused.

Star Charmer smiled. “Because among all the mares here, mine is arguably closest to that of a cow”, she finished his sentence.

Eadgil blushed. “Not exactly what I was going to say, but something like that. You probably have more connecting points to a cow than most mares have.”

The mare continued to smile. “Don’t worry, I understand. I realize that I am unusual for a mare. Of course I’ll go along with your next phase. Bruna seems very close to you, so if I’m going to be with you, I’m eventually going to have a lot of contact with her anyway. No reason not to speed things up. Sure I’ll look after her.”

Eadgil sighed in relief. “Thank you, Star Charmer. I appreciate that.”

Star Charmer sat up in the bed. “You want me to leave now, sir?”

Eadgil shook his head. “No time to rush things. I’m a bit worn out, a lot of things happened today, so I probably won’t be able to go for another round - but annoying as you can be, I think I actually like having you around me. If you have time, you can stay and chat with me for as long as you want.” He smiled gently.

Star Charmer relaxed and sank back onto the bed, and they spent the rest of the evening with chit chat and sweet talk until she eventually decided to leave.

Once she had gone, Eadgil let himself sink into his bed and fell into sleep.
> Chapter 10: Going Wild
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Snowflake entered the mares’ common room for breakfast the next morning, she noticed that Shadow Amethyst was already up. When the crystal mare saw her, she waved at her, beckoning her to come over.

The pegasus got her breakfast, then slowly walked over to the table where the crystal mare was sitting. “Good morning, Shadow Amethyst”, she greeted her. “You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Good morning, Snowflake”, the crystal mare returned politely. “Please, sit down. Do you know where Deepest Desire is, by any chance?”

Snowflake nodded. “Deepest Desire will join us later. She has something to discuss with Spring Breeze.”

“Oh?”, Shadow Amethyst asked. “I hope it doesn’t take too long. I have something to discuss with her as well.”

Snowflake sat down and began to eat.

“You see”, Shadow Amethyst continued. “I think I understand my place now.”

The pegasus raised an eyebrow.

“I mean I want to become a full part of Deepest Desire’s family”, Shadow Amethyst explained. “At the very bottom, below your hooves. You... showed me something yesterday. You and Ivana.”

“Oh?”, Snowflake asked, stopping to eat for a moment.

Shadow Amethyst sighed. “I thought you were below me, but yesterday, you showed that you can… well, handle me. And Ivana? She knows her place better than I do.” She sighed. “I constantly ramble on about how everyone needs to know their place… yet yesterday I realized that I’m the only one who doesn’t. I want to become a real part of the family...” She paused for a moment. “At the very bottom, where I belong. Even below Ivana.”

“We… don’t think about our family that way”, Snowflake remarked.

“I know”, Shadow Amethyst smiled. “But it’s… where I feel I belong.”

“Hm”, the pegasus remarked, not at all comfortable with the direction this conversation was taking. “I… guess I understand the need to feel like you belong somewhere. But I’m not sure I understand what you expect of us.”

Shadow Amethyst blushed. “Nothing, that’s the point. Just… I… I hope you and Deepest Desire can keep me in line with a harsh hand. It... seems like I need that.”

Snowflake started to eat again. “I guess I can see where you’re coming from”, she said. “Deepest Desire has a lot to discuss with Spring Breeze, so if she doesn’t turn up before we finish eating, we could go to Spring Breeze together to discuss it with them. We still need to make our contracts anyway.”

Shadow Amethyst nodded, and they continued to eat in silence.





Deepest Desire still hadn’t turned up when they had finished. They got up and left the dining hall together, heading for Spring Breeze’s quarters.

When they arrived at the door, Snowflake gave it an audible knock.

“Baldr, is that you?”, Spring Breeze’s voice came from the other side of the door. “A bit busy right now.”

“No, this is Snowflake”, Snowflake replied. “Shadow Amethyst is with me. Deepest Desire told me she wanted to talk to you. Is she in there? We’re here for the contracts.”

“She is”, Spring Breeze replied. “Please, come in.”

Snowflake opened the door and entered the room, Shadow Amethyst close behind her. Spring Breeze was standing in the room, and Deepest Desire was sitting on a chair at Spring Breeze’s desk.

“Good thing you’re here”, Spring Breeze said. “Deepest Desire just told me that she wants to leave the castle and spend some time exploring the forest and the caves nearby. I’m not sure if you want to come with her, but if you do, we still have to make your contracts before you leave.

Snowflake nodded. “Yes, I already told her that I’m going to come with her. I’m pretty sure Shadow Amethyst wants to come, too. Isn’t that right, Shadow?”

Shadow Amethyst looked down. “Whatever Mistress commands”, she replied.

Snowflake smiled. “We just had breakfast, and Shadow told me that she wants to become a full member of the family”, she explained.

“Oh?” Deepest Desire gave a wicked smile. “I thought she already was.”

“Not… what… I mean”, Shadow Amethyst stuttered. “I mean, I… I will be good from now on. I want to please you, Mistress. Put me at the very bottom. Even below Ivana. I mean I want to… give myself completely to you and Snowflake, Mistress Desire.”

Deepest Desire didn’t respond.

“Shadow Amethyst explained to me that we… made her understand her place yesterday”, Snowflake explained.

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “What did you guys do?”

“I slapped her when she continued to insult Deepest Desire and Ivana”, Snowflake explained. “It was an impulse reaction, but ever since then, Shadow has been respectful towards me like never before. I think in her mind, it was proof that I wasn’t below but above her… or something like that. And Ivana… What Ivana did was telling her that she found it sad that Shadow couldn’t feel love for her Mistress. I think Shadow Amethyst believes that Ivana humbled her by showing more slavish devotion to Mistress Desire than she believes she ever could.”

The crystal mare’s face turned to an amusing shade of red. “That… pretty much sums it up”, she admitted.

Spring Breeze rubbed her temples. “I still don’t get how that mare’s mind works”, she mumbled. “Alright. So you’re here to make your contracts. Snowflake, Deepest Desire has already handed me one for you two, and I see nothing wrong with it. It isn’t signed yet, but she told me you two wrote it up yesterday evening.”

Snowflake nodded. “Sort of. We discussed it verbally, and I told her she could write it down and I’d sign it tomorrow. Just let me have a look at it and then I’ll sign.”

Spring Breeze walked over to her desk, picked up a piece of paper and a quill and then handed them to Snowflake. The pegasus quickly read over the paper. Then, she snipped her finger. “Shadow!”, she commanded.

The crystal mare walked around her, standing towards her with her back, and then bowed down a little. Snowflake put the piece of paper against her back, using it as a makeshift desk, and then quickly signed it. She grinned a little. “This worked better than I thought. I think I’m beginning to get the gist of it. You may stand comfortable, Shadow.”

The crystal mare returned to her normal standing position.

Deepest Desire smirked. “And here I thought you were purely submissive, Snow.”

Snowflake grinned back. “Yeah, me too. Seems we were wrong.”

“So…”, Spring Breeze asked. “Shadow Amethyst, you’re going to make a contract with the two of them? With them as the dominant parts and you as the submissive?”

“Yes”, Shadow Amethyst responded. “24/7 TPE.”

“I fear I have to insist on a Safe Word”, Spring Breeze insisted.

“Fine”, Shadow Amethyst replied. “But I’m not going to pick one. If you insist on it, let Deepest Desire pick one for me.” She blushed and looked down. “I’m going to sign whatever she sets up anyway.”

Deepest Desire stood up and walked over to Shadow Amethyst. She put her fingers under the crystal mare’s chin, gently forcing her to look into her eyes.

“If we do this, you will be exceptionally nice to Ivana from now on. Snowflake and I can take your bullshit, she can’t. But there is yet another reason that I’ll explain later.”

“The contracts can’t include any positive obligations for the sub”, Spring Breeze reminded her. “Although I guess…”

“Which is why this won’t be in the contract”, Deepest Desire interrupted her. “From what I understand, Shadow Amethyst doesn’t want to define any hard limits either.”

Shadow Amethyst shook her head. “No, Mistress.”

Deepest Desire continued. “So if she doesn’t play by this rule, I will punish her harshly, and I will find a punishment that is safe, but that she really won’t like.”

She paused for a moment, then turned to Shadow again. “Do you understand?”, she asked.

The crystal mare looked down. “Yes, Mistress. I’ll be good, I promise.”

“Good”, Deepest Desire said, moving her face closer to Shadow’s.

For a moment, she sniffed. Then she smiled a little. “Oh… well, that’s interesting.”

“What is it?”, Snowflake asked.

“Oh, nothing”, the changeling responded. “Spring Breeze, would you hand me a piece of paper so I can write down the roles in this relationship and the safe word?”

Spring Breeze nodded, then brought her another piece of paper, while Snowflake handed her the quill. Now it was Deepest Desire’s turn to snip her fingers. Shadow Amethyst immediately placed herself in front of her and offered her back.

Deepest Desire placed the paper against Shadow’s back and began to write. “Snowflake, she’s making the contract with the two of us, so you want to add anything?”

Snowflake shook her head. “No. I don’t think I need limits as the dominant. Shadow doesn’t seem to demand much from us except for smacking some sense into her whenever she deserves it. I’m pretty sure I can do that. If I don’t want to do something, I’ll simply not do it. Easy as that.”

Deepest Desire nodded. “You want to pick her safe word?”

Once again, Snowflake shook her head. “Just pick one”, she said.

Deepest Desire nodded, and began to write. It didn’t take her long to finish the document. “You may stand comfortable again”, she told Shadow, who returned to her usual standing position.

Deepest Desire then handed Spring Breeze the paper, who immediately read through it. “Minimalistic”, she smirked. “But Shadow Amethyst is a special case, and if this ensures her loyalty to our project, it works for me. I think she should sign first.”

Spring Breeze handed the paper to the crystal mare, and Deepest Desire gave her the quill. Shadow walked over to the desk and signed it. Then, Deepest Desire and Snowflake walked over and put their signatures on it as well.

“Very well”, Spring Breeze said. “We still need to copy this one more for the archives. Snowflake and Shadow, do you two want copies as well?”

Snowflake shook her head. “I know what’s in it.”

“And you, shadow?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“I also know what’s in it”, the crystal mare responded. “If Mistress Desire or Mistress Snowflake insist, I will take a copy, but I don’t need one.”

“Alright”, Spring Breeze said, then sat down at her desk and started to copy the contract. “I need your signatures again”, she said once she was finished.

The three mares put their signatures under it.

“We will leave now”, Deepest Desire said afterwards. “Snowflake and Shadow probably have to pack some things for our trip, and I have to fetch Ivana.”

“Oh wait, one last thing”, Spring Breeze remarked. “Before you leave, didn’t you say you wanted to keep track of the development of my relationship with Baldr? You know, for science. How are you going to do that if you’re not here?”

Deepest Desire nodded. “I wish I could interview you regularly, but there is an urgent reason why we’re leaving. I already told you it would be good if you kept journals yesterday. Just copy your entries on a loose sheet of paper, and Snowflake or Shadow will fetch them for me once a week or once every other weeks. They’ll come by regularly to pick up supplies anyway, and also other materials. We’ll sleep in tents or in the caves for a few weeks, but I guess we’ll need to build something more permanent eventually.”

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “You won’t come by?”, she asked.

Deepest Desire shook her head. “No, I won’t. Not for a long while at last. I have… important research to conduct, and I can’t be distracted.”

“Wait…”, Spring Breeze said. “Aren’t you a psychologist? What important research could you possibly conduct in a cave in the middle of nowhere? I don’t want to rub it in, but you don’t have your horn, so it can’t be magical research either. And if it’s purely theoretical, why are you walking away from a full library?”

“My research…”, Deepest Desire began, “...concerns the psychology of caribou cows. That’s why I’m taking Ivana with me. I want to see how she reacts to a foreign environment without any stags around her. Of course, I will be with her the whole time to make sure she doesn’t endanger herself - which is precisely why I can’t return to the castle regularly.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “I see…”, she said, not fully convinced.

“We will take our leave now”, Deepest Desire repeated. “Snowflake, Shadow… please follow me.”

“I wish you safe travel”, Spring Breeze said. “Hope to see you again soon.”

Deepest Desire nodded. “We’re not that far away. Maybe half an hour by hoof. But thank you.”

Spring Breeze nodded, and the three other mares left her room.

Once they were a few steps away, Shadow Amethyst chuckled. “You sure know how to sell a lie, Mistress. Research on the psychology of caribou cows…”

“You’re doing this because of your horn, aren’t you?”, Snowflake asked. She looked around, but saw no one else but them. “You’re leaving because you don’t want the others to see it regrow when you continue to feed on Ivana.”

“Indeed”, Deepest Desire responded, giving the pegasus a little nod. “Which is why you two don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“I will go wherever you tell me to, Mistress”, Shadow Amethyst said.

“Alright, then you will come with me”, Deepest Desire decided. “I simply have more experience with keeping you in line than Snowflake.”

She turned to the pegasus again. “What about you, Snowflake?”

“There’s no way I’d leave your side now”, Snowflake responded. “Besides, I kind of want to see your hive. I know they’re all in hibernation right now, but I think it’s still going to be interesting… seeing the rest of the family, so to speak.”

Deepest Desire nodded.

“Alright. This is where we part ways for now”, Snowflake said as they came by the mares’ common room again. “You need to fetch Ivana, Shadow probably needs to pack her stuff, and I will see if I can gather a few supplies, food and water, tools for survival, tents and so on.”

Deepest Desire nodded. “We will meet at the gates in two hours.”





A bit later, Deepest Desire entered the stags’ common room. The caribou were still enjoying their own breakfast, and some of the males had fun with a few cows, just as usual.

When she entered, quite a few gazes were on her - but she instinctively knew that she wasn’t in any danger.

She crossed the room, heading straight towards Eadgil and Baldr, who were sitting at a table together with Bruna, eating their breakfast. Bruna was one of the few cows who now regularly walked around in clothes that covered her breasts and genitals even in the eastern wing. Being made by Star Charmer, her clothes were still fairly revealing by pre-invasion standards, but it was nonetheless a stark contrast to most cows, who walked around nude or in kinky outfits that covered nothing at all. She still wore her traditional red collar however.

When Eadgil spotted the changeling, he raised from his seat. “Deepest Desire, what brings you here?”, he asked.

“I am going to leave this community for a while to spend some time in Everfree”, she responded. “Probably several months. I’m here to fetch Ivana. She told me yesterday that she wishes to accompany me.”

Baldr raised an eyebrow. “A cow all alone in the Everfree forest?”, he asked.

“I will not let her out of my sight for even a single second”, Deepest Desire promised. “As a matter of fact, she is the reason why I want to take this trip.”

Eadgil stood up and gave her a nod. “I see. You want her to spend some time with you with no stags around. See how she’ll react to that.”

Deepest Desire returned the nod. “Yes, that is the idea.”

Eadgil turned to Baldr. “Well, I trust her. She’s just as capable of keeping a cow safe than you or me. And I’m absolutely in favor of such experiments.”

“Well, I don’t mind”, Baldr shrugged, turning to Deepest Desire. “If he trusts you, I trust you. Just make sure to keep her safe.”

Deepest Desire nodded. “Of course. You have no idea what she means to me.”

Baldr gave her an understanding smile.

Eadgil turned to the other caribou.

“My fellow stags”, he began, waiting for them to turn their attention to him.

Once he had their attention, he continued. “Deepest Desire here wants to borrow one of our cows. She’ll leave the castle for a few months to live in Everfree, and she wants to take Ivana with her.”

Ivana, who was sitting at a table not far from them, stood up and slowly, shyly walked over.

“Ivana”, one of the stags said thoughtfully. “Ah yes… you’re the little cow who already spends all her time with the mares. Rumor has it that you have a marefriend.” He chuckled. “Wait… is she…?”

“My Mistress”, Ivana finished his sentence, giving him a shy smile.

He returned an amused smile. “Now that’s something new.”

“I’m absolutely convinced that I can fulfill that role”, Deepest Desire said. “That includes keeping her safe and out of harm’s way.”

Eadgil chuckled. “I think she’s a better Master than most stags I know. Present ones not included, of course.”

“It would seem so”, the other stag replied. “Is her former Master fine with it?”

“We agreed on communal property”, Baldr remarked. “But yes, I’m fine with it.”

“In that case, I see no issue”, the other stag said. “She’s not here most of the time anyway - and from what I’ve heard, she doesn’t seem overly eager to please a male. I guess now we know the reason. Besides, there are enough cows for all of us here.” He chuckled as he gently petted the head of another caribou cow that was kneeling by his side. She gave him a small giggle in response.

Most other stags nodded, some remained silent. But no one spoke up.

“Well, then it’s settled”, Eadgil said. “Sure, you can take her. Just make sure to keep her safe.”

Ivana made a little jump. “I’m going to pack my stuff now, Mistress”, she smiled.

“I promised the others to meet them at the gates in about ninety minutes”, Deepest Desire informed her. “Don’t be late.”

Ivana giggled. “I won’t, Mistress.”

The cow joyfully walked over to the door, but when she got there, the door was opened from the outside. Star Charmer cheerfully walked past her, entering the hall and immediately walking over to Eadgil. All eyes were immediately on her, so Ivana just slipped past her and went her own ways.

Only once Star Charmer had arrived at Eadgil’s table did she take notice of Deepest Desire. “Oh… hey, Deepest Desire”, she said. “What brings you here?”

“Deepest Desire is here to fetch Ivana”, Eadgil explained. “They’ll leave the castle together to spend some time in Everfree. But I could ask you the same thing. I didn’t think we would meet up until tomorrow. I have a lot of business to attend to today. Lots of boring stuff, like restoration work, research in the library...”

“Not everything is about you, silly”, Star Charmer giggled. “I’m here to fetch Bruna. You told me to take her under my wing yesterday, remember? Explain to her how mares live their lives and all that.”

“And another cow whisked away by a mare”, the caribou who had talked to Deepest Desire earlier chuckled. “I hope this doesn’t become a trend.”

“Star Charmer is merely fetching Bruna for her daily time with the mares, which she would spend there anyway”, Eadgil explained. “They aren’t leaving the castle. I specifically asked Star Charmer yesterday to take care of Bruna while she’s spending time with the mares.”

“I was kidding”, the other stag remarked, smiling a little.

Star Charmer smiled gently. “Yeah, I have no intention to whisk away Bruna from Eadgil. I think they’re a really cute couple.”

“Hear, hear!”, Baldr exclaimed, raising his glass. Bruna responded with a chuckle.

Deepest Desire nodded. “I have to leave now. Still a lot to do before I leave.”

“Safe travel, Dee-dee”, Eadgil smiled. “Hope to see you again soon.”

Deepest Desire glared at him. “Don’t call me that. And no, you won’t for a long while.”

Eadgil cast his eyes down. “I’m sorry, Deepest Desire. For a moment, it almost felt like it used to…”

“Yes, that is the problem”, Deepest Desire responded coldly.

“I’m sorry…”, he repeated.

For a brief moment, Deepest Desire remembered the things she herself had done as a changeling queen before she began to rethink her approach, and how long it hat taken her to break with her own old habits. Eadgil was in a similar process. He didn’t know that, but she remembered how similar he was to her. Her anger began to fade.

“It’s fine”, she said in a more relaxed voice. “But I am going to leave now.” With that, she turned around and swiftly left the common room.

Meanwhile, Star Charmer had taken place beside Bruna. “What was that all about?”, she asked Eadgil. “Oh wait… don’t tell me. I probably have a good idea. Never mind.”

She then turned to Bruna, who had finished eating by now. “So, you’re ready?”, she asked. The cow gave her a nod.

Star Charmer stood up again. “Alright then. We’ll leave as well now. Have a nice day, sirs”, she said, bowing to the caribou in the room. Bruna rose from her seat as well, and they walked out of the room together.





About an hour later, Deepest Desire and Ivana arrived at the castle gates, where Snowflake and Shadow Amethyst were already waiting with a cart full of supplies and survival tools.

“You prepared for everything, I see”, Deepest Desire said when she saw the cart.

“If you go camping in the wilderness with four people, you can hardly leave anything to chance”, Snowflake responded.

Deepest Desire nodded “Indeed. You two ready to head out?”

“Yup”, Snowflake responded.

Shadow Amethyst instinctively grabbed the cart, pulling it behind her, and the four of them moved through the gate out into the wilderness of Everfree Forest.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Shadow Amethyst spoke.

“Mistresses, I wanted to thank you”, she said. “For taking me up and all that. For… showing me understanding. Making me understand where my place is… um, what I really want.”

“Yeah, Deepest Desire is really good at finding out people’s hidden desires”, Snowflake said. “In this case, me and Ivana had some part in it as well… but she always manages to find out. I think the only person where she didn’t manage was Eadgil.”

Deepest Desire stopped. “Really, Snowflake? I thought you were smarter than that.”

Snowflake stopped as well, looking at her. “What?”, she asked.

“Do you really think I could have talked Eadgil into giving up his comfortable life in Canterlot and setting up a community here in this ruined castle pretty much on a whim if I hadn’t figured out his secret desire?”, the changeling asked.

Snowflake looked at her in utter confusion. “I… uh, I mean… you… I just assumed because… you usually tell me about your findings. But alright, I believe you. But now I’m also curious. What is Eadgils true, hidden desire?”

“I’m not sure if I should tell you”, Deepest Desire responded. But then she sighed. “But since I brought it up, I guess I can tell you. I hope you’ll keep this confident.”

“Of course!”, Snowflake nodded.

“You two as well”, Deepest Desire commanded, turning to Shadow and Ivana.

The cow gave her a quick, enthusiastic nod. “Yes, Mistress”, she said, eager to please.

“And you?”, Deepest Desire asked the crystal pony.

“I will do whatever Mistress wishes”, Shadow Amethyst responded. “But if Mistress requires it, I hereby swear.”

“Alright”, Deepest Desire sighed. “Eadgil’s true desire is as simple as it is hidden. He wants to be the loved and revered ruler of his people.”

Snowflakes eyes widened. “What?”

Deepest Desire shrugged. “You see I had good reasons to not spit this out to you. It’s not as bad as it sounds though. He has no desire to rule over other people, like you ponies for example, and I’m confident that he has the best intentions for his people. He just thinks that they need someone like him to show them the way. Now good intentions don’t guarantee good actions, so he could be a problem along the line… but right now, he’s just an all-out better alternative to anything else the caribou have. Besides, you have to keep in mind that this is not far away from my own aims and goals regarding my people. Just like he wants to get rid of Dainn and take his place, I want to get rid of grandma and take her place.”

Snowflake nodded. “I see.”

“Of course, it doesn’t mean he can’t become a problem down the line”, Deepest Desire added. “There might be stags who are better suited for that role, or maybe the caribou need something else entirely. It will depend on how he’ll react to being challenged. But we can see about that when the time comes. Maybe he’ll also have changed a good bit himself until then. But you see that I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about these matters. They concern myself just as well as him after all.”

Snowflake nodded again. “Let’s just move on.”

They resumed their travel in silence.





The creature had carefully scouted the surroundings before setting up its camp for the night. The surroundings had quickly changed after leaving the Realm of its Master behind, and the lush savannah was an unfamiliar sight for it. There was a small village not too far west of its current location, and a large forest east of it, with a mountain range reaching up from behind it. This was the realm of the zebra. From its training as a servant, it had learned that the zebra did not think highly of their southern neighbor, regarding the Master as an evil spirit.

It decided it was not a good idea to set up a campfire that close to a town. The high grass of the savannah shielded it from views, but a fire would clearly draw attention. It also decided against setting up its tent. It was autumn, but it was still warm as though it were summer, even in the nights. The creature knew that the seasons were not always the same, and they were even more insane in the place where it came from, but from what it had been told about the lands north of the Realm, this was unusual. It had expected at least the nights to be cold. It would sleep under the stars tonight.

It had only begun to unpack its bedroll in order to spread it on the ground when it heard the sound of hoofsteps heading into its direction. Immediately, its mind and all its senses became alert. Quickly, it put the bedroll back into its backpack, and then focused its attention on figuring out the source of the noise.

Only seconds later, it discovered three zebra males heading into its direction. Fortunately, they had not seen it, and were still a good bit away, but they were heading into the creature’s direction, so it slightly retreated into the higher grass, cowering in order to remain unseen.

The three males were not looking for it though, but instead took a turn only meters before its position, heading towards a large tree standing a few hundred meters away, where they met up with a fourth figure. The creature decided to sneak closer in order to find out what was going on.

Once it was close enough to hear what was going on, the four zebra had already engaged in conversation. The fourth one, the one they were meeting up with, was a female, elderly from the looks of it, and dressed in a long, hooded robe. The creature knew that priestesses were important for the zebra, and it wondered if that one was one of them.

“...can’t believe this is really an official order from the Grey Council”, the creature heard one of the males say. “Are they serious?”

The female took a moment to respond. “I assure you that the document you’ve seen is indeed quite genuine”, she eventually responded.

A shudder went through the creature. Something about this rhyming sent shivers down his spine. It didn’t feel… right. Like a ray of piercing light burning itself into its soul. For a brief moment, the creature felt the desire to just flee - return to the Realm of its Master and never even take a single step into these lands, even if it meant being abandoned by the Master left to the horrible realities of the Realm. This confused the creature even more. Such thoughts should be impossible. Immediately, the memory of its Master’s voice and the last orders it had received reappeared in its mind, burning its message into it once more. “Venture… terminate… find… serve… protect…” It pulled itself back together and continued to listen.

“So you have received the same instructions, and checked back with the Grey Council to verify them?”, the same male asked, to which the female responded with a mere nod.

“So we’re really supposed to do this”, the same male asked. “Go to the woods, wait for a priestess to come along, assault her, and then… uuh…”

“Yeah, the document doesn’t use that word, but we’re essentially supposed to rape her!”, one of the others exclaimed. “When I come home to my family after this and they ask me what this was all about, I don’t really want to tell them that the Grey Council ordered me to rape a priestess.”

“Your family will not feel bleak, for of this, you will not speak”, the female responded, which of course did nothing to calm the males down.

“But may I also lift your woes, and assure you that she knows”, she then added.

The creature had only a very vague idea of what rape meant. The concept of sex was altogether foreign to the servants of the Monolith. The Monolith’s boon extended their lives, possibly indefinitely, time moved differently in the Realm anyway, and if the Cult needed more members, some recruits from the south would certainly find their way to the Realm. That was probably how it had gotten into the Monolith’s service initially, though it did not remember. A brief flash of memory appeared before its inner eye, but too quickly to grasp its content.

“You mean she knows and agrees to this?”, the first male asked. “She’s a volunteer?”

“She’ll fight back, won’t she?”, the third male asked. “Is this just the usual combat training for novices of the Order? If so, why all the fuss? Just tell us outright that that’s what this is about. If I knew we were getting paid just to try to rough her up a bit, to see if she’s trained enough to beat three of us, and thus we were probably get beaten up ourselves, that would be one thing. It’s not like we haven’t done that before, and the Order provides healing for our injuries afterwards. But this… this is insane.”

“Thinking about it, I’d probably feel better if I knew I’d accomplish nothing and only receive a beating”, the second male remarked.

“I will not say you will or won’t, but for now you’ll do as you are told.”

“Well, I’ll prepare for pain, just in case”, the third male said. “Not sure if I can prepare for… the rest though. Hell, I might not even be able to get… you know… it’s not exactly a turn-on.”

The second male seemed to remember something. “Wait a second… is it because… oh Stars… don’t tell me the rumors are true? About what’s going on in Equestria? The supposed invasion, the new king on the throne? The… rumors of insanity, debauchery? And you’re training members of the Order to withstand… Stars and Heavens… we’re supposed to prepare her for… and probably others as well…”

A new king on a throne? The creature remembered the orders its master had given. The first order came to its mind. The one that was clear and precise, and not unusual and confusing like the second one. Maybe this was the king. The mad king. If it was, then this ‘Equestria’ was the realm of the mad king. The creature knew it had to find out more.

“She’s also not a novice, is she? She has probably completed her regular training. Heck, she could take five or six of us as long as we’re unarmed…”, the first one reflected.

“Whether she is, I cannot say, but what we do keeps darkness at bay.”

The first male sighed. “Helpful as always.”

“I know that you would like a clue, but the Council we serve, not you”, the female replied.

“Yeah, but we’re the ones who are supposed to do unspeakable things to a priestess”, the second male replied.

“I cannot force you to partake, but it is a lot that is at stake”, the priestess rhymed.

The third male nodded. “The Council knows best”, he said.

“The Council knows best”, the other two repeated unanimously.

“So you will do it then, I see. In that case, please, would you follow me?”, the priestess requested.

The three males nodded and then followed the priestess, who was heading eastwards, toward the forest. Every single rhymed line from the priestess burned within its soul whenever she spoke, causing fits of panic that it found difficult to control… but it adapted, and with the mention of a new king in that other country, it was clear that it had to find out more about what was going on.





The creature followed the four to the outskirts of the large forests to the east, where they parted ways. It decided to follow the female one, since she was apparently the one who knew more than any of the others.

The female zebra made her way through the forest until she arrived at a small shrine, where another, younger one was waiting for her. The creature had to remain out of sight, so it had difficulty overhearing their conversation. They seemed to be talking about what was going to happen.

“Remember you must not fight back”, the older one reminded the other one. “Are you prepared for their attack?”

The other one gave a nod, then they moved away from the shrine and deeper into the forest. At one point they parted ways, and eventually the older one managed to escape even the creature’s sight somehow. It decided to instead follow the younger one.

Just as the older one had apparently planned, the younger one eventually ran into the three males from earlier.

“Look what we have here”, one of them said, donning a smirk that seemed fake to the creature, not being an expression of genuine amusement, but hiding nervousness and discomfort. His voice was shaky, as if he was playing a role he hadn’t prepared for properly. “Let’s have some fun together, shall we?”

Hesitantly, the male moved towards the female, grabbing her arms and holding them behind her back. The other ones approached as well, and eventually, the first one clumsily tossed the female towards one of the others.

This went on for a while, the males continuing to rough up the female, pretending to enjoy themselves, but it was plainly obvious that they were anything but comfortable with their situation, subsequently holding back. Even the creature understood this, despite having little understanding of concepts like sexuality, let alone rape. It seemed to the creature that the female was more amused than scared or aroused.

Eventually, the female was pushed to the ground, and one of the males was quickly on top of her and began to clumsily disrobe her. It was clear that he became increasingly unhappy with the situation, and he wasn’t the only one. The others’ faces showed expressions of discomfort and outright disgust with what they were doing. After what seemed like an eternity of hesitation, the male finally managed to tear off the female’s robe. That’s when she couldn’t hold back any more, and began to giggle uncontrollably.

“It seems we’re off to a bad start”, she said. “For you see, you aren’t even hard. No need for you to drop your pants, for you see, you could just use your hands.”

The male immediately froze up. “I… uh…”, he stuttered.

“Stars in Heaven, I can’t… I just can’t…”, one of the others said, then took a few steps back behind a tree and then apparently threw up. For some odd reason, the situation seemed more traumatizing to them than to the female, but the creature did not understand why.

“Enough!”, it suddenly heard the voice of the older female, who appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

She went over to the other female. “I told you you were not supposed to speak. But alas, this isn’t what we seek.”

Then she turned to the males. “You three are now to quit, for it seems that you’re not fit. I still had hopes when you assailed, but it seems the Council’s plans have failed.”

The first male removed himself from the female on the ground and helped her up. The older female handed her new clothes and she quickly got dressed again.

“Yeah, this was doomed from the start”, the male said. “You can’t just ask something like this from anyone and think that he could just go through with it. Seriously, we should have known. This was ill-advised from the beginning if you ask me. I’m not sure what the Council is thinking, but if the rumors are true, this wouldn’t have prepared her anyway. You’ll have to find another way to train your recruits to withstand sexual advances.”

“You're almost better off asking those freaks from the south”, the second one said. “Then again even if you could go and ask them, I’m not sure they even know what rape is. Do they even have dicks at all? These bastards would probably just kill her and be done with it.”


The creature involuntarily chuckled. Not without orders from the Master.

“I… good Stars…”, the zebra who had thrown up stuttered after returning to the group.

“What is it?”, the first one asked.

“For a moment, I… I actually… I mean, I...”

The first one raised an eyebrow. “You actually felt arousal from this”, he observed, slightly shocked.

“I mean, I knew she was consenting”, the other one defended himself. “Otherwise, probably not. But even then I couldn’t… I couldn’t… have gone through with it. I mean you saw...”

Hearing his confession, the older female looked at him for a few moments, then went over to him, placed her hand under his chin and forced him to look into her eyes, staring into his for a good few seconds.

“I see no evil in your eyes, and my rhyming does not give you sighs”, she eventually rhymed, removing her hand.

The male looked relieved. He shook his head. “No, it does not, priestess.”

“It seems that you could be of use”, the female said. “Whether you will serve, you have to choose.”

“This entire exercise was about finding out if there were males among us who would be able to go through with it”, the first one observed. “It was never about actually training her at this point. It was about finding out if there are males among us who could even be used to put members of the Order through this kind of training in the first place.”

The elderly priestess did not respond to that accusation, instead continuing to look into the eyes of the other male, waiting for his response.

“I, uh… what… what would be demanded of me? I mean except from… you know…”

“I do not want to make a fuss, but as long as we need you, you’ll live with us.”

The zebra’s eyes widened. “At the monastery?”, he asked. The priestess nodded.

“Well, this is an interesting turn”, the first male said. “I guess you don’t need us others here any more, but I kind of want to see how he decides.”

“You may be on your way, but for now you are allowed to stay”, the priestess said.

“Well, I…”, the zebra who was chosen stuttered.

“I know you are afraid, but if you can do this, you will be highly paid”, the priestess said.

“Money for… doing this. Well, I’d be serving the Council… alright, I will work for you. Or at least try to see if I can. You will have to find more males than just me though. Oh and… can I return to the village first to fetch some of my things?”

“We do not wish to make a fuss, just give us a list and leave it to us”, the priestess responded.

“Alright”, the zebra said. “So I’ll come with you immediately, then.” He turned to the others. “Could you inform the rest of the village that I’m spending some time at the monastery?”

The priestess nodded. “Do as he seeks, but of the details, do not speak.”

The first zebra male nodded. “Of course not. We will take our leave now.” He and the other one then left, while the third one stayed with the females, who then left with him in the opposite direction.

The creature decided to follow them to this monastery. Maybe there it would be able to gather more information about this king in the north.





After a bit of traveling, Deepest Desire and her little family arrived at the cave where she was hiding her changeling hive. They entered the cave, and immediately noticed a change of temperature. It was warm and humid. Even though this autumn was an unusually warm one, it had started growing colder outside, and the inside of this cave was more cozy than even the castle. A weird smell hung in the air, but it was not strong enough to be unpleasant.

They ventured downwards. Changeling slime covered the walls, and they encountered the first hibernating changelings, sleeping tightly in cocoon-like beds formed from slime.

“This is amazing”, Snowflake observed. “So this is what a changeling hive looks from the inside.”

“I hope you won’t ever see a different one”, Deepest Desire said. “Every changeling queen has her own style of setting up these things, but I prefer for my changelings to sleep comfortably. It takes up more space than having them hang from the ceiling, but still.”

“Mistress… are these your…”, Ivana began, not finishing her question.

“My children”, Deepest Desire said.

“Your slaves”, Shadow Amethyst added.

Deepest Desire shrugged. “They’re loyal to me. There are changeling drones operating without queens, but it puts them at a serious disadvantage, and they are psychologically inclined to stick with their queen. Might even be biological, who knows.”

“They’re like us”, Ivana reflected.

“They really aren’t”, Deepest Desire corrected her. “Though I understand why you would think that.”

“Can you wake them up?”, Ivana asked. “I would love to get to know them.”

“Not without my horn”, Deepest Desire said. “Right now I wouldn’t wake them up anyway, because even a cow like you can’t provide enough food for an entire hive.”

Ivana had to think for a moment. “Ah! They’re feeding on love, right? Like you, Mistress?”

Deepest Desire nodded. “Yes. Which reminds me…”

Ivana came a step closer. “I’m ready for you, Mistress”, she said, smiling at her and looking up to her with her wide cow eyes.

Deepest Desire came a step closer, gently put her hand on Ivana’s cheek and moved her face close to hers - once again draining a bit of her love for her Mistress. The cow sighed as a familiar coldness began to grow in her heart.

After a few moments, Deepest Desire smiled. “That’s a good cow. Time for your reward”, she said, then pushed her lips onto those of her cow and pulled her into a deep kiss that lasted for a good while.

“So, what’s the plan?”, Shadow Amethyst asked.

“Well, we’ll make this our… base of operations”, Deepest Desire answered. “We will stay out of sight of the castle until my horn is regrown. Then, I’ll change back to a unicorn form with a broken horn, and we will rejoin the community at the castle. During the months we spend here, I also want to venture deeper into the Everfree Forest now and then. There are a few things about this forest that strike me as weird, and I want to see if I can find out more. I also found… an odd remark in one of the books in the library that I want to look into. Pages were torn out of that book, and apparently deliberately…”

“Oh? What was it?”, Snowflake asked, her curiosity piqued.

“The book mentioned a race of cervids that allegedly lived in these forests centuries ago”, Deepest Desire responded. “We know they’re not here anymore, but I want to see if I can find traces of them.”

“Cervids?”, Snowflake asked. “As in…”

“Deer”, Deepest Desire responded. “But anyway… I understand if you don’t want to sleep down here, which is why I brought tents. Or you could also build something more permanent. We will be down here for months after all.”

“I’m fine sleeping down here”, Snowflake said.

“Oh?”, the changeling asked. “It was my impression that most ponies are disgusted by the slime, and the smell.”

“I’ve lived in a mare dump in Canterlot for months after the invasion”, Snowflake responded. “Believe me, I’ve seen far worse. This isn’t so bad. You’re right, you put some effort into making this comfortable...”

“For changelings”, Deepest Desire interrupted.

“Are you trying to talk me out of this?”, Snowflake said in an annoyed voice. “Because it isn’t going to work. My decision stands. I will stay here with you.”

“Alright. What about you two?”

“I want to stay at my Mistress’s side”, Ivana immediately said, smiling at her. “...if Mistress allows it”, she added shyly.

“Mistress allows it”, Deepest Desire responded in a kind voice. “And you, Shadow?”

“I will go wherever you tell me to, Mistress”, Shadow Amethyst said.

“It’s your choice”, Deepest Desire responded.

“I will go wherever you tell me to”, Shadow Amethyst repeated in a more defiant voice. “Mistress”, she added.

“Alright, then you will stay, too”, Deepest Desire decided. “Can’t have you camp alone in the wilds.”

“As you wish, Mistress”, Shadow Amethyst said.

With things decided, they prepared to set up their camp for a long stay.
> Chapter 11: The Lever
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Star Charmer left the halls and moved towards the direction of the mares’ quarters, Bruna close behind.

“Star Charmer… may I ask you a question?”, Bruna asked.

Star Charmer stopped. “Yes, Bruna?”

“Master Ari told me that I am to spend time with you today while I’m around the mares’ quarters…”, Bruna began.

Star Charmer nodded. “That’s correct. I’m supposed to give you a better understanding of how we mares live our daily lives, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.” She smiled at her.

“You were around Master Ari fairly often during the last days, after asking me about him”, Bruna observed. “Are you Master Ari’s…?” she began, stopping herself mid-sentence.

Star Charmer continued to smile. “Well, we… have a contract.”

“I’ve heard of that”, Bruna said. “I don’t quite understand it though.”

“Well, how do I explain that…”, Star Charmer began. “It’s something we came up with to make sure that limits are respected in sexual relationships between us mares and the males of your people.”

“Mh, limits, I… I think I… I think I understand.” Bruna giggled a little, and Star Charmer was not entirely sure if she actually did understand.

“So Master Eadgil is… your Master too, now?”, the cow continued to inquire.

“Phew, that is… a difficult question”, Star Charmer responded. “Not in the sense you probably think of. He doesn’t own me.”

Bruna smiled at her. “Well, he doesn’t own me either. We cows are com…munal property now. I think that’s the right word.” She giggled. “It means they all own us together. Kind of how it was in my family in the old world. I stick to my brother and Master Ari though.”

“Well, we mares are not communal property either. We… belong to ourselves. I made a contract because I willingly chose to start a relationship with Ari with him as the dominant part. I could get out at any time.”

“Willingly chose…”, Bruna repeated thoughtfully. “I also sometimes choose small things. But… not large things like who my Master is going to be.”

Star Charmer scratched her head. “Didn’t you decide to approach Ari on your own accord? That’s what he told me. Isn’t that also… making a choice?”

Bruna giggled. “I guess so. Master Ari is sweet, and something… pulled me towards him from the moment I saw him. Something inside me. And then Master Baldr told me he was considering making him a member of the family, during our very first meeting! That was a sign for me that my brother approved of me being closer to Master Ari. I… wouldn’t have done it otherwise. I know not all stags are nice, and some only seem nice. My family kept to themselves for a reason.”

“I see”, Star Charmer said. “So you made a decision, but your brother had to approve of it first? Is that it?”

Bruna nodded. “I... guess so. But it… as I see it, it wasn’t that big of a choice. Once Master Ari was part of the family, he was my Master just as much as Master Baldr was… and then I simply learned which Master would gain most from my services.” She paused for a second. “I know my brother loves me, but... he needs something else than me”, she then added.

“Oh please”, Star Charmer said. “Now you’re being dishonest. That wasn’t just a small everyday choice for Ari’s and Baldr’s sake. Not even a minute ago you told me you felt this force inside of you pulling you towards Ari. Not to mention the other stags here are your Masters as well, and you don’t stick to them in the same way, do you?”

Bruna giggled. “I… guess not. Hm, maybe… I… I think I’m not comfortable with...  making choices all on my own.”

“So you’re not comfortable with your choice to stick to Master Ari?”, Star Charmer inquired, smiling a little.

“I didn’t say that”, Bruna responded immediately in a slightly defensive voice. “It’s not so much what I chose that makes me uncomfortable. I don’t even mind making little choices here and there if I need to. It’s the thought of… having to choose everything on my own. I think I’m bolder than other cows, but it’s still frightening me.” She paused for a second. “I watched you mares. You make choices every day, little ones, big ones, making plans for your entire life, with no one telling you what to do. Just like the Masters. I see that you can do that, but… it makes me uncomfortable. The idea of having to do that too, I mean.”

Star Charmer thought for a second. “I guess… of all mares here in the castle, I probably understand you the best. I get the appeal of simply letting go of having to choose and just do what you’re told. But don’t you think that making choices can be rewarding?”

Bruna giggled. “Choosing to spend time with Master Eadgil was rewarding.”

“See?”, Star Charmer joined the giggling. “I told you it can be rewarding. Maybe you’ll make another choice today, hm? Just to try it out.”

Bruna looked at her for a moment, then came a step closer. “Hm… what do you mean?”, she asked, smiling at her flirtatiously.

Star Charmer smiled back. “Are you hitting on me?”, she asked.

Bruna giggled. “M… maybe.” She blushed and looked away. “I mean… you are one of Master Ari’s females now. I know it’s different from… the usual, but in a way, I think it does mean that you’re part of the family now.” Once again, she let out a shy giggle. “So I thought maybe we should… get to know each other… the way cows usually get to know one another.” Once again, she let out a small giggle. “Maybe then I’ll understand you better.”

“Well, why not?”, Star Charmer answered, coming a step closer. “I’m open to it, and you are cute. And let’s face it, with both of us being with… Master Ari, this was probably just a matter of time.”

“Open to…”, Bruna thought for a moment. “Ah. Many mares don’t like sex with other females, right? But you do?”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yes.”

Bruna giggled. “And some mares only like other females, but not males. I think that’s the most difficult concept for me to grasp. But you do like males as well, right?”

Once again, Star Charmer nodded. “Of course. Why else would I make a contract with Ari?”

“Oh yeah”, Bruna giggled. “You chose that.”

They stood close to each other for a moment, not sure what to do.

Bruna eventually spoke again, more shyly now. “I… was wondering. You mares are so much like Masters… I was wondering if we… I mean if we could do this, if you could… I mean, it’s not like I’ve never been assertive towards other cows, but not in the same way a Master is… and... I was wondering how far... how far a mare could…”

“You want me to dominate you”, Star Charmer interrupted her stuttering.

Bruna responded with a shy nod.

“Well, you might not have picked the best mare”, Star Charmer responded. “I prefer to submit. Not because I’m a mare, but because that’s all I wanted so far. I never thought of… trying out the other side.”

She placed her hand on the back of Bruna’s head, her own face close to the cow’s, and looked into her eyes while moving her own body close to Bruna’s.

“I think I could try though. I… guess I’m already getting in the spirit.”

Bruna giggled. “You wish for me to call you Mistress?”

Star Charmer removed her hand, took a step back and began to giggle uncontrollably as well. “I… I’m sorry, Bruna. Hearing it just sounds so weird. Utterly wrong, but not in a bad way. More like in a hilariously comical way. Like… I don’t know… a pink elephant hanging from a tree made of cheese. Completely out of place in a surreal way.”

“So you don’t want me to call you that… Mistress?”, Bruna smirked teasingly.

“Don’t make me… punish you!”, Star Charmer giggled, trying and utterly failing to make it sound serious.

“Why not, Mistress?”, Bruna continued to tease.

Star Charmer finally got her giggling under control. “I… I’m sorry. I guess if I want to try this out, this is part of it. If I already fail at hearing the word Mistress, then how am I supposed to try the entire rest?”

“I don’t know”, Bruna responded.

“That was a rhetorical question”, Star Charmer said, still slightly giggling.

Bruna looked at her with wide eyes. “A reh... what?”

“It means I wasn’t asking it in order to get an answer”, Star Charmer explained. “I was asking it… more to myself than to you.”

“Ah”, Bruna said. “Those kinds of questions. Masters often ask those…”

“Well, alright then”, Star Charmer said. “I guess you can call me Mistress.” She almost had to giggle again upon saying it. “I’ll try to control myself.”

“I’d prefer if you tried to control me, Mistress”, Bruna said.

That made Star Charmer giggle again. “Stop it, please!”

She gasped for air, but eventually got herself under control again. “Alright. No more silly jokes, alright?”

Bruna nodded, and then Star Charmer grabbed her by the wrist. “Alright then, let’s move to my quarters”, the mare commanded.

“Yes, Mistress”, Bruna giggled as Star Charmer began to drag her along.





They arrived at Star Charmer’s room, and the mare opened the door, stepping in. Bruna followed her and found a room not too different from Eadgil’s - with a cupboard, a desk, and a comfortable bed.

Star Charmer turned around and took a step towards Bruna, standing close to her again.

“I noticed you’re still wearing the dress we made for you”, she said, letting her hand run along Bruna’s upper body, over her breasts, and down to her ass, where it came to rest. “You wear it all the time now, even around the stags? Did Ari tell you to do that?”

“I… not…”, Bruna stuttered. She breathed in, calming herself. “One day after coming back from the mares, I had forgotten to take them off. Master Ari told me he thinks I look nice in them, so I kept wearing them during the day. Oddly enough, none of the other stags ever said anything. I only get a few funny glances now and then.” She giggled. “It really confuses the other cows though.”

Star Charmer smiled. “So you keep them on because you think it pleases him?”

Bruna bit her lip and nodded.

Star Charmer pulled her closer until their bodies were touching. “Now that’s a good cow, always trying to please her Master.” She giggled a little. “Let’s see if you’re just as eager to please a Mistress.”

It still felt odd to the mare. The idea of being called Mistress, let alone calling herself that. More and more, she began to like the cow though. Bruna was a bit air-headed, just like most cows from what she had seen, but she was cute and witty, and despite everything still bolder than most cows. Star Charmer’s amusement was replaced with a wish to try to give the cow what she wanted. The sudden realization that this was a submissive wish par excellence almost made her giggle again. It made her wonder if subs could switch to being dominant more easily than the other way around - simply by being around another sub that they liked enough to want to see him or her pleased. Or maybe it was just her.

She placed her other hand on the back of Bruna’s head and looked into her eyes for a moment. Then, she pushed her lips onto Bruna’s.

Bruna immediately opened her muzzle to make way for Star Charmer’s tongue. The mare used the opportunity and started to explore Bruna’s muzzle, while the cow moaned into her kiss, passively letting it happen, taking in the sensation.

While Star Charmer continued to kiss the cow, her hands began to undress her. Once Bruna stood before her naked, she broke the kiss.

“Well, don’t you look nice?”, she smiled. “Now come here and undress your Mistress.”

Bruna nodded shyly, then slowly approached and began to fumble with Star Charmer’s equally revealing, but slightly more complicated outfit. She had some trouble getting it off, causing some giggling from the mare, but eventually, she managed.

Once Star Charmer was nude, she once again put her hand to the back of Bruna’s head, and gently guided her to her knees. “Are you ready to serve your new Mistress, Bruna?”

The cow gave her a soft nod.

Star Charmer smiled. “Well, then get to your knees, cow”, she commanded softly.

Bruna sank to her knees, her legs spread, her hands resting on her thighs, and her back stretched out - giving the mare a good look of her body - her own gaze turned to the floor in front of her. “Does… Mistress like what she sees?”, she asked softly.

Star Charmer smiled and nodded.”Quite”, she answered.

Then she went over to her cupboard, opened it, and pulled something out - revealing a pink leash and an expensive-looking red riding crop. “I knew I still had these somewhere”, she said. “My former owner left them to me when we moved here. I thought I might have need for them again soon…” She giggled. “Though not exactly in this way. Are you okay with a little cropping?”

“I’m… a little afraid of pain”, Bruna responded. “Master Ari and I have only tried out spanking so far, but… I did like that, and I wanted to offer him to go a bit further. I guess… maybe it will help if I tried it out with you.” She nodded, giggling a little. “Yes, I’m okay with it. Just… be gentle with me, Mistress.” She bit her lip a little.

Star Charmer nodded. “Yeah, I don’t have experience with… doing it to others, but I know the difference between harsher croppings and less harsh ones.” She gave the cow a reassuring smile. “I’ll be gentle. Promise!”

She went over to Bruna, swaying her hips a little. It surprised her how taking the dominant role suddenly also filled her with a feeling of confidence. Attaching the leash to the cow’s collar, she gave it a little pull. “Come”, she commanded.

Bruna went to all fours and followed her new Mistress, who was heading for a comfy chair in her room, taking place in it - her legs spread wide, exposing her marehood to the cow.

She gave the leash a little pull, and Bruna crawled towards her, placing herself between the mare’s legs, her face right in front of her cunt.

Still holding the leash in her left hand, Star Charmer placed two fingers of the same hand on her lower lips. “What are you waiting for, little cow? I want your tongue down there now.”

Bruna giggled softly, then let her tongue run along the outside of her new Mistress cunt, right between the mare’s fingers.

“Mmmmh”, Star Charmer smirked, then used her free hand to bring the crop down on the cow’s right flank. Bruna yelped a little, briefly removing her tongue.

Star Charmer removed her left hand from her marehood, instead giving the leash a good yank. “Did I give you permission to stop?”, she asked.

“N… no, Mistress”, Bruna responded. “This cow apologizes.”

“Stop talking and get back to work”, Star Charmer almost interrupted her, giving the leash another yank.

Bruna immediately continued to lick her Mistress, going a bit deeper with her tongue this time.

“Mh, oh yes”, Star Charmer moaned softly, then placing her left hand with the leash on the back of Bruna’s head, pushing the cow towards her. Bruna continued to lick, now slightly struggling for air.

Star Charmer brought the riding crop down on Bruna’s flank, this time a bit harsher. “I think I’m getting the gist of it”, she said, giggling a little. “I also think I’m beginning to understand the appeal.”

Bruna went deeper, and waves of feelings rushed through her. The mare felt different to her tongue than other cows, but the feelings also differed from what she knew from Masters. Star Charmer felt a bit like both… a bit like a slave, and a bit like a Master. But there was more. Like a vast space of unknown other things… other possibilities beside Master and slave, possibilities that Bruna had no words for. She let herself fall into the vastness of these new feelings and possibilities, her tongue now deep inside her new Mistress.

“Mph… Mift…”, she mumbled.

Star Charmer brought down the crop on her ass again. “Did I give you permission to mutter while you work, cow?”, she asked.

Bruna yelped a little, then continued to lick the mare, who slowly felt her orgasm approaching.

“Oh yes… that’s a good cow, mmmh”, Star Charmer moaned.

Eventually, the mare came, and Bruna eagerly drank her mare fluids.

A few moments later, Star Charmer put her hand on Bruna’s head and pushed it back a little, looking into the cow’s eyes. Bruna smiled at her.

“You did well, cow”, Star Charmer said. “Time for your reward.”

The mare stood up, placed the riding crop on a little table, and yanked Bruna’s leash again, pulling her over to the bed.

“Climb onto it and lie on your back”, the mare commanded.

Bruna obeyed, climbing onto the bed, lying on her back, her legs spread, waiting for the touch of her Mistress.

Only seconds later, Star Charmer was lying on top of her, and Bruna felt the fingers of her new Mistress running along her own folds. “Mmmh… Mistress”, the cow mooed.

“Just… let go”, Star Charmer said, smiling down at her.

Immediately afterwards, Bruna felt the mare’s lips on her own, and her tongue seeking its way into her muzzle. Opening it, Bruna made way for Star Charmer’s tongue, and lost herself to the feelings.

In the following hours, Bruna learned more about mares than in the weeks she had spent observing them - or so she thought. She would have a lot to tell to Master Ari this evening.





Careful not to be seen, the creature followed the three zebra as they made their way to an unknown location. It tried to listen closely in order to see if it could gather further information from their conversation, but unfortunately, they remained silent.

Eventually, the three arrived at a large stone structure at the foot of a mountain range. It was a castle or fortress comprised of an outer wall and several structures inside, and an impressive structure, possibly large enough to house maybe hundreds of zebras. The three of them stopped in front of a large, wooden gate, and the older female pulled a chain next to it, ringing a loud bell.

“So, here we are, huh”, the male said. The two females didn’t respond.

“I… still don’t quite understand what you have in mind with me”, the male admitted. “As I see it, nothing I could possibly do could prepare your priestesses for what they will have to expect where they’re going. I also don’t think I should even try.”

The two females still didn’t respond as the large gate opened.

“You do not need to make a fuss”, the younger mare said. “You can still leave, or come with us.”

“Yeah, this isn’t going to work”, the male said. “You probably want to brief me when we’re inside, but this entire situation makes me highly uncomfortable. Either you tell me right here what’s really going on, or I’ll pack my stuff and head back to my village.”

The younger mare smiled at him and waved at him with her fingers, as if she was wishing him goodbye.

“Alright”, the male said. “I’m out. Seems like you just got the wrong zebra. I wish you well for your search and hope that you find what you seek.” He then turned around and headed back the same way he had come.

The elderly zebra priestess sighed. “That experiment was rather short, and now I have to write my report.”

“I would not have guessed nor believed”, the younger mare said. “But the Council’s orders were rather ill-conceived.”

The elder mare nodded, and they stepped through the gate into the building.

The creature quickly assessed the situation to see if it would be possible to sneak in through the gate without being noticed. But the gate quickly closed behind the two zebras. For a moment, the creature considered following the male instead, but it was clear that that one knew nothing. If the creature wanted to find answers, it would have to be in there. It had to find another way in.

Careful to remain hidden, ducking behind rocks and trees for cover, the creature began to search the outer walls for other entries. After hours of searching, it finally found what it was looking for. An entry in the form of a hidden gap in the wall, just large enough for a creature of its size to fit through. This was a very old structure, and apparently not all of its weaknesses were known to its inhabitants, which the creature found surprising.

It snuck through, and after minutes of crawling in the darkness, it reached the other side. Several tall stone buildings were arranged around a central inner courtyard. The creature immediately looked for a hideout, finding a place that it thought wouldn’t draw views.

In the middle of the place, female zebras were engaged in some kind of combat training that impressed the creature. As a servant of the Monolith, it had gone through one of the hardest combat trainings known in the world, and these zebras, while maybe not on par with its own abilities, did come eerily close. The creature decided it would be best to avoid engaging any of them directly, particularly if they were in a group. For now, it remained hidden, using various covers and beginning to explore this new place. Eventually, it would have to find a way to get to the information it was looking for, but for now, it wanted to learn as much about this place as possible, maybe even finding additional escapes in case it needed to get out.





Sitting at his desk, his face buried deeply in a book on pony philosophy, Eadgil heard a faint knock on his door.

“Bruna, is that you?”, he asked. “Please, come in.”

The door opened, and Bruna slowly entered the room, a smile on her face.

“Hello, Bruna”, Eadgil smiled at her. “You just returned from the mares’ quarters, I assume? Did you and Star Charmer have a good time?”

“Yes, Master”, the cow responded, smiling and nodding softly.

Eadgil smiled back. “I know that expression”, he said. “You two had sex, hadn’t you?”

“Yes, Master”, the cow answered. “I… hope you’re not angry?”

“Not exactly what I had in mind, but no”, he responded. “You seemed to have some fun.”

“I… asked her to dominate me, Master”, she said, her smile widening a little.

“And did she?”, he asked, earning a nod from the cow.

“Well, that is a surprise”, he continued. “Not that you would ask for it, but that she would do it. She seemed to be exclusively inclined towards submission.”

“It was her first time, Master”, Bruna responded. “It was awkward at first, but then…” The cow looked down, blushing. “She did well, Master”, she added, giggling.

Eadgil smirked. “So she learned something new about herself today, hm?”

“I also learned something new about her”, Bruna said.

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “And what is that?”

“Well…”, she said. “It's like there are... several different parts of her. If that makes sense.”

The stag raised an eyebrow. “Could you explain that a little bit more?”

“Well, a cow always feels like a cow - like a slave. And a stag always feels like a stag – like a Master. One feeling. But with her, it was different. I felt... several different things at the same time.”

Eadgil slowly began to understand what she was talking about - but he let her continue.

“There is one part of her that… wants to submit”, Bruna continued. “But when I asked her to dominate me… well, it was like she pulled a lever, and then she felt like a Master. She knew what I wanted, so she took control.” The cow giggled. “I mean, I have been assertive as well… towards other cows. But not like this.” She blushed a little. “At least I don’t think I felt like this. Although I… didn’t ask.”

That last remark confused Eadgil. Why would she have to ask someone else how she felt? Was this another example of the cows’ usual emotional co-dependence? Eadgil had been under the impression that the specific way Bruna had been raised hadn’t produced that.

“But…”, Bruna continued. “There was another part of her... I felt it, but I didn't understand it. It was neither slave nor master. But it was... more than both. Bigger. Like a big room of countless… settings. Possi… possibilities. I don’t usually feel that with cows… or Masters.”

Eadgil nodded. “It seems to be a bit more… buried, due to our… way of life.”

“So… you think we have that too, Master?”, Bruna asked.

“Yes”, Eadgil responded. “The existence and functioning of this community is proof of that.” He closed the book on his desk. “What you have found is called freedom. You can think of it as a lever, to switch between slave and master. Actually, it has even more settings. Maybe even countless ones. That's why it felt bigger than slave or master. Because it really is much bigger. In case of us caribou, it's just better hidden, and harder to pull, because of the way we’re brought up. We’re forced from a very young age to put it to one setting and then leave it there. That's why remains there all the time. Some stags at least sometimes pull the lever and switch to a slightly different setting when they’re with other stags.” He thought for a moment. “And your brother seems to have switched his setting… for Spring Breeze.”

Bruna giggled. “Not sure if he pulled the lever. I know he always dreamt of that… kind of thing. There just wasn’t a suitable female around. But…” She giggled again. “If we all have that, do you think I could pull it, too?”

Eadgil smirked. “You want to be a Master, Bruna?”

Bruna blushed heavily. “No, I… um… Master…”, she stuttered, almost begging for help.

“Well, I think everyone should be in control of their own lever”, Eadgil said. “Regardless of male or female. If you want to remain what you are, that’s perfectly fine. You’re wonderful, Bruna.”

Bruna’s blush intensified even more, but she also responded with a shy giggle.

Eadgil beckoned her to come over to him, and she slowly walked over to his desk. He stood up, placed his right hand on the back of her head and his left on her flank, looking into her eyes. “Indeed, absolutely wonderful”, he repeated. Once again, he was met with a giggle.

“I wonder if I should fetch Star Charmer”, Eadgil said. “I’m not sure if she’s tired, but I think it’s high time for the three of us to spend some quality time together.”

Bruna giggled. “I don’t think she’s tired.”

Eadgil smirked, and let go of her, taking a step back. “Alright, I will fetch her. I’ll be back in a few minutes. You stay here and wait.”

Bruna smiled at him. “You want me to get naked and on my knees?”

Eadgil shook his head. “No, just wait for me.” He smiled back. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Bruna nodded, sitting down on the bed, and Eadgil left the room.





Eadgil arrived at Star Charmer’s room, giving the door a knock.

“Who’s there?”, Star Charmer’s voice came from the other side.

“Ari”, Eadgil responded.

“Oh”, Star Charmer said. “I didn’t expect you. Please, come in.”

Eadgil entered and found Star Charmer sitting on her bed, dressed again.

“Hello, sir”, she greeted him, smiling. “What can I do for you.”

Eadgil smiled back. “Bruna just came to me. You two had some fun?”

Star Charmer giggled. “Yup, that was… interesting. I assume she told you what we did?”

“Yup”, Eadgil answered. “I wondered if you wanted to come over and… have some more fun. Bruna and I had a little chat about freedom, and I wanted to try something new.”

“More revelations today, huh?”, Star Charmer asked. “Alright, what do you have in mind?”

Eadgil stepped closer, standing closely in front of her and looking down at her. “I wanted to see if a cow can… switch into Dominant mode as well, like you did.”

“Oh!”, Star Charmer giggled. “You want to see if Bruna can dominate me as well?”

Eadgil nodded.

“Well, I can’t see how that could work”, Star Charmer said. “But I’m all for trying.” She smiled up to him. “Would you please… take a step back… so I can stand up… sir?” She giggled.

Eadgil gave a small chuckle and took a step back as Star Charmer rose from her seat.

“I don’t want to leave Bruna waiting for too long”, Eadgil said.

“Ready to leave, sir”, Star Charmer responded, and they both left the room, walking through the halls towards his room.

As Eadgil reached the door to his room, he waited for Star Charmer. “Please”, he said. “After you.”

“Oh”, Star Charmer said, giggling as she entered the room. She found Bruna sitting on the bed, still dressed. “Hello, Bruna”, she smiled at the cow.

Bruna smiled back. “Hi, Star.”

Eadgil followed closely behind Star Charmer, and as she was standing in the middle of the room, he grabbed her and quickly undressed her. Then he grabbed her by the shoulders, led her over to where Bruna was sitting, and made her kneel before the cow.

“Oh!”, Bruna exclaimed.

Eadgil smiled. “I want to see if we can find your lever”, he told her.

Once again, Bruna blushed heavily. “You want me to… dominate her?”, she asked.

“We’ll see if it works”, Eadgil responded. “If not, we can do something else.” He came over and sat down on the bed besides Bruna.

“This is sooo weird”, Bruna mooed. “What shall I do, Master?” She looked at Eadgil, searching for help.

“What you want, Bruna”, Eadgil looked at her and smiled. “That’s the point.”

“Oh”, Bruna said, giggling. “I will try, Master.” She then shifted her gaze to the mare who was kneeling in front of her. Placing her hand on Star Charmer’s cheek, she gently forced her face upwards, making the mare look into her eyes.

With her hand on the mare’s cheek and looking into her eyes, the cow noticed that the feeling had changed. The lever was still there, but Star Charmer was fully submissive now. Bruna did not feel the large room behind it, but it still had to be there. It was as though Star Charmer was not thinking about it in the slightest right now.

Bruna giggled. “You’re weird”, she said.

Star Charmer’s eyes widened. “Why am I…” She stopped herself, casting down her eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”

Bruna shifted her eyes to Eadgil. “For a moment, she was reaching for her lever”, she informed him. “But…” she giggled. “I think I’ve found mine.”

“Lever, ma’am?”, Star Charmer asked.

“A metaphor we used earlier”, Eadgil responded in Bruna’s stead. “For… you know, switching to a different role at will.”

“Ah”, Star Charmer smiled. “I see, sir. Quite clever.” She giggled a little.

With her hand still on Star Charmer’s cheek, Bruna once again gently forced the mare to look her in the eyes.

“So, you think you can do th…” Star Charmer started.

Before she had finished her sentence, Bruna fiercely pushed her lips against the mare’s, beginning to kiss her. Almost immediately, her tongue tried to find her way into the mare’s muzzle. Star Charmer’s lips parted, making way for it, and Bruna began to explore the mare’s muzzle with her tongue for a while, while Star Charmer remained passive, enjoying the sensation.

Eventually, she broke the kiss.

“This isn’t… too different from… being with another cow”, she remarked.

Eadgil chuckled. “Yeah, from what other cows told me, you can be quite assertive. They seem to think highly of you. As an authority of sorts, but… maybe also as a role model.”

Bruna giggled. “Really, Master?”, she asked. “That’s funny. I have a role model, too.”

“Really?”, Eadgil asked. “Who is it? Your brother?”

Bruna giggled again. “No, Star Charmer.”

The mare’s eyes widened. “Me? Really?”

“Yeah, I want to be able to do that”, Bruna said. “Being able to pull my lever at will.”

“Oh, I see”, Star Charmer smiled. “How wonderful. I’ll help you find it.”

“I’ve found it, little mare”, Bruna said, looking into the mare’s eyes, giggling over her own silliness. “I just have to get used to it.”

“Oh”, Star Charmer blushed. “Then I’ll help you with that… ma’am.”

“And so will I”, Eadgil added.

“Well then”, Bruna said. “Undress me, mare.”

Star Charmer giggled and began to fumble with Bruna’s skirt, while Bruna herself got rid of her top, revealing her sweet cow breasts.

Eventually, Star Charmer pulled the cow’s skirt off her legs.

Giggling, Bruna pointed to her left nipple. “Suck me there, mare!”, she commanded.

Star Charmer giggled, then moved up between the cow’s legs, until her muzzle was right in front of Bruna’s tit, and she began to lick around the cow’s nipple, then eventually started to suck on it.

“Mmmh, this is nice”, Bruna giggled, petting the mare’s mane. “You’re a good mare, Star.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Now come up here and kiss me”, Bruna ordered.

Star Charmer moved upwards, and their lips met. She had miscalculated the weight though, so while starting to kiss, both fell backwards and onto the bed.

Bruna broke the kiss. “Uh… shouldn’t I be on top?”, she asked, turning her head to Eadgil.

“You can be wherever you want”, Eadgil chuckled. “That’s the point. If you want to be on top, just turn her around. I’m sure Star won’t make it difficult for you.”

Bruna immediately tried, but due to her lacking physical strength, she found it a bit difficult. Fortunately, Star Charmer cooperated, and she found herself on top of the mare now.

Her hands found their way to Star Charmer’s outer folds, beginning to roughly tease them, giving the mare the same treatment she had given Bruna earlier.

“Mmmh”, Star Charmer moaned, and then immediately felt Bruna’s lips making contact with her muzzle again. She leaned in, passively enjoying the feeling of the cow’s lips on hers and her tongue in her muzzle.

Eadgil watched them for a while, quite pleased with how this was turning out.

Eventually, he stood up. “Mind if I join in, ladies?”, he chuckled.

Bruna broke the kiss. “Not on my part, Master”, she giggled.

“I’m fine with it as well, sir”, Star Charmer added, moaning a little from Bruna’s continuing touch.

“You want to… take over as the dominant part, Master?”, Bruna asked.

Eadgil chuckled as he placed himself behind them, unzipping his pants. “Nah, you can continue dominating her if you want.”

Bruna giggled. “Thank you, Master”, she said, then focusing on Star Charmer again.

Eadgil revealed his cock and placed the tip near Bruna’s cunt, then grabbing her sweet, plushy butt. “I’m coming in now, Bruna”, he said gently.

“Ready, Master”, Bruna said, and Eadgil pushed himself toward her, entering her and starting to fuck her gently as she continued to finger the mare below her. She pushed her lips on Star Charmer’s again, and pulled her into a deep kiss once more, roughly fingering her with her right hand while feeling up her left tit with the other. They both moaned into each other’s kiss.

Eadgil started to gently fuck Bruna from behind, doing so for a while. Eventually though, he pulled out and instead pushed into Star Charmer, who immediately let out a moan of pleasure into Bruna’s muzzle.

For the next minutes, the stag continued to alter between fucking the cow and the mare, while Bruna continued to kiss Star Charmer, giving the mare’s body a rough treatment with her hands, working on the mare’s cunt whenever Eadgil’s cock was inside her, and moving her hands to the breasts or ass whenever Eadgil was fucking Star Charmer.

Eventually, Star Charmer felt her first orgasm approaching. “Oooh… may I come, sir?”, she asked Eadgil.

Eadgil smirked. “Ask her”, he commanded.

“Yes sir”, Star Charmer answered. “May I come… ma’am.”

Bruna nodded. “You may, mare.” Then she pushed her lips onto Star’s once more, and the mare welled up in orgasm.

Eadgil now focused on fucking Bruna, and they both felt their own orgasms approaching.

“Master… may I come as well?” Bruna giggled.

“Come with me”, Eadgil commanded. “You’ve taken your herbs?”, he asked.

“Of course, Master”, Bruna responded.

Eadgil came, and released his seed into the cow, who took it as a sign to come herself.

They both moaned heavily, and Eadgil collapsed on top of her.

Only seconds later, the three rolled off of each other, lying besides each other on the bed - all three of them panting heavily.

“Well, that was… interesting”, Star Charmer said, panting heavily.

“A threesome is always difficult to… organize”, Eadgil said. “But I think it was fun.”

“I found my lever!”, Bruna announced proudly. “I found my lever!”

“Did you like it?”, Eadgil asked, taking a paper towel and beginning to wipe the cum off his cock, then handing it to Bruna.

Bruna giggled. “It was interesting, but I think…” She let out another small giggle. “I prefer being handled.”

“I see”, Eadgil said. “Switching things around can be fun sometimes, but you should do what makes you feel comfortable.”

Bruna nodded. “Yes, Master.”

“And you, Star?”, Eadgil asked. “How did you like it?”

“It was nice”, Star Charmer smiled. “Glad I could help Bruna find something new about herself.”

“Good to hear”, Eadgil said.

“Master… may I ask a question?”, Bruna asked.

“Always, Bruna”, Eadgil responded.

“Why does Star Charmer use sir and ma’am, not Master and… uh… Mistress, I think?”

Eadgil chuckled. “Why don’t you ask her?”

“Oh”, Bruna said. “Right. Star, why do you call Ari sir?”

Star Charmer let out a small chuckle herself. “The title of Master is something special… at least for me. The person whom I’ll call Master has to earn it first.”

“Oh”, Bruna responded. “Does that have something to do with the lever?”

“In a way… I guess”, Star Charmer answered.

Bruna giggled. “And Master Ari hasn’t earned it yet?”

Star Charmer smiled. “Not… quite. But he also currently doesn’t want me to call him that.”

“By now, I wouldn’t really mind any more”, Eadgil said.

“Good to know”, Star Charmer said. “Maybe soon. But not quite yet.” She gave him a mysterious smile.

Eadgil shrugged. “Fair enough.”

“I think I will return to my quarters now”, Star Charmer said as she was finished cleaning herself up, standing up from the bed, picking up her clothes and getting dressed. She smiled at the two. “This was an eventful day, and I’m tired. I will see you tomorrow. Both of you.”

Once she was dressed, she gave the two a nod.

“See you tomorrow, Star Charmer”, Eadgil said.

“Bye Star”, Bruna waved at her, giggling a little.

“See you tomorrow”, Star Charmer repeated, giving them another smile and then leaving the room.

“You want me to leave, too?”, Bruna asked once Star Charmer was gone. “...Master.”, she added.

Eadgil wrapped his arm around the cow, pulling her close. “Stay”, he commanded.

Bruna mooed gently. “Yes, Master”, she whispered.





The creature spent several days hiding in the monastery, carefully avoiding the gazes of the priestesses while finding out as much as it could about the structure itself, its inhabitants, and also about the lands in the north that it was supposed to travel to. Regarding the latter, it found out very little. Most of the talk about what was going on was clearly rumor and hearsay, and the only one who seemed to know anything was the elderly priestess - and if she talked about it at all, it was behind closed doors, where the creature could not follow her. It did follow her as much as it could though, trying to get a picture of her daily schedule.

It did learn a lot about the structure and its inhabitants though. Aside from finding a few more spots that could be used as emergency exits, it also learned that the image of a spiritual organization was merely a facade. These so-called “priestesses” spent more time with things like combat or stealth exercises or studies in fields like chemistry or anatomy than with meditation or prayer, although they did also train to keep their minds and senses sharp and focused. Their training almost reminded the creature of the training the servants of the Monolith went through - the one it had gone through itself.

It also noticed that some of their exercises were already preparing them for what it now assumed was going on in the north. Dancing and seduction techniques were part of their training, as were exercises in withstanding pain or humiliation. The creature was wondering why they had even tried to recruit the male. It seemed to the creature that he would have been unnecessary and redundant at best, a burden at worst.

The creature would have to find a solution to this mystery later - but then again, it was probably not of greater relevance to its mission, and other questions of greater importance also demanded answers, so it would focus on those.

After days of hiding, it dawned on the creature that it would have to find a way to confront the head priestess and interrogate her for information. Revealing itself to her was risky, and risking to be seen or even caught by others even more so, and the servants of the Monolith did not usually proceed that way, but it seemed to be the only way to acquire the necessary information.

It had found out that the old priestess spent some time alone in her room every evening after dinner, with the window open. The walls of the building were not easy to climb, but the creature was a good climber and had received extensive training, so it supposed it would not be too difficult a task. The difficulty lied in remaining hidden. It had to make sure that none of the others were training in the courtyard when it would make its attempt. Of course, it had also thought of a few ways to exit the castle if things went wrong.

One evening, the creature found the courtyard abandoned, and decided to make its move. It swiftly climbed the wall to the priestess’ room and entered through the window.

As it entered, it found the priestess sitting in a comfy chair. “Oh”, she said as the creature set its feet softly on the floor of the room.

The creature exhaled and lifted the hood of its robe, revealing a white-coated face with a small, canine snout and two long ears hanging down at the sides. Its forehead bore the mark of the servants of the Monolith: a blue tattoo of a symbolic representation of its own head, with a single black eye inside, and surrounded by pair of blue, tilted halos.

“You are a servant of the Monolith”, the priestess remarked, calmly, but with a hint of surprise.

“Yes”, the creature responded.

“Alright”, the priestess smiled gently. “For courtesy’s sake, I will refrain from rhyming for now.” She paused for a second. “But you better explain yourself”, she then continued in a sterner voice. “What are you doing here? Does the Monolith wish my death?” She rose from her seat. “If so, you should know that I will not go down easily.”

The creature nodded. “Indeed. Judging from what this one has seen so far, the Monolith would have sent more than just this one if that was its goal. But that one can calm down. This one is not here to end that one’s life, nor that of any other zebra one.”

“Then what is it you want?”, the female asked, sinking back into her chair.

“Information”, the creature respondet.

“Information… that you think I can provide”, the female said. “What could that possibly be?”

“This one was sent by the Monolith to the lands north of here… to the realm of a mad king. It has followed that one ever since that one met with the three male ones. From what that one said to these ones, this one deduced that that one might know more about these things.”

“Maybe”, the priestess said. “The current king of Equestria - which borders on our lands to the north - is indeed mad.” She paused for a second. “At least from our perspective. I guess the Monolith sees it the same way - but then again, from our perspective, you are mad, too.”

The creature nodded, not paying attention to the zebra’s disrespectful, but ultimately irrelevant remark. “This one had assumed that these lands those ones call Equestria were ruled by a long-lived and powerful female one. That was the information the servants of the Monolith had about these lands until recently - and the Monolith gives Its servants only what these ones need to know. Did the rulership change?”

“Yes”, the priestess responded. “From our information, the change is the result of a foreign invasion that coincided with a swift coup d’état - and also with strange, possibly magically induced large-scale shifts in the behavior of its male population. As a result, the current king is one of the invaders now, but with some of the internal conspirators still in high positions within the Equestrian government. We still aren’t exactly sure how this was even possible. Equestria’s government has been stable for centuries at least, with its former rulers being long-lived beings of high magical powers. They seem to be overthrown now, and we don’t currently have much information about their whereabouts or their fate.”

“This one has no concern for the previous rulers”, the creature said. “Its orders do not mention them. Only a mad king.”

“I see”, the priestess said, rubbing her chin.

“This one is still thankful for the information”, the creature added.

The zebra nodded. “It seems to me our interests line up with yours this time.”

“That is… possible”, the creature remarked. “This one was under the impression that these ones are also preparing for a conflict with the lands in the north. In fact, observing these ones and listening in to their conversations gave this one a clearer idea of what to expect there.”

The priestess smiled. “Your Master didn’t tell you much, huh?”

“It did not”, the creature responded.

“Yeah, I know what that feels like”, the priestess said. “And by now, I also know the other side.”

“Yes”, the creature said. “This one noticed.”

The priestess gave the creature another smile. “I can’t believe I’m suggesting this, but… I will travel north after the Winter Solstice celebration, in order to meet up with the Grey Council. I want to invite you to stay with us until then, and then travel north with me. I won’t go all the way to Equestria, but the next part of your path will lead you in the same direction. Of course, I will also pack traveling rations for both of us, maybe also a bit more for your further way, and you may stay in the monastery and eat with us until then.”

“That is a surprise”, the creature said. “What does that one demand in return?”

The priestess smiled. “My offer stands either way, but I do have a… request.”

“This one is listening.”

“I understand that you cannot go against the orders you were given”, the priestess continued. “But if your orders allow it and you get the opportunity to kill the king, could you try to do it in a way that still leaves Equestria with a stable government? The Grey Council would prefer dealing with a stable Equestrian government over having to deal with a failed state right north of its own borders.

The creature began to formulate a response, but then it occurred to him what the zebra had just said. “How does that one know about this one’s orders?” it asked.

The priestess smiled. “Oh, that wasn’t too difficult to figure out - at least for me. I know a few things about your Master and his servants. I think people who don’t probably wouldn’t have caught on from your words alone - and you also likely wouldn’t converse with them in this manner.”

The creature nodded. “Regarding that one’s request… the orders given to this one specify no such thing, but they also do not contradict it. This one will do so if possible, but it cannot promise.”

The priestess nodded. “Of course. I just thought it might be in the interest of your Master as well. He is a spirit of Order after all.”

“It is… more complicated than that”, the creature responded - but suddenly, a thought occurred to it. “But maybe that is why the Monolith wants this one to find this… Prophet one”, it mumbled, more to itself.

The priestess blinked. Suddenly, the creature seemed to have her full attention. “A prophet?”, she asked.

“This one will not disclose its mission”, the creature responded.

“Of course”, the priestess nodded.

“It will, however, accept that one’s invitation.”

The priestess clapped her hands together. “Wonderful”, she said in a gentle voice. “I will gather the others to inform them about you. Is there anything else?”

The creature remembered another question it had. “Something is bothering this one”, it said. “That one was trying to recruit those male ones. From what it has seen in these last days, it has concluded that those ones are not needed for training the female ones. For what purpose was that one ordered to recruit them?”

The priestess smiled. “Care for an… exchange of information?”

“That one wants to know about the prophet”, the creature said.

The priestess gave a single nod, smiling. “Yes.”

Curiosity got the better of the creature, and it forgot that this was a rather unequal exchange. “If that one tells what this one has asked, it will disclose what it knows about the prophet one.”

The priestess nodded. “Alright. We are looking for males that might be able to infiltrate Equestria’s society as well. Females have… a very low standing there, greatly limiting their movements, and therefore limiting our communication with and between our agents, as well as the coordination of their activities. Using a few male agents as well would help us to mitigate that problem.”

The creature nodded. “This one understands. But why did that one choose the one that… reacted in a certain way to the violation of the other female one? If that one wants capable agents, it would be better advised to recruit ones that are able to maintain an emotionless critical distance.”

“In theory, yes”, the priestess responded. “This… new regime apparently demands certain things from males. Things that require an ability to react in certain ways.”

The creature nodded. “Did that one really think the male one it wanted to recruit would be able to blend in convincingly?”

“In retrospect… no”, the priestess admitted.

“That one is searching for a male that can violate another one for the sake of its mission, but still maintain the integrity to act for the benefit of that one’s government instead of its own selfish needs and desires.”

The priestess sighed. “The way you say it… almost makes it sound like a squared circle, doesn’t it?”

“This one would not say so”, the creature responded. “It knows many ones who think like that - itself included. Though these ones would have difficulty blending into that kind of society for... other reasons.”

“The servants of the Monolith have no concept of sexuality”, the priestess finished the creature’s thought.

“These ones know what it is”, the creature responded. “They just do not have use for it. They are trained to suppress these kinds of urges.”

The priestess nodded.

“What this one has heard and seen during these last days makes it even more convinced that the act of sexuality is not only distracting, but harmful to one’s functioning”, the creature continued.

“It can be a wonderful thing”, the priestess smiled. Then, she let out a sigh. “Not the way these northerners do it now though.”

“This one does not see the appeal”, the creature insisted.

“You just haven’t found the right partner yet”, the priestess smiled softly.

The remark completely threw the creature off guard. It could not think of a possible response.

Seeing the creature’s reaction, the priestess let out a small chuckle, but then got serious again. “If you really want to get close to the king, you will have to engage in these kinds of activities anyway, probably. And I don’t mean… in the good way.”

“This one will do what it takes”, the creature responded, now feeling back on familiar territory again.

“Of course you will”, the priestess nodded. “You people always do. But now, your part of the bargain, please!”, she insisted.

“This one has not forgotten”, the creature affirmed. “The Monolith has given this one another task, in addition to the one that one has already deduced. It is supposed to find a prophet, protect it, and obey its word. That one is supposed to be of the same species as the mad king, and it is supposed to bear a distinct red mark on its left hand. This one will find it in a free village in a forest.”

The priestess eyes widened. “A cervid prophet?”, she asked.

“Is that what those ones are?”, the creature asked. “It knows that the ones who inhabit Equestria are equine, but it knows not of the invader ones.”

“So the Monolith wants to replace one caribou ruler with another one?”, the priestess asked, not reacting to the creature’s question.

“This one does not know”, the creature responded. “It has told all it knows about this prophet.”

The priestess nodded. “Thank you. I will now go and inform the others that we have a guest. You will wait here until I fetch you.”

The creature nodded, and the priestess left it alone in her room.

Two hours later, the creature was lying alone on a comfortable bed in a room of its own, its luggage safely stored in a chest, and door to door with the rooms of a few very confused female zebras.
> Chapter 12: Tales of the Hearth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following weeks passed by uneventfully, and eventually, Hearth’s Warming Eve had arrived. Baldr and Spring Breeze had decided to spend the evening with Eadgil, Bruna and Star Charmer. A fire was burning in the chimney, and they had gotten a tree from the forest. It was all around comfortable.

“So… do you ponies have any traditions for this celebration?”, Eadgil asked Spring Breeze, both of them sitting in comfy chairs, while Bruna and Baldr were sharing a sofa. Star Charmer had chosen to pick a cushion and kneel by Eadgil’s side, which made Spring Breeze a little uncomfortable.

Nonetheless, the mare gave him a smile. “Many ponies tell the traditional Hearth’s Warming Eve story before they hand out their presents”, she responded. “It’s the story of the ‘Founding of Equestria’.”

Baldr nodded. “We caribou also have a traditional story for the winter festivities”, he said. “And my family in particular has… yet another one.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “Is it from the book you showed me? The one in which your family collects stories?”

“Yes”, Baldr answered. “I think we should hear the ponies’ story first though. It is their castle after all; we’re the guests here.” He smiled.

“Oh, may I, sir?”, Star Charmer asked, looking up to Eadgil.

“Spring Breeze, what do you say?”, Eadgil asked.

“Sure”, Spring Breeze shrugged. “I was never the storyteller. Star Charmer seems to be better at that.”

Star Charmer smiled and began to tell the story of the three founders of Equestria, back from the time when the three tribes were still divided, and squabbling over land and petty concerns - how they were driven by their leaders to leave their homes and settle in Equestria, dividing it into three separate, hostile countries. She told how they came together in the face of danger, against the wishes of their leaders, befriended each other and created a new, united country. She went into much detail, making it as lively as she could.

Once she had finished, Eadgil rubbed his chin. “So Equestria’s founding story is about different people coming together in the face of danger, finding mutual understanding, and then overthrowing their dumbass rulers in order to prevent great harm to the land and its people. I think I like that.” He paused for a second. “Yes, I think I like that a lot.”

Spring Breeze smiled at him. “You think it’s… applicable?”

He smiled back. “Well, I most certainly hope so.”

“May I tell the story of Estra now?”, Bruna asked shyly.

“Story of Estra?”, Spring Breeze asked. “Is that the story of your people for the winter festivities? I bet I guess what it’s about. The title alone makes me shudder.”

“Well, you’re probably thinking about estrus… but you’re wrong”, Eadgil said. “It’s what many of our people nowadays also associate with the name, but as a scholar, I’m convinced that that’s an etymological impossibility. I have another theory with regards to this. Eostre is a poetic word for the sun in an older version of our language. It’s obviously male, but it might not always have been. It could have been Eostra once.”

“That is… an interesting theory, actually”, Baldr said, rubbing his chin.

“So you think your people once thought of the sun as female?”, Spring Breeze asked.

Eadgil nodded. “The story itself implies that we once thought more highly of females than we do today. Don’t get me wrong, our tradition is mostly oral, and thus, there are many different versions of the story - and the currently existing ones are almost all still shameless affirmations of slavery. But most versions of the Story of Estra still paint a more idyllic picture of it than most other traditional caribou stories. Unlike stories like Veizla and Matask, who serve no other purpose than degrading females and reminding them of their place, this one has a Master who cares for his cow, and a cow who’s almost idealized, and accomplishes an extraordinary feat for a cow.” He smiled. “It has been criticized as unrealistic, but it’s also the legend of how cows came to wear red collars, and thus tells of a core aspect of our culture.”

“Eadgil is right, and I think the version my family tells is probably closest to painting Estra and also Riddari in a sympathetic light. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves”, Baldr said.

“May I begin?”, Bruna asked shyly, and Eadgil gave her a nod.

Bruna began telling the story of a town whose cows were suffering from a mysterious disease, and of that of the stags, Master Riddari, was chosen to find a plant in the mountains that could help cure the illness, and decided to take his cow Estra with him, who was dear to his heart and to whom he had once given a beautiful red collar as a sign of his appreciation.

“Why would he take a cow that’s important to him with him on such a dangerous journey?”, Star Charmer asked. “I mean, I hardly think she asked for it.”

“In order to keep her safe from the plague, of course”, Baldr answered. “He apparently thought the disease was a greater threat to her than the plights of the wilderness - whether he was correct with that or not. Of course, other caribou give different explanations in their versions of the story - but that’s the one my family always gave.”

Star Charmer nodded, and let Bruna continue.

The cow continued to tell the story of how Riddari eventually found the plant, but on his way back, crashed into a lake of ice with his sled, his warbeast running off and him falling unconscious. She told how Estra, in the face of danger, spontaneously decided to pull the sled out of the water and all the way back to the village, where the plant could be used to save the cows. Subsequently, the Masters began to give red collars to their cows as rewards for extraordinary feats - and eventually just as rewards for good behavior.

“Not sure what to make of this”, Spring Breeze said, rubbing her chin. “I’d say it’s less… applicable. I’m not even sure what the moral of the story is supposed to be.”

“At least in this version, it seems to have the purpose of inspiring confidence in the cows - trust in their ability to accomplish more extraordinary feats than they thought for the sake of their Masters”, Eadgil said. “I understand your reservations against that idea, but it still seems to be better than most stories of my people, who only crush down on a cow’s self-esteem.”

“Ultimately, it’s just a mythical explanation of why we have color-coded collars”, Baldr said. “Although it doesn’t explain black collars. We don’t even have a story about that.”

“Are there black collar cows?”, Star Charmer asked.

“Yes”, Baldr responded.

“Very few”, Eadgil added. “I’m not even sure Dainn took any with him, but of course, if his regime continues, we might see them again in the next generation.”

For a moment, Baldr stared at him, thinking of something. “Do you think Estra could have been… I mean, it would explain how she could have pulled a sled that heavy… or at least somewhat explain.”

“Huh”, Eadgil said. “Interesting possibility. Didn’t think of that. So the first red collar was really… huh, interesting. What a twist.” He smirked. “We should put that in the story. Alter her description a bit to make it explicit.”

“What are these two talking about?”, Star Charmer asked.

Spring Breeze shrugged. “No clue.”

Bruna giggled. “Oh, I understand… I think.”

“I’ll explain another time”, Eadgil said.

“I had another thought”, Star Charmer remarked. “This entire story seems rather… odd. It’s probably due to the fact that it’s almost exclusively an oral tradition, but it seems to me that the idea of an older version shines through from the way the story is set. A… “Proto-Estra” of sorts.”

“I had similar thoughts in the past”, Eadgil said. “Unfortunately, it’s lost to us.”

“I’m more interested in the other versions that are told today”, Spring Breeze said.

Eadgil nodded. “Of course, it highly depends on how females are currently seen in society, and also in the respective family or peer group. A few stories paint a less inspiring picture of Estra. Under Svarndagr, a few caribou began to tell a version of the story where there is no plague and no lake of ice, and Riddari just lets Estra pull his sled through town for shits and giggles. Of course, she utterly fails, leading to her punishment and humiliation in front of everyone. I think it has become even more popular among Dainn’s followers.”

Baldr raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t even know that, but… that’s stupid. Like, really stupid. Then how was the red collar introduced, and why would she have earned it?”

Spring Breeze shuddered. “I’m afraid of what they’ll do to our own Hearth’s Warming Eve myth”, she said. “If they come up with their own version, it might very well end with Equestria never even being founded.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “I know they’re stupid, but… that stupid?”

Spring Breeze shrugged. “Let’s just hope not. I don’t want to see the stories of my people bastardized like that.”

“I share that sentiment, Mistress”, Baldr said. “But I think it’s time for the other traditional winter celebration story - the one exclusive to my family. It draws from Estra’s story quite a bit, but it’s different enough to stand on its own instead of being just another version. It also still affirms slavery, though painting an even more optimistic view of cows. I think it’s about three or four generations old now, so not that old in comparison.”

“Ooh”, Bruna said, smiling. “Friga!”

Baldr stood up, and fetched a large book. Eadgil recognized it, it was the same book that had contained the story of Eri and Joba - the book where Baldr’s family wrote down stories they had heard, but also their own stories.

Baldr went over to his friend and handed it to him. “I want you to read it for us, Ari. I’ve left a bookmark.”

Eadgil nodded, opened the book, and began to read.

“The wise king Oden had many cows, and they were famous all throughout the land for their beauty. All the great houses and families of the land would seek his approval by giving him the most valuable of their cows, for he was as kind and gentle as he was wise, and they knew that the cows he took were always provided for, and they lived rich and happy lives under his roof.”

“There was one cow which he was particularly fond of. The name of that one was Friga. They had known each other forever, and even though they were not twins, not even brother and sister, they were as close to each other as though they were.”

Eadgil paused. “Huh”, he said.

“What is it?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“Our people usually see twins of different genders as a bad omen”, Eadgil explained. “Like, a really bad omen. I never believed that bullcrap either, but this seems to imply that Baldr’s family sees it the exact other way around.”

Baldr nodded. “Yes, we do. Or at least some of us do. Of course, we kept those beliefs to ourselves. But please, continue.”

Eadgil nodded, and continued to read.

“She was his top cow, and the other cows loved and admired her almost as much as they loved the king, for she was as kind as he was, and they loved the firm gentleness of her touch. When they were alone, they sometimes giggled and whispered to each other that something about her felt almost a little bit like a master. She was also quite bold and clever for a cow, and the king allowed her to speak freely when they were alone. When his cock was between her legs, deep within her, she would sometimes moo words of advice, and even though her words were simple and clumsy like that of all cows, the king still often found that they had a depth to them that wasn't visible at first glance, and he often found that he benefited from listening to them. To show all the world how much she meant to him, he once gave her a wonderful amulet, made from gold and silver, and with a very rare black gem in it, a stone he had found near the rural town of Zschorlau when he had traveled his country in his earlier days.”

“WHAT!”, Eadgil exclaimed involuntarily, right after reading that sentence.

“What is it?”, Star Charmer asked.

Baldr chuckled. “Schorl is our word for the stone you know as Black Tourmaline. And yes, it is named after that very town. My family has been trying to get their hands on these stones for generations. That town had long since been lost to the cats though, and even they didn’t have enough of them to engage in trade, as they needed them for their own purposes.”

“I see”, Spring Breeze said. “Well, that is an interesting turn. But please, go on.”

Eadgil let his hand run along his forehead. “This is even more surprising because… no, we’ll get to that later. I’ll continue.”

Bruna nodded in enthusiastic affirmation.

“I would prefer to hear this without further interruption”, Baldr said.

“I’ll try”, Eadgil sighed. “But if there are even more whams like this one in the story, I really can’t promise.”

“The other stags sometimes laughed at him behind his back about how he listened to her. But deep in their hearts, they knew that they only laughed because they were jealous. They were jealous of Friga, because the king did not listen to them as much as he listened to her. And they were jealous of the king, because they did not have a cow like that one to give them advice this beneficial.”

“One fateful winter night, the king and his top cow were outside. It was snowing when a splinter of evil, dark ice fell from the heavens and pierced the king's heart, settling within it. Fortunately, it was only a small splinter, so it did not kill him, but it instantly began to grow and to freeze his heart. His expression darkened, and the traces of wisdom and kindness began to vanish from his face. His eyes turned glassy, and the ice exaggerated all the bad things he saw, while covering and diminishing the good things. He looked at his Friga and did not see her warmth and kindness any more, nor her wisdom, but only how silly and clumsy she was, how silly and clumsy all cows were. ‘I have to get myself a better female’, he thought to himself.”

“‘Master, those snowflakes are wonderful’, Friga said. ‘They look a bit like bees in their flight.’”

“‘Maybe a little bit’, the king answered, disgusted by the cow's naivety.”

“‘Do you think they have a queen as well, just like bees?’, she asked.”

“‘Don't be ridiculous!’, Oden answered harshly, for the reference of a female ruler angered him, and it also reminded him of the shortcomings of his own females that he could now see so clearly for the first time. ‘They are not really bees. They are only frozen water.’”

“‘Hihi, how silly of me. I'm sorry, Master’, Friga said shyly.”

“‘Stop playing around!’, the king ordered. ‘It's time to go home. Your king needs comfort.’”

“When they came home, he bent her over a table and fucked her roughly, rougher than he had ever fucked her, and he hit her ass hard while he did it, to see how loud he could make her scream. But she did not know what she had done to deserve it. Tears flowed from her face, for she knew in her heart that something had changed in her beloved king and master. But she knew not what it was.”

“From that day on, he became more cruel, more distant and loveless with every further day. His words became cold and cruel and hurtful, and his kindness and mercy vanished more and more every day. He started to administer harsh punishments to his cows and even began to take pleasure from punishing them, and where they had loved and admired him before, they now started to fear him. The other cows thought nothing of it, for they had seen and sometimes even known plenty of cruelty from other stags. But Friga's sadness grew every day. She would often try to speak to her king to find out what was wrong with him, but he did not listen to her any more.”

“One day, it was once again snowing, the king returned from a hunting trip with a new cow. That one was scary, because she was bigger than all other cows Friga had ever seen, and she had antlers like the stags. Her coat was all white, and her eyes were even colder than Oden's had become. She was also not naked like the others, but wore armor and a helmet, and a black leather collar without any rune enclosure around her neck. A sword was hanging from her belt, and she wielded the staff of a Magus.”

While reading this passage, Eadgil hesitated. A cold shiver went down his neck. It was almost like he knew that cow… from the dream he had months ago, the dream that made him change his name. The dream that would almost have prevented him from setting up this community if it hadn’t been for Deepest Desire and her psychological counsel.

“Is something wrong?”, Baldr asked, noticing his friend’s hesitation.

“No”, Eadgil said after a few moments that seemed like an eternity. “It’s… fine. I’ll read on.”

“The king approached Friga, and she instantly knew that something was wrong. ‘Friga, come here’, he ordered roughly. She rushed to him and knelt before him.”

“‘Friga, I am very sick’, he said with a distant voice. ‘I will leave and travel to seek out the fruit of wisdom and knowledge, from the tree of life, in the cave of ice, beyond the black mirror of reason, for the white cow has told me that it is the only cure for my disease. I have promised her to come with her and follow her from now on, for as long as it takes, for she is the only one that can lead the way. I will not take you with me, for you have disappointed me very often lately, and I cannot burden myself with you. But you are still my best cow, and the others still follow you. I have arranged for my guard to come here every day to give you and the others everything you need, and you will obey them like you would obey me. But as long as they are not here, you are in charge. Do not disappoint me again, Friga.’ He threateningly raised his right hand.”

“‘Yes. I mean no. I won't, master’”, she stuttered fearfully.

“‘Good. Now come here and give your king and master a last good sucking before he departs.’”

“She instantly wrapped her muzzle around his cock. But instead of letting her work on him like he always had, he put his right hand at the back of her head and began to ruthlessly and mercilessly fuck her throat. Once again, she wanted to cry, but she knew by now that her king now saw tears as a sign of defiance and she did not want to disappoint him again. Even though she was gagging, she stopped herself from crying and did her best to work her tongue in order to please him. When he came, he left his cock in her mouth. ‘Swallow!’, he ordered roughly. She gulped, and he withdrew. ‘That was surprisingly good’, he said. ‘I think once I return, we'll always do it this way.’ A single tear fell from Friga's face.”

“Then, the king left with the white cow. She saw them get onto a white and red sled, ornamented with gold, pulled by five otherworldly beings like Friga had never seen them before, and never again would in her life. They looked a little bit like lobsters, their heads composed of fleshy rings and covered with weird antennae. On their backs, they had strange wings that looked like those of butterflies or moths, but also a little bit like those of bats. ‘Wilbur!’, the white cow bellowed. ‘Francis! Nathaniel! William! Wilmarth! Hya!’ The five creatures began to move, and the sled with the white cow and the king disappeared in the snow. ‘Strange names, for strange creatures’, Friga thought for a moment. Then she instantly remembered what had just happened, and she became very sad.”

“Many months passed, and word had it that Oden was dead. Most other stags believed him dead, and the cows believed what the stags told them to. Fortunately, the guard was loyal, and they would not allow the other stags to come and claim Oden's cows for themselves before his death had been confirmed. Just like him, Friga also did not believe her beloved king and master dead, for the stone in the amulet around her neck whispered to her that he was not. One day, it called to her that she should travel and search for the king.” 

“When the other cows heard about this idea, they laughed at her. A cow should travel alone? But the voice of the amulet would not stop to whisper to her. So one night, she silently left Oden's hall and wandered into the darkness. She was scared and alone, but the stone in the amulet gave her courage and showed her the way. It guided her deep into the forest of dreams. And so, her journey began.”

“Finally, she reached a glade in the center of the forest, which was inhabited by a tribe of Zoogs, who were very small and had wings that looked a bit like those of insects. They welcomed her with their high-pitched voices and strange accents, for they are a secluded but friendly and open-hearted people. They fed her, and gave her to drink from a strange beverage that tasted of cherries and wild herbs, and had the amber color of her beloved king's eyes. She was cold, for it was still winter, but the beverage gave warmth to her bones and skin and made her smile and giggle. She asked them if they knew anything about the White Cow. They said they did not, for they did not mingle in such affairs, but the cat people at the other end of the forest, in the city of Ulthar, might know of such things. So they gave her another bottle of the beverage, and showed her the way.”

“Once again, she had to fight her way through miles of thick forest, but this time, the light of the Zoogs guided her way through the darkness and protected her from missteps, and the beverage they had given her kept her warm. Finally she reached the edge of the forest, and instantly saw a wonderful city of white arenite, with a pyramid and a big statue of a female cat wearing a crown towering over it. She had found the city of Ulthar, where the cat people ruled.”

“When she entered the city, she was very afraid of the cats with their pointy claws and sharp teeth, staring at her like she was the one who was a monster. But when they heard about her quest, they welcomed her and were very friendly to her, for they were mortal enemies of the Trow, who had once created the dark splinters of ice, and were also at war with the White Cow, and with all other creatures that were like these two. They sheltered her and gave her to eat and to drink, and particularly the male cats with their muscular bodies, long manes, and huge cocks were eager to tend to all her needs and desires. She was tempted to stay, but the stone around her neck still told her to continue her search. So she asked the cats for the way, and they told her they knew the location of the hidden cave of the white cow, where Oden was most certainly being held. They gave her a map, and even though it took her weeks until she could properly read it, and much encouragement from the male cats, in the end she was finally ready to leave. They also gave her a magical rope which they promised would never tear apart. She playfully tied it around her wrists and gave herself to the male cats one last time.” 

“When the cats were done with her, their king and queen said her goodbye, and she promised them to visit them again when she had found her king and master. The queen politely asked her to bring king Oden along, for she wanted to get to know him as well.”

“After promising it to to the queen, Friga set off for the ice cave. She crossed many wondrous roads and fields, and the cats and other creatures that lived in those areas were very friendly to her. She met no more dangers on the road until she reached the mountain where the ice cave was supposed to be. After a perilous climb and a long search, she found it, and began her descent. The cave was big and labyrinthine, and she was in danger of losing the way many times, but the stone always guided her in the right direction.”

“Finally, Friga arrived at a big, frozen lake within the ice cave. A strange, darkish glow came from below the lake, making the frozen surface mirror everything that was above it without even the slightest bit of distortion, showing all things in their true form, for it was the black mirror of reason. At the other side of the lake, a tree was growing. It was an enormous tree, bigger than any tree Friga had ever seen. From its branches grew nine fruits, incredibly strange to look at, for they were glowing as though they were precious gemstones of different colors.”

“She looked at the tree and saw Oden hanging in the branches, his arms restrained in place by some of the tree's branches. One big, thick branch was entangled across his chest, holding him firmly in place. Another, smaller branch had inserted itself into the king's ass. Friga saw that it was moving inside him. Other branches were apparently stroking his cock, but stopped to move for a short while from time to time. Seeing her beloved master like this made Friga sad in her heart, for she heard him moan and moo in the bliss of his helplessness like she had thought only a cow would.”

“Above him, in the crown of the tree, sat the White Cow, with a wicked grin on her face – but Friga was not sure if she was sitting on the branches or growing out of them. Above her head, three golden crowns were hovering. Those were the crowns Nothingness, Origin, and Eternity, the crowns of the triplet kingdoms of Aìn, Sòf, and Aùr, over which the White Cow ruled supreme.”

Eadgil’s reading had become slower, his voice weaker during these last paragraphs. Now he stopped reading, merely staring at the pages with a blank expression.

“Why did you stop reading?”, Bruna asked, looking at him. “M… Master, is something wrong?”

“I’ve dreamt of that cow”, Eadgil mumbled, his voice sounding distant.

“The dream you had when you got that mark on your hand?”, Baldr asked.

“Yes…”, Eadgil responded. “A cow, coated in white, just like this one. Incredibly powerful. It was like the trees of the forest and the creatures of the sea were bent to her will. It was the same in my dream as with Oden in this story… or at least very, very similar. She… abused me over and over again, and also gave me to her pets. I could do nothing. I felt absolutely powerless. No matter what I did, I couldn’t resist. Nothing I did was enough to get away from her, and nothing I did was enough to please her… and when I woke up, I felt terrible.”

“I guess it made you understand a bit better how your females feel most of the time”, Spring Breeze remarked, earning a disapproving glance from Baldr.

Eadgil barely heard her. “After this dream, I... didn’t think I could go through with any of the plans Deepest Desire and I had made… for this community. Then I felt a stinging pain in my hand, and noticed the mark on my hand. When I looked at it, it felt like it was mirroring the endless possibilities of my own mind. It gave me confidence again… and it somehow told me to search in Lindisbarne first. Of course, Deepest Desire also helped to build me back up...”

“Hm”, Baldr said. “So this mark of yours also pointed you in my direction. A weird tale indeed… it’s pretty clear that my ancestor who wrote this story also based it on some kind of dream - but there is no mention of a protective mark on the left hand in it, or in any of my family’s stories.” He paused for a moment. “Is it too much for you, my friend? Do you want me to continue?”

Eadgil shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll continue.” He turned his gaze back to the page.

“Friga was more scared than she had ever been, but her amulet kept telling her to go on. So she carefully placed one hoof on the ice. When she was sure the ice wouldn't crack below her, she began to move across the lake, one step at a time.”

“When she was halfway across the lake, Oden finally noticed her. ‘Go away, Friga!’, he yelled at her in a voice more cold and distant than she had ever heard from him. ‘Can't you see that I am happy here? I don't need you any more. I have her now. Go home. You are a good cow. Another, better master will claim you.’”

“But the amulet around her neck continued to encourage her to go on. She had finally crossed the lake, and was standing in front of the tree, which she knew must have been the tree of life. She began to climb the tree.”

“The White Cow now also once again began to spit her poisonous words. ‘Go away!’, she spat. ‘He will not come back with you. I keep him here for your own protection, and for the protection of your entire people. He is dangerous, he will bring great pain to all of you if I allow him to go.’”

“But Friga didn't believe it. Her beloved king and master was dangerous? She knew him, as well as a cow can know a stag. Aside from those last months before the white cow had come and taken him away, he had always been kind to her, far kinder than any other masters were to their cows.”

“She continued to climb the tree when she realized in shock that the branches of the tree were moving toward her. The White Cow continued her verbal attack, so Friga feared that the branches were now also going to attack her more directly. But to her surprise, they even started to support her ascent. Finally, one thick branch moved under her and allowed her to sit on it, carrying her upwards. She was now facing her beloved king and master. He looked at her with eyes that seemed like he was an eternity away, with a face that seemed like it was frozen to a block of ice. All expressions of love and gentleness she had known and loved from her king and master had vanished from it. It made her feel infinitely sad to see him like this. ‘Master’, she said with a shy, sad voice, pleading with him. ‘Please, come home with me. We all need you. I need you.’”

“‘Friga’, he said, with a voice eons distant. ‘Listen to her. She is right, I am dangerous. I need to be kept here. Go home, and live a happy life serving another master. Don't worry about me. I deserve and desire what she does to me. I am happy here.’ But once again, she did not believe him, for she saw the sadness in his face.”

“As she was nearly overwhelmed by love and sadness, the black stone around her neck began to glow. She took it in both hands and gently touched the branch that was covering the king's chest, right above his heart. A tenth fruit began to grow from the branch, reaching full size in only a few moments. Gently, she plucked it from the branch with her mouth and moved it upwards until she faced her beloved king. He took a small bite and smiled. The warmth slowly returned to his face. He began eating his way through the entire fruit, finally reaching Friga's lips. As their lips met, a warm energy went through both their bodies, finally reaching the king's heart, melting the evil sliver of ice that had poisoned his heart. The branches immediately withdrew, and the two caribou fell to the ground. But the ice below them did not crack. Overwhelmed by the experience, the king passed out. Friga, who had landed safely on top of him, was still fully awake.”

“As soon as they had hit the ground, the walls of the cave started to shake from a sudden tremor. The cave began to collapse. For a moment, Friga panicked. She knew they had to leave instantly - but she couldn't leave him behind. Then she saw the white cow's sled standing under the tree. She looked around. The strange creatures that had pulled it when Oden left her were nowhere to be seen. She then remembered the magical rope she had gotten from the cats. Clumsily, she moved her unconscious king and master onto the sled, strapped herself in front of the sled with the rope, and began to move forward, pulling the sled across the lake, back to the entrance of the cave…”

When the king opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in his bed, with his beloved Friga lying closely by his side, her head rested against his chest. She looked at his face. ‘Master, you're awake’, she said. ‘I'm so happy.’”

“‘Uh... Friga, what happened? Where am I? The last thing I remember is falling... with you.’”

“‘You're at home, in your bed’, Friga said. ‘When we had fallen down, you weren't moving. I was afraid like I had never been before, but I couldn't leave you behind. So I used the white cow's sled to pull you all across the mirror lake, all the way back home.’ She bit her lip. ‘Well, I had a bit of help from a few new friends I made on my way there.’”

“‘Friga, you have saved me from the grip of the white cow’, Oden said. ‘I'm infinitely proud of you, and grateful to call you my own. How can I ever thank you?’”

“‘I did it for you, master’”, Friga said. ‘I would do anything for you.’”

“‘Friga, my sweet cow’, the king said. The kindness and gentleness he was known for had returned to his face and his voice, and it would never leave him until the end of his life. ‘Friga, I... love you.’ Never before had a stag spoken those words to a cow. The surprise made her moo with excitement and happiness.”

“‘Uh, I'm stiff’, Oden said with a loving, but demanding voice. ‘Friga, my love. Be a good cow and give your king the comfort he needs.’ Friga smiled happily. Knowing exactly what he wanted, she eagerly moved down and gently wrapped her muzzle around his hard cock. He gently caressed her head with his right hand. Then his arms sank to his side, and he let her do her work.”

Eadgil slowly, thoughtfully closed the book.

“Well, that was interesting”, Star Charmer remarked.

Spring Breeze sighed. “I feel dirty now”, she said.

“Oh?”, Baldr asked. “Was it… that bad?”

“No, it’s just… I feel dirty for sympathizing with the White Cow. I get that she’s the villain… but I almost think she had a point. I wonder if she was really evil, or just misguided but well-intentioned.”

Baldr nodded. “I see. I guess the story does leave that ambiguous. She’s definitely possessive though.”

“Well, with regards to many of my people, I also think she has a point”, Eadgil admitted. “I wouldn’t mind if she took the king and his goons away from us - but Oden isn’t Dainn or Ivangir, is he? He only becomes a danger because of the splinter, and the White Cow brainwashes him into thinking that there’s something wrong with him, so she can control his life - and she also doesn’t tell him that there is another way. In a way, Oden is more similar to the stallions who have come under the influence of that mind control artifact than to the worst examples of my own people. But I see your point, Spring Breeze. The story also still portrays the submissive female as the ideal and the dominant female as the villain. I can see how this would make you feel uncomfortable. I wonder if we can remedy this.” He giggled. “But I also see why Baldr would like this story. Maybe the ancestor of his who wrote this also had certain… fantasies.”

“That’s surprisingly possible”, Baldr said. “This story was written around the time when my family began to establish secret trade relations with the cats, and my grandfather and his father secretly travelled to the cat kingdoms very often, sometimes for long periods of time - and they often returned with great riches.”

“I see”, Eadgil smirked. “What kind of business could a stag possibly engage in while staying in a cat city?”

“Selling his body”, Baldr answered. “Friga also does it in this story.”

Eadgil gave him a nod.

“Is prostitution common in cat society?”, Star Charmer asked. “Even among males?”

“Voluntary prostitution, yes, and it’s held in very high regard”, Baldr answered. “The cats abhor slavery, and punish slavers with death if they can catch them. But particularly for people of other species, voluntary prostitution is the way to get rich in cat society, and also fairly safe. My grandfather once told me that they have entire libraries full of legal regulations meant to protect prostitutes. That’s probably an exaggeration, but… it gets the idea across.”

“Sounds like a place for me!”, Star Charmer giggled.

“Star Charmer, behave”, Eadgil ordered.

“Yes, sir”, the mare responded with feigned shyness.

“The cat kingdoms are also... somewhat female dominated“, Baldr remarked.

“Oh?“, Eadgil asked. “I don’t know that many details, only that they're usually ruled by a king and queen.“

“It's fairly mild, really“, Baldr continued. “The females run the households and are first in line for inheritance. They take social and political responsibility, while the males live lives of hedonism and playful competition. Rich females often take particularly demanding males as husbands to display status. Usually, the only times males take responsibility is in wartime. Of course, they’re also the primary customers of non-cat prostitutes. Or at least that’s what my grandfather told me.“

Eadgil nodded. “I see.“

“Equestria was... somewhat similar only a few centuries ago“, Spring Breeze said. “We became a lot more egalitarian in the recent century before your people took over, but traces of the past were still present in our society.“

Baldr nodded. “The cats see their approach as a ’different but equal’ approach, but they do believe males usually aren’t cut out for political responsibility. They have a story about a cat king who lost his queen, ruling the kingdom alone, consumed by grief. He then made a deal with evil spirits, who promised to bring her back, but instead afflicted him and the land with a mysterious illness, slowly driving him insane and almost destroying the kingdom and everyone in it, until his vassals rebelled and got rid of him. In most versions of the story, they then still had to call the cats again for help in order to get rid of the spirits he conjured though.“

Eadgil nodded. “The cats probably just wanted it as a cautionary tale against male rule, but for us caribou, it might work as an allegory for the Cycle as well.“ He paused for a moment. “There are even some similarities to Friga and the White Cow, now that I think about it. Although it ends differently.“

“Mh“, Baldr said.

Eadgil paused for a second before returning to another topic. “I’m still thinking about a variant of Friga's story that would make Spring Breeze less uncomfortable, hmm…”, Eadgil mused. “Maybe we can cut Oden out. He’s pretty useless in the story, isn’t he? He essentially just provides a reason why Friga would go on this journey. But what if Friga and the White Cow were a couple? The White Cow could essentially play Oden’s role, getting hit by a splinter and then going on a journey to find that cave, getting stuck in the tree, and then Friga goes on her journey to rescue her.”

“Hm, I could see that, I guess”, Baldr rubbed his chin. “It takes away from the story a bit, but if you can write a well-done story with that premise, we might add it to the book.”

“Or maybe Oden does appear in the story…”, Eadgil mused. “But in a surprise twist, he’s the villain.”

Baldr raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Not a good idea?”, Eadgil asked. “Okay, I’ll leave it out.”

“Yeah”, Baldr said. “Let it go.”

Eadgil chuckled. “I noticed another thing though. You said the story draws on Estra, and I can see where you’re coming from… but it could also be seen as a variation of Veizla and Matask, couldn’t it?”

Baldr blinked. “How?”, he said.

Eadgil smirked. “Switch the genders”, he said.

“Huh?”, Baldr asked.

“Well, Friga is Matask”, Eadgil responded. “And the White Cow is Illskr.”

“And Oden is Veizla”, Baldr finished the thought. “I… guess I can see where you’re coming from, but... it’s a bit far-fetched. There are a few very obvious differences here. For example, Friga doesn’t give Oden to the White Cow temporarily. He goes on his own accord, the White Cow never intends to give him back, and then Friga engages on a journey to get him back.”

Eadgil nods. “Yeah, there are some parallels, but not enough. I’m not saying this was intended. It clearly wasn’t. It was just a weird thought that came to me.”

Baldr nodded.

“Once again, I have no idea what they’re talking about”, Spring Breeze said to Star Charmer.

“Veizla and Matask is another traditional story of my people”, Eadgil said. “A really stupid one.”

“...that I don’t want to tell or hear today”, Baldr said. “It’s not a story for the season anyway.”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, it would just ruin everyone’s mood.

“Fair enough”, Spring Breeze said, holding a cup filled with Amber Glow in her hand. “There’s one little other thing I noticed in the story though. Baldr, you told me Amber Glow was your own recipe, invented by you. Yet it still clearly appears in this story, as a beverage created by the Zoogs. Why would you lie about this?”

“I didn’t lie”, Baldr responded defensively. “Not exactly at least. I guess you could call it… a lie by omission. An alcoholic beverage like this has been in our family for generations. One of my ancestors either created it, or brought it with him from his travels. But this specific recipe is mine. I… improved on it. I use different herbs that I only found here in Equestria, and the cherries you have here are also different. I think it’s a clear improvement. You see, this specific recipe is mine.”

“Hm… alright.” Spring Breeze brought the cup to her lips and took a good sip. “As long as it tastes this fine, I don’t really care who created it. I just wanted to clear things up, that’s all.”

Eadgil nodded. “So I think that clears things up. I... think we should move on to the traditional exchange of presents. Bruna, I have something for you… I think you’re going to love this. Particularly after this story.”

“But first, I have something for you, Ari”, Baldr announced. “You’re already holding it in your hands.”

“The book?”, Eadgil asked in surprise. “But… it’s a heirloom of your family!”

Baldr smiled. “Well, it stays in the family, doesn’t it?”

Eadgil returned the smile. “How could I forget, brother?”

“I would ask you to discuss things with me before you add a new story though”, Baldr said. “Some of your ideas are a bit… weird.”

Eadgil nodded. “Of course, I understand.

He paused for a few seconds before continuing. “But… I feel ashamed now. This is wonderful, a real treasure, and I know what it means to you. But… I couldn’t think of anything to give to you, and Bruna didn’t know either.” He looked down. “I didn’t do enough to find out. I could have thought harder, or asked Spring Breeze… I feel shabby now.”

“I couldn’t have told you either”, Spring Breeze said. “I have a present for him, but it’s very… tied to our relationship.”

Baldr gave her an interested look.

“It’s fine, Ari”, he then said. “You’re already doing so much for us. I wouldn’t be with Spring Breeze if it wasn’t for you… and there’s also everything you do for Bruna. It’s fine, really.”

Eadgil sighed. “It’s… thank you, Baldr. I still feel shabby. If there’s anything I can do for you during the next weeks, let me know. But now, my present for Bruna. Bruna, come here and kneel before me.”

Bruna stood up, then walked to Eadgil’s chair and knelt in front of it, her legs spread and hands resting on her knees. “Kneeling like this while dressed feels weird”, she giggled.

“Stay dressed”, Eadgil ordered.

“Yes, Master”, the cow responded.

“I think you will like this”, Eadgil said in a mysterious voice. Then, he produced a necklace with an amulet made of gold and silver, wit a beautiful black tourmaline inlay. The gold and silver formed two figures who looked like they were holding the amulet - a caribou and an alicorn. Putting it around her neck, he chuckled a little. “You know what this is, Bruna?”

“Of course, Master”, Bruna smiled widely. “I feel like Friga now.” She giggled softly.

Eadgil smiled. “Does that mean I’m Oden?”, he asked. “I hope not. I don’t want to have a splinter of dark ice stuck in my heart… or be taken away from you by a weird white cow that comes in my dreams to torture me.”

Bruna giggles. “You’re Oden… after the splinter was melted.”

Eadgil smiled. “Alright…”

Star Charmer turned around and took a look at Bruna’s medallion. “Is that an alicorn?”, she asked, looking at one of the figures at the sides of the tourmaline stone. “And the other figure is a caribou”, she said, noticing the antlers and lack of wings.”

“Yup”, Eadgil said. “It’s a caribou and an alicorn, holding a black tourmaline sphere. I told our smith to create something that would represent our community.”

“I’m not sure if I should be offended”, Spring Breeze said.

“Well, I like it”, Star Charmer said, smiling at the cow in front of her. “It’s a symbol of our united endeavor to free the world from oppression and mind control. I think it’s in the spirit of our founding myth as well. Master, if you don’t object… I want to propose this design as a symbol of our community at the next communal meeting.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “Eadgil, I believe you came up with this in good faith. We all here in this community stand for these ideals, so why not choose a symbol that represents this? I will support Star Charmer’s suggestion.”

“Thank you, Spring Breeze”, Eadgil said. “I never intended for it to become that. It… has a few problems. For example, I think it places the caribou in a too important position. There are four different pony races, and our symbol only has one. I understand that you already used alicorns to represent all of you, so the alicorn isn’t the problem… but putting a caribou right next to it might be. It suggests a claim of importance or even power that the caribou here in Freeville don’t make.” He paused for a second. “As a matter of fact, now that I think about it… that wasn’t my intention, but used as a political symbol, it almost smells Dainnist.”

“With that tourmaline stone in the middle?”, Star Charmer asked. “Not in the slightest!”

Spring Breeze nodded. “You’re a bit harsh with yourself, but I see your general point, Ari. Alicorns aren’t a race though.”

“They aren’t?”, Eadgil blinked.

“They’re… created differently”, Spring Breeze said.

“Created?”, Eadgil asked. “Are you saying that alicorns aren’t born?”

“Not as alicorns”, Spring Breeze responded. “No pony baby has ever been born an alicorn. As far as I know, Princess Cadence was a pegasus before she became an alicorn. And Princess Twilight was a unicorn.”

“Then how did Princess Cadence become an alicorn?”, Eadgil asked.

Spring Breeze shrugged. “No one knows for certain. Princess Cadence was already part of the royal family - and then one day, they just announced that she was an alicorn now. In case of Twilight, from what I’ve heard, she turned into an alicorn by rediscovering one of Starswirl’s old spells. I assume it was the one he used to turn Celestia and Luna into alicorns as well. That was after Cadence though - so it couldn’t have been what turned her.”

“Interesting”, Eadgil rubbed his chin. “But why didn’t you use it to turn all of you into alicorns?”

“Well… Princess Twilight’s transformation was shortly before you took Canterlot, so there wasn’t much time to do proper research on possible applications”, Spring Breeze answered. “I somewhat suspect there might also be certain limitations on the spell that prevent excessive use. You can’t just do whatever you want with magic, you know?”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, I know. But that means that alicorns really do represent all other three pony species.”

“Such a case could be made, yes”, Spring Breeze responded. “But honestly, Eadgil… I’m fine with the symbol. It’s not meant as a symbol for a future Equestria after Dainn. Star Charmer wants to propose it as a symbol for our community, and for this purpose, it works fine. If my people still vote against it, it might at least inspire them to come up with something better.”

Once again, Eadgil rubbed his chin. “Hmm, alright. If you really want to do that, you have my blessing.”

Then, he turned his gaze back to Bruna, rubbing his chin and giving a little smirk. “Bruna, you know… now that I see the amulet around your neck, I think it clashes a bit with the red of your collar. If you want to, you could exchange it for a leather collar of a different color. We could think about which color would work well. Brown, maybe? Also, I wouldn’t include runes, so you could take that one off whenever you want. Given that you’ve found your lever, I think that’s appropriate. I could provide one for you as a belated second winter present.”

Bruna nodded. “I’m used to my collar, but… I’ll think about it, Master.”

Eadgil smiled. “You may call me Ari if you wish.”

Bruna blushed heavily and looked at the ground in front of her, stuttering something.

Eadgil put his hand under the cow’s chin, gently lifting it up to look into her eyes. “Only if you wish, Bruna”, he said, smiling gently. “It’s not like I don’t like being called Master. You can switch between the two if you wish, depending on how you feel.”

Bruna smiled. “Thank you, Master. I appreciate it. May I stand up now, and return to my place at my brother’s side?”

“You may”, Eadgil responded, and Bruna stood up and took place on the couch beside Baldr again.

Eadgil’s view turned to Star Charmer. “Star, I have two presents for you as well… though I fear you’ll only get the second one tomorrow evening.”

Star Charmer smiled. “That’s fine… may I give you my present first, sir?”

“I think it would be more appropriate if I gave him my present first”, Spring Breeze said. “It’s… not even really a present, but still.”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yeah, I see what you mean.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “I’m surprised you even have a present for me, Spring Breeze.” He looked down. “Now I… feel even more shabby.”

“As I said, it’s not even a present”, Spring Breeze reemphasized. She then stood up, went over to Eadgil, produced a dagger and handed it to him.

“Oh!”, Eadgil exclaimed. “That’s my family dagger… but…”

“The mares have decided to give back your knives and similar tools”, Spring Breeze said. “And also your… tools of discipline. We’ve come to the conclusion that a good few of your females would appreciate it if they were returned, and we trust you to use them responsibly. We will hold on to the shock rods, of course.”

“Of course”, Eadgil repeated.

“We also want to hold plenum meetings with you together from now one, regularly once a week, plus irregular meetings whenever necessary. I’m sure your people will agree to this. We can propose the design of your amulet as a symbol for this community at our first meeting.”

“That’s great news”, Eadgil said.

“It would have been necessary sooner or later anyway”, Spring Breeze responded. “Sooner is better than later as far as I’m concerned. I will officially announce this tomorrow morning, but I thought Hearth’s Warming Eve would be a good opportunity to give back your dagger. I know it’s an important heirloom to your family.”

Eadgil nodded and smiled at her. “Thank you, Spring Breeze. I really appreciate this.”

Spring Breeze returned to her chair, and Eadgil continued to look at his dagger. “But… what could this possibly have to do with Star Charmer’s present?”

Star Charmer giggled and reached behind her into a bag, producing her present. She then moved a bit to kneel right in front of him, facing him - the same way Bruna had knelt before.

She then bowed forward, looking down and presenting her present with both hands - a quite exquisite riding crop. “This mare wishes to announce that you have now earned the title Master, and presents you with the tool of your discipline… Master.”

“Star Charmer”, Eadgil said, taking the riding crop from her hands and looking at it in awe. “This is wonderful. Very exquisite material. I don’t think it’s a caribou design. I assume it didn’t belong to… the caribou who took you. Is this yours? Did you own it even before the invasion?”

Star Charmer giggled. “Yes, Master. I bought it once out of impulse, but… I couldn’t find a male who was willing to use it.”

Spring Breeze facepalmed, but no one paid attention to her.

“Well, I thank you a lot, little mare”, Eadgil smirked. “I have the feeling it will see quite a bit of use very soon.”

Star Charmer giggled. “I sure hope so, Master.”

Eadgil smiled. “Well, I think my present for you is fitting.” He then revealed a beautiful red leather collar. “It’s a bit… improvised”, he admitted. “There was no way to get a collar without runes outside these walls, so I had it made by a member of our community who knows how to work with these materials. I hope you like it.”

Star Charmer smiled widely. “Yes, Master”, she answered.

“What a coincidence”, Spring Breeze said, producing another collar. “I had the same idea for Baldr’s present.”

“So this is the other work he was working on…”, Eadgil said.

Spring Breeze nodded. “Indeed, it was.” She then looked at Baldr. “Now, come here and kneel before your Mistress, stag”, she ordered.

Baldr stood up from his couch and then assumed kneeling position in front of his Mistress.

“I think doing this simultaneously is another fine gesture”, Eadgil remarked.

“Mh… maybe”, Spring Breeze responded. “I don’t mind at least.”

Baldr and Star Charmer both exposed their necks, and Spring Breeze and Eadgil each put the collar around the neck of their respective pet.

“Mh, this feels nice”, Star Charmer said.

Baldr giggled a little. “So that’s how it feels. I feel…” He looked up to Spring Breeze. “Like I’m truly yours now, Mistress. I think I understand a bit better now why it’s so important to the cows.”

Spring Breeze bowed forward in her chair, bringing her face closer to Baldr’s. Putting her hand on his cheek, she pushed her lips onto his, giving him a short, but sweet kiss. “I’m glad you like it, pet”, she said, gently letting her hand run through his mane. He leaned in to the touch of her hand.

“You two are a cute couple”, Eadgil said.

“Master…”, Star Charmer looked up to him. “I’m… tired.” She giggled. “You worked me so hard earlier today, and then there’s the alcohol. I drank quite a bit in the last hours… I think. I would like to go to my chambers and sleep.” She giggled. “I have the feeling that I should be well-rested for my other present tomorrow evening.”

Eadgil smiled. “That would be advisable. You may leave, Star.”

“Thank you, Master”, Star Charmer said, standing up. “Spring Breeze, Baldr… I wish you a good night. And you too, Bruna.”

“Good night, Star”, Bruna giggled.

“I wish you a good night, Star Charmer”, Baldr said. “It was nice to have you with us. You had some pretty insightful comments on the story, I have to say. There’s more to you than meets the eye.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Thank you, sir.”

Spring Breeze smirked. “Don’t call him sir. He’s my pet after all.” She once again gently stroked the stag’s hair.

Baldr nodded, grinning. “My Mistress has a point, Star Charmer.”

Star Charmer giggled. “I’ll try to remember it.”

“Good night, Star Charmer”, Spring Breeze said. “See you tomorrow morning for the announcement.”

“Oh yeah”, Eadgil said. “When will that be, exactly?”

“Noon”, Spring Breeze responded. “You probably still need some time to inform your people and gather them all.”

“Good”, Eadgil said. “I already have plans for the evening.”

Star Charmer giggled. “I will leave now, Master.”

“Good night, Star”, Eadgil said. “I will see you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Master Eadgil”, Star Charmer answered. “I’m looking forward to it.” Then, she slowly walked out of the room and towards her own.

Once she had gone, Eadgil immediately turned to Baldr and Spring Breeze. “I wanted to talk to you two about something”, he said. “Bruna, you may stay, maybe you’re interested in this as well. I wanted to ask you if you would be interested to participate… in… my present for Star Charmer tomorrow evening.”

“Oh”, Spring Breeze said. “Is this what I think it is? That… one specific clause in your contract?”

Eadgil nodded. “Yes.”

Spring Breeze gave an amused smirk. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… not uninteresting. Star Charmer is sweet - and with me there, I can make sure nothing goes wrong.”

Eadgil nodded. “My thought exactly. A dominant pony participating makes things easier.”

“I’m… not overly interested”, Baldr admitted. “It’s… not exactly my kind of thing. Also, I… had hoped to spend time with you tomorrow evening, Mistress. Alone.”

“We can still do that”, Spring Breeze said. “Eadgil, would you be okay with doing this on the early evening? Before dinner?”

Eadgil nodded. “Sure, why not?”

“I… feel like my brother, I fear”, Bruna said.

“So you know what we’re talking about?”, Eadgil asked.

“Of course”, Bruna said. “I’m not stupid, and I’ve got to know Star Charmer pretty well in the last weeks. I know of this… little fantasy of hers.”

Baldr’s eyes widened, and he looked at Bruna in surprise. “Say that again”, he said.

“I… know of… Star Charmer’s little fantasy?”, Bruna asked, insecurity in her voice.

Her brother shook his head. “Not that. The other thing.”

“I’ve...  got to… know Star Charmer pretty well?”, Bruna asked.

“Not that either”, Baldr said. “The thing before that.”

“I’m… not stupid?”, Bruna said. “I’m… not stupid”, she repeated, slower and more thoughtfully.

“Yes, this!”, Baldr exclaimed. “Do you think you would have said something like this, say… six months ago.”

Bruna thought for a moment. “No, I think I wouldn’t have”, she eventually concluded.

Baldr looked at Eadgil triumphantly, pointing his finger at him - which was an odd sight, considering that he was still kneeling in front of his Mistress. “Ha! See! This! This is it! Don’t ever say again you didn’t give me anything for the winter celebration, because that’s a bloody lie!” He laughed.

“Uh, eh… okay”, Eadgil stuttered. “So you think… that was… my influence? It could just as well have been Star Charmer’s.”

Baldr still laughed. “Possible, but… eh. Just take my word. I think you’re a good influence.”

“Thanks… I guess”, Eadgil said. “Bruna, you could still join in tomorrow… at Star Charmer’s side.”

Bruna giggled. “I would, but… this is Star’s present. I think it should be for her alone.”

Eadgil sighed, but then shrugged. “If you feel like this, I guess I see where you’re coming from.” He smiled at the cow. “I would like to go to bed now. Would you join me?” He smiled at the cow.

Bruna shrugged. “I’m not tired yet, but if you wish, Master.”

Eadgil laughed. “I’m not tired yet either.”

Bruna joined in the laughter. “Oooh… I’m with you, Master! Of course!” She stood up from the couch. “This was a wonderful evening.” She smiled, then walked over to Baldr, hugging her brother. “Good night, brother. Have fun with your Mistress.” She giggled.

“Good night, Bruna”, Baldr replied, smiling at her. “Have fun with your Master.”

“We will”, Eadgil said.

Bruna stood in front of Spring Breeze for a moment, hesitating. Then, Spring Breeze stood up and wrapped her arms around the cow, pulling her into a hug. “Oh, come here, you! You’re family now, Bruna. I wish you and your stag a good night with lots of fun.”

Bruna giggled. Spring Breeze let her go, and the cow returned to her Master. The two of them walked out of the room, Eadgil’s arm wrapped around Bruna’s shoulder.

“Now come here, stag!”, Spring Breeze said, looking down at Baldr. “We have the entire rest of the evening for ourselves, and I promise you I won’t be gentle.”

Baldr yelped a little, then crawled up into his Mistress’ arms.
> Chapter 13: Star Charmer's Present
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day at noon, the mares had gathered in the castle’s courtyard. Eadgil had gathered his people, and they were entering the yard as well for the first united communal meeting. Bruna was with them. With her having found her lever, Eadgil had decided to invite her to come along.

Spring Breeze had already taken place in the middle. “Welcome, all. Is everyone here? Shall we begin?”

She earned nods from both sides.

“Very well, our first shared meeting shall hereby begin”, she announced. “Not present are Deepest Desire, Snowflake, and… Shadow Amethyst. All others seem to be present. Our first item on the agenda: Finding a better place for future meetings. Preferably indoors.” It was a fairly mild winter, but she still shivered a little.

“There is a great hall in the castle that could be used”, Eadgil reported. “Unfortunately, it’s a mess. We’ll need to work together for a few weeks to make it usable.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “All in favor?”

A fairly univocal “Yes” was heard.

“Alright… I don’t want to use our common room or theirs, and I don’t think there are other options available. We’ll get that hall in shape and then use it. Since there are no objections, and I haven’t heard any other suggestions, I don’t think we’ll need a formal vote on this. Next… I want to propose a symbol for our community.”

Eadgil had already informed the stags of Star Charmer’s suggestion, but murmur among the mares was heard.

“Ari has designed an amulet for his cow as a Hearth’s Warming Eve gift, and Star Charmer thinks the symbolism could be usable”, Spring Breeze continued. “It displays a male caribou and a female alicorn, holding a black Tourmaline sphere.”

Star Charmer stepped forward and gave the other mare a nod. “As I see it, the two figures represent the slowly developing understanding between our cultures here in our new community, and the tourmaline represents our shared struggle against slavery, oppression and mind-control.”

Spring Breeze turned to Eadgil and Bruna. “Good that you brought Bruna along”, she said. “Bruna, would you mind showing your amulet around?”

“I… don’t really want to take it off”, Bruna said, giving Spring Breeze a shy smile.

Spring Breeze nodded. “That’s fine, just come over and have the mares take a look at it.”

Dawn Blaze stepped forward. “Absolutely not”, she said, making a gesture of rejection. “This design is one big insult. Displaying an alicorn princess next to a stag.” She almost spat out that word.

Eadgil sighed. “I already assumed at least some of you would react like that. I already told Spring Breeze that I have similar issues with it. Our smith and I came up with this design as a representation of the ideals of this community, but it was meant as a gift for Bruna. I never intended it to actually become our symbol.”

“Oh, please”, Dawn Blaze responded.

Star Charmer rubbed her chin, and suddenly, a wicked smile appeared on her face.

“Maybe it would be better if we used a caribou cow in our symbol instead of a stag. Just leave out the antlers, and change her figure a little”, she said.

“What?”, Dawn Blaze objected. “Displaying an alicorn together with a cow? That’s even worse!”

“Why?”, Star Charmer asked, smiling at her innocently.

“Because… it’s a cow!”, Dawn Blaze responded, even more agitated.

“So?”, Star Charmer asked.

“Well, look at her!”, Dawn Blaze said, pointing at Bruna. “They’re… look at her! They are…”

“Inferior?”, Star Charmer asked, finishing the other unicorn’s sentence, still with that innocent smile on her face.

“Ugh”, Dawn Blaze responded, making a step back.

Star Charmer continued to smile. “I see it like this: If we aim for reinstating the alicorn princesses after dealing with Dainn and we use an alicorn and a cow for our symbol, our symbol would show the strongest individuals in Equestria standing side by side with the wearest - thus symbolizing solidarity of the strong with the weak, and a promise to protect them. Now I understand you think we shouldn’t protect the cows, but... well, I disagree.”

Spring Breeze rubbed her chin. ”Not bad, Star Charmer. Not bad at all. Not sure if I like your design idea, but you sure understand how to make a compelling case for it.”

Star Charmer gave her a happy smile.

Dawn Blaze shook her head, her hands making another gesture of rejection. “No. Just… no. It’s bad enough that we’re forced to share our castle with these... people. Not to mention these… contracts.”

“A few mares also have contracts with each other”, Spring Breeze remarked. “And my contract is also rather… unique.”

“How does that makes things better?”, Dawn Blaze asked. “It only means their insanity is slowly seeping into your minds as well.”

“The contracts...”, Spring Breeze spoke slowly, almost like a mother verbally chastising an unreasonable child, “...have the purpose of protecting the weaker partner in these relationships, as well as those who deliberately choose to submit, and of giving the community a means of interfering if things go wrong.”

“That’s what you say”, Dawn Blaze responded. “I quite frankly find the very idea of a mare getting into a relationship with one of these… caribou... utterly repulsive.”

Spring Breeze glared at her. “It’s not for you to decide how other adults consensually relate to each other. You have already been overruled once. We will not discuss this again.”

“Ugh!”, Dawn Blaze said, taking another step back. “Fine. I’ll let the votes decide.”

“I’ve already talked about this with the other stags”, Eadgil said. “This is our first communal meeting, but my people will abstain from voting on this issue. If most of you mares aren’t fine with it, we don’t want to create a majority in favor of it. As I said, I never intended this design to become this important.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “I don’t think we have to decide on this today anyway. I just wanted to inform all of you that a symbol has been proposed. Now we already have two slightly different propositions. Maybe someone else will come up with another design.” She gave Dawn Blaze a short look. “We still have time to decide on this. Next, I would like to discuss names for this community.”

“Well, I’ve thought about this for a while”, Eadgil said. “When I took this fief from Vestri, I already had to come up with a name for the registration of my project, and I went through a few suggestions that could work for us, though I ended up using none of them there. For quite a while, I considered registering it under the name Freeville. The castle is in Everfree after all. I dropped that name for the registration because it’s too suspicious, but I still think it’s a good name for us to adopt.”

Spring Breeze gave Eadgil a look. “What name did you end up choosing?”, she asked. “For the registration in Canterlot, I mean.”

Eadgil chuckled. “For a very brief moment, I also considered Everville. But then I came up with a better idea… one that we won’t end up using here, because it’s a massive false flag that will definitely fool these self-absorbed idiots in the council. One of the best ways to make them not suspect anything is to appeal to their huge egos and over-inflated sense of self-importance.”

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”, she asked. “What is it?”

Eadgil gave another chuckle. “As far as Vestri and the others are concerned, our town officially bears the name of our glorious king and leader. I registered it as Dainnville.”

For a moment, Spring Breeze said nothing. Then she burst into laughter.

“Is this supposed to help us trust them?”, Dawn Blaze asked the mares who were standing next to her, but they didn’t listen.

Spring Breeze stopped laughing and wiped a tear of joy from her eyes. “That is… both brilliant and hilarious. You’re right, we’re definitely not going to use that.”

“Freeville and Everville both work”, Star Charmer said. “I think I like Freeville better though. It more clearly expresses what we’re fighting for.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “Alright, if we don’t have any other suggestions, let’s vote on this. Ari, your people want to join in the vote this time, too? The names both sound innocent enough.”

Eadgil turned to his stags and saw most of them nod in agreement. He turned to Spring Breeze again. “Yes, we will vote.”

“I like both names”, Bruna giggled. “But we can have only one, so… hmmm…”

“You want to vote?”, Eadgil asked Bruna. “I’ve explained to you how this works, so go on.”

The cow nodded. “I might have to think about it for a moment, hm… yes, I think I can vote now.” She giggled and gave Eadgil a wink. “Lever”, she whispered.

Eadgil looked at her for a moment, then turned his eyes to Spring Breeze. “I will abstain. I’m really not particular on this question.”

“Alright”, Spring Breeze said. “Who here is for Freeville?”

The majority of the mares raised their hands, as well as a few stags - and Bruna. Spring Breeze began counting.

“Now who’s for Everville?”, she said after she had finished.

One or two mares raised their hands, as well as several of the stags. Spring Breeze counted again.

“Now I’d like to see again who wants to abstain”, Spring Breeze said.

Eadgil raised his hand, as well as one or two stags and a few mares, Dawn Blaze among them. The abstentions were countable on one hand, so it only took Spring Breeze seconds to count them.

Most stags had voted for Everville, but a few of them had chosen Freeville as well, and with the mares altogether being in the clear majority, it was fairly clear that Freeville was the chosen name.

“The vote has come out in favor of Freeville”, Spring Breeze announced. “Deepest Desire, Snowflake and Shadow Amethyst haven’t voted yet due to their absence, but Freeville has enough votes that even an unanimous vote for Everfree from all of them wouldn’t change the vote. Our community and the town we will build here will thus be called Freeville.”

A few of the mares clapped their hands in applause.

“Alright, let’s move on. Eadgil, we still need to discuss what our plan for the future is. After all, setting up a community here was only the first step. I actually wonder… how does this help us to get rid of that king of yours?”

“It gives us an opening”, Eadgil explained. “A space where caribou, mares and in the future possibly stallions can work together on solving this problem and all others that are attached to it. As I see it, if we can destroy or disable the artifact, or permanently disable its magical effect on the population of Equestria, Dainn’s regime is pretty much done for. It will thus be a priority to find ways how to approach this problem. I also created this town as a refuge and secret base of operations for other resistance groups, so I would like to find them and see if they want to cooperate. They won’t trust us at first, so we have to find a way to make them see what we’re up to without anyone else noticing. Finding allies is altogether important. We might try to reach out to so-called ‘Incurables’ - stallions that for some reason are immune to the effects of the artifact.”

“Those exist?”, one of the mares asked.

“Yes”, Eadgil nodded. “The regime doesn’t exactly tell everyone about it, but yes. Whenever a stallion was declared mentally handicapped after the Dainn regime took over, it’s likely that it was because the device didn’t affect him. It’s not exactly advisable to approach registered ‘Incurables’ openly because they’re often under supervision from caribou officials, but there have to be some of them who are good enough at pretending to not have been found yet.”

Star Charmer giggled. “‘Incurable’”, she said. “I like that term. You can’t cure them because they’re the only ones who aren’t ill.”

Eadgil responded with a chuckle. “That’s an interesting way to look at it. But anyway… of course, they will also mistrust us, and we once again have to show them what we’re up to without anyone else noticing. We might also look for allies outside Equestria, particularly in neighboring countries. Zebrica probably feels threatened already, they are a somewhat female-dominated society from what I’ve read about them, and also highly spiritual, so maybe they have magical ways to deal with this artifact, or other magic that might help us.”

“Zebra priestesses are capable healers”, Spring Breeze said. “Maybe they can help with regrowing pegasus feathers, or even restore unicorn horns. Didn’t a zebra settle down somewhere in Everfree, close to Ponyville? I wonder if we can find and recruit her.”

Eadgil nodded. “I’ll see if my contacts in Canterlot know anything about her. If she was captured, they’ll probably know about it. If not, she might still be hiding in Everfree somewhere. There might also be another way to gain allies though. I’ve already informed you about the magical properties of tourmaline. Of course, the disadvantage is that it has to be in direct contact with the body, so it can only applied to single individuals, not to the community as a whole. We also don’t know yet how it affects the mind control. We’ll have to try it out on affected stallions to see how it works. Vestri wants to send us some anyway. We also still have to think about how to set up a convincing masquerade for them, and how to disincline them to move here if the tourmaline doesn’t have the desired effect. I think we already discussed a few suggestions in this regard in the past. If you can come up with others, please let us know at the next meeting.”

A few of the mares and caribou gave him nods.

Eadgil continued. “The bottom line is, we need allies, and there are a few possible options for that, but we have to approach it carefully.”

He paused for a moment. “Another task is to become self-sustained, or at least as far as possible. We should begin planting crops as soon as Spring hits. It’s not too difficult, we’re all herbivores and could theoretically survive on grass and leaves - but I would prefer not to.”

Unanimous nods from both the ponies and the caribou.

“It’s a start”, Spring Breeze said. “There are a lot of questions that still need to be answered, but it’s a start. In the next few weeks, we’ll make plans for further restoring the castle, and for planting season. This is a mild winter, so I assume spring will come early this year. Eadgil, I want you to continue your research on magic, to see if you can find other things we can use. Anyone knowledgeable in this area may join him.”

“I’m going to try out a few new things with runes”, the runesmith said. “Our craft is a very old and traditional one, and we don’t experiment very often, essentially only teach the knowledge we already have, and even disincline students from doing their own research. I’ve always lamented this fact. I want to see what I can do that goes beyond our traditions. Reach a deeper understanding of what exactly we’re doing as well. Maybe I find something useful.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “Sounds like a good idea.”

Eadgil rubbed his chin. “I’m interested in that as well, though… more in the theoretical aspects. It would be great if you could inform me of your progress.”

The runesmith gave him a nod.

“Alright, I think this would be all”, Spring Breeze said. “Any other topics you want to address?”

No one spoke up.

“Alright, then we’ll conclude this meeting for today”, Spring Breeze said. “I still have to make preparations for… something else anyway.”

The crowd dissolved, and everyone went their own ways. Eadgil took Star Charmer aside.

“Star, about your present… I want to give it to you in the stags’ common room later today - in late afternoon, about two hours before dinner. I will fetch you, so make sure to be in your room.”

Star Charmer nodded and gave him a smile. “Is this… what I think it is?”

Eadgil smirked. “Probably. Make sure to wear something revealing and easily removable.”

Star Charmer bit her lip. “Yes, Master”, she responded. “Will Bruna join us?”

Eadgil shook his head. “I asked her, but she has decided that this should be for you only. And she also doesn’t want to join… the others either.”

Star Charmer nodded. “I see. Looking forward to it! But now I’ll take the remaining hours to prepare myself.” She giggled, turned around and walked away.

Eadgil chuckled, then went in the direction of the stags’ common room. There were still a lot of things to prepare…





A bit later, Star Charmer was sitting on her bed, patiently. She had put on an almost slutty makeup, and she wore Eadgil’s collar, a semi-transparent, long silk top, and little panties. It was bordering on violating the rules for the mares’ wing, so she hoped no other mare would see her like that, but she was certain Eadgil would take her to the stags’ common room immediately, and most of the other mares were celebrating in the mares’ common room, so there was little chance that they would run into one of them. For the way back, she would bring along something more suitable. Her current clothes would need cleaning afterwards anyway, and she was certain she wouldn’t want to be seen in them afterwards.

She heard a knock on the door.

“Master, is that you?”, she asked.

“What do you think?”, Eadgil’s voice came from the other side of the door.

“Please come in, Master”, Star Charmer called. “It’s not locked.”

The door opened, and the stag entered, carrying a large bag for some odd reason. In the other hand, he carried the riding crop Star Charmer had given to him the evening before. Walking close to her, he eyed her thoroughly. “My, my. Star, you look stunning.”

The mare giggled. “Thank you, Master.”

“You should pack some other clothing though”, Eadgil told her. “You might want to change outfits afterwards.”

“Way ahead of you”, Star Charmer giggled, grabbing a bunch of clothes that she had already placed right next to her on the bed.

Eadgil came close, grabbed her by the collar, and gently forced her to stand. “Well then… are you ready?”, he said, looking into her eyes.

Star Charmer bit her lip. “Yes, Master”, she answered.

“Very well, then”, Eadgil ordered. “Follow me, mare.”

They left the room, and crossed the halls of the mares’ wing without incident. As they entered the eastern wing, Eadgil stopped.

“Master, why are we stopping?”, Star Charmer asked.

Eadgil turned around and gave her a smirk. “Oh, just a little something I’m going to add to your outfit.”

He put down the bag, then pulled out a chain and leather handcuffs. “Hands”, he ordered.

Star Charmer held her hands up in front of her, and Eadgil cuffed them together. Then he attached the chain to her collar, and to the cuffs at one half of its length, giving him enough chain to drag her along. Finally, he pulled out another, rather short chain with cuffs on the end and attached it to her legs right above her feet, making it difficult for her to walk.

Eadgil then grabbed the leash and returned on his way, casually strolling through the corridors, humming a little while dragging the mare along. Star Charmer struggled to follow, stumbling and almost falling over quite a few times. She assumed that she was in for a rough ride.

They arrived at the stags’ common hall, and Eadgil opened the door. Instead of entering, he shoved her in first, then entered behind her.

Inside the hall, she looked around and spotted four other caribou - and Spring Breeze. The stags wore their usual leather pants and no shirts, and the pegasus was dressed in pants and a white, buttoned shirt. Behind them, Star Charmer noticed a table with all kinds of kinky gear and tools of punishment. Some of the other tables and chairs seemed to have been modified in various ways for kinky purposes.

“Spring Breeze, you too?”, she asked. “Are you with them, or…?”

Eadgil chuckled and shoved Star Charmer towards the other mare. Not being able to make larger steps with these chains, she stumbled and outright fell in Spring Breeze’s direction, who caught her in her arms - arms that were surprisingly strong for those of a pegasus mare, and almost felt more like an Earth pony. Star Charmer was surprised, Spring Breeze wasn’t even that muscular. Star Charmer also noticed that the pegasus wore nothing below her shirt.

“What do you think?”, Spring Breeze asked, smirking at her. “Why do you even have to ask? You know well which role I prefer, little mare.”

Star Charmer bit her lip. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I think I should inform you what will happen here”, Spring Breeze smirked. “You are not just here to be fucked. You are here to be used, degraded and humiliated - within the terms and limits of your contract, of course. Eadgil and I will make sure that they are respected. But make no mistake. We will not be gentle. Any move or sound that is not to our liking will be severely punished. Aside from your Safe Word, you will not speak unless spoken to. You will address us properly, and you will speak of yourself in third person.”

“Yes, ma’am”, Star Charmer responded. “May… this mare ask a question?”

“We haven’t started yet, so... sure”, Spring Breeze answered.

Star Charmer blushed. “If I use my Safe Word, will all of this just… end?” She bit her lip.

“Mh”, Eadgil made. “As I see it, the best way to do this would be as usual. If you use your Safe Word, we will stop the scene and whatever we’re currently doing, and then you will have the chance to express yourself, tell us what’s wrong and if you want it to end, or if you just need a break, or anything else. Nothing should stop you from using your Safe Word if you think you need it. I think it’s safer that way.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “I agree with him.”

Star Charmer looked up to the other mare, smiling. “Thank you. That helps a lot.”

Spring Breeze grabbed Star Charmer’s mane on the back of her head, holding her in position and looking into her eyes. “We’ll mess you up real good, little one. You ready to begin?”

Star Charmer smiled and gave a nod.

Only seconds later, she felt the other mare’s lips on hers, and her tongue fiercely entering her muzzle. Spring Breeze forced her into a rough kiss, exploring her muzzle with her own tongue while beginning to roughly feel her up. Star Charmer leaned in, passively letting the other mare have her way with her. She had to control her tongue not to become active and return the teasing, but she managed. Meanwhile, Spring Breeze removed the other mare’s silk top, letting it fall to the ground, leaving Star Charmer topless and with only her tiny panties to cover her nethers.

Eventually, Spring Breeze broke the kiss. She looked into the other mare’s eyes again, giving her a smirk. “Good thing you wore something I could remove that easily despite your chains, cunt. We wouldn’t want that marvelous piece of clothing get dirty - or worse, damaged.” She chuckled. “I think I’ll sit back and watch for a while. I’ll use you later.”

She then roughly turned the other mare around and shoved her towards the nearest caribou, who was large and rather buff. He caught Star Charmer, pressing her against his body, one arm behind her back and the other hand resting on her ass. She looked up to him and bit her lip.

“Mmh, you’re a cute one”, the caribou said. “Ari really made a catch with you, little cunt. Maybe we can do this more often.”

“This one would like that, sir”, Star Charmer said. “If Master allows it.”

A second later, she noticed what she had done. She bit her lip. Maybe they wouldn’t notice.

Eadgil shrugged. “If nothing goes wrong today, I don’t see why not.”

The other stag removed his gaze from Star Charmer and instead turned it to Eadgil. “The cunt did speak without permission though. I think that warrants a punishment. Shall I punish her, or do you want to take this?”

Star Charmer bit her lip once more.

“I will punish her”, Eadgil decided. “Shove her over there and bend her over that table.”

The other stag nodded, then forcefully shoved Star Charmer over to one of the tables and bent her over it. “Stick out your ass, cunt”, he ordered. Star Charmer did as she was told, presenting her ass to Eadgil and the others.

Eadgil chuckled, and then slowly walked over to the mare, taking his time.

Once he arrived at the table, he let his crop gently run along the mare’s ass cheeks. “I’ve been waiting to try this out ever since you gave it to me, little cunt”, he said. “How many do you think you deserve for this misstep.”

Once more, Star Charmer couldn’t help but bite her lip. “I… this… this little cunt doesn’t know, Master. Whatever Master decides is the right amount.”

Eadgil smirked. “Good answer. I’ll give your ass a very amusing shade of red. It’ll be a good preparation for what’s to come. Of course, you will thank me for each and every hit.”

“Yes, Mast-AH!”, Star Charmer began, but Eadgil had already brought down the crop on her right ass cheek.

“I’m waiting”, he said.

“Th… thank you, Master.”

Eadgil smirked, then raised his crop again and gave her left cheek the treatment.

“Ah! Thank you, Master!”, Star Charmer yelped.

“This needs to go much faster, cunt”, Eadgil commanded, smirking. “If I don’t hear you thanking me the moment the crop hits, you will regret it.”

“Yes, Mast-AH!”, Star Charmer began, only to feel the sting of the crop once more mid-sentence. “Thank you, Master!”, she yelped immediately.

“Not perfect, but better. Next time, be even quicker.”

He raised the crop again and then brought it down hard on her right ass cheek.

“Thank you, Master!”, Star Charmer yelped almost immediately.

“See?”, he asked, raising the crop. “This is how you thank your Master for the discipline he provides.”

He brought down the crop again, and Star Charmer immediately thanked him once more.

They continued with this until her ass had turned to a delicious shade of red. Star Charmer’s eyes were slightly wet from the pain, but she wasn’t outright crying. She somewhat assumed she would be before the end of this - but that was just a bodily reaction, and so far she loved every moment of it. She was thankful her Safe Word was the only thing that would stop them - she didn’t want it to end just because her body got the silly idea to cry her a river. The intensity of not just the pain, but also the feeling of being punished in front of everyone, eyed up by them like a piece of meat, just to be used by them however they deemed fit later - all of this was exactly her thing.

“I think that’s enough”, Eadgil eventually decided, taking a step back and turning to the caribou who had bent the mare over. “You can have her back again”, he said.

The other caribou came close, and gently let his hand run along her red ass cheeks. “Nice work there, Ari”, he commented. “I think the bitch has learned her lesson.”

His fingers found their way to the mare’s nether regions, feeling up her outer folds. “Seems like she’s a masochist, too”, he commented. “The bitch is soaking wet.”

Star Charmer bit her lip. It was an exaggeration, she was only slightly wet - but the purpose of that comment wasn’t to state a fact to begin with.

Eadgil shrugged. “Tell me something new”, he commented.

The other caribou then grabbed her by the mane, roughly pulled her upwards, and held her close once more, this time with her back towards her. He turned around so the others could have a good look, and slowly, carefully walked a few steps towards them, while his right hand found its way to her tits, beginning to feel them up roughly. A moment later, he also began to kiss her neck. “Mmmh, yes, you’re cute”, he commented. “We’ll have a lot of fun with you, little mare.”

His hand eventually found its way from her tits down and inside her panties, starting to tease her marehood once more. He put two fingers on her outer folds, spreading them apart and presenting her to the gazes of the others, holding her like this for quite a while while continuing to hold her in place and kiss her neck.

“She’s pure eye candy”, one of the others remarked. “Really nice catch, Ari.”

Eadgil returned a smirk. “She came to me”, he said. “Not sure what she sees in me, but not my problem.”

Star Charmer bit her lip once more. One more reason why she liked her Master. Even while putting her through extreme humiliation, he still wasn’t above a bit of self-deprecating humor now and then. From what she had seen, it was a rare enough trait among stags - being able to show vulnerability like this. She knew only one other stag who ever did that, and Baldr wasn’t her type. Once again, she was reassured that she had made the right choice.

Wait, wasn’t there something wrong with that reasoning? For a moment, she wondered if she was forgetting something - but the situation just didn’t allow her to think straight.

“Lucky stag”, a third one commented, resulting in an unanimous chuckle from all of them, including Spring Breeze.

The stag who held Star Charmer let his fingers glide inside her and began to finger fuck her. “Mh, this feels nice”, he commented. “I can’t wait to have my cock in there. But first, I’m going to warm you up a bit.”

Star Charmer couldn’t help herself. She moaned loudly from the sensation.

“Did we give you permission to let these noises slip out of your noise hole, cunt?”, the stag asked as he heard her moaning.

Star Charmer bit her lip and tried to remain silent, with reasonable, but not complete success. She hoped it would be enough.

“Damn, you’re a horny bitch”, the stag commented. “You’re already squealing like a pig, and this is just a bit of warm-up before the real fun begins.” He moved his other hand to her throat, holding her in place firmly without really cutting off her air supply. “You’re told to be silent, and you still can’t keep your muzzle shut.”

“I think that warrants another punishment”, Spring Breeze said, chuckling as she went over to the table with the toys and tools, picking up a riding crop of her own. “Yes, this will do nicely”, she said.

She then walked over to Star Charmer and the stag, and placed the tip of the crop on Star Charmer’s right nipple, eliciting another lip bite from the other mare. “Just go on with your warm-up”, Spring Breeze told the stag. “No need to interrupt your fun.”

The stag nodded, continuing to finger-fuck Star Charmer, more roughly now.

Spring Breeze raised the crop and brought it down on the other mare’s tit. Star Charmer yelped from the pain.

In response, the other stag closed the hand around Star Charmer’s throat a bit more, making her struggle for air for a moment. “Didn’t I tell you to keep your damn noise hole shut, cunt?”, he asked. “I don’t want to hear another sound from you.”

Spring Breeze chuckled. “I’m not sure if the cunt can even control herself any more at this point. Let’s test that hypothesis, shall we?” She raised her crop again and gave the other tit a good smack.

Star Charmer bit her lip hard, trying to control herself. It was a challenge, but she managed.

“No yelp?”, Spring Breeze chucked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. “Seems like I’m not trying hard enough.”

She once again lifted the crop, and brought it down on the other mare’s right tit, this time a good bit harder. Star Charmer sweated and struggled, but once again, she managed. The sensations of pleasure and pain almost flooded her mind now, but she was still far from using her Safe Word. This was exactly the kind of rough play she had wanted for a long time.

“Still no yelp”, Spring Breeze remarked. “Seems like you want to be a good girl now. Let’s see for how long you can be.”

Once more, she raised the crop and brought it down, once more flooding the other mare’s mind with a sensation of pain. Star Charmer almost felt pushed to the limit, barely able to restrain herself from letting out a sound of pain - but once more, she managed.

“Good girl”, Spring Breeze said. “I’m fairly confident my next one will make you yelp though.”

She once again raised the crop, and then brought it down again. This one was by far her harshest so far.

This was it. Star Charmer felt unable to control herself any longer. A scream of pain escaped her lips.

“This should be it”, Spring Breeze said. “I think I’ve made my point.”

She gave the stag a look. “Finish her off so we can proceed.” The stag gave her a nod.

“Well, that was interesting”, one of the other stags said in an almost thoughtful voice.

The stag nodded, increasing the fierceness of his finger fucking. “This is only the beginning”, he whispered into Star Charmer’s ear as he felt her body welling up against him. “You know we caribou don’t need much time to recover. We’re all going to fuck you - more than once. You’ll probably walk funny for a few days.” He chuckled, once again increasing the fierceness of his fingering.

Once again, Star Charmer felt a loss of control. There was no way she could hold back her orgasm much longer, but without permission to speak, she dared not ask for permission to cum either.

The stag chuckled. “You may cum, little mare.”

Star Charmer silently thanked any God that might be out there and then let go, her entire body welling up in orgasm.

Only seconds later, she felt his fingers withdrawing from her pussy, instead grabbing her right leg and lifting it up, holding her in place with her cunt for everyone to see. “Who wants to go first?”, he asked.

Another stag approached her and unzipped his pants in front of her, revealing his cock. “Let’s get this hard, shall we?”, he said, using one finger to push her panties aside, beginning to rub it against the mare’s outer folds.

He got hard quickly, and without further ado, shoved his cock into the mare’s cunt, beginning to fuck her hard against the other male’s buff body.

“Damn, I’m getting really hard, too”, the other male said. “Sorry to interrupt, but could you hold this for a moment? Gonna get some lube.”

The stag in front of her nodded, placing his one hand under the leg that was already up, and the other hand on the back of her head, holding her in place with his cock inside her as the stag behind her removed himself from her, walking over to the table and picking up a tube of lube.

He then returned to his position. With him being back and his body presenting a surface, the other stag continued to fuck her, removing his hand from the back of her head and beginning to feel up her body. Meanwhile, the stag behind her began to apply liberal amounts of lube to both his cock and her rear entry - entering her ass once he was done.

He once again placed his one hand on her throat and his other hand under her leg, helping his companion to hold it up while they were both fucking her senseless from both sides.

If she had thought the feelings were intense before, this was a whole new level. She didn’t think she would be able to control herself much longer.

“Don’t come, cunt!”, the stag behind her barked. “This is our fun, not yours.”

He had no idea how wrong he was, but she controlled herself.

“Damn, this is tight”, the stag behind her commented. “I don’t think I can hold much longer.”

Seconds later, he released inside her with a massive groan.

He continued to hold her up for his companion, who increased his thrusts.

“You’re a damn fine piece of meat”, the stag in front of her commented. “Mh… your snatch feels nice around my cock. Your tits look wonderful, I think I want to...”

He brought his muzzle down to her right tit that he had felt up so far, and began to fiercely suck on her tit, eliciting a small moan from the mare. Hearing it, the stag behind her immediately slightly closed his hand around her throat, making her struggle for air for only a second, but long enough to remind her to remain silent.

The stag in front of her eventually stopped sucking her tit and instead placed his hand on the back of her head, looking into her eyes. “I want my tongue in your muzzle when I come, so open up that noise hole of yours, cunt.”

Not even really able to think any more, Star Charmer parted her lips a bit, and immediately felt his lips on hers and his tongue entering her muzzle. Remaining passive wasn’t difficult for her any more at this point, so she just leaned in and enjoyed the sensation.

He continued enjoying her muzzle while fucking her roughly for quite a while, but eventually released inside her without warning. She was barely able to hold back her own orgasm, but she did moan into his kiss.

To her surprise, the caribou didn’t immediately stop kissing her after releasing, but instead continued even more fiercely. With the other stag’s hand still holding up her leg, his own hand moved further up and began to tease her cunt as he continued to kiss her.

“Don’t! Come!”, the other stag whispered into her ear, then once more kissing her neck.

They continued their game until she was completely on edge. Just one second more and she wouldn’t have been able to control herself any longer. But eventually, the stag in front of her broke the kiss and removed his fingers. They both let go of her leg, and she was standing between them on the ground once more - still held between their bodies.

“Riled up as she is, I don’t think this weak cunt will be able to support herself if we just leave”, the stag in front of her said. “We should let her sink to her knees slowly.”

The other stag nodded. “You heard him, mare”, he whispered into her ear. “Once he removes himself from you, I want to see you on your knees.”

The stag in front of her very slowly removed himself, ready to catch her if needed, and she indeed felt the weakness of her legs. Their orders were not needed. She immediately sank to her knees, keeping her legs spread, placing her hands on her legs with the palms up, and casting her eyes to the ground like a well-behaved slave.

The two stags took a step back, picking up towels to clean themselves up, and a third one approached her, placing himself in front of her. His left hand quickly went through her mane. “I see you’re already in the position I want you in”, he said. “What a good, well-behaved little cocksucker.” He removed his hand and began to unzip his pants, revealing his cock, already semi-erect from the show he just witnessed. “Now open up and get to work, cunt”, he commanded. “I’ll let you handle this, but you better do your best. Let’s see how well you can suck a cock.”

Star Charmer nodded weakly. She was riled up and would have preferred another good rutting, hopefully with permission to come, but it wasn’t her call. She slowly began to nuzzle his balls with her snout as a sign of her submission.

“Mh, the cunt understands how to show respect to her betters!”, the stag chuckled, once again grabbing her mane. “Good start, little cunt. But you better hurry up, I’m getting impatient.”

Star Charmer let out a small sigh and began to gently wrap her lips around the stag’s balls, beginning to suck them and tease them with her tongue.

“Mh yes, that’s the stuff”, the stag commented. “You seem eager to get me hard quickly, so you can get that cock of mine into your filthy little noise hole, huh?”

Star Charmer simply continued to lick, but she suddenly felt his hand in her mane once more, pulling her away from his balls.

“I asked you a question, dumb cunt! Do you want to get punished again? You better answer fast, cock nuzzler!”

“Yes sir. This mare wishes to get you hard fast, so she can delight herself on the taste of your enormous cock, sir.”

The stag chuckled. “Good girl.” He looked down at himself. “Seems like you got what you wanted, now get to work.”

Star Charmer nodded shyly, then began to tease the tip of his cock with her tongue.

“Mh, that feels nice”, the stag commented. “Finally using your muzzle for what it’s made for instead of for moaning and squealing like a pig, huh?”

Once again, Star Charmer nodded weakly, walking her way up and letting her tongue run up his shaft.

“Damn, that feels nice”, the stag moaned. “But now, take it all.”

Star Charmer withdrew for a moment, then opened wide and wrapped her entire muzzle around the caribou’s cock, beginning to suck him off.

“You better not lose even a single drop when I come, cunt”, the stag ordered, going back to letting his hand run through her mane. He seemed to have a liking for the touch of manes - or hers at least.

She continued to suck him off, and he eventually came inside her muzzle. Eagerly, she swallowed it all, using her tongue to catch the drops of cum that were falling off his cock, then to clean him up.

The stag gave her mane another petting. “You did well, cunt”, he said in an almost gentle voice. Star Charmer returned to her kneeling position, her eyes cast down.

“Don’t you want to thank me, cunt?”, the stag asked.

“Thank you, sir, for giving me your delicious load”, Star Charmer responded.

A last time, the stag let his hand run through the mare’s hair. “That’s a good girl”, he said.

Then, he took a step back, pulled up his pants and went back to the others.

Immediately afterwards, the fourth and last one approached her. “I’m gonna mess up your face with my load”, he announced, unzipping his pants and revealing his cock. “You’re gonna give me a handjob. Place your face in front of my cock where I can see it.”

She complied, moving her cuffed hands upwards and to his cock, clumsily beginning to try to jerk him off, which proved difficult with her hands tied.

The stag looked at this for a while, visibly unimpressed. “Yeah, this isn’t going to work”, he eventually said. “Clumsy bitch can’t do a thing right. Seems like I have to try something else. Remove your hands from my cock and open up your muzzle, cunt!”

Star Charmer nodded, then opened her muzzle wide.

The stag positioned herself directly in front of her, then placed his hand on the back of her head - and shoved her forwards and his cock inside her muzzle.

As he began to throat-fuck her, she struggled to restrain her gag reflex. She knew this wouldn’t take long, it usually didn’t - but it still made her struggle.

Only a second before he came, he pulled out, and then released his load all over her face. Like the well-behaved slut she felt like at the moment, she kept her muzzle open, catching any of the cum that would land inside it, while at the same time keeping her eyes closed.

Huge stains of it ended up on her face, and the stag chuckled at the sight. “Seems like I messed up your face pretty good, huh?”

Star Charmer said nothing for a second.

“Answer me, cunt!”, the stag insisted.

“Yes, sir”, the mare responded weakly. “You messed up this cunt’s face real good. She doesn’t know, but she’s sure she looks like a mess.”

The stag placed his hand on her cheek. “You do, cunt”, he affirmed. Then, he snapped his finger.

Eadgil chuckled, then went over to the table and picked up something, handing it over to the stag.

Immediately afterwards, Star Charmer found a mirror held directly in front of her face, seeing the cum splattered all across it.

“Now doesn’t that look nice?”, the stag asked.

“Yes, sir”, the mare said hesitantly, insecurity in her voice. “This is what a dumb slut’s face should look like.”

The stag grabbed her mane with his hand and pulled her head back roughly, looking into her eyes from above, eliciting a little yelp from her. “Don’t talk stupid shit, cunt! Just look at that mess! And it was so beautiful before. You think you should always look like this? That’s fucking gross! What kind of weirdo are you?”

A few steps away, Eadgil chuckled a little. At least he hadn’t called her a Dainnist. His comrades were clearly pushing it sometimes, but they still knew better than to ruin their own fun, and that of their willing plaything. The stag heard another chuckle, and was surprised to find Spring Breeze quite amused as well.

“Alright”, Eadgil said once the other stag had removed himself. “You guys ready for the next round?” He earned nods from his companions, and also from Spring Breeze.

Eadgil slowly walked over to Star Charmer, standing in front of her. “You too, Star? Ready for the next round?”

The mare nodded weakly. “Yes, Master. This cunt is ready to be used even more.”

“Good”, Eadgil said, grabbing the chain that tied her handcuffs and collar together and yanking her to her legs. Surprised, Star Charmer managed to get to her legs, but then immediately fell over and into his arms. The stag caught her in his arms, and she felt the familiarity and comfort of a body she had become acquainted to.

“Mmmh”, she involuntarily moaned.

Eadgil chuckled. “Don’t get too used to it, cunt.”

He removed himself from her, making sure she was standing, and then dragged her along on the chain, pulling her over to a small table and bending her over it.

He then walked around her. “Do you still know your Safe Word?”, he asked.

“Yes, Master”, Star Charmer answered.

“Are you still able to use it?”, Eadgil asked.

“Yes, Master”, she huffed. “Not anywhere... close to... needing it though.” She assumed that was as close to a coherent sentence as she could produce by now - but her Safe Word was still far within the reach of her grasp, always ready to be pulled out when things would get too tough. She hadn’t lied to, she felt nowhere near that point.

Eadgil smiled and put his hand under her chin, petting her a little. “You’re a tough mare, Star Charmer.”

“Thank you, Master”, Star Charmer responded.

Eadgil smirked, then grabbed the chain once more, pulling her hands downward and then linking it to the table, forcing her to remain in this bent-over position.

He then went around her, and then, to her surprise, undid the chains on her legs. “This won’t do”, he said. He then stood up again and roughly pulled off her panties. “These are just in the way”, he proclaimed.

Going over to the other table with the toys and tools, he picked up two ropes, then returned, roughly forced her legs to spread, and then tied them to the legs of the table.

“Yes, much better”, he said, rubbing his chin. “Alright, guys.” He stopped himself for a moment, giving Spring Breeze a look. “Eh, I meant Ladies and Gentlemen. She’s all yours again. Feel free to use any of the toys you can find on the table.”

The first two of the stags were already good to go another time, so they went over to the table and picked up a few things, among them a few dildos of various sizes, a butt plug, as well as a few crops and canes.

Eadgil looked at them, raising an eyebrow.

“What?”, one of the stags asked. “We don’t want to walk over to the table every time we want to try out something new. I’m sure you guys feel the same.”

Eadgil chuckled. “Okay, fair enough.”

The two stags walked over to the bound mare, and the stag who had been behind her the first time placed himself behind her once more. “Alright, let’s plug this up”, he said, picking up the butt plug and a tube of lube, applying the latter to the former.

He placed the plug against the mare’s rear entrance, and then pushed it in.

Pushing his body against hers immediately afterwards, he bent himself over her to whisper in her ear. “Finally, I get to feel that nice little cunt of yours around my cock”, he chuckled.

Star Charmer remained silent as the stag lifted his upper body up again and then unbuttoned his pants, rubbing his cock against her outer folds. “You like that feeling, don’t you? You’re already wet as fuck.”

Star Charmer frowned. Of course she was, she was still riled up as fuck from the fingering he and his companion had given her, and from his companion’s rutting. But she bit her lip and remained silent.

“I think we should cut her some slack”, Eadgil suggested. “I’d say we let her cum as often as she wants as long as she’s tied to that table.”

The stag nodded, and once more brought his face down and close to hers, this time resting his hand on her throat. He seemed to have a thing for breath play, Star Charmer suspected. “You’ve heard your Master, cunt. Feel free to have all the orgasms your tiny little mind can handle.”

He then pushed into her and began to rut her. With her already riled up, and being allowed to let go, it took her not even a minute to reach her first orgasm - but since she still had four stags and another mare to satisfy, she knew it wouldn’t be her last. As the feeling ebbed down despite the continued rutting, she took comfort in the thought that there would be more.

The other stag placed himself in front of her, unbuttoning his pants once more. “Alright, cunt. You better get this hard fast, because I’m next, and I don’t want to waste my time with nonsense.”

Barely able to move her head, Star Charmer began to lick his cock as much as she could while the rutting behind her continued.

“That’s a good girl”, the stag commented. “Mh yes, I think that’ll work.”

The other stag continued the rutting. As he felt his orgasm approaching, his hand gripped a bit tighter around her throat. She had been right. He was into breath play.

He released another big load inside her cunt, then withdrew quickly, leaving her wanting.

He gave his companion a look. “You hard yet?”

The other stag nodded. “Yup”, he said. “Time to switch places.”

He went around the table while his friend came around the other side, now placing himself in front of her. “You better clean me up thoroughly, slut”, he commanded while his friend picked up something.

Suddenly, Star Charmer felt the touch of a cane resting on her ass. “And quickly if I were you”, the stag behind her said. “You’ll get a nice can of whoopass until he’s cleaned up.”

He lifted the cane. “Get to work, bitch.”

Only seconds later, the cane descended harshly on her ass. The stag was skilled, and made sure not to hit her butt plug, but it stung like hell.

In her awkward position, she could do only so much to properly clean up the other stag’s cock, but she tried her best. Fortunately, the stag ‘helped’ her by putting his hand on his cock and guiding it to her muzzle. He also amused himself with not being too careful though, so he also smeared it along her snout quite a bit. She was far beyond the point of caring. She had seen herself in the mirror. Her face was already a mess.

The cane continued to descend on her ass as she cleaned him up. It hurt like hell and she wished it would stop, but it didn’t feel wrong. She was still surprisingly far from reaching for her Safe Word.

Eventually, the stag concluded that he was properly cleaned up. “Alright, I’m done”, he said. “She’s all yours.”

The other stag chuckled, and the caning ceased. He positioned himself behind her, the tip of his cock right next to her cunt. “I wonder if it’ll feel just as nice as the last time”, he said. “Let’s find out.”

A second later, he pushed in, beginning to fuck her.

Meanwhile, one of the other stags turned to Eadgil and Spring Breeze. “Ari, I… wanted to thank you for this. We all agree that enslaving the mares was wrong, and you’ve convinced me that we even handled our cows wrongly for a long time - but it’s still good to know that we can still play hard. Many cows love it, and apparently some mares also do.”

Eadgil nodded. “Star Charmer disagrees with slavery just as much as we do. She just happens to like hard play - and she likes the submissive role. Not because she’s a female, but because she’s Star Charmer.”

“Of course it isn’t because she’s a female”, the stag laughed. “I know a mare who’s more similar to us in this regard.” He gave Spring Breeze a smile.

Spring Breeze smiled back. “Many mares have submission fantasies, some stallions as well, but very few of them go as far as Star Charmer - or could go as far even if they wanted to. She is special in this regard - and she still abhors slavery. Subs may entertain it as a fantasy, but if they’re mentally healthy, they don’t actually support it. And to be frank…” She paused for a second. “I know your cows are a special case, but from what I’ve seen, I don’t think they’re different in this regard. They just don’t know anything else.”

Eadgil nodded. “Bruna is an example of a cow who was raised correctly - or at least as well as she could have given the circumstances - and she’s perfectly able to voice an opinion, or disagreement, or wishes of her own. But we’ve always known this, haven’t we? The story of Veizla and Matask is proof of that. We’ve always known we were treating them wrongly, and then we’ve made up bullshit justifications for doing it anyway. It’s high time that we show them another way - but many of them will still enjoy submission and even hard play. We don’t lose anything, but we win freedom - for them and for ourselves.”

The two stags standing next to him gave him reaffirming nods.

Meanwhile, the third stag had returned to them, while the fourth was still rutting her. “What are you guys talking about?”, he asked.

“Cows”, Eadgil responded.

“Oh”, the stag answered, chuckling a little. “Isn’t that conversation topic a bit worn out?”

Eadgil smirked. “I don’t think so”, he responded.

“Yeah, okay… I’ll just stand here and enjoy the show. Whoever wants to go next should probably go over there.” He pointed at Star Charmer and the fourth stag, who was still rutting her. “He’ll be done soon… and I think he wants to do the same combination of cleanup and caning again. He’ll probably need a hand for the cane.”

One of the others nodded and walked over to the fourth, who had already begun increasing his thrusts.

He eventually released inside the mare, then pulled out and gave the stag who had come over a look. “You want to give me a hand before you start?”, he asked. “Want to give her another caning while she cleans me up?”

The other stag nodded. “On it”, he said, picking up the cane.

He positioned himself behind Star Charmer, and the other stag went around the table, hanging his cum-covered cock right in her face. “You know the game, cunt”, he said. “Until this is properly cleaned up, you’ll experience nothing but pain.”

Star Charmer nodded weakly, and once more began her clumsy attempts at cleaning him up. Only second later, the familiar pain of a cane descending on her ass went through her entire body.

She tried her best to finish the cleaning quickly. Once she was done, he buttoned up and left her.

The other stag stopped the caning and smirked. Getting an idea, he went over to the table and picked something up, then returning to the mare.

Once Spring Breeze spotted what the stag had picked up, she chuckled. “Alright, time for me to have some fun as well.”

She went over to Star Charmer and the other stag, picked up a dildo and placed herself in front of Star Charmer. “Hello, Star”, she smirked, looking down at the other mare, gently placing her hand on the unicorn’s left cheek. “Missed me?”

Star Charmer tried to look up as much as she could. “Yes, ma’am.”

“We’re gonna have some fun with you, slut”, Spring Breeze chuckled, amused about Star Charmer’s futile attempts to get a glance of what was going on behind her. “You have no idea what he has in store for you, do you?”

“No, ma’am”, Star Charmer admitted.

“Good”, Spring Breeze chuckled. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

The stag placed himself behind Star Charmer, placed his one hand on her butt cheek, then moved his thumb down and began to feel up the outer folds of her cunt while holding something in his other hand. The mare begun to let out soft moans of pleasure.

“Silence, mare”, Spring Breeze commanded, and Star Charmer immediately shut up.

The stag then removed his hand and instead placed the tip of his cock right next to Star Charmer’s cunt. Since it was already reasonably hard, he took no time and pushed inside her - but instead of beginning to rut her, he just let it rest there.

Spring Breeze chuckled a little.

A moment later, Star Charmer felt the first drip of hot wax on her ass. “Fffuuck!”, she exclaimed. “Oooh shit, fuck!”

“You still know your Safe Word?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“Yes!”, Star Charmer shouted. “Dont… aaah, worry!”

Spring Breeze chuckled, gently petting the other mare’s cheek. “That’s a good girl”, she said. “You better get him off quickly, or else your ass will be a waxy mess in no time”, she teased.

Not being able to move properly, Star Charmer did what little she could, moving back and forth within the little wiggle room she had, and tightening herself around the stag’s cock to get him off. He eventually began to work a little bit as well, but only a bare minimum, leaving her even more frustrated.

Spring Breeze chuckled as she watched them, unbuttoning her shirt and dropping her own pants and panties. Then, she took the dildo she had picked up and slowly inserted it into her own cunt, placing herself right in front of Star Charmer’s face - close enough - and placing her hand on the back of the other mare’s head.

“You better give me a good licking while I fuck myself with that dildo, slut”, she commanded, and Star Charmer’s tongue immediately began to work.

“Mmh yeah… fuck, that’s how I like it”, Spring Breeze moaned. The other stag gave her a glance of recognition - even respect.

Meanwhile, one of the other stags had taken Eadgil aside.

“Ari, I… need to talk to you.”

“Alright, what is it?”, Eadgil asked.

“First of all, I wanted to thank you for this. But… I also wanted to thank you for… including Spring Breeze. Aside from the fact that her presence helps to keep us in check, it’s also… pretty damn interesting to see a dominant female in action. So far, I only heard about her from Baldr, but… in some ways, she’s better at this than some of us are. It’s… stunning.”

Eadgil smirked. “You want to try out submitting to a female, don’t you?”

The stag blushed and looked down. “It’s… I… uh…”

Eadgil placed his hand on the other stag’s shoulder. “There is no need to be ashamed.”

The other stag relaxed. “I thought about it, yes. I mean, uh… I like being in charge, but I do want to try out the other side. Giving myself up to someone… I mean, I could just ask a male, but I want to try it out with a female. I’m curious if it could work.”

Eadgil nodded.

The other stag sighed. “I don’t think Spring Breeze wants to take another male at this point though…”

“As a permanent relationship, probably not”, Eadgil responded. “She might still be up for some play. She was immediately up for the idea to play with Star Charmer today after all. It wasn’t just to ensure safety, I saw sparkles in her eyes when I suggested it. You could approach her, and if she agrees, you can see if it works for you, and if it does, maybe another female will eventually come along and…” He chuckled. “...take you. Maybe Deepest Desire is interested, although she already has three subs to handle.”

“That grey unicorn of yours?”, the stag asked. “I was under the impression that she’s only interested in females.”

“No, she takes both”, Eadgil replied. “As a matter of fact, when Baldr told me he had submission fantasies, I suggested approaching her, but he already had his eyes on Spring Breeze.”

The stag nodded.

“Oh, another thing”, Eadgil said. “If you want to approach Spring Breeze about this, you should only do so while Baldr is present. He’s fine with Spring Breeze having her fun with Star Charmer, and I think he’s… fine with pretty much anything Spring Breeze decides to do, but he deserves to know, and he also deserves to speak up if he doesn’t like the idea. I also asked her to participate here while Baldr was present. As a matter of fact, I also asked Baldr and Bruna as well, but they both weren’t interested. They aren’t the dominant types, and they didn’t want to join in as subs, because this was a present for Star Charmer.”

The other stag nodded. “I see. Of course I will respect the relationship between two of my friends. Thank you very much for your advice. I think I’m next.” He grinned.

Eadgil nodded.

“You’re going to join in?”, the other stag asked.

Eadgil shook his head. “No, not in the mood for rough public play. I’ll carry Star Charmer to my own quarters once we’re done here, and if she’s still in the mood, and able to go for it, I’ll do her gently.”

The other stag smiled. “You’re a good one, Ari. You… don’t really like doing it in public, do you? I saw you that one time, a few weeks ago, with that cow bent over that table here in the common room. You were… inhibited. I hadn’t seen you like that before.”

Eadgil nods. “Indeed, I’m not overly fond of public displays. It’s not a hard limit… not even a soft limit… I’m even in the mood for it sometimes, but… usually, I prefer the comfort of a private room.”

The stag nodded and placed his hand on Eadgil’s shoulder. “There is no need to be ashamed.”

Eadgil laughed. “Stop messing with me!” The other stag chuckled.

A loud groan was heard through the entire room, coming from the stag who was giving Star Charmer a waxing.

The stag who had been talking to Eadgil chuckled. “I think it’s my turn. I… think I’m the last one.”

Eadgil looked at Star Charmer, then at the other stags, then out the window. “Yeah, I think after this round, we should call it a day.”

The other stag nodded. “Alright, my turn. Enjoy the show!”

Eadgil chuckled, and the other stag left. The stag who had just finished handed him the candle, and he placed himself behind Star Charmer, continuing the same way.

Spring Breeze was still in front of the other mare, and she had no intention to stop yet. “Hey you”, she said to the stag as he positioned himself. “You can continue with the wax, I think our little slut is enjoying it, but… she’s riled up. You’re the last one, so make sure to get her off, okay?”

The stag nodded. “Yes, ma’am”, he said to her surprise, giving her a friendly smile.

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow.

The stag then placed his cock near Star Charmer’s marehood and pushed in without much ado. “I’m going to fuck you good, cunt!”, he announced. “Prepare for more wax, but I’m not going to be a lazy fuck like the last guy.”

He began to fiercely rut her while using the candle on her body. Star Charmer couldn’t help but start moaning loudly again.

“Making noise again, huh?”, Spring Breeze asked, shoving herself closer to Star Charmer’s muzzle. “You better use that tongue of yours to continue licking me, cunt!”

Star Charmer complied immediately.

“Mh, I think I’m going to end my involvement”, Spring Breeze announced, beginning to fuck herself with her dildo more fiercely in order to reach her own orgasm. She eventually came, and gave Star Charmer’s mane a last petting. “That was… reasonably well done, cunt”, she said, then wordlessly picked up her pants, buttoned up her shirt, and removed herself from the scene, joining the others and leaving Star Charmer alone with the other stag.

He visibly enjoyed himself, groaning loudly as he fucked her, while continuing to drip wax on her sore, worn-out ass.

“Oooh”, Star Charmer couldn’t help herself but moan. “Sir… may I... come, please”, she begged.

The stag gave her ass a hard slap. “Silence, cunt! Mistress Spring Breeze has already given you permission, hasn’t she?”

“Mistress…?”, Star Charmer asked in a moment of surprise.

The stag gave her another slap. “I said silence!”

Star Charmer gasped, then focused on the sensations of pain and pleasure once more. It didn’t take her long to come, and the stag came inside her only seconds later.

“I’ll spare you the duty of cleaning me up”, he announced as he pulled out, fetching a towel and cleaning himself up. Then he went over to the table, fetched a balm, and returned to her, beginning to peel off the wax. “We don’t want this to cause any lasting traces”, he announced as he began to rub the cold balm onto the mare’s sore, burned butt. It didn’t take away the pain, but it still felt gooood. Star Charmer moaned once more. “Mmh… thank you, sir.”

Meanwhile, Spring Breeze had taken Eadgil aside.

“Another participant who needs some verbal aftercare, huh?”, Eadgil asked. “Or advice? What can I do for you, Spring Breeze?”

Spring Breeze laughed. “Thank you for inviting me over, Ari. This was hell of fun.”

Eadgil nodded. “Well, thank you.” He smirked. “I think Star Charmer enjoyed it, too.”

“I mean, I didn’t do much”, Spring Breeze continued. “But this… is appealing. Maybe Baldr is interested in… being shared as well.”

“If you find a bunch of dominant females”, Eadgil said. “Baldr isn’t really interested in males.”

“I know, he told me. But then again… he didn’t even put it in as a limit in our contract. I knew this and reminded him, but… he just shook his head.” She smiled. “I kind of like these… mixed groups. And… I did have fantasies of watching two males.”

Eadgil nodded. “I see. I do believe that his willingness to submit to you is quite far-reaching. Probably a good bit further than you’d be willing to explore just yet. He also told me sex with other males doesn’t disgust him or anything… it just doesn’t give him much. He might be willing to do it for you. I know he didn’t define any limits, but he does have a Safe Word, so you can be a bit experimental with him. You should take it slow though. Find the right moment to suggest it to him.”

Star Charmer smiled. “You give surprisingly good advice given that you hail from a culture that has a rather poor understanding of relationships… to put it mildly.”

Eadgil chuckled. “Yeah, I’m slightly surprised myself. Seems like I’m simply a clever guy.” He rubbed his chin. “Actually, this is a funny coincidence. Only a few minutes ago, one of the others told me he wanted to try submitting to a female… or more specifically, you.”

“Oh”, Spring Breeze asked, rubbing her chin. “Ah. The one who addressed me with ma’am, right?” She looked over to Star Charmer. “The one who’s currently smearing balm all over Star Charmer’s sweet ass.”

“Yes, ma’am”, Eadgil said, chuckling. “Since you already guessed correctly, yes, he’s the one. Don’t just approach him right now though. It’ll scare the hell out of him. I just told him to take his time, and also to only approach you while Baldr is present. As a matter of fact, it might be better if you approach him, but make sure to talk to Baldr first.”

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “Of course. I’m not stupid, you know?”

Eadgil chuckled. “My apologies. Seems like I let your compliments regarding my advice go to my head.”

“Not too surprising, caribou”, Spring Breeze smirked.

“Are you trying to Dom me?”, Eadgil asked, returning the wicked smile.

“I wouldn’t dare”, Spring Breeze affirmed.

Meanwhile, the stag had finished removing the wax and applying the balm, and was returning to the others. Spring Breeze and Eadgil decided to join them.

“Alright”, Eadgil said. “I think we’ll have dinner soon, and we still need to clean up the room here before we eat. I’d say we call it a day here, alright?”

“I’m satisfied”, one of the stags said. The other stags nodded.

Eadgil looked in Star Charmer’s direction. “From the looks of it, she is, too”, he said.

“Alright. You guys clean up the mess here, I clean up Star Charmer, alright?”, Eadgil asked. The other stags gave him another nod.

“I will go now”, Spring Breeze said. “Got a bit to do before dinner myself.”

Eadgil nodded, the mare left the room, and the others started cleaning up the messes and picking up the toys.

Eadgil walked over to Star Charmer and gently placed his hand on the mare’s cheek.

“Mw… aaaah… Master”, Star Charmer mumbled.

“You alright?”

“Yes, Master… this was… wonderful… thank you… so much…”, Star Charmer stuttered.

“I’m proud of you”, Eadgil said. “With some of the things, I was fairly certain you’d use your Safe Word.”

“Not even… close… Master”, Star Charmer muttered.

Eadgil smiled. “You do look worn out though.”

“I’m… tired as fuck… Master”, Star Charmer answered.

Eadgil nodded, then bowed down and unlinked Star Charmer’s chain from the table. Then, he went around her and untied her legs. Finally, he picked up a towel and gently cleaned up the remaining mess around her ass and cunt.

“You probably can’t walk right now”, he observed.

“Not… an inch…”, Star Charmer responded.

“Alright”, Eadgil chuckled, clumsily picking her up from the table, holding her in his arms.

“This… is so… romantic…”, Star Charmer giggled weakly, looking up into her Master’s eyes.

“Look at you, you can still joke around”, Eadgil chuckled.

“I… mean it… but… Master… you didn’t… take me…”

Eadgil nodded. “I didn’t. I usually prefer a more private environment.”

“Please, Master… carry me… to your room… it’s… closer.”

Eadgil nodded, carrying the mare to the door of the hall. He turned around one last time. “Well, this was a nice afternoon”, he said. “See you all for dinner in an hour or so.”

The other stags gave him recognizing nods, and he left the room, carrying the mare in his arms until he reached his room.

He carefully opened the door, which proved a bit difficult with the mare in his arms, but he managed. Carrying her in, he gently put her down on his bed, sitting beside her.

“Master, that was wonderful”, Star Charmer repeated once more.

“Coming back to your senses, huh?”, Eadgil asked.

Star Charmer giggled. “Somewhat. But we’re… not done yet, Master, are we? You haven’t had me yet.”

“You can really go for another round?”, Eadgil asked.

Star Charmer bit her lip. “For you, Master… if it pleases you. If I… may ask one thing, Master. I’m tired, and I want to ask you to… gently… fuck me to sleep, Master.”

“You’re not joining us for dinner, then?”, Eadgil asked. “Or the mares, for that matter.”

She shook her head. “Too tired. I just want to ride into sleep on a wave of soft, gentle pleasure now. I… will probably wake up hungry tonight though. You could put something aside for me…” She bit her lip. “If it pleases you, Master.”

Eadgil smiled. “I will, Star.” He then undid the chains on her hands. “Alright. If we do this, I want to hold you, and I want you to hold me, too.”

Star Charmer returned the smile. “Yes, Master.” She parted her legs and leaned back. “Please, Master… don’t leave your little mare waiting.”

Eadgil smiled and pulled off his pants, then moved his body on top of hers.

“You’re already hard, Master”, Star Charmer observed.

“After the show I just witnessed, how could I not?”, Eadgil asked, looking into the mare’s eyes.

Star Charmer giggled.

Eadgil replied with a chuckle. “As a matter of fact, it has been a fantasy of mine… gently fucking a mare to sleep after she has been roughed up and worn out by a bunch of others.”

“You’re an odd one, Master”, Star Charmer said softly. “I’m… surprised how well we fit together. You can… start now, Master.” She giggled.

Eadgil smiled, slowly entered her, and then gently began to move inside her - careful not to cause her any more discomfort, which wasn’t too easy after what she had been through. He paid close attention to her reactions.

“Mmmh… Master…”, Star Charmer moaned. “Soo… good… ah…”

Eadgil smiled as he gently let his hand run along her cheek, then sensually down to her neck and even lower to her breasts, caressing them very gently.

“Oooh… mmmh… riding on waves… of pleasure... “, Star Charmer moaned.

Eadgil decided to shut her up by gently pushing his lips onto hers, forcing her into a soft, but still determined kiss. She moaned into his muzzle as his tongue softly, carefully entered hers.

As he gently rode her, Star Charmer felt another orgasm approaching.

“Master… it’s a big one… may I… come…?”, she mumbled between kisses.

Eadgil smiled. “I’m close, little one”, he said gently. “Come with me.”

“Yes… Master”, Star Charmer replied as she felt the pleasure welling up inside her. She had no idea if she would be able to control herself.

She didn’t have to. Eadgil released inside her seconds later, and she finally let go - her entire body welling up in one big, final orgasm. “OooooOOOOOH!”, she moaned.

As he pulled out, she sank back into the cushions and almost immediately fell asleep.

Eadgil took out another towel and gently wiped her clean. There was no reason to leave her in his mess.

Then, he cleaned up himself, put on his pants and a shirt, and left for dinner.





When Star Charmer awoke, it was night, and utterly dark outside. Only the soft light of a candle filled the room. She yawned, still tired from the events. She’d probably fall back to sleep soon.

She looked around, blinking. On a chair next to his desk sat Eadgil, Bruna kneeling on a cushion by his side.

“You two… held silent vigil here ever since you returned from dinner”, Star Charmer observed.

Eadgil smiled and gave her a small nod.

“Master…”, Star Charmer began.

“You’re probably hungry”, Eadgil said. “We put something aside from dinner for you. It’s cold now…” He handed her a plate with a bunch of goodies, enough to fill her stomach twice.

Star Charmer smiled. “That doesn’t matter. Thank you so much”, she said, digging right in.

“I wanted to thank you again. And all the others too. This was wonderful. I hope we can do this again, Master”, she said while she was eating, paying no attention whatsoever to etiquette. She still felt her body aching. “Though… not too soon.”

Eadgil chuckled. “Yeah, you’ll walk funny for a few days. I think if we did this more often than once every few months or so, we’d have you worn out in no time.”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yeah, I know. Still… thank you so much.”

Once she was done, she stood up and put the plate on Eadgil’s desk.

She yawned. “I would love to stay and sleep in your arms, but… not sure if the bed is big enough for the three of us.”

“We could try”, Eadgil said. “I don’t want you to go.”

Bruna giggled. “I also don’t. If the bed is too small, I’ll just curl up and sleep at my Master’s feet.”

“You would really do that for me, Bruna?”, Star Charmer asked.

The cow smiled at her and nodded. “For you… and Master. But I think you need it more right now.”

Eadgil smiled and stood up. Only now did Star Charmer notice that he was already dressed for sleep. She somewhat assumed that he and Bruna already had some fun, maybe with the cow bent over the desk…

She bit her lip. She had heard nothing, and she saw no traces of anything.

“Alright”, Eadgil said. “Let’s try. I’m sure the bed will carry us. I’ve lost a bit of weight in the last months.”

He sat down on the bed. “Now come here, you two”, he smiled.

While he fully got up onto the bed, Bruna rose up and clumsily climbed over him, lying by his side. He put his one arm around her.

“Come here, Star”, Eadgil said. “I’m tired and I don’t want to wait for you.”

Star Charmer smiled, then laid down beside him, snuggling close as he put his other arm around her. They didn’t have much space to work with, but somehow, they managed. Snuggling against her Master, Star Charmer quickly drifted back to sleep.
> Chapter 14: The Grey Council
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The zebras’ winter solstice ceremony had been uneventful. It had consisted of a nightly meal that seemed to double as some kind of religious ceremony the creature didn’t quite understand, and aside from that, even more meditation and physical exercise, except with more fancy decorations than usual. The creature itself had spent some time meditating as well. There were a few things about its mission that bugged it for some reason, but its mind couldn’t make sense of it - and the Monolith remained silent. The creature suspected that it simply wouldn’t be able to hear its Master’s voice that far outside the Realm - but it wasn’t entirely sure. Maybe the Monolith chose to remain silent for some other reason.

As the old priestess had said, she and the creature left the monastery the day after the celebration. They traveled north by hoof and paw, and the journey through Zebrica stretched for days, and then weeks. They crossed large steppes and lush savannahs and followed rivers, coming by towns and cities and often spending the nights there. The zebras seemed to revere the priestess in some way, willingly offering them shelter and food. As the priestess had told the creature, it kept the fact that it was a servant of the Monolith a secret as well as it could. It was fairly certain at least some of the zebras had a clue, but the very fact of the presence of the priestess seemed to ease their minds. Many of the towns and cities they came by had train stations, and they often followed the train tracks from town to town. The creature knew what a train was, of course. Trains were used in its former home country as well, and though it had no memory of ever having been in one, it assumed that it had been. It often wondered why the priestess didn’t bother to take a train, and instead decided to go on this journey by foot. The Monolith had not given it any money, so it couldn’t have taken the trains by itself, but it was certain that the priestess could have. Going by hoof seemed to be a religious matter to her - as though she was on some kind of pilgrimage. The creature didn’t ask, it was not in a hurry - the Monolith had not ordered it to be quick, or to fulfill the task in a limited amount of time.

They eventually arrived in a large city some time in late January, and the priestess informed the creature that this was the city of Indaba, the informal capital of Zebrica. The city was large and brimming with zebras, as well as a few ponies, saddle-arabian horses, and even a few diamond dogs here and there - most of them in clothing that suggested that they were from Dimondia. The creature assumed that the less civilized underground Diamond Dog societies probably didn’t have too much business with the zebras. The creature spotted an unusual amount of female zebras in robes very similar to that of the priestess, enjoying similar levels of reverence from the rest of the zebra population. Many of them seemed to have arrived shortly.

“The Assembly will meet tomorrow”, the priestess informed it. “And that will be where our ways part. I will stay in the city for weeks, and I think you need to continue your journey. Would you agree to leaving and traveling on in the morning?”

The creature knew a few things about Zebra society from the Monolith and the other servants, and it had been able to deduce a few more things during its travels. It knew that the Assembly of the High Priestesses was the official governmental body of Zebrica, often convening for weeks. The Grey Council was more mysterious, having no official function in zebra society, and its members remained anonymous, convening in secret - though from what the creature knew, it did send out letters with pretty much binding recommendations to officials, and also to the Assembly. From what the creature had gathered, most zebras believed that the Council had nine members, all of them high priestesses, and thus also members of the Assembly. The number Nine altogether seemed to have high importance in zebra culture and religion, which the creature knew was some kind of combination of astral worship and numerological mysticism. The creature also assumed that the secrecy was a direct result of Zebrica's proximity to the Realm, since it seemed to make the Monolith's usual meddling strategies more difficult.

The creature nodded. “That is agreeable.”

“Good”, the priestess said as they arrived at a hotel, entering it. “As usual, I will make sure that you get a room for yourself for the night. You should go to bed early… maybe also take an afternoon sleep. Or meditation, if that can serve the same purpose for you.”

“May this one ask why?”, the creature asked.

The priestess smiled mysteriously. “You may ask, sure”, she snickered.

The creature left it at that, immediately withdrawing to its room as soon as they had checked in. It tried to meditate, assuming a kneeling position, relaxing and waiting for the Monolith’s voice to speak to it. It held this position for hours, waiting and listening.

The Monolith remained silent.

Eventually, the creature abandoned its position and tried to sleep, following the priestess’ suggestion. Afternoon passed by it without it being able to find sleep, but in the evening, its mind essentially sank into a light sleep.

It was already awake again when it heard a knock at the door in the middle of the night. It already knew who was knocking. The priestess had the room next to its own. Those who wished to survive in the Realm of the Monolith didn’t fall into deep sleeps, and they always retained some level of semi-conscious awareness while sleeping. The creature had noticed the priestess waking up, and its mind had pulled it out of its sleep instinctively.

“That one may enter”, the creature said, sitting up in its bed. “This one did not lock the door.”

The priestess opened the door and stepped in. “You’re not asleep?”, she asked.

“This one was sleeping until that one awoke”, the creature responded.

The priestess smiled. “Well, sorry for waking you up. I’m heading out to meet some of my… colleagues”, she said. “I figured you would probably notice me heading out, maybe even wait for it, and then follow me again… but I actually want to invite you to come along anyway. My associates will be interested to hear what you told me, and while I could tell them myself, I see no reason why you shouldn’t tell them.”

“As that one wishes”, the creature said, standing up.

The two of them headed out, the priestess giving the night concierge a nod on their way out, receiving one in return. They walked through the city, and eventually left it through the main gate. Continuing to walk for about half an hour longer, they eventually reached a small grove, with a weird assortment of obelisks placed in a circle.

The priestess pulled the hood of her robe over her face, then took out an odd, ornamented, grey wooden mask and placed it on her face. “Pull up the hood of your robe and stay behind me”, she ordered the creature, who did as it was told.

“That one is Grey Council”, it stated matter-of-factly. The priestess responded with a nod.

She stepped into the circle, the creature remaining behind her, staying behind one of the stones, which was covered in depictions of odd star signs and constellations.

Not much later, eight other figures entered the circle from different directions, all of them apparently females, and wearing the same kinds of robes and grey, wooden masks.

Once the others had arrived, the priestess began to chant.

“Here I stand, forever Grey,
Between the Earth and Stars I stay.”

The others responded.

“We are all forever Grey,
Between the Light and Dark we stay.”

Once again, the rhyming made the creature shudder - this time even more than it ever had.

“I apologize if I do not proceed in rhymes, as it is our tradition”, the priestess continued, resulting in a few small gasps from the others. “I have brought a guest who has important information for us, and he... isn’t really fond of our rhyming.”

“A bit unorthodox”, one of the others said. “But okay… we’ve had guests before, and if he doesn’t like rhyming, I will abstain from it for now. I take it he isn’t a zebra?”

“He is not”, the priestess confirmed. Then, she turned around, waving at the creature, beckoning it to come forward. “You can come out now”, she said. “Do not be afraid. We want to cause you harm just as little as you want to cause us harm.”

That is still to be determined, the creature thought, stepping out, but keeping its hood pulled over its head, covering the symbol of the Monolith on its forehead.

“Oh, he’s a Mimiga”, the other priestess said. “What brings you all the way up here from the Re…” She stopped for a moment, looking at the creature. “Wait.” Her gaze shifted to the priestess the creature had travelled with, and it seemed like some puzzle pieces were coming together in her mind.

“Oh no. Please don’t tell me you brought a servant of the Monolith into our midst.”

Seeing its secret revealed, the creature pulled down the hood of its robe, revealing its face and the symbol on its forehead, while at the same time preparing for a quick escape, which it assumed would be far easier than fighting nine priestesses who had probably undergone a training similar to the one it had seen in the monastery.

“Are you insane?” one of the others yelled at ‘its’ priestess.

“Calm down, sister”, she responded. “He has assured me that he means no harm to us or any other zebra. The Monolith isn’t interested in us this time.”

“How do you know he isn’t lying?”, the one who had yelled asked.

“Servants of the Monolith do not lie”, the creature said.

“You lie by omission”, the one who had spoken second observed correctly.

“That may be so”, ‘its’ priestess responded. “But I asked him directly if he intended to harm me or any other zebra, and he denied. As a matter of fact, I know his mission, and it doesn’t even involve us - although it does concern us.”

“A servant of the Monolith disclosed his mission to you?”, one of the others asked skeptically.

“Not quite”, the priestess responded. “We agreed to a mutually beneficial exchange of information, and I pieced together his mission from what he had told me. I then asked him directly, and he confirmed it.”

The one who had asked shrugged. “Fair enough. What information did you give him?”

“The Monolith sent him on a mission to Equestria, and he asked for information about the country’s current state, the political events surrounding this invasion, and the new regime. In exchange, he gave me one tiny little detail that was still missing from my deduction of his mission.”

“So the Monolith is interested in the political ongoings in Equestria…”, one of the others said. “How unexpected. It hasn’t gotten involved in Equestrian matters for centuries.”

The priestess nodded. “Yes, and the Monolith’s interests seem to line up with ours… somewhat.”

“Oh?”, the other one asked. “What is this one’s mission?”

The priestess glanced at the creature, giving it a friendly smile. “You see? No one here wants to harm you. Tell them what you told me.”

“That was not part of this one’s agreement with that one”, the creature observed.

The priestess shrugged. “Neither was me staying silent. I just think it would help if you told them yourself.”

“That is fair”, the creature said, stepping forward. “That one has correctly deduced that this one’s mission is to kill the mad king in the north and his council, and to find a prophet of the same species as the king, protect that one, and follow its orders.”

“So the Monolith wants the caribou king gone…”, one of the priestesses concluded. “And it wants to replace him with another caribou, it would seem.”

“This one does not know. It only knows that it was told to protect and serve one of those… caribou. It knows nothing past that. The Monolith does not inform its servants about its plans. Understanding is not required. Only obedience.”

“Sounds rather ineffective to me”, one of the priestesses with a comparatively young voice remarked.

The priestess it had come with laughed. “Oh please. As if we didn’t proceed in the same way.”

The other one shrugged. “Fair enough… I guess.”

“Hm…”, one of the others said thoughtfully. “How are you supposed to find that… prophet?”

“It has a mark on its left hand. A symbolic depiction. A snake, coiling around a broken hand mirror.”

The priestesses exchanged glances. A few of them chuckled.

“That’s new”, ‘its’ priestess admitted. “I hadn’t thought about asking that particular question”, she added in a voice that sounded amused. “Interesting. Quite interesting.”

“May this one ask a question?”, the creature asked.

“Go ahead”, the priestess responded.

“This one has seen the training exercises in the monastery”, the creature said. “Including the… weird one with the zebra males.”

The priestesses exchanged glances once more.

“This one has deduced that these ones are preparing to infiltrate the country in the north… Equestria. May this one ask for what aim?”

The priestess sighed. “As you may have deduced by now, we think that the new king might attempt a land grab in Zebrica sooner or later - in part out of material interest, in part because from what we were able to gather, his ideology compels him to. According to our information, his forces are currently caught up in an attempt to subdue the buffaloes. Of course, relations between the buffaloes and the ponies were always difficult… but the previous rulers didn’t attempt to outright subdue them. This aggressive expansion is relatively new and began with him coming to power - and let’s not forget that he conquered Equestria in a somewhat similar, although seemingly more messy, manner. We think he won’t stop with the buffaloes either.”

“How are agents going to help these ones stop that?”, the creature asked. “Are these ones planning an assassination attempt as well?”

The priestess shook her head. “Not for now. The agents are trained for the time after the conflict.”

“These ones expect to lose?”, the creature asked.

“Not really”, the priestess responded, shaking her head. “Most of Equestria’s magical superweapons have become unavailable to them as a result of their own conquest, and without them, our countries are about evenly matched. As a matter of fact, we expect to surrender, though not unconditionally. We will not compromise our national sovereignty, but we’re also not willing to let our country be devastated by an ongoing war that could last years. We’re going to give them a good fight, then negotiate a surrender.” She paused for a moment. “As a matter of fact, we’re confident that we will be capable to negotiate a surrender that gives us an easy way to get our female agents in place. As you know, the problem right now are male agents. We need males capable of surviving in this kind of environment and coordinating communication between us and our agents.”

One of the priestesses quickly raised her arms and let them sink again. “So he knows about that as well”, she groaned in a frustrated voice.

“What could he do with that information?”, the priestess asked.

“He also knows your identity”, the other one complained.

“Once again, what could he do with that? Tell the Monolith? I’m old, the oldest of us, and we already have a replacement for me. Chances are I won’t even be alive any more once he returns from his mission - and we know he can’t return before that. Disclose my identity to the public? Why would he?”

“This one has no intention to do either of these things”, the creature said, once more preparing for a quick escape. “But it will if the Monolith commands it. This one has not heard the Monolith’s voice since leaving the Realm though.” Or if the prophet commands it, the creature added in its mind, but saw no need to say it out loud. The priestesses already had enough information to come to that conclusion by themselves, and if they didn’t, it wasn’t the creature’s problem.

The priestesses once again exchanged glances.

“Calm down”, ‘its’ priestess said. “I really don’t think he means us any harm. As a matter of fact, I think it will be beneficial to already have someone in Equestria who is sympathetic to us. For starters, if he finds this prophet and he’s more reasonable than the current king, he could help us establish contact with him.” She once again glanced down to the smaller creature, giving him a friendly smile. “Would you be willing to do that?”, she asked.

The creature saw no reason not to. “Yes”, it responded. “Particularly if the prophet commands it… but if this one thinks it could be beneficial, it will even suggest it. This one has gained much from the association with that one… both information and hospitality. It sees no reason not to support that one’s cause in return, as long as it does not interfere with its orders.”

“I’m glad to hear that”, the old priestess said, smiling.

“I can’t believe it”, one of the others said. “That I would live to see the day where we establish friendly relations with the servants of the Monolith. I have to give you credit. You’ve already accomplished more than any of us… but even at your old age, you continue to surprise everyone.”

“You give me too much credit”, the old priestess responded. “Which actually brings me to my report. First of all, the training of our agents has proceeded as planned. I am confident that they will fulfill the role they have to play. Remember that we used them in a similar way in Saddle-Arabia half a century ago… and while the situation there wasn’t that insane, I think the results still speak for themselves.”

The other priestesses nodded in agreement.

“Unfortunately, we were less lucky with our recruitment program for male agents”, the old priestess continued. “We haven’t found even a single suitor. It seems our males are simply less capable of handling psychological stress than we are… or maybe what we demand of them is too far out of their cultural comfort zone. Remember that the requirements for them will be vastly different than what we require of our female agents. They just have to endure psychological and physical violation, and they are trained for that… but our male agents would have to endure…” She stopped herself mid-sentence.

“...spiritual impurity”, one of the others finished.

The old priestess nodded. “Yes. I think that’s even more reason to have a friend on the inside.” She gave the creature another glance. “Maybe our friend here will be able to find males on the inside who can play this part.”

“That is… an interesting idea”, one of the others said. “Maybe we should try looking for potential allies from inside Equestria by ourselves as well.”

The old priestess nodded. “A good suggestion. I think we can discuss this tomorrow night. I think we should adjourn the meeting. The Assembly will only assess the situation tomorrow. They don’t expect word from us yet, and we still have a lot of time.” The other priestesses nodded.

“Very well.” The old priestess then raised her arms. “I declare this meeting closed. Have a good night, sisters.” The others nodded once more, then left in different directions.

Once they had all left, the priestess beckoned the creature to follow her, then took off the mask and they both returned to the city together.

Back in its hotel room, the creature fell onto its bed and fell asleep until the next morning.





Once the creature had woken up, it got out of bed and packed its stuff. Then it left its room and went through the hallway towards the exit.

About half the way, it stopped. Then it walked back and knocked at the priestess’ door.

“Please come in”, a voice came from the other side of the door.

The creature opened the door and stepped in. The priestess was already sitting in a comfy chair, apparently reading through a bunch of papers.

“This one did not wake that one”, the creature stated matter-of-factly.

“You didn’t”, the priestess confirmed. “I’m getting ready for the Assembly meeting. I only have an hour or so left.”

The creature nodded. “This one is about to leave”, it said.

“What do you plan to do from here on?”, the priestess said.

“This one will travel north, kill the mad king and his council, find the prophet, serve and protect it”, the creature summed up. “This one…” It stopped mid-sentence.

The priestess chuckled. “No, I mean how do you plan to travel?”

“By foot”, the creature said.

“You could take the train as far north as currently possible”, the priestess said. “All direct lines to Equestria are currently canceled by orders of the Grey Council, but if you leave the train near the Equestrian border, then walk a mile north and take a different train from there, you could easily get as far north as Appleloosa. From there on out, it will get a bit more complicated though. According to our information, the Equestrian government is apparently currently… refitting most of their trains. Would that help you?”

The creature nodded. “These ones lost quite a bit of time not taking the train on the way to this place, but this one never expected to get to the north quickly. It would appreciate to be able to though.”

The priestess stood up and walked over to a small desk. “You will need money though”, she said, opening a drawer and pulling out a bag of unknown content.

She then threw the bag into the creature’s direction, who caught it with ease. “I think this should cover your journey, including train tickets, food, and a place to stay during the nights”, the priestess said.

The creature nodded. “This one is thankful.”

“I have to say, it was interesting to travel with you”, the priestess admitted. “I didn’t expect to travel with a Monolither in my lifetime.”

“This one did not expect to travel with a Grey Council member”, the creature replied. “It was an agreeable experience though.”

The priestess chuckled. “Maybe our countries will be on better terms in the future.”

“The Realm is not a country”, the creature said.

The priestess smiled. “You know what I mean.”

The creature nodded. “If the Monolith wills it… maybe”, it said.

“Goodbye”, the priestess said. “I hope to hear from you once you’ve found that prophet.”

“This one will inform the Council if an opportunity presents itself.”

The priestess winked. “You know where to find us. At least one of us will always be there.”

“This one will take its leave now”, the creature said, nodding a goodbye.

The priestess smiled. “You people aren’t overly emotional, are you?”

“These ones are not”, the creature said matter-of-factly.

The priestess smiled. “Very well. I wish you well, and hope to see you again. Goodbye”, she repeated once more.

Then the creature turned around and left the building, heading directly towards Indaba’s large train station.
> Chapter 15: An Encounter in the Woods
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One morning in late January, Eadgil was having his daily walk through Everfree forest. This time, he had decided to take a different path than usual, leading him a bit further westwards, away from the ruins. He had time to spend, and it was a good day to take a longer stroll. He was surprised how mild the weather was given this time of the year. He wasn’t sure if this was a particularly mild year, or if the climate in Equestria was altogether milder than in their old homeland. Last year’s winter had been colder, but that was before the Canterlot takeover, and his people had been quite a bit further up north in Equestria at that time.

His pondering was interrupted when he heard a rough, male voice in a bit of a distance.

“Faster, kunt!”, the voice commanded. 

Eadgil deduced from the accent that it probably didn’t belong to a stallion, but to one of ‘his’ people. He was surprised for a moment. He wasn’t aware that there were other caribou in Everfree forest, law enforcement was mostly left to the local Magistrates, so this probably also wasn’t a regular patrol - since otherwise it would have been one of his own stags, and this one definitely wasn’t - and it likely also wasn’t some kind of military operation, because if it was, they would have been a lot more noisy and probably wouldn’t have brought females along - although one could never know.

Since it seemed to be only two or three individuals, Eadgil approached to investigate, seeing no reason to change pace, and instead just continued his normal strolling pace.

Not even a minute after starting to head in the direction of the voice, Eadgil discovered that it indeed belonged to a caribou - only a single one, and dressed in regular clothing, not any military garb. He did carry a cane, but no shock rod either. He was dragging along a red-collared female who was crawling behind him on all fours - a pony from the looks of it, but with an unusual coat, striped in black and white. A zebra, Eadgil suspected, though he had never seen one before. He immediately wondered how one of his people had gotten hold of a zebra female. Zebrica was still an independent country, far south of here. Maybe this zebra had already lived in Equestria before the takeover?

He approached them slowly, revealing himself to the other’s sight, and raised his right hand, revealing his palm, to greet his fellow stag.

“Hello, friend”, he greeted.

The other stag looked at him in surprise for a moment, then greeted back. “Hello… friend”, he replied. “I didn’t expect to see another caribou in this goddamn forest? Are you from Ponyville? I thought the cursed bastard and the mute cripple were the only ones there.”

Eadgil shook his head. “No, I live here in Everfree. As a matter of fact, I was made the officially appointed Magistrate of the forest and its territory a few months ago.”

“Oh?”, the other stag said. “Then… that means I fall under your jurisdiction”, he concluded only a second ago, pressing his fist to his chest and casting down his eyes. “My apologies, Magistrate. I thought I was still within Gunne’s jurisdiction. It seems like no one bothered to inform me.” He sighed. “As usual… oh, how impolite of me. My name is Hirthir.”

Eadgil smiled. “I’m Eadgil… though you can call me Ari. Everyone does. As for the other thing, well… I somewhat suspect Councilman Vestri only gave me this position to limit Gunne’s sphere of influence - which makes sense when you think about it. Ponyville is vastly understaffed for the task of preventing rebels from creating hideouts here.”

“Ari, eh?”, the other stag asked. “Fair enough. So you’re stranded here as well, I assume?”

Eadgil shook his head, laughing a little. “Oh no, I specifically asked for this position. I’m trying to build a new settlement here in Everfree. I was just pondering why Councilman Vestri gave me the position so willingly.”

The other stag raised an eyebrow. “So you’re staying in this forest voluntarily?”

“You aren’t?”, Eadgil inquired.

“Of course not”, the other stag responded. “When we took Ponyville, it was decided for some reason that this zebra cunt was to be made public property, and then they just appointed me as her handler and gave me that primitive hut she somehow cobbled together… told me my job was to make sure she knows her place, take her to Ponyville for some kind of pony festivity once every autumn, and make sure no funny business was going on in Everfree.” I had hoped to carve out a spot for myself in the course of the conquest, but that wasn’t what I had in mind.”

“Why don’t you apply for a different job?”, Eadgil asked.

Hirthir sighed. “I did. Several times. Never even got a response.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “Any reason why they would be ignoring you?”, he asked.

Hirthir shrugged. “No clue. I came from a family with no wealth or influence to speak of. They probably just didn’t see me as important. I guess some things never change.”

Eadgil nodded. “That’s probably true. Why don’t you go freelance, then? Just quit your job altogether and build up something on your own somewhere.”

Hirthir shrugged once more. “I’m not a business-stag. I also have no seed capital to start over. My salary is just enough to support myself and this useless zebra cunt. My one shot was to get a better position with a state-funded house big enough to be at least livable… maybe with a salary just big enough to get one or two cows to continue my lineage. I really didn’t ask for much… but seems like it isn’t going to happen. Now I’m stuck in this forsaken forest with nothing but this zebra cunt that isn’t even my own.”

“I’m… sorry to hear that”, Eadgil said. “Maybe I could get you a better deal the next time I speak with Councilman Vestri. I can’t promise anything, of course…”

“Couldn’t you give me a position in your new settlement?”, Hirthir asked.

“I could, but… I think that wouldn’t improve your position too much. We can’t pay much either, and right now we’re still living in what is essentially a ruin. We’re restoring it, of course… but I also only recruited a very specific kind of stags. This settlement is a project of mine that requires total dedication. We’re restoring the ruined castle, and then we will build a town around it. It’s a lot of work and not well paid. We’re doing it because we’re dedicated to the idea of our community, not because we want to carve out a cozy little spot for ourselves.”

Hirthir raised an eyebrow. “Are you people religious?”, he asked.

Eadgil chuckled. “Not overly”, he replied, smirking.

“Oh, good”, Hirthir replied. “A stag should forge his own destiny, not make it dependent on the whims of some kind of being higher than himself. We’re the superior gender after all. The idea of a being higher than us is pretty ridiculous if you ask me.”

“I couldn’t agree more”, Eadgil chuckled.

“I’m just glad you’re not some weird cult leader that constantly talks to himself, believing to talk to some kind of deity”, Hirthir continued his rant. “Like that odd Heiðrdaga fellow who tried to convince stags to join his weird cult back in the old homeland...”

“Oh no”, Eadgil affirmed, shaking his head. “I assure you, I never spoke to any kind of deity.”

“Well, good to hear you’re not some kind of madman”, Hirthir said. “May I invite you over for lunch?” He smiled. “I can’t pass the opportunity of having a Magistrate for lunch after all.”

Eadgil smiled back. “Sure, lead the way.”

The other stag nodded, then turned around and began to head back the way he had come, roughly pulling the leash of his zebra mare. “Come, cunt!”, he ordered. “Hurry up, or do you want to feel the cane again!?” Without a single sound, the zebra turned around and followed him as quickly as she could.

Eadgil shrugged, then followed along as well.

“This zebra has a red collar, but don’t let that deceive you”, Hirthir said. “She needs a harsh hand to remind her of her place, or else she’ll fall back into old habits.”

Eadgil nodded. “Of course”, he said, and they continued on their way.





After a bit of walk, they arrived at a small hut carved into a hollow, old tree.

“Welcome to my place”, Hirthir sighed. “As you can clearly see, it’s nothing special.” He pulled the zebra’s leash. “What do you expect from something cobbled together by a female.”

Eadgil nodded. “Are you sure you can’t find anything better? There must be some unoccupied houses in Ponyville who used to belong to females.” He smirked. “You could ask Magistrate Gunne if he’d let you move there with your zebra.”

Hirthir spat out. “I’d rather live in a hole in the ground before I ask that cursed bastard for anything.”

Eadgil almost felt pity for the other stag. For a moment, he almost wished Hirthir had been a suitable candidate for Freeville. At the moment however, it seemed pretty clear that he was not. Eadgil would have to talk with him a bit more to find out whether the other stag was merely putting up a facade for him, merely hiding his potential, or whether he really was just one more stag with the same mindset as most of the others. He didn’t have much hope though.

Hirthir opened the door, made an inviting gesture, and Eadgil entered the hut. The other stag followed right behind him, dragging the zebra along. “This is my living room”, he sighed. “And also my kitchen. And my bedroom. As you can see, I clearly don’t have much space here. Feel free to sit down though.” Eadgil began to wonder if that was Hirthir’s way to beg for being invited to the castle. Of course, Eadgil couldn’t do that without giving the others a heads-up first. He sat down on one of the chairs.

Hirthir dragged the zebra female over to where Eadgil was sitting, and the zebra knelt before him, then lowered her face to the ground and raised her ass, assuming position.

“I apologize”, Hirthir said. “I just noticed we’re lacking firewood. I need to get out and chop some wood for a fire, so the cunt can cook us a good lunch. It shouldn’t take more than half an hour. Feel free to entertain yourself with her while I’m gone.”

He raised his crop and gave the zebra a good swat to the right ass cheek. “You better make sure to impress our guest! You know what happens if you disappoint me!” He then turned to Eadgil. “Feel free to punish her as you see fit if she acts out.” Eadgil gave Hirthir a nod. The other stag then placed his crop on the table and disappeared through the front door.

Once Hirthir had left the building, the zebra lifted her upper body again, simply kneeling in front of Eadgil - not overly eager to present her body to him. She cast a glance out of the window, and Eadgil’s gaze followed hers. They both saw Hirthir walking away from the cottage - almost certainly already out of immediate hearing distance.

“I am quite glad that he just left”, she began.
“For a chat, this does provide a cleft.
I know that in your castle, mares are free.
But do not fret, your secret’s safe with me.”

A cold shiver ran down Eadgil’s spine as he heard the zebra’s rhymes. Something deep within him screamed in pure horror His whole body went into a state of panic. He just wanted to run and not look back. Oddly enough, he felt that it wasn’t because of what she had said - although that was shocking enough - but because of the way she had said it.

It took him a few moments to pull himself together.

“Could you… please… stop rhyming?”, he asked, wiping away the sweat from his brow.

The zebra looked at him for a moment. “I apologize”, she then said. “Because you freed your mares, I thought you wouldn’t be affected by…”

“By what?”, Eadgil asked.

“Our rhyming”, the zebra finished. 

Eadgil just stared at her.

“Its… I… I am sorry”, the zebra said. “I think I have not introduced myself yet. My name is Zecora.”

Eadgil nodded. “Glad to meet you, Zecora.” He forced a smile. “You can call me Ari.”

Zecora returned the nod. “You’re probably worried that I might tell on you… because of the red collar.”

The stag shook his head. “Not necessarily. We had red collar mares as well, and they’re not telling on us either. We probably have to be careful whenever new mares join the community, but most red collar mares seem to be faking. You already know of us, so if you wanted to tell on us, you could have done so already. There is the possibility of blackmail, of course… but with Hirthir on your toes? Not impossible, but rather unlikely.”

The zebra nodded. “So you did catch that despite the effects of my rhyming”, she observed, gaining another nod from Eadgil.

“So… what do you know about my project, and how do you know it?”, the stag inquired.

The zebra smiled mysteriously. “Let us just say I know the forest very well by now. I have ways of learning about things that go on in it. Just imagine my surprise when I discovered a bunch of caribou coming to the castle and uncollaring and clothing a bunch of mares…”

A cold shiver went down Eadgil’s spine. “That’s… worrying”, he admitted. “It means someone can spy on us without us noticing. We’ll have to do something about that.”

“I do not think anyone else has spied on you”, Zecora said calmingly.

“Why do you think that?”, Eadgil asked.

“I would probably have noticed… or you would have noticed. One mare who knows the forest very well spying on your castle successfully two or three times? That is believable. Two spies considerably raise the chances of at least one of them being discovered - constant observation, even more so. Also, if your people suspected you, they would probably already have investigated you, and then you would not be here. As a matter of fact, they seem to be ignoring Everfree completely.”

“Fair enough”, Eadgil confirmed. “Why didn’t you reveal yourself and join us?”

Zecora sighed. “For the same reason. Do not think I did not want to. Hirthir would have searched for me though, and that might have led him to discover what you’re up to. Even if he had not, the stallions of Ponyville would eventually have searched for me.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “Of course… that raises an interesting question. Why are you state property? I assume it has something to do with the stallions in Ponyville?”

Zecora nodded. “It does. They all agreed that they wanted me to stay around and narrate a spiced up version of Nightmare Moon’s story again on Nightmare Night… but each of them wanted to have me for himself for the rest of the year. They could not agree on who should own me, so eventually, Vestri or whatever his name was got fed up with them, just declared me state property, and then appointed a random caribou soldier as my handler. And well… here we are.” She gave him a forced smile.

Eadgil nodded. “He probably didn’t want to give you to Magistrate Gunne either, given that stag’s birth stigma. I’m a bit surprised that he didn’t mention Hirthir and you when he gave me the castle though. So… what can you tell me about Hirthir? It seems to me like he’s looking for his place in the world…”

The mare shook her head. “Before you ask, I do not think you will be able to recruit him. He does evoke pity in me as well, oddly enough - despite of what he does to me”, she answered. “But that is precisely the point, is it not?”

Once again, Eadgil gave the mare a nod. “Dead to rights. Too bad for him, I guess.”

Zecora smiled weakly.

“It also means that I need to get him out of Everfree forest”, Eadgil continued. “I can’t promise anything, of course, but I will try to get myself appointed as your handler, so you could join our little conspiracy. We’re close enough to Ponyville so you can still do the Nightmare Night narration, provided the regime is still around next year.”

Zecora smirked. “So you are going to do something about that as well?”

“That’s the plan, yes”, Eadgil responded. “I’m prepared for a more long-term strategy, but if we can find ways to disrupt the mind-control magic, that might hasten the process.” He sighed. “Then again, even without us, this regime isn’t exactly stable, is it?”

“I am not sure. I do not get out of this hut too often”, Zecora replied. “I assume it is not… wait, what did you just say about mind control? Is that why the stallions have joined your king?”

Eadgil gave her a nod in reply. “Yes, our king has altered an artifact from the Crystal Empire for his own purposes. Many of us don’t even know about that. I only learned about it by accident myself.”

“You might try to tell that to Hirthir…”, Zecora pondered. “It might convince him to… no, that would not work. He would likely not believe you unless you can present evidence. He is fed up with how he is treated, but he is loyal to the king. On top of that, even if he were to be convinced to oppose Dainn, that does not mean he would condone what you are doing.”

The stag sighed, nodding. “Yeah, I figured.”

“There is another way in which I might be able to help you”, Zecora said. “I have a good understanding of zebra magic and medicine. If you can get yourself appointed as my handler, I might be able to help your mares regrow their horns and wings.”

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked. “Well, that’s good to hear. I will bring these news to the mares. Of course, it will make it more difficult to keep up our masquerade - but they should at least know, so they have a chance to decide for themselves on the best course of action.”

Zecora gave him a nod. “I think he will be back soon”, she said, pausing for a long moment. 

“There is… something else I wish to tell you”, she eventually said. “It’s about… my rhyming.” She hesitated, apparently searching for words.

“What about it?”, Eadgil asked.

Zecora crawled a bit closer, then took the stag’s hand into hers. “I know you are a good stag. But… you have a darkness inside of you. You will have to confront it eventually, or else it will consume you.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “That’s not at all ominous. It almost sounds like a prophecy in a bad pony fairytale novel or something.”

Zecora crawled over to the table. “I cannot tell you much more. My abilities as a healer of the soul do not go that far - and Hirthir will be back soon. There is one thing left to do…”

Without warning, the zebra forcefully smashed her own head against the table. “Ouch!”, she yelped. “That should do the trick.”

“What are you doing?”, Eadgil asked.

Zecora already crawled back over to him, now showing a growing bruise on her forehead. She stretched out her right arm, then pointed at a certain point on her upper arm with the index finger of her left hand. “Hit me there. That will certainly cause a black spot.”

Eadgil looked at her. “Oh. I see. Yeah, fair enough.” He grabbed her right wrist with his right hand.

Zecora gave him an encouraging nod. “We have two options here. We can either make it look like you used me… or make it look like you gave me a good beating for not being pleasing to you. I am not fond of either, of course, but it is necessary.”

Eadgil sighed, then made a fist with his left hand and punched it into Zecora’s upper arm. As she had said, a black spot immediately formed in the spot where he had hit her.

“So… where else do you want me to hit you?”, Eadgil smirked.

Only a second later, he realized what he had just done. “Uh… sorry. I really shouldn’t be enjoying this. I apologize.”

“At least you are asking me for what I want”, Zecora responded, smiling a bit despite being visibly in pain. “Do not worry, I still have a few potions hidden away from Hirthir’s view that will at least ease the pain. Mmmh, let’s see… give me a hard slap to the face.”

“Are you serious?”, Eadgil asked. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. “Well, it’s not worse than what you did to your own head.”

Without further warning, he gave the mare a hard slap to her left cheek, enough to visibly redden it. 

Still on her knees, Zecora staggered backwards a bit. “You are good at this”, the mare said. “And you are enjoying yourself.”

“Once again… I apologize. I really shouldn’t…”, Eadgil stammered.

“It is not your fault”, the mare responded. “But you need to make sure you do not get carried away.” Zecora then pointed to the riding crop on the table. “Do you think you can give me a few stripes with that crop and still maintain control?”

“Is this a test?”, Eadgil asked.

Zecora smirked. “A test to see if you have what it takes to keep your project a secret. Do you think I am enjoying this? Get on with it before I change my mind.”

Eadgil stood up and walked over to the table, picking up the crop. He walked a few steps towards the mare, then hesitated.

Zecora kneeled in front of him, spreading her legs and stretching her neck, extending her breasts towards him. “Give these ones a few nice new stripes!”, she ordered.

Eadgil was beginning to wonder if she was doing this just to mess with him. Turning off his brain, he began to give the mare’s breasts hard swats with the crop. He was surprised to see her not even flinch.

While he was still cropping the mare, the door opened and Hirthir returned with an armful of firewood. “Did the cunt not please you?”, he asked. “That zebra bitch didn’t rhyme again, did she? If she rhymed again, I’m going to kick the damn shit out of her! I can’t stand that damn rhyming. It makes me feel…”

“Anxious?”, Eadgil asked.

“Yeah”, Hirthir answered. “So she did rhyme again?”

“Nah”, Eadgil responded, shaking his head. “She just made a face when I told her to come over and suck me off. I gave her a punch to the forehead and then a good slap to the face… and then I thought it was time for some punishment.”

Hirthir raised an eyebrow for a second. “Hm… alright. Stupid cunt is getting what’s coming to her. You want to go on?”

Eadgil put the crop back onto the table. “Nah, I think I’m good. The cunt has learned her lesson, and she still needs to cook for us. My stomach feels like a hole by now.”

“She also still needs to suck you off”, Hirthir reminded him.

“Nah, I’m not in the mood anymore”, Eadgil replied. “I can’t stand rebellious cunts. I’m just gonna grab a cow and take her for a few rounds once I’m back home.”

Hirthir nodded. “Fair enough.” Then he turned to the zebra. “And you, cunt… stop hesitating! Make a fire, set up the cauldron, and make us a good mushroom and vegetable stew! If we aren’t eating in half an hour, you will regret it!”

Zecora sighed, weakly rose to her feet, then walked to another corner of her house, fetching a cauldron.

The fire was burning only minutes later, and the two stags engaged in meaningless chat while Zecora wordlessly tended to the stew. Once lunch was finished, she knelt down on the floor beside her handler. They continued their chat while they were eating, and Eadgil asked a lot about what Hirthir had hoped for in this new land, whether he would prefer a house in Canterlot or in Ponyville, and other similar questions. A plan was beginning to form in his mind. Hirthir was defensive at first, making it clear that he had pretty much given up hope to leave here any time soon - but the other stag eventually talked him into revealing a bit more.

After lunch, Eadgil thanked his host for the meal, then politely excused himself, exited his host’s hut, and headed back towards the castle.

Once his guest had left, Hirthir looked down on the mare beside him.

“So you disappointed a honored guest under my own roof, hm?”, he asked.

Not waiting for a response, he took the cup of his still semi-hot stew and emptied it over Zecora’s head. “Here’s your lunch, cunt!”, he spat out. “Make sure you eat it all up. If I have to clean you or the floor today, you will regret it.”

Zecora sighed.





As Eadgil returned to the castle, he was greeted by Baldr.

“Ah, there you are”, his friend greeted him. “We’ve been waiting for you. Spring Breeze has called for an extraordinary community meeting.”

Eadgil nodded. “I was about to do the same. May I ask why?”

“We’ve received another message from Vestri”, Baldr informed him. “The first stallion is going to arrive here in the course of this week. We need to make preparations for our masquerade.”

Eadgil nodded, immediately beginning to move in the direction of the great hall, his friend following him. “Alright, let’s not let the others wait. As I said, I have something to discuss as well. We may have another problem… and another opportunity. These seem to go hand in hand these days. There is another stag living in Everfree that I was not informed about.”

“Hm”, Baldr asked. “Does Vestri even know about him?”

The other stag nodded. “Definitely. As a matter of fact, he’s here because of Vestri. He’s the appointed handler of a state-owned zebra mare. I had a few minutes to talk to her while her handler had to take care of something else. According to that mare’s account, she has some cultural significance for the ponies in Ponyville… something about her traditionally narrating an old ponies’ tale once a year. The stallions couldn’t agree on who would get to own her, so Vestri just made her state property, appointed one of his men as her handler, and then gave him her hut here in the woods. In his mind, it was probably so insignificant that he didn’t even remember it when he gave me the castle.”

“Is she a black collar?”, Baldr asked.

“No, red”, Eadgil answered. “Not that it means anything when it comes to mares. I’m pretty sure she’s on her side - unlike her handler, by the way.”

“What makes you think that?”, his friend inquired.

“She knows about what we’re doing here”, Eadgil responded. “And she hasn’t told Hirthir - that’s the name of her handler, by the way - nor anything else, for that matter. As a matter of fact, she told me that if we could get Hirthir out of Everfree and her into our community, she could help the mares regrow their wings and horns faster. Seems like she’s a healer, like you. I think you two would get along. Maybe you can learn from each other.”

“Ah”, Baldr said. “That’s why you called it an opportunity as well. Seems like we’re here.”

They had arrived at the gates to the great hall, and Eadgil opened it. The other members of the community - except for most of the cows, who still cared little about these matters - had already gathered.

“Eadgil”, Spring Breeze greeted the stag. “Finally you’re here. We were beginning to worry that you had gotten lost.”

“Don’t be silly”, Eadgil smirked at her. “I did explore a new part of the forest right now, but I’ve never felt lost in these woods. It’s like I find my way in these forests almost by instinct.”

He got a few affirming nods from the other stags, indicating that they knew what he meant.

“Huh, weird”, Spring Breeze said. “Anyway… I assume Baldr has already told you about the letter we got?”

“Yeah, he has”, the stag responded. “Our first chance to test the effect of tourmaline on an affected stallion. If it doesn’t work, we need to make sure our masquerade works though. I’m not sure what still needs to be discussed in this matter - we pretty much already got the plan down during our last meetings - so I guess this is just to inform everyone so we can begin getting things into place?”

Spring Breeze nodded. “We already discussed the final details of our setup. Baldr can give you a rundown, but we pretty much already had your part down during the last meetings.”

“Good”, Eadgil said. “There’s something else we need to discuss though. There’s another stag living in Everfree with his red-collar mare. I just had lunch with them.”

“Ah, that’s why you were away for so long”, Spring Breeze observed. “You think he may be a potential recruit?”

Eadgil shook his head. “Unfortunately, he most definitely isn’t on our side. He’s disenfranchised and unhappy enough that I might convince him to oppose the regime, but his views about females in general and mares in particular unfortunately aren’t compatible with ours. His mare is most definitely on our side though.”

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

The stag nodded. “Yeah, she’s actually state property. The stag is only here because Vestri appointed him as her handler and she’s of some kind of cultural significance to the ponies in Ponyville. She’s a red collar, but I know for a fact that she’s on our side. She knows what we’re doing here, and hasn’t told her handler, nor anyone else.”

Murmur filled the hall.

“Are you sure she hasn’t told anyone?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“Pretty sure, yeah. After all, we’re still here, aren’t we? From what she told me, she knew about us from day one.”

“It’s still worrying”, Spring Breeze responded.”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, but I think she won’t act against us. As a matter of fact, she’s some kind of healer, and she told me that if I could get her here and Hirthir somewhere else, she would help all of you regrow your wings and horns.”

Once again, murmur was heard in the hall - this time, specifically from the side of the mares.

“As much as I wish for that, it would make our masquerades more difficult”, Spring Breeze said. “I think it’s a bit early to make a decision about this though. How do you plan to get her here? I assume you will have to get yourself appointed as her handler… or one of the other stags.”

Eadgil made a dismissive gesture. “I think it’ll only be a matter of time before Vestri asks me for some kind of favor again… or tries to force some kind of inconvenience down my throat.” He smirked. “He usually gives me bargaining chips for free… although they always look like burdens or  inconveniences at first. It all depends on how you use what’s forced onto you.”

He heard a chuckle behind him, and a familiar voice. “Deepest Desire will be very interested in hearing this…”, the voice said. “As a matter of fact, if you do regrow your wings and horns, she might have a solution for the masquerade problem... though she’ll need one or two more months before we can use it, I believe.”

He turned around. “Snowflake, what are you doing here?”

“I come by once in a while to pick up supplies”, the white pegasus mare said, shrugging and giving him a smile. “I didn’t expect a meeting today, but Mistress Desire has given me a general permission to represent her here.”

“What is that solution you’re talking about?”, Spring Breeze asked.

Snowflake hesitated. “I… cannot tell you yet”, she responded.

“Oooh, mysterious!”, he heard Star Charmer’s voice from another part of the hall. “I love mysteries!” Bruna, who was sitting beside her, giggled softly.

“Honestly… this is something Mistress Desire should tell you herself once the time has come”, Snowflake said. “I… probably shouldn’t have brought it up.”

Eadgil gave her a reassuring nod. “I’m sure she’s fine with it. After all, you haven’t really told us anything yet.”

“Well, we can’t plan for something we don’t know about”, Spring Breeze said.

“True”, Eadgil shrugged.

“Either way, Eadgil, I do want you to visit the stag and the zebra a few more times”, Spring Breeze continued. “We need to make sure she’s on her side.”

“I’m confident, but I agree”, Eadgil responded.

“Alright then… I think that would be all for now”, Spring Breeze said. “Anything else we need to discuss?”

No one raised his voice.

“In that case, this meeting is hereby concluded”, Spring Breeze announced. “Let us return to our preparations.”

Eadgil moved to the exit towards the stags’ quarters. Star Charmer caught him right when he was about to exit the hall.

“You have some time for me… Master?”, she giggled, looking at him flirtatiously.

He paused a moment, turned around and looked at her. “Star… do you think I’m dangerous?”

Star Charmer blinked, saying nothing for a moment. “Wha… what kind of question is that?” A moment later, she giggled. “I guess you’re dangerous in all the good ways. You know I looooove bad boys.”

Eadgil rubbed his forehead for a moment. “That zebra… I mentioned she was some kind of spirit healer. She said I had a darkness inside of me that I needed to confront.”

Star Charmer giggled. “Well, if you need to confront it, I’ll gladly help you bring it out so you can face it eye to eye.”

“I’m not sure that’s how it works”, Eadgil responded. “Or that it’s even safe for you.” He paused for a moment. “It has something to do with her rhyming”, he said pensively.

“Huh”, she said. “Maybe you should do some research on zebra magic in the library… but honestly, for now I think what you need is a distraction.”

Eadgil smirked, gently grabbed her hair with his right hand and looked into her eyes. “You won’t let this go until I give you what you want, will you?”

Star Charmer returned the smirk. “You know me, Master. What do you think?”

Eadgil tightened the grip a bit. “Alright, seems like I have no other choice but to drag you to my quarters, punish you for your insolence, and then have my way with you.”

The mare bit her lip. “If… if you say so, Master.”

Eadgil’s eyes went down and he noticed that she was wearing the collar he had given to her for Hearth’s Warming Eve. He wasn’t too surprised, she wore it most of the days unless it had to be cleaned.

“Alright then”, he smirked, grabbed her by the collar and then dragged her out of the hall.
> Chapter 16: Another Medium
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After several hours, the train came to a halt.

Once it had stopped completely, the creature reached for the train door’s handle and opened it, stepping outside. The first thing his eyes fell on was the train station’s sign saying ‘Welcome to Appleloosa’.

“In the name of His Majesty, King Dainn of Equestria, out of the way!”, he heard a voice in front of him. A contingent of large, antlered cervine creatures clad in armor approached the train from the direction in which he was heading, lead by a single one of them.

“I said out of the way, citizen!”, the leader reiterated. “Prisoner transport to Canterlot, an important operation of the Equestrian military!”

The creature took a step to the side. “This one does not wish to interfere”, it said, “but from what it knows, this train does not go further into Equestria than this.”

The leader stopped, but gave the others a sign to march on. The rest of the males walked past him and into the train. “We’ll make it go further”, he said. “This mission is of utmost importance to the kingdom, and our own trains are unfortunately temporarily out of commission.”

The creature nodded. “This one is in search of an eternal forest. It has heard that it can find this forest deeper within this country. Will these ones go past it?”

As the cervines marched past the creature, he noticed that they indeed had a prisoner with them - a female which he assumed was not cervine, and also likely not equine. He presumed she was a bovine of some kind, though he could not be completely certain, since the only thing she was wearing was a black leather mask covering her face. Her shimmering orange fur was covered in dirt, and her body was covered in bruises of different kinds - likely inflicted by those creatures who had imprisoned her. The cruelty of those not under the light of the Monolith could be infinite, the creature knew.

The commander laughed. “You speak funny. What are you anyway? You aren’t a pony, and you definitely aren’t one of us. Are you a diamond dog?”

“This one is canine”, the creature responded. “It is in search for an eternal forest.”

“Do you mean Everfree?”, the commander inquired. “It’s a large forest north of here.” He pointed in the direction of the train tracks ahead of them. “The train trails in this direction actually go past it. Under normal circumstances, you would take the train from here to Ponyville.”

“May this one join those ones, then?”, the creature asked.

The commander made a clear dismissive hand gesture. “Absolutely not. We have no time to waste with a stop in Ponyville, and we most definitely don’t want to waste our energy with a civilian. This is an operation of the Equestrian military, and one of utmost importance…” He stopped for a moment, then mumbled, more to himself. “...and besides, you’re really giving me the creeps.”

Without letting the other finish, the creature nodded. “In that case, this one will be on its way”, he said, then marched off and into town, leaving the commander behind without looking back.

So following the train tracks will lead this one to the eternal forest, it thought.

But for now, it would focus on finding a place to stay for the night.





Trenderhoof snarled. He undoubtedly enjoyed the authenticity of the forest’s untamed, mostly untouched nature, but he also couldn’t deny that he was getting annoyed. He had made the way from Canterlot to Ponyville by carriage, drawn by four of his mares, but here in Everfree, the territory and lack of roads didn’t allow for him to use it - and there hadn’t really been an opportunity for him to keep his mares somewhere safe in Ponyville. So he had to drag the bridled black collars along all by himself, only helped by the fact that their bridles were connected to each other, with their arms still bound behind their backs and their cunts and asses stuffed with various toys. Due to the peculiar nature of the terrain, he constantly had to punish them for stumbling or even falling down. It slowed him down more than he would have liked, at least for a longer period of time. His red collar cat cunt, was less of a problem. For the first part of the journey through Everfree, she had been crawling, but by now he had allowed her to walk on her hind legs. Letting her crawl would simply have slowed him down even more, and he didn’t think she would try to flee. Besides, he still had her on a leash.

He let out another snarl - which then turned into a sigh of relief. In front of him, he saw a chasm with a rope bridge leading to the other side. The bridge wouldn’t be easy to cross with his baggage, but it seemed stable, and behind it, the ruins of the old castle stood tall. He sighed once more, then gave his mares a sign to stop.

“Alright!”, he told them. “As you dumb cunts can all see, we will have to traverse this bridge. You black bitches will go ahead this time, with the cat behind you, and me last. Don’t bother to try any funny business. It will only lead to you endangering yourselves. Understood?”

“Master…”, the cat whispered softly.

Trenderhoof rubbed his temples. “What is it, Miau?”, he asked. “You are allowed to speak, but this better be important.”

“Master always knows best, but this kitty doesn’t believe crossing the bridge with their arms tied behind their backs will work”, the cat said in a feeble voice. Her body language betrayed her fear of punishment.

For a moment, Trenderhoof felt a rush of anger - but then he calmed down. He saw no reason to make it easier for his slaves for their sake - but he had paid good money for them, and he didn’t want to lose any of his investments for no reason.

“Alright”, he said to his mares. “I will take off your arm-binders - but they will go back on once we’re on the other side. No funny business, or you will regret it.” His black collar cunts gave him glares, but grudgingly nodded.

He quickly took off their arm binders. “You will carry them over though”, he informed them. “I don’t care how you do it. Be happy that I give you an opportunity to get a safe grip on that bridge at all. It’s more than you cunts deserve. Now onwards!”

The mares begrudgingly set foot on the bridge, trying their best to hold onto it while also carrying their own arm binders. Miau followed them, and then Trenderhoof himself.

Once they were on the other side, he unceremoniously bound their hands behind their backs once more, grabbed their bridles as well as Miau’s leash, then made his way to the castle gates.

A caribou was standing on top of the walls, and Trenderhoof could see that they were still in the process of being restored. The caribou shouted something and then disappeared, and a moment later, the gate was opened, and Trenderhoof stepped in, dragging his females along.

He entered the large courtyard, and was greeted by the sound of whorish moans. Looking around, he noticed that the courtyard was mostly full of males doing construction work. The moans originated from pillories in one corner of the courtyard, where three caribou whores were held in stocks and roughly plowed from behind by three large, bulky males. Three other caribou approached him - one of them a bit smaller than the others, from the looks of it slightly overweight, and dressed in a suit, while the other two were tall and muscular and wore leather pants and simple shirts.

“Welcome”, the well-dressed one addressed him. “We’ve been expecting you, Mr. Trenderhoof…”

For a moment, the stag’s eyes fell onto Trenderhoof’s little kitty, Miau. Trenderhoof wasn’t sure if he was imagining things, but for a moment, it seemed like the caribou’s eyes were widening in surprise.

“Please”, Trenderhoof insisted, raising his right hand. “Call me Trend.”

“Alright then, Trendy”, the caribou smirked.

Trenderhoof flinched a little. “Just Trend, please”, he said.

The caribou seemed unimpressed. “...as I was about to say, I’m Eadgil, appointed Magistrate of this new caribou colony.” He pointed to the stag at his left. “This is Baldr, our healer and the good heart of our community.”

The stag gave him a friendly smile and raised his right hand, and Trend returned the greeting.

The one who had introduced himself as Eadgil then put his arm around the shoulder of the stag to his right, placing his other hand on the stag’s chest. “And this is my good friend Skorri, our runesmith.” He paused for a moment, then cast a glance into the eyes of the other stag. “The best in all of Equestria, I assure you.”

The other stag giggled and looked away. “Oh you!”, he said. Trenderhoof flinched once more, not at all sure what he was witnessing.

Eadgil withdrew his arm, and then approached Trenderhoof, extending his right hand to him. “I understand you ponies greet each other with a handshake?”, he asked.

Trenderhoof nodded and extended his own hand.

The caribou grabbed it, pulled him in, and then pushed a little kiss onto the startled stallion’s lips - then immediately letting him go.

Eadgil smirked. “That’s how we do it”, he said. “At least among friends.”

It took Trenderhoof a moment to come back to his senses.

In the meantime, the caribou had turned his attention away from him and toward his cat slave. His eyes went back and forth between her and Trenderhoof.

“Is that a cat?”, he asked. “A red collar cat?”

Trenderhoof nodded. “I bought her from a caribou shortly after the liberation of Canterlot. I understand she was brought along by your people. The guy I bought her from called her Miau, so I just kept using that name for her. The cunt barely deserves a name.”

“Well, seems like you made a catch”, Eadgil said. “Cats are difficult to catch. Many would rather kill themselves than be enslaved. Those who are put in their place usually end up as black collars. This one is probably incredibly valuable.”

Trenderhoof rubbed his chin. “I bought her fairly cheap, actually.”

“You must understand that a cat like this is an extreme rarity”, Eadgil said. “I hope if you don’t mind if I ask her some questions.”

The stallion shook his head in response.

Eadgil knelt down in front of the cat, who was still on all fours, extending a hand and placing it under her chin, forcing her to face him.

“Why would your former master sell you cheaply?”, he wondered.

The cat blushed and avoided his gaze.

“Answer me”, Eadgil commanded. “Tell me your story. All of it.”

“This kitty was... put in her place... when she was still young”, the cat responded. “The… Master who claimed her also took her to Equestria. He wasn’t the youngest any more, a veteran of many glorious battles. He fell in battle when the Crystal Empire was… liberated by your people. After that… this kitty went from hand to hand, with her new masters seeing little value in her.”

“Huh”, Eadgil said, removing his hand. “You’re a red collar cat. An extreme rarity, and maybe the only one who was brought to these lands. Why would they consider you of little value?”

“This kitty… believes it’s because she is the only one. Cows can be used for breeding. Even a mare can easily be bred by… having a few stallions take turns with her. But this kitty… is alone. Maybe the only one of her kind in this country.”

Eadgil nodded. “Collectors of exotic pets might pay a lot for you, but they’re probably difficult to find.”

“I haven’t been asked by anypony to sell her so far”, Trenderhoof said. “Or… any stag, for that matter.”

Eadgil nodded, then stood up. “Alright… I am still curious about her, but we can surely ask more questions later.” He turned to Tenderhoof. “We wish to give you a welcome gift. We have made it tradition that any male who visits our small community should get one of these.”

He handed the stallion a jeweled amulet, adorned with an odd, pitch-black stone. Trenderhoof cursed himself. Had he known this, he would have read up on gemstones and minerals before coming here, so as being able to identify the object. Hesitantly, he took the amulet and slowly put it around his neck.

Eadgil smirked. “You have to wear it underneath your shirt”, he explained. “Directly on the chest.”

Trenderhoof raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t want to offend his hosts. Not only was it impolite, but he guessed that getting on bad terms with the new rulers of the land would also be ill-advised - particularly if he actually wanted to stay here and write a book about caribou culture. He slowly took the jewel and moved it underneath his shirt. The stone felt cold to the touch. A chill went down his spine, but it was gone only a moment later.

Eadgil turned around and walked a few steps in the opposite direction. “Now…”, he eventually said, turning around. “I’m not sure if you were informed of the nature of our community. We want to revitalize older aspects of our culture that have long since been forgotten. In our community, females are communal property, and we expect everyone who comes here to live with us to give up possession of his females to the community.”

Miau looked up to her Master with fearful eyes. “Master…?”, she whimpered.

“Silence!”, her Master commanded. “Don’t you see that males are talking, cunt?”

The cat fell silent again as Trenderhoof turned to the caribou. “Is that legal?”, he asked.

Eadgil smirked. “Oh, absolutely. In our society, any male is allowed to hold property alone or in community with others. It’s also the reason why King Dainn was able to install the institution of state property as a way of dealing with the specific circumstances here in Equestria, although state property is technically different from communal property.”

“I mean enforcing it”, Trenderhoof says. “Isn’t that… illegal dispossession?”

“Not at all”, Eadgil said. “It’s not like your females will be lost to you if you stay here. You will be part of the community, and thus have just as much right to use them as any other male here. That aside, it’s not like anyone is forced to live here. If you decide to continue your life in Canterlot, your mares will be returned to you, and we’ll treat you with all appropriate hospitality for the duration of your stay, and of course you may visit us again. Just make sure to send us a timely announcement of your visit. We are still in the middle of extensive restoration work after all, and we have to make sure that guests aren’t interfering with our work here.”

Trenderhoof had to think about that. “To me, it sounds like you’re exploiting some kind of legal loophole to take possession of other people’s private property”, he said. “Let’s say I decide to join your community, but then some time later, I decide to move out again. Would I then get my mares back?”

“I fear not”, the stag responded. “We expect commitment from those who want to participate in our project. We can’t legally stop you from moving out again - and if someone really wants to, we believe we shouldn’t stop him even if we could - but in such case, we will keep the females and give you a small monetary compensation. You can see the difference in value as a contribution to the community out of commitment and dedication. This isn’t enforced from above. All who live here have voluntarily agreed to this in advance without exception. It’s the minimum of commitment to this project that we expect from everyone who wants to participate in building up this community, stag and stallion alike.” He smiled a little. “Of course, particularly the fact that you have such a valuable possession as this cat with you might make you want to reconsider.”

Trenderhoof took a long moment to think about this, and his eyes shifted across the courtyard once more - and once more rested on the pillory, where the three cows were still eliciting their whorish moans, while the three stags had gone back to work, having been replaced by three others deciding to take a break now.

“I’m here to write about your culture”, Trenderhoof responded. “And this kind of community seems to be one possible aspect of it. As a matter of fact, I already dig the authenticity...” His eyes shifted away from the pillories again, and he noticed a small bench, with two stags sitting on it. It took his mind a while to process what he was seeing.

The stag chuckled a little. “If you say so…”

“...wait, are these two stags over there making out?”, Trenderhoof asked.

Eadgil shot a passing glance in their direction. “Looks like it”, he said with a shrug.

“I thought… uhm… I wasn’t…”, Trenderhoof stuttered.

The stag raised an eyebrow. “Is anything wrong?”, he asked.

“I don’t… I mean I thought your people were…”

The stag raised his left hand and briefly touched his forehead. “Oh, I see. I often forget that despite our king’s cure for your people - whatever it may be - you stallions still have a bit of an unhealthy exclusive fixation on females. Among our people, romantic relationships between males are very common.” He paused for a moment. “After all, females aren’t exactly good for conversation”, he then added with a chuckle. “I’m sure you stallions will get around to it eventually.” He smirked. “Or at least I really hope so. You are kind of cute.”

Trenderhoof looked away. “I… um… th… thank you, I guess, but… I’m really not interested.”

Eadgil smiled, raising his hands. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here.”

Trenderhoof relaxed. “It is interesting though”, he reflected after a few moments of silence. “So far, I had assumed that this would be an absolute taboo in your culture… relationships between two males, I mean. You place such a huge emphasis on sex and sexual difference after all… see, I’m already learning new things many ponies don’t know.” He smiled. “I’m sure my book will sell well.”

“You want to write a book about this community?”, Eadgil asked.

“Yeah”, Trenderhoof replied. “I’m looking for the authentic experience of caribou culture.”

“Huh”, Eadgil said. “We will have to talk about this in plenum.”

“Is there a problem with that idea?”, Trenderhoof asked.

The stag cast his two companions a glance, but then made a dismissive hand movement. “Eeeh, probably not. We’ll see.”

The stag to his left nodded. “I think Eadgil wanted to show you the castle”, he said. “Skorri and I will take our leave now. There is a lot of work to do, and a few things to discuss. We will take our guest’s mares to a safe place, and make sure they’re taken care of. If he decides to leave us, we will return them to him later.”

Trenderhoof involuntarily looked down at Miau, who had taken a kneeling position beside him. For a moment, he imagined her beaten body, penetrated by maybe dozens of caribou cocks and who knows what else. For some reason, the thought didn’t arouse him.

Still… he figured he might feel the need for release along the way.

“May my kitty accompany me?”, he asked.

Miau looked up to him with an expression of surprise, but then she meekly lowered her head again.

“You want to keep her around in case you need a break from the tour, huh?”, Eadgil asked, smiling a little. “Honestly, they can all accompany you if you command it. You haven’t committed to us yet. They’re still your private property. Besides, it’s not like we have anything to hide. It’s just that we figured you might want them out of sight so you can focus on the...” he smirked. “Authentic experience.”

Trenderhoof paused for a second, not sure what the stag expected from him. “Just her. You’re right, I don’t want to be bothered by a bunch of worthless black collar cunts. You probably know better how to deal with... unruly females.”

The other two caribou nodded, then grabbed the bridles of the females and dragged them off.

Something felt terribly wrong…

“Should we begin the tour?”, Eadgil asked the stallion, and Trenderhoof gave him an absent nod. The stag led the way, and they walked across the courtyard, passing by the pillories, where one stag had decided to give one of the cows a harsh beating with a cane for no discernible reason. A shiver went down Trenderhoof’s spine. The cunt was probably… no, certainly getting what she deserved… so why were her yelps and whimpers bothering him more than the sight of two stags kissing? He knew this wouldn’t have bothered him a week ago.

He pushed the thought from his mind with relative ease…





A few hours later, the creature still had not found a place to stay for the night. He had asked around for hotels, but all recommendations had led him to establishments of a different kind that apparently merely doubled as places to stay for the night. He knew what brothels were and what their purpose was, of course - but it did not understand the purpose of their existence. Urges of this kind were alien to him, and although he somewhat supposed that he was capable of them, he thanked the Monolith for purging such impracticalities from his mind. He was wondering why the ones in this town bothered to set up specific places as brothels though - from what he had seen around this place, the entire town served this kind of purpose. He saw pillories everywhere, most of them holding females of different species, and males of cervine or equine descent pretty much freely following their urges.

To his dismay, the creature found that it was impossible to hire a bed for the night in any of these establishments without also hiring a female or two. He somewhat suspected that many of these establishments had been regular hotels like the ones he had seen in Zebrica until relatively recently, but by now, this had become a mere secondary purpose to all of them without exception. The creature assumed that the town must have undergone a radical cultural shift very recently, which was consistent with his information about the country being taken over by an outside force with relative ease. The culture seemed to have made a shift for the more impractical though. He doubted that this situation would be able to be permanent - and given the nature of his mission, this made him wonder if he was here to end it prematurely.

For now, he had different thoughts on his mind now. Checking his luggage, he decided the best course of action would be to put up camp outside town, then follow the train tracks northwards the next day.

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him, addressing him in a thick accent that he had never heard before, but that he assumed to be a local mannerism. The cervines hadn’t spoken like that, but many of the equines had.

“Hey there, little fella”, the voice said. “Are ya lost?”

The creature turned around and encountered a yellow-furred male equine wearing a leather vest and a hat. He was surprised that a male pony would pay him attention at all - most of them so far had been busy with things that involved females and that he hadn’t quite understood, and had reacted rudely to his questions - but this one had approached him.

“This one is unable to find a place to stay in this town”, the creature responded.

“There are plenty of hotels in town”, the pony said. “There’s one right behind you.”

The creature looked at the establishment it had just left. “Yes. This one has just been there. The arrangement seems impractical to it. Then again, so does most of what it has seen in this town.”

“So ya’ve noticed, huh?”, the equine asked. “Yeah, ah figured ya would. You aren’t one of us, are ya, and neither one of them. You react surprisingly calm ta all of this, but ya don’t seem ta be happy with it either. Where do ya come from?”

“The Realm of the Monolith”, the creature responded.

“Ah don’t know where that is”, the equine admitted, scratching his head. “Ya’re a diamond dog?”

“This one is canine”, the creature said for the second time this day.

The pony smiled at him friendly. “Alright, keep a mystery. What brings ya to this town?”

“This one is just passing through”, the creature said. “It is searching for an eternal forest.”

“Eternal… do ya mean Everfree?”, the equine asked.

“This one assumes so.”

“That’s actually quite a bit from hear”, the equine said. “Going by train would take a few hours at least, but the trains are all outta commission for some kinda refit, and probably will be for weeks or so. By foot, it’ll take at least days, if not weeks.”

“This one has traveled further by foot”, the creature replied.

“Ya sure are dedicated, huh? Are ya a pilgrim or somethin’?”

“Yes”, the creature replied. “Something.”

“Ah didn’t know Everfree holds any places of religious importance”, the equine said. “At least not of importance to to non-ponies.”

“This one is in search for a prophet”, the creature informed him.

“Huh… a prophet in Everfree? As far as ah know, the only people living in that forest are resis…”

He stopped himself mid-word and looked around.

“Look, ya could travel by foot if ya can march that fast, but ya’ll need supplies, and ya’ll also wanna stay here for the night. Traveling by night can be dangerous out there.”

“This one will survive”, the creature said without a hint of emotion.

“Why don’t ya stay with me for the night?”, the pony asked with a friendly smile. “Free of charge. Name’s Braeburn, by the way. Ah don’t think a’ve caught yar name?”

“This one is a servant of the Monolith”, the creature replied. “And that one’s proposal seems acceptable.”

“A ser…”, the pony started. “Ya’re a strange fella for sure. Mind if ah call ya Mono?”

The creature shrugged, then followed the pony towards an unknown location.





For the last several hours, the stag had led Trenderhoof through the castle, explaining the details of the castle’s reconstruction, some details about their plans for forest agriculture, and some things about handling caribou females communally, while his red collar cat crawled beside him. It had been exactly what Trenderhoof was here to write about, but he was barely able to pay attention.

Over and over, his mind had turned to his other females, picturing them surrounded by bulky caribou, tied up and helpless… getting beaten senseless and then getting a good dicking. The first few times, the thought of those dumb bitches getting what they deserved had still given him a smile.

Eventually, he started to wonder if they were alright…

He started to wonder why he suddenly gave a fuck.

He tried to push the thought out of his mind… but it returned, over and over again. Without him noticing, his smile turned into a frown… and then, suddenly, into a blank stare of horror.

As Trenderhoof was stumbling along, the caribou eventually noticed his state. They had just entered a restored banquet hall that the caribou had apparently turned into a mead hall. At least half a dozen caribou males were hanging out there, surrounded by about a dozen females, most of them cows, but also a few mares - the latter mostly black collars, tied up and bound in awkward positions. One of them, a pastel green pegasus, was bent over a table, gagged and with her arms bound behind her back, her legs spread and tied to the table’s legs, getting a harsh pounding from the stag whom Trenderhoof had seen earlier in the courtyard, and whom Eadgil had introduced as Baldr. The mare moaned and screamed in clear discomfort through the gag, only to receive hard smacks on her butt.

Trenderhoof felt a rush of sickness. His head was spinning.

How can they do things like these? How could he ever do things like these?

“You seem exhausted”, Eadgil said, addressing him. “Feel free to use any of the females here to your delight. But then again, I assume you’ll want to use your kitty. After all, that’s why you brought her along, isn’t it.”

Trenderhoof’s eyes shifted to the cat, who was on all fours beside him, having crawled along all the way. The red collar looked up to him, giving him a weak smile.

“Knock yourself out!”, Eadgil encouraged him, smiling.

“I… can’t…”, Trenderhoof stuttered, not even really paying attention to what he was saying. “I just… can’t… do that… to… her or… anyone…”

The nausea was too much to bear. Trenderhoof turned away from the stag. Memories of his life before the caribou flashed back, how he had interacted with others back then, particularly females… alongside them came memories of what he had done to his mares and the cat since then, as well as other females. He didn’t even know what was happening, and before he realized what he was doing, he had emptied his stomach in one corner of the room.

“I didn’t expect that strong a reaction…”, Eadgil mumbled, more to himself. “Heck, we weren’t even sure if…” He stopped himself. “No, we’re still not sure. Maybe he just ate something wrong.” He took a few steps towards the stallion.

For a brief moment, Trenderhoof’s self-preservation instinct kicked in, and he turned around, looking at the caribou with fear. “I… please, don’t… don’t arrest and send me to Canterlot to be switched! I’m an upstanding citizen! You can ask anyone! You can ask Miau or my mares! I’m not one of those mentally challenged mare sympathizers, I swear!” 

Hearing his own words, he suddenly experienced a clear feeling that all of this was horribly, terribly wrong, that this was not him - and with it came a strong sense of determination. He straightened up. “No, this isn’t right. All of this isn’t right!”, he yelled. “You sick fucks! I don’t know what you did to me during these last months, but this isn’t me! I can’t stand for this sickness any longer! I don’t care what you do to me! I deserve it for what I’ve done! From now on, I am a mare sympathizer!”

“Good to hear.” The caribou smiled at him, casually taking out a handkerchief and offering it to Trenderhoof. “Because so are we.”

Trenderhoof’s and Miau’ eyes both immediately focused on him. 

“What?”, they said almost simultaneously.

A moment of silence fell over the room. Everyone stopped doing what they were doing.

Trenderhoof was the first to speak again. “This… amulet you gave to me”, he said, pointing at his chest. “It’s doing something to me, isn’t it?”

“No”, the stag responded, slowly shaking his head. “It’s undoing something.”

Trenderhoof blinked. “I don’t follow.”

“It is undoing the king’s so-called ‘cure’”, Eadgil explained. “This is an antimagic amulet that uses a black tourmaline stone in combination with specific antimagic runes to counteract the mind control artifact the king uses to control the stallion population of Equestria. What you have experienced for the last few months… that wasn’t really you. This is the real you.”

Trenderhoof took a few moments to respond - but then, he nodded. “Yes”, he said. “Yes, I know. This… this is what I used to be. That means what you say must be true.”

Eadgil turned around, clapping his hands. “Alright guys… I think we can drop the masquerade now.”

“I need a moment”, Trenderhoof said, letting himself fall onto a chair.

The other caribou immediately began to free the mares from their restraints, eventually also taking off their collars. The stag named Baldr removed himself from his pastel green female, took off her bindings, and likewise removed her collar. The mare rose from the table, and the stag knelt down before her. “Mistress, I apologize for what I did”, he said, looking up to her. 

The pegasus smirked. “It was necessary. I’ll punish you for it later.”

“Yes, Mistress”, Baldr replied. “I should inform the others, and Trenderhoof’s other mares need to be informed as well.”

The pegasus nodded. “Go”, she said.

The stag stood up, and then rushed past Trenderhoof, who seemed absent-minded.

The cat, still on her fours, looked up to Eadgil with a frightened expression. “Master… what...?” Noticing that she had spoken out of line, she fell silent.

“It seems like you have just been freed from slavery”, the stag said. He involuntarily cast a look at Trenderhoof. “Isn’t that right, Trend?”, he asked. The stallion seemed exhausted and lost in thought, but he still gave the caribou a weak nod.

The cat’s eyes widened. “Freed… Master?” she asked.

Eadgil looked down into her eyes. “You said you were caught when you were still young. That must have been decades ago. Do you still remember anything from the time before? Your parents, maybe?”

The cat’s eyes filled with tears. “My parents… no… I…”

Eadgil looked away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bring up bad memories.”

“Nefera”, the cat whispered.

“What?”, Eadgil asked.

“My name”, the cat responded. “It’s… this kitty’s name. The… one her parents gave her, she means.”

“So you remember your name?”, Eadgil asked.

Nefera looked away. “This kitty’s first master let her keep it. She was renamed after his death.”

“Then I will call you by that name as well”, Eadgil told her, slowly extending her hands toward her neck. “Let me take off your collar, and then we’ll see if we can find something for you to wear. You can speak of yourself in first person, by the way. As I said, you’re not a slave any more.”

“I… um…” Nefera hesitated, looking at him with fearful eyes.

Eadgil withdrew his hands. “You probably need a while to get used to this. You were pretty much raised as a slave, and you probably don’t know much else. I understand.”

Nefera sat down on her knees in front of him, then slowly shook her head. “No, it’s fine, M… it’s fine. Take off my collar if you wish.”

Eadgil nodded, extending his hands once more, placing it on the collar. His antlers glowed, the rune-sealed lock came off, and he held the collar in his hand.

“This feels… good”, the cat admitted. 

Then her eyes locked onto the collar. She smiled a little. “Mast… um... may I keep this?”

Eadgil looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“I… don’t want to wear it. I just… it was my first master who collared me, and… he was a kind master, kinder than any other I’ve known. Like I said, he let me keep my name. I would like to... have it as... a… keepsake?”, the cat stuttered.

“Oh”, Eadgil nodded. “I see. Well, of course.” He handed her back her old collar. The cat grabbed it, and pressed it to her chest. “Thank you, M… thank you. You’re right… this will take some time to get used to. I’ve never really known any other life than that of a slave, but it... isn’t a happy life. I think I’m… getting around to the idea of… being free. I just… don’t know what to do with it.”

The cat looked around, as if searching for help, and her eyes first fell on her old Master. Trenderhoof was sitting in a chair in a caved in position, his face buried in his hands. “All the things I’ve done… how can I ever look a mare in the face again…”

Nefera smiled softly. “It seems my Master has even more trouble getting used to it.”

Eadgil smirked. “Maybe he’ll start looking males in the face instead. I sure wouldn’t mind that.” He chuckled a little. “But joke aside, I understand how you feel. You might want to talk to the mares. I’m sure they’ll welcome you with open arms. They also accepted the cows for the most part, and that might have been more difficult, because most cows are far more happy in slavery than they are. That doesn’t seem to be the case with you.”

The cat nodded. “It’s… all a bit overwhelming.”

Eadgil cast a glance over to Trenderhoof, who was still whimpering in his chair. The stag noticed tears streaming from the stallion’s eyes.

“I wish Deepest Desire was here”, he mumbled.

“Who’s Deepest Desire?”, Nefera asked.

“A… what did she call it… psychiatrist and psychotherapist”, Eadgil responded. “A healer of the spirit, essentially. The best one I know. She was once my mare, but now she’s part of our community. But right now, she and a few other females aren’t here.”

“Where are they?”, the cat asked.

“Deepest Desire led them to some other place within Everfree forest”, Eadgil responded. “She said she had some kind of business there. They’re apparently camping somewhere. It’s a very mild winter, from what I’ve heard even by Equestria’s standards, so I’m not too concerned. She knows what she’s doing.”

“Are you afraid that… she’ll be captured?”, Nefera asked.

“Maybe a little bit”, Eadgil responded. “If so, whoever captures them will probably just return them here and then demand some kind of punishment for them, and possibly some kind of compensation for himself. Officially, Deepest Desire and the others are still my property after all.” 

The cat nodded. “I understand… I know you have to keep up appearances.”

Spring Breeze approached them. “You’re having a nice chat, I see?”, she asked.

Eadgil looked away. “I’m sorry, Spring Breeze. I should have called you over immediately after taking off the collar.”

“Damn right you should’ve”, Spring Breeze said with a stern face.

Eadgil smiled. “In moments like these, I almost understand Baldr.”

Spring Breeze looked away. “Whatever that’s supposed to mean, idiot.”

Then, she turned to the cat. “Any funny business on his part?”, she asked.

Nefera smiled up to her. “Not sure what you mean… I think anything here is funny business. I’m... up for it though. The whole… not being a slave anymore… it’s scary, but also exiting.”

“That’s good to hear”, Spring Breeze said, extending a hand towards her. 

The cat looked at the hand, then back up at her, blinking.

“Take my hand, and I’ll help you up”, Spring Breeze said.

“Oh”, the cat giggled, taking her hand and standing up.

“Let’s fetch you some clothes”, Spring Breeze said. “You’re a bit smaller than the average mare, but I’m sure we’ll find something for you.”

“Wow, clothes…”, Nefera said, giggling a little.

“And you”, said Spring Breeze, turning to Eadgil. “Take care of the new stallion, will you?”

Eadgil’s gaze shifted to Trenderhoof once more, who still seemed like a nervous wreck.

The cat gave him a look and a wink. “Good luck”, she said before leaving the hall with Spring Breeze. 





After a short walk, the pony who had introduced himself as Braeburn approached a farm that the creature assumed was his. Just like on all the other farms they had walked past, a number of equine females were working on the fields here as well, all of them nude, wearing heavy black or red collars, and strapped into strange work gear that seemed more impractical and distracting to him than like properly functional tools of field work. As the stallion approached the farm, he called out to them.

“Alright, mares!”, he said in a commanding voice. “Enough work far today! Get into da barn and then get outta that gear. We’re gonna have a guest for the night!”

The mares nodded, then moved towards the barn. One of them turned around.

“Master, do we need to keep up…”

The stallion looked around cautiously, although there was no one else around as far as the creature was able to discern. “Quiet!”, he commanded in a harsh voice. “We can talk about that inside!”

The mare gave him a slow nod, then was on her way with the others.

“That one’s culture involves gender-based unequal treatment?”, the creature asked in a completely neutral tone.

“Ya notice everything, don’t ya, little fella?”, the stallion responded in a sardonic voice.

“This one would be interested in learning about the historical background of such an impractical arrangement”, the creature said.

The stallion once again looked around cautiously. “Not much history here to speak of”, he said. “But this really isn’t something we should talk about out in the open. Let’s get inside and then we can talk.”

The creature nodded. By now, he somewhat assumed that there was a regime in place that prevented people from speaking their minds. He had heard that the cervines were the force that had conquered the country, so he assumed it was probably a result of their new policies, but most of the male equines he had seen here so far seemed to be fine with this new arrangement. His host behaved odd, but in a very different way from the others, so he assumed that this specific equine saw things differently.

They entered the farm and then a small living room, and Braeburn offered the servant a chair. He sat down, then let down his hood, revealing his canine face.

“That’s an interesting mark ya got there…”, Braeburn observed, sitting down on a chair of his own, his eyes fixed onto the tattoo on the creature’s forehead. “In such a weird place too. Didn’t that hurt?”

The creature looked at him for a long moment, trying to recollect his memories.

“It did not”, he eventually responded.

“Huh, alright”, Braeburn reacted. “Religious?”

“One could say that”, the creature replied.

“Alright”, the pony responded. “What really brings ya to this forsaken country?”

“This one does not understand”, the creature tried to dodge the question.

“Ah was just wonderin’ why anyone would come to this country voluntarily right now. A year ago, ah could’ve imagined plenty of reasons, but now? Ah’ve never heard of a non-Equestria based religion with an interest in Everfree forest. Ah don’t believe for a second that ya’re a pilgrim or somethin’. Are ya here for the mares? Hopin’ to get some easy prey, like all dem other diamond dog fellas?”

“This one is not a diamond dog, and it is not interested in females.”

“Not at all?”, Braeburn asked.

“No”, the creature responded.

“More interested in males?”, the pony asked with a faint, unconscious smile.

“No”, the creature replied.

“Oh”, the pony said. “Well, that’s somethin’.” He paused for a moment. “Well, alright. Still doesn’t answer mah question though. Why are ya here?”

“This one is here to find the eternal forest.”

“Yes, ya already said that. Why though?”

“This one has been told to seek out a prophet in the eternal forest.”

“A prophet, huh?”, the stallion asked. “Ah’ve never heard of a prophet in Everfree forest. Are ya sure that Everfree is the forest ya seek?”

“Are there other forests in this country?”, the creature asked.

“A few, yeah”, the stallion responded. “But none of ‘em are thought of as eternal. Are ya sure that it’s a forest in this country?”

“If this is Equestria, then yes”, the creature replied.

“Ah’ve just never heard of a prophet in Everfree. Ah know there are resistance cells in Everfree, but ah don’t think any of them has a prophet of some sort. But maybe there are also diamond dog tribes hiding out beneath Everfree… maybe they have a prophet, though they never struck me as a religious bunch.”

“This one is not searching for a canine prophet”, the creature informed him.

“Oh”, Braeburn replied. “So ya know the species of that prophet of yours?”

“Yes”, the creature replied.

“So what is he?”, the pony inquired.

“Cervine”, the creature responded.

...Within a moment’s notice, the air seemed to become thicker in the room. Braeburn stood up, looking at the creature with a mixture of anger and disgust, with a hint of fear thrown into the mix.

“Did this one say something wrong?”, the creature inquired.

“You’re not in league with them, are you?”, Braeburn asked.

“This one is in league with no one except the Monolith and His servants”, the creature replied. “It seems to this one that that one is not happy about the current circumstances, and that it has to do with the arrival of these cervines. It also assumes that it has to do with the treatment of female ones that it has seen in this town, and that it was something these ones brought with them. It seems to be a recent development. That one said that it has no history, and the Grey Council one mentioned that this country was recently conquered by cervines. From what it has seen, most equine males seem to be content with the current state of things, though that one seems to think differently.”

The pony slowly sat down again. “Did you say Grey Council?”

“Yes”, the creature responded. “What does that one know about the Grey Council?”

“Not much”, Braeburn said. “Just rumors, essentially - that they’re a secret group within the highest ranks of the Zebrican government.”

“That is essentially correct”, the creature said.

“So you know members of the Zebrican government”, Braeburn concluded.

“Yes”, the creature responded.

“Wait… if ya’re in league with the caribou, why would the zebra let ya go?”, Braeburn inquired. “Why would they even talk to ya at all?”

“This one already said that it is not in league with any one”, the creature responded.

“But ya’re here to find a cervine prophet”, Braeburn remarked.

“Yes”, the creature said. “As the Monolith has commanded.”

“That doesn’t really help ta put me at ease”, Braeburn sighed.

The creature had an idea. “From what that one has said so far, is this one correct to assume that that one would not mind if the current cervine power structure was severely weakened.”

Braeburn looked at the creature with piqued interest. “What exactly do you propose?”

“This one does not propose anything”, the creature said. “It just made an observation. Is this one correct in its observation?”

The pony lowered his voice. “Yes”, he said silently.

“Then that one will be glad to know that this one is here to kill the cervine king one, and the ones who are part of his council.”

Braeburn blinked. “What?”, he just asked.

“It is the will of the Monolith.”

Once more, the room was filled by a long silence.

“So let me get this straight”, Braeburn eventually said. “Ya were sent here by that Monolith thingy to kill that caribou king and his council. But before that, ya have ta go ta Everfree ta find a prophet who’s also a caribou. What did that Monolith thingy tell ya ta do with him, kill him too?”

“No”, the creature responded.

“Then why do ya wanna find him?”, Braeburn asked.

“Because the Monolith commanded it”, the creature said.

Braeburn rubbed his temples. “What ah mean was… what are ya s’posed ta do with him once ya find him?”

The creature suddenly had a realization. “What makes that one think that the prophet is male?”, he asked.

“Wouldn’t that Monolith of yours spoken of her as female if she was a doe?”, Braeburn inquired.

“The Monolith does not apply gender”, the creature replied.

“Huh…”, the pony said. “Ya seem ta come from a really strange place… but yeah, ya were consistently refering ta yarself as ‘this one’, and to me as ‘that one’. That doesn’t tell ya our genders either. Still, ah’ve seen caribou does. Ah don’t think one of them could be a prophet.” He paused for a moment. “Then again, ah also can’t see one of them stags as a prophet. They don’t seem like religious folks ta me. How are ya supposed to recognize ‘em?”

“The prophet has a symbol on the back of its left hand”, the creature responded. “A snake, coiling around a broken mirror.”

“A symbol, you mean like… a tattoo?”, Braeburn asked.

“This one does not know”, the servant admitted. “It assumes that it will know it once it sees it. The Monolith rarely sends its servants on missions with insufficient information. If It does, It has good reasons for it.”

“Hmm, ah see. Ya still haven’t told me what ya’re supposed ta do once ya’ve found him… or her.”

“Obey its command, keep it safe from harm”, the Monolith responded.

“Hmmm…”, Braeburn made, rubbing his chin. “So ya’re here to kill off the political leaders of them caribou, but protect one of their religious leaders - and ah’ve never heard of any such thing as a caribou religion. Unless ya count all that male supremacy nonsense, that is.”

“Male supremacy…”, the creature repeated slowly. “This one guesses that would be an appropriate description of what this one has seen in this town. Another folly of those who have not been touched by the light of the Monolith.”

“If that Monolith of yours told ya ta find that prophet, maybe he holds views that match up more with that Monolith’s views as well”, Braeburn concluded.

“This one does not know”, the creature admitted.

“Could there be such a thing?”, Braeburn pondered. “A good caribou?”

“The Monolith is not good”, the creature pointed out.

“Ya’re following a religion that doesn’t see itself as good?”, Braeburn inquired. “Well, ah guess that makes sense. They essentially sent ya here as an assassin. Maybe that Monolith sees itself as grey, neither good nor evil but in between both. Ah think the zebras see themselves as that as well.”

“Yes”, the creature replied.

“So ya see yarselves as grey?”, Braeburn asked.

“No”, the creature said. “The zebras do.”

“What about yar own people, then?”, Braeburn poked again. “How does that Monolith see himself?”

“The Monolith is a Spirit of Order”, the creature replied.

“Order, huh. That doesn’t sound too bad to me.”

“It is not”, the servant said. “It is not too good either.”

“This is gett’n a little bit too... filosofical for ma tastes”, Braeburn said. “At least ya aren’t tryin’ ta convert me.”

“This one could not, even if it tried. The Monolith picks Its servants Itself.”

“Huh, alright”, Braeburn said. “So if ah wanted ta join that religion of yours, ah’d have ta find that Monolith and… ask nicely.”

“This one supposes”, the creature responded. “That one would likely be dead before finding the Monolith though. This one does not advise trying. One has to be mad to desire being a servant of the Monolith anyway.”

“Huh…”, Braeburn said once more. “Ah know of religious folks that aren’t overly proselytizing, but ya must be the first ah’ve met who actively tried ta discourage me from joining yar religion. Wait… one has ta be mad to desire bein’ a servant? Are ya sayin’ that ya’re mad?”

“No”, the creature replied. “This one does not desire being a servant.”

Braeburn blinked. “Then why…?”

“This one does not desire anything at all”, the creature replied before the question was even formulated.

“Except killing the king and finding that prophet”, Braeburn concluded.

“The Monolith wills it”, the creature replied.

Braeburn sighed. “Alright… at least ya have goals that ah can agree with… although ah still don’t know what’s up with that prophet thingy.”

“Neither does this one”, the creature admitted.

“Hm, ah see”, Braeburn said thoughtfully. “Alright, ah think the mares are waitin’ for us with the dinner. Ah’m sure once ya’ve eaten, ya wanna take some sleep. Ya have quite a bit of walkin’ ahead of ya tomorrow.”

The creature nodded, and they both stood up, leaving the room towards the dinner hall.





Two hours later, Braeburn entered a small chamber with a candle in hand and sat down on a chair, beside an old telegraphing machine, beginning to telegraph a message that contained two questions.

“To your knowledge, have any caribou started to settle in Everfree forest?”
“Do you think there can be such a thing as a good caribou?”

He yawned. He somewhat suspected he wouldn’t get a response until the next day. He’d have to stall this ‘servant’ creature’s departure until he would be able to receive an answer. Depending on the answer, he would inform his associates of the canine and his alleged mission later.

He stood up, and then returned to his bedchambers.

Not even an hour later, the galvanometer printed out a response. Only one word.

“Yes.”
> Chapter 17: End of the Silent One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The creature followed the train tracks north for weeks, living off the land and passing by a few smaller towns, until a forest came into view in the distance. He assumed that this was the forest he was looking for, but he wanted to make sure - so he decided to continue following the train tracks. Eventually, they led into a small town close to the edge of the forest. Entering the town, the creature found it in pretty much the same state as the other towns he had come through on his way up north, with the females being constantly publicly tortured, and the males either participating in the torture or ignoring them and going along with their daily routines. The creature decided it would not stay here for too long. He only had to find a single person and ask them whether the forest nearby was indeed the one he was looking for.

As a big, red-coated pony male about twice his own size walked by him, he decided to raise his voice. “This one is in search for information”, he said loudly, hoping the other male would hear him.

The red-coated stallion stopped, looked around in confusion, then eventually looked down.

“Ah, there ya are”, he said. “You ain’t no pony or caribou. Are ya new in town?”

“This one is just passing through”, the servant replied.

“Are ya one of dem diamond dogs?”, the other male asked.

“This one is canine”, the servant replied. “It is looking for information.”

The stallion nodded, seemingly not content by that answer. “What do ya wanna know?”, he asked.

The servant pointed in the direction of the forest nearby. “This one wishes to know if this forest is called…” He tried to recall from memory what the stallion in Appleloosa had called it. “...Everfree forest.”

The red-coated stallion nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s Everfree”, he said.

The servant nodded. “This one thanks that one for the information”, he said, turning around and heading in the direction of the forest.

“Hey, wait!”, the stallion shouted after him. He didn’t bother to stop.

A moment later, he heard the sound of hoofsteps following him, making him finally pause and turn around. “What is it?”, he asked the red stallion who had been following him.

“Look, ah don’t have much time. Can’t leave mah sisters and the others alone for too long”, the stallion said, making the servant suspect that he was also affected by the odd ‘male domination’ idea that had taken hold of this land. “Ah just wanted ta warn ya. Everfree’s a pretty dangerous place. Wild and untamed, with lotsa dangerous animals.”

“This one can take care of itself”, the servant responded.

“Ah just mean… there ain’t much in that forest. Not sure why ya wanna go there. Maybe ya wanna meet up with other diamond dogs, ah’ve heard they hide out around there somewhere.”

“This one is in search for a prophet in the forest.”

“A profit?”, the stallion asked, scratching his head. “Ah don’t think ya can make a profit in Everfree. Not many buyers. What do ya have ta sell, if Ah may ask?”

“A prophet”, the creature said, more clearly pronounced. “A precog. An oracle. A wise one. A person divinely inspired, or claiming to be. An ancient lawgiver. A founder of a religious movement...” He would have pulled up more synonyms had the stallion not interrupted him.

“Oh”, the stallion replied. “A prophet, hum. Ah don’t think I’ve heard of a diamond dog prophet. Maybe he’s hidin’ out in the ruins of that old castle in the northern part of the forest, but if he’s a diamond dog, he might be hidin’ out underground in one of dem warrens.”

“The prophet is not canine”, the creature replied.

“Oh?”, the stallion asked.

“Cervine”, the servant replied.

The stallion took a step back, suddenly seeming more distant, but also nervous. “Look, ah… ah don’t want any trouble. Ah hope ah was able ta help ya, but ah’ve got ta go back to mah farm.”

“That one was of some help”, the creature replied.

“Good to hear, uh… good luck”, the stallion said, seemingly almost already on his way.

The servant nodded. “This one is thankful”, he said. Then he turned around, walking into the direction of the forest with no haste.

The stallion did not follow him.





About an hour later, the creature had entered the forest, and found himself surrounded by high trees and thick shrubs very quickly. He had to admit that he had no idea where to search, particularly with how vast the forest was, although he remembered that the weird stallion had mentioned ruins. The servant had a pretty good sense of orientation, pretty much a necessity for anyone who wished to survive in the Realm. He was also faithful that he would find the prophet in time. The Monolith did not send his servants on impossible missions. It was not a wasteful entity.

The servant continued to move northwards, deciding to look for the ruins first. If the prophet wasn’t there, he would have to think of a new approach - but for now, this was the only hint he had. He made his way through the forest until suddenly, he felt the grip of a hand grasping his right ankle from below. Before he knew what was happening, he felt himself dragged downward, through the surprisingly light soil into the ground.

He landed on his knees in a cavern of sorts, the only visible light coming through the hole his surprisingly controlled descent had caused. He felt no pain, so he assumed that he was dragged all the way down. Two figures loomed above him, looking down at him.

“Look what we got here”, one of them said. “Wait… that’s no pony.”

“Yeah”, the other one said. “She looks more like one of us. Only smaller.”

“She’s not one of ours”, the first one said. “I mean one of our warren. I’m certain of that.”

“This one is male”, the servant remarked.

The first one looked down in surprise. “Really? Dammit! That means we can’t sell you. Stupid ponies and those caribou folks won’t buy males.”

“We could still demand ransom”, the other one remarked.

“You idiot”, the first one barked. “We could demand ransom if he was a pony or caribou. But I don’t think we’ll find any of the ponies or caribou willing to pay ransom for one of our own people. They’ll just laugh at us.”

“We could still keep ‘im for ourselves”, the second one remarked, not realizing that his victim was rising to his feet. “He’s small and cute. I’m sure he’ll make a good servant.”

“This one is a servant…”, the creature responded once he was standing upright.

“See, what did I tell you? He already knows where he belongs…”, the second one continued his rant, until he suddenly felt a small pricking sensation on his neck, followed by a jolt of magical energy running through it. Only a second later, the diamond dog’s legs collapsed under him, and he found himself lying flat on the ground, unable to move even a single muscle.

“...of the Monolith”, the creature finished his sentence only milliseconds after withdrawing his arm from his wannabe capturer.

“Hey, what did you do to him!”, the remaining diamond dog yelled while raising his spear and pointing it at the servant.

“That one does not need to worry”, the creature responded. “Those two will be able to move again in an hour.” He quickly moved forward and to the side.

“What do you mean those two… hey!”, the remaining diamond dog barked in surprise, trying in vain to move his spear quickly enough to keep the sudden assailant at a distance. Before he knew what was going on, he felt two pricks on his upper arms, causing his arms to go limp and drop his weapon. Only a second later, he felt another prick in his neck coming from behind. Whatever this creature was, it was incredibly fast and agile, able to outmaneuver him even in their own tunnels. While coming to this realization, his leg muscles had already given up on him, and he was lying on the cold ground just as helpless as his companion.

“Those two do not currently seem in the condition to respond to questions”, the creature remarked. “It would seem this one has to find a way out of these caverns by itself.”

For a moment, the servant considered putting them hors de combat more permanently, but it was not part of his orders. If this was the Realm, he would have brought them before the Monolith and let it decide their fates. This was not an option though, so he just moved past them, carefully avoiding to step on them, but not even giving them another look - leaving behind two paralyzed and very dumbfounded diamond dog guards.





The creature continued his way through the caverns, only occasionally running across further diamond dog guards. None of them proved overly talkative, and by now he was leaving behind a trail of temporarily paralyzed diamond dogs, almost like an obscene trail of breadcrumbs. He tried to hide them whenever possible, but in the barren caverns, there was very little opportunity.

Eventually, he discovered a large hall ahead of him. Hearing voices from within, he hid behind a wall and tried to get a glimpse of the situation. Carefully spying around the corner, he saw a big table with several chairs around it, which he assumed to be mostly used as a dinner table. Right now, there seemed to be some kind of negotiation going on though. Two guards were standing watch, while on the other end of the table, another one of these canine creatures was talking to a big cervine. The cervine did not verbally reply though, merely scribbling words on pieces of paper and handing them to the canine. In the middle of the table, someone had placed a large cage, holding a female equine. After what he had seen in this country so far, the servant formed the hypothesis that the others were negotiating for her.

He quickly assessed his own situation. For the past half hour, he did have the feeling that he was constantly descending downwards - the opposite direction in which he wanted to go. He was close to turning around, but he had already searched the tunnels behind him thoroughly for an exit, and had been unable to find one. He was certain he would have to go through this hall, but judging from the angry shouts of the canines and the clumsy way the cervine was responding to them, he assumed that the negotiations would go on for a while. He also became aware of the worrying possibility that the ones he had left behind would eventually come out of their paralysis. He had to go through this hall as soon as possible - and maybe one of the creatures in it would know how to get out.

Taking out the guards would be no issue, he assumed. They stood close to the entry where he was, were big and seemingly clumsy, and did not seem to pay too much attention. As soon as he would have taken them out, the other two would become aware of him though. He had to act quickly.

He silently and swiftly moved into the hall, and before the guards knew what was going on, they found themselves paralyzed and onto the ground. They did not even have the chance to raise their spears or point them in his direction.

The canine negotiating now rose up from his seat and drew a kind of sword, jumping on the table and towards him, yelling something. He moved out of the way of the attacker’s first slash, then pressed two of his fingers into his opponent’s neck, sending him to the ground just like the others.

Meanwhile, the cervine had risen from his seat. He was a large specimen, larger than most of the ones he had seen so far. The creature jumped onto the table right in front of the cage, figuring that a heightened position would make it easier to paralyze this opponent. He then jumped towards the cervine to press his fingers into his neck - only to find his opponent’s right hand making contact with his body and painfully punching him to the side. The servant found himself knocked against the wall like nothing, and it took him a moment to come back to his senses.

As he looked up, he saw the cervine looking down at him for a brief moment, but then turning his back to him and beginning to search the other canine’s clothes and body for something.

Does every one in this country lack sense?! The servant thought for a moment. His body was in a good bit of pain, but he had decades of pain suppression training behind him - or maybe centuries. He wasn’t too sure, time and memory worked differently in the Realm. He assumed that the cervine just saw another one of these canines in him - and those ones would certainly not be able to get up as quickly as he was.

Seconds later, he was on his feet again, swiftly moving behind the cervine and pressing his fingers into his neck, making his body go limp in a second.

The servant huffed for a moment, pressing his hand against his side. He was relatively certain that his body had taken no serious permanent damage, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. He decided to avoid fighting as much as possible from now on, and to avoid underestimating his opponents’ speed.

“Hey!”, he heard a female voice that could have come from nowhere but the cage. He turned his gaze to the female in it.

“Hey, you”, the mare said. She was nude, orange-coated, with a mostly green mane and a few white strands in it, wearing only a black collar around her neck. The creature had seen these collars on every female in this country so far, most of them black like hers, others red or even purple - but no other colors so far. He had begun to form a hypothesis about these colors, and if his hypothesis was correct, she would likely be distrustful, but could probably be persuaded to help as long as he kept the fact that he was searching for a cervine to himself.

“Are you one of them?”, the mare asked.

“Whom?”, the creature replied.

“The diamond dogs”, the mare replied. “You look like them, only smaller.”

“This one is canine”, the servant replied.

“So you belong to them?”, the mare asked. “Why did you attack them, then?”

“This one does not belong to those ones”, the creature replied.

The mare sighed in what seemed to be relief. “That’s good to hear”, she said. “Hey, could you do something for me?”

“That depends”, the servant replied. “Could that one also do something for this one?”

The mare stared blankly at him for a moment. Then she pulled herself together. “I’m sorry. I guess I haven’t introduced myself yet. Name’s Apple Leaves.”

“Apple?”, the creature asked. “This one knows an Apple one.”

“What?”, the mare asked.

“This one knows an Apple one”, the creature replied. “One named Apple Braeburn, this one believes.”

“You know Braeburn?”, the mare asked, surprised and apparently excited. “Is he… I mean how is he?”

“That one is not well”, the creature replied. “It is healthy, but seems discontent with the overall situation.”

“I mean is he… affected?”, the mare asks.

“Affected by what?”, the creature replies with another question.

“Whatever it is these cervine beasts have done to the stallions, of course!”, the mare answered.

“This one does not know anything about that.”

“You haven’t been in this country for long, huh?”, the mare asked. “Did you come to Appleloosa from Dimondia?”

“No”, the creature responded. “Zebrica.”

“Zebrica, huh… look, the only thing I want to know is how he treats females.”

The creature looked the mare in the eyes. They seemed tired to him, but also angry. “Better than most other male ones this one has encountered here so far. A lot better.”

The mare sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear. I was looking for resistance hideouts in the forest, but maybe I’ll try to make my way to Appleloosa instead. No wait… that’s too far, they’ll catch me. But maybe the resistance can get me there, hmm… look, can you do something for me?”

“That one already asked this”, the servant replied. “This one’s answer is still the same. This one needs to find a way out of here…”

“I can help you with that”, the mare replied.

“...and this one needs to find a prophet in this forest”, the servant concluded.

“I can’t help you with that, but maybe the resistance knows more… alright, I’ll help you out of this cavern, and in exchange, we can look for the resistance together and see if they know something about a prophet in Everfree.” The mare smiled. “How about that?”

“That is acceptable”, the creature said. “What does that one want from this one in exchange?”

“Easy”, the mare said. “The one diamond dog has a key somewhere on him. Fetch it and give it to me.”

The servant reacted immediately, pushing the cervine’s body aside so as to be able to search the canine who had attacked him. While doing so, something occurred to him. He quickly grabbed the left arm of the paralyzed cervine and looked at the back of his left hand. He then immediately shook his head. “Not the one”, he observed.

“No, not that one!”, the mare insisted. “The diamond dog’s the one with the keys.”

The servant nodded absently, already searching the other canine’s clothes for a key, finding it in one of his pockets relatively quickly. “This key?”, he asked the mare, holding it up.

“Should be it”, the mare said. “If you find any other keys, take them as well, just in case.”

The servant nodded, handing the mare the key, then continuing his search, finding a keychain with a few more keys in the process. Meanwhile, the mare tried to use ‘her’ key to unlock her cage.

A moment later, she climbed off the table, picked up the sword of the negotiator who had attacked the servant, then walked over to the still paralyzed cervine - and, with a high-pitched scream of pure anger, she thrust it right through the antlered giant’s chest and into his heart. The cervine’s face froze in horror as his life left his body along with gallons of his blood.

“That one just killed the cervine one”, the canine creature observed in an eerily unfazed voice. “May this one inquire about that one’s reasons?”

The mare stared down on the dying caribou, seemingly frozen in shock about what she had done.

“This one is not going to pass judgment”, the servant said. “It barely knows or understands what is going on in this country. It merely wishes to learn of that one’s reasons.”

The mare turned around to him, looking at him with an empty stare. “Have you ever been… raped by a warbeast?” She huffed. “You’re a male, so I guess not.”

“This one has not been raped”, the servant replied. “It also does not know what a warbeast is.”

“Consider yourself happy”, the mare replied coldly.

“This one does not assume that that one was using some kind of metaphor”, the creature observed.

The mare slowly shook her head. “No”, she replied.

The servant decided not to pursue this line of inquiry any further, and instead chose to return to the topic at hand, or more accurately, on the floor. “Does that one feel better now?”, he asked.

The mare let her arms sink to the side. Her expression looked tired. “I don’t know, I… I’ve never done something like this before.”

The creature nodded. “This one has done it before.”

“Does it… become easier?”, the mare asked.

“Yes”, the creature said in the same neutral, unfazed voice he always spoke in.

The mare shuddered, for a moment imagining herself as cold and detached as the creature in front of her. “Then… I’ll try not to do it again”, she said.

The servant nodded. “This one will do what is necessary, so that one does not need to worry about that for now. That one did promise to lead this one out of these caves”, he reminded her, as though nothing had happened.

“Give me a minute”, the mare said, sitting down on a chair. She then looked up to him. “I’ll lead you out, sure. We’re in this together anyway. After that, we can search for the resistance together, or you can try to find your prophet on your own.”

“This one will take that one up on its offer”, the creature said, not having any better option for his search at the moment. “This one would also like to point out that the caves it came from are littered with paralyzed canine guards who will eventually wake up and likely come here.”

The mare raised her head slowly and looked up to him. “In that case, we should get moving”, she said, slowly raising from her chair. She then pointed at one of the doors on the other end of the hall. “We need to go through that door. The bastard locked it, but one of the keys from his keychain should be fitting.”

The creature nodded, walking over to the door. He paused for a moment.

“Does that one wish to do away with the witnesses?”, he asked.

“The wit…”, the mare paused mid-sentence, looking around the room, her eyes falling on the three paralyzed canines who were scattered across the room.

“This one could do it”, the creature offered.

“No”, the mare said. “Celestia, no. That’s sick.”

The creature shrugged, going back to trying out the keys. “This one is not the one who has killed today.”

The mare stared at the creature blankly for a moment. “Let’s… let’s just get going, okay?”

Once the door opened, they both left the hall through it, leaving three paralyzed and highly confused diamond dogs behind, along with the caribou’s dead body, stabbed through the heart by one of their own swords.

They really wondered how they were supposed to explain that once the rest of Ponyville would inevitably come looking for their lost stag.
> Chapter 18: The Servant's Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deepest Desire was standing in her cave, facing the small mirror she had placed there. She slowly raised her hand and brought it up to her forehead. Her horn had grown back to almost its original size thanks to the love she had absorbed from “her” cow. The clear changeling appearance of it still felt out of place on her unicorn form.

She gently let her finger ran along her horn while concentrating her magical energy.

It should be possible now…

She lowered her hand as green energy flowed from the horn’s base and into the tip. It still cost her some concentration to focus it and give it shape and form.

After a quick flash on the tip, the green energy flowed backwards, engulfing her entire body. Once it had disappeared, she was looking at a familiar, yet long unseen form in the mirror.

“That worked well…”, Deepest Desire mumbled, turning around and walking towards the exit of the cave, past the hibernation cocoons of her hive.

Exiting the cave, she spotted her three companions sitting around a campfire place. As they spotted her, they rose from their seats.

Shadow Amethyst rushed towards her, falling onto her knees in front of her. “Mistress, you have finally changed back. You look wonderful, Mistress. Majestic. I apologize once again that I was of little help.”

Deepest Desire smiled. “No need to apologize.”

Ivana looked at Snowflake, momentarily confused. “Is this…”

“Yes”, Snowflake responded. “It seems this is Deedee’s true form.”

Ivana still couldn’t stop herself from chuckling whenever she heard Snowflake use the nickname the pegasus had given to her mistress - but after a brief moment, she likewise approached Deepest Desire, kneeling in front of her beside the crystal pony, smiling softly and silently.

Deepest Desire let her left hand run gently through the crystal mare’s hair while her right hand petted the cow’s head. “No need to kneel, both of you. You may rise up.”

Snowflake now likewise approached the changeling. “You look good, Deedee”, she said. “Although I think I preferred your pony form.” She chuckled softly.

“Everyone is entitled to her own opinion”, Deepest Desire said.

“Ha!”, Shadow Amethyst laughed.

Deepest Desire cast her a glance. “Except you”, she added.

The crystal pony grinned at her. “Yeah, that’s probably for the better.”

“Good to hear that you see it my way”, Deepest Desire said, smiling back.

“So are you going to wake your hive now?”, Snowflake asked.

“What would I do with them?”, Deepest Desire replied with a counterquestion. “No, I don’t even know yet if the caribou are willing to help me find a safe way to make the love of their cows usable to me.”

“You mean you don’t know if the cows are willing to help you”, Snowflake interrupted.

“Yeah”, Deepest Desire nodded. “That’s what I said.”

“That’s not what you said!”, Snowflake objected.

Deepest Desire gave her snippy grin. “Whatever. My point is, even Ivana can’t feed my entire hive on her own. Even despite her outstanding empathic mirroring abilities, she only really produces enough love for me. There aren’t even enough cows in Freeville to feed my entire hive, though we could wake some of my people if they’re okay with providing food. For now, we should keep this a secret - but we can return to the relative comfort of the castle now if you wish.”

“Not while you look like this”, Snowflake said.

“Of course”, Deepest Desire nodded. “One second.”

Once again, green magical energy reverberated from the base of her horn to its tip, and then down her entire body.

Once it had dissipated, Snowflake began to muster her changeling girlfriend, from her body to her head. This was the Deepest Desire she had known so far, except…

She shook her head as her eyes went to the other female’s forehead. “I don’t think that’ll work”, she concluded. “I really hope this won’t be a problem.”

“Is something wrong?”, Deepest Desire asked.

“Yeah, you have a horn”, Snowflake replied.

“Does it still look changeling?”, the other female asked.

“No, that’s not the issue”, the pegasus replied. “It looks like a proper unicorn horn. The problem is that as far as the other people in Freeville are concerned, you shouldn’t have one. Can you create the illusion of a horn stump?”

“Oh”, Deepest Desire said. “I almost forgot. This is going to be complicated, give me a sec…”

For the third time, green energy radiated from the base of her horn to its tip, staying there for a good bit and then radiating back - making the horn disappear and replacing it with a proper stump.

“Phew”, Deepest Desire made. “Pretty arduous… so many transformations in such a short time. I think I need a snack.” She smiled softly.

Ivana rushed over to her, coming to a halt close to her Mistress’ body. “Do you need my services, Mistress?”, she asked.

Deepest Desire wrapped her arm around the smaller female’s waist and pulled her close, looking into her eyes while gently letting her other hand run across her cheek. “I’ll gladly take you up on that offer, my little cow”, she said.

Only a moment later, her lips made contact with the smaller female’s.

A feeling of coldness ran through Ivana’s body as her Mistress harvested a part of her love for her. It still didn’t feel pleasant, but she had gotten more than used to it. In fact, she believed it had overall improved her feelings and her life. She didn’t feel lost as often anymore, and not as dependent on her Mistress as she used to. The changeling had given her a sense of freedom she had not known before. The cold feeling during the immediate feeding was merely the price she had to pay.

The feeling faded, but Deepest Desire’s lips remained locked onto hers for a good while longer while the changeling continued to hold her close. It had become a bit of a ritual for them to transition from feeding into a regular kiss. Ivana suspected that there was a purpose behind it beyond merely rewarding her, but she did not bother asking. She did not see herself as a slave in the conventional sense anymore, she guessed - but that didn’t mean her Mistress wasn’t entitled to a few secrets.

“Ah, that was nice”, Deepest Desire said as she broke the kiss. “Alright then, let’s pack our stuff and then move out.

After gathering their possessions, they headed out towards the castle, approaching the gates not too long after their departure from the hive’s cave. The gates were open, and a few mares and stags had gathered in front of them.

“What’s the commotion?”, Deepest Desire wondered.





About half an hour earlier, the canine creature and the mare he had rescued were making their way through the forest in search for resistance activity when the canine picked up a sound.

“Hide!”, he commanded, grabbing the mare’s arm and pulling her behind a bush.

“What the hell?”, Apple Leaves yelped. “What are you doing?”

The canine’s ears perked. “Ones are coming. Two or three. Possibly pony ones. Maybe caribou ones.”

“A patrol?”, Apple Leaves asked. “This deep in Everfree? They’re searching for me, surely!” She fell silent when she heard the humming of a clearly female voice coming towards them.

“...ah, nothing better than a good morning walk”, the voice said.

“It’s past noon”, another voice proclaimed, clearly male, and with a clear accent.

“Silence!”, the female voice commanded. “You better focus on keeping up, stag!”

“What the actual hell!?”, Apple Leaves whispered.

“Shh!”, the creature made.

The mare couldn’t help herself. Slowly, she raised herself up a little bit, hoping that she would remain unseen, trying to peer into the direction of the voices.

What she saw must have been the strangest sight of her entire life so far.

A teal green female pegasus was casually walking through the forest. She was wearing clothing, and despite the fact that her wings seemed featherless and bandaged, they were not covered in the usual wing sheaths. She was holding a leash attached to a leather collar worn by a large, brown figure walking behind her - an antlered figure.

“As you wish, Mistress”, the stag said, now clearly coming into view. Aside from his collar - which didn’t seem to be one of the caribou’s runic variety, and more resembled an ordinary leather collar resembling the ones used for non-sapient pet dogs - he was wearing simple pants and no shirt. At least he wasn’t nude. 

Apple Leaves felt like her eyes were falling out of her skull.

“Is that kind of behavior normal?”, the creature asked very calmly, now also peeking out of their hiding spot. “This one was under the impression that this kind of treatment was reserved for female ones, and exclusively administered by males.”

The mare shook her head. “No, it… it really isn’t”, she whispered, slowly getting back her mental focus. “Is… is the Resistance keeping captured caribou as slaves? No, that… that can’t be right, he’s too willing... unless they mind-controlled him, or brainwashed him somehow…”

While the mare continued to babble to herself, her canine companion had already left their hiding spot and was moving in the direction of the two approaching figures.

“Wait, what are you…”, she wanted to yell, but it was too late.

The canine approached the two and raised his hand. “Greetings”, it said.

The pegasus mare stopped dead in her tracks. “Who are you?”, she asked, eyeing him closely. “What are you doing here.”

“This one is a servant of the Monolith”, the creature said. “It is searching for a prophet, and it has also made a promise to find a group - or possibly groups - called the Resistance.”

This made the two others visibly nervous. “Who did you make this promise to?”, she asked.

“A female pony one”, the canine replied. “From what this one understands, that one is on the run, and wishes to ask for safe harbor.”

Apple Leaves left her hiding place and rushed towards them, realizing that he had pretty much already given her away. “Are you Resistance?”, she asked, panting.

The pegasus smiled. “Who wants to know?”

“Apple Leaves”, the earth pony replied, bracing herself for further questioning.

“Honestly, Spring Breeze…”, the caribou spoke. “I don’t think we need to test her any further. They’ve already spotted us doing something highly illegal. Professing our allegiance won’t change much. If they’re loyal to the regime, we pretty much have to overpower them anyway. I think they aren’t, though. The mare is a black collar, and if the other guy was a diamond dog bounty hunter, he’d act differently.”

The canine looked up to the creature almost twice his size with an unfazed expression.

Spring Breeze shrugged. “Yeah, we… really didn’t expect to run into anyone in this part of the forest. Hirthir doesn’t come here, and with Everfree’s Magistrate on our side, we don’t expect any patrols that aren’t our own. But yes, we are a resistance group.”

“I have so many questions right now…”, Apple Leaves mumbled.

“Feel free to ask”, Spring Breeze smiled gently.

Apple Leaves stared at her in confusion for a long moment.

“Alright”, she eventually said. “First of all, who are you people? Secondly... did you just say the Magistrate of Everfree is a resistance member? I didn’t even know Everfree had a Magistrate! Why would Dainn give that position to an Incurable? I didn’t even know he handed those out to ponies at all? And finally…”

She took a long breath and then looked at Baldr. “...are you her slave or what?”

The stag laughed. “Nah… at least not in that sense. I’m just a fucking pervert, that’s all.”

Spring Breeze gave him a hard slap on the back of his head. “Stop being stupid! You’re unsettling her. Let me handle the talks, alright?”

Baldr nodded, then made a step back.

“Alright, let’s go through your questions one by one”, Spring Breeze said. “Although I have to say you make quite a few assumptions. First, I’m Spring Breeze, representative of the mares of Freeville and de-facto leader of the Freeville Resistance, and this is Baldr… our medical practitioner. And yes, the Magistrate of Everfree is one of us - in fact, he deliberately took this position in order to provide a hideout for us. Why would you think he’s a pony though - particularly given what you see right in front of you? He’s a caribou, just like my big boy here. As for your final question…”

She paused for a moment. “Yes”, she replied. “Baldr is my dirty little sex slave whom I’ve trained to obediently fulfill my every wish and desire without question.”

“Talk about not unsettling people”, Baldr commented from behind her.

Spring Breeze turned around and shot him a gaze. “Did you really think you would get away without punishment after that ‘pervert’ comment, boy?”, she asked. “Have you considered how that reflects on me?”

Baldr shrugged, keeping his head down. “Fair enough… Mistress.”

“...I think my mind just broke”, Apple Leaves stuttered.

Her canine companion turned towards the caribou. “May this one see the back of that one’s left hand?”, he asked.

Baldr scratched his head. “This one that hand what?”, he stuttered, trying to parse what the foreign creature had said.

The canine raised his hand to shoulder height, then pointed at himself with his thumb. “This one”, he explained slowly, as if he was talking to an imbecile. Then, he pointed at Baldr with his index finger. “That one.”

Baldr nodded, still slightly confused.

“May this one...”, the creature spoke slowly again, pointing at himself with his thumb again. “See…”, he continued, taking another pause. “That one’s…”, he proceeded, pointing his index finger at the cervine in front of him. “Back of its left hand”, he finished.

“Uuuuh… Mistress?”, Baldr asked, looking at Spring Breeze in search for help.

“First things first!”, Spring Breeze decided. “I think I haven’t caught your name yet.”

“This one did not give a name”, the creature responded calmly.

“Then who are you?”, the pegasus asked.

“This one is a servant of the Monolith”, he replied.

“That’s not a name”, Spring Breeze pointed out.

“It is who this one is”, the canine replied.

Spring Breeze sighed. “Great, another weirdo. Those seem to flock to us for some reason.” She paused for a moment. “So are you… some kind of cultist? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this ‘Monolith’ before.” She looked at him more closely. “Now that I think about it… what exactly are you? Are you a diamond dog?”

“This one is a Mimiga”, the creature replied.

“That… only raises even more questions”, Spring Breeze pointed out.

“Yes”, the creature responded. “Now may this one see the back of the caribou one’s left hand?”

Baldr raised his hand and turned its back towards the creature.

The Mimiga shook his head. “Not the one”, he said, calmly and unfazed as always.

Spring Breeze furred an eyebrow. “Why are you so interested in the back of his hand?”, she asked.

“This one is searching for a prophet”, the Mimiga explained. “That one is cervine, and bears a symbol on the back of its hand.”

Baldr’s ears perked. “What kind of symbol?”

“A snake, coiling around a broken mirror”, the creature recited the orders he had received from the Monolith. “This is what the Monolith told this one.”

“Ari has a symbol like that on his left hand”, Baldr said. “He said it suddenly appeared after he woke up from a nightmare one night. Wait…” He raised his eyebrow. “Are you telling me that my best friend is the prophet of some kind of deity?”

“This one does not know”, the Mimiga answered sincerely. “If what that one says is true, this one would think so though.”

In the course of the conversation, Apple Leaves had more and more assumed a blank stare. Now, she dropped to her knees, then laid down on the ground, assuming a fetal position.

“She’s been through a lot, hasn’t she?”, Baldr asked the Mimiga.

“This one would assume so”, the creature nodded.

Spring Breeze walked over to her and knelt beside her. “Hey, I… I know this is all a lot to take in… but it seems you’ve finally found what you were looking for. We have shelter, food, and clothing for you at the castle. Can you walk?”

Apple Leaves remained in a fetal position for a few more moments. Then, she straightened up, flung her arms around the other mare’s neck, and began to cry.

Spring Breeze awkwardly pat the other mare’s back with her right hand. “There, there…”, she mumbled.

Eventually, the mare stopped crying, remaining in this position. “Can you walk?”, Spring Breeze asked again. “Or shall I let my mule carry you?” She chuckled a little.

The other mare broke the embrace and shook her head, wiping away a few tears. “No, I… think I… ‘d like to walk. I don’t… really… want him to touch me.”

Spring Breeze nodded and stood up, extending an arm to the mare to help her up. Apple Leaves grabbed it, and then struggled to her feet.

“We should get moving”, Spring Breeze said. “With this group, we really don’t want to run into anyone else.” She turned to the Mimiga. “This is weird… talking to someone who doesn’t have a name, I don’t even know how to address you… do you want to accompany us?”

“We pretty much have to insist anyway”, Baldr pointed out. “He knows who we are.”

“Fair enough”, Spring Breeze said. “So let me rephrase. Will you come with us willingly?” She smirked.

“Those ones are vastly overestimating their capabilities”, the Mimiga pointed out. “But yes, this one will. It wishes to meet the one called Ari.”

“Right”, Spring Breeze said flatly. “I remember. That weird thing. Not that I understand a word of it. Let’s get going, then.”





A good while later, they arrived at the gate of the castle ruins, and Spring Breeze gave it a good knock.

A small hole in the gate opened, revealing a caribou face. “Who’s there?”, the caribou asked.

“It’s just us”, Spring Breeze said. “Oh, and two newcomers - so could you please send for the others? I want to call in a plenum meeting in the great hall as soon as possible.”

The gates opened, and a caribou stepped out. “I’ve sent word”, he said, looking at the two newcomers. “Where did you pick them up?”, he asked. “Can we trust them?”

Spring Breeze nodded. “I think so. The mare’s on the run, and the other guy… is far too weird to work for anyone in the regime.”

“I can see that”, the caribou said. “I first thought he was a diamond dog… but he’s too small and his features don’t add up. What is he.”

“He calls himself a Mimiga and a servant of the Monolith”, the pegasus replied. “Seems to be some kind of cult member. Wants to see Ari. We should also get the mare in as quickly as possible. See to it that she gets clothing and then bring her to the mares’ quarters. And make sure she feels absolutely safe and comfortable… understood?”

The caribou straightened up. “Yes, ma’am.”

“We think she’s got… what do ponies call it... PTSD”, Baldr said. “Must have been through a rough time.”

The caribou nodded. “Would have assumed that from her collar”, he said.

“Please, don’t… leave me alone… with him”, Apple Leaves stuttered.

“What’s going on here?”, Spring Breeze and the others heard a familiar female voice behind her, making them turn around.

“Deepest Desire”, Spring Breeze exclaimed. “You’re back. You’re coming yourself, so this isn’t about supplies... you’ve taken care of that business of yours?”

Deepest Desire nodded, grinning. “Pretty much. So what’s up here?”

“Newcomers”, Spring Breeze replied. “Picked them up along the way while Baldr and I were having our daily walk. The mare isn’t well… emotionally. Could you get her in, clothed, and into the mares’ quarters? Or maybe one of your mares? She doesn’t want to be left alone with our cervine friends, and I have an extraordinary plenum meeting to organize.”

“I should be there for that”, Deepest Desire said. “But I might take a look at her later, maybe I can help.”

“She’s a trained psychiatrist and psychotherapist”, Spring Breeze informed Apple Leaves, who gave her a weak nod.

Deepest Desire continued. “I can’t send Shadow Amethyst either, for obvious reasons. Snowflake? Can you take Ivana and then escort our new member to the mares’ quarters?”

Snowflake nodded. “Ivana and I will take care of it.” She turned to Apple Leaves. “Is it okay if a cow comes with us? She’s harmless, I swear! Obeys me and Dee-Dee to the letter.”

Ivana giggled softly as Apple Leaves gave them a weak nod, and the three mares entered the castle through the main gate.

“We should be going in as well”, Spring Breeze said. “We’ll all meet in thirty minutes in the great hall.”





Thirty minutes later, the majority of mares and caribou had gathered in the great hall of the castle. Spring Breeze was standing at the podium as always.

“Today’s extraordinary plenum meeting is hereby opened”, she spoke. “First, I am happy to inform you that Deepest Desire, Snowflake, Shadow Amethyst and Ivana will re-join us. Second agenda item: We have two newcomers. Snowflake, report on Apple Leaves.”

Snowflake nodded and stood up. “The first one, a mare named Apple Leaves, has been given a room in the mares’ quarters and provided with clothing and a meal. She is not well emotionally, and does not wish caribou around her, so she is still wearing her black collar. We will respect her wishes until she has recovered enough to have it removed.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “Our second newcomer is…”

She paused, then rubbed her temples. “Ugh, this is annoying. I don’t even know how to address him. He provided no name, and apparently doesn’t have one.”

Murmuring filled the hall, particularly among the mares. A female incapable of providing her name was at least conceivable these days, but a male?

“He’s a Mimiga… whatever that is, seems like a canine species… and he calls himself a servant of the Monolith”, Spring Breeze mumbled. Then, she turned around. “Ugh. Would you please come forward, servant of the Monolith?”

From behind her, a small robed figure with white fur stepped forward. “May this one speak with the Ari one now?”, he asked.

“Straight to the point”, Spring Breeze sighed.

Eadgil stood up. “Uuuh… if you mean me, sure. Not sure how you know of me…”

“I told him you have a neat little snake tattoo on your left hand”, Baldr said.

Eadgil turned to his best friend. “Why would you bring that up?”, he asked.

His friend grinned. “He asked for it”, he replied.

“What?”, Eadgil asked. “What are you talking about.”

Spring Breeze waved her hands dismissively. “First things first. First of all, we can’t possibly continue to call you ‘servant of the Monolith’. I barely even understand what you are.”

Somewhere in the second row, Star Charmer giggled. “Adorable is what he is.”

Spring Breeze raised an eyebrow. “Really, Star Charmer?” She sighed and turned back to the creature. “Either way… I understand your cult… or whatever it is… doesn’t use names, but you must have had a name before you joined it.”

“This one does not remember the time before it became a servant”, the Mimiga replied. “Memory is not required.”

Spring Breeze sighed. “Apparently, Apple Leaves isn’t the only one who’s been through some tough shit”, she said thoughtfully. “Then you will have to choose a name.”

“A name is not required”, the Mimiga replied.

“You know what… fine!”, Spring Breeze yelled, visibly annoyed. “I’ll just call you Monolith. Whatever, geez...”

“This one is not particular about names”, the Mimiga replied. “It is not the Monolith, but it will reply to that word if it is desired, but it also wishes to point out that this choice will likely lead to confusion.”

“Why not just Mono?”, Star Charmer asked, chuckling again.

“Mono or Monolith would both work”, Spring Breeze said. “Your choice.”

The Mimiga shrugged. “This one is not particular.”

“Alright, fine”, Spring Breeze said in an annoyed tone. “Both, then.”

“May this one speak to the Ari one now?”

“First things first!”, Spring Breeze emphasized. “We still don’t know why you’re here.”

“This one has a mission in these lands that involves several steps”, the creature explained. “The first one is to find the prophet. This one hopes to find that one here.”

Spring Breeze rubbed her temples. “You really need to explain this. Is this some part of a religious doctrine?”

“No”, the Mimiga replied. “It is an order given to this one by the Monolith.”

“Alright”, Spring Breeze sighed, not even bothering to inquire further. “Who is this prophet, then, and how do you recognize him.”

“The prophet is male”, the Mimiga replied. “Of the same species as the mad king, so this one assumes cervine. It bears a mark on its left hand. A snake, coiling around a broken mirror.”

Eadgil stood up once more, raised his left hand, looked at it, then turned it towards the Mimiga. “Like this one?”, he asked.

“That one is the one”, Mono confirmed.

Eadgil nodded. “So I’m a prophet of a deity that I’ve never heard of, apparently. I have to admit, I’m… not a very religious person.”

“This one also is not”, Mono replied.

Eadgil furrowed his brows. “Uh… okay, whatever. So, what does that mean now?”

“This one is ordered to protect the prophet from harm, and obey its commands”, the Mimiga replied.

“Seems like I have my very own bodyguard now”, Eadgil mumbled. “You said you will obey my commands?”

“Yes”, Mono replied.

“Then I command you to reveal your full mission to us”, Eadgil commanded.

“This one has been sent to these lands to find the prophet, keep it safe and obey it. It also has orders to depose of the mad king and its council, and to retrieve the artifact known as the Crystal Heart, and return it to the Monolith’s Realm.”

Murmuring filled the hall.

Eadgil rubbed his chin. “Do you think removing the artifact from Equestria and taking it to the Realm of this Monolith will neutralize its effects on Equestria’s population?”

“This one does not know”, the Mimiga replied.

“Fair enough.” Eadgil shrugged.

“Well, it seems his goals line up with ours… mostly”, Spring Breeze said. “The fact that he obeys you also puts me at ease.” She smirked. “Although I would prefer it was me.”

Eadgil rubbed his chin. “You know… something about this mission statement seems really, really odd to me. There’s something about it that won’t stop bugging me... I wonder if I should seek out that Monolith in his Realm.”

“That one should not”, the Mimiga replied.

“Why not?”, Eadgil asked.

“Because no one in its right mind should seek out the Monolith.”

Eadgil raised his eyebrow. “Are you saying you’re crazy?”

“Yes”, the Mimiga replied. “It is a necessity if one wishes to survive in the Realm… although it does by no means guarantee survival. This one has the guidance of the Monolith though. That one has not.”

Eadgil chuckled. “I’m a prophet of the Monolith and I’m not even guided by him. Sounds like I missed my calling.”

“This one would not know about that”, Mono replied. “It only knows its mission statement.”

As he had said that, the door to the great hall opened, and another caribou entered. “We just had another visitor”, the stag said.

“Well, where is he?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“He left already”, the caribou replied. “He was merely here to drop a letter for Ari… from Councilman Vestri. It has his official seal.”

“This can’t be good”, Eadgil sighed. “Alright, bring it to me.”

The stag approached him and handed him the letter, and Eadgil carefully opened the seal and began to read.

“It seems we just got a third agenda item”, he said.

“What is it?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“According to this, a stag named Thungrox was found dead in a diamond dog cave with one of their blades stuck in his chest, piercing his heart. The diamond dogs have been detained and await prosecution.”

“How does that concern us?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“Well, first of all, their den was on Everfree territory… although only barely, it was closer to Ponyville than to us. They’re going to do the trial in Canterlot though, fortunately - but they ask us to focus our patrols on finding diamond dog dens in this area, and uprooting them if they turn out to be hostile.”

“At least we don’t have to pretend to hunt ourselves anymore”, Spring Breeze chuckled.

“Aside from that, Thungrox was appointed handler of a state-owned mare named… a mare Vestri refers to as ‘Flutterslut’ or ‘the yellow pegasus’. Yeah, that can’t be her actual name…”

“Fluttershy?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“You know her?”

“Not really”, Spring Breeze replied. “She’s… she used to be part of a group of magical warriors lead by Princess Twilight Sparkle called the bearers of the Elements of Harmony… a legendary magical weapon that was used by Princess Celestia to banish her sister according to our legends, and was rediscovered around the same time Princess Luna reappeared. Honestly though… aside from Princess Twilight Sparkle, not that much is widely known about them beside their names, though I heard they helped defeat Discord.”

“I see”, Eadgil nodded. “Yes, I think I remember having heard of them. Dainn actually made a point out of publicly humiliating them, and still seems to do so… and it always struck me as weird, because unlike the Princesses, most ponies barely seemed to know who they were.”

“What makes you think he’s still making a point out of humiliating them?”, Spring Breeze asked. “I mean aside from the fact that they’re females”, she added.

“Because this letter asks me to come to Canterlot and convene with Vestri about succeeding Thungrox as this Fluttershy’s handler”, Eadgil replied. “And it informs me that if Vestri appoints me for this position, I will be required to take Fluttershy to… public events on a regular basis. The document specifically mentions the Grand Galloping Gala in June.”

“Oh”, Spring Breeze said. “That’s bad.”

“Yeah, it puts us in a really though spot”, Eadgil replied. “We pretty much have to take her to these events, or else we risk exposing ourselves. On the other hand, it pretty much means taking a mare out to get repeatedly raped, tortured, and humiliated. There are several possibilities here, and with the exception of one, they’re all not pretty. There is a chance that she’s sympathetic to the resistance and willing to play her part in keeping up our disguise. That would be the optimal case. But what if she’s unwilling to do that? Do we force her? That raises a lot of questions. We’ve had to disguise ourselves in the past, but only on our own turf, and we had willing mares play the part while the others went into hiding. An even worse case would be if she’s a willing supporter of the regime. We’d pretty much have to lock her up permanently in order to prevent her from giving us away, and even then, there would be a risk that she’d give us away whenever I have to take her out.”

“I don’t think that’s too much of a risk”, Spring Breeze said. “Who would believe her?”

Eadgil nodded. “Good point. She could still try to find other ways to sabotage us though - and I doubt we can handle her the same way we handled Shadow Amethyst.”

“It would highly depend on her reasons for collaborating”, Spring Breeze pointed out.

“Now that I think about it, the second case is probably the worst one”, Eadgil mused. “I really don’t want to force a mare into all this shit. Not again.”

Silence filled the room for a few moments that seemed like aeons.

“Again…”, Eadgil repeated angrily. “The bastard is doing it to me again.”

“Beg a pardon?”, Spring Breeze asked, surprised by his sudden burst of anger.

“Vestri”, Eadgil said. “He’s forcing a mare on me again, forcing me to do stuff I don’t want to do. Will it ever end?”

Spring Breeze put a hand on the caribou’s shoulder. “We’ll make it end, Ari. I promise.”

She made a step back. “In fact, this is an opportunity in disguise. Vestri wants something from you, Ari. So you will tell him that you want something in exchange.”

“And what would that be?”, asked Eadgil.

“What do you think?”, Spring Breeze said. “You want to be made handler of Zecora, and you want Hirthir out of your forest.”

Eadgil nodded. “You’re right. This gives me a bargaining chip. And once we have Zecora, we’ll see if she can help regrow your wings and horns.” 

Spring Breeze clapped her hands. “I don’t even think we have to agree on what to do with Fluttershy just yet. Maybe you won’t even get the position. And if you do, we can still see what she’s like and what to do about her. All in favor of postponing this?”

A lot of hands went up.

“Anyone who thinks we should make a decision now?”

Spring Breeze spotted not a single hand.

She clapped her hands. “Alright, then, I would say that concludes the plenum for today.”





As the meeting concluded, Deepest Desire and Snowflake left the hall together.

“Dee-dee”, the white pegasus mare asked. “Wouldn’t that have been a good time to reveal yourself? You could offer them to have one of your drones replace Fluttershy for these events.”

Deepest Desire shook her head. “Not yet. We’ll get to that once it becomes necessary.”

Snowflake shook her head. “Sometimes, I just don’t understand you.”
> Chapter 19: The Councilman's Agenda
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Early the next morning, Eadgil had prepared to leave for Canterlot, and he, Spring Breeze, Baldr, and the Mimiga they had named Monolith had gathered at the exit.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”, Baldr asked.

“No”, Eadgil replied. “I can handle this on my own. Besides, someone should stay here with Bruna. I don’t want her to feel lonely.”

“You sure you don’t want her to come as well?”, Baldr asked.

Eadgil shook his head. “She told me she didn’t want to leave the safety of the castle and forest.”

Baldr nodded. “Yeah, I understand. She’s never been to a city that big, and she doesn’t behave like people expect from a cow. Not to mention it’s not exactly safe.”

“I think we should get going, then”, Eadgil said. “Monolith?”

“This one needs to say something”, the Mimiga replied.

“You have second thoughts about coming with me?”, Eadgil asked.

“No”, Monolith replied. “But there is something that one needs to know. It is about the caribou one who was killed.”

“Thungrox?”, Eadgil asked. “What about him?”

“The diamond dog ones who were imprisoned are innocent”, the Mimiga said emotionlessly.

“What?”, Eadgil asked.

“They did not kill the Thungrox one”, Monolith replied.

“How do you know that?”, Spring Breeze inquired. “Don’t tell me you did it.”

“No”, Monolith replied. “The Apple Leaves one did it.”

Eadgil blinked. “Inside a diamond dog den?”

“Yes”, the Mimiga replied.

“With one of their own blades?”

“Yes.”

Spring Breeze rubbed her chin. “Probably a few days before we stumbled across the two. So you were there and saw it when it happened?”

“Yes”, the Mimiga replied.

“Unfortunately, we can’t do much for them now”, Eadgil said. “Not without risking our operation here, or delivering Apple Leaves to the authorities. I think you shouldn’t talk about this matter in Canterlot.”

The Mimiga nodded.

“Are you sure you still want to come with me?”, Eadgil asked.

“Unless that one orders this one to stay here, yes”, the Mimiga replied. “Protecting that one is part of this one’s mission.”

Eadgil rubbed his chin. “So what you’re saying is that your maxim to obey my orders overrides your maxim to protect me?”, he asked.

The Mimiga looked up to him for a few long seconds. “This one has to think about that”, he replied.

Eadgil himself thought for a moment. “Hmmm… you also said your mission was to kill the king and his council, right?”

“Yes”, the Mimiga confirmed.

“You… aren’t going to try that while we’re there, right?”

“That would likely endanger the prophet”, the Mimiga said. “This one is not able to do that. Its mission is to protect the prophet. It cannot take actions that would sabotage part of its mission.”

“Good to hear that”, Eadgil sighed. “We do share the same goals, but there is a time and place for everything, and this is not it.” The Mimiga gave him a nod.

“Alright, then”, Eadgil concluded. “Let’s move out.”

“Wait!”, he heard a familiar voice behind him. As he turned around, he saw Star Charmer rushing up to them.

“I want to come with you!”, she said.

“Why?”, Eadgil inquired.

Star Charmer smiled. “I want to see Canterlot again.”

“You do realize what kind of people currently inhabit it, right?”, Eadgil asked.

“I trust you to keep me safe”, Star Charmer replied. “But besides, I think this is also a good way to spend some time with you alone.” She gave the Mimiga a quick look. “Well, almost alone.”

“This one will make sure to not get in the way”, the Mimiga said.

Eadgil sighed. “I really don’t think this is a good idea…”, he mumbled.

“But you can’t stop me either, can you?”, Star Charmer grinned.

Once more, Eadgil let out a sigh. “It seems like I can’t. Alright then. We’ll stay in my old house, so it’ll be relatively safe for you.”

“Oh no”, Star Charmer said. “I want to come with you when you go talk to Vestri. I want to get an impression of the stag who made my Ari so angry that he formed a movement to overthrow his own king.” She giggled. “You can impress him with how well-behaved I am.”

“You are?”, Eadgil asked.

Star Charmer giggled. “I can be.”

“Spring Breeze, do you approve of this?”, Eadgil asked.

Spring Breeze shrugged. “She’s a free mare.” She turned to Star Charmer. “Just make sure you don’t do anything that would endanger our operation here.”

“Understood!”, Star Charmer said.

“Oh, and Star Charmer…”, Spring Breeze added. “Don’t get hurt, okay?”

Star Charmer swallowed. “Understood”, she said after a moment.

“I still think this is a bad idea”, Eadgil repeated. “Not sure why you even want to come.”

Star Charmer blushed and looked down. “It’s just that… we haven’t had much opportunity for private time together recently.” She smiled. “Plus, I’d like to get to know our new member a bit better.”

“There is not much to know”, Monolith replied. “Nothing that could not be summed up in two minutes.”

Star Charmer giggled. “I doubt that. What you told us already sounds like a really interesting story, and I’m sure we haven’t even heard a fracture of it.”

Eadgil shruged. “Anyway… let’s move out. I just hope this isn’t a mistake...”

They left the castle to make their way to Canterlot…





Arriving in Canterlot, Eadgil and his companions made their way to his old house - or rather, Deepest Desire’s house that he moved into after the takeover. They had little time to put down their stuff and get a little bit of rest, as Eadgil’s meeting with Vestri had been scheduled for late afternoon of the same day.

All three of them eventually left the house, and Eadgil carefully locked it. With Eadgil dressed up in something more formal, Star Charmer being kept nude and on a leash connected to a fake red collar, and Monolith walking beside them in his usual robes, the three of them moved in the direction of the palace. The city had definitely not improved for the better since he had left, Eadgil decided. If anything, the cruelty and debauchery had become omnipresent, with mares being publicly abused almost wherever one looked. Eventually, they came by a theater with a huge ad poster for what looked like a musical play, and showed several cows dancing in ridiculous, revealing outfits that looked like parodies of caribou unicorns. Eadgil couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and scratch his chin.

“Summer in Equestria for Caribou?”, he read in a questioning tone, raising an eyebrow. “Starring a bunch of whores whose names don’t matter. A kabuki play about the arrival of our saviors, the caribou. By Brush Stroke.”

Beside him, Monolith stopped dead in his tracks. “Did that one say kabuki?”, he asked.

“Unless I’ve forgotten how to read Equestrian letters overnight… that’s what that word there says”, Eadgil confirmed, casting a glance at Star Charmer. 

Making sure not to draw attention, the mare just shook her head - but their canine companion had already begun to chuckle and laugh. A cold chill ran down Eadgil’s spine. It was the first time that he saw his canine bodyguard show any emotional reaction - but even that laugh seemed unnatural. Not like a fake laugh, more like the laugh of someone who hadn’t laughed for decades and was out of practice.

The laugh ended as abruptly as it had started. “What in the name of the ancestors was that?”, Eadgil asked.

“This one apologizes”, the Mimiga said. “It would seem that this one lost control for a moment. This one assumes it is the result of its distance from the Monolith.”

Eadgil shrugged. “Apology accepted… I guess. But I still don’t get what’s so funny.”

“Kabuki is a form of theater invented by this one’s people”, the Mimiga replied.

“The servants of the Monolith have theater plays?”, Eadgil asked.

“The servants do not”, Monolith replied. “This one was not born a servant. It originated in a country south of the Monolith’s Realm called the Republic - a nation comprised of a number of semi-independent Mimiga city states, as well as large rural areas. That is where the term likewise originates.”

“But how is it possible that we find this word here?”, Eadgil asked. “I was under the impression that the inhabitants of Equestria don’t even know about your people, or at least the majority of them. Also, I still don’t get how that’s laugh-out-loud funny.”

“There is a possible explanation for that”, the Mimiga said. “This one’s people had some cultural influence on some nations south of this country that it might have contact with. Particularly the diamond dogs of Dimondia have taken up cultural traditions from this one’s people, including kabuki. In fact, they place a higher value on this specific theater tradition than this one’s own people. If this one properly understands the laws of this country, the Brush Stroke one is probably fortunate that most other ones here are not familiar with the term.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

Monolith looked around. Then, he wunk Eadgil down to come closer. The caribou instinctively made a step towards him and bowed down a little. Star Charmer likewise attempted to place herself within hearing distance.

“Kabuki is a Mimiga tradition in which characters are played by actors of the opposite gender”, the Mimiga said silently and calmly.

Eadgil made a step back and blinked. “What”, he asked flatly.

Now, it was Star Charmer’s turn to burst into giggles and laughs, drawing quite a few gazes from passersby.

It took Eadgil two seconds to assess the situation. Then, he harshly pulled on Star Charmer’s leash, making her tumble towards him on all fours. “Behave yourself, mare!”, the stag commanded. “Do I have to beat the shit out of you again?!”

Star Charmer lowered her head and pressed her body to the ground. “The mare apologizes, Master. She will control herself.”

With public order being restored, the pedestrians turned their eyes away and went on their way, not paying anymore attention to the strange group - all except for one single stag, who, inconspicuously and unnoticed by the group, proceeded to walk in their direction, leading a mare of his own along on a leash.

“Master, can we see this play?”, Star Charmer asked in a hushed voice. “Pretty please? It’s tomorrow evening!”

“I’m still not sure how that could even have gotten past the censors!”, Eadgil said. “Everything has to go through the censorship department after all…”

The stag flinched as he heard a male voice behind him. “Are you interested in the play?”

Eadgil turned around, looking into the blue eyes of a grey-coated, slender stag of about Eadgil’s age, or maybe a bit younger. Accompanying the stag was a red-collared, red-coated, exotic-looking pegasus mare with impressive yellow eyes, walking upright behind him, but on a leash, her arms folded behind her back, but seemingly not tied.

“I guess so”, Eadgil asked. “To be frank, my companion and I are a little bit… confused. May I ask who you are?”

“My name is Birgir”, the stag answered. “And this is Ruby.”

He paused for a long moment, seemingly scanning the other stag’s face expression. “Not that it matters”, he eventually said. He smirked. “I can recommend this play though.”

“Birgir, huh?”, Eadgil asked, smiling a little. “Who did you save?”

Birgir returned the smile. “I think my father just liked the name”, he replied.

“He saved me though”, the mare said softly, smiling a little.

“Oh?”, Eadgil asked, making a little mental note that the stag hadn’t immediately punish her for speaking out of line.

“Yeah”, Birgir replied, making a little mental note that the other stag hadn’t immediately taken offense to his mare speaking out of line. “I bought Ruby from a stallion who treated her in a way that… let’s just say I disagreed with. Not that it’s my place to judge, of course.”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, many stallions don’t really get it yet. They understand the place of a mare, but not the responsibilities of a Master.”

Birgir nodded. “I couldn’t agree more. Of course, we shouldn’t say that too loudly… even despite the privileged positions rightly given to us as Equestria’s liberators, we are still a minority in this country after all.”

Eadgil smirked. “I actually have a lot more to say about stallions.” He paused for a moment, registering the other stag giving him another short nod. “But my apologies. I haven’t introduced us yet. My name is Eadgil, my canine bodyguard is Monolith, and my mare’s name is Star… but anyway, you said you can recommend that play? So you already saw it?”

Birgir shook his head. “It’s premiere tomorrow… and I doubt there will be more performances after that one. No, I’ve read it… and I attended some of the rehearsals, because I make a point out of doing my job thoroughly.” He chuckled briefly.

“You work in the censorship department”, Eadgil concluded, earning him another nod from the other stag. “Did you approve this?”

Birgir nodded. “Indeed, I did.”

“Has that one ever heard of kabuki?”, Monolith asked.

Birgir took a step closer and looked at the strange creature. “Huh”, he made. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a creature like you. Are you a diamond dog?”

“This one is a Mimiga”, Monolith replied.

“My apologies”, Birgir said. “I don’t think I’ve heard of that.”

The Mimiga replied with a nod. “Has this one ever heard of the term kabuki?”

Birgir thought for a minute. “Yes… I think that word appeared in the description of this play, and on the draft for the poster. Tried to look it up, but couldn’t find any references anywhere. It… doesn’t seem like an Equestrian word.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “And you approved it without knowing what it means?”

Birgir placed his hand on the back of his head in a way that made him look apologetic. “Yeeah… see, the poster and short description were handed in really late, and at that point, I had already decided that I would approve the play.”

“Is… is this how the censorship department always operates?”, Eadgil asked. 

“Not usually, no”, Birgir grinned. “I had my reasons though. Look, if you want to see this, I can get you free tickets - all three of you.” He gave a wicked smirk. “This one is explicitly permitted for mares. Only in company of their Masters, of course. Just meet me in front of this theater tomorrow evening, half an hour before the premiere begins.”

“Can we go, Master? Please?”, Star Charmer asked softly.

“It’s a big social event, really”, Birgir said. “Even the king and his council will be there. They’ve taken a liking to pony theater, it would seem.”

“I’m actually just on my way to see Councilman Vestri”, Eadgil remarked, looking the other stag in the eye.

“Oh?”, Birgir asked.

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, he wants to appoint me as handler of some state-owned yellow pegasus mare whose former handler… apparently had a tragic accident.”

“Was he the guy from the diamond dog incident near Ponyville?”, Birgir asked. “Read about it in the newspapers.”

Eadgil nodded. “It would seem so, yes. The incident itself actually took place on my turf, not on Ponyville’s, so maybe that’s why… although I wonder if Vestri is just doing this to prevent Magistrate Gunne from getting his hands on yet another national treasure. We all know what people say about him - not that I give a shit about such superstitious nonsense, but I’m pretty sure Councilman Vestri does.”

Birgir replied with a nod. “What did you say… about this happening on your turf?”

“I’m the Magistrate of Everfree forest”, Eadgil replied. “Appointed by Councilman Vestri himself.”

“I see”, Birgir said. “Wait… since when does Everfree have a Magistrate. And forgive my question, but why would Everfree need a Magistrate.”

“I presume Vestri’s reason for appointing me was to root out resistance cells in Everfree. There aren’t any though, at least not to my knowledge.”

“So you were dumped there because you were inconvenient?”, Birgir asked.

“I guess that might have been another part of Vestri’s motives, but I actually asked for the position. I’m setting up a new settlement there with a few other stags.”

“I see”, Birgir repeated. “Ambitious project.”

Eadgil nodded. “You can say that. I really have no idea how Vestri got the idea that I could do my job properly and take care of a mare he randomly decided to dump on me.”

Birgir nodded. “I know what you mean… with regards to bad organization, I mean.”

“I think we need to get going”, Eadgil said. “As for your offer, we can’t possibly refuse free theater tickets. I think I can postpone my return to Everfree for a day.”

“See you tomorrow evening, then”, Birgir said. “Come, Ruby.”

“Until tomorrow evening”, Eadgil repeated and began to walk in the other direction, Star Charmer and the Mimiga following him.

Two minutes later, Eadgil exhaled. “He’s nice and all, but… he must be the worst censor I have ever met. Either that, or...” He paused.

“Well, we shall see”, he concluded. “Either way, I’m looking forward to tomorrow evening.”





They eventually arrived at the castle, and after Eadgil had shown the guards his letter from Vestri, they were led in. After walking through long corridors, they arrived at a big door, with a name plate identifying this as Vestri’s office.

Eadgil gave the door three loud knocks.

After a while, he heard Vestri’s voice from the inside. “Come in, please.”

Eadgil opened the door, and entered a luxurious office. Vestri was sitting at a desk made of what Eadgil guessed was mahogany, going through paperwork, and his mare was kneeling beside the desk, smiling, her back stretched out, her eyes lowered and her hands resting on her hips palms-up. There was another chair on the other side of the desk, a sofa on the other side of the room, as well as a number of filing cabinets.

“Ah, Eadgil”, Vestri said, looking up from his papers as the stag entered. He stood up and pointed at the chair. “Please, make yourself comfortable. Have your mare kneel at your side and your companion… wait, did you bring a diamond dog in here?”, Vestri asked.

“This one is a Mimiga”, Monolith replied.

“He gets that a lot”, Eadgil smirked.

Vestri raised his eyebrow. “Alright… this… Mimiga can sit on the couch. Far away from me, please.”

Eadgil nodded and took place on the second chair, while Star Charmer knelt beside him. Monolith, meanwhile, retained his position standing at the right side of the door.

“It seems this unfortunate incident hasn’t exactly helped with dispelling Equestrian prejudice against canines”, Eadgil explained. “But I think we caribou should be above that. A male should be judged by his character, not by his race. I, for one, trust my companion. In fact, I have hired him as my bodyguard. That’s why he is with me.”

Vestri looked up again. “You were always an oddball, Eadgil. I just hope this won’t end with a diamond dog blade between your ribs. I don’t even see why you would want to take a bodyguard with you.”

“Because one of our own was only recently murdered by diamond dogs?”, Eadgil suggested, chuckling a little. “It seems the roads are not safe.”

“I really question your logic, Eadgil”, Vestri said. “But either way. You know why you’re here?”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, you said something about a yellow pegasus mare…”

“That’s the official reason”, Vestri said.

Uh oh.

“And what is the unofficial reason?”, Eadgil asked.

“My brother is returning from his highly successful campaign against the buffaloes”, Vestri said. “I’m sure he won’t let the chance slip by to also lead the planned campaign against Zebrica.”

“What does that have to do with me?”, Eadgil inquired.

“My brother is leading far too many wars, and I’m worried about him”, Vestri replied. “Dainn will not be king forever. He has no heir, and none in sight either. In fact, there is no line of succession at all. Our beloved king has no children, no siblings, no aunt or uncle… many caribou will try to grab for the crown if something happens to him. Maybe also a few ponies.”

He wants to assassinate the king and take over himself, Eadgil thought. When it comes to plotting, he has the subtlety of a warhammer.

“Do you think something will happen to the king soon?”, Eadgil inquired. 

“I don’t think so”, Vestri replied. “Not yet at least. There are no signs that anything might happen to him in the near future. But at some point, our beloved king will die.”

He can’t move against king Dainn yet because his brother is still alive, Eadgil pondered. Dainn kept letting them compete for the position as right hand, and likely still does. Probably for that very reason.

“Once again”, Eadgil said. “That’s all very interesting, but what does it have to do with me?”

“We want to prevent… unfortunate elements from taking over the throne if anything should happen to our beloved king”, Vestri continued. “Wouldn’t you agree.”

Yes, Eadgil thought, but we probably have a very different definition of what ‘unfortunate’ means. “Uh… certainly”, he replied.

“Of course, if there was any kind of unrest, I could raise a good number of men to make sure it doesn’t escalate”, Vestri continued. “What I need is a base of operations…”

Sonofabitch… so that’s the real reason he gave me the castle!

“I see… so you want me to pledge Everfree to your cause.”

“Not yet”, Vestri replied hastily. “Only when push comes to shove.”

“I am thankful that you have given me the castle and the forest”, Eadgil said calmly. “You know I believe the work I’m doing there is important for the future of our people. I would like to keep it out of such affairs… but it seems like I pretty much can’t. I’ll have to take sides anyway, and not taking yours would be ungrateful.”

We’ll figure out how we deal with this in plenum. Maybe we could figure out who else is plotting, and then play them against each other… for now, it’s important to call him down.

Vestri looked up and smiled. “Good to hear that you see it my way. Now, let’s move on to the more official business.”

Eadgil nodded. “Yes, the yellow pegasus mare. I have to admit, I was surprised to receive such a letter. May I ask what your reasons are for giving her to me?”

Vestri frowned. “So far, I’m only considering you.”

Eadgil shrugged demonstrably. “Fine. Why are you considering me?”

“Strategic considerations”, Vestri replied. “Honestly, why does it concern you? As the saying goes, you don’t look a gift mare in the mouth.”

“May I be honest, sir?”, Eadgil asked.

Vestri looked up from his papers. “Alright. What is it?”

“I’m a busy stag”, Eadgil said. “I have a community to build and a complex renovation project on the way. I can’t take care of a random mare that I don’t know, that I can’t be sure is properly trained, and that I have to escort to all kinds of events twice a week.”

“More like once every two months or so”, Vestri said. “At most. But honestly… I’m really surprised you wouldn’t be thankful for such an offer.”

“The fact of the matter is that the only reason why you’re giving her to me is because you don’t want Magistrate Gunne to get his hands on her. Isn’t that right?”

Vestri raised an eyebrow. “You do realize that the initial training of this particular mare was done by Councilman Hrathr himself, right?”

“Then why don’t you give her to him?”, Eadgil asked angrily.

Vestri paused for a moment.

Aha!, Eadgil thought.

“Councilman Hrathr… is a very busy stag”, Vestri explained.

“With all due respect”, Eadgil replied. “So am I. I probably can’t talk you out of this completely, but if you want to push this on me, I would like something in return. Something that will make my life easier.”

“Fine”, Vestri said. “Speak.”

“There is a stag living in Everfree forest, in close proximity to Ponyville...”, Eadgil explained. 

“There is?”, Vestri asked.

Eadgil continued unfazed. “His name is Hirthir, and he only lives there because he was appointed handler of a zebra mare with a communal function in Ponyville. I want the mare for my own project. She looks like a strong worker, suitable to be used in lots of menial tasks. I will appoint a male in my village as her handler, and he will accompany her to her annual traditional function in Ponyville. I also want the stag out of my forest.”

Vestri smirked. “You want him somewhere uncomfortable? I could put him in the frontline of the Zebrica campaign… there he can have as much zebra ass as he wants.” He then glanced at his own mare. “Sunny! Fetch me the files for Hirthir.”

The yellow-coated, blue-maned mare left her position and crawled over to the file cabinet, franticly looking through them.

Eadgil shook his head. “No, I harbor no ill will towards him. I couldn’t care less if you gave him a villa in Canterlot and a position with no work and enough pay to buy himself a harem of six lusty does, I just want him out of my forest. In fact, I would prefer if you gave him something better than what he has now. It makes it easier to motivate him to actually leave.”

The mare returned with a file in her muzzle, handing it to her Master like a non-sapient dog would have done. Vestri took it hesitantly. “Ew, mare drool everywhere. Can’t you be more careful, stupid cunt?” His mare responded with a silly giggle.

Vestri turned back to Eadgil, giving him a wide smirk. “You can’t fool me, Eadgil. I know exactly what you’re doing.”

Shit! Eadgil tensed up for a moment. No, wait… if he actually knew anything, you wouldn’t be sitting right here, you would be in the dungeon, waiting to be switched. He relaxed and smiled.

“Alright”, he replied. “What is it I’m doing?”

“A breeding program”, Vestri concluded. “What do the ponies call it… eugenics. Am I right or am I right?”

Eadgil demonstrably raised a finger to his chin. “Oh… so that’s what I’ve been doing? I guess you’re right.”

Vestri laughed. “You’re a jokester, but it seems I’ve underestimated you. You’re cleverer than you look.”

Oh, you have no idea… wait.

“If you say so”, Eadgil said, still smirking.

“It explains everything, really”, Vestri concluded. “Why you handpicked the stags for your project. Why you’re hesitant about letting new members join you... and why you hesitated about backing me up earlier.”

“I guess it really does explain everything”, Eadgil agreed.

Vestri laughed again. “Alright, I’ll help you get that stag out of your forest… and if I want the castle to be usable, I probably need to provide you with as many strong arms as I can, so I’ll give you that zebra cunt as well. In fact, I might throw a few other capable slave arms in your direction in the future.”

Oh no, please don’t.

“I think we’re already making good progress”, Eadgil said. “Keep in mind that we’ll also have to feed all those slaves.”

Vestri smiled. “I’ll tell you what. If you need more workers, just…” he made a scribbling gesture with his right hand - “...write me a letter, and I’ll see what I can do for you.”

He opened the file and went through it. “Ah yes, Hirthir. Alright, I’ll prepare a document for you to transfer his mare to you and give him a different occupation somewhere else. Let’s see…”

He hastily scribbled something on an official-looking paper, rolled it up, sealed it with his wax seal, then handed it to Eadgil.

“Much obliged”, Eadgil smiled.

Vestri then picked up a second scroll. “And this is the document that appoints you as handler of the yellow pegaslut”, he explained. “Of course, I already had it prepared.” Eadgil hesitantly took it and put it away together with the other scroll.

Vestri then made a dismissing hand gesture. “That would be all. Dismissed.”

Eadgil rose from his seat.

“Oh, and Eadgil…”, Vestri looked up from his desk again.

“Anything else, Councilman?”, Eadgil asked.

“I have to say, it gladdens me that we can work together so well. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, and I quite frankly thought you were a wimp… but I was wrong. You’ve really grown a spine since you left the army.”

Unlike some other people, I’ve also grown a brain, Eadgil thought.

“My point is… I think we can look forward to good cooperation.”

Eadgil feigned a smile. “I hope so too, Councilman.”

“Please”, the other stag replied. “Call me Vestri. At least unless we’re in public.”

Eadgil nodded. “Alright, Vestri. I will take my leave now.” The other stag gave him a nod.

Eadgil glanced over to Monolith. “Mono, we’re leaving.” He then grabbed for Star Charmer’s leash and gave it a good pull, eliciting a yelp from her. “Come, Star!”

“You really have your mare under control”, Vestri remarked, almost more to himself. “Not as well as I have, of course… but Sunny is an exceptional mare. Either way, you’ve come a long way in this area as well.”

“Thank you, I guess”, Eadgil replied. Oh, you have no idea, councilman.

“See you soon!”, Vestri said, smirking.

Eadgil turned around again. “Uh… sooner than you think, actually. I am planning to see the Summer in Equestria play tomorrow evening. I’ve heard you and the rest of the council will be watching it as well.”

Vestri nodded. “Oh yes, we have free tribune places. Wouldn’t want to miss that. The council pretty much never misses any premiere of pony theater anymore.”

Eadgil nodded. “I got front row seats from a friend.”

Vestri smirked. “So you have a date then, eh?”

Eadgil paused for a second. “Actually… I don’t know. Is it a date?”

Star Charmer giggled, and Eadgil gave her leash another pull. “Silence, stupid cunt! Can’t remember having asked you!”

Vestri winked at him. “Let me know how it went.”

Eadgil nodded. “Uh… sure.”

“Alright then”, Vestri laughed. “See you tomorrow evening.”

Eadgil nodded. “See you tomorrow.”

With that, he left the councilman’s office.





Once outside and passing through the corridors, Eadgil scratched his forehead.

“This may be an odd question, but… I always get this really weird feeling around Vestri. Do you know what I mean, by any chance?”

Star Charmer looked around, making sure no one was around to hear her. “Yeah, I know what you mean”, she replied. “It feels like you’re thinking… except it’s not really thought. More like an out of control chatterbox in your head that just keeps rambling on and on and on…”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, that is exactly what I mean. So you have felt it too, Star.”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yeah, it seems so. Makes you wonder if his mare has that as well… all the time. I bet if she does, it must be slowly driving her completely crazy.”

“Yeah, if she has that all the time, she deserves our pity”, Eadgil confirmed. “What about you, Monolith? Did you experience something else?”

“This one does not hear any thoughts speaking in its head”, the Mimiga replied. “Only the Monolith.”

“Huh”, Eadgil said, but decided to leave it at that.

With that, they silently walked down the corridors and eventually left the castle the same way they had come in.
> Chapter 20: Springtime
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A bit later, Eadgil unlocked the door to his own house, and the three of them entered, Star Charmer was still on a leash and crawling on all fours. Bowing down, the stag undid her leash. “Star, you can get dressed again now”, Eadgil said.

Star Charmer shook her head after standing up. “Ari, we need to head out again.”

“You mean out there?”, Eadgil asked. “Where are we going?”

“I have to tell you something”, Star Charmer continued. “You better sit down for this.”

Eadgil sat down in an old chair in the living room, pouring himself a small glass of whisky. “Alright, Star”, he said. “What is it?”

“I’m a resistance member”, Star Charmer just said, walking past him and sitting down on a sofa.

“Yeah”, Eadgil said. “Duh!”

“That’s not what I meant!”, Star Charmer shook her head. “I mean I’ve been a resistance member even before you founded your community. We’ve made sure to get me in with your group so I can keep the resistance up to date on what exactly it is you were doing there. Let’s just say you surprised everyone… myself included.”

The Mimiga had entered the living room as well by now, merely sitting down on the ground. After a few moments, he began to move back and forth.

For a moment, Eadgil cast him a nervous glance - but then he turned back to Star Charmer. “Is that the reason you… came to me back then?”, he asked with an expressionless face.

Star Charmer avoided his glance. “Initially, yes… I don’t want to end what we have though.”

“So… how much of what happened since then was just theater on your part?”, Eadgil asked.

The mare blushed. “Less than you think…” She paused for a moment. “...Master”, she then added with a smile.

Eadgil nodded. “Alright… I believe you. So why do we have to head out again?”

“Because I promised to give my contacts here in Canterlot a vis-a-vis update, and confirm what I’ve reported to them… and because they want to talk strategy with the both of us.”

Eadgil nodded. “I see. So that’s why I also have to come… I mean except for the obvious reason that you can’t go out without a male to accompany you, but I guess Mono could play that role just as well as I could. Speaking of which, I am going to take him along as well if you have no objection.”

Star Charmer shook her head. “I’ve announced only you, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem. It would be more problematic if another caribou accompanied us.”

Eadgil stood up, handing her the leash. “Alright then... let’s go.”

Star Charmer attached the leash to her collar, then handed the other hand back to him.

The stag then went over to the canine, looking down on him. “Did you get what we were talking about?”, not really understanding what the small dog-like creature was doing.

The Mimiga looked up to him. “This one has”, he said. “This one fears it heard that one more clearly than the Monolith. It has not heard His voice since leaving the Realm.”

Eadgil blinked a few times, having no clue what the canine was talking about - and was surprised to see the small dog getting back on his feet from his tailor seat position quicker than he was able to come up with a response. “Uh… sorry to hear that”, he mumbled. 

The three of them left their house again, and Star Charmer, walking ahead on two legs this time, with her arms crossed behind her back, led them through the streets of Canterlot, and eventually towards an old, but fairly large-looking building. It was far from being on the same level as the villas of Canterlot’s nobility, but it was by no means shabby either, Eadgil thought. It was also surprisingly secluded.

Star Charmer led them towards the door and then knocked on it.

“Who’s there?”, a voice asked.

“The winter still lasts”, Star Charmer said. “But every winter will be followed by spring.”

A few moments later, the door was opened, and a tough-looking earth stallion in his fifties appeared, white-maned and with a dark grey coat. “Star Charmer, good to see you again”, he said after looking around quickly. Then, he looked at her companion. “And you must be this Ari”, he continued, not without a hint of distrust in his voice. “Who’s your third companion?”, he asked, looking at the hooded canine accompanying them.

“He’s my canine bodyguard”, Eadgil explained. “And yes, I’m Eadgil… called Ari by my friends.”

The stallion nodded. “Come in, please. But I’ll be watching you.”

The caribou returned the nod. “Of course.”

Once they were inside the building, the stallion handed Star Charmer a very simple piece of cloth for her to cover herself. “Thank you”, she smiled back at him

As the stallion led them through the building, they noticed lots of stallions and mares busy with various planning activities. He eventually led them into a room with a few chairs and a large table. “Please, take a seat”, he offered them.

Eadgil and Star Charmer took place, while Monolith positioned himself behind him.

“Your companion doesn’t like to sit?”, the stallion asked.

“This one does not require to sit”, the Mimiga replied.

The stallion nodded. “Fair enough. Let’s get to business. Star Charmer has of course informed us about your activities in Everfree. I was skeptical, but seeing her here seems to confirm her reports.”

“How do you know we didn’t brainwash her somehow?”, Eadgil asked.

“Because if you had, you would already have enough information to unravel this operation”, the stallion replied. “But also, and more importantly, because she’s still alive.”

Eadgil nodded. “I see.” He looked at the mare at his side - the mare he loved. “So you are dedicated, then. That’s good to hear.”

“Revolution isn’t a tea party”, Star Charmer just said, avoiding his gaze.

Eadgil turned to the stallion. “I’m honored by your invitation”, he said. “Though I think I haven’t caught your name yet…”

“I’m… that old guy who opened the door for you”, the stallion replied.

“Gee, that’s a mouthful”, Eadgil smirked. “But I understand. It would probably be inadvisable to reveal either your birth name or your code name to… someone like me.”

“You could say that”, the stallion said. “Then again, you are right… that is a mouthful. So call me Buck for now.”

Eadgil couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright.”

“I understand that so far, your activities primarily consisted in providing a safe haven for mares”, the stallion continued. “Star Charmer told me you have information on the king’s so-called ‘cure’ though.”

“Yeah, we’re searching for ways to undo it…”, Eadgil responded. “And we may have found a way to disrupt it on an individual level.”

“First things first”, Star Charmer said.

“Right”, Eadgil replied. “Excuse my enthusiasm to prove our worth.” He grinned. “More importantly though, I can supply you with information on what exactly that cure is.”

“It’s the Crystal Heart, isn’t it?”, the stallion asked. “Or Crystal… whatever they call it nowadays.”

“So you figured that out already”, the caribou asked.

The stallion nodded. “To be fair, Star Charmer already sent us that info… but it just confirmed what we already guessed. You said you’ve found a way to disrupt it?”

Eadgil pulled out a bunch of tourmaline stones. “These stones have antimagic properties, particularly suited for disrupting mind control magic. We only had one test subject so far, but he was fully affected, and now he’s with us.”

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure he isn’t faking in order to infiltrate you?”

Eadgil shook his head. “Very very unlikely. I don’t think you can fake these kinds of physical reactions.”

“What do you mean?”, the stallion asked.

“Well…”, Eadgil replied. “Imagine you had been raping females for months, because you were magically brainwashed into thinking it’s the right thing. Imagine doing it to your family, friends, and loved ones. Then imagine the magic being broken, and your reaction to that. Yes, nausea and even puking can be artificially stimulated, but I think we would have noticed. I don’t think you can fake PTSD and crippling feelings of guilt for weeks though.”

The stallion nodded. “I see. Fair enough. So what I take from this is that the stallions are just as much victims as the mares.”

Eadgil nodded. “I fear so.”

The stallion rubbed his temples. “Even if we manage to dismantle this tyranny, the time after will be hell.”

“I think we should focus on getting out of one hell at a time”, Star Charmer said.

“Star Charmer is right”, Eadgil said. “We need to focus on the tasks at hand. These stones only break the magic’s effect on an individual level, and they need to be worn in direct contact with the body 24/7, or the magic will seep back in again. I think it might still be a good idea to hand them out to stallions. The effects are potent enough to at least give them pause. We are starting a mining operation, though it’ll be months until we can provide you with a steady supply.”

The stallion nodded. “Can I have these?”, he asked. “We want to make a few tests ourselves, of course.”

Eadgil nodded, and placed the pitch black stones on the table.

“Furthermore, we would like to propose a meeting between you and the leaders of other resistance cells”, the stallion said. “We have already contacted them and informed them about our proposal. Your castle is ideal as an interstation for railroad operations, and the forest as a whole is ideal to set up secret bases of operations.”

Eadgil nodded. “Thank you. We wanted to get in contact with other resistance groups for quite a while, to see if they might have use for a castle. He chuckled. “You want to know why Vestri gave me this position as Magistrate of Everfree in the first place?”

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “Councilman Vestri?”, he asked. “Of course… only the council can appoint magistrates. Alright then… why did he do it?”

“So I can prevent rebel groups from taking roots in the castle and the forest”, Eadgil smirked. “Of course, that’s… ahem... not exactly my own reason for applying for the position. Nor did I ever plan to actually do that.”

The stallion gave him a broad smile. “Alright… I believe you.”

“That said, I’m fine with the idea of a meeting… though I’m not actually in charge of our group”, Eadgil continued. “That would be a mare named Spring Breeze. I’m just representing the caribou in our community.”

“Yes, Star Charmer mentioned that in her report”, the stallion replied. “Though for obvious reasons, you’re the only one we could have possibly contacted directly.”

Eadgil nodded. “I guess you could say I also have the role of liaison for our community”, he said. “I wish this wasn’t necessary… I’m sure we can find a place for the meeting where Spring Breeze will be able to come as well.”

The stallion nodded. “Of course. Some other resistance groups have female leaders as well.”

“May I propose the castle, then?”, Eadgil asked.

“Not really”, the stallion shook his head. “Many of the leaders wouldn’t feel safe there. We actually proposed the Tree of Harmony. It’s not too far off the castle, so that should be in your interest.”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, fair enough. Alright, the Tree of Harmony it is, then.”

For a moment, he thought about proposing the clearing with the weird white tree with the red leaves as an alternative… but it was too close to the castle. For some weird reason, he also had the feeling that he didn’t want to bring profane politics to a place like that…

“Good”, the stallion said. “That would be that.”

“Speaking of the Tree of Harmony”, Star Charmer said. “Our group will actually be able to secure one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony - although we haven’t planned for it, and it might cause trouble in the long run.”

“Is this about the murder in Ponyville?”, the stallion asked, earning a nod from the mare.

Eadgil nodded. “Yes, the stag who was killed was the handler of the mare who used to bear the Element of Kindness. Councilman Vestri found it appropriate to push her onto me from now on… and I couldn’t refuse him without endangering our operation.”

The stallion nodded. “According to our information, she’s a full-blown collaborator. Of course, we can’t be sure if she isn’t affected by mind control magic one way or another, in which case your tourmaline stones might help. But if not, she’ll be trouble.”

Eadgil nodded. “We honestly don’t exactly know what to do in such a case. Any suggestions?

The stallion shook his head. “No, this situation is alien to us. The government barely knows that we exist, we can’t be forced to recruit, and while many of our female members decide to take the red for practical reasons, we don’t recruit ponies who are already red collars.”

The stag gave him another nod. “Yeah, I’ve even seen a few mares wearing purple collars here in the building. They didn’t look like purples though.”

“Wearing a purple collar can be quite useful”, the stallion replied. “Ponies who aren’t taken seriously and often aren’t even paid attention to are perfect as couriers and spies.”

“I guess that makes sense”, Eadgil said, uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

“Do you already have replies from the other leaders?”, Star Charmer asked. “Are they coming?”

The stallion paused for a moment. “I… hesitate… to disclose the identities of the other leaders in front of him.” He glanced at the caribou.

Star Charmer huffed. “What makes you think I haven’t already given them to him?”, she asked. “I trust him enough to do that. You should too. If you didn’t trust him that far, he shouldn’t even be here.”

“Fair enough”, the stallion replied. “Sunny isn’t coming. She doesn’t trust the whole thing one bit.”

Star Charmer nodded. “Yeah, that was to be expected. The girl is… special.”

“Sunny?”, Eadgil asked. “As in Sunrise Splendor? Don’t tell me she’s leading a resistance group!” For a moment, images of Vestri being duped not only by him, but by his own favorite mare, and in a very similar fashion, flashed through the stag’s head, making him smile involuntarily.

Star Charmer poked his left arm, shaking her head, smiling. “No relation”, she said. “We’re talking about a different mare with a similar name.”

“Yeah, that… really wouldn’t have made sense”, Eadgil nodded. “Sorry, I guess my brain just jumped there. I guess I had too much contact with Vestri and his mare before I packed my things and ran off to Everfree, and they both annoy the fuck out of me. Aside from that, pony names confuse the hell out of me.”

Star Charmer smiled. “Ari was part of Vestri’s personal guard until shortly... before the Canterlot takeover”, she explained to the stallion, who gave her a dismissive shrug and a ‘I don’t care’ expression.

“As for pony names confusing you… we don’t even think ‘Sunrise Splendor’ is a real name”, the stallion said. We believe it’s a propaganda name, made up for the purpose of confusing people. But that’s neither here nor there, since we weren’t talking about her anyways.”

“Sunrise Splendor?”, Eadgil blinked. “I thought her name was Sunny Days?”

“Can we please stop talking about Vestri’s lapdog?”, the stallion insisted angrily, his voice earning him a temporary hard stare from Eadgil's canine bodyguard. “Once more, I wasn’t talking about her. The pony I was talking about is a mare named Sunset Shimmer.” He huffed. “There you have her name. She’s in hiding anyway, so it won’t matter either way. She’s the leader of another resistance cell based in Canterlot, and used to be a personal student of Celestia…”  The reason why we expected her to react dismissively of our invitation is because her Resistance group barely even trusts stallions.”

Eadgil nodded. “Unfortunate…”

“Fortunately, many other groups have promised to come. The cells in Baltimare and Appleloosa will send a liaison, and Apple Slice has also agreed…”

Eadgil’s eyes widened. “Did you just say Apple Slice?”, he asked.

“Yes”, the stallion said, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you know her.”

Eadgil nodded hesitantly. “I believe I do, actually.”

“You do?”, Star Charmer asked. “You never told me.”

“It’s… another thing in my past that I’m not particularly proud of”, Eadgil replied. “I had a... liaison with a mare named Apple Slice in the days before Lindisbarne.”

“A liaison?”, the stallion asked, raising his eyebrow.

“Um… what other terms do you ponies have for this, um… a fling?” Eadgil suggested. “It was in the days before the Lindisbarne takeover, and I think I don’t need to mention that it didn’t end well. I wasn’t exactly… reformed back then.”

The stallion blinked. “Ah”, he then said. “Yes, she mentioned… someone like you. Now that I think about it, the name Eadgil sounded familiar anyway. We need to inform her about your identity, but unfortunately, I fear once she knows, she might not want to come anymore…”

Star Charmer just stared at him blankly. “You mean he’s the stag who put that collar on her?”

The stallion and Eadgil nodded simultaneously.

“It would seem so…”, the stallion said.

“Unfortunately, it is so”, Eadgil replied.

“Apple Slice also told me you let her escape”, the stallion continued. “Though she doesn’t exactly tell that to everyone. This might make the other resistance members very hesitant to meet you. We’ll have to think about how to sell it to them.”

“So you still want to cooperate with us?”, Eadgil asked.

The stallion smirked. “As you said… you’re not representing your group, that Spring Breeze is. I’ll make my judgment after talking to her. But honestly… to our experience, even caribou with resistance sympathies usually don’t have a completely untarnished past. If that would stop us, you wouldn’t be sitting there.”

“Yeah, that’s fair, and… wait, did you just say you have experience with resistance-sympathetic stags?”, Eadgil asked.

“With a few, yes”, the stallion answered. “We’re obviously hesitant about recruiting them. In fact, we currently have our eye on one here in Canterlot, and are in the last phases of evaluating him. He even works in a higher position in the censorship department… but he shows clear signs of resistance sympathy, and has clumsily attempted to contact resistance groups in the past.”

Working in the censorship department… resistance sympathies, so probably secretly critical of the king and his government… a few things in Eadgil’s mind spontaneously fell into place, and though it was only a hunch, asking couldn’t hurt.

“Is his name Birgir, by any chance?”, he asked.

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”, he asked.

“We randomly got to know him yesterday”, Star Charmer explained. “While we were looking at the ad poster for the upcoming musical stage play, Summer in Equestria. We were wondering how something like that could have been greenlit… and then he appeared out of nowhere and told us that he was the one who approved it, and that he could get us front row seats.”

“What an interesting coincidence…”, the stallion mumbled, rubbing his chin. “Why did it surprise you that something like this was greenlit?”, he asked. “You’re correct, it’s going to be highly offensive particularly to any caribou watching it… maybe with the exception of the ones present… but the poster is innocuous enough.”

“Only because only a handful of people in Canterlot know what the word kabuki means”, Eadgil explained. “Fortunately, we have an expert on that with us.”

“This one is not an expert on kabuki”, he heard Monolith say behind him. “But it knows what the term means, and did explain it. It involves actors playing characters of the opposite gender. This one experienced… something unusual when it read the term on the poster.”

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what would that be?”

“He laughed”, Eadgil replied. “From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t do that normally.”

“Huh”, the stallion made, glancing at the canine, then back at the caribou. “Is something… not right with him?”

“Probably”, Eadgil shrugged.

“Alright…”, the stallion nodded. “I won’t inquire further. I guess he can see a therapist after this is over.”

“We have a therapist in our community, actually”, Eadgil replied. “She was the one who convinced me of the idea for this project in the first place, actually… and she already helped two other mares who used to be mine to get past their issues. I’m already thinking of asking her to take a look at that Fluttershy mare as well once we’re back… maybe she’s willing to have a look at him, too.” He turned around. “What do you think, Mono?”

“This one does not need a therapist”, the canine replied. “It has the Monolith. But it will comply if the prophet demands it.”

“Prophet?”, the stallion asked.

Eadgil waved his hand dismissively. “Long story… and too complicated to tell, particularly because I don’t understand half of it. Long story short, he seems to see me as some kind of spiritual authority.”

The stallion shook his head. “Weird…”, he mumbled.

“Incidentally… if that play really is so subversive, have you contacted the author as well?”, Star Charmer asked. “What was his name again…” She thought for a moment. “Brush Stroke, I believe. He might be another candidate, then.”

“We’ve looked into him”, the stallion confirmed. “Unfortunately, he’s not resistance material. He does have a vicious hatred for the caribou… but unfortunately, he is most definitely affected by their magic. It doesn’t seem to instill loyalty, only their ideology about gender relations… or he’s somehow an exception, but he’s definitely not an incurable. He’s also an earth pony supremacist.”

Star Charmer smirked. “Not even Sunset would want someone like that.”

The stallion nodded. “Exactly.”

“Alright, let’s focus on Birgir, then”, Star Charmer said.

“I want to offer him a place in Everfree, actually”, Eadgil pondered.

“It’s definitely an option and we don’t want to stop you from inviting him”, the stallion said. “I would like you to ponder how useful someone in the censorship department could be to us, and he’d have to quit his job if he were to move to Everfree.”

Eadgil nodded. “True…”

“I tell you what”, the stallion said. “Our evaluation of him is practically complete and we were about to contact him soon anyway, and from what you said so far, I infer that you’re going to see him tomorrow evening at the play. You can give him both our offers simultaneously if you get the chance. Then he can decide himself which offer he wants to take up.”

“We can do that”, Star Charmer smiled.

“Alright, I guess that would be it”, the stallion said. “Star, we’ll let you know about the time and date for the meeting with the other resistance members.”

Star Charmer and Eadgil stood up, and Star Charmer gave him a nod. “Good”, she said. Then, they left the room and walked down the stairs towards the exit.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you like that before”, Eadgil said while walking down the stairs. “Even during the plenum meetings, you’re usually bubbly, quirky, and a bit seductive. But this… this seemed like pure professionalism…”

Star Charmer smiled. “It’s just another side of me, Ari. I’m still the same mare.”

“Happy to hear that”, Eadgil replied. Before leaving the house, Star Charmer quickly discarded the cloth, and they left the building together.

“This one is confused”, Monolith mused, half addressing the other two, half speaking to himself. “This one has met two pony ones referred to as Apple, and now it has heard of a third one. Is this a family name? If so, is this family large and influential in this country?”

“Large, yes”, Star Charmer replied. “The Apple family has farms almost all over Equestria, so it’s not too surprising that you would run into some of them while traveling the country. From what I know about her, Apple Slice is not actually related to them though, she only has the same name by chance. So I guess it’s a bit of a coincidence, but not one too big.”

Monolith nodded. “This one understands.”

They made their way back to Eadgil’s old house without much more conversation.





On the evening of the next day, the three of them were approaching the theater when Birgir, already there with his mare, spotted them and approached them.

“Eadgil!”, he called, waving. “I thought you wouldn’t come anymore.”

He approached the other stag, and they greeted each other with kisses on the cheeks, as is customary among friends in caribou culture. His mare, meanwhile, gave Star Charmer a soft, almost shy hug.

“This isn’t something I could miss out on”, Eadgil replied, grinning.

Birgir smiled widely. “Before the evening ends, you’ll either be red from anger, or you’ll be laughing your soul out.”

“I’m not easy to anger”, Eadgil bragged. “But we’ll see. But honestly, you’ve told me nothing so far.”

“Well, I think it’s best to go into this blind”, Birgir said. “I guess you’re more privileged than me in this regard. I can tell you that it is a theatrical adaptation of the events of the Lindisbarne landing.”

Eadgil nodded. “Mhm, I was part of the first wave… don’t exactly have fond memories of it though.” He paused for a moment, mentally connecting two dots. “Wait a second… a Kabuki adaptation of the Lindisbarne landing??” He stared at Birgir.

“I’m… still not completely sure what that means, though I think I have a good guess”, Birgir admitted. “Let’s just say it’s not exactly historically accurate. Call it a ‘What if’-scenario.”

Eadgil smirked widely. “I’m already close to laughing. But you have balls to approve something like that.”

Birgir shrugged. “I’m pretty certain the blame will be placed on the author, not on the censor. Even if someone did turn their eyes to me, I have a perfectly plausible explanation for approving it.”

“I just hope it will be enough”, Eadgil remarked.

“I’m an upstanding citizen, and the author of this play… isn’t”, Birgir remarked.

“Fair enough”, Eadgil nodded, smirking a little. “And how upstanding are you, exactly.”

Birgir returned the smirk. “Less than people think. But that will remain between us, I hope.” 

Eadgil replied with a gesture of letting his finger run across his muzzle, signifying silence. 

By now, a great crowd of citizens and slaves had gathered around the theater, most of the latter red collars. The two caribou continued their conversation until the king and his councilmen arrived. The crowd immediately diverged, forming an alley for them to pass through. As they passed by, Vestri spotted Eadgil and Birgir in the crowd, and waved to them to come closer.

“Councilman Vestri”, Eadgil saluted.

“Ah, Eadgil”, Vestri smirked. “I see you and your date have arrived already.”

“I’m your date?”, Birgir asked Eadgil, smirking and raising an eyebrow.

“That’s what he said”, Eadgil emphasized. “Honestly though, not necessarily what I expect, but I’m open for anything this evening…”

Birgir smiled. “We’ll see.”

“I understand it the two of you have free tickets?”, Vestri asked.

“Yeah, front row”, Birgir replied. “I assume the king and his council have lounge seats?”

“Of course!”, Vestri said. “Still no reason for you two to enter with the common crowd. You’re a Magistrate after all, Eadgil - not on our level, but still far above them.” He looked behind him. “Ah - other VIPs are already joining our ranks as well. Look, that stallion over there is the author, I believe. Just follow us in.”

Eadgil shrugged and followed the councilman, Birgir and the others coming along immediately behind, but Vestri went ahead so fast that they couldn’t do much more than stumble along.

“Ah, Birgir”, an old-sounding, but still authoritative voice addressed the stag behind him. “Surprised to see you here. You’ve already seen the rehearsals after all.”

“Councilman Sindri!”, Birgir saluted. “Yeah, but the premiere is such a big event… couldn’t miss out on that. Plus, I’m actually here with a friend… or a date, apparently.”

“He’s my boss”, he whispered to Eadgil, who replied with a brief nod.

“Right”, Sindri said, now turning to Eadgil. “Pleased to meet you. I understand you also know Councilman Vestri… though I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Eadgil”, Eadgil replied. “A great honor to meet you.”

Sindri’s right hand slowly went over his own forehead. “Ah right… you used to be Captain of Vestri’s private guard for a time, right? My apologies, I’m not the youngest anymore… what are you doing these days, if I may ask?”

“You’re doing well, Councilman”, Eadgil smiled politely. “And I was actually able to secure a position as Magistrate thanks to Vestri’s sponsoring and recommendation.”

Sindri paused for a moment. “Huh… Magistrate appointments have to go through council, why don’t I remember your name? What’s your municipality?”

Eadgil smiled. “Everfree, actually.”

“Everfree?”, Sindri asked. “That old forest near Ponyville? Yes, I do remember that coming up in council… we just waved through Councilman Vestri’s proposal without much debate, that’s why I’m having trouble remembering it. After all, it’s not like anyone is living there…”

“I have created a quickly-growing new caribou colony there, sir”, Eadgil informed him. “And Lord Vestri wishes to grant land to stallions there as well. He already sent us one, and he has integrated very well with our new community.” 

“Intriguing”, Sindri mused, rubbing his chin. “Maybe I will pay you a visit some day.”

“Oh, you’ll love it there!”, Eadgil said. “You’re a scholar, right? We have a centuries old magical library that was somehow magically preserved while the rest of the castle fell to ruins. You are of course always welcome - but please keep in mind that we’re a very young community and in the middle of very extensive renovation work, so I would ask you to send us a letter at least one week in advance if you wish to pay a visit.”

The old councilman smiled at his younger vis-a-vis. “I will keep that in mind”, he said.

Hopefully, Eadgil thought as they entered the theater. 

A moment later, he spotted Vestri returning. “Alright… Eadgil, we will make our way to the lounge now. I would like to offer you and your date seats as well, but unfortunately, the lounge is pretty much full. I understand you have front row seats, so I don’t think your enjoyment will be impaired too much.” He smirked. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other after the play. Until then.”

I hope not, Eadgil thought, giving the councilman a polite nod.

“Until then”, Sindri repeated a few moments later, and then slowly followed his younger colleague.

A stallion rushed past them. “Half an hour and I still need to check up on everything”, he yelped, then turning his head to them. “Oh, hi Birgir. Thanks for the approval”, he gasped hastily, giving the stag a thumbs up.

“Oh, no problem”, Birgir said. “Good luck with the play, Brush Stroke. I’m sure we can talk later.”

The pony didn’t respond, and in fact barely waited until Birgir had finished, and instead disappeared behind a door.

“I presume he’s the author?”, Eadgil asked.

~“Of the play, yes”, Birgir confirmed. “The source material is by... someone else. I’ve gotten to know him a bit during my assessment of his play, of course. Terrible person, hard to deal with… but I guess that’s ”

“Huh”, Eadgil made.

“I’ve gotten to know him a bit during my assessment of his play, of course”, Birgir continued. “Terrible person if you ask me, hard to deal with… but I guess that’s what dedicated artists are often like. Particularly because my occupation does not exactly incline them to see me as a friend.”

Eadgil nodded. “Alright, let’s take our seats.” They went towards the entry to the hall.

“I’m just thankful no one paid attention to your companion”, Birgir remarked, leading them to three seats in the front row. “After the recent murder, many people have grown suspicious of canines.” He took place with spread legs, and his mare knelt down in front of him, with her back towards him and closely pressed against him and her face facing the curtain.

“I’ve already acquainted Councilman Vestri to him yesterday”, Eadgil informed his new friend, taking place as well. “I think he’ll back us up if someone looks at us funny.” Star Charmer copied Ruby’s movements, and likewise knelt down before Eadgil’s seat, her back likewise turned towards the stag and her face towards the curtain. Only Monolith seemed unsure of what to do.

“He knows what kabuki is, but he doesn’t know how to behave in a theater…” Eadgil mumbled. “Maybe his culture has different customs…”, he pondered. 

“Mono!”, he eventually said, pointing at the seat to his side. “This place is reserved for you, please sit down.” The canine wordlessly nodded, and then took place on his seat.





About half an hour later, the curtain opened, and a white unicorn mare appeared on stage, holding a brief introductory speech before the play began. As the music started to play, cows tumbled on stage and began to sing and act. Eventually, a few red collar mares joined the cast as well.

It was just like Eadgil had suspected. The play was a musical interpretation of the Lindisbarne landing, though the events on stage had very little similarity with his own memories of the events, and seemed to be satirical exaggerations at best, if not outright fabrications - and the roles of the king and his council as well as the military were played by caribou females. They were laugh-out-loud funny in their antics though, so Eadgil joined in with the laughter of the stallions - although his laughter ceased dead in its tracks a few times when the cows started to abuse the mares on stage as part of the reenactment. Birgir was calm throughout all of it and only chuckled a few times, while the stallions seemed to be laughing themselves almost to ecstasy. Most other caribou did not react as kindly to the play though, and many a stag angrily stormed out of the theater hall right in the middle of the play.

Eventually, the play ended - rather abruptly and without any narrative closure, which really made Eadgil wonder if this was a stylistic choice on Brush Stroke’s part, or if this mysterious ‘source material’ was already like this. With not even the stallions daring to demand an extra, despite the fact that most of them were still smirking and chuckling, the audience eventually rose from their seats and left the hall. The remaining caribou were furious, and often pushed others aside in order to get out and either directly get their hands on the people responsible, or try to voice their complaints towards the king or other authorities in the hopes of getting them to get their hands on the people responsible.

“So, what do you think?”, Birgir asked once they were standing back in the foyer.

“I think I don’t see the king or his council”, Eadgil replied, smirking. “They must have taken another exit.” He chuckled. “I also think I need a drink. Join me at the bar?”

Birgir smiled. “Sure, why not. I meant about the play though.”

“Well, it was laugh-out-loud funny, no doubt about that”, Eadgil chuckled. “I had my fun, that’s for sure. Not exactly how I remember it… but still. I mean even besides the swapped genders - which I thought was a hilarious idea.”

“Really, huh”, Birgir mumbled. “Well, that part unfortunately isn’t in the source material.”

Eadgil nodded. “Yeah, I assumed so.”

“I actually assessed and approved that one as well”, Birgir continued as they walked towards the bar, sitting down on a bar chair, his mare kneeling down beside him. “You’ve got any hard stuff?”, he asked the pony barkeeper.

“Whisky”, the barkeeper replied.

“One for me!”, Birgir said.

Eadgil likewise took place on a chair, giving Star Charmer a sign to kneel and Monolith a sign to sit down next to him. Both of them followed the instruction. “You got any liqueurs?”, he asked the barkeep.

“A sweet tooth, huh?”, Birgir asked, gaining a nod from his companion.

“Cherry liqueur”, the barkeep replied.

“Let’s see if it’s as good as the one we make”, Eadgil smirked. “One for me, please.”

“And two cups of orange juice for the mares”, Birgir ordered. “Put it all on one tab, I’m paying.”

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “You’re generous with your cunts”, he remarked.

Birgir shrugged. “None of your business”, he said.

“Fair enough”, the barkeeper said. “And what can I pour you?”, he asked, turning to the canine.

“Water”, the Mimiga replied calmly.

The barkeeper looked at him more closely. “Are you one of those diamond dogs?”, he asked. “I’ve read really bad things about your kind lately.”

Eadgil shook his head. “No, he’s a Mimiga. Same genus, but a completely different species from what we know.”

The barkeeper nodded. “Alright, but I’ll have an eye on him.” He then proceeded to pour the drinks.

Birgir picked up the cup of orange juice and handed it to Ruby. “Thank you, master”, the Saddle-Arabian pegasus replied as she took it, keeping her gaze obediently cast down. Eadgil mirrored his new friend’s action, and Star Charmer likewise said her thanks with feigned submissiveness.

“As I was saying…”, Birgir continued, “I also assessed and approved the source material. In fact, I only approved it because a letter from Councilman Vestri told me to, and Councilman Sindri said he stood behind the order. I wouldn’t have approved it otherwise. But after being forced to approve that, as well as a few other things I wasn’t happy with, and after hearing Brush Stroke’s explanation for why he wanted to adapt it in this specific way, I couldn’t justify not approving it with my work ethics. I believe consistency is a minimum requirement in my kind of job, and it’s the one thing I’m not willing to give up after already having been forced on giving up every other standard I used to hold.”

“Odd…”, Eadgil mumbled. “You would assume a censorship department would work in exactly the opposite direction. A coworker might approve of something, but then a diligent superior still forces him to reject it after checking on his work. I never thought it would be the other way around.”

“I actually have a theory about that”, Birgir said, lowering his voice a bit despite the fact that the barkeeper was already busy with other customers. “You know we officially have a competence hierarchy… but I think it’s inverted under King Dainn. The competent ones are in the lower ranks, and then the higher up you get, the more incompetent people you find.”

Eadgil nodded, smirking a little. “I see what you mean.”

They eventually finished their drinks and left the theater.





On the place outside the theater, they were surprised to find a great crowd of mostly stallions gathered on the place in front of the theater, gathered around the place’s center. They heard the sound of angry voices with clear caribou accents from the center of the place, as well as a female voice seemingly in pain, while the crowd seemed to cheer for the abusers.

Eadgil approached one of the stallions. “What’s going on?”, he asked.

“It’s the council”, the stallion replied. “Hard to see anything from here, but they seem to be publicly disciplining a mare somehow involved in the play - though I don’t know any details.”

“A mare?”, Eadgil asked. “I thought the author was a stallion named Brush Stroke.”

Another stallion turned around. “Actually, they’re disciplining Vestri’s cunt... that Sunny whore.”

“Sunny, but wh…”

Eadgil didn’t finish, as he heard his new friend bursting into laughter behind him.

He turned to Birgir. “Why are you laughing?”, he asked.

Birgir wiped a tear of joy from his face, then approached Eadgil and grabbed him by the wrist. “Eadgil, we’ve got to see this!”, he said while dragging the other stag along through the crowd, most stallions immediately making way for two caribou males.

“Would you please explain to me what’s going on???”, Eadgil yelled, too flabbergasted to resist the pull.

“The source material”, Birgir laughed. “It was written by her!”

“I… wh… wha… what???”, Eadgil yelped.

Eventually, they reached the center of the crowd, seeing the king and his council in front of them, viciously beating Vestri’s mare with what looked like a bunch of books. Eadgil heard Vestri yelling something like “So you think you’re an author, huh? What does being an author feel like? Maybe like this...”

Eadgil chuckled. “Everyone’s a critic nowadays… though I do not condone doing something like this to perfectly good books.”

“To be fair, this book isn’t very good”, Birgir remarked. “Though I appreciate the sentiment.” 

Then, to his companion’s surprise, he walked straight towards the council members. “My Lords Vestri and Sindri… I know you’re preoccupied, but I would like to have a word with you.”

Vestri and Sindri both ceased their assault on the younger councilman’s pet mare and turned towards him, while the others continued their ‘work’. “What, you want a piece of her, too?”, Vestri asked. “At this point, I’d have the entire crowd punish her… publishing a book behind my back, unbelievable! And then with this kind of content, just look at this!”

The councilman held up the book he had been using to beat his mare. The cover showed a cartoonishly vile depiction of him, grinning like a madman and wielding some kind of warhammer while other caribou burned down a town around him - showing it not just to Birgir, but to the entire crowd. “This is the source material for this dreck we got to witness today!”, Vestri exclaimed. “Written by my own mare, published behind my back!”

“Dreck?”, Eadgil asked. “I thought it was pretty damn funny, actually.”

“I don’t disagree with that”, Birgir remarked. “The book isn’t like that though…”

“You found that funny?”, Vestri yelled.

“Of course”, Eadgil smirked. “Councilman, we’re males… and not just males, caribou males. We’re the ultimate embodiment of the superior gender. We should be above getting offended by such childish satire as the one I saw today. We need to be an example to the rest of the world after all.”

Sindri rubbed his chin. “An interesting perspective.”

“The book isn’t that funny though…”, Birgir repeated. “But more to the point… Councilman Vestri, I’m a little bit confused.”

“Birgir works in my censorship department”, Sindri explained to his fellow councilman. “He approved today’s play… and I guess his reasons were similar to Brush Stroke’s.”

Vestri raised an eyebrow. “You mean he also enjoys getting fucked in the butt?”

Birgir laughed. “No, but I also enjoy a good satire. But as I said, I’m a little bit confused… from what you just told me, I infer that you knew nothing about this book of hers.”

“Not until this evening, no”, Vestri huffed, still visibly agitated.

“Then how is it possible that this book landed on my desk for assessment about six months ago, with a letter with your seal and signature attached that gave me specific orders to greenlight it and have it published without alterations?”

“Oooh boy…” Eadgil mumbled.

Vestri paused for a second, staring at Birgir intently. “What?”, he asked.

Sindri mumbled something for a moment, then said: “Oh yes… I believe I… vaguely remember. He… came to me one day with this, showed me the letter and complained about the book’s historical inaccuracy, and... the inappropriate focus on a stupid mare’s thoughts and feelings.”

“Not quite in these words, but yes”, Birgir nodded.

“So what you’re telling me is that someone faked my seal and signature and then handed in this book with a letter of recommendation allegedly written by me”, Vestri said flatly.

“Probably by someone with access to your office…”, Sindri mused - but he was interrupted by a loud yell from the younger councilman standing next to him.

“Sunny!!!”, Vestri yelled, making even the council behind him flinch - with the exception of King Dainn, who pretty much always retained his composure, and his brother, who had gotten to the point of frenzy with his use of inappropriate beating tools on helpless mares. Vestri did have their attention now though.

He turned around, facing them. “Bring that cunt over here!”, he commanded, addressing the two caribou closest to the mare - his brother and Councilman Hrathr. They immediately grabbed the mare and dragged her over to her Master, forcing her to her knees again in front of him.

“Master… please…”, the mare whimpered.

“I just heard from this young stag here that you faked my seal and signature to get your drivel approved”, Vestri said harshly, paying no heed to her miserable state.

The mare’s eyes widened, and she sank down even more, trying to make herself small.

“May I have a look at that, Councilman?”, Eadgil asked Sindri. The older stag handed him the book, and he began to flick through it.

“Did you, or did you not?”, Vestri asked, looking down at his mare in contempt. 

Sunny nodded weakly. “P… please… Master, don’t send your stupid little mare away from your side… she didn’t know what she was doing…”

“Using my seal and faking my signature… I should purple you for that, you little bitch!”

“This one takes offense to that”, Eadgil heard Monolith say behind him. He hadn’t even noticed that the canine had managed to follow him and Birgir through the crowd.

“Honestly, councilman…”, Eadgil said, half to Vestri and half to himself. “I think this isn’t too bad.”

“What?”, Birgir asked. “Eadgil, do you have that much of a bad taste?”

“That’s not what I meant”, Eadgil explained, giving Birgir a harsh stare. “Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t work as a historical account due to inconsistencies and limitations in perspective, and it doesn’t work as a novel because it seems badly written... what I meant is that it doesn’t seem too damaging.”

Birgir shot a glance at the whimpering mess kneeling in front of Councilman Vestri - and then looked down at his own feet. “Oh. Now I see what you mean. Yeah, definitely.”

Eadgil nodded. “See, that’s what I thought.”

“Explain yourselves!”, Vestri barked.

“Councilman… I understand that you feel personally offended. But honestly, I don’t think it paints you in too bad a light… or our people as a whole, for that matter.”

“I look like some kind of supervillain!”, Vestri objected.

“On the cover, yes. I admittedly only had a few minutes to flick through it… maybe I should let my friend continue, he has read it more closely after all.” Eadgil shot Birgir an expectant glance. Please don’t leave me hanging!

“Oh…”, Birgir tried to pick up. “But yes, I absolutely see what the Magistrate means, Councilman. As I see it… it’s an inner view of a mare starting with her head full of old preconceptions who is gradually taught her place in the world. Of course the mares were scared about it at first, and saw us as some kind of all-powerful, cruel monsters… but that’s an expected reaction when confronted with beings as superior as us.” He shot Eadgil a nervous glance, but then continued. “It also describes how you gradually train her to adopt a more appropriate image of you, to see you as her rightful owner. It shows that you can handle her with an appropriately harsh, yet merciful hand. And the same is true for her perspective on all of us. No, I think letting mares read this will strengthen our grip.”

“So what do you expect me to do?”, Vestri asked the both of them, calming down a little, but still visibly angry. “She still faked my signature and used my wax seal without permission. That borders on high treason.”

“If it was high treason, you should threaten her with blanking, not purpling”, Eadgil said. “Honestly though, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. It’s closer to fraud, really. But honestly, this entire affair doesn’t make you look too good either. After all, you’re her Master and should be able to handle her.”

“Are you trying to anger me, Magistrate?”, Vestri huffed.

“Not at all, my Lord”, Eadgil replied calmly. “I’m not trying to pin this on you either. What I’m saying is that this is a completely unexpected turn of events. I’m surprised she was even able to do that. It does seem that you have been a good bit too permissive with her, but there is no way you could have known that she would be able to pull that off either.”

Eadgil wiped a drop of sweat from his brow. He was playing a risky game here. He just hoped that he was right about Vestri’s feelings for Sunny.

“To answer your question though...”, he continued. “It’s not my position to tell you how to handle your mares, but of course you need to punish her for this. He smirked. “I recommend hot wax. It will remind her of why she’s being punished. But purpling her…” He stopped himself mid-sentence. He had wanted to say that it would be a waste, but he instinctively decided to go another route - but he didn’t get that far.

“Purpling her would be an admission of failure”, he heard a voice right next to Vestri that he hadn’t heard in a long time. It took him a second to process the appropriate reaction, but then, he bowed down on one knee.

“My king!”, he addressed the stag who had spoken. “Yes, that is what I was going to say.”

King Dainn nodded. “Very well spoken. I believe I remember you… you used to be the captain of Councilman Vestri’s guard, weren’t you?”

“Yes, my king.”

“And now you’re the Magistrate of Everfree”, Dainn concluded. “Yes… I never forget a name or a face. Intriguing project, a caribou colony right in the middle of a forest… I understand you took up a few of my ideas from the initial setup of Hornvik?”

“Yes, my king”, Eadgil affirmed. “You temporarily made a few cows publicly available in order to satisfy the stags who had brought very little females. We decided that this idea suits or project very well, and now keep all our females as public property. We have individual handlers, but we’ve given up individual ownership of them.”

Dainn rubbed his chin. “Unconventional… but not illegal. May I ask the purpose of this?”

“Well, we are running a breeding program”, Eadgil replied, in accordance with what he had told Vestri only a day earlier. “But aside from that, we’ve also found out that it makes certain aspects of cow handling and training a lot easier.”

“I’m genuinely surprised to hear that”, Dainn admitted.

“It also makes dealing with the mares easier”, Eadgil continued. “Particularly black collar ones. We use them as beasts of burden, of course… but we do a good bit of good old-fashioned renovation and building work ourselves, and it helps them ease in to their place if they see us doing work as well. It shows them how much more a male can achieve through hard work than they would ever be able to. It’s pure psychology, really. It’s their castle and they weren’t able to rebuild it in centuries, and now we’re getting our hands on it and we’ll have it restored to old glory in maybe a year or two.”

“I think I will pay a visit and take a look at it once it is done”, Dainn commented, still rubbing his chin. “I don’t think I will make time for a visit any time in the near future, but I prefer castles over ruins anyway.”

Eadgil nodded. “Of course, my king. We will let you know once we have it in a presentable state. Please make sure to notify us a week in advance if you wish to come. We would want the castle to be in best possible shape for such a high visit.”

Dainn nodded. “It’s probably big and difficult to maintain… even once it’s restored.”

“That it is, my king!”, Eadgil affirmed.

“Very well”, the king said coldly, turning to his right-hand lieutenant. “You may rise.”

“Thank you, my king”, Eadgil said, rising to his feet. Taking a look around, he noticed that the crowd had mostly dispersed. Watching a bunch of stags talk was apparently less interesting than watching them abuse a mare. He let out a small sigh.

“As for you and your mare…”, Dainn continued, turning to Vestri. “I agree with your protégé here. She needs to be punished harshly, but we also need not overreact. The damage was minimal, but we are males and need to be able to retain our composure. Punish her harshly, but also show her that you can be merciful.”

“I’m beginning to believe I’ve been merciful with her far too often”, Vestri remarked.

Dainn rubbed his temples. “Your mercy is misguided, Vestri”, he said. “You let her get away with small things without punishing her properly, and then things pile up and eventually escalate… and then you completely overreact. Let your responses be measured calmly, and calculated with precision.”

Vestri lowered his head a bit in reverence. “As you say, my king.”

“That said, I believe we should return to the castle”, Dainn continued. “I yearn for the touch of my crystal slut.” He gave Eadgil a short glance of majestic acknowledgement, then began to march in the direction of the castle, his council members immediately following - Vestri roughly dragging Sunny along, who struggled to get to her feet and follow.

Once they were out of sight, Birgir came a few steps closer. “We just saved that mare, didn’t we?”

Eadgil nodded. “Probably. It’s not the first time I run into her and I could never stand her…” He looked around. “But I can’t just stand by and let a mare be purpled or worse without doing anything, no matter who she is.”

“You do realize that mares are purpled every day, right?”, Birgir asked. “Or worse.”

“Only because I can’t do anything about it”, Eadgil said. “Yet.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?”, Birgir asked.

“Not here and now”, Eadgil replied. “Honestly, I’m starving. Do you know any good restaurants here? Preferably ones with a bit of privacy.”

Birgir smiled widely. “Actually, my mare prepares the best food I’ve ever eaten. We… um… I would like to invite you for dinner.”

Eadgil smirked. “I had hoped for that, actually.”

Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Where’s Star Charmer?”, he asked in shock.

“I’m here, Master…”, he heard her voice, spotting her kneeling next to Ruby only a few meters away from him. “Monolith made sure Ruby and I were able to follow you.”

“Star Charmer”, Birgir inquired. “Quite a long name for a simple slave.”

“You should have a context by now”, Eadgil replied coldly to Birgir’s remark while approaching Star Charmer. “Star, I’m… really sorry I left you behind. This should not have happened. I should have paid more attention.”

“Your friend shouldn’t have dragged you along”, Star Charmer said, casting Birgir a glance. “And besides, you told me it was a bad idea to come with you to Canterlot in the first place.” She looked around, but the place was almost completely empty by now. “I’m not one of your scared little cows that require your protection at each step, Ari. I’m prepared for a lot of things. It was far more irresponsible of him to leave his mare behind like that.” She shot Birgir another glance.

“I’m fine, Star… really, I’m fine”, Ruby now interjected, apparently slightly shocked of the other mare’s public outburst.

“I don’t even understand what’s going on anymore”, Birgir said, pausing for a long while. “Did your mare just call you Ari?”

Eadgil smiled. “Let’s talk more at dinner.”





A bit later, they arrived at Birgir’s house, and the stag unlocked the door, asking the others in. Eadgil went in first, followed by Monolith and Star Charmer, then Birgir himself, and finally Ruby. Birgir then carefully locked the door behind them.

When Eadgil entered the living room that doubled as a dining room, he immediately noticed a cow lying on the ground on some cushions, sleeping peacefully. From the looks of it, the doe was pregnant.

“Please”, Birgir told him and the others. “Pick a chair or a place on the couch to sit down while Ruby prepares our dinner.”

Eadgil nodded, then sat down in one of the comfy chairs.

“Me too?”, Star Charmer asked with feigned shyness.

Birgir smiled. “You may, little mare… what was your name again? Star, right?”

“Star Charmer”, the mare replied, smirking while taking place on the sofa.

Birgir nodded. “Right”, he said.

Monolith walked over to a corner and sat down on the ground. A moment later, his head began to shift back and forth.

“Is something not right with him?”, Birgir asked Eadgil.

The other stag shrugged. “I think he just likes to sit that way.”

“Those ones do not need to mind this one”, Monolith’s voices replied, seemingly distant.

“Alright”, Birgir chuckled. “Ruby, come here.”

Ruby came over to the stag, and Birgir gently let his fingers run through her hair, then gave her a short, sweet kiss on the muzzle. “You gonna make dinner for us now?”, he asked.

Ruby nodded and gave her Master a sweet smile. “Yes, Master”, she replied, then went off, presumably to the kitchen.

“You’re gonna love Ruby’s cooking”, Birgir grinned, walking over to another chair and sitting down. “But back to the matters at hand. I think you have quite a few questions to answer now.” He took a few steps toward one of the other chairs, then sat down. “You know… I work in the censorship department, and that means I do come across quite a few rumors. There is a rumor going around, mostly among black collars, about a hidden village in Everfree forest run by a resistance group where mares can live freely… led by a stallion who calls himself Ari.”

“Do I look like a stallion to you?”, Eadgil asked. “No idea who could have spread those rumors though. In fact, it is a little bit concerning. We try to maintain the facade of being a new caribou colony after all.”

“So you don’t deny it”, Birgir concluded.

“I hope you won’t deny that you’ve repeatedly tried to contact resistance groups here in Canterlot in the past”, Eadgil retorted. “I’m just a few months ahead of you, that’s all.”

Birgir raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”

“From one of the groups you’ve been trying to contact”, Star Charmer lept in. “Of course they haven’t replied immediately, but they’ve looked into you, and have come to the conclusion that you’re resistance material. I’ve worked with them in the past, so I know they’re thorough. They were already about to contact you… our meeting with them yesterday evening was a lucky coincidence.”

“I see”, Birgir replied. “How do you people know I won’t rat you out though?”

“As I said, the resistance has done research on you”, Star Charmer responded. “It’s not like you haven’t done anything to make them think you’re opposed to the regime. You can’t rat us out without that coming out as well.”

Birgir smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to anyway. I am genuinely sympathetic to the mares’ wish for freedom, and I don’t treat Ruby as a slave in private anymore either… she genuinely wishes to submit to an extent, but I understand that it’s different from what we’re used to.”

Star Charmer smiled. “Don’t worry, Birgir. I’m a resistance member who is highly sexually submissive. I can tell the difference between willing submission and obedience out of fear. I do have to criticize you for leaving her behind on the place… but that seemed to be an impulsive, not well thought-out reaction. Judging by what she told me, you genuinely care for her.”

“Thank you”, Birgir said. “I’m… doing my best to overcome old habits.”

“But you’re still struggling”, Eadgil continued. “Don’t worry, I know the feeling. I’ve been there.” The other stag gave him a nod.

“We’ve got two different offers for you”, Eadgil continued. “One from their group, and one from ours. If you really want to join a resistance movement, you can either come and join us in the old castle ruins in Everfree. We’re a group that already has a great percentage of caribou among us, males and females - and we’re trying to reform our culture to be more adaptable to this new environment. For example, while we’ve freed the mares, we have also introduced a kind of communal ownership of our cows - with similar results, if I may say so. Aside from that, our purpose is to build economic power while providing a possible hideout for other groups, as well as finding ways to disrupt the mind control…”

Birgir’s eyebrows rose up. “Mind control???”, he asked.

“The king’s cure”, Star Charmer explained. “We’ve found out that the king uses one of our own Equestrian artifacts to brainwash the male pony population.”

Birgir placed his hand on his forehead. “Unbelievable!”, he muttered. “I knew there was something dead wrong with that ‘cure’, but using mind control on other males? I wouldn’t have thought that Dainn would sink to such lows... I mean even by my people’s own standards.”

“I assure you, it’s true”, Eadgil said. “In fact, we’ve already found a way to disrupt it on an individual level. That won’t be enough in the long run, of course… but it’s a start. We’ve already managed to… mmmh... ‘uncure’ one stallion.”

Birgir nodded. “I see. Still can’t believe it, but… it explains why the stallions are so completely unhinged, even compared to some of the worst of our own people. It’s probably a really crude spell...” He paused. “What’s the second offer?”

“You could work with the resistance here in Canterlot”, Star Charmer said. “That way, you could keep your job. I’m sure they have use for an agent inside the censorship department.”

“I was thinking about quitting, actually”, Birgir admitted.

“Yeah, after what I’ve seen and heard today, I’m not surprised”, Eadgil replied.

“Well, there are a few things that have stopped me so far. The fact that I have to provide for two females, and also a fawn soon… but I don’t think finding a new job would be too much trouble for a caribou of my age and with my qualification. But more importantly, I have a protégé at my current job, and I don’t want to leave him hanging. A young stag named Herleif, at least half a decade younger than the two of us. In fact, I might get him to the point where he also develops resistance sympathies. I’ve already changed his mind on handling mares quite a bit.”

Star Charmer rubbed her chin. “Mmmh… Buck didn’t mention that…”, she mused.

“Buck?”, Birgir asked.

“Star Charmer’s contact in the Canterlot resistance”, Eadgil explained. “It doesn’t seem to be his real name, nor even his internal code name… but that’s how he introduced himself to me yesterday. Star already knows him.”

Birgir nodded. “I see.”

“As I see it, if you really want to quit your job and do something else, your best option right now would be to wait for the resistance here to contact you, then have them assess Herleif’s potential as a resistance member”, Star Charmer concluded. “Once we know for certain whether he can be recruited or not, you can decide whether you want to stay here in Canterlot, or come and join us... together with Herleif if he proves a valid candidate. Unless you’ve already made a decision, that is.”

Birgir gave her another nod. “I have not. Moving from the city to a ruin in the middle of the forest is probably not a good idea with a pregnant cow, but I might do it once the fawn is born. I don’t know yet though… so I think I will go by your suggestion.”

Star Charmer returned the nod. “Good. I will leave a message for Buck to contact you as soon as possible.”

“Dinner is ready, Master”, they heard Ruby’s voice from the kitchen. 

As they took place at the dinner table, Monolith awoke from his weird meditation ritual to join them, and Ruby began to set the table, serving a kind of hot flatbread with a salad and hummus dip, and a kind of cheesecake. Once she had finished, she took place on a chair next to Birgir.

“Is this a kind of pizza?”, Eadgil inquired.

Ruby smiled. “It’s a dish from my homeland, called a Manakeesh, with Fatoush salad and Knafeh.”

“Ah, right”, Eadgil remembered. “You’re from Saddle-Arabia, right?” Ruby gave him a nod in response.  

“This is really good”, Star Charmer said, digging into it.

They spent the rest of the evening with eating, drinking and meaningless chit-chat. Eventually, Eadgil decided that it would be time for them to leave, as they had to travel to Ponyville and then back to the castle the next day. They eventually bid their farewells, and then returned to Eadgil’s old house for the night.
> Chapter 21: A Visit to Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three arrived at the train station twenty minutes early for the train to Ponyville the next morning, and Eadgil decided to pay the train station bookstore a last visit, leaving Monolith and Star Charmer behind at the platform. There weren’t too many other passengers on this particular platform - the train they would be taking to Ponyville was heading to Dodge Junction by way of Ponyville and Appleloosa, and these towns in the far south weren’t exactly the most frequently visited in Equestria. On the other platform, quite a few passengers left the train coming from that direction though - apparently returning from some kind of competition. Making sure no one was looking, Star Charmer grabbed one of the brochures that were on display everywhere, meant to inform stallions about the new train refits and the company policy associated with them. While going through it, her face became increasingly worried.

When Eadgil returned, Star Charmer looked up to him from her kneeling position. “Master…”, she said in feigned submission, again trying to not draw attention.

“What is it, Star?”, Eadgil asked, looking down at her.

“You found what you were looking for, Master?”, she said while also innocuously handing him the brochure.

Eadgil nodded. “I have. What’s this?” He took the brochure and began to skim through it. “Oh”, he said. Then he said nothing for a while.

“Master…?”, Star Charmer eventually asked.

“Looks like we have a problem”, Eadgil said in a tone indicating that he knew this was the understatement of the century.

“What is it?”, the Mimiga asked.

Eadgil handed him the brochure. “See for yourself.”

The Mimiga skimmed through the brochure, then handed it back to Eadgil, saying nothing.

“You see?”, Eadgil asked.

“Yes”, the Mimiga replied.

The trains had apparently gone through a thorough refit, but not for practical purposes. Instead, they had been equipped with bondage gear that was about as far away from the definition of safety as a swarm of raging dragons was from the definition of calmness. The seats for the stallions were now further away from each other, leaving places for mares to kneel on the floor, strapped onto dildoes that vibrated with the movement of the train. The only alternatives for this were either to keep them chained to the ceiling, although on adjustable chains that could be lowered down to the stallion’s seat to give him easy access - or to keep them stowed away with the luggage, probably chained up in some rather unsafe ways as well.

“I mean it’s not that bad”, Star Charmer pondered. “We could use the ceiling chains and then keep me lowered and sitting in your lap for the duration of the ride…”

But Eadgil had already stormed off and into the direction of a station personnel.

“Are you serious about this?”, she heard him say as she moved in his direction, the Mimiga moving alongside her.

“It’s official KabooseCorp policy”, the stallion he was talking to assured him.

“Is it also company policy to compensate me for damages caused to my property during a train ride?”, Eadgil asked. A few stallions waiting for the same train had gathered around them now, wondering what the fuss was.

“You take KabooseCorp trains on your own risk”, the stallion replied.

“You do realize that that’s actually unlawful?”, Eadgil asked, then turning his face to the stallions surrounding him. “KabooseCorp probably bets on stallions not knowing their rights.”

“Please stop making a commotion or you’ll be removed from the train station”, the stallion replied.

Eadgil took a step closer to the stallion.

“Look… I know you’re just doing your job here, but do you know who I am?”

The stallion took a step back now, visibly getting insecure. “I... do not… sir”, he replied.

“I am the Magistrate of Everfree and a personal friend of Councilman Vestri.” He pulled out the summoning letter he had gotten from Vestri and handed it to the stallion. “In fact, I came to Canterlot on his orders to speak with him about important political matters, and surely not to have my property damaged by out of the question corporate policies. This has ramifications for the future. As you can see, I have just been appointed as handler of a state-owned mare the government deems important. She is not with me yet, we’re only on our way to Ponyville to fetch her - but I have to take her to Canterlot later this year for various events. Would you please tell me how I am supposed to explain exposing her to such risks to Vestri in the future?”

“You can apply for special accomodations for state-owned mares the government deems important”, the stallion replied. “I’ve heard KabooseCorp had such an application only recently, and from what I know, it was passed with little bureaucratic effort.”

“Well, I’m not willing to put my own private property at risk either…” Eadgil looked around. “And I’m pretty sure most of my fellow males here also aren’t. Not everyone of them seems wealthy enough to replace damaged property out of their own pockets that easily either.” A few stallions confirmed with fierce nods. Eadgil continued unfazed. “I’m more than willing to take this matter to the council directly, and I am influential enough to do so. I do wonder if Mr. Kaboose has an interest in having his… ‘creative choices’… thoroughly reevaluated.”

“Look… I really can’t decide this…”, the stallion stuttered.

Eadgil turned around to the other stallions. “You heard the stallion: the company will not compensate you for damages caused to your property, and it seems the company won’t budge on its policy either. I recommend that everyone of you who hasn’t bought a ticket yet to use other means of transportation if at all possible.” A few stallions nodded, and he continued. “And to those of you who - just like myself - don’t have that option, I recommend using the ceiling chains and then lowering the mares down to sit in your lap for the duration of the train ride. It is a measure fully in line with corporate policy...”

Realizing only a second too late what that suggestion implied when made to stallions under the influence of the king’s mind-control, he bit his lip. “It’s not ideal by a long shot, and you still need to be careful to avoid damage to your property, but it’s better than the alternative. Furthermore, to anyone whose property does happen to suffer damage from this, I recommend getting at least three witnesses to confirm the event and a thorough medical examination afterwards. In the long run, Mr. Kaboose will probably have to commission another refit of these things unless he wants to lose a lot of customers… and face a lot of lawsuits that he might be able to delay for a while, but that he cannot possibly win.” He turned his face back to the station personnel. “Trust me, I know what I’m talking about. They wouldn’t have made me a Magistrate if I didn’t have penetrative knowledge of the law… particularly property laws.” 

Star Charmer couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Eadgil cast a fierce glance in her direction - followed by a small, barely noticeable smirk.

“If you ask me, privatizing such a vital part of Equestria’s transportation infrastructure was a mistake to begin with”, he continued, turning to the surrounding stallions again. “Particularly given the fact that it’s pretty much a natural monopoly. And I will bring that up with Councilman Vestri at an appropriate time. But for now, what’s done is done. For the time being, each of you should make sure to minimize the risk to your own property, and to get sufficient evidence in case damages should occur.” He smirked. “I think we can do this poor stallion a favor and disperse now.”

The stallions stood there for a moment, staring at him, or more appropriately, through him. Then they dispersed.

Eadgil then turned around to the station personnel, now smiling. “I’m sorry. I of course realize that none of this is your fault, you only work here. I pretty much used you as a means to an end to get the other stallions’ attention, and for that, I apologize. You should bring up what I’ve said here with your superiors, though. I’m sure they want to hear what a caribou and government official had to say about this.”

“Sir…”, the stallion muttered, completely dumbfounded by this seemingly one-eighty turn.

Eadgil reached into his pocket and pulled out something, then grabbed the stallion’s hand and pushed the object into it. “Here’s a little something for you as compensation.” Moving a step closer, he whispered something into the stallion’s ear.

He then turned around without a word and marched towards the arriving train - leaving the poor stallion behind, staring at him with his mouth agape.

“What did you give him?”, Star Charmer asked as they stepped into the train. 

“What do you think?” Eadgil smirked. “A tourmaline amulet, of course. Told him to wear it directly on the skin.”

Star Charmer giggled, and as they entered the cabin, Eadgil gave the Mimiga a sign to take place, then lowered the ceiling chains, chained Star Charmer to them, and then took place, maneuvering her into his lap in the same movement.

“Master”, Star Charmer said silently. With three other stallions in the same cabin, she still didn’t want to draw attention. “What did you buy in the bookstore?”

“Two books that will soon be out of print… probably permanently”, Eadgil said. “In fact, I bought two copies of each, because I like redundancy when it comes to rare goods.”

“Brush Stroke’s play, I presume”, Star Charmer whispered, gaining a nod from Eadgil. “And the other one…?”, she asked.

Eadgil smiled. “The source material, of course. In fact, I was going to read it during our train ride.” He pulled out a small pocket book and opened it in front of her.

The train began to roll… but then suddenly stopped dead in its tracks again.

Only seconds later, a voice was heard from the loudspeakers.

“The train is currently facing technical difficulties preventing departure. We apologize for the inconvenience, and will resume our course as soon as we’ve fixed the issue.” 

Eadgil facepalmed.

Three hours later, the train finally moved out of the station.





Magistrate Gunne sat at his desk doing paperwork, his sister kneeling beside him, pleasuring herself on a dildo, and his black collar mare doing minor chores in another corner of the room. He was pretty pleased with himself. He had just returned from Appleloosa, and his plan to get the Apple mare to take the red collar had been successful. He was sure he had spared his only friend in this wretched town a lot of further trouble, and his king had taken note of his success. The thought made him blush a little, but he was not all-out happy. Returning home, he had found a two days old letter from Councilman Vestri, informing him that the investigation regarding Thungrox’ murder was officially closed, that responsibility for the warbeast farm would pass to him, and that the yellow pegasus would be given to someone else. He did not mind the latter - he had never been interested in pony females - but the former two points bothered him. He was still not convinced the accounts of the diamond dogs had really been mere mad ramblings, and he would have gone to Canterlot and interrogated them personally if he had the time. He had more important things to do though. With the warbeast farm now his responsibility, and him having little knowledge of warbeast keeping, he had to find a replacement for Thungrox - and one for the yellow pegasus as well, since judging from his observation, her body had been an excellent tool for keeping the huge creatures calm and content. He had rarely ever seen them take her, but her mere presence and attention seemed to calm them.

He skimmed through the file. “Tree Hugger, hmm…”, he mumbled, more to himself, when he heard three consecutive knocks on his door.

He briefly rubbed his temples. “Come in!”, he yelled. “The door is open.”

He had expected a Ponyville inhabitant, coming to him with yet another petty concern. He was surprised when the door opened and a well-dressed member of his own species entered, followed by a mare on a leash crawling behind him, as well as a… small creature unknown to him, most of its face covered by the hood of the long robe it was wearing. Taking a closer look, it seemed to be canine to him. For a moment, his mind went into high alert - but then he realized that it only very vaguely resembled a diamond dog, but was too small to be one. From its looks, he had little reason to consider it a danger to him or anyone else.

The stag approached him, and Gunne rose up.

“Magistrate Gunne?”, the stag asked.

Gunne nodded. “That I am. May I ask who you are?”

“My name is Eadgil, Magistrate of a new caribou colony in Everfree”, the other caribou introduced himself. “We’ve actually met before once or twice, but I figured you wouldn’t remember. I used to be Captain of Lord Vestri’s personal guard.”

Gunne looked up and examined the other stag. “Yes, I believe I remember”, he said coldly.

The other stag continued unfazed and in an eerily cheerful voice. “Councilman Vestri has appointed me as handler of a yellow pegasus mare currently living here in Ponyville. I understand her owner was recently murdered. My companion and I are here to fetch her.”

Gunne nodded. “May I ask who your companion is?”

“He’s my bodyguard”, the other stag replied. “A canine from a land far south of here.”

Gunne raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t look much like a bodyguard. A canine, you say? If he is a diamond dog, I really hope he isn’t involved in this entire affair.”

“You mean beyond being my bodyguard?”, Eadgil asked. “I doubt it. From what I heard about the time of Thungrox’ death, he was already with us in Everfree.”

The Mimiga furred his brows, but remained silent.

Gunne seemed unconvinced. For a moment, he remembered the diamond dogs’ mutterings about a white demon - but since he had nothing else to go on and no way to test or confirm any kind of suspicion, he decided to let it rest for now. “If you say so…”, he muttered. “Let’s just do the paperwork and then I will lead you to the mare.”

The other stag nodded, and handed him Councilman Vestri’s orders for the transfer of handlership. Gunne looked at it inquisitively, then handed it back to the other stag.

“The papers seem to be in order. Unless you have something else to discuss… we can go whenever you are ready.”

Eadgil nodded, and they left the building through the main entrance. “Nice little town you have here”, he started an attempt at smalltalk, much to Gunne’s displeasure. “Very clean, I must say. I mean I just came from Canterlot, and it’s a mess. The streets are dirty, and the stallions can’t keep their dicks in their pants for just a second. It’s not as idyllic as my little place in the forest, but it’s not the worst place to live.”

“Have you ever been all alone among ponies?”, Gunne asked coldly.

Eadgil shook his head. “No, but I have been all alone among our own people”, he replied.

Gunne stopped walking and looked at him. 

The other stag turned around. “Gunne, I know about you and your sister, of course”, he said. “I just want you to know that I neither believe in nor care about such things as prophecies. I would like you to see me as an ally, not an enemy.”

Gunne glared at him for a moment. “Let’s just move on”, he eventually said coldly.

“A Prophet who does not believe in prophecy”, the canine creature muttered thoughtfully. Gunne wondered what he meant by that, but he wasn’t in the mood to inquire further. He decided to just assume it was just some weird canine superstition.

They arrived at the warbeast farm, where the yellow pegasus was still doing her daily chores, although the death of her Master seemed to have depressed her a bit - which was to be expected from a proper, well-trained red collar like her. When she saw them approach, she sank to her knees and then bowed down her head to the ground. “Master Gunne”, she spoke. “This mare welcomes you and your guests.”

“Sit up, mare!”, Gunne commanded, and the pegasus assumed an upright kneeling position, her eyes cast down, her legs spread and her hands resting on her thighs.

Gunne walked around her, looking down at her from all sides. He had no interest in her, but he knew a cold, mustering glance from all sides was just as suited to keeping a well-trained mare in her place as any threatening posture. “The council has decided to pass handlership of you to another stag”, he informed her.

“Has the council found someone for the warbeast farm?”, the mare inquired.

“Not yet”, Gunne replied. “Your new handler will not take over the farm. He is the Magistrate of a new colony of caribou in Everfree. You will follow him there, and obey him just as well as you obeyed me or Master Thungrox.”

The yellow mare seemed to hesitate, and apparently wanted to say something. She cast a glance over to the grazing warbeasts.

“What is it?”, Gunne asked harshly.

“Nothing, Master”, the mare replied, casting down her eyes again. “I will do as you say.”

“I expect a more prompt reaction to commands”, Gunne said harshly.

“This mare is sorry”, she replied. “She requests proper punishment.”

“It’s fine, Gunne”, Eadgil tried to appease. “Really, I’m not offended.”

“You should know just as well as I do that it’s important to keep females obedient!”, Gunne snapped.

Eadgil smirked. “Have you recently looked at the black to red conversion rates for Everfree?”, he asked, knowing full well that he had sent the council completely made-up figures - realistic enough to be believable, but still a good bit above average. Since he as a magistrate had the right to approve of requests for the red collar, and Freeville didn’t have any cases considered problematic or particularly important that would have required the king’s or council’s specific approval, there was little chance that he would be found out.

“I have not”, Gunne admitted. “Nor do I care.”

Eadgil nodded. “Fair enough. I think you can leave now. We will handle it from here.” 

He approached the yellow pegasus, knowing he had to find a way to test if she was just faking. If she wasn’t, she might prove to be a buttload of trouble. “It seems I have been appointed as your new handler, Fluttershy.”

As the caribou approached her, she once again bowed down her head, then planted a kiss on each of his hooves. “Welcome, Master. This mare is ready to follow you.”

Eadgil sighed. It seemed the mare he had been given was thoroughly brainwashed. This could prove to be a problem. “You may sit upright.”

The mare assumed her former position once more.

“Please allow me to introduce you to my companions as well”, Eadgil said politely. 

“This mare does not believe she deserves such politeness, Master”, Fluttershy replied shyly.

Eadgil rubbed his temples. This would be trouble, he just knew it. “No”, he said calmly. “But I choose to give it. Now let me introduce you to my companions. The mare by my side is Star Charmer… my mare.”

Fluttershy shyly looked up to the mare on all fours at her new handler’s side, who gave her a cheerful smile. “Hello, Fluttershy”, she said. “Happy to meet you. I’m sure the two of us will be friends in no time.”

“And my other companion is my bodyguard. He comes from a faraway land to the south. We call him Monolith… or Mono for short”

Fluttershy paused for a moment. Why had this stag introduced his other slave first, and another male only later? “Master…”, she began.

“What is it?”, Eadgil inquired.

“Nothing, Master. I apologize for stealing your time. I welcome you as well, Master Monolith”, the mare replied, not looking up to the other creature.

The Mimiga cast Eadgil a questioning glance. “Why is that one not looking at this one while talking to it?”, he asked.

Eadgil chuckled a little. “I think she’s just shy. Go on, Fluttershy. I want you to know what your new Master and his friends look like… and not just the mares.”

The pegasus shyly raised her eyes and looked at the stag above her, giving him a soft smile. 

Then, her eyes turned to the creature that had been introduced to her as Monolith. Suddenly, life came into her body, and she crawled towards him, continuing to look up to him - not submissively like she had become used to, but with a curiosity she remembered from times that seemed long gone.

“You’re canine, aren’t you, sir?”, she asked, giggling softly. “Are you a diamond dog?”

“This one is a Mimiga”, the creature replied in his usual monotone.

“Mimiga”, Fluttershy replied thoughtfully. “Maybe a subspecies…?” She giggled. “A mare like me really shouldn’t use such fancy words. I’m sure I got it wrong, didn’t I?”

Eadgil shrugged. “We’re not sure what he is, actually.”

“I’m sure I got it wrong”, Fluttershy insisted, still looking up to the strange creature. “But you are canine, right?”

“This one is canine”, the Mimiga confirmed.

“Oooh”, Fluttershy sighed softly. “I wonder if you have a knot.”

“Knot?”, the Mimiga asked. Eadgil came a few steps closer to him and whispered something in his ear.

“Oh”, the Mimiga replied, his cheeks turning slightly red without him noticing. “This one has a knot”, he replied. 

“Wonderful!”, Fluttershy yelped meekly, but enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to feel them inside me, mmmh…”

The Mimiga cast a helpless glance at Eadgil, but the only reply he got from the caribou was him rubbing his own temples. He had seen such gestures quite a few times recently, and they seemed to indicate feelings of annoyance. His mind tried to process what the pegasus had just said. He theoretically knew what she was talking about, but he was unable to find corresponding memories in his mind. This was to be expected, of course. The servants of the Monolith had no use for such thoughts or memories, as time moved differently in the Realm, and the Monolith knew how to find recruits to replenish His ranks. The Mimiga could deal with the theoretical concept, but the fact that his mind was unable to process it being applied to him left him in a difficult cognitive position.

Eadgil looked around. “We really have to think about how to communicate to her what we’re really doing”, he said, looking down at Star Charmer.

“I couldn’t agree more, ‘Master’”, Star Charmer said with an ironic undertone.

Hearing her Master’s voice, Fluttershy immediately turned away from the Mimiga and towards Eadgil, now prostrating herself before him even more. “This mare is sorry!”, she said, her voice sounding as though she was close to tears. “She didn’t know what she was doing! She forgot herself! Her attention should be on her Master at all times, and she shouldn’t bother other males without his and their permission. She knows she deserves punishment and asks for a harsh one.”

“Later”, Eadgil replied in an audibly annoyed voice. “For now, you will accompany us. For better or for worse, you’re with us now.”

“Of course, Master”, Fluttershy replied. “I’m sure it will be for the better… I mean I promise I will better myself, with your guidance, Master.”

“Back to the castle?”, Star Charmer asked casually.

“We have to meet a certain… friend of mine first”, Eadgil replied.

“Huh?”, Star Charmer asked. “Of course! Zecora!”

Eadgil nodded.

“Master, may a mare ask a question?”, Fluttershy asked.

“You want to ask me if she’s allowed to speak”, Eadgil hypothesized. “Yes, and so are you.”

Fluttershy had little time to process this information, as the three others were already moving towards Everfree forest. She followed them on all fours, her head properly lowered - barely even noticing that her new friend had stood up and was now walking on her hind legs beside her Master, who seemed to take no offense. In her mind, she knew he should take offense to this, but not only did she not dare to call him out, her mind was also too focused on keeping up with them to question it.

“Ugh, at this pace, we’re never gonna get back home”, Star Charmer muttered, looking back at her.

“You think I should allow her to walk on two legs?”, Eadgil asked. “We’re still pretty close to Ponyville, what if she causes a scene?”

“You just asked me for my opinion in front of her”, Star Charmer pointed out. “If she was to cause a scene, she would already be doing it. Honestly though… I don’t get this mare.”

Fluttershy stopped and sank her face to the ground. She had been given to a madman, she thought… but he was still her Master. No, she must be wrong about that thought. There couldn’t possibly be something wrong with a Master. She was sure there was something wrong with her… but what? All of this felt so terribly wrong… but a mare like her should accept her Master’s quirks. She knew she wouldn’t be able to understand her Master, make her own judgments, or - even worse - her own decisions.

She remembered making decisions, of course - in the time before the caribou came and freed her. She remembered making the choice to move to Ponyville and live close to the ground instead of returning to Cloudsdale, for example. But that didn’t mean she should have made them by herself. Circumstance had put her in a situation alienated from her true nature…

She remembered how terribly she had failed to protect her friends in Canterlot when the caribou came and liberated it - and how Lord Hrathr had gently consoled her with harsh punishments, and by assuring her that it was her nature to fail without male guidance, and her destiny to submit to her male Masters… whoever they might end up being, whatever they might demand of her. That memory always reassured her of her place.

...Seeing that all other attempts had gone nowhere, Eadgil rubbed his temples. Turning around, he addressed Fluttershy harshly. “Stand up!”, he commanded.

Fluttershy was on her hind legs in seconds, her arms folded behind her back and her breasts properly stretched out.

“You can walk on your hind legs?”, Eadgil asked.

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, Master… but…”

“No butts”, Eadgil said harshly. “Star Charmer and I will go ahead”, he decided. 

He took her leash and turned to Monolith, handing it to her. “Monolith, you’ll take care of her. Make sure she follows you, and inform me if she doesn’t.” The Mimiga gave him a nod, and he turned back to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, you will keep following him on your legs, or I’ll pick you up and carry you. I would prefer not to, but your choice.”

Fluttershy blinked. Her… choice? Had he really just said that?

She blinked once more. No, that couldn’t be. It was a threat, for sure. He had just given her an order, and he seemed to think of being carried as a punishment. After all, it was not the first time a Master had used the word ‘choice’ to remind her of the only alternatives of compliance or punishment - the only alternatives ever given to a lowly mare like her.

Weakly, she followed the three on her hind legs as they marched towards the forest.

“Ancestors, how I’ve come to hate having to play this role…”, Eadgil muttered to himself.

“I didn’t hear you complain last night!”, Star Charmer said in a mocking tone.

Eadgil paused, smiling a little. “Oh, shut up!”

Star Charmer gave him a wide, devious smile. “Make me!”, she replied, immediately rushing ahead of them towards Everfree - the stag following her only a second later.

Fluttershy felt like her brain was folding back on itself - a clear indication that this was something her tiny mare mind wasn’t meant to comprehend, and that she should focus on the orders given by her Master. For the rest of the way, she just stumbled behind the small canine, doing her best to keep up. He didn't make it easy for her to follow him, but she figured it shouldn't be.

She had to admit though, the view of him from behind was an incentive.





When Eadgil caught up with Star Charmer, they had already gotten a good bit into the forest. He playfully grabbed her and gently pressed her against a tree.

“So how do you plan to make me shut up?”, Star Charmer inquired, giggling.

“I don’t know if I want to”, Eadgil smirked, putting his finger under her chin and looking her in the eyes. “I think I’d rather make you moan.”

Star Charmer bit her lip. “What about Mono and Fluttershy?”, she asked.

“We were a good bit faster than them”, Eadgil said calmly. “It’ll take them a few minutes to get here. Enough time for a quickie. We can do more once we’re back at the castle.” His right hand moved down from her chin and towards her right breast.

“Who’s there?”, they suddenly heard a voice behind them. Eadgil took a step back and turned around, his eyes falling on Hirthir, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

“Magistrate!”, he saluted. “My apologies for the interruption. Feel free to continue.”

“No, thank you”, Eadgil replied. “I don’t like to… ‘perform’ in front of spectators.”

“Not a type for orgies, huh?”, Hirthir asked. “Wait… I knew that. Did I know that?”

Eadgil shrugged. “Actually, I was just having some fun with my mare while waiting for my bodyguard to arrive with another mare we just fetched from Ponyville”, Eadgil replied. “He shouldn’t be too far behind us. We were actually on our way to you.”

“Me?”, Hirthir asked. “What gives me the honor?”

“Orders from Councilman Vestri”, Eadgil replied. “But that has time until we get to your house. You might want to be able to take a seat.”

“Oh”, Hirthir remarked, letting his shoulders hang almost in defeat. “That bad?”

“I don’t know, actually”, Eadgil said. “I got new orders for you rolled up and sealed, and I haven’t looked at them.” A second later, he spotted Monolith approaching from the other direction with Fluttershy in tow. “Ah, there’s my bodyguard with the other mare.”

Hirthir turned to them as well, taking a closer look at the Mimiga. “Huh”, he remarked. “He’s an odd one. Not a pony or caribou, hmmm…”

“He’s canine”, Eadgil informed him. “Calls himself a ‘Mimiga’ and doesn’t seem to have a name. We call him Mono.”

“It is an honor for this one to get to know that one”, the Mimiga gave Hirthir a polite greeting.

“You let your mares walk on their hind legs?”, Hirthir asked, giving the blushing Fluttershy a critical look, then shifting his eyes to Star Charmer, who was still leaning against the tree.

“Sometimes”, Eadgil said. “I wanted to get to your hut quickly.”

Hirthir nodded. “Let’s go.”





They arrived at the hut a good bit later, and Hirthir unlocked the door. Handing Hirthir the sealed parchment with Vestri’s orders for him, Eadgil entered the hut, followed by Mono, then his host himself, and finally the two mares. Inside, Zecora was lying on a pelt, her hands tied behind her back and her leash connected to a pole.

“Get up, lazy cunt!”, Hirthir commanded roughly. “We’ve got guests!”

Zecora nodded and shifted from a lying to a kneeling position, her back straightened and her head lowered.

Hirthir unsealed and unrolled the parchment, read it, then looked up to Eadgil.

“Well, this is generous”, he said. “Do I have you to thank for this?”

Eadgil smirked. “I have no idea. What did he give you? I mean I know what he gave me…”

“A well-paid job and an empty little house in Canterlot”, Hirthir replied. “With a salary high enough to support maybe two or three does. I’ll finally get out of this dead end, and the only thing I have to give up for it is that useless zebra.” He cast Zecora a disdainful glance.

“I assume he’s going to let you work for that?”, Eadgil asked.

Hirthir shook his head. “Kind of. It doesn’t sound like the easiest of jobs, but it’s still definitely overpaid. Once again, do I have to thank you for this?”

“Kind of”, Eadgil replied. “Honestly, I just wanted the zebra with me and you out of my forest. I did ask the Councilman if he could give you something better than you have now though. I have not forgotten what I promised you, Hirthir.”

Hirthir took a step closer, and then suddenly pulled Eadgil into an embrace. “Thank you, sir”, he said. “You’re the first to give me a chance at something better.”

“Uh… you’re welcome, I guess”, Eadgil replied.

Hirthir let go again. “My apologies, Magistrate. I let myself go.”

“It’s fine”, the other stag replied. “I’m primarily here to fetch… the zebra, of course.”

Hirthir walked over to the zebra and removed the leash from its connection to the pole. “Stand up, striped cunt!”, he ordered, looking down at the zebra mare. Zecora complied, not saying a word.

He then walked over to Eadgil and handed him the leash. “Here you go, Magistrate”, he said. “And thanks again. Can I offer you anything?”

Eadgil shook his head. “No, thank you, We need to get back to the castle immediately. That would be all.”

Hirthir nodded. “Once again, thank you.”

Eadgil returned the nod, then led Zecora out of the hut, followed by Monolith and the other two mares. Once they’ve gotten far enough away from the hut, to the point where it was both out of sight and out of earshot, he untied the zebra’s hands. Rubbing her palms, she turned around, looking at him. “So you finally did it”, she said. “Don’t worry, I still remember. I’m going to abstain from rhyming in your presence. I thank you.”

Eadgil was thankful that she seemed to remember his weird, inexplicable negative reaction to her rhyming. The last thing he needed right now was a panic attack. 

He nodded. “Yeah, those orders from Vestri appoint me as your handler. I don’t forget a promise I made. We’ll take care of your collar and then see if we can find something for you to wear as soon as we reach the castle.” Speaking these words, he heard a harrumphing sound coming from behind him. He turned around and noticed that Monolith and the other two mares had caught up with him.

When he looked at Fluttershy, the mare blushed and looked away.

“This one believes the Fluttershy one wishes to say something”, Monolith remarked, still holding her leash. Eadgil wondered if he had held on to it the entire time.

Eadgil’s eyes turned back to Fluttershy. “Is that true, mare?” The mare nodded weakly.

“Well, then speak!”, he commanded. “I told you you could, remember?”

“Master… what did you mean when you said you’d take care of that mare’s collar and… find something for her to wear?”, Fluttershy asked.

Eadgil took a deep breath. Fluttershy had to be a fake red, he thought. She probably just waited for the right moment, or wasn’t sure yet if she could trust them. If she was a genuine collaborator, she would have caused a scene, tried to rebel or to run away far earlier, and probably close to Ponyville. But even if she was, here in the forest, it would be far easier to restrain her if she caused a problem than it would have been back there. She also hadn’t taken the opportunity to point their weird behavior to Hirthir either.

“Exactly what I said, Fluttershy”, Eadgil explained calmly. “I’m gonna take off her collar, and then we’ll find clothing for her. And then I’m gonna do the same for you.”

The Mimiga, seemingly keeping an eye on the mare’s body language and physical reactions, moved behind her just in time to catch her as she suddenly sank backwards. Meanwhile, Eadgil just stood there, completely dumbfounded by this sudden, strong physical reaction.

“What in the name of my father and my father’s father just happened?”, he eventually muttered, staring at the Mimiga holding the yellow pegasus’ body in his arms.

“This one believes that one just fainted”, the Mimiga replied.

Zecora knelt down beside them, looking at Fluttershy. “I believe this is a psychosomatic reaction”, she diagnosed. “I am pretty certain I can brew something to calm her down once we’re at your castle. For now, it seems she needs to be carried.” 

Eadgil let out a brief sigh.

Meanwhile, Zecora’s eyes went up from Fluttershy and onto the Mimiga’s.

“You are a Mimiga”, she said matter-of-factly. The Mimiga replied with a nod.

With him holding Fluttershy in both hands, and thus being unable to do anything about it, Zecora took the chance to take off the hood of his robe - noticing the mark on his forehead.

“You are a servant of the Monolith”, the zebra observed.

“This one is, yes”, the Mimiga confirmed.

The zebra turned to Eadgil. “How did you get in contact with a servant of the Monolith?”, she asked. “What is your business with the Monolith?”

Eadgil shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t even know who this Monolith is. The guy just appeared at the castle one day, asked for a stag with a specific tattoo on the back of his left hand, and well…” He raised his hand, showing her his own mark. “He then told me I was some kind of prophet, and that the Monolith had sent him to protect and obey me. And… he seems mentally incapable of disobeying an order I give him.”

The Mimiga nodded. “That is correct.”

“Let me see this!”, Zecora commanded, pointing at Eadgil’s left hand. The caribou stretched out his left hand to let the zebra take a closer look at it. “This does not look like any symbol associated with the Monolith. I’m not sure how to place it, to be honest. How did you get this?”

“I didn’t have it made”, Eadgil replied. “And I’ve never seen this symbol either. It just appeared on my hand one day… after a nightmare, shortly before I got the idea to found the community here in Everfree.”

“An odd story, indeed”, Zecora said, her voice betraying more than a little bit of doubt. “Very well… we will get to the bottom of this later, I am sure of it. For now, let us return to the castle, so I can get something to put on. Then, I will make something to wake Fluttershy and calm her down.”

Eadgil sighed, then picked up Fluttershy from Monolith’s arms. “Sounds good to me. Let’s get going.”
> Chapter 22: A Mare's Confusion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes.

Looking around, she found herself lying on a bed. Her new Master was sitting beside her, looking at her with what she thought to be concern. What an odd and unusual expression on a proud caribou male, particularly directed at a being of so little importance as herself. She was happy to be given to another caribou and not a stallion, but something about her new Master seemed very off.

Around him stood others, all looking down at her with similar expressions of concern. All those eyes resting on her made her feel uneasy. She noticed three other females, and another caribou standing close to her bed, similarly looking down on her with concern on his face. Not mustering them more closely on the first look, her eyes eventually fell on the small, canine creature she had already been acquainted to, standing in a corner next to the door.

Her heart made a little jump. He was the only male in the room not staring at her, instead looking past her, seemingly at an indeterminate point behind her. Even with two caribou males in the room, this foreigner was currently acting more like a proper male than either of them.

Fluttershy blinked, looking at her Master. “What happened?” She asked. “Where am I… Master?”

“You fainted,” her new handler replied. “We carried you here to the castle, to safety.”

Fluttershy blushed, casting her eyes down. “I apologize, Master. I guess now I know what Rarity must be feeling all the times she faints… I hope I didn’t cause Master any trouble.”

“Looks like she’s coming to,” she heard a rough, female voice chuckling, and immediately identified a grey, female unicorn standing behind her Master as its source. The mare’s horn was properly cut, but taking a closer look at her face gave Fluttershy chills - not only did the cut horn look somehow… wrong, she also got the eerie feeling that the mare was older than she looked like. This was the first time she started paying attention to any of the females in the room. Looking at the others, she immediately recognized Zecora, who was standing next to the grey-coated unicorn. A third female, a teal green pegasus mare, was standing a bit further away from her bed, though close to the second, yet unidentified caribou male.

To Fluttershy’s shock, she realized that all the females present were wearing clothes and no collars. Almost instinctively, she reached to her own neck to feel her collar, noticing in horror that it was gone. Panic in her eyes, she immediately sat up in bed, staring at her Master.

“Master…” She asked fearfully. “What’s going on?”

Her Master gave her a friendly smile. “You’re safe here, Fluttershy,” he repeated. “I promise. We’re all friends.”

We’re… what now???

“M… may I… ask wh… where my collar is?” Fluttershy asked silently, with a hint of panic in her voice. “I mean umm… if… you’ve decided that I’m not deserving of the red collar, and wish to replace it, I will bow to my Master’s will.”

The others in the room looked at each other, the green pegasus casting her a harsh, disapproving glance.

“Uh… we don’t really use those here… at least not unless we have guests,” her new handler replied.

The yellow mare’s fear rose even further as she heard this, instinctively moving further towards the wall and the corner of her bed, away from everyone else. She really hoped her Master would not disapprove of her display of insecurity, but she felt like she was losing grasp on what was going on. She hadn’t felt such insecurity since the caribou had liberated her and all of Equestria from the errors of her old world and brought her enlightenment, but what she saw here seemed to go against everything they had taught her. Of course, as a female, she could not possibly hope to understand her Master’s thoughts, his plans and intentions. Her place was to serve and obey, not to question. She still hoped her Master would give her something to hold on to.

“We can provide you with a simple leather collar that you can put on and take off by yourself if you feel... naked without one,” her new Master smirked.

“Speaking of, she also needs clothing,” the teal green-ish pegasus said in an authoritative voice. “She can’t run around the mares’ quarters in the nude."

Fluttershy’s new handler gave the pegasus a brief look and nodded. “I’ve already told Star Charmer to fetch a selection for her to choose from. I’m sure she’ll join us here soon.”

“Good,” the pegasus nodded approvingly.

Hearing this, Fluttershy’s eyes widened in shock. “Clothes, Master?,” she asked. “Wh… why is that mare speaking out of line? Why do… you want me to wear clothes? I… isn’t that… improper?” 

She wanted to say ‘illegal’, but her mind decided against accusing a Master of committing a crime. Thousand questions swirled through her head though, and she felt almost more lost than after the liberation of Canterlot, in the weeks when Master Hrathr had first enlightened her about her place.

“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but we handle things a bit differently here,” her Master replied slowly. “Mares are free beings here.”

Fluttershy’s head began to spin and swirl, and she felt close to fainting again, or to falling into a full panic attack. She almost feared she would start to hallucinate again, like she did sometimes. It was probably female weakness, but she felt incapable of processing the situation appropriately. For a moment, she almost wondered if her new Master was insane - but she quickly remembered that it wasn’t her place to make such judgments, particularly not considering Master Vestri himself had authorized him as her new handler, probably with Master Hrathr’s or even the king’s knowledge and approval, so considering him mad would amount to declaring them mad as well, or at best neglectful and incompetent, and that thought would have shaken her world view even more than the thought of stags creating a place where they played slightly different games with their possessions than in the rest of Equestria - even if these games seemed illegal by her shallow understanding of their own laws. This odd train of thought made her certain that she was out of her depth making any such judgments about the situation, and that there was a logical explanation for everything that her tiny female brain simply couldn’t comprehend - but it amplified her sense of being completely lost even more. For the first time since Canterlot, she felt like she didn’t understand the world anymore.

She involuntarily giggled a little to herself. Female weakness, of course. Master Hrathr had taught her everything about that.

Her Master turned around to the others. “Would you mind leaving us? I wish to talk to Fluttershy alone.”

The grey unicorn and Zecora nodded, while the teal pegasus let out a huff. “I am not happy with this,'' she replied.

“We all aren’t, Spring Breeze,” Master Ari countered. “This is an immensely difficult situation for all of us, including her. I just think being alone with her new handler will make her feel more comfortable.”

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about,'' the teal pegasus replied, and for a moment, it seemed like she wanted to start a staring contest with Master Ari - one Fluttershy was sure she would have lost, of course.

“I’m not happy with this either, but I think he might have a point,'' the grey unicorn intervened. “Normally, I would want to stay as well, both for therapeutic reasons and out of my usual morbid scientific curiosity,” she smirked. “But we can talk about satisfying that later. For now, this mare needs an environment of as little stress as possible.”

The green pegasus huffed again. “Fine. I need to call the community for the extraordinary plenum meeting anyway.” She looked at the huge caribou standing beside her. “Come, Baldr,'' she said in an almost commanding voice, confusing Fluttershy even further. She then hastily left the room, the caribou following her. Zecora and the unicorn similarly moved towards the door and then left only moments later.

The canine, standing right next to the door, didn’t move an inch.

“You too, Monolith,” her new Master addressed him.

“This one will leave if the Prophet insists,'' the creature replied. “But it wishes to articulate concerns about compromising the Prophet’s safety by leaving it alone with one apparently loyal to the regime of the ones who are enemies of the Prophet.”

“Are you serious?”, the caribou asked, earning a robotic nod from the canine creature. “I really don’t think Fluttershy poses a threat to me,” Eadgil added, noticing his bodyguard’s reaction - but the canine still didn’t move an inch.

“It’s fine, Master”, Fluttershy whispered spontaneously. “I… really don’t mind him staying.” 

A moment later, she bit her lip and looked away shyly, waiting for punishment, or at least a command to apologize for speaking out of turn - which never came.

Her handler smiled. “If he doesn’t make you nervous, he can stay.”

Fluttershy blinked. “Why do you… care for my feelings?”, she asked.

“Because in my experience…” Her Master took a deep breath, “...It’s really hard to talk sense into people who are confused and nervous, let alone frightened.”

“P… people?”, Fluttershy stuttered.

Master Ari did not bother to respond, and instead just smiled, staring at the wall behind her. She was glad his eyes weren’t on her anymore. A mare should not be the center of her Master’s attention, she knew.

A thought occurred to her. She remembered what he had said about mares being free here. It was a silly notion, of course, but maybe it gave her a way out of this confusing mess and back into the safe realms of sanity. “Master… you said mares are free here…”, she began.

Master Ari slowly nodded without looking at her. “Yes, that is what I said”, he confirmed.

“Does that mean I could… leave here?”, she asked. “Go back to Ponyville to Master Gunne? Or to Canterlot… to Master Hrathr.”

“Thank you for bringing up that topic”, Master Ari replied, “Otherwise, I would have had to bring it up myself, and I wasn’t sure how. As far as we are concerned, yes, you may leave at any time, and go wherever you want.”

For some reason, Fluttershy began to suspect that her Master was not entirely honest about this - but she chose not to interrupt him, as that would have been improper.

“The… Masters you just mentioned don’t really see it like that though,” he continued.

Fluttershy huffed a little. Of course they wouldn’t see it that way.

Master Ari didn’t seem to take notice. “As far as they are concerned, I’m your official, appointed handler, and if you left here, they’d just return you to me, whether you wanted to or not.” He looked down at her with a harsh expression, one far more suited to the face of a Master when speaking with a lowly female. He continued. “I’m also not some random stallion diagnosed with mental issues either. If you told them about what you saw and heard here in the hopes of getting a different handler, they would likely torture you to insanity and then put a purple collar around your neck for slandering a Magistrate and a personal friend of Councilman Vestri. I doubt they’d even bother to investigate - but even if they did, they wouldn’t find anything. They would then just leave it to me to punish you, which is something I would prefer to avoid. You going back to Ponyville or Canterlot would at best be pointless and at worst…” He stared her in the eyes. “...Disappointing,” he continued. “For both of us.”

“So I’m not free,” Fluttershy concluded, visibly relaxing.

“I guess not.” The caribou shrugged. “Blame the circumstances.”

Fluttershy blushed and looked down. “Please forgive me for my presumption. I didn’t realize you were an acquaintance of Master Vestri. I’m sure he has plans for this community that a feeble female mind cannot begin to grasp.”

“Indeed, he does!” Master Ari smirked. “From what he told me a few days ago, the councilman has given me this castle to restore and rebuild because he wishes to use it as a military base of operations in case of a civil war.”

Fluttershy flinched, a whole new set of worries weaseling their way into her mind. “Why would there be a civil war, Master?” She asked.

“Because the king has no heir”, Master Ari replied. “And I don’t even have count of how many caribou or ponies have some kind of claim to either his titles... or those of the previous rulers. But don’t worry, he is currently healthy and shows no sign of weakness.” 

Fluttershy relaxed, and she giggled softly. “Once again, I apologize, Master. A silly mare like me cannot hope to understand male politics. I will obey and not leave the castle.”

Master Ari sighed, rubbing his temples. “As already mentioned, you will be required to wear clothes in public areas… particularly in the mares’ quarters. You can’t currently go back to your old Masters, or to Equestrian society, for the aforementioned reasons, but aside from that…” He sighed again. “Fluttershy, if you could do anything you wanted with your life, what would it be?”

Fluttershy stared at her Master. “I would look for a Master to submit to… to provide guidance, and to use me how he sees fit, for that is the true purpose of a proper female.”

Master Ari sighed, and the concerned look on his face seemed to make it clear that that wouldn’t quite work. “We… will see what we can do about this. I am… unfortunately too busy to take care of you to the extent apparently required, but maybe I can find somestag to appoint as my representative in this matter.”

“Like an... acting handler?” Fluttershy asked.

“I guess that would be the legal term”, Master Ari replied. “I’m surprised you know it though.”

Fluttershy blushed, smiled a little, and averted her eyes. “This female took a lucky guess, Master.”

Master Ari nodded. “We will see what we can do. But is there anything else we can do for you? What kinds of activities gave you joy in your old life? Before my people arrived here, I mean.”

Fluttershy was surprised that a caribou would ask about her old life, but this stag was strange in a number of ways. “I… liked to be in nature. Surrounded by plants and animals… particularly animals.”

Master Ari nodded. “The forest is open to you, though I would recommend against going alone… for a number of reasons.”

Fluttershy nodded. “The Everfree forest is dangerous, Master.” She giggled softly. “Particularly for a female.”

“You can occasionally join me and my cow on our daily walks if you want to,” Master Ari replied. “Or you can ask Monolith to accompany you,” he added, pointing at the canine in the corner. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind joining you for your safety.”

“As long as no imminent danger for the Prophet comes from this one’s absence from the castle,” the canine nodded. “This one will do so if the Prophet wishes it.”

Fluttershy blushed heavily. “I… would like that, Master.”

Master Ari smiled. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

The door opened, and the teal pegasus mare returned. “Ari, you coming? Plenum is waiting for you.”

Master Ari nodded. “Monolith, would you mind staying here and keeping an eye on Fluttershy?” he asked. Then, he turned to the mare. “I don’t think we need him at the plenum meeting?”

Spring Breeze shook her head. “We don’t have any matters to discuss that directly concern him… or indirectly, as far as I can tell. The guy never says anything or casts a vote anyway.” She shook her head a second time, casting the canine a puzzled glance.

“This one will stay here and watch the yellow pegasus one,” the canine confirmed.

“By the way, Fluttershy…” The teal pegasus then addressed Fluttershy. “Star Charmer will come over in a bit and bring you some clothing. I think she’s making sure to provide you with a selection to choose from. You’ll choose something to wear, and then we’ll give you a room in the mares’ quarters.”

“Um… Master Ari said I could live with a male…” Fluttershy replied shyly.

“Did he now, huh?,” the other pegasus asked. “I think I have to have a word with him, then… but not here. Ari, we’re going now. The others are waiting.”

Master Ari nodded, then stood up and followed her out of the room.

A few minutes passed with neither Fluttershy nor her canine companion saying anything. Fluttershy was normally content with silence, but eventually, she felt the urge to break it.

“M… Master… what was your name again? Monolith was it, right? May I… may I speak?”

“That is what this one is called here in this community, and this one does not see why that one would not.”

Fluttershy’s mind took a moment to dig through the canine’s odd wording. “I… just wanted to tell you that I feel… calm having you around. Comfortable. More so than with the others here, even Master Ari.”

The canine raised an eyebrow. “This one was under the impression that it usually makes others around it feel uncomfortable. At least others who are not also servants of the Monolith.”

“It’s the way you look at me,” Fluttershy explained, blushing. “Or rather, the way you don’t. Having all those people around me… all those eyes only on me… it feels wrong. It makes me nervous. A female shouldn’t be the center of attention like that. But you… you just stare past me, or right through me. Like I’m a piece of furniture. I mean… Master Ari also seems to do that sometimes, Master Gunne as well, but you do it all the time. That’s… how I should be looked at. I’m here to be used, not to be paid attention to, let alone be concerned about.”

“This one looks at every one like that,” the canine pointed out.

Fluttershy couldn’t think of a reply, so she just gave him a shy smile - but the canine continued to stare at a point on the wall behind her.





Spring Breeze opened the door to the main hall and entered, Eadgil following closely behind her. While he took place on a seat in the front row next to Bruna, she went straight ahead to the podium.

“Are we complete?”, the pegasus mare asked.

Eadgil stood up again and took a look around the room. “The stags are all here as far as I can see,” he replied. “Many of the cows... aren’t. I believe most of them still think that plenum meetings are boring and that it’s not really their place being there anyway.”

“Yeah,” Bruna confirmed, giving a demure nod.

“Then it’s fortunate that the things we have to talk about don’t really concern them,” Spring Breeze replied. “It seems the mares are all here. Good, what we have to discuss mostly concerns us. Zecora, would you come up here?”

The zebra mare rose from her seat among the crowd and walked up to the podium.

“First of all, I am honored to welcome a new member of our community,” Spring Breeze continued. “Welcome, Zecora. I hope accommodations have been to your liking so far?”

Zecora smirked. “More than where I used to live before. But overall, yes, thank you.”

A mare in the crowd raised her hand. “What is it?”, Spring Breeze asked.

“I always thought zebra females prefer to speak in rhymes?”, the mare asked.

“We usually do, yes,” Zecora replied. “It has come to my attention that it causes negative emotional reactions in Eadgil as well as my former owner, and while I wish to conduct tests first, I have reason to believe that other caribou might experience similar reactions.”

“Huh,” the other mare said in disbelief.

Showing no reaction, Zecora continued. “The ones here seem to be good folk, and I do not wish to cause them unnecessary distress. I will gladly accept volunteers for testing though, and I will guarantee to cease experimenting on any of you who shows similar reactions.”

Baldr raised his hand as a sign that he would volunteer, and a few other stags raised their hands as well. Eadgil kept his down - Zecora had already seen his reaction.

Spring Breeze gave her a nod. “Well, that settles that. We will give Fluttershy an official welcome later as well, though I’ve heard that she’s… in a less fortunate state than you are, Zecora, which is why we are giving her some time alone for now. Ari has appointed the canine to look after her for the time being. But now, we do have another matter to discuss.”

Zecora nodded. “I would like to inform the community that my medical and magical abilities are open to you. I do believe to be capable to help accelerate the process of regrowing the pegasus’ feathers, as well as possibly enable the regrowth of unicorn horns.”

The crowd went from surprise to joy, giving Zecora loud cheers over the news.

“Don’t get too excited too fast,” Spring Breeze interjected. “Unfortunately, I have to remind the community that we still need to be able to pull up a convincing disguise in case we have unwanted visitors. It would be both unfair and suspicious if we put the entire weight of playing slave girls onto the backs of the earth ponies among us - but I obviously also cannot keep anypony from enlisting Zecora’s aid now that she has offered it. I therefore call for volunteers among the pegasus and unicorn mares - and I will of course be the first to volunteer to not have my wings restored. I already have a trusted partner among the male caribou population anyway, which makes it relatively easy for me to play my part if n…”

“That may not be necessary,” she heard Deepest Desire’s voice, who had risen to her seat and was walking towards the center stage.

“Excuse me?,” Spring Breeze barked.

“I apologize for interrupting, but I might have an alternative,” Deepest Desire replied, taking center stage now.

“Oh?,” Spring Breeze asked. “And what would that be?”

“...Let me show you,” Deepest Desire replied. A green flicker of energy appeared in front of her forehead, at first moving towards it and forming - or revealing - a strangely shaped horn, then moving across her whole body and changing its appearance into that of…

The crowd gasped.

“Well, fuck me sideways,” Spring Breeze exclaimed. “You’re a changeling.”

“A changeling queen, yes,” Deepest Desire replied, resulting in part of the crowd raising from their seats - some in fear, some readying themselves to take action.

“There is no need to be worried,” the changeling continued. “I am on your side. I have not feasted on any of you save for those who knew about my secret and gave me permission. In fact, I don’t have to anymore. I have found a far more efficient food source.”

“And what would that be?”, one of the mares asked.

Deepest Desire smirked. “Ivana,” she replied. “I still have to do a few tests, but I somewhat suspect that caribou cows in general have the same property.”

Eadgil rose up. “You fed on her?,” he asked with a hint of anger in his voice - noticing a moment later that Baldr had risen up as well, now standing beside him. “I have to object against…”

He heard Ivana’s voice behind him interrupting. “It’s fine, Masters! I knew what she was and what was going on, and I agreed to it! At first, it made me feel sad, but… I think it helps me to… not lose myself.”

A little smirk crept onto Deepest Desire’s face.

“Not lose yourself, what…,” Eadgil mumbled, more to himself.

 “I really think you need to explain this, Deepest Desire,” Spring Breeze demanded. “Why would caribou cows be better food sources than us ponies?”

“Because they’re magical empaths,” Deepest Desire explained. “Really strong ones. All sapient species have some capacity for empathy, but theirs is extraordinary. They mirror feelings, emotions, expectations to an unusual, almost impossible extent - to the point where they seem to outright amplify them. I showed Ivana only a little bit of genuine sympathy and she began to shower me with love. It was a feast… and heartwarming to no end. They seem to be exclusively receivers though, I don’t think they can actively project.”

Eadgil’s thoughts began to swirl in his head. “What?,” he heard one of the other stags behind him. “Impossible!,” another one. “Cows have magic?!,” a third one.

His eyes involuntarily went to his friend standing beside him, trying to gauge Baldr’s emotional reactions to this reveal. His friend’s face showed no sign of surprise, just the mysterious smile he had gotten to know from him.

Now that he thought about it, it did explain quite a few things he had gotten to know about cows.

“That actually makes a surprising amount of sense,” he said, more to himself.

The entire room went silent.

“I mean think about it,” he continued, noticing their reaction. “Why else would they go along with all our bullshit that easily? We know females of other species don’t.”

Deepest Desire’s smirk widened. “He gets it,” she confirmed. “I had no doubt in my mind that you would be the one who gets it.”

“Well that’s all nice and dandy, but how does any of that help with our problem?,” Spring Breeze asked.

Deepest Desire turned her eyes to her. “As I said, I am a changeling queen,” she repeated. “And I have a hive of 200 hibernating drones in a cave nearby. If a few cows would be willing to volunteer, I could wake some of my people up and use them for our disguises while you mares hide out in the caverns or the lower levels of the castle. That way, we can begin regrowing your horns and wings and still keep up the disguise.”

“Can we really demand something like this from your drones?,” Spring Breeze retorted.

“They will do as I wish, just like they’ve always done,” Deepest Desire replied harshly, but then continued in a softer voice. “But aside from that, if the other cows show the same traits as Ivana and enough of them volunteer, and if we can offer my drones a food source like that as a reward, they’ll see that as a small price.”

Spring Breeze shrugged. “If you think this is a fair deal for now, fair enough. We can get to fixing your people…” She pointed at the caribou in front of her. “...as soon as we’ve fixed theirs.”

Deepest Desire giggled. “Already working on it. In fact, from what I’ve seen with Ivana… being fed on might actually help the cows.”

Eadgil raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“As I said, they tend to amplify the emotions they mirror,” Deepest Desire began. “Show Ivana just a little bit of friendly attention and she’ll burst with adoration for you. She can’t help it, and she seems to lose herself to it easily. If it’s the same with other does - and I currently have no doubt that it is - it is easy to deduce that it’s the reason why they practically worship you as living deities despite how you treat them… though I think the Freeville environment has already helped this matter a bit. But if there was a way to partially drain that energy…”

“...then they would get an opening to gradually evolve a stronger sense of emotional independence,” Eadgil concluded.

“That seems to be happening with Ivana at least, yes,” Deepest Desire confirmed. “We can’t drain too much either, because cows are also prone to depression when feeling alone or emptied out, but they produce so much, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

Eadgil nodded. “If we can find cows who are willing to volunteer, we can try it out.” He chuckled. “Shouldn’t be too difficult to get a cow to volunteer for something.” Smirking, he sat down again.

“We caribou will discuss this among ourselves,” Baldr added. “And I also wish to talk to Ivana alone before that. She’s been with me for a long time, and she trusts me.”

Deepest Desire laughed. “...and you don’t fully trust me. Who could blame you? I also wouldn’t. No seriously, I’m not offended. This is perfectly reasonable.” 

“I still don’t feel comfortable with placing the burden of putting up this kind of disguise on your people alone, Deepest Desire,” Spring Breeze added. “At least for the time being, I uphold my intent to not have my feathers regrown, so I can join them in this ordeal. It might be beneficial to have one or two actual ponies continue to participate in this along the cows and changelings.”

Deepest Desire shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“I would still like to at least take a look at your wings,” Zecora insisted. “Maybe there is something else I can do for you.”

Spring Breeze nodded. “My stag already takes very good care of them… he’s a healer, you know? But you might be more experienced with ponies, so I’ll make sure to pay you a visit.” She smiled.

Zecora nodded. “You can… bring your stag along if you want to. I would be interested in a chat between colleagues.”

“Sounds agreeable to me,” Baldr replied from his seat.

“Alright… let’s vote on whether we want to ask the changelings for help with our disguise.”

Eadgil stood up once more. “You mares should vote on that alone. I think my people will all agree that this decision should be left to you. Meanwhile, we will have to decide on whether we try out what Deepest Desire has suggested regarding letting the changelings feed on the cows. We’re going to involve our own females in making that decision anyway...” he chuckled. “...whether they want to or not. Most of them aren’t here right now, so we’ll vote on that later as well.”

He looked around, seeing no opposing reaction from the other stags.

Spring Breeze shrugged. “Fine by me,” she replied. “I’m calling another plenum meeting for tomorrow morning so we can inform each other and Deepest Desire of our respective decisions. Was there anything else? I’m sure there was something else…”

Still standing, Eadgil nodded. “Yes, I fear we have a real problem on our hands…”

“Fluttershy?,” Spring Breeze asked.

Eadgil nodded again. “Yes, Fluttershy. I fear she has been turned into a poster female for my people’s views.”

Murmuring filled the hall.

“That is indeed a real problem,” Spring Breeze replied. “You think she’ll become a threat to this community?”

“I really can’t say,” Eadgil sighed. “You ponies can be hard for me to understand sometimes. For the time being, I think I’ve talked her out of leaving the castle and its immediate environs or returning to Ponyville or Canterlot and giving us away - but I don’t know how long that will last. You ponies can be hard for me to understand sometimes. I’m pretty sure she understands what we’re doing and doesn’t approve of it… yet she still displays an outright slavish level of respect and obedience and even trust towards me, solely based on the fact that I’m a caribou male and her handler. It’s like she genuinely believes she shouldn’t form an opinion or take action without the guidance of a male. It’s almost like I’m talking to one of our own females… but I also always get the eerie feeling that this is something implanted into her, not her normal personality… but it also seems too entangled with her personality to be something merely piled on top of it...”

Once again, murmuring filled the hall.

“What the fuck did you… did these creeps do to her???,” Spring Breeze asked.

Eadgil shrugged. “I quite honestly don’t know. The artifact King Dainn took from the Crystal Empire seems to affect stallions exclusively, but even if it didn’t, it doesn’t have this exact effect. And aside from that, my people have no ways to alter a personality with such precision. If it was any kind of brainwashing, magically or not, done by my own people, the result wouldn’t be so neat. It would be far more messy than what we see here. On the other hand, she doesn’t seem to be a typical collaborator either. I used to spend a lot of time around Vestri and his mare when I was still in his guard after all. I just don’t get the impression that Fluttershy is feigning for the sake of getting something out of it. She seems to be genuinely convinced of what she’s saying.”

“Huh,” Spring Breeze replied. “Puzzling.”

Deepest Desire rubbed her chin. “Maybe some kind of reaction to trauma,” she mused. “I would like to see Fluttershy once a week.”

Eadgil nodded. “I’m sure that can be arranged. I don’t know how open she’ll be towards another female though. That is… only a long-term measure though. We need to find some kind of solution for her right now. I don’t think she wants to live in the mares’ wing...”

“I’m not sure if we have to give her a choice,” Spring Breeze remarked.

“You want to lock her up?”, Eadgil asked.

“If necessary…,” Spring Breeze replied. “I would prefer if we could find a similar arrangement to the one we got for Shadow Amethyst. Deepest Desire, do you think you could permanently have an eye on Fluttershy as well?”

“I don’t think that would quite work,” Eadgil interjected. “Unlike in Shadow’s case, I actually do not believe Fluttershy would accept a female authority figure. It might actually make her more inclined to cause us trouble, which is the opposite of what we want. On the other hand, I don’t think we should task a stag with this job either. It would set a bad precedent, and on top of that, she would be a constant temptation. I don’t think any of us wants to be tempted to fall into bad habits.” He paused for a moment, gaining a nod from Spring Breeze. “What about the stallions?,” he asked.

“Absolutely not!,” Eadgil heard Trenderhoof’s voice somewhere behind him.

He sighed. “Yeah, I figured.”

“What about Baldr?,” Spring Breeze suggested, smirking a little.

“M… Mistress?,” Baldr stared up to her.

“You would prefer not to?,” Spring Breeze asked.

“I would if you told me to, Mistress…,” Baldr replied. “But yes, I would prefer not to.”

“Yeah, you already have so much to do in this community,” Spring Breeze sighed. “We wouldn’t want you to have no time for your Mistress anymore, would we?” She gave him a wicked smirk, making a few other male caribou in the room flinch at the sight.

“Spring Breeze, you might just have given me another idea,” Eadgil mused, rubbing his chin. “It might be messy, but what if we appointed someone for this who was male, non-threatening, and under our direct control?”, he paused for a moment. “Well, under mine, but still…”

Spring Breeze looked at him for a long while. “Do you mean the canine?,” she eventually asked.

“We’ve seen that he does what I say,” Eadgil replied, nodding. “He seems to have no urge to abuse such power either. In fact, I wonder if he has any kind of urge at all… besides obeying the commands of this deity of his, that is.” He smirked. “And if this should turn out to not work as well, Baldr is still an option.”

Spring Breeze scratched her head. “I don’t quite see how you got that idea from me… and I’m also not happy with this, but I guess it’s worth a shot. Alright, she can live in his room. Tell him to keep an eye on her and prevent her from running away, or doing anything stupid.” Her eyes scanned the crowd. “Do we need to vote on this?” A few mares shook their heads. 

“Alright, then it’s settled,” Spring Breeze replied. “I’ll come with you, to make sure you don’t screw this up.”

Eadgil shrugged. “Fair enough.”

“I thereby also call this plenum meeting closed,” Spring Breeze announced. “The unicorns and pegasi can now also make appointments with Zecora to have their horns and wings looked at. The mares will convene here after dinner to vote on the changeling issue.”

“And the stags will convene in our own wing at the same time, so we can discuss Deepest Desire’s idea with regards to the cows,” Eadgil announced. “We will gather them as well.”

“I would like to join your people for that if I may,” Deepest Desire added.

“Fair enough,” Eadgil nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I am also going to come with you right now,” Deepest Desire continued. “I wish to give Fluttershy the… mandatory invitation to my weekly therapy sessions myself.”

Eadgil chuckled. “Alright, that’s fair, too… though I don’t know if she’ll heed the authority of a female.”

“She might not…,” Deepest Desire smirked. “But your dog will, won’t he? At least if you tell him to. Interesting case, from what I’ve heard. I understand he suffers from some kind of depersonalisation, presumably as a result of religious brainwashing? I would like to have him for sessions as well.”

“He’ll go and bring Fluttershy along if I tell him to,” Eadgil confirmed.

Spring Breeze facepalmed. “Why didn’t I think of suggesting that? Good that you brought it up.”

They left the hall together, Spring Breeze picking up a fresh set of clothing for Fluttershy from Star Charmer.





Eventually, the door opened again, and Fluttershy’s Master returned, two improperly clothed females following him. Fluttershy recognized them as the two females who had been with him earlier. By now, she was sitting on the side of the bed, with the canine still standing near the door and watching her.

Once she noticed her Master returning, her eyes perked, and she left the bed, sinking onto her knees in front of him - her eyes properly cast down and a little smile on her lips.

“Yeah, this clearly isn’t normal,” she heard one of the females say, presumably more to herself.

“You don’t say!?”, the other one replied.

Her Master let out a sigh. “Fluttershy, we’re here to inform you of our decisions,” he announced. “You will look at us while we talk to you.”

Fluttershy shyly looked up to her Master.

“First of all, put some clothes on, will you?”, the green pegasus mare commanded, tossing her a bunch of clothes. Not even trying to catch them, she observed them land between her parted legs.

“Do it!,” her Master commanded, presumably noticing her hesitation.

The shy yellow pegasus stood up and reluctantly put on the clothes she had been thrown.

“Good,” Master Eadgil continued once she was dressed. “You’re going to wear these whenever you’re around others, particularly in the communal areas. Now to our decisions. Until further notice, I have decided to appoint Monolith as your acting handler. You will live with him for now.” Fluttershy smiled. It was not like she hadn’t secretly hoped for this, but she said nothing.

Not paying notice to Fluttershy’s happy smile, he then addressed the canine. “Monolith, you will have an eye on her and make sure she won’t run away or do anything stupid. Understood?”

“Is this task going to involve sexual activity?,” the canine asked with no hint of emotion in his voice.

Fluttershy giggled softly while all three others in the room just blankly stared at the Mimiga.

“What…,” Spring Breeze stuttered. “What the fuck…”

“Yes,” the canine replied. “This one is talking about… as these ones would call it… fuck. This one wishes to know if this task will involve any such thing. Judging from the yellow pegasus one’s words and demeanor, this one has calculated a high chance that that one will hold such expectations.”

“Celestia, there’s just so much wrong with that entire question… I don’t even know where to begin…,” Spring Breeze stuttered.

“This one will not hesitate if the Prophet is of the opinion that it is part of the task given, but in that case, it might need further instructions,” the Mimiga affirmed.

Eadgil blinked. “I… honestly don’t know how to answer to that either,” he admitted. “Are you even capable of… I mean do you even feel arousal or the like?”

“That’s your first impulse???” Spring Breeze glared at him. “Asking such a question…?”

“This one is certain it has everything required to fulfill the task,” the creature replied, interrupting her. “With the exception of understanding. Knowledge of such matters is usually not required of those who serve the Monolith.”

“This is just wrong on so many levels…,” Spring Breeze repeated.

Fluttershy had to bring herself to speak up, she knew it was improper, but she was also getting the feeling that she was the only one in the room who could lighten the situation.

“Master, if… if he’s my acting handler, of course I will serve him just as eagerly as I would you,” she affirmed softly.

“What…” Spring Breeze stuttered. “Are you dim? That isn’t even close to what’s the issue here!” Fluttershy flinched over the harshness of her words.

“Maybe it is…” Eadgil mused. “Spring Breeze… don’t you think that’s between the two of them?”

“What… I don’t even…,” Spring Breeze stuttered.

“My point is…” Eadgil turned around to address the Mimiga again. “Monolith, you should feel no obligation to do anything in this regard that you don’t want to do…”

“This one is not particular,” the Mimiga replied.

Spring Breeze almost involuntarily facepalmed. “How are we supposed to figure out if either of them are even capable of giving consent?!”

Deepest Desire rubbed the bridge of her nose, as though she was adjusting glasses. Then, she casually walked over to Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy, did you make this offer because you genuinely want to do this?”

“What an odd question…,” Fluttershy mused, giggling softly, involuntarily imagining the closeness of a male body. “Yes,” she whispered, giving a shy smile and a soft nod. “I’m a good little mare,” she added.

“Not fond of the addendum, but that sounded genuine,” Deepest Desire replied, turning to Spring Breeze. “What do you think?”

“Oh for fuck’s…” Spring Breeze began. “Fine! What about him?”

“Monolith…,” Deepest Desire addressed the canine creature. “You said you would do it if the Prophet came to the conclusion that it’s a necessary part of the task. Can you imagine agreeing to it because you genuinely want it?” 

“This one cannot imagine anything unnecessary to the task given,” the Monolith replied.

“It’s like talking to a brick wall… or to one of those fancy steam automatons…,” Spring Breeze mumbled.

“Let me phrase things differently…,” Deepest Desire pondered. “You said you were capable of experiencing sexual arousal, you just don’t understand what this involves.”

“This one understands the physical process,” the Mimiga replied.

“Then what is it you don’t understand?”, Deepest Desire asked.

“It seems to this one that the activity involves significance beyond the mere physical activity,” the creature replied. “It does not understand that aspect though.”

“...You do realize that we could just circumvent this entire charade by simply telling him not to fuck her, right?,” Spring Breeze whispered to Eadgil.

“Hold on…,” Eadgil replied, whispering. “If they both consent to it and understand what that means, it might make Fluttershy more content, and that might be advantageous for us.”

“What… I don’t… I don’t even…,” Spring Breeze stuttered, then falling silent again.

“But if you understand that this aspect exists…,” Deepest Desire argued, still addressing the canine. “Then you also understand why it’s not enough to just not be particular about it, and why you should only agree to any such thing if you yourself really, genuinely want it.”

“Ha, I got it!,” Eadgil smirked. “Mono, that is part of your task now. You will think about how you feel with regards to that, and you will not engage in any such activity until you’ve come to a conclusion.”

Fluttershy nodded softly. “It should always be about what my Master wants…”

Spring Breeze huffed. “Whatever. I wash my hands of this mess. I’m not a psychologist. I just hope you know what you’re doing, Deepest Desire.” She huffed again. “If anyone had told me three hours ago that I’d trust a changeling with matchmaking between a mare collaborator and an automaton, I would have called them crazy. Whatever.” She huffed a third time, then left the room, audibly closing the door behind her.

The Mimiga showed no emotional reaction. “This one will still need someone to provide information if necessary.”

Fluttershy giggled. “This is weird. So you… you never had a little mare… no, a little bitch, of course… of your own?”

Eadgil couldn’t help but chuckle.

“This one does not recall any such thing,” the Mimiga replied.

“Umm… this is weird, but…,” Fluttershy stuttered. “I can… gladly provide you with what I’ve learned during the last months since the esteemed caribou Masters liberated us.”

“Yeeah, I’m pretty sure these lessons need some kind of correction,” Eadgil remarked.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Deepest Desire nodded. “In addition to all of this, both of you will visit me once a week for psychological evaluation. I’ll give you appointments directly after one another… maybe we’ll put them together. I’ll decide on that later.”

Fluttershy looked up to her Master.

“You will do as she says,” Eadgil affirmed. “You too, Monolith. In addition to that, you will also report to me once a day.” He cast Fluttershy a glance, then turned his gaze back to the creature. “Alone,” he insisted. The canine gave him a nod.

“Now that that’s settled, we’ll see if we can find a room for two in this wing. It’s not clear-cut but I’d say it will be easier on everyone’s nerves if we find a room in our wing instead of the mares’ wing.”

Fluttershy giggled softly. “I don’t need a bed for myself, Master Eadgil. If Master Monolith allows, I will curl up at his feet. If not, I will gladly sleep on the floor.”

“This one believes that it would be a violation of the task given if it allowed that one to risk conducting a cold.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you, Master.”

“In other words, this one does recommend finding a room with enough space for a second bed,” the Mimiga continued.

Eadgil nodded. “I’m sure we can find and prepare one until the evening. Until then, you can retire to your room, Monolith.”

“As the Prophet commands,” the canine replied, walking towards the door.

“You too, Fluttershy,” Eadgil commanded. “Just follow him.”

Fluttershy giggled softly, then followed the Mimiga on all fours. Noticing this, the Mimiga turned around. “Is that normal?,” he asked.

Eadgil shrugged. “I’m not sure anything about this is normal.”

The Mimiga shrugged, then continued on his way. Fluttershy followed him.