In Summer's Embrace

Chapters

Chapter 1: 14 June 1007
Chapter 3: 13 August 1009
Chapter 4: 25 June 1013
Chapter 5: 14 June 1014
Chapter 2: 2 July 1009

Chapter 1: 14 June 1007

Sun kissed the golden shores of Aris on this fine morning, and there was only the song of common birds and the gentle crashing of the waves onto the shore to accommodate its rising glory at this early hour.

Well, that and the scratching of a pen on paper.

Coral Ridge lifted his pen from the paper, and paused to consider what he had just penned down.

The current political situation within Aris is, of course, a product of the past few years’ turbulent times. There can be no doubt that the Storm War, as well as the developments on Equus and Griffonia, have led to an increase in voices amongst the populace and politicians of our great nation that claim we need to be more assertive, more militaristic, more interventionist.

If one has at any point in my professional career read any of my works, then it should be obvious that I vehemently disagree with these statements. There is something to be said for increasing the defence spending and ensuring we are able to defend our own nation, of course, but that mustn’t mean that we should be involved in the affairs of other countries. We are not Equestria or the Griffonian Empire; it is not given to Aris to dominate the world, no matter what some may claim.

No, our duty should be not to wage wars of conquest, but make certain that our own nation is first and foremost secure; that our people are happy and well-fed, that our gods-given lands are fertile and well-cared for, and that our economy is happily chugging along. Only, and only then, might we consider any of these foreign military ventures that some have so intensely discussed.

‘’Well,’’ he mused aloud, ‘’it’s certain to be divisive.’’

No reply came to his voice, of course. The Sand Gardens were empty at this early hour, and their distance from the industrial or business centres of Canterford meant that there was naught but natural noises at this hour. Perfect for writing columns that were sure to cause the opposite of the quiet and rest he was cherishing in these gardens right now.

With a chuckle, he closed the notebook and laid it away. The morning had just begun, and he had planned to enjoy it.

It was spring still, but that meant little in blessed Aris; there was a calm and warm light from the Sun even now, any possible heat mitigated by a cool - but not cold! - breeze from the sea, and clouds drifted lazily through the blue skies. It was, even by Arisian standards, a beautiful start to what was surely to become an even more beautiful day.

Coral rose from the soft grass, stretching his legs and wings to chase away any cramps that might’ve crept up on him whilst he wasn’t looking, and looked out over the Sand Gardens. Not far away from him was the shoreline, a stretch of golden sand that was ended by the azure-blue waves of the Terraceian Channel. Trees cast shade on the grass around him, but he'd chosen a spot that was - for the moment - fully in the sunlight; it would be a tad too chilly to sit in the shade this early in the morning.

What to do now?

He scooped up his notebook and pen and slipped them into his saddlebags; then he strode over to the beach at a leisurely pace, stopping every few seconds to look at a flower, or a tree, or the Sun's light shining through the leaves and branches onto the grass.

The sand wasn't warm, not yet, but it wasn't cold either. It was a nice, comfortable temperature, surely but a prelude to the warm day that was to come, and Coral was ready for it. When that warmth came, he might retreat into the shade to write and read; or he might head back to his hotel room altogether, and spend the day partaking in conversation with fellow guests there; or he might head into the city, and dwell through Canterford's winding streets and visit its idyllic restaurants and cafes; or he might even turn to his birth-form and go for a swim along the coast.

As a matter of fact, that's not a half-bad idea to do now, he idly mused.

And so, he checked his saddlebags - fastened as they ought to be - and then made his way across the beach, sand dragging through his claws, into the water until his legs were almost fully submerged.

It was warm, not hot but warm. In a flash he changed into his Seapony form - his birth form, and forever the one he’d be most comfortable in - and dove fully into the water, showering himself in its flowing embrace. He pushed against the waves; such was always the case when swimming away from shore, but he did not mind it.

When he was far enough into the water that he wouldn’t immediately get blown ashore again, he let himself float on the surface, enjoying the Sun’s rays shining down on him as waves lapped at him.

There was nothing to bother him here; no militarisation, no Storm King, no war, no radicalisation, just him and the ocean, churning all around him, quite literally near-drowning him in its wet embrace.

It was nature at its finest; and summer had not even come yet! But Coral was glad for that too, for it meant that he had the ocean all to himself, and would not have to share it with a horde of other Arisians eager to relax on the beach or take a dive in the picturesque waters off Canterford’s shores.

No, the lack of others to bother him sat quite alright with him.

Coral turned away from the Sun and dove down, taking in the beauty of the underwater sights. In other places, coral reefs so close to the shoreline would long have been destroyed by fishing or shipping, but in Aris they had always been well-cared for, with caution taken to ensure they were not destroyed. After all, what was coral but Tiamat’s answer to the plants An had made and placed on Aris’ surface?

Coral wasn’t overly religious - few were, in this day and age - but the sight of the reefs which gave him his first name was as enchanting as always. Well, technically these were not the specific coral reefs which his parents had named him after, but they were similar enough.

He sighed contently, before diving again and swimming between the reefs. Any careful Arisian could do that, and he was certainly more careful than the average Arisian.

It did not take long for fish to gather around him, forming an impromptu school in all the colours of the rainbow. Coral did not mind this in the slightest; he always enjoyed swimming with fish. They were companions, in a way, but they did not speak or bother him. It was quite relaxing.

Tiamat above, your creations are as stunning as always.

He swam over to a rocky outcropping; the hilarity of the situation did not escape him as he laid down on it and retrieved his waterproof notebook and pencil from his equally-waterproof saddlebags. ‘’Coral Ridge lying down on a ridge of coral,’’ he mused aloud, and chuckled.

He was deep enough below the waterline that he wouldn’t be easily visible from above it, but not so deep that the sunlight had faded away yet. Just the right spot he needed to continue his writing.

Let’s see…

As I lay on a rock some metres underwater, I can certainly see why many would believe that Aris does not need the rest of the world. The Sea shields us just as much as the Mountain does, and with our grand navy patrolling the seas, who could hope to assail us and win?

I was born in Seaquestria, guarded under the blue waves, but I have never been blind to its fault. If ever we were invincible down there, that time is now past, as submarines, depth charges and other such appliances become ever more common. If an enemy were to assault us now, Seaquestria would not be spared, I fear.

He paused for a moment, and looked out over the coral. In the shimmering light of the Sun, it was like a great forest of red and green and yellow, filled with fish and turtles.

Coral smiled, and turned back to his work.

Life is good.

Chapter 3: 13 August 1009

Rio de Jandaia was, after Mount Aris, the largest city Coral had ever been to. It was also the second city outside Aris he’d ever visited; Zapsa held the honour of being the first, when he had stayed at the Guziniad Estate. As heiress to the family, Zerdinit had been able to bring him into the home without many issues; her father doted on her, and her mother hadn’t even taken notice of him at all.

Though if I had intended to stay permanently, there might have been issues down the line. Luckily, that was not my plan.

After a few weeks stay there - also not planned, but he wasn’t going to refuse Zerdinit’s hospitality - he had made his way by train to Hippone and gotten on a boat bound for Rio de Jandaia; Macawia, unlike Colthage, was a free and safe place for him to stay. The Harpies’ dedication to the ideals of harmony and republicanism was renowned across the world for a reason, after all.

And since arriving there and contacting the local government office, Coral had only found more and more proof supporting that reputation. The Macawian government, Tiamat bless them, had set up a fund just for people like him; they called it the Refugee Basic Needs Fund, and it was the only thing keeping Coral from having to use his own meagre funds - limited even with the supplement of cash Zerdinit had given to him - to keep himself afloat. It was just about the best thing he had encountered since leaving Aris.

Even with the fund and his own money, however, he wasn't wealthy enough to afford a home in or near Rio de Jandaia, and there was only so much the government could and would do for any single refugee. So he'd packed his bags - again - and gone looking for housing away from the city. After some searching, he’d come across a real estate company that was offering cheap houses in a coastal town five hours by train north of Rio de Jandaia, called Porto de Bico.

And that was where he was now headed, together with a Harpy from the company who would act as translator and agent both. He was called Camilo Maciel, and he was a bright yellow Harpy with turquoise feathers who clearly knew his job. Without him, Coral would have probably never found the town in the first place!

‘’And here it is!’’ Camilo said as they walked out of the idyllic train station that connected Porto de Bico to the rest of the world. ‘’Porto de Bico!’’

Coral took a good look around. The houses looked rustic, similar in design to Arisian construction but without the inherent design choices made by those who could fly as easily as they could walk; before them was what looked like the town’s main square, filled with Harpies going about their business and market stalls selling wares.

‘’Is there a market on today?’’

‘’There always is, here. Most people prefer to keep their stores out of their homes.’’

‘’I see. And,’’ Coral gestured westwards, ‘’I assume the shore is that way? It must be a major part of the economy here.’’

‘’Porto de Bico is a typical rural town, yes,’’ Camilo agreed. ‘’Most people here are fishers, and some are farmers. But they’ve got a doctor, a school and a police station too. And I think there’s a few other odd jobs around.’’

‘’Is there a local newspaper?’’ I’m going to need a job, and I might as well pick up where I left off.

Camilo frowned. ‘’I don’t know, actually. You’d have to ask a local.’’ He swept his arms out. ‘’But come! Let us head down to the houses!’’

They walked down what looked like the main street and across the main square. Camilo blended in well enough, of course, but Coral stuck out like a shark in a fish school. His Macawian was very basic, but he knew - and could interpret the tone in which the words he didn’t know were said - enough to guess at what people were saying.

‘’They’re intrigued,’’ Camilo helpfully supplied as they left the square and headed further down the street towards the beachfront. ‘’They’ve never seen a Hippogriff before. You’ll get that a lot.’’

‘’I can deal with a few looks and questions,’’ Coral responded. ‘’I’m a reporter, I’m usually the one doing the questions, so it’ll be a nice change to be the interviewee for once.’’

Camilo laughed at that. ‘’Indeed! With that attitude, I’m sure you’ll fit right in, my friend!’’

The street ended as they emerged onto the beach; in fairness, the only distinction between the beach and the street was the fact that there was some pavement on the street. ‘’We go left here,’’ Camilo instructed, and proceeded to do just that. Coral followed him, resisting the urge to head into the sparkling seas just beyond the sands. It had been too long since he’d gone for a proper swim.

They continued along the edge of the beach, before reaching a row of houses facing the sea, all of which didn’t look like they were inhabited. The houses were small, with only two floors including the ground floor, and like the other homes in the town they were made primarily of wood. ‘’Here we are,’’ Camilo said. ‘’All of these are up for sale, and they all cost the same. It really doesn’t matter, unless you really don’t want neighbours, in which case I’d pick one of the middle ones.’’

‘’How come they’re all empty?’’

‘’The rich people from the cities only want to live in their own little communities, in houses that look like they're made from gold. And the locals usually build their own homes. We bought these a year ago, but they haven’t really made a profit.’’

‘’Hence the low prices.’’

‘’Indeed. Shall we head inside?’’

‘’Certainly.’’

Camilo had of course brought a key with him, and the door opened with a click. ‘’Hallway first,’’ the Harpy explained as they entered the aforementioned room. ‘’Those stairs lead up to the top floor, which has the bathroom as well as two bedrooms. Ground floor has the living room and the kitchen.’’

‘’Lovely.’’

The house wasn’t very large, but it was furnished with all the basic necessities; a shower, a fridge, a radio, an oven and some furniture. But more importantly, it was both cheap - relatively - and out of the way.

This is perfect.

Coral knew one had to haggle for these things; but the price was sufficiently low that haggling would probably be insulting, and he was honestly too glad to have a home again to complain about a price that was already low. ‘’I’ll take it,’’ he said after the short tour had been completed.

‘’I had expected that,’’ Camilo remarked, wryly looking at Coral’s packed bags.

‘’I am predictable, I suppose,’’ Coral agreed with a smile. ‘’And I suppose I am easy to convince. But I’m glad to have a home, truth be told.’’

‘’And who wouldn’t be?’’ Camilo said. ‘’I certainly am, just as I am happy to sell this one to you.’’

‘’Lovely.’’ Coral cast a look out the window, seeing the sea again… as well as a fair few curious Harpy children. ‘’We have spectators.’’

‘’So we do!’’ Camilo waved at the Harpy kids, who waved back. ‘’Shall we go outside and greet them?’’

This can only go well. ‘’Sure!’’

They emerged out of the house to see almost two dozen Harpy kids, and a fair few parents, standing before the house. All of them, of course, were looking at him.

‘’How well,’’ Coral asked Camilo, ‘’would it go if I tried to introduce myself in Macawian?’’

‘’Depends on your Macawian. How is it?’’

‘’Passable.’’

‘’Then see what happens.’’

‘’Right.’’ Coral turned back to the crowd, and cleared his throat. ‘’Good day,’’ he said slowly, taking care to pick the right words and tones. ‘’My name is Coral Ridge. I am a Hippogriff from Aris.’’ He turned back to Camilo. ‘’Would you mind telling them that I’m going to live here from now on?’’

‘’Certainly,’’ Camilo agreed, before doing just that in Macawian, which Coral could understand fairly well at this point. The crowd stirred, but most kept silent; except for a few children at the front, closest to Coral, who were babbling excitedly.

‘’What are they saying?’’ Coral questioned - he couldn’t make any sense of their rapid voices.

‘’They’re asking you a great many questions,’’ Camilo said with a chuckle. ‘’Of all sorts; your favourite colour, if you can fly, what your name means, why you are going to live here, and so on and so on.’’ One of the children stuck her - it looked like a her, to him anyway - arm out, pointing at Coral, and then babbled some more - Gods above, he was never going to be able to understand that.

‘’What does she want?’’

Camilo turned to the chick and repeated Coral’s question in Macawian. Her answer came back just as fast as her first sentence to him had.

Camilo chuckled. ‘’She, ah, wants to ride on your back.’’

Coral blinked. ‘’Any reason why?’’ he asked absent-mindedly as he tried to parse that statement into something useful.

He got a shrug in return. ‘’She’s probably five years old. Do kids need reasons?’’

‘’Fair enough,’’ Coral agreed with a chuckle. ‘’Tell her I’d be happy to take her along for a ride, if her parents agree to it.’’

After all, he was going to live here. No time like the present to get started on introducing himself to his new neighbours, no?

And so help me Tiamat, I will learn Macawian before the year is out.

Chapter 4: 25 June 1013

If ever there was one unobjectionable argument for Hippogriffs over Seaponies, this is it, Coral wryly reflected as he carefully grasped the pen in his claws.

Now, let’s see…

The end of the North Zebrican War has proven decisively the futility of Crack Lightning’s ideology once and for all. What he had promised would be a swift and easy war has turned into perhaps the most gruesome war ever waged in Zebrica, matched only by the Storm King’s conquests. Now, well over four hundred thousand Arisians lie dead, and a similar number of Chiropterrans and Colthaginians too, and a peace has been achieved in favour of the Agzhat Pact.

Whilst I cannot support Chiropterra in its actions - slavery, warmongering, unethical experimentation and worse - I also cannot bring myself to mourn the defeat of Crack Lightning's regime, though I do mourn the ruin that he has brought to my homeland. I have seen pictures and spoken with refugees; they tell me of surveillance on levels unheard of, of chicks starving in the streets, of city blocks wiped off the map by enemy bombardment. These are the stories that both break my heart and harden it, for the Aris as I knew it is gone, and in its place has come something new, something different. I am not sure I like it.

Coral looked away from his writings out over the water, and sighed. Almost four years now, he’d been in Macawia, living as a political refugee. Thankfully, the community of Porto de Bico had welcomed him as one of their own - he was forever in their debt for that - but still he longed to return to Aris. Despite everything, it was still his birthplace.

But then the North Zebrican War had started in the winter of 1010. For over two years Crack Lightning had attempted to impose his ‘Hegemony’ upon North Zebrica, only to be repulsed by the armies of the Agzhat Pact. There had been a few Macawian reporters alongside the Colthaginian troops, who had written harrowing accounts of the war to the papers; Coral had read them with sadness, and then combined that information with the limited correspondence he still had with Aris; it painted a grim picture.

Still, it had taken almost two years for the Arisian economy to buckle completely; and then it had gone fast, the Zumidian front collapsing as the supply lines did, and by March Crack had been forced to sign a peace treaty that made him the loser.

And all that time, Coral had stayed in Macawia, occasionally venturing out of Porto de Bico to Rio de Jandaia to speak with other Arisian exiles; many of them had started reading his works, both his old columns and the few books he’d written in exile.

Hm… Perhaps ‘’Palms of Costa de Jandaia’’ is a good title for the next one? But what could I write about? Aris First might be crippled, but that is no reason to get cocky.

‘’Mr Coral! Mr Coral!’’

Coral turned his head towards the chick calling his name and smiled. ‘’Hello Mia!’’ he replied as he stood up. ‘’Can I help you?’’

‘’There’s another Hippogriffess here!’’ Mia answered as she came to a halt before him; she was just ten, but already she was taller than he’d been at that age. Still the chick I took for a flight four years ago at heart, of course.

‘’Is there now?’’ Coral asked. Interesting. They didn’t usually come here; the exiles respected each others’ privacy well enough for that - those that knew he lived here, anyway. ‘’What does she want?’’

‘’She wants to see you,’’ Mia replied. ‘’I dunno what about, but she said it was important.’’

Coral sighed. ‘’Then I had better go and see what she wants, no?’’ He rose from the floor and spread his wings, shaking the sand out of his feathers. ‘’Shall we?’’

‘’Can I be on your back again?’’

‘’Of course.’’

Coral didn’t have the heart to tell her that she would soon be too heavy for him to carry comfortably. Mia loved the sky; he’d never hear the end of it once he told her they could no longer go for flights. If he had to guess, she would probably leave town to become a pilot once she was a little older.

But that was an issue for the future. It was a grand, bright summer day, and he could take her for a flight still. ‘’Are you secure?’’ he asked once she was on his back.

‘’Yep!’’

‘’Great. Where did you leave the Hippogriffess?’’

‘’At the main square.’’

‘’Off we go, then.’’

Coral spread his wings wide, flapped them and leapt into the air. With the extra weight it took a moment longer to adjust, but he was well-used to it by now, and he easily flew through the sky, keeping to the height of the roofs.

This could be a trap.

But it’d be a careless trap.

And Crack doesn’t know this is where I live; though he’s probably guessed I live in Macawia.

Would he even care, though? He’s certainly got bigger things to worry about.

Soon enough, the main square came into sight, and despite the usual crowd of Harpies present going about their business it was remarkably easy to spot the sole Hippogriffess in the group. That she looked up at him and waved as he approached helped too.

Hm. A blue-coated, red-maned Hippogriffess? Here to visit me?

‘’Salina Blue!’’ Coral greeted - in Arisian - as he landed. ‘’I hadn’t expected to see you here! Truth be told I thought you were dead!’’

The Hippogriffess shook her head. ‘’Though not for lack of trying, let me tell you. But I’m still alive, and so are you. It’s good to see you again, Coral.’’

‘’Likewise, Salina.’’

They hadn’t run in the same circles, not really, but Salina had interviewed him twice on the radio before Crack had come to power - they were, if not friends, acquaintances, and Coral knew her well enough to know she would never come here on Crack’s orders. ‘’Well, welcome to Porto de Bico!’’ Coral said as Mia slid off his back. ‘’What brings you here?’’

‘’Princess Skystar,’’ Salina answered. ‘’She’s taken over the government. Crack has been dismissed as of two days ago, and Aris First has been disbanded. She would like to see you return.’’

What.

Coral blinked thrice. ‘’I beg your pardon?’’

‘’I had a feeling you wouldn’t be convinced, but it’s true. The Princess led a coup and literally held Crack at gunpoint. That was enough to get him to resign. Deradicalisation efforts and reconstruction efforts are being started, but we’re going to need every claw and fin we can get.’’

‘’And you want to invite me back in?’’

‘’Well,’’ Salina admitted, ‘’you are considered one of the most important exiles. The Princess reasoned that if you were willing to return, most of the other refugees would follow suit.’’

‘’Hm.’’

He had to think. He couldn’t make a decision like this on the fly. ‘’Walk with me, please? There’s some good ocean here. I know you prefer being a Seapony.’’

‘’So do you, and yet here you are.’’

‘’Indeed.’’

Oh right, Mia’s still here.

‘’Mia,’’ Coral addressed her in Macawian, ‘’you can go back to whatever you were doing. Thanks for coming to get me.’’

‘’No problem, Mr Coral! Goodbye!’’

‘’Goodbye.’’

‘’You speak Macawian?’’ Salina questioned as Mia ran away, probably to join her friends.

‘’It would be difficult to survive here otherwise,’’ Coral pointed out wryly. ‘’Now come. Let us walk.’’

‘’I’ll follow your lead.’’

They set down upon the road to the beach. ‘’So,’’ Coral began, ‘’the Princess finally decided to take matters into her own claws?’’

‘’You know it wasn’t that easy,’’ Salina retorted. ‘’Until the war stalled, Crack enjoyed the support of well over half of the populace. It was only when the war started going bad that people realised their mistake.’’

‘’But that was almost a year ago,’’ Coral argued. ‘’Why take so long?’’

‘’A coup during the war would have probably led to civil war, and almost certain defeat in the war. Skystar didn’t want to risk it.’’

‘’We were never going to win that war.’’

‘’There was a chance,’’ Salina pointed out. ‘’I spoke with some of the generals who joined Skystar’s side; they all agree that the odds were stacked against us, but if the Firstport Landings had managed to succeed, we would have been able to knock out Chiropterra early.’’

‘’And drive Colthage to sign a peace deal? Unlikely, but not impossible.’’

‘’Precisely.’’

‘’But after the landings…’’

‘’There were a few opportunities, but none so good as that one. And after the Thunder Offensive failed, most generals agreed any chance of a victory was lost.’’

‘’The coup as it happened still almost went wrong,’’ Salina said. ‘’If Crack had called for the Phalanx to storm the mansion he was being held hostage in, Skystar would have shot him and the whole thing would have spiralled out of control. Then we might still have had a civil war.’’

‘’Thankfully Crack made the sensible choice for the first time in his life.’’

They had reached the beach now, and Coral took a moment to head over to his writings and make sure they were secured. ‘’Alright,’’ he said, ‘’we can head into the water if you want. Or we can stay on the beach.’’

‘’The beach will suffice.’’

‘’Suit yourself.’’

Coral looked away from Salina and out over the beach as silence fell between them. Salina obviously had something else to say, but judging by her silence she wasn’t sure how to say. Fair enough.

‘’Truth be told,’’ Salina spoke up, ‘’I’m not sure what to think of you.’’

‘’Oh? Do elaborate.’’

‘’You left us,’’ Salina said softly. ‘’Crack got into power and you ran.’’

‘’Of course I did.’’ Coral gave her a flat look. ‘’I was not going to stay in an Aris ran by that mad idiot.’’

‘’You could have stayed,’’ Salina argued. ‘’We survived. If we had all ran, Crack would still be in charge.’’

‘’I didn’t know that at the time,’’ Coral pointed out. ‘’I was fearing for my life. Crack was liable to purge anyone that disagreed with his vision for Aris’ future. I would have either been killed or been forced to live my life in continual fear of being killed. I was not willing to subject myself to that.’’

‘’Some would call that selfish.’’

‘’Some can go fuck themselves.’’

Salina’s mouth twitched. ‘’I agree. For the record, I don’t disagree with your choice. I wanted to run too, for a time. But then I realised that I had to stay, because I knew that Crack wouldn’t stay in charge forever, and someone would have to pick up the pieces after he…’’

‘’Cracked?’’ Coral couldn’t help suggesting.

‘’Precisely.’’ Salina sighed. ‘’But. You ran when you could have stayed, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive you for that. I cannot blame you… but I feel like I should do so, anyway.’’

‘’I can understand that,’’ Coral said carefully. ‘’I didn’t take the decision to flee easily. But it was the only option I saw. And I’ve done my best to help from here.’’

‘’So you have,’’ Salina agreed. ‘’That much cannot be denied. Speaking of…’’ she reached into her saddlebags and ruffled around in them for a few moments, before pulling out a set of files clipped together. ‘’We found this file for you in the National Intelligence Agency headquarters. It covers all of the info Crack had on you that we know of. We’re going to be giving these out to the people they cover, as a way to rebuild trust in the government. I figured I’d give you yours now.’’

‘’Thank you.’’ Coral said as he took the files. ‘’I’ll take a look at these later.’’ He sighed. ‘’Alright, I could go for a drink right about now. There’s a good bar down that way, do you mind? It’s a great summer day, after all.’’

‘’A drink sounds lovely, thank you.’’

‘’Perfect.’’

Chapter 5: 14 June 1014

Regretfully, the Sand Gardens had been destroyed during the North Zebrican War; apparently hit by one of the few Colthaginian bombing raids that had made their way past the Royal Arisian Air Force. But the shoreline was still there, untouched by mines or bombs or bullets. And the Sun was still the same, as warm as ever, even when lessened by the cool ocean breeze.

‘’I can see why you wished to meet me here,’’ Queen Skystar said. ‘’It is a beautiful sight.’’

‘’Is it not?’’ Coral agreed.

The Hippogriffess to his side nodded. ‘’Aris can be so beautiful. It is hard to remember that there is more to the realm than the capital, sometimes, but when I do remember, it is because of places like this.’’

‘’Indeed.’’

For his part, Coral was just happy to be back in Aris again at all. He’d been quite resigned to never returning home for the past years, and only after Salina had come to Macawia had he realised that he could come back now. Still, it had taken him almost a year to do so, and he wasn’t going to be staying.

Huh. Seven years ago, I was here for the last time.

The sudden realisation - where it came from, he didn’t know - caused some introspection even with the Queen next to him. So much had changed since he’d been here last. Maybe that was why he had come here, and why he had asked the Queen to speak with him here.

Frankly, he was surprised she’d accepted.

‘’So, your Majesty,’’ he began, ‘’you wished to speak with me?’’

‘’I do indeed. I was able to read some of your work whilst you were in exile. It was inspiring to me, and to others too. The Free Aris Front managed to get them into the country, and spread them around whenever possible, at great risk.’’

‘’So I’ve heard. I will have to thank them, I think.’’

‘’I can get you in contact with them. I’m sure they’ll love to speak with you about their efforts.’’

‘’Excellent. But that is not why you are here, I take it?’’

‘’No,’’ Skystar admitted. ‘’I had other things I wanted to talk about. For one, I would like to offer you compensation. It was my mother who let Aris First slip its tendrils into the government until they could no longer be dislodged, and you have rightfully criticised this. To acknowledge this, I would like to pay you a sum of twenty-five thousand Seashells, and the government shall also reimburse the costs of your exile; housing, travel, et cetera.’’

Huh.

‘’I’m not a noble enough person to say no to money freely offered,’’ he said cautiously, ‘’but can the government afford such expenses? I can’t imagine I’m the only one you are doing this for.’’

‘’You’re not, and it will cost us a lot,’’ Skystar acknowledged, ‘’but it is the right thing to do. And that’s something that Aris hasn’t been doing at all for the past years. We must get used to it again, or we shall inevitably end up with another Crack Lightning.’’

‘’We know what to watch for now,’’ Coral pointed out. ‘’Hippogriff, tall, loves flying, nationalist…’’

‘’That alone will not prevent something like this from happening again. We need to be better than we were. We must make a more equal government, where people can make themselves heard better than Aris First was.’’

‘’So you want to make a democracy?’’

‘’Indeed. A constitution and a parliament, for starters. The monarchy shall stay, though I know there are voices to abolish that too.’’

Coral tilted his head. ‘’Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Not the abolishment of the monarchy, but the other parts. Democracy… would take some getting used to, but it’ll work. I think.’’

‘’And we must work on the culture,’’ Skystar went on. ‘’If this war has proven anything, it is that Aris is neither invincible nor superior to the rest of the world. If less people had believed that from the start, perhaps Aris First would never have come about.’’

‘’Perhaps,’’ Coral agreed, ‘’or perhaps it would have. We cannot be sure. But it is defeated now.’’

‘’So it is.’’ Skystar paused for a moment, and watched the ocean. ‘’Do you know how many died?’’

‘’In the war?’’

‘’Since Crack took over.’’

‘’No.’’

‘’Guess.’’

‘’Hm…’’ What is a reasonable estimate… ‘’Thirty-thousand?’’

‘’Close. Forty-one thousand five hundred and thirty-one.’’

‘’Gods above.’’

‘’That’s just what we’ve been able to gather. Of course, the war made it rather difficult to figure out who died where, but at least that many were killed outside of it.’’

Coral closed his eyes. Breathed in. Breathed out. Opened his eyes. ‘’When’s the trial?’’

‘’25th of September.’’

‘’I want to be there.’’

‘’I was going to ask you to write a piece on it, actually,’’ Skystar revealed. ‘’You would not be the only one - you’re a great reporter, but you’re hardly neutral in this case - but I think that it would serve as a potent symbol to the exiles.’’

He didn’t even need to think about his answer. ‘’I’ll do it.’’

‘’Thanks. There’s one more thing.’’

‘’Shoot.’’

‘’Are you going to move back to Aris?’’

That was the question he’d been asking himself too. And he didn’t know the answer yet! Not really. His first thought was to stay in Macawia; Aris held nothing for him now. But perhaps Aris did need him; or maybe not him precisely, but someone like him, to help rebuild. Could he really say no to that?

‘’Why do you ask?’’

‘’If you are,’’ Skystar said, ‘’I would like to invite you into my court as an advisor. You’re one of the most prominent exiles; you can give them a voice that they’d otherwise lack. And as I said, your writings helped many people in Aris during the Phalangists’ rule.’’

Precisely what I was afraid of.

‘’I… I don’t know yet,’’ Coral admitted. ‘’I might want to go back to Macawia. Or I might come here. It’s been almost a year, and I still haven’t decided. I do hope you don’t mind that.’’

‘’I don’t,’’ Skystar said, thankfully. ‘’I can see how it would be a hard choice. But if you do end up coming back to Aris, let me know and I’ll ensure you’ll have a job and home when you arrive.’’

‘’I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.’’ Coral inclined his head gratefully. ‘’The offer is appreciated. I don’t know if I shall come back to Aris, but even if I do not, feel free to write to me if you ever feel like you need my opinion. I’ll be happy to supply it.’’

‘’I don’t think I’d have to ask for it, if you wanted to give it.’’

‘’True enough!’’ Coral agreed with a chuckle. ‘’It is my job, even if I’m no longer paid for it.’’

‘’And you’re good at your job.’’ Skystar smiled brightly, before frowning. ‘’Well, unfortunately my time here has run out. I have an appointment with the mayor of Canterford in… fifteen minutes.’’

‘’You’ll need fourteen to get to the city centre.’’

‘’Then I better get moving, no? Thank you for your time, Mr Ridge. Hopefully we will speak again soon. It has been a pleasure talking to you.’’

‘’The pleasure has been all mine, your majesty. I wish you a good day, ma’am.’’

‘’Likewise, Mr Ridge.’’

Skystar spread her wings and leapt off into the air, followed a moment later by her two Arisian Royal Guards. Coral watched them fly away until they disappeared from view, then turned back to the beach.

Despite everything that had happened in the past seven years, the beach was still the same. The sands were still golden, the waters were still blue, the Sun was still shining and the wind was still blowing. There were things that Crack Lightning and his Phalangists could never touch, never change or break no matter how hard they tried to force Aris to become something it was never meant to be.

Coral sighed. ‘’Well, we’ll see what the future holds…’’ he mused aloud.

Of course, no response came back to him; there was no one around to hear him talk. Nothing but the sea and the shore.

Perhaps the Gods heard him, if they were listening. But they probably had more pressing matters to attend to than his, and he could not begrudge them that. Despite everything, he was still well-off and not in danger; the same could not be said for other Hippogriffs or Seaponies. Poverty was widespread in Aris now, and the costs of the North Zebrican War were still being felt. Things were not over, not by a long shot. Who knew what enemies Aris might face in the future, after all?

But for just a moment, Coral could not think about all of that, and simply enjoyed the summer sunset over the waves washing up on Aris’ blessed shores. With a content sigh, he slowly walked down the beach and into the water. Then…

He leapt up into the air, transformed into a Seapony as he hit the waves, and let himself drift away on the currents.

It is a good day to be alive.

Chapter 2: 2 July 1009

Life sucks.

Even at night, there was still heat lingering in the air.

How lovely.

Coral checked left, checked right, then crossed the street. There were few people out at night; that meant less eyes to see him, but also no opportunities to duck away into a crowd, and little in the way of good explanations for why he was out at this Tiamat-forsaken hour.

He was not at all familiar with Clawes either, so he couldn’t even pretend to be a local. But this was one of the few Arisian cities that still allowed foreign ships to dock, so this would have to do.

He just needed to make it to the port, without being seen, and he’d be fine. Once he was on the ship, all he had to do was hide until they were out of Arisian waters, and then he’d be safe.

He kept away from the edge of the sidewalk as he walked along the street, even though there were barely any cars out at this hour; it helped him keep out of sight, or he liked to think so, at any rate.

Shit. Two Hippogriffs came around the corner, talking with each other. Coral looked at them carefully as he kept on walking. They didn’t look like members of the Phalanx, but it was hard to tell these days, and even if they were just curious citizens there was a chance he’d be recognised.

‘’Evening,’’ he greeted as he walked past them, tipping his head.

‘’Evening,’’ one of them called back, before continuing the conversation with his friend. Once they were out of earshot, Coral let out a quiet sigh of relief. Another trial passed.

The docks weren’t far now; he’d booked a hotel as close to them as he could for that precise reason. But it was still too far away for his own comfort, and now he was stuck with the most careful walk he’d ever taken.

How did it come to this?

A question Coral had pondered many times in the past months. He had seen the signs, but he had not connected the dots until it was too late. One moment, Aris First had been holding small-scale rallies; the next thing he knew, they had taken over the government. And now that Raft Wood had been disposed of - poor bastard - Crack Lightning, damn him, had the free reign over the nation he’d always wanted.

Coral had some choice words for that fucker, but he wasn’t going to utter them until he was well and truly far away from Aris. Aris First had eyes and ears everywhere, from the deepest crevices of Seaquestria to the highest peaks of Hippogriffia, and no one was safe anymore.

Ah, the docks. Excellent.

He kept to the shadows as he entered the harbour. He knew where he had to be; he just had to make it there.

No one else on the docks that he could see. Good. Just this last part, and he’d be there.

‘’You! What are you doing?’’

Fuck.

‘’Evening, officer,’’ Coral responded as he turned to see a policegriff watching him with narrowed eyes. Where in the Gods’ names had he come from?! ‘’I’m just out for a late stroll.’’

‘’The harbour’s not a common place to go for that.’’

‘’I like the sea,’’ Coral defended himself. ‘’And this was closer by than the beach.’’

‘’You don’t look familiar.’’

‘’I’m a tourist, sir. From Mount Aris.’’

‘’Hmph.’’ The policegriff glared at him for a moment longer, before shaking his head. ‘’Fine, go about your business.’’

‘’I will, officer. Good evening.’’

‘’You too.’’

Coral turned back to his path and continued on at the same pace he had been at before, despite the urge screaming in his head to break out into a run. That officer would have definitely arrested him if he had found proper cause, and then he would have been fucked beyond belief. He let out a single, quiet breath, then carried on his way.

Please, Tiamat, no more of this. Protect me just a little longer, and I shall forever be in your debt.

If his prayer was heard, he did not get a response back; but no one else troubled him as he continued down the waterside, until he reached the pier he had been looking for. There, docked at the end of it, was a ship from Colthage; a rare sight even before Aris First took over the government. But only Colthaginians would be willing to smuggle out political dissidents from Aris now, and it was his best chance at getting out of the country without being stopped.

As he approached the boat, he saw a Zebra standing by the catwalk onto the ship. The stallion was large, with an impressive scar running down the left side of his neck - he could probably throw Coral into the water without any issues. ‘’Good evening,’’ Coral greeted in what was surely horribly-accented Colthaginian. ‘’I’m here for the shipment of lemons.’’

The stallion watched him for a moment, eyes narrowed, then nodded. ‘’Go up to captain,’’ he said in accented Arisian, and then he resumed staring at the docks.

‘’Thank you,’’ Coral said, before ascending the catwalk onto the ship.

It was very different from an Arisian ship in aesthetic, but the general design was the same. And luckily, that meant Coral could take a reasonable guess as to where the captain would be. Hopefully. If not, this could become very awkward.

But the ship wasn’t very large, so the bridge was easy enough to find. He came across a few other Zebra sailors on the way, but they ignored him and he did not bother to talk to them; he barely knew Colthaginian, and they probably had an equal grasp of Arisian, so communication would have been near-impossible even if there had been anything to talk about.

When he did finally arrive at the bridge, it was just in time to see a pair of Zebra mares emerge from the door that lead to it. One of the mares was obviously the captain, dressed in a sleazy suit with a well-kept cap on her head, and the other mare wore clothing that looked far too expensive for the ship they were on. They were talking in rapid Colthaginian, but that changed as soon as they saw him.

‘’Ah!’’ the captain exclaimed. ‘’You must be Coral Ridge! Here for the lemons, eh?’’ She winked at him.

Coral smiled back, putting on his best face. ‘’I am indeed, captain. Thank you for taking me aboard.’’

‘’You paid for it, so I’m happy to take you,’’ the captain said dismissively. ‘’I’m Yapa Erimgo, and as you guessed I’m the captain. I’ve set up a room for you downstairs; one of the sailors can show you where it is. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go. Need to inspect the ship.’’

‘’Of course.’’ Coral stepped aside to let her pass.

Impressive Arisian, for a Zebra. She’s been in Aris before, that’s for certain.

‘’Good evening, Mr Ridge,’’ the mare dressed in fine clothes said; she had not followed the captain. ‘’My name is Zerdinit Guziniad. My family owns the company this ship is chartered under, and when I saw your name on the list of, ah, ‘cargo’, if you will, I decided that I had to come. I’m a fan of your work, you see.’’ And she stuck her hoof out to him.

Coral blinked, then shook the mare’s hoof. ‘’Pleasure to meet you, Miss Guziniad. I didn’t know I was known outside Aris, but I’m grateful for your assistance nonetheless.’’

‘’It is nothing, Mr Ridge. It would be a shame if you were silenced by your government.’’ Zerdinit smiled. ‘’Now then, can I help you with anything? I do not know what your past days have been like, but I cannot imagine they have been peaceful.’’

‘’They haven’t been, no,’’ Coral admitted. ‘’It has been… hectic, to say the least.’’

‘’I remember what it was like when we had to flee from the Storm King,’’ Zerdinit said. ‘’My family hails from Zapsa, you see. We had to flee northwards into the hills when the Yetis came; it was terrible. Come, let us head down to your cabin. Those saddlebags look heavy.’’

‘’I wouldn’t mind going downstairs,’’ Coral said. ‘’I’ll follow you, Miss.’’

Zerdinit led him away from the bridge and into the ship’s hull, until they arrived before a door in a hallway filled with doors. ‘’This is your cabin,’’ Zerdinit said as she opened the door. ‘’It’s basic, but this isn’t a ship made for transporting passengers.’’

Coral stepped into the room and took a look around. It was small, yes, but it had a bed and a little desk for him to work at. More, he didn’t need.

‘’It’s more than satisfactory,’’ he said, turning to face Zerdinit. ‘’Thank you, again.’’

‘’You’re welcome, again,’’ Zerdinit replied with a smirk. ‘’If you don’t mind, could we continue our conversation? I’ve been eager to speak with you.’’

‘’Of course,’’ Coral agreed as he slipped his saddlebags off and placed them on the bed. ‘’I’ve got all the time in the world.’’

Just this night, and then we’re off. I’ll be out of Aris. I’ll be safe.

Thank the Gods.