Birthright

by machinekng

Chapter 1: A Thousand Years

Hundreds of flugelhorns blared into the sunlit sky, producing a harmonious fanfare out over the gathered crowd. It was a unique sound: brassy, but sharp and precise, and played in perfect time and tune. The horns’ players perched on the roofs of the homes lining the thoroughfares leading to the palace, their horns pointed inwards and downwards towards the crowd gathered in the palace’s shadow. The effect was overwhelming to some, ponies towards the back of the throng winced from the oncoming harmony, but it was intended to be so, to shock and to awe. It was a message, a signifier, a display of power. The musicians had been placed so the sound would come down like a crashing wave, forcing those in its path to either bend or break. It was a reminder.

This was High Chasaline, the royal seat of the Crystalreich Impervium, or to most ponies, simply the Crystal Empire.

This was where kings and queens, princes and princesses, and every other sort of chief or chancellor came to bow down and pay their respects, to gaze upon the holy Crystal Heart. This was the core of the Crystalline Reach, the system that had ruled more than half the known world for a thousand years. Whatever glory that it may have lost would be reclaimed, and what was forgotten would be known by all.

It was a reminder to the expectant populace, to visiting emissaries from far off lands, to petty nobles that had come to see the show.

The Empire had not fallen. It was here to stay.

While the musicians bounded the streets a throng of thousands filled them. Most were imperial citizens who had come to see the proclamation, and to partake in the accompanying festivities. Today, their Prince, their Emperor, would speak before them, and their very livelihoods could depend on what was said. Mixed among them were civil servants, minor emissaries and others that stood out but did not merit the limited seating on the platform erected in the center of the circle, directly below the palace’s balcony.

The few dozen seats there were reserved for only the most important guests. To the far left sat an Arabian Emir and his vizier, and to the far right a griffon baron lounged, casually sharpening his talons against each other. Others, all dressed in the finest attire, flanked them, forming a semicircle around the second level of the platform.

Far fewer seats were placed there, but they were far grander, thrones good enough for any self-respecting ruler. Six figures sat here, robed in even more majestic regalia. They were the Prince-Electors of the empire, and perhaps one would eventually sit on the imperial seat, but there were still two thrones left empty. A rather worrisome fact, and while the princes would have been normally been flaunting their position, most brooded instead. The seats had to be for the Emperor of course, the Emperor and his son. Why else would two extra seats reserved, especially ones seated in the middle of the row? It was a simple, rational explanation. That had to be it.

But for now, the Emperor was above, high above in the castle that dominated the skyline and overlooked the circle. The platform’s dignitaries did their best to look regal as they craned their heads back to get a decent view. It soon became clear to most that this was an impossible feat.

It was just another reminder.

The Emperor was above all, not even the heavens could look down upon him.

And here he came.

The curtain that separated the castle from the balcony was parted, and the buglers began a new fanfare, the imperial anthem. The crowd began to cheer, but they did not burst or explode into celebration. It was a reserved, obligatory sound. Not to celebrate, simply to appease.

The Emperor took his time, basking in the sun as he strutted out of the castle and into the air. As a crystal pony, the light refracted off his polished crystalline fur, producing a full spectrum of colored light. His regalia was nothing flamboyant, at least by court standards. His mane was arranged into the obligatory headdress of High Chasaline nobility, and he wore a plain purple military uniform with gold braid and a few medals.

Finally, the anthem ended. Everypony was silent with bated breath, all in anticipation.

The Emperor cleared his throat.

“Let every eye be a witness to the occasion, every ear record these words and every mind remember fondly.”

His voice was deep and forceful. It wasn’t a harsh sound, but nopony would call it soothing.

“I am here today to inform that the rumor that you may have been hearing is not just a flight of fancy, but rather the most solid and integral truth.”

What rumor, which rumor? Was it? No. Could it be? No, not that one. The crowd became excited, anxious. Many started to murmur to each other. Even those on the platform, their heads strained from looking up towards the balcony, raised eyebrows and began to whisper. What rumor would concern the emperor? Was this all a joke, a petty display of dominance? No, it couldn’t be, it had to be something.

“As you all are aware, the foul demon, the self-proclaimed god of chaos, Discord, has ravaged our realm for years. Everywhere he has traveled he has only brought mayhem and destruction. Only the power of the Crystal Heart prevented him from laying waste to the Imperial Seat itself.”

Could it be? No, how could…

No, Discord was just too powerful, too…

But what if…

Could he really be…?

“Some of you have said that the beast would bring the Crystalreich to its knees.”

Could it be true?

“But fear not, my subjects, my foals. Discord is no longer.”

The crowd was stunned, agape. Even many of those on the platform gave gasps of shock. How could, how, was it even possible? But, how, nopony had ever stood up to the ravager. But the Emperor couldn’t lie like that, could he?

The Emperor just smiled, the stunned silence music to his ears. He paused for nearly a minute, just to take it in.

“Some have said that the Empire could not endure. That it was the end of an era. That a thousand years was long enough, too long for any one nation to last.”

The crowd had recovered by this point, and stared at their ruler in awe and expectation.

“They were wrong. They said the same when the Long Winter set in. Thousands may have starved, and thousands more fled to the south, but still we stand!”

Those in the crowd began breathing heavily. It was a lot to take in. Discord was dead! He was finally dead!

“And now Discord, the Lord of Chaos, has been brought to heel! They said he would be our downfall, but still we stand!”

The cheering began again, this time genuine. The crystal ponies, which composed most the crowd, began to shine and the Crystal Heart began to glow and spin as wisps of light flowed into it.

“This is not the end of an era, but the beginning of a new golden age! Stand tall citizens of the empire! Stand and walk towards our destiny!”

More cheering, more shouts of joy. If the buglers had begun to play, it was doubtful that anypony would hear them above the clamor. A few ponies began to jump up and down in excitement, to the short-lived annoyance of those around them. As for the platform’s occupants, although they had done the best to maintain a good composure, they found themselves having a hard time of not joining with the sound of celebration. It was just so good to hear, perhaps too good.

The Emperor caught his breath, and looked down once more upon the throng.

“As the Crystal Heart is my witness, I declare, that just as this Empire has lasted for a thousand years, it shall stand a thousand more!”

The Crystal Heart spun violently, then suddenly stopped, hurling a wave of light out over the city and into the countryside. An aurora of scintillating color radiated from the palace spire, flowing outwards in all directions. A few of the foreign dignitaries reacted in shock as they found their bodies coated in a fine crystal varnish, but their advisors and assistants assured them that the effect was only temporary, assuming that they didn’t establish a long-term residency in the city or the surrounding area. Most, however, only reacted with celebration. It was a good omen, as if the Crystal Heart had validated the Emperor’s words. Any doubt of his integrity, any belief in falsehood on his part vanished in an instant.

This was truly a day to celebrate.

The flugelhorns started up again, a quick succession of high notes. The emperor cleared his throat once more. It was hard to be sure which caught the ponies’ attention, but the crowd slowly quieted down, once more standing in silence.

“Now then. Would you like to know who vanquished the foul creature, who defeated the terrible Discord?”

The thought hadn’t entered anypony’s mind, but now it was at the forefront of everyone’s concerns. The chattering and murmuring resumed and even the dignitaries arced their sore necks back towards the Emperor in interest.

“It was not I, but the noblest of all heroes to grace the Reach since the Age of Sagas, since the foundation of history.”

The crowd grew ever the more tense, ever the more excited.

“These heroes, these two courageous ponies, are here today. Right now, behind the curtain.”

All eyes shot from the Emperor to the veil that concealed the palace interior. All save one set, which instead flashed to the empty seats on the platform.

Two of them.

“Would you like me to present them before you all?”

A resounding cry of ‘aye’ and ‘yes’ rang out from the crowd. It would seem like the palace was reverberate until it shattered, sending the Emperor plummeting to his doom.

“Very well. With the highest honor and greatest gratitude, I present to you the Ladies Celestia and Luna of Canterlot!”

Cheers broke out again, but nothing like before. For many it was simply a lack of familiarity.

Who?

Celestia and Luna? Never heard of them before. The names were a bit odd though, didn’t follow the common conventions.

And Canterlot? Where was that?

A few did show some signs of recognition, but no positive ones.

Canterlot? Wasn’t that a backwater fort in the middle of nowhere? Yes, somewhere in the south.

The Emperor was parading a pair of colonial hicks before them?

Above them?

Above them…

More eyes darted to the empty thrones. Realization set in for many on the second platform.

This wasn’t going to be good.

Then the sisters themselves walked out, and whatever cheering there was before, the crowd became even more dampened. Exclamations of shock and confusion were clearly audible and muttering and murmuring abounded.

A first glance revealed that the sisters were more than a bit taller than the average pony. That was fine, even a boon. Heroes are supposed to be larger than life after all. A second glance showed them to be unicorns-

No, pegasi. See the wings?

But, they have horns, long ones at that. Look!

Yes, but, they, they, but…

They have both?

What? How?

Ponies didn’t know how to react. Ponies didn’t have both wings and horns, they couldn’t! Pegasi and unicorns had produced offspring before, sordid affairs they were, but the offspring favored one parent or the other. Never both.

What could this be? What could it mean?

Could it be, no, the Emperor would never, but…

What else could they be, but the spawn of Discord? Twisted, unnatural creatures, defying all pony reason, crimes against the natural order of all things. Well, they didn’t seem twisted or malformed, they were actually quite striking, beautiful creatures, as they came alongside the Emperor, giving him their respects. Still, it just wasn’t natural!

The Emperor cleared his throat again, and the flugelhorns began to sound out, but this time the uproar continued.

“Quiet.”

The Emperor was ignored. The chatter became shouting, and panic began to mount among the throng. Even the guests sitting on the platform looked uneasy, disgusted by the realization of what was about to happen next.

“Silence!”

The emperor shouted over the throng, and in a few moments the tumult subsided, although a buzz of murmurs still filled the air.

“It is by the work of these two ponies and them alone you have been saved. Do not blaspheme your salvation!”

The murmuring died down even further.

“Because of their bravery, their tenacity, their defiance of all odds, they have succeed in beginning a new age. And so, I will give them the highest honor I can.”

The crowd had once again swayed into anticipation. The Princes on the other hand just groaned. This was just too far. He had really lost all his…

“As Prince-Elector of the Crystal Heartland, I hereby award both the Ladies Celestia and Luna of Canterlot the Crystal Star, the most precious medal our nation has to offer.”

A couple of cheers came out of the crowd and sighs of relief came out of the Princes. That was the right way to handle things. Give the freakish colonials a couple of pretty medals and send them off. Who knew why those thrones were there, but it definitely wasn’t because…

“In addition…”

The Princes’ murmurs stopped, and their heartbeats froze.

“I do decree that the lands south of the Crystal Lowlands…”

No, no!

“…west of the Seaboard Provinces…”

This couldn’t be happening, it just couldn’t be happening!”

“…east of the Earldom of Glascow…”

The Earl of Glascow, a large bull who was sitting amongst the other Prince-Electors, swore, and quite loudly so. A few mothers at the front the crowd did the best to hide their children’s ears from the bovine’s foul language.

“…and North of the Bay of Stars, that these lands, commonly known as Equestria, is now a formally incorporated part of the Empire, its people now officially citizens of the Crystalreich.”

The ponies below didn’t know what to think. The dignitaries were just speechless, and those in the crowd didn’t know enough about court politics to understand what was going on. Everything was happening so fast.

“The ponies of these territories are bound to the Imperial Seat by their hereditary oaths, given by their forefathers before they fled to the fringes of the Reach. I pardon them for the temporary neglect of these oaths, and as it is my right, I thus transfer these oaths and every other vow of fealty of the populace of Equestria to the heroes you see before you!”

Silence.

“By the power invested in me as Emperor, by the light of the Crystal Heart, by the love and loyalty of the citizens of the Empire, I, Felix of High Chasaline, decree the territories of Equestria now constitute an Electorate, and proclaim the Ladies Celestia and Luna Princess-Electors of Equestria and of the Empire!

“Gaze upon your new Princesses!”

For a moment, there was just silence.

Sheer silence.

One pony began to stomp.

And another...

But only a few. It was a pathetic sound, weak and without any sort of sincerity, but that’s all that came out of the crowd. The aurora above the palace flickered, its flowing tendrils retracting, and then faded as it had appeared.

Just another omen...

Author's Note:

Worldbuilding

First, I'd like to point out that the geography/locations of the story do not nessecarily correspond to the official map. It's always bugged me that the Crystal Empire only seems to be a few hours train ride away from Ponyville, so I'm deciding to conviently ignore that piece of canon.

Another note would be Canterlot. It'll be more clear as we go on, but for now, when Canterlot is mentioned, it's refering to the old castle we saw in Season 1 Episode 2.

Again, things will be explained as the story progresses, but if you have any questions, just ask.

Comments

[Netaro]

Goddamn, you 'stole' the title from my fanfic! Nah, no worries, it's not like such a thing really matters

I'll read it later, as the synopsis sounds interesting.