There were many facts in the world that everycreature in the world, no matter their location, religion or even race could deny. Things like how the sun rises every day, that the Princesses of Equestria were indeed immortal, and that it snowed in the land of the polar bears. These were simple indisputable laws, ones that would never change, save for perhaps the sun rising occasionally depending on the situation in Equestria.
And one of these was the fact that Grover V, Emperor of all Griffonkind was dying.
It was a long time coming, to be fair. He was never the most healthy of avians, weak and frail, especially compared to his great predecessors of Grover I and Grover II. His failings in personal well-being, however, were just another line on a long list of mistakes, difficulties and even revolutions that he had lived through. In just the span of almost 47 years, Grover V had witnessed things that many others had and possibly will only have dreamed of seeing.
Very few of them were good things. All the events would have perhaps broken a weaker griff, though one could not get much weaker than Grover. And he would surely have died by now many times, be it by the revolutionaries or the nobles, had it not been for his old friends. The Archon of Boreas Eros VII, as well as the Duchess of Strawberry and his cousin Gabriela Eagleclaw had both been his close confidants and his staunchest allies. One could find humor, perhaps, in the fact that aiding the Emperor was one of the few things the two could agree on.
So it was those two very friends that he had asked to meet today, to see one last time at the least before it was too late. At his request, both had gathered outside, waiting separately to be let in to see him. And so, Grover nodded to his aide to allow the first of his visitors entry, who quickly opened the door and spoke a few words to the griffon outside.
For an ancient griffon in his early nineties, Eros still had the strength and energy that he did in his prime. In mere moments he was right at the side of the Emperor, his old gruff face showing nothing but concern.
"My Emperor, are you alright? I have been praying to the gods for days now to ensure your health, to ensure that Boreas' light shines upon you once more. The Imperial doctors have been taking good care of you, yes? When you recover I am sure we can deal with those Maar-damned nobles who caused this in the first place-"
"Eros." The Archon quickly went silent as Grover spoke. "I appreciate your sentiment, but... I believe my days may finally be over at last." He chuckled, the sound humorless. "The medical experts have started resorting to using Zebrican potions to try and save me. I would not be surprised if by next week I am being lowered into a coffin."
The priest shook his head. "No, your majesty, you can't die now! I won't allow it! What about the Empire? What about your son? You can't leave them, leave me now!"
Grover blinked. "You know, you sounded just like Duke Gerlach when I visited Feathisia. Death waits for nogriff, Eros. I haven't called you here to worry about me. or to deliver any last rites." Looking soberly at his crown on the windowsill, he sighed. "No, I just wanted to chat one last time with my old friend."
After a few seconds, Eros grabbed a nearby medical chair, dragged it over and sat down beside the Emperor. The two sat in complete silence for over a minute, simply contemplating whatever was on their minds, both faces emotionless. Grover was the one to break it, being sent into a coughing fit before speaking.
"Do you still remember all those years ago, when you first saved me during the Revolution?"
Eros nodded. "You had just turned eighteen that year, and the Regency Council had refused to let you become the Emperor. You had barricaded yourself in your own room, and I led you to the secret passageway out of the palace before the revolutionaries found you."
"You saved my life that day, Eros. Saved the Empire itself, most likely. You've given me more than I can possibly give back, served me faithfully for my entire life. And now, I must ask one last favor of you." Grover's voice was normally feeble, but as he spoke the words carried a certain strength to them, something reserved for only the most important of his various decrees.
"Anything, your majesty."
The Emperor locked his gaze upon the old bird. "Please, when I am gone, be the unifying force that I could not be. I do not believe the Heartlands will be able to take my death without turmoil. Boreas knows some vassals are already in enough trouble as it is. You lead the Three Temples, you are the Archon of Boreas; I beg of you, keep my subjects together until my son is of age."
Eros looked surprised by this, if only for a moment, before he recomposed himself and nodded. "By the gods' will, it shall be done. I swear this to you, Grover."
"Good." Grover laid back down upon his bed, satisfied. "Then that will be all, Eros. You may go now."
Standing out of his chair, the Archon made his way to the door. "I will continue praying for you, my Emperor. If not for your continued health, then for your rightful place with Boreas in the lands beyond."
For the first time that day, Grover had the barest hint of a smile upon his beak. "I know you will, old friend."
When the door closed, the Emperor finally allowed himself to relax once more, simply laying down and letting his mind wander for a bit. Eros was certainly loyal and one of the best teachers and guides that one could ask for, yet he still possessed a certain hatred towards the nobility that Grover found unfortunate. It seemed he was all too willing, and all too often put everything at the claws of the nobles themselves, even some things that they actually weren't at fault at such as his own failing health. That and his fervent zeal towards the glory of the Empire made for a potentially dangerous future... he could only hope that somegriff could keep him in check when he was gone.
That was not to say he didn't have a point, however. Grover was tired of the nobility as well, tired of the empty sycophants and their petty complaints. He was tired of being used by them ever since he was a child just to extend their own power. The Griffonian Revolution, for all its faults did wonders in culling those parasites who had embedded themselves in the ranks of the honorable, and yet it still astounded him to see how many remained to pester him with mindless requests for their own gain. There were a few he still enjoyed the company of in the noble ranks, though, a particular pink relative coming to mind...
"Emperor Grover, Duchess Eagleclaw of Strawberry is ready to see you."
The aide's words broke his train of thought, although the subject of both of them were identical. "Let her in."
Gabriela Eagleclaw was the opposite of Grover in a different way from Eros. She was less than a year younger than him, but still carried herself in the grace and care of a true noble. The years had not reached her like they had to himself, and she looked almost identical to how she had twenty years ago.
As soon as she got to Grover's side, though, Gabriela dropped all pretenses of formalities. "I came as soon as I could, Grover. What is it?"
He tried to put on his best stern expression and voice, something still pathetically weak compared to any other experienced noble. "Shouldn't you first apologize for not coming sooner? After all, you asked the same of me." Grover's beak tipped up into a slight smile for just a mere moment before he hacked and wheezed, being sent into another coughing spree. Both waited until it subsided, before he continued. "I am glad, though, that the meeting we had in Strawberry months ago was not our last. It is good to see your face, even if for one last time."
The Duchess quickly steeled herself before responding. "How long?"
"The doctors say that I have another week, but I doubt it. Perhaps I should have taken up the Rector's offer to stay in Yale... Just another regret onto my list, I suppose."
Gabriela had no response. She simply stood there, unflinching, her gaze softening to one of sad understanding. "You know," Grover said finally, "I envied you for the longest time, cousin. You had so many things that I could never have... that fate took from me. Ever since my father died..."
"I still remember that day. We hid in one of the rooms of the palace while you cried into my feathers."
"Yes, I did. Father hadn't gotten to teaching me how to rule yet, and I didn't know what to do." Grover folded his claws in front of him, looking down at them. "He said right before he died that he was going to make me into a great Emperor, a mighty warrior. Sometimes I wonder if that would have even been possible. Saving a failure like myself."
The Duchess quickly snatched one of his claws in her own, grasping it. "Grover, don't say that! You were never destined to fail, it was just luck and the old Regency Council! I know you, you meant well in everything you did-"
"Good intentions do not achieve anything, cousin." The tired old griff shook his head. "Everything I've done has been a disaster. My illiteracy programs did nothing, peasants are still starving in the streets despite my efforts, and the priests and nobles are at odds now more than ever. The one thing I ever did right is that Boreas-forsaken railway, and riding it is looking to be the very thing that's going to kill me!"
At that very moment, the bit of strength he had left disappeared, and he sank back into his bed, spent. The only sounds were his deep gasping as he tried to recover, which took a solid minute or two before he was able to continue. "My legacy will not be kind on me, Gabriela. I will forever be regarded as a blemish upon the Empire's history, the weakest of the Grover line. Or rather, I hope I will." The Emperor's gaze turned to a picture on the desk beside him, with a picture of him and his son in the throne room, both looking happy and smiling at the camera. "And this, cousin, is where I must make a request for you."
"Yes, Grover?"
"Save the Empire's legacy." This time, it was Grover who took one of the Duchess' claws in his, holding it tight. "You of all nobles know the importance of what we have left, of the things our ancestors gave us. We have our honor, our birthright to maintain, and a duty to our subjects to care for them. I may have failed, but my son does not need to follow that path. I ask that you guide him and show him how to lead, give him the education and the experience that my father could not give to me, and that I will not be able to give to him."
Gabriela smiled, her eyes slightly brightening up again just like back in the old days. "You never change, do you Grover? Very well, I will ensure that he turns into the greatest Emperor that this world has even seen." She let Grover's claw back down, moving away a bit. "Now you need to get rest. I will be back tomorrow, I promise. We'll get through this together, we always have."
His response was simply a weak nod, which Gabriela seemed satisfied with. Slowly, she left the room, taking one last look at her old cousin before shutting the door.
Grover was confident that she would do what he had asked. After all, if there was one griffon in the Empire who would do their perceived duty no matter the cost, it was Gabriela. She was the crown jewel of nobility, a better example than he could dream of being, a griffon who had spent her entire life perfecting her craft. He truly did hope that his friend Gerlach would take his advice and just propose to her already. He needed a partner by his side, and she needed somegriff who could show her that there was more to life than duty and ballrooms.
But now, that would be up to them. For now, Grover had finished what he had wanted to do. Perhaps now he could finally be at peace, rest and let the worries he carried over his entire life flow away. To finally let go his burdens and responsibilities, let Boreas' embrace take him...
"Your majesty?"
He opened his eyes. "Yes, what is it?"
The aide stood awkwardly at the front of the room. "You have another visitor."
That was odd. He didn't remember calling for anyone other than the Archon and the Duchess. "Who?"
"Your son. He says that he has been looking for you all day."
Oh. In hindsight he should have expected it. Grover V hadn't seen his son since he got sick after the train trip, and was too worried about first himself, and then the future to remember to actually bring him. At least he would get one last chance to speak with him. "Bring him in."
Grover VI, heir to the throne of the Empire and of all griffonkind, slowly walked in before seeing his father and rushing to his side. He was barely four years old still, his glasses just a little too big for him. He lightly shook the Emperor, making sure he was awake.
"Daddy, where have you been? My friends don't know where you went, and Auntie didn't say either! Can we sit in the chair soon again?"
Grover smiled, a genuine expression of joy on his face. "Son, soon you'll be able to sit in that chair whenever you want. I've just been resting here for a bit. I'm sick, just like you were a couple months ago, remember?"
The child blinked, the glasses perched on his beak sinking just a bit. "But you'll get better, right?"
He grimaced. How could he possibly explain what was going to happen to someone still so young and innocent, one who barely understood who the gods were yet? "Grovy, I may have to go soon. You won't see me for a long time. But don't worry, others like Aunt Gabriela will take care of you."
"Oh..." He looked down, and in that very moment the Emperor's heart almost shattered. "I'll get to see you again... right?"
"Of course, Grover. It may be a long time, but I swear that we will meet again someday. And you'll get to see your grandfather, and his grandfather, and all of your great ancestors. We'll walk among golden fountains, fly above heavenly mountains, and we'll never have to be apart again." He ruffled the top of his son's head, a few loose feathers falling to the ground. "Doesn't that sound nice?"
Grover VI's eyes were wide with amazement. "That sounds so fun, daddy! I can't wait to meet you there!"
He nodded. "Neither can I, but don't rush. You've still got your whole life ahead of you. I know you'll make me proud, son, you always have. You'll be a great leader and a better Emperor than I could ever be."
Right as he finished, he was pulled into a hug by the smaller griffon. "I love you, daddy."
Slowly, he leaned into the embrace, patting a claw on his son's back. "I love you too, Grover. Now go have fun with your friends. Don't worry about me." A single tear dropped from his eyes, staining the otherwise pristine royal outfit that the Prince wore. And slowly, almost unwillingly, he let go of his only child, and watched as they ran off out of the room, waving goodbye one last time at the doorway.
It was almost funny, in a way. That mere moment, just of a son leaving his father for the last time, symbolized the entire Empire in a way. Grover V had no delusions about what his death would mean for the Heartlands. An entire age would end along with him, and a new one would begin. The Empire may rise or fall, but it would never be the same again. The task of ensuring its survival was no longer up to him.
And Grover was okay with that. For too long had he shouldered the heavy price of rulership, done his duty with grim determination despite his many failings. A famous griffon philosopher once said, "Heavy is the head which wears the crown," and none had felt that weight more than himself. But finally he would be free, the task passed on to the next Grover, as it had for centuries now.
The Emperor felt his own breathing slow. It was time. Boreas, Eyr, Arcturius. They all called for him, beckoned for him to join their ranks. He saw his father, laughing with his grandfather and dining in the great heavenly halls. His place in the mortal world was gone, and it was time for him to ascend with those that came before him.
Grover IV noticed him and smiled. Extending a claw to him, he said something that was a bit distorted, but that he could swear was "I'm sorry". Hesitantly, he took his claw and followed his ancestor forward into the new realm, all the different griffons of the Grover line welcoming him with open talons. And as the clouds parted and he gazed upon the divine itself, Grover, fifth of his name, the now-former Emperor of all griffons could not help but ask the question he had been asking himself his whole life. The phrase would be eternally remembered in the minds of all the Heartlanders, one of his most famous quotes for generations to come as he was lowered into the Grand Temple in Griffenheim.
"Boreas, did I do good?"
