It was morning and a windy one. The clouds remained though, even if they seemed lighter than before and more sunlight filtered through them. The wind whistled on the holes and shapes of the metal and wood plaques that identified individual stores and services. The cobblestone was damp and cold, but Gilda, Gia and her thrall were the only ones out in the street other than a pair of armed citizens patrolling it.

The hospital was built near the central square, which was round. Last night she didn’t pay attention but there was a nice fountain in the middle and it was a sizeable open area. No wonder they had just barricaded inside the city hall and tried to hold their ground there.

Gilda never used a gun in her life, but she could imagine that a place to hide and an open field on which to shoot at was probably a good thing.

The place was now full of marks and holes, the fountain was damaged, but it endured and still poured it water. Fortunately, all the messy stuff had been cleaned away and the wind washed away the smell of blood and burnt powder. Things already felt almost normal.

A circling street covered in cobblestone united four streets which opened out into the city. The place had a few buildings which Gilda supposed served as offices for the city’s departments adjunct to the prefecture and one or two rich mansions.

Maybe she was just callous, but there must be a lot of chairs that the mayor’s friends ought to occupy in those buildings and she was sure at least one lived in those mansions.

She didn’t hurt, and her joints were fine. Nothing was out of place, and even her coat and plumage seemed orderly enough, but walking was tiring her. Just not the physical kind of exhaustion, though. She needed a vacation, or something. Maybe a nice relaxing trip to that inn she was supposed to go before heading north was in order. Hopefully she could relax for a bit.

After last night, it seemed that most of what she might come across, as far as mundane threats were concerned, could be dealt with. She just needed to get out of that city before someone from Canterlot showed up because it could become a liability to Gia and her friends.

“Did anyone actually make it out of the city?” She turned to Gia as they walked. “You know… To try and inform the nearby militaries, or something?”

Gia hummed and frowned a little. “Probably not. Most of the population just holed up inside their homes and only a few came out this morning. You know… Everyone is our friend now and they were all along, but they feared the mayor and his supporters…”

“Anyways…” Gia went on. “I had Lord Gungnir send out some trackers to find any hero that might have felt the urge to fly and get the GSA here. But even if they do, you know how those things are… The GSA is fat, slow and incompetent.”

Actually, Gilda didn’t know. But she supposed it was none of her business anyway and something distracted her.

Sounds of merriment came from a large bar next to one of the rich houses in the square. Music, cheering and giggling.

It was a wide-open front with several doors that allowed a glimpse into the dimmer interior. Fireplaces, many tables, cheering gleeful griffons and copious amounts of booze. And that was not even considering all the tables outside on the walkway where some griffons even danced.

Some of them still had their armors and weapons nearby and mingled with all sorts of griffons, most certainly their supporters or those griffons that ‘always believed’. Small wonder too… The battle over and the winners needed to celebrate; the bar owner and the local hookers would oblige.

Nothing wrong with that, as far as Gilda was concerned. If she wasn’t in a hurry, she might even join. But that made her think of the two prostitutes she spent a night with in Griffonstone. Hopefully Gertrude and Griselda would be okay. And of course, Greta and Gary too. Gladys should be watching over them.

The whole thing in the bar just seemed irresponsible though, but she supposed that those griffons fought and didn’t die. They had the right to celebrate. Maybe it was Ghadah speaking to her through her memories, but she forgave their behavior.

They crossed into the city hall’s foyer past the front yard, and it looked much nicer than the night before. Still full of assorted damage to the walls and broken windows, but they had moved all the trash into the auditorium, and nobody tried to shoot at her. The walls had banners with The Harpy’s iconography: lightning bolts, the griffon wings, red banners hanging in every direction.

A cute, very young guy smiled at her, stopping from his job of picking up pieces of mortar and broken wood furniture along with other things such as padding, glass and assorted stuff, but a nearby Sky sentry, in full black and golden armor slapped his shoulder with the back of his paw. “You’re here to help clean up, cub. Not to gawk at the queens.”

“Sorry, sir!” He immediately went back to his job of grabbing from a pile of trash and stashing it in a bag.

Wait.

“Dude, are you that kid I saw during the fight?” Gilda poked him and Gia stopped next to her.

“Yes… Yes, ma’am.” He looked and nodded shyly. “Thank you… Ma’am.”

Suddenly she gasped. “How old are you?!”

“I’m… Ah… Sixteen, ma’am.” He all but whispered.

“You’re not supposed to be fighting, you little dumbass.” She growled at him.

“I know… But…” He sat and recoiled at her angry tone… “But northerners… You know.”

She gave him the ‘no, I don’t know’ stare, but the soldier spoke next. “In the north our cubs learn to fight from a young age. He’s old enough.”

“Yeah, but I bet that they do that with proper tutoring. It’s part of their education.” Gilda glared at the soldier that diminished a little under her stare. “In here they’re supposed to at school.”

“Yeah!” The kid suddenly had all the courage in the world. “But they were gonna take our city! I mean… They did… I mean… Uh…”

“Shut up dude.” Your parents didn’t want to get involved and you shouldn’t have. You almost got yourself killed. I doubt that these northerner fighters would’ve spared you! It would’ve been better if you had obeyed your parents and stayed safe at home!”

“How… How did you know that mom and dad didn’t want me to fight?” He gasped, reeling back some more.

Gilda just hoped that her huge grin wasn’t too goofy. “The Harpy told me!”

The kid’s shocked gasp was the best thing she’d seen in a while, but then the soldier spoke again, all martial seriousness. “Ma’am, we’re not supposed to discuss The Harpy with anyone.”

“Dude, do I look like those rules apply to me?” Okay, the kid’s shocked gasp was the second-best thing. This big soldier dude’s apologetical stare was the best. By a long shot.

“Come on, Gilda.” Gia called her from the passage that led to the corridor, her waning patience evident in her deadpan glare. “Let’s get this done already.”

Fine, fine. Gee, some griffons were so boring, all work, no fun.

She made her way to Gia, by the passageway and walked with her along the corridor, taking a left near the door to the backyard and down some stairs.

Her thoughts remained though. She could say that she did something good for that kid, couldn’t she? Sure, she was playing for fun with him, but she did give him good advice. Right? Yeah, right.

They went down a couple of flights until they reached a sloppily dug-through room dimly lit with magical lighting crystals on the walls. The floor was lined with planks for flooring, and the room smelled of wet dirt.

Master Galahault was there. And so was the big northerner guy with furry armor and the vampire-cloak lady. But the most attention-grabbing thing in the room was the giant bank vault-style door they congregated around.

“Wow…” She voiced as her eyes scanned the door with all its size and solidness. “So, this it?”

“Yes. This is Mayor Grosster’s little shelter.” Gia waved a paw at it.

Gilda gave her a little nod and the others, by the door gave her space. It was a huge, blue-steel metal door without any sort of keyhole or apparent mechanism, but with a reinforced handle. She really had no idea how she was going to open that, but she supposed that the lesson there was to trust her instincts. She would figure it out.

She walked up to the door and knocked on it. “Hey, dude. Open the door.”

She got an arrogant laugh from the other side. It surprised her that any noise could carry through that thing, but okay. Then came a male’s voice. A bit croaky and muffled by the large door. “You barbarians think you won, but you can’t get to me in here!”

“Come one, man… Enough griffons died already.” She argued with her ear to the cold metallic door. “They just want the money and then you can go to a prison.”

She looked at Gia, who shrugged. Galahault gestured for her to keep going with his paw and the northerner yawned into his own paw. The griffon lady with the cape just rolled her eyes.

“They’re gonna take care of you.” She raised her eyebrow at the others and the northerner made a gesture for flying with his paws. “They’re gonna let you leave. I guess you can go to Griffonstone?”

He laughed again from the other side. “Lady, I’m staying in here and you ain’t getting in. Gail’s gonna send the military as soon as he fails to hear from me, and they’ll save me!”

“Yeah…” Gilda grimaced. “Somehow I have the feeling he’s only gonna be interested in his money.”

“What money?” He cried from in there. “There’s no money! These barbarians are lying.”

“Can you please just get this thing open?” Gia groaned and approached Gilda, pointing at the giant door.

“Did you know you really need to chill?” Gilda looked at her. “I mean, we already won.”

“I’m going to ‘chill’…” The green Loremaster said the word with a very derisive tone. “When we have the money secure and this jerk on the other side of the door is sitting his hind in jail and waiting for a judgement. Preferably followed by a chopping block.”

“Hah!” The griffon cried from inside.

“See, girl?” Gilda waved at the door. “You’re not helping. Seriously, what’s wrong with you, Gia?”

“She’s always been like this, Lady Gilda…” Galahault stepped next to them. “I don’t know why that is. Her mother is much nicer and more reasonable.”

“Just get this open…” Gia begged, sitting, and clasping her paws. “Please…”

“Fine. Fine.” Gilda turned back to the door and held her beak.

Just how could she summon lightning? Not only indoors, but underground? It didn’t really make a lot of sense without clouds.

“You don’t really know what you’re doing, do you?” Gia deadpanned at her.

Gilda hissed at her. “I’m thinking.”

Yeah… No clouds… Just herself and a bunch of griffons waiting for her to do something. She hummed to herself. Stared at the door. Then at her paw she was rubbing her beak with. And while The Harpy kept silent, because of course she would, she wondered if she wasn’t overthinking things.

She hadn’t ever witnessed Ghadah using magic like that, though.

She touched the door again. Cold, solid.

It hummed in her bones, and she had learned to recognize that sensation. It was magic she felt, made into something that impregnated the very materials the door was made of. It wasn’t entirely solid, it seemed. It had internal mechanisms with different sensations. Each thing felt different, and it was a difficult thing to grasp, but she could discern the different ‘magical pieces’ in all the stuff inside the door.

She supposed that what she felt was the magical energy that the enchanted mechanism emanated from its different parts and the different spells each held. If someone knew the right spell, it would open.

She had no idea how that worked, but they had told her that lightning messed with spells, so it made sense that they would get the one that summoned lightning to get that thing open.

She focused on her paw and closed her eyes. The door flooded her mind until it was the only thing in her world. As tough the door had suddenly become more real, a part of her.

She thought she heard Gia saying something and Master Galahault chiding her, but that all seemed way too distant for Gilda to mind. None of that interested her now. What she needed was lightning and frustration started to set in.

Come on, lightning!

Finally, her paw tingled and that characteristic tenseness in the air she felt before surrounded her. Her skin prickled and her bones vibrated. She grinned and guided her mind into more of it. More and more until something snapped and… Crack!

A loud cracking noise rang dull within the earthen walls, and the metal deformed where she touched it, marking it with a diminutive dent of molten metal in the shape of her paw. More than that, the spell was gone, as far as her unexplored magical senses told her.

She blinked at the door, as surprised as the others were. Then she tried the handle and it moved with the clank of its internal mechanism.

“I can’t believe it!” Gia cried with huge eyes. “She actually did it!”

“You really should be more faithful, Gia.” The big northerner spoke mindlessly while the older female grinned with satisfaction.

Yeah… Gia had tried to set her up, or something. She expected Gilda to fail and then she would try and claim credit for the whole thing. Not really a novel concept at that point, and it didn’t even bother Gilda. She just turned her attention back to the door and pulled it open.

Then it all happened too fast…

On the other side was a nice and fancy office with a griffon staring at her behind the barrel of a pistol. There was a bang, smoke. She raised her wing in front of herself purely out of reflexes. When she understood he had shot at her with a pistol, Master Galahault had already rushed past her and knocked him on his face with his shield.

Next thing there was the smell of gunpowder smoke in the air, some old griffon guy with huge eyebrows was on the floor, bleeding out of his nostrils and moaning about something, holding his beak. At least the fancy silk jacket he wore was a similar color. His top hat just got stomped in the fancy red carpet, though.

In retrospect opening the door and standing there like a dumbass was pretty dumb. But that didn’t make her less angry, yet before she could do anything, the big northerner helped Galahault drag the old griffon Gilda assumed was the mayor out of the room.

That gave her some moments to gasp at just how fancy and luxurious that stupid place was. He not only had a giant desk with gold inlays and all sorts of fancy office stuff on his desk, but he had a cabinet filled with expensive-looking bottles, a collection of crystal chalices and cups, fucking cigars, one of those cigar-cutting thingies made of gold, and even an expensive painting of himself, except his eyebrows looked much better than the real thing.

The place even had a luxurious bed and a fancy bathroom!

“Wow…” She deadpanned. “And I thought that me getting money from the government just for existing was stealing.”

Then a young and cutesy griffon lady squeaked, raising her head from behind the desk. “Please don’t hurt me! I’m just his secretary!”

She had a cutesy black bonnet over her head, with a grape-colored stripe and some stones that resembled the fruit. The color repeated itself in her body and her head was pink with deep purple eyes. She held the edge of the desk, hiding behind it as Gilda approached.

“Seriously?” She pulled the cute griffon from behind the desk and glared at her.

“Hey… I gotta make a living!” She defended herself, rolling her eyes. “It’s easy work and good money to write down some letters and put up with a lecherous old griffon!”

“Get lost!” Gilda pointed at the exit with a scowl.

“Come on, Grosster.” Gia smiled triumphantly, ignoring the scene. “At least have some dignity. Just open the vault for us and you can go do whatever you want. Or you can… You know… Stay in jail for a while so that the angry plebs don’t rip you apart.”

“Fine!” He cried, standing again and dusting his jacket. “I will open the damn vault! Just get me to a hospital afterwards.”

He stared at Gilda with his ugly face as she approached. All white with dark gray and giant eyebrows that looked like there was something growing on his face. “I hope you have good friends in high places, miss. You’re getting into the bad side of the Chancellor and your ass already belongs to The Mare. I would hate to be in your skin.”

“Yeah, sure.” She rolled her eyes back at him. “Turns out I do have friends in high places. Move along, dude. I wanna get this done with already.”

The big northerner shoved him to walk to the stairs and Galahault followed close with Gia right behind. The older griffon lady with the cape came near Gilda. “Are you injured?”

She had a very beautiful face on her white head, with green eyeshadow complementing her natural shade of purple and her expressive green eyes. Impressive how beautiful she was despite being some years past her prime. And she looked strong too. It seemed to be a theme with some of the older griffon ladies Gilda had found along the way.

Once again, she hoped she’d age like that!

“I’m fine.” Gilda flapped her wings and folded them back, releasing some of the weird tension after being shot and shielding herself with a wing. “With all the times I’ve been shot in the night, I don’t think that a pistol would hurt me too much.”

“That is not how your magic works, Lady Gilda.” The older griffoness said as seriously as one of her old teachers. “If they catch you unaware, the results would not be so kind. And this thing in your head…”

Her talon clicked on the golden diadem on Gilda’s head. “Has protective magic in it, but it can only do so much. Once your own magical reserves are exhausted, you will be as vulnerable as anyone. Even with your… Characteristics. Learn to gauge your magical reserves and how to use them more efficiently. Hone your body, and your mind as not to tire so easily. But I suppose that Lady Gwendolen will take care of that.”

“Okay…” No idea how that griffon gal knew of that, but she spoke with enough confidence it seemed certain for sure. Also, Gilda hadn’t noticed the gifts she received were magical, but it made sense.

Gilda walked with her out of the underground shelter and followed them out. Lots of booing and angry griffons calling for the mayor’s head. Most of them didn’t even care he was injured. But no one was dumb enough to get in the way, and if he still had any supporters, they chose their safety over loyalty. Fortunately, because enough griffons died over that city and over that stupid money.

Maybe she was getting too soft, but it miffed Gilda that they got away with grabbing the money. It should go to The Lion or to make things better for the town. Certainly to shore up defenses in the short time they had.

She walked with the others and a small group of the Griffindellian Sky Sentries. Not the commander though, he was probably still watching over Grunhilda. The cobblestone streets, wide enough for carts and carriages, were still empty other than the griffons they had attracted from the bar coming out with the mayor.

Gilda kept thinking about Gia getting away with using those griffons and their loyalty to Lord Gilad and The Harpy just to get rich. Or rather, richer. Maybe she was overthinking stuff, and the important thing was that the city was now under The Lion. Not like Gilda had a deep understanding of that anyways…

Lost in her thoughts, Gilda only just noticed when they arrived at their destination, followed by a throng of angry griffons.

The depot was a single story, long building with a single large wooden door for entrance over a gravel ramp that connected from the street. Nothing too fancy, just a brick, mortar and white masonry building with a few windows which certainly belonged to some administrative area right at the entrance with its own, normal, griffon-sized entrance.

And, of course, a bunch of Gia’s griffons-at-arms from the manor stood there because she would most certainly not trust the Griffindellian Sky sentry to watch over her precious gold.

Ugh. She was all too sour over that! She sighed internally as Gia pompously thanked her soldiers for their performed duties and promised rich rewards.

It was then she realized what bothered her so much: Gia sounded like Gail during his campaign. Why were the northerners okay with that? Gia was technically claiming for herself money that belonged to Lord Gilad and Lady Gwendolen. Ultimately, to The Harpy!

Maybe it didn’t bother them because it was in line with the Raptorial Creed? Maybe she didn’t understand it all as well as she thought she did.

Whatever. She was tired of that whole ordeal. The important thing was that her job was done, and she could leave with Grunhilda yet that day!

For the time being, she followed the others inside through the wide door into a broad corridor with doors on either side and another set of doors in the deep end. It was a typical warehouse with thick iron-reinforced planks for flooring and magical lights in the ceiling.

Under Gia’s orders some of the populace was allowed in and they filed behind in the corridor. Some of the workers were there and a well-dressed griffon lady too, probably some sort of manager.

There were no signs of fighting, Ghadah’s memories helped Gilda notice. It was a bit of a relief. At least things were peaceful there as the mayor had focused on protecting himself. She supposed that it was sensible, since they needed him to open the vault anyways, but it still left a sour aftertaste of selfishness.

They stopped by an inconspicuous pair of wooden doors the warehouse workers opened for them and inside the whole room was taken by a giant box made of gold, silver and had all sorts of shining gems encrusted on it. A large wheel, like the one to be found in a ship was in the center. Next to where a keyhole would be was a single amethyst in a small framing. It looked like a button.

A first glimpse didn’t exactly provide enough of an understanding of how large that thing was. The central section was what occupied the whole room, but the thing stretched both ways to the neighboring rooms.

It was also very beautiful, with all the golden and silver parts, and all the gems, but they didn’t look like they were put in place for aesthetics. They were a bit chaotic in their placement and Gilda couldn’t help imagining that the reason for all that was some ridiculously powerful magic that made that thing as secure as to need one specific individual to open it.

The thought brought her magical senses to bear, and she could feel the magic that thing radiated, like a low humming in her ears and bones with a slight itch in her wings, much like the magic the airship emanated.

“Get this open.” Gia ordered the mayor with a pointed talon and Gilda walked closer to see.

Frowning and stiff, he pushed the amethyst with his thumb and the gems in the whole thing lit up in sequence with a wave of that undefinable sensation of powerful magic at work. Then he spun the wheel with a struggling grunt until something clanged inside, and he pulled the door open, taking a few steps back.

Light washed inside and it was as empty as Celestia’s plate in a cake eating competition.

Gilda blinked at the sight and griffons made a deep silence so dense not even the clinking of the armors could be heard.

Finally, Gilda snorted with a mocking grin. “So, I guess that the Chancellor spent all the money he stole getting this thing commissioned?”

Gia groaned, grasped the mayor by his wine-colored jacket and shook him. “Where is the money?!”

“I don’t know!” He cried with huge, panicked eyes and protected his face. “I’m as surprised as you are!”

The griffons that had followed them started complaining and some called for the mayor’s head again. The soldiers further pulled the door open, and the thing actually lit up with internal lights as Gia screeched at the mayor some more. One of the armor-clad griffons walked into it.

“Lady Gia, there is a scroll inside.” His voice echoed from there.

“A what?” She shoved the mayor back and turned to the vault. “A scroll?! What do you mean a piece of paper?!”

He brought it from inside and held it in his paw. A clear rolled-up piece of parchment Gia swiped her paw at to take from him, but he pulled it back. “Uh… It’s addressed to Lady Gilda.”

“What?!” She shrieked, but Gilda offered her paw and the soldier gave it to her.

Indeed, it didn’t look like much more than a rolled-up paper sealed with a small disk of white-yellow metal encrusted with an inlay of black and white making a pair of wings. Ghadah’s memories told her that thing was electrum and the symbol had already been burned into Gilda enough that she knew who that was from by that point.

That thing also exuded magic and when she pulled at the seal, it disintegrated into a fine golden dust that vanished before it fell to the floor. But she was too curious to mind that. She opened the letter to see exquisite paw-written black letters and read the text aloud with her best formal tone, straightening her back after sitting.

“My Dearest Lady Gilda, Swordmaiden of the Shaddani;

I greet you from Griffinsky Mansion, at the top of the Roost in Griffindell and hope this letter finds you in good spirits and that you have appreciated the gifts I have sent you. The diadem and bracelets were forged by Master Gilbert of Griffindell, and while he is not quite as gifted as Master Galahault, I believe you will find them satisfactory.”

Well, they helped keep her alive, so she did find them satisfactory.

She coughed and went on.

“If all has gone according to plan, the city should now respond to his Majesty Lord Gilad, thus I ask that you relay my commands to Lieutenant Gandolf: his detachment is ordered to remain in Thunderpeak and assist the manor’s griffons-at-arms in defending the city against whatever forces the Griffonian Standing Army may have the temerity of dispatching.

Kindly inform him that Lord Gilad has ordered Lord Graham of Frozenlake to assist, and that he has already taken flight with his stalwart warriors. The Sky Sentry, the manor’s griffons-at-arms, and the able-bodied griffons of Thunderpeak are to keep the city at all costs.

Furthermore, I request that you also transmit my commands to the community, effective as of the time this message reaches you.

Lady Gaetana is to take the burdens of the community’s Loremaster and Lord Gungnir is to assist her in the matters of command over the manor’s griffons-at-arms. They are both to make the populace privy to our culture and ways of law and order, but most of all, the desires of the Mother of Storms.”

Gilda looked up from the letter to look at the griffons in question and they nodded while the warehouse’s workers and assorted griffons that made it inside listened intently.

“An adequate sum has been left in the city’s coffers and should be under Lady Gaetana’s guard as the owner of the city’s bank while whatever funds Chancellor Gail had stashed in his vault have already made their way to Griffindell and shall be put to use for the betterment of our great race as the Allmother commands.

Under the light of her ambitions, Lady Gia is hereby stripped of her rank and ordered to return to Griffindell to rectify the failure in her training that has led her to divert from my teachings as to the proper conduct of a Loremaster under The Harpy, whose wealth is found within the soul.”

Reading Gia’s expression wasn’t easy, but Gilda suspected she wasn’t happy. Yet, the green Loremaster let her continue with nary a frown.

“To the populace I say griffons ought to remember that above all the Children of The Harpy shall lead a creed devoid of avarice and greed, where wealth is meant to serve a need. Aya Harpyia sees all, and the hearts of griffons are the currency with which she deals. Be excellent and deliver gallant service for She rewards with the most exquisite of graces those that serve her designs both in life and in death.”

The gathered griffons exchanged glances and a few mumbling comments were heard. The message had certainly hit its mark and they should spread it around.

“Finally, Lady Gilda, I beseech you make haste towards the Holy City as I cannot bear the thought that the Dawnbringer should take you from us. I await your arrival at the Black Gates with excitement.

Sincerely, Lady Gwendolen of Griffindell.”

Welp… Gilda lowered the letter, staring at the griffons with her. Again, one could claw at the silence that hung in the air. It was Master Galahault that suddenly started laughing and guffawing out of air and Gilda thought that he was going to keel over and die at any second so hard he was laughing. The commoners were still too nervous to laugh.

“But… But I…” Gia gasped, finally losing her composure. “I can’t… How did she… I can’t believe this!”

She turned to the older griffon lady with the cape and accused with a fierce scowl, a talon and frantic screeching. “You set me up! It was perfect! There was no way that it could go wrong! I didn’t even know you were a Loremaster!”

In turn, the older griffon lady grabbed the chain that held Gia’s blue satin cape and pulled it from her, without a word and all Gia did was pull back and fall on her side with a squeak.

“You tried stealing from The Harpy, Gia.” Gilda crumbled the letter and threw it over her shoulders. “For pieces of gold with a mare’s dumb face on them.”

She didn’t mean it, but damn, the commoners exploded in cheers.

“Well spoken.” Gaetana agreed, staring down at Gia.

It was damn good seeing that she didn’t get away with her shady plan. Even Master Galahault understood. The general workers and common griffons understood. She had a lot. She had privileges, she had luxuries. She had resources. She lacked nothing, but she had to have some more, didn’t she?

Gilda just hoped that she would be there to see the look on their faces when it all crumbled on top of Griffonstone’s mayor and his filthy little family.

Gia’s whining distracted her from her thoughts and Gilda looked in time to see the older griffon lady poking her chest with a talon as she got back on her fours. “Take all the time you need, Gia. But you will be going to Griffindell. If you don’t, Lady Gwendolen will send someone after you. And then you will regret it. You should be glad she didn’t send you a dagger like she did to Gulinda in Greenleaf.”

Gee… Lady Gwendolen didn’t joke around. Gia apparently wasn’t that bad then, but Gilda almost wanted to know what that Gulinda had done!

The older griffon lady approached her while Galahault did his best not to laugh and comforted Gia.

“I suppose that you will be on your way sooner than later, then?” the griffon lady she now knew was Gaetana grinned a little at Gilda.

“Yeah. And since you’re the one that owns the bank, I’m supposed to go to you for the money that Miss Gerdie mentioned.” Gilda nodded at her. “I’ll get Grunhilda and the medallion, then I’ll see you there.”

“Sounds good.” She nodded too. “You’ll find it easily enough.”

But before she left, Gilda stared at her for an instant. “Did you set Gia up? I kinda like her.”

“No…” The other shook her head honestly and softly enough. “I suspected she was digging her own grave, but I didn’t ‘set her up’. She did it herself.”

“Well, then…” Gilda concluded.

She left the place in no hurry, as the gathered griffons and the warehouse’s workers made way and stared at her. Outside, she took flight. Nobody bothered her and the city was more concerned with celebrating. Certainly, no local militias outside to be concerned with ‘reckless flying or anything. For good or for worse.

Was it bad she felt that fuzzy feeling inside that Gia got caught? Probably not. She deserved it.

At the end of the short flight, she found Grunhilda and the Sky Sentry commander, Gandolf, waiting in the central square. Big Girl had all their stuff, including Mythical and her bow, quiver, and the fox pelt backpack.

Grunhilda waved happily as she landed close to them. “So, Lady Gwendolen left a letter inside the mayor’s vault.”

“A letter?” He raised an eyebrow while Grundhilda gave her the sword. “Wait… How did… What?”

“I’m not sure I understand it either, dude.” She shrugged, returning Mythical to her place on her back. “But you and your guys are supposed to stay and help defend the city with the manor’s soldiers. Also, Gia’s not in charge anymore. It’s the old lady with the cape. And, Grunhilda, we’re going to Wayfarer’s Rest. Now.”

“Okay!” Grunhilda piped and the soldier hummed to himself.

“I was going to offer protection for you and your thrall along the way, but I suppose that Lady Gwendolen needs us here.” He nodded. “Understood.”

“So, if anyone asks,” Gilda spoke again with some sarcasm. “I should be at the bank. But I’m not going to take too long to be on my way… Lady Gwendolen thinks that… You know… The Law might catch up with me and my list of crimes against ponydom isn’t getting shorter after last night. I mean… you guys are probably going to be busy too.”

“True.” He agreed with a warm smile. “I hope to see you again in Griffindell, Lady Gilda.”

“Likewise.” She smiled too and extended her paw in a closed fist for him to bump, but he offered her his open paw. It took her a moment before she understood she was supposed to hold and shake it, but she did.

“Let’s go, Grunhilda. We still gotta buy some supplies.” She hopped off the ground and flapped her wings, followed by the other and her ‘okay’.

Again over the rooftops, finding the bank was easy. It was an inconspicuous office building in one of the main roads that spread from the main square. That was, it would be were not for the large golden letters near the roof that read ‘Thunderpeak Bank’. It would really be kinda hard to miss during the day.

They landed right at the entrance and the doors were closed, but she didn’t let that discourage her. She went up the steps and knocked on the heavy, dark wood doors behind the iron bars. It took a few seconds, but a small panel opened at head height and a pair of brown frowning eyes stared at her.

“Bank’s closed. Didn’t you notice all the trouble outside?” A male voice grumbled from inside.

“Dude, I was the trouble.” She pointed at her chest with a thumb. “Your boss wants to meet me.”

Finally, she put out her paw for Grunhilda and she gave her the medallion. Thankfully, not filthy with something. “And I got this.”

“Alright.” His tone changed. “One second.”

While the locks clicked open, Gilda realized that Grunhilda had held on to her stuff, from her freaking magical sword to the medallion she returned to her ‘keeper of the backpack’. “Good going, Big Girl. Do you have the scarf at the ready?”

“Right here!” She piped happily and promptly pawed it to Gilda.

“Awesome.” She wrapped it around her neck as the door opened to show a large atrium with granite floor and some fancy decorations, pillars, and golden candelabra with magical lights. The brown and white griffon with a butterfly tie walked out of the way and waved her in.

“Welcome. Lady Gaetana should be back soon.” He bowed. “She is busy with all the business of the city shifting to Lord Gilad.”

“Yeah. I know.” She grinned while Grunhilda came in too and he closed the door. “I was there to read Lady Gwendolen’s letter.”

“Oh well… That is way above my pay.” He shrugged. “May I offer you ladies something?”

“Yeah. I’m starving.” She could really get used to that kind of treatment.

They followed the griffon to a small private meeting room with a table and he soon brought some wine and cubes of different cheeses and ham, along with slices of salami. Not bad.

He bowed by the door again and left them alone, closing it behind him.

Sampling the food, Gilda took a few seconds to survey the room. The walls were covered in fancy wooden panels and the roof was too but had gold inlays that kept if from being too plain around the single magical light fixture. The table was nothing spectacular other than it was of quality and sturdy. The cheese was good and tasty, but Grunhilda didn’t eat any. She just sat there with that dumb look in her face.

“I swear that if you tell me you are waiting for me to tell you can eat this stuff, I’m gonna make you swallow that stupid wrist chain.” Gilda glared at her.

The other griffon blinked twice. “Okay… I won’t tell you then.”

Gilda glared at her and her frustration carry in her voice. “Listen. If you want to do this, fine. I can deal with that. But we’re gonna set some house rules. Is that acceptable under your ‘thrall code’?”

Grunhilda blinked at her twice again and strummed her talons on the table. “Uh… Okay…”

“Alright. First of all, you don’t have to ask my permission to do ‘things’.” Gilda spoke seriously. “Understand? You can eat if you’re hungry. You can… I don’t know… Go to the bathroom, sleep. Make yourself busy with whatever. Do normal stuff. Alright?”

The big white griffon just nodded at her and for some reason she had the feeling that she didn’t really understand, and Gilda let out a sigh. “Okay… If I ever tell you to do something you’re not comfortable with, you don’t have to.”

Hearing that Grunhilda tilted her head to the side with a frown. Gilda held her face in her paws and then stared back at big friend. That was going wonderfully, and Gilda couldn’t even blame Grunhilda.

“You are still not eating…” She pointed out and Grunhilda finally gasped and reached for a few random cubes of cheese she immediately gobbled down. “But you don’t have to eat just because… You know what? Never mind… Just forget this conversation, alright?”

“Okay.” Grunhilda’s eyes aimed down sheepishly and… Just great. Now she thought she did something wrong. Why was that stupid topic so difficult with her? Maybe she should try another approach…

Before she could attempt to breach the subject again Gaetana arrived, wearing a blue satin cape and iron chain instead of the one she wore before. She also brought a bag hanging from her beak that jingled with her gait.

“Ah, welcome to my humble little bank.” She grinned, putting the bag on the table. “May I see the medallion?”

“Sure.” Gilda put out her paw for Grunhilda and she gave her the medallion Gilda then showed to the other griffoness.

“Very well, you can keep it. Do you have something to tell me?” She raised an eyebrow. Was that for real? She just helped them take over the town!

Gilda sighed. “Fine. Miss Gerdie, Master Gabriel’s daughter sent me. Do you also need to ask me if I can hear the storm so that I can say I can hear Her cry?”

Gaetana snickered, hiding her beak with her paw. “I’m sorry, Lady Gilda. But that is how things work. Here. This should make up for you.”

She grinned a little more and pushed the bag to Gilda. It jingled as though it was filled with Bits. Gilda opened it and it was full of coins, but not Bits. She took one in her talons and took a good curious look.

The universal money in the Equestrian Federation, Bits, all looked the same save for the value imprinted on them, and as such, they came in specimens of one, five, ten, fifty and one hundred Bits. Of course, they all had Celestia’s profile and cutie mark on the other face. For values higher than that, ponies either used checks or standardized metal bars marked with the Royal House’s coat of arms.

What Gilda had in her talons was different. A small greenish-golden coin with The Lion’s profile on one face and the symbol of the pair of griffon wings on the other. Not particularly polished or tidy as the Bits, but Gilda liked the more ‘rugged’ coin. It was also smaller, and Gilda might be mean thinking it, but she had never thought about how unwieldy Bits were. So unnecessarily big.

She supposed it had something to do the way earth ponies carried them. Well, these coins were made by griffons, for griffons to carry. Well, alright. Wouldn’t complain.

Other coins that spilled had different sizes and sheens, but Gaetana distracted her.

“This is a Copper Eagle, worth one Eagle.” The older griffon lady told her holding one herself. “It is worth a Bit in Snow Mountains hold for now. Soon it will be the New Griffon Empire’s currency.”

She organized five coins by size and color: green, silver, gold, white and a clearer gold. “One Copper Eagle for one Bit. A Silver Eagle for five Coppers. A Golden Eagle for ten Coppers or two Silvers. A Platinum Eagle for fifty Coppers, twenty Silvers, five Golds. And one Electrum Eagle, for one hundred Coppers, fifty Silvers, ten Golds, two Platinums.”

Mildly amusing that she didn’t even stutter or pause.

“Sweet.” Gilda grinned and dug into the bag. Grabbed a pawful of the shiny things she let trickle back into the bag.

“Fifteen thousand Eagles.” Gaetana smiled at her excitement.

“That’s… Hum…” Grunhilda mumbled. “A lot of Eagles...”

“Yeah… Carrying this stuff around is a bad idea.” Gilda glared at the older griffon. There was a catch somewhere. She was sure of it.

Gaetana giggled. “Oh, dear. You should have a travelling sum with you and leave the rest here. With me. To keep it safe for you. This is for you.”

She grinned, taking a booklet from under her wing and offered it to Gilda. Light leather cover with the bank’s name that opened towards the top and was filled with blank checks. Printed with her name and the account number she didn’t know she had.

“Okay. This is a thing.” She knew those things existed, but they were not the sort of thing she ever expected to use in her life. They were meant for the very rich that dealt with big amounts of money. Well, well, she supposed that her life had changed. “Alright. We can do that.”

“These are, of course, only accepted in Snow Mountains. Also in the Wayfarer’s Rest inn that works with us, and now in Thunderpeak. There is really no mystery. Fill in the amount you wish to transfer to another griffon, numbers and written, and then sign with your signature we are going to register now. Hundreds of griffons working nowadays, running the ledgers for these transactions. You’ll be helping our economy!”

Her assistant brought her a document and a quill and ink.

“If for some reason you need more money, you can buy more Eagles from the local banks in our cities.” She explained as Gilda signed the document that said that was her signature for reasons of financial transactions and that she consented to opening her account. “All with a two percent tax over each transaction plus a small fee for the use of our coffers.”

Of course. Taxes. Inevitable.

Once Gilda was done, Gaetana’s assistant cleaned the excess ink and made away to do whatever bureaucratic process was still needed. Meanwhile Gilda separated all the smaller coins and some of the others until she had a thousand Eagles. That ought to be enough for some supplies and for decent accommodations once they reach the inn. There they should be able to buy some comforts for the trip going forward. She could even use the checks since that would save her coins for the smaller stuff.

“I guess that is it.” She told the other griffon, tossing the closed bag to Grunhilda who caught it and put it in her backpack. “The rest stays. We gotta go now, and we still gotta buy some stuff. I don’t think that the meat we brought from Canterlot is still edible.”

“Yeah… I had to throw a lot of it away.” Grunhilda confirmed that.

“Well then,” the older griffon smiled more earnestly this time. “I wish you and your companion safe travels. May The Harpy watch over you.”

“Thanks.” Gilda offered her a paw to shake and the other took it with a friendly grin. No doubt thinking about all the money she would make out of her once she reached Griffindell and started earning her money under Lady Gwendolen. At least she wasn’t trying to steal from her, and Gilda smiled at her too.

Finally, she and Grunhilda walked out the bank, and she sat at the bottom of the stairs, on the walkway. The city was still too scared to come out in contrast to the noise from the inns that still reached her.

“I hope the city’s market is open for us to buy our stuff.” Gilda mused.

“Hum… Should I call you Miss Gilda or Lady Gilda?” Grunhilda asked with a cute, concerned frown.

She was going to tell the big girl to just call her Gilda and that was it. But that would only upset her, wouldn’t it? She could put up with that quirk if Grunhilda was going to be happier. Gilda smiled and poked Grunhilda’s beak with a talon and caused the big one to go cross-eyed. “It’s ‘Miss Gilda’ for you.”

Next Chapter: Calm Before The Storm Estimated time remaining: 22 Hours, 56 Minutes