The Gryphons

by gryphon88

Somewhat Earlier

Alligators?

Alligators were easy.

Or was it crocodiles? Tirgum scratched his head. At any rate, I don’t think it makes a difference, he thought. It’s still trying to eat me.

“Watch it!”

Tirgum hurled out of the way, as one of the giant crocodiles (alligators?) barreled past him, maw open wide. It ran into a tree, splashing about in the water as it fell onto its side.

Tirgum turned to his friend. “Hey! I thought you were taking care of that one!”

The other gryphon waved a claw. “Eh, it’s fine. He’s almost out anyway, look!”

They swiveled their heads in the direction of the crocodile. It had regained its balance, and was glaring at the pair with hungry eyes.

Tirgum blinked. “Wait, weren’t there three of these things?”

As if on cue, a second crocodile leapt out of the water, tackling Tirgum to the ground, knocking him over with a loud splash.

The other gryphon dove at the first crocodile, using his wings to leap onto the beast’s back. “Alright now, you bloody handbag. Let’s see how you like-“ he grabbed the thing’s leg, “-this!”

With a mighty heave, the other gryphon turned the leg, tabling the crocodile onto its back. The great monster flailed its legs about in the air, uselessly.

Tirgum was still preoccupied with the second crocodile. It writhed on top of him, trying to work its great jaw over his head without releasing him.

Oh no you don't you little- Tirgum wrapped his arms around the crocodile’s neck, pushing it upwards and out of the water. The crocodile’s limbs splashed about, but to no avail.

“Hah-hah!” Tirgum shouted, triumphant. “Who’s got you now, asshole!”

The crocodile’s tail whipped around behind him, and stuck Tirgum squarely on the back of the head.

“Ah!” Tirgum cried out, and the crocodile took the opportunity to push its way free from his grasp.

“How you doing over there, Tirgum?!” The other gryphon called.

“This is taking longer than we thought!” was the reply. “Aren’t you going to be late?!”

If the other gryphon did reply, Tirgum didn’t hear it. The crocodile opened its mouth, and proceeded to place it around Tirgum’s leg, pulling it backwards.

Tirgum dug into the ground with his other three limbs, and kicked the top of the crocodile’s mouth. It let go with a roar, and Tirgum took the opportunity to deliver another kick to the bottom of the jaw. The crocodile didn’t take it well, stumbling about as its senses were dulled.

Tirgum jumped into the air, and landed on top of the beast, striking its neck with his elbow. A loud crunch came from the point of contact, and the beast was dead.

Tirgum lay there for a moment, atop the crocodile, panting. Eventually, he got on all fours, and called over to the other gryphon. “Seriously! She is going to be really pissed at you if you’re late!”

The other was, at the moment, twisting the arm of his own crocodile. “I know!”

“And I don’t mean sorta pissed, I mean-“ Tirgum blinked. “Wait, didn’t you say there were three crocod-“

The third and final crocodile jumped on top of Tirgum, crushing him under its pale belly. “Augh! How the hell do crocodiles get so big in a bloody river?!”

The other gryphon was just finishing the first crocodile, pounding its head with a stone. “I dunno! How the hell do they get so big in rivers, Tirgum?!”

Tirgum’s crocodile pressed a stumpy foot onto his back, pinning the gryphon down in the water.

The other gryphon noticed. “Oh, shit! Tirgum! Hang on a second-!” He darted forward.

Tirgum was preoccupied by the crocodile, currently breathing down his neck. He reached a hand out to the scaled leg, but just fell short. Instead, he reached up with both hands, and grabbed the creature’s open jaw. With the jaw in hand, he pulled.

The crocodile pulled upwards violently as its mouth was pulled upon. As it reared, the other gryphon tackled it, sending it sprawling in the water. Tirgum was on his feet in an instant, trailing behind his friend.

The crocodile wasn’t moving. The pair spared a glance at each other.

Its huge chest inflated as it breathed in. The two gryphons flinched, stepping backwards. However, the crocodile didn’t move, only stayed there, breathing deeply. Tirgum ventured forward, and quickly inspected it.

“...It’s asleep.”

The other gryphon smiled. “Hey! Maybe we can sell it to a zoo.”

Tirgum cocked an eyebrow at him. “You’re still late, buddy.”

He shook his head. “Pshaw, I can’t possibly be that late. These things always start late, anyway. It’ll be fine.”

Tirgum pursed his beak for a moment. Silently, he trudged through the water to the bank, retrieving his satchel from the base of the pine tree. He deftly removed an unassuming pocket watch, and clicked it open.

The other gryphon grew nervous. “Heh heh... what’s it say?”

Tirgum glanced at him. “It was supposed to start thirteen minutes ago.”

“Uhh...” He mulled it over for a moment.

Then, the other gryphon, and Tirgum’s friend, bolted into the air without him, quickly vanishing behind the canopy.

Tirgum chuckled to himself. Shaking his head, he slung his satchel around his shoulder, and quickly followed.

Tir Wramuvel Outskirts, Gryphon Republic, 971 AB

Tirgum watched as the other gryphon’s silhouette rocketed towards the city, laughing to himself. I should really hurry too, he thought, I don’t want to miss out on Cimme yelling him into a coma. He beat his wings harder, and rose into the air as well, turning to head for the city of Tir Wramuvel, capital of the Gryphon Republic.

Tirgum enjoyed the feel of the wind at his side as he flew, the ocean breeze carrying a cool air of salt and ocean moisture to his coat. The terraced streets of Tir Wramuvel wound up the jagged peak like a messy spiral, and he could spot tiny specks of the city’s inhabitants, flying about the sprawling cityscape and going about their business.

Atop the peak, the shining stone buildings of the citadel, central and highest building of the city. Filigreed with copper, the central dome was the meeting place of the Council, the forerunners of the Republic’s government process.

Tirgum flew high, soaring past the residential districts, and into the crowning commercial district, encircling the citadel at the top of the mountain. There, he spied a tall, spired building, wrought in metal and stone.

Tirgum slammed onto the thin cobblestone street in front of the church. He shook himself, clearing the water from his coat as he rose to all fours, and casually trotted towards the front entrance.

An old gryphon stood there, a no-nonsense look on his face. “Dammit, Tirgum. Where the hell is he? And why are you all wet?”

Tirgum had to fight hard to contain his laughter. “Seriously? Reverend Sargu, he left before me.”

The expression on the holy gryphon’s face went from annoyed to exasperated. “...You’re kidding me.”

Tirgum shrugged. “I suppose he also had to grab his cloak. I just came straight here.”

“And where were you? You’re soaked, and you’ve got a black eye.”

Tirgum raised a hand to his face, surprised. Sure enough, his eye felt puffy and warm. “Oh, well. He wanted to get rid of some stress, so we went down to that stretch of river over by the messenger trail.”

Sargu blanched. “You were alligator wrestling before a-“

“HERE! I’m here!” The gryphon in question slammed onto the ground, harder than Tirgum had. A navy cloak was pulled over his shoulders, and he held a gold-colored tie in one claw.

Sargu flinched at the impact, scowling at him. “You are nearly half an hour late.” He marched up to him, grabbing the tie from his claw and expertly tying it around the other’s neck. “Of all the thing-“ he pulled a loop around the gryphon’s neck, “-to do on this day-“ He pulled at the first half of the knot, tightly, causing the gryphon to gasp, “-to go alligator wrestling.” He finished the knot with another snug wrench, actually making the poor gryphon cough.

“Eh,” the gryphon said, “I don’t regret it. Now how do I look?” He straightened his neck, posing handsomely for the reverend to inspect.

“Like a ruddy fool.”

“So nothing’s changed, then.”

The reverend rolled his eyes, and the clothed gryphon smiled, giving him a quick squeeze on the shoulder before darting towards the door.

Sargu yelled over his shoulder as the gryphon entered. “Bless yourself, you bloody twit!”

He turned on a dime as he entered the church. “Ah yes right I-bless-myself-in-the-name-of-Veile!” He made to continue, but stopped and turned again. “No-wait-I-mean-uh-Svenuya-yeah-that’s-it!” he gave a frantic smile, and was gone.

Tirgum watched the entire exchange with a rueful grin. “Now you’re late.”

Sargu huffed, and began to walk around the side of the building. “Follow me.”

The two gryphons went into the narrow space between the church and the next building over. The cobbles gave way to the barren rock of the mountain face, and Sargu led them to a small door.

Inside was a tall, narrow passage. Tirgum could hear the bustling of a crowd, just beyond the thin wall.

Sargu put a hand on his shoulder. “Just through there. I need to come out another way.”

Tirgum nodded, and the older gryphon vanished down a hall. Tirgum took a deep breath, and stepped outside.

The church was packed, all full of gryphons of every age, all in formal hats and cloaks. The altar was adorned with gold-colored and canvas cloth, and two sets of three individuals flanked either side. A young light-colored gryphoness, adorned in a white gown higlighted with canvas-colored ribbon, stood off to one side. She fidgeted anxiously with her crown feathers.

Tirgum stepped in front of the row of gryphons on the left, subtly nodding to the gryphoness. She gave him a look of relief.

Tirgum glanced at the other wing of the altar. The darker-toned groom stood there, still slightly damp from the river, mirroring his fiancée’s expression.

Sargu appeared from a small door, set back behind the altar. The crowd’s bustling silenced, leaving only a few scant whispers.

The priest approached the altar, gripping his hands on the sides of it tightly. Before him sat a large, leather-bound book, gently smattered with ink. A small shard of clear quartz lay in front of it.

Reverend Sargu cleared his throat, and began to speak. “We are gathered here to today... finally... to witness the union of two souls.”

The two gryphons in question stepped forward from their hiding places, approaching the front of the altar, smiling. As they walked, the gathered broke into applause, enthusiastically clapping their talons together. Some even whistled.

After they reached the altar, Sargu allowed the applause to go on for a moment more, before raising a hand for silence.

“These two honorable gryphons, having come here today, represent the greatest of ourselves, and the greatest of each other.” With a practiced hand, he flipped open the book before him. Several notes in an angular, symbolic script crowded the pages. He turned to the end of the notes, where the inscribed half of the book met the blank.

He turned to the gryphoness. “Do you, Cimme kin of Dethviel, say true, that you are here of your own will and volition, and that you are certain in your own actions here today?”

She nodded. “I am.”

Sargu gently inscribed the book. After a moment, he turned to the groom. “And do you, Gildu kin of Gilda, say true, that you are here today of your own volition and will, and that you are confident in your own actions here today?”

Gildu closed his eyes and nodded, smiling. “Yes, father.”

Sargu once again inscribed in the book. “Exchange your feathers and cross your arms.”

The pair each removed a primary feather from their wings. They each cringed a bit as they plucked, the audience mirroring the expression. Gently, they exchanged their feathers, then replaced the feathers of their partner in their own wings folding them in with the other feathers. They then crosse their right arms at the wrist.

“See the rings at their talons, given at their time of promise, a promise of things to come. And see the feathers at their wings, given at their time of union, to remind them that they now share in all things.

“Do you both accept this promise?”

Gildu smiled. “I do.”

Cimme did as well. “I do.”

Sargu nodded, and removed the crystal shard from the altar. He took one talon and pressed the crystal against the runes he had script in the book. Then the reverend closed his eyes, concentrating.

The crystal began to glow. As did the words on the page. The shard hummed, vibrating in Sargu’s grip.

A small flash of white light emerged from the crystal, and zipped through the air, humming all the while. It shot to the new feathers in the couple’s wings, gleaming past them and shimmering out of existence.

Tirgum watched as Gildu’s eyes widened a bit, and he stretched out his wings, examining the new, lighter-colored addition to his wingspan. He always did like magic, Tirgum thought.

There was more cheering. Even Sargu was cracking a smile, much to Tirgum’s surprise. “And now,” the elder gryphon spoke, “by the powers vested in me by the Council of the United Republics of the Gryphon Kingdoms, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife.”

More cheering. Tirgum participated, enthusiastically, as two of his best friends kissed each other passionately on an altar.

The newlyweds proceeded down the aisle, bounding out of the church doors, and taking to the air. The gathered at the church followed them, joyfully winging towards the reception.

Tirgum lingered behind, to speak with Reverend Sargu. “You know, reverend, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say I saw you smile today.”

Sargu scowled. Tirgum laughed. “So will we see you at the reception? Cimme generously offered my own home, if you want to criticize my residence.”

“No, I’ll leave that fun to your conscious,” the holy gryphon replied. “You get to your party, they’ll be missing you there.”

“Well, if you change your mind, it’s probably going to be a long party.”

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind when I’m sleeping through it.”

Tirgum shook his head, grinning. He departed the church and shot into the air himself, climbing the ocean winds.

The sky was blue, and the air was cool. Tirgum sailed over the waves, content.

* * *

At the reception, Tirgum drank.

He wasn’t a heavy, drinker, not at all. But he did enjoy a distilled beverage when the occasion suited it.

And boy, it was suited.

The gryphons at the reception were all very happy. His house had a sizable courtyard, and it was perfectly suited for hosting such an event. Tables of food and drink lined the walls, and a loud, up-beat tune played on an imported Equestrian gramophone.

He glanced down, swirling the drink in its glass. I’m happy, he thought. This is a happy place, I am happy here.

Then, contrary to his own opinions, he let out a long sigh. Happy, dammit!

Looking across the courtyard, he spied Gildu, laughing merrily. A long line of friends and family stood congratulating him, and a stupid smile was plastered across his face. He’s happy. You should be happy. Happy for him!

But he was not. Tirgum’s mind raced as he thought of his best friend’s future, and where he would go with his life. It ground to a halt as he thought of his own.

“Hey, Tirgum!” A younger gryphon pushed his way over to him. “Nice house.”

Tirgum nodded politely. “Thank you, Maverick. How are you enjoying yourself?”

“Oh, it’s great!” He laughed. “Great wedding too, eh? I never thought I’d see the day when Reverend Sargu cracked a smile.”

Tirgum couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, it’s quite the rare sight. He was very close with Gildu’s father.”

“Oh, aye?” Maverick shook his head. “It’s a shame, I never met him.”

“Well, hrm.” Tirgum scratched his chin. “Well, Gildu senior was very... different, from the junior.”

“How so?”

“Well... He was quite strict.” Tirgum rubbed his hands together anxiously. “And he didn’t like Gildu’s excitable nature. When Cimme announced she was getting married, he looked at me expectantly.”

Maverick cringed. “Ouch.”

“Yes, it was awkward. Especially considering we used to date.”

“Oh, gods.”

“Yep.” Tirgum patted the younger gryphon on the shoulder. “My advice to you is this. Don’t kiss and tell.”

“Kiss and tell? I hear someone talking about me!” The newly-married gryphoness but in to the conversation.

Tirgum laughed. “Oh, we would have probably turned to talking about you in a moment, Cimme.”

Cimme smiled, and waved a claw, before punching Tirgum playfully on the shoulder. “And what’s this I hear about what you were doing with my husband?! You were wrestling alligators, twenty minutes before his wedding!”

Tirgum smiled, shrugging. “Almost twenty minutes after, actually. I’m surprised nobody noticed his damp feathers.”

Maverick grinned. “Wait, you two were alligator wrestling, right before a wedding?”

Tirgum cocked an eyebrow at him. “You’re eighteen, wiseass. Judge me when you’re late for your wedding.”

Cimme pursed her beak, but didn’t berate him any further. “Well, I’m gad he had fun, at least. You know how he can get.”

Tirgum nodded. “Yes, I do. That’s why we went out in the first place, to relieve stress.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But the crocodile wrestling wasn’t really planned, it just sort of happened.”

“Hah!” Cimme laughed. “You two never do anything planned. I’m just glad you were within flying distance of the damn chapel.”

“Where else would we be?”

Cimme cocked an eyebrow. “On a boat, halfway to the Pale Sea?”

“Wait what?” Maverick exclaimed.

“Shoo, you. Grownups are talking.” Tirgum batted a wing at the younger gryphon, who complied and left, laughing.

“And about the boat, that was one time,” Tirgum countered, “and you were there. We’d never go after sea serpents without you.”

They both laughed. “So how does it feel to be married?”

Cimme’s smile faded a little, which concerned Tirgum. “Honestly?”

Tirgum nodded. “Yeah.”

“I expected to feel completely different. I mean, I was a nervous wreck for a week before today, as you well know-“

“Oh, yes.”

“-but I got myself through it by saying ‘just imagine how it’ll feel when you’re married’. I expected my whole outlook to change, the second I said ‘I do’.” She shook her head. “But... it’s not.”

Tirgum digested the words for a moment. “Well, why should it? I mean, you love him, right?”

“Oh, of course!” She shook her head. “Yes, I do.”

“And you’re happy. So why should that change? Why would you want it to?”

“I... I suppose I had hoped that things would make more sense. Just, life in general.”

Tirgum couldn’t help but laugh. “Nobody can make sense of life, Cimme.”

Cimme scratched her beak, idly. “Yeah yeah. Maybe I’ll feel better after the honeymoon.”

From across the room, Gildu decided to cut in. “Hey! If it isn’t the two gryphons I came here to see.”

“Gilduuuu.” Tirgum embraced his Met-Valtnu. “You’re a married gryphon now, my friend.”

“Yes, it’s true. I have left the realm of the bachelor.” he faked a scoff, turning his head. Cimme snorted. “So when are you going to join the ranks, brother?”

Tirgum grimaced. “Ich, I need another drink for this conversation.”

“I’ll go with you!” Gildu announced triumphantly. Tirgum rolled his eyes, but smiled.

They made their way through the rancorous crowd, towards the beverage area. “Well congratulations again, valtnu,” Tirgum offered. “I’m very happy for you.”

Gildu smiled. “I’m hapy you’re happy. But now you need to get married, brother!”

Tirgum shooke his head, waving a claw. “I’ll get married when I want to get married. When I meet the right gryphoness.”

“You always say that. You need to be more social.”

Tirgum glared at his companion. “I am social!”

“Well, I suppose you’re getting better,” Gildu conceded. “I mean, you skipped a council meeting just to stay here a bit longer, so that-“

“What?!” Tirgum looked at Gildu in shock, putting a hand on the other’s chest. “What did you say?”

“...The council meeting?” Gildu asked. “I assumed you were skipping it because you were still here, and it starts in a few-“

Without a second thought, Tirgum leapt into the air, flying over the crowd. Many gryphons looked up in curiosity as he sped upwards, and towards the open window.

Storming out of a wedding wasn’t exactly polite, but Tirgum was late.

---

Yorva stood at the entrance to the library, waiting patiently.

The young gryphoness had several scrolls and books, piled into her forearms, and wore a simple cloak of storm grey, fastened by a bronze clasp bearing a single bar. A black coat gave way to mottled grey crest feathers, marking her as royalty.

Or at least, distantly related to royalty. In truth, Yorva had no connections to any of the more noble houses, and shared her queer pigmentation with six percent of the entire nation. However, it still caused some meandering eyes to be cast upon her.

A scraping sound drew her attention back to the path before her. Tirgum, cursing as he wrapped his own cloak about his body, hurried past her. Yorva blinked, then quickly followed, doing her best to keep the contents of her limbs in place.

“Councilor Tirgum-“

“Please, Yorva,” Tirgum interrupted, “just call me Tirgum.”

Yorva nodded, a tad uncertain. “...right then, Tirgum. I’ve got the finance reports you asked for, as well as the cultural survey records for the past century.”

The pair swept into the upper district of the city, where the large dome of the Citadel stood, gleaming. They passed pillars and arches of stone as they swept rapidly through the outer pavilion. “Good, good.”

“Sir, if I may ask, why were you late? You’re always rather punctual.”

Tirgum snorted in irritation. “Oh, I expect the courier who was to inform me of the change in schedule decided to drop one of his messages or something. Either way, someone didn’t want me there today.”

Yorva’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Councilor Demauch, right?”

He cast a sidelong glance. “Well, Yorva, as you know, making such an accusation against a Councilor is an easy way to gain enemies, and bears a lot of implications for our fair government. Such things should not be said lightly.”

Yorva nodded, before speaking again. “So...”

“It was almost certainly Councilor Demauch who did that, yes.” They approached a large flight of stairs, and quickly began to bound up them. “Tell me, Yorva, what did the summons say? What are we speaking of?”

“Uh, Foreign Trade Parliam-“

“Foreign Trade Parliaments?! Again?!” Tirgum growled. “This is such a foolish issue, I cannot believe they just won’t let it die.”

Yorva quickened her pace as they continued down the quickly narrowing stone halls, pulling up alongside him. “What issue? I haven’t heard of this before.”

“Well, no,” Tirgum admitted. “You wouldn’tve, you were only elected onto the Council this year. The Foreign Trade Parliaments was a proposition, put forth by Demauch, to isolate national trading partners on an investigational basis.”

“Wait, what?” Yorva asked. “Investigate?”

“Demauch wanted to make a board to review and investigate each nation that the Republic trades with, and determine what regulations would be applied for each. He claimed it would help with national safety.”

“Oh.” Yorva puzzled over this for a moment. “And why was that an issue? I mean, I don’t think it’s a super smart idea, but why-“

“Think, Yorva.” Tirgum spoke with slight aggravation. “Remember what I said about the police regulations in Mevel?”

“Everything corrupts,” she recited dutifully. “You think the Trade Parliaments would have been corrupted?”

“I am certain they would have been. You see, that act was just another piece in a much older game that the Council has been playing for many years now.”

They arrived at the entrance to the large dome and strolled inside. Several staircases led along an interior curved wall. “And what would that be?” Yorva asked.

Tirgum smiled at her. “Hah, you’ll find out in a second. What is the time?”

The younger gryphoness looked at the sky. “...In about a minute, I’d say.”

“Right. See you inside.”

She departed up one of the lower staircases. Tirgum wasted no time getting to his own, one of the uppermost staircases, running high into the rafters of the domed building. He could hear the throng of gryphons on the interior side of the external passages of the dome, and rushed to get to the door.

Ahead of him, finally in sight, was the opening to his level of the Council terrace. Relieved, he rushed towards it.

A hand reached out from the shadows and seized his wrist. Tirgum gasped, turning to strike at his attacker with his free claws.

The figure effortlessly blocked them, before drawing Tirgum closer to his beak. “Councilor Tirgum.”

“What do you want.” Tirgum glared at the gryphon. He wore a black cloak with the hood drawn, obscuring his face. Tirgum could tell however, from his dark beak, that his attacker was of the noble bloodline.

“I am here to merely give you a warning.” The figure spoke with a deep, rasping voice.

“Warning? Warning of what?”

“To the East, Councilor,” the figure dictated. “You must cease the petty squabbling this government seems to relish-“

“-as much as I agree with you, I happen to be one of those petty squabblers, so if you could-“

“-and focus on the East. If you do not, your entire world will be at peril.”

A booming voice echoed from inside the doorway. “All rise, for the beginning of...”

Tirgum looked over at the door. “That’s my cue to leave, stranger. Now what do you-“ but when he turned around, the hooded gryphon was gone.

Tirgum grabbed his wrist, happy to have it free, puzzling over the mysterious encounter, before disappearing into the doorway.

Author's Note:

The patron of strength and the patron of fortune, respectively.

Comments

[FinalFan]

It is my understanding that alligators, and crocodiles, have ridiculous bite strength. One Google result compared the force of the bite to the force required to lift a pickup truck entirely off the ground. While I think it's possible for human beings to hold a gator's mouth shut, there is no chance of keeping it from shutting, even if gryphons are significantly stronger than humans. You'd probably need a tool like a carjack.

[Xerzes]

Keeping an alligator from closing its mouth is basically impossible. Keeping it from opening its mouth is actually pretty easy. Very weak muscles there.