The sun continued to rise over the city of Gryphos as the rebels were marched out of the house where they had held up. The insurgents were completely covered by the guns carried by the soldiers; if they tried to make trouble, they would pay for it.
That didn't stop some Royalists from struggling against their bonds; one griffon managed to shake the ropes tying him and clawed his captor in the face. The soldier guarding him, a Royal Guard, turned around, raised a hoof bearing a nailed-on horseshoe, and punched the griffon in the face. The rebel collapsed, unconscious. The Guard then tied the griffon up more securely and began to drag him away.
If the soldiers weren't happy with the insurgents, that was nothing compared to the crowd of everyday griffons who had gathered. They hurled every manner of abuse at the captives; bad language, threats of violence, and curses of all kinds flew. Some where clearly on the edge of rushing the captured rebels, and only the efforts of concerned family members and the presence of the Allied soldiers, including those of the Confederate government, kept them from mobbing the captives.
"May this be the end of it," James whispered.
A male griffon sprang from the crowd with a bottle, still full of beer or rum or some other beverage. He broke it over the head of one of the insurgents, who howled in pain. The rioter then prepared to stab the prisoner with what was left of the handle of the bottle.
James stepped forward, as did two Confederate soldiers. "No, none of that," he said, his left hand on the pommel of his sword and right hand upraised.
"Those scum murdered my son three days ago. Get out of my way, I'll kill 'em all myself!" the attacker screamed as the soldiers got a hold of him.
"No, you won't," James replied. "The courts will handle them. Make no mistake, they aren't getting out out. And they will be tried by a jury of-"
"ITS NOT ENOUGH! NOTHING COULD BE ENOUGH FOR THOSE BEASTS!"
James sighed. "Desist or face arrest."
"NEVER!"
The griffon troopers didn't hesitate. "Jailhouse for ya, then," one of them said. "Ya can cool off in there." Their captive still screaming, they lead him away.
The crowd cooled down slightly, but their anger continued.
When will this hatred end? he thought quietly, feeling a small sense of despair kicking in. It was true that the insurgents had committed a terrible war crime, and many griffons had died, along with Allied soldiers. However, with the fight against the rebels won, it was up to the courts to decide their fate. Mob violence was a break down of order and law. The people in the crowd were hurt by the loss of relatives, friends, and neighbors, but tearing the offenders limb from limb wouldn't bring back the dead, nor would it be conductive to truly healing the wounds suffered.
Given the near-death of their colleague, most of the rebels were now visibly scared of the mob. Not surprising, James thought to himself. Napoleon was virtually fearless on the battlefield, and yet he was absolutely terrified by mobs. Only a couple Royalists made any further efforts to continue resisting their captors; both were dealt with by being tied up and dragged along.
James breathed in and out heavily as the crowd continued to follow, still at a distance but continuing to shout all manner of angry, hateful, and vile things. Fortunately, the mob didn't break out in violence, but the soldiers and their captives continued to watch them nervously. James held his rifle tightly, not knowing if or when this situation would break out in further violence.
Fortunately, other than the continued screams and jeers from the crowd, there were no further incidents of note, other than continual bombardment of the prisoners with garbage, and the procession made outside of the city without any real trouble. James felt a sense of relief as he passed the ruined walls of Gryphos.
After the procession left the city, the crowds fell away, and only a few angry townspeople continued their distant assault on the prisoners. Eventually, even they left, and the group reached the main camp in safety.
James didn't waste time. As soon as he was inside the camp, he demanded, "Where are the Princesses?" of a nearby soldier.
The pony saluted. "In the tent where you guys plan strategy. I'll take you there."
"Thank you. Did our messengers get through?"
"I don't know, sir," the pony said as they began walking together. "I know there was shooting in the direction of the strategy tent." As James braced himself to run, the soldier quickly said, "calm down, calm down. The Princesses are fine. The assassin did get a couple of Guards, but our guys stopped them."
James still felt a sense of anxiety. "Are you sure we got all of them?"
"We're checking all the people who fled the city as we speak, sir. If we didn't get all of them when they tried to assassinate our leaders, we will soon. We went into the refugee camp with guns loaded."
That eased, but did not eliminate, James' nervousness. He kept his right hand on the handle of his revolver as he went forward.
He wasn't the only one; almost all the soldiers he passed, regardless of species, were on edge. Zebras were sharpening spears and arrows, Saddle Arabians were carefully cleaning out their jezails with rags and ramrods, and Equestrian soldiers were holding their weapons, fidgeting, eyes darting toward the slightest movement.
James breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the Princesses were safe. "Ah, James. I'm so glad to see that you're okay," Celestia said.
"They didn't quite get me this time," he replied. "Not sure if I'll ever get used to this."
"Hopefully, you won't have to," the Solar Princess said. "I believe we will crush this conspiracy, if it still exists after today's events."
"I brought in some prisoners from the house where they were hiding in," James said. "You can talk to them at any time if you need to."
"We will," Luna promised. "We will root out those who aided and abetted in the murders of a few days ago."
"If these are all of them, and I pray it is, then this cruel war really is over," Cadence put in. "Our husbands and children will no longer face death in unfamiliar lands."
"If this is all of them," James murmured, but all in all he agreed.
---------------------------------------------------------
James wrote quietly at his desk the day after the insurrection. He was busy writing a a report on the action for the sake of the upcoming trial, and as he was close to finishing, he thought briefly about the events of the past day.
He had been wary over the next few days, but there was no further fighting. A number of rebels and their supporters were captured, including several who were hiding in the refugee camp. Other griffons can been detained; all of these had been hostile, to one degree or another, to the Allied soldiers. These, however, were found to have played no role in the massacre and were eventually released, though only after a most thorough investigation of the individuals in question and their houses and lands.
The common people in the city wanted no further conflict, and, as the Allies began to withdrawn from occupation duty and be replaced by the Confederate authorities, the hostility that still existed waned. Life was already starting to return to normal, though large sections of the city needed to be rebuilt.
It was a different story for the nobles who lived on the former king's demesne. Most of them had been Royalists, whether out of a desire to serve themselves or real loyalty, and as such they were highly suspected. Grayfeather and Blackfeather, the Griffon generals, had been among their ranks, as had General Hawkfrost. The former two, along with several others, had been captured on the battlefield, and more than one had arrested for having a part in the massacre; apparently, fearing for their power, they had urged a resistance. While others had not played a part in the uprising, most of them refused to respect the Confederate authorities as the rightful governing body, and defied them as much as possible, as well as making their disdain for the Allies obvious. They weren't resisting militarily, but the interim Confederate government, made up of various clan leaders, were already stating that this defiance was intolerable, and making it clear that they weren't going to allow these dissident nobles to be part of the government unless they completely abandoned their former loyalties and agreed that the current governing body was legitimate.
Given that these people had been loyal to the ex-king, Celestia and Luna had issued a short speech on the subject, re-addressing the ex-king's crimes, as well as those of his supporters and of the insurgents. They also said that while anyone had a right to believe what they wanted politically, they were still bound by the Griffon Confederacy to obey its laws, and if they defied them, then they could be prosecuted like anyone else. The message, given in support of the new government and with Confederate troops backing it up, was clear, and the massive public support from the largely griffon audience silenced most, though not all, of the nobility's protests.
James had been afraid that this attitude might provoke another revolt, but this time, his fears were unfounded; the response of the griffon people to the insurgents, as well as their support for the government and distrust of the Royalist nobility, effectively made another rebellion self-destructive. It was all too obvious that if the nobles tried to rebel, the authorities wouldn't have time to strip them of their lands and titles before the commoners got to them. The most the nobility could really do was complain. Graywing and his cabinet, though as of yet only an interim government, made it clear that former Royalists were not going to dictate policy, and overtly hinted that anything further than protests by the nobility would result in a very high price being paid.
While the Griffon Confederacy was just starting out, there were good signs, at least in the capital city. The people were eager for anything other than the ex-king's form of monarchy. Elections would take some time to set up, but the people seemed to pick up the concept rather quickly as the Griffon Council explained it to them in a campaign. Leaflets and posters were set up, further educating the populace as to how the elections would be run as well as the workings of the new regime.
Things seem to be looking up, praised be God.
He finished the report and looked it over quickly before setting it back on the desk.
"Mind if I come in?"
"Hmm? Oh, not at all, Princess."
"Just Celestia."
"Okay, Just Celestia."
The Solar Princess giggled. "I guess I walked right into that one."
"What's up?"
"I thought that it would be nice for you to know that we'll soon be going back to Equestria."
"'We'll be going back?'"
"All of us. You, me, my sister and niece and her husband, and the army. We'll be going home."
"You think it's wise to just up and leave, all at once?"
"Well, no. I intend to pull back the army a bit at a time, to allow the newly-founded Confederacy some time and stability as it developed. I've talked to the council, and they've agreed, given the recent events."
James nodded. "I think that's wise. Anyone still looking to cause trouble will have to keep his head down until the new government is fully established, by which time it will be too little, too late to do much. And it keeps any uprising against the establishment until it is capable of defending itself against internal foes, not that I think it will have all that many."
"Not among the common people, to be certain. And with the Royalist nobility being... cut down to size, they won't have the power to immediately do anything, other than merely complaining and trying to turn public opinion against the government, which I'm glad to say is not succeeding."
James tapped his chin with the tip of his pencil. "As for the prisoners..."
Celestia's smile faltered. "Yes. Plans for the trial are already underway. We have documents and testimonies, as well as witnesses from various peoples and countries. Raneiro and Chrysalis, along with the captured insurgents, will face a trial by jury, also made of various species. It will be fair, but I have no doubt, given everything we have on them, that there will be a guilty verdict for all of them."
James nodded again. "What about demobilization? And how much of the army are you going to keep?"
"We will begin demobilizing once the army is on its home soil. We'll make sure that their pay is up to date, and discharge anyone who desires to go home. Volunteers, however, may stay in the military, which will retain the arms we have used and continue to try to improve them." She looked at him carefully. "I know what you're thinking, and I have no intention of letting Equestria suffer such a situation again. We'll keep a professional army, along with the Royal Guard, both of which will be made to undergo much more practical training, as well as preparing a draft system."
James nodded a third time. "Very good. I did have fears that you would-
"Just try to make everything like it was before this all started?" Celestia shook her head. "No. The world has changed. The time of peace during my reign was a time of great prosperity, but it also lulled me. We had the concept of guns and tanks and cannons even before the conflict, but discarded them as unnecessary. We had to discover them all over again. I make, and have made, many mistakes, but this is one I hope never to make again. We will maintain a modernized military, and improve upon it."
"Good to hear." James sighed. "Feels like my job as a foreign advisor is almost done."
"Almost, but not quite. You will be required as a witness for the upcoming trials, and I'd like for you to give one last speech to the army before the demobilization."
"I can do that," he replied.
"Good. I'd pack your bags if I were you; we're leaving within the next two days."
"Who will be in command after we leave?"
"Rolling Barrel. He's shown a willingness to remain in the army. As it is, I'm strongly thinking about making him Commander in chief."
"He'd be a good choice," James said. "He knows what he's doing. And he'd push for further research and development, as well as benefits for veterans."
"My thoughts exactly. We won't be leaving the army without a competent head. I think he'll do just fine."
"Good to see that we've all learned."
Celestia shook her head. "They are lessons I did not want to learn. I think you can understand."
James patted her mane. "I know. But what could any of us do once the opposing sides decided upon war?"
"I don't know. I didn't want my ponies to suffer under two tyrants... so we decided on self defense. I... feel like perhaps I should have done more in the political field before the war. Maybe..."
"Maybe, but it's too late to worry about that now. Closing on a year now after the war began. Not like we had much choice. By all account, Chrysalis would never have stopped her invasion, and we now know the griffons weren't negotiating in good faith. You did what you could to avoid the war."
"I know. I just wish this hadn't happened," Celestia sighed.
James continued to pat her. "What happened... happened. Now we deal with the aftermath. And if we handle it right, maybe we can make the immediate future a bright one."
Celestia stood there, her head down, and off to her right, deep in sorrow. Finally, she raised her head and looked at him. "I certainly hope so."
She paused for a moment.
"I wish I could just tell you to not stop," she said at last, nudging the hand that James was using to pet her. "But we both have things to do."
James quickly withdrew his hand.
"Not that I'm opposed to such a massage," Celestia chuckled. "I doubt I'll be able to get such good treatment at a spa."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James watched as rebel and former imperial weapons were stacked. There were a lot of them; personnel weapons had not been lacking during the final days of the siege and the insurgency. There was also some artillery, though the quantity was nowhere near as impressive; much of it had been wrecked during the big battle that had officially ended the war.
In a discussion reached after the Treaty of Gryphos had been signed, the council leadership had agreed, in a a sign of good faith, to surrender many, though not all, imperial weaponry, along with all that had belonged to the rebels. The clans could keep all weapons that they had owned during the conflict. In return, Equestria and Saddle Arabia would speed up the repatriation of prisoners of war, and would begin providing assistance to the ruined economy.
"A lot of them, aren't there?" Shining Armor remarked.
"Yep," James replied, sucking on a large, round lollipop he'd managed to acquire. He would occasionally hold it by the end of the handle as he did so.
"Scrap metal and firewood is what I ultimately see," Rolling Barrel said, not wasting words.
"Hmm." James didn't particularly like the idea of weapons being melted down, but he agreed in this case that the symbols of the king who had presumed to be emperor, as well as all arms belonging to the murderers in the uprising, had to be destroyed. The Griffon Confederacy would maintain many weapons of its own, and Equestria and her allies would keep theirs.
"Hopefully, it'll get the idea of peace through to them," Shining said hopefully.
"You're an optimist." Barrel simply continued to stare at the gathering stock of weapons. After a long pause, he added, "I envy you for that."
"You think they won't?"
"They'll remember this war. Future generations will remember that they actually took some of our land, forget the details, and desire to repeat history. The idiots we rooted out a few days ago testify to that. Some will choose to view themselves as the oppressed, fighting so that the Griffon people could have their day in the sun." Barrel spat on the ground. "It's all... garbage, of course, but that's what they'll believe, or be told in schools in future days, and definitely told by parents and other relatives. They'll see Equestria, a land that loves peace, as an oppressor holding sole control of the sun and moon, manipulating magic, while they have nothing to compare. That's what they'll choose to believe, not the fact that they went in, unprovoked, and committed some of the worst crimes in the history of both nations."
"I doubt anyone in Gryphos, or relatives of the recently slain, or those opposed to the usurpations by the king, will agree with any one who teaches that," James put in.
"Not immediately, are you daft? Of course they'll remember stuff now, while its fresh. But as the years go by and more griffon chicks are born, they'll do what all societies do; they'll forget the truth."
"Maybe." James spat some blue stuff onto the ground. "But that's one reason why Celestia and Luna are keeping a professional army. As for forgetting and remembering, they won't be the only ones."
"Yeah. I'll do my best to try to make ponies remember the cost we had to pay, and why to keep the bird-lions from trying to do this again."
"You won't be alone in that," Shining promised. "Our veterans and soldiers won't soon forget what we've all experienced."
"Don't be so hopeful, Prince. You'll make me grow soft, and neither of you lunkheads want that, do ya?"
All three of them laughed freely.
"Given the responsibility that the Princesses are going to bestow upon you, I hope not," James said at last.
"Oh yeah, thanks for the support on that one."
"Not much of a choice to make," Shining responded. "You're the best pony for the job, and the best soldier I can think of to leave in command."
"Not to mention that my career as a military advisor is fulfilled," James added. "I doubt we'll be seeing another big war anytime soon. You're the most talented, you get the position."
"I promise you both that I'll do what I can. I also hope that at the end of my life, I can say that Equestria didn't fight a second war in my lifetime."
"I think we all hope that," Shining said.
"We might get it, too," James went on. "Saddle Arabia and the Zebras are allies, the griffons are out for the count and are going to be watched for a long time, and I don't think there are any other powers out immediately out there that can hope to match the technological, industrial, or population edge that Equestria enjoys." He thought for a few seconds. "Maybe some raids from diamond dogs, but that's about it."
"I still have worries," Barrel stated. "Like I said, the griffons will try to forget what really happened."
"I doubt Equestria will, though, and maybe that will be enough if there ever is another griffon threat," James said. He bit down on the last of the lollipop, which went out with a satisfying crunch, and began to chew on the stick it had been on.
"It might. So long as the Princesses rule, I think we'll remember. Whether the new generations will be up to the challenge, though... I doubt I'll still be here hundreds of years in the future."
"All we can do is try to guide our generation, and the next, and teach them what we learned," Shining put in.
"Yep. I'll be doing that for the rest of my life. And if my kids, and their kids, can live in an Equestria that has the peace that the current one knew before the war and knows now, I'll die content."
James and Shining didn't answer, not in words. James grunted with approval; Shining simply nodded. They continued to gaze out over the countryside as the sun reached its highest point in the day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The three armies of the Allied troops began to gather outside Gryphos for a final speech before going their separate ways. As the ruins of the old city walls and the apartments and houses of the city loomed in the distance, James folded his arms, his back to the rest of the crowd that had gathered, gazing at the city that, not too long ago, he had had the job of capturing.
Gryphos was still damaged, and would be for a long time, but the citizenry were gathering strength and rebuilding. He was also pleased to see that they seemed to be in a pleasant mood about it; at the very least, they seemed to have an attitude that very much reminded him of the stereo-typical Britons he'd read about when studying the Battle of Britain. The main difference was, they were doing this in a time of peace, not war. Despite his prior thoughts on the city, it now seemed less... malevolent, all of a sudden.
The was to be one final, short speech by the leaders. This time, every precaution had been taken, up to and including pegasi flying everywhere, constantly scanning the crowd and any objects that were large enough to hide a body. And everyone who came in was searched thoroughly for a weapon. But James was sure that this time things were going to go well.
"Samahani kukusababisha, lakini nimekutumwa kukuleta kwa viongozi wetu."
"Hmm?" James turned around. A zebra stallion was standing there, a small, but pleasant, smile on his face. "What's going on?"
"Samahani, lakini sielewi."
"I'm sorry, but I don't speak Swahili," James replied. "Can you understand me? Can you speak English?"
"Samahani, sielewi. Tafadhali, hebu tupate haraka."
"...Apparently not."
The zebra looked slightly worried and perplexed, but recovered quickly. "Tu kupata nyuma yangu na nitakuchukua huko," he said, using a hoof to point to his back.
James understood, but remembered a fact from earth; most zebras there either couldn't - or wouldn't - support a human's weight. Furthermore, to his knowledge, zebras didn't have magic, as ponies did. He motioned to his chest with both hands.
The zebra, for once, understood him. He simply stood on two legs for a moment while flexing his foreleg muscles.
"Well, alright, if you think you can do it."
He got on the zebra's back. He was worried for a moment that the white and black stallion would collapse, but to his surprise, the zebra held him with no sign of discomfort.
The stripped equine turned his head so that his left eye was on James. "Natumaini wewe ni vizuri. Hebu tuende." The zebra turned around and began to trot.
"Jina langu ni Zuberi," the zebra went on. "Nzuri kukutana nawe."
James wasn't sure just how to respond, so he patted the zebra's mane.
The zebra stallion carried him near four other zebras who were speaking Swahili to one another. Three were speaking excitedly to the fourth, who looked and sounded strangely familiar...
"Je unakuja, mzee Zecora? one of them said, forming up, along with his buddies, with the zebra carrying James.
The female zebra answered - James noticed that her response seemed to rhyme as well. Then she noticed him.
"You must be well regarded by my folk. To ride on a zebra's back is no joke!" she said.
"Zecora?"
"Indeed it is I. I wonder if you'll speak with me before we must say good bye."
"I've heard of you," James said; he wasn't sure if he could explain just how he knew of her to the zebra mare. Furthermore, he was unsure of how to speak to a zebra that was commonly considered a shaman.
"Do not think that I am ignorant. Princess Celestia has told me where you're from, though to say I know all, I can't."
I hope that means what I think it does. He breathed a sign of relief. "What brings you to the Griffon Confederacy?"
"I had heard of many of my folk coming here, and for them I had fear. To heal and relieve is why I am here."
James nodded. It made sense for Zecora to have concern for her people, and to try and use her abilities to help them and anyone else in need. "How long have you been here?"
"For months, I do believe. Perhaps we did not cross because we before we could, one would leave."
"You've been with us for months, and we just happened to not meet until now?"
Zecora just nodded. "Do not think yourself as not smart. For one who cannot know, it is hard to tell us apart."
James looked around at the zebras around him. They did seem to blend in with one another when they were in a crowd and not a battle line. He turned his head away from the sight. "Yeah, all the stripes can make it confusing."
Zecora nodded again, but did not otherwise answer.
"It must be a relief for you to actually speak Swahili again."
"It is indeed. At least among my own people I can with ease practice my creed."
"Do you rhyme in Swahili as you do in English?"
"The answer to that question is yes. It is tradition among zebra healers to address with a rhyme, as centuries of use attests."
Okay, healer. Not shaman. Or maybe that's just the zebra word, literally translated. Out loud, he asked, "Does it ever get hard to find words to rhyme with?"
Zecora walked for a moment on three hooves as the fourth, a foreleg, was used in a negative gesture. "Not with decades of practice. It is easy to do when one's mind develops tactics."
She looked up. "Ah, forgive me, but it seems you've reached your destination. Perhaps we'll next meet at the railway station?"
"Perhaps," James echoed, carefully getting off the zebra stallion. Looking up at the improved stage, he gulped. "I don't fancy making another speech," he whispered to himself as Zecora trotted away.
Come off it; you faced bullets.
Yeah, but that requires another kind of bravery. Plus, I don't know what to say.
He walked up to the stage, where the national and military leaders were already gathering. "Good morning, James," Celestia said as he approached.
"Morning, Princess." He looked around. Shining, Barrel, al-Malik, and Jelani were present, along with the griffon leaders. "You sure we have enough-"
"I will be casting a very powerful shield spell once we begin. It will be almost invisible, but nothing short of an artillery barrage would be able to break it, and a battery of guns would be rather conspicuous for our patrolling pegasi."
"They would indeed. I still advise caution, though I doubt anything will go wrong today, at least in the sense of further assassinations. The griffon people would literally tear them apart, and any would-be troublemakers out there know it."
Celestia's face seemed to go slighter paler than it normally was for a moment, but she recovered quickly. "I hope that in time we can mend the inner fences as well as the outer ones," she said quietly.
"So do I," James replied. "So do I."
A Guard nearby looked at a pocket watch he was carrying. "Five minutes, Your Majesty."
"Thank you. James, don't be nervous. It's essentially a farewell speech."
James breathed in and out deeply for a moment. "I know, but it's... hard to let go of them. After all this time and after all we've gone through... It's not something anyone who didn't go through the war can understand. I... helped to build at least some of this army, I've seen the consequences - lethal consequences - of my mistakes. I've seen the most terrible, painful things. I've seen a few go insane, and occasionally wonder how on earth more don't. I've had to read in the papers about civilians who don't understand the risks of war acting as armchair generals, safe in their living rooms, while we suffered, once in a while starved, bled, and died on scattered battlefields. I don't know what I could say that could do my men - soldiers, I mean - justice."
"I'd say that that phrase goes a long way toward doing it," came a voice just behind him. He turned around to see a red mare with paper and quill.
"Quick Quill," Celestia said, nodding. "I suppose CT sent you to write a report here?"
"Yep. Big story, the end of the war. The Canterlot Times wanted the first scoop. I was here a week or so ago." Her face fell. "I was there when the shooting started, and... let's just say I don't envy the jobs of the soldiers, if they had to go through that and worse every day."
"Were you hurt?"
"No, thanks to your shield. Can't say the same for Yellow Jacket, though. He got hit. He'll live, but it will be a while before the poor dear is back up."
"What questions-?" James started.
"Oh, not here to ask questions this time," Quick Quill said, shaking her head. "Just need to copy down the stuff said, word for word."
James folded his arms. Quick Quill was clearly eager for a scoop, but she was honest about what she printed; her columns did not distort or twist anything. As far as a reporter went, he felt he could trust her. Not that he had much of a choice; she was here legally and the people had a right to know what was going on. He could only pray and hope that any other reporters present had the same kind of moral fiber.
"Wishing you well," Quick Quill said. "It's not easy being up there on the podium. Best of fortune." She trotted away to take up residence amongst those nearest the small platform.
"You know her?" James asked Celestia.
"Not as the closest of close friends, but yes. I've met her numerous times. CT, or the Canterlot Times, does reasonably well in hiring journalists who at least try to tell the truth, at least as they've personally heard it."
"I didn't ask to be interviewed," James said.
"Then again, most ponies and other people don't."
The Guard from before turned to Celestia. "It's time, Your Highness."
"Thank you." She turned to James. "Shall we?"
"I suppose we must," he replied, and followed her up onto the platform.
The crowd, which had been busy with discussion and whispering, abruptly fell silent. It was a cautious but respectful sort of silence, and James felt his fears fade. Celestia's horn lit up, and an almost invisible shield arose over the platform. It was so transparent that he and the others could virtually ignore it.
"Greetings," Celestia began. "We meet in the aftermath of the recent insurrection, and the signing of the Treaty of Gryphos. This war has been long and hard, and so many have made the ultimate sacrifice. Families have been torn apart by the conflict and by the terrible atrocity that we saw mere days ago. The loss to both sides has been immense, in both lives and livelihood."
"However, it is not too late to repair the damage done. We, the living, must go forth and rebuild. It is for us to remember those who have fallen, and live in their memory. We must press on. We must not harbor hatred, and we must tame our anger. All sides have suffered loss, regard of the verdict of history. The recovery begins now."
"Today, armies begin to fall away. Prisoners will be returned to their respective peoples. Fathers, brothers, mothers, and sisters who have lived through the conflict will be able to return to their loved ones. And we can give the dead a proper sendoff."
Celestia paused for a moment. "It is now our duty to continue, even in the remaining weight of the misery the war has produced, to live the lives we have been given to live, to honor those who fell to give us freedom, to have families, to make friends, to try to avoid the mistakes we've made in the past and to do what we can to better ourselves and to help others. It is the least we can do to honor their actions."
Luna stepped up. "It is time for us to go home. Our work - our war - is finished. Let us push forward, remembering what has happened, but without hatred tearing us, and all that we know, apart. Let us return to our people and families, and know that we have a future to look forward to. Two tyrants have been overthrown, and the world will, I believe, be at peace, at least for some time. Let us continue to strive to be the best we can be, while combating the worst."
As Luna backed away, Cadence came forward, with Shining Armor at her side. "We must move forward in a spirit of love," Cadence said. "We must forgive, and move on. We have to remember our families and neighbors. When we part, let us part in the right spirit, that our efforts might, from here on out, be focused on doing good for the right reasons."
Graywing stepped up for a moment. "We, of the new Confederacy, are indebted to those who gave their lives that we might live in peace and liberty. We must not continue to hold hatred, but move on and construct an enduring nation that will mend the flaws of the kingdom and empire that were in place before and during the war. We can rebuild, protect our people and sovereignty (here Graywing's left eye focused on Celestia for a split second), and have a government where the common people are not tools for the aristocracy. Our nation will be one for its people. All of us will have a say. It will be a land of fairness. It will be a land of justice. And it will be a land of liberty for all."
Graywing bowed, but remained standing alongside the other leaders.
The crowd broke into applause, cheering wildly; hats flew, and cheers and eagle screeches rang through the air.
The Solar Princess gestured with her hoof for James to come forward. She and the other national leaders backed away as he walked up.
Lord, please help me, he thought to himself, fingering the cross in his coat pocket for a moment.
"It's been, or feels like its been, a long war," he began, taking his hand out of his coat. "It's closing on a year since the crisis started. Most of the civilian populace on either side cannot fathom the daily terrors, so I'm going to reiterate them here. I hope the non-military population here will at least try to understand what I am about to say next."
He paused, sighing heavily as he pulled off his kepi and holding it in front of him. "Every day, there was a risk of enemy bullets and energy and cannon balls and shells landing on or around us, either killing us or maiming us, and canister shot tearing us to pieces. We've held wounded and dying comrades, our hearts going out for them. We've had to endure sleepless nights on guard, knowing that if one sentry failed his duty, it could mean our friends' deaths. We've gone for days in the field, often without adequate food or water, and sometimes wondering if our ammunition could hold out. We've been separated from our families, and seen those we've come to know and care about killed in the line of duty. It is impossible, unless you've gone through the event, to describe how it feels when someone you were talking to just minutes or even seconds ago is killed in front of you, now a lifeless corpse."
James sighed, even more deeply than before. "For those of us as non-coms and officers, we've all gone through the pain of making plans, knowing that, no matter what we did, some of those we sent out would not return. We've had to see the final and fatal consequences of our mistakes. Those of us who felt responsibility could barely stomach it, but we had to do it, and over and over again..."
"For those of us who are still here, many have been permanently injured. I remember seeing those who had wings staring insanely at nurses and medics who told them that these would have to be removed. I've seen the same with those informed that their legs or other pieces of their bodies would need to be amputated for the sake of their injuries. I've seen veterans, now honorably discharged, with wooden legs and eye patches where eyes should be, walking the streets. I've been there as injured soldiers expired, as comrades and family witnessed it. Even those of us who did not face this will have scars and injuries that will, though not physically hindering us, mark us."
"Even those who escaped physical injury have all, or mostly, suffered permanent mental and emotional trauma. Nightmares will haunt us for the rest of our lives, as we relive, right where we have the least control over it, the terrible things we've seen and suffered, and noises, statements, and activities we would have taken as innocent and non-threatening will evoke misunderstood reactions, emotions, and memories. That is our continuing burden."
He scratched his head, trying to think of something to add. "The question that will be asked, when we tell of our experiences, will be, 'Why? Why did you keep doing it? Why did you keep doing this and suffering so much?' It is very much a question that only those innocent of war can ask. It cannot be answered in full by our mere spoken words; it is beyond full explanation, and I wonder if any language has words with enough description to explain it."
"As such, our answer to this query can only be in part. Because, we will say, others kept going, and we couldn't let them down. To do less than our comrades would have stained our hearts and consciences for the rest of our lives. Because, for those of us protecting our homes, we had families and livelihoods to defend. Because our leaders told us to do so. For those of us who took to the battlefield, these answers cannot fully describe our feelings, or tell of the life-or-death decisions and struggles, not only with the enemy, but within ourselves."
"Nonetheless, I hold out hope. I may be naive in doing so, or so others will say. But without that hope, the only option is to sink into despair, and that is a trench that is may be more difficult to rise up out of than any we've dug during the war. We now leave the battlefields of this war, and begin fighting the new war, the one in our hearts and minds. It will be a lifelong struggle, one in which I pray you might all prevail."
James paused again in order to catch his breath. "We must support one another in this new war as we did in the previous one. I urge you to fight together; march and fight united in this aspect. Form groups where veterans can openly discuss their sufferings. Make the public aware of what you've gone through, and remain strong, despite what you'll go through. Don't give in to the urge to... destroy yourselves in battling this menace, and support one another. Keep fighting. You've survived this war. You can, and for your families, friends, and fellow soldiers, must survive this one."
"For those who were not involved in the fighting, know this; your friends and families and fellow citizens who were out there risking their lives for you need your love, care and support now more than ever. You need to help them to reintegrate, to find jobs, to be with them when they undergo particularly difficult moments in their lives, and most importantly, to let them know that someone out there cares for them and what they're going through."
"This is the future we all face. If those who have fought and those who did not unite now and remain united in this cause, maybe, just maybe, we may come out of this war with a society that remembers and honors those who made the sacrifice, with one that may learn from the past, that these honored dead and those who must, physically and otherwise, bear scars, may not have suffered these things in vain."
He dabbed at an eye with his finger briefly before going on. "Let us return to our homes. Be as good citizens, fathers mothers, brothers and sisters as you can. Remember the fallen and live in their memory, and, as in the war, never, ever give up. Take care, and may God go with you all."
James bowed his head slightly for a couple seconds and backed away, his mind full of many thoughts. The crowd remained silent. He wasn't sure if he had reached them or not. His speech had hardly scraped the surface of what he had been trying to say.
Barrel walked up to his right, and gave a small nod. James felt a bit of his worry fall away.
"Our work here is done," Barrel whispered to him. "Time to go back home. To Equestria. A land now at peace."