The First Republic

by Starscribe

Chapter 16

We arrived with no more disasters. We weren’t ambushed by the undead, or secretly betrayed by the Virtue crew for some esoteric reward. Instead we pulled into Caesarea after not quite two days in the air. A distance that had taken the Hammer of Gaius only hours. But it didn’t matter, we’d made it.

Whether I would survive what came next, that was the tricky thing. We scrubbed in the cold shower until neither of us smelled like anything but soap and shivering, but would that be enough?

“I’ll go to the Wintergreen,” I said. “We’re at the dock already, so it won’t be hard. That way I’ll be easy to just… make go away. If I’m no longer welcome. I know that’s often the kind of solution politicians want.”

Dawn rolled her eyes, glancing down the ramp. Even she was sly enough to be sure not to touch me here, where so many others would see. She’d done something to swear the crew to secrecy, some secret bird promise. I wasn’t sure how long it would work, or if it would at all. Maybe some bird of these would rather have the favor of their emperor than a princess who owed them an unpayable debt.

“It isn’t the big deal you think it is,” she said. “I’m not going to inherit, and everyone knows it. Every royal bird in history has had… relationships. I know I’m not your first, don’t even try it.”

I blushed, ducking my head and avoiding her eyes. But she was right. “I’m nopony though, Princess Radiant Dawn. When I go back home, I finish my degree, maybe get a little of recognition from historians for my work on this record. In your country, being a male historian makes me more of a joke.”

She didn’t stay to argue. A few royal guards were patrolling down below, and two of them had already noticed us. We were attracting a crowd of birds, pointing and staring. “It won’t be a big deal,” she said again. “I won’t try to keep it secret—I’ll make sure I tell them how you saved me in the ash. However upset they would’ve been, that’s going to make all of it seem unimportant, you’ll see.”

I wasn’t sure I would, but then she vanished.

I backed slowly away, hiding as the royal guards swept her back. Horns blew, shaking the city, and I saw soldiers take off from high roosts on the walls, circling overhead. They’d been on the lookout for her, apparently, all this time. Velar might not be giving her the Republic, but he clearly cares about her.

A few birds in the crowd watched me as I ducked away, heading for the north docks and the Daughter of Wintergreen.

I was not the first to arrive. As I crossed up onto the deck, I found Starlight Glimmer waiting for me, beside an apologetic-looking Captain Bluejacket.

She looked briefly up at me, then back over the edge of the ship. There were no other crew nearby.
She gestured for me to join her, and I had no choice.

I crossed the deck towards where she sat, then bowed. It felt like the proper thing to do, even if it rubbed me a little bit the wrong way to bow for a pony who wasn’t an Alicorn.

But she didn’t respond, only glanced briefly back at me. A few awkward seconds of silence stretched into several minutes, and still I sat, waiting for her. Are they going to kill me? But the emperor would’ve come himself if that was it, right? They could’ve arrested me.

Finally, Starlight sighed and glanced back at me. “Do you know how many times birds fall into the Ashlands, Contrail?”

I shook my head. “No, Empress. I have no idea.”

“Often. Do you know how many of them we get back?” This time she didn’t wait for me to respond. “You’re the first. I sent an apprentice to check with records as we speak, but I believe you might be the only non-vultures who survived by crossing some distance, rather than being located where you fell.”

I froze, my chest going cold. “Really?”

She rose to her hooves, circling around me. “You didn’t strike me as much of an adventurer when we first met, Contrail. But I can see I misjudged you. You’re not one of Twilight’s pawns. You clearly have a mind of your own.”

“I… I do,” I said, as confidently as I could. “And for what it’s worth, getting back was a group effort. Dawn was the one with the tools. And there was this… maybe a ghost, Cyrus? He helped.”

“Certainly a ghost,” Starlight Glimmer said. “Or something like one, anyway. I retrieved that name easily. Cyrus was a banner lord of house Vanquish, a sorcerer of considerable skill. Like so many others, his body was never recovered after the eruption, but… no one from Abdera survived. His bones are down under the ash, like so many others.”

I hesitated for another moment more, then said something incredibly stupid. “What is this about, Empress? Are you here to…?”

“Punish you?” she finished. “Maybe gut you with a spear and hang you from the ramparts? There was a time. But the Republic isn’t the same as the Empire used to be. Honestly, I’m happy that Dawn is happy.” She turned away again, staring off the edge of the dock into the distant blue sky. “Do you know why we haven’t had any children after her?”

Again, she didn’t wait for a response. The question was so unexpected that I never would’ve dared to suggest one, even if I did have some idea. “The Republic is fragile, Contrail. Everything these birds knew, everything they built their lives on—it was all upended. Building a new foundation from scratch takes time, and it’s bound to be unpleasant. For all their strengths, you might’ve noticed they’re a tad, err… socially conservative.”

I couldn’t help myself—I laughed, loud enough that a few nervous crewmembers peeked around to stare. Was I not in trouble after all?

“You could say that.”

She nodded her agreement, though there was no humor on her face. At least she hadn’t shouted for some unseen guards to throw me off the ship. “Dawn almost meant the end of the Republic. The Emperor’s family is meant as a symbol of purity, a religious figure as much as a governmental one. Having something so…” Her face grew dark, her words bitter and angry. “Impure, come from him. It caused an uproar. The outer provinces rose in a rebellion that took six months to quash. Bet you don’t have that in any of your history books.”

I wanted to write it down right then, but I resisted the urge to pull out my battered notebook.

“So you… can’t have any more children?” Every word felt like I might step on a mine, or maybe say whatever forbidden thing got Starlight to finally banish me from her country. But it hadn’t happened yet.

“Dawn represents everything they fear will happen to Accipio. A dilution of their history and culture with Equestrian… well, they see it as weakness. We’re what they want to rise above. I’m working on a future I can give them that won’t fill them with terror. But Dawn won’t be part of that. They’ll want a griffon to inherit.”

“You’re, uh… are you sure you want to be telling all this to me, Empress? I’m a total stranger from Equestria.”

“Exactly!” She reached out, clasping me on the shoulder. “That’s how I know there’s nothing you can do about it. Nopony will believe a word you say. Except maybe my husband. He had an awful lot of time to learn during the Migration War.”

“So, uh… what happens now?” I asked. Again, it was probably bolder than I ought to be. But so far I hadn’t been punished yet. Maybe Starlight wasn’t as unreasonable as I’d previously thought. “You came here to… tell me you knew, I guess?”

“To give you permission,” she said. “Preemptively. Velar never would, but his search party can only fly back so fast. By the time he gets back, you’ll already be gone.”

“I’ll already be…” I began. Then it all clicked. I thought she’d been forgiving at first, but that wasn’t it at all. All that personal information was a pretext for the banishment that it was really about. I needed to be gone before Velar got back. “Oh. You’re saving my life.”

Now it was her turn to laugh. “I’ve heard ponies in love before, but you don’t have to be that dramatic. Letting my daughter come with you is more a political move than it is anything else. I know Equestria will welcome her with open hooves, and that New Scythia will love to have her. She deserves to spend some time with creatures who don’t think she’s…” She trailed off. “A mistake.”

I wanted to argue with her right there. Of course Dawn wasn’t a mistake, she was the bravest, toughest, prettiest creature I’d ever met. A creature whose strange attachment to me upon my arrival I now felt I understood. But I wasn’t quite brave enough to say that. I didn’t want to get thrown off the deck. Would a pony empress do that?

“I don’t understand what you can, uh… I mean, you’re a pony, and the emperor is a griffon. I always thought a hippogriff was kinda… what happened.” There was no way to say that without being awkward, even if I could trust Starlight Glimmer not to be moved by native religion.

“Natural, absolutely,” she said. “Seaquestria proves that, if I needed any more proof. But there’s magic, and I’ve never been afraid to tinker with things I shouldn’t. Dawn’s younger siblings will all be birds. Just wait, you’ll hear about it even in Equestria. The newspapers will wonder if it was even possible for a griffon to be born to a pony, except that it will also happen to be one of the first births ever captured with motion picture.”

My mouth hung open. “You sound like you’re planning tea or something. Does it even matter what you want?”

“Not really,” Starlight Glimmer said. “But I do want this… in the sense that I want Equestria’s neighbor to be stable and prosperous. This Republic is still overflowing with petty scions of dead houses, whispering about the ways they’ll take us back to our pure roots, before the Equestrian corruption. We’re… long overdue for a miracle, one that Equestrian magic is more than happy to furnish.”

One that you apparently want Dawn to be gone for. But there were some things I wasn’t brave enough to voice. I really was just another political pawn in all this. But if it would get me the book in the end, I could live with that. “So I’m leaving. As soon as Dawn gets here, I guess. And the Wintergreen is ready.”

She nodded. “Before Velar returns with the Hammer of Gaius, that’s the important part. But yes.”

“There were a few more interviews I wanted to get done here in the Accipian Republic.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “I no longer wonder what my daughter sees in you. I would not suggest talking to many birds that way, though.”

I swallowed, then went on. “I hoped to talk to one of the emperor’s administrators, or at least someone who administrated for him during the war. And… you, Empress.”

“Well, the first of those is easy. I happen to know one of his old administrators is running a large firm down in New Scythia. She’ll happily talk to you. And about me…” She took a step back, then settled on the deck. “When I told your captain to prepare to sail, he said it would take a few hours. By my count, you have less than an hour of that left. So ask your questions, until the Daughter of Wintergreen leaves this port behind.”

It wasn’t much, but I would have to make do. I pulled out my journal and pen, propping them up on the railing.

Comments

[Astorius]

Did Starlight ever see one of her friends again?

[Spectrumancer]

9789411
Presumably, during diplomatic talks after the conflict.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Imagine living your whole life knowing that your birth was a matter of historical record. I do not envy the heir one bit.

Also, we get Starlight's perspective! This should be quite illuminating.

[KMCA]

9789507
The fact that their birth will have to be recorded to ensure it's viewed as legitimate and not a scheme makes it even more tragic... Poor Starlight, she's had to sacrifice everything for the one she loved and the peace she created. Hopefully she has a male griffon and then turns the spell the other way for a female unicorn... or perhaps twins. That would be one hell of a precedent to set.

I hope we get to see some of Dawn in Equestria.

[minibox]

"I'm (not-)princess Radiant Dawn. My wings are so pretty. Let's fly to the (other) castle."

Leave Accipio the Empire to become Accipio the Republic. On its own terms. You might not have a place here, but you certainly have a place in someone's heart.

Here we come, an interview with the Empress. I can only imagine the shock Contrail will have learning what happened during the war.

She’d done something to swear the crew to secrecy, some secret bird promise.

If Dawn got pregnant the first time, no amount of Pinkie swears could fix that mess.

“Certainly a ghost,” Starlight Glimmer said. “Or something like one, anyway. I retrieved that name easily. Cyrus was a banner lord of house Vanquish, a sorcerer of considerable skill. Like so many others, his body was never recovered after the eruption, but… no one from Abdera survived. His bones are down under the ash, like so many others.”

Confirmed spooky. Though I'm afraid his lessons for Dawn would be to no avail considering what Starlight plans...

“Exactly!” She reached out, clasping me on the shoulder. “That’s how I know there’s nothing you can do about it. Nopony will believe a word you say.

Ah, there's the Starlight we all know and love.

“Oh. You’re saving my life.”

That "duel to the death" Contrail imagined last chapter was more closer to reality than he realized. Though it's sad that Velar is likely doing this more out of duty rather than desire.

“Natural, absolutely,” she said. “Seaquestria proves that, if I needed any more proof. But there’s magic, and I’ve never been afraid to tinker with things I shouldn’t. Dawn’s younger siblings will all be birds. Just wait, you’ll hear about it even in Equestria. The newspapers will wonder if it was even possible for a griffon to be born to a pony, except that it will also happen to be one of the first births ever captured with motion picture.”

How Seaquestria was made.

Starlight's plan is ethically sketchy, but I suppose it is a necessary evil.

“Before Velar returns with the Hammer of Gaius, that’s the important part. But yes.”

All those cannons are pointed at you, Contrail. Do you feel the pressure?

I happen to know one of his old administrators is running a large firm down in New Scythia.

Thank goodness she's not in Accipio.

By my count, you have less than an hour of that left. So ask your questions, until the Daughter of Wintergreen leaves this port behind.

The Daughter of Wintergreen. It served well in the past. It'll serve well in the future.

9789543

You're saying Starlight's griffon son having a pony daughter? That would be one heck of a scene ya got there! I love it!

"I am Empress Fuzzy Heart, daughter of Gaius II. For your crimes against Accipio, I sentence you and your entire House to extermination."

I would love to see Dawn in Equestria. Not quite a fish out of water like Contrail, but she will be a little confused.

[Truthseeker]

Big surprise that the griffons are still racist. Such an extremist insular mentality and superiority complex won't be quickly forgotten.

I wonder if Starlight plans to survive the birth. She is dedicated enough and cares about the future of the Republic enough that she would sacrifice herself for it.

[terrycloth]

9789887
Why wouldn't she survive? If it's that magical already she'd probably have to deliberately kill herself.

[Truthseeker]

9790019 If she thought it would be what is best for the Republic... do you doubt she would?

[terrycloth]

9790021
If she thought not being in charge would be best for the Republic she probably already wouldn't be in charge. 'Do you think she'll commit suicide?' just seems completely out of the blue here.

[Truthseeker]

9790051 Not commit suicide as such. She would make it look like she made the ultimate sacrifice for the Republic, thus endearing her to the griffons AND providing an heir at the same time.

[terrycloth]

9790055
I think 'the only good pony is a dead pony' would be a really bad precedent to set though.

[djthomp]

Dawn rolled her eyes, glancing down the ramp. Even she was sly enough to be sure not to touch me here, where so many others would see. She’d done something to swear the crew to secrecy, some secret bird promise.

"Squaaawk! Squawk, squawk squawk, squawk!"

“Punish you?” she finished. “Maybe gut you with a spear and hang you from the ramparts? There was a time. But the Republic isn’t the same as the Empire used to be. Honestly, I’m happy that Dawn is happy.” She turned away again, staring off the edge of the dock into the distant blue sky. “Do you know why we haven’t had any children after her?”

No execution! Yay! Also, she clearly knows about the two of them, and both doesn't care and has a topical story to tell.

“To give you permission,” she said. “Preemptively. Velar never would, but his search party can only fly back so fast. By the time he gets back, you’ll already be gone.”

"Preemptively", lol. On the other hand, maybe she doesn't quite know everything.

“Natural, absolutely,” she said. “Seaquestria proves that, if I needed any more proof. But there’s magic, and I’ve never been afraid to tinker with things I shouldn’t. Dawn’s younger siblings will all be birds. Just wait, you’ll hear about it even in Equestria. The newspapers will wonder if it was even possible for a griffon to be born to a pony, except that it will also happen to be one of the first births ever captured with motion picture.”

Glim-glam has always been just a little scary. Or a lot, sometimes.

Hey, one last interview before being thrown out of the country. Better than not getting any.

[minibox]

9790074
Isn't that what Velar is doing now? Gunning for Contrail or whatever it is he's gonna do violently or nonviolently. The Emperor taking any direct action against a representative of the pony nation (even if the reasons are purely personal) will send a message to everyone that Equestria is no longer welcomed.

The Equestrians won't accept Velar's reason for marking Contrail as persona non grata either.

[The Great Derpsby]

You’re not one of Twilight’s pawns

What the heck, Glimmer? What crawled up your backside and died?