The Warring States of Equestria
Chapter 1: Seeds of Chaos
Nearly a century after the covenant forged between Princess Platinum of Unicornia, Commander Hurricane of Pegasopolis, and Lord Puddinghead of Earth, the fledgling nation of Equestria was put into major disarray. Following Puddinghead’s death to illness and Hurricane’s unknown death during a scouting expedition eastward, Platinum became the sole ruler of Equestria. Racial tensions between the ponies sprung up, as Platinum had no ambition to restore the triumvirate she and her peers once shared.
Despite the fear of Unicorn domination, Platinum proved to be a kind and capable leader. During her rule, she expanded the borders of Equestria, thus creating the first Equestrian Empire in the year 150 BSE (Before Solar Empire). During her long reign she gave birth her first and only child, Blueblood I. On her deathbed, she chose him to succeed her.
Unlike his mother, Blueblood wasn’t a capable ruler. In spite of his shortcomings, he was aware of some of his non-unicorn ministers’ desire for power. He established the first loyal council of court eunuchs to assist him in running the country. With the establishment of the eunuchs, his court could not usurp power from him.
Following his death, however, he left behind his twin eldest sons to fight over who would be the rightful heir to the throne. The eunuchs who counseled him during Blueblood’s final years were left to decide on who would be the rightful heir. The brothers, Nova and Orion, then spent Equestria’s treasury on lavish parties for the eunuchs in an attempt to win their favor. For nearly five years, the eunuch council ruled Equestria while the heirs squabbled for their attention. Unbeknownst outside the capital of Canterlot, the brothers’ extravagant spending was taking its toll on the ponies.
One fateful night, the eunuchs hatched a plan to consolidate their own power from their heirs by placing their younger brother to the throne as a puppet ruler. In a false decree, they issued for Nova and Orion to attend a banquet to coronate the rightful heir to the throne in a month. Following the declaration, the eunuchs began to spread malicious rumors about the brothers. They planned to have one of them kill the other, then execute the murderer. However one eunuch by the name of Attendant, however, took advantage of his elder piers lust for power and plotted to make his power above that of the emperor’s.
The night of the banquet, the high officials and eunuchs were talking and laughing in the royal banquet hall. The table was decorated with the most extravagant art sculptures while exotic foods decorated the plates of the officials. Then the palace doors swung open. Nova & Orion walked into the room with their heads up high and chests out proudly. Both refused to make eye contact with each other and immediately parted to opposite sides of the room.Because the matters didn’t concern him, their younger brother, Prince Silver, stayed in his bedroom. They took their seats on opposite sides next to the head of the table. The head eunuch, Yellow Gate, clapped his hooves and the room went silent. Gate saw the two brothers, who continued to refuse eye contact with each other, still alive and showed no signs of wanting to assault his brother.
The old pony rose from his seat and cleared his throat.
“As you all know… With our belated lord, his twin eldest sons Nova and Orion were left to inherit his throne. I must admit, though, I am sad that Attendant could not join us as he was out with Hay Fever…. Now, before I announce our…. new emperor, I’d like to propose a toast to both stallions.”
Everypony in the room, including the staff whom outlined the room raised a cup of the finest wine.
“You showed great merit all those years and I’d like to compliment you both. A toast to the new emperor!”
They all drank their cups dry then set them down.
Taking his chance, Yellow Gate immediately collapsed. Instantly, the other eight ‘regular’ eunuchs rushed to him with Nova and Orion rising from their seats.
“I… I apologize, it was a very strong drink… and I’m not like what I was when I was still a young stallion.”
Yellow Gate slowly lifted himself up making sure to play the part of his age. As he struggled, Nova & Orion helped him up.
“I assure you, it’s fine.” Orion said.
“Indeed, the wine was a bit too strong.” Nova said.
Unbeknownst to everyone who crowded around Yellow Gate, the high ministers and staff began to feel dizzy. The Minister of Farming suddenly fell out of his seat. Everypony turned around to see them fall to the ground or slouch over.
“Wha-! What is this!?” a eunuch cried.
Then one by one, the eunuchs fell to the floor gasping for air but unable to breathe. Nova & Orion shot each other fiery looks, but then turned to Yellow Gate who was also struggling to breath. As he died before them, the brothers shot fiery looks at each other.
“It was you who poisoned them!” They yelled in unison.
“How dare you copy me!”
“Stop it you ungrateful wretch!”
In a burst of speed, Nova tackled Orion. He proceeded to beat his brother repeatedly before Orion slammed a serving tray into the side of his head. Orion got to his feet and lunged for the downed Nova but Nova buckled his legs and kicked out, which sent Orion crashing through the table. Nova’s horn glew with magic and he shot a hail fire of utensils at Orion. Using his magic, he levitated the broken table and most of the utensils barely stabbed through the solid oak. Orion threw the table piece away and was about to lunge for Nova again, however hoofsteps in the quiet courtyard stopped their fighting.
Attendant entered the room with a sly smile on his face.
“My, my, my… what a ruckus I have caused.”
“You! You’re the snake behind all of this” Orion said.
“You’re the one who interrupted MY coronation!” Nova exclaimed.
“Enough of both of you,” Attendant snapped. “I vowed to serve you both to the grave, it’s a shame I won’t be joining you two.”
For the first time in a very long time, Nova and Orion drew their swords to work together.
“You are a traitor to the state!” Nova said.
“And an insult as a eunuch! Prepare to die!” Orion said.
Attendant was unphased by their threats.
“I won’t be needing to get my hooves dirty.”
Suddenly the brothers began to breath heavily, they dropped their swords and clenched their chests. They tried to speak but something was stopping them from speaking.
“Cockatrice Blood mixed in your wine. It will freeze your organs and shut them down… painfully.”
Despite their bodies being forced to shut down on them, they attempted to crawl to Attendant. The pain from the poison was too much for Nova to handle; he dropped dead from the poison as he was about to pull himself closer. Seeing his lifelong rival and brother drop dead before him, Orion pushed himself to get to Attendant. He wrapped his hooves around his leg and before he could do anything, finally collapsed from the poison.
Attendant wiggled his leg from Orion’s grip. He took a step back then bowed to the corpses of the brothers.
“Long live the emperors.” He said.
The following morning, the royal hall was empty as if no festivities had happened. With the council, heirs, and many officials missing, the entire nation of Equestria was put into a nationwide search. Later that day, the late staff was found stone dead in their quarters. Nopony could explain why, so they were buried with honors befitting someone who served the royal family. Attendant was found alive in his quarters, however was terribly ill. The inspectors that had came to visit him left after finding him sick in his home.
The bodies were not found until two weeks after they first went missing. The officials were found off the shores of Equestria in a boat. The corpses were sun bleached from being in the sun too long and picked at by birds. The inspectors assumed they went sailing but got thrown off course, then died from being stranded too long. The corpses of the eunuchs were found with that of the heirs; near the edge of what would later be the Everfree Forest in a carriage. The corpses were rotting from fungi and scavenged by Timberwolves. The only way they were recognized was because of the ceremonial gold collar with a purple prism, which was once worn by Platinum herself, on Yellow Gate’s neck.
Once the news was returned to Equestria, the entire country went into mourning at the loss of so many officials and members of the royal family. Ponies from everywhere in Equestria attended their funeral. Gate's collar was returned to the palace and given to Prince Silver, who crowned emperor at the young age of 12 in 125 BSE. Seeing his lack of a eunuch council to aid him, he granted Attendant the rank of high eunuch and established a new council of eunuchs. As time went on, Attendant’s power in the court grew. His relationship to the emperor grew to the point where the emperor would refer to him as ‘Step-Father.’
Having total favor of the emperor he had non-unicorn eunuchs executed by issuing false statements of treachery, which the emperor gladly approved of. Then, his council of Unicorns began plotting assassinations of other non-unicorn officials until the entire government hierarchy was ran by unicorns.
By the year 119 BSE, Attendant and his court had utter control of the emperor and all of Equestria. His lust for power, however, came with major consequences. Following heavy taxation on non-unicorns, many ponies were left starving. Many Unicorns regained their sense of superiority and began moving into North Equestria en masse, leaving behind many closed and empty businesses. With the economy taking a turn for the worst, Unicorns naturally didn’t feel any backlash whilst the country suffered. By 106, however, Icy Blue banners rose and blue scarves were being tied. The Windigo Rebellion had begun.