Equestrian Grand Knights

by Athlon2736

Chapter 1: Ballroom Meeting

Chapter 1: Ballroom Meeting

Within a polished marble floored dance hall, stood hundreds of great and noble ponies; each representing their countries in the collection of many of the greatest minds and leaders in Paris, Prance. Within the crowd dance several pairs, each dressed in the finest cloth that a pony to ask for, while many servants walked about, delivering food, wine and other great items no normal pony could afford without a whole months savings. Above the floor watching from above was a small orchestra playing beautiful dancing music while on balconies above them stood Prench guardsponies, dressed in a regal blue uniform with silvered chest plate and helm.

The evening itself, cooled by the setting of Celestia’s great yellow sun and the slow raise of Luna white moon had just begun.

The dancing floor was bustled gently as the large group of nobles talked and was merry, while ever so often a voice would cry out, one of the guards drawing the attention of the crowd to introduce the newest entry into the ball. Prance, Coltish, Bavarian, Pruss, Arabian, and Zebra were announced as the party proceeded slowly.

“Hailing from Equestria, the grand goddess of the sun, Princess Celestia,” the voice rang out, once more drawing all the eyes from the room to look at the grand stairs that descended down to the main floor. There stood the goddess of the sun, her crisp purple eyes washing over the crowd, while her mouth held a small smile to them. Flanking her were two Equestrian guard-ponies, the beautiful golden armour and frilled helms. White with honour they walked with her, acting as her personal shields, eyes moving around to examine the world around them, one with his wings tucked against his body, while the other’s horn protruded from his helm. They walked down the stairs as the crowd returned to their previous discussions, while some watched, commenting on how she walked, and on her guards.

“Captain Windcutter, you really did not have to attend with me,” Celestia commented as they walked, looking back at him with a soft smile. He looked away, watching the Prench guards above.

“I must, m’lady. It is the sworn duty to protect you, even if Prance is a close ally,” he said, his gruff voice filled with his trained discipline. His eyes jumped from each guard to another, eyes washing over them. The other, Sergeant Thunder-hoof, flanked her right, watching ahead of them, examining the crowd, as they parted to let the alicorn and her guards enter. Each stayed close to their princess; fiercely watching her like a mother would of her new born.

Slowly, they walked close to a wall, ever so often to be stopped by a dignitary or political member of another country to talk of concerns of each other. Windcutter didn’t like stopping his head always turn and twisting to see the Prench guards as they watched the floor below. These prench ponies, all devoted to arts and soft in the chest, not like his aerial guard units back in Canterlot. Why didn’t he bring a dozen more?

As they approached the wall, a pair of ponies, dressed in tough green uniforms with dulled steel armour, approached them, followed by a soft cyan pegasus, which made both the guards move forward to protect Celestia from the interlopers. A soft chuckle rose from Celestia, as she motioned for them to step back as she walked forward to the two ponies. Each bowed slight, as the pegasus walked forward between them, who smiled back and offer her hoof to Celestia.

“It’s good to see you out and about Empress Frostmane,” Celestia said, taking the offer from the smaller pegasus. With a soft shake of the hooves the turned their heads to the ball, a gentle grin on each other’s face.

“As it is good to see you about, my goddess of the sun, I take it your lovely sister is well?” the mare asked, moving a strand of her pale with mane from her eyes. Celestia nodded looking over at her slightly, “Such a shame she could not attend this ball. My guardponies would have loved to have met her, and to have received her blessing to live with honour and longevity.”

“She’s been at the Canterlots palace libraries for so much time, that I’m not even sure she really sleeps in her room anymore,” the goddess commented, her smile not fading as he talked with a close friend she had not seen in a few years, “Tell me, is your father well?”

“He is, strong as an ox and stubborn as a mule, though he’s pleased I took the crown then my older brother, Torch-light,” the little pegasus replied, blushing slightly, “Though, being Empress of Galastria isn’t easy. Listening the lords blabbed and complain, the high generals and grand-marshals argue over the army, and the mage master argue with the grand-masters of the knights orders, all while looking after the citizens and protectorate states that we have.”

Celestia chuckled, “Imagine how I feel? I’ve been at it for about fourteen hundred years. Though I have no need to deal with generals or military marshals, since our military was-”

“Disbanded by my country somewhere around seven hundred years ago, correct?” Frostmane said, her emerald green eyes locking on Celestia’s head, who nodded.

“Though even then, the General’s were the one in control of the military not I. Now all I have are the Royal Guard and a small militia of maybe a few hundred. Though, every country that has diplomatic ties with us vows to stand with us in times of trouble,” Celestia explained, as Frost, eyes wide with surprise, listened.

“I’m sorry that my country is not one of those,” Frost said, her eyes looking to the floor with misery in them, “We have many duties, drawing our Imperial Guard all across the world and the few groups we keep at home are ones to soon to be released from their five years service. I wish I could offer some assistance...”

“Though you are new the throne,” Celestia said looking at her, resting a wing around her, “Your heart is in the right place, and that I can tell.” Frost looked back up and smiled, before looking towards a group of stallions. Amongst them stood two of her loyal servants, each dressed in the same crisp green uniform that the Galastrian Imperial Guard issued to every pony, though they were decorated with many metals and the collars was embroidered were crisp red wreaths that swirled up and around a sword, one was red while the others was golden. They were her highest respected Generals, though they were standing around with the Prussian and Bavarian stallions, all talking about what they desired. The first, a tall greyed unicorn with battle experienced eyes talked with a very common tone with the other stallions, was Frosts closest and more desirable friend, General Earthshaker, whose symbol on his flank was a hoof smashing into the ground with anger. The other, a deep blue stallion with a sword that fade into smoke was High-General Shadow-sword, a stallion who, though younger then Earthshaker, was a strong leader for her army, and personally old friend she had known since she was a filly.

Celestia chuckled at her, making Frost realize that she had sighed at the thought of the stallion, making her face turn to a sharp and deep crimson.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts! May I have your attention,” the guard called out again, making whole crowd turn to the Prench doors, “May I introduce his royalty, Aimer Roi, the King of Prance!”

The room filled with a roar of clapping of hooves as the room applauded the arrival of the king, with several ponies behind him. One drew the two attentions though, soon followed by all the guards that surround them.

“Attending with his Excellency is his wife, the queen Beautiés du Vent, with the Lord, Doctor Hoofen Stein, along with his wife, Raven’s Blood, and his personal assistants, Tigers Claw, and Piano Heartcord.”

The crowd continue to clap, with Celestia looking at Frostmane, who was sending one of her guards to gather the generals. She looked at Celestia, worry in her eyes, and fear painted across her face. Celestia looked up, at the unicorn stallion that had drawn their attention.

Stein.

Across his body, were long stitching patterns, and different colours of coats, all from other ponies, while his cutie mark was a surgical suture crossing a scalpel, all over a pale white skull. To make him all the more scary, was the large screw that he had threw his skull, just under his ears, while his face had large circular glasses that reflected the light at the angle they were at, hiding the eyes behind them.

Behind him walked three mares. The first, a bloody red pegasus who’s body was covered in a beautifully well made dressed was most like the wife of Doctor Stein. The next was a unicorn who had a blindfold over her eyes, with a just as elaborate dress that she wore, the soft whitish green coat colour she had making seem eerily like a ghost. Finally walked another unicorn, this time one with long black markings across her body over top a crisp orange coat, with a shorter more playful dress and as she walked, her tail wagged gently like a cat, off the floor and moving side to side.

Celestia couldn’t draw her eyes away from the four, making her curious why they were so special, and why they entered with the king and queen of Prance. Only when Frost nudged her with her hoof, did she turn to look at the young empress. Around her had gather quite a group, including several Galastrian diplomats, dignitaries, mages, the generals, and a taller dark stallion, adored in heavier armour. All had two Galastria guard-ponies, though they were spread out to make it not look like a scene was happening.

All were straight faced, though Celestia could tell they were worried, their eyes betraying them as they watched the four that she was just watching. She could easily guess why.

Three years prior, Galastria and Prance had brought to end a war that had lasted nine years, with Prances defeat. And though Empress Frostmane was not at the lead of the Galastrian Empire at the time, Prench King held a grudge against her and her father.

“Princess?” Sergeant Thunder-hoof asked, looking around her, “Should we be in this crowd?”

Celestia could understand his concern, simply because that by standing with the Galasrians would tell the Prench king she sided with them in the war and not them, looking at the political chaos that could be started at that.

But Frostmane was a respected colleague and royal friend, meaning if she left, she could make the young pegasus feel abandoned and betrayed by the sun goddess, though not a severe as Luna leaving them in a moment like this.

Celestia’s mind was wrong on what they were worried about, as the stitched stallion appoarched the large group with his little posy. Celestia watched as the Imperial Guard-ponies stepped forward, eyes sterner then she had ever seen them before.

“Oh please... I just come to pay my, what’s the word...” the stallion’s voice slithered out, dancing around the groups ears and into their heads, “Respects to my glorious empress and goddess of the sun. So please... move aside.”

That voice seemed to ring out in the heads of the stallions there, and Frostmane seemed to shudder at the sound, almost cold form his voice. Celestia felt her coats hair stand on end, eyes looked on Stein. The guard-ponies stepped aside, however kept the other three away from the large group of delegates. He walked forward, bow-tie around his neck of different colours while his horn glowed gently. Then his screw turned, loud clicking heard as he adjusted it in his skull, making all of the ponies standing there shiver. As he came before the two political leaders, he was stopped this time by Windcutter stepping forward and putting his hoof to the unicorn’s chest.

“Close enough speak,” his voice said, though Celestia could hear his voice was clearly shaken beneath that tough exterior. So could Stein, who just smiled. That smiled would haunt Celestia.

“MY DEAR PRINCESS CELESTIA AND EMPRESS FROSTMANE,” he said, louder then he should have drawing attention to them, before dropping to just above a whisper, “You know how you too stand together is a hypocrisy. One is a leader of a principality of peace and love, the other an empress of a great empire. Which is better, the immortal goddess, who can never be replaced and is a tyrant for such a idea, or the other who forces every pony in her kingdom to five years service to the great and glorious golden throne?”

Celestia stared at him, and if her eyes could kill from a stare, he would have been turned to ash, while Frostmane shied back a little, not like the attention this was drawing to her.

“Oh no worries my dear ladies, I meant no insult. Just a point as saw as I travelled this world,” he said, eyes locking on Frostmane, looking her over, “Then again, a pegasus is to die for in Galastria isn’t it?”

Those looks made Frostmane shudder deeply, feeling his eyes violate her, before Celestia stepped between the two.

“What do you wish to discuss, Lord Stein?” she asked, drawing his eyes up two hers. Two different colours, a red and a green. His eyes stared into her, seeing what her soul was like, licking his lips gently, before grinning happily.

“Oh just to give you praise my fair princess. And my hopes that you will live long and spread peace to the rest of the world, knowing your fellow acquaintance cannot keep the peace even in Zebrica. Though, what do you expect from Galastrain Knights, Guard-ponies and Magisters, all who are driven to think that war is a beautiful thing,” he stated, eyes locked on Celestia, though he was speaking to Frostmane and her fellow Galastrians behind her. Celestia’s eyes narrowed at him, before he turned away, walking to his spouse and his assistants, who join him in walking away.

Celestia turned her head to talk to Frostmane, to only see young pegasus looking down, tears welling in her eyes. General Earthshaker walked forward, putting a hoof on her back and looking up at Celestia.

“Thank you, M’lady sun, but that stallion is a member of a family from our country who was considered the greatest stallion alive, the father of surgery himself, Doctor Suture Stein,” he said, “Though, they were said to have died off all three hundred years ago. Maybe some survived and he was born, though he looks more mad then the regal paintings of Suture.”

“But wasn’t surgery perfected more than four hundred years prior to that?” Celestia inquired, looking at the stallion, which had faded into the crowd.

“Yes... but not field surgery... not amongst army’s m’lady sun...” Earthshaker said, “As well as amputation was perfected by that stallion...”

Celestia looked back at the general, before realizing the he had a false leg, which was made of steel that came from just under the shoulder of his front right leg. She nodded, turning to the crowd around them, all of which was continuing their previous actions from before the announcement.

The music still played, as the evening grew darker, only visible from the giant sky light above, did the dancing grow in popularity. Celestia stayed near the Galastrians, oddly feeling safe amongst their numbers, though not as well armed as her Guards were.

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” a voice rang out, as the king of Prance drew everyones attention to the stairs once more, “As this ball happens, we celebrate the both the end of a terrifying war between the Scotlish and Amareria, which we hope will be a long and great peace, fill with love and art.” The stallion’s voice, filled with his rich accent, consumed the room in his speech.

“LOTS OF LOVE!” a pony called out, clearly drunk from the wine and champagne, this made room burst into laughter.

“Qui, qui, qui, lots of love and hopefully lovemaking! As well as this night comes the great knowledge that my lovely a beautifully wife, du Vent, as become pregnant with our second foal, which I am betting will be a colt this time! Not that my lovely filly, Chéri Fille isn’t a beautiful one as well!” the room filled with cheers and some in the room whistled at the news, before being shooshed by the king, “And if I’m wrong, my loving wife will never let me live it down. However I am distracting you. For now, on last announcement, however we must all exit to the gardens on the right, for with this announcement we truly begin the festivities!”

With that the ball room emptied slowly, going out several doors to the large and encompassing gardens that seemed to surround the building, Celestia walking with the group she had now attached herself too, eyes adjusting to the night sky. A smell of fine wines, fresh food and plants filled the air, as she looked into the sky.

“Finally,” the kings voice rang out again, though not as loud as inside the ball room, “I wish you to welcome me in thank your English partisans for bring Prance into its ports and allowing us to trade with the fine British rabble they be.” A laugh went up, even from the British delegates, “And now, my good friends, who are ride the airships above with their steel and ingenuity will give you a beautiful show tonight!”

The crowd looked skyward, eyes straining to see something above. There, floating a fair distance above them was three large airships, their engines ideal and hidden in the dark night sky. Celestia could see something launch from the centre one, and followed it as the faint stream of fire followed behind it. Suddenly it detonated, bursting into hundreds of thousands of sparkling shards of light and beauty before more bursts of light and fire appeared into the sky.

Celestia smiled and looked at Frostmane, who watched in awe, leaning gently on General Shadow-sword. A tap on her flank made her look back to see several Imperial Guard-ponies, General Earthshaker and her guards walking a soft distance away from the main group. She followed, keeping close, before they stood close to the doors.

“M’lady sun, forgive me for pulling you away from the festivities but my empress Frostmane asked me to speak with you,” he said, Celestia finally picking up on the Galastrian accent that was there. He looked back at the group, “I voiced my concerns to the Empress, but she told me to take it up with you.”

“What is it General, and it best be important, I am missing quite a show after all,” she said, raising an eyebrow to him, making him move nervously as he looked at the ground.

“Well, something seemed off with the king this evening... I mean besides him being Prench and all, but he seemed preoccupied by something on his mind,” the stallion said looking at where the king was. Celestia nodded, “On that, his Daughter wasn’t here, and she is always in close attendee with the king, and finally, he invited us. Members of the Imperial council, to this ceremony, as well as hundreds of other delegates, as well as you. If this was just personal announcements as they were, then why wasn’t it just Prench court members rather than every major diplomat and political leader that had influence in the world?”

The general had a large point, making Celestia turn her head to the party, then back to the General, “I agree, though for the time being go along with this little ploy, well all leave in twenty minutes and head for our airships, saying there is important business to be attended to in our countries. We will discuss more there,” she said, receiving a nod from the general, before the group returned to the party.

_ _ _ _ _

As planned the group broke away, heading out and dismissing themselves from the continued partying. As they left, another delegate left with them, a taller Zebra, who walked up beside the group and approached Celestia when an opportunity appeared to him.

“Princess Celestia, I know this is not the place or time, but can I get you to diliever this to someone?” the Zebra asked, his voice very think in accent, “It would take you but a moment... I wish to speak with someone I hold dear, but I cannot follow her.”

“I do not do visitations to the world of the dead, ambassador, for I’m not that kind of god,” Celestia replied, head locked forward. The Zebra chuckled gently and smiled.

“True, but I mean someone who lives, who hides from me with my prying mind at times, though she is a great zebra herself,” he retorted with a gentle tone, before reaching into his cloth around his body and pulled out a large letter, smiling gently. Celestia took it and turned to him.

“Why can’t you follow her?”

“She’s in hiding, with what the government in my country is like now, I must be careful even getting a letter to her. Going to her would risk her life... which I do not desire to happen to her,” he commented, “Now, I will take my pardon, my liege doesn’t take to kindly to my... disappearances.”

“Whats her name? I can find her much easier that way,” Celestia exclaimed, the Zebra smiling as he turn his head to her, walking away.

“Zecora. I look to my mail for a response someday,” he said, disappearing around a corner. Celestia didn’t like this at all, since it had political ties, all the more dangerous. What was she getting herself into, and why? In all honesty, the situation seemed unlike her, unnerved and slightly shaken.

She sighed as she walked with the Galastrians who kept tight, close and neatly packed together, all surrounding the Empress, who was nervously looking around. This group seemed good at heart, though a war-mongering country in this world was inevitable at times, and didn’t seem right that these ponies who were now leaving with her, each discussing their own personal lives, family and other business as if it was a normal night. Over the next twenty minutes they walked through the empty streets of Paris, the guard-ponies who circled them, spreading out slight, walking only a few hooves from the main group.

“No offence Princess,” the Captain spoke up next to her, “But should we go with them or to our ship?”

“None taken Captain, I believe will travel with them to their ship and then proceed to ours,” Celestia said, smiling at him. The stallion nodded and looked forward again keeping close to her, eyes worried, “Thinking of your wife, Windcutter?”

“Yes... And my soon to be born foal. I wonder what she will be like,” he said smiling finally for the first time in the evening. He genuinely loved that mare, as she was always there for him. He became silent, thinking of her in his head as they walked, while Thunder-hoof was humming a song he had learned in his time in the royal guard. Before long they approached the Prench air-docks, with a dozen airships laying at anchor in the deep canal that was dug for the ships, with the Galastrian’s ship coming easily into view. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, never happier to see a ship the belonged to an imperial power.

“Halt,” came a strong hiss from the front, the entire group halting, the Imperial Guard-ponies, moving slightly, some moving for their weapons. There was a long moment of silence.

Out from the shadows of the building next to the road came a tall figure, draped in a long back cloak, the figures eyes invisible to the onlookers. Celestia felt her heart go cold, then the air around her began to chill was well.

Comments

[Lunarassasin]

is ther gonna be a germaney(german) force cause germany influences the world greatly (just asking)

[Athlon2736]

67206 thats actually Galastria and Prussia... as Prussia was Germany way back when... and now you know!

[Lunarassasin]

67776 YAY welp im now have no idea how you could make this story better