Slowly, Fragrant awoke from what felt like the best night’s sleep she had ever had. Both her body and her mind felt refreshed and at peace. Her troubles were, if nowhere near solved, at least shared. She stretched languidly, then lay in place, feeling her own and Max’s heartbeats echoing through her as one. She opened her eyes to see Max’s own looking back at her, half lidded. “Have you been watching me sleep?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Um, yes, for a while.”
“You know, some ponies might find that to be creepy.”
“Oh, um, I’m sorry, I...” stuttered Max, colouring.
“But I think it’s precious,” she said, gently kissing his lips before closing her eyes again. “You know, I can’t help but think we might be carrying out this relationship improperly. We have yet to have a formal date, and yet we have shared a bed twice.”
“We’ve had dates, haven't we?” Max frowned.
“Maybe the Gala, although it was rather interrupted by a riot, and I think we can both agree that a retirement party is not the best place for a date. Possibly the wedding, although we didn’t get much time together alone. This whole trip could be considered a date, I suppose.” She snuggled closer to Max. “I don’t think it’s important right now.”
They lay there in each other’s arms for a time; maybe a few minutes, maybe an hour, maybe longer. “You know, we’ll have to get up sooner or later,” pointed out Max.
“I am trying not to think about it right now. I’m trying not to think at all.”
“We have to be in Snowtown tomorrow for your chariot to pick you up.”
“To take me back to Cloudsdale and an entire mountain of paperwork ready to swallow me,” she complained.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. Sometimes I feel like nothing I do is actually important. All the paperwork never seems to get anything done.”
“But you were the one that told me how important paperwork is!”
“Do as I say, not as I do, Max.” She drew away from him and stretched again. “Still, I suppose you’re right. Oh, why can’t we just run away into the wilds and never have to see another piece of paperwork again?”
“Do you really want that?” asked Max with a grin. “No responsibility, no servants, no baths?”
“Yes, yes, no...” She sighed. “I guess it’s a nice fantasy, if not very practical.”
“No.” He gently reached up and ran a hoof through her mane, drawing tingles down her scalp. “But you don’t have to meet up with your carriage until tomorrow and we can probably make Snowtown in less than a day. Why don’t we have today off? There are certainly some sights I’d like to show you around here.”
“That... that sounds nice.” She sighed. Thinking was getting increasingly difficult as Max drew his hoof across her back between her wings. The sensation was slightly deadened by the dress she still wore. It really didn’t seem necessary right now. Leaning forwards, she kissed him again, then gave a surprised squeak as he rolled the both of them over until he was lying on top of her. She pressed her lips to his again. This felt so right, so good, feeling her body react to his and in turn his to hers. She breathed in his musk. Then suddenly there was an imagined whiff of antiseptic in her muzzle, a dreadful silence in her ears, and she felt her body stiffen.
Sensing the change in her Max drew back and frowned. “Fragrant, what..?” he started.
Trying to fight against the panic rushing through her, she wiggled out from under him. “Breakfast!” she cried. “We should have breakfast, I’m hungry, I’ll make it.” She pushed against the tent’s door, almost tearing it before she undid the ties and rushed out. She stood there for several moments, taking deep breaths of the clean air and cursing her subconscious.
“Fragrant?” asked Max again, sticking his head out of the tent.
“I... I am alright,” she said, still flustered. “Now, food?” She looked around.
“It’s in here,” said Max, looking bewildered.
“Oh, right.”
“So, um, what shall we have?” he asked, stepping around the elephant in the room. “There’s some hay left, and some of the vegetables from the Eyrie.”
“I’m sure we can think of something. We just need to, um, mix it up properly.”
“Have you even cooked before?” asked Max.
“Once or twice. I don’t need servants for everything, you know.” She considered. It had been a long time since she had needed to prepare a meal. “I may need a hoof,” she admitted.
With Max’s help, she managed to put together a serviceable breakfast, although it was more like a brunch given how late they has slept in. Once they were finished, Max pored over his maps while Fragrant did her best to clean up and change her clothes from the large supply in her saddlebags. She considered a number of outfits for a while before deciding to go with a flowery pink blouse; it was less than she would normally wear, but she wanted to prove to herself if nopony else that she was comfortable enough around Max to not need a full outfit. Plus a dress really wasn’t that practical for tramping around Nulpar.
By the time she had changed, Max had packed up the camp and was ready to set off. She asked about their destination, but he wouldn’t say anything more than that she would love it. To her surprise, he led them up towards the nearest mountain, its peak reaching up almost to the clouds. Once there, he began to unpack some equipment and began an ascent.
“Is this really necessary?” she asked, floating alongside him as he climbed.
“It’s the only route I know,” he explained, groping for a hoof hold.
“Are you just trying to impress me?” she said with a smile as the ground below moved further and further away.
“Maybe,” he grunted, taking his eyes of the cliff to turn to her. “Is it working?”
“Maybe,” she replied.
They moved in silence for a while longer. Max didn’t seem to be heading towards the peak far ahead, but instead towards a plateau off to one side.
“Are you sure you’re fine?” asked Fragrant nervously as Max made his way up the near vertical side of the cliff, his hooves feeling almost automatically for grips. “I might be able to carry you to the top if you like.” She hoped. The top of the cliff did seem quite a way away and she knew how much Max weighed. She wasn’t the strongest of flyers, anyway.
“I’m fine, it’s good to get some practise in,” said Max, glancing over at his marefriend as she hovered nearby. “This isn’t a very difficult ascent, really. I’ve done it dozens of times before.”
Fragrant didn’t feel entirely convinced, but he did seem to be making good time. She watched as one of his rear hooves felt around and positioned itself carefully on a small outcrop. The muscles of his flank and stifle bunched and stood out as he applied his strength and lifted his body an extra quarter length up the cliff. It was apparently not without effort, as she noticed several beads of sweat form and, as if in slow motion, roll down his barrel and onto his thigh, where it seemed to hover for a moment before...
Suddenly she was aware of the cliff face coming up on her right side. Giving a little shriek, she desperately tried to veer away, only just avoiding beating her wings against the hard rock. She dropped for several lengths before finally managing to get herself under control again.
“Fragrant!” cried Max, leaning back to get a better look at the flailing pegasus. “Are you all right?”
Panting, Fragrant tried to bring her heart rate back under control. “I... I am fine,” she said, her face burning red. “I just got hit by an unexpected crosswind.” She slowly gained height again until she was level with Max. She pointedly kept her gaze on the cliff and not on the movement of Max’s hind quarters. She couldn’t let herself get distracted again.
“Almost there!” announced Max as he got within a few lengths of the top of the cliff. He really hoped Fragrant liked his surprise. “Before we get there, can you do something for me?” Fragrant looked at him quizzically. “Can you close your eyes? I want this to be a surprise.” She frowned for a moment, then nodded and moved a short distance from the cliff before closing her eyes. Max quickly scrambled up to the top of the cliff and looked around. Good, this place was just how he remembered it. Maybe even better; he’d only been here once before despite the little white lie he’d told Fragrant to calm her down. “Ok, Fragrant, I’m over here. Keep your eyes closed.” The pegasus gingerly flew over towards the sound of his voice. As she got close enough, he reared up and put a leg on her side, gently drawing her back to the ground before covering her eyes. “This way, not much further,” he instructed. She complied, and his quickly led her towards the centre of the area. “Here we are!”
Fragrant opened her eyes and looked around in astonishment. The area around her was a large flat open meadow; lush grass covered most of the ground, but there were also wild flowers of all hues as well as a few tasty-looking bushes. As they watched, a flock of butterflies wheeled in the sky before alighting on the flowers. Here and there, small animals looked around inquisitively. A short distance away was a small lake, glittering in the early afternoon sunlight. “Oh, Max!” she cried. “It’s beautiful!”
“I hoped you’d like it.” He grinned from ear to ear.
She turned to a nearby patch of flowers and inhaled their scent. “I didn’t even know this type of flower grew here!” They walked through the greenery for some time, their tails intertwined. Fragrant excitedly galloped from plant to plant, examining each in turn and enthusing about their properties. Max followed, less interested in the flowers than in Fragrant’s reaction to them. He picked a few and stuck them into his mare’s mane, creating a colourful crown.
“What are these?” asked Fragrant, looking at a tall and rather thorny bush dotted with dark red berries.
“It’s a kroop berry bush. Goats like them but they can have side effects for ponies.”
“Side effects?”
“Raw, they can cause hallucinations. Cooked, they aren't as bad; they make you feel relaxed, happy and more sociable.”
Fragrant turned with a raised eyebrow. “I assume nopony around here ever makes use of that effect?”
“Um, I didn’t say that... kroop cakes or flapjacks are quite popular at parties back in Sadlzburg.” Fragrant looked intrigued for a moment. “I think your presence is enough intoxication for me, my lady,” said Max, trying to sound grand.
Fragrant turned to him and blinked before starting to laugh. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she said, once she regained control, “but I can’t believe you said that with a straight face.”
“Well, if you’re going to be like that, I won’t show you my surprise!” he said huffily.
“I thought this was the surprise,” said Fragrant, gesturing around.
“No, Southern left us a few treats from the Eyrie,” explained Max, reaching into his saddlebags and bringing up a large wrapped slice of wedding cake, which caused Fragrant’s eyes to bulge.
Fragrant led back against Max’s belly, wings spread wide, feeling the warmth of the late afternoon sun soak into her. It wasn’t just cake that Southern had provided, but seemingly a good part of the feast, and even half a bottle of wine. Their appetite sated, and slightly buzzed, the two of them had laid down in the shade of one of the larger bushes. She wasn’t sure if she had actually fallen asleep, but time had certainly passed, as it tended to. It was a shame things couldn’t just stay like this forever, just her and Max and the sun and the flowers... no work, no court, no politics, just the two of them. It couldn’t last. She pushed that thought aside. She was on holiday. She lay there, just enjoying the feeling of the food in her belly, the stallion to her back, the sun on her face and the occasional gentle tug on her head as Max groomed her mane with his mouth. It was a hedonistically primitive feeling, but she didn’t think she’s ever felt so satisfied in her life.
“You’re purring,” muttered Max, letting her hair fall from his mouth.
Fragrant opened a single eye. “Ponies do not purr,” she said. “Cats purr.”
“Then you can’t be a pony. You must be a pony shaped cat.”
“I am not a cat!” She turned both eyes to the smiling stallion behind her.
“Yes you are. You’re graceful, beautiful, have a soft coat,” he ran a hoof through her mane, “and act aloof despite being a fluffy kitten on the inside.” He gently rested his forelegs around her. “Duchess Kitty Kat.”
“Well if I am a cat, then you, Baron Bow Wow, are a dog. A big, shaggy, easily excitable, caring, loyal, dog.” She sniffed him, letting his scent surround her. “Who could do with a bath.”
“Are you saying I smell!” he asked in mock horror.
“You have been out in the wilderness for a few days now. A bath would not go amiss.”
“So have you! Maybe you could do with a bath as well.” He gave an evil grin. “And look, there just happens to be a lake over there. Maybe I should dunk you.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” she squealed.
“Really?” he asked, tightening his grip a little.
With a cry she broke free and galloped across the field, bursting through a patch of flowers and giggling as she went. Max was on his hooves and after her in a few seconds. A tiny part of her noted that she could fly away, be far out of his reach in moments. The vast majority of her shouted for it to shut up; she didn’t want to be out of his reach. The two of them capered like foals, jumping and rearing as they ran through the grass, laughing as they went. First Max was chasing Fragrant, then at some unspoken signal they switched roles and Fragrant was chasing Max. Then back again. Unexpectedly, Max pounced, knocking Fragrant to the ground, and the two of them rolled around for a while in a mass of tickling hooves. They came to a rest not far from the lake, Fragrant on top and lying astride her stallion. They were both breathing hard, and staring into each other’s eyes. Slowly, Fragrant lowered her muzzle until it was only a few inches from Max’s. For a moment, it seemed that the only thing in her whole world was Max’s face. Then her head jerked up as she noticed movement, and she gave a scream of surprise.
Fragrant’s cry snapped Max’s attention away from the blue of her eyes and back to the world around him. He sprung to his hooves, looking around. About half a dozen large black-coated goats with stubby horns were standing in a rough semi-circle around them, staring blankly and chewing. Where had they come from? he thought as he instinctively placed himself between Fragrant and the new arrivals. I suppose we were so caught up in each other that the whole night court could have turned up and we wouldn’t have noticed. Max glanced over at Fragrant. She looked pretty spooked by their appearance. “Don’t worry,” he said. “They’re just a tribe of Tors.”
“What?” asked Fragrant, trying to compose herself.
“Wild goats. There are quite a few nomadic tribes in this part of Nulpar. They won’t hurt you.” He turned back to the goats, who hadn’t moved. “Hello, I’m Mounty Max and this is Fragrant Posey,” he proclaimed. None of the goats reacted. “Halό,” he tried again. “Hόigh?” Still no response. “Helo?” he tried with the third goat dialect he knew. Still nothing. This wasn’t going so well. Behind the first line of goats, he noticed more and more pulling themselves up the cliff onto the plateau.
“Well?” asked Fragrant, looking around cautiously.
“They don’t seem very talkative, or they don’t understand a word I’m saying. There are a lot of goat languages, I only speak a couple. We might have to communicate using hoof gestures.” Max stepped forwards again and lowered his head while looking up at the nearest goat in a gesture of supplication, while smiling in what he hoped was a friendly way. “Hi, we don’t mean you any harm.”
A smaller white goat with oversized curling horns popped up over the ledge and trotted over to one of the goats standing near Max. “Та яаж олох юм бэ?” he said.
“Тэд бэлгийн хавьталд орох тухай байсан гэж боддог, эмэгтэй эрэгтэй байсан,” replied the larger goat. He fellows gave a braying laugh.
“Хэн нэг болж байгааг харахын тулд сайхан, одоо ч гэсэн эргүүлэх хамгийн сайн цаг нь байсан байж болох юм. Би илүү сайн уучлал гуйж байна.” The smaller goat turned to Max. “Good evening,” he said in strongly accented Equestrian. “I apologize for the intrusion.”
“Oh, good!” said Max. “You speak our language!”
“I learnt from my ma. She used to live outside the tribe with the ponies. I am Chinua. I organise trade with the not goat.”
“I am Mounty Max, and this is Fragrant Posey,” explained Max. Fragrant made a graceful curtsy.
“My apologies for interrupting your rutting. We did not think any not goat were in the area.”
“We just happened to be...” began Max. Then he realised what the goat had just said and flushed. “We weren’t rutting, we were...”
“Playing,” said Fragrant, her face almost glowing. “We were playing.” She tried to straighten her rather dishevelled mane and discovered that one of the arms on her blouse had been ripped in their rolling about. She tried to cover the damage.
“My apologies, I do not really understand pony behaviour. If a nanny were to mount a billy in the way you did, she would be asking to bear his child,” said Chinua.
If it were possible, Fragrant’s face glowed even brighter. “No, no,” she stuttered. “We were just playing! No foals, just playing!” Her voice was growing a little shrill.
“You are not bonded, then?”
Max thought back to the griffons and the wedding, and its possible implications. “No, we are not bonded.”
“Oh, I am sorry!” said the goat, giving an embarrassed bleat. “I must be insulting you and your sister! Forgive me!” He crouched low in supplication.
“We’re not family,” said Max, wondering how it was possible for the goat to have considered the pink maned pegasus next to him to be his sister. He glanced around at the growing number of black goats; they all looked quite similar to him, but he assumed that to each other they looked quite different.
“We are just good friends,” stated Fragrant smoothly. Mac glanced over to her, surprised how much her word hurt. She gave him a small soothing smile back.
“What brings the two of you out here?” asked Chinua. “We are a day’s travel from the nearest pony town. Are you lost?”
“We are travellers on our way to Snowtown,” explained Max. “I am the Baron of Nulpar. I’m travelling the province to meet my people.”
“I am sorry, but what is Baron of Nulpar? I do not know these words.” He sounded apologetic.
“Baron is a sort of leader, like a triath,” suggested Max, hoping that made sense to the goat. “And Nulpar is, well, here.” He waved a leg to indicate the whole area.
“This field?”
“No, bigger, all the land you can see and beyond!”
Chinua frowned. “All the pony lands? You are Moon Khan?” He looked confused.
“No, no, of course not!” exclaimed Max, horrified.
Fragrant couldn’t help but giggle at the vision of Max dressed in the Princess’s vestments. “Max rules over only part of Equestria, but the part nearest here.”
“Yes,” said Max, nodding. “I’m in charge of this area. I help the Moon Khan, I mean Princess Luna, look after everybody here, including all of you. I suppose I should talk to your tribe, ask them what they want me to do for them.”
Fragrant looked over at Max sharply. She didn’t think he would be able to do much for them; they hardly seemed civilised. She glanced around. It seemed like almost a hundred goats were present, spreading out around the meadow; some were starting to collect food while others were unloading supplies from the bags they carried. A few of the goats were erecting tents, while others of the tribe had dragged theirs up the mountain intact. She supposed that Max was right; they were part of Nulpar, even if they seemed to be beyond Max’s purview.
“You should talk to Jurgaghan, our chieftain,” suggested Chinua.
“He speaks Equestrian?” asked Max hopefully.
Chinua let out a laugh for a moment. “No, but I should be able to change the words for you.”
Jurgaghan turned out to be one of the oldest goats in the tribe; his originally black coat was peppered with grey. He was also one of the largest, at least a head taller than Max and Fragrant. He sat on a sort of throne made out of branches, which looked like it was built to be carried by other members of the tribe. Two much younger mares - his guards, or daughters, or wives, thought Max - sat one to each side of him. As they had approached, Chinua had given a deep bow and Max had followed suit. Fragrant, despite appearing to be quite intimidated by the mass of goats around her, had only given a nod as to an equal. Max supposed that that itself was actually quite an honour; the goat chieftain led maybe a hundred goats, whereas Fragrant controlled a third of the skies above Equestria. Although now might not have been be the time to point that out.
Chinua broke into a longish speech of which Max understood not a single word; he assumed he was introducing them and passing on what they had told him earlier. When he had finished, the old billy sat back, scrutinising them. Then he turned and spoke to Chinua, who in turn translated.
“Jurgaghan asks how you became his leader, why he should follow you?”
“Well, the Princess just sort of chose me...” Max had asked himself the same question. To Max’s surprise, Fragrant stepped forwards.
“Max was chosen because he had worked hard to help his people. He arranged for roads to be built for them, and he even risked his life to save a nearby settlement from an avalanche. He is a good stallion and you should listen to what he has to say.”
Chinua nodded and translated again. Jurgaghan’s brow furrowed and he leaned forwards again. Even the nannys around him seemed interested. He replied via the younger goat. “You have sacrificed for another tribe? Gave blood for them?”
“Well, I suppose so. There was an avalanche in a neighbouring village, and I saw some foals about to get crushed so I grabbed them and ran. I got hit by a rock.” He explained feeling a phantom itch on his flank where he had been cut.
“Maybe you are worthy, then, but what would you ask of us?”
“I’m not really your leader. I’m here to pass on your requests to the Princess, not to tell you what to do.”
There was another quick exchange between the two goats. “Why should the Moon Khan care for us? She is a great leader of ponies, but what has she done for goats?”
“Maybe... maybe Equestria doesn’t do much for goats at the moment, but I want to change that. I want to tell the Princess about your people.” There had been that mix-up a few months ago about legislation using the term ‘somepony’ rather than ‘someone’. He’d meant to try to do more about that, but things had gotten in the way. Maybe he should look into it again.
“And what will you tell her about us?”
Max opened his mouth, then stopped. The truth was that he didn’t know that much about the Tors and how they lived. Most of the goats he knew, like Mrs G, had lived among ponies for generations. Tor sometimes came to Sadlzburg and other mostly pony settlements to trade, but they didn’t normally stay for long. “What would you like me to tell her?” he asked cautiously. “How can I help you?”
Chinua and Jurgaghan conferred for a few moments. “We do not need your help. The land provides us with all we need.”
“All the time?” asked Max. “It must be harsh out here without pegasi to control the weather or earth ponies to tend plants. Are you sure you don’t need any help? Mrs. Grobhar told me that...”
Jurgaghan’s eyes bulged wide and he jerked to his hooves. “Gràinne Grobhar? Of Sadlzburg?” he asked in one of the goat tongues Max understood.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, surprised by the reaction. “I never knew she had another name. She’s always just been Mrs. G to me, I suppose you might mean her mother or a relation?”
“She would be younger than me by a decade or so. She lived in Sadlzburg a long time ago.”
“That sounds like Mrs. G. She works for me, she’s my assistant.”
The old goat laughed. “Well, if Gràinne works for you then you must be worth listening to.” He seemed to think for a moment. “We do not need help in the way your ponies need help. We can live off the land. But true, the land does not always support us. We do sometimes require help but we are happy to trade for this, but trade can be hard when you do not speak our tongue or we yours. Maybe that is what we need, for you to be taught our language and us to be taught yours. Could you do this?”
Max thought about it. There were already a few tutors who travelled through the land, teaching for money, and some of the larger settlements had schools, of a sort anyway. Maybe he could work on having the tutors staying with the Tor for a while and some of them coming to pony settlements to teach. “I may be able to do something about that...”
Fragrant frowned. Max and the goat leader were talking at length in some language that she didn’t understand. She wanted to ask what was being said, but she also didn’t want to interrupt; it looked like it was important. She was glad that Max seemed to be growing into his role as representative of the people of his province; maybe she should try to organise something similar for her own lands. When was the last time she’d actually visited some of the smaller cloud settlements? Seen them first hoof, rather than in a report prepared by somepony else?
Still, it was a shame that this had interrupted their ‘holiday’. She’d hoped to be able to spend the rest of the day with just Max, maybe gazing up at the stars together in each others’ arms. Maybe even more, if she could somehow overcome her body’s strange reaction to their intimacy this morning. True, she was rather nervous about that part of their relationship; it had been a long time since she had been with a stallion, and although the basics had of course not changed, she was no longer the filly she had been back then. Age had taken its toll; she didn’t want to disappoint Max. She shook herself. Now was not the time for those thoughts. She hadn’t even been on a proper date with Max yet; there was plenty of time for... other things later, regardless of what her heat-driven subconscious might say.
Looking around, she was surprised how quickly the goats had transformed the field around them. A small settlement of tents had been strung up as if by magic as the tribe made camp for the night. Cooking fires had been started and numerous small pots hung over them to start to prepare food. Off to one side, some music could be heard as a small band started to warm up.
To be honest, the goats scared her a bit. There were so many of them and they seemed so alien - their slitted eyes were inequine. She knew she shouldn’t be so quick to judge them, but they just seemed so wrong! The fact that she didn’t speak their language didn’t help either; she had no idea what they were talking about, when they even did talk. Most of the camp’s business seemed to be carried out silently. It was unnerving. She shuffled a little closer to Max.
“Miss Posey?” asked Chinua, causing Fragrant to start. “Are you alright?”
“I...I am fine, thank you,” she said, trying to steel herself.
“Would you care for a drink?” He held out a skin.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Kumis. It’s made from milk we trade with the low-land cows,” he explained. Fragrant paused for a moment. She knew that goats could eat things that would be harmful to ponies. Was the drink safe for her? “It is safe for ponies,” continued Chinua as if he could read her mind. “Look.” His horns and the wineskin glowed briefly. “That would remove anything which would cause disease.”
“I didn’t know that goats could do magic!” said Fragrant in surprise.
“My kind are rare amongst our people. Unlike your unicorns, we are not a breed apart; any goat may be born with the power. Although it often runs in families. My mother also had the ability.” He held out the drink again.
Cautiously, Fragrant accepted it and took a mouthful. It was thick and creamy with a spicy flavour that burnt her throat a little, going down. She liked it, and took another swig, feeling the warmth spread through her stomach. “Thank you,” she said.
“You are welcome. Would you care for a tour of the camp?” he asked.
Fragrant looked back to Max. He still seemed deep in conversation with the chieftain. She hoped he was being more diplomatic than normal, but there was nothing she could do to help him this time. She still felt a little nervous but they did seem friendly.
“Yes, I think I would,” she said, standing up and following the small goat.
Chinua led Fragrant around the camp, pointing out various groups of goats who were setting up tents, collecting food, cooking, repairing equipment and a dozen other jobs. They all seemed to work together like a well-oiled machine. They came to a halt where a semi-circle of younger goats sat, watching an older goat singing some sort of yodelling song supported by a small band. “You certainly have interesting music,” she said politely to her guide.
“Is not music. Well, is music, but,” he paused for a moment as if looking for the right word, “is school, song tells history, and what food is good, and all sorts of other things. We don’t have writing so we teach by singing.”
Fragrant nodded. It was an interesting concept. She sat down just outside the circle of young goats and listened for a few minutes. It didn’t mean anything to her, but occasionally the pupils would repeat what their teacher said, presumably confirming they had learnt something. Chinua passed her the skin again and she took another drink. It really was quite good; she would have to see about getting the recipe. In front of her, the old goat stopped singing and the young goats started to get up and scamper around the camp. The band started to play a more lively song, and several adult goats joined the group, talking quietly to each other. Fragrant felt something pulling her leg and looked down to see a small doe tugging at her blouse with her teeth. Chinua uttered something angry-sounding at the child, and she stepped back, bleating something softly. Chinua smiled. “She asks why you cover yourself when you are such a nice colour.”
Fragrant blushed a little, looking down at her light yellow coat. Almost all the goats she had seen in the camp were plain black, so she must took rather exotic to them. “Well, I wear clothes because they make me feel brave. They let me pretend to be somepony else.” She paused for moment. Should she be telling the goats this? “And they make me look nice,” she added.
Chinua translated, and the young goat sat on her haunches for a second, considering. Then she bleated back something. “She wishes she had something to make her look nice.”
Fragrant smiled. “Tell her she looks very nice.” She reached into her saddlebag with a wing, watching her foal’s eyes go wide as most of her wing disappeared into the magical bag. She rummaged around for a moment before withdrawing a silk scarf she doubted she was going to be wearing again, and tied it around the small goat’s neck. She spun around in place for a moment, trying to look at it. Then, with a bleat of thanks, she rushed off into the camp.
“That was kind of you,” noted Chinua, handing her another drink.
“She was very cute, and I have lots of clothes, probably more than I’ll ever need.” Her stomach interrupted growling loudly. “My apologies,” said Fragrant, blushing. She must be hungrier than she thought. She was feeling a little light headed too. At least the milky drink was doing something to satiate her.
“No! I am being a bad host. I will get you food.” Before she could say anything, he rushed off and returned a few moments later with a bowl of some sort of soup resting on his back. “Eat,” he instructed.
Fragrant looked at the meal somewhat unsurely. It seemed like a random mix of ingredients boiled in water; she recognised a few nettle leaves and quite a few grains, but there were also some red berries and other greenery she didn’t recognise. Steeling herself, she took a mouthful. It didn’t taste that bad, although it did contain a mismatch of flavours; the berries were rather bitter and the leaves not as fully cooked as she would prefer. Still, it seemed edible. She tried a second mouthful and washed it down with another taste of the kumis. She looked up and saw the young goat from before trotting over, looking proud as she was followed by a group of hopeful-looking does and a buck or two as well. This was probably going to be painful for her wardrobe, she thought, and had to bite her tongue to stop herself laughing out loud.
“Max! Max!” cried Fragrant. Max looked up from his discussion with Jurgaghan. He blinked. When had it gotten dark? He must have gotten more wrapped up in the conversation that he’d thought, for some reason the old goat seemed very interested in Mrs G and her family. For the first time, he noted that Fragrant wasn’t sitting next to him anymore. He looked for the source of her voice. Head and ears swung from side to side as he surveyed the crowd. There she was, galloping through the camp somewhat unsteadily; several times she bumped into a passing goat, calling a quick apology before continuing. There was something off about her beyond her current actions, he thought. She wasn’t wearing anything! He didn’t think he’d ever seen her without at least one item of clothing on before. Maybe she’d taken her blouse off because it had gotten ripped? He felt a bit guilty about that. The duchess finally came to a stop near Max and wobbled in place a bit. What was wrong with her?
“Fragrant! Are you alright?” asked Max.
“I’m fine! I feel great!” replied Fragrant brightly. Her eyes seemed a little glazed. “You’ve got to come and see this!” she cried, grabbing Max’s hoof and yanking at it, almost overbalancing him.
“What is it?” he asked, following her back through the camp at a more reasonable rate. They came to a stop near a large fire where much of the tribe seemed to be gathered. A small band was playing off to one side.
“Just stay here for a minute and I’ll show you. No peeking, it’s a surprise!” She leaned forwards and kissed Max sloppily on the cheek. Max’s eyes bulged. There were several dozen goats around, although none of them seemed interested. Fragrant had never been so affectionate in public, not since the Gala. He sniffed the air.
“Fragrant, are you drunk?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course not! I’ve only been drinking this milk stuff,” she replied, raising a wineskin and taking a gulp. “I didn’t think I’d like it, but it’s growing on me.”
Max took the container and sniffed. “This is Kumis! It’s fermented, it’s quite strong. How much have you had?”
“I don’t know, maybe a bottle full? I wondered why my hooves felt all tingly.” She waved a hoof then stared at it for a moment before looking around blinking. “Everypony, um, everygoat is drinking it and no one looks tipsy.”
“Goats can hold their liquor really well. Maybe you should sit down for a bit?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m on holiday, right? I can afford to let my mane down a bit. Now wait here!” She rushed off into the crowd. Max slumped down. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Fragrant’s condition. She certainly seemed to be a peppy drunk at the moment. Maybe he should take a few sips of the kumis as well? Before he could take a drink, Fragrant had returned and leant against him heavily.
“Look!” she instructed with an outstretched leg.
Max looked where she was pointing and saw a small line of goat children approaching. Each of them was wearing one of Fragrant’s dresses, even the bucks. All of the clothes were too large for their wearers, but they had been folded up to more or less fit. The progression proudly strode forwards, getting amused looks from most of the rest of the camp. They came to a stop in front of the two ponies and all gave bows. Fragrant grinned and stomped her hooves. “Now turn!” she cried, circling her hoof. The children happily trotted in little circles; one particularly small doe almost tripped up but quickly regained her footing. Fragrant nuzzled up to Max. “Can we keep them?” she asked. “Fluttering used to love to play dress up, you know... it’s been too long.” She turned to the children. “Well done! You all look incredible!” She opened a coin purse and brought out several bits, giving them to each of her models who looked a little confused. One of them sniffed and tasted the coin, before they trotted off in their outfits. “That was fun!” exclaimed Fragrant. “What shall we do now?”
“Maybe you could sit down and...” started Max. Then Fragrant’s ears pricked up and she glanced over at the band.
“Dancing!” she exclaimed. “We should go dancing! It’ll be like the Gala but less stuffy!” She grabbed Max’s hoof again and pulled him after her.
To Max’s surprise, they weren’t the only couple moving with the music; a number of goats were also dancing, although they seemed to be following a slower and more formal pattern compared to Fragrant, who appeared to be following music in her own head. Still, Max found he actually quite enjoyed himself. Fragrant frequently pressing her body to his certainly didn’t hurt; she frequently ran her hooves down his body as well and even gave his flanks a few quick squeezes. The music finally came to an end and Fragrant staggered away from the dancefloor. Her legs folded and she would have fallen if Max hadn’t caught her. “Oh, dizzy,” she moaned.
“I think you might have had enough excitement for the night,” said Max.
“Ooh, are you going to put me to bed, then, baron?” she asked, her tail writhing.
“Well... um, I think bed might be the best place for you.”
“For both of us, I think.” She leant forwards and kissed him.
Max fought very hard against his immediate reaction to her. She obviously wasn’t in her right mind right now, it would be taking advantage of her... why did doing the right thing have to be so hard?! “I think it might be best if I spend the night outside. The weather’s fine.” He gently started to lead her into the camp.
She made a grumbling sound. “I’m your Duchess Kitty Cat remember, don’t you want to pet your cat?” she pouted, “I won’t bite,” she started to nibble at his neck, “Much.”. Gritting his teeth against the sensation, he glanced around the camp. For a moment he wondered where he was going to put her, but then he noticed that some goat must have unpacked his tent. That was very good of them.
“Max!” moaned Fragrant, nuzzling him. “Why won’t you spend the night? You’re comfortable, warm and shaggy. You’re my Baron Bow Wow.”
“I really don’t think that would be a good idea,” he said, grinding his teeth slightly.
“Are you sure?” she said as they reached the tent. She slumped forwards and clumsily started to wiggle through the door. Max tried unsuccessfully not to stare at her upraised plot as her tail flicked aside. “If you change your mind, you can always come inside where it’s nice and warm.” She turned her head and gave a wink while giving her flanks a little shake. Then the tent flap swung closed and all that remained of her was a giggle.
Max stood there for a moment, mouth hanging open, before carefully turning around and planting himself a short distance from the tent. Around him, the rest of the goats’ camp also seemed to be going to sleep, with only a few guard goats still awake. He folded his legs beneath him and closed his eyes. Behind him, he heard a gentle giggle from Fragrant; he tried to block it out, to not think about breaking into the tent and accepting everything she was offering. He thought instead about the route they would take tomorrow, how to get to Snowtown. Then he realised what they would be passing and shards of ice shot into his heart. It would be the first time since he found out the truth. He shivered. He wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight.