Post by Eris on Sept 5, 2015 19:54:27 GMT -5
Many years ago...
It had been a successful summit, as far as summits with the ancient Griffon Kingdom go. The Kingdom was long into its unfortunate, long, downwards slide - and there was little she could foresee to do to assist it anytime soon. Perhaps in the distant future, there would be some better way to help. But for now, the griffons were, unfortunately, blinded by their greed and trapped by their selfishness. Even her best attempts to increase - or even resume - trade were going nowhere. Alas - it was a successful summit but with little hope for the future. The Princess of Equestria looks vaguely resigned as she walks down the main road in the Griffon Kingdom's capital.
There were quite a few griffons who still cared - but unfortunately they were shouted down by the greedy masses. Trade? /Their/ resources? With /ponies/? They were either blind to the downfall or cheering it on, wanting to grab power left by the empty throne. Gideon was one of the few who did care, one of the ones shouted down by those he once considered peers and friends. He had chosen a life as a shaman - a mystic working for the people. It was not a life that garnered much compensation, which was just fine for this griffon who remembered the prosperity under the kings. Before the greed. "Princess," he says from somewhere behind Celestia. There must be some way to salvage this. He can't let his people fall into darkness.
Before the greed. It is always so sad to see such things occur. The griffons were not the first, but they were the most directly affecting to Equestria itself. The griffons and ponies had traded in earnest not long before - but protectionism and autarky were too luring for the greedy griffons. She had done her best to explain how they would mutually benefit - but it had fallen on deaf ears. A small, short sign escaped her before she heard that soft greeting somewhere behind her. Her guards immediately turned - but she gestured for them to relax with just a little movement of her wing. They stood down and took a step back, allowing the stranger to approach. "Greetings, good shaman," she says with a tip of her head, recognizing his dress.
Gideon nods, with a little smile. He's not surprised that Celestia recognizes his dress - as much of a contradiction as it may seem, she was a monarch for the people, and clearly cared about Equestria and took her duties seriously. Her talks in the summit had been sincere and kind, even in the face of such avarice from many of the griffons. If there was anyone who could help their faltering Kingdom, it was her. "Your majesty," he says, voice deep but not yet full of the scratch and gravel it will in years to come, and bows low. "I was wondering if I could beg of you a few moments of your time. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the summit with you in a less... formal capacity."
Celestia gives a small, but genuine, smile in return to the griffon. For the youth that he carries, she could tell that he carried a great deal of wisdom. She recalled his attempt at attenuating the selfish cries of his peers - even if they were ultimately futile. But they were certainly appreciated - at least by Celestia, anyway. She knew he only wished to help his faltering kingdom - even if there was only little that her or she could do. "Of course," she says before approaching. "Would you mind if my guards accompanies me? Or would you prefer more privacy?"
Gideon rises back up when Celestia addresses him. He listens intently, then glances to her guards. "I doubt they would be your guards if they could not be trusted, Your Highness," he says with a hint of mirth, and a upwards twitch at the corner of his smile. "There is a restaurant owned by a good, honest family nearby - their food and tea are superb. It would make a fine place to talk this over, if that's acceptable with Your Highness?" He indicates down the road to a mostly vacant restaurant. It had been a long summit, and while griffonscones are delicious, breakfast and lunch they do not make.
"No - and I bought these specifically because I knew they would be discreet with regards to any matters they overhear," the Princess says before glancing back of them and they give a nod. "Perfect. Some tea sounds spectacular right now," Celestia says before following behind the shaman as he leads forward to the restaurant.
Gideon nods respectfully and leads the way. When they reach the restaurant, they're greeted by a young griffon who is supposedly 'honoured' that the shaman would be dining with them, but that quickly turns to 'babbling mass of nervousness' as a Princess and her guards fill the space. They're seated, though, and the restaurant's sign turned to 'closed' for the time being. The family that runs the place is quick to take their orders, bring them tea, and generally otherwise be out of sight and earshot. "Your Highness, I do not want to waste your time with small talk, and shall get straight to the point. I feel I must first apologize for the actions and words of my kin during the summit," he says, once they're settled and tea'd, "There has been a wave of darkness rising over this kingdom ever since the fall of King Guto. A wave of greed, idleness, and distrust that is threatening to drown my people."
The Princess of Equestria, one who raises the sun in the morning and sets it at twilight - who guides and leads all of Equestria gloriously into the future - is thankfully pretty used to the babbling mass of nervousness to which the griffon melted when she approached. She responds by ever so slightly tipping her head to the entrepreneur in return. "Thank you deeply for your most gracious hospitality. Truthfully, you do a service to your kind and kingdom." Her voice is her usual graceful, songlike mezzo-soprano. She takes a seat where Gideon suggests and takes a slow sip of the tea. "There is no need to apologize for your kinsmen, though I appreciate it a great deal. Unfortunately, I fear that this wave of greed and distrust will only further sweep across your people. I fear even more that there is nothing I, or any of us, can do to stop it."
Gideon sips his tea in turn, listening to the monarch carefully. His expression (which is mostly just stoic anyways) doesn't falter - until the end, where there's just a little downward twitch of his beak. The shaman sighs and looks out the window of the restaurant at the griffons passing on the street. "I... was afraid you'd say that," he says with a little sigh, then looks back to Celestia. "In truth, it is something I knew in my heart, but I had hoped-" he stops, then, and shakes his head. There's a few moment's silence, and he looks down into the healf-empty mug of tea. There was a day, not too long ago, that it may have been half-full. "I'm a griffon for my people. I do the closest we can to what you and your unicorns call 'magic', and I do it to help and divine for those that need it. I've been told I have the most innate ability and raw talent of a shaman in countless generations. I've been trained by the most respected elders and spent years studying manuscripts and rites. And yet... I feel there is nothing I can do for my people." His pride seems to deflate just a bit, and he suddenly looks fifty years older, like the weight of a nation is on his shoulders.
Celestia levitates her teacup back up into the air - the porcelain surrounded by the brilliant gold of her magical aura - and she tips it back towards her lips to let the sweet amber fall across her tongue. She then sets it back down and looks out the window likewise once Gideon does. She listens to the griffon shaman - silently, not even taking another sip of tea. "Perhaps not," the Princess says softly. "Almost a thousand years ago, there was nothing I could do to save my most beloved sister," she admits softly. "And so I had to, instead, banish her. Yet I hope - and have deep faith - that one day I will be able to finally save her as well as Equestria." The princess gives a small, sad little smile. "Even if there is nothing you can do today, perhaps one day in the future, you can. And that is what matters - not your inability now, but your faith and ability when that one day matters. And so you must gain serenity for today - while never losing hope for tomorrow."
Gideon listens intently. There were rumors and old texts that referenced the Two Sisters, but he didn't know much of the other sister - but he won't comment on this now. It's not his business in any way. He's about to say something when a small griffon child - barely a fledgling - brings out a tray of steaming, fresh griffonscones. The little hen puts them up on the table, barely able to reach, and quietly says, "'ere you go, Princess Mrs. 'lestia yer 'ighness." Having heard the last bit of Celestia's conversation, the fledgling says, "Mum said t'morrow's suppost'be nicer than t'day," and offers a smile, then does a little curtsey and tottles back towards the kitchen. Doubtless it was a comment on the weather, but Gideon smiles sweetly, watching the fledgling leave. "Out of the mouth of infants," he says.
Celestia looks down at the little fledgling and her smile loses its edge of slight despair. She leans over, before the little griffon turns back to the kitchen, and plants just a little kiss on her forehead. She then tips her head upon receiving the little curtsey and then returns her attention back to Gideon. "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day," the Princess responds softly before then lifting up a griffonscone and pulling a piece away - the crumbs tumbling - and she takes a small bite from it.
The fledgling blushes and purrs quietly as she leaves. Gideon sighs and shakes his head, but it's not a bad sigh. He, too, picks up a scone, but before he takes a bite, he nods and says, "Wise words, Your Highness. I can see why your ponies love you. Our Kingdom could use a ruler like you - and perhaps one day we'll find one." He looks at the scone in his talons carefully, then takes a bite. He 'mmm's appreciatively, then says, "Griffonstone is famous for its griffonscones. Somegriffon once said they were the mortar that held our country together."
"Thank you, Gideon," the Princess responds softly as she eats her piece of the scone then studies it briefly as well. "Perhaps one day you will find a leader who will love her subjects dearly," Celestia responds softly. "I certainly shall hope so. Perhaps that same one will use these very griffonscones to help mend your hearts back together once more," the Princess responds with a hopeful little smile. "But in the meantime, wise shaman, I am afraid I must return to Equestria." She stands up from the table, the guards immediately coming to attention.
Gideon nods when the Princess thanks him, and he, too, eats another piece of his scoone. "A leader using scones to save the Kingdom?" he asks. There's a bit of mirth in his expression, but he looks at the scone once more, then back to the Princess. "Every avalanche starts with a snowflake," Gideon says quietly. When the Princess rises, so does he, and the griffon bows deeply. "Thank you, Your Highness. Your counsel and kind words are well-recieved. I will do what I can for my people - and I am sure you always do for yours, no matter how dark the days may get. Safe travels, Princess Celestia."
It had been a successful summit, as far as summits with the ancient Griffon Kingdom go. The Kingdom was long into its unfortunate, long, downwards slide - and there was little she could foresee to do to assist it anytime soon. Perhaps in the distant future, there would be some better way to help. But for now, the griffons were, unfortunately, blinded by their greed and trapped by their selfishness. Even her best attempts to increase - or even resume - trade were going nowhere. Alas - it was a successful summit but with little hope for the future. The Princess of Equestria looks vaguely resigned as she walks down the main road in the Griffon Kingdom's capital.
There were quite a few griffons who still cared - but unfortunately they were shouted down by the greedy masses. Trade? /Their/ resources? With /ponies/? They were either blind to the downfall or cheering it on, wanting to grab power left by the empty throne. Gideon was one of the few who did care, one of the ones shouted down by those he once considered peers and friends. He had chosen a life as a shaman - a mystic working for the people. It was not a life that garnered much compensation, which was just fine for this griffon who remembered the prosperity under the kings. Before the greed. "Princess," he says from somewhere behind Celestia. There must be some way to salvage this. He can't let his people fall into darkness.
Before the greed. It is always so sad to see such things occur. The griffons were not the first, but they were the most directly affecting to Equestria itself. The griffons and ponies had traded in earnest not long before - but protectionism and autarky were too luring for the greedy griffons. She had done her best to explain how they would mutually benefit - but it had fallen on deaf ears. A small, short sign escaped her before she heard that soft greeting somewhere behind her. Her guards immediately turned - but she gestured for them to relax with just a little movement of her wing. They stood down and took a step back, allowing the stranger to approach. "Greetings, good shaman," she says with a tip of her head, recognizing his dress.
Gideon nods, with a little smile. He's not surprised that Celestia recognizes his dress - as much of a contradiction as it may seem, she was a monarch for the people, and clearly cared about Equestria and took her duties seriously. Her talks in the summit had been sincere and kind, even in the face of such avarice from many of the griffons. If there was anyone who could help their faltering Kingdom, it was her. "Your majesty," he says, voice deep but not yet full of the scratch and gravel it will in years to come, and bows low. "I was wondering if I could beg of you a few moments of your time. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the summit with you in a less... formal capacity."
Celestia gives a small, but genuine, smile in return to the griffon. For the youth that he carries, she could tell that he carried a great deal of wisdom. She recalled his attempt at attenuating the selfish cries of his peers - even if they were ultimately futile. But they were certainly appreciated - at least by Celestia, anyway. She knew he only wished to help his faltering kingdom - even if there was only little that her or she could do. "Of course," she says before approaching. "Would you mind if my guards accompanies me? Or would you prefer more privacy?"
Gideon rises back up when Celestia addresses him. He listens intently, then glances to her guards. "I doubt they would be your guards if they could not be trusted, Your Highness," he says with a hint of mirth, and a upwards twitch at the corner of his smile. "There is a restaurant owned by a good, honest family nearby - their food and tea are superb. It would make a fine place to talk this over, if that's acceptable with Your Highness?" He indicates down the road to a mostly vacant restaurant. It had been a long summit, and while griffonscones are delicious, breakfast and lunch they do not make.
"No - and I bought these specifically because I knew they would be discreet with regards to any matters they overhear," the Princess says before glancing back of them and they give a nod. "Perfect. Some tea sounds spectacular right now," Celestia says before following behind the shaman as he leads forward to the restaurant.
Gideon nods respectfully and leads the way. When they reach the restaurant, they're greeted by a young griffon who is supposedly 'honoured' that the shaman would be dining with them, but that quickly turns to 'babbling mass of nervousness' as a Princess and her guards fill the space. They're seated, though, and the restaurant's sign turned to 'closed' for the time being. The family that runs the place is quick to take their orders, bring them tea, and generally otherwise be out of sight and earshot. "Your Highness, I do not want to waste your time with small talk, and shall get straight to the point. I feel I must first apologize for the actions and words of my kin during the summit," he says, once they're settled and tea'd, "There has been a wave of darkness rising over this kingdom ever since the fall of King Guto. A wave of greed, idleness, and distrust that is threatening to drown my people."
The Princess of Equestria, one who raises the sun in the morning and sets it at twilight - who guides and leads all of Equestria gloriously into the future - is thankfully pretty used to the babbling mass of nervousness to which the griffon melted when she approached. She responds by ever so slightly tipping her head to the entrepreneur in return. "Thank you deeply for your most gracious hospitality. Truthfully, you do a service to your kind and kingdom." Her voice is her usual graceful, songlike mezzo-soprano. She takes a seat where Gideon suggests and takes a slow sip of the tea. "There is no need to apologize for your kinsmen, though I appreciate it a great deal. Unfortunately, I fear that this wave of greed and distrust will only further sweep across your people. I fear even more that there is nothing I, or any of us, can do to stop it."
Gideon sips his tea in turn, listening to the monarch carefully. His expression (which is mostly just stoic anyways) doesn't falter - until the end, where there's just a little downward twitch of his beak. The shaman sighs and looks out the window of the restaurant at the griffons passing on the street. "I... was afraid you'd say that," he says with a little sigh, then looks back to Celestia. "In truth, it is something I knew in my heart, but I had hoped-" he stops, then, and shakes his head. There's a few moment's silence, and he looks down into the healf-empty mug of tea. There was a day, not too long ago, that it may have been half-full. "I'm a griffon for my people. I do the closest we can to what you and your unicorns call 'magic', and I do it to help and divine for those that need it. I've been told I have the most innate ability and raw talent of a shaman in countless generations. I've been trained by the most respected elders and spent years studying manuscripts and rites. And yet... I feel there is nothing I can do for my people." His pride seems to deflate just a bit, and he suddenly looks fifty years older, like the weight of a nation is on his shoulders.
Celestia levitates her teacup back up into the air - the porcelain surrounded by the brilliant gold of her magical aura - and she tips it back towards her lips to let the sweet amber fall across her tongue. She then sets it back down and looks out the window likewise once Gideon does. She listens to the griffon shaman - silently, not even taking another sip of tea. "Perhaps not," the Princess says softly. "Almost a thousand years ago, there was nothing I could do to save my most beloved sister," she admits softly. "And so I had to, instead, banish her. Yet I hope - and have deep faith - that one day I will be able to finally save her as well as Equestria." The princess gives a small, sad little smile. "Even if there is nothing you can do today, perhaps one day in the future, you can. And that is what matters - not your inability now, but your faith and ability when that one day matters. And so you must gain serenity for today - while never losing hope for tomorrow."
Gideon listens intently. There were rumors and old texts that referenced the Two Sisters, but he didn't know much of the other sister - but he won't comment on this now. It's not his business in any way. He's about to say something when a small griffon child - barely a fledgling - brings out a tray of steaming, fresh griffonscones. The little hen puts them up on the table, barely able to reach, and quietly says, "'ere you go, Princess Mrs. 'lestia yer 'ighness." Having heard the last bit of Celestia's conversation, the fledgling says, "Mum said t'morrow's suppost'be nicer than t'day," and offers a smile, then does a little curtsey and tottles back towards the kitchen. Doubtless it was a comment on the weather, but Gideon smiles sweetly, watching the fledgling leave. "Out of the mouth of infants," he says.
Celestia looks down at the little fledgling and her smile loses its edge of slight despair. She leans over, before the little griffon turns back to the kitchen, and plants just a little kiss on her forehead. She then tips her head upon receiving the little curtsey and then returns her attention back to Gideon. "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day," the Princess responds softly before then lifting up a griffonscone and pulling a piece away - the crumbs tumbling - and she takes a small bite from it.
The fledgling blushes and purrs quietly as she leaves. Gideon sighs and shakes his head, but it's not a bad sigh. He, too, picks up a scone, but before he takes a bite, he nods and says, "Wise words, Your Highness. I can see why your ponies love you. Our Kingdom could use a ruler like you - and perhaps one day we'll find one." He looks at the scone in his talons carefully, then takes a bite. He 'mmm's appreciatively, then says, "Griffonstone is famous for its griffonscones. Somegriffon once said they were the mortar that held our country together."
"Thank you, Gideon," the Princess responds softly as she eats her piece of the scone then studies it briefly as well. "Perhaps one day you will find a leader who will love her subjects dearly," Celestia responds softly. "I certainly shall hope so. Perhaps that same one will use these very griffonscones to help mend your hearts back together once more," the Princess responds with a hopeful little smile. "But in the meantime, wise shaman, I am afraid I must return to Equestria." She stands up from the table, the guards immediately coming to attention.
Gideon nods when the Princess thanks him, and he, too, eats another piece of his scoone. "A leader using scones to save the Kingdom?" he asks. There's a bit of mirth in his expression, but he looks at the scone once more, then back to the Princess. "Every avalanche starts with a snowflake," Gideon says quietly. When the Princess rises, so does he, and the griffon bows deeply. "Thank you, Your Highness. Your counsel and kind words are well-recieved. I will do what I can for my people - and I am sure you always do for yours, no matter how dark the days may get. Safe travels, Princess Celestia."