The night passed more quickly than the Major would have thought possible. He and the thief had sat at the dinner table for several hours, simply talking about traveling and the positives and negatives of each destination they had in common. Their interests didn't often intersect, but both had held control of their personalities well enough that major fights did not break out. The Earl had once again had a bit too much to drink, but the Major didn't really hold that against him. After they had left the table, the Earl had expressed interest in seeing the castle grounds. He held his tongue about it being late, and led the Earl to the stables.

"Oh? Are we taking the tour on horseback? How quaint." The Earl had said, without much emotion in his voice.

"The grounds are too large to tour on foot, and the paths aren't meant for cars." The Major shrugged. "I thought an English Lord would know how to ride a horse. Perhaps I was mistaken?"

"Hardly." The Earl shot the Major a withering glare. "I've ridden horses since I was a young boy. I just don't care for them. They are filthy, hard to take care of, and temperamental. Though I do occasionally enjoy a good ride. It's hard to argue with the romantic image of horseback riding." The Earl had a wistful look on his face.

The Major rolled his eyes but held his tongue and reminded himself it was the Earl's birthday. He considered it his gift to the Earl to not get into an argument about how much the man loved himself.

"No, I agree about horses. We used to have a full stable, but I sold most of the animals when my father moved to Switzerland. He was the one who loved horses. We keep only two now for the rare visits from my father. Though I suppose I could sell these last two off now. I hadn't thought of them in years until just now." The Major paused as he fumbled with the door in the dark. "It was how my father died, falling off a horse. He was an idiot, riding a horse at his age, but it was probably what he would have wanted. Better than dying in your sleep or because of some disease that only kills old men." The Major had unlocked the door and let the Earl in, flipping the electric light on the wall on as he entered.

The stables were well-maintained by a man that the Major employed for just that purpose. It was wasteful, paying someone to take care of animals that he didn't even want, but it had been necessary while his father was still alive. He truly hadn't thought about them since the funeral. He would have to make arrangements next week to let the caretaker go and sell the horses. Perhaps he could convince whoever bought them to employ the caretaker as well.

The two men approached the only two occupied stalls in the vast and old-fashioned building. The Major's face reddened. The Earl and Major gazed up at two Lipizzaner stallions that stood over 16 hands high.

"Er. Didn't your father hunt and take leisure on these? I have to admit, I could not ask for a more romantic beast to take a tour of your castle on, but... they are a little intimidating."

"My father raised horses. His best horses would retire to the main castle from the show circuit. This breed was his favorite. He trained them to hunt and ride as well, but yes. They are a little... decadent. It's been a long time since I've thought about them out here." The Major admitted.

"Well, it makes sense these were his favorites. They are majestic creatures, and the Lipizzan breed is credited to the Hapsburgs back in the 16th century."

The Major hadn't known that. He wondered why his father had never mentioned it all those years he tried to beat equestrian appreciation into him.

He led the two horses from their stalls to saddle them. The Earl followed and watched him select the saddles and bridles from the tack room, and then helped by saddling his own horse. The Major opened the door out to the grounds while the Earl swung up a little unsteadily into his saddle. He mounted and followed the Earl out the door on the rather docile creature.

The two rode in silence for about two miles, watching the moon shift across the sky through the trees. It was full tonight, and it lent a silvery light to the forest as the two men rode through it. The Major offered no commentary for the castle grounds, trusting the Earl to take whatever he wanted from the ride.

The sound of running water entered the edges of the Major's range of hearing, and suddenly feeling a little bored, he spurred his mount into a fast trot and took off towards the creek that ran north through the thinning woods, leaving the startled Earl in his wake. Well, it was that thief's fault if he couldn't keep up, though he did feel a little bad leaving a drunk man on a large horse in the middle of the woods. All the same, he was sure the thief could take care of himself, and wouldn't begrudge him the walk through the woods. It was the sort of thing the degenerate would enjoy, anyway.

Much to the Major's surprise, the Earl passed him on his own horse. Worse still, the damn thief was using the hohe schule aids and was overtaking him with a passage trot. He couldn't believe the thief was using the decadent style for the ride. And it was his horse! Well, this wouldn't stand. He changed his horse's gait to a canter, and executed two flying lead changes as he overtook the thief at the new pace.

The contest escalated, with each going faster and faster while trying to execute as many upper-level dressage movements as possible. The Major had steered them in the direction of a relative clearing in the woods, but as the contest escalated, he led them back down to the creek. He knew there were certain things the thief just wouldn't know how to do.

He dropped the show moves and let the horse take a relatively fast gallop to the creek. Then he slowed it down and had it execute a series of slow courbette before taking it across the small creek with a magnificent capriole. He finished the maneuver with a pirouette and stared smugly at the Earl, who had stopped and was watching silently from a distance. Then, incredibly, the Earl brought his horse into a levade and somehow managed a sweeping bow from the saddle.

"I concede, Major. These are magnificent horses your father reared. It's clear that he had high hopes for you as well, since it's not just anyone that can bring the best out of a horse like that."

"Yes. I think he was the most disappointed in me when he finally realized I hated the horses. I had to go through a lot of training before that as a young boy, though." He paused, regarding the Earl. "It is not just anyone that can make a Lipizzan execute the hohe schule movements."

"It is as you said, I am an English Lord, and I certainly know how to handle myself on a horse." The Earl smiled archly. The Major scowled and turned his back, resuming their slow pace through the forest again. The two were silent for several more minutes, and then the Earl began speaking once again.

"My father was quite a horseman as well. He wasn't a breeder, but he spared no expense acquiring show horses and a couple trainers that could raise them on the castle grounds. He loved taking them to shows and bringing people to the castle that would enjoy riding them. It was the only interest I couldn't share with him. I think it broke his heart too, when he finally realized I hated riding so much."

The Major made no reply. Silence sat between them for several minutes, both men seemingly enjoying the other's silent company through the woods.

"There was a young stallion he had purchased once, named Borogoves. A Cleveland Bay. It was one of the largest creatures I'd ever seen. Magnificent. He was so proud of it, and I remember just how much he talked about that horse before and after buying it. Cleveland Bays are quite rare. He sold a good portion of our art collection to pay for it, he was absolutely thrilled for the opportunity to purchase him. Borogoves was quite ill-tempered, unfortunately, but my father was looking forward to training that out of him. After about two weeks, Borogoves threw my father and trampled him to death."

Something twisted in the Major's stomach. He didn't really want to hear this story, mostly because he didn't know how one responded to these things. But something in him was glad the Earl was telling him, all the same. He wished he'd had the opportunity to offer wordless sympathy as the Earl had done for his father's death. There was another pause while the Major considered how to handle the situation, but the Earl continued the story before he had decided.

"I had just started at Oxford the week before, and had gotten into a terrible row with my father since the horse had meant I couldn't purchase a new wardrobe for school." The Earl paused again, briefly. "I came back to North Downs for his funeral. As soon as I got out of the car, I went to the shed where the hunting equipment was stored, grabbed a rifle, and shot Borogoves through the head. I think that was the only shot I've ever made in my life." The Earl smiled sadly at the memory.

The Major was even less sure what to say, but tried anyway. "You and your father parted on unfriendly terms before you went to Oxford?"

"Yes, but I know he didn't take that fight very seriously. He knew how angry it would make me, and he and I both knew the anger would pass as soon as I had someone distracting me from my snit. I don't really feel that badly about that. But even dead, he would never forgive me for killing that horse."

"That is nothing, then. I would have done the same thing."

"Did you do the same thing?" The Earl had ridden up alongside the Major and looked over, catching his eyes. The Earl's eyes were very blue, even in the moonlight, and the Major had to look away to answer.

"No, I did not go to Lucerne to kill my father's horse. But the situation was different. He was not thrown by a temperamental stallion. He should not have been riding at his age. And he was probably happy with a death like that, as I said before."

The Earl sighed. "Well, I suppose you're right, it's not quite the same. But the similarities are a bit eerie, wouldn't you say?"

The Major gave a halfhearted smirk in the darkness that the Earl couldn't see. "In a way." He could allow for that.

The two were silent for several more minutes, both men lost in memories. Then something occurred to the Major.

"So, your first act as Earl was dropping rare show stallion? I have never had the honor of killing such a creature myself."

The Earl laughed aloud, a genuine laugh of pleasure that filled the evening and dissipated the depressing mood the two had worked themselves into. "Dropping that horrible horse is still one of the most satisfying things I've ever done."

Then, catching the Major's eye once again, the Earl pushed his horse into a trot and pulled ahead of the Major and into an open field overgrown with wild grass. The Major followed, matching him pace for pace and act for act. Admittedly, the two men didn't have to lead the horses through it, since they'd been trained to match the showy motions of one another. Still, the perfect pax de deux was a rare treat, and the Major and Earl rode through the act that night while only the moon and stars looked on.

*****

As the two were leaving the stables, the Earl fell a few paces behind the Major, who was still taking his usual brisque pace even at the early hour.

"Major..." The Earl paused, reluctant to ask his question. "I don't want to ruin the evening by asking, but it would be simply marvelous to end my birthday by watching the sun rise." He paused, and then rushed in before the Major could answer. "Perhaps you could show me the best spot in the castle gardens to watch?"

The Major looked to the west, where he saw the sky beginning to gray. He was quiet for a long moment.

"From the roof. There is a small pavilion on the west tower." Absolutely no hint of his emotion showed, which worried the Earl. He was quiet as the silent Major led him through the vast castle and up the stairs to the top of the west tower.

They reached the steps and the Major pushed open the wooden door leading to the stone roof. He stopped a few paces from the door, and the Earl followed his gaze to the adorable pavilion. He thought at first he was perhaps considering leaving the Earl by himself, which would have been perfectly all right. The Earl would be able to find his way home after the sun rose.

But then the Earl's heart sank. The pavilion had been constructed with a roof and one open side around a stone table and stone benches. Its east side had been left open, probably for the sunset, but the other three sides had been closed in, likely to keep the glare off the group that chose to dine there. You couldn't watch the sunrise from the pavilion. Sitting on the ground was also out since the battements were too tall to see the landscape over. The Earl sighed.

"Well, it was a nice idea. I must thank you for showing me all the way here. Perhaps I will just choose a spot in the garden. The Earl turned around and began to walk back through the doorway.

"Idiot. There is no reason you can't watch from here." Without looking at the Earl, the Major cut across the tower in several strides, then hoisted himself up on top of the battlements. He crouched down and looked over sternly at the Earl.

Quickly, the Earl covered the distance between them and took the Major's offered hand in order to pull himself up on top of the wall. They were sitting in a low spot between two higher walls, and the Major had hung his legs over the edge of the castle. The Earl looked down. It was several hundred feet to the garden, but as he looked out across the scene, he realized why the Major had insisted on this vantage point.

The castle's garden swept out grandly on this side of the grounds, with winding, decorative paths into the woods. He could see the trees covering the gently rolling hills receding in the distance, and the sky turning a dull pink between two peaks miles away. He sighed happily, but didn't say anything, knowing that even the most pleasant ruminations on the scene would spoil the Major's mood.

The Major, for his part, was wondering why he paid someone so much to keep his grounds looking like that. What did it really matter? He supposed it looked good when he had official functions at the castle. It wouldn't do to have the gardens overgrown. But really, what a waste of money. Maybe he would have the garden reduced and converted into something more self-sufficient, then dismiss his two regular groundskeepers when he got rid of the horses.

He let his thoughts wander back to the horses. Well, perhaps he would keep them around a little longer. It was nice to have them if someone wanted to tour the grounds, he had to admit. He snuck a glance out of the corner of his eye at the contented thief. And the visitors seemed to enjoy the gardens, too. Whatever.

After about an hour, the sky had turned several shades of red and purple. The Earl watched happily as he saw a few deer walk up to the creek that wound out of the woods and drink as they took in the gardens. The Earl wondered if it looked as magnificent to them as it did to him. He stole a glance over at the silent Major, curious as to how the man had tolerated such a "decadent" natural spectacle all this time. The sun wasn't even up yet, but he hoped the Major wouldn't get bored and wander off before then.

He looked in amazement as he saw that the Major had fallen asleep leaning against the battlement wall. He marveled that the man could fall asleep with his legs dangling several hundred feet above the ground, and next to a "known degenerate." He allowed himself a smile and bit back all the barbs that came to his lips, not wanting to spoil the moment for the world.

Well, maybe he would spoil it just a little. He leaned his head of golden curls against the Major's shoulder. Happily, this did not wake him. The Earl frowned a little, since he thought it strange that the Spymaster wouldn't wake with the slightest disturbance, but took the opportunity anyway.

*****

The Major's eyes snapped open promptly at 06:30 with the rays of the morning sun beating down on him. He nearly started when he realized he wasn't in a bed, then nearly started again when he noticed that starting wasn't good when one was sitting on the battlements of a castle. His memories of the previous night came back to him almost before he noticed that the Earl had fallen asleep with his head on his shoulder. A tide of irritation washed over him briefly, then he let it subside and sat for a minute or so, considering the thief. He noticed the thief hadn't tried to put his arm around him, or hold his hand, or lay across his lap. Perhaps he had just fallen asleep. Even if he hadn't, this really was well-behaved for Eroica.

The Major still needed to be at work that morning. He considered leaving the thief stretched across the battlement, but realized that it had probably been a miracle neither had fallen off sleeping there for even a couple hours. Sighing, he took the sleeping Earl in his arms and jumped down to land silently on the roof of the tower ten feet below the battlement. He looked down at the Earl to see how soundly he had been sleeping, saw that he hadn't stirred, then carried him into the castle.

*****

The Earl stirred at the edge of sleep, allowing himself to languish in bed just a bit longer. He sat up suddenly when he realized that the sheets he was laying on weren't silk, and then the previous night came back to him. He smiled.

Lovely. Just lovely. It was likely the best birthday he had ever celebrated. It almost made up for the fact he had turned 37. He then reminded himself that he was merely turning 26 again, and went across the room to put his clothes from the night before on. As he was dressing, he looked over and noticed it was 11:00. Damn, he hadn't planned on falling asleep, and there was no chance that the Major had arrived late to work this morning, let alone that he would still be abed at this hour.

And, well, the castle just wasn't as fun without the Major in it. He debated sneaking out the window of the bedroom and disappearing mysteriously into the day, but decided it would be cruel to the butler. He sighed and made his way to the guest room to excuse himself.

But, ah, a night with Iron Klaus. Really, what a wonderful birthday present!

*****