King Equestrius -> His Eminence

Chapter 4, Where The World Turns

“Ah, how the clouds burn with that hope of all Pony-kind. How they despise you, my friend.” Lord Equestrius was languidly playing with the clouds floating through that pearly castle. The brilliant light refracted and shimmered across the magnificent hall and the cool breeze of high places was accompanied by a melodic chiming.

Lord Equestrius rose his magnificent head, his snow white eyes turning to stare upon his life companion, master and friend: King Equestrius. He was curious as to what might have kept him silent.

The king was looking out his window, that excellent work of architecture staring out upon the Marble Mountains. Although not marble, they certainly seemed more bleached than regular mountains. These thoughts held the King's attention and he had not heard his friend's words. Today the crown felt especially heavy and he pushed the platinum circlet higher. “Hah, if only those could be our home and not this palace with all its' worries . . .”

“Marlin?” Lord Equestrius was standing now, it was rare for the king's mind to wander.

The king smiled his sad smile, as he turned to face the only person he could trust. With one final thought . .. “Of course that was hoping and wishing. Nothing came from nothing and a world without such a rule was a world not worth living in.” He spoke: “Don't worry my friend. Let the ponies hate me, it is, certainly, for the best. I am sure there are those who would crumble, should they understand the truth behind the world.”

The king felt under his eyes, his skin was beginning to feel loose. Those dark lines symbolized the decline of his powers, others would hardly of noticed but he could read the signs and Grendin had seen them too.

It meant the time for procrastination was over, decency and charity would not save Equestria.

Lord Equestrius came to lay his soft pearl mane on his friend's shoulder. “Are you going to read that message sent by Grendin?”

“Yes, I suppose I should . . .” Marlin's opalescent eyes burned crimson. His dark eyelashes hiding the displeasure he would undoubtedly find. Grendin was, by far, his most intelligent adviser and he understood mind . . . unlike anyone else. Grendin was loved by most of the court ponies and he would trust him with his life, but whenever Grendin was around him, he felt threatened. . . a strange, lesser, feeling that he had learned to deal with in time. Still it never seemed to dissipate . . .

Of course this feeling must be horsewabble, Grendin was family! He had personally groomed the foal into the adviser he was today.

He sighed “Let us see what my adviser suggests.”

“What a perfect speech, explaining every aspect of the situation!” Arin laughed. “My Princess, you seem to have neglected a rather large portion of the story . . .”

Grendin Arin Von Ranquester made his way onto the stage . . . several ponies gasped at such impudent behavior, no pony treated the Princess with such disregard. The Princess did not seem surprised or offended, all her expression held was sadness . . . She moved aside allowing Grendin his say.

The crowd gasped again.

Grendin looked upon them. With his scars and his sickly thin complexion he seemed quite the majestic figure and when he threw his great-cloak around himself, the image was set into every-ponies mind: “This is a very important pony.”

Grendin smiled his sad smile and began. “My Little Ponies . . . There is no reason to blame his King and Eminence for these horrible tributes . . . I for one do not wish to see ponies whisked away but this is the contract and it must be upheld . . .” Grendin's face fell into great sorrow. “I should ask though . . . is the monarchy truly worth it . . .” Grendin seemed to ponder on stage . . . then he continued with a face of anger. “Is it worth the lives of your young one's for a couple Princesses?Are you not capable of managing yourselves now?”

Grendin stepped forward, a great step full of grace. The crowd could no longer turn away! It was as if Grendin had cast some spell upon them and perhaps in some way he had . . . Enchanted them with his magical words. Even the Princess seemed unable to move . . . but her eyes were full of fear, not wonder.

“Perhaps . . . it is time to remove the monarchy! Perhaps it is time for your freedom . . .”

Grendin stepped back, hiding himself in his magnificent cloak.

Celestia nearly choked: “Wh-what? Are you not here for the tribute Grendin? Why in Equestrian are you saying these things!?” She paused looking at her old friend and mentor. “Even after a thousand years . . . I cannot tell your motivations Grendin . . .”

Grendin didn't respond . . . he moved off-stage and the eyes of the entire town went with him.

Celestia grit her teeth . . . “What is this? He came here just to incite a revolution? What about the tribute? What about Father's powers?” She looked at her hooves. “What about . . . my powers?” She knew something had transpired . . . when Chrysalis beat her, the uncertainty melted away. Marlin was growing weaker . . . Even that amount of love shouldn't have overpowered her.

Flicking her eyes back to the robbed pony she called forth. “So, you are saying the tribute is not due?”

Grendin looked behind him, turning slowly. “The tribute is due . . . and the time for a new government has come. Still, it is your choice, pony-folk. Give your children, or learn to survive without a couple Princesses. Honestly, it isn't much of a choice, in my oppinion, but if you are fond of enslaving your children . . .” He finalized the mood with a sad twitch of the head. Of course, the way he put it brought anger, it was meant to.

The Cakes yelled, again and several other mothers and fathers added their shouts of outrage, the pony-kin were not pleased . . .

Marlin frowned; the clouds were changing. The king of all Pony-kin stood over his life companion. “These . . . colors . . .” The clouds glistened: red and gold; these colors were not from a sunset. The hue came from within, a kind of light fashioned with emotions and tempered with magic.

“Equestrius! The clouds are changing. Look at this color!”

Marlin's eyes picked up the color, refracting off his own changing eyes; he knew this color. This was fury, revolution. Marlin gripped the cloud, holding it delicately, softer then any pony could.

There was no mistaking it. This color meant the ponies would not make due with their tribute; that they would no longer tolerate his leadership.

“What went wrong?! What happened!” Marlin flicked his right hand, moving to the window. His great regalia fluttered smoothly across the marble flooring. A parchment of clouds wove itself in front of him, a pen of crystallized dew slide between his fingers; ink of the darkest black shewed upon the cleaved tip.

Scribbling furiously, the king's majestic writing found itself on the grey-white parchment: “Grendin, the prophesies of war and revolution have begun to appear. I fear your plan has gone a-wry! Change twinkles on the horizon and this change is directed towards me! I give you two days, more, if you believe you can remedy this situation. However, if you believe you cannot change theses tides: return immediately. From what I have divined, the ponies are quite furious, outraged even! Keep yourself well, Grendin; this is an order from you king.

• Marlin Ranquester

The soft breeze on that winter day was cold, cold. But Grendin was enjoying the icy caress. He lay upon the bare hillside, just slightly beyond pony-ville. The Pegasus had let this portion of land remain snow-less. Still this patch wasn't particularly 'warm' and if Grendin hadn't his great, purple cloak it might have been intolerably cold. . . But, Grendin liked this solitude and, he knew, the ponies needed time to think and debate over what they had just learned. To figure their minds around the 'next move'.

Grendin looked upon his hooves. “Not, too long, though. Once they start to cool from their outrage . . . I'll need to throw more wood into the fire. Some more. . . injustice.”

Grendin coughed out cloud-soft parchment. His king's proclamation, the one he was expecting!

“Oh . . . my king.” Arin's head shook in soft amusement. “It is time to begin.”