//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Diplomacy for the Strong // by Wages of Sin //------------------------------// "What do you mean?" Twilight asked calmly, though not calmly enough to convince anyone that she didn't already know exactly what had been meant. "Your majesty, though such a case has not happened since the unification of the Empire, traditionally a conquered clan would have its captured soldiers paraded through the streets of their home in chains, to demoralize the defeated and show the superiority of the conquerors. They would often also be used as bargaining tools against the whole, or most often, as individual implements of barter." "Implements of... Slavery!" Twilight shouted, "But you just said-!" "Not slavery insomuch," the former empress quickly interjected, "as it was the families of the captured who would barter for their release. Though the original practice included the barter of whatever could be produced, or failing payment, even commitment to periods of servitude. Eventually it became common practice for spouses to hold their loved one's bounty in reserve, as a sign of devotion and faith. To do less would signify that they would not seek to buy back their loved ones. Though those that couldn't preserve such sums would still offer their services or anything else they could, it became a symbolic tradition for those that could to build and keep a sum equivalent to their loved ones ransom. Though the need has faded, many still hold to these traditions and have come in the hopes to perform such transactions." "There's no need for that! I just have to send a letter off and they'll be released immediately! I didn't- don't expect them to pay a ransom!" "A fine sentiment, but I have no doubt that they will still seek you out. Though there may be no need, the act in itself carries weight. Even those calmed by your words will be honor bound to pay the due ransom, and to deny them would be to imply their lives have not even the worth of the gold paid." "So, what you're saying is, if I don't accept these ransoms, their pride will be hurt?" Twilight asked leadingly as she began pacing a short track before the imperials. "Yes, your majesty." "And from how you reacted to a threat to your pride, I'm assuming that would be a bad thing to do." "Yes, your majesty." Twilight stopped to drag a hoof across her face, groaning faintly, "So, the best option, or at least the one that runs the least risk of driving anyone to- well, runs the least risk of insulting anyone's pride, is to just accept a bunch of gold from a city's worth of mares and foals who may currently think I might have killed their loved ones in cold blood?" "Yes, your majesty." Twilight's pacing resumed. "Great. ...and I suppose I'm just supposed to do this at court tomorrow?" "Court?" The griffoness asked blankly. Twilight froze mid-step, "Yes, court, you know, when you let the public in to have their issues addressed by the crown?" The unconvincingly hopeful smile Twilight leveled at the royals was returned with confused stares. This time it was the former emperor who responded, "Why would the crown address the problems of individual citizens personally? Isn't that the whole reason for having a government?" "Well, uh... yeah..." Twilight blustered "but- what about when ponies- or griffons fall between the cracks? No system is totally perfect!" "That is what the local governments are for, to address concerns and advance the ones they can't deal with. Citizens bring their concerns to local lieutenants, who report to their captains, captains report to regional colonels, colonels report to the league of generals, and they bring concerns of note to the Emperor or Empress." "You make it sound as if the entire nation is an army..." "Well, all griffon citizens attend flight camp as part of becoming adults." "Well it's not like flight camp is-" Twilight started before vigorously shaking her head and resuming her pacing "Wait, we're off track again! Back to the matter at hoof! If there is no court, when are these offerings or whatever going to take place?" She asked, no longer bothering to glance at the griffon pair. "They would be performed whenever individuals can gain your audience, unless you specify a particular venue." "Could we just do them all at once? Like, could they just submit their offerings in writing?" "No, there is a little bit of ceremony involved that I doubt any-griffon would willingly ignore. Either way you would have audiences in person, even if you made a blanket acceptance of all offerings. It is for the best though, as I believe you'll want the ability to interrupt and deny certain offerings." The frustrated alicorn's pacing quickened as her mane began to splay, "I thought you said, well implied, that I couldn't deny them!" "You can deny whatever you want, it is the consequence of those refusals that you must manage." "Well that's just fantastically cryptic!" The flustered alicorn shouted more to herself than to them. The former Empress rolled her eyes "What he's attempting and failing to say, your majesty, is that some take their honor so seriously that to deny their ransom is to deny the value of their life. Which means, in general you should accept their ransoms, but he's also warning you to be cautious; sometimes the value of the offering is... well, just be careful what you accept. You can negotiate the ransoms to a point, but keep all of this in mind as you do so. I'm sure you'll manage it just fine." "Great so now I have to... Well, uh..." Twilight slowed to a stop, turning to the griffoness, "Wait, so I actually can just open up the doors and have the citizenry come in tomorrow to get this all over with?" The emperor responded first, "Yes, while time may be an issue, there is no specific reason it wouldn't work, and it would be possible to get through a significant number of them tomorrow, as we have another day before the city's population is set return..." "Whoa! Wait! What? The city's population? Then who were all those griffons outside?" "As mentioned previously, they are the families of the captured. Forward military service is restricted to those who have heirs to carry on their line. Their families gathered to know the fate of their loved ones. The city was otherwise evacuated until two days after you were to arrive." "There are ALL-! There are that many? There had to be thousands... oh... right... Well, why keep the citizens out then? And why for two days?" "It was assumed by then that either you would have taken the throne, or the capital would have been wiped from the map." The former emperor's straight face dispelled any illusions of humor Twilight may have had "WHAT? What would have possibly made you think-! I mean-!" "Though little information has crossed our borders for centuries, the blackout did not predate the fall of the Crystal Empire. We know the stories of alicorns and their wrath, a point you yourself were quick to point out. From all but history the Crystal Empire was wiped in a single night. I would not condemn thousands of innocent souls to that fate." "It wasn't Celestia and Luna who banished the crystal Empire! It was Sombra! Celestia and Luna banished him, and he sealed the city away with him as his last act! They didn't banish the whole city themselves, it was Sombra's curse! And how did you have records of the Crystal Empire when even we didn't?" Twilight's mane, which had just started to unfrazzle, finally gave up its last vestiges of order as she threw her head back with a grunt, "No! No! No! Again we're so off topic!" Closing her eyes, Twilight brought her hoof to her chest in her old foal sitter's calming technique. After a second her mane re-flattened, and she opened her eyes again, directing her gaze towards the former imperials, "Ok, I understand that there are many issues that will need addressed, but for now, what is most important?" The emperor was first to speak, "The transition of power has already been mostly completed and only needs to be announced, so resolving the prisoner dilemma takes top priority. To address both, I would recommend a royal proclamation." "Ok, good. Easy enough. You can just introduce me, tell them about us resolving things, reassure every-griffon that their loved ones are ok, and inform them of tomorrow's court. I'll smile and wave and when we're done we can get to working out the logistics of bringing the prisoners back to their families. Easy." Twilight's smile faltered as she saw her griffon counterpart's lack of enthusiasm. "What?" "While what you described is effectively what needs done," the Emperor began, "as a ghost, I cannot be the one to do it. Additionally, as you have proven yourself aware," he said as he gestured to one of the remnants of the doors, "as a leader, you must be firm, you cannot 'reassure' only command. Just as you did before with me, you must impose yourself and your will upon others. Not that it is in question, but you must introduce yourself through your domination of the Empire to show your value as the most fit leader. You must introduce this 'court' of yours, not as an opportunity, but as a demand. The very fact that you are accepting the ransoms from all will reassure them to the state of their loved ones." Twilight stared at the Emperor as if he had grown a second beak, "I want to calm everypon- everygriffon down, not make them think I'm a tyrant!" "They will not see you as a tyrant, your actions speak louder than words. Even if they did though, the reign of a tyrant is preferred to anarchy and chaos. Order is key. To lead is to command respect, a firm, iron-taloned ruler will bring peace to the populace through order. For a leader to show weakness will only invite fear and put the empire at risk, if not from without, then from within. Peace is a matter of order and stability, and both are maintained through the firmness of faith in the ruler." "But all ponies love Celestia, and she's nice, caring, and most certainly not iron-hoofed." The emperor shook his head, "That is possible only because the public peace is not at risk: her reign is unchallenged. While that works for ponies, who can have faith simply by their ruler's power, size, and immortality, for griffons, who have not the benefit of immortal deities to lead, that faith is gained through the system of the most fit ruler." The former Empress was quick to add, "Even though now we do have an immortal for a ruler, it will still undoubtedly take time for the population to become firm in their faith, and transition from a trust in our current system of sequential rulers into a faith in your singular and eternal rule." "Et-Eternal!" Twilight sputtered, "I don't think- I mean, I can- How about we wait on calling it that? I didn't intend to have it end up like this at all, let alone be like this forever!" Ignoring the alicorn's unease, the fallen emperor continued on, "Even still, you are immortal, and that will certainly solidify the faith of many, even beyond your status as most fit. I have seen your promise, and have faith that you will live up to your titles." After recovering the crown from where it had fallen in the prior scuffle, the former emperor approached the new one. "Lead us well," he said as he placed the large ornate imperial crown over-top her tiara before bowing. As the griffons rose and looked to her, Twilight felt something strange. Rather than the confusion and fear of only moments ago, she again felt the clarity and confidence that had lead her friends against so many enemies, directed winter-wrap-up in Ponyville, and lead Equestria in the short absence of the other princesses. She was ready. Turning, she began strutting out the same now-blasted doors she had come in, her confident exiting stride matching her entrance. She stopped for a moment, looking back "Come on then, we have a speech to give." Rather than follow though, the griffons remained in place. "Uh, with all due respect your majesty?" the griffoness asked, pointing to where she had entered "The way to the balcony is through here." "Oh, right..." With a sheepish grin Twilight adjusted course, but the confidence of her strides remained undeterred.