After being told that he is lost royalty, Gallus goes to Griffonstone to take the throne, but first, there it a trial that he must pass.
Of all the things that Gallus the Griffon has been and thought he would be, lost royalty was never really one of them, but according to Princess Twilight Sparkle, an ancient griffon book indicates otherwise. With that, Gallus returns to the Griffon Empire capital of Griffonstone to try and become their king. However, before he can claim the throne, he must face The Trial of the Throne, an ancient challenge that no one has accomplished in generations.
(If you like this and my other work, please feel free to buy me a ko-fi)
(Written for the 2019 Imposing Sovereigns contest being held by FanOfMostEverything, details of which can be found here.)
Gallus the griffon stopped as he reached his destination. It looked like just about any other door in the castle. On the other side of it however, was Princess Twilight Sparkle's latest project: a library. Her sixth actually, with this one being devoted to international history.
Giving a small nod to the two guards at the door, he walked up and gave a firm knock.
"Come in," the voice of Princess Twilight called out.
"You wished to see me, your highness?" Gallus called out as he stepped inside.
The princess was flying up around the top of one of the shelves, horn glowing its rosy pink glow as books levitated around her, placing them in what she saw as their proper location. Gallus may not have been able to see it, but he knew that she had rolled her eyes.
"It's just us, Gallus," she called out. Her wings gave a flap to push away from the shelf as she turned to fly down towards him. "You don't need to use the honorifics with me. You know that."
"Yes, ma'am," he admitted. Shutting the door, he made his way further into the latest library. "However, I am on duty, and by orders of Commander Shadow, I have to use the honorifics so long as I am in uniform, regardless of our being alone or your feelings of it, under punishment of martial combat training." A term which in this case meant having the commander throw some poor victim around until they were nothing more than a giant aching bruise. Gallus tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Just as we're under standing orders from Sir Spike to make sure you aren't so caught up in other duties and activities that you forget to eat. Ma'am."
"Yes," Twilight Sparkle huffed out, wings flickering against her side. "I remembered to have lunch today." Her gaze focused on him. "In fact, that was what Tempest and I were doing just before I asked her to send you to me." She pointed at a cushion as her horn lit up. "Please take a seat."
Gallus moved to the cushion and sat down. He resisted the urge to knead it, not wanting to be the one to create the first cuts and tears in it.
"You see," Twilight said as she pulled a book over to her, "part of why I made this one is not only to learn about other nations, but also share some knowledge with them. Some of the books you see around you are ones that have been sent to me from those countries." Her lips pressed thin. "Not many as I would like. Dragons haven't really had much reason to write down things in the past, and books were seen as another part of the hoard, so the few they have are things that they just refuse to part with. Then there's the yaks, who are mostly oral by tradition. At least with them, we can have the storytellers share with us, and simply write it down for the future. As opposed to the changelings, who don't really have a clear history to share beyond 'Queen Chrysalis tells us what to do, we do it, and don't question her because if..."
Princess Twilight stopped, cleared her throat, and slowly pulled her wings down as they had flared out at some point during her... "impassioned speech."
"I'm getting off topic," she stated. "Anyway, some of them are copied and distributed to libraries or book stories which may be interested, and even back to the original nations for their own use. I also have been performing repairs on the books that have been damaged for various reasons over the years."
Her ears pulled back as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Guess which nation I've been having to do the most repairs with."
Considering she was talking to him about it, it was pretty obvious to Gallus which one the correct answer would be. He considered intentionally giving the wrong answer to the princess, just to be funny.
Then he thought better of it.
This time.
"Maintaining things like books and libraries did mean spending bits on them," Gallus pointed out. "Often without getting any in return, much less a profit."
"Yes," Twilight huffed. "Generations of knowledge and history loss due to focusing only on ' the bottom line.'' She snorted, giving a shake of her head. "For every book we were able to save, there's probably a dozen or so that are forever lost."
Not sure what to say to that, Gallus just gave a shrug.
"Anyway," Twilight continued, "as I've been working on them, I've also been reading them. The most recent one is actually a history of griffon royalty. How much do you know about that?"
"Just that the last king was Grover, and his rule fell apart after Arimaspi stole The Idol of Boreas. Same as Grampa Gruff tells every griffon." Gallus let out a huff. "Whether they wanted to hear it or not."
"Right, right," Twilight said, giving a nod. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Gallus, how much do you remember about your family?"
Gallus tensed at the question, his wings flaring out at his side. He may have gotten better about it over the years, but his being an orphan was still a sensitive subject for him.
"...nothing..." he finally answered, wings dropping at his side. He looked down at his own forelegs. "I imagine that one of them was blue like me, but... I don't know if it was my mother or father." His tongue slipped out to lick along the edge of his beak. "Sometimes... I think I have a vague memory of a lullaby singing me to sleep, but I'm not sure if it's something I actually remember, or something I wished for so much, that I created it from nothing."
"Gallus," Princess Twilight Sparkle said softly, "I think... you may be descended from royalty."
The griffon looked at her a moment, then started laughing. So much so that he fell backwards, his armor thumping loudly against the stone floor.
"I... fail to see how this is funny," Twilight said. Getting up, she moved over to look down at him, brow furrowed.
"...what?" Gallus asked, and it was all he was able to say.
The princess held up the book she had been levitating.
"According to this book," she explained, "The Griffon Empire actually had a long line of rulers, a family who was recognized by their plumage being the colors of royalty. Specifically, blue and gold."
Gallus shifted, looking at his own blue feathers, then up toward the patch of gold tips on his head.
"As it turns out," Twilight continued, "the family was patriarchal, with the right to the throne being passed down from father to son. Most often the oldest. Two generations prior to Grover, the king at the time had two children, with only one being male. The daughter fled with one of the guards. The generation after, the one before Grover, only one child was born, a son, but..." she took a deep breath. "He died before taking the throne. With no immediate heir, it left something of a power vacuum. An open throne with no one to claim it. So, the highest nobles, despite not actually being of royal blood, fought among themselves for the right to be king and ..." she motioned a hoof at him. "You know the rest."
He nodded, trying to process what he had just been told.
"However," Twilight said, "it also means that there are royal descendants out there. Ones that were not immediately in the line of inheritance who went off to do their own things, including having families."
She stepped forward and raised a wing, placing it on his shoulder.
"Gallus, I believe you are one of those descendants. Maybe even the last one."
Gallus sat there, thinking about it, taking it all in.
Then he asked the only question that made any sense.
"So what?"
"Gallus, do you know what this means?"
"Nothing," he retorted. "Even if it is true, even if I am some sort of lost heir, no one is going to care. No pony in Equestria, and definitely no griffon in the empire." He let out a huff. "I can already hear them. 'So, you're a royal brat, so what? You're not getting any of my bits!'" His tail gave a lash and wings flicked. "Besides, what could I do even if it was true?"
"Give them a chance," Princess (and this time it felt it had to be added) Twilight Sparkle said. "Give them hope. A way to make things better."
Stepping closer, she pressed against his side, wrapping a wing around him.
"Gallus, the griffons need a leader. Someone to guide them and their empire into a better future. Gilda and Gabby have been doing their best, and have made some progress, but they can only do so much, and neither really have an interest in being leaders. Gabby is happy as a messenger, and Gilda as a baker."
"And I'm a guard," Gallus pointed out.
"You're a leader," Twilight corrected. "Remember, I've watched you as a my student, a trainee, and as one of my royal guards. I've seen the potential in you for a long time. You're a griffon who is willing to listen, and to help. Even if it means sharing things about yourself you would prefer not to. I've seen someone who doesn't like seeing others hurt, suffer, or even be upset. I see someone who would risk themselves, face their greatest fears, to make sure that others don't get hurt."
She pulled away and moved to stand in front of him. Her purple eyes were bright and she gave him a friendly smile.
"I see a griffon who could do whatever he wants, if only given half a chance. And that includes, being a king. One that can help the entirety of The Griffon Empire into a better state."
She leaned in.
"Please, Gallus. At least give it a try. For the griffons?"
After thinking about, he let out a sigh, and gave a nod.
Sitting by the side of the air carriage, Gallus watched as they approached Griffonstone. His old home. A city built on stones, then left to rot. The bright colors of Equestria had been left behind, giving way to brown dirt and gray rocks.
There was a flash of blue with amounts of pink and yellow, interrupting his thoughts as much as his view.
"I can't believe it!" Silverstream squealed out for the... umpteenth time. Gallus had not even bothered trying to keep track of it. "One of my friends! Royalty!" Her foretalons clenched into fists and she shook them, hind hooves kicking. "It's so exciting!"
Gallus could only let out a small huff. He had already pointed out that he may not actually be royalty, that it probably would not matter, that she herself was royalty and a lot closer to the throne than he was, that she was the first hippogriff Wonderbolt in recorded history which was a big deal in its own way, and a few other things as well. Each time, she would say something to acknowledge it, but it never stopped her from squealing and commenting again. And again. And again.
Still, he was glad that Silverstream had been able to make it. It would have been better if all of his friends could have made it, but they all had other obligations now, and there was a rush for the trip. Princess Twilight had wanted to get to Griffonstone as soon as could be arranged, to at the very least find out what they can do to start the process to get Gallus recognized as royalty, and take the throne as king.
King Gallus, he thought, and shook his head. It still did not sound right to him. An orphan from the street, joining the military, and turning out to be secretly royalty? It sounded like something out of a story book. The only things missing were some great threat to the kingdom that they had to defeat, and a princess to fall in love with. Although the first was a possibility, considering all that had happened, and as for the second... well... There was a princess, but she was in a relationship, and while Gallus did love her, it was not in a romantic sense. More somewhere between parent and sibling.
"We're getting ready to land," Princess Twilight Sparkle announced. "Silverstream, you better get ready."
After snapping a salute, Silverstream snapped her goggles in place and pulled away, flying ahead and above the carriage.
As they started to descend, Gallus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Picking up his helmet, he placed it back on his head. It had been a while since he had been back to the city. Last time he had gone, it had been for Grampa Gruff's funeral. He had even stayed for the reading of the will. Gallus had gotten the old griffon's fez, and everyone assembled got one last whack with his walking stick for "driving me to my grave."
Opening his eyes, he looked out. As he watched, they came down in front of the newest building in Griffonstone. It was easy enough to tell apart from the rest of the buildings for one simple fact: it had not fallen apart yet. The walls were all upright and in one piece. The paint was still white, not yet yellowed by the sun or peeling away. The thatch on the roof was a bright yellow, not yet showing signs of rot.
It looked great.
Which made the broken, rotting piles of once buildings look all the worse by comparison.
Once the carriage came to a stop, Silverstream walked up and opened the door. Gallus stepped out first, his golden armor glistening in the sun. His blue eyes flicked back and forth, taking in the area around him and checking for any possible threats, and wings spread wide.
Growing up around griffons, and being one himself, Gallus understood how most of them were. They were curious, they were greedy, but they were not dumb. Seeing the approaching carriage had gotten the attention of quite a number of the locals, as even with the exchanges, Griffonstone did not get a lot of visitors. Once they got a good look at the carriage, and how expensive it must have been, they started calculating, figuring out how they could possibly get as many bits from the rider as possible. Having a griffon dressed in armor, wings spread, glaring right at them was enough to make most decide they had more important matters to attend to elsewhere.
Satisfied, he lowered his wings and stepped aside, allowing Princess Twilight Sparkle to step from the carriage. As she started walking toward the building, Gallus moved to follow, a step to the side and behind. He continued his scans as he marched, keeping an eye out for any possible thieves.
From the corner of his eye, he caught Silverstream landing on the Princess's other side and falling into step as well.
The door to the newest building opened, pushed by a griffon cub. Too young to tell the gender, but old enough to have the full feathers covering their body. They looked up at the group and their eyes went wide, beak falling open.
"You're a princess!" the little griffon squeaked out, hopping up with excitement on the last word.
"Yes, I am," Princess Twilight said, leaning down to smile at the cub.
"Mom said we were having a special visitor," the cub said, "but she didn't tell me it was a princess." Turning around, they ran back inside.
"Mom! Mama! There's a princess here to see us!"
"Really?" a rough feminine voice called out. "I never would have guessed. I mean, you're just shouting it at the top of your lungs for every griffon to hear."
Gilda the griffon stepped out from the back, making her way toward the cub. The older griffon pulled the smaller closer, reaching up to ruffle their head feathers.
"Why don't you go see if Mama needs any help getting things while I show them to a table?"
"Right," the cub said, giving a nod. Pulling free of Gilda's grip, they made their way toward the kitchen. Gilda watched before turning toward the group of arrivals.
"Twilight," Gilda said, giving a faint bend of her forelegs. She turned to look at Gallus. "Dweeb." A smirked formed on her mouth. "Decided to try and be a royal dork now, huh?"
"Yeah," Gallus snorted, rolling his eyes. "Don't worry, though, I won't banish you for being illiterate or anything." He then stepped closer and opened his wings, giving Gilda a hug.
"Glad to see you're doing well."
"You too," Gilda said as she returned the wing hug. She then pulled away and whacked him on the helmet with a metallic thump! "Which we would both know if you visited more often! Give Guinea a chance to know her Uncle Gallus."
Gallus rubbed at the helmet, feeling his head aching a little underneath, then turned to glare at Princess Twilight and Silverstream, both of whom were snickering.
"Come on," Gilda said as she turned and started walking. "I got a table set up. Tea and scones should be out shortly."
As they walked, Gallus looked at Princess Twilight.
"You're fine with her striking one of your guards?"
Twilight Sparkle turned to look at him from the corner of her eye.
"Do you remember learning about the changeling invasion of Canterlot?"
Gallus gave a nod, brow furrowing. What did that have to do with anything.
"To remind you," Twilight said, "Shining Armor is my older brother, and I didn't find out about him even dating, much less getting married, until I got an invitation days before the ceremony." Her eyes narrowed as she smirked. "Sometimes, a sibling could use a good smack, guard or not."
With a sigh, Gallus shook his head. He considered pointing out that he and Gilda were not actually related, but one of Professor Applejack's lessons had been how "family ain't just 'bout blood." There had not been an exact definition on what did and did not constitute family as opposed to friends -- even really close friends -- but the point had remained the same.
Besides, having a niece did not sound so bad.
"So, Gilda," Princess Twilight said as she took a seat, "what do you think? Can we get griffons to accept Gallus as king of The Griffon Empire?"
As she sat down, the older griffon took a deep breath and shifted, wings flickering.
"Well, the good news," she answered, "is that most of the griffons I've talked to would like a leader of some sort." She rolled her eyes. "Even if a few of them want it just so they can blame someone for how lousy things are. Still, the are a minority, and most hope that they could have a king or queen to help them have a better life. More like what the stories of The Griffon Empire claim they are."
"Does that mean there's bad news?"
Before Twilight got an answer, Guinea came out, wings spread wide as she carried a tray filled with scones. Not far behind her was Greta, carrying her own tray. On it was the teapot and cups.
"Scones!" the cub announced as she reached the edge of the table.
"And tea," Greta added. She took a hold of the tray Guinea was carrying and set it on the table before doing the same with her own. The two new arrivals moved to take their own seats, joining the others.
"While they do want a leader," Gilda stated as she picked up the pot, "they aren't going to just accept any griffon." She began pouring. "Most don't care about the word from an Equestrian princess when it comes to our king or queen, and even with Gabby's help, we can't get enough support from others to have it simply accepted because we asked." The first cup was passed across to the Twilight. "They want proof. Something that shows that Gallus is meant to be king. Something like The Idol of Boreas."
"Great," Gallus huffed as he grabbed a scone. "Too bad there's only one of those in the world, and it's deep in The Abyssal Abyss." He took a bite. "Any griff..."
The rest of his statement was lost as he chewed, noticing the taste of the baked treat he had grabbed. It was not as sweet as a cookie or cupcake, but it was sweet. There was also a hint of something that he could not quite place. Something fruity.
"Not the Idol itself," Gilda corrected as she passed him a cup. "Something like it. A sign that the ancestors or First Griffon was supporting the claim."
"Do you know something like that?" asked Silverstream, eyes wide with curiosity.
Gilda's eyes narrowed as she smirked.
"I don't," she said, turning to face Greta, "but she does."
The minty colored griffon hen grinned and leaned forward.
"My own grandpa told me many stories," she explained. "Including one called 'The Trial of the Throne.'"
According to Greta, King Grover had wanted to prevent the infighting to happen again. So he had created "The Trial for the Throne." The idea had been that, if there was no proper heir to the throne, then any griffon who was willing to face The Trial, and should they succeed, they would prove themselves worthy of rule, and have the right to take the throne. After the loss of The Idol and King Grover's passing with no heir, many tried. Few returned, and those that did would say nothing of what they had been through.
Now, Gallus the griffon stood before Trial of the Throne Mountain, shortened to "Throne Mountain" over the years. A sheer tower of stone that must have been a mile in height. It was a reminder of what "looming" meant. A cave entrance stood ahead, one he would have to enter, and face whatever laid beyond it, alone.
Although, he was not alone just yet. Princess Twilight and Gilda stood nearby and...
"Gallus!" Silverstream called out as she flew toward him. "Gallus! Gallus! Gallus!" She flew around to face him. "Look what I got!" The hyper hippogriff held up a shirt in her talons. On the front was a crudely drawn circle, painted in to look something like his head if the artist had been drunk and squinting. Above the circle was written, "I SAW THE KING," and beneath it, "CONQER THE MOUNTAIN!"
"That's nice," Gallus said flatly, rolling his eyes.
"I know!" Silverstream squealed out as she clutched the shirt against her. "Now when you're king of the griffons, I'll have a souvenir to prove that I was there."
Her and so many others. After the story had been told and it was decided that Gallus would attempt The Trial, word had gotten out. Seeing an opportunity to make some bits, a bunch of griffons had set up stands. They were selling food, drinks, souvenirs, and some even had games that could be played. Other griffons had shown up as well, wanting to see what would happen with Gallus one way or the other. Still others have shown up since, either curious about what was going on, or just because it was something to do.
The entire thing had practically become a festival. Greta was even taking Guinea around to see everything, and Gilda had grumbled about wishing she had known, so they could have set up a booth as well.
"And how's the other shirt selling?" asked Gallus.
Silverstream shifted, looking up and away from Gallus.
"What other shirt?" she asked in a rather subdued tone.
"The one they're selling that commemorates my failing."
A nervous laugh escaped the hippogriff as she put the shirt away. She then flew in and hugged Gallus.
"You don't need to worry about that," she said as she gave him a pat on the back. "You're going to do great."
"We all believe that," Princess Twilight Sparkle stated as she moved closer. "Are you ready to begin?"
"No," Gallus huffed, pulling away from the hug. "But I'm as close as I'm ever going to be."
Twilight smiled as her horn lit up. She gave the saddlebag he was wearing one last adjustment.
The stories said that any griffon that was to undergo the trial had to do so alone. However, there had been nothing about carrying some supplies with them. So the little group had filled a pair of saddlebags for him to take with him. It included some bits, a few gemstones, a first aid kit, some scones, two canteens of water, a blanket, and a bunch of glow sticks. Hopefully, he would not need any of it, but better to have and not need.
"You can do this, Gallus," said Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Just trust yourself, and remember what you're working for."
He gave a nod, then turned to Gilda.
"If I die, I am so haunting you," he declared.
"Great," Gilda huffed, rolling her eyes. "Just what I need. Your whining at me for the rest of my life." She then stepped closer and gave him a punch on the shoulder, making Gallus stumble to the side. But only a step or two.
"Seriously, though," the griffoness said, "good luck in there."
Resisting the urge to rub his shoulder, Gallus gave a nod. He stepped away from the others and turned toward the cave. Head high and chest out, he started marching forward. As he approached the entrance, his traitorous wings and tail give flicks of nervousness.
Stopping at the entrance, Gallus took a slow, deep breath as he got ready to step in.
Then another.
A third.
One more for luck.
He gave a shake of his head. No more procrastinating. He had a job to do, and by... Grampa's Fez! (that seemed as good a thing to swear by as anything else)... he was going to do it. Gallus lifted his left foreleg, lowered it until it stopped shaking, lifted it again, and stepped inside. When nothing happened to instantly tried to kill him, he took another step forward. Then another, and another. After ten whole steps, he was inside and nothing had tried to him... yet.
As expected, the cave grew darker and darker as Gallus made his way deeper. Once it finally reached too dark for him to see, he reached into the bag and pulled out one of the chemical glow sticks. A snap of the glass vial inside, a shake of the stick, and the little tube gave off a pale blue light that shined off the stones.
Gallus froze, throat going dry as his heart pounded in his chest.
Had... had the walls always been this close? Or had the passage gotten smaller since he started? He started taking short, fast breaths, suddenly unable to get enough air. His heart sped up, slamming into his rib cage at the speed of a hummingbird. It was bad enough that he had agreed to this stupid trial, that he was stuck in a lousy cave with no clear sky above him, with no way he can fly if he needs to, why did it have to be so small?
Did they pack a paper bag? He needed a paper bag.
Why was there no paper bag?!
Closing his eyes as tight as possible, Gallus tried to calm down. Focus on his breathing. Slowly in through the nostrils, then out through the mouth. He pictured a place he felt safe, comfortable, relaxed. The Clubhouse of Harmony. He was there with his friends, sprawled out on the floor as they laughed about something.
He was at graduation. Grampa Gruff tells him how he knew Gallus could accomplish something if he tried. The old buzzard then whacked him with the cane and yelled at him not to waste it.
He was at a different graduation, the one where he finished basic and became a guard. The griffon is standing before a grinning Princess Twilight Sparkle, and a stoic looking Commander Tempest Shadow. The princess officially welcomes him into her guard. The commander says he has potential.
He is back in the present. His breathing is regular. His heart beat has slowed down. He was not completely okay, but he had his fear under control.
As he made his way further into the cave, Gallus began to realize just how disorienting it could be. He had been walking for a while, but had no way of telling how long. Had it been an hour? Hour and a half? Less? Then there was the floor. He had taken a few turns but was the it all on the same level? If not, had he been going up? Down? And how far?
Gallus stopped as he thought he heard something. His head tilted, shifting side to side as he tried to listen for something, and where it was coming from.
Crying? Was someone down here and crying?
The griffon moved slowly, following it. It lead him forward, then to a small hole in the wall.
"Hello?" he called out, crouching down to look inside. "Some-creature down there?"
"Help!" a high-pitched voice called out. "Please help me!" It sounded like a child.
"How'd you get stuck down there?" Gallus called down.
"I... I don't know," the other called back. "We were racing around the top, and something hit me. I was falling, and then I was... down here." There was a sniffle. "I want to go home. I want my mommy!"
Gallus pulled back and looked at the opening. It was... small... Big enough that he could probably squeeze through it, but barely. If he tried, the stone would be close. Very close. As in, pressing on him from every possible side close.
"What's your name?"
"Galileo," the child answered. "But everygriff calls me Leo."
"Okay, Leo," Gallus called out. "My name is Gallus." Leaning down, he stuck the glow stick into the opening. "Now, can you see the light from the tunnel I'm at?"
A second passed before Leo answered, "No."
Well that was a slight problem.
"Do you know which tunnel I'm talking through?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now, can you climb up it?"
Another second passed. Two. Three.
"No," Leo called back. "It's too high to reach, and I can't fly up. I hurt my wing when I fell."
With a sigh, Gallus pulled back.
"Great," he grumbled to himself. "Great, great, great." He glared at the opening, his mind going through the possibilities. Leo had already said he could not climb out or fly, so that was not an option. Gallus could try getting help, but that would mean taking however long to get back to the entrance, finding some creatures that could help, and bringing them back. It also meant that the cub would be stuck down there all alone.
A groan escaped the griffon tom as he shook his head. As much as he hated it, the best plan was for him Gallus to... to... climb down the hole and get to the lost little griffon.
He hated the idea. Hated it. It meant being pressed on every side by stone, having it close in on every side. Not even enough space for his wings. Rubbing against his fur and feathers. Possibly scraping skin. If he took deep a breath, he might get stuck.
It was also the best choice. The fastest way to check on Leo and find a way out.
Besides, he was a guard, and part of that job was helping others.
"I'm going to come down and get you. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay," Gallus repeated. Now he just had to actually go through with it. Made him wish that there was a griffon like the Equestrian Princesses that he could pray to for help. A griffon to ask to watch over them and keep them safe. To get out of this alive.
A small part of him wondered if that would happen to him. If griffons would say things like "only Gallus knows," or "Oh, Gallus!"
The glow stick was tossed into the hole. Gallus watched as it vanished from sight, then tried to listen for it hitting the ground, trying to figure out how far it went. The sound never reached him. Still, it could not be that far if he was able to Galileo crying and talking. Even echoes could travel so far, especially while still being understandable.
Taking off the saddlebags, Gallus wrapped the strap around his neck, letting them dangle against his chest. The griffon closed his eyes, crouched down low, and crawled forward toward the hole.
As soon as he felt the stone touch him, he froze.
What was he doing? What was he doing? This was insane. Completely, utterly insane. It was a tiny hole. Solid stone. He could get stuck. Get crushed. His wings will be useless. And that was assuming they did not somehow get damaged while he forced his way through the opening, crawling on his belly.
A young tom was in trouble. He needed help. Gallus was the only help available. It was also part of his job to help.
If there is anygriff out there, he silently prayed, please help us both get through this.
After taking one more breath, Gallus pushed forward. He felt the stone snag at the bottom of the bags. It rubbed against his forelegs. Scratched against his coat and skin. It pressed in on him from every side, pressing his wings tight against his sides.
It's not shrinking, he told himself. It's not shrinking. It's not shrinking. It's not shrinking. He needed something to distract him. Something else to focus on.
He probably was not the only one, either. The bag dropped from his mouth as he opened it
"So, Leo," Gallus called out as he inched forward, "you said you were racing before you wound up here?"
"Yes," Leo answered.
"Do you like racing?"
"...No. I'm not very good at it. Grit does though. He says he's going to be a Wonderbolt when he grows up."
"What about you? What are you going to be?"
There was silence as the younger griffon considered the answer. One that Gallus did not like. All he could hear was the beat of his own heart in his ears.
"I don't know," Leo answered.
"Well, what do you like?"
"Looking at the stars. And building stuff."
Gallus paused as a particularly large and sharp rock dug into his shoulder. His jaw clenched as he held back the need to hiss in pain. He had to twist his body, and presses against the left side more, forcing more stones to press against him on that side, but he was able to get past the rock. Although, the warmth running down his foreleg indicated that it was not without some injury.
"Have you heard of Princess Twilight Sparkle?" he asked as he resumed crawling forward.
"No," Leo answered. The voice was louder, and easier to understand. He must have been close.
"Well she really likes stars too," Gallus explained, "and she loves teaching. When we get out of here, I bet the two of you could go look at the stars, and she could teach you some of the constellations."
"Really? That sounds cool."
The bag's strap tugged at his throat, making him stop. Reaching up, Gallus grabbed a hold of the bag and gave it a tug.
A loud ripping sound suddenly filled the small space. It was quickly followed by the clink of coins, the ding of gems and the thump of other items falling to the ground.
"What was that?" Galileo asked.
"One of my bags tore," Gallus answered. "May want to move back. Stuff is going to fall out."
He pushed forward, inching his way further and further along. His chest and forelegs pushed the objects in front of him, making them travel down the tunnel with him. As expected, he could sometimes hear a thump of something falling onto the ground.
Finally, finally, his talons reached the edge of the tunnel, feeling a wider opening beyond. Gallus gripped the edges and pulled himself further forward. Once past the edge, he opened his eyes and took a deep breath.
With one last pull and good kick from his hind legs, he slipped free, falling to the floor below.
"Are you okay?"
Turning toward the voice, Gallus looked at Galileo. He was a small cub, and on the skinny side. The exact color of his coat and feathers was hard to tell in the light of the glow stick, but it must have been dark. It looked nearly black. Glistening streaks shined in the light, running from Leo's eyes and down his face. One wing was tucked in properly, while the other was being was sticking out.
"Yeah," Gallus said as he moved to sit. "I'm fine." He pulled off the saddlebags. "Here." Opening one, he pulled out the first aid kit. "Let me take a look at that wing."
Gallus wrapped Leo's wing (which, fortunately, was not broken), and put a bandage on his shoulder. The two then had some water and a quick snack. The younger griffon inhaled the scones, eating them so fast, it had to be impossible for him to even taste them.
"Feeling better?" Gallus asked.
"Uh-huh," Leo replied around a mouthful of pastry, vigorously shaking his head.
"Good." Standing up, the older griffon stretched out. "Because we need to get moving if we're going to get out of here." He turned toward the tunnel he had crawled through, walked toward it, then stopped.
Maybe there was another way out. One that was not so... small and tight. Not a bad idea to look around, anyways.
Grabbing two fresh glow sticks, he gave them a quick snap and a shake. One gave off a green-tinted glow, while the other was orange.
"Here." He held the sticks out toward Leo. "Take one."
Leo took the orange one, holding it in his good wing.
"Now let's see if we can find another way out."
Although, it turned out that they were not searching, so much as he was. As Gallus moved along the wall, walking away from the hole he had come in through, he moved the light up and down, searching for a gap or opening. Meanwhile, Leo followed not far behind, mirroring the movements, albeit at a lower position.
After a few false starts, which included a small opening that Leo may have fallen through, Gallus managed to find something. There was a spot where the wall was recessed and curved back in on itself. Near chest-level was another opening. It was nice and large, enough that he could open his wings wide and walk through with space to spare. Beyond it looked to be another cavern.
Gallus took the two canteens, and a few more of the glow sticks, leaving the bags and rest of its contents behind. Doing so bothered him. All the stuff he had packed had been done with a purpose. If he ran into a situation where he needed it, he would regret this. Besides, he was leaving behind bits. Bits. What kind of griffon abandoned bits? Especially ones that were rightfully theirs in the first place?
Still, sometimes, it was necessary to leave things behind. Besides, he had a bigger priority now: get the cub to safety.
Gallus placed Galileo on his back, forelegs wrapping around his neck and talons gripping his fur tightly. With the cub safely secured and ready, the two of them made their up the step and into the next cavern.
"Do you really know a princess?" Leo asked.
"Know her?" Gallus repeated with a smirk. "She used to be my teacher, then she was my boss."
"Yeah, right," Leo replied, and Gallus could practically hear sound of eyes rolling.
"Really," Gallus insisted. "See, it started with the... fourth?... No, third. It happened during The Third Canterlot Invasion, when The Storm Forces attacked."
"What are The Storm Forces?"
Gallus gave a small smile, his tail flicking with excitement. He told Galileo about The Storm King and his invasion; about The School of Friendship, and all the different creatures met there, who became friends; of basic training and the hard work there; and of his time in the castle in Canterlot. The little griffon listened to the stories excitedly, which was part of the point. If he was distracted, he was less likely to be scared.
It also meant that the cub may not notice things.
Say a pile of shapes in the gloom that may or may not be bones. One that Gallus did not want to take too close a look at himself.
The two of them talked as they went through the cavern. Then through another.
Gallus stopped as they reached a staircase. The steps were carved, each wide enough for two grown toms to walk side by side without their wings touching, and long enough for Leo to fit on them standing sideways. The hall for the stairs led upwards, the top vanishing in darkness beyond the glow sticks.
Glow sticks it turned they were not going to need at the moment. As his foot touched the step, a recessed crystal lit up, its silvery light shining bright enough to see the next four steps clearly. When Gallus reached that point, another came on further up. Then another after that.
"Well, this has to lead somewhere," Gallus said mostly to himself as he continued up.
"Maybe it leads to a dragon's lair full of treasure," Galileo suggested, good wing giving a flicker of excitement.
"If it is, I hope they lead out of here."
And not turn us into Equestria fried griffon, Gallus mentally added. While many have gotten friendlier since Ember became Dragon Lord, not all dragons were as accepting, and even among those that did, there were many that would get mad at finding another creature in their lair. It was also a pretty common reaction for dragons to attack first and ask questions later. Especially if they thought their hoards were in trouble.
Their climb stopped as their way became blocked. In front of them was a stone relief image. A large griffon tom stood in profile, a single indented circle where his eye should be. He was dressed in a crown and cape, and held a sword in one claw, pointing at a pile of what was probably supposed to be treasure.
"I bet it's a puzzle!" Leo cried out.
'Yeah..." Gallus said. Now, he regretted having never read The Daring Do books. According to his friends who had read them, the main character had dealt with quite a number of puzzles. It might give him some clue how to do this one.
Still, he was a smart griffon. He could probably figure something out. It probably had something to do with the indentation for the eye. An indentation about the size of...
"Hey, kid, give me a bit."
"What bit?" Leo asked, in the tone that indicated he knew exactly what Gallus was talking about.
Gallus turned his neck, tilting to look at the cub on his back
"One of the bits you picked up because I was leaving them behind, and thought I didn't see you snag."
"You saw that?"
"No, but I know you did it." Gallus held up a claw. "Come on. I need one to get us out of here."
Leo let out a growl, but pulled a bit out and dropped it into the outstretched claw. Gallus stepped forward and reached up, putting the bit into the eye socket. There was a click as it went in.
As the two griffons stepped forward, more crystals lit up, revealing a large, circular chamber. A great round room with arching supports leading up to the domed ceiling. Tapestries hung down, eight in total. Four were large and golden, while the other four where smaller and crimson, all of them having a profile of a griffon with a crown on his head. In the center of the room was a throne, made of dark wood, with golden accents. Sitting upon the throne was a sculpture of King Grover, made of the same material as the seat itself. An exact duplicate of his crown rested on his head, and his forelegs were outstretched, talons up. In his open palms laid a scepter. It was made of gold, and silver, inlaid with gemstones. One end had an eagle head, encompassed by the inner curve of spread out wings. The other had a lion's tail, curving into a S-shape before ending back against itself.
That was perfect. If Gallus came out of the mountain with that, it would absolutely be proof that he had succeeded. No griffon could argue that he had cheated or anything.
Crouching slightly, Gallus extended one wing and lowered the tip to the ground.
"Wait here," he ordered.
"Why?" Leo asked. Still, he made his way down off Gallus's back and onto the floor.
"I'm going to grab that scepter," Gallus replied, motioning toward it. "Then we're going to find another exit and see if we can get out of here." He shifted to look at Leo. "I want you to wait here just in case there's a trap."
After getting a nod, he took off and flew to the throne. In front of it, Gallus slowly lowered himself to the ground, making sure none of the spots his feet touch suddenly sank down. Once all his weight had settled and nothing had shifted, he reached up for the scepter.
"Gallus," a feminine voice whispered out. "Gallus, sweetie."
It sounded like it was coming from right in front of him.
Looking up, Gallus noticed that the statue's eyes were not wood or gold, but a pale yellow-green gemstone of some sort. Gemstones that were currently glowing. In the gems, he saw himself. Not as he was now, but as a young tom, about the age he went to The School of Friendship. Another griffon then joined him. A hen, much older than he was, with the same markings.
Mom? Gallus thought as he stared.
The two were joined by an older tom, with a dark brown coat, silver feathers, and white markings.
Dad.
Another hen showed up, older than Gallus, but younger than Mom. She had a bright purple coat and darker purple markings. The hen grabbed him, putting one foreleg around his neck and pulled in close. She then brought the other claw to his head, giving him a noogie.
A griffon cub ran up and lunged at Gallus, slamming into his chest. Gallus let out a laugh as he wrapped his forelegs around the kid, pulling him into a hug.
A mom. A dad. A big sister. A little brother.
A family. One that raised him. Took care of him. Spent time with him.
Loved him.
They were in a field, surrounded by lots of lush, green grass. The rest of the family sat on a blanket, a picnic spread out before them.
"Come on, Gallus," Mom called out. "We're waiting for you."
His family waiting for him. His family. A father, a mother, and siblings. It was perfect. It was everything he wanted.
It...
It was not real.
Other memories pushed into his mind. Real memories. A Hearth's Warming break where all his friends decided to stay at school with him, just so he would not have to spend the holiday alone. The next winter break, when he spent it with Grampa Gruff and the others, because Gruff insisted on it. That same "Grampa" who Gabby to keep an eye on him, see how he was doing in school. Gilda's teasing, giving him a hard time. The same kind of teasing he got from Smolder. He and Smolder reaching the exit from the cave when they were being tested. Sharing his greatest fear with Silverstream.
The looks of pride he got when he graduated.
The congratulations he got when he became a guard.
Family. His real family. Not by blood. By choice and shared experiences.
Gallus grabbed the scepter, then ripped his gaze away from the glowing green eyes as he turned around.
"Are you okay?"
Gallus jumped at the sound, eyes going wide. He had been so caught up in the visions from the stones and his own memories, he had forgotten about the cub.
"Yeah," Gallus said. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Making his way over to Leo, he gave the cub a pat on the back.
"Come on, kid. Let's find a way out of here."
After a quick search, they found the exit hidden behind one of the larger tapestries. It was another staircase, although smaller. The passage was narrower until only a single griffon could comfortably pass through, and the steps just long enough for a single paw to fit on.
Tucking the scepter under one wing, and placing Galileo back on his back, Gallus started his descent. They made their way down in silence. Gallus knew he should say something, to get the kid talking to help pass the time, but he was not feeling very talkative. Either Galileo picked up on that, or was not feeling very talkative himself. He seemed perfectly fine to ride along in silence.
Or maybe he stole something from the chamber, and did not want to draw attention to himself while he had it.
After walking down stairs until his legs ached, Gallus saw it. Up ahead was a patch of light. Natural light. Not another set of crystals glowing to give them a way to see their path, but good, honest, Twilight-raised sunlight. It brought fresh excitement to the griffon. Excitement enough that he had to keep himself from speeding up.
Be pretty embarrassing for him to fall and break his neck at the very end. He could even imagine the headstone:
HERE LIES GALLUS THE GRIFFON POSSIBLE PRINCE DEFINITE IDIOT
Reaching the exit, Gallus stepped out of the cave... and found himself standing in front of everyone. He had somehow come out from the same point he had gone in through.
Curious, he turned around to look back in.
He could not see anything.
"LEO!" someone cried out.
"MOM!" Galileo called back. Hopping down, the cub took off, running full speed into the waiting forelegs of his mother. She picked him up and pulled him tight, squeezing him against her chest.
"Oh, my boy," she cried out. "I was so worried about you."
Setting the cub down, she bolted over to Gallus and pulled him into a hug. Her grip was so tight, it felt like his head was going to pop off.
"Thank you! Thank you!" the mother said. "You brought my little Leo back to me."
"You're welcome," Gallus wheezed out. "It was no problem."
The hug finally came to an end, only to be replaced by another. Not as bone-crushing, but just excited.
"You're okay!" Silverstream squealed out as she picked Gallus up off his feet and shook him with the hug. "And you were able to find a lost griffon and bring him back to his mother!"
"Yeah," Gallus replied, trying to keep himself limp as he let her vent her enthusiastic excitement. "How long was I in there, anyways?"
"About three hours," Princess Twilight answered as she approached. "Were you able to find anything that could prove you made it through?"
Shifting, Gallus pulled free of Silverstream's grasp and got back to the ground. His chest puffed out and neck straightened as he stepped forward, allowing everyone gathered to see him. Reaching into his wing, he took a hold of the scepter and raised it up high.
A gasp passed through the crowd, followed by murmurs.
The following weeks (more than a month) had been a lot of work. Word had to be spread all across The Griffon Empire that there was now to be a new king. Responses included excitement, indifference, and anger. Some griffons had claimed that they should have been the ones who took the throne. However, none of them were actually willing to undergo the trial themselves. Still, between the scepter, Gilda and Gabby, the direct support of Equestria by Princess Twilight Sparkle, the indirect support of The Hippogriff Kingdom by Silverstream being Queen Novo's niece, and the griffons' desire for a leader to help improve the empire as a whole, they were able to get enough support for Gallus's rule to be recognized.
There had even been offers to be his queen, royal consort, or even concubine. Offers from females, and males, from griffons, hippogriffs, a few ponies, and even a couple of changelings. It was quite a variety.
Then there was all the preparation for the coronation itself. A new crown had to be made, and there was an insistence of a full, proper royal garbs, including one specifically designed for the ceremony itself. Word had to be sent out to the other kingdoms, along with invitations, allowing them to send representation. Also, since the coronation was also something of a party, which meant that food and entertainment had to be set up.
Being sick of food was something Gallus had never imagined was possible.
Since the new king would need a place to live, renovations of the castle began. A full and proper repair and update would take far more time than they had (especially to do it properly), only a small portion was focused on at the moment. Specifically, a living quarters, the throne room, and the kitchen. It would be enough to allow for living and working while the rest of the castle was worked on later.
As the day grew closer and word spread, a surprising number of relatives (which, in this case means any) began to show up. Usually, they would come to Gallus, claiming to be some X cousin Y removed on one side or the other. There were exceptions, of course. For instance, one particularly bold tom showed up, claiming to be his long lost twin brother. It would have been a lot more impressive if the "twin" had done a better job painting himself.
A part of Gallus wished there was some sort of test or spell that could find out if any were telling the truth.
Finally, the day of the coronation arrived. Griffons had flocked to Griffonstone from all across the empire. Creatures had come from other kingdoms. Including government representatives, writers -- both journalists, and hopeful authors who wanted to write the definitive book about the historical event -- and, of course, Gallus's friends.
Five particular friends stood together at the base of the red carpet leading up to the castle steps.
The first horns blew, signaling the start of the fanfare, and the coronation ceremony. Gallus came to a landing at the bottom of the carpet, completely unadorned. His head raised high, his chest puffed out, and wings spread out and held up above him, he started forward. Ocellus and Sandbar followed after, behind him and off to the sides. Yona and Smolder fell in step directly behind them. Finally, Silverstream stood furthest back and in the center, pulling up the rear.
That was, when she was not stopping to wave enthusiastically at a creature, then sprinting to catch up with the others.
The crowd stood on each side, watching the group make their way forward. There was an occasional flash from a camera, and flare of corona from a unicorn.
Reaching the base of the steps, the entourage came to a stop at the base while Gallus climbed up. The music came to an end as he reached the top, Princess Twilight Sparkle awaiting in front of him, with Gilda on one side, and Commander Tempest Shadow on the other.
Gallus stepped closer, the dropped into a deep bow.
Princess Twilight Sparkle took a step forward, wings unfolding. Her horn lit up with the soft pink glow of her magic. With her magic, she pulled a pair of bracers into view. They looked to be made of tin, with a flying eagle etched onto one, and a roaring lion on the other. The bracers were placed onto Gallus forelegs. A peytral followed, made of the same material. Lifting his head, Gallus allowed it to be slipped into place. He could feel the weight of it on his shoulders, and the cool metal against the fur and skin of his chest.
A royal cape appeared. It was large, with a deep wine-red color, thick, fluffy trimming (made from angora rabbit hair, which had been collected quite harmlessly at Fluttershy's insistence), and two small golden squares attached near the collar. As the cape was set in place, the square tabs came in touch with the peytral.
There was an audible click as the tab snapped into place. Once it did, a change overcame the peytral. The tin turned to gold, glistening brightly in the sun. A sapphire appeared in the center, large and bright blue. Small sapphire chips spread out from that point, creating the look of feathered wings spread wide. The bracers followed, the eagle and lion transforming into a pair of griffons with amethysts for their eyes.
Then came the crown. A band of gold with six prongs raised up, equally spaced apart. On each prong was a single jewel, each one of the six major colors. On the inside of the band, hidden from view, was a series of small etchings, including a six-pointed starburst of energy, a crystal tree, and a fez. The crown was gently lowered into place, settling onto Gallus's head.
Princess Twilight Sparkle brought forth the scepter that Gallus had found in the cave. Taking it in her hoof, she slowly lowered the eagle head down, tapping it against each of Gallus's shoulders.
"Rise," she ordered, holding out the scepter.
Gallus rose and took it.
"CITIZENS OF THE GRIFFON EMPIRE!" Princess Twilight Sparkle called out. "I PRESENT TO YOU, YOUR NEW RULER! KING GALLUS!"
King Gallus turned around and stepped forward, raising the scepter high. As he did, cheers (and some boos) came from the crowd. At the base of the steps, five creatures from different kingdoms bowed down. The first that he received as king of the griffons.
Gilda stepped beside him.
"Congratulations."
Her wings flicked out, smacking the back of his head and knocking his crown over his eyes.
