(Dark tag for prejudice and abuse themes in T story)
(Human stays human and is not the lead character)
It is four hundred years before the Unification of the three pony tribes and founding of Equestria. The events that prepared the three tribes began by chance, long before the idea of Harmony was even believed possible.
It is a time when Earth ponies struggle against abuse, exploitation, subjugation, and sometimes even outright slavery.
Unicorns and Pegasi regularly take their food, leaving them struggling to survive each winter. When an Earth pony gains their mark in something of value, they are often stolen away, forced into labor for the rest of their lives. Their treatment by other races is rarely better. Most are worse, if not outright deadly.
Pegasi, with their wings and weather control, can strike anywhere. Unicorns and their spells can lay them low from a distance. Their few free towns and cities never remain so long enough to develop any means with which to fight back. They have ideas, but learning is always stolen or destroyed with each raid. Each generation struggles just to maintain what has been, hoping to find a new way.
Then came the day a village, four years into a new subjugation, found a strange wounded biped known to them only by tale and legend shortly after a Unicorn visit took much of their food yet again one mid-winter. Unwilling to let him die in the cold even with so little to share, they take him in.
With a sign from the gods and the stranger's knowledge, one mare and her village begin to see a chance to finally break the cycle and be free.
Art of the main character, Quiet Grace: https://wilvarin-liadon.deviantart.com/art/Quiet-Grace-702726048
Editing help from: stupidhand14
A side story and ancient history in the same verse as my main story, Protecting Harmony. Timeline of the verse places the events of this story roughly around 4000 years in the past. The specifics of why are complicated in this intricate and expansive verse. Initial expected length was once projected under 50k words. However, considering the sheer volume of stuff I need to do, I have recognized it's not going to be enough. I have a terrible capacity for thinking up more stuff to add to something of this nature on top of it. 
Initial inspiration came from listening to this thematic musical score: Chinese battle music - Xian
I had a moment of pondering what made Unicorns and Pegasi see Earth ponies as equals. About what makes the Earth tribe such an equally vital part of the triad and what those qualities are.
This story is the result.
To a certain extent, I am drawing from my understanding of the natural tendencies of humans and other species expressing preferential bias towards those like themselves, be it in family groups or up to the species as a whole. In ancient times, humans were quite brutal towards just rival nations visually identical to themselves. Where things like differences in skin color came into play, I don't think anyone needs to be reminded of how much worse it could get.
Cover image is more a Protecting Harmony verse placeholder. Might be a long time, but I eventually intend to see a post-chapter 1 image of a defiant Quiet Grace on this story. I have a lot of images in this verse to seek out surrounding my main story already.
Interesting, I wish to read more, and hope that Gezi teaches them his ways...
fourriverscharter.org/projects/Inventions/images/china_gunpowder2.jpg
wow. its good, hell its great!
I'd love to see more of this.
6666619 It's funny how the MRLS of today isn't a new idea...
6666648
How about hand cannons?
6666660 You'll just have to wait and see.
You know, it's interesting that you mention that. There's an alternate history/science fiction series known as "The Celestial Empire," where the divergence point with our history is that the scrapping of the Treasure Fleet and China's insular turn in our history (ca. 15th Century AD) did not happen in that 'verse's history. China in the series became one of two major powers - the other being a rival civilization that rose in the Americas in the absence of Western European influence. (Word of warning: my knowledge of the series is kind of sketchy, since I've only skimmed the beginning of the second book in the series, which has the conflict expanding to Mars - "Fire Star," as the planet is known in the series.)
Also, do I detect some Gezi x Quiet Grace shipping in the future?
6668404 It always intrigues me how close the world came to Chinese colonialism that would have left a VERY different path in history. Personally, I have a suspicion one of the biggest contributors to Chinese innovation throughout history can be attributed to their complex spoken and pictographic language. The substantial complexity, in my perspective at least, would necessitate far more cognitive engagement to learn and use, which would consequently have them more mentally flexible when approaching any other aspect of life.
In a similar consideration, it's the same with what might have happened when Vercingetorix faced off against Caesar. How things might have been radically different if Vercingetorix had not surrendered, but rather fought on and his allies on the other side of Caesar's ring fort were able to break through, thus making it Caesar that lost.
Also, no spoilers. I say nothing.
Great story so far, just want to point something out about your authors note. While China was technologically set for global imperialism, their monetary system was fairly weak and I doubt it would have held, especially if they had no trade ties to the gold bearing african coasts or the silver mines of europe.
6669655 *shrug* It's one of those things we will never truly be able to answer. Who's to say they wouldn't have found an answer another way, or gained access to said gold and silver supplies through expansionism? The path not taken can never truly be known.
What time period Gezi is from?
Early Modern? Post-Industrial?
6669840 It's left a bit ambiguous, but in a general sense, Ancient China.
6669987 let there be repeater crossbows and paper makers for all earth ponies!
6670951 I make no promises, I make no denials.
Yay! Look at this characterization- look at this worldbuilding! Grace's viewpoint shows, wonderfully, the state of mind of her peoples, including cultural bias!
The idea of so few of them having 'destiny marks', presumably from so few being able to view destiny as something they can earn, rather than something that is gifted from the gods -so far as I've understood from what I've read- is just great writing.
Liked and fav'd.
6689853 Thank you for finding enjoyment in my story.
In this instance, at the particular point of time in this verse, destiny marks can be hard to obtain because necessity often takes precedence over what might be a pony's true talent. Considering how far back this is, earth ponies have had less time for consistently stable societies and many never earn their mark, pegasi are generally more combative or weather inclined from the get-go for their marks, and unicorns tend to have enough stability that their marks are more common in more frivolous fields of interest. In addition, the connection that it's a special talent hasn't quite been understood yet, and they do tend to associate it with being told by the gods what their purpose in life is.
Separately, in this verse, destiny/cutie marks are very much a mark of the spirit's desire in life. How much influence deities actually have on this will remain unexplained. The next chapter will have hints though...
Speaking of the next chapter, it's slow going. I've got plenty of stuff for later, but I'm in a point of writer's block and struggling to find the flow of where the story is trying to go. Once I get past that, things should move along swiftly again.
That bitch gonna pay for cutting her eye, we need a Stoderd...
6743656 What's a Stoderd?
6743674 A nearly imortal being created for the soul perpose of revenge and hatred, but caters to what ever you tell it to do From cleaning dishes to genicide....
Also packing an intire arcenal of guns in a pocket universe. and with a built in flamethrower for a slow and pian death. Beutifule things they are really.
I plain to write a story on them at one point.
Poor Starlight...
this OC is actually good awesome i usually hate oc's but you did a really good job
6760428 Thank you. All I really do though, is write what I think is a fun idea. I don't plan stories out so much as they tell themselves. I'm looking forward to what I've got coming in this verse, and for Quiet Grace. If you consider the subtle implications of what she has seen, and what she's trying to do, you can imagine some of her future. I don't just mean leading an army, either.
6760521 He has a long road ahead, but it's a recovery now.
6760786 Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying this.
This just gets better and better.
And now they have a source of knowledge so they may better fight unicorns.
6761802 Oh yeah? Gonna be a little before I get Ch 3 up, but...
6763730 I have plans. Some have only just begun.
I gotta hand it to you, SC, you really do world-building well. I only hope that by the time I finally finish Greater Lights I can be half as good at it as you.
6765390 It only took me about a year of practice with my main story in this verse before I really got to the point I've reached, but even then, doing a separate story and having feedback and interaction with some editors really pushed me to a new level. I had a year of practice and some guidance to reach this point. There's also a few things in the Protecting Harmony verse being established in this story later on that ought to make for some great foundations for traditions in the modern age of Equestria, as well as some other important things.
Still doesn't change the fact I wish I could drop references like you do.
Why does the mare refer to her as Frost Bolt, but the stallion refers to her as Ice Bolt?
6823195 If you look it over, that's because Ice Bolt is the mother of Frost Bolt.
In other news, I've started on the next chapter.
6823579 Oh, Im stupid. Thanks.
In other news, Yay!
Well, shoot. I was going to put the clip of Pinkie shouting "THAT'S ME!" from the train in the Season 4 premiere, but I can't find the clip anywhere...
Hopefully not a humanxpony "romance" (and by romance, I mean... well...)
6882228 No worries there. I'm doing a little of it for the character interactions and slow buildup, but I did not use a Romance tag for a reason, in addition to this being a T story. Aside from an interlude telling Puddinghoof's hinted story, it's just a background thing.
After the interlude, another new character shall be introduced and things will get...um, strange, volatile, and...wacky?
Excellent planned economy they have there
6882752 Alright, well, thanks
I Love this story, can you please continue to write it.
6905080 I have no intention of stopping until it's complete. Tell your friends!
I simply am writing this concurrently alongside my main effort, set about 4000 years after this story in the same verse. I presently am taking the approach of releasing a chapter for each story in alternation. It will be a bit before I get the next chapter of TEOE done, but it is most certainly coming.
6905096 Well thank you for getting back so quickly
Don't worry I am already telling my friends to read your story
6882752
Is that a hint of a certain nutty explosives expert you told me about?
7063653 Ugh, I need to sit down and work on this one again. Didn't realize it's been two months. Too many secret projects.
7064315
Ever gonna go through no that?
8343949
If I understand your comment correctly, you're wondering if this story will be continued.
In a word: Yes.
Unfortunately, I am currently bogged down in life events. Lot of hours at work, trying to study for certifications, and starting a degree this fall. That isn't even getting into some other things that keep me from writing much in general, before I can even get to how I'm prioritizing the stories I'm working on.
In short, I don't have a lot of time available to me at the moment. I'll be coming back to this story in due time, but it may be a while.
Funny enough though, I recently commissioned an artist for an image of Quiet Grace. I will post it once I have it.
8346971
K. I understand, thanks got letting me know.
8346971
Will it though?
8779095
Life gets in the way of writing for fun.
Rather than spend time on excuses, I will just note that I am presently focusing more heavily on escaping a very long run of moderate to severe depression at present. Finally making some new headway. As that process carries forward, I will be more free to write more. I've not been able to do very much with any of my stories, no matter how much they have been on my mind.
This is perhaps one of the larger challenges of big stories done as a hobby. Desire to write must be met by the free time within a healthy life.
Quiet Grace has not gone silent in my mind. She has a story yet to tell.
8780291
Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend yo in any way.
8780364
Heh. No worries. I actually take it as a compliment on my story that people are still poking me from time to time in hopes of more.
For now, hopeful readers should just remember I took the time to commission an image of Quiet Grace even though I haven't been able to write for a while. I will finish this story when I'm ready.
That was worth reading. As one who suffers through much depression, I can only admire your commitment to writing so many stories.
I hope to see more of this particular story someday. Best of luck in all things.
9155287
Thank you.
I do plan on continuing this story to completion eventually. There has just been a lot of personal work I've been getting through. It is only recently that I finally felt the actual push to write again, and it is in large part due to taking the time to focus a little more on getting my head straight.
One of the great things to remember in life, even through depression, is we alone have power over our minds. After you truly understand that simple statement, it's like moving the fulcrum closer to the load. The extra movement feels like a lot less work.