//------------------------------//
// Dining With the Royal Family of Griffonstone 
// Story: Mission to the Griffon Kingdom 
// by Rakoon1 
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	With Shining’s decision in staying in Griffonstone for some time in order to strengthen further the relationship between ponies and griffons, King Guto arranged a room for him. 

This decision did not please anything Quentin and Ulysses, but the king was very pleased, as he had been very impressed with Shining Armor’s skills, as well as Greta, although this was only because of her desire of, like her uncle, wanting to preserve the peace between griffons and ponies. Gael also was pleased with Shining Armor’s decision.

In fact, after learning that Shining would stay, Gael headed to the kitchen of the castle, where the famous royal chef, Gustave le Grand, was preparing the next meal of the royal family. Gustave was a griffon with dark arctic bluish gray coat and light gray wings and head feathers, brilliant gold eyes and bright yellow talons and beak. He also had two long whiskers on his beak. Upon entering the kitchen, Gael felt the sweet smell of what was coming from Gustave’s cooking pot.

"Um, smells good" Gael said, getting close of the pot that was boiling in order to try to see what was inside.

"Non, non, non" Gustave said, approaching with a platter with more prepared ingredients to the pot. "Zat's not for you."

"Come on, dad, nobody will know if I just prove" Gael said.

"But what a shame, Gael" Gustave said. "A guard like you shouldn't want ze food of his masters. What would king say if he knew?"

That did Gael cross its talons, a bit disappointed for not being able to taste one of the delicious meals of his father. Since he was a kid, Gael accompanied his father in his travels through Equestria when there was some culinary contest that he wanted to participate. If griffons were known for their pride and greed, so the cuisine was the reason of his pride and why he was so competitive and haughty.

"By the way, dad, today King Guto will have a guest for dinner and possibly in the next few days" Gael said.

"A guest?" Gustave asked.

"Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard of Canterlot" Gael said.

"And you just say zat now?" Gustave asked. "For my claws and feazers, now I have to rush to make a meal for a pony."

"I'm not worried," said Gael. "I know you can make a delicious meal quickly, even for a pony."

"Gael, you don't understand ze complexity of culinary" Gustave said. "What served all zose lessons I gave you?"

"To give me capabilities of unravel myself for when I don’t have around a father who knows how to cook so well" Gael replied.

"Very funny" Gustave said, while he began to prepare a meal for Shining Armor. "Tell me, mon fils, how is zis Captain?"

"To be honest, he seems to be a good stallion" Gael said. "He cares about his subordinates. It's not like certain captains I know."

"Oh non, I know zat tone" Gustave said. "What happened zis time?"

"Nothing, Captain Ulysses just berated be because I was talking with Princess Greta” Gael replied, while taking an apple that was there and starting to eat it. "It was just a formal conversation where I was presenting Shining Armor to her. That griffon has really to control his ways."

"Gael, mon fils, s'il vous plait, don't get problems wiz your captain" Gustave asked, starting to put the ingredients that he had prepared to Shining Armor’s meal in a second pot. "Alzough I have to agree with you. He's not to be trusted."

"Don't worry, dad, because I'm not the one who's getting in trouble with him" the lieutenant defended himself, while eating his apple. "He likes messing with me."

"Maybe zat's because you have a crush for Princess Greta who Captain Ulysses is trying to woo" Gustave said.

That made Gael almost choking with the apple he was eating. After swallowing, he asked to his father:

"But what you're talking about, dad? I have no feelings for the princess?"

"Of course not" Gustave said, while stirring the contents of both pots with wooden spoons, but with a sarcastic tone that Gael identified.

Snorting, Gael headed for the exit saying:

"I'm going to eat out."

And he left. Gustave sighed and said:

"Zis Gael is always ze same zing."

The time has come for dinner and Shining sat at the table with King Guto, Greta and Quentin. Sitting, King Guto told Shining:

"I hope you’ll enjoy dinner, Captain Shining Armor. Our chef is one of the best cookers I've had the pleasure of meeting."

"I'm glad to hear that" Shining Armor said.

"I don't know why" Quentin said. "After all, I don't know if a pony will appreciate our food."

"Why not?" Shining Armor asked.

"Because we have fish in our diet" Quentin replied. "I don't think that's something that ponies like you usually eat."

"Don't be a jerk, Quentin" Greta said. "Don't forget that Chef Gustave spent much time traveling though Equestria. He knows a lot of equine recipes and he even created some."

At that time, the dining room doors opened and Gustave entered, carrying a cloche metal lid cover and tray in one of the claws and another on the back.

"Good afternoon, Your Highnesses" Gustave said, doing a brief bow to the royal family. "I bring with me your meals."

"Perfect, Gustave" King Guto said. "You can serve us."

Gustave advanced to the table and put the two trays on the table.

"For dinner tonight, I prepared a truly delicious meal" Gustave said.

And he took the cover of the first tray and revealed:

"Steamed fish sautéed wiz vegetables."

The griffons got delighted, seeing what Gustave had prepared for them, but not Shining, as ponies were vegetarians. But Gustave then said:

"And for our guest, I have prepared somezing special."

And Gustave took the cover of the second tray and revealed:

“A vegetable salad wiz daffodils. You will see. When you taste it, you won't want to taste ze cooking of anyone but the ones created by ze great Gustave le Grand."

Actually, by smelling what Gustave had prepared for him, Shining Armor was salivating. 

The royal family and her guest served their plates and started eating. When he proved what Gustave had prepared, Shining was very surprised that it was without a doubt one of the best meals he had already proven.

"Wow, this is really delicious!” Shining exclaimed.

"But of course it is" Gustave said. "I never would present a creation of my own wizout knowing that it is très délicieux. Besides, my son told me zat you were a good stallion and zerefore I struggled enough in your meal."

"Your son?" Shining asked.

"He's talking about Gael" Greta said.

"Oh, so you're Gael’s father" Shining said.

"Yes, I am" Gustave answered.

"Gustave, I have to say" King Guto said, after eating a little. "Despite having eaten your food so many times, this is excellent, as always."

"Yes, delicious" Greta agreed.

"Merci, Your Highnesses" Gustave said, bowing his head. "If you excuse me, I'm going to prepare the desserts."

And, having said that, he got out of the dining room.

"Quentin, you could be grateful to Gustave for the wonderful dinner that he gave us" King Guto said.

"Why should I do that if he's just doing his job?" Quentin asked.

"Ah, dear brother, sometimes, I can't believe we're related" Greta said.

After he had finished eating the delicious cooking Gustave made, the chef returned carrying a tray that contained pumpkin crepes which were equally delicious.

After dinner, Shining was escorted to his room. His room contained a nest similar to those of birds, but larger. Although not his ideal bed, Shining quickly got used and eventually fall asleep.

Out of Griffonstone, in an isolated area of the mountain, the same creature who had spoken with the mysterious griffon entered in a cave. He has prepared some wood and then lit it and the fire lit the cave, as well as the creature. He was a tenebrous being, having an immense size. He had the shape of a mountain goat with the ability of putting himself on his feet. It had sharp claws, one eye and several gold ornaments. 

He took a powder that was in there and then threw it into the fire. That's when the fire became dark and from the flames appeared a figure that was later revealed to be the Lord of Chaos.

"My master" the monster said, making him a bow.

"Arimaspi, tell me, how the plan to create war between ponies and griffons is going?" the Lord of Chaos asked.

"Well, you know..." Arimaspi started, as he didn't know what to say to his master, afraid of his wrath. "You know, my Lord, it turns out that... we have a problem."

The Lord of Chaos looked at him pointedly and then asked him:

"Arimaspi, will I have to say that I hate problems?"

The one-eyed monster shivered a little and then said:

"Princess Celestia sent his new captain to work things out here. It seems that he is quite good in doing his job."

That made the Lord of Chaos adopt a thoughtful air and then say:

"I know who he is, I think his name is Shining Armor. It is an old acquaintance of my new villain. Well, I think that, in spite of this little mishap, his presence shouldn't matter. After all he is a novice."

"But, Sir, he was able to undo my plan of creating tiffs between griffons and ponies by making one of the pony guards steal the Idol of Boreas" Arimaspi said.

The Lord of Chaos turned to him and said:

"Arimaspi, I understand that you want the idol to get its power, but I must remember a small and insignificant little detail? My will is a PRIORITY!"

That made Arimaspi jump and then the Lord of Chaos adopted a calmer tone and continued:

"I want to win more influence in the Pony World and the war will give me that. It will give me more power, which will give me an advantage over my brother when the time of finding the original star seed arrives. Therefore, you have until the next full moon to create war between ponies and griffons, or else you should forget that idol."

"But master, this is a very short time" Arimaspi said.

"Maybe you just need the right incentives" the Lord of Chaos said. "Have you forgotten what ponies did to your brother? What they did to Cyclops?"

That made Arimaspi’s face contort with anger and say:

"That ponies will pay for what they did."

The Lord of Chaos gave a laugh and said:

"You see? You're motivated."

And he laughed while he disappeared in the smoke.