Tribunal

by Carnifaxy

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The court room had been designed specifically for the Tribunal so many centuries ago, the judge seats arranged for three. The middle and highest seat was reserved for King Agathon, the griffon settling into the chair as Prince Slaar took to his left side and King Phaitos his right. Princess Luna and Spike were seated a dozen feet in front of Slaar while Chrysalis was seated across the aisle in front of Phaitos. The changeling queen had been mostly unchained, the dangers of her natural powers too much to risk complete freedom.

The was a loud bang as Agathon smacked his gavel down. “The Tribunal has been called in order to determine if the changelings under the command of Queen Chrysalis have committed any crimes against the laws signed by King Aeschylus and Princess Celestia six hundred years ago and upheld by Equestria, the Griffon Kingdom, Mana, Knossos, and the Changeling Hive. I am King Agathon Goldenclaw, representing the Griffon Kingdom.”

“Prince Slaar, representing the Kingdom of Mana.”

“King Phaitos, representing Knossos.”

“Princess Luna, representing Equestria.”

“Queen Chrysalis, representing the Hive.”

Agathon cleared his throat as he folded his hands and looked to Luna and Chrysalis. “We shall begin with the events of the invasion from Equestria's view. Princess Luna, if you'd please.”

The Moon Princess nodded and stood up. “Very well. It began roughly a week after the wedding preparations for Princess Cadence and Captain Shining Armor began...”

**********

Night Shade had walked through the halls of the castle. The trial was a private affair amongst the leaders involved, as such it gave him ample time to explore and map out where Slaar and the humans were staying. Given with how hospitable King Agathon was, along with the politeness the leaders other than Chrysalis were giving, the different guards mingled rather well with each other. Other than the human guards, whom viewed the minotaurs and griffons with some mild apprehension and the ponies with outright confusion.

The reactions the different races had to each other made his job easier, despite his normal want for stealth Night Shade realized that humans were curious creatures and they had plied him with all sorts of questions about ponies when he revealed that he was not an obvious threat.

“Ponies do not eat meat. We simply are not made for such.”

One human guard raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Well, that's gotta save up some space and food for ya then. Think of all that space where you don't need to have them smelly cows or pigs taking up room.”

“Oh, we still have cows and pigs! We take care of them in exchange for milk and truffle hunting.”

“Truffles? You ponies must be living in fine land to have a lot of truffles!”

“From the sounds of things, Mana must not be doing so well.”

A couple of the guards looked at each other and shuffled on their feet.

“Our kingdom has always been in a state of suffering, though while I'd like to think it makes us stronger for it I can just look to our neighbors to see that is not the case.”

Night Shade jumped before turning to see that Vincent had joined them, the human wizard straightening out his clothes as he let out a sigh.

“They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger,” the unicorn replied.

A ghost of a smile flickered on the wizard's lips. “We're survivors, first and foremost. The Church claims that this life is hard because the afterlife is one of great peace. Slaar says why wait until death for great peace when we can try working for it now?”

“Yes, every human I've talked to holds your prince in high regard. He holds a role similar to my princesses from what I've gathered.”

“He is a monarch, no? I am rather curious about Equestria itself, the people and culture. Perhaps our nations can find common ground and maybe start up some trade.”

“I am no diplomat, just a lowly guard for Princess Luna.”

“But you have her ear, that I can see.”

“Princess Luna would need to discuss with her sister first, even if I can convince her of something so big as trade with a nation that, quite frankly, I had just learned existed some days ago.”

“Perhaps we should discuss this in greater detail in private. It's really not something you can talk about while standing around, and they're busy with the Tribunal so that gives us plenty of time.”

The dark-coated unicorn nodded. “Lead the way.”

Vincent opened the door to the room the guards were milling about in front of, motioning for Night Shade to walk inside before closing it behind him. The unicorn took a look around, the flag for Mana being rather prominent in the room, two humans , one white and one black, both kneeling at the sides of a dragon.

“That flag represents Slaar bringing the religious factions in line. Despite the Church's power, so-called 'heretics' still held strong and could contest with them. The fighting had kept us struggling until Slaar showed up and put things in order.”

“You have a lot of respect for Slaar,” Nightshade noted with curiosity.

“I should! My family was poor but he sensed I had talent, and so took me on to teach me personally.”

Night Shade nodded slowly as he tossed the hood of his cloak back and sat down as Vincent took a chair. “So you're his personal student then? Princess Celestia has done something like that now and then over the years.”

“More than a student of course, I'm his confidant and top adviser, which is why I'm offering to discuss with you about Equestria and future dealings, if you are able to convince Princess Luna.”

“Well... I guess it would have to start with what exactly can Mana offer Equestria?”

“That IS a good question, isn't it?”

“You're certainly not making a good case for yourself. Equestria is almost entirely self-sufficient, if not for our need of metal than we would probably not bother talking to anyone outside the borders. Not even our military is lacking, the Royal Guard have garrisons in all major cities and outposts along the borderlands.”

Vincent lowered his head slightly and let out a tired sigh. “We're not doing so well. Even with Prince Slaar doing everything he can it's a struggle and Equestria could be the answer to our problems. We can offer, services. If Equestria needs, say, someone expendable for something that you wouldn't expect a pony to do, we could do it instead.”

“Hmm. Princess Celestia could be moved to sympathy for your plight, while Princess Luna may be glad to have people she can consider expendable. As I said before however, I will have to discuss this with her. Do not hope that either of them shall give the go ahead for support though.”

“All we can hope for is for it to at least be known to your princesses.”

“Well, perhaps we can discuss that later. I'm rather curious about Prince Slaar, and what he's done for your people.”

Vincent brightened up and nodded. “I'd be glad to talk about everything Prince Slaar has done for Mana.”

**********

Three pegasi flew with a cruising speed over Equestria toward the south, letting the myriad settlements pass by them without a thought. They all carried unmarked saddlebags filled with supplies, going from cloud to cloud in swift, well practiced maneuvers. The lead pegasi was a stallion with a gray coat, his mane and tail pure white, the other two pegasi following him were another stallion, his coat of a soft beige and a sky-blue mane while the last was a mare with a reddish-purple coat and a pure red mane. They kept in close formation as they cloud-hopped, keeping out of view from other pegasi and from the ponies down below.

“Princess Celestia seemed really worried about creatures that we didn't even know existed before, sir.” The younger stallion, Downdraft, kept to the middle of the group.

“Yeah, well everyone thought Nightmare Moon was a myth and we never heard of Discord until that happened,” Mist Weaver, the mare at the rear, spoke up.

“Normally I'd tell you both to cut the chatter, but it's not like anypony would really bother us. I just wish Celestia let us take our armor, at least until the border. Supposedly the humans are unable to control their weather, so it'll be like the Everfree Forest down there,” Captain Windgust snorted out.

“I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, sir,” Mist said as she glanced behind herself every so often in case other pegasi had spotted them.

“Well it should be civilized, so if the weather goes to shit then at least there won't be monsters. Just say we're explorers and hope for the best.”

“For all intents and purposes Downdraft, this is a 'first contact' scenario with an indigenous people. We are to observe without being noticed and to report back with our findings.”

“What if we do get noticed, sir?” Downdraft asked curiously.

“Hope they're not hostile. More than just spying on these humans, we're also to map out the lands for more complete maps, the cartographers back home'll be happy to have some blanks to fill in.”

They fell into silence for the rest of the trip. Even with their evasive maneuvers, the flight of the pegasi was much faster than walking and soon they could see the Badlands below. They made sure the Hayseed Swamp was visible to the east, with orders to stick as close to the shoreline once out of the Badlands.

**********

Solar Court was not something Celestia had been wanting to do this day, with all the information she had received the previous night, but her duties called and Equestria needed her wisdom to keep some ambitious ponies in line. Scores of her subjects would flock to Canterlot from all over Equestria for any help she could give them, though her chancellor would screen out those arriving for minor matters while letting in the bureaucrats. The Solar Princess let out a soft sigh as she attended to the complaints that the Transportation officer in front of her was lodging.

“Maintaining the railways to places such as Appleoosa and the frozen north will require an increase of funding in order to expand operations. While I myself would like to shut down the route north because there is nothing there, by your own orders we must keep the way clear. With the weather as it is and there not being any sort of civilization there the accountants have seen that we will need an increase of roughly 8% our current funding.”

“Very well, I understand the Transportation Department has been getting irritable over maintenance of the northern routes but the pegasi are fond of cold weather so it could be a good region for them to expand.”

The earth pony nodded and gave the princess a tired smile before bowing. “Thank you Princess Celestia.”

She gave a polite nod back and a warm smile of her own. “Take care, my little pony.” She would say those five words at the end of each matter brought to her attention in court, and she always meant it each time.

Celestia steeled herself for the next petitioner when one of her unicorn guards hurried over from the door way. She held her hoof up to keep the petitioner from approaching as she leaned toward her guard.

“What is the matter?”

“Your Highness, a strange creature has arrived wishing to see you.”

The princess raised up an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “What manner of creature are you talking about.”

“I do not know, Princess. He handed this over though.” Using his magic, the guard levitated a gold necklace, with Celestia's cutie mark hanging from it. “He asked to relay a message, 'May the sun shine on your morrow' and said you'd know what it'd mean.”

“Solar Court is dimissed, send this creature to me immediately.” Her tone as simple and direct, and though the petitioners protested the glares of the guards made them shuffle out. Celestia felt some worry and panic, though brief it was that was enough to unnerve her.

The doors opened up and she watched as the human walked inside. He was dirty from living out in the wilds, his clothing filthy with remnants of battle, with the symbol of the sun as cleaned as it could in such a state. His chain armor clinked as he approached, a matted beard on his face as he looked upon Celestia with the same awe a foal would have. No words were spoken as he knelt in front of Celestia, eyes fixed on the ground.

“Rise and speak, Sir Roland of Mana, he who holds the Blade of the Sun.”

Roland merely lifted his head to look at Celestia, blue eyes locked with hers. “I awoke at the castle, but it was in disrepair and the forest had claimed it. The sun was in the sky, so I assumed the battle won, and the Demon of the Dark defeated.” With a deep breath he rose up to stand, left hand resting on the hilt of his blade. “I managed to leave the forest, but not before talking with a curious pony. She told me that it had been a thousand years since then, and that Equestria knows nothing of humans.”

Before Celestia could blink, his sword was out, the golden metal igniting with ancient enchantments. She did not flinch, her eyes locked with Rolands as she flared her wings to keep her guards from approaching.

“Tell me, my goddess, why you did not keep your promise,” he hissed out, knuckles going white as he gripped the hilt of his blade.

She rose her hoof and put it against the flat of the blade, the fires of the enchantment merely licking along her flesh as she pushed it down. “There is much to discuss then. A lot has happened since that battle, I had not thought the consequences would take a millennium to catch up, but it has.”

He let out a light grunt and sheathed his blade, straightening out his tabard. “I have all the time in the world.”

Celestia nodded to her guards. “Take Sir Roland to be washed up and then to my study. Delegate all petitioners to meet with my chancellor instead.”

“Yes Princess.”

She smiled sadly up at Roland. “I never thought I would see you again... but I am glad that you're here.”

His own face turned to a smile as he bowed his head. “It is always a great honor to be in the presence of my goddess.”

Author's Note:

I feel bad for working on this for a whole month and not putting out as much as I had hoped to do. Chapter 4 shouldn't take as long to do, and should also be longer!

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