Equestria
Canterlot
Canterlot Castle Gardens
6:21pm
Celestia was inwardly anxious, and had some makeup applied to her face to help make up for the loss of a certain amount of vitality in her expression. A long lived leader she may be, but she had just lost her sister and that was enough to break anyone's heart. She stood waiting in the Canterlot Gardens near the very spot where Discord had forced Twilight and her friends to play his twisted games. Even after his reformation she still couldn't completely forgive him for causing her student so much heartache. He had yet to be seen, however, in the last few months, worrying her since normally such an important visit would attract his attention like flies to honey. But there was nothing… And that worried her greatly. Where was that obnoxious self-declared spirit of chaos and disharmony?
She shook her head as she started to try and look around the gardens for any blemishes, as she wasn't here to worry about an annoying prankster who had granted a reprieve to his usual targets. She needed to show power and wealth; the science of politics demanded it. Already her ponies were laying out a literal red carpet, after the strange whirling flying machine had landed in her gardens. She was a little miffed about her famous rose garden getting a little damaged from the landing, even if luckily it was nothing that some tender, loving gardening and fertilizer couldn't fix. After the rather tall and admittedly handsome dog (only an observation) had asked for the best area for the emperor to land, it was decided the Canterlot Public Gardens would be the best option to avoid any more trauma to her private garden.
A pegasus guard flew down from the sky; likely ready to report. The stallion took a second to compose himself, wings ruffling as he tucked them against his sides.
"My princess the.... Airship, if it can be called that, has stopped just outside of Canterlot. It is currently maintaining it’s position..." The guard says likely just as shocked about the scale of the craft as she was.
"What of the populace? How are they handling the arrival?" The Princess asked while she watched the maids set up a number of Equestrian flags on the castle and positioned statues and large vases of flowers on either side of the red carpet: everything had to be perfect. This visit could determine whether Equestria was at war or peace.
"No no no place the statue of friendship closer to the end of the carpet! Wait, no, don't put the statue of marriage here! I don't know where ponies keep getting the idea that the Princess is wanting to propose! This is a meeting focused on a diplomatic crisis!!!" A supervisor yelled at several blushing maids as they quickly moved the statue away. Celestia’s expression tightened at the display, the guard picking up on it and shuffling a little in place.
"Well, to put it bluntly Your Majesty, they are running around like a bunch of headless chickens. The nobility have currently barricaded themselves in their estates with Gold Talon mercenaries doing regular patrols around their estates." His response caused Celestia to just shake her head, but before she could respond he continued. "I have already sent word to Captain Stone Wall and he has sent Royal Guards out to try and calm the situation."
She lets out a sigh. "Good, though I wish I was informed earlier I understand that information only travels so fast in our lands." Oh, what she wouldn't give for one of those radios so that anyone who needed to communicate could, rather than relying on a handful of properly trained mages (herself included). "You have done well. Go to the mess halls and eat well. That's an order." She smiled softly as the guard nods, leaving her to finish her preparations.
It was at that moment she felt a disturbance in the air, the new current causing the countless flower bushes and ornamental grasses to sway. She looked up and saw what was likely a variation of the same craft that had announced his arrival. Though it was far more stylized, with an enclosed cockpit of metal and glass, the whole shape of the craft seemed awkward lacking the ordinate curls and spirals of her private flying carriage. It looked very similar to the larger transport aircraft she had seen in her reports, but lacking the wings. Even after reading the reports she still couldn't understand how such a craft functioned, it still seems like yesterday her ponies discovered the plow!
The craft was certainly a sight as it slowly landed in the gardens at the end of the red carpet. The spinning blades above the craft slowed steadily after landing, as the side opened to reveal steps that were worked into the hatch. A number of well dressed soldiers marched out wearing rich dark green uniforms with shining medals on the left sides of their chests, and a touch of grey on their shoulders. With pins buttoning the collars down in the shapes of a lion's head, pants colored a dark red and dress shoes covering their paws, each was equipped with a side arm consisting of ornate Webley Mk VI with gold stylizations.
Six of these soldiers stepped out of the dull grey craft, each standing at attention at either side of the red carpet. She waited, swallowing but not showing it, as she found that she had become very sensitive hearing the steps of the steps of her guest. She was expecting some elderly dog with failing vision and a wrinkled face not..... This. A young dog with unblemished snow white coat wearing a rich blue uniform, with countless medals on his left side all shimmering in the sun. A perfectly braided aiguillette adorned his right side with golden epaulettes on his shoulders. His face was young and lacked any visible scars but while he was maintaining a diplomatic, neutral expression the rage radiating from him came to her long before the craft even landed. His piercing blue eyes locked with her own. Even though he looked no older then her student his eyes told her everything, and it was only reinforced as he slowly walked down the red carpet while his honor guard stood at attention unmoving from their salutes. He stopped about a body length from her while her own guard watching from their posts around the garden tightened their grips on their spears.
"Princess Celestia? ...I must say what I’ve heard about you didn’t do you justice. Your coat truly is as white as the snow in Siberia." He says while slowly reaching out an arm. She couldn't help but stare at it a bit.
"I thank you for your compliment. To be honest, I didn't expect the Emperor of such a rich and industrious nation to be so.... Young. I was expecting an elderly General or perhaps even a wealthy industrialist." She says reaching out her hoof to shake his offered arm.
He grasped her hoof tightly, squeezing it just a little too hard to be polite. "Appearances can be misleading..... For example, you look like you’re in your mid twenties, but we both know you're much older then that aren't you?" He says, smiling.
"I suppose you are right, now why don't we sit down for tea? I have a wonderful antique tea set with some recently imported Arabian tea. If it wouldn’t be an issue, we can use one of my private rooms." She smiled as he let go of her hoof before motioning her guards to lead them all back to her castle.
A number of curious ponies tried to sneak a few looks at the supposed Emperor of Britannia. Many of them started to whisper among themselves, wondering if it was his son or perhaps a young talented diplomat. A few even managed to snag a few photographs before being ushered away by the guards.
"I see that the press here seem far more respectful than back home." He says as he was lead into the castle, letting his eyes wander over the stained glass.
"Oh?... Does your government not have good control of the press?" She asked while trotting through her halls.
"Hmmmmm no, we have a strong belief in freedom of press." He says while they pass a number of hallways with marble floors and white stone walls. A number of paintings on the wall depicted countless Equestrian nobility from different areas; oddly enough the larger number of them seemed to be mares.
"Unless its wartime?" She says evenly with a smirk while she opens a double door to her private tea room. It was rather small but very lavish with a oak heartwood table that seemed fairly low to the ground. He was confused for a few moments before he saw silk cushions on the floor.
"Sacrifices must be made, are we to sit on the floor?" He asks politely before the white alicorn nods her head.
"Yes, while we ponies do have chairs we find resting on cushions is easier for us and our lower backs. After all, we don't normally move on our back hooves." She says while pouring herself a small cup of tea and sitting down as the aroma of the blend started to fill the room.
"Interesting. The zebras don't seem to have much of a problem with it, perhaps it's their training and traditions? I must say my soldiers give excellent reports but sometimes one needs more than just a few field reports." He says while she nods her head, trying not to let her eyes wander to the portrait of her and her sister on the back wall. "But we didn't schedule this meeting for idle chat did we..?" He says, looking down with his diplomatic mask of neutrality freezing in place for a few moments.
"...No we did not... This meeting is to prevent the actions of a single pegasus from escalating into war..." She says, the act of talking about a former hero of Equestria leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.
"I'm sure you understand with a matter so... Close to my heart... Reparations will cost your country... Dearly." He managed to get out while he struggled to keep his composure. "I'm sure you know my niece was on that airship and right now the doctors are telling me she may never walk again. Tell me why I shouldn't declare war on your country? After all history has seen wars declared for far less." He says evenly as his black leather gloves creak as he clutches his hands tight.
"I am aware of your country's war footing all too well... But neither of us wants war: my ponies are peaceful and your subjects have only just finished one. However, I must know, was it really against the dragons? I’ve read the biographies and history books that have found their way to my country, and they all mention you. You were there weren't you? You know what a war would really mean for both our nations." She says looking down at her floating cup of tea and swirling it a bit.
"I don't know what books you have read but... We did in fact fight a long bloody war against the dragons. Any horrors they describe come short of what the war was really like." He says, running a covered hand over his face.
"You're saying that you fought the dragons and won? How is such a thing possible? Did you not try diplomatic solutions first?" She says, swallowing as her throat turned dry.
"Slave masters do not negotiate with their slaves and neither do ranchers with their cattle." He says evenly while lifting up his cup and swirling it before taking a long sip.
"A-are you saying?......" She choked a bit. She had originally lived in almost similar circumstances, but to hear such a thing as a systematic campaign by thinking creatures was unheard of.
He looked her in the eyes with a piercing gaze. "The lives of my ancestors consisted of being born in the gem mines, to work till breaking, and then to be served as their supper. Does that make it clear enough for you?" He says, resting his cup on the low table.
"Yes, very... So you saw genocide as the only option? Surely beating them back past the mountain pass would be enough to get them to negotiate? The dragons in Equestria are agreeable, at times..." She said, a little more half heartedly then she would like to admit.
"... My people were enslaved and then fed to them on a daily basis for centuries perhaps a millennia. When they war started to turn against them they began to sack our historic monuments, our connections to the past, on the battlefields they wouldn't even give us the chance to reclaim our dead simply dragging them back for a meal. They weren't interested in compromise they were interested in returning to the status quo, what leader would agree to that? You know what we found when we were finally able to push past the wall and into their lands? Nothing. They had long since picked their lands clean of anything that could grow, breed, or form in the earth. Even today my people struggle to repair the damage they had done to their lands. They had forced their den mothers to breed till they were too used to even move, each generation that was sent to the front lines was younger then the last as they tried to drown us in a sea of draconic flesh from the skies. I saw them for myself despite the begging of my generals not to and what I saw sickened me, perhaps once they were a noble race but it didn't matter then and it doesn't give me pause now. I did what I did knowing full well the consequences of my actions. Have you ever had to make that choice?" He saying leaning forward looking at her with contained fury.
"..... I have." She says, letting out a long sigh.
"What? You mean to tell me that your self contained utopia for ponies has had to make choices like I have had to? What happened, a sugar shortage perhaps? I've had my economists run the numbers, the average Equestrian pony eats nearly five times more carbohydrates and sugar then the world average." He says with a smirk.
"I can not argue with that but do you really think my lands were always so peaceful? No, when I took control of these lands I had to make many hard decisions just as you did while making this country peaceful... Allies made, allowances were given, and choices made that affected countless lives. Tell me, are you familiar with the Earth Pony Serf rebellion? No, no one is, despite the fact that modern day Canterlot was built on the countless bodies of serfs and unicorns. I could have let the rebellion succeed, but risk the upheaval leading to a harsh winter and have an entire subspecies of pony extinguished, or stop the rebellion, saving the few remaining unicorns and pushing back the earth ponies liberation a few centuries. To this day I wonder if I made the right choice but then I remember the face of the little unicorn foal who sought shelter in my castle, and then my student. Should I have allowed the rebellion to succeed my protégé would have never been born and ascended to Alicornhood. Or when my ponies entered a long war against King Sombra where I sent hoards of ill trained stallions against the mad king and his armies. Had I not intervened I would not have the severe gender imbalance in my country, but then I wonder would he have been content with the Crystal Empire alone? Or what if I had intervened with the Massacre of Hayshire? Risking the diplomatic talks with Pegastopolis or the recently freed Earth ponies? I've had to make choices as well that have had lasting effects on my ponies and myself. I may have never had to face a war the likes you have faced but do not think I am unfamiliar with such things." She says evenly while cracking the cup in her magical grasp.
"Interesting. I have yet to find a book with any mention of these events in any of your history books, don't give me that look You read mine I'm sure you didn't expect me not to come prepared? I suppose you're guilty of suppressing unsavory history?" He asked while taking another long sip of tea.
"I will not lie to have protected my ponies from their sordid history, did you really believe that the three tribes came together so bloodlessly? Stories like the Hearths Warming Pageant are for little fillies and colts. Over time many came to acknowledge it as history... Who was I to correct them and tell them the truth? As a ruler can you honestly tell me you or your government haven't embellished stories of your country for the betterment of your people and selves?" She says sighing while he just nodded in response.
"All countries are guilty of embellishing history for their own benefit but you have gone too far. You willingly allowed your ponies to slip into ignorance without so much as batting a hoof. In my country we had to piece together what remained of our history and culture after the war. Much was lost and even more forgotten forever, all we have left are crumbling buildings, charred paintings, and historic tunnels slowly collapsing in on themselves. So little of our past remains that we value historic relics more than the very gems we plundered from the dragons dens. By allowing your ponies to forget their past you have stolen great wealth from them. Are you not familiar of the agreement that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it?" He says while the mare nodded her head.
"It's an old argument that I'm all too familiar with but I ask you how many take that old lesson and become inspired to bring back such atrocities? I can think of many who learned of the past of my country and sought to return ponies to their tribalist ways. Perhaps your war changed your people's view on history, perhaps my people's desire for ignorance influenced me to act as I do, but that is for the philosophers and historians to decide long after we have ascended." She says while slowly standing on her four hooves while the Emperor slowly stands on his hind legs. "In the end it really it is not up to us is it? It is up to our peoples to choose and while we can encourage them to go one way or another we are often left to deal with their choices. Perhaps I could have prevented the decline of our history, maybe I was so desperate to give them the utopian society I kept promising their skeptical ancestors that I made bad decisions. Can you say you have not done the same, to try and give your people a better life only for it to turn out differently then your hoped?"
He stretched and slowly made his way to the small balcony behind there little tea area looking out at Canterlot seeing the castle and the city below him. "Yes... Tell me, do I look of nobility? Do I seem to come from wealth? Do I look as if I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth?" He waited a few moments for a response. "As a pup I was born into a very poor family. A baker and blacksmith who struggled to get by. My mothers stove never worked always leaving the bread unevenly cooked and hard as stone. I had no money to buy her a new one so I built one from the scraps I found laying around my father's shop. I spent countless hours hammering away at my father's forge and casting countless parts all to try and give my mother the present I thought she deserved. Apparently I did my job too well as I soon found myself in front of the local lord who studied my creation with the care of an art connoisseur. All too soon I was shipped off to a strange university where I was forced to study day and night before taking a test, I had to go through countless exercises and training regimen to become the leader my people needed in a time of crisis. My vast knowledge allowed me to help lead the way for countless discoveries in science and helped shape countless inventions all in the hope of pulling my dogs from the dark ages. Only for them to be swept up by the military and... Mutated, into weapons of war. I am hailed as the one who's great inventions single handedly ended the war. But that is far from the truth... I may occasionally have had a breakthrough but my real talent is figuring out how it all goes together. But I didn't leave my home to become a builder of weapons, instead I left to try and make my home a better place. Only to become what my people wanted and not what I wanted, as a leader I know that now but at times I wish I could go back and warn myself of what I would become. So don't try to lecture me on the control the populace has on us as I know it all too well. But I can't help but wonder what you were like in the beginning and why the title of princess?" He asked as she joined him on the balcony.
"A young, idealistic filly that hoped to unite the three pony races only to find myself neck deep in politics. I learned many harsh lessons and were it not for my tutor Starswirled the Bearded I would have be swept away in a sea of politics and backstabbing. I tried to take his lessons to heart but any good student must make mistakes to learn." She says while the Emperor nods in agreement.
"I have read about him.... I must say he must have truly been a great pony for you to work as hard as you do to make your ponies remember him." He says looking over the city with her, his eyes centering on the guard marching in formation down the market street.
"He was... He was likely the closest thing me and my sister had to a father. When we were born we were anomalies. We were Earth ponies... Yet our magics seemed to manifest much like a unicorns... Much of the nobility of the three tribes saw us as a threat to the status quo. If it wasn’t for that great unicorn stepping up to our defense Alicorns may have never have graced this world. He was a difficult teacher at times but through his teachings our power grew. Like you we were taught the complex science of politics. Despite what many like to imagine my sister seemed to understand the practice of persuasion but she was always a pessimist. Perhaps looking back rightfully so... Being the older sister I often would disregard her opinions, usually to my own peril. He always said my patience and forgiveness balanced out with my sisters impulsiveness and wrath... As years past we grew up with that old stallion watching over us till he made his final discovery. I still remember his wrinkled face brightening as he found the legendary Tree of Harmony. I couldn't tell you how many sleepless nights we spent with him studying the tree and it's inner workings disregarding our own well being in hopes that such a discovery would help finally unite the tribes. But sadly the old stallion used his last breath to try and understand his discovery.... I can't tell you when it happened but when me and my sister came with his morning tea he was sprawled on his makeshift table... He looked so peaceful... We buried him nearby the tree, it seemed only fitting after all, as it was his last and greatest discovery. Afterwards we stayed near the tree unsure what to do, our protector was gone and we had only his notes to pass the time. I can't tell you everything about what happened there but when we came out we were as we are now." She says looking over her kingdom. "There were plenty of neigh stayers but others saw us as the key to uniting Equestria under one banner, for their own benefit. But through our master’s teachings we were able to overcome." She nodded her head looking over at the Emperor while he seemed in deep thought watching a few ponies start to notice the pair looking out at them.
He decided it would not be in good taste to ask what happened to her parents, having his suspicions. What he said next was a both a surprise and relief for her. "I will not declare war on your country. You are right, it would not be ideal of either of us. This is peacetime and I would prefer to keep it this way. I have seen too many die in war, I know what it means to send soldiers to fight.” He turned to face her fully, expression turning to one of controlled offence. “That is not to say that reparations will not be made. I believe exclusive rights to Horseshoe Bay and beneficial trading rights with Manehattan would suffice, along with you footing the bill for the airship." He says as turns back to the skyline in lieu of awaiting her answer, eyes seeming to center on Donut Joe's shop.
Celestial started to run the numbers in her head. While not a perfect agreement she had had Fancy send an estimate of the airships cost. They could foot the bill but it would dive a little more into her slowly demising surplus more than she would like but it was doable. "It will take time to pull the money together and to send the information to Horseshoe Bay and Manehattan but I believe what you ask for is fair. I want to say I'm sorry, I had no idea one of my ponies wou-" She was silenced by the raising of his hand, a bit insulted by the gesture but the look in his eyes saddened her.
"I think this is just as much my fault as it is yours. That invitation was an idea from one of my skilled diplomats in hopes of building a stronger trading relationship with your country. I should have understood that changes were happening in your country and while beneficial to the majority, many always find themselves left behind during the march of progress. It's something I have seen time and time again: for every machine that is built or invented another hundred citizens lose their jobs and while some can weather the change others can not. I should not take my rage out on your ponies but instead on the one who has dared harm my niece. I have had my best look over the scene of the crime and it is obvious this was not some international plot but the actions of a mare of unsound mind. It does not dampen my rage but it allows me to focus it elsewhere." He says, his hands tightening on the ordinate railing.
"I thank you... I know what it is like to lose a family member as well...." She breathes a sigh of relief.
"You are talking of your sister aren't you? The Mare with the midnight blue coat and starry mane?" He looks over at her.
"Yes, how did you know?" She asked while she tried to swallow her emotions, to prevent any trace of them appearing in her expression.
"I haven't seen her since I have arrived, and I admire your constitution but the list of family is always something that is harsh on us all. The large fire was also a clue I suppose." He says.
"Yes... My sister is missing as of late... And a rather nasty fire broke out in her room..." She says quietly.
"....I see. If you would like I could leave you alone and we could further hammer out our deal later during my visit." He says, frowning a bit while she just shakes her head.
"No, the wellbeing of my ponies and the relationship between three nations far outweighs my personal feelings. We will draw up the bills and legislations now. So that we may move on for the betterment of both our people's." Her face changes to one of determination.
"If you are sure let us begin talking about the current capacity of Horseshoe Bay."
Zebrica
New Timbuktu
General Shujaa's Estate
12:21pm
Twilight sat at a large dinner table while Blueblood and Fancy Pants rested on either side of her, enjoying the considerable meal while trying to avoid looking at the crab and large whole fish dishes. This lunch was called in hopes of convincing him not to send a retaliatory strike against the Saddle Arabians after they started to try and probe their defenses. The three Equestrian representatives hoped that could talk sense to the Saddle Arabian Sultan, he was young and full of pride but surely he wasn't willing to start a war during a famine..? Right..?
General Shujaa finally arrived at the head of the table, wearing his full tan uniform with a number of glistening metals. The zebra rested in his chair and looked at the three Equestrians at the other end of his table with indifference. Almost immediately he nodded his head and started to have his servants serve the meal, resting a number of different local delicacies on their plates. As they watched waiting for their host to take the first bite he looked over to a teal mare with an eyepatch that matched her coat color. She seemed to wear a number of expensive silk sashes over her body and was wearing a dress made of crystal fabric, an expensive import even in Equestria. She slowly made her way to the zebra’s side, resting in a chair next to him while the servants started to fill her plate.
"Welcome to my home Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Nobles Blueblood and Fancypants. I would like to introduce my assistant Miss Poppyseed." He say while continuing to maintain his look of neutrality. His gaze crossed a number of paintings that were gifts from Britannia, many depicting the battles he had fought while others were of beautiful landscapes both of Britannia and of Zebrica, many from notable artists, along with plenty of tapestries and stone work from his own country. All hanging on the wood paneling with dark wood crown molding that lined the rooms.
As they all sat at the long detailed cherry wood table the strange mare seemed to center her attention on the three at the other end of the table especially the purple alicorn. "Ah, yes, the Princess of Friendship.... I must say when I got word of your ascension and title I thought you were out of some story book for fillies. Really, friendship? Isn't that something little fillies learn about? I would think a once promising mage like yourself would have become the head of the Equestrian Guild of Unicorns. Not something out of a bedtime story." She smirked while Twilight was unsure whether to blush or to glare. Luckily, she did neither.
"Well it wasn't exactly my choice, it was the Tree of Harmony and Starswirls final incomplete spell that chose my title. I'll admit I would have preferred the title of Princess of Magic, but it never seemed to stick compared to Princess of Friendship. Perhaps outside of Equestria it seems silly but since ponies are herd animals it is very important to our culture. In the past we would be in herds for safety we required the ability to rely on each other since we lacked true permanent shelter, always on the move across the Great Plains. Over time this evolved into friendship as ponies learned that there was more to life than just relying on each other, through the cooperation we founded the first villages that while a far cry from what we have now were the very beginnings of our civilization. We endured through working together and then moving forward, the three tribes while separate pulled together and then overtime we slowly started to learn how to live together, perhaps it is far from perfect, I see that now, but we can better ourselves. It will be long and hard but I know we can do it it just takes a little push and the belief that we can do better than we are now. I like to believe that through education and modernization we can achieve a truly harmonious society." Twilight says while the mare seems to tilt her head a bit.
"That is all well and good Princess but what of us who have been cast aside already by the existing system? What of those of us who were thrown under the wagon so that your nobility could live as they do now? Would we be able to return or would we continue to be forbidden to return, what of the countless foals, mares, and stallions who have been chased from their homes because they had the nerve to stand up to a corrupt system? Would you allow them back? Continue to have them banished? Or maybe just forget them as you ride the curtails of change to save your own place in the system? Tell me Twilight had you not come from lower nobility and become the princesses protégé do you honestly think you would be where you are now?" The teal mare asked while tilting her head.
"Who are you? Who are you really?" Fancy managed to ask while trying to swallow the bitter taste that had suddenly filled his mouth realizing who he was looking at.
"Who am I? I'm one of the countless ponies your beloved Celestia threw under the wagon to keep her nobility happy. I was thrown over Equestrias border into the badlands with no water, no food, nothing. I wandered the rocky terrain for days till I was captured by Balsams Zulu warriors... Do you know what it's like to be offered up as a gift to a twisted Zebra? To have your mane pulled out from the roots? To be given as reward to countless warriors after a successful pillage? To not be seen as a living being but an object to own and abuse at another's pressure?" She slowly got up and trotted around the table while the three ponies on the other end stared at her in fear.
"W-what was your c-crime?......." Blueblood manages to ask as he stares at her in complete dread as memories slowly start to return to him and his blood runs cold.
"You two really don't remember.” She snorted. “I would think two great supposed reformists like you would remember me, especially considering my crime. I saw a wicked noble mare about to hack off a poor colts wings for trying to steal a little cheap lump of coal for the winter. I tried to save the poor colt but apparently a pebble is all it takes to take out you inbred nobility, my actions saved a colt but cost a mare her life. Tell me, do you know how many of us die serving them or how many of us have lost our homes so they could build a new vacation home or statue to their own vanity? I know what I did was wrong and it cost that mare her life but it was an accident that was made to save a life. Would I have been banished or even punished if I were a noble?" She asked while Fancy swallows and slowly shakes his head along with Blueblood while Twilight looks at them with horror.
"You would not have... While many like to imagine Celestia dispenses fair justice the most she can do is try and convince the House of Nobles to banish as opposed to life imprisonment or execution. She is a firm believer that as long as one lives there is possibility... The Clover the Clever philosophy... She believed that death was nothing but the cutting of one's branched life paths." Fancy said nodding his head solemnly.
"I and my mentor have been pushing for a new hight court system using one's own peers as a jury as opposed to the House of Nobles. Sadly they fear giving any power away knowing full well that such a change in our law would leave them potentially vulnerable. We are slowly making headway by passing the reforms piggybacked on other more, well... Supported bills, but it takes time. Reversing any poor court decisions however would be seen as questioning the Nobility meaning they will do whatever they can within their power to prevent such cases from seeing the light of day. So... The chances of repealing a court decision even with the reforms would be difficult if not impossible unless we could convince the the Nobles to let go of centuries of tradition. Law is one thing in Equestria but tradition is seen as equal to law..." Blueblood swallows while slowly lifting a glass to his lips.
"So I will never be able to return to Equestria? Was that so hard to say, I know that all too well! I just wanted to see what Miss Sparkle had to say but judging from her look of shock I doubt she has much to say." She finished dismissively, while the sound of a sarcastic clap began coming from their host.
"Very entertaining, I understand you have more than a bone to pick with the Equestrian government and I feel that you have touched on important matters but I feel that this visit has gone off track don't you think? I believe they have come here to try and stick their noses in our country's business yet again?" He says while the mare nods her head blushing a bit from her out burst but continuing to eye the ponies at her employers table.
Twilight manages to slowly pull herself out of her shock. "Y-yes I believe that escalating the situation with Saddle Arabia would be a mistake. They are in the middle of a famine. They couldn't possibly be on war footing considering they are currently dealing with unrest in three of their districts and growing unrest in others. To declare war on them would only lead to the suffering of those most vulnerable. Please we ask you reach out the olive branch to the Sultan’s youngest daughter if you must. War is not the answer, reform is, and his youngest daughter has high hopes of trying to change her system."
"It's very interesting you say that... Since we currently have a guest in my employers safe house. Young Azizah I believe her name was? Poor child was forced to go on the run with her servants in order to avoid her father's wrath." The mare said while sitting back down in her chair. "A very sweet child but sadly her home is not longer safe for her. But she has been very interested as of late in the many changes that have come to my adopted country." She says while pouring Shujaa a tall glass of wine.
"Thank you Poppyseed, you always seem to know what I need before I think to ask. Now, the subject of young Azizah I fear is very true. She is currently in hiding but we plan to place her on the throne after a short war with Saddle Arabia. In return for our help setting her on the throne she has agreed to cede the Nile River districts to us as a gesture of goodwill and payment for aid to help rebuild and modernize her nation. I would ask if you wanted to see her but at the moment the fewer who know her location the better, once this unpleasantness is finished in sure she would enjoy seeing you all." Shujaa gives them all a toothy grin.
"W-we could offer assistance in the coup d'état, w-we have strong trading ties with the nation so we could easily sneak our guards onto trading vessels and offer your warriors assist-" Fancy was cut off as the zebra stallion lifted his hoof to silence him.
"Sadly your warriors or guards as you like to call them would be little more than a nuisance during the operation. Do you know the difference between a soldier and a warrior?" He asked while the Equestrians thought about their answers.
"A warrior is one who seeks glory, wealth, and fame... A soldier is someone who marches to war seeing it as a job, nothing more and nothing less..." Blueblood said while nodding his head in understanding. "As much as I hate to admit it even many our finest are at their core Warriors looking to for tales of glory and bravery. I have seen your soldiers and while it pains me to admit it your soldiers are efficient and effective. I have taken time to read the battle reports. You have raked up kill counts that measured 13 to 1, your soldiers have proven themselves countless times against some of the most vicious warriors on the continent time and time again. It does not bode well for those who have yet to modernize. Good or bad the Britannians have shifted the balance of power and I worry for what that means for our future."