Griffon city of Truebeak
Royal courtyard
Six months after the Nightmare Moon Incident
The mighty and valiant Prince Blueblood stood in the center of the runway which led to the main gates of Truebeak’s castle. He dared not step off the carriage for fear of falling through the cloud layer, and hitting the ground far below. He knew there was a spell that allowed a unicorn to walk on clouds, but he had never really cared about magic, and never bothered to learn it.
Blueblood was about to order one of his guards to call out his arrival once more when the gate opened up, and four griffons walked out calmly. “About time you come out to greet me!” he said, failing to notice that the griffons were followed by another pair which flew down from above and landed at his rear.
He did notice that they had not addressed him, and that they seemed more interested in his guard ponies than him. “When speaking to me you shall address me as your highness. Now bring me to your king.” He tried to remind them of just who he was.
The griffons, now six, encircled his four guards and pounced on the nervous pegasi. Two of the griffons jumped on the pegasi at the head of his sky-chariot, they clawed at the surprised ponies until all that was left of them were two bloody lumps on the cloudy ground. The other two had time to see their compatriots die before they too were assaulted. One of the pegasi raised his hooves in surrender only to receive a sharp blade across the throat for his efforts. The last pegasi upon seeing his companions dead, jumped into the air in an attempt to flee, but was hit in midair by a bolt fired from the castle’s parapet. The pegasi landed on the ground with a thump, one of the griffons quietly walked towards the pleading pegasi and stabbed him through the chest with his sword.
“Wha- What Is this? I demand to speak to your superior officers right away! Such actions will not be tolerated in my presence!” blurted out Blueblood, uncertain of what was happening, even now that the short battle was over. He was hardly used to seeing violence of any sort, and the bleeding bodies of the pegasi left his mind reeling.
Two of the griffons flew into his carriage and grabbed Blueblood from both sides as he shook and squealed in a futile attempt to liberate himself.
Another one of the griffons landed in front of Blueblood and raked him across the face with the back of his claw. “I guess your blood isn't all that blue, huh? I am Ruby-feathers. Got the name from dipping my wings in the blood of my victims.” Blueblood shrank back and became quiet. He had never been hit before. Nor had he ever seen his own blood. This shocked him more than seeing the bodies of his guards being dragged away by yet another group of armoured griffons.
“I want to go home. Auntie Tia will be mad!” he squeaked.
“You’re lucky the boss said that you had to be alive, little pony.” Ruby-feathers let the implication linger while he signaled his group to form up and drag Blueblood into the castle.
Blueblood yelled and pleaded with the griffons to no avail until they tied a sack over his head.
He tossed and turned, and quickly lost all sense of direction as they hauled him deeper, and deeper into the castle, until they quite rudely dumped him onto a chair and let go. He flailed about trying to grab them once he realized that he could not stand on the clouds without being supported.
“Calm down you ungrateful idiot!” yelled a voice that sounded to him like an angry banshee.
The sack was pulled off his head and Blueblood quickly took in his surroundings. He was in a cozy yet richly decorated room, dominated by a large wooden table packed full of appetizing food. There were at least a dozen seats around the table. He was at one end flanked by the two griffons that had carried him, while the griffon whose voice he had heard sat at the opposite end of the table, on a high backed chair; he had a smaller griffon to his right. The chair he was on did not sink through the clouds despite his weight. This fascinated him until he noticed the simple runes carved into it.
“Who am I speaking to?” He asked, a little more subdued than usual.
“I am the bloody king! I thought the crown was a dead giveaway!” came the less than formal response from across the table.
“Why yes, good sir, you do seem to be the king of this, uh... place.” Blueblood had to exercise caution not to say something that might offend his hosts. “And who might you be noble griffon?” Blueblood addresses the griffon to the kings right who was dressed in full battle-mail and wore an odd yellow pendant around his throat.
“I am Gold-wing.”
“Not the talkative type I see. Well, off to business then.” Blueblood coughed into his hoof. “I demand to be released immediately! I also want compensation and aid for the ponies you have injured. I also want you to carry me back to my carriage with a letter promising that the griffons will no longer threaten Equestria!” Blueblood looked down from his rant only to find that the two griffons were speaking in hushed tones. No doubt fearful of him, he thought.
“Did you put it around his neck yet?” Asked the king while looking past Blueblood, who turned to see that he was speaking to Ruby-feather.
“No my lord. Do you wish for me to do so now?” At a nod the suddenly polite Ruby-feather flew over to Blueblood and strung a small glass bottle on a golden cord around his neck.
“What are you doing? I would never wear such an unclothe monstrosity against fashion! Remove it at once!”
“Permission to beat him sir?” Ruby-feather asked with pleading eyes.
“Not yet.”
“Wait, what do you mean by ‘not yet’?”
The king ignored Blueblood and turned to one of his servants. “Allow our esteemed guests into the room.” The servant griffon nodded and gently trotted out the room via one of the great gilded doors. Soon, the room began filling with what was considered the nobility of Truebeak. Blueblood acted with courtesy and introduced himself to each guest in turn from his seat, but they all ignored him, preferring to sit at the table. Some silently dabbed at their eyes with the sleeves of their expensive coats while others wore stoic expressions.
Before he could speak up once more Gold-wing grabbed his attention as he flew over the table and landed at his side. He reached over to Blueblood and grabbed his tongue between two talons.
“It is customary within the griffon nation that the guest and the householder share a drink.” Gold-wing dragged a cup closer with his wing tip. He let go of Blueblood’s tongue to open the vial at his neck.
“Wha-” Began Blueblood but he was cut off by a look from Gold-wing.
He emptied the contents of the vial into the goblet and turned once more to Blueblood. “Pour some wine for the king.” Blueblood did not question the fearsome griffon and complied using a little bit of unicorn magic to tip an already opened bottle of wine into the goblet.
“Send the cup over to the king.”
“Shouldn't I drink from it first?” asked Blueblood, somewhat aware of proper etiquette.
Gold-wing answered with another glance at Blueblood, who had the opportunity to see his eyes glow a dangerous yellow. He quickly levitated the cup over the table spilling some into a vase of flowers in his haste. The flowers wilted alarmingly fast. The guest shrank back from the fumes.
The king grabbed the goblet in his outstretched talon raised it above his head and drank deeply of it. He crashed the goblet into the wooden table with a resounding bang and said “For Truebeak and the noble griffons!” before falling off the side of his chair making only a soft sound as his body hit the cloudy ground.
Gold-wing quietly walked forward and touched the king’s neck. “The king is dead,” he said formally as he rose up. All the griffons in the room nodded once, some broke out into tears and outright sobbing. “I, Gold-Wing, now take possession of the royal throne and declare war upon Equestria and all those who dare oppose the might of the griffons.” He gently removed the crown from upon the king’s head and placed it on his own, eyes glowing yellow the entire time.
He glanced towards the shocked Blueblood and motioned his guards to take him away. “You shall face trial for the murder of our king with all griffons present acting as witnesses. Take him away.” The last he told the two griffons that had never left Blueblood's side. They dragged the screaming prince away leaving a room full of mourning griffons.