Tim emerges from the front door of the restaurant sweaty and tired.

“Hello, Tim.” He hears a female voice greet him. He turns to see a tall, orange mare looking at him with forced levity as she leans against the sign.

He swallows, answering, “Hello, Tropical Dream.”

“How are you?”

“Tired. I just got off shift.”

“Want to go get coffee with me? And nothing else.” The way she icily emphasizes the word nothing chills him to the bone, forming a knot in his stomach.

“No thanks, my herd is expecting me, and I’m on thin ice as it is.”

The older mare looks him in the eye and says, “Oh I know. That’s why I need to have a serious talk with you, dam to stallion.” Tim flinches as he imagines what this is going to entail. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going to scream at you, but if you give the least bit fucking care about your herd and my Citrus, you’ll come nice and quiet with me and we’ll talk. Now.”

"Okay."

"Splendid!" Tropical smiles, prancing down the street with purposefully exaggerated cheer. She turns and she doesn’t even need to light her horn for Tim to get the idea. He follows her from the light of the restaurant into the dark of the street. As they turn onto the expansive sidewalk, Tim shivers a bit as a cold bluster of wind impacts him. She moves up to walk next to him, her larger stature has her nearly at shoulder level for him. He glances over at her, “Tropical Dream, I’m s…”

She interrupts, “Oh I know how sorry you are, Tim, but what you did is somewhat to be expected.”

“Whaa-”

“Stallions are usually quickly forgiven when their extra leg takes over their brains.” She glances down pointedly. “It’s not completely unusual, a stallion being tempted by a mare in heat. Most stallions will back away from such a situation. But you, my dear human, decided to wade right in.” She glares at him as he opens his mouth to object. “I understand that you are of a different culture, a different world completely. Well, remember, young MALE, you are in Equestria, and I know that Princess Twilight has been trying to teach you how to live in our world, but we see how that’s ended up.” They turn the corner, continuing at a slow walk. “Your mares will deal with their anger at Twilight in due course.”

“So, why did you want to talk to me, except to tell me what I already know?”

“Would you shush!?” Tim flinches. Dream leans forward. “Sorry, I do find myself treating you as if you were a typical Equestrian stallion,” she tsks a bit, shaking her head, “but you aren’t, so I need to tell you something here.” She nudges for him to cross the street. “Back when Citrus Blush was a little foal, her sire and I, along with Inky Rose… We were a happy little herd. I had my Citrus, and Inky was planning on having her own once Citrus had reached school age.” She stops talking, her ears flicking back and forth. Finally, she looks up at him. “Citrus mentioned you were there one time when her father came up to see her?”

Tim nods. “Rotten Apple, yeah, I remember him.”

Her ears splay back. “He was never a bad stallion,” she sighs, “although he had a recurring battle with wanderingeyeitis…” She looks up at him. “I was the lead mare, and it seems like every month or two, Rotten would be coming up, and saying there was a mare in heat, and he was asked to service her. Or one of the mares at his office was coming on to him, and could he play with her, too? Some of that is just fine. He never failed to perform with us, and he was always a loving stallion. With his job, and social status from his part of the Apple family, we did really well. I was able to build my little boutique into one of the premier sources for makeup in Canterlot. My own line of sunscreen was doing fabulously.” She again stops talking, her ears flicking back and forth. “Little did I know that he was more interested in climbing socially than making a lasting, loving relationship work.”

Tim waits for a few moments, watching Tropical Dream. “And what happened?”

She sighs, “He left us, he wanted to pry another mare away from another herd, but Fancy Pants would have none of that. He left two mares who would have done anything for him, for a mare who not only didn’t really know he existed, but whose stallion nearly killed him in a duel for his lead mare.”

“Stallions duel over lead mares?”

She looks at him sideways. “Stallions find reason to fight for plenty of reasons, usually love or money. But you know quite well that mares will fight other mares over the stallions. Well, stallions will fight for their mares as well. It’s exceedingly rare for a stallion and mare to fight. We think of it as beating on those we should be caring for, as backwards as that is to you.”

She turns and noses him through a door. He recognizes the interior. “Cookie’s place?”

“I thought you could use a pick me up. I am furious but not insensitive. I saw the look on your face when you came out from there. You have some serious talking to do, but you need to organize your thoughts first, and I need to make you understand before you finish digging your own grave. And don’t you dare bullshit me; I’ve seen it all; I can spot check bullshit at seven miles. Go sit a table; I’m ordering. Will your coffee be strong or strong?”

“Strong,” Tim answers with a weak smile. He sits down at a table. He puts his head in his hands. This just keeps getting better and better!

Tropical Dream comes a few minutes later with two large coffees strong enough to wake the dead. She sets one before him and says, “Drink and listen. You need to understand what the breaking of a herd’s sanctity means to my little Citrus.”

“Because of what happened with you?” She nods. Tim growls, “I’m not looking to leave Citrus; I love her.”

“Just her?”

Tim sputters for a moment, “I love my entire herd!”

Tropical looks at him seriously. “You and I both know I’m not talking about your herd. How do you feel about that other mare? Princess Twilight Sparkle, or so I’m told.”

She sits and tastes her drink, smacking her lips appreciatively. Tim looks at the coffee “Tropical… I know what I did with Twilight was wrong, and if I could take it back, I would.”

“Neither Citrus, nor I, are asking…or even wishing for you to take it back.” She sets her drink down, looking at him. “The problem isn’t that you strayed. As I’ve said before, there are real reasons for you to be seriously tempted by a mare lifting her tail for you. What the problem is, Citrus may have been very young when it happened, but our herd was devastated when the only stallion of our herd decided to run off and be a social climber with a mare who wouldn’t give him the time of day. He was stupid when it came to Fleur. He left Inky and me – everypony, and he never looked back. He didn’t have anything to do with Citrus until she became an adult. And all she is to his is his status symbol, and only because you, my little alien, are currently mounting her. The inclusion of a second stallion so quickly, and one so conservative as Silver, is yet another bulwark against a repeat of her fillyhood. You are, unfortunately, proving her worst fears correct.” She looks down at her drink. “She had an underlying idea that stallions fundamentally disloyal opportunists. Citrus isn’t exactly upset that you mounted Princess Twilight Sparkle; she’s upset that Twilight wanted you specifically to mount her. But most of all, she’s terrified that you are going to run away from your herd, like her sire ran away from her dam and away from her.”

Tim sits there for a long time. “Tropical, I would never leave her.”

She rolls her eyes. “Is there hay in my tail?”

“What?”

“Pony idiom – it means ‘as if I haven’t heard that before.’”

“No, I’m serious.” Tim stops, looking at the table for a long time, finally he takes a quick sip of his coffee. “I didn’t have those problems; my parents stayed together until my dad died. I had a few friends where their families fell apart, but mine didn’t. I never cheated on any girl before more.” He sets his drink down, looking intently at Tropical Dream. “I’m not leaving Citrus for as long as she’ll have me -- the same with anypony else in my herd. Twilight can’t pry me away, nor can anypony else.”

She looks at Tim calmly for what seems like forever, then her ears flick. “What if Twilight is brought into the herd? Would you favor her over Citrus? You do know now that your herd is getting larger. If it does happen, it’s very likely it will be a while before Twilight would be allowed to be with the lead stallion. Would you be itching to mount her?”

Tim shakes his head. “I don’t think Citrus will ever allow Twilight to join the herd.”

“That’s not what I asked. If she did, would you defer to Citrus and her decisions regarding her herd?”

Tim nods. “She is the head of our household, of our herd. If she makes a decision, I’m behind it.”

Tropical brightens considerably, she offers a beaming smile. “You are still too tall and scary for my taste, but you certainly have captured my little filly’s heart.” She fixes him with a look. “Don’t you dare break it, or I will break you. Chivalry be damned, I shall show you the business end of the family’s crescent sabre. Understood?”

Something about the older mare gets a gulp from Tim. “Yes, ma’am.”

She again is all happiness and cheer. “Okay, I trust you’ve been able to compose your mind well enough? Ready to talk to the rest of your herd?”

Tim nods as Tropical stands up. He quickly follows her from the shop.

***

Once again, Tim is back in the bedroom, with his herd, including Silver Wing. Tropical is puttering around in the kitchen. As Tim looks around, he’s quite aware of the lead weight in his middle. Trying to talk to them after the last couple of weeks has been more than a bit difficult.

“I know that I’ve told you I’m sorry for what I did,” he confesses to Citrus, “but talking to your mom has really let me know why you feel the way you do, love.”

Citrus’ ears flick back and forth, but nothing else betrays how she feels. Tim looks at her intently. “Citrus, I want you to know that I’m not like your sire. I’m not some stupid social climber that simply wants to make myself greater. You aren’t a status symbol to me. You are what I never knew I needed in my life.” He glances at the others. “Back on my Earth, I had one woman I really loved. She was what made me happy when I woke up in the morning, made me happy when I was pulling her to me to go to sleep at night, and what made sleep sometimes impossible when I was out on the road, working. I lost all of that, I lost her. I lose what made my life complete, when I came to Equestria. After I had to deal with the pain of what your doctors did to save my life. After I spent months learning how to walk, how to pick things up again, all the things I had taken for granted back home, I still felt… I felt hollow.”

Tim is silent for a long moment, finally he looks up. “Citrus, you had been my friend through all of it, encouraging me when I was down, giving me a hug when I would have much rather cried, making me laugh when all I wanted to do at that point was just die. I know why I fell in love with you. And having you tell me, just crystalized everything in my mind. I love you, Citrus Blush, with all of my heart.” He finds he’s able to smile. “And, Cayenne, I met you on joining Citrus as a herd on day one. You are different, you have a passion for cooking that the greatest of chefs back at home can’t match. And you have the skills to match that passion. But you are passionate in other ways, too. You are fiercely loyal. You push me, at work, and here, to be the best I can be. I know that I’ve earned your love, and you most definitely have earned mine.”

“North Point, you were confusing at first, you had been interested in joining the herd for sex.” He smiles, “And boy, you didn’t disappoint.” Her ears flick in response, and she offers a small smile. “But it’s become more than that. Our conversations, sometimes late into the night, have been quite interesting. I love your mind, how you can come up with different solutions to a problem. You are offered two solutions, and you choose option three, somehow making it work.” He turns to Silver, whose ears are perked forward. Though the scowl he has worn on his face from the minute that Tim confessed is still present, he does seem to be paying attention. “I was dubious at the idea of adding another male to our herd. The girls had told me how things were normal here in Equestria, and I knew they did want somepony to help with time in the bedroom, as well as somepony to be close to. So, once I got to know you at your job, my reservations evaporated. Even though bringing you into the herd was a bit different than I imagined.” Tim glances at the other girls, then back to Silver. “I am most sorry for what my actions have meant to you. I never knew that all the stallions in our herd would be punished for my transgressions. So, having this come down on you has been horrible. Because…” Tim stops, looking down, “I love you too. I don’t know how, and I’ll tell you right now, I don’t plan on mounting you any time, ever, but I actually like having you around, and I love how you are.” Silver’s mouth quirks in a half smile for a moment, before the scowl returns. Tim sighs and takes a step back, “I don’t want to lose a single one of you, for any reason.” Tim stops, this is what he’s been having the most trouble to organize in his head. Finally, he can open his mouth. “I need to tell you why Princess Twilight got to me so easily.”

“By changing herself into a human, I know,” Citrus growls.

Tim holds out a hand. “Yes, but just by being human wasn’t it. You all know that she’s been lifting her tail, and showing herself to me all the time. Almost the entire time I’ve known her. And yet, it’s been this long until anything has actually happened. And yes, her turning human was the catalyst for this. But the reason that had an effect on me, is…” He frowns, not really knowing how to proceed.

Citrus glances at the other mares, and at Silver, then back to Tim. “is…what?”

Tim sighs, “I miss soft skin, I miss breasts, I miss fingers touching me. I miss the human smells that I had never known even made an impression on me. I miss a tongue as short as mine instead of one trying to lick my lungs every time we kiss.” He glances at Cayenne, who flushes in response. “I miss arms around me, I miss bringing a human body to mine. I miss so much about being human, and the kicker is, I didn’t know how badly I missed all of that, until Twilight showed me what I missed about loving one of my own species.”

“Your species has no problem with rape?”

“What? Rape? No!”

Cayenne shifts a bit, “Tim, what Twilight did, was rape, pure and simple, you didn’t have the power to say no.”

Tim stops and shakes his head, “Twilight didn’t explicitly say that I could or couldn’t say no. Her head was too clouded by her heat to say that. But remember, she’s been showing her attraction to me for a long time now, even though I’ve only recently understood what her actions meant.” He looks up at all of them, “I was put on the spot and it was tough. I saw she was in heat, but I willfully ignored all the signs; I think deep down I wanted her to seduce me. I really like her and think she's a beautiful mare. Even without all that leverage, odds are, sooner or later, we would have had sex anyway, if you had consented. I wanted her. Remember, I asked to have her come around here. I wanted her around. I'm not some weak, giddy prettycolt who swoons at the first nuzzle of the movie's heroine. I knew it was going to come to a head at some point. I hesitated not because I didn't want to have sex with her, but because I felt guilty about betraying you."

“But Twilight is a princess. Her station…” Citrus starts, only to be overrode by Tim.

"If things had been slightly different, yes, I would call it rape. I understand why you may think I was raped; even she said it right afterwards. But once we started touching each other, I got so turned on, my conscience deserted me and then I touched her back once, and again, and again..."

“So, do you like sex with her more than with your herd?” Citrus says, eyes filling with tears.

Cayenne nudges her hard. “Citrus, we are all angry with him, but if we spit in his face when he approaches us. This herd, this family, is not going to work. Your mother spoke with him this evening at your behest, now let him do his part. However angry you are now, restrain yourself! It is all we can do to heal these wounds. Lambasting a stallion coming clean will only serve to drive him into the embrace of another mare.”

Tim shakes his head violently. “No, Citrus, I love sex with my herd. I wouldn’t give it up for anything. All three of you are amazing in bed, and you girls know exactly how to drive my passion right over the edge.” He glances at Silver. “I even enjoy having you in bed with us as well, Silver. Even though I’m not going to be mounting you anytime soon, or having you mount me.”

“I’m into mares, you slut.”

“I know, Silver.” He looks at the girls. “I wasn’t aware of how much I missed what I had lost until that afternoon. I couldn’t tell you that before, because I didn’t really understand it until right then and there. I didn’t know why I was so hollow, I didn’t understand what I missed so much. How seeing the pictures on my phone hit me so hard. It was like being punched in the gut, seeing someone who was essentially dead to me, someone I could never talk to again, even in picture form, just tore me up. Even though I know how much I love you all.”

Citrus nods. “So, we are good enough for you, Tim?”

Tim sputters for a moment. “Absolutely, Citrus!” He moves over towards her, only to be greeted by a lit horn bringing up a shield barrier stopping him in his tracks.

“Please don’t touch me yet – I don’t trust myself with you.”

“I know what the problem is now. And by knowing what was able to get under my skin so thoroughly, I can deal with that. I don’t have to let it affect me the same way anymore.”

Cayenne’s horn quiets as Tim moves back and sits down, Citrus looks at her, then over at North and Silver. Then she seems to look inward for a long time. “We understood, but had to make sure you really meant it and could say it. Thank you, Tim. I’m glad you have come clean with us. You have told us what happened, and why it happened.” She glances at the others. “And I’m pretty certain we believe you on that.” Then her expression turns serious, “You are showing that you feel you should be trusted, and thank you for having the courage to tell us how you feel able it when you could have hidden behind our biases to shield yourself, but you violated our trust in you. We will have a bone to pick with Twilight Sparkle. Even if you don't feel like she raped you, poaching is a serious offense against a herd, and we will get satisfaction. We're mares; it's our nature to think of stallions as victims, and in this way we're still treating you as the victim of a mare who exploited your vulnerabilities. We also need to prove that we won't take this lying down.”

Citrus continues, “That doesn’t mean you are out of the dog house, but this talk is helping to start the healing process. That is a good thing. I’d much rather you be in bed with me rather than stuck down stairs.” She glances over as Silver perks up. “But that time has yet to arrive.” Silver visibly wilts. “You still must have your lessons with Princess Twilight, but you aren’t going alone. She should be done with her heat. So, you will have to go back to Ponyville with one of us mares. And mind your manners with her.” She glances around at the others. “And the Gala will be here in a matter of weeks. Perhaps you find yourself able to control yourself around Princess Twilight… we might be able to resolve everything.”

Cayenne adds, “Tim, you betrayed us. I knew of what happened to Citrus’ birth herd for years now. What her sire did,” she grimaces and continues with a growl, “Mister Apple was not the best of fathers. And he hurt Citrus very deeply. I know stallions will be stallions, but you really made her think she wasn’t good enough. I mean, you had to mount a Princess of Equestria! I suppose at least she wasn’t a diarch! Cayenne huffs and then sighs, “But I heard what you are saying, and I trust that you are telling the truth on this. I believe your next scheduled appointment is tomorrow?”

Tim nods. “I wasn’t planning on going.”

Cayenne glares at him. “Not going?” Tim nods, she stamps a hoof and rolls her eyes, “Are so afraid you can’t control yourself around her, then you don’t belong in our herd. You would belong with her.” She stops for a moment, glancing at Citrus, then at North. “Do you want to leave us, to be with her?”

Tim shakes his head, “No. I don’t. I love you, I just explained that.”

That gets a small smile from Cayenne. “I’m glad to hear that, but now we need to see proof of that. I’m not going to force you to go, but part of regaining our trust would be us seeing how you act around her.”

"Besides, Fuckey Mcfuckerton," growled Silver, "we want to know how she behaves around you."

Tim frowns at Silver as North Point leans forward. “I don’t have much to say, Tim, love. I know how this has been hurting you.” She glances at Silver. “Both of you, but this will take time for everything to go back to normal. But your candor is very much appreciated. And, Silver, just because we must not share a bed now doesn’t mean we love you any less.” She approaches the pegasus, rubbing up against him deliberately from haunch to head, peppering him with kisses, culminating with one square on the lips with far too much tongue to be chaste. She strokes him from mane to wings, petting him lovingly. He nearly purrs, seeming to melt into her embrace. Her smile is genuine. “I’m glad to have joined this herd, even though this happened, but I’m glad to have all of you with me.” She accepts a quick nuzzle from Cayenne as she falls silent.

Tim glances at Silver. Silver glares right back. “You know how I feel, Tim; I’m barely in the herd a month before you fuck it all up.” He glances at the mares, then at Tim. “But you need to gain your mares’ trust back. You need to help bring back the honor of your herd as lead stallion, and you need to work hard at it. If, on your account, I’m not mounting our mares again soon, I’ll mount you.”

Tim flinches. North Point looks over at Silver. The stallion is blushing faintly. “I know sex isn’t everything in a herd, but it is important, and getting cut off because of the lead stallion in the herd doing a major fuckup isn’t helpful. I won’t pretend to understand what you are saying. When it comes to wanting your own species, ponies and other species herd all the time. I’ve heard some funny rumors about one of the element bearers being with a minotaur. I’ve read the papers; Princess Luna has a stallion admirer apparently as well, and our history books teach she once bedded a griffon prince for all his life.” He looks up at Tim. “But I do have some sympathy for what you did. I can’t help but blame myself a little here; I’ve been trying to teach you how to stallion, and I can’t believe I would have to teach you what to do when a mare in heat that’s not of your herd comes up to you. Now you know, right?” Tim nods. Silver flops down to lie on the floor. “Good.”

Citrus offers him a smile as he stands up and moves to the door, Citrus’ voice gets him to stop. “Tim, please remember that with all of this, we all love you.”

“I love you, too.” Tim nods as he closes the door behind him.

***

Princess Twilight Sparkle paces in the throne room of her castle. Her ears are splayed back, and her tail is lashing angrily. The other pony in the room sits comfortably, watching the young alicorn continue her pacing.

“I won’t. I simply won’t!”

The pink alicorn shakes her head. “Twilight, you stepped over the line with Tim’s herd. What are you going to do if Tim, or even Silver Wing, decide to duel you for their herd’s honor?”

Twilight stops in her tracks. “Males -- a pegasus stallion? A human? Do you think they would have a chance?”

Cadance flinches. “Would you honestly allow a stallion to fight you?”

Twilight wilts. “No, of course not. I don’t hit stallions.”

Cadance smiles, “Of course not, but that means it would fall on a male proxy for you.” Her eyes flick to the door. Shining Armor is playing with Flurry Heart in the other room. “You know who would be stepping up in that case.”

Twilight sighs, “I know. But I don’t think they would do that.”

“Well think again! That is MY HUSBAND and OUR CHILD in there! Don’t make me a widow because you thought with your cunt!” Twilight flinches. “Everything with Tim right from the beginning has been one unthinkable thing after another. We didn’t think he could exist. Then we didn’t think he’d live! Then we didn’t think he’d be able to go out in public. Then we didn’t think he would find love. Then we didn’t think he’d get a herd. Then we most definitely didn’t think you’d incite him to adultery! It’s time to stop playing the odds, Twilight – if anything else goes wrong, it’ll be not just your brother on the line, but also my husband. I would very much like him with all his blood and guts still on the inside, thank you. Flurry Heart, when she’s old enough to understand, is going to be very sad if she grows up without a father, and I’ll let her know it’s your fault!!”

Twilight stands up, continuing her pacing. “Legally, I did nothing wrong. Royal privilege is quite clear on that. I do not have to inform the lead mare of the herd in advance.”

“But it is common courtesy.”

Twilight huffs, “Of course it is. And of course, the stallion is usually asked first.” She whirls to face Cadance, “This wouldn’t have happened if you haven’t shipped Tim with me!” She punctuates the last word with a hard hoof to the floor.

Cadance’s wings flutter for a moment, the purple alicorn’s wings are out to the side, and quivering a bit, showing her temper. Twilight looks back at her wings, and takes a moment to deliberately fold them at her sides. “I was trying to help you, but you’re making it all backfire in my face! Don’t you think I’m fully aware just how badly I fucked this up? I know, Twilight, I messed up with this. I failed to take into account that his nose isn’t as sensitive as a pony’s, that he doesn’t understand the rules of our culture dealing with a mare in heat. And more so, an alicorn mare in heat. And then I failed to calculate that you’re enough of a whore to make Changeling Queen Ember blush! A prostitute changeling of an enchanter hive hath not half your reckless lust! For what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry, but sorry doesn’t mend wounded hearts, or assuage wounded pride, or pay debts of honor. I am trying to stabilize the patient, but her every move only makes her circle the drain ever faster.”

That gets a snort from Twilight as she continues pacing, “It’s been a week since my heat ended. Tim should have come back. I’m not going to jump his bones again.” She stops and shudders, her wings twitching. “As much as I want to,” she murmurs almost too softly to hear. She stands there for a moment, then continues her pacing. “He’s so different from the ponies. He acknowledges that I am a princess, but he treats me as an equal. He’s not a social climber, wanting to get behind me to help his own situation. He tells me what is on his mind, not what he thinks I want to hear. He’s so beautiful, too!” She looks back, her wings are stiffly pointing up, “Argh! Why can’t I get that time out of my head? It was so wonderful, yet I was so wrong to do it!”

Cadance ducks her head. “You know, if you apologize to Citrus, you might be able to get another chance.”

“Yeah, sure,” Twilight scoffs, “I pretty much raped your stallion for hours. When you came, I took the olive branch you were offering and threw it in your face. But now I’m sorry and want to see if I can have your stallion to myself when I’m horny?” She sinks to the floor, her wings covering her face. “She hates me, Tim probably hates me, the whole herd hates me now.”

“Can’t hurt to try.”

Twilight snorts, “I can’t apologize, I can’t show weakness here.” She stands up, her wings unfurling. “I’m a princess of Equestria. I have the right to use Royal Privilege when it comes to stallions for the purposes of dealing with heat. I can’t back down and you know why. They think we’re goddesses – goddesses can’t be wrong. If we’re wrong and they find out, they’ll think we’re unfit to lead them when they realizes our horseshoes get muddy, too. I have to be unrepentant for the good of Equestria.” She sighs, “I guess I will have to talk to Princess Celestia and see about setting up a few stallions to help me when spring comes. I’d want to start interviewing them as soon as possible, so I’ll have several ready to go. Since they can get me pregnant, necessitating the no-foals spell, that’ll make it even worse. What am I going to do?”

Cadance taps her chin with a hoof, then she looks down at Twilight. “What went through your mind when you saw Tim? You could have simply teleported away. I know you were feeling the heat strongly, but your mind wasn’t that clouded, was it?”

Twilight shakes her head. “I could have. Part of me really wanted to. I’m no blushing virgin. I was a part of a small herd in Canterlot before I came to Ponyville. And I dated a few times while here. I knew I wanted eventually to have foals. Then this crazy creature falls from the sky. I had to spend weeks researching every bit of anatomy I could find to deal with his physiology. Then Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had to help develop the translation matrix spell for him. Then we had to figure out how to implant it within him, just so we could communicate. I remember when he first woke up in the hospital, when he was actually lucid, and the spell had learned enough to start being able to talk to him. He was so kind; he said I was pretty. Since I had ascended, the only stallions to call me pretty were those wanting to bed me. I can look back, now, and see where I started to have feelings for him. I know why Citrus Blush fell for him, he is a bit feminine – not really like most stallions. Add to that my curiosity about his people, that curiosity about his culture and life, got me talking to him. Where I started teaching him about life in Equestria…” She sighs, “He has such a desire to learn.” She looks up at Cadance. “I think even if he were a human mare, I might have fallen just as hard. Not that I have a chance anymore…”

Cadance steps down from the chair and nuzzles Twilight, putting a wing around the younger alicorn. “I understand what you are talking about.” She uses her other wing to get Twilight to look into her eyes, “Do you want to know why Shining and I are staying with just the two of us? No other stallions or mares?”

Twilight nuzzles Cadance back. “You haven’t told me much about that. From before you got together?”

“Actually, before we got married.” Cadance stops for a long moment. Then she looks at Twilight. “Do you know when Queen Chrysalis was able to abduct me?”

Twilight shakes her head. “No, I believe it’s in the official record from the investigators.”

Cadance smirks. “I didn’t tell them everything, like how you tried to kill me in the caverns under Canterlot.”

Twilight flushes. “Oh, yeah, that…” Her head droops and her ears flatten to the sides. “I did apologize after the wedding.”

Cadance nuzzles her lovingly. “Oh, Twilight, you had no idea. I don’t blame you.” She uses a wing to get Twilight to look at her. “It was nearly three months I was stuck down there. That miserable creature would teleport food down there, maybe once a week. I was starving, not nearly enough water, and every time I got close to escaping, some of her children would corral me back into the caverns, and seal up every exit point I found. But that wasn’t the worst. She would taunt me, I think she was trying to get information from me on how to deal with Shining. I didn’t talk to her much; didn’t want to help her with that.” She sighs, a few tears leaking out. “She always said, if Shining truly loved you, he would break the illusion and be searching for you.” Or she would say that Shining was excellent in bed, that he hit just the right spot, don’t I wish it were me he were mounting? That he professed how the sex had gotten even better, how much he had cum, how hard he had made her cum, how he had yelled her name, kissed her, held her, confessed his undying love! She would go into great detail on how Shining did this, or he did that. That he made breakfast for her that morning. That he sneaked a kiss on her cheek just out of nowhere.” The tears are falling in earnest now. “She took joy in how Shining would show the love he has for me to her. And that I would never feel his touch again, how I would live the rest of my days in the cavern, that she would stop giving me food once the marriage ceremony was over with, and would laugh with glee when I finally succumbed.” She stops for a long time, controlling her emotions.

Finally, her tears cease. “After months of that, then she changed, saying we should bring in other mares and other stallions into our herd. Some would be her children, and would be able to feed off of all the love that my stallion would be able to provide. She would drain him dry, and perhaps send him down to me for my last few minutes of life, completely under her control. And maybe she would let him realize what happened, before she had one of her children copy him and let him lose his mind down in the caves.” She sits silently, but finally she turns to Twilight, her eyes bright with more tears. “She would have him waste away in the caverns as well, knowing that he had loved a fake, and got to watch the real love of his life die before him.” She shudders. “And it was all my fault, letting myself be captured by her.”

Twilight moves up, nuzzling her sister-in-law. “It wasn’t your fault!”

“But it was!” Cadance shouts, her hoof impacting the crystalline floor. “If I had been more careful, if I hadn’t followed what I thought was Shining that night, hoping for a quick rutting, I wouldn’t have been captured by her, I wouldn’t have been away from my guards. I was hoping for some private time with my future husband, and I ended up being tortured for months.”

Twilight nuzzles more aggressively. “You couldn’t have known.”

She finally nuzzles Twilight back. “Yeah, well, after that, we’ve had some mares and a couple of stallions join us, to play around, and see if we could find somepony compatible. And every time, I’d freeze up, thinking they might get replaced with a changeling. Or worse yet, that they weren’t real, that they were changelings in disguise. You have no idea how may ponies I scared away from our bedchambers.”

“But, Cadance, the changelings have been defeated, they don’t do that anymore.”

“One hive is reformed, and you think the danger from them is gone?”

“But Thorax has been working to reform all the rest.”

“Chrysalis is out there, Twilight. Until she’s brought to justice or reformed, I can’t risk that. I can’t risk changelings feeding on Shining, or on Flurry Heart. I simply cannot risk it.” She moves and starts to pace like a caged animal, her eyes wild. “Oh, in public, I’m dismissive of herding with a new mare. But now you know, I don’t want a new mare or a new stallion because I’m afraid.” She stops and hangs her head low, her ears splayed to the side, “I’m afraid of losing the love of my life again, to those damned bugs. Chrysalis is unknown. Intel from both our own sources as well as Griffiyan Razvedka and mercenaries doesn’t know where most marauder changelings are. There are a couple okay hives, nice hives elsewhere doing experiments in equitable cohabitation like in Respite, but nowhere near our borders. The nearest ‘nice’ changelings are on Isla Fantasha, outside our territory, and they have a penchant for whisking away tourists to pamper eternally for love.”

Twilight moves up and nuzzles Cadance. “We will figure it out. Thorax will get the other hives to understand that they can make the love they need, and be a force for harmony.”

“I hope you are right, Twilight. I also hope that Tim’s herd does get to see what a fantastic mare you are. You need a herd, one that will love you as much as you deserve.”

Twilight snorts, “I have burned that bridge, Cadance. I had better work on other solutions before heat hits me again.”

Cadance smiles. “Yeah, make sure you have enough, don’t want a stallion dying from dehydration.” That gets a hoof to her shoulder. “Hey, it’s happened before.”

Twilight stops for a moment. “You have heat as badly as any princess, how was Shining enough for you.”

Cadance smirks, “Well, the severity of alicorn heat is tied to age and power. For you, it’s way above the upper end of normal range for ponies. You are consumed with desire, but you can keep some small corner of your mind clear enough to think clearly. For me, it’s pretty bad too. For Luna, it’s a nightmare. For Celestia, it’s enough to put the country on hold at times. Your brother is better in bed than most stallions. I could tell you the tricks we use to make sure he can do it, but don’t think you want all the details of that, do you?”

Twilight shudders. “No, I think I will be happy not having those details pinned in my skull.”

Cadance stands up, her horn lighting and bringing a tissue to clean her face. After a few moments, she glances into the mirror. “I’m going to have to go to Citrus’s makeup shop for some more supplies.” She flushes, “I’ll have to disguise myself so she doesn’t chase me out the moment I step inside.” She shakes her head as she brings another tissue forth. She sits down and starts to clean Twilight’s face with it.

“Hey, you aren’t my babysitter anymore,” Twilight says, trying to bat the tissue away.

“Maybe not, but I’m still gonna take care of you, little sister in law.”

***

Tim is laying on the couch, Silver on the floor. It’s dark. He could sleep, but he’d have to wake soon to cook breakfast for his lovelies. The bastard is laying on the couch. Soon enough, there will be two people on that couch.

The stairs creak. Here comes the mare. He looks away, not wanting to be any more taunted than he already is by what he’ll hear.

North Point doesn’t say anything as she climbs onto the couch. “Tim, you awake?”

“Yeah?”

“Wanna do it?” Silver hears her kissing his neck, her lips making smooching noises on his hairless skin. She is brushing against him. Her hoof rustles as it brushes against his pants. She is provoking him to arousal. Silver’s ears flatten, he knows what’s coming next.

Doesn’t she care if he hears? Of course not. This is all meant to keep Tim in line by depleting his libido as it is to make him want to keep Tim in line. “North…” He’s kissing her back. Silver feels himself get hard. He’s so sensitive – horny enough to fuck a goat. That damn royal mare, and all he had to do was talk with Citrus, hell, Silver might have been able to play with Twilight as well. If only Tim had kept his head about him.

He hears as she climbs on top. Tim pushes her down to mate with him, dominant, face to face. Tim sighs happily. He’s telling North how much he loves her, how deep he is, how good she feels. Fucker! He’s in her. She’s shuffling. This must feel good for him, but the slight grunts from North indicate it may truly be less pleasant for her.

Tim has said no to her. She has respected it. Still, Silver knows that every rejection by Tim hurts his case. He’s watched North Point walk back upstairs, head down, defeated. Silver can’t help but feel a bit of perverse pride for the human in how he realizes the needs of his mares. At least he understands the highly physical nature of pony love. A herd without sex is no herd at all.

Their tempo gradually hastens. Silver begins to touch himself, wishing for the warm embrace of a mare, to feel himself inside one of them again. North’s moans now sound distinctly aroused, he closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to see her horn brighten in arousal. She is powering on, fucking him as much as he is fucking her.

Silver speeds up his ministrations. How he longs to feel those intimate touches again… Tim is making those little grunts of his. “North, I’m gonna cum.”

“Don’t stop, Tim. Cum inside me.”

“North! I’m… AAAAAHhhhh…!” North leans up and kisses him. Tim grunts and kisses into her as he spills his seed. North beckons him with her noises and hips. “I love you. I love you!” With each great lurch of her hips, she milks another large pulse of sperm from the human’s undeserving cock.

Eventually Tim pulls out. North snickers, “Is that all?” She sucks and slurps along the length. Silver hears gasps and moans from Tim. He could just buck the bastard fit to break his spine! But this is his place. The gala is coming up soon. All debts will be paid in full by then at the absolute latest. This too shall pass. Although a human mind would never get it, he is an equestrian stallion and understands the values of patience and perseverance. If he has to have a dry dick for a while for the sake of his herd, it isn’t even a question in his mind. He knows his loyalty is much appreciated by his mares. They brush and kiss him, just they won’t fuck him for now. There is no doubt in his mind they love him and appreciate this. In time they will pay him back in full and more. He hears Tim grunt. North giggles, “Hard again, Love? Let me help you...” Silver hears her begin to suck on the human’s cock. He touches himself in earnest, seeking his sole relief. Soon, he tells himself, they will again be in one big warm bed, and his cock will know a mare’s touch too.

Once they’re done, North Point climbs off Tim. To his surprise she lies down next to Silver and embraces him. He holds her too, legs and wings. He kisses her, and she kisses him back, wrapping her legs around him. “I love you too, Silver. Don’t forget that.” She doesn’t do this every night, but when she does, his heart soars.

“I won’t.”

“Be strong, Love. As soon as I can, I’m going to fuck you until you see lights.”

“Can’t wait.”

“I know you can’t. We can all smell your musk, and I know you’re touching yourself to me on Tim.”

He flushes hot. “I can’t help it.”

“I know you can’t. And that’s fucking hot.” She whispers hoarsely into his ear. “As much as I love human dick, there’s no cock like horse cock.”

Silver grins. “How are Cayenne and Citrus taking this, sleep cold and all?” A glance shows the human’s eyes have closed. North has gotten really good at putting Tim out for the night.

“They’re enduring, as they must. They can’t wait for this to be over, too.”

“That makes four of us.”

“Five,” North Point corrects.

“Sorry.”

“Do you resent him?”

“No fucking shit.”

“You shouldn’t, but I don’t blame you.”

“Yeaaah.”

“You’re a good stallion, Silver.”

“Wow, that’s, that’s… Great…”

“Yeah.” North Point kisses him on the lips. He kisses her back, moaning with a bit of happiness into her. “Anyway, love, I have a bit of a talk to have with our other two lovelies.”

“Oh?”

“See you in the morning, Silver. Sleep tight. I love you.”

“I love you too, North. Good night.”

Okay, as you can see, the nature of how things are going down has not fundamentally changed. The herd is still hitting rock bottom, with the way back up hinted to.

Kalash has done a great job with his tireless work on pulling the chapters back together after our story surgery. Hope you all enjoy.