The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

The Diplomats' Protection

The morning after, everyone found themselves congregating in a hallway in upper Stormhoof Keep, waiting for their time to speak with the province's leaders about Yakyakistan and Izvaldi. There was already a consensus about what not to discuss; Crystal stayed off the table, and there were details Valey hadn't even spoken of concerning Stanza. Now they just needed Valey to arrive.

"Yo," Valey greeted, walking up to join the group with a slightly unsteady gait. Her eyes had bags and looked drier than usual, but her fur was freshly washed and groomed, a small, unobtrusive gray coat covering her back, and her mane and tail were carefully done up in a far more presentable style than she usually wore. She smelled like shampoo.

"Hi?" Shinespark greeted, raising an eyebrow. "You look different."

"Rough night. Hey, Sparky. Love you guys too." Valey stopped, nodding, and straightened her shoulders, looking badly in need of a nap. "What do you say we get this done fast so we can go home? I really need to get to my room and crash..."

Felicity came pacing up beside her, nodding approvingly at her appearance. "I figured she needed some touching up for presentability, darlings," she answered to everyone's questioning stares. "If she went before the generals looking like a bedraggled war refugee, people would instantly think she's trying to bias them and play up sympathy points, and that wouldn't be good for our credibility. So instead we have a touch of reality, a clear effort to hide it... Even if she really is a mess, Stormhoof and his goons will appreciate the dishonesty."

Maple blinked hard. "...Are you sure?"

Shinespark and Gerardo both sighed, and Shinespark nodded to the griffon. "In parts of the world, that's how it works, I'm afraid," the griffon answered. "Showing a willingness to play by the game's rules is a sign of good faith, even if the rules are to put on a face. Though you do look like you've had an unpleasant time of things, Valey. Making this quick is what we shall do."

"Yo, thanks." Valey stepped up beside them, bone-weary and looking at any minute like she might fall flat on her prettied-up face. "Let's get going..."

"Right this way," Felicity beckoned, humming to herself and walking with a sway in her step off through the distant castle reaches.

---

Hours later, the five friends plus Felicity exited the war room, crossing several corridors to an outdoor balcony high in the sky. "That went much nicer than last time," Maple murmured, the noon sun pleasantly warming her mane. "Without Gazelle and Kero derailing everything, it was like those generals knew what they were doing."

"Well, that's because they did," Gerardo explained. "Recall that last time we were there, the whole meeting was somewhat of a gambit to justify a decision already reached behind closed doors. Stormhoof felt it prudent not to make it too well-known that we had a direct line of contact with Ironridge, especially given the sensitive nature of our discussions. Gazelle was there, if you noticed. This was just much more the real thing."

"So was Lord Everlaste," Shinespark added. "It wasn't just a Stormhoof conference; it concerned the whole Empire. At least, I assume that's who the sphinx in Everlaste colors was. I didn't like the way he looked at Valey..."

Felicity nodded darkly. "Lord Geltrich Everlaste. You're fortunate not to know him well if you count yourself a friend to sarosians. He has a wife and two adult children, a son and a daughter... Their dynasty isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and they have a long history in the Empire of being the ones who do the most to oppress us."

"You think having me up there made it less likely he'll trust us about Yakyakistan?" Valey raised a tired eyebrow.

"Perhaps." Felicity shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's the whole point of Gazelle wanting you to do that. Discord can be a powerful tool in the right paws."

"What do they have against batponies, anyway?" Starlight asked from Maple's back.

"Everlaste in particular?" Felicity shrugged. "Think of them like a better-off Gyre. Up in Gyre, things are enough of a dump for everyone that squabbling with sarosian outsiders and refugees becomes a way not to be at the bottom of the social ladder, for most griffons and ponies. You take solace from knowing there's at least someone beneath you, though those differences can melt away if you need to work together to survive. Everlaste, on the other hoof, relies on villainizing sarosians for strength as well, though they're already strong. Sort of a national point of pride, you can say. They hold their province together by thinking, 'Us and them!' There actually are sarosians there. They like keeping us at least marginally in public sight. But we're tools for the unification of the province, not real citizens."

Valey progressively blanched as the story continued. "Yeah, that sounds really uncool..."

"What do they have to unify against, and why isn't it enough for them to not need excuses?" Shinespark stared questioningly at Felicity. "Doesn't Garsheeva already keep the Empire as a cohesive entity?"

Felicity almost laughed. "The other provinces, of course. And also the weather. Why would you want to live in a desert like the eastern provinces when the others exist? If you're in Everlaste, easy: because there are more sarosians everywhere else. And being proud of your province gives an increased resilience to living in adversity, as it turns out. There's no economic utility in being that far east, and as far as natural beauty goes, unless you like rocks or mana storms, you're out of luck."

"Mana storms?" Maple blinked, tilting her head. "What are those?"

"Ah, yes." Gerardo chuckled. "Don't forget you're talking to travelers from the center of the world, after all. But have none of you really ever asked what's east of the Empire?"

Shinespark stopped, then frowned. "I... don't think we have?"

"Well, that'll make an engaging story for dinnertime tonight," Gerardo remarked. "For now, though, what say you we get on returning home? I wouldn't want to leave the others out, and we have been gone for an entire day."

"Yeah..." Valey glanced at the harbor, its distant wharfs visible from the edge of the balcony. "Felicity, you, uh... You wanna come too? Just hang out for a bit?"

Felicity smiled regretfully. "Thank you for the invitation, darling, and I will be coming by in the next few days to help get a look at that Crystal of yours, but I'm afraid I've spent quite enough time here already and have some business with Gazelle to-"

"Did someone say my name?" a voice interrupted. "I could have sworn someone said my name..." Gazelle padded out from the entry, looking cluelessly around until his eyes fell on Valey and the others with a big, sharp-toothed grin. "It's you!"

Shinespark jumped slightly, the fur on her back raising in alarm. "How long were you standing there?"

Gazelle blinked innocently. "Who, me? Complete coincidence, I assure you." He patted her on the head as he passed by, turning to Felicity and Valey. "Marvelous work on that hearing, though, my friends! That went perfectly! Haha!" He scooped the two batponies each under a wing, rearing onto his hind legs and lifting them both off the ground in a tight hug. "I knew you could do it. Valey, get at me later for a little recompense. Let it not be said I promise rewards without keeping my word..."

"A pleasure to serve, Gazelle..." Felicity gasped, choking from the tightness of the hug.

"Of course, of course." Gazelle set them both down, nimbly stepping to where he could see the whole group. "Anyway, I already got a little unsolicited thank-you together. Not something anyone asked for, but... ta-daaa!" He bowed to Shinespark with a dramatic flourish. "I pushed through a pound and a half of paperwork to get your ship designated as the official Ironridge Embassy in the Griffon Empire. After our last talk, I figured some additional legal protections would hardly be unwelcome."

"Embassy standing?" Shinespark's ears rose. "We have that now?"

Maple tilted her head. "Is that a good thing?"

"Of course, of course..." Gazelle lazily purred. "Now your ship is sovereign territory that observes your laws, not ours, any act against it is an act against Ironridge, as long as you count it officially as your residence you have diplomats' immunity, blah blah blah. You know what this entails..."

"...Our laws. Not yours?" Valey raised an eyebrow.

Gazelle sidled closer, giving a look that only she could see. It was immensely self-satisfied, conspiratorial, and clearly said, I know who you're hiding.

Valey gulped.

"I dearly hope it doesn't complicate things for anyone else," Gazelle innocently declared, standing up and pacing away. "It's a permanent status, so it would be rather hard to revoke. See you at your next fight in the tournament, and enjoy yourselves..."

Comments

[RoboRed]

[Hap]

Good guy Gazelle? Blackmailing Gazelle?

[Quinch]

"I dearly hope it doesn't complicate things for anyone else," Gazelle innocently declared, standing up and pacing away. "It's a permanent status, so it would be rather hard to revoke. See you at your next fight in the tournament, and enjoy yourselves..."

Rather hard. But not impossible for the person who arranged it...

[Quinch]

"Perhaps." Felicity shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's the whole point of Gazelle wanting you to do that. Discord can be a powerful tool in the right paws."

Oh, Discord's a tool alright.