//------------------------------// // Chapter 23: Monastery // Story: The Last Migration // by Starscribe //------------------------------// Gina knew this wasn’t going to be easy the instant she saw the griffons flying up from the city below. The settlement called Griffonstone was every bit as pathetic as the stories she’d heard, at least most of it was. There was new construction off on one side, a walled quarter that looked to be slowly growing. Smoke rose from some of the buildings there, and it seemed that was also the direction from which the newly arriving birds had flown. Much more important than any change to the city, though, was the state of the birds leaving it. They weren’t just armed. In some ways, any bird old enough to sharpen their claws was armed. These birds had rifles. Metal rifles, polished sparkling and in the latest designs. Gina knew without knowing how she knew that there was no chance these guns could predate the treaty. Griffonstone was an indolent, decadent place, without previous contact since the entire clan had been defeated by Equestria. They would not have imported the guns, or learned their design from Accipio. House Vengeance hadn’t just bent the treaty by coming here, or defied the will of the Alicorns by staying here. They’d made firearms. The very central tenet of the Pyroclastic Peace Accord was shattered here on a valley floor. The smoke rising from below, the smoke smelling like sulfur—that would be the forges. A bird landed on the deck of the Lapwing, his armor sparkling in the orange sunlight. None of these birds had actually drawn their rifles, but wore them all holstered. Signs of pride in what they’d done. Gina did not recognize any of them, though she did recognize the symbols on their armor. They were all religious symbols, of the sacred order of Unity. These were not soldiers at all, but monks. Indeed, as she approached, their leader dropped into a bow before her, exposing his unprotected throat for a moment. It was the proper symbol of submission due to one wearing the imperial seal. She didn’t see any smugness on his face, either, or any pride at having defied the imperial will. The entire expedition was similar. They weren’t here to defend this place, not when none of them had drawn those rifles. “Welcome to the Griffonstone Temple of Unity,” said the same monk who had bowed to her. “I am Gideon, I’m the hierodeacon here. I admit, I am surprised to see visitors here after Equestria chose such isolationist policies. I suppose they did not maintain them for long, eh?” Gina stiffened a little. She glanced once over her shoulder to Isabel, and checked to see that Hogarth was on deck as well. One unicorn would not be enough against odds like this if it really came to violence. But she doubted it would, not with the way they were acting. Gina had no mind for war. Even so, she could tell that landing when they had the advantage of superior weapons was probably a bad idea. “Wait, you know about the princess’s demands, and you’re still here?” Gina asked, making a note of that admission. In front of so many witnesses, too. It would not go well for them at trial. “I think this is the wrong place for this conversation,” Gideon said. “Please, come back to Griffonstone with us. Your crew will be weary and your ship in need of supply. I know there are no more friendly ports all the way to New Scythia. Let me direct your captain to the dock.” “You already built a dock?” Hookbeak asked, sounding impressed in spite of himself. “Out here surrounded by barbarians and exiles?” Gideon nodded. Gina could see a few of the birds watching wince at those words, or stiffen with anger. Not all of these are from Vengeance, are they? We need to be careful what we say. Already she was beginning to see what Vengeance had done. Maybe Santiago hadn’t broken the treaty after all. Just like we didn’t break it with pony slaves? I don’t think Equestria will be any happier about this than they were about the slaves. If anything, it would only be more evidence to them that griffons couldn’t be trusted to keep to the spirit of their words. More evidence that they couldn’t peacefully coexist. “That sounds good to me, Captain,” Gina said, before captain Hookbeak was forced to answer for her. By sacred custom, an invitation to dock was as good as a guarantee of peace until they left port. Such traditions protected valuable ports and ships both, since powder magazines could destroy whole docks and kill many birds. The days of such guerilla tactics were over, even in house Vengeance. Though I wouldn’t put it past them to try and blow us up on our way out again. “Excellent!” Gideon gestured, and most of the birds took to the air. “Return to your duties, all of you. I will direct this vessel.” Alone, Gina noticed. He would be easy to overpower now, even as the only one with a “real” weapon aboard. Well, except for Gina. She had Isabel. Yet he made his way to the helm without fear, trusting to the sacred tradition as much as they were. Good. Guess this place is civilized after all. Gina watched from the bow as they made their way down towards the city. There were signs that Griffonstone had been greater than it was—stone buildings that had slowly sunk into the sediment, replaced with cruder wooden structures. A great palace modeled on the work of the ancient master-stonemason Hadrianus, looking dark and abandoned and seriously in need of repair. But then there was the monastery—or temple, as Gideon had called it. Temples were more than simple monasteries—to be called a temple, somewhere had to be so self-sufficient that it could survive with the gates closed for a year. Temples were also sacred places, which were not turned over to a conqueror in war even if the entire city fell. Indeed, if a bird counted every temple, there were over a dozen of the clans still surviving, with many defeated birds living on through service to Unity. Her own clan had such a temple—burned with the rest of Accipio now. The docks were on the temple grounds, along with so much else. She had been right about the forge, but there were also large farms, a whole factory, and several shipping warehouses. What are they making in here? How much of it gets sent back to Accipio? Gideon would have to answer some of those questions, but not all of them. “I can’t help but notice the weapon you’re carrying,” Gina said, as they slowed to approach the docks. There was only enough room for two airships here, neither one much larger than their own. That spoke to the amount of traffic through here. It was no center of trade yet. “Aren’t rifles forbidden by the Pyroclastic Accord?” Gideon smiled knowingly at her. “You’ll find the exact words are different, Imperator…” “Gina,” she answered. “Gina, right. Well, if you’ve read the treaty, you’ll find that it requires that no bird bring firearms from Accipio, and that no Accipian freeman, citizen, or slave make or buy them. That no ship be armed with cannons.” Gina’s eyes narrowed, staring at the gun, but she said nothing. The implication was obvious. Then what’s that? “These weapons were not brought from the old territory—you can see the new design.” He removed the rifle from its strap, turning it over for her. No sign of hostility or violence, or defensiveness. Gideon thought he was well within the law, and completely secure in doing so. He removed the weapon's magazine, exposing the symbol stamped into the steel. “See here? That’s no house mark. That’s Griffonstone.” He gestured over his shoulder as they thumped against the dock. “This temple. Not one of these weapons was made by citizen, freeman, or slave of Accipio. Griffonstone birds made every one of them, and graciously gave them to us in gratitude for all we’ve done for their city. They were not purchased.” He returned the rifle to its strap. “As you can see, we have not violated the treaty. House Vengeance is a house of honor, the ponies had no reason to worry we would abuse their trust.” Gina barely restrained a bitter laugh. He was right, though—there was no mistaking the reading. This was not a scenario the ponies had put into the treaty, even though it was obviously counter to what they wanted. They’re not going to like this. “I’m here on official business, I’m afraid,” Gina said, removing the seal from around her neck and holding it out towards Gideon. He took it, ran one claw over the imperial seal, then passed it back. “Indeed. It is unexpected to receive an officer as high as yourself. Will you join us for a meal before we speak of this? I can gather all the temple elders together. You can instruct us then.” “Sure.” She secured the medallion around her neck again. “My crew could use the rest after our journey here.” She hesitated a second, glancing between the members of her staff that she’d brought. “But when your tour is complete, instruct the elders I want to have the meeting here, aboard the Lapwing. Not in the monastery. We will speak only of your success here during the meal.” “Of course,” Gideon said. If he was put off, he managed not to show it. So the crew disembarked—the birds did, anyway. As this was a sacred place, none of the non-griffons would be allowed to depart. Gina donned the traditional robes with the others, and followed Gideon for a tour of his temple. He was proud to show it off, and she could see why. The exiles were the ones who did most of the work here. They were succeeding with remarkable speed, taking to the old Accipian ways without much resistance. It was an impressive transformation; one Gina would’ve admired if they weren’t being used to make firearms. Despite the struggles in the south, they ate fresh vegetables and even more freshly caught river-trout for dinner, served with almost the same spices they would’ve been in her homeland. Gina met many of the monks, and learned that most of them were exiles. Every master craftsman who was not an exile had one or two apprentices who were, and whose work showed serious promise. Most of them wanted to talk to her. They’d all heard of the emperor, and seemed to see him as an analogue to the princesses. That was true, in its way. She did her best to tell them only the truth about the royal family, and all the good it had done. Many expressed a desire to visit New Scythia when they got the chance, and to study in the temple there. She could only express her approval for such a righteous goal, and her wonder that such a significant change had taken only a few months. Eventually, they found their way back aboard the Lapwing. Unlike the various monks, the elders were all from house Vengeance. She recognized several of them from the temple there. “I have bad news for all of you,” she said. “We will not be allowed to remain here. Every citizen of Accipio is being recalled. The Equestrians will not tolerate us here.” “This is not their land,” answered Gideon, as though he had expected this. None of the other elders had weapons—Gideon was apparently also the master marksman of this temple, which was why he carried a rifle. “This is Griffonstone. They cannot banish us from here.” “Unfortunately not,” Gina said. “Griffonstone is bound by pony laws. They did not cede the land to the exiles as they did to us—these birds settled here as conquered foes, not a pacified enemy committed to mutual peace. They require that every one of you leave the city immediately. I was afraid the Lapwing would not be large enough, but seeing your numbers… there are less than half as many as I expected. You will prepare tonight and leave with me come sunrise.” She rested one claw on the royal seal, tapping against it. “If Lord Santiago objects, he can raise that objection with the emperor. This is his decree.” A murmur of discontent passed through the elders, though Gina couldn’t help getting the sense that some of it was for show. They didn’t even argue with her. “It is a hard thing to leave so soon,” Gideon said. “Perhaps you would grant us leave to prepare until noon, instead?” Imperial demands were required to be obeyed within the day they were received. But technically, she hadn’t told them about it until now. They could’ve insisted on not leaving until midnight tomorrow. “That is acceptable,” she said. “I want a list of every name in this monastery, signed and sworn. Not one of you will be remaining here after we leave.” She lowered her voice. “We’ve already done enough to anger the Equestrians. We will not defy them in this too.” “Of course,” Gideon said, putting up one defensive claw. “We are always ready to obey the commands of the emperor. This temple can continue without us.”