25th of Solmonth
Today was a great day, diary. I taught Sven the alphabet, and made him repeat all the letters while we were working. He has a sweet voice, high and soft, but his accent is very heavy. He rolls his R's like "rrrrrrrr," and always pronounces short vowels. It's very funny, but also very cute. It's as if he's singing.
He likes potatoes a lot. He says that his land grows many potatoes, and they like to boil it in hot stews. It must be very delicious.
He talked a little bit more today, but he is still shy. I hope it can change, because I like him. No, not that kind of like! Just a friendly like. I also like the white spots along his back; it reminds me of deer.
Actually, speaking of deer, I really miss meat. I still remember a bit of my time back in Griffonstone – we used to have stews, and salads, and all kinds of game during mealtime. I really wish I could have my favourite poultry again ~
We normally eat fried oats or scones for breakfast; they are really filling, because it’s supposed to give us the strength to work the boilers. For lunch, we mostly eat sandwiches. Yesterday we had cucumber and daisy sandwiches. Dinner is irregular, because it is served at the servants’ eating hall. Anycreature can go there and grab some food. But I don’t like to go there, because it's full of ponies who don’t like me. But, sometimes I’m too hungry, so I just go, but I would sit at a table far away from the ponies. However, I normally skip dinner.
I wonder, diary, do books eat ink for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
I’m just kidding. Goodnight, diary.
***
27th of Solmonth
I think I should give you a name, diary. I thought about this over and over today while working, and I think Eva sounds good for you. What do you think?
I'm gonna spell you as Eabha, which is the Griffish way, because I want to confuse ponies in case they sneak up on me and see you. Sven has done it already, but he’s an exception because he’s a good colt. And also, I consider him my friend.
I didn’t write to you yesterday because I was very tired. Sven has been memorising the alphabet, and I’ve been busy yesterday and today as well helping him with it. He learns quite fast, but still pronounces short vowels and rolled R’s. I think it's alright, because he sounds very cute in his accent.
He is still a bit shy, but he has been opening up slowly. He says his land is very cold but also very beautiful. He says that there are many lakes with pretty fish in them. He also says that it is full of forests. But that’s all he told me. Hopefully I can get to know him more, and also his land, because it sounds interesting. But I think that can be done tomorrow, because I’m really tired.
Goodnight, Eabha.
***
28th of Solmonth
Good evening Eabha.
I think I should tell you more about myself. I’ll try to remember as much of my fledgelinghood as I can, before I came to Equestria, but I don’t remember everything. I know you understand.
Remember when I wrote your name the Griffish way? It’s the same for my name as well. It’s Matílde. Actually, your name is supposed to be spelt Éabha, but I’m too lazy to write the little dash on top. That’s also why I normally write my name the Equestrian way.
Griffish is a complicated language. In Equestrian, you put the subject in front, the verb in the middle, and the object at the end. But in Griffish, you put the verb in front, the subject in the middle, and the object at the end. It’s strange, isn’t it?
Another funny thing about Griffish is that the “v” sound is written “bh,” and the vowel “u” is written with “w.” Equestrians find it funny and weird, but I think it’s really cool.
I didn’t learn a lot of Griffish, so I don’t know a lot of words. I’m actually not supposed to speak Griffish here. Miss Hawkrose has forbidden all the servants from speaking their original languages. We all must speak in Equestrian. I wonder if that is because she doesn’t want us talking bad about her using our own language? It would be kind of cool if we did, actually.
Sadly, she punishes anypony caught speaking in their own language. Usually she whips, but sometimes she forfeits a meal, sometimes two. It’s very harsh and unfair, isn’t it?
Thankfully, I have you to talk to. You don’t have to understand the Griffish words I scribble onto you. Maybe, I could even teach you. But not the bad words. I don’t want you to learn bad words, not now at least.
It’s funny, but a lot of griffons don’t like to speak Griffish actually, as far as I can remember. But I do. I like it because it sounds very harmonious and beautiful. Hopefully you’ll find it the same as well?
I mewn oliarad ta bhoi, Eabha. Daren lew.
11156661
I actually did some thinking and felt that this story would fit an AU much better. Thanks for reminding me! I actually forgot about it while going about my day
Your assumption is quite close! I will dive more into this aspect, but for now I won't reveal spoilers
Thanks for reading!
I'm having a really hard time swallowing the premise that chattel slavery is practiced in modern Equestria, by the government, no less.
11156783
It is an AU after all, so history in this story progresses just a little differently.
Think of it as a Victorian era kind of mindset, with the Industrial Revolution and all that stuff. I hope to dive into this aspect more in later chapters.
That said, enjoy reading!
Oh, so that explains why it seemed vaguely Celtic-looking to me--it'd be because it is, in a way!
And I'm actually all for it, too. Partly because I have a soft spot for Ireland as a country, but also because it'd be something different from the norm--most writers assume the griffons are Germanic or something approaching Slavic, so this'll make for a nice little shake-up.
11156661
As I did get to read it myself (and I suppose played an inadvertent role in its later removal, though I just suggested moving it to the back of the story rather than the front), all it'd really covered was just a listing of the months and which represented what in our RL calendar. And as this was just using the Anglish version of calendar names that's not hard to look up if you know what to Google, I'd say you weren't really missing anything too vital.
Of course, there was always the chance it would've been updated with additional terms later on had it stayed, but that's talking hypothetically, and I don't know if that was the author's intent or not.
my theory is that this fanfic is in the perspective of the diary