The lights were so dim now. Normally young Grover could look out from his bedroom across the city of Griffenheim, capital of the Empire, and see a true carpet of light, both natural and artificial. And yet, evening was coming quickly now, and the city remained dark, being slowly shrouded by the quickening disappearance of the sun on the horizon.
Grover flapped his small wings, creating just enough lift to take him back to the ground and away from the windowsill. He didn't get any of this. He didn't know why everygriff was suddenly acting so weird, or why auntie Gabby was suddenly visiting him everyday, multiple times, along with uncle Eros or auntie's best friend Gerlach. The trio were all good friends of course, and he loved the attention, but whenever he had asked in the previous years if they couldn't spend more time together he'd always been turned down.
Oddly enough, though those three now paid him a lot more attention, his own father was practically gone. He hadn't seen him for days, and had asked many times where he had gone. Maybe another diplomatic venture away from home? He didn't really know what 'diplomatic ventures' were, but father always told him those were important for both of them, and the empire and everygriff part of it, so he always respected his decisions to leave home for those.
Yet, now he was gone, and Auntie Gabby and Uncle Eros kept telling him that he was 'in a better place now' and that 'he is with the gods'. Grover couldn't make sense of it, still. His father was awesome, sure, but he never told him he could go to the gods themselves! He almost felt upset for a moment that his dad had never mentioned this power to him. Maybe he could do that too, when he became emperor? He felt quite giddy even just thinking about that, jumping on his bed, up and down.
There was a knock on the door then, three gentle ones. Grover stopped bouncing on the bed and looked over towards the ornate, wooden door.
He cheerfully allowed the visitor to enter, and little to his surprise, it was auntie Gabby, uncle Eros and best friend Gerlach all coming to see him again. This time, though, things seemed different. It almost seemed as though the three had put on clothes that were bleak and black. Gabby wore a black dress, with a thin black veil that only barely obscured her face. Eros wore an especially glittery religious attire, with many rings on his claws, necklaces around his neck and a black headdress instead of the usual red. Lastly, Gerlach came with sleek, blackened metal armour that rattled with every move he made. It was clearly antique, from another age entirely. An age in which Griffon Knights battled claw-to-claw, swords at the ready. It was an heirloom from Gerlach's Grand Ducal dynastic line. Grover personally loved it most, always loving history and especially loving shiny armour.
The other two remained silent as he jumped at Gerlach and inspected the metal up close. It was well-made and well-maintained for its age, having not been allowed to merely collect dust and rust. Eventually though, as Gerlach's calming claw passed through the chick's coat of feathers, Gabby and Eros both told Grover it was time for them to go.
Grover, naturally, did not know where, though he had been told they would be going out this evening. Apparently something big was happening, and father would be there, so he was really looking forward to it. Thus, what would have usually resulted in protests from the active, giddy young royal instead resulted in him readily joining the trio for whatever this 'procession' thing was about.
Grover didn't know what was happening anymore.
He was stood next to his Aunt and Uncle, with Gerlach trailing just short of Gabby herself. They were flanked on both sides by Imperial Knights, which even little Grover could identify as belonging to the Imperial Guard itself. He'd seen them a lot, obviously - and studied! Father would be proud of him when he came back. Still, he didn't know where his father was? Wasn't he meant to be there? Gabby had told him so, but all there was were all these armed griffons of the guard, an array of priests and prelates in front of them singing a weird, eerie chorus, and a carriage behind them.
Grover inspected the carriage for a moment as they began to walk. Six knights moved it forward, and something was clearly placed on it, though he couldn't really tell what, since it was draped with the imperial flag. He looked closer, and saw a small, red pillow on top of the object, and he could have sworn he saw the crown of his father sitting on that pillow.
Eros touched his cheek and made him look to the front as they all walked out the gates of the Imperial palace, immediately leading onto the great bridge west of the palace. Grover knew this one well! He'd often played here last year during the summer, though his dad said he always had to come out with a couple of guards, since it was dangerous. Grover didn't know why it was meant to be dangerous, but his dad was super smart, so he shrugged it off.
Grover was told to slow down by Eros when it became apparent he was going at least twice as fast as everygriff else. He asked why they were all going so slow, but was just told to slow down again. He grumbled under his breath, but submitted to the request. Even so, he couldn't explain why they didn't want to be going any faster. Wasn't a walk always meant to have a goal, and wouldn't going faster mean they got there sooner? Maybe they wanted to go slow to allow dad to catch up? He simply didn't know.
Grover's eyes went wide once they got off the bridge. Tons of griffons lined the sidewalks and looked at him, his Auntie and Uncle, and the weird wagon behind them. All of them looked sad, some devastated, and a lot of them held up small torches of sorts which ended up lighting the way for the procession as the sun had nearly set, by now. It was eerie almost, how the darkness grew and was staved off primarily by rows of torches which they slowly walked by, but Grover, as usual, took it with enthusiasm and excitement. He hadn't ever seen something like this, even with all the cool ceremonial stuff the military always did.
They eventually turned and came to walk upon one of the big, main roads of the city. Here, where there was even more width to be exploited, the crowds of griffons had at the very least doubled in number. Accordingly, the chorus of light and cinder also increased, creating a breathtaking spectacle of flickering lights all around them as they continued onward. Grover's mouth was practically fixed open as he remained in awe, but Auntie Gabby didn't seem very fond of the torches. He looked at her once, and could have sworn Gerlach had wiped tears from her eyes that time. She must just not like this sort of thing, but Grover found it great that she was sticking it through with him anyway. Overcoming fears is a big deal, his mentors had always told him!
After about... five minutes? Ten minutes? Honestly, it was hard to tell for Grover, due to how dark everything was now. Regardless, they came upon the Great Temple of Boreas, the biggest temple in all of Griffonia - something Uncle Eros had taught him. He had only come here a few times so far, but always together with his father. Maybe he was waiting in there for him?
Grover was told to wait, but he looked back to see guards unload the weird flag-draped object from the carriage behind. They shouldered the object, two on either side, and slowly proceeded over towards the steps of the temple with it. Once they had passed him and the trusted trio up, Gabby instructed Grover forward, so that they tailed the guards. The big doors to the temple were opened, swinging open just in time to allow entrance for all of them. Grover could have sworn he heard choirs of sobs from the crowds surrounding the doors... but beyond feeling confused and uncomfortable he couldn't tell what was wrong with them. Why was everyone looking so... sad?
The four guards marched inside, down the aisle and towards the altar at the front. Grover awed at it, the fluffy carpet below, the tall roof and also the mosaic windows. Still, he found his eyes eventually drawn back towards the object the guards carried - and towards the crown that he now definitely confirmed was resting upon it. It was his father's crown, but why was it there? And where was his father, anyhow? Even now, he was nowhere to be seen! Grover was starting to get miffed at him, and hoped he'd have an explanation for being away for so long, and clearly being tardy for this night-time walk.
The four carriers made a sharp turn and walked up a small flight of stairs to get onto the level of the altar. A few steps further, directly behind the altar, there was a heavy, thick metal door. Grover had never really paid attention to it when he was here every other time. Had it always been there?
The guards stopped, and Grover felt his Aunt's claw on his back. He looked at her, and found her with tearful eyes. Gerlach stood next to her, looking as calm as ever, but also deeply in thought. Eros, meanwhile, proceeded forward, past the party of soldiers, and stood in front of the metal door.
He raised a claw towards a simple, metal door knocker on the door, grabbing it, and knocking three times slowly.
A voice came from the inside.
"Who is there?" it wondered.
Eros took a deep breath before answering. "His Imperial Highness, Chosen of the Gods, Emperor of all Griffons, Protector of the Dogs, Crown Prince of Griffenheim and Greifenstein, Duke of Feathisia and Strawberry, Royal Prince of Angriver and Katerin, of Yale and Greifmarschen, of Verania, Aquileia, and Cloudbury, of Wingbardia, Falcoria, and the Evi, of Sicameon, and Asterion, Blackrock, Francistria, and Talouse, Governor of the Zebrides and South Zebrica, Commander of the Knights of the Order of Boreas, Inspector-General of the Imperial Army, First Admiral of the Imperial Fleet, Emperor Grover the Fifth!"
Grover blinked, cocking his head, which only prompted Gabriela to pull him close to her into a comforting hug. Why was Eros claiming his father was here? He wasn't. He hadn't seen him for days!
"We do not know him," the voice answered.
Eros moved his claw, and knocked again as before.
"Who is there?" came the identical reply.
"Emperor Grover the Fifth!" Eros proclaimed loudstark.
Grover looked around, looking for his father, but even now he found nothing. Only himself, the bearers of the weird object that carried the crown of his father, as well as Eros, Gabby and Gerlach.
"We do not know him," was the answer, once more denying Eros.
The Archon knocked a third time, the knocks now weaker than before. Gentler.
"Who is there?" the voice asked a third time.
Eros looked back at young Grover as Gabriela held him close. Grover could only furrow a brow at him in confusion before he turned to face the door again. He spoke quietly, just audible through the door, probably.
"Grover... a poor sinner."
Silence befell the small group of griffons, broken only when the doors were unlocked from the other sides, and eventually pulled open before Eros. Two priests of the Great Temple appeared, bowing their heads before Eros humbly, before they moved aside. Eros looked back at Grover and the other two before walking inside, and the four griffons followed him.
"Where are they going?" Grover wondered out loud.
"To the others," Gabby told young Grover as she stroked his back gently, her eyes still reddened from tears.
"The others? What others?"
Gabriela took a deep breath, she herself being comforted by Gerlach now.
"Your forefathers. Your family."
Grover was led through an eerie, dimly lit catacomb. It was made out of stone all around, and so their every step resonated through these otherwise empty halls. His own, as well as Gabriela's and Gerlach's. Eros had told him only family should come with him now, and although Gerlach wasn't technically family, his aunt had made her feelings for him pretty clear at times, even to him.
He felt a claw on his back which prompted him to stop. It was Gerlach's. The aging, calm griff tried his best to smile at the young griffon as he turned him to his right. There, they all came to look upon an altar littered with flowers and decorated with golden statues of griffons in armour.
Grover was moved forward slowly by Gerlach's guiding claw, and Gabby moved with them on his left. They stopped once they stood right in front of the altar, and the plaque that designated it.
"Grover the Fifth of Griffonstone, Emperor of all Griffons.
960 - 1007"
Grover held out a claw towards the plaque, touching it gently with his tiny claw and moving it across. He didn't really think anything anymore at that point. Maybe he was trying to ascertain that the plaque was, in fact, real and not just a surreal thing of his imagination - of which he had plenty.
Unfortunately, it was all too real, as was the tomb behind the plaque upon which the same imperial flag from before now rested, draping the tomb halfway in the imperial colours. And just on the front edge of the tomb was the pillow still, which displayed the crown of his father. Now, his late father.
Grover leaned forward further, and picked up one of the many roses littered all around the altar which, he now realised, was actually a grave. One dedicated to his very own father, his dad, whom he had joked with during breakfast and supper not even a week prior before he had 'gone away'.
He clenched the rose tightly to his chest as his vision became watery and blurry. He felt another claw, that of Gabriela, pet the back of his head as the world became little more than a nonsensical blur.
"I'm so sorry, Grover," said his Aunt quietly, her own eyes transfixed on the plaque.
"He is home now, with his father and mother, and his wife, and all those that came before them," Gerlach commented quietly, his stoic, calm demeanour threatening to break at such a moment.
A wail then filled the catacombs of the crypt of the Griffonstone Dynasty. A child's cry of pain and anguish, muffled briefly as his two confidants held him close in comfort.
The Empire had lost its Emperor, and one young griff, now to be emperor, his very own father.
It was a price none could afford to pay. Young Grover the Sixth least of all in a world that was too cruel to a mere chick like him.
