Griffons – an atypical race to say the least.
Few are those creatures that have, throughout the span of their history, been through that many a tumult. There was not for them the continuous stability and perennial continuation of leadership that was taken for granted in Equestria; nor did they enjoy the quasi-unquestioned authority of a queen like the Changelings, nor do they possess an artifact that would unite them like for the Dragons. No – for the Griffons, strife had always been a part unmovable of their collective character. They, once, had an artifact to call their own but it was forever lost. Prior to the loss, a kingdom surrounding Griffonstone had existed – or still does, but merely a kingdom without a king. For a time, for a long time, that artifact gifted to them and given the name of its donor, the Icon of Boreas, was what had kept the species united.
There was purpose back then. There was a sense of a collective vision that had eluded them O so many times before. For a while, they stood in front of a bright future. For a while, they were indomitable. And for a while, they had tasted success and greatness.
The lingering threat of mortality and the lack of great magical abilities have always defined the Griffon psyche. They always saw themselves as surrounded, ripe for the picking by any with the will to subjugate them. Many tried, and many equally failed to put down the Griffon spirit. They used cunning and great reflexes to dissuade and intimidate rivals. Their tactics are unrivalled; immaculate when paired with the fierceness they put on display. The Griffon knight was reputed for being relentless and an impossibly efficient warrior. Few remain standing when faced by the continuously advancing or stubbornly resilient defenses of a phalanx of those implacable warriors.
When the Icon was still in possession of the race, entire armies of knights could be amassed. Though conquest was not in the shifting kings’ minds. Profit through trade was the agreed-upon manner to keep the Griffon Kingdom united and the species safe.
Trade, however, did not flow through Griffonstone as many would envisage. Instead, a series of autonomous outposts, officially acting independently from the crown and outside its jurisdiction, would divert their earnings to the capital through a series of intermediaries. In turn, creating the first multinational banks of the world and, simultaneously, the trading practices that put Celestia in many a predicament.
The succeeding kings and queens were in full knowledge of their traders' practices. They knew how to deal with their whims and knew how to counter the plethora of financial and accounting irregularities their bookkeepers would point out. They gradually formed different institutions to keep in line the traders to Griffonstone’s will. They had formed the institutions that kept in their books the wealth of thousands.
The Griffons, the monarchs would state when discoursing to their people, built an impregnable civilization in the face of considerable challenges many would have balked at. They conquered the elements to make themselves a position in the world. They carved themselves a place envied even by the hegemonic Equestria. They, the Griffons, were rich, prosperous, thriving, and ascending.
However, it all had to come to an end. The Icon was stolen. Civil strife followed. The loss of Griffon enterprises to opportunistic Equestrians. The kingdom lost its kings. The species lost its purpose. Bitterness took hold. And Griffonstone was left to rot under the Sun.
They referred to the period of chaos as the “Collapse of Bronze and Gold”.
****
Cadance stepped down from the train, the only reliable mode of transport to fallen Griffonstone, though incredibly expensive for common use.
She looked up to Griffonstone with an exasperated and prematurely tired expression.
‘“Why do you Ponies siphon every bit of wealth from us?”,’ she mumbled. Cadance pulled down the brown hood. An old cloak she wore; not fitting garment for a Princess, but it was the only piece of cloth that kept her reliably warm. An old thing she had taken from her parents; it was noticeably shorter on her but possessed better isolation than any she bought afterward. ‘Having to force three-fourths of the world walkingup to end up kissing your asses maybe – just a hunch – made you fall into precarity. Not a stupid relic.’
‘Dear,’ Shining Armor joined her outside, wearing a fancier cloak on top of his armor, ‘I don’t think we are one to talk about relying on relics.’
‘Well, fuck you,’ she countered. ‘And don’t contradict me.’
He examined the path stretching in his field of vision. The coming grey sky, heralded by the pocked clouds above, would not help her mood.
‘I don’t see what you are complaining about.’ He smiled. ‘I am the one that will need to walk; you can fly.’
She snorted in further exasperation and walked forward, not waiting for him to join her.
‘Just say you don’t like Griffons,’ he said, running toward Cadance.
‘I don’t dislike them; it is Griffonstone I hate.’ She smirked. ‘I guess that will help finalize the trade deal.’
Griffons and the Crystal Empire had since ancient times a storied history. Many were the Griffons that came to the Land of Crystal to study or provide assistance for architectural or scientific purposes – in exchange for a commission, of course. It was said that they were the ones that helped forge the Crystal Heart. However, as with many things concerning the Empire’s past, nothing is certain. The Crystal Library and all vestiges of the Empire’s past had been burned or desecrated by Sombra utterly. Previous rulers had made it a policy to keep their people partially isolated from the world, and it came with a complete ban on knowledge sharing outside the halls of the Library or Palace. That engendered a sort of unofficial embargo of knowledge between Equestria and the Empire, a void the Griffons exploited well to challenge the Sisters as an ally. And a tradition of knowledge-gathering, though clearly one-sided in the past, the Empire, in turn, had kept.
Some posited the fall of the Empire was the catalyst for the Griffons’ fall. Possibly could have been, but Cadance did not really care for the speculations of scholars. Getting the Griffons out of their current situation was important to her. Not only to honor her nation’s traditions or the clear benefits it would bring for both sides but for the simple and innocent fact that it was the nice thing to do. The kind thing. Ulterior motives were clear to behold that even a child could decipher them; the transparent wish to see a people back to a sense of comfortable existence was paramount to her. No matter what. No matter the opinions of others.
They reached the start of the road meandering the mountain. It was barren with little to no accommodation or decoration that would make a creature think it was the way to a city of hundreds of souls. On the side open to the ravine, ruins made of the same stone as their surroundings and the bright white of Zebrican limestone could be observed. Statues stood unrecognizable, but enough to make Cadance and Armor turn their eyes to not embarrass a not-present company. On the side that clanged the road to its mountain, small shrines ornate with immovable small statues ravaged by erosion and ugly moisture.
‘And try to propose revamping their infrastructure,’ posited Armor.
‘At our expense. I heard the view and landscape are stunning. And with the Griffons as a close ally, the project will repay itself quite neatly.’
‘You’ve planned for it?’
‘Of course, I did!’ she boasted. ‘Also, we have a lot of crystals – surprisingly – and they like them. So… It will be fantastically awesome.’
He smiled and moved to her side. She did not want to come with her guards so as to not intimidate the Griffons; Shining Armor only came and was enough for her to feel safe.
The mist came down on top of them. Shy enough to not deter their advance and for either of them to use their magic.
‘The fog is bringing up bad memories,’ mumbled Shining Armor, thinking she did not understand him.
Cadance agreed but did not take the bait. She kissed him on the cheek and made them continue silently.
‘Is keeping Flurry in the care of Twilight that worries you?’
‘With Twilight? No. But that other one with her, yes.’
‘Twilight and her friends are present. Plus Celestia and Luna are not far.’
‘Hm. Relying on those two.’
It was difficult for Cadance to accept it, but she could no longer rely on the Sisters and the others for sole protection. The Storm King’s attack dented the complete trust she had in any of them. She was told by Griffon envoys of the King’s rampages, yet a festival imported Celestia the most. Luna had not been better, but then again, when was she useful in day-to-day governing? Too hell-bent on her nightly task to ever be of use in those kinds of decisions. She, Cadance, had taken Celestia’s words that these were simple exaggerations. Lest to say, something had shattered. She had to keep a balance once more. One that paralleled the ever-constant one between her private and public life.
‘They need to only care about their Sun and Moon rather than bothering us,’ she mumbled.
‘What?’ He leaned in closer.
‘Nothing. Just the usual.’
‘Ah… Then I recommend you keep quiet in front of the Griffons.’ He nudged her.
Cadance smiled. ‘When we finish, before regaining Equestria and the Empire, let us enjoy the view. It has been a long time…’
‘Everything for my Princess.’ He grabbed Cadance by the back and made her lose her balance just enough for her not to fall.
She easily regained focus and went for her revenge, but as usual, she missed her chance; Armor liked to mess with her by waiting for the last second to move.
They continued their walk quietly cursing each other until they reached the old gate.