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PRINCE GALLUS? And the Trial for the Throne

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Chapter 1: Discovery of Royal Blue

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Discovery of Royal Blue

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.

"Sure. Why not?"

Next Chapter: Home Stony Home Estimated time remaining: 33 Minutes
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