“Of course Prince John, Lord Francis and the Kingsguard should travel to Equestria before the ten griffon initiates do,” Bernhard thought to himself in annoyance as he flew through the corridor, heading towards his private chambers within the Griffenhalla Keep. “It’s not that much of a problem to finance two separate flights across the world, just leave it to the Royal Treasurer.”
Admittedly, it really wasn’t a problem, basically it was the matter of signing two separate sets of documents. If it hadn’t been for the whole issue of sending griffons there to learn this new magic and ignoring his idea, Bernhard wouldn’t have put any thought into it.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to stop mulling over it, and focus on the Crown’s other expenses. Thankfully, the rest of the meeting had concerned more day-to-day matters regarding Griffonia, meaning that Bernhard had plenty of other tasks to do that would allow him to take his mind off this Light magic thing.
He looked through several documents and notes he held in his forepaws, making mental notes on which he’d have to deal with first and which ones second. “The Prince and others won’t be leaving until the next week,” he mused, calming down. “I can take care of the necessary documents for airship flights tomorrow or the day after.”
By the time he landed in front of his chambers, Bernhard had already planned what matters he would take care of first; there were inspections he had to arrange in some building companies and in a few mines, donations from the Crown to a hospital, the new budget for the educational system, and of course, the pay for the guards, keep’s staff, and so on.
“The unpaid guards are the bureaucrat's bane, after all,” Bernhard thought as one of his own private guards opened the door for him. “That reminds me, I need to check if everygriffon working for me will get their holiday bonuses.”
As he entered his chambers, the Royal Treasurer put all the papers he had been carrying on the nearby desk and called out to a servant. Bernhard intended to eat some light snack and drink a glass of wine before he’d go over the documents that he’d need to sign (or prepare for King Robert to sign later this evening). However, nogriffon had come running to answer his call. He frowned at this.
“I sent your servants away.”
Bernhard turned his head sharply. There was a griffoness sitting in an armchair across the room, her dark colouring and dark dress making her barely visible in the shadows. Surprised and a little shaken, Bernhard frowned at the unexpected intruder.
“I hope you don’t mind, Royal Treasurer,” she continued, acting as if this was a friendly visit. “I merely wanted to talk with you in private.”
Having calmed down a bit, Bernhard took a few steps closer to her, looking at her closely. She didn’t appear to have any weapons hidden beneath her clothing, and even if she did, all it would take was a shout from the Royal Treasurer for his guards to barge through the door.
“You’re… Katrana Stormcloud, right?” he asked, recognizing the lesser noble he had seen attending the court. Recalling how often she had been seen in the company of Bran Nightcloud, Bernhard snorted and added: “If Master Bran has something to say to me, he can do it himself.”
“You misunderstood me, Royal Treasurer,” Katrana replied, her voice smooth as silk. “I wasn’t sent by the Master of Crows, I came out of my own volition. I have information I believe only you can properly use.”
Bernhard highly doubted everything the griffoness had just said. Most likely, she had been sent by that Nightcloud spook to determine if he didn’t harbor any disloyal thoughts regarding Princess Victoria. Alternatively, she came here to get into his good graces. Normally, Bernhard would entertain her in order to discover her true purpose. However, he had far too tight schedule today and he had been far too annoyed by the meeting’s development to go along with this charade.
“I don’t have time for whatever this is,” he told her, giving her an annoyed glare. “Unlike some griffons, I have plenty of work to do. Try to schedule a meeting next time. Now,” he added, pointing at the door, “see yourself out of my chambers, before I ask the guards to see to it.”
“Come to think about it,” he thought, turning to look at the door as he suddenly realized that something was off with this situation, “how come they let her inside in the first place? And why didn’t they inform me about her when I came in?”
Before he got a chance to ask the griffoness those questions, or even turn his head back to her, Bernhard felt something hit him in the chest. The force of the impact pushed him all the way across the room, then something lifted him up against the wall and pinned him right below the ceiling.
Coughing in pain, Bernhard looked down to see what was holding him (and try to figure out what the hell exactly had happened as well). His eyes bulged and his beak dropped as he stared at some magical field, very alike to the one he had seen the Court Conjurer create when levitating documents not twenty minutes ago, around his chest. What was even more shocking, though, was that the same purplish glow now emanated from Katrana’s outstretched forepaw.
She smirked at him, magical energies dancing around her talons as she held him seemingly effortlessly. “Do I have your attention now, Royal Treasurer?”
Not trusting himself to speak in a dignified manner, Bernhard nodded. It was apparently enough for Katrana, as she lowered her forepaw, causing him to be gently lowered back to the floor. As soon as his paws touched it, the magical glow disappeared, along with the force that had been holding him.
“I presume you have some questions for me?” Katrana asked, still smirking.
Too amazed to feel offended by her tone, Bernhard asked: “That… that was magic, wasn’t it? And not this ‘Light magic’ or ‘shamanistic magic’;” he added when the griffoness nodded, almost patronizingly; “that’s the same magic unicorns use.”
“It’s called ‘arcane’ magic, if you want to be precise,” Katrana explained.
Bernhard nodded absentmindedly, still trying to collect his thoughts. “But, how… griffons can’t use this magic,” he said, not understanding how it was possible.
The griffoness’ answer made everything clear to him.
“And just who had told us that?”
Bernhard Heatherbreeze, the Royal Treasurer of Griffonia, once again stared at Katrana in shock as apprehension dawned on him, then growled and grinded his beak in impotent fury. “Ponies.”
“To be fair, unicorns seem far more… natural with arcane magic,” Katrana continued, making herself more comfortable on the armchair. Her features (quite beautiful now that Bernhard thought about it) furrowed in concentration as she mused: “I think their horns allow them to channel and control magic more directly, seeing how they practically never need to speak incantations of even more complex spells, merely think them in their minds, but it might be more to that… I, on the other paw, had to use incantations even for basic spells such as the one I had demonstrated when I first began learning magic.”
“And how exactly did you learn it?” Bernhard asked, pushing his anger towards ponies for this thousands’ year long lie to the back of his mind.
Katrana shrugged. “Been on a trip to Equestria with my parents when I was a cub, bought myself a spellbook as a souvenir out of curiosity, began experimenting with spells there… took me a while to figure out that holding my paws in certain positions and bending my talons in certain ways while chanting incantations would allow me to bypass the need to channel the magic through a horn, like how unicorns, alicorns, hippogriffs and centaurs do it, but eventually I mastered it.” Probably wanting to demonstrate that she wasn’t just boasting, she flickered her paw as it briefly glowed in the same purplish light. A table materialized before her, with a bottle of wine and two glasses on it. “Care to join me?” Katrana asked, one more paw gesture causing the armchair beside hers to move around the table and stop at the opposite side.
Beginning to come to terms with what he was seeing - that before him was the first griffon in history capable of using magic - Bernhard nodded and moved to sit in the armchair. He would pour wine for both of them, but the bottle lifted itself up into the air and began to pour them their drinks.
“Thanks,” he muttered as he took a rather big sip. “So you can use magic. Why are you telling me this? Does anygriffon else know?”
She graced him with a charming smile. “You’re the first griffon I confided in.”
Bernhard felt his cheeks becoming warmer. “Why?”
“Because, Royal Treasurer, I believe you’re the only griffon that could use this knowledge as it should be used. I’ve been in the capital for some time now,” she continued, pausing only to take a sip of the wine. “I’ve been attending the court and grew close to the Master of Crows in order to get to know griffons leading our great nation. The King, his heiress, members of the Council… all of them, save for you, disappointed me.”
Bernhard almost choked on his wine. He stared at Katrana, bewildered at the words that bordered on treason. Granted, they lived in the times when griffoness of such low social station saying such things would merely result in other griffons merely frowning at her at the royal court, but it was still shocking.
And yet, at the same time… in the corners of his mind, something raised its head. The memories of the several last Council meetings, how everygriffon seemed transfixed that they needed ponies or others to show them how to wield amazing powers. How his ideas had been ignored.
The thought: “She might be right to be disappointed,” came to him almost of its own.
“All this transfixion on ponies,” Katrana continued, almost echoing his thoughts. “We’re griffons, the most noble and grand race on this world, and yet we all but subjected ourselves to Equestria. Not only do we let their princess move the celestial bodies above our world as if it is their right to do so, but also we let them talk us into obeying various international laws, a lot of them taking away our ancestors’ given freedoms.”
Immediately, Bernhard thought of the whaling ban. Though it had been sea ponies of Aquastria that were the driving force behind it, the ruler of Equestria at the time had been in talks with the King of Griffonia, convincing him to agree to it. And that wasn’t the only case when their freedoms were taken; many other species were now under protection as well, in their own lands! Torturing criminals was forbidden as well, enslaving zebras too, and several times in history did Equestria tried talking Griffonia into abolishing capital punishment.
“But that’s the mistake that had been made a long time ago,” she added, waving her paw dismissively as she pulled him out of his musing. “However, the King and his advisors - aside from you, dear Royal Treasurer - seem determined to let this continue. Even when, after all this sudden increase of Equestria’s military and magical potential recently, what do they do? They send emissaries to other races to learn magic from them, not realizing how much influence they would gain on them. And what’s more,” Katrana said, her eyes growing wider as she hushed her voice, “there had been talks at court that the King now intends to have griffons join this pony order! I might just be some lesser noble,” she continued, her voice still confidentially quiet, “but that sounds like treason to me.”
Though a part of Bernhard yearned to disagree, to defend the King he had served for years, he find out that he couldn’t. All that Katrana had just said resonated with the doubts he had harbored, some so deep that until now he hadn’t even realized that he had them. Agreeing to join a pony order was treasonous. Continuing diplomacy with the nation that, for no reason, builds up military power, puts the member of their royal family on the throne of another country (even if it had just reappeared after a thousand years) and allies closely with monsters that feed on love, was treasonous. A real King wouldn’t have stood for that. He would teach Equestria a lesson in humility they needed, and put those Princesses in their place.
“A King like that doesn’t deserve to be told about my powers, wouldn’t you agree?” Katrana’s sweet voice asked him.
With the remains of his hesitation slowly evaporating, Bernhard nodded. “Yes. But… why are you telling me? What am I supposed to do with this information?”
“I’m telling you, dear Royal Treasurer, because you’re the only griffon who sees things for how they are and how they could be. Because you have the means to help make that happen,” she added, smiling again.
“What do you mean?” Bernhard asked, feeling overwhelmed and a little hesitant… and intrigued.
“You are the one controlling the Crown’s expenses,” Katrana began to explain. “Surely, it wouldn’t be difficult for you to arrange some of the gold to disappear without anybody noticing. With my help, those funds could be used for the betterment of Griffonia. I am willing to teach other griffons how to use magic,” she elaborated as Bernhard raised an eyebrow questioningly. “Those that would be loyal to our ideals, of course. I can provide them with spellbooks and grimoires. However, that won’t be enough to change the world order. We would need soldiers for that as well, we would need to be organized, have a base of operations where we could all safely reside until we’d be ready. We’d need every advantage we could get. And with my spellwork, I will be able to mask our moves from that Nightcloud’s crows and everybody else; especially since I intend to stay in his ‘good graces’,” she added, smirking.
Bernhard nodded, agreeing with her more and more with each word. All of those things would require gold. Spellbooks and whatever else magical Katrana would need would certainly be costly, so would be the soldiers. Whether they would be mercenaries or loyal warriors, every soldier needed their pay. Bernhard also thought back to the inventor he had spoken of during the meeting. If he were to embezzle gold, Anthony could make even greater leaps in technological advancement with those funds.
“And if we could get our talons on some whaling ship…” he mused, seeing no sense in abiding to the whaling ban.
“So you want to create some private army,” Bernhard said carefully; though it sounded like a great idea to him, he didn’t want to walk into this blindly. “An organization. For what, exactly? Take over Griffonia?”
A part of him - the part that, despite all the flaws of King Robert, was hesitating to attempt a coup d'etat - dreaded what her answer could be. He was relieved when Katrana shook her beautiful head. “Despite all his flaws, King Robert might still see reason, Princess Victoria too. When they see what griffons could be, I’m sure they and the entire court will cease seeing ponies as ‘friendly neighbors’, but rather what they really are; prey. A lesser race that should be serving us.”
Bernhard nodded, a broad smile on his beak at the Katrana’s vision. “Yes,” he mused to himself, “that’s how it should be. We will teach ponies and even their Princesses their place in the world.” An idea began to form in his head, already planning how they could accomplish this. “It would only be a few months… but it would be the best moment to strike! The King and the Princess would be there to see for themselves just what Griffonia could be, see that we don’t need to rely on others or be friends with them.… and if they would not,” a sudden thought came to him, “if they’ll chose ponies over the good and prosperity of griffons, then I’m sure that our next King will.”
Arthas rubbed his tired eyes as he walked into the armory. It has been a very eventful day, and having been woken by Twilight practically at the crack of dawn meant that he had been awake for most of it.
However, before he could go to sleep, the paladin had one more thing to do.
“Well, two, actually,” he commented as he looked around the armory. “Three if one were to count ‘waiting for Twilight’, but that isn’t really something I have control over.”
Seeing how he was going to be gone for a week, both Arthas and Twilight wanted to spend the night together again (“In hindsight, maybe it is better our friends don’t know; I’m pretty sure Rainbow would say we’re being ‘sappy’.”). Unfortunately, there were several books Princess Celestia had tasked Twilight to read through today, so she was going to be a little late. Of course, the lavender unicorn, mindful that Arthas would have to get up early tomorrow as well, had told him at the party to not wait for her and just go to sleep if he’d be too tired, she’d fall asleep beside him.
“She’s so sweet,” Arthas mused, smiling in affection and amusement as he recalled their conversation. “Too bad I’m bad at following such suggestions.”
An hour or two of sleep wasn’t going to make that much of a difference to him. Besides, he could take a nap on the train to Baltimare. Spending more time with Twilight? That was much more precious to him.
Focusing back on the task at hoof, Arthas began to examine each weapon stashed in the armory. They all were of high quality; he wouldn’t have settled for less when he had been tasked with creating the paladin order. Granted, with Equestria being such a peaceful land that relied on magic far more than weapons and armies to stave off threats, Arthas had his reservations when the blacksmith that crafted weapons and armors for the Royal Guard assured him the Order would have the quality he desired. He had been pleased to discovered that the blacksmiths weren’t just boasting.
“Each looks like a good weapon to carry into battle,” Arthas mused, grabbing one of the swords and performing a few swings before putting it back on its place.
Of course, they were, mostly, just weapons. There were some spells cast and blessing placed on them (the latter by him and the former by unicorn blacksmiths), of course, but none of them would be nearly as powerful as his Holy Avenger. Or any of the arms Brann had brought him that he had collected. Arthas had briefly considering picking one of them, at least for the expedition to Dread Isle. Ultimately, however, he decided not to take any of them. True, he had taken the daggers while going after Storm to the Everfree Forest, with intention of loaning him them, and was prepared to give Felo’melorn to Twilight if she’d want it. But the thought of him actually carrying them into battle didn’t sit right with him.
“They used to be trophies,” he thought, smiling sadly. “Now they are something much more important; reminders. Reminders of everything I had done,” Arthas continued, passing stacks of weapons, his eyes travelling from one to another as he passed them, “of all the great people I had killed… of all the people I had killed. Just like-”
He stopped by the next weapon, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. He reached for it with his hoof and picked it up. “Of course,” Arthas mused, adjusting his grip as he rose on his hind legs so he could hold it with both of his forehooves, “what better weapon to travel across the sea to fight the undead? Or as close as they come in this world, thankfully,” he corrected himself.
Arthas held the weapon for a few more moments, contemplating this choice, before he came back to standing on all fours, equipping it on his back. Armed, he turned to leave the armory, his thoughts turning back to their expedition. He was certain his paladins would be able to complete this trial. After all, it wasn’t that much different from the tasks given to paladins of the Alliance and the Horde in the Plaguelands, and Arthas was sure he had trained them to be able to stand ‘hoof to toe’ with Azerothian paladins.
“Except they will be collecting Ancient Steel Shards instead of Scourgestones,” he thought as he began to head back to the barracks, slightly amused by this unexpected addition to their expedition; he had merely wanted them to travel across it to pay their respects to the fallen by the memorial. “I’m liking this idea more and more. I can’t wait to meet Metal Wrangler in person,” he added, wondering what exactly he intended to do with those shards.
Arthas was about to enter the barracks when he paused, his ears perking up. It was only a reflex motion, however; he didn’t hear anything. Rather, he sensed them nearing through the barrier between the mortal plane and the Shadowlands, like a tingling in the back of his mind. Even before he started to turn around they passed through it, their golden radiance illuminating their surroundings.
“I was wondering whether you’d be back tonight or not,” Arthas said, turning back to the val’kyr.
The two warrior maidens hovered in the air before him, their wings gracefully flapping as they slowly descended to the ground.
“We bear a message from Odyn,” the spear-and-shield wielding val’kyr spoke. “In light of all the noble deeds you had done on this world after your resurrection, he had decided to… humor your request,” she said, her voice cracking for a brief moment.
Arthas wondered if her uncomfort meant that Odyn had been amused by his request or furious. Based on what he knew of the Titan Keeper, both reactions were equally possible.
The val’kyr’s ethereal feet touched the ground, and immediately they kneeled. “We are to obey your orders as if they were Odyn’s,” the other val’kyr, the one wielding a spear, said.
As before, Arthas could easily identify her aversion to him. He decided to not incite her further by pointing out that they didn’t really have a choice in this matter.
“I am honored by Odyn’s approval,” he began, bowing his head slightly. “Could you-”
“Hey, Matt?” a voice from beside him interrupted him. Arthas turned his head to look at Sound Wave and Cherry Bomb. “What is this all about?” Sound asked, both royal guards looking at the val’kyr and back at him with raised brows.
“They really capture everypony’s attention,” Arthas thought, realizing that the val’kyr’s glow must be very visible from the Abbey’s entrance. “I guess I can’t fault them for leaving their post.”
“These are val’kyr, ascended warriors of the Light,” he explained. “They will be… joining us at the Everfree Abbey for some time.” As Sound Wave and Cherry Bomb exchanged confused glances, Arthas turned back to the val’kyr. “Tell me your names.”
The sword-and-shield wielding val’kyr spoke: “My name is Raogrior.”
“Sanngrior,” the other one said.
Arthas nodded, memorizing their names. “Very well. I’d like you to stay here and help Sound Wave and Cherry Bomb guard the Abbey while I’m gone, Sanngrior,” he said, turning to the val’kyr he expected to be glad having to stay away from him. With the helmet covering most her face it was impossible to tell, but Arthas had the weird certainty that she was frowning at him. Not letting it bother him, he continued: “Stay within the Shadowlands unless there’s trouble; there’s no need to risk commotion amongst the ponies by having them see you. Raogrior,” he said, turning to her sister, “you’ll be travelling with me to the Dread Isle. Likewise, you’ll stay within the Shadowlands; don’t interfere with my paladins’ trial unless I say so.”
Both val’kyr nodded (with reluctance in Sanngrior’s case, of course). “As you wish, Sir Lightbringer,” Raogrior said.
Having said that, both her and her sister stood up and rose into the air, their shimmering forms dispersing as they faded away into the Shadowlands.
“You know,” Cherry Bomb spoke up; Arthas turned to look at him, “I am not going to be sorry that we’ll be reassigned back to Canterlot after your new initiates arrive; this post just keeps getting crazier and crazier.”
Arthas snorted with amusement. “Tell me about it,” he said, shaking his head. “If there would be some troubles at the Abbey, you can just call Sanngrior and she will appear. Although I honestly doubt anything grievous enough to warrant her help would happen,” he added.
“Okay, we’ll make a mental note about it,” Sounds Wave said, glancing back at the spot where the val’kyr were moments ago. “Changing the subject,” he continued, turning back to Arthas, “I see you’re mixing up your battle style for that trip of yours?”
Arthas raised an eyebrow, slightly confused by his choice of words. “Not exactly…” he said slowly, not completely sure if he understood him completely. He reached for the weapon on his back and raised it into the air, a smirk on his face. “More like ‘returning to the original one’,” he explained, gazing at the enormous hammer.
“But this time,” Arthas added warmly in his thoughts, “it will lead me to a better future.”