King Equestrius -> His Eminence

Chapter 3: The Equestrian Contract

Princess Celestia received the letter, it was that time, she knew it had been coming. After Luna had been re-affirmed into the monarchy the thing was assured. Still, it happened so quickly, she wished she had, had time to inform and prepare her subjects for what was coming.

The Princess shook the thoughts away. The time had to come and now it has . . .

“Get my chariot ready!” She spoke to any pony in earshot. “I need to be in Pony-ville tonight.” She put her hoof down and the servants were rushing in every direction.

Arin was very comfortable with his lodgings and the alicorns seemed similarly contented. He arranged the parchment, quill and ink, everything had to be just so when he reported to His grace.

“The ponies appear unwilling to pay the price, agreed upon in The Equestrian Contract. Never fear, your graciousness, once we re-state the terms and conditions, your subjects will be more than willing to return your favor with new found devotion. This I can swear upon.” He paused, grinning, it was all as he had foretold. “Your eldest daughter has been summoned and she will certainly be surprised to see me, in your stead. Hold your designs for a month or more, eminence, I shall insure the process is one of mutual interest.” Signing his name, he brushed back his mane, than swallowed the message, whole.

Celestia arrived in the middle of pony-ville, the next day at dawn. She might have appeared in moments but this appearance must be upheld. If she was to startle the citizens the uniform, of all she knew, could crash down around her. They needed to be calm for what was coming.

“Hey look! It's the Princess!” Some pony shouted.

“What the Princess?” Ponies started gathering outside, waking to the new day. “Look at that!” Ponies were pointing pleased to see the Princess grace their town, with her regal presence. “That's the Princess, son! Our fearless leader.”

“Where is Twilight Sparkle?” She asked more harshly than she intended.

The ponies started getting worried. “Uh, I mean . . .” She shrugged. “I have not lain eyes on my favorite student in so long, I would like to speak with her before we start the conference.”

Every pony looked confused. “What conference, Princess?”

“Oh no! No pony got the memo?!” The Princess said. They looked at each other shrugging “Dear me! I must have forgotten to send them, sorry, my little ponies.”

They nodded in agreement, misplaced memos were hardly a thing to be worried about. Every pony was departing, ready to get all the work they could finish, completed, before the important meeting.

Frosty beverage was pushing through the crowd, shouting to the Princess but the Princess had disappeared.

Twilight woke, she had a feeling that something was wrong.

The Princess was standing over her bed.

“Whoah!” She jumped out of bed, smashing into the wall behind her. “P-Princess what are you doing here.” She stopped, dead still. “This has to do with those ponies from out of town!”

“Shhh.” The Princess looked around “Twilight, this is important, Equestria's ponies are probably in dire danger.

“Ha! I knew it.” Looking happy for a moment. Than her face sank into a distressed open mouth. “Oh, no. What is it Princess? An army of Pegasus? An evil pony empire?

Celestia shook her head. “A contract, Twilight. A promise that has gone unfulfilled for centuries.”

Twilight showed her confusion. “A contract, what are you talking about Celestia?”

Celestia sighed. “Have you ever wondered why me and my sister are alicorns, Twilight? Or how we have lived for a thousand, five hundred years without aging?” . . .

Arin looked out on the new day. “My, my these ponies do start early. They seem a good deal more responsible, without a high, sovereign overseer.” He scratched his chin smiling. “I doubt they will be able to survive without their monarchy, however.” He frowned.

He shut the blinds letting the shadows engulf the room.

The hotel manger, Bill Lodger, opened the door. “Mister . . . ahyaaa.” Although rude, he had a right to be disturbed at what he saw. With the shadows gathered around him, Arin looked more than malicious he seemed evil. His scars were deepened and emphasized in a horrific fashion. His frown was twisted by these illusions and looked more a snarl. His cape, dark as it was, seemed darkness embodied thrown about him, guarding from any light that might peek through the blinds.

“Ah, excuse me sir.” He did not come further into the room. “I, ah, thought you might wish to know there will be a town meeting soon. Princess Celestia is holding a royal conference, a fine opportunity, if any, for you to make her acquaintance. I-If you want that is.” He stepped OUT of the room.

Arin smiled but this only seemed to heighten the sense of evil about him. “Thank you, I shall be sure to attend.”

“V-very good, sir. YOUR MEAL IS READY DOWNSTAIRS!” Bill Lodger ran out of the room.

Arin frowned, once more. “Time to meet my old pupil.”

The ponies of Pony-ville had gathered outside of the City Hall. Princess Celestia stood above them on, temporary wooded platform.

“My little ponies!” The princess was interrupted by a loud noise and the crowd fell silent.

Comet Tail was enjoying a crisp peanut brittle. “Oh yeah, * munch, munch *, nothing like peanut brittle! . . .” He jumped, red spreading across his face. “O-oh, oh sorry Princess.”

Princess Celestia was getting upset. “Listen, every pony, what I have to say is very important! If you cannot be silent for this meeting you will have to leave and ask some other pony what happened!” She did not direct her gaze towards Comet Tail but every other pony did.

“NOW!” She shouted with meaning, bringing the crowd to a revered silence. “You must learn the history of our land!”

Several strange looks passed about the room and muttering began to pierce that eery quiet.

Princess Celestia spoke on and soon the room was calm. “You must understand how the monarchy we all rely upon came into place! You must understand how Luna and I came to exist”

All eyes were captured by Celestia. “Luna and I are the daughters of the noble Lord Equestrius, the overseer for the Great King Equestrius!”

Ponies were muttering again, this was unnatural news.

“Lord Equestrius was the original alicorn, brought into existence by the powerful sorcerer: Marlin, King Equestrius! His magical abilities drew out the inner potential of the equine race.” Celestia fluttered her wings, shewing her coat and mane.

Then shouting with the full equestrian voice, “INCREASING OUR LIFEFORCE AND COMBINING THE BEST OF EARTHPONIES, UNICORNS AND PEGASAI.”

She let her head fall.

“King Equestrius made a deal with the first few settlers of Equestria. They could not fend for themselves, their government was horribly lopsided and biased.” She looked upset. “Due to a horribly reliant system on foodstuffs. Perhaps you remember the story of Hearth's Warming eve.”

The group nodded, knowledgeably.

“The truce between the three races held for a year or two, still, the Earth Ponies were left with a great deal of the manual labor. Many ponies were contented, but, those with artistic and creative inspirations were hardly pleased. Soon the arguments were out again and arguments escalated.” The Princess looked to the sky with crystal dew in eyes. “It was then Lord Equestrius came to the ponies of this land with me and Luna. He promised them the monarchy we have now and the ponies back then would not have survived, unified, if they did not accept it then. But . . . He requisitioned a price for such monarchy . . .

She looked again at the ponies in the crowd, now her tears were flowing, pouring. “For a perfect monarchy, that shall exist, indefinitely, a contract must be formed. For two perfect rulers, the ponies of this United Kingdom of Equestria must be willing to sacrifice some of their number, any time required, to the Mage King, Marlin . . .” Princess Celestia quoted with trembling lip.

The ponies gasped and went wide eyed.

The princess held a hoof to silence their eminent outcry and continued. “ . . . The strongest, most durable, quickest and most magical ponies must report for inspection. These ponies shall learn to be great steeds and shall strive their hardest to assist his kingship, Marlin, in his royal duties. These ponies shall sacrifice their previous lives to protect their kingdom and ruler's from dilapidation.”

“What is this princess? Why are you making up this ridiculous story?” It was Ms. Cake, holding her two foals and pale with shock.

“Yes!” Mr. Cake joined. “If, by chance, we believed this ridiculous story, why in Equestria has this tribute not been required in years past? Or has this “King” never needed our assistance till now?!”

The Princess looked with unseeing eyes on Mr. Cake, iridescent liquid falling from her mane. Mr. Cake held his satire, one look at the Princess and one knew she spoke truth.

Twilight stepped forward, she had a hard look on her face, she knew the trouble that was to arise. No easy solution to this problem.

“No, the king has never required his tribute because his contract has not been fulfilled until now . . .” She paused watching the confused face on every pony, her friends and neighbors. They were all in danger. “Until recently, the perfect Monarchy of Two rulers, stated in the contract, had been made null by Princess Luna's evil spell. Then Discord reared his horrible head once more and no monarchy could be called perfect with him around . . . But now, now that all these problems have been solved, now we must face the a true problem . . . King Equestrius . . .”