Twilight Sparkle was having a bad day. It wasn't often that Princess Celestia gave her a lesson she failed, so recent events were a rather rare example. But, that only made it feel worse.
Ok, she hadn't technically failed. Celestia asked her to become friends with the yaks and she had, but it wasn't really because of her skill in friendship. Pinkie had saved her from the awful feeling of disappointment Celestia might give her. Though Celestia had given her a feeling of confusion, when she said that Twilight needed a bit more skill in politics, not friendship. To that end, Twilight was travelling to her third official negotiation with another nation. The first being the yaks, a disaster, the second being the Saddle Arabians, whom she only ever waved to. This third time she would be meeting the griffons. Perhaps the incident with the buffalo in Appaloosa counted as a negotiation, but it wasn't an official one and Twilight wasn't the one to resolve it. But, if counted, Twilight had a total of three failed negotiations. And not a single success.
There was another pony who had had an awful lot of success negotiating, and Celestia had seen fit to send him along with Twilight, to the griffons, acting as an advisor of sorts.
"Long face, Sparkle? What's wrong? Are you shocked to be allowed in the presence of the best Prince Equestria has to offer?" said the womanizing stallion next to her, smirking.
Twilight scowled, annoyed at being called "Sparkle", but also annoyed simply to be with Prince Blueblood, who was apparently a brilliant politician! Who knew! Twilight wondered how Celestia put up with him.
Turning towards him, she said "My brother is ten times the prince you are, you know. You certainly aren't the best Equestria has to offer."
Smirking even wider, he leans in close, too close, to Twilight, "Why of course I'm the best in Equestria! Shining is, after all, a Prince of the Crystal Empire, not of Equestria! So I am the best, aren't I?" He steps back and holds his head high, an obnoxious smile across his face.
Twilight rolled her eyes, "Why are you so rude? Just like at the Gala . . . you better not act like that when we talk to the griffons! They'll never be friends if you do."
Blueblood frowned, and threw sarcasm in to his words, "Oh my, I never thought of that! Don't be rude! Look as the student becomes the master!", he contorted his face into that horrendous smirk once again, "Don't worry Sparkle, I shan't dream of being rude unless I need to be. And for the record, I'd have thought your friend Rarity would have the common sense to get to know someone, and not become completely infatuated with them just by their title and looks. She's rather generous with love isn't she?" he said with a wicked smile.
Twilight gasped, insulted merely at his insult towards Rarity, "Rarity is a nice mare! And why would you ever have to be rude?? From what I've seen of you, it's all you ever are!"
Blueblood dropped his smirk and spoke in a more serious, calm tone, saying "During this negotiation, we may need to more openly state the options of Equestria if the griffons are unwilling to compromise. It's not about being rude really, but we might have to "show them who's boss", as commoners might say. We aren't exactly the bosses of them, of course, but considering their weak nation, struggling to rise after their "discovery of friendship" due to your two friends, we certainly hold more cards. They will have to accept our conditions on their military development if they are to trade with us".
Twilight, rather taken aback at his sudden change in attitude, stammered, "T-that's what I don't get. Friendships are based on trust, shouldn't we give them the benefit of the doubt in their military stuff?"
Blueblood sighed, and rolled his eyes, before pausing "My apologies, I don't mean to brush away your questions as, well, moronic, but you really do have quite a bit to learn. One, this isn't about making friends, it's politics. Two, this isn't 'military stuff' we're talking about, it's a serious threat to our national security. We can't just allow them to build forts near the Equestrian border, our history with them during their time as an 'empire' should be enough for you to know that. Just ask the better Prince if you want to know more, Shining was always excellent in the military. Three, I'm not as rude as you may think. Well, ok, I am, but I'm also the best politician you'll ever meet. Celestia and Luna - well they're great, they really are, but they're also good. Benevolent to the core, and you sometimes need someone a bit less perfect, a bit more rude. Like me.", he smirked, "I don't say 'my little ponies' and I don't take anyone's offer of friendship just because I like having friends, I'm not that shallow. No offense . . . I'm just joking. You know, you and I could be friends if you'll just get over your prejudice against me. You must be honest, isn't Rarity a bit of a 'gold digger', as they say?".
Twilight was left gasping, "Wh-wha-how dare you! I've read about your previous work as a politician, Celestia gave me piles of official documents, but I can hardly believe you've persuaded, assuaged, and appeased so many dignitaries and prevented so many crises! I will be honest, Prince" she spat that word with venom, "I think your an arrogant jerk!".
Blueblood (always with that smirk on his face! Oh, how she hated it! ), said "I'd expect less insults from the Princess of Friendship. I do actually admire your skill set, especially in 'friend-making'. It will surely prove useful in politics, but you have to listen to what I say, alright?"
Twilight paused.
She worked her face into a more pleasant expression.
"I'm sorry. Of course, you're good at what you do, and I'm here as a student. Maybe we could be friends". She said all this rather slowly, as she found the words difficult to force through her mouth, but then she genuinely smiled as she said, "I do like making new friends!".
XXXX
Two griffons sat at a long table, laid out in the throne room of Griffonstone Castle, abandoned until recently. The fifteenth king of Griffonstone, King Leav, sat at the head of the table, while Gilda, a viceroy, sat to the side. Two other chairs were occupied by Princess Twilight and Prince Blueblood.
"Greetings, King Leav," said Blueblood, his head held high.
"Greetings, King Leav!" said Twilight, bowing deeply.
"Greetings, Prince Blueblood and Princess Twilight Sparkle," came a soft, chirpish voice from King Leav. He was elderly, but his weaker lungs did not portray any weakness in his soft voice.
"Greetings, Prince Blueblood and Princess Twilight Sparkle," said Gilda, smiling, "How's Dash?"
"Oh, she's great! Kinda disappointed she didn't get to come see you though, Gilda" said Twilight.
"Aw, that's sweet, tell her I've been visiting her shows! Haven't gotten the chance to catch her at any of them." said the younger griffon, "And also - " she stopped as King Leav placed a claw on her shoulder, though his gaze remained fixed on the Prince. "Let us begin our trade negotiation, Gilda. We expect the promised shipment of construction equipment and food. We require it to rebuild our broken city, as I know you understand."
Blueblood sat regally in his seat, and spoke regally as well "And I know you understand, this is a negotiation on trade policies, not trading. That promise included a condition: Griffonstone must not establish any military fort near the Equestrian border."
"We have agreed to your requests, we have signed the treaties. We wish to have a peaceful, friendly alliance with Equestria. Griffonstone has not built any fort, but we have established a village close to the Equestrian border. We do not mean to use it in any military capacity." said King Leav.
"Yes, of course, a friendly alliance is exactly what we want too!" said Twilight, smiling widely, "And having a griffon city so close to the border would be nice! Our citizens would be able to interact more."
"It's also close to Cloudsdale when the wind blows the clouds the right way, that's nice" said Gilda.
"That's great! You might even get to visit Rainbow more when she's in Clousdale, if you go to this new city," said Twilight.
Blueblood placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, and shook his head, once subtly. Twilight was the only one who noticed it. "Now, this city of yours, it includes barracks, does it not? They are easily visible from Cloudsdale. And I do believe Gilda was referring to the potential ease of creating cloud caravans between Cloudsdale and this city, not the potential for visits to Ms. Rainbow Dash." Blueblood hardened his face,"Equestria does wish for this construction equipment to be used in building your city, not in building barracks!" This last word was barked aggressively, though it did not rise in volume, and the aggressiveness was subtle.
King Leav sat back in his chair and looked down, resting his head, heavy from the weight of a crown, upon his clawed forelimbs. He thought about what had been said, what needed to be done, as he often did. And he reached the same conclusion, that awful, horrendous conclusion, that regardless seemed to be his only course of action.
The griffons had a problem. They had only recently dragged themselves out of a deep depression, which had greatly impacted their nation socially and economically. They were only saved by two Equestrian ponies, and the griffons understood that more help from Equestria was likely the only way they could regain their former glory.
This former glory was in the form of a great kingdom established by King Grover, a kingdom created through bloodshed. There was a reason griffon's greed was said to rival that of dragons, and that reason was the military prowess of the early griffon kingdom, which frightened even mighty dragons.
Many griffons still clung to the old ideals of this kingdom, imperialistic ideals involving the amassing of wealth, xenophobia, and military strength. However, Equestria refused to provide humanitarian aid to Griffonstone if they insisted on building up their military, as the great power of the old kingdom was troublesome to Equestria, and the Princesses did not wish for more trouble to arise.
The conclusion of the King, then, was to stay true to the treaty they had signed. He did not wish to lose strength in their virtually non-existent military, but he had no choice. Griffonstone truly did require some armed forced, however.
King Leav raised his head again, his moment of silent contemplation having been respected by all present. "We have built barracks, Prince Blueblood, I admit, but it is not as you think. Griffonstone is in turmoil. This political upheaving caused by my rise to the first monarch griffons have bowed to in ages, has caused quite a bit of chaos. Those barracks are for training the Griffon Royal Guard to, well, guard the royalty. You can't ask us to dismantle our domestic police force. Please, fair prince." These last words held quite a bit of significance, as King Leav effectively admitted that Griffonstone was so weak a nation at the moment, they were at the whims of the Equestrian royalty present.
"I'm afraid I can't allow Griffonstone any sort of freedom in developing an armed force so close to Equestria's border," the Prince said solemnly, gravely, for he knew that a police force would be very useful to Griffonstone at this time, "There is, however, another way. Sparkle?"
Twilight's eyes widened, surprised at Blueblood's request for her input. Then she realized: this was a test. She was supposed to solve this problem. How could they prevent griffons from freely training soldiers, while still allowing the to have law enforcement? They need to be able to train those law enforcement officers, but if they can't do that freely, they can't do it at all. Wait.
Why couldn't they still do that?
Twilight tightened her eyebrows together, as she said sternly, "You are by no means allowed to train and arm your citizens, but as you are already receiving so much assistance from Equestria, perhaps you would like military assistance as well. Allow our Royal Guard to train yours. This will require your new village be occupied by the Equestrian military, and strict prohibitions will be set. However, your favorable trading with Equestria will continue, and you'll have a military modeled after the best in the world."
Blueblood smiled, not smirking, but smiling, "An excellent idea, Princess Twilight, excellent! What say you, your highness?" he said, this time with a small smirk.
King Leav straightened his back, his wings, and his neck, though he knew he should bow before them and kiss their feet for their gracious offer. "I accept, kind Prince and Princess. Thank you for your business."
