The stupid hotel looked like the owners were jealous of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna’s palace and for some reason it just irked Gilda. It was one of those ‘pony things’…

It had a wall and looked like a small palace by itself. But the gateway became a golden arch cheerfully declaring ‘High Hoof Royal Hotel’. To its side a fancy golden plaque read in black cursive griffonese letters under the pony ideograms and in other alphabets she didn’t know: “Proudly serving Her Royal Highness since the year 728 of the Age of the Sun”.

She wondered for a second if Celestia even knew the thing existed and for how long it had served her. Such a ‘canterlot’ thing, she sighed.

Ponies and griffons, divided history in ages. The Primeval Age being the time before recorded time. The Age of The Three Tribes included the time when the three pony tribes lived divided (and apparently, they thought it was the only thing worthy of note happening in the world). The Age of Friendship began when ponies figured out not to hate each other or they would be made into popsicles. Followed by the Age of The Royal Pony Sisters, followed by the Age of the Sun after Nightmare Moon got banished to the moon. And then came the present Age of Harmony, ushered forward by none other than Rainbow Dash and her friends with the reunion of the Royal Pony Sisters.

Although, given Celestia was full of horseshit, the whole timeline probably was too, and most likely a lie. But Gilda didn’t truly care how the ponies divided time. She was curious about griffon History. She wondered how did the griffons, the real ones, divided History.

It is good you crave for understanding, My Child, but you must focus your efforts towards reaching your home. There will be plenty of time afterwards and much yet to learn in the comfort of Griffinsky mansion.

She nodded mindlessly. One thing at a time.

Walking past the gates, the building itself looked like a stupid copy of Canterlot Palace if it was a dumb building made to house as many copies of the same rooms as possible. The fancier ones sat the top because the third floor had the largest windows. Between the walls and the building a fancy garden on both sides provided sitting areas. There, richly dressed unicorns sat at their tables and stared down at Gilda, drinking their stupid teas, whispering to each other about the filthy barbarian.

She could hear them. When had her hearing get so good? She didn’t know but didn’t care anyways. All the perfume and colors sapped away at her patience with the fact they valued her inferior. But she pushed it to the back of her mind.

Walking into the building she entered a large hall of white masonry, a few colorful banners hung from the white ceiling. Checkered white and gray floor under the long rugs which showed the way and potted plants dotted the room. A few doors led to the wings and a double arched stairway behind a counter led to a garden. Behind a desk sat a unicorn.

A mint-green with a darker mane arranged in a spiraling tower of pony hair, complete with a couple of white flowers. Gilda wondered how in the ever-loving world she didn’t have critters living in the thing. Maybe the minty smell she exuded repelled pests.

Gilda frowned, walking to the unicorn behind the counter who talked to her. “Ma’am, should you be here?”

“Yeah. Believe it or not, I should. I need to talk to Gerdie. She’s a griffon and the Royal Guard brought to see Princess Celestia. It is important.” Gilda controlled her fidgeting limbs.

The unicorn nodded and hummed, magicking to her a book she glanced over for a few seconds. “Aah-ha. Miss Gerdie of Thunderpeak. Yes. She is here. Would you mind waiting in the hall as one of our employees summons her?”

“Cool.” Gilda turned and left the unicorn to her job, quickly scanning the hall for a place to stay and settled on one of the sofas. She sat and did her best to ignore the shocked stares some unicorns shot her on their way in.

Lucky Grunhilda got to stay in the restaurant and eat some more… She couldn’t think of another time she had eaten so damn much and such good food.

One of the stupid unicorns approached her, though. “Hello!”

A cheery gray-green coated unicorn with a pristinely combed purple mane grinning too much. She couldn’t see his cutie marks because he wore a pair of obnoxiously large white saddlebags. Not even one of the custom-made ones with his cutie mark. Cheap little jerk. She didn’t even know him, but just the way he approached and talked to her was enough to annoy her.

“Hey…” She said as drily as she managed.

He grinned and produced a folded map from his saddlebag he opened in her face. “I’m travelling around the world, and I plan on going to glorious Griffonia! You wouldn’t happen to be from Griffonstone, would you, ma’am?”

Sheesh… “Nothing glorious about Griffonia, dweeb. But yeah… I used to live in Griffonstone. What of it?”

“You look like a well-traveled griffon lady!” He cheered. “What other places of this beautiful world have you been to?”

“Dude, piss off…” She growled at him.

“Oh, come on! Please! Ever been to Baltimare?! I mean, they have a teleporter there! And a teleporter in Griffonstone! Ever used a teleporter? I mean, how did you get here in Canterlot? They don’t have a teleporter here!”

“Airships are a thing, you schmuck.” She growled again. “Will you piss off already?”

“Oh yeah!” Instead, he grinned further. “Airships are cool! Do you have one? Or did you hire someone? Did you come from Griffonstone in an airship?”

She meant to shove him away and make him eat his stupid map, but someone called her. “Hello? Miss Gilda? Did you want to see me?”

She turned to see a little old griffon lady of soft voice and a cute short beak. Not very old, but ‘getting there’. Mister Gabriel must have had her very early in his live, or something. Soft green eyes behind a small pair of reading glasses and shades of gray in her fur and feathers. She had the ‘looks’ but at the same time didn’t really seem like a northerner griffon. Maybe she led a different lifestyle?

“Hello?” The griffon lady smiled at her.

Gilda turned to see the pony, but he had left without another word. She hopped off the sofa and looked at the other griffon. “You Gerdie?”

“Yes.” She nodded still smiling, but a little confused. “That’s little old me.”

“I’m Gilda.” She pointed a thumb at her chest. “And we gotta talk. But it would be better if it we could get out of the way.”

“Well, there is my room…” Gerdie offered, uncertain.

It would have to do. If the Royal Guard kept Gerdie under watch, it would be as good as any other place with the benefit she wouldn’t walk out of the hotel. “Awesome.”

“This way.” Gerdie smiled and led Gilda to one of the hotel’s wings on the ground floor. They passed an archway into a long corridor with several doors intertwined with potted palm plants and red and gold tapestry hanging behind them. Also, hearts, horseshoes, stars, suns and moons everywhere. Because of course…

After a walk through most of the corridor, Gerdie opened the door for them, and they entered a nice room for a hotel. Nothing too fancy, with a glass door and curtains leading out to a garden behind the building. It had a nice bed, with white and blue sheets, a reading chair, a small siting area with a small wood table, all in the ‘Royal Canterlot’ style. A potted flower and white sitting pillows, a wardrobe and a door wich led to a bathroom. Just enough for the not so big payers and the Princess’ guests.

Gerdie interrupted her thoughts, sitting on one of the pillows. “Is this about my father?”

Her eyes glistened and she joined her paws as though she braced for the worst news possible.

Gilda took her place across the table. “Yeah. But your dad is fine… They had to operate his forepaws, but he’s not in danger.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Gerdie gave a nervous smile. “What more can you tell me?”

“I can tell you he fought with Princess Luna. She really messed up his paws.” Gilda said carefully. “I worked at Griffonstone Hospital, as a nurse for community service and he was one of the patients they had transferred because of the raid at the museum…”

“Raid?” She almost cried. “Princess Luna said she wanted to talk to him!”

“I guess things didn’t go very peacefully.” She did her best to sound respectful. “By the way he spoke, he is a very proud griffon.”

“Yes…” She rubbed the back of her paw. “That is a good word to describe dad.”

“He made me see some things I wasn’t aware of… And he told me to come see you. Told me to tell you that he, Master Gabriel, had sent me… And that you would help me.”

“Help you?” She became worried. “What do you need? Oh… You said you were a nurse for community service… What happened?”

It surprised Gilda that she wanted to hear her story. Maybe it was because she had told her of her father, and it got her some sympathy for Gilda. Or maybe they had done this before. Impossible to know. All Gilda knew was that she should do as he told her.

“A dude stole two Bits from me while I was selling scones, and I punched him. Turned out he was the mayor’s son. His mother decided she would mess up my life after the judge got me the community work. It was either that or paying a fine I didn’t have the money for a trip to Shatteredrock…” She sighed, recalling the whole ordeal. “They burned my house and tried to kill me… I’ve been on the run… But your dad told me that I should go to Griffindell.”

Gerdie frowned and nodded a little. “I see… Can… Can you hear the storm?”

“I can hear Her cry.” Gilda spoke in a controlled manner and Gerdie nodded again.

Then she stood and quickly grabbed a folded map from her saddlebags in the corner, opening it on the table for Gilda to see. She showed her a map of northern Griffonia. She pointed at a drawing of a mountain surrounded in a storm cloud labeled Thunderpeak.

“Thunderpeak is the ‘frontier’. It’s the last city before Snow Mountains. Half the population supports The Lion and the other half supports Chancellor Gail.” Gilda followed her talon all the way north to a drawing of a wall and a gate on a mountain area. “You can’t go straight to Griffindell. You’ll die. It’s too inhospitable and the roaming monsters will get to you. Even hardened survivors keep to the trails and flightpaths… The Windigos’ cold will chill your blood and you’ll lose your will to live. It is impossible.”

Then she showed a traced line. “Instead, first go west to Wayfarer’s Rest. It’s a roadside inn a day away from Thunderpeak and it is where caravans often form up to travel to the north. Even if there isn’t one, the way north is relatively safe because the northerners keep that trail protected. Even if something happened, someone would find you soon enough.”

“Make yourself comfortable, buy some supplies and warm up. Wait for a clear day because a blizzard in the north is likely to get you of course… Then go northwest to Frozenlake. It is a three-day travel.” Her talon followed the traced line to a drawing of a trout midjump. “Did they give you the red scarf?”

Gilda nodded and she went on. “Wear it. It says you are a member of the Court of The Harpy. Look for soldiers wearing the scarf. They are the Sky Sentries, Lady Gwendolen’s chosen, and they will help you. As soon as you arrive in Frozenlake, ask to see Lady Geena, and tell her I sent you. Not my father. Tell her my name… Gerdie.”

“Alright.” That seemed important. Probably part of the ‘secret way in’.

“Don’t be shy… Accept her help. Freshen up and prepare for a two-day travel. If you can, wait for a caravan. This stretch isn’t so hard, but you will know cold like never before. Monsters may attack, but chances are any caravan will be guarded by the Sky Sentry.” Her talon traveled further north. “You will go to Brokenhorn. If the caravan arrives at night someone made a mistake, and they will leave you outside.”

“Wear. The. Scarf.” Gerdie insisted. “Ask to see Lord Griskjal. Say his name. The night is dangerous, and the Windigos grow more powerful. You may as well just save the lives of everyone involved if you get them to open the doors.”

“Now, pay attention.” She made sure Gilda looked at her. “Lord Griskjal will provide supplies and shelter, as demand the laws of hospitality, but he lived his whole life in the north. He resents the griffons in the south. He doesn’t show The Harpy’s iconography in his town because he wants to catch some dumb bird complaining of Her or the cold… He thinks the southerners are weak and disloyal… All he needs is an excuse.”

Gee, what a dick… Anyways, she supposed The Harpy would be pissed off with southerner griffons and it was just natural… She still paid attention to Gerdie.

“If you wear the scarf and convince him you are a faithful of The Harpy, he will help however he can. But still, be prepared… The last leg of the journey is… Lady Gwendolen of Griffindell says The Harpy will allow griffons to suffer and die because they must be tested, and that adversity makes us stronger. It’s a seven-day journey to Griffindell… It is the coldest place in the world, and you will literally feel the hatred of the Windigos opposing you every step going forward.”

“It is an unfathomable, ancient evil. Pure, unadulterated hatred you can’t comprehend. And they don’t just hate us griffons… They hate you. The legends the Astrani brought from the Stormy Eyrie when they fled spoke of the Windigos as a world-ending force that should have destroyed the world because the ponies broke the Ancient Pact. The only thing that kept existence going was the dumb luck that a group of ponies managed to summon the Fire of Friendship. It gave the Windigos pause and allowed our ancestors to reach Griffindell and fortify the city and the north as a whole.” Gilda nodded, but didn’t quite convince Gerdie she understood. The old little griffon shook her head. “Princess Luna can’t reach you there. They say The Harpy’s magic shut the entire hold off. You will not see the sun or the stars. Princess Twilight and her friends won’t show up with the Elements of Harmony or the Fire of Friendship. The ponies have the Crystal Heart protecting them… The only things in the north are the Windigos and the Allmother. If you believe in her. It is what the northerners say, anyways.”

The conversation started to sap on Gilda’s certainty, and it creeped her out, but she nodded again, despite intrusive thoughts she had a pony friend. But didn’t Gerdie… Uh… Believe?

“It is the ancestral land of our kind, though.” Gerdie spoke again, seriously. “Northerners say if your faith is pure and you ask of Her the strength to face the challenges ahead, She will gift Her power to you. Most griffons don’t understand what this means, and I’m not sure I do either, but there is a strange and powerful magic in that place. You’ll see things. You’ll dream. And She will speak to you. If you’re not careful, it will sap your sanity. I’ve heard of griffons that killed themselves and others went insane and disappeared. It is a dangerous and difficult travel, but caravans make it to Griffindell almost every month, and many of them take neophytes. It can be done. All of them say that it will change you forever, though.”

“I already have dreams.” Gilda told her dumbly.

“You do?” Gerdie frowned. “Huh… Like… The dreams that come from the storms?”

“Yeah.”

“They are often the first thing that motivates the griffons to travel north, other than the whole drama with the Chancellor.” Gerdie hummed. “I never had the dreams. My father did, though. Maybe if I returned north… But I don’t know if I can. Just… Be careful, Gilda.”

“I’ll be…” She smiled a little to Gerdie and her worried frown.

“Here… Take this.” She gave Gilda a large brooch made of electrum, round and about the size of a closed fist. It had the symbol of the pair of griffon wings. “Show this to the manager in the Bank of Thunderpeak. She’ll ask you the password, and then ask your name. Tell her I sent you. There is a sum of money that is going to help you.”

“Uh… I don’t mean to bite a helping paw, but why do you have money in the bank behind a password and such?” If they wanted to keep their money safe, they could just keep it like normal creatures do.

“It is meant to help special griffons on their way to Griffindell.” Gerdie smiled. “Daddy saw something in you. Something that made it worth a lot to him.”

Well, let’s hope Gilda wouldn’t disappoint him… “Thanks a lot, Gerdie.”

“Thank you, Gilda.” She offered her paw for Gilda. It was awkward at first as Gilda’s first instinct was to bump her fist with hers, but she held her paw and shook it. “For telling me of my father… Uh... One last thing, though… Griffons in the north… They’re different. You must make sure they understand your limits… Most of them are honored and respectful, but… Uh… A young pretty lady travelling alone must communicate clearly… Life is hard in the north and males and females try to make it the most of their lives. They can be overeager.”

“Ah… Don’t worry…” Gilda laughed awkwardly with the other, although she believed it had more to do with the Harpy’s commandments. Then she pointed at the door with a thumb. “I better go… I can’t stay in any one place too long.”

“Good luck, Gilda.” Gerdie smiled, walked her to the door of her room and friendly opened it for her.

She walked out with a nod, but stopped, and then turned to her. The look on her face must have been something, because Gerdie tilted her head slightly and frowned. Maybe her own insecurity dragged her back, but Gilda stared at Gerdie. “You don’t believe The Harpy, do you? The Allmother.”

Gerdie hummed and stared at her forepaws. “I don’t know… I don’t have the dreams. Maybe she does exist, but she doesn’t want to speak to me.”

Of course, she didn’t speak to Gilda then. Damn… Was she actually going insane? No, it would be ridiculous. Grunhilda heard her too. She had dreams and she even dreamt similar things. She had said they were coming for her, when Gilda couldn’t have known.

But whatever… It wasn’t her place to talk Gerdie into going back to the north and telling her to believe The Harpy, or something like a crazy zealot.

Although…

“Maybe you should go back north…” She said, finally and the other made a curious expression. Gilda could have said the cryptic ‘there is a storm coming’, or some shit, but no. “I don’t know what is going on… But there is something going on. And it involves The Harpy and Griffonia. I have a friend who has the dreams too… And we never met before, we never talked… But our dreams seem to align together. Things are about to change, and I think it’s gonna be big. Like… Worldview changing. And the ponies may not like it.”

“I see…” Gerdie frowned a little. “Maybe I will.”

Gilda just nodded. Maybe she wanted to help Gerdie as she had helped her. Or something. Maybe she had started believing in something more important than her problems. Ghadah believed so… She wouldn’t have been caught trying to help her sisters otherwise.

Anyways, Gilda walked away and back to the hall. The annoying pony vanished, fortunately, and nobody bothered her. She carried the brooch Gerdie had given her on her beak and completely ignored the stares she received from the unicorns and their hushed comments too… What sort of barbarian would carry things in their mouth instead of using saddlebags like a civilized creature!

Stupid ponies.

Back at the restaurant, Grunhilda sat by the external tables, waiting mindlessly. As Gilda approached, she covered her beak and yawned profoundly, but turned to Gilda and smiled as soon as she saw her. Gilda couldn’t suppress her own smile.

“Welcome back, Miss Gilda!” The big girl stood and flapped her wings happily. “Miss Gislane sent Mister Grahan somewhere else with his pony friend! She also gave us a lot of food for our travel and some money!”

“That’s great!” Gilda sat too and took the brooch in her paw before giving it to Grunhilda. “Keep this safe for me.”

She looked around for a second while Grunhilda sat again and unslung the backpack to stash the brooch in it and then wore it again, waiting for another command. None of the leather-wearing local militias seemed to be looking for them. They had to leave before it became a thing. She turned back to Grunhilda and she just sat there, paying attention to her.

“We’re gonna take a short flight to Ponyville and we’ll use their teleporter to go to Thunderpeak. Then we’ll follow a trail to Griffindell.” Gilda explained. “You cool with that?”

“Okay!” She grinned. “Oh! Wait! Are we going to through Frozenlake?!

“Uh… Yeah.” Gilda rose an eyebrow at her sudden excitement.

“Nice! Are we going now?” She hopped once.

“Yeah. We should go as soon as we can.” Gilda had to chuckle at her excitement. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing! I’m just happy you’re back!” She grinned even more. Somehow.

“Alrighty, then.” Gilda thought it a bit weird, even with how awkward Grunhilda could be, but she wasn’t going to complain she was in such high spirits. “Let’s wing it.”

The two griffonesses hopped and flapped their wings, but Gilda looked back to Grunhilda, as they gained altitude to fly above the buildings. “How high have you ever flown?”

Grunhilda touched her beak with the tip of a talon. “Uh… When we flew to the teleporter in Griffonstone?”

Oh boy… Gilda turned on her wings, hovering above the ceiling of one of the many fancy mansions to stare at Grunhilda stopping right next to her. “Right... So, Canterlot is little bit higher. Just don’t freak out, okay? Just keep gliding and keep close to me. We’ll spiral down around the mountain until a more comfortable altitude. Alright?”

“Okay!” The other replied calmly enough.

Gilda nodded to her and resumed the lead. The flying griffons drew attention from the canterlotian ponies on the balcony. Surely, greatly offended commentary by the unruly griffons, but she didn’t care.

Flying past the edge of the balcony, the abyss gaped beneath them. Canterlot sat at the top of a surprisingly tall mountain and measuring the altitude from the safe ground of the balconies didn’t help. It confused the senses. Beyond their edge, the height suddenly became too much. It took experience not to panic.

Gilda banked left and let herself lose altitude, turning to follow the shape of the mountain. With a quick glance backwards, she saw Grunhilda balancing unsteadily on her wings and staring down at the ground way below.

“Hey, you’re doing alright.” She shouted over the wind. “It’s easy. Just slide on the wind and let your wings do the job!”

“Okay…” The other said with a frown.

They spent several minutes spiraling down around the mountain and Gilda avoided losing altitude too fast not to scare Grunhilda. Not to fly too fast, also not to scare Grunhilda. At the same time, she kept thinking she really should have spent the time thinking the plan over. Maybe find a way to walk down the mountain. It must have land access routes to the city.

Out of nowhere, a sudden pocket of turbulent air forced Gilda to flap her wings and control her flight before she lost too much altitude. Before she even noticed what had happened, Grunhilda shrieked. Gilda looked back to see the former wildly grabbing at the air and flapping her wings in a panicked flurry.

“No! No! Calm down! It was just some wind! You’re making it worse!” She cried, but instead of listening the bigger griffon grabbed at her waist. Her weight pulled Gilda off-balance and down. Worryingly fast and gaining speed while Gilda’s wings just couldn’t sustain their combined weight.

“Grunhilda! Chill! You gotta let go and let your wings catch the wind!” Frantically flapping her wings didn’t help and the other grasping at her like a panicked cub didn’t either. Before she noticed she screamed too, with the wind rushing past her ears.

She flapped her wings with all her might against the rushing wind and she swore it would rip them right off her shoulders by how much they hurt. No idea if it helped, but she wouldn’t stop because every time she tried to catch the wind, her wings pulled up uselessly.

Grunhilda’s panicked flapping didn’t help any more and they spun out of control amid panicked shrieks. Suddenly she crashed against the grassy ground with a loud grunt and Grunhilda fell on top of her and her wing. Both knocked the wind out of Gilda, and she could swear broke something. It didn’t hurt so bad, but something snapped. She still yelled at the pain and tried pushing the other away, limp as a sack of flour.

“Get off!” She snapped at Grunhilda and shoved her away, trying to stand, but she stumbled because her legs hurt too much, and her joints gave against gravity. It took a second try before she managed to stand unsteadily. “What is wrong with you?!”

“I’m sorry!” The other gasped and sobbed at her outburst, stepping away. “I was just so scared! I’m sorry!”

Damn! Her wing hurt more than the time she managed to get it caught in a door frame running out of the house, way back when she was still a dumb idiot kid! She tried moving her wing and just the pain shooting through it made her grimace. She quit the idea to just let it hang limp.

It was meant to be a simple, short flight to Ponyville! She turned to Grunhilda again. “I told you to just let the wind catch on your wings and glide down around the stupid mountain!”

Only then she saw the big griffon hiding her face with her paws and her white wings, bawling like a scolded child.

Gilda sighed. “Grunhilda…”

“I’m sorry, Miss Gilda! I didn’t mean to hurt you!” She screeched, more than spoke and reached to grab Gilda’s paws. “Please don’t send me away! I’ll never do it again!”

“I’m not…” She started and pulled her paws away. “Will you calm down? I’m not going to send you away!”

“You’re not?” The other sobbed and panted, holding her paws together and clicking her beak nervously.

“I’m not… I’m not.” She spoke softly and hugged Grunhilda awkwardly, trying to console a griffon actually larger than she. “I know you didn’t do it on purpose. It’s nothing… We’ll just walk to Ponyville. Now, don’t cry, alright?”

She stared at the other griffon sniffing and wiping the tears off her eyes and… When in the hecking word did she ever get so damn sappy? Suddenly it was like taking care of a big child. Wasn’t that the reason she had decided she didn’t want a husband, or some shit like that? What the hell?

Then Grunhilda hugged her back and her wing hurt like she had just hit with a sledgehammer! “Oow! Wing! Hurt!”

Grunhilda squeaked and let go immediately. “Sorry! Sorry, Miss Gilda!”

She should have stopped there and waited as Canterlot’s emergency services had ponies watching for accidents exactly like hers. But she couldn’t wait for help, and it likely would get her on the spotlight. The authorities would catch up to her.

“It’s alright. Let’s go.” All the way to Ponyville would be a bit of a walk but flying just wouldn’t be an option. She took a few seconds reorienting herself, then gestured the way with her head and started walking, closely followed by the other.

“Shouldn’t you see a doctor, Miss Gilda?” She sounded so worried it was cute.

“Yeah…” She nodded as they walked. “I should… But I don’t want to go back to Canterlot. We gotta keep moving or they’ll catch us.”

She couldn’t hold her wing up and fold it or it hurt like hell. Walking by itself hurt her wing and shoulder, not to mention every bone and joint in her body whined annoying pain at her every time she moved anything. Her gait became awkward. She really ought to see a doctor, but she also couldn’t just afford to go back to Canterlot. Not to mention, flying up there, much less waste the time looking for a land route into the stupid pony city. So high up it should be a pegasus city.

Then Grunhilda whined and Gilda squawked when she shoved herself underneath her and stood to walk with Gilda across her back.

“What the heck?!” She cried but couldn’t really do anything about it. Her dignity prevented her from squirming. “Put me down!”

“No! I’m carrying you! Trying to walk is hurting you!” The other growled and just kept walking.

Gilda almost complained, she looked stupid like a rag across the other’s back, but it was easier on her everything. At least Grunhilda walked in the right direction…

She never noticed when she fell asleep, but she clearly had. She was in a stony castle with griffon guards while Ghadah walked with her calm superiority in their midst. Their bronze scale armor and ogive shaped helmets made Gilda’s metaphorical skin crawl.

It was a grand castle and she walked on a hallway leading to the throne room. Great and beautiful colorful banners hung from the side walls, and they represented the noble families of Griffonstone. What Ghadah didn’t see was any of the red tapestry with the pair of griffon wings, and it bothered her, but she didn’t say anything.

Next to Ghadah, her mother also seemed perturbed by what both she and Gilda supposed was the same reason. In front of them walked her great father with his golden armor, oval shield and spear on his back. On the other side Empress Geneviere walked with all her calm serenity and multicolored cape under her longsword.

And in between then, the mighty emperor with his red cape and his iron crown of upward spikes. He was a head taller than her father and he carried his sword on his back too, but under his cape.

Their escort of the Emperor’s Golden Guard remained outside the castle, as they would never be under threat in there.

They walked past large open doors into a wide gathering hall with a stone throne covered in rich and colorful fabrics and a sitting pillow. Above and behind it a pompous tapestry hung from the ceiling in shades of green and gray behind a griffon’s head on its side and with a crown.

Two windows flanked the throne and let in the humid and hot air. Ghadah could even see the green-covered mountains of Griffonland, so different from the Hader. Three soldiers on each side of the room, all of them wearing the bronze scale armor and ogive helmets, sitting at their stations, and holding spears and shields of bronze-reinforced wood planks.

A high ceiling made the room quite cool for the tastes of a Haderani, but it was still the Harpy’s domains. The lack of Her icons in display bothered Ghadah, though.

A griffon she knew well waited for them. Brown coat with a richly adorned bronze armor and diadem on his head, the symbol of a king under the emperor. And upon seeing each other, The Emperor walked faster, one smiled at the other. They stood on their hindlegs and brotherly hugged each other for quite a while and the Empress approached, but the others remained a respectful distance away.

“I will never understand how you can stand this humidity, Grover.” The Emperor stood a head taller next to Grover, but he laughed jovially talking to the other once they parted, now holding each other’s paw by the wrist.

“Someone has to watch over Griffonland. At least I don’t have to live in the Eternal Winter.” King Grover laughed, and the emperor laughed too, in his coarser voice.

“My brother.” Empress Geneviere approached him with a small smile on her beak and he bowed respectfully to her before he also hugged her, and his beak brushed softly on her cheek.

“You look as wonderful as the day you left to Aen Hader, Gen.” He smiled again, holding his paws, but then he turned to the emperor. “Gaven, what is wrong with you? How come you traveled all the way from Aen Hader and didn’t bring my nephews?”

“We decided to travel with a small caravan.” The emperor spoke as Geneviere gave them their space. “We hurried… You see. Some of my scribes insist Griffonstone isn’t sending due tribute to Aen Hader. I wanted to be here and see you as soon as possible to clear out the misunderstanding.”

Grover hummed and walked to one of the windows. “Have you been attacked on your way through the countryside? Brigands with stolen arms and armor?”

Grigor walked over to Grover. “I don’t mean to complain. But we have been attacked, yes. By two different groups and my captain is certain we’ve been scouted by a third which decided for waiting until an easier target presented itself. What is the matter?”

“And did you notice anything peculiar?” Grover turned to stare at him.

The emperor didn’t have an answer ready. Ghadah’s mother spoke in his place, next to her daughter. “Young griffons. Males too young or too old to serve. And young females.”

Grigor looked at Gulsana as she spoke and then back at Grover. “Are you accusing me of taking all able bodies to serve?”

“No… Not accusing.” Grover again turned to the window. “I am saying soldiers die. And when they do, there is no one to work the fields and care for the family. Young mothers and fatherless cubs find themselves struggling to pay tribute and to sustain their young and old.”

“This is why the slaves work the fields…” Grigor frowned.

“There are no more slaves. They too have been drafted to shield our soldiers and those who remained have been slaughtered for rebelling or on grand festivals to The Harpy.” Grover allowed a small pause. “You will notice none of the noble families have come to meet you.”

“I supposed you meant to have a personal reunion.” Grigor shrugged.

“They are afraid.” Grover frowned more intensely and showed him a letter. “They are afraid that if they leave their estates their guards will be overwhelmed by an angry mob of peasants. They are afraid they couldn’t gift you with enough tribute because all their gold is spent on keeping themselves safe. I have just sent an envoy to verify rumors that the Sharpspire Manor was invaded and sacked this night. This morning I received a letter from Duchess Grena saying her husband had committed suicide after selling his son’s armor and weapons. To pay for his family’s debt before his creditors led my own soldiers into his home to repossess their belongings. He put a dagger through his heart!”

Grigor seemed to have trouble processing the information and Grover went on, allowing his voice to raise. “His son died protecting me in the last war you waged against the minotaur. Do you remember? The Harpy wasn’t happy about the chest of gems they paid in tribute!”

“But this is outrageous! Why didn’t you protect Duke Grimm? There are many ways you could have resolved that!” Grigor took a step back.

“Because I don’t have gold anymore!” Grover shouted. “You are sucking your vassals dry to pay for your wars… Those wars ‘The Harpy demands’, and the poorest pay for until they can’t anymore! Then you start seeing nobles killing themselves because they don’t have any gold left either. Desperate mothers and cubs rob travelers to survive! Not even the mercenaries will take jobs from the noble because they can’t lower their wages enough!”

“I don’t hear of such complaints from the northerner lands!” Grigor shot back, but Grover dismissed his reply with a wave of his paw.

“All they care about is hunting monsters and their own subsistence.” Grover shook his head. “We should be glad they don’t charge us for fighting the spawn of the Windigos.”

“This is childish.” Grigor laughed. “Come on, Grover. You have stronger mettle than this, and I am sure you can deal with the situation. Enforce The Harpy’s Commandment. Forgive debts and make them work harder. Raid the lesser nations and bring riches back. Prospect for more mines and get the diamond dogs to work!”

“There are no more diamond dog burrows.” Grover didn’t find it funny. “There are no more riches in the lesser nations!”

“What?”

“They are all dead or they are already working the mines!”

“Well, then make them work harder!” Grigor shouted.

Before he spoke again, Geneviere approached them, speaking softly. “Grover. Gaven. Now is not the time for schisms. The time comes when the most important battle of Creation itself fast approaches. The Allmother calls Her Children to unite against our true enemy and our material disagreements must be given pause. They can be settled later with the untold riches that await at the end of the Last Great War. Once The Sun and The Moon once again serve us and our kind again reigns supreme over All. It shall be a time of endless riches and there will not be a single poor griffon and even the subservient slaves will enjoy the luxuries meant for kings of our time.”

She stared up at the ceiling and stood on her hindlegs, opening her forelegs. “It is our destiny, as ordained by The Mother of Storms Herself. That Gaven, once a slave should be elevated to King and then Emperor and to God among the mortals, will be the one to unleash her might against the Dawnbringer. Conflict has always existed, and it is Her way of educating Her Children. So we are strong as She had made us in the Stormy Eyrie and we can then take our place at her side! We are so close… Griffons must heed her cry! Peasant to noble, to petty king with The Emperor, all united under The Harpy!”

“Your majesty should have called for help.” Ghadah’s mother, Gulsana, skillfully followed suit after the empress. “Not only would his Grace happily oblige to assisting his own family and beloved vassal, but the Mother of Storms would delight in seeing Her Children rallying together against a most detested foe.”

Griffons made silence and Gilda watched the whole thing unfold with a certain anxiety she shared with Ghadah.

Sitting next to the window, Grover let his head hang and closed his eyes so painfully. But he turned outside again and took a deep breath. “There is another way… And I have called for help. But not from the Holy Emperor.”

Silence reigned again, until Grover turned to them. “As you had requested, my liege, I kept my eyes on our enemy. And what I saw changed me. The independent city of Everfree rose from the ashes of the Old Republic under the banner of the Sun and Moon. The Sisters bested the Mad God and extirpated the evil of the unicorn patriarchs from the noble pony families. They have thrived well past our occupation of their lands, while all we got from it was yet another graveyard where our kind shed its blood for The Harpy’s megalomania.”

“King or not, watch your words!” Gulsana berated him, but he didn’t care.

“While cities all over the world shrivel and die of starvation, under The Sisters, Everfree has thrived like a scion of hope for this dying world. Queen Sunny Days of Everfree called for an end of hostilities among all noble families. She offered amnesty for all who joined the Diarchy of Everfree and swore fealty to The Royal Pony Sisters.”

The expectant silence from before turned to shocked silence until Geneviere slapped Grover with a sound that reverberated on the stony halls like a trumpet for the end times.

“Traitor!” She shrieked shedding all her majesty and composure. “My own blood a traitor to Aya Harpyja! Mother would kill herself in shame!”

She screamed and lunged, talons first at Grover, but he didn’t react. He closed his eyes, sad, defeated with red marks where her talons ripped out his gray-brown plumage as Emperor Grigor held her.

“End him Gaven!” She tried to reach Grover past his shoulder. “He will be the doom of us all!”

Amid all that, what stuck with Gilda was Ghadah’s panic. She remained stoic by her mother and father’s side, and they seemed so tranquil, but perhaps they shared in Ghadah’s apprehension.

“Grover…” The Emperor spoke calmly. “Reconsider.”

“The Harpy and Her Chosen speak of endless riches and of plentiful lives…” The other sighed. “As we send our children and our faithful vassals to die in endless wars and revolts for vain glory and dirty gold while Queen Sunny Days sends settlers to forgotten badlands. They build successful farms where there once was nothing but dead lands. Royal sponsored knights protect villages and roads from brigands and monsters and the Battlehorn Legions sweep clean any armed resistance against the cries of unity among the populace.”

“The ponies have survived the freezing cold of the Windigos, the mad ravings of Discord and the ravenous greed of the Unicorn Kings.” Grover shook his head. “They will survive the Griffon Scourge and we will be undone if we stand against them, but welcome if we stand with them.”

He stared squarely at Gaven. “That is not why I decided to contact Queen Sunny, however. It is because the Harpy keeps demanding more and threatening us with damnation if we don’t measure up. While all the Dawnbringer asks for is that we stand up for our subjects and ease their suffering and allow them decent lives.”

He showed Grigor the letter and let his voice raise again. “I do not ever want to know of a friend ending his life because his family can’t pay their debts! Or of a young father who left his new family to die in some distant land for the glory of some egotistical bird with too high an opinion of herself!”

Next Chapter: A Day of Gilda, A Day of Grunhilda Estimated time remaining: 26 Hours, 41 Minutes