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// The Chedlow Version 
// Story: New Pony Tales 
// by Gabriel LaVedier 
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	Once upon a time there was a great griffin king who ruled a nation that was small but proud. His castle was small, and lay largely in ruins around him. But he was a proud Booted Griffin, and bravely led on, with his nation serving as crossroads for many a stout and able figure who wished to challenge themselves.
One very auspicious day there arrived a Bald Air Dame of skill and power, to seek counsel of the King and enjoy his generous hospitality. Though he was Booted and she Bald he never bowed to her nor did she disobey his rule. During the audience there arrived a powerful Roani sorceress, who likewise sought the hospitality and counsel of the king. The Devoted of Luna had been wandering to find a worthy land for her settlement and thought she could come to seek the King's land.
The Dame thought little of the notion and challenged the sorceress' prowess. The King, in his wisdom, dismissed them from his land. The fight became a legend in its own right, lasting for weeks until, exhausted and evenly matched, Bald and Roa pledged an undying love to one another and went to their own tale of love. What came of the King leaving his castle to see off the two belligerents was that he met a soft and earnest unicorn mare, on the road to see her family. Once their eyes met she could not part. The two fell madly in love and remained there in the castle.
Strictly speaking that isn't quite right. It wasn't a kingdom but rather a fairly standard square acre of joint residential/commercial property. That way said Booted could live upstairs in what was not a castle, but a very griffin-acceptable bar. It was not polished or bright but it passed Equestrian health and safety standards and stood up well. It wasn't quite on a crossroad but was near one, and positioned just near enough to some decent places to make a modest profit even looking as it did.
There was a Bald in there once, a hard-drinking functionary's chick, an Egg Grabber who had a lot of bitterness she was trying to drown out with cheap Kingdom imports. Never drink local liquor in the Kingdom; they try to sell it as traditional and full of national pride but it is just vile. Next thing some loudmouth Roa stage magician comes along to wash some insult out of her memory. Total lightweight and the Bald said so. They got chased out of the place to fight over who was better at being... something. Arrogant, maybe.
The fight was pretty impressive, and as happened they did eventually get together. Engaged and happy and all that. It happened that an extremely pretty and far-too-good-to-ever-marry-a-Booted unicorn happened by the place, watched the fight and stayed around. She really stooped and got engaged to the owner of the place, for whatever reason.
The king and his future queen lived well in the castle, as rough as it was. Being a noble Booted with much love for his betrothed the King would not consider marriage until he had brought his holdings and his castle to a state that was the envy of all who laid eyes on it. It would take work, effort and a bit of luck but he was resourceful and wise. He could make it happen.
In the midst of his great works and gathering of resources he took his intended to a great gathering, a location of song and dance, feasting and laughter, to show the depth and breadth of his love for her. Ever, in the forefront of his mind, did his beloved lie. She was pleased by the surroundings, but more so by the devotion her fiance showed.
All was not well, for an army of brigands disrupted the magical gathering. The King fought greatly to preserve his love's honor, as a griffin should. But though he had the strength of a thousand Balds he soon started to fail. When all seemed lost three goddesses, moved by his devotion, came to his side and swept the evil ones aside. As reward for the great store of feelings and his willingness to stand and do the right thing they blessed him and his land. Droves of able knights and dames came forth to repair and enrich the land and architecture.
Things weren't bad, but a sweet and beautiful pony could have done far better than to get engaged to the owner of a dive. Bits were scraped together and put in a fund to repair the place, and sensible cost-cutting measures were implemented. It was still hard work to keep the place afloat. Even through it all, the lucky Booted fellow counted his lucky stars and got up bits enough for a trip to Canterlot, to a nightclub.
Even on a low terrace the place was far better than the place he owned. Bright lights, loud music, 'name' musicians, branded alcohol. It made him feel very, very small. Luckily his fiancee loved his hard-luck self and said so. She was way too good for him. There was an incident, with drunken idiots who did not take kindly to interspecies types. Hard to imagine in Canterlot but there it was.
It wasn't three goddesses. It was, even more oddly, three ladies out for a drink. Two fashion models and a palace maid. How they happened to be out together is anyone's guess. A scuffle ensued, with the drunks taking the worst of it and eventually getting bounced out. The three ladies were appropriately friendly and charming, and one even took a business card from the Booted.
Somehow that business card ended up in the hooves of Princess Luna, likely through the action of the palace maid. She, for inscrutable reasons, did not send out droves of knights and dames, but rather just the Third Canterlot Guard Detachment, Lunar Corps. They certainly didn't do any of the actual repair and remodeling. They just paid. They didn't mind the surroundings or the wait. They just used the place for a canteen and only complained when it was shut down for renovations.
With the help of the vast array the King's holding flourished. His castle rose, high and proud, a thing of beauty and a joy to any eye that looked upon it. Like a grand hall of Hästish lore, it gleamed with light and drew many a wanderer to sup and celebrate the grandiosity of the locality. They all gave praise to the Booted King, and he made every effort to be a host of great humor.
As promised, once the nation was secure and strong the King married his unicorn love, in a ceremony unmatched by any in history. Joined as one, King and Queen oversaw their land with firmness and wisdom, even overseeing the return of the Dame and Sorceress, who owed their relationship to the King. Thus lauded and hailed, they lived happily ever after.
The money, purchases and tips, helped. The whole place was torn town and replaced with a Kingdom-inspired three-floor tavern and restaurant. The interior was made to look like a Kingdom import but was actually made of Cannonite-grown rock. Cheaper and more appealing. The decorations were all authentic. The liquor was Capal, but that's just better. It got a decent write-up in some magazines and became a popular spot, especially on King Paddy's Day.
The wedding was standard Equestrian, in the bar. All drinks half off with purchase of a meal. Things didn't change overly much after that. One King Paddy's Day that Roa and Bald came back, engaged and mostly reasonable. Engagement tends to make unpleasant griffins less unpleasant.
One thing was completely accurate though. Even though that Booted did not feel at all worthy of marrying a wonderful unicorn, they did live happily ever after.