Thorn was shaken awake, not long after–
“Wake!” said one sailor, “we did arrive!”
After a brief hesitation, Thorn did stir–
“What?” asked he. “Are we all alive?”
The mariner somehow held in his laughter.
“Of course, Thorn! We all did survive!”
Thorn got onto his hooves, and looked about:
They indeed have reached the end of the route.
Breakfast in the ward followed shortly–
A hot bowl of porridge that was in stock,
Accompanied, as was tradition, by tea.
The space was alive with the sound of talk
Of Thorn finally stopping Grizzle’s spree.
Even Captain Fogbow was still in shock.
Thorn, however, calmly finished his meal–
All of his pride he somehow did conceal.
Then came the time to disembark Halcyone–
An airship of her kind was never faster
In flying from Dragons’-Land to Gryphonstone.
Thorn gave his last word to her shipmaster–
“Farewell, Captain! May you never be alone!
May you be safe from every kind of disaster!”
All the sailors waved goodbye, e’en Meridian,
Who waved from the brig’s port of the galleon.
Off the ship the colt walked down the gangway,
Watching the merchant ships sail to and fro
As his quick hooves alit on the causeway,
He took sight of the city’s bustling show.
With a final wave, nothing more to say,
He moved towards the city and its great row.
The next part of his grand task lay here.
That thought alone gave him quite a cheer.
“My,” Thorn marveled, “this city is massive!”
Everywhere that his eyes could possibly see,
All of Gryphonstone was impossibly active.
From the main street to the darkest alley.
In their trades the gryphons were persuasive;
Bits changed claws again and again repeatedly.
This trading was perfect for Thorn’s quest:
Find a Janus Stone, at a price he found best.
He saw stalls selling many a ware–
Gold and silver, and gems of every color,
Ancient codices, with pages that easily tear,
Gryphon-baked scones, amid one and another.
Thorn found what he needed over there,
But found the price– aye, he could not cover:
One hundred thousand bits, for the rarest– red–
What to do? Thorn then saw the solution ahead.
Tacked to a post was a parchment sign
Showing two gryphons of particular relevance.
The first, Gesiþe, was of Grover’s bloodline,
His dear daughter, taken five months since.
The second, Grøß, was presented as malign–
Accused of the aforementioned offense.
“Wanted,” the sign advertised, “dead or alive–
Five million bits.” Grøß was not to survive.
This seemed to Thorn to be the solution–
Find Grøß, and bring him to Grover!
He would end at last the villain’s persecution,
Bring him to the King– ’twould all be over!
It would be left to the King for prosecution,
To end Grøß’s living as a wanted rover.
Then he’d also have to get Gesiþe back–
Then one seller saw what was in his sack.
“Ah! Blue petals! And a stem so slim!
I’ll buy it from you! One hundred bits!”
“Nay!” said another. “Don’t listen to him!
I’ll double his offer! Two hundred bits!”
In the madness, Thorn saw many a limb
Extended to him, offering so many bits.
He refused all monetary offers for his master–
To sell off the Blue Rose would spell disaster!
Quickly, Thorn tore through the market–
The offers became too many, too insistent!
To the other gryphons, this did mark it
As antisocial– the solution? Be persistent!
Left, right, left again– all ways were the market.
Of nothing but stalls it consisted!
Finally he seeked sanctuary in an alley,
To his good fortune– he avoided the rally.
Once he was sure he had lost the crowd,
Thorn decided to then resume his pursuit.
“Grøß shall be brought to justice!” he vow’d.
Henceforth he shall collect the king’s loot,
Buying the Janus Stone would then be allow’d,
Putting him closer to ending the first dispute.
The alley he was in was empty, devoid of life–
What was the likelihood of encountering strife?
Dark as it was here, early in the morn–
(Celestia’s domain doth reach that far.)
–But not too dark for a colt like Thorn,
Nor for the gryphons in the bazaar.
There, a bit-coin in a puddle was borne.
Knowing their greed, Thorn found this bizarre.
He walked over and plucked it out of there,
Looked nearby, and saw there was a pair.
In fact, there were more, all in a line–
A trail of bits, waiting to be follow’d.
Whoëver laid this had intentions so malign–
It might lead to some villain’s abode!
And yet, all the same, Thorn walked the line,
Adding bit after bit to his sack’s load.
The line then turned around the bend,
As Thorn proceeded to the line’s end.
The end of the line lay in a dark passage–
A small pile of coins, lying on the ground.
Thorn never got the flower’s message–
There, a gilded fortune he had found.
The very idea he ought to acknowledge,
To pay great attention to the background.
Too late! A net fell upon the foal,
Revealing the true nature of the line’s goal!
“What!” cried a voice. “Grendel, come quick!
That trap worked! We’ve ourselves a colt!”
Thorn struggled, but the net was too thick
For him– there was no way for him to bolt!
Came then a stench that made him nigh sick,
As Grendel descended on the presumed dolt.
Then, behind Grendel, there was his boss–
A big brute of a gryphon– this was Grøß!
“Well,” said Grøß, “what have we here?”
“An earth-colt, sir! This will be excellent!”
“Come now, colt, there’s no need to fear–
Me and Grendel are actually lenient.”
His mad grin stretched from ear to ear.
“Why, this one can fetch a high payment!”
So commented Grendel. They didn’t realize
That Thorn was not that sort of prize.
They took Thorn away in their net,
Back to their hideaway, in a place elsewhere.
Thorn silently lamented the hidden threat,
Now the consequence he’d have to bear.
If someone rescued him, he’d pay the debt,
Gladly, too– of him it was only fair.
They threw the whole thing into a cell,
One that, Thorn noticed, had a worse smell.
Then he noticed someone to his right–
A young female gryphon, captured before.
Her feathers were still ruffled from a fight,
And iron chains ’round her legs she wore.
As he looked, her identity came to light–
Fire-orange eyes, staring down at the floor,
And her beak, curved down like a scythe–
Why, this was the lost princess, Gesiþe!
Across the way, there lay another cage–
A pegasus, blue as a midday summer sky.
From her looks, Thorn guessed a young age.
Her mane and tail were gold, like her eye.
Her attention naught could seem to engage–
Staring down sadly– she let out a sigh.
How long had she been here? It might be
Months since she was last seen free.
But was Thorn doomed like them? Nay!
To him, this became part of the plot!
With Tânadain, he had for them a way
To free the three of them from this lot!
Thorn struggled in his net just a bit mæ,
But these efforts amounted to naught.
’Fore he could try again, he was blocked.
His futile resistance the gryphon balked.
Said she, “Gesiþe is my name, pony–
The daughter of our great King Grover.
Your little struggle is hopeless only–
Calm down, for it is now all over.
You’ll live your life ’til you grow bony,
And you flop down finally in the clover.
Why, take a look at that pegasus there–
She knows, and has simply ceased to care.”
“Aye,” said she. “And my name is Coin–
You can see it right here, look!–”
Yea, there was a single bit on her loin.
“Ever since I Cloudsdale forsook,
I’ve searched for my sister to rejoin.
She too was taken by Grøß the crook.
If I am lucky, we two shall be reunited.
O– how that would make me excited!”
“And I? I am called Thorn,” he said–
“I am on a quest for glory and wisdom.”
Gesiþe said, “If only them you avoided.”
“Ah, but you are sought by the kingdom!
A large bounty for Grøß– I’m not misled!
Five million bits– a reward offered seldom!”
“That’s nice,” said Coin, “but pray tell us all–
How shall you now return Gesiþe at all?”
“Fear not,” said he, “for I shall break out–
And more, I shall take you both with me!”
“But doing so would make an utter rout–
How can you, foal, possibly help us flee?”
“I’m tangled in this net, so get me out–
I’ll then show you my universal key!”
Gesiþe’s claws made short work of the net–
Then she beheld the greatest weapon yet.
“What?” asked she. “Is that really Tânadain?
Glory to thee for having obtained such!”
“Actually,” Thorn replied, “there was no pain–
The Dragons owe me their gratitude that much!
’Tis a long story, so for another day I’ll abstain.
In any duel, Tânadain’s proven a nonesuch!
Now come!” Tânadain was then summoned.
As the fires lit, their fates were brightened.
Swish swash, slice! The iron was easily melted.
Thorn stepped through, and Gesiþe did follow.
In two more strokes, the other cage was rifted.
Coin climbed out– though she seemed slow.
Thorn saw that her wings had grown stunted,
A sign of a long period under a ceiling so low.
But nothing in the way needed to be vaulted,
It was clear. –Then suddenly, Thorn halted!
There in the next room laid the twosome!
Grøß’s back was turned, and Grendel observed.
To Thorn, ’twas a beheld sight most gruesome.
His wit was nigh becoming unnerved.
Regarding wily arts, the others knew some.
Coin was daring, whilst Gesiþe was reserved.
“Give me a bit!” Coin whispered so quietly.
“I shall distract him so that we can flee!”
“Be wise in thy tactics,” warned the Blue Rose.
“A trap might fail, but this isn’t always true!”
“What!” said Coin. “Whose words were those?
What guardian dares to see us through?”
Then silent again it was. They all froze.
Thorn gave Coin a bit. That bit silently flew
Through the air, hitting the wall beyond,
Prompting Grendel in curiosity to respond.
Once he looked, he was caught off-guard
By Thorn and the flames of Tânadain!
Coin backed away, and Gesiþe stared hard
As her captor upon the floor was lain.
Grøß turned to look. His face was jarr’d
When he saw that Grendel was nigh slain!
“So! You escaped from your cages,” said he.
“This’ll be easy– even with two against three.
“Come now! Have at ye!” Hard Grøß swung.
Thorn dodged this, but Grendel was freed.
Tânadain was raised, and up Coin sprung–
Like the earlier bit-coin– at a high speed.
Then atop Grøß’s head Coin hung–
He was at last blinded by his own greed.
Grøß suddenly threw off Coin in a huff.
She hit her wings on the ground so rough.
“This is not the end!” so Thorn vow’d.
Tânadain was formally introduced to Grøß.
With the flames, his feathers were plow’d.
This level of resistance made him cross.
He quickly pinned Thorn, and shouted so loud:
“Thou naïve, foolish idiot, this is thy loss!
The end of thy freedom hath come now.
Before thy new master thou shalt bow!”
“Nay!” the lost princess, Gesiþe, cried.
She then sunk her claws into Grøß’s back.
“In securing our servitude you certainly tried,
But we shall disappear into the smallest crack!
You can beat dignity, you’ll ne’er beat pride!
And since when can one being beat a pack?”
Grendel then snatched Gesiþe away,
Showing that not one, but two, were in play.
This alley commotion earned the attention
Of the gryphons’ guards, patrolling on duty.
One decided to relieve the tension
Present in (what seemed) an empty alley.
There was Grøß, ready for apprehension!
He had an accomplice as well in his spree.
The guard dipped out to face his other.
G-r-ø-ſ-s, he signed– “Bring another!”
But this summoned forth all guards nearby–
In five months, at last, they had their fugitive!
Big as he was, Grøß knew that he couldn’t try
To resist any longer– he was now a captive.
Tânadain was whisked away, and Thorn did pry
Out of Grøß’s grip– no longer conflictive.
“Gesiþe?” asked the guard. “Be that you?
Wonderful! How were you found? Tell us true!”
“That would be Thorn.” Gesiþe pointed a claw.
“He was the one who broke me out of my cell.
In a dimlit room beyond the reach of our law,
His fiery sword cut me out of my iron shell!
He repeated for Coin, leaving us both in awe.
Grøß resisted, whom Thorn nigh did quell.”
The guard-captain nodded to his phœnix.
It flew off, to tell Grover of Thorn’s tricks.
It returned not long after, and there were in tow
Two carriages– one for Grøß, the other Thorn.
The guards then proceeded to stuff the fœ
Into a barred stagecoach so weather-worn.
The other opened up for Thorn to show
A great treasure– five million bits, as sworn!
But he didn’t stop there– there was more to do
In the mission set forth by the Rose so blue.
The first order of business: the Janus stone.
He once again found the appropriate vendor.
One hundred thousand bits from the throne
In exchange for the stone– the sale did render.
’Twas the largest sale that day in Gryphonstone,
And noöne knew of the bits’ royal sender.
Next, Thorn arranged for a ship to Canterlot
To continue on the quest as he was taught.
“Let me come with you!” Coin beseeched.
“My sister is said to slave in the mine!
I heard it from Grøß, that’s where she reached–
I intend our sisterhood to recombine!”
“That can be done, Coin,” Thorn preached.
“Come aboard this hired ship of mine!
We ponies stick together, many as one.
United as friends, anything can be done!”
“Bringing a guest?” asked the captain.
“Aye, sir– now set a course for Canterlot!”
“Canterlot-ho!” cried he, calling for action.
The deck was soon alive with the motley lot.
An east wind was caught by the coxswain,
A strong one, pulling the ship’s sails taut.
“Is she fast?” asked Thorn. “Yes, indeed!”
Said the captain. “She travels at top speed!”
At Gryphonstone Coin took one last glance
Before sighing and turning her face away.
Her eyes stared into the distance, in a trance,
As the Æolus sailed forth without a delay.
At this altitude, there was a great expanse
To take in, as they glided on the airway.
She smiled, and knew her sister drew near–
It had been months since she last felt cheer.