The pony known as Jungle Trek hasn't had the luckiest life so far. Being born in the Tenochtitlan Basin far from the oversight of Canterlot, his "adventures" have consisted of bouncing from one occupation to another, holding himself together while other foals did things like "make friends" or "get an education". Well, Jungle needs none of those things, when he has bits instead!

...Okay, maybe working for Doctor Caballeron isn't exactly a dream job. It does pay well and the archeological stunts are always exciting, but Jungle needs a break from all that. That's why he has his eyes on a new house all for himself, located in a nice, small village called Ponyville. With a full bag of bits in tow, he's ready to start a new life, one far more peaceful than constant trap-dodging and fighting Daring Do.

After all, Ponyville can't have anything special or strange about it to pull him into more adventures, right?

...Right?

Mighty lords chart the course of their people, for better or worse, through good times and bad. Their decisions have ramifications that echo across continents and generations. It is in the light of those decisions that the stories of heroes are ultimately defined, whatever side of the lord's reign they may fall upon.
Books are written about those decisions and their consequences critiqued long after most of those lords are gone to dust. A few even consider the personal cost of those heavy choices.

Rose Meadow was the sort who would be all but forgotten by the relentless march of history, save perhaps as set decoration. She was a guard, a professional whose main job was to stand outside an office door and make sure documents weren't stolen and the occupant wasn't unduly interrupted. That said occupant happened to be a head of state didn't matter much, except perhaps so far as to give her a vague sense of pride in her work.
Yet for all their unimportance on the grand stage of history, a guard overhears much, especially when the office door isn't closed properly...

This is a short story set in the world of the acclaimed Hearts of Iron 4 mod, Equestria at War. It is the first entry in the Quenta Roccolië and has been reviewed by Clarke Otterton.
Rated teen for discussion of war and death.
Written for the Fourth Annual Equestria at War Writing Contest with the prompt "A normal being's point of view and life amidst global events."
Thanks to Clear Skies-Roan for betaing.

Cover image is a crop of 'Palace Hallway' by plainoasis

The following story takes place in the Equestria at War universe. It contains no real spoilers for any nation, and does not require any prior knowledge of EaW to understand. Enjoy!

Though Queen Chrysalis knew that changelings could live almost anywhere, she was still surprised to hear about an isolated island nation of changelings on the other side of the world. This was quite the interesting development, as she was currently waging war with Equestria.

She had wondered if these foreign changelings might be interested in helping with her subjugation of ponykind. Though she had long since dissolved her diplomatic channels due to perceived incompetence, Chrysalis wanted to send some form of emissary to ask them to aid her cause.

And thus she sent one of her spies to visit Greneclyf, the island of harmonious changelings.

The following story takes place in the Equestria at War universe.

For some, the memory of the Great War against the Changelings was just that; a distant memory. But nopony can deny that, despite a victory, the repurcussions that followed have resulted in a dark time in the worlds history. God-Empress Daybreaker now rules across the Equestrian continent with an iron hoof, and has ruled uncontested for over two decades.

Even her protégé, Sunrise Sparkle, is starting to doubt her superiors' decisions. But given that nopony ever questions the God-Empress and lives to tell the tale, she simply kept her thoughts to herself. That is until a certain thought to be dead Princess of the Night visits her in a dream...

Cover art by Neither
Full size here

Thrust into the role of royal bodyguard, Lieutenant Shining Armor finds himself in the City of Roam, trying to protect Princess Cadance while avoiding accidentally starting a war with Equestria's oldest rival. His training taught him to worry about Roamish plots or over enthusiastic crowds. What he hadn't anticipated was the focus on proper etiquette, or the way his heart pounds when Cadance smiles at him, or the sheer number of creatures that want her dead. Trapped between love and duty, Cadance and Shining discover that sometimes the greatest dangers are those closest to home.

The royal court of Canterlot welcomes its newest member with open forelegs: the human philosopher Voltaire, from Earth.

On Earth, Voltaire is known as the greatest enemy of tyranny in the history of literature, and a legend in his own mind.

On Equestria, the court betting pool is giving him a week before the Princess banishes him to the Moon.

Note: This story doesn't have sequels per se, but there are a couple of short follow-ups set in the present day ("Parade Coverage" and "Secret Histories"), and a prequel of sorts in "At the Inn of the Prancing Pony".

TV Tropes page.