Cadance sat on her throne, her legs crossed, fingers tapping rhythmically at the ends of the armrests; betraying a tincture of anxiety and excitement. The reason for her candor was the talk of the empire, at least amongst the more politically minded. Dignitaries were visiting the Crystal Empire… special dignitaries, exotic and foreign, handsome and striped.

Well, ‘handsome’ was an adage that Cadance couldn’t help but compulsively include herself whenever they were brought up. Zebras, for anyone who has ever picked up a particularly risque novel, exploring the fetishistic and beyond-obscene knew a thing or two about zebras. The taboo memoirs and stories exploring a romance with the species - primarily only ones of carnality and lust - painted a uniform image of them. Big, burly hunks, often more muscle than brains, knowing every intimate facet of sex and pleasure. Unmatched in virility, possessing endowments that would make even the most renowned model in Playmare turn green with envy. It was no wonder that any mare - or particularly self-loathing stallion - would have an almost deific view of this strange and enigmatic race…

Cadance was one such mare.

It started as one purchase, a book bought during the drought in her and Shining’s love life during the late stage of her pregnancy. And, after reading the book and fucking her husband shortly after the birth, she found that he no longer spread her taut cunt quite as far as he used to. So she brought more of the stories. She became consumed by the images created by her imagination when reading. A big, striped hunk tossing the story’s protagonist on the bed, dominating every hole that could fit his abnormally large cock. The more she discretely acquired, the more and more the lucky mare in the story was replaced with the image of herself. She neglected Shining to live in the fantasies she created, molded by the uncountable number of stories she read. She wanted to be bred, striped as the illicit novels had put it. Her self degradation and need had boiled to the point where the oversized phalluses she would cram into her twat no longer satisfied her. She was all too willing cheating on her husband to fulfil her deranged fantasy, even disguising herself and venturing to the less savory parts of the capital to find the striped stallion of her dreams. Unfortunately for the alicorn, zebras were not quite as common as the myriad stories implied. They were reclusive and rarely left their nation to the far South, and their fractured states would make justifying an official visit impossible. The alicorn continued to stew in her ever-warming lust, debasing herself mentally, her books and stories dogeared with relentless use. That was until an opportunity emerged. And his name was To’Achuu.

She gave a glance to Shining, who was standing next to the throne. His face was plastered with an innocent smile; cordial and polite, diplomatic and so wonderfully naive. Cadance smiled, imagining him on his knees, cock locked up in a pitiful cage as he was forced to watch as a big, zebra stud pistoned in and out of a part of her that no longer belonged to him. It didn’t matter what hole, they would just no longer be his anymore. Just like the stories when the abusive, angry stallion who restricted his wife or girlfriend was given catharsis in the end, unable to compete with their wife’s new zebra lover. Of course, Shining was neither abusive or restrictive, but there was one grievous sin above all others he committed for which he was guilty: he left her unsatisfied.

She focused her sights back forwards, eyeing the grand doors with a subdued smile. Several guards stood dutifully in the room, flanking the doors, throne and lining the walls; spears held at the ready. Cadance imagined them trying to stop the zebras as they marched forward with the intent of claiming her royal cunt before all their eyes, but being too afraid of the blatantly superior specimens of masculinity to even try to stop them. She imagined her guards watching with rage, shame and envy as they pinned her arms to the rests, tearing away her clothing and stuffing her pink twitchy clam with their dicks until they had asserted their dominance by filling her fallopian tubes with jizz!

Calm yourself, Cadance, she thought to herself, awkwardly uncrossing and recrossing her legs; her pink face tinged with red.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the grand doors finally opened. She had to stop herself from leaning forwards, impatient after waiting so long. She was going to see her first zebra - the first piece of delicious and forbidden fruit she had spread the legs of her empire to take inside. It was going to be a day to remember, and she mentally prepared herself to take an internal snapshot to remember the first striped frame she looked upon, and… it was… it was... not was she expected.

A lithe, striped thing walked in, bordering the line between mare and stallion. However, Cadance knew the zebra could not have been a mare for none travelled with To’Achuu, at least that’s what he told her in the letter. The disappointing first example of zebradom walked with a confident if somewhat shaky stride to the middle of the throne room. A closer look afforded Cadance the chance to see the slight hint of pink filling the white lines on his cheeks, and the fact his nipples were erect, not accustomed to the cold. He wore only wore a humble loincloth, showing off as much of his body as it was possible. However it didn’t come across as confident and cocky decision, more so one of humility. Even the stoic guardsmen were thrown off by the site, some looking sideways just to take in more of the curious sight. He was flat chest and light on muscle and tone - all of his fat gathered in his thighs and ass. Cadance’s mouth flapped open and close, unsure of what to say to him, whether to greet him or ask if she was at the receiving end of a joke. He must have been a teenager, barely, or an example of his kind who had yet to blossom into his naturally hunky self. This didn’t stop Cadance from stealing a look downwards, lingering, wondering if such a small zebra was packing a mighty large package.

“Go on,” Shining’s voice sounded from beside her, his tone encouraging, his smile warm. “You can do it.”

Cadance glanced from the stocky unicorn to the zebra in question, brows furrowed. Apparently her eyes directed too low to have noticed the zebras timid expression, a sweat threatening to break out despite the cold. His arms shook as they were stretched outwards, unfurling a piece of yellow parchment. A glance to Shining seemed to embolden him after his prior words, and he spoke.

“A-announcing the arrival of To’achuu! Holder of u-uncountable titles! R-ruler of the Bukkichia Clan, strongest of the Z-Zebra tribes and the most powerful amongst us!” the waifish zebra announced, his voice silvery and feminine, littered with stutters.

He then refurled the scroll, offering a look to Cadance and a smile to Shining, leaving the room backwards with his head lowered submissively. Following right after, a large group of Zebras marched in, beckoned by the meek stallion’s call. Whilst all heads turned to look upon the striped guests, only Cadance allowed her jaw to fall at the sight. They were of varying shapes and sizes, all striped of course but wearing mismatched pieces of clothing and attire that Cadance could not quite see the pattern too. Some of the stallions, both big and small, were resigned to wearing loincloths and, much to her disappointment, not a single one was ineffectual. However, for the rest she offered on a glance, it was who lead them that made her heart pound and her quim quiver with a longing ache.

Leading the group at its head was an impressively tall stallion, a living image of the one who had only resided in her fantasies. He stood a full two heads taller than anyone else in the room, horns included. His chiseled torso was bared, each muscle impressively molded and shaped to envious perfection. She followed down to his abs, then let her eyes drift lower, and much to her disappointment, he wasn’t clad in a loincloth like some of those who surrounded him. A pair of libido crushing blue silk trousers with excess baggage. She couldn’t make out a thing, much to her chagrin. Finally, she looked at his face. His black and white mane was shorter than some of his peers, coming at most to his cheek with some strands tied up back into a loosely gathered knot behind his head; his forehead was also lined with a multicolored band of red, orange, yellow and blue. His brows were furrowed, an expression of suspicion and wariness - no doubt provoked by the numerous spears that surrounded him. Cadance was the last thing his eyes fell upon, his amber hues failing to exude any particular emotion - perhaps indifference. Of course, Cadance perceived such a look with an internal masochistic glee. He barely noticed her - a princess! In her own castle too!

Following behind him was around a baker’s dozen of striped stallions. They did not hold the alicorn’s attention for too long even though there were a few choice specimens to ogle, primarily closer to the front of the proverbial herd. A few were visibly taller than many of the guards in the room, even her husband, who was himself taller than most of the soldiers in the barracks. However, the thing that continued to confound her somewhat, and probably some of the more intrigued eyes in the room was the apparent… inconsistency. Seven, including the hunk at the front, wore more modest garments on her legs, both tall and not-tall. Six were all but nude in loincloths, similarly afflicting the muscled and lean. The only pattern that Cadance could see that it was only the stallions in clothing that wielded the obsidian tipped weaponry - both lithe and ripped. Cadance would have been fascinated with their social structure if her mind could focus on anything else than the potential pythons hidden away between their legs.

They approached the throne in a slow march, stopping a good distance away, the one who lead them crossed an arm over his stomach and bowed deeply. Although the gesture was short-lived, his back straightening right after to its rigid, martial posture.

“Welcome To’achuu,” Cadance greeted before he could even speak, letting a hint of her impatience slip, “to the Crystal Empire. It is an honor to have you he-”

“I am not To’achuu,” the tall one interrupted, raising a palm; his voice deep and melodic - fruity. “I am his second, Hajaa.”

Cadance blinked. He was completely serious. “Then where is he?” Cadance asked, perhaps skipping over some etiquette in doing so. Her heart however managed to skip a beat. If this demigod was only second in command, who was first?

He looked at her, brows furrowed, head tilted. “He is right here,” he answered, taking one step sideways, revealing a zebra hidden by the dozen who flocked around him.

Out he walked, humming a melodious song, hands held together behind his back. He was short, but not the shortest amongst them, practically average in height. Unlike those who had surrounded him, he wore a shirt, albeit ill-fitting - his perfectly flat stomach on display. There was no excess of fat on his body, and if his peers were anything to go by, he was toned in all the places that mattered. His mane was somewhat long, styled with both dreadlocks and braids, some of the locks intertwined with jewelry, such as gold rings weaved within or rings that simply slipped tight around the numerous locks. Around his neck, he wore two necklaces, one which held a platinum pendant lodged with a polished piece of obsidian. The second? A chain made out of lavender. Due to a lack of flesh on display, Cadance had no choice but to direct her sights to his face. She almost flinched at his smile, deep and sincere, one he shared with various onlookers in the room - longest with the prince who stood beside her. He possessed a youthful face, whose cheeks took on a tint of a blooming red rose the closer he got to the throne. When he neared the throne, crossing an arm over his belly to bow courteously, she saw a bracelet of sparkling stones - none of which she recognized from a glance. She was so flabbergasted by his appearance, that she failed to speak up after he finished bowing.

The smile remained on his face, even when the alicorn forgot herself “Greetings. It is an honor to finally meet the famed Crystal Princess of Love,” he greeted smoothly, finishing with a wink that brought a blush to her face. Hunk or not, he was smooth. “Your pictures do not do you justice. Your visage is near enough to bring a sweet tear to my eye up close.”

Cadance bit the corner of her lip. Already, he was flirting with her, and in the presence of Shining no less! She could feel the butterflies in her stomach going erratic. If she had toes, she would have curled them. “I, too, did not expect your flattery to extend beyond your letters,” she riposted, her grin hard to read as anything else but sultry. A quick glance to Shining afforded her the sight of a disapproving leer, the slight peek of a frown - he was also confused. She couldn’t wait to see it evolve into hatred, sorrow, lust, and then acceptance. She stood, feeling her arousal reach its peak. “I welcome you to the Crystal Empire, Chief To’Achuu. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we look forward to your stay with us over the next couple days. If it is alright with you, I would enjoy a... personal meeting with just you, and your guards, if that’s all right with you?”

To’achuu shot a glance to Hajaa, who crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. To’Achuu looked back to Cadance, smile persisting. “Of course.”

Cadance stepped down from her throne, compensating for her weak knees by moving with the most rigid steps possible, absolutely giddy at the prospect of having a taste before finalizing her deal with the gathering of striped stallion. To’Achuu Hajaa walked alongside her, all 12 of their company trailing behind...

Unbeknownst to her, whilst her mind was in the proverbial gutter, thinking of all the ways they could ruin her every orifice, Hajaa and To’Achuu gave each other tired but knowing looks.

Step 1 was completed…

Author's Note

This is co-authored by Jackelope, best author I know.

Enjoy. The smexy times will come in later chapters.