Prologue and a Brief History
Prologue:
I look Face to Face at the griffonian army, I think to myself of the extreme measures of this action, and how the world may view me... but it is needed for the fate of holestria. I look Round.... my small but well disciplined holestrian and batonian army, then to the enemy,i can see at least twice as many griffins with Firearmery on their side, but my gamble is that they are not well trained and we should be able to defend this city, if it falls, we will lose, and Holestria will truly be bleed to death. Its a wonder how a mare like myself, one of the arts could eventually be in charge of a whole front. I also remember my life until this moment and why this war is justified.The other stream of thought is of our nation's history that led to this as well.
Holestria, a once very religious Realm that dominated european politics alongside Great Britannia, Batponia and the Holy griffin Empire from it's unification in 1470 to the coronation of Anner The third... as we normally call him, Anner The Mad. he took Over the Empire in 1777 and promptly tried his best, being among the rouge group of the enlightenment and began to "De-Christianize" the nation... and that counted for everypony, even the nobels, a group of ponies who are usually excluded from horrific polices such as his "Re Birth" was. He made military service compulsory, no longer voluntary as it had been previously. The Unpopular Autocrat also began to Tax those of Any religion, Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, Jewish, no Devine faith was spared. This was not well Received by the peasantry and even the nobels were safe. it was like this for about 6 or so years later until 1782 when they had had enough, then citizens of religion rebelled. when he heard of the civil unrest, he told the soldiers to fire upon the crowds... and as he put it " Make sure that they all get a Musket ball through the eyes and heart." the army had no choice but to obey and killed over 60 Ponies,including a Certain Princess Alexia of Genovia who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. She has hit in the head by a musket ball directly between the eyes,She died within minutes if not seconds, and this event would go down in history as " Musket Sunday"
This shooting shocked the continent, Esspeically Gonivia, a Secondary Power within the realms of The Holy Griffin Empire, a coalition of griffin nations puppeted or allied with the Holiest state, Hooviana, where the capital of the Catholic faith laid. This event more interested than Appalled one nation in particular, Griffonia. a nation with the second largest army in Europe right behind the Ruthians to the east. They saw this as a chance to expand the griffin eagle to other courts of Europe by force.
The Govian Goverment demanded an appology for this atrocity But being the Egotistical Imbecile he was, Anner refused and the Griffins negotiated an alliance with the Batponian Empire, a Also powerful nation, but unified and more organized, it was also just as religious as most of the Holy Griffin Empire, excluding Griffonia of course. Just as any Sane griffin would do, The King took this as Declaration of war and went to The highest authority in the Coalition, The Emperor of Hoovania for Permission to Write a declaration of War to the Holestrian Embassy. Although the Emperor denied his requests, a Holestrian spy Loyal to Anner quickly returned to Bovaire and informed his King of this.
Legend has it that Anner threw a glass of Red wine from his desk and at a Cross, remarking " Ill destroy you and your God!", giving the appearance of blood on the holy cross. " I'll shatter them all like that Glass!" He exclaims as he gets dressed in a military uniform and prepares to do the unthinkable, for the first time in over two centuries, he is forcing Holesrtia into a war with a Very holy state.
He attacked the Griffin-Holestrian border, a place that hadnt been altered in half a millennium and captured four griffin villages in one day. This was a most arrogant approach obviously since he forgot that the members of the Holy Griffin Empire may have had personal Allies counting for certain nations, which they did. Due to the fact that The City State of Ultz ( the cloest nation to Holesrtia that is a member of The HGR) was attacked without warning, its allies came to its aid, not just the rest of the griffin states. A number of Countries declared war on Holestria the Next day, the most notable being Batonia, a nation some say was even more religious than Hoovania in some instances. The war raged on for half a decade, it's high point was when Holestrian Stallions at Arms reached the Gates Of Prome, Both North Eastern and North Western Holestria and Even the whole Benelux region in 1779, from here, the war would begin to take a dark road towards defeat for the Holestarian Eagle. While commanding the attack himself, Anner failed to capture Batonia's Capital of La Berna, was surrounded and as opposed of going down like a real king would by fighting with his troops to the bitter end, he put a loaded musket unto his mouth and pulled the trigger with his magic.
His whole army was either killed or taken as prisoner a mere three days later, this disasterios attack on The capital Of the Batponies' Capital cost Holestaria's its most populated army of 300'000 and even of the nation's own leader ship... the Realm was instantly thrown into chaos, Since he had no heir, let alone a wife since no pony wanted his hoof to be truthful. Civil revolts broke out In Bovaire, demanding a revoking of the Church goer Payments that had robbed them of so many Dons over the course of his reign by both nobels and peasents, they were, just as in the massacre less than a half decade earlier shot, but this time they fought against the troops and attempted a coup, it worked. The nobels were able to force a distant cousin of Anner, who of which didn't wish to rule on the throne by the name of Papacy De Antoinette, a stallion devout to The cross and one that the nobles believed would help stop internal dissent creating a possible civil war During an actual war, a death wish for any nation. both economic, social and political damnation. It also usually means that it will lose the conflict. the New leader was not even of our blood though, but despite this actually did a decent job at holding back all three collapsing fronts( the Italian, Batonian and Griffin fronts to be specific.), but he could not stop the inevitable and the troops of griffonia were soon at the gates of formally the most glamerous City in Europe before Anner, Bovaire. Other troops of griffin nations tried to attack the city head on and use minimal artillery fire, knowing that many ponies lived there, griffonia how ever Literally surrounded the metropolis, fired at with with over 3000 artillery cannons, and was aiming specifically as General Franz Uber put it " To Bleed Bovaire white and force a surrender if they continue to resist, no matter how harsh it may seem, this is a time of Hostilities, it is needed." It was like this for a full week of hell for bovaire, over 70 percent of its infrastructure being bombed out, with damage that even the most opportunistic pony would say was horrific, including the left wing of imperium, the nation's Grand Palace and even now... still elegant and illustrious in its own way. Papacy had no choice, being trapped within the Withering city himself to surrender, a armistice was officially declared on August 1st, 1782. The Peace terms were individually drafted by each side, the Batponies demanded that Holesrtia limit it's army's size to no more than one hundred thousand troops and that it should pay for any damage, which was something that all three groups were demanding. The Italian States Demanded that Holestria Pay eight percent of its entire yearly income to them, each getting two percent. The griffins had the harshest terms, mostly Griffonia. Gonvia wanted any books on Athetistic ideals in the Capital's library to be burnt to ashes while griffonia demanded major Territorial Adjustments and making Holestria a puppet state. Papacy had no choice but to concede to these peace terms and the "War for Civilization" as it was later coined, was over.
Holesaria promptly lost its Dominant position as being among the great powers and was reduced to the Secondary Power category. It was the end of an empire, the End of a holestrian Dream that had been apparent since the renaissance.
to make matters worse, Papacy died under mysterious circumstances when he was found dead in the Palace on March 8th, 1783. his wounds suggested stabbing. The griffins claimed that he committed suicide, but the government of Holestria and even the Citizens themselves didnt belive that a pony like Papacy would take his own mortal life, something that he would have known would certainly damn him to eternal misery and fire, and everyone suspected that griffonia had something to do with his death. A griffin, one of the house of Kreizcancof, that of which was the Griffin royal Family took over...and it has been like this ever since... treatment deteriorated slowly over time, but not until around 1839 did the treatment of holestrians begin to get intolerable after the coronation of Elizabethina 2nd earlier that year in February. There was also a new griffin Puppet king for holestaria too, Franz the Second. A cruel and harsh being that as soon as he began his reign instituted new taxes and restrictions on holestrians so harsh that he even had some backlash of disapproval from the nearly always compliant royal court.
But to understand how I'm involved in this and how I'm leading a army to attack, you must know what was going on in my life preceding this.
I was Born on December 24th, 1786 to Elispe and Piare Antoinette. Both being High ranking Nobles in the Autocratic order. My father being a Duke and my Mother's title being Duchess. We are so high on the chart since Papacy was literally my grand father, and despite his death, our family remained in the court partially, but powerless to the decisions being made, including his daughter Elispe and step son Franz,whom of which were my parents...
If one was to look at me face to face, they would see Emerald green Pupils, very long and styled eyelashes, full lips, a light Blonde mane and a skull structure similar to that of Princess Celestia of the Equestrian Empire. my body structure is common in most ways, small waist, tall hooves, although i do have taller ears than most and i have a decently tall neck. I am certainly a mare who cares for her appearance, but I'm not vain. On occasion, I'll go to the central city and give any starving peasants soup, bread or even cake, so that they can taste something sweet and pure at least once in their miserable lives that is normally due to the unreasonable taxes made by the puppet king. From all of my years of schooling and experience, i am known to be a very enlightened mare, especially in the arts, history and government. But, just because I'm very Firm in my knowledge of things, that does not make me any less of a devout Christian that i and my whole family are.
It's difficult to point to a specific moment when my life began to turn, but I'm assuming that it must have been right before the Halloween Massacre of 1805, when i had just Become a Graduate of The University of the Crown, or TUC to use its abbreviations.
Le impérial,
June 3rd, 1805.
The Illustrious Scents the environment of the illustrious impérial are rather apparent. The walls made out of marble with gold lining. the gossip that always goes around the Manor, the Dances, the Balls, The Prestige, all of that lies here, the gem of Holestria. As it translates from latin, The Empire truly deserves its title of grace. Crystal and real plant life embody the royal gardens, all while positioned to look like a christian Cross, something that many are shocked that Anner Didn't remove during the Dark days of De-christianization. The fountains with statues of not just holy figures, but of past great Leaders of nations as well, there is even a full sized statue of Queen Flana and King Missur, the couple who famously were responsible for uniting the multiple Prench states in march of 1470. Another is of Celestia and Luna... a ancient and priceless piece of art that came from a time before Nightmare Moon, it even has special paint to give it a even more life like appearance. The stone paths cross all over the palace, and all of it's very pleasurable aspects. I, a mere 19 years of age am drawing a sketch of a rose, next to a fountain, wearing a gorgeous Crinoline with Dark blue being the main color, vine like mendings on the bottom of the skirt represent elegance and i am even wearing white hoof gloves, along with using both my magic to control a parasol, draw and look refined at the same time with a hoof fan. I am quite the intellectual, and brutally honest... so many stallions here don't want me, i wonder why. Maybe my Stallion just isn't in this certain court.
Unfortunately despite all of these bright points, there are always armed griffin guards. they all look like stone to me, cold, emotionless, thoughtless. But don't think for a minute that they will continue to be idle if you disrespect a griffin official, they will hit you with the butt of their musket, arrest you and determine what consequences are necessary. Farmer, sailor, soldier, Nobel, Peasant, dancer, Musical composers, they make no difference to the masters, unless if you are in my family's situation. To be fair, its very rare that anypony challenges authority, the last being about five years ago, and he was hung by a rope, ans had his neck broken. Some guards are nicer than others, some are even married to some mares here, including a close friend of mine, marseille. Though for the most part, in all actuality, 80 percent of griffin guards sent here are mindless demons who would beat a filly till they would bleed no more.
Griffin guards speak to each other, spreading even more gossip than Teenage mares. the rumors they spread are so hurtful to both the pony its referring to and to their reputation that some suicides have been connected to the matter. I glare at them, why should they even be here still? its Been over 30 years since the war ended, surely the nations of Europe should come to our aid and force the griffins to leave their military occupation. But no matter how much i pray, it never occurs,it nearly did once in 1800 when The Ponies of Great Britannia demanded it, the griffins refused, and a war nearly started... but some minister managed to prevent that, and what came out of a three month to political crisis?, nothing, absolutely and utterly nothing.
One day, the Holestrian eagle shall fly over Europe again, and will be loved, not hated like it was under Anner the Worthless.
A friendly voice chimes into my left ear " Hello My darling." i turn around and see my nearly just as beautiful mother, Ellispe, maybe even more so when it comes to her mane.
I smile and embrace her " Mother, it feels like its been an eternity without you, four years at a University dedicated to Art and history may be a unique experience, but it can never replace family."
She observes my clothing with a impressed look " You look like a proper young Holestrian mare. "
I give a proud smile as a twirl to show the full dress " I know, i Saw it for sale in Bovaire and decided to get it." i respond
Mother begins to trot towards the Tea drinking area of the gardens " Your father and brother are all waiting to see you again, your brother was just beginning education when you went to the final stage of it." she says, not even a bit intimidated by the griffin guards keeping an eye balling us as we head in the other direction.
While we trot towards The center of the garden, my mother continues about her Normal, and possibly risky gossip.
" Missur Deldago made quite the statement today towards the griffin ministry at the Mascara de ball last week." she says, silencing herself every time we pass a guard " He told them in quite the admirable way of " she changes her voice to that of a stallion... or a mare trying to sound like one at least.
" If you are a Member of the Holy Griffin Empire, then where do the crosses of christ appear on your uniforms Gentlegriffins?" she says, a guard eye balls us
One has to turn to a mare talking like that near harsh protectors of the peace "Mother, its dangerous to speak of gossip outside our home, We wont be executed, surely not, but they may not treat us in a civilized manner if a griffin were to read your lips." I say, Mother chuckles slightly and pridefully " Don't worry dear... we are of too upper authority for them to torture us, us being related to Papacy. If word got out the whole nobility would rebel, and everypony knows when the aristocracy revolts, they will surely come out victorious."
I look to her With a concerned look " Mother, surely you don't believe that they would treat us any different if we committed a crime?"
We are nearly to our destination, now leaving the garden, the sounds of Nobles, royalty and just upper class ponies in general can be heard with their gayety and laughter,since the Authorities did agree to let the Wealthy have this sector of the gardens to themselves without being watched.
Father greets us in a grateful manner " Hello Emerald." he says in a loving tone as he embraces me " I return the favor
"Father, you can now count on another Antoinette in the government. I tell the stallion that did the first half of giving me life.
He smiles " Im sure with your intelligence that you'll become... Emerald the Great, Emerald the Loved or-" He tries to finish
I chuckle, embrace and look into his eyes " Oh stop it father, your over amusing me." I utter in a casual tone.
He Shrugs " I only want my First born offspring to be happy and successful in a turbulent world." he says as i Feel a sudden embrace from small hooves, i look down to see Aliu, I hug him back by using my magic to levitate him upwards and embrace him them.
" Is it really you Emerald, i haven't seen you in.... I Don't even know how long." he says with a innocent smile at the end.
I smirk " Four years Little brother, and Im most certainly glad to be back." I tell him
" Is it true that Your nearly out of Early schooling?"I ask with a kind voice
He nods rather quickly, getting his maid into a mess " Yes. And I'm happy with that, I'm not a kid anymore,sixth grade here I come." He adorably replies as when a piece of hair covers his left eye, he simply blows it off.
