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 1776 nd 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 Batonia 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 Diasterious 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, 1787. 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 was harsh, but relatively needed at the time to control a rouge power. But the Griffonian terms were just unbearable.. Complete vassalization, an all griffin royal family to replace the old Dabosu' Dynasty, and even a number of harsh new taxes would be implemented a mere few months later on both the nobels and peasantry.
The Stallion, Papacy was my Grand father.... And my mother his offspring.... Who of which was a mere eighteen years of age at the time being. She would later marry my father and give birth to me..... That technically states that I am of royal blood and so is my mother in particular, but that does not mean anything in the new government... They allowed us to be Nobels and the highest ranking just for the sheer torture for the fact that despite our rank, we shall never put the crown on our heads again. I was born on December 25th, 1786, I was from the time I first wrote my name on a schooling paper said and seen to be intelligent, yet I attended mass every Sunday, While Mathematics, science and chemistry bored me, history, The arts and government most certainly caught my eyes and intrigued me.
A day at The Imperial University of Arts and Goverment.
My eyelids open, another day has begun, another 24 hours of my life. I rub them slightly to adjust my vision with my right hoof, stretch my back for maximum flexibility for the course of the day and yawn faintly.
Nearly as soon as my sight adjusts, a familiar feline-like of eyes are looking directly at me, and I hear purring. My Beautiful cat, Alivia. I instantly recognize the specimen and I embrace her in a motherly way. She was given to me by my parents as a companion for My four year term at The Imperial University of Fine arts, Government and History. She was just a mere kitten then and her age now is apparent.
A faint smirk escapes my lips
" Did you not want to sleep in your own bed alivia?"
She simply meows In reply, but it's a delicate noise so I assume that in the language of felines, that means "yes."
I gently put her on the the side of the bed, then to see that it's raining outside... Marvelous.
I climb out of the bed and stretch some more, then I trot to the single window of our room.
I can see that a few students with umbrellas and parasols are not heading to class yet, but are have casually conversations. I know most of them, considering the small size of the university solely dedicated to the arts, history and government to make it brief.
During all of this so that no "peeping toms" as most put it won't look, I then pull down the curtains over the simple window using telekinesis. The process of getting dressed formally and casually for the day begins.
First, off goes the sleeping gown, then my corset, minor metal hoops, a petticoat, the main bright blue and white fabric is put on the hoops, over the black petticoat, then black hoof gloves and comfortable back hoof heels. I then use experimental toothpaste to keep my teeth relatively healthy. Which They are,This does not count for some unlucky mares.
The final I do in getting dressed is putting my mane into a up-do braid and I put a goose feather in the center of my mane., it's white and black, so it perfectly goes with my current look. The journey towards my Final Monday of University begins that very moment after a loving embrace of Alivia.
Oh how horribly I expect the day to go.... A few sexist griffins call me vulgar words,and a few are even spreading gossip as always. My Dress is so much more elaborate than Everypony else's.. Shouldn't they be dressing at least relatively creativity for being... Oh I don't know.. A partially art university in The most artistic nation in Europe besides Italy?!, Alright, one or two out of a three hundred member university know how to dress besides me but that isn't a very positive ratio.
I can hear rain from the Corridor leading to the doorway, that of which leads to the outside. So I put my black parasol into good use... Using it to help me walk for now... And when I reach the outdoors to use it for its proper use.
I reach the steps of the university... And begin to climb them... All fifty-nine of them. I manage it though tired as I reach the top. But as any proper Mare from the area I'm from should, I don't show very much exhaustion. I reach the area, and as soon as I enter the large wooden doors, smells of paint, ink and all sorts of paper is exposed to one's nostrils. It's a good smell to me... Art and writing... Two things I love... But something that I adore as much as I loath it... Government and politics.
I sit down on a special couch, a annoyed gift from the university since, due to my dresses, I can't really sit in normal chairs, since those would break the hoops. I elegantly use my hand fan to cool me off since the amount of heat in this room is surprisingly extreme given how many ponies and griffins are here. The professor, Franz Van Dovin' sees me , since I sit in the very front corner of the class.
"Oh.. It's you Emerald.." He says, disgust in his voice is apparent
" Good morning Missur Proffessor Dovin'."I reply in a polite voice, hiding the same amount of disgust..
" Your Late for class." The Griffin tells me, I look at him as though he were an idiot, which he may be... To the fact that he think we are a part of griffonia.
"Antonettes are Never on time for ponies or other types of species they despise." I say honestly, this being my normal attitude towards a very propagandistic way of teaching In goverment,that of which Dovin' follows seemingly without question. Rather tall, dark brown eyes, and slightly older than most teachers here, I will admit that he has had experience... But he should be giving the lies of state to where he came from, not to a place that isn't officially Griffonian territory.
He rolls his eyes at me, I huff... And he continues about his lesson.
" I'm assuming that all of you did your final reports last night on the History of the western half of Griffonia, if you did, place them on the desk over there." He points his claw to, apparently a desk.
About half of the students get up and turn in the assignment, including me. I did do the assignment because it did not refer to Holestria directly.. Sure, there were some obviously fabricated passages in the text book but I try to be a polite mare and not one of no value.
" It's surprising that she even turned in anything at all..." I can hear him you know who mumble, but I act like how a well mannered... And disciplined mare from Imperium would do.. And ignore him.
I return to my sofa, where just arriving in class... A actually familiar, and rather attractive griffin pony hybrid by the name of " Volan Dewitt Austria Piaire'... Or to me.. Volan." He seems to have ran the entire way from his dorm.
" My appologies sire! I had to change clothing due to the shower!" He begs to the professor as he has his report in his claws, hopefully not ripped.
The professor sighs " You've been late for three days in a row Piaire', step out of this class room.. Your beating will begin in a few hours. You knew the rules, this is acceptable." He says harshly to the meek stallion, as I stand up in downright outrage.
" A physical beating with a whip and claw for being late to class?!, are you really that cold!?" I stand up.
He ignores me as I can see poor Volan's ears flop downwards in fear and guilt.
The professor chuckles " Oh no, no, no, that's only for the worst of students, he will only receive a whipping from a belt a few times on the flank.." His tone darkens severely " You would be the type of student to receive the whip and beating "Maddam" Antonette." He says, looking at me with eyes that even night mare moon would call sadistic.
I gulp and sit back down, in an attempt to not worsen the situation, the whole classroom has been watching me the entire time.
Volan bows slightly " Y-yes Professor." He says sadly as he attempts to turn in his paper though, the professor literally forces his claw upon his hoof so hard that blood is exposed " Your report is now worthless, now do as I said or I'll make it worse." He says in harsh tone... I try to withhold my inner rage... Knowing what may become of me if I act up again... Openly challenging the authorities here at least 10 different times during my four year visit here.. From the minor objections to a certain amount of words required in an essay to the expelling of a close friend of mine not even a whole year ago now.
Volan cringes in pain " P-please let go Professor.." He begs, a sadistic chuckle emerges from the possibly mentally Ill professor " Will do student." He says, taking his razor sharp claws off him... And Volan clutches his scratched front right hoof.. He then limps out... Barely even able to limp on the exposed hoof...
After about five minutes.... I ask the professor " May I go to the Outside for a moment?... It's simply too hot in here." I say, waving my hand fan very rapidly
He rolls his eyes " You dare to interrupt my lesson for that?.... URG.. Fine, go. Mares from Imperium are corrupt enough as it is... Besides, maybe the rain will spoil your pretty dress." He says very annoyed and offensively as some of the griffins chuckle, out of fear if they don't, they will be in trouble, While some rightfully see his statement there as too harsh... But I don't show my anger on the outside...
I get up, making sure to not damage the dress, hide my face from the likes of him with my fan, leave my things, making them think I'll come back and trot out of the building, my heels making the typical "Clip Clok" noise as I proceed to the outside...
As soon as I pass some guards, I undo my parasol to where it will Sheild me from the elements.. And I try to find my actual objective, to find Volan.
Meanwhile... Volan is on the thirtieth step of the university staircase, severely depressed and anxiety ridden.. I see,trot to And sit beside him, using my parasol to cover us both. The guards are not able to hear us... Thankfully considering our conversation ahead.
" Your too weak willed... Didn't a part of you want to yell back at him?" I ask my friend, he is still clutching his wound, the blood that of which is now dripping unto the marble stairs... Due to the rain.
He turns to the voice... He smiles when he sees that it's a friend and not another enemy. He nods
" But if I did he would have scratched my fa-face off or something.. Becuase I'm an abomination in his eyes.. A Batpony-griffin-earth pony hybrid who is not as rou-rough and tough as the others." He says, telling the truth to a friend that he has known since the first day here.
I look at his barely retracted Claws
" You have claws Volan, make use of them, you can attack the beaters when they get to you, since if you do, they will allow it since doing so will make you look powerful and like a "proper" part griffin in their eyes and mind." I say, taking out a hankercheif and begin to treat his wounds " He literally made you lose blood... This is going far enough." I tell him, trying to stop the acute bleeding.
He shakes his head in nervousness " b-but they might deform me... Or tar me if I retaliate... Or even castra-" he says nervously as I interrupt for his own good
" Those are only assumptions and the beaters are not the most well trained in the nation, those are in the universities in Griffonia, not Holestria. They probably aren't very experienced neither to be honest." I try to tell him
He smiles " I'll give them Rumble." He says, stretching his, actually rather intimidating claws out that I haven't seen the full legth of until now
" Easy now... Save your strength for then." I tell him in a recommending tone. " As I said, if you win the fight, you won't be expelled since the griffins are always looking for a warrior any chance they can possibly get.. If you lose... Your reputation will be damaged further." I tell him
He nods in agreement " I know this... " he breaks down from nervousness " Oh hug me friend, for I have no faith." He says... As I do as he requested, behind his ear responding with " Do not fret over this, you will win, if you have troubles... Then maybe I'll step in." I say as he pulls from the hug.
"B-but emerald.. You may be different than most mares and of high social class, but doing that would get you whipped on the back and expelled... The Class R regiment could be sent after you also..." He cringes at the last thought.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath " I've learned enough here already, I've already completed my diplomas for art and history, my main two loves here..." I say... Hiding my internal lust and romance for him.
" You would do that for me emerald ....? I-I-if I don't pull through of course." He asks, amazed at how strong our bond has become in the four years we've known each other..
I nod " That's what friends are for, to protect each other, mentally and physically." I tell him in a reassuring voice.
I get up, " Now, let me help you back to your dorm, I don't think it's wise to walk on that hoof... Esspecially considering how far away your place of residence is from here." I generously offer, even being a mare and all.
He looks at the building behind us both, " But by the time you get back, class will be over and you'll be in even more trouble than you already are." He tries to tell me, but I shake my head.
" It's our last two days here Volan, and I quite frankly don't give a Ruthian's bottle of vodka about the Proffessor." I say honestly
Volan slightly chuckles at the little bit of humor I tried to insert into the situation... " Or Elizabethiana's flank about them." He adds in jokingly, I cannot help but to laugh.
" Or even a... Uh... Pardon me for my arrogance." He says, a silly smile on his face
I smile, showing my quite healthy fangs " well, we better get moving if you don't want me to get into trouble." I tell him.
" oh.. Yes." He replies, getting up awkwardly.. But adorably and I begin to escort him there.
Within a quarter of an hour.. We hear the bell ring.. Signaling that the first class of the day is over... I sigh
" We didn't even make it to your house before the bell rang out..." I say.. Knowing that I will have to go back there, since I left my belongings such as my journal, sketchbook and writing utensils on my desk.
Volan Shurgs " I presume that life does and always will have a sense of humor... Even if it's a sick one." He says as I help him up the stair case to his dorm... And open the door for him...
I hug him " Just remember what I told you, if they do come.. It will be after the ball tonight... If I hear destruction coming from here, I'll be right there by your side." She says, since the commons of the university is literally right next to his dorm.
He nods " I, if the situation gets out of hoof will make as much noise as possible." He says... Agreeing and he begins to enter the door
" Volan-..." I try to say before the door is shut, I sigh and head my way back. Volan is a very shy and quite awkward individual, some say he has the nerves of a butterfly sometimes.. I can see why to be honest.. But he is as kind as a kitten once you really get to know him... And as handsome as every word that can be used in the dictionary. He came from a once decently well off family of merchants, but his father was hung to death by local authorities after the rumors of him telling other merchants of different nations got spread.... Which may have been the case, but they still should not have forced the whole family to witness the hanging... I believe that ever since he told me about it, this is why Volan is so afraid to challenge anypony and stick up for himself... He looks like a stallion that would be in the army nearly with his strong and even slightly muscular build, but mentally... He can be as sensitive as a dandelion... As can I sometimes. His Mother tried to remain sane... But one day tried to commit suicide, and has been in the mental asylum ever since he was 15 years of age... But she still loves her son, that's how he got into this very expensive university, she still did pay for it after all... Despite suffering from severe depression. But she should be out of there some day..
Many would think that I'm the most unintelligent, cruel hearted, stuck up, and judgemental pony on the face of the earth, considering where I was born raised.... Imperium.
Yes, I was influenced by my mother and adore music,literature and fashion... But I was also influenced by my father, who of which is a general in charge of a whole army in the northern half of the nation. While some days I went to the countless tea parties and social events and even picnics with family members my mother attended.. I sometimes went hunting and fire arm practice with my father starting at Age... 15 I think. He even taught me how to use a sword and dagger, but to me.. Those weapons may be out of date despite how majestic they may be. The world is heading towards the direction of Flintlock Rifles, Cannons, Mass armies, with their prestige, swords represent an era that has been gone for at least two hundred years.
The Uninviiting return to the university begins that very moment.
