Daring Do sets out to find the Truth of the origins of Gryphons for the Empress of the Gryphon Empire. What she and her companions find may prevent a civil war . . . or start one . . .
The Empress of the Gryphon Empire sends "students" to Antiquarian Daring Do's class of Ethnological Geography. They enlist The help of Daring Do in uncovering the mystery behind the origins of Gryphons. It is the hope of the Empress that what Daring Do finds can stop a jingoistic party from starting a civil war or even a war with Equestria. Will what Daring Do and her companions in THE GRYPHON'S QUEST find stop the wars or will it start them? What of the mysterious lone changeling of Eagle's Vale?
Doctor of Antiquities Daring Do stood in front of her latest class of students from all over Equestria and places even more remote. She had two Gryphons who were recently transferred from the Emperial College and, though they were ponies, one from the Chineighese Empire and one from the Far Northern Dales.
There were two large magic net mirrors as well. That was the only practical way for X'ibian dromedaries to take the class and actively participate. The average dromedary was over two meters high at the shoulder and his or her head could be as much as two and a half meters to three meters above the ground. They just would not fit into pony sized buildings.
Daring Do asked, “How many of you have read any of my books?”
About two thirds of the students raised a hoof. Both gryphons raised a claw and both dromedaries, in their mirrors, raised hooves as well.
A sarcastic voice from the lecture hall said, “Just like all the other profs. Gotta buy her books!”
Daring Do instantly replied, “No, you do not. Not in this class. There are three texts that you have been required to buy and which we will use extensily. I am not the author of any of them. My expedition reports, from which my books are popularized, and some other materials, can be had by magic net or reserved from the Royal University Library.”
“Getting back to the curriculum, we will be covering two basic topics in this class.
“The first is the ancient cultures themselves. This part of the class necessarily has to be a survey, as each of the civilizations that we will touch on is a specialty in itself.
“The second topic, which we will cover in far better detail, is the REASON that those civilizations collapsed, where their populations went, and what came of their migrations. That is were all of our modern civilizations and cultures came from.
“For those interested in better detail than this class will have time for, study the Nightmare Wars. They are the primary cause for all of those collapses and migrations world wide. How? Simply put, BOTH sides used weather as a weapon. In the process, without meaning to, they destroyed the natural weather patterns over the entire world.
“I recommend using the Chronicle of Equestria, Volumes 300 through 457 as your primary sources. If you find discrepancies between other sources and the Chronicle, go with the Chronicle as the definitive source.”
A self satisfied Chineighese accented voice from the audience smirked, “It sounds like Equestria owes the Chineighese Empire massive reparations!”
Mild of voice, Daring Do replied, “If one wishes to think in such terms, possibly. Do remember that what you ask may be required of you. The Chineighese Empire is composed of fifty two states. Each one was conquered by force. The Empire was built on literally millions of deaths, the destruction of whole cities, the burning of libraries, and hundreds of years of slavery. Are you sure that you want to make those reparations?
“If so, feel free to press your claim to Equestria as soon as you have settled the ones that you owe.
“The past is dead. We cannot change one thing of History. We can see clearly both the good and ill of what was done. What we CAN do is learn the lessons of that past in the hope of creating a better world to come. We, in this class and others like it, are the memory of the whole world, not simply some part, however large or small.
“That is why the study of Ethnological Geography is important.”
A genuinely puzzled sounding voice from somewhere in the shadows at the back of the big lecture hall asked, “If the Nightmare Wars wrecked the weather, didn't the Cloudsdale Weather Authority fix it?”
Daring Do smiled at the question. “The short answer is No.
“Celestia needed nearly a hundred and fifty years to regain the trust of enough pegassi to begin serious weather control here in Equestria. Cloudsdale, though many do not realize it, is an enormous weather engineering feat. It took over two hundred more years to build it to where it is now.
“Ask any weather engineer how far our weather control reaches. Many nations have some sort of weather authority. They operate on different philosophies of how the weather should be dealt with, too.
“In any case, regaining control of the weather took at least hundreds of years. The disasters that forced the migration of populations were long past.
“Those changes in the world's weather are the reason that the ruins of ancient civilizations often lie in such hostile environments as jungles or deserts.
“Now, here is your assignment. Using the world map in your study kit and what you can find in the first two chapters of your three required textbooks, see if you can sort out what the climate was for each of the marked civilizations. Then compare it to the present climate.
“Class dismissed!”
Daring Do watched the orderly stampede of students for the exits, fondly remembering the days when she did the same!
She packed her notes and started to return to her office. She did not get there.
As Daring Do was trotting across the quad toward her office, the two Gryphons from the lecture hall bracketed her.
With a curious and concerned set to his crest, the Gryphon on her left asked, “Doctor Do, we did not find the Gryphon Empire nor any predecessor civilization on your map. Are we not a civilized society?”
“Of course your society is civilized, Rahak. The reason that it is not on that map is simple. I have not been able to find ANY reference at all to Gryphons prior to the Nightmare Wars. The earliest one that I can find is quite dubious.
“Glugemdown reported seeing monster bird like creatures in the Far Northern lands, past the northern extremity of the Sunset Mountains. His travel narrative contains many clear errors of fact and it was published in 183 Post Nightmare Wars.
“That puts his sighting at about 180 to 181 PNW.”
Rahak's crest shot up in surprise. “How is that possible? We are an ancient kind. Our legends say that we were born in the light of Creation itself.”
Daring Do stopped in her tracks. “Can you show me any written sources for your legends? That would be a breakthrough paper! Academic dynamite! The whole matter of Gryphon origins is furiously debated in the journals and Meetings of the Royal Societies for Antique Studies! So furiously debated, in fact, that professor Light Wing is still in the Horsepital with a concussion!”
Rahak's companion's crest fluttered up and spread in amusement! “Really? Passions get THAT heated?
“I am Grata, by the way, Professor Do. Would you be willing to join us in a snack first, and then a trip to the Royal University's Library? We would like your guidance in trying to trace the origins of our kind.”
Daring Do replied, “I would like that. However, we will get nowhere at the RU Library. That is where I got my Glugemdown reference. If you have any materials detailing your legends, perhaps those could point us to better directions for the literature search.”
Rahak spread his wings and pounced for the sky! A powerhouse of a down beat, combined with his leap had him airborne and flying strongly away.
Daring Do looked questioningly at Grata.
She lifted her crest in a Gryphon smile. “Rahak has gone to get our books with our legends and what we know of our history. I am afraid that they are written in Gryphon. Will that pose a problem?”
Daring Do grinned, “For READING, no. If I have to read them aloud in Gryphon, I will have a sore throat for a week!”
Grata's crest smiled as she replied, “It is often so. Equestrian is easier for us to speak and it isn't easy. The grammar is no problem. The sounds are.”
Daring Do nodded sympathy. The entered the Student Unity Building with its large cafeteria. As the doors closed behind them, Rahak swooped into the building through the Pegasus Port in the roof. He spiraled down to a table and parked a substantial number of books and cheap popular scroll editions on it.
Grata brought over a drink for him in a good serving bowl for a Gryphon to drink from. Daring Do sat at the table and, tea going cold, immersed herself in both the books and the cheap popular edition scrolls.
Finally looking up, she grinned at the patiently waiting Gryphons. “You have more here on this table than everything in the RU Library, except for 'learned argument' junk.”
She paused to pull her thoughts together. “How attached are your sort to the Origin in the Fires of Creation idea?
“I sort of noticed a huge hole in the notion myself. It is near as big as the one in our Hearthwarming Pageants. Ours have no mention of Luna and Celestia and speak of a “rich and empty land” which we now know WAS inhabited. It just got emptied before the actual migration arrived.
“Similar hole in your legends. You speak of the Fires of Creation itself happening to the east of the Eagles. The first Gryphons were raised by the Eagles. One flaw is that they were literate. Eagles are not and never have been. The literacy came from somewhere.
“The legend contains another point that is telling. Creation of your kind was not complete in the first generation. It took a second generation for you to gain hind paws and the tail that you all have now. In the process, many malformed chicks died before or shortly after hatching.”
Grata softly noted, “That was why our kind fled their original home. We were seeking a place where our chicks would live. None now knows where that original place was.
“Our Empress wishes very much to know where our ancient land of origin is. She wants the truth of our lineage.”
“Your Empress? Pardon me, but how does she fit into this?”
Rahak sipped from his drinking bowl before replying, “Everything. We have come here as students at her request. That was done to conceal our true aim from many at the Imperial Court. Poorly handled, this could possibly trigger a civil war.”
Grata looked about carefully before continuing, “There is a very strong Manifest Destiny faction growing within the Empire. Their interpretation of the Legends is that Gryphons were the First Race and all others came after.
“That makes it the Duty of All Gryphons to rule the Later Ones, benignly if possible, by force if they must.
“The Empress does NOT want a war with Equestria. Our Slaver Civil War, where Equestria intervened on the Empire's behalf showed those of us who think what fighting Equestria might be like. The battle of Shattered Claw Pass, even though the Slavers won, proved to be the turning point of the war. Equestrians and Equestrian led GROUND forces did such damage to the rebels that our top brass could not believe it.
“Making Master Sargent Iron Hooves, the one who led the Shattered Claw action, an instructor for ground combat turned the tide and sealed the fate of the Slavers. What is important about that? He is now a General of the Equestrian Defense Bureau. No being in his right mind wants to fight the forces that he commands. That includes the Empress.”
Daring Do whistled softly as she digested the bombshell that the legends had just become. “I see. The Empress wants the truth of the legends in the hope of undermining the Manifest Destiny party.” She drummed lightly on the table while she organized her thoughts.
“Do you two have identification from the Empress that can stand up to a modern spell reader?”
The Gryphons stared at each other in consternation. “We do, but it is not to be used except for vital tasks. Why would you ask?”
Daring Do stared about the familiar confines of the dining room to be sure that she was not going to be overheard. “Because you will need it to go where we have to go next. We are going to have to go to the Great Library.”
Both Gryphons lowered their crests in dismay and suspicion. “Isn't the Great Library just a myth?”
Daring Do gave a lopsided smile as she replied, “If it is, what better place to search for the truth of a legend?”
Daring Do led her two charges out of the dining hall, across the Royal University grounds and on, out into the cosmopolitan city of Canterlot.
Walking close to the Castle, they came to the impressive Royal Library building. At the top of the stairs, awaited the huge, allegorically carved doors, showing the sun and the moon rising together over the field of knowledge. They swung open in response to an ancient spell.
Entering, the Gryphons craned their heads about, trying to take in everything, their crests showing their amazement. Grata asked reverently, “I thought that you said that the Great Library would require our Imperial Identifications. The doors simply opened. This Library is amazing. There is no such place in the whole of the Empire.”
With a bit of a smile, Daring Do replied in a hushed voice, “This is the Royal Library. There is a rumor that the caravan of old Marchhare, the Rom's Ghost Who Guides, may hold a bigger library, but nopony has ever proved it.
“The Great Library may be entered from this one, if it is allowed.” She gestured to the end of a long aisle. “Down here is the Research Desk and the Closed Stacks. That is where you will need your Imperial ID.”
Approaching the impressive curved Research Desk, Daring Do took out her ID. Following her lead, Rahak and Grata took out theirs as well. The pony at the desk took one look at the Royal Seals of Celestia and Luna and at the Seals of the Empress.
She simply nodded politely and requested, “Please wait here. I will get the Research Supervisor.” She turned and disappeared into the rows of bookshelves behind her. Soon she returned with a pale yellow unicorn who had a gray mane and tail.
As soon as the Supervisor saw Daring Do, she smiled and asked, “May I inquire your reason to visit the Great Library, Antiquarian Do?”
Daring Do gestured to her “students” and replied, “Rahak and Grata have been sent by the Empress in person to research the actual origins of the Gryphon race. Since Glugemdown's account of a sighting in the Far North had to be in the early 180's PNW, we are seeking earlier material that is reliable or at least may point to avenues of physical research.”
Daring Do handed over her ID and the two Gryphons did as well. The Research Supervisor made some adjustments and inserted the IDs into the Spell Reader. There was a soft chime.
She smiled as she handed back the Ids. Daring Do asked, “May we have the assistance of Apprentice Librarian Blendin, please? He and I have worked together in the past and he is excellent at finding materials.”
The Research Supervisor simply nodded and spoke to a private line magic net mirror. “Apprentice Librarian Blendin to the Canterlot main doors, please.” Shortly there was a soft chime.
Several of the closed stacks simply faded from view. In their place appeared to be stout iron bound oaken doors. That was deceptive. The appearance was a glamor spell concealing two four tonne military armor grade steel doors sealed against being forced open from outside OR inside.
Daring Do smiled at them, remembering a time or two that her visits had needed that protection . . . from what was in the Great Library! It was not a place for the faint of heart!
She led Grata and Rahak toward the doors. Instead of opening in the usual way, they faded to the appearance of a gossamer mist. They all three passed through. As they entered the Great Library, the doors went solid behind them.
Daring Do smiled at Blendin, her half brother and a truly talented Librarian. “Hi, Blendin! We need to find out all that we can of the true origins of the Gryphon race.”
Blendin's green furred face twisted comically. “Their legends are easy. Facts? Not so easy.” He paused, thinking deeply. “Perhaps there is something lurking in those legends though.”
He turned to what appeared to be a physical card catalog and pulled out drawers. He laid out the drawers in order on a table. As he isolated particular cards, the Gryphons began to grasp just how unusual that card file was. As Blendin chose a card, the materials connected to that card appeared on the study table.
Looking up at the small mountain of books and scrolls, Blendin paused and took the end of the table in hoof. He pulled it out several meters. It grew more legs as it stretched out.
Blendin began laying out the assorted things. “I would give more credence for accurate descriptions to these,” he said, indicating a sub stack. “They are the oldest. It is interesting to note that, though the authors were absolutely Gryphons, they wrote in the Equestrian of the last days of Fortress Canterlot. Modern written Gryphon is easily traced back to that script.”
He sorted out a stack of perhaps fifty items.
Daring Do picked up one, stared at the title, and asked, “What did the catalog show you Blendin?”
“Dates. The very oldest manuscript there has no date but the author died in 54 PNW. Knowing that this is a huge can of worms, I am going let you sort out what happened.”
Innocently, Daring Do said, “We said nothing about it being a can of worms. What makes you so sure that it is?”
Blendin pulled a comic face and retorted, “Two Gryphons with Imperial commissions to dig into the origins of their race. You being willing to bring them HERE. The First Race Gryphon's Manifest Destiny Party that is growing in the Empire. Isn't it OBVIOUS?”
Rahak said quietly, “I hope not. If the MDP found us out, they would stop at nothing to silence our findings unless we truly find that ours is the Oldest of Races.”
Blendin took a few moments to show Grata and Rahak how to best organize their notes for comparing descriptions from multiple sources. Daring Do and the others began to work through the pile of manuscripts of all sorts, taking copious notes.
Blendin busied himself with another task. At the other end of the long table a different pile of far more modern books grew.
Taking a break to stretch her wings and neck, Grata took a quick look at Blendin's new pile of books. She read a title. “Mutagenic Effects of Randomly Combined Spell Fragments From the Great South Bay Mage Weapon Blast.”
Eyes gone wide, she picked another. “Mage Weapon Use In the Final Battle of the Nightmare Wars.”
Hearing the titles, Rahak picked another. “Weaponized Weather in the Nightmare Wars. Subtitled, Tactical and Strategic Studies.”
Grata had picked up one more. “The Use of Non Equine Magic on the Nightmare War Battlefields.”
Rahak found, “Baratted the Goat, a Biography of the Inventor of Non Equine Magic.”
Grata, crest going flat in sadness, discovered, “An Encyclopedia of All Intelligent Species of the World and Their Languages,” she read. “It is by De Writer and dated the fiftieth year of Fortress Canterlot.”
Daring Do pointed out, “This predates all of the others. Equestria did not yet exist. De Writer's invention of the basic art of writing was still only a few hundred years in the past. Literacy was still fairly rare when this was written.”
Rahak, taking the book, leafed through it carefully. His crest showing both interest and puzzlement. “There is no mention of Gryphons at all. He knows of the Zebras and X'ibian dromedaries. He covers merponies, both fresh and salt sea kinds. He even has a part on DEER.”
Grata nodded. “That fits all of the rest of what we are finding. The MDP will blow their collective gaskets if we can prove what these things are showing us.”
Rahak agreed, “I hope that the proof can be solid enough to be undeniable.” He sat and sort of drooped all over. “I fear that what we may find will not prevent a war at all. We may actually start one.” He sighed, “Proof will not sway religious fanatics. They ALREADY KNOW THE TRUTH.”
Blendin spoke briefly and quietly into a private magic net mirror before saying anything to them. “You are taking this better than I feared. I have told the guards to stand down.
“You have been granted permission to have copies of any or all of these documents sent to any place of your choosing.”
Grata thought for a moment and asked, “Can we have a map of the weather in use when the Mage Weapons were fired at the end of the Nightmare Wars? It could help us to set up our physical expedition. The Library is good but we will need to find solid physical evidence and proofs.”
Blendin nodded. “Good thought.” He rummaged in his card drawer, selecting one. The requested map joined the rest of the documents on the table.
Rahak suggested, “We will take it all. Put it in our dorm room at the Royal University.”
Blendin put his card drawers away in the card catalog and spoke briefly into his mirror again. All of the assorted books and other documents vanished from the table. Blendin pushed it back to its original shorter, four leg version.
Blendin stretched and observed, “I am hungry. As so often happens here, time got away from us. I know a place where there are great enchiladas. They will even fix ones with fish and shrimp for you Gryphons.
“So, dinner? It won't cost you a bit.”
Daring Do brightened immensely and stated, “Free dinner? Enchiladas? I'm in!”
Rahak and Grata's crests shot up! “Fish and shrimp? Count us in!”
Blendin nodded happily. He called in on his magic net mirror, “Apprentice Librarian Blendin leaving with Daring Do party. Give us Exit V.”
The heavy armor steel doors faded away and Blendin led them out into bright tropical sunlight.
Daring Do, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight, saw the famous statue of CELESTIA IN VICTORY. That brought her up short because she knew that it had been stolen from Victory Park in mid Canterlot about three years ago. Nopony was sure of exactly when it was taken. Park workers going to clean it of pigeon droppings discovered that it had been replaced by a Styrofoam copy!
Staring about, she saw a plunge. It had four so-called “Wu Dogs”, one at each corner. Daring Do knew that those “dogs” were actually lions carved from descriptions in written texts that were given to stone carvers who had never seen a lion. She knew that those “dogs” and the swimming pool that they were a part of was once inside the palace of the Golden Emperor of the Chineighese Empire. Discovering that it was gone had created a huge scandal.
The cause of that scandal was lounging at the far end of the pool. A khaki colored unicorn mare in a fire engine red bikini hit the water in a near perfect dive. She made almost no splash and shot underwater like a living torpedo to the near end of the plunge.
Surfacing at the pool’s rim like a leaping porpoise, she put both forehooves on the pool edge and pushed, turning as she did so. The infamous and NEVER caught master thief Carmen Pondiego sat only a fraction of a second before rolling to her hooves an sprinting joyfully to them.
She called out, “Adora! Blendin said that he was bringing you and two other guests to dinner! I was not sure whether to believe him or not! We are having enchiladas! I made up enough for all of us.”
Daring Do could not dodge her mother’s hug with the Gryphons watching. Truthfully, she really did not want to. As she felt Carmen’s arms about her, she felt paradoxically safe and about to panic at the same moment.
She compromised by asking archly, “Enough for ALL of us? Where did you manage to steal that much?”
Stepping back but keeping her hooves on Daring Do’s shoulders, Carmen said with mock severity, “Adora, you wound me! This was a dinner for YOU. I did not steal the ingredients.”
Blendin pulled a wry face as he revealed, “Uncle Marehem stole them. We have not seen the headlines yet, so we don’t know where he got them.
“Want to join the betting pool, Sis? The pot is up to 800 golden bits!”
While Daring Do was thinking about it, Grata and Rahak, crests up and fluttering in Gryphon laughter asked, “Is that a family betting pool or can we join it?”
Blendin instantly replied, “It is open to anypony on the island. That includes you two.”
“Right. Who do we register our guess and place our bets with?”
Blendin snickered, “Me.”
“Five golden bits each, on the northwestern region of Mexipone.” They cheerfully gave Blendin their bits.
Daring Do, squinted her eyes in deep thought and hoofed over ten gold bits herself. “Ten. I am going for the Mexi-Queso Warehouse. Uncle M always likes getting the very best!”
Letting go of Daring Do, Carmen put a hoof over her eyes. “I am shamed by my own daughter. I should have thought of that!”
Blendin suggested, “Face saving by face stuffing? It is dinner time on the Island!”
Carmen nodded and led them through corridors hung with priceless art and past pedestals with small statuary and rare porcelains. They emerged into a dining room with a table of simple, elegant design.
It was Rahak who drew a breath of admiration. “A Chipenwood table. I never thought to see a real one in my lifetime.”
Grata’s eye was drawn to a smallish porcelain vase of white, blue and green with characters of the ancient X'ibian language decorating its surface. Awed, she turned to Carmen and asked, “The Heart of Discord? It is real after all?”
Carmen smiled broadly. “Yes, the Heart of Discord. No, it is not real. Yes, that is the only one in the whole world. My daughter’s last expedition to X'ibia created it by copying the true Heart of Wisdom to mislead some tomb robbers. Eris, the female form of Discord, came when it was used but she was not bound by it. I am very proud of this deception by my sweet Adora.”
Carmen disappeared into an adjoining room. There was an encouraging clatter of dishes from the room. Carmen emerged, having managed the trick of changing into her near trademark form fitting red dress and tinted glasses. She was carrying a big silver platter piled high with enchiladas. She set it onto hot pads on the table and returned with a second tray, only a little smaller than the first. This one got placed between Rahak and Grata.
The other guests entered the dining room. As they sat, Daring Do realized that her biological father, the alicorn Baron Von Nighthoof and Carmen were presently getting along well. He was at Carmen’s right hoof, but not before he had seated her like royalty. The glint of gold at her neck showed that she was wearing their copy of the Golden Necklace of Pharow Underrock that the Baron had given her.
Daring Do was seated at Carmen’s left hoof. Grata and Rahak were down table from Daring Do. Blendin and Kiros, the odd looking wolf hybrid with his black hair, horns and dragon like wings and tail, sat opposite them. At the foot of the table, in his usual place, was Daring Do’s uncle Marehem, a blue Misfortune Changeling with orange hair.
As soon as all were seated, Carmen tapped the side of her glass (a rare Stuborn glass, Daring Do noticed) to get attention. “Marehem, my dear, the betting pool is all here. Where did you obtain the ingredients for our dinner?”
He ran a blue hoof through his pumpkin colored hair. “Um, could I have the guesses?”
Blendin nodded and pulled out his list. “To make things easiest, they are all in Mexipone.
“Baron Von Nighthoof thought that you went to Mexipone City because the place is such hodgepodge that nopony would miss them.
“Carmen guessed Ox-Huaca valley somewhere.
“Kiros thought perhaps, Casa Nquesa.
“Our two Gryphon guests suggested northwestern Mexipone.
“Adora was specific. She said the Mexi-Queso warehouse because you wanted the best.”
Marehem smiled wickedly. “Adora, you should put aside all of your problems with Carmen. You would make a fantastic agent! You hit it on the head. Technically, I did not take it from their warehouse. I got it from their aging cave about an hour before it was due to go to the warehouse to be packaged and labeled.”
Grata’s eyes were darting from object to object in the room. She ventured, “I have seen some of these in the Imperial Museum. The reproductions are excellent.”
With considerable pride, Carmen replied, “Indeed they are. That is why the originals have not been missed! These are the originals.”
Grata paused in deep thought. “Then it is not a coincidence of names. You are Carmen Pondiego, reputed to be a Master Thief unexcelled in history. Since Daring Do is your daughter, so we have been hearing, then the origin of her astounding skill at locating and recovering ancient artifacts is well explained.”
Carmen nodded sadly. “That is true. I wish that she could see it that way.”
Acidly, Daring Do retorted, “I do. Don’t worry about that!”
Marehem, seeing the enchiladas getting cold, as a family battle heated up, called cheerfully, “Food! Now that I have your attention, there is a huge pile of enchiladas here, just waiting to be eaten! The bet has been settled. ANYTHING else can wait!”
Grabbing serving tongs he snagged FOUR of the big enchiladas and a healthy serving of salad. Blendin got the message and joined in. For a moment, the serving tray resembled the main course at shark feeding frenzy as they all dived in!
When all of the plates were loaded, Carmen looked at the tray with satisfaction. “Looks like there will be plenty for seconds or more. I thought that I made enough.”
Rahak was whispering to Grata. She retorted, “If the Imperial Museum hasn’t noticed, why should WE tell them? Besides, the originals are perfectly safe here. Use your eyes. This whole place is a museum in its own right. I will bet that every item here is perfectly documented.”
Blendin nodded emphatically. Swallowing a bite of enchilada in haste, he agreed. “Keeping the catalog of mom’s acquisitions keeps me hopping!”
Grata raised her cup and toasted, “To Carmen Pondiego! A mare of discernment and taste!”
Daring Do only thought for a second before joining in. After all, it was perfectly true! “To Carmen Pondiego!”
At the last, there was only one lonely enchilada left on the silver platter, now easily seen to be a priceless Pony Revere.
Blendin spoke up, “Part of the reason that I brought the Gryphons here was to see if you could put them near the site where the Gryphons originated, Uncle M.”
Marehem shook his head, “No, I am afraid not, Blendin. The time span is no problem. There is no way to use the equipment safely anywhere near to the mangled spells and random magic fallout from the Circle and Crescent Lake blasts at the end of the second Nightmare War. That whole area is deadly for a fifty year span.”
Blendin inquired, “Deadly, M? How so?”
Dryly M pointed out, “If you can not get back, the effect is the same. If we try to use our temporal displacement engine anywhere near that magical fallout region, all connection to the present will be severed.
“For you, the effect is the obliteration of your timeline. You cease to exist the instant that you land anywhere in that danger zone.”
Rahak, crest up, turned to Blendin and said, “We thank you for at least checking on a possibility for us to see what happened. It appears that we will have to track that weather and see if we can find the proper place where our kind originated.”
Daring Do observed, “Your legends actually do offer a lot of help. Your place of origin is set with the TWIN FIRES OF CREATION east of the eagles.
“Assuming that the Twin Fires of Creation are the Mage blasts that created Circle Lake and Crescent Lake, that would indicate a place in the Sunset Mountains on the western edge of Equestria. Add in the tactical weather data and we should be able to get pretty close to it.”
With a slightly predatory look, Carmen inquired far to innocently, “What do you hope to find, Adora?”
Daring Do looked up alertly, “Nothing of real value in any monetary or aesthetic sense, Mother. We hope to find physical remains of some of the earliest Gryphons. If their legends are to be believed, they started as hippogriffs and became the Gryphons that we know now.”
Kiros, a hybrid himself, suggested, “That makes perfect sense. Gryphons could not have come from an unforced mating of lions and eagles. Both are competitive carnivores and the size disparity is against it too.
“Eagles and pegassi are a lot closer, a better mating size match. The intelligence would have come from the pegasus but so would an herbivore digestive tract. Normally, that would doom the cross from malnutrition. With a lot random spell recombination in the fallout, some of the fallout might have caused survivors that hatched to force morph to a carnivore diet and hindquarters.”
Daring Do stared at him in surprise. “I did not know that you were interested in Gryphon origins, Kiros.”
Laconicly, he pointed to his horns, dragon like wings and tail along with his wolf like features. “I am not. I am interested in Hybridization. Any guesses as to WHY?”
Daring Do nodded as she helped herself to the last enchilada, “I see. Thanks for the dinner, mom. I am afraid that we have to be going, now though.”
Blendin nodded, “Might as well, the food is all gone! I’ll see you to Mom’s door to the Great Library. We will just connect it straight across to the Canterlot Main Door.”
As they were strolling through the halls and colonnades to the massive steel doors of the Great Library, Carmen caught up to them. “Blendin, dear, I need to dig up a bunch of clues for the Green Ruby of Cashin. Is it OK if I tag along?”
“Sure, Mom. No problem.”
Daring Do looked surprised. “The Green Ruby is your next target?”
Carmen managed to look both affronted and amused at the same time. “Of course not! All those clues I give the Gumshoes? I am NEVER after that thing. If I get it, great! If not, who cares? I ALWAYS get the thing that I AM after.”
Rahak’s crest shot up, rippling laughter. “Misdirection! I love it.”
Grata nodded, her own crest showing the ripples of amusement.
They came to the massive steel doors of the Great Library. Blendin inserted his ID into a spell reader and said, “Daring Do party to exit at the Canterlot main doors. Carmen Pondiego and I to research room nine.”
Carmen said, as the steel faded to mist, “Do come back, Adora. It was lovely to finally let you see our home.”
Walking through the steel mist, Daring Do and her companions emerged inside the Royal Library. As they strolled toward the street, shaking her head, Daring Do said, “Carmen Pondiego has her OWN door to the Great Library? That explains SO O O much!”
The three, Daring Do, Grata, and Rahak poured over the physical, battlefield, and weather maps of the final engagement of the Second Nightmare War. Consulting some of the texts along with the maps they were reaching some conclusions that they wished that they could find a way to avoid.
Shaking his head, crest laying low in sorrow and horror, Rahak pointed to the final battlefield and wind patterns. “Over one and a half million unicorns died in just those two blasts. Why did Luna wait so long to use those weapons? If she had used them earlier, the war would have been over sooner with far fewer deaths caused.
“Our kind were hatched in the aftermath of horror.”
Daring Do nodded, maintaining a more professional attitude, “I know, Rahak. I have asked her about that very question. Others have too.
“To this day, Luna herself is horrified at what happened that day. She won the war in only two strokes. As the True Embodiment of All Nightmare, she felt what every one of those unicorns who were not killed instantly felt.
“It took the terrible provocation of finding her best friend and peace envoy to Celestia sent back by the unicorns with his head ripped from his body to so enraged her that she personally entered the battle. Opening the box and finding Grumpeter Goat so brutally murdered for trying to end the war peacefully finally triggered her to destroy the unicorns attacking the Fortress of Nightmare.
“In the form of the True Embodiment of All Nightmare, she caused EVERY unicorn on the front battlelines to commit suicide by nightmares that she sent their waking selves. She destroyed both the Forward Troop Staging Camp on the Plain of Days and the rear Supply and Training Camp at the foot of Mount Everstone with Rune driven Non Equine Magic that made enormous explosions.
“Her whole attack only took about a half of an hour. The Mage Weapon detonations and aftermath of fire and spell storm took almost three days to die down.
“When the Second Nightmare War started, there were over five million Unicorns at arms against her Fortress of Nightmare. By the end, just before the murder of Grumpeter, there were only three million Unicorns in all of Equestria. More than half of all Equestrian Unicorns were destroyed in that single half hour.”
Grata listened in beak dropped horror. “This is not what we were taught about the end of the Nightmare Wars. I see from these many documents that what you have just said is true.
“If Princess Luna WON the War, what of the Exile to the Moon?”
Daring Do replied, grim of face, “Treachery. As a generous victor, she and Celestia were going to create an Amnesty for all who were involved in starting or sustaining the War.
“It was to be enforced by the use of a Scroll of Creation Magic. She and Celestia prepared it with great care because what is done by that magic cannot be undone, set aside or set against some other Creation Magic. Because of the nature of that magic, a Scroll, once begun, cannot be stopped.
“Unknown to the Sisters, a cabal of Unicorns altered the Scroll. When they started the altered Scroll of Amnesty, they could not stop it. Luna was Exiled to the Moon for a thousand years.
“Celestia was enraged at the “Victory” that the Unicorns were celebrating. She rooted out the entire cabal by the most brutal means. She personally threw every unicorn involved from the Traitor’s Drop.”
Rahak surveyed the maps and books on the table before asking, “Why is it still thought that the Unicorns won and that Luna was Exiled for her “Crimes?”
Daring Do, still grim but smiling some, replied, “Realpolitic. It takes all three kinds for pony society to function smoothly. Celestia had no trust among the Earth ponies or Pegassi. The Unicorns were afraid of her and mentally shattered by the events of the War’s end.
“It took about a hundred years to pull things together and get society to functioning again. She was forced to be a tyrant for most of that time.
“To get the surviving Unicorns to recover and do their part, the myth was allowed. She even had Luna’s help in establishing a mythology around the Nightmare Wars that would allow the society to be rebuilt. The reestablishment of social order is marked by the modern year zero. It is set at 250 Post Nightmare Wars.”
Now really quite interested, Grata inquired, “How could Luna communicate with Celestia from the moon?”
Daring Do pointed out, “Remember the Exile of De Writer, their foster father of about a thousand years? There was one loophole in the Creation Magic barring him from Canterlot. To this day, nopony has ever seen him do it, but he continually updates the Chronicle.
“When Luna was exiled to the moon, a strange thing happened. The unseen De Writer began delivering her copies of the new pages of the Chronicle. She could leave him or Celestia notes or even letters in the Chronicle. Celestia could do the same. That is how they worked together for the whole thousand years of her Exile.”
Rahak returned to studying the tactical and strategic weather maps. He muttered, “I wish that these were all the same scale.”
Daring Do smiled and asked, “Which one should be the master?”
Rahak pointed to one that reached all the way from Canterlot to the Sunset mountains. “If we could have them all at this scale, it would be easier to interpret them.”
Daring Do drew a small rune on each of the maps. Whispering something under her breath, she stretched one, pushed another in on itself and even pulled a bit of diagonal set to another as she stretched it.
“There, Rahak. They are all matched by the present distance from Crescent Lake to Circle Lake. Does that help?”
Grata nodded absently. She was tracing ancient wind and cloud patterns shown on the maps with a careful claw. She and Rahak both looked up. “Doctor Do, will you verify this for us? This map predates the Nightmare Wars. It shows the Plain of Days and Mount Everstone.
“We think that one of these three large valleys may be the nest of our race. Very likely this one here. It is called Eagle’s Vale on this map.”
Daring Do went over their work carefully. She took out a modern map and checked contours, nodding agreement. “The Eagle’s Vale is still the name. Look at how the land slopes down into Equestria like a funnel to concentrate the dangerous fallout of random magic. Besides, your legends speak of the Twin Fires of Creation east of the Eagles.
“You are right. This would be the best place to begin our search. I think that you have found the nest of your kind.”
A few days later, the three of them were riding a train. The scenery seen through the windows was the lush farmland of central Equestria. From the padded seating of their rail car, the windows showed occasional glimpses of the highest peaks of the Sunset Mountains to the west.
Rahak asked, “While I appreciate the convenience of rail travel, Doctor Do, why not just ship the expedition equipment and supplies by rail and the three of us fly to our destination to meet the gear when it arrives?”
Daring Do smiled and replied, “We are going to really need some of that stuff. What if it got sidetracked or lost in transit? By traveling with it, we can be sure that it gets where we want it. This is sad experience talking.”
Grata nodded understanding and asked, “If this rail line ends at the Western Circle Lake Resort, why have we not seen the lake itself even once?”
Rahak answered, “Princess Luna personally chooses the routes for every Royal Road and Rail Line. She may not have wanted to be reminded of how the lake was formed.”
Daring Do replied, “That is it exactly, Rahak. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia have PERFECT memories. For Luna, that means recalling every bit of that day. Every pony that was dying in agony is still there in her memory.”
Shaking her head in sympathy, Daring Do added, “I sometimes wonder how the Twins can stay sane.”
Staring out of the window, they finally saw the expanse of crystal water that was Circle Lake. The Conductor pony went down the length of their car, calling out, “Western Circle Lake Terminal! End of the line! Please get your luggage and prepare to exit the train!”
As they were stepping onto the wooden platform of the ornately painted resort station, they were approached by a younger looking Gryphon wearing a big neck ornament with two yellow flames on it. Studiously ignoring Daring Do, he spoke to Rahak and Grata, “Blessings of the Twin Flames upon you! I heard that there were Gryphons of the First Creation on this train and have come to exhort you to have as little to do with those of the Later Making as possible.” He was gesturing freely with his left claws while speaking.
Daring Do noticed that his right claw was reaching for something hidden in his feathers. As he started to pull out the knife, she stomped his paw while delivering a powerful punch to his right foreleg shoulder. He fell hard, the knife clattering away.
Grata pounced on the knife while Rahak helped Daring Do to subdue the young Gryphon. She pointed to a small cut on his right claw. “You have nicked yourself young fellow. I fear that you are going to find the truth of the promises that were made to you very soon.”
He looked up crest lifted with confidence as he replied, “I am among the Saved of the First Creation. I will be given to Glory …” His back arched, legs and neck jerking with powerful spasms! His wings fluttered in uncoordinated futility!
His golden eyes were filming over, as his crest fell lax. “It hurts so . . . Where is the light of my Glory? It is so dark …” His neck relaxed, head dropping to the boards of the platform, as his breath hissed out in an almost impossibly long sigh.
Grata looked down without pity. Her crest set grimly, she pronounced, “Dead. He got the death that he planned for us.” A bit savagely, she added, “I hope that it hurt a lot. Poison is the weapon of cowards.”
Daring Do, knowing that coward was very nearly the worst thing that you could call a Gryphon, simply nodded.
Before they could move from the platform, The station manager pony came around the corner. “Here now! What is going on here? I am looking for Doctor of Antiquities, Daring Do. Got some freight for her.”
Daring Do held out her identification. “That is me. We were attacked by this Gryphon. He tried to use the knife that the Gryphon Grata is holding. Be very careful with it. It is poisoned. He died from that small nick on his right claw.”
The station manager pulled a sour face. “Can’t rightly say I am sorry to see this one go. Most Gryphons are about as nice lot as you can ask to have as guests. Not this one.
“He was always lording it over us as Creatures of Later Making, fit only to serve those of the FIRST CREATION!” He spat out the last two words.
“It will need the Royal Road Police to straighten things out. Even causing trouble by the way he died. Shouldn’t be too much of a mess. Lots of witness to his lack of character.”
Rahak, crest set in understanding, said, “Many who feel weak or helpless seek out things like the Twin Fires groups. The idea that they are somehow special makes them feel a strength that they lack in themselves.”
They all went around to the freight dock to begin checking that their gear was all intact.
While they were checking things out, the station manager asked, “What kind of expedition are you going to do here at the Circle Lake Resort, Doctor Do?”
Daring Do looked up from verifying that a supply tent was in good order and replied, “Oh, this is just our jump off point. Rahak and Grata were doing Imperial Survey work there in the southern Sunsests. Up in broken valleys beyond the Eagle’s Vale they thought that they spotted the ruin of an ancient Sunlord Temple. Both the Empire and the Princesses are quite excited about the possible find. It would be the first Sunlord Temple that has been found in modern times.”
Grata, catching on to what Daring Do was doing, added, “Being up in those mountains, we hope to prove that the Sunlords, about the oldest pony civilization that is documented, may have been paying tribute or getting assistance from even more ancient Gryphons. It is all very exciting to us all.”
The station manager listened wide eyed. “You mean that you are looking for something from the days when Fortress Canterlot was just started? I was raised on the tales of Fortress Canterlot Days.
“That area you are going to is awful rugged territory though.”
Rahak snickerd, crest fluttering. “We do know it. That is a buffer area between the Empire and Equestria because it IS between us but neither of us really wants it!”
The manager grinned and pointed, “Luck to you. Here comes the RRP. Once this mess is taken care of you can get on your way.”
The last of their expedition goods loaded onto a light two wheeled cart, Daring Do slid into the pulling harness. The three of them pacing along together, the expedition set out from Circle Lake Resort.
Rahak, taking a turn in the harness, noticed the ease with which the cart was rolling up the Royal Road leading to the town of Eagle's Perch, the town closest to the western border of Equestria.
He asked, “Doctor Do, I served in the Imperial Army. Ever since the battle of Shattered Claw Pass, the army has trained our troops in ground combat. In spite of our preference for aerial combat and attack, it was proved that ground warfare was necessary. We have supply carts and wagons in the army. None work as well as this one. Why is that?”
Daring Do looked about at the darker pines taking over from the lower land hardwoods, up at the clouds as if they were of vast interest. She even looked at the fine, hard packed gravel of the road. The silence stretched out. At last she broke it.
“This cart is a gift negotiated from Marchhare's Band of the Rom by Midnight and Tia. Those are the names that our Princesses use when they are visiting their family. The rumor is true, though many still want to deny it. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia join the Rom every chance that they get.
“Rom carts, wagons, and caravans are unique. It has finally been found out that they have used adjustable and replaceable bearings in their wheels for as long as there have been Rom. That, and the fact that there are no joints or fasteners used in Rom woodwork, except for replaceable hinges and locks, make Rom caravans last for centuries. That is not an exaggeration.
“The Rom still won't say how they do their amazing woodwork. That is why this cart works so well. The Rom replaceable bearings have revolutionized Equestrian devices of all kinds. That is why this cart works so well and why the Rom still say, “As bad as a pony made wheel,” for anything that is not up to their standards.”
Grata's crest fluttered laughter as she said, “They kept those bearings a secret for almost a thousand years? Why?”
Daring Do snickered as she replied, “At first, it was loyalty to the ancient kingdom of Gyptia, where they were a commercial secret. Later, after Gyptia fell, it was simply spite. The ponies treated them badly for being different and they returned the favor by not sharing how they did or do anything.”
They paused while Grata assumed her place to take a turn in the harness. She craned her neck back to shoot a puzzled stare at Daring Do, who had just taken a quick fire rifle from the supplies cart.
Rahak turned to scan the skies while Daring Do loaded a twenty round magazine of ammunition and chambered a round. Grata glanced back to the sky! She dropped her harness, diving for safety underneath the cart!
The crossbow bolt slammed into the road where she had been! Its impact scattered fine gravel forcefully! Daring Do's rifle roared back!
With a scream, one of the three aerial attackers plunged from the sky! Fluttering, barely able to control his plunge, he struck thick brush, somewhat cushioning his crash to earth!
As Daring Do was bringing her rifle to bear a second time, she had to dodge! A second heavy crossbow bolt buried itself in road shoulder, throwing dirt in all directions! From her position on the ground, Daring Do got off her second shot!
With a scream of agony and rage, a Gryphon fell, dropping his crossbow in his frantic effort to avoid the hard packed stone of the road! He struck with a bone breaking crunch, bounce and roll, just on the road edge.
Rolling to her hooves, Daring Do took her time lining up her third shot. The rifle bellowed, the roar of it echoing off the nearby hills. Shattered parts of the crossbow hit the earth only slightly before the body of the last of the attackers! He fell limp, and hit a bush. His broken body did not move.
His fallen comrade began to keen a cry of despair.
Rahak went to the woods edge and pulled the wounded Twin Fires Gryphon from the brush. He was not gentle in bringing him to the wagon.
Grata had been into her personal luggage. She had on a golden crest cap and formal ribbons of office, along with a big formal knife in its sheath. Rahak cast his prisoner at her feet.
He demanded, “Grovel before the person of Grata, Left Wing of the Imperial Throne! She has the lawful power of life and death.”
He brought over the one fallen by the road far more gently. He told that one, “Your injuries excuse you from groveling before Grata, Left Wing of the Imperial Throne. She has the power of life and death.”
Daring Do was watching the whole scene with considerable interest ~ ~ And a loaded rifle.
Grata sat before the wounded attackers. “You are both accused of the attempted assassination of the Left Wing of the Imperial Throne. You have brought military grade (if obsolete) weapons into the territory of Equestria, a friendly power, for that purpose. Further, you are accused of direct cowardice by your chosen method of attack.
“Before I pass a judgment from which there is no appeal, I would hear your defense. I expect that I know what it will be, but hope that you can show me wrong.”
“Puzzled, the leader of the attack, the one that had crashed in the woods, asked, “Why do you wish to be shown wrong? Is that not weakness?”
Grata shrugged her wings. “Some might see it so. I do not. I hope to find some form of honor in what you have done. Even should you be given the Long Drop, I would prefer it known that Gryphons behaved with honor. That would allow your proper burial afterwards.”
The one that had fallen by the road said, “We were told that you seek to destroy The Legends. That any means was proper to preserve The Legends.”
Grata sighed, “That, sadly, is what I did expect to hear. I will tell you now that it is not true. We are passing through the Eagle's Vale into the Shattered Valleys beyond. We will be doing some studies in Eagle's Vale in the hope of finding an ancient supply road.”
The leader demanded incredulously, “A supply road? What for?”
Grata answered, “What Flight Commander Rahak found in the Shattered Valleys appears to be an Early Sunlord Temple. They would not have put one where the sunrise and sunset could not be observed without a pressing reason.
“We think that it might be for the purpose of contacting Gryphons who lived in the region. They may have paid a tribute, sought advise, or both. It is to determine exactly what the complex is and what function it may have served is why Doctor of Antiquities Daring Do is along.
“She is a world renowned expert in finding and interpreting things of Antiquity.”
He spat derisively, “A Creature of Later Creation!”
Grata nodded, “Correct. One who is willing to see if she really is one or not. She can face the TRUTH of our Legends. That her kind might not be the first created. Can you? I fear not.”
His crest drooping, he inquired, “What if the thing that you find is not the temple that you hope it is? What then?”
Grata shrugged both sets of shoulders at once, her crest held in a neutral pose. “Then we still have our Legends intact just as they are now.”
Daring Do interposed, “We have good reason to think that your kind WERE influenced by the last Nightmare War. Weather was disrupted all over the whole world, bringing ruin to many civilizations and ways of life.”
She gestured to the north. “The oldest known document by any Gryphon dates to just before 54 Post Nightmare Wars. It was found in a cave almost half way from here to the north end of the Sunset range. It does mention the earliest form of your Legends and it places the Gryphons East of the Eagles. That would be the Shattered Valleys. It mentions that they were seeking a safe land to raise their chicks. The Nightmare Wars did more than simply kill ponies.” She shook her head sadly, “It was the greatest error that ponies ever made and our deepest shame. Still, we remember it for the purpose of not making such an error again.”
The leader ruminated, “Perhaps we did lose our honor with this. We did not understand that what you seek might put our Legends onto a more solid foundation.
“I wish that I could lay my apology before the Throne and beg the forgiveness of the Empress.”
Grata nodded briskly, crest up in approval. “You have sentenced yourself. I can message ahead that you are returning. Do all that can be done to save your comrade. Distort nor lie in any whit. With that, you will regain your honor, regardless of what the Empress may do. Your final fate will lie in her claws.
“You did surprise me by being willing to listen and understand. For that, I will, in my message, recommend leniency.”
The leader relaxed some, saying, “It is easy to see now why you are the strong Left Wing of the Throne. Should I remove this symbol of my failure of honor?” He pointed to his emblem of the Twin Flames.
Grata shook her head, crest set negatively. “No. You were led into dishonor but not by your belief itself. You were tricked by those who twisted it to make you their tool. Wear the Flames now in true honor, nor ever let another lead you from it again.”
Weeping in both relief and shame, the leader gathered his fallen comrade and set off down the road on foot.
Grata stowed her regalia and suggested, “Shall we be on our way?”
Daring Do put away her rifle, after clearing the action and cleaning it. As they set out, Grata taking her interrupted turn in harness, Daring Do said, “What about the dead Gryphon back there?”
Without any concern, Grata stated, “He died without honor. Let the carrion creatures have his carcass.”
Changing the topic, Daring Do offered, “That was a brilliant cover story! How did you two ever come up with all that detail?”
Rahak shrugged his wings, as he paced alongside Grata. “After you mentioned the idea back at the Circle Lake station, we just filled in with the old ruin up in the Shattered Valleys that we use for a way marker when we do recon flights over the area. I assume that Grata saw it in our reports which all mention it if we are covering that area.”
Grata nodded, crest up jauntily, “The rest was politics. I simply fed them a base that you gave us combined with the fulfillment of their own wishes.”
Daring Do regarded the two intently. “There really IS a ruin up there in the Shattered Valleys?”
Rahak, crest fluttering in laughter, snorted, “Well, our expedition just changed! I should have known better than to mention ruins to an Antiquarian!”
Daring Do laughed, a cheerful tone, after the recent events. The fine gravel of the Royal Road crunching under hoof, she said, “No, I have made a note of it and WILL return at a later date. What we need now is more important. Those First Creation fanatics need to be stopped.
“I would rather stop them with facts instead of a war.”
Her harness creaking rhythmically as she strode up the road, Grata nodded, her crest lifted in the gesture of understanding. “Doctor Do, I commend you. You are not only an expert in an esoteric field, you are wise, as well. We too, wish to end the grip of the fanatics on our Aeries without bloodshed.”
It was late evening when they finally reached the town of Eagle’s Roost. In the dusk, they found an open inn. To the surprise of Grata and Rahak, it was being run by a Gryphon.
He greeted them effusively, gesturing toward his substantial timber and stone building, “Welcome to the town of Eagle’s Perch and my modest inn, the Gryphon’s Perch! I am Kraach. What is your need?”
Grata responded, “Three things. A safe place to park our cart. A good meal for Rahak and I and something suitable for Doctor Do. After that, we will need rooms for sleeping and a breakfast to see us on our way.”
Kraach turned his attention to their cart and his eyes widened. “That cart is Rom work! It will need to be guarded most carefully. The ponies here in Eagle’s Perch are basically pretty honest but they are desperate for good wheel work.
“Our town’s wheelwright was killed about six months ago. The farmers in the area are desperate for haulage. They are sharing the carts that still work well, trying to get the harvest in!”
Rahak asked, “What happened to the wheelwright and why has he not been replaced?”
Kraach’s crest fell in discouragement. “What happened was a blot on the good name of Gryphons everywhere. We got one of those idiot First Creation of the Twin Flames fanatics come to town.
“He saw a fine surrey belonging to the Baron in the wheelwright’s shop being fixed. Acting as if he owned the place, he demanded that he be taken on a tour of the town and local sights.
“Wheelwright refused because the surrey was not his and it was not yet repaired.
“Idiot said that the concerns of the Later Created were of no interest and began to beat the wheelwright with his bare claws to “Teach him to do as his betters demanded.” One of his claws cut the wheelwright’s jugular and he died of it.
The commotion drew a crowd who witnessed the murder. They caught the killer and he was turned over to the Empress. She did not listen to his First Created crap. He got the Long Drop Without Honor.
“It needs a Baronial Appointment to replace the wheelwright. We have THREE applicants but the Baron has spent all of his time down in Canterlot, instead of paying attention to his Barony.”
While he was talking, Kraach led them to the enclosed innyard. He opened a locking storage bay and offered, “This should do to store your cart for the night.”
Rahak produced a lock and secured their goods.
They all trooped into the Inn. Kraach ordered his staff, “Two Gryphon specials! Make them with the big trout and a side of roast bunny. One Alfalfa Loaf with fried potato on the side! Get the drink orders for our guests!”
Afterwards there was a bit of time spent in the taproom, between singing some drinking songs and a few card games, it grew late. Their rooms had spacious nests for the Gryphons and a comfortable, well appointed sleeping stall for Daring Do.
Breakfast was equally pleasant. Kraach had noticed at dinner that the Gryphon’s diet of meats did not appear to bother Daring Do. They were all three served breakfast at the same table.
When they unlocked their cart’s storage, Daring Do conferenced with Rahak and Grata as they went over their load.
Kraach asked in some concern, “Is all well with your things?”
Grata nodded, her crest jauntily up. “Yes, good Kraach. All is well. We will be going past the last of the roads today and are preparing for possible difficulties.” She returned to the readjusting of the load.
Some of the town ponies who had little else to do watched the unusual sight of a Gryphon pulling a cart while a pony and another Gryphon walked along on either side of it.
The morning sun was warming the road, making the shade trees planted along it welcome. They came to the Eagle’s Perch fairground turnoff. The Royal Road ended there. Beyond it, there were only some Baronial roads and farm lanes.
Grata noticed the difference at once. “Why is this road so much harder to pull the cart over?”
Daring Do replied, “Look closely at the road surface. It is made up of the coarser #3 gravel and not well packed. See the small ruts beginning? Crossing those ruts and the give in this surface from poor packing are why this road is harder to use.”
Soon the Baronial road dwindled to a lane with no gravel surface at all. There were occasional gnarled roots rising out of the bare dirt, packed only by intermittent use. In places, leaves were drifted over the surface, lending a loamy scent to the air as the party passed.
Daring Do quietly signaled a halt. She took out her rifle and set the twenty round clip into it. She worked the action to chamber a round.
Rahak softly asked, “What is it, Doctor Do?”
Daring Do pointed to the path ahead of them. “Tracks. Six ponies and a cart with a bad wheel ahead of us. None coming back. Maybe it is a work party but it could be an ambush.” She slung her rifle ready for instant action.
Rahak nodded and rummaged his luggage briefly. He strapped on a Gryphon War Knife, a little shorter than a sword, but in skilled claws, about as deadly.
The party heard the voices before they got to the end of the lane. As the source of the voices came in sight, it could seen that there were five farmers there, in an assortment of colors from Ugly Green to Barf Brown with a stop at Yuck Yellow.
They grinned, showing discolored teeth as Yuck Yellow announced, “Thanks for swapping us that cart for this one! You ain’t leaving here unless you trades carts. Got a paper says you do it and everything.”
He held up a paper that was headed, “CONTRACK OF TRADE.”
Daring Do replied, “Bad Idea, there. This particular cart will get you five years at labor on the Royal Roads. It is Princess Luna'a personal property.”
Hearing a rustle in the brush behind her, Daring Do dropped, shouting, “Down!”
Gata dropped where she was, still in harness. Rahak leaped flat, drawing his War Knife. Daring Do turned as she dropped, hitting in prone position, rifle at the ready!
The crossbow bolt, a lighter but still dangerous civilian one, passed through the air where Daring Do had been standing seconds before! It slammed into the flank of Ugly Green, who squalled in pain, “Celestia drat you, Charlie! You was supposed to shoot the one in the ugly hat, not me!”
Daring Do aimed at the disturbance in the brush which showed where Charlie was reloading his predator control crossbow. Her rifle seemed to roar in the confined area of the turn-around! Charlie screamed in pain and burst out of the brush, falling flat across the still unloaded crossbow! A quiver of dangerous predator killer bolts scattered across the grass and dirt where he lay still.
As the others were stopped cold, staring aghast at the unmoving form of their buddy, Rahak leaped.
He landed astride Yuck Yellow, slashing with his War Knife!
The CONTRACK OF TRADE fell from Yuck Yellow’s grip in two unequal pieces. His forelock gripped and pulled back forcefully, he felt the razor edge drawing a small trickle of blood from his throat.
Rahak said softly, “It appears that you have nothing to trade. You need that cart to carry your wounded back to Eagle’s Perch.”
“Wounded? Just Morty, there. Charlie been shot!”
Rahak pointed out, “He is still breathing. Wounded, not yet dead.”
Barf Brown spoke up, “You don’t understand. Our town got not wheelwright, thanks to one like you! We wouldn’t have never done this if we was not in such need.”
Grata had got up, still in harness. “Not one like us. A religious fanatic nutcase. The Empress sentenced him to the Long Drop Without Honor.
“It is due to another who IS like us, Kraach, that you have survived this blunder. He warned us of the problem. Take your wounded back to town.
“The Empire will take account of your Baron’s negligence and not charge you. Your Baron will be required to make that appointment for a new wheelwright.”
Barf Brown chuckled sourly, “Never happen. Baron Larbut is messing about in Canterlot. He got to make the appointment.”
Grata lifted her crest as she informed him, “I am aware of the issue.” She removed a Magic Net mirror from her under wing bag. Tapping practiced codes with her dexterous claws, she spoke.
“Grata here. By order of the Imperial Throne’s Left Wing, I must speak to the Princesses immediately.”
The pause was brief. Both Princesses showed in the mirror. “What is it, Grata? What does the Imperial Throne need?”
Yuck Yellow, Barf Brown and the rest nearly choked as they realized just how deep the cesspool was that they had jumped into!
Grata replied, “The citizens of Eagle’s Perch are suffering from Baron Larbut’s criminal negligence. It has driven them to a criminal assault on the Left Wing of the Imperial Throne and the attempted theft of Princess Luna'a cart, on loan to Doctor Daring Do.
“The Empire seeks Justice in this case. There is to be no punishment for the citizens, two of whom are presently wounded. Baron Larbut must leave Canterlot to attend to his Barony. He is not to be allowed to return, until a Royal Audit finds his Barony to be in proper order.”
Luna and Celestia both nodded. “Not a problem. It will be as you request. Do you know if they are in need of a Royal Benefice to pay for short term problems? It will be drawn from the Baron’s personal accounts.”
Grata looked over at the faulty boards and poor wheels of the cart that the others were loading Charlie and Ugly Green into. “I would say so. The state of all of the rolling equipment in Eagle’s Perch that I saw was from fair to ruinously bad. This is purely due to the Baron’s negligence of his duties to his populace.”
Luna nodded briskly. “I am sending a Royal Appointment for the wheelwright. I saw the applications and am familiar with the work of each. The Baron told me that it was not important. That is now overridden. The Sheriff of Eagle’s Perch will receive both instructions and the appointment within the hour.”
Grata raised her crest in full respect as she replied, “Thank you, your Highnesses, on behalf of the citizens of Eagle’s Perch and the Empire.”
She put the mirror away. Crest set in a smile, she said, “Go now, and thank Kraach. If he had not notified us of the situation, this would have ended quite differently.”
As they started to pull their load down the lane, Ugly Green lifted his head above the weathered side boards of the cart and said, “Ma'am, we are sorely ashamed of ourselves. You have showed us what a real just ruler is like. We thanks you.”
With Daring Do scouting the way, they forced a way into the wilderness beyond the last of the roads. Once past the vicinity of the cultivated land, the forest opened out some and it was easier, though still not foal’s play.
Taking a turn in harness, with Rahak scouting ahead, Daring Do grumbled with good nature, “Wheels are WAY overrated!”
She was working the cart over some complex roots, partly hidden by the pine needles that littered the forest floor when she felt the assist of Grata’s shoulder pushing from behind.
She commented jokingly, “Thanks. Isn’t this a bit low class for the Left Wing of the Imperial Throne?”
With complete seriousness, Grata replied, “If one cannot serve when that is needed, one is not fit to rule at all.”
The rising land became stonier. The pines that had, long back down the trail, replaced the hardwoods were becoming shorter and more gnarled.
Rahak was staring about in frank wonder. “I have seen this from the air so many times. I never dreamed that it could be so different when seen and experienced from the ground.”
Grata, crest up in interest, was watching the rise of steep, almost cliff like walls of stone on either side of the Vale. She leaned into the harness while Daring Do and Rahak put their shoulders to the back of the cart to get it through yet another stony place that was the best way forward that they could find.
Grata took a moment to gesture at the enclosing walls of the vale. “Look at all of those ledges with nests, protected by high scarps! No wonder that the Eagles love this place!”
Daring Do reminded her, “Those walls will get even closer and higher further up. When this part of Eagle's Vale comes to its end, it is going to open out into a deep, steep sided bowl. The walls there are over three hundred meters high. From the lip of the Vale, it is about fifty meters or so to the bottom.”
Rahak, having experience with flying in the area put in, “That is not all! This part of the Vale acts like a funnel driving and concentrating the winds. When they hit that bowl, they swirl about in ferocious and unpredictable ways. It is best for us to not fly in there, though the Eagles thrive on it.”
That afternoon, Daring Do was in the harness, pulling and grumbling without any real rancor, “And the Rom think that THIS is a culturally unifying experience?”
Grata pointed ahead. “Look, Doctor Do! The high sides of the Vale seem to end, outlined against the sky! That means that the opening of the bowl part is there!”
It only took another half hour to prove Grata right. The vista that opened out before them was breath taking. The whole of the huge bowl that made the upper end of Eagle's Vale was exposed to view.
The sides were stone with an enormous number of ledges covered with the big, untidy looking nests of Eagles. Many of the huge aerial predators were gliding about below them. Trees, pines mostly, started part way down. By the bowl's bottom, the trees were a mix of pine and hardwood.
Daring Do pointed down to the mixed trees. “Do you have any idea how far down that means it is? We need to camp here. I do not want to be on that slope when night falls!”
Both Rahak and Grata gazed thoughtfully down the slope and nodded, “I think that is wise, Doctor Do.”
While they were making camp, Rahak paused to rest. “This stone is just about the most comfortable one that I have found. It almost seems to be deliberately smooth.”
Daring Do quietly got out her notebook and sketching materials. “Would you please move, Rahak? I want to get a drawing of that stone.”
Grata nodded, her crest set in command. “Doctor Do would not ask that lightly, Rahak.”
Daring Do laid a meter stick on the stone's upper surface. It alternated white and black every ten centimeters, with clear one centimeter markings picked out in the opposite color. She made a swift but careful and accurate sketch of the stone.
Next, she took a trowel and dug down alongside a face of the stone, staying just clear of it. Then she began breaking away the caked dirt of centuries. That was followed by painstaking work with stiff and soft brushes to completely clean the face of the stone without harming it.
With the meter stick unmoved, Daring Do swiftly and accurately sketched the exposed side and its oddly almost familiar characters.
Grata and Rahak, having never seen this side of the work of Antiquarians, watched in fascination. Grata asked, “Do you know what the characters say, Doctor Do? What language is it?”
Soberly, Daring Do looked up and nodded. “This is presently the oldest known piece of writing in the whole world of Equestria except for the earliest entries in the Chronicle.
“This is Old Equestrian. It is the original language invented by De Writer. He, Celestia and Luna had to flee for their lives when their lands were invaded in what is now celebrated by the Hearthwarming Pageants.
“They fled to the Sunrise Isles. To this day, the three of them are the only ones who know where they are. There, Celestia and Luna spent about 200 years learning the adjustment of the heavens, which they still do to this day.
“When they returned, they found the cult of the Sunlords taking credit for the fixing of the heavens. The ancestors of the Sunlords had discovered De Writer's writing system and were using it.”
She gestured at the stone. “This is a Sunlord way marker. It says, 317 Myria. The rest are signs of the sun and moon that the Sunlords used. Myria was the Sunlord word for a distance of 1000 pony paces.”
Grata stared Rahak in the eye and said, “What an irony. We spun a lie to throw murderous cult members off our track and now it may turn out to be true!”
Darkness was falling by that time. Down in the bowl of Eagle's Vale, soft, mist like light was glowing. It swirled, pooled and dissipated. It made veils of gentle color like an aurora.
Grata, staring at the shifting, swirling glow of many hues down below, raised her crest in admiration. “What is this? It is lovely. I have never seen anything like it.”
Rahak watched it intently as well. More grimly, he replied, crest flat, “I have. It was during the Slaver Rebellion. This is a remnant of Non Equine combat magic. What I saw was not this big nor so soft seeming.
“Doctor Do, have you any notion about this?”
Daring Do nodded, eyes tearing, biting her lip to hold back sorrow. “You are right, Rahak. You are looking at the remains of two deadly Non Equine magic detonations. If you look closely, you can see fragments of runes in the glows. They are still randomly combining and breaking apart.
“This is still active fallout from the last action of the Second Nightmare War. How do I tell Princess Luna? She is still devastated by the destruction that she wrought.”
Awed, Grata and Rahak realized, “That was over two thousand years ago. How could it possibly have lasted so long?”
Daring Do stared down the declivity as she said, “Ponies still find active battle runes from the Nightmare Wars. Usually, if a pony survives the encounter, Princess Luna is called on to safely break the runes. This sort of thing will last as long as the runes themselves exist.
“I have assisted in cataloging the antiquities while they were being recovered from a few of those old war sites. Some were just refuge bunkers. Others were far more dangerous.”
Grata, her crest set in command, stated, “We camp here, tonight. Tomorrow, if you feel it safe enough, we will descend into the bowl. It has just become a matter of the utmost importance to find whether Ours is an Ancient Race or the youngest.” She gestured at the fallen Sunlord way marker. “It could be either one. No matter what we find, the Empress MUST know.”
The night itself was uneventful. The next morning they began scouting for a way down. The way that they did find was not a safe one. They chose a part of the steep slope that had a lot of brush that seemed solidly rooted.
Securing a rope to the axle and stabilizing the cart by lacing it around the whipples, they eased the cart as close as they dared. They fastened the rope to the stoutest of the brush and payed it out as they worked the wheels free of brush.
It was slow, grueling work. It took until mid afternoon to get the cart to safe ground.
Staring back up to the rim, Daring Do remarked, “That was pretty bad. I am afraid that getting it out of here will be worse!”
Rahak was stretching and flexing. “I am sore in places where I did not even know I had muscles!”
Daring Do found a grass patch and started grazing up her missed lunch!
Grata proved that being close to royalty did not weaken her hunting ability. She caught two rabbits in only three pounces. It took Rahak four.
Returning to the cart, Rahak noted, “We are not alone down here. Over near the rabbit warren there is a recently made trap. It had a rabbit caught in it.”
Grata asked, “Did you leave it for the trapper?”
“Of course I did. It would have been wrong to steal another’s dinner because I am hungry.”
Grata agreed, “It would also be a bad way to introduce ourselves to whatever lives here and set that trap.”
The took the cart down to the small lake at the bottom of the bowl. Looking up, they could see many Eagles circling gracefully in the tricky winds. As they watched, one swooped, breaking its dive at the last moment, claws raking into the water. With powerful wing strokes, the Eagle lifted a big trout from the lake and flew off to perch in a snag and eat its bounty.
Daring Do had maps out and was studying the Eagle’s Vale. She was shaking her head. “These maps are ALL wrong. This upper crater does not show as more than fifty or sixty meters deep. I have to wonder what else is wrong.”
They were just settled in for the night when there was a voice speaking out of the darkness.
“In ein cornin ba hue?”
Daring Do sat up with a jolt! Pausing to bring something to mind, she replied haltingly, “Nat ein cornin na os.”
The voice replied, “As goot. Ein cornin na goot.” Plaintively it asked, “In nympha cam matunein? Matunein sa mussin eir nymphes.”
Daring Do’s brow furrowed with concentration as she requested, “Spak un lessin fastenin. Ik non unnerstan.”
The speaker from the darkness paused.
Grata asked softly, “What is that language, Doctor Do?”
Equally quietly, Daring Do whispered back, “It is Early Middle Equestrian. I never thought to hear it outside of the Philology Department of the Royal University. The pony speaking this is completely fluent.”
Out of the darkness came the voice again, practically weeping. “Nymphes ba ein sider. Twan nymphes cam matunein? Pras spak sa.”
Grata, crest up, suggested, “Invite the speaker here, Doctor Do. Perhaps we can sort out what she means.”
Daring Do nodded and invited, “Ein cam blazin. Unnerstanes ef efforte.”
“Ein es afearit. Eques ba afearin ein.”
“Unnerstanes, eques ba afearin nat.”
With only the slightest rustling of the brush the speaker appeared. It was all dark. Its body was covered in chitinous plates. Its horn was stunted and, though straight, seemed zig zag because of holes in the sides of it. It had holes in its legs and almost filmy but tattered mane, tail and stunted wings.
When it spoke, fangs were plainly visible. “Eich afearin nach? Ein afearin nach.”
Daring Do patted the ground next to her and replied to the changeling, “Afearin nach nat. Cam seatti ma sidn ba os.”
Quivering and fighting for each step, the changeling approached. It cast a longing look at Rahak and Grata but sat next to Daring Do. It refused to look away from the Gryphons.
“Nach Nymphes spak? Matunien sa lang awaiten see nymphes an spak eich. Ein mussin nymphes.” She snuffled, tears in her eyes. “Ein heartenful ma nymphes.”
Daring Do took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Es ein hiven clase?”
That got the changeling to turn her head and bring eyes full of tears to Daring Do. “Es hiven destrukit. Ein cornin cam in nichat an kapit os al. Fightem all con bat Eiggmatunin shi kapit. Al eigg ein an cary way. Hiven blazin ein see nat mair.”
Tears in her own eyes, Daring Do asked, “Ein al alane?”
The changeling simply nodded, tears flowing.
Daring Do reached out and pulled her close. The changeling simply began to bawl and practically try to fuse herself with the pegasus. “Ein mussin clase olden. Clase mindes.”
Daring Do pulled her tighter. The changeling, in snuggling to her as if the contact was precious, accidentally knocked Daring Do’s trademark pith helmet off. Her horn laid gently against Daring Do’s bare forehead.
There was the gentlest of green glowing magic that flowed between them. Reluctantly, the changeling pulled herself away, saying, “I/we am sorry. Yours is a single mind. I/we should not have done that.”
Daring Do said in a gentle voice, “It is alright. You have been alone too long. Do not be afraid to share your mind with me. I cannot return the sharing except when you do it. I find it strange to feel but I am not afraid at all.”
Grata was watching the whole exchange closely. “I was listening as well as I could, Doctor Do. As nearly as I can make out, this changeling is looking for something she calls nymphes. She seems to think that Rahak and I are some of these nymphes. Is that correct?”
Soberly, the changeling replied, “I/we, hoped so, but I/we fear that you are not. You look and smell very like my/our nymphs but you did not come from here, nor were you looking for me/us.”
Grata was slowly putting things together, eyes slitted, crest stiff with concentration. “What were you were saying to Doctor Do about your hive? As nearly as I can sort it out, your hive was attacked and destroyed by unicorns. Is that right?”
Tears brimming in her eyes at the memory, the changeling nodded.
“You fled. From what I know of changelings that means that your Queen was killed. What brought you here? I can not make that out at all.”
The changeling bit her lips to keep from crying outright. When she got herself under control, she said, “The hive must endure. I/We took eggs, all that I/we could carry and I/we fled. The hive burning in the night is the last that I/we saw of my/our home. I/we tended the eggs as carefully as I/we could. I/we turned them and kept them as warm as I/we could.
“The road here was not used by any other so that is why I/we followed it. Here I/we found a cave and I/we hoped to start a new hive. I/we loved the eggs but they did not love me/us as they should have. I/we still love them and turn them but it has been so long and they do not love me/us back as they should.”
Daring Do suggested, “Grata and Rahak have come far to find how their kind came to be. Clues that we found led us here. After you came here, can you tell us more of what happened?”
“It was a time, I/we do not know how long. The sky from that direction,” she pointed back west, toward Equestria, “burned for three days and nights. The ground shook so that I/we feared for the eggs in the cave. The roads there and there fell down the slopes.
“Some time later, flying ponies like you came, pushing great clouds before them. The clouds fell in here and made the lights of the night.”
She pointed up. There above them, glowing like pale auroras, were the shattered runes of an ancient war, still randomly combining and breaking apart.
“Some of the flying ones stayed and joined with the eagles. They made eggs.” She got a bit of a shifty look as she went on, “Hive needs eggs. I/we took some.
“When the eggs hatched, they had pony hoofs and they died. Meat made them ill. Grass made them ill.
“I/we took more eggs. This time I/we loved them carefully, not to form, queen, worker, drone, or egg keeper like I/we. I/we just loved them to live. Since front parts eat meat, all parts must. Some of my/our nymphs did change and live. Some of my/our precious nymphs only part changed and they died.”
Grata set her crest in determination, stared up at the softly glowing remains of a war two thousand years gone and spoke to the changeling. “I can see that this brings you much pain, mother of our eggs. Let me tell you the rest of it.
“Your precious nymphs were the ancestors of my kind. They left this place, seeking some safe place where their chicks could live and grow. They meant to come back but the journey was not just one of kilometers. It was generations long.
“They never forgot that this place existed, but they did forget where it was. Our kind have now grown strong in both numbers and wisdom. We sought the help of Daring Do, who has willingly shared herself with you, so that we could find this place again. Finding you still here, waiting for our return was a thing beyond our greatest hope.
“Your nymphs, chicks, if you will, have returned. We are sorry that it took so many generations to find you, mother of our kind.”
Grata held out a claw. “Come, mother, and let your nymph share her mind willingly with you. You have been alone too long.”
The next morning’s sun shone on a unique sight. Grata, Left Wing of the Imperial Throne, and Daring Do, world famous adventurer and Doctor of Antiquities, sleeping serenely snuggled close to a changeling laying quietly between them. The changeling was awake and smiling happily. Rahak was tending the fire to begin breakfast.
Quietly he said respectfully, “Mother of us all, how have you lived all of this time without any to love or draw love from?”
The changeling altered position enough to face him but stayed in close contact with the others. “I/we ate food. I/we might have stayed hidden but you found my/our trap. You not only left me/us the bunny, you said being hungry was not reason to take my/our dinner. I/we were hidden close and heard you.”
Rahak sighed, “I meant what have you done for love? I understand that your kind need love to live.”
The changeling did stir to point up, where Eagles were circling in the tricky air currents above. “I/we have been given some of the Eagle’s eggs. They trust me/us to care for their eggs and love them as I/we did for them. I/we raise them. They cannot be hive. Their love is a wild thing but it is true. They share love and bring food to show it. They come back when they go away.
“Not a Hive but love at least.”
Daring Do and Grata showed that they were awake and had been listening by gently covering the changeling with their wings.
Grata offered, “Would you like to stay and share our breakfast, mother of my kind?”
“I/we would be grateful. After it, I/we must go to tend my eggs. They must be turned and loved so that the Eagles to come will be strong and well formed.”
Rahak shared out dried meat, first softened by boiling, then toasted nicely for the three of them. Daring Do pulled out compressed alfalfa biscuits and soaked them first, then nibbled down the resulting cereal like result with gusto.
The changeling’s eyes teared slightly at the gesture of inclusion. Impulsively, she offered, “I/we wish that I/we had something to share back.” She hesitated before adding, “I/we must go to tend our eggs. The Eagles have trusted me/us with them and I/we must love them and turn them.”
Grata nodded, her crest showing understanding and agreement. “You must care for the eggs. May we come and help, or at least be close to you?”
The changeling hesitated again. “I/we fear it. I/we remember the unicorn’s attack. I/we have missed closeness of love/care too. I/we must go. I/we will return soon.” Shoulders shuddering, she turned and left the camp.
A few moments later, the changeling came back, weeping. “Come, please. I/we fear being alone again more. I/we will lead you to my/our cave.”
They set out through the brush. Soon they were following a trail that led from the rabbit warren towards the cliffside. A small curl of steam was all that betrayed the entrance, hidden in a fall of boulders.
It was warm inside. At the back of the cave was a small hot spring that kept the whole little cavern warm. Part way back was a sandy area. It had been meticulously scooped and shaped like a nest to hold the about twenty eggs inside it. Ten of them were of a different shape from the rest. Those were discolored and worn but they were the first that the changeling went to.
From her horn a pale green magic reached out, gently touching and seeming to enter each of the ten. Then she turned each one with the utmost care, using special hook like claws that sprang from her forehooves when needed.
That done, she turned to the other, smaller eggs of the Eagles. Each of them got the same apparent treatment. First the pale green magic that soaked directly into the eggs, then the gentle turning of them on the warm sand.
Daring Do not only watched in amazement, she took out a sketch book and rapidly drew the scene before her. She went to the back of the cave to examine the hot spring. Grata and Rahak followed.
As if their moving to the rear, out of sight, was a signal, there came the rattling rustle of big wings as three Eagles landed at the front of the cave entrance. Each one had a fish in its claws. They all laid their fish out neatly for the changeling.
Her green magic softly enfolded all three of the Eagles and herself for a few minutes. It was clear that the Eagles were luxuriating in the magical glow as much as the changeling was.
Daring do sketched the almost unbelievable scene swiftly and accurately. Then the changeling took the freshly caught fish and ate one, sharing it with the Eagle that brought it. She repeated that with each of the other two Eagles.
With a final stroke of green magic down their backs, the Eagles turned and spread their wings, sailing away to join their brethren in the sky.
Daring Do’s sharp, trained eyes had found a side chamber to the main cave. She was standing in the entrance, sketching madly. Inside were the bones of ancient history.
The delicate bones of gryphon-like chicks lay there, neatly placed by a loving changeling who cared for them even after death. Some, appearing by both placement and appearance, were pure hippogriff. Others had pony-like hindquarters with clawed paws instead of hooves. A few were nearly normal, only slightly deformed gryphon chicks.
Awed, Grata, crest raised in deepest respect, said, “Here is the history and origin of our race. In a way, I am saddened. I wish that we were more than the result of the aftermath of the disastrous ending of the Nighmare Wars. Not simply some random hybridization caused by the aftermath of the destruction of one and a half million living beings.”
Daring Do replied softly, “It was not random magic that created your kind. Random magic caused the pegasus/Eagle hybridization to hipporiff that was uniformly fatal.
“It was our friend, that changeling in the main room, tending stolen eggs and “loving” them with her magic that created your kind. Her magic penetrating the eggs and working to make the chicks live is what made your race.
“Whatever else comes of this, the news will lighten Princess Luna’s burden of guilt.”
Rahak was staring at the proof that his species was perhaps the youngest on the whole world of Equestria. Shaking his head, crest showing confusion, he asked, “How can this help Princess Luna?”
Daring Do simply pointed to him. “Look at your whole kind. Besides destruction, what she did, with the unseen help of a changeling egg-tender, created an entire race of beings possessing wisdom, honor, courage and greatness of heart.
“Some true goodness came of what she did, that day, over two thousand years ago.”
Daring Do came out of the side chamber of the cave to where the changeling was. She was making a contented crooning sound as she sat in a depression the center of the circle of eggs. She and the eggs were all contained inside a gently glowing green field, like a half of a large egg. Once in a while, to a cue that Daring Do could not see, she reached out and turned or partly turned one of the Eagle eggs.
Daring Do made another sketch of this behavior, never before observed by anypony.
The changeling glanced up and expanded its soft glow to include Daring Do. It was a peculiar sensation. Daring Do felt safe, loved and protected in a way that she had not known that she missed.
The memory that it brought forth with utter clarity was that of being carried in a knapsack on her mother's back. Carmen Pondiego, breaking into museum, gallery, castle or strong room, always carried her like that.
Then, suddenly, she was abandoned to the care of ponies who did not care, or not that way. No touch, no constant companionship, only rules.
Rules and books. Books full of the wonders of the past.
She sat and quietly cried. With surprise, she realized that she was not alone. The changeling had not abandoned her precious eggs, but she had come to gently snuggle Daring Do, horn laid softly to the pegasus' forehead, sharing the whole memory, both the love and the pain. Sharing the memory and giving the support of an unquestioning love. It helped. A lot.
Eyes filled with tears, Daring Do hugged the changeling to her and said, “I don't know how to thank you. I have something to ask that may be bad for you.”
The changeling nodded. “I/we saw it when we shared ourself with you. You want to take away some of my/our nymphs that did not live, from so long ago.
“Take them. I/we remember war. I/we do not want to be a part of making another. I do love them still but, like the eggs from the hive, they cannot love me back as they should.”
Grata, who had been watching, asked quietly, “Mother of my kind, I am more worried about you than I am about the relics, however important they may be. If we leave here, how will you fare? I do not want to see you hurt or abandoned again. What of your Eagles and their eggs? Are they not precious too?”
The changeling wept. “They are. They may not be clever like you, but they are my nymphs and I/we love them. They love me/us, too. I/we do not want to leave them but I/we do not want to be without you, my nymphs that have returned at last, either. I/we do not want to lose any of my precious eggs or nymphs.”
Grata paused to think with care. “Our cart might be a partial answer. If you can properly tend your eggs while they are in it, we could all help to bring them along. For the rest, your Eagle nymphs have wings, if they are willing to follow their mother. We welcome Eagles in the Empire.”
The changeling brightened up at once. “I/we can ask! It will take some time but I/we can do that.”
Eagerly the changeling trotted out of the cave and went to a broad stone ledge protruding like a small peninsula into the lake. Her pale green magic reached up in soft wisps. The Eagles flew into them on purpose. From their familiarity and lack of fear, it was clear that they had done this before.
Some of them flew off. They returned, leading more Eagles. Many more, in fact. From their direction of flight, Daring Do deduced that they were from the long part of Eagle's Vale, leading up to this bowl.
Quite a few of the Eagles landed around the changeling and crowded close without any squabbling. They all got enclosed in the changeling's green magic.
Daring Do was sketching the scene like a maniac.
Soon the Eagles dispersed and the changeling came back, light of step, almost bouncing. “Ein ma nymphes w . . . I/we are sorry, so excited. My/our Eagle nymphs will come with me/us. I/we can go with you! Their/our eggs must come too. I/we meet my/our long lost nymphs!”
Grata, Rahak and Daring Do went to get their cart. As he pulled in harness, Rahak commented, “At least this is easier than bringing it down into this crater!”
Using a big brush knife to clear path, Daring Do retorted, “Speak for yourself, Rahak!” She was sweating out from under her pith helmet as she swung again at a particularly tough brush stem!
They got the cart as close to the cave entrance as the boulders allowed. Grata, looking at the supplies that they were taking into the cave, remarked, “You expected to find something like this, didn't you, Doctor Do?”
Daring Do, lugging in some of the specimen safety wrapping material, shook her head as she replied, “Not like this, no. I thought that if we were lucky, we might find some fragmentary remains. I never expected to find a complete series of perfectly preserved skeletons all in one place.”
As she realized what they were doing, the changeling's green magic began to assist them with the delicate work of preparing her long loved and cared for failed nymphs for transport. They were so small and dried out that the protective wrappings weighed more and took up more space than the skeletons themselves. Her magic was a great help.
When they broke for a meal, the changeling took time to tend her precious Eagle eggs. She gently removed the ancient eggs that she had tended fruitlessly for over two thousand years. She laid them with care in the side chamber where the skeletons of her loved but dead nymphs had lain.
With tears in her eyes she softly enclosed them all in her pale green magic and spoke in her ancient tongue. “Nach na anny hiven fer os. Ein os sa sore harten. Layin reste eiver mare.”
Daring Do translated for the others in a soft, reverent voice, “There is no hive for us. I/we am so sore of heart. Lay in rest forever more.”
Grata wept, her crest low in sorrow. She vowed, “How she must hurt to give up that dream. If there is any way, I will see that she is whole again.”
Rahak stood to attention, crest set as for the fallen. He had a tear in the corner of his eye too.
After eating a meal almost untasted, Daring Do noticed that the changeling was not among them. Seeking her, Daring Do saw that she was out by the cart, surrounded by Eagles. The huge birds were all cuddling close and carefully preening her. Some were bringing her fish from the lake.
Besides sketching and recording the scene, Daring Do noted, “They are not a hive. Their love is a wild thing but true.”
Grata saw it too and suggested, “We have what we came for, Doctor Do. How shall we arrange the cart to carry her eggs?”
Daring Do looked at the carefully done load in the cart. All of their unnecessary supplies and equipment had been removed. Her rifle and ammunition were placed to be at the ready. Except for loading the changeling's precious cargo of Eagle eggs, they were ready to go.
Finally, the Eagles were done comforting the changeling who had raised them and cared for them so deeply.
She returned and inspected how the cart's load was done. She made a sort of nest out of blankets and began setting in the eggs, one by one, each getting nestled separately. Green magic settled deeply into each one. When the changeling was satisfied with how her eggs were loaded, they set out.
At the foot of the steep slope leading out of the crater, they stopped to camp for the night. Grata observed, “Getting caught on that mess by nightfall? I would hope not!”
When they built their campfire, the changeling's pale, soft green magic surrounded the fire for a bit and then settled over her load of eggs. It stayed there keeping them warm and safe. All around the camp, Eagles roosted, settling in for the night to be near to the changeling that loved them and to whom they had given their wild love.
The next morning, after the breakfast fire was put out, Daring Do directed the set up of the cart for getting it up the steep grade. Rahak asked, “TWO ropes on it?”
Daring Do nodded. Right. One will be a safety line that we will keep snubbed tight around something solid. The other will be our pulling line. When we get up even with the safety line's anchor, we will trade off.
“We will find a safe place to snub the old pulling line and free the old safety to use for pulling. That will keep the cart under safe control at all times.”
Seeing that the changeling was listening, she added, “I don't want anything to put those eggs at risk.”
They began the arduous task of hauling the cart up the slope. The changeling pushed from behind, staying close to her eggs. Her magic was cast in a gentle green net over them, keeping them warm. She was even turning them, Daring Do noticed, as she was working the safety line.
Part way up, the Eagles began to swoop close and fly close to the surface along a single path at an angle to the one that they were following. Sorting out that the Eagles had a reason for their antics, Daring Do started to work the cart over, along the angle that the Eagles wanted them to follow.
A bit over half way up the incline, and well off their original path, they came to what the Eagles were leading them to. It was a wide and level ledge with a standing stone post.
Daring Do laughed and took out her sketch book. While the others rested on the safety of the ledge, she began drawing. She finished quickly.
Rahak crest up with interest, pointed out, “This waymarker is quite different from the one that we found at the top, isn't it Doctor Do?”
“That is right, Rahak. This one has a groove around the base for a snubbing line just like we have been doing. It allowed the Sunlords to get carts up and down the supply road safely as well as marking the road distance.”
Grata took the time to lay a small fire. Daring Do nodded wisely. “An excellent idea, Grata. Our friend can use it to help keep her eggs warm.”
The changeling's magic did seem to be drawing the heat of the fire into it.
After a short rest, they began to work across the face of the ancient landslide, guided again by the Eagles. Grata, working with Daring Do on the hauling line while Rahak snubbed the safety line, commented, “The Eagles are very wise. This angle is far easier to maintain than the straighter path that we were following.”
The Eagles led them to another of the old supply road's turnabouts. Like the other, it was flattened and once had a snubbing post, but this one was long fallen over.
Grata took the time while Daring Do was making another of her many drawings to light another fire for the changeling to use to keep her eggs warm and safe.
The changeling watched Daring Do's sketch develop with interest. “Why do you do these marks?”
Daring Do smiled and replied, “I study things that are very old, my friend. This place is one that is old, so I make this picture and write these notes about it. That way I can study it later, too.”
Daring Do was surprised when the changeling nodded happily. “I/we write too. I/we taught our nymphs to write and read.” Shaking her head sadly, she went on, “Eagles are very good nymphs but they cannot read or write.”
Intrigued, Daring Do handed the changeling her note book after turning to a fresh page. “Can you write something here for me, my friend?”
The changeling took the pen and wrote neatly, “Ein os air frensa a ein Daring Do.” Her characters were a perfect scribe's bookhand of the Nightmare War days.
Excitedly, Daring Do showed Grata and Rahak. “Look! We never even thought to ask our friend if she was literate! She not only is, she writes a perfect Early Middle Equestrian!”
Grata stared at the characters in awe. Her crest up, she pointed out, “This is just like the writing of that earliest manuscript of our Legends. The one whose author died in 54 Post Nightmare Wars. Our friend taught her nymphs to read and write. Oh, my.”
Rahak, more practical, pointed out, “The Manifest Destiny Party will stop at nothing to suppress this! What we have in the cart, along with our friend, will destroy the foundation of their whole belief system.”
Daring Do was leafing through a small book and chuckling. “Here is the worst part for them. Leaving out all of the Commentaries, what we have, along with our friend, ABSOLUTELY confirms the Legends themselves!
“All of their garp of arguments about being First Created and even the fires of creation are in the COMMENTARIES, not the actual Legends! Those are a VERY good account of the end of the Nightmare Wars, as seen by our friend, here, and told to them later by her!”
Thinking over that bombshell, they resumed their trek to the top of the pass. With the guidance of the Eagles, they made it with only one more way stop.
Exhausted, they camped at the top of the pass.
The next morning found them looking dumbfounded at fish from the lake laid out for all of them except Daring Do. There was a small pile of inexpertly trimmed clovers and grasses for her! The Eagles perched all about their camp watched closely to see how their gifts were being received. They need not have worried!
Daring Do happily grazed up her breakfast while the Gryphons and the changeling devoured theirs with delight. The changeling took the time to thank the Eagles by encasing them in her green magic and stroking them the same way.
With the slope in their favor and the path that they made on the way up, it only took them two days to reach the end of the Eagle's Vale. By the time that they did, the far ranging Eagles were bringing their changeling mother and her friends bunnies and other small game. They also found and brought Daring Do clovers, alfalfa, sorrel, or other soft grasses.
Daring Do reflected that she had rarely had a more interesting set of travel companions.
The expedition reached the flatter forest floor but the cart did not get that much easier to manage. The forest near to cultivated lands was thicker and brushier than the more open wild forest. That was the result of generations of wood cutting. Trees felled for firewood created openings in the forest canopy.
The deep penetration of daylight allowed both smaller trees and brush to flourish, making their travel more difficult. They followed their own old tracks which did help quite a bit. They emerged onto the turn-around at the end of the lane leading to the Baronial Road.
Glancing casually about, Daring Do took out her rifle and loaded a twenty round magazine. She returned the rifle, ready for action, to the cart.
Grata raised her crest in a silent question.
It was Rahak who pointed up, but low, where a pair of Gryphons in flight were keeping them under surveillance. Grata nodded quiet understanding.
The changeling saw them too. She continued her self imposed duty to her precious eggs. She worked herself over next to Daring Do and offered her horn. Daring Do laid her forehead against it.
Sadly the changeling stated, “Failed nymphs. They are not like Grata and Rahak. That makes I/me sad. Their bodies live but their hearts have failed. They have no love.”
Their cart, pulled by Grata, reached the main Baronial Road. The coarse, poorly laid gravel crunched and rumbled under the wheels. Grata stopped and offered, “My friend, shall we make you another fire to strengthen the warmth for your eggs?”
The changeling nodded happily. A soft wisp of her green magic went up. Several Eagles promptly flew into it! They immediately flew off. It was not long before they returned.
They dropped claw loads of small dry twigs and slightly larger branches that were all dry and dead. It was clear that the Eagles had found a dead snag and looted it for firewood!
Grata’s crest rippled in Gryphon laughter. Even as she sketched the scene, Daring Do was chuckling. “How am I ever going to write this up? No pony will believe it!”
Rahak, crest rippling his amusement, gathered the twigs for kindling and set up the branches in a tepee over it. He struck fire from a tinder box and quickly got a nice small blaze going.
The changeling’s soft green magic settled about the fire. In seconds, it blazed up, falling entirely to ash, not a coal left. The changeling trotted happily over to the cart and began turning her eggs and letting her delicate magic soak into each one.
“I/we/you go now. My/our precious eggs are all safe.” She trotted up to Grata, still in harness, and rubbed her head against Grata’s feathered neck in serene companionship. Then she returned to behind the cart, where she could tend the eggs of the Eagles circling overhead.
They all got back underway.
It was not long before they came to the end of the Royal Road. Grata’s crest flipped up into a Gryphon’s smile. “What a difference a quality road makes! It just got so much easier to pull! They rounded a bend and encountered the first houses of the town of Eagle’s Perch.
Rahak noted, “I wonder why there is so little activity around these houses?”
Daring Do pointed ahead to the town square. There was a substantial crowd gathered there. Some had pitchforks or long handled pruning hooks.
Standing in front of the mob was the Baron of Eagle’s Perch. Next to him was a pudgy Gryphon wearing the pectoral necklace of a senior priest of the Twin Flames of Creation.
The changeling slitted her eyes as she saw the number of unicorns, including the baron, in the crowd. Soft, nearly invisible tendrils of the palest green magic radiated out. It flowed almost like a ground level mist, infiltrating the mass of ponies. She paused, watching Grata and Daring Do for clues about what to do.
Grata noticed the changeling’s preparations and her crest smiled approval.
It was the Gryphon who spoke first. Crest set nearly dripping sarcasm he demanded, “How the mighty are fallen! What has caused Grata, The Left Wing of the Imperial Throne, to be pulling a mundane cart?”
Grata, crest signaling a pure put down, retorted, “Something that seems totally lacking in you, Krayard. Common sense. For one, those who will not do for themselves what is needed when it is needed, are not fit to rule. For the other, my pulling the cart has freed my combat effectives for instant action!”
Taking their cues from Grata’s comment, Daring Do pulled her rifle from the cart and ostentatiously worked the action to put a live round in the chamber. Rahak pulled his big combat knife.
The Gryphon priest demanded, “I shall inspect all that is in the cart! All blasphemous things shall be destroyed. You can take what is left to your pitiful museum of Last Creation. What do you have? You did not go to the ruin, we know that!”
Grata pointed out, crest sharp, “No. You do not have that right, even in the Empire! What is in this this cart belongs to the Princesses of Equestria and the Empress, only.”
Contemptuous of the rifle and knife, the Baron began to gather his brown magic at his horn. “You should know better than to try facing down a UNICORN with mere physical weapons!”
While he was commenting and concentrating on the threat in front of him, the Baron was hit from the side and above by three power diving Eagles! Each striking with enough force to break the back of smaller prey, they drove the shocked Baron from his feet! His magic miscarried, the blast of it striking the Gryphon, knocking him from his feet!
`Seemingly from the ground itself, bars of brilliant, solid green magic pinned them both! The Baron’s dangerous horn was encased by a sheath of the glowing green. Even as they were squalling in outrage, up above, Eagles were harrying the two Gryphon spies from the sky!
Over the square, two Eagles snagged the right pinion of each of the Gryphons, tipping them into a fluttering fall to the cobbles of the square!
The changeling stepped out from behind the cart, into plain view. Several in the mob yelled, “Changeling! Destroy it!”
As the crowd surged forward, green magic snapped up, capping the horns of the unicorns! It snatched the pitchforks and pruning hooks, binding them to the cobbles! The leading ranks fell, feet bound to the ground! The rest of the surging mob tripped over the fallen, making a huge tangle of struggling ponies!
Grata, crest rippling in Gryphon laughter, guided the cart about the mess of entangled ponies and they trotted on down the Royal Road, leaving Eagle’s Perch in their dust!
The screen of Eagles overhead made certain that there was no further aerial assault. There were no more adventures beyond the changeling’s continuous wonder and delight at the mundane seeming world that they passed through.
That did not stop her from needing fires four times a day to draw warmth from. Warmth that she then shared out to her precious eggs. Her dedication to turning them and keeping them safe was past impressive.
At the Circle Lake Resort rail terminus Grata laid out her ID as the Left Wing of the Imperial Throne and her Letters of Cooperation from Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.
“Good Station Master, we require a safe place to keep our cart untouched except by members of our party until you can obtain a car that will meet our transport needs.”
The pony looked up at Grata. From behind his ticketing window grating he asked, “What is so special about your car needs?”
Grata, crest set dead serious, replied, “We need a single baggage/passenger car with a galley suitable for both Gryphon and pony diets. There must be a communicating door between the passenger and baggage parts.”
The Station Master pony scratched behind his orange ear as he thought. “There are precious few such cars as you require. I can do a Magic Net check to see how soon I can get one here. The check might take an hour or two.”
An arrogant Gryphon voice interrupted, “It is of no importance! This Blasphemous Venture Ends HERE! They did not go to the so called Sunlord Temple at all!
“I, Krayard, High Priest of the Twin Flames of Creation, shall personally destroy anything in that cart that I deem blasphemous! That changeling must be slaughtered! As for those eggs, I will make an omelet of …”
Three power diving Eagles interrupted his oration by slamming him to the station platform! Their extended talons drew blood. As he tried frantically to flutter back to his feet, two more diving Eagles smashed talon first into his wings, pinning his spread out pinions! Another Eagle struck Krayard in his center back, between the wings!
Added to the crunch of taloned claws smashing into him, there was the cracking of bone! Krayard’s hindquarters suddenly spasmed wildly and went limp!
Shocked beyond measure, he cried out, “Make them stop! Why are they attacking me?”
Rahak replied, crest set to show mild interest, “How can we? They are not tame creatures doing some trick. You threatened both their mother and their young that she is tending.”
“Mother! How is that monster of blasphemy any sort of mother to anything?”
The Eagles had paused their attack, except that the one on Krayard’s neck struck suddenly! He lifted his head, beak dripping the gore of the priest’s right eye. Striking yet again, he blinded the Gryphon under his talons.
Grata filled in, “How stupid are you, Krayard? The first living being that a chick sees becomes mother to it. This changeling was the sole survivor of her hive. We do not know where the hive was, or how long she has been raising Eagles but these are all following their mother.
“Defending Nest and Young is NEVER murder and that is what they are doing! I see no reason to interfere.” Grata turned her back on the carnage that followed as the Eagles began to strip the flesh from his still flailing carcass.
Speaking to the appalled Station Master, Grata said cheerfully, “My apologies for the mess. I will pay extra for cleaning the platform.”
Tearing his eyes from the ghastly sight of the Gryphon’s now still carcass being stripped by a horde of Eagles who were feeding cooperatively, the Station Master swallowed hard and replied, “Thanks, ma'am. Was not looking forward to getting that job done. About that car, let me get started on finding it for you.”
He busied himself with a magic net mirror. He applied Princess Luna’s note of cooperation, which caused the Royal Seal of the High Commissioner of Equestrian Roads to glow and stick, proving the document and the connected request to be genuine.
It only took him about twenty minutes. Looking up, he reported, “Ma'am, I found a car that meets your needs. It will take two days to get it here. We cross checked with Princess Luna herself. She has ordered it as a special train, with its own engine and fuel car. Once it is here, it can be ready to load your party in only two hours. Those are needed for proper maintenance.”
Grata nodded acceptance. “That is fine. Where can we safely park our cart and stay by it?”
“Stay by it? I can easily book you into a resort hotel.” He rubbed his chin in thought. A glance over at the dead Krayard, showed him the changeling happily chomping down gobbets of the carcass, surrounded by Eagles who were also feeding with none of the expected squabbling.
They were all surrounded by the delicate green glow of changeling magic.
The Station Manager sort of swallowed hard. “OK, I see why you won’t want a hotel room!” Rubbing his chin, he suggested, “Try our Warehouse #2. We will lock the pegasus ports from the inside. Same for the main doors. Entry and exit will be through the office. Will that do?”
“It sounds perfect. Let us see it. Doctor Do will be the final judge of that.”
The remaining two days stayed quiet. They built small fires for the changeling on a regular basis, to help her keep her eggs warm. Eagles perched along the roof crest and in the trees nearby.
They brought gifts of fish from the lake and a good variety of greens for Daring Do. These, they laid at the door to the warehouse office.
When the special short train arrived, they opened the main door to the warehouse and brought out the cart and the changeling. Oddly, it was Gryphons among the tourists who cheered them the most.
A pony asked a cheering Gryphon, “How can you cheer that one? I mean, it is a changeling and it ate one of your kind!”
The Gryphon paused, crest showing puzzlement. “Why is that wrong? He was attacking nest and young. Besides that, he was violating the will and law of your Princesses and our Empress. Such a being has no honor. His death was to be unmarked and unburied, for scavengers to eat. That it benefited nest and young was a good thing!
“Hurrah for the Left Wing of the Throne!”
The pony shook his head. “Every time that I think that I have started to understand you Gryphons, something like this happens!”
They watched as the baggage car door was opened and the cart and changeling were loaded. The door was sealed and Daring Do, Grata and Rahak boarded the passenger part of the car. Eagles perched on top of it!
With the loud Chug! Chug! The hissing of steam, bells clanging, and the blast of a whistle, the journey to the Gryphon Empire began.
The changeling came out to be with them for a little bit. She watched the passing scenery with fascination. Daring Do pulled out her writing kit and offered it to her.
She also brought out the copy of the original document of the Legends, the one written just before 54 years after the last Nightmare War.
She explained what she wanted. The changeling smiled and began to write. She took time off to go tend her precious Eagle eggs, but returned to her task.
At a fuel stop, Daring Do was stretching her legs. The Engineer approached her. He was shaking his head. “Ma'am, we will be in the Empire this evening! I have never seen anything like this run! Princess Luna cleared the entire mainline, all the way to the Imperial Aerie. The Empress herself ordered the border opened to us without the need for a stop! We will be at the Imperial Aerie by no later than ten tomorrow. This is our last stop before the Imperial Aerie.”
The train slowed substantially as it encountered the grades and curves of the Sunset Mountains. What could be seen of the morning’s predawn and dawning sky was glorious. Rounding curves cut into mountain sides frequently blocked or revealed the changing light and clouds of the advancing morning.
Grata, watching the changeling’s eager window watching, was deeply moved. She reached out and pulled the changeling into a hug. Her crest showing her curiosity, she asked, “My friend, I have never thought to ask this before, for which I apologize. What is your name?”
The changeling gave Grata a confused look. “Name? I/we do not have a name. May I/we share mind to see what a name for me/us may be?”
Grata leaned her forehead against the changeling’s horn without hesitation. She felt the same caring and love that she had felt before, as their minds met.
The changeling pulled her head away from contact and said with assurance, “I/we are Friend. I/we are Friend to you, Friend to Daring Do, Friend to Rahak. You say Friend to me/us and we/us know you mean me/us. I/we are named Friend.”
At that moment, an Eagle veered sharply by the open window, letting the fish in its claws fly through to flop on the floor! A second fish and then a third joined it! Friend happily leaped on one and began to eat it!
A bundle of grasses hit the window’s frame and bounced in. Daring Do caught it and raised her head to where the Eagles outside, accompanying the train, could see that she had got their kind offering of breakfast. One of the Eagles swooped close and bobbed its head as it passed the window. They all heard a scrabbling noise overhead.
Rahak’s crest shot up in Gryphon grin! “Those Eagles are REALLY smart! They are riding on top of the car!”
Friend looked up from finishing her fish and stated proudly, “My/our Eagles are GOOD nymphs!”
Daring Do had to ask, “Friend, why are Gryphons and Eagles nymphs?”
Friend looked up in surprise. “I/we hatch the egg. The young comes out of the shell as a nymph. When the nymph grows well, it becomes an adult changeling. If it does not grow into a changeling, it stays a nymph. A nymph is only failed if it does not develop properly. Some of my/our Gryphon nymphs are failed. Their bodies live but they have no love. That is sad.”
Grata nodded, crest set to thoughtful consideration. “It has been generations beyond counting since your nymphs left Eagle’s Vale, Friend. Why do you still count us as your nymphs?”
Friend shrugged. “Your whole kind came from my/our eggs, that I/we loved to living forms. You have not changed in the time since you left me/us. You have not become grown changelings. You are still the nymphs that I/we loved into being.”
Grata nodded acceptance. “This will be interesting to bring out at Court. Somehow, I suspect that most of the Court will be either amused or offended. It should be fun!”
The train entered a long valley with many Aeries clinging to the steep cliff sides. At the head of the valley was an enormous Aerie, built all of stone. The Imperial Aerie.
Slowing gradually, the train pulled up to a platform of stonework with Gryphon type terminal buildings. There were terminal level warehouse doors and curtained passenger entryways. These had doors that could be sealed but were presently open. Along the front of the structure was an awning protecting a set of raised Gryphon perching platforms. One had an auxiliary raised platform with three perches, the center one highest.
Both the center and right platforms had Gryphons of regal bearing. The left platform was empty. Grata paced forward to the foot of the dais and sat, spreading her wings.
The Empress of the Empire returned the spreading of her wings, crest smiling. “Welcome back to the Imperial Throne, Grata, my strong Left Wing.”
Grata ducked her head, crest set to acceptance. “If it please your Majesty, Empress of Us All, I will reserve my ascending the Throne until I have both presented our party and given a public preliminary report of Our Expedition.”
The Empress was just starting to speak when a Gryphon wearing a purple pectoral necklace adorned with two flames done in gold, waived a fat book while screaming, “Blasphemy! This is all blasphemy! They went nowhere near to the so called Sunlord temple!”
Two burly Imperial Guards hooked his feet out from under him, dropping him flat on the platform’s stones. One clamped his beak shut with a claw, gripping like iron.
The Empress glared down at the fallen priest. “Krabee, this is Official Court business. Should you dare to interrupt again, regardless of your feelings, you will be publicly beak clamped and publicly given five lashes in every Aerie of the Empire!”
Turning back to Grata, the Empress’ crest smiled, “Pardon the interruption. Some appear to believe that their diarrhea of the beak is more important than the Empire or its rulers. Do go ahead, Grata, my Strong Left Wing.”
Grata nodded, crest showing thanks. “Your Majesty, first I would like to present Wing Commander Rahak, who made the sightings that so excited us of the Throne.
“Next, is this fine pegasus, the world renowned Antiquarian, Doctor Daring Do, of the Equestrian Royal University. Her brilliant research work formed the core of our expedition.
“Without her expertise, we would have entirely missed the existence of an ancient Sunlord supply road leading in the direction of the possible temple complex.
“Her work proved that the road dates to the earliest of times. Krabee was correct in his fact. We did not get to the possible temple. All maps of the Eagle’s Vale, up which the road went, are seriously in error.
“What showed as a fairly shallow round valley proved to be a deep crater protected from sight by randomly combining and breaking vaporized rune fragments that Doctor Do has tentatively ascribed to some huge military mage weapon detonations of the last Nightmare War.
“Much study will be needed to be certain of this, but it is possible that such mage weapon fallout may have forced our ancestors to flee northward along the Sunset Mountain range.
“We know from our Legends that they were seeking a safe place to raise their chicks. The Nighmare Wars destroyed so much else that it appears likely that they were forced from an ancestral home by that fallout.
“Wing Commander Rahak can verify that there are still parts of the Shattered Valleys that are dangerous from that same fallout. That is one reason that the Empire has not even tried to annex them.
“Doctor Do ascertained that the crater was safe to enter except for simple physical danger. The Sunlord road down the crater side is long destroyed by some ancient cataclysm. Only a few turning points remain.
“Having got our cart of artifact and relic preservation supplies down into the crater, we found the old road and some associated artifacts and relics. The opposite side, toward the temple complex, was totally impassable with the equipment that we had along.
“While there, we found this changeling who was astute enough to realize that her lack of a name bothered us. She has chosen the name Friend.
“What is important enough to bring her to the Imperial Throne? Two things. One, Eagles are believed to be bearers of good fortune. We have no way to know how many years she has lived there, raising the Eagles of Eagle’s Vale but it is a long time. Many generations of Eagles for certain. She refused to leave the clutch of Eagle’s eggs that she was tending. We brought them along in our cart. The Eagles followed their mother here, to the Empire.
“The other reason is more esoteric. As a relic of her destroyed hive, besides modern Gryphon which she she has learned to speak from us, she speaks, writes and sight reads Early Middle Equestrian. As scholars know, that is the language in which the earliest form of our Legends was written. Already, just on the train ride here, she has resolved to perfect sense, four passages that have raised huge disputes among scholars from the religious community.”
The Empress, crest raised in approval, offered, “A most concise report, Grata. Please resume your proper place as My Left Wing.”
Grata ascended to sit regally beside her Empress.
Krabee managed to free himself enough to shout, “That changeling will devour our love and kill us all!”
Before the Empress could respond, Friend raised a hoof. “Your Majesty, may I/we answer that?”
Grata chuckled, crest rippling. The Empress nodded, crest showing curiosity.
Friend stalked across to the now cowering priest Krabee. Glaring down at him, she declared in a sick sounding voice, “Take Love from you? I/we would starve!”
She turned her back and returned to Daring Do’s side. Friend made the comfortable sort of crooning purr that Daring Do had only heard once before, when Friend was sitting with her precious eggs, and all were encased in her soft, loving magic.
She said softly but heard by the sharp ears of the Empress, “You are best of all for Friend. You are not changeling nor nymph but formed whole and still have love to share.
“You remind me/us of eigmatunin, I/we mean queen.”
The Empress made up her mind. The religious nuts, however dangerous, must be put into their place. Crest set to inquiry, she asked, “Doctor Do, you may omit honorifics. We, the Throne of the Empire, wish to know how swiftly you can prepare your finds and data for public viewing? Our first showing will be in the Imperial Court. After that, we shall have traveling exhibitions throughout the Empire. This work of yours moves the oldest known connections of our race back further than any other. We regard this news as vital to our Imperial Flock.”
Daring Do considered her answer carefully. “Empress, I can have something ready in about two weeks. It will be delicate work to prepare some of the relics that demonstrate the age of your race.
“If I may be so bold, there are elements who object to delving into the past. We have them show up at the Royal Museum from time to time. Therefore, let the exhibits for the public be replaceable duplicates of the originals, which can be safely preserved for scholarly study.”
She nodded, crest raised in approval. “So be it. You may have any work space or facilities that you need. Your budget is unlimited.
“Grata has informed me by magic net mirror about some of your finds. For an expedition that did not even reach its goal. You produced extraordinary results.
“You may count upon the generosity of the Imperial Throne for your labors.”
Grata whispered to the Empress.
“Well thought on, my Left Wing. Doctor Do and Friend shall stay together.”
Under heavy guard, bearing very modern weapons, the cart was unloaded from the rail car. Daring Do settled herself into the harness. Grata dismounted from the throne. She guided both Daring Do and Friend away from the railroad station. They came to a door of armor plate set into the side of the mountain. Daring Do almost expected it to be a door to the Great Library but it swung open on concealed hinges.
“Supply entry for the Imperial Eyre,” Grata explained.
Spiraling up through solid stone, they came to a very solid strong room door. As she opened it, Grata’s crest shot up into a grin. The Empress asked Princess Luna to arrange for your assistant. We can be sure of his discretion.”
From the depths of the room came a familiar voice. “Hi, Sis!”
“Blendin?”
Daring Do’s half brother stood by a carefully arranged copy of her Antiquities Lab at the Royal University. Over to one side was a well appointed nest of Gryphon style. There was a small heater beside it.
Friend lighted up at the sight and began to carefully transfer her precious eggs to it. She serenely fussed with the arrangement of them and climbed in, surrounded by her eggs and the soft glow of her pale green magic. She began to croon to them, the very picture of happiness.
In awe, Blendin said, “An egg tender? A real changeling egg tender? I have never even heard of one outside of a Hive. The changelings guard them like the crown jewels.”
He grinned and added, “That may be a bad example, considering how many crown jewels mom has in her collection!”
Turning to the cart, he asked, “Now, what exactly do you have here that drew the attention of TWO sets of Royalty, the establishment of the Twin Flames of Creation Church, and the Manifest Destiny Party?”
Daring Do was carefully removing the first of the carefully packaged remains. She placed it on a work table and replied, “We found the exact origin of the Gryphon race. Not only the general area, the precise physical location, along with the exact timing of the event and the direct causes.
“That is what.”
Blendin stared at the innocent looking cart and mused, “That is going to blow the only dam holding back the whole river of excrement!”
He began to help transferring the precious and delicate remains that might trigger a war.
Daring Do was pleasantly surprised at just how good her half brother Blendin was at specimen preparation. There was another surprise for her too.
Friend spent much of her time crooning to her Eagle eggs. She did frequently leave her nest and lend her green magic to the task, usually greatly simplifying the work. It was the greatest assistance at particularly difficult or delicate times in the preparation of the failed nymphs that she had loved so dearly and watched over for so many centuries.
Almost any time that they took a break from the arduous task before them, Friend would leave the eggs and nest protected by a nearly invisible glow of green magic. She would take a place beside Daring Do and purr/croon softly. Daring Do found real rest and comfort in the love that Friend shared with her. She often rested her head against the changeling’s horn and shared thought and memory.
It was from that sharing that she learned something surprising about Friend. When her hive was attacked by war equipped and battle ready unicorns, Friend defended the hive’s precious eggs.
She slaughtered ten of the enemy, literally tearing them to pieces in the defense of those eggs. When her shared hive mind felt the Queen die, she went briefly berserk. Four of the ten attacking unicorns that she killed fell in those few moments.
It was duty and love for the eggs that she tended that brought her back to something resembling sanity. Taking all of the eggs that she could carry, she fled into the night.
The world outside of the hive was a strange and confusing place at first. By luck alone, she found a long disused road that led to the mountains. She did the best that she could but it was not enough. One by one, she felt the spark of returned love die out of each of the eggs. Her heart was torn asunder by the loss.
Daring Do knew the rest of the story. What she did not know before was the sheer depth of feeling that Friend had developed for her. She meant it when she said that Daring Do was Matunen, Hive Queen, in the ancient tongue of Early Middle Equestrian.
Friend was totally contented for the first time in ages. That in no way interfered with any whit of her egg tending.
Blendin saw his half sister’s serene relaxation around Friend and was glad. The Apprentice Librarian of the Great Library in him was glad too. He was learning things about conservation of irreplaceable delicate artifacts and relics that would apply to his work in the Great Library.
Once everything was ready, he stared at the results of their work in wonder. He had not only helped to prepare the whole foundation for the creation of an entire intelligent species, he had it and all of his half sister’s notes cataloged for the Great Library!
Together, they sent a note of their progress to the Empress.
The door, upon opening, showed the Empress, Grata, and the Right Wing of the Imperial Throne. The hallway was blocked by heavily armed Imperial Guards in full battle armor.
Daring Do was about to ask if such precautions were necessary when a loud, harsh voice from up the hallway demanded, “This is all Blasphemous! Even if it were the truth and showed our ancient roots, it would still be blasphemy! The Holy Legends declare that Faith alone is sufficient and seeking any truth beyond its holy pages undermines Faith!
“Whatever is here must be destroyed!”
The Empress responded, “What is about to be destroyed is YOU, Krapper! You have fifteen seconds to be around the curve and out of OUR sight before I order my troops to open fire!”
“You would not dare!”
“Nine seconds left, Krapper.”
There was a clatter of claws on stone as the speaker retreated!
The Empress drew a deep breath, her crest showing disgust. “The entire lot of First Creation Idiots want to destroy the only real history that our kind has.”
Friend spoke up, “Your Majesty, they are wrong. This I/we know. Before I/we loved the eggs that became the nymphs of your kind, I/we saw changelings. I/we saw unicorns. I/we saw Eagles. I/we saw pegassi.
“I/we helped matunen Daring Do and brother Blendin to be sure that these failed nymphs truly show how I/we loved the eggs that became the nymphs that are your kind.”
The Empress, crest showing deep thought, began tracing the development of her kind. She was reading the placards set by each step of the way.
Looking over to the true mother of her whole species, she asked, “Why did you go from pony to big cat for our hindquarters?”
Friend crowded over to point as she spoke. “Not all big cat. See how these bones go? That is from the pegasus. The head was carnivore, Eagle. The hindquarters had to eat meat too or fail. I/we did see a lion in the mountains once, close enough to feel its insides by loving it. I/we used what I/we knew.”
Grata, crest rippling in laughter, exclaimed, “We are so lucky that she didn’t see a bear!”
After the fit of laughter passed around the room, the Empress asked, “How will this all be presented, Doctor Do?”
Daring Do sketched rapidly. "The case, to be portable must be of stout woodwork. The front viewing window should be made of glass that has been spell strengthened like a Magic Net mirror.”
The Empress nodded, crest showing some concern. “You mentioned not risking the real relics and that is a good idea.
“We have General Iron Hooves here with some of his munitions experts. The team that they are consulting with is known to you, though we know that you do not like them much.
“V.I.L.E. Is here. They have sent Carmen Pondiego, Baron Von Nighthoof, Marehem Skadefryd, and Kiros Asbhy. I understand that they have also got a number of Agents here too.”
Crest smiling, the Empress went on, “I was warned to be sure that I still have both mandibles of my beak after dealing with them. However, they will be absolutely honest with family.
“They have several missions. One is being worked on now with General Ironhooves and his aides. Another is to be the agency for creating your cases and making the copies for display. I will be ordering twenty sets.”
Daring Do, looking doubtful, did agree, “I have to admit that when it comes to museum quality duplication, Mom’s company is unexcelled.”
An all too familiar voice caroled from the doorway, “So sweet to hear you actually say something nice about my company! Of course we are honest! V.I.L.E. has never been caught or proved to be guilty of ANY crime at all!
“Suspicions? Poof! Suspicion and a cup of tea will get you anything from a nice Bergamont to bag of Lupton’s Worst!
Carmen Pondiego strutted into the room in her trademark porkpie hat and fire engine red dress. She called over her shoulder, “General, Dear, would you please come in and see for yourself what my daughter found that is causing all this mess?”
General Ironhooves entered the door. He was in his simple field uniform.
He tipped his Campaign Hat to the Empress and her Wings. He approached the study tables, examining the relics with care. He picked up Daring Do’s voluminous field notes and sketches, seeming to leaf through them, except that once in a while he stopped long enough to separate pages that stuck together.
He put down the books and turned to the Empress. “Ma'am, you have chosen your battlefield perfectly. Better, you have the enemy in the sights of your artillery.
“I hope that it does not come to armed conflict, but if it does, after consulting with Carmen here, I think that you will have a LOT of surprises for them!”
Daring Do managed to look skeptical. “Only them?”
Before Carmen could snark back, Marehem wandered in, right past the security detail. He grinned. “Helps to be a misfortune changeling …”
His eyes bugged out. It was the first time that Daring Do could remember that her uncle Marehem was caught totally off guard!
“An Egg-tender, HERE? How did that happen? How can she live without a hive?”
Friend looked up from serenely turning the eggs in the nest. She smiled as she said, “Matunen Daring Do.”
Uncle M stopped like he’d hit a brick wall headfirst. “Adora, Matunen? A queen?”
The Empress nodded, crest rippling amusement. “It hit us like that too, when we realized that Friend is OVER two thousand years old. She was the sole survivor of a destroyed hive.
“Tending eggs kept her sane. She is the Mother who loved an unstable and fatal hybridization into becoming our strong race. I gather that for her, loving means something other than a simple feeling.”
Marehem got it together to say, “It sure does. The eggs a queen lays are sort of neutral. They will develop as random kinds of changelings. Give them to an Egg-tender and tell her how many of which sort, worker, other egg-tenders, drones, even a queen, and that is what you will get. Their love is a very complex magic that no other kind can do.”
Daring Do, eyes twinkling, suggested, “Make the order for V.I.L.E. twenty one copies. We will donate one to the Nightmare Wars Collection of the Royal Museum!”
General Ironhooves grinned hugely. “You really want to shaft those First Creationists, don’t you?”
Daring Do simply said, “Yes. They defile and deny the history that I have devoted my life to.”
Carmen pointed to the work tables and said, “Will you take a real compliment from your mother, Adora? This, notes, restorations, preparation and all is a fantastic piece of work.
V.I.L.E. will duplicate it with the greatest of care. With your permission, we will keep a copy for our own private museum.”
Mutely, Daring Do nodded.
She saw Uncle M talking to a Magic Net mirror and turning it to show everything.
Carmen pointed to an especially fragile relic and said, “Be especially careful of this one, Baron.”
One by one, the laboriously prepared relics, notes and all quietly vanished.
General Ironhooves simply noted, “Handy trick, that!”
Daring Do, Friend, with her nest, and Blendin were brought to a large suite with an open airy feeling. One Gryphon port was open enough for the Eagles to get in and out but not Gryphons. The rooms were swarmed with Eagles.
Friend immediately shared that soft green magic of hers to include all of the waiting Eagles. The way that they crowded close about the nest, it was clear that they had been waiting for Friend’s loving magic. Several shuffled aside and one reached out a beak and snagged Daring Do’s tunic, making her join or get a torn tunic. She joined the Eagles in luxuriating in the literal glow of Friend’s shared love.
After a few days of resting up, Rahak came by. Crest at attention, he requested, “Doctor Do, master Blendin, would you come please? The display copies are ready for examination.”
They followed the Wing Commander back down to the workroom. There were twenty one large cases of fine solid woodwork, each faced by stout glass armored by a spell to the toughness of steel. The contents were beautifully displayed to make the whole progression from hippogriff to Gryphon utterly clear. Each item of the display had its explanatory placard.
Neatly done on each placard was an exact copy of a reference to the actual original Legend Document, with translation. After that part was a note clearly and simply explaining the item.
Central to the whole display was Daring Do’s detailed sketch of the remains of the failed nymphs in place, as they were found.
The whole thing had such an impact that Daring Do’s breath drew in, in a way that she had heard so many times as a child riding her mother’s back in a knapsack, when her mother saw some beautiful thing that she was about to steal.
Turning to an equally awestruck Blendin, Daring Do said, “Tell Carmen that this is the best display preparation that I have ever seen.”
“Thank you, dear,” said a familiar voice. A khaki colored unicorn mare in a form fitting fire engine red dress stepped out of the shadows. Daring Do was shocked to see bags under her eyes.
Carmen Pondiego told her, “The General is sleeping now. I have been working along with every agent that I have available. I cannot tell you what we have been doing. Imperial Security is involved. I only hope that it has been enough to prevent the war.”
Rahak suggested, “Let us all prepare for this evening’s banquet. That is when you will make your presentation, Doctor Do.”
Daring Do was looking around the Imperial Banquet Hall, at the many war banners that fluttered in the light breeze. There were also the banners of the provinces of the Empire. The wood and stonework was outstanding for its solidity and rich carving.
Perched on every place that they could find claw room were hundreds of Eagles, looking expectantly at Friend. Her nest had been placed conveniently close to Daring Do’s place.
The dining tables were all set so that every diner could see the big glass fronted case with its display. There were two small books by each place.
One was a copy of the original document of the Legends, written some time shortly before 54 Post Nightmare Wars. It had an exact copy of the document itself, a line by line literal translation and a third line in modern Gryphon with notes to explain the meaning of idioms used when the original was written. No commentaries. No editing. Only a foreword explaining that this was a true copy of the Legends that they all revered and tried to follow. Commentaries were dispensed with in the hope that the reader could understand what the words said and form their own opinions based on solid fact.
It was signed and sealed by the Empress herself.
The other small book contained copies of Daring Do’s expedition notes and sketches that were relevant to the display showing the origin of their species.
The First Created believers started to scream, “Blasphemy!”
The Empress herself cut them off. “Silence, Krapper! These are the Legends that you CLAIM to revere!”
“You have left out the rich and ancient commentaries!”
Her crest rippling with laughter, the Empress exclaimed, “Ancient? Krapper, the FIRST commentary was inserted into a small book like this only thirty five years ago! It had a note that it WAS NOT HOLY WRIT, only opinion. That note was removed and further commentaries added. More than half of the mass of your book has been added in just the last five years!
“It must be wonderful to be able to write up whatever you please, insert it into the next edition of your book and have it called HOLY WRIT!”
“Our Book is the true Law! Holy Word is higher than mere secular law!”
“NO, Krapper! That is direct sedition! Guards! Stand behind Krapper! If he utters one more word of sedition, cut his wing tendons at once. He will be given the LONG DROP at sunrise for the crime.”
The Empress paused for effect and added, “Now, we have a banquet laid before us. Let not Krapper’s ill manners spoil your appetite. After we have eaten, we will hear from Doctor Daring Do, whose actual facts, well documented and proven may provide you with much food for thought.”
The server placed a plate in front of Daring Do, commenting, “I hope that we got it to your taste. It is a sauced alfalfa steak. We don’t eat such fare, so we are not much used to cooking it.”
Daring Do replied with a smile, “I am sure that it will be fine. You have been doing well the last few days.”
She cut a bite and began to chew. Numbness spread from her mouth. She gasped and could draw no air. Her vision was fading slowly.
She heard, “The Blasphemer has been struck down! Any means to strike at blasphemy is honorable, the Holy Writ is clear!”
The voice of the Empress cried, “Poison is the Coward’s Weapon! Seize them! Do not wait for the Long Drop! Kill them now!”
The voice of Friend cut across the fading din, “No! Matunen still has love. I/we need them! They will wish for your long drop! I/we promise …”
Then no sight. No sound. No touch. No taste. Nothing …
It started with a soft crooning sound. There was an all encompassing sensation of safety and love. She felt a warm body snuggled next to her. Trying to open her eyes was too much of a struggle. There was a sensation of light but no focus.
She lapsed back into darkness. Retreating to the safety of being loved, cared for and cared about. And that gentle crooning. It reminded her of something. Memory was as hard as opening her eyes. She just accepted the sound and the sensations of being loved. Loved in every fiber of the being that she could not yet sense. It simply permeated her being.
Without alarm, she felt the warm snuggling body next to her move. It went away but the feeling of love, security and care remained. After an unknowable time, the warmth and contact returned. The feeling of love penetrating every fiber of her being was stronger. She could feel that it was doing something to her, perhaps for her. She neither knew nor cared. She simply accepted. That it was both benign and safe, she understood at a deep and secure level.
At the edge of hearing the crooning continued. There was a soft but familiar voice speaking. She heard the words but did not really grasp them the way that she did the crooning. The crooning, she realized, was guiding something. She was not sure what it guided, but as gentle as it was, there was a will of iron behind the crooning and in control of it and more. Safe control. She was loved and that control was a part of the love.
There was a short period when the crooning stopped. The love remained. The voice came again, soft, gentle and anxious, “You are sure? She is recovering?”
It was answered by another voice, calm, serene and certain. “I/we are sure. Matunen is loved and returns the love properly. She is like a young nymph. She will grow swiftly now. I/we share her love/heart/thought. Soon Matunen’s self will hatch and she will begin to be conscious of self.”
The battle to get her eyes open was only partly successful but she could see a little. Her voice was beyond her reach. She managed to twitch a hoof. Not move it, quite. It felt like a tonne weight was on it. Just a twitch.
The anxious voice exclaimed, “She just moved! Her eyes are half open! She twitched a little! I saw it! Can she hear us?”
The calm, serene, certain voice replied, “I/we need to share self with Matunen to know. Soon Friend will tell you.”
She felt the soft, safe warmth of the body next to her. Something too close to focus on passed in front of her eyes. She felt it touch her forehead. She was suddenly even less alone, totally open and welcoming the other part as if it was also her, somehow.
She knew that she/the other were totally safe. It was in joined memory. Contented, calm if left to love. Ferocious, deadly dangerous, in defense of what it loved. And she was among what it loved.
The effort to get the foreleg to move was simply astounding. It dragged across blanket and managed to weakly wrap the warm, safe source of all that love.
It was not fur or feathers under hoof. Her mind struggled to find the concept. Chitin. Sort of like a shell, almost. Plates, like, well, like … It was too much effort to sort out. She just relaxed and accepted.
The crooning resumed for a time. She heard the calm, sure voice say, “Matunen hears. She does not understand much, but she hears. Matunen self is hatching.
“I/we need another prey to share with Matunen. Share of life, strength. Prey is a failed nymph. Its body lives but love does not.”
A different voice called. There was iron in it. A voice of naked steel, with razor edges. “Friend needs more prey! Bring in the next five for her to choose from!”
Voices begging for mercy entered her hearing. An interesting concept. Why would they need mercy?
The voice that was so calm, sure, certain and loving spoke. “I/we return to you the mercy that you gave. You gave Matunen no mercy. There is no mercy to give back.
“You tried to take life from Matunen. Matunen needs life now. I/we shall take yours for Matunen.”
There was a flash of hard green that penetrated through closed eyelids. The green light and begging, weaker and weaker begging, continued for, for how long? Who knew?
She felt both the ongoing love and caring, with under it a will and control, and strength. She was being very carefully filled with strength by the loving, caring, and ferocious other who cuddled and crooned.
Still feeling the love, the care, the strength, the warm, chitin plated other left her side. There was the sound of teeth crunching flesh and bone. Rustling, flapping, awkward in a confined space. A different sort of ripping, biting sound. It brought a memory unbidden. Eagles feeding on a carcass.
Warm, safe, loving, the other settled in beside her. She smiled. It was not so hard now. She opened her eyes and looked about with curiosity. The room was full of Eagles. She was in a big nest. A Gryphon nest. There was a smaller nest with eggs in it nearby.
Moving her head was an effort. It brought the source of all of that love and care into view. Friend was happily nuzzling her. She still could not get the strength to lift a hoof but she tried. She wanted to hug Friend so much.
Daring Do turned her head the other way. Carmen Pondiego and Grata were there. So were two armed guards and a Gryphon in nurse’s uniform.
In a voice weak from more than mere disuse, Daring Do husked, “Hi. What’s going on? Is this a Hospital Aerie?”
The nurse replied, “Imperial Hospital Aerie #1. You have a lot of friends in High Places, Doctor Do.”
A tiny cracking sound stopped all conversation in the room. Friend hopped off the nest, a smile of delight on her face as she delicately began to assist the Eagle chicks that were finally hatching!
While Friend was tending to her newest “nymphs,” the young Eagles, Daring Do asked, “What was it? I guess that I was poisoned.”
The nurse, taking advantage of Friend’s slight distraction, started to take Daring Do’s blood pressure and stuck a thermometer in her mouth. She replied, “It was a whole Hellbore mushroom in the sauce and diced throughout your steak. They had two of them. The other was being prepared for the Imperial table.”
Grata, crest set to thanks, carried on, “Luck alone caused a server to be over eager for the credit of destroying the Blasphemer. If we had all been served at once, as planned, they might have killed much of the rule of the Empire.”
Carmen picked up the story. “You have chosen well to have Friend as your “hive.” That is what she means when she calls you Matunen. I know that you know what it means.”
Daring Do managed a small nod.
“When you fell, Friend was off that nest in an instant. She wrapped you in a form of magic that none of us, not even Uncle M, have seen. We know that it stopped your heart beat and breathing. It was impenetrable as well.
“Friend’s magic that seems so delicate? It reached out and sealed the whole banquet hall. One conspirator tried to fly through it. All that hit the floor was a rain of blood, feathers and shreds of flesh and bone. None of the others was stupid enough to try that again!
“She sort of swept the room with it. All of the conspirators there were gathered up and dumped before the Throne like a pile of rabbit droppings! Krapper was still yelling about Blasphemy.”
Daring Do chuckled. It hurt. A lot. It was worth it. Friend put down the Eagle chick that she was tending and stepped over to lay her horn to Daring Do’s forehead.
Calmly she stated, “Matunen is tired. She needs more prey.”
The voice of steel called out, “Friend needs more prey! You five! Come out for selection!”
General Ironhooves escorted the unlucky five Gryphons into the room. One whined, “It is bad enough that … that thing is killing us by torture. Why do we have to watch it happen?”
Grata, crest raised in outrage, demanded, “So, it was a matter of celebration to use THE COWARD’S WEAPON of poison against one who was PROVING our Legends but it is not OK to see the consequence of your criminal and cowardly actions?”
As they were speaking, Friend’s delicate seeming magic settled about one of the five. He gave a despairing squawk as he aged visibly. Feathers began to loosen and fall out. His eyes filmed over, going to an opaque pale blue. He simply withered where he stood, until he could stand no more.
Friend stepped over to her victim and simply bit into his neck. There was not much blood. The Eagles hop-fluttered to his carcass and began to strip what was left of his meat from the bones. One of the four being made to watch vomited.
Daring Do felt the soft, loving magic that she trusted absolutely settle through her. As it did, it brought safety, strength and comfort.
Having eaten her fill, Friend returned to her happy preening of Eagle chicks. A Hospital Aerie orderly came in and cleaned up the remaining mess. As he carried away the bones and scraps, he commented, “Another one for the midden.”
That helped Daring Do to bring something to mind. “The civil war? Did we stop it?”
General Ironhooves replied, “Oh, it started while the banquet and Friend’s little round up was going on. It is down to a few isolated actions in several valleys. It should be over completely in another few days to a week.
”For a long planned revolt, they were really poorly equipped.” He cast a glance at Carmen as he went on, “I can’t imagine how they wound up so short of equipment and ammo.”
He grinned hugely. “Carmen and VILE have the best combination of Intelligence and sabotage that I have ever had the pleasure of having on my side!”
Grata, crest rippling in amusement, added, “VILE sold us a most amazing array of military hardware at very reasonable rates! At prices like that, one would ALMOST think that they were not acquired honestly!”
Daring Do snickered. “VILE has never been proved of or caught in any illegal act. They MUST have been properly obtained.”
There was a small commotion at the door. Grata told the guards, “That is Marehem. He is both family and has Imperial clearance. Let him in.”
The blue changeling with his orange mop of a mane, entered the room. He made a sideways grin as he handed a check to Carmen. “Here you are, my Dear. The last of the settlements. It seems inconceivable, but Allstable Insurance has some unhappy customers.”
The General raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
Marehem snorted, “We have been very actively selling insurance on collections of militaria throughout the Empire. Mostly to First Creationists.
“Recently, they opened up their warehouses and vaults. Many valuable articles were missing! Articles like main battle tanks and artillery pieces.
“Careful examination of each case resulted in denial of the claims for methods of loss not covered by the policy.”
Grata, crest dripping sarcasm, asked, “How could that possibly have happened?”
Daring Do managed to point a hoof at Marehem. “HE wrote the policies! That is how!”
Carmen agreed, “It is indeed how. Agent payrolls must be met someway. I was happy to be of assistance in this case.” She grinned happily, “In the course of evaluating the “collections of militaria”, we found a few other things to acquire! Our private museum’s collection of Gryphon art and sculpture is much improved!”
She turned to the General. “Your advice on military collectibles has proved invaluable, General. We had not done much in that regard but now have the start to a good collection. Thank you.”
He tipped his hat. “It was a pleasure, Ms. Pondiego.”
Daring Do was hit by a question. “Umm, the war is almost over? How long was I unconscious?”
The nurse replied, “Define unconscious. By every test that we know, you were dead for the first week. We remember the fool that tried to fly through that weak looking magic of Friend’s!
“She was taking three or four prey a day for that week. She said that you were loving her back properly. Then you started to breathe and your heart to beat. That was two weeks ago. We have gone with her assessments ever since!”
Daring Do’s mind was ticking off the time that they had known Friend and helped her with her precious eggs. “Shouldn’t the eggs have hatched some time ago?”
Friend looked up from her chick preening and feeding. “Friend loved them to wait so that Matunen could watch her nymphs emerge.”
There came a voice from the doorway that could be as loud as a Royal Canterlot Voice or as soft as a dream. Princess Luna entered the room.
The nurse, showing a typical Gryphon respect for leadership, crest rippling with amusement, commented, “Good thing that we don’t have a Navy! This much brass could overload and sink any ship!”
Luna turned to Grata and said quietly, “I am glad that you Gryphons can handle such informality. Our Court …” She shook her head. “Bunch of overstuffed lunks for the most part. No sense of humor.”
Grata, crest rippling amusement, replied, “You have had thousands of years of practice at being fluffed feathers. Give us time. With luck, we will learn to avoid that pitfall by seeing your experience.”
Chuckling, Luna stepped around the hospital nest and smiled at Friend and her nymphs. She stepped close and nuzzled Friend. “Thank you, Friend. You have given me the best gift that I ever got. These Gryphons that you loved into being are the best thing that ever came of our horrible Nightmare Wars.”
Friend looked up to Princess Luna, tears in her eyes. “They are good nymphs.” She suddenly made hardened steel seem soft. “Some are failed nymphs, good only for prey. They hurt Matunen. I take them and love their lives to help Matunen.”
Without any disturbance at all, Princess Luna said, “So I have heard. Why did you choose Doctor Do as Matunen? You know that she can’t give you eggs to tend.”
Friend stared over at Daring Do with love. “From her first word, Daring Do shared care for Friend. She shared mind/heart/love without hesitation or fear. She found out about my eggs. With many other things important to her, she made my eggs most important. No better Matunen could be.”
Luna nodded. “I do see now why you chose her. If none have told you so, Friend, you are wise.”
Luna turned to Daring Do and offered, “You have our greatest thanks, Doctor Do. We found your exhibit on the origins of Gryphons at the end of the last Nightmare War in the Royal Museum. Some, on the acquisitions committee, wanted to remove it until it should be properly cataloged and formally accepted. I ordered it kept on display without reservation.”
Daring Do glanced a question to Carmen. Carmen shrugged. “We know how much of a pain it is to give anything to the Royal Museum. True that they are far better now that Count Umber is out of the woodwork, but it is still not easy. It seemed more expeditious to simply install it in its logical place.”
Daring Do grinned at that. Turning to Luna she said, “I thought that you would like to know that this whole wonderful species came out of that terrible time. That such goodness and honor arose from that dark part of our past.”
Luna nodded slowly, tears at the corners of her eyes. “You were so right, Doctor Do. It really does help.”
Daring Do replied, “I am glad that it does.
“Friend, may I see our nymphs? Up close, I mean?”
Smiling, Friend brought over one chick at a time, using her egg turning claw as a sort of perch and support. After holding each chick close for examination, she set it down on Daring Do’s blanket and fetched another. When the last of the chicks had been transferred, Friend clambered up onto the hospital nest along with them.
She was happily preening the chicks and feeding them. Daring Do realized that she was feeding them by regurgitating small amounts of food. And what, or rather who, the food was.
Oddly, it did not bother her at all. She lay there and thought it over, figuring out that her sharing with Friend had been more complete than she had at first known. It was actually a comforting idea.
About two weeks later, Daring Do was back in the Royal Banquet Hall. In a mobility cart. Friend was pushing her along. In the cart with her was a collection of eaglets, just starting to fletch out.
After the meal, of which Daring Do could only eat a little, she was wheeled about to a place in front of the display of Gryphon origins.
She began, “As I was about to say, before I was so rudely interrupted …”