Gates to Renascence

by Material Defender

IV: Daybreak

C h a p t e r 4 :
D a y b r e a k

“It’s him! Oh, back! Back, you... you creature! Stay away, I say! Greht, hurry, strike him down before he can reach us!” the griffon ambassador shouted.

“I can’t do anything, sir,” Greht replied tersely. “He hasn’t done anything to us.”

“You know it’s him! We have to stop him! What is the meaning of this, Princess?!” the ambassador continued, cowering in fear behind Greht, the commander of his protection detail. “This... man is an enemy of all griffons! The Masked Terror cannot be allowed to stand!”

“The ‘Masked Terror’...?” Reugas slurred with a hearty chuckle, exchanging amused glances with Tehin. “Gods, I wish I had a title like that.” He took another swig from the bottle of Equestrian wine in his hand.

“What is going on here?” Kandro asked, approaching the scene from behind them and with Luna equally confused. “Did you start something, Reugas?”

Reugas blinked for a moment, then waved his arms open in disbelief. “Does it look like I’m wearing a fucking mask? Erm...” he hiccuped. “No offense to Your Majesty,” he courteously ended as he looked at Luna, who gave her a snicker.

“None taken...” she said, equally as amused by Reugas’ vulgar speech.

“So what in the name of the Paragon is going on here?!” Kandro demanded to know.

“Please, my liege, it is nothing serious,” Sehyia attempted to remedy. “We were merely standing out in the halls discussing things amongst ourselves when the griffon entourage decided to descend from their quarters. As you can see, things quickly grew sour and Yhimit stepped in to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.”

“Yeah,” Reugas spat. “If only he wasn’t the dreaded griffon killer that they all seem to know him as. I should kill more griffons if I want to have a reputation half as feared as his.” He attempted to take another swig of his bottle, only to find out that none of the liquid remained within. “Ah, damn. Oh, well, it’s nearing my bedtime, anyway.”

“Yhimit’s reputation is the only thing stopping them from outright attacking us right now...” Sehyia continued. “...since he has the reputation for clipping the wings of those he defeats,” she whispered to the prince, but mostly to Luna. “I’ve seen him fight in many battles, and Yhimit’s capabilities are certainly not lacking in any respect.”

“Princess?! Princess Celestia!” the ambassador continued to mewl. “Why aren’t you doing something about this?”

“Because they are staying here in Canterlot as guests of the crown,” Celestia replied calmly. “And because we intend to help them with a crisis that their land is currently suffering from. One that involves a very ancient foe that you know very well.”

“The... oh, dear.” The ambassador’s speech quickly sobered up. “The Trickster?”

“Indeed, Ambassador Aerem. So I hope that you do not hold it against us if we should choose to help them, especially considering that both my sister and I have fought against him in the past. He is dangerous, and cannot be allowed to return.” Celestia’s somber face clearly marked her stance on the issue, and she knew that there was little more that Aerem could do beyond simple complaining.

“I... understand, Your Majesty,” Aerem responded. “The Griffon Kingdom would also prefer it if the Trickster does not return...”

“Or would you, you damn lout?” Reugas shouted. “Aside from your kind stealing the moniker that we gave him, what’s to say that you won’t all just claim arms and side with him the moment he returns?”

“Reugas, cut it out,” Sehyia hissed. “We don’t need this.”

“Why not?” Reugas replied. “We’re in Equestria; they can’t do anything to us. Might as well get a straight answer when their preferred choice of trying to gut us doesn’t work.”

“We no longer hold ties to the Trickster like once was!” Aerem shouted. “We merely wish to live on our own in peace!”

“Oh, yeah, and all those times you tried to take our lands—lands that belong to our crown—have nothing to do with that, right? All peace and love and flowery crap. Going to have to try a little bit harder than that, you damn grif; blood has been spilled amidst your talks of ‘peace’.”

“We... I don’t...” Aerem went quiet. Reugas’ allegations that the griffons had been the first to start the series of conflicts that led into recent times was not untrue. Their justifications for this were shaky, but none of that mattered to the Equestrians: the griffons, from the imperial standpoint, were viewed as an ancient enemy that only continued to be dangerous even after the vanquishing of the Trickster.

“Is this true, Ambassador Aerem?” Celestia asked. “It is the first that I have heard of this...” she ended, a thin lace of irritation creeping into her voice.

“I... refuse to comment on the matter,” Aerem said. “Now if you don’t mind, I will be retreating back to our quarters for the night,” he added hastily, quickly turning and heading back towards the steps up toward his embassy, passing by the group of royal guards as he did so.

“Pfft. Figured as much,” Reugas said, waving an arm at the disappearing griffons. “Liars and deceivers, all of them.”

“So... Eminent Paragon...” Kandro asked Celestia slowly. “Just what exactly did the griffons tell you about us?”

Celestia broke her serious expression, a warm smile spreading across her face. “Perhaps it would be best if we retired to my study to discuss there... as there is a great many things I believe you and your companions should know.”

“That’s a nice map,” Artim commented, eyes taking in every meticulous detail of the old linen ink-branded map that traversed the entirety of the Griffon Kingdom. “I should have a copy of this made and sent back to Lherren. Look there... they even include the smaller settlements. Along with forts, rivers, watchtowers... the generals would love to have this on hand.”

“I am afraid that is not an option at the moment,” Luna said. “We would like to make sure our current relations with the griffons remained unstained, and to give them what would be perceived as vital intelligence would betray their trust.”

“Of course, Protector, no copies...” he said, bowing to her, and looking over his shoulder at the map. “But I can remember details. Lots of them.”

“'Tis would be fine, as we cannot restrict your freedom to view this study as you please. Though I do not recall much of humans,” Luna replied. “But I am fairly certain that clarity of memory was not one of the things common among your kind.”

“If I can recite the Rites of Initiation for the Arcanist’s Academy—a rite that took the better part of a day to complete, I might add—then I can remember a few simple details on a map.” Artim folded his arms, a smirk appearing on his face. “Oh, yes, this will do just nicely.”

Reugas merely wrapped an arm around Artim and pulled him along with the group towards the study area where Celestia beckoned them to sit down on floor cushions. “Artim, there’s a time and a place for everything,” he slurred. “Now...” He groggily jabbed a finger into the arcanist’s chest. “...is not one of them.”

“So says the drunkard,” Artim said flatly, throwing off Reugas’ arm and giving a smile before sitting down with the rest of them. “So, Your Majesty, what of the griffons’ lies to you wish to tell us about?”

“We’ve heard many... things, concerning the recent conflicts that the Renascent Empire has had with the griffons. Many of them were not pleasant.”

“Show no quarter to an enemy that will show us none,” Kandro recited. “So says the ancient tomes describing your advice to our ancestors.”

“Yes, but... things are different now. The Kingdom is civilized, and they seek to actively establish relations with our country, and of others, as well.”

“A smile on their face and a dagger behind their back,” Reugas said. “You’d never even see it coming.”

“The griffons have taking extreme measures in making sure that they stay within our goodwill,” Luna said. “We trade, and even cooperate in several cultural events. I do not see the harm in letting them stay here, so long as they aren’t a threat to us.”

“They’re a threat to us, and they’ve never shown any such signs in the past that they’d be willing to change that,” Kandro said. “My great-grandfather sat on the throne when the most recent of the conflicts was instigated. The griffons struck our farmlands all across the northern stretches, and they struck hard. There were little survivors.”

“Allow me, my liege,” Artim said. “Encyclopedic knowledge of history, you understand.” He sat idle for a moment, humming to himself as he dredged through his memories trying to recall all the details. “Ah, right. As the prince said, there were barely any survivors. Our military reaction was swift, but not enough as they had come in through the pass that sat directly on the northern border of our lands.”

“And you did not take countermeasures against them?” Luna asked.

“We did. The construction of Fort Sibhim, designed to act as a bulwark against griffon attack was still undergoing planning at the time; our resources were low, and active attempts at rationing the land’s magic did not come into effect until far later. We were not in a favorable position.”

“To think that the griffons continued their belligerence long after the Trickster was defeated...” Celestia said. “We had no idea.”

“I don’t blame you,” Kandro said. “From what I’ve learned from the Protector, it seemed that you had your own problems to deal with.”

Celestia gave a sad smile. “So you know of Nightmare Moon, too, Prince Kandro? In all honesty that was a... mistake,” she said solemnly. “It never should have happened.”

“Please, sister,” Luna comforted. “It was I who was the larger fool. Do not blame yourself for my ignorance. But, yes, among other things, we were quite preoccupied with our own affairs. We had assumed that all was right in your land, and when Discord appeared, we were left to tend to ours. When the griffons came in peace and gave us news of the Empire’s deeds, we did not believe them.”

“So now we are back where we began,” Sehyia said. “What did they tell you of us?”

“The very things that the griffons were quite well-known for during our battles in the Trickster Era, actually,” Celestia said. “They called you all brutes, mindless creatures that existed for battle. They claimed that you had instigated the conflict.”

“Instigated?!” Reugas shouted, immediately standing. “Those filthy liars!” He plucked a single arrow from his quiver. “I’m going to go stick this damn thing in his eye right now and see if he’s still—”

“Sit, Reugas,” Kandro commanded.

“...yes, sir.” Reugas sat down again, twirling the arrow around between his fingers. “Though I don’t understand why we can’t do anything about this,” he grumbled. “They’re clearly the liars here and they know it. That ambassador’s reaction tells me more than I need to know.”

“Maybe the decades of peace with Equestria has left them complacent in knowing that we might never branch out beyond our borders again,” Tehin said, his size easily dwarfing the miniscule space his cushion could provide.

“Then they certainly have quite the reckoning approaching, knowing that our focused isolation would work in their favor,” Artim noted. “May I ask what the next course of action that our Eminences will enact in light of this new information?”

“We will most certainly be keeping a closer eye on them,” Luna responded, the light of her charge basking the room in a soft glow behind her. “At the moment, they do seem to have good intentions in mind.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if their disposition changed when we decide to move in,” Kandro said. “It would be great if we could establish our own embassy here, and create our own relations with Equestria. What of your subjects, Paragon? Will they be ready for such an encounter?”

“As far as things go, I am fairly certain they will receive you warmly,” Celestia said. “My faithful student has already shown as such. Most ponies are not aware of the earlier ages beyond the founding of Equestria, Nightmare Moon, and Discord, and most have certainly not heard of the Trickster.”

“Perhaps that’s for the best,” Artim said. “Those were certainly dark times, and the best course of action for an impressionable new generation would simply be to omit him from the general records. We don’t need any curious eyes trying to unearth the relics of that past, and ancestors know that we already have enough of them as is.”

“And what of this ‘Masked Terror’ that the griffons spoke of?” Luna asked, giving a wary glance at the silent Yhimit, who merely listened in on the conversation with crossed legs. “He seems to be... quite unassuming. By far, I would think that the rest of your group is far more dangerous than he is.”

“He’s called that for a reason,” Tehin said. “His origins are... obscure, but when he joined the military, he fought unlike anything our generals had ever seen before. He walked with a sword in each hand and danced around every griffon he fought as if it were child’s play. Had I not witnessed it myself, I would be as curious about his reputation as you are, Protector.”

“I can speak for his origins, though," Artim said. "Yhimit was found on the side of a road, between Lherren and Kradrin, in a state of near death. The traders who found him brought him to Lherren, where our healers did their best to return him to stable condition. Immediately afterwards, he joined the military, and the rest is what you see now.”

“He harbors quite the animosity towards the griffons, though,” Tehin said, patting the silent man on his back. “A true prodigy if I’ve ever seen one. And so young, too. I do not understand why he has taken to an oath of silence and hiding his face behind a mask.”

“I’ll tell you why,” Reugas said. “It’s because he’s - *hic* - trying to scare the ever-living daylights out of those griffons. He’s made a name for himself, you see. The moment they see him walk onto the field, they all collectively shit their undergarments.”

Yhimit made no movement, no signs that he was actually aware of the ongoing exchange. His silence merely had the whole room look at him curiously, but it did not seem to rouse him.

“Certainly a silent one, indeed,” Luna noted. “I must ask, for what reason has he taken an oath of silence?”

“That is the true mystery,” Artim said. “I was, obviously, the first to ask him about it. He will not say, not even to us.”

“Very curious...” Luna muttered, nodding.

“It is certainly nice to get these things out into the open,” Kandro said. “Though the night does grow old now. We shall take this opportunity to retire to our quarters, if you do not mind. Pillars, if you will.” They all stood and gave a bow to the Princesses. “We wish you a good night.”

“As do we you,” Celestia said. “Good night.”

“I clearly remember everything on that map,” Artim said as they walked through the silent halls. “I have the materials; I will create a draft as soon as possible.”

“Good to see that your mind still serves you well,” Tehin said. “The pursuit of knowledge never ends, does it?”

“No, it does not, my friend. The rigors of memorizing spell patterns and magical flow control creates a mental discipline unlike any other field. Details in large volume suddenly become normal to remember, and the eldest of scholars can recall entire volumes on a moment’s notice.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see what the city looks like,” Sehyia said. “Did you see it, my liege?” she asked Kandro. “Outside the windows, that is. It is a most magnificent sight at nighttime. Very much unlike the sandstone walls of our home.”

“Tomorrow, most certainly,” Kandro said. “I have to admit that I’m curious about the city, too. That we now stand in the lands of the Protector and Paragon... Artim should get to recording this as soon as possible.”

“Fear not, the elder scholars and arcanists of Lherren are always ready to receive knowledge. I shall compile every single meticulous detail and submit it to them in one great whole. And when they see my report, I have no doubt that they will want to visit for themselves.”

“Great, and I—” They all stopped when they saw the guard from earlier before them. “Oh, hello.”

“Greetings, sir,” the guard curtly said. “I realize that earlier that the Princesses had asked to speak with you, but I was asked by Princess Luna to escort you to your quarters now. She believes that you do not know where they are.”

“She is correct. The thought completely slipped my mind until you mentioned it...” Kandro said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Very well, sirs and lady. Please follow me, I shall guide you to them.”

“Hmm, do you get much combat time as a guard here? It seems pretty boring,” Reugas asked.

“No, sir, not many things happen here. But when they do, we try our best to react as quickly as possible and with the greatest efficiency.”

“Great. So how many of you are there?”

“We do not number too highly. The Princesses have seen no need for an actual military, and so has relegated peacekeeping up to the jurisdiction of the cities’ leaders. The royal guards are here for the protection of Our Highnesses.”

Tehin walked up alongside the guard, looking down at him with a confused look. “You do not have a standing army? But what will happen if you are attacked?”

“Then we will respond as best as we can, and hope that the Princesses and the Elements of Harmony can intervene.”

“Hah. I’d like to see a foe that can defeat them. Such would be an awesome tale to behold... of course, until we retaliate with anger, fire, and steel,” Reugas said, almost delving into a skip as he walked.

“There has been an incident where Princess Celestia has been defeated recently...” the guard said slowly, unsure of the reaction he would get from the humans.

“...what? When? How did it happen?” Tehin immediately asked.

“During the wedding of Captain Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or as she has said she’d like to be called, Princess Cadence. Changelings invaded due to their queen’s prior infiltration by taking the place of the Princess,” the guard said, shuddering. “That day was not good for any guard.”

“If such a thing happened at a wedding in the Empire, they would all be cut down where they stood,” Reugas said, shaking his head at the news. “What were the guards doing, then?”

“We were unprepared for the attack and were overwhelmed. The changelings would have most likely won and this conversation wouldn’t even be happening if it were not for Princess Celestia’s personal student, Twilight Sparkle, being inquisitive enough to find out where Cadence was being held and saving the day.”

“That sounds absolutely horrid. Thank goodness Twilight was there,” Sehyia said. “Assuming that the events that happened in the Empire were an inevitability, we would have eventually been forced to arrive here anyway. I wonder what the outcome would have been if the changelings stood here instead of the Princesses and their subjects.”

“Fire and steel,” Kandro said. “We would drive them out with fire and steel. The Princesses have sacrificed much for us, and it is a deed that we do not take lightly. I would have most likely returned to the Empire and brought along an entire legion with me to purge this country from end to end.”

“I... permission to speak freely, sir?” the guard asked.

“We are not your superiors,” Tehin said. “But we will not hold it against you. Speak your mind, friend.”

“You all seem like very... capable warriors, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I guess you being here means that your home has had relations with Equestria in the past?”

“The Empire is not common knowledge, yes,” Artim answered, walking behind him as he carefully sketched the design of the guard and his armor in his journal. “Rare to find one who did, like Twilight. We owe much to the Princesses and respect them greatly for saving our lands long ago. I think I answer for everyone when I say that we are quite pleased that she has decided to reign over her own.”

“...oh,” the guard let out. “Well, I appreciate you telling me, sir.”

“It wasn’t a problem. Say, what happened with the changeling invasion, anyway?”

“Although we could not fend them off ourselves, Twilight’s intervention during the wedding proper with the real Princess Cadence allowed them to turn the tide. The changelings were all driven out of Canterlot by the power of love, combined from both the captain and the princess. After that, it was probably one of the best wedding-slash-party I’ve ever had the pleasure of standing on duty for.”

Artim paused his note-taking for a moment, tapping the quill’s feather against his lip in thought. “Love...? How very interesting. Yes, I do believe love is a very important factor in harmony...” He scribbled down several notes off the top of his head. “I shall have to consider this further. The Protector herself permitting, this may be the first change to the Tenets of Harmony in the text’s entire history! Astounding.”

“Easier to do that since we can actually talk to her,” Sehyia said, peeking over Artim’s shoulders at the notes he had taken. “I... how do you even read that, Artim? It’s a mess!”

“A scholar’s notes are never organized, my dear. It has to be sharp! Quick! Concise! Every thought on the cusp of the moment is written down wherever there is free space. The introspection, debating, and organization comes far later down the road.” He waved the feather across her nose, tickling it and causing her to laugh. “And although there is always time for books, never underestimate the simplicity of life’s joys. One too many scholars have forgotten that and turned senile for neglecting their outward needs. Love, of course, being one of them.”

“Yes, yes, but it’s not like we can love our enemies to death or something,” Reugas muttered. “Would rather stick an arrow in their eye than shake hands.”

“Well, the changelings actually live off of the energy of love,” the guard said, leading them up a set of red-carpeted stairs as it spiraled up the inside of the tower to the next floor. “And, as you can assume from their name, they can disguise themselves as regular ponies.”

“Disguise? Well, obviously, that was how their queen took the princess’s spot,” Reugas said. “Gods, that Equestrian wine is giving me quite the buzz.” He let out an uncouth burp. “Well, hope nobody’s offended by that. If you are, too bad.”

“Reugas...” Sehyia said disapprovingly. “You’re a grown-up. Act like one.”

“I am! I am acting like one that doesn’t give a damn.”

“Oh, you...!” she said, jabbing him in the rib as he laughed back at her.

“Hah, you’re so easy to annoy, Sehyia. It’s all in jest.”

“I’d hate to see what you’d do if you were serious...”

“Don’t give me a reason to.” He flashed a grin at her. “Anyway, I’d imagine it’d be one festive event if we ever went to war against these changelings. I wonder if they can disguise themselves as humans.”

“The changelings have pony-like forms, except they’re more like bugs,” the guard mentioned, flapping his wings for his next emphasis. “They also have a horn and wings, unlike pony types, although they’re hidden when they enter a disguise.”

“So it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be able to disguise themselves as humans...” Artim said to himself. He quickly dipped his quill into the tiny bottle that sat on the side of his belt and jotted down more notes. “Most interesting indeed. And you say the Princesses were defeated by this queen of theirs?”

“Indeed. One of them managed to overpower Princess Celestia, much to our dismay, but it seemed that the changeling queen already had immense power to begin with.”

“Enough power to match the Paragon...?” Reugas said. “Sounds like one good fight, if you ask me. A couple of arrows, some good strikes with a sword, and some sleight of hand, and I would have that battle in the bag.”

“You overestimate yourself, Reugas,” Tehin warned. “What makes you think you’re so capable of fighting against something that defeated the Paragon?”

“No offense intended, but she’s grown soft. She’s forgotten what it was like to stand on the field of battle and stare your enemy in the eye as you deliver a killing blow. It’s a mind game, that’s what it is, and I don’t believe she intended to kill the queen. That’s why she lost. Why else would she count on this power of ‘love’ just simply throw them all out?”

“She didn’t want to risk the lives of her subjects,” Kandro said. “My father has mentioned this to me on several occasions. Every major decision is made after weighing the effects on the people. If you answer in force, then why shouldn’t the enemy do the same? We try to avoid the outcome if we can help it.”

“Grr, you have a point,” Reugas bemoaned. “Still, it’s simpler to prevent yourself from falling into such a position in the first place. A more sufficient, armed, and properly trained guard force could have easily repelled these invaders with no trouble.”

“A possible explanation, Reugas,” Artim said. “The journals of the old days from accounts taken during the war clearly detail that the Paragon had the ability to rain down fire from the skies, magic so powerful that she could easily level entire cities if she so chose. She may not be ready to fight against the Trickster if her power has waned, but then again, neither are we.”

“So, first matter to bring up to the court when we return: preparing for the Trickster’s return,” Kandro said. “I know many of them myself. They will see reason, I hope. And if not, General Tiraen was never really one to leave anything to chance.”

“Tiraen’s the only one keeping the entire army in shape,” Reugas said, giving a cursory glance to an ornate inscribed flower vase as he passed by the table it sat on. “It could be argued that he’s keeping the griffons on the other side of the mountains by sheer force of will alone.”

“Oh, here we are,” the guard said. “All the rooms on this floor have been reserved for each of you. Have a nice night.”

“Hold a moment, guard,” Kandro said, stepping in front of the guard and stopping his departure. “What is your name?”

“My name is Golden Crest, sir,” he said, confused.

“Thank you, Golden Crest. Your helpfulness will not go unnoted.”

“It was my pleasure, sir. Good night.” The guard bowed and walked away, leaving them along in the hall, the stained glass windows behind them giving a chromatic glow from the penetrating moonlight.

“I like it here,” Sehyia said. “The guards are nice, and it’s not as windy or dry, and there’s no sand!”

They all turned their attention to the sound of a door opening down the hall, only to see the remnants of Yhimit’s cloak disappearing into the room. Artim merely shrugged at them all, a sign of casual dismissal that the man was not given to doing.

“Don’t bother trying to understand him,” he said. “You’ll never be able to. Even I’ve known him the longest out of all of us, and even I’m still confused by his antics. If he even has any beyond staying quiet and watching over everything with the eyes of a hawk.”

“Does it matter? He can obviously get the job done, otherwise he wouldn’t be here with us,” Reugas said. “Ugh, this whole day has been annoying. Good night to all of you.” He waved them off and trudged into his room, shutting the door behind him with the force of an inebriated drunk who somehow forgot how doors worked.

“Idiot,” Tehin said. When greeted with curious looks, he responded. “He had to pick the vintage first. When the chef led him downstairs, the first thing he had to ask for were the ones with the biggest kick. I didn’t even know wine had a kick like that.”

“Welcome to Equestria,” Sehyia sang. “They may be smaller than us, but don’t underestimate them. If they can hold their liquor better than Reugas can, then I’d say we have room for concern.”

Tehin chuckled, pawing at his weighted staff still strapped on to his back. “Agh, this thing. I can’t believe I’ve been carrying it around for the entire day! Absolutely tiring. In any case, I bid you all good night.” He, too, bowed and took the third room from the end of the hall, the previous ones being taken by Reugas and Yhimit, respectively.

“And what of you two?” Kandro asked. “Sleep?”

“Sleep?” Artim joked. “Sleep is for those who can afford it! I have to organize all of this new information! Sleep can wait until we’ve returned to the Empire. The First and our ancestors know that I’ll have much more to write about tomorrow!” He gave a muted cackle and hurried into the fourth room, shutting it behind him as they heard the telltale sound of tomes and quills being dropped onto the table within.

“And you?” Kandro asked Sehyia.

“Well, it certainly is getting late...” she said. “I believe I shall retire, too. Which room would you like, my liege?”

“Either is fine.”

“Um...” She bit her lip. “I’ll... have to insist?” she asked, giving a sheepish smile.

“I’m not going to get angry over this, but if you do insist on insisting,” Kandro said, drifting his way over to the next room. “Then I’ll take this one.” He rested his hand on the doorknob and opened it, when he noticed that Sehyia did not move from where she stood. “Is something wrong?”

“I... if you would not mind, my liege...” she hesitantly began. “Would you like to visit the city tomorrow? With me?”

Kandro stood quiet, contemplating the decision for a moment. Within a few moments, a warm smile grew on his face. “Well, of course, Sehyia. I don’t doubt that the others will not let this escapade into the city go unnoticed, though...” he cautioned.

“Oh, of course, I know that,” she immediately shot back. “I just wanted to know if you would like to go. Er, my liege.”

“Ugh, you remind me of my days at court, and why I opted to leave the capital in the first place for the army. You can drop the formalities, Sehyia. They’re not my style, but if you prefer, you may call me ‘sir’ instead, or simply ‘Kandro’. I am more given to rank than to privilege.”

“Of course... Kandro,” she said warily. “Good night.” She bowed and Kandro gave a nod back to her, entering his room and shutting it with the littlest of sound. Sehyia sighed to herself, giving a final look at his door before entering her own, thoughts of a promise made lingering in her mind.

Keep him safe, Sehyia.

Going to sleep was not much of a problem for Kandro that night. Many things could be said of the Equestrians, but when it came to hospitality and standard of living, he certainly believed that they could easily outclass Renascence’s best. Such was his slumber that he almost found it hard to wake up.

Except for the ear-shattering knocking on his doors, which failed to cease until he answered the door wrapped in his crimson clothing, his armor piled off to the side of his bed.

“Ugh, what is it?” he mumble, rubbing his eyes until he looked up to see a group of excited ponies staring at him. “...and who are you?”

“We’re your room service!” they all exclaimed.

“I’m Baking Pan, and I’m one of the castle’s best chefs here, absolutely unrivaled in the art of preparing the perfect breakfast! These two here are—Frosting! Stand up straight, we’re in important company here.” The mare standing behind him to his right immediately straightened up. “Yes, Frosting and—Wheat! This food is for him, not you, you blathering nincompoop! Stop drooling!”

The stallion behind him to his left stared dreamily at the cart and the covered silver platter on top of it. “...ahh... huh? Oh, right, boss!” He put on his mean face and stared straight ahead, almost causing Kandro to laugh due to his overdoing it, making his face look like someone had twisted his expression into a permanent scowl.

“Right. So like I was saying, we’re here to provide you with breakfast, on behalf of Princess Celestia! We hope you enjoy.” He motioned for Frosting to move the cart forward, leaving it in the middle of his room and waiting for Frosting to exit before continuing. “Don’t worry, she’s already told us that you humans can’t really eat flowers or hay, so we avoided most of that. Hope you enjoy it, and have a great day!”

They all bowed and left for the stairs, Kandro giving a wave goodbye to them as he turned his head left and saw Reugas exiting his room. The ranger peeked his head out and met eyes with the prince, then smirked.

“Morning, m’liege,” he said, putting the bottle he had been holding in his left hand to his lips and taking a drink from it. “Ah! Good stuff, that. They told me that the Princess wanted me to have this bottle, with her wishes. I think I’ll have to take back all those things I said about her yesterday,” he said, chuckling.

“It’s still early in the morning,” Kandro said, nodding at the dim light of sunrise beyond the stained glass. “And you’re taking to the bottle already?”

“Relax, my prince. A little early morning drink never hurt anyone. And despite my... state last night, I was nowhere near as drunk as Tehin thought I was. I am perfectly fine and in control of my facilities.” He burped. “Thank you very much.”

“You’re such a spitting image of chivalry, Reugas,” Kandro bantered, having seen more than his share of such mannerisms during his time in the army.

“I try my best, sir,” he said, with an exaggerated bow. “Now if you don’t mind, there’s food waiting to be devoured. Good morning to you, and let me know if Tehin gets a bottle, too... hmm, you know what? Never mind that. He’ll tell me himself, that big oaf.” He walked back into his room and closed it with a click, leaving Kandro to take in the crisp morning air as it circulated through the vaulted castle halls.

“Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before...” he muttered to himself. He knew for a fact that not even his father or the court had ever stepped foot in Equestria. Many would be interested in seeing the home of their beloved Paragon and Protector and all the things it had to offer. And if it were anything like this, a land full of life and lush with the lifeblood of magic, many would go home supremely satisfied.

He returned to his room, shutting the door with taking note of its incredibly well-crafted gilding and golden trim. Equestrians certainly had a preference for flair, even more so than the court did; it seemed that they had to slap gold on just about everything in the castle, even the bulb-shaped tower domes.

After noting the fifteenth object bearing gold trim in his room—which in this case, happened to be the windows as he looked out onto the horizon—he opened his platter to see a simple breakfast of eggs and fried vegetables waiting for him... and a sealed letter sitting right next to it, bearing his name on it.

He opened the letter and read through the contents within:

Prince Kandro,

If you would, I would like to request your presence as soon as possible. There is somepony of note that I would like you to meet. Your companions may choose to join you, if you wish. I shall be in the study, where we spoke last night, but if you get lost again, do not hesitate to seek out a guard for directions. I know the castle can be quite confusing sometimes.

-Princess Celestia, Paragon of the Sun

P.S. You may find that this pony is quite... clashing with what my sister and I have taught to you and your ancestors. I would kindly ask that you refrain from brandishing weapons while in his presence.

He took a bite of his eggs, surprised at the fluffiness of the food. He’d had his fair share of eggs from the Empire, but deserts were not kind to chickens... and he didn’t know if they were a delicacy in Equestria like back home. Well, they had water and fertile land. Why not lots of chickens while they were at it?

The breakfast was a quick affair, as he ingested them as fast as he could allow. If the princess wanted to speak to him, then there was no use in keeping her waiting. Downing the dregs of his morning brew, a steaming cup of Equestrian tea, he moved to his armor, sitting on a pile on the nightstand next to his bed.

Every piece of golden plate was attached to his armor, but he did not bear as much as Tehin did, nor as little as Artim: the martialsword practice required fluidity in movement and freedom of stance, but the basics of protection never hurt. So it was that he suited up in a matter of moments, his breastplate gleaming as he strapped his sword into his belt and left the room just as the sun fully rose over the horizon.

Finding out what she wanted to talk about was what interested him the most.

“Ah, Prince Kandro. Please, take a seat.” Celestia merely nodded towards the floor cushion next to her, a seat which Kandro took, sitting cross-legged.

“You wished to see me as soon as possible, so I figured it best that I avoid tarrying,” he said. “What do you wish to talk about?”

“Royalty,” she answered.

“Royalty?”

“Yes, Kandro.” Her magic flared, and she straightened out a set of pages on the floor in front of her, her quill dry from her hours of signing off on a plethora of decrees and requests, all of which she had painstakingly read through. “More specifically, yours and mine.”

“Well, what of mine, Your Majesty?”

“Please,” she said, holding her cuffed hoof into air to bid him pause. “Just call me Celestia. These titles can be quite overbearing when it’s the only thing you ever hear. Something that I’m sure you’ve tired of.”

“Of course... Celestia,” he said, fighting with himself over the enunciation of her name only to relent to the great alicorn’s request. “And you are right.. though I understand the mentality behind them, titles are not something I prefer to have thrown onto me at every occasion.”

“Then you would understand how I feel as the ruler of this land,” she said, giving a laugh that sounded almost musical, lilting in the air and reverberating with perfect harmony. “Formal affairs can just be so dreadfully boring.”

“I can understand that... so what of royalty did you wish to speak of?”

Celestia put aside her stationery and stack of papers before clearing her throat. “Here, in Canterlot—which I’ve been told you wish to visit today—is full of ponies from all walks of life. Many of them that you meet you will find to be quite amicable. Others, however... like my own nephew, Prince Blueblood, will have such a degree of arrogance that you will question how I could even let such transgressions stand in society. I would like to nip that in the bud immediately, by telling you that I do not impose upon my ponies, merely guide them.”

“You fear that we may overreact?” he asked.

“It is a... possibility that I’d rather not ignore. You see, back then, when we instilled life lessons into your people, those that strayed from the path were met with rather... well, it was not outright violence. But the looks on their faces betrayed all their kind words, an ostracization by glances far more damning than a sword. It took us quite a while before they could actively adhere to those tenets without our supervision.”

“I promise you, Celestia, we will be nowhere near as harsh,” Kandro said. “Your teachings have stayed with us throughout all these many years, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that it stays that way.”

She smiled. “And I thank you for that,” she said, standing as he did the same and walked with him out of the study. “Enjoy your day in the city and... well, would you look at that?”

Spreading her wing, she blocked Kandro’s path as she merely smiled at him and gestured with her head down the hall. Trotting down towards them was a unicorn with a coat of a most magnificent white, his blonde hair carefully tended to and giving him an aura of sophistication that could leave any bystander in awe.

Except for Kandro, of course.

“Kandro, I would like you to meet Prince Blueblood, my nephew, and heir to the head of House Blueblood,” Celestia said, just as the unicorn came to a stop before them.

“It’s an honor to meet you,” Kandro said, crossing his arms over his chest and bowing, the formal greeting of his people.

Blueblood, however, was not as enthused. “Hmph. Say, Auntie, have you seen the latest line of attire from Fancypants’ group? Absolutely fantastic. Aside from that, though, when have you started keeping the company of strange creatures?”

“He is not a creature, Blueblood,” Celestia replied calmly, perfectly in control of her patrician mask. “He is a human, an ancient ally of Equestria from ages past. He is here visiting on behalf of the Renascent Empire, just beyond the mountains to the west.”

“Well, it certainly must not be a large empire. I’ve never heard of it!” He examined Kandro carefully, his eyes giving a glint towards the human’s red-and-gold regalia. “But at least he seems to have some semblance of appearance, unlike the griffons. His color tone seems a bit odd. Are all you humans so darkly colored?”

“Indeed they are, Blueblood.” Celestia beat Kandro to a response, and they met eyes; briefly, but longer than a glance, which told Kandro all that he needed to know: say nothing more, and to let her do all the talking.

“They all look like that?” he asked. “But how do they tell the difference between a true noble and a commoner?” He gasped, shaking his head. “Absolutely dreadful! Imagine if everypony looked like me! Me! The great Prince Blueblood? I think I would have a heart attack!”

“Then it is perhaps a blessing that you are not a human. Their land is harsh, and not many of them can use magic. But they are tenacious, clever, and steadfastly loyal, and that makes them great allies and friends.”

“No magic?” Blueblood asked, again gasping. “I can hardly see how you would want to keep such company, Auntie! Such lowborns with no magic—not even a bit comparable to that of the peasant earth ponies, even—should not be kept as company for such esteemed royalty such as your—”

“Blueblood,” Celestia said. “Remember what we spoke of before? About being nice?”

“I... yes, Auntie, but I fail to see how that factors in here. Surely, you cannot—”

“Leave, Blueblood.”

He opened his mouth to speak again, letting it hang for a moment as Celestia’s firm reply gave him pause, her glare literally daring him to say anything more. “I... I have other things to attend to,” he said nervously, turning around and marching back down the way he had came.

“See what I meant?” Celestia asked, after he turned the corner at the end of the hall. “I hope you were not put off by his behavior. He’s hugely egotistic and very self-centered, but he does show a semblance of the humble and caring colt he once was every now and then.”

“I was not really offended,” Kandro said. “But I suppose I am thankful that it wasn’t a Prince Reugas standing before you. A good deal of people I have served with would have taken huge offense to having our name slandered so easily, and would easily fight back tooth and nail to preserve our image.”

“To sate my curiosity, what do you think he would have done, were he in your position, then?”

“Undoubtedly, most likely shout back at him, throwing in a few promises of threat by force, and then probably see his promise through if the point had not settled in by then. The more prideful of our people do not shy from a challenge.”

“Tenacious, as ever,” Celestia said, laughing. “Now I must attend to my Day Court. Enjoy your time in Canterlot, Prince Kandro. Please do try to avoid trouble while you are visiting.”

“Of course, Princess.”

“Just you two, then?” Kandro asked, meeting up with Tehin and Sehyia at the golden front gates at the entrance to the castle. “What of the other three?”

“Back in the castle,” Tehin said, shrugging. “Reugas said he didn’t really care, and said something about heading down to the guard barracks to practice his marksmanship. Artim is busy collecting his notes still, and Yhimit... well, he answered his door, only to refuse our offer to enter the city.”

“At least there’s still us,” Sehyia cheerily said. “Let’s go see what the city has to offer!”

“The whole place is made of wood and stone,” Kandro said, leading them out the gates and watching as a pony-pulled carriage dashed past them. “And the architecture is something to behold. A true sister capital to Renascence.”

“They do not have an equivalent to Fort Renot,” Tehin mentioned. “Nor is their castle as impressive as the imperial family’s Capital Spire. I believe we hold the advantage in magnificence in that regard.”

They walked down the cobblestone streets and entered the heart of downtown Canterlot, where workers busied themselves attending to everyday tasks and the wealthy ponies of the city eagerly chatted amongst themselves over the happenings of the high-life world, only for all eyes to become glued on the trio of humans as they walked down the street.

“I guess we must be quite the curiosities to them...” Sehyia said.

“Knowing our luck, I’d wager that it’s Tehin who’s the curiosity,” Kandro said. “You’re a special case, even among our kind. I do not ever recall seeing any other man as large as you.”

“They say I have the blood of kings running in my veins,” the massive man responded, the staff strewn across his back almost as large as he was, as some bystanders noted to each other. “I do not know much of it myself. Perhaps I am merely blessed by my ancestors.”

“Ooh, this way! Equestrian finery and raiments!” Sehyia said, excitedly pointing down to a street of shops. “And they all have their own buildings! So unlike Renascence. I sort of miss the bustling market square there, though, it was always so lively, and here it’s just... more mellow.”

They approached the first store, a shop with a display of plenty of fanciful dresses in the front window, and no sooner had they stepped through the front door did they run into a familiar unicorn. The mare simply gave them a look of surprise before beaming back at them.

“Hello, darlings!” Rarity said, trotting up to Sehyia. “And hello to you, Sehyia! What brings you out into Canterlot today?”

“The city just looks amazing,” Sehyia said. “We simply had to come and see for ourselves! What are you doing here, Rarity, and may I ask who your companion is?” she asked, watching as the stallion Rarity was with arrived alongside her and magically tipped his hat towards Sehyia in greeting.

“Greetings, my good lady. I am Fancypants, and I am an acquaintance of Rarity’s. As you can see, we are shopping around today for new clothing for her. She claims that she is to depart on an important task very soon, and she’s claimed to me that she just has to be prepared! She’s been incredibly interested in attire with shades of red, almost like yours, in fact!”

“Really, now?” Sehyia said, laughing. “Well, Rarity, I should let you know that it would be wise of you to find light and breathable fabrics. While I do agree a lady must look her best, it would all be for naught if it causes you supreme discomfort, yes? Oh, and a hat would also be useful, as well.”

“Ah...” Fancypants said, nodding. “I think I get where this is going. This ‘task’ wouldn’t have something to do with them, would it?” He wiggled his eyebrows at Rarity, causing her to giggle and wave her hoof at him in embarrassment.

“Really, I had thought to keep it more secret!” she said. “Yes, I am visiting their lands. From what they have told me, it is quite hot and dry over there, so I think I shall take Sehyia’s advice into account.”

“Be sure to remind your friends, as well,” Kandro instructed. “As much as I am sure ponies are fine with simply having the most minimal of dress, our people are not entirely used to it, and we’d rather prefer it if you could keep yourselves covered. Not to mention the sand... make sure your clothes are sealed together well. Sand is already irritating enough for us at it is; no doubt it would be far worse if ponies had it stuck in their coats.”

“I agree,” Fancypants said. “I’ve been on several meetings to the Griffon Kingdom, which in itself has no shortage of such dry and dusty lands. She is visiting your lands, yes? Might I ask what you are, exactly?”

“You are correct, and to answer your second question: we are humans,” Kandro said, tipping his head in respect to Fancypants. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Fancypants. I am Kandro, the goliath here with me is my friend Tehin, and I’m sure Rarity has readily introduced Sehyia.”

“Haha, it is strange that your name is Fancypants,” Tehin said. “You are not even wearing any! Though you are quite fancy, yes. And that mark on your... well, I find it funny how all ponies seem to have a mark like that! Very unique, I can see.”

“Oh, this old thing?” Fancypants said, looking back to his own cutie mark. “Yes, all ponies have their own, and the young ones eventually find their talent and obtain one themselves. Are you familiar with these cutie marks?”

“I believe we are,” Kandro replied. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna seem to have shown that they have their own during our conversation with them.”

“Ah, guests of the Princess, then?” Fancypants gave a sly smile to Rarity. “You do keep such unusual company, Rarity, and ones always involved with true royalty, at that. Never a dull moment with you, is it?”

“Oh, Fancypants, you flatter me!” Rarity said. “Please, Sehyia, let me take you on a tour of one of Equestria’s greatest cities! I promise you’ll have quite the time.”

“Actually, we would like that,” Sehyia said. “Otherwise, I think we would have wandered around aimlessly until we were set to gather for our journey tonight. So, with... um... Kandro’s permission, we could travel with you...?” She looked expectantly at Kandro.

He shrugged and nodded. “Why not? No harm in it, and who better to guide us than one who knows the city?” he said, looking over his shoulder at Tehin who had become enthralled in a conversation with a store employee over the type of fabric used in one of their dresses, colored a hue of radiant violet. “Besides, it certainly looks like Tehin is enjoying his time.”

“Ooh, violet,” Sehyia said. “We have all manners of coloring from the Renascent Empire, but it seems that our affinity for colors has finally been matched.” She weaved her fingers through a roll of green silk sitting next to her. “And with such fine craftsmanship, too.”

“Then enough with the shopping!” Rarity exclaimed. “I think my current wardrobe shall easily suffice for the future days. Come, Sehyia!” she said, wrapping a hoof around the woman’s waist and pointing her hoof out the window. “Let me show you... Canterlot!”