Celestia's sun rose all too quickly the next morning. Gilda was the only one to suffer the unwanted radiant warmth of a new day, as Dash's head was buried snugly against her chest. Not wanting to disturbed her sleeping friend she was forced to stay awake with her thoughts. She thought about the forgiveness she'd been granted by the only friend she'd ever really had. She thought about the soreness of the recently bandaged wounds said friend activated slightly with her contact. She thought back to two dead assassins and a dead manticore that she'd encountered. And finally she thought about the letter that moved her to seek out her friend in the first place; a letter said friend deserved to read. Gilda owed Dash some sort of explanation.

Gilda was shaken from her reverie by the gruff voice of a stallion in the hall. "I thought ponies were supposed to take injured animals to that mare by the Everfree, not here."

"Big bird though." Gilda heard the gruff voice conclude as the door swung open.

"Griffon actually." Gilda corrected off-handedly, causing the stallion to freeze mid stride. A dustpan filled with Gilda's large brown feathers flattered to the floor when he saw the imposing predator taking up two beds.

"I-I uh... Meant no offense miss, your feathers are very nice." The stallion laughed nervously and prayed he wasn't digging a deeper grave.

Gilda sighed as she resisted the temptation to make a joke about how the stallion was a big wuss. Rainbow Dash still clutched to her chest reminded her that she was going to honestly try to do better.

With a quick chuckle Gilda said, "Don't sweat it dude, I should be apologizing for making the mess you had to clean up."

"Now if you don't mind me saying, I've had to clean up my fair share of blood since I've been here." The stallion started, as he moved farther into the room. He seemed much more at ease knowing the large predator wan't as ill tempered as he'd thought.

"That being said, I've never seen so many messes in so many places. The only thing I ever hear about comes from the nurses and they were very keen on not talking about what happened last night. Would you mind satisfying my curiosity?"

Gilda mulled it over for a while, while she watched him clean. Her first thought was that it wasn't any of his damned business, but that was the old Gilda; the new Gilda was much friendlier to strangers. At the very least pony strangers; after yesterday's events griffons who were strangers were permanently on the 'Do Not Trust' list.

"You want the whole story or just the hospital bit, I'm not going to lie I was pretty woozy from blood loss. My recollection of that will be pretty lacking."

"I don't suppose the nurses were the ones that got you all bloodied up, so how'd that happen." The janitor's dustpan, broom and other cleaning supplies lie forgotten near the door; he seemed more than happy to forget his duties for a firsthand telling of the most interesting patient he'd ever met.

"That," Gilda said with a laugh, "is a pretty awesome story. As much as the whole getting attacked thing sucked I feel pretty good about surviving a fight two-to-one."

For the first time in a long time Gilda felt the desire to brag about an accomplishment, she guessed it had something to do with holding the most boastful pony in Equestria in her arm. Then she set in on the start of her tale.

"The first fight was with a couple of assassins. Normally when just one assassin gets the drop on you you're supposed to be finished, but i guess I got lucky. The knife from the first one went right in my back a few inches more and he would've paralyzed me; they must've been counting on me not being able to react because I caught the second one before his blade even connected. So I had a knife in my back, a griffon on my back trying to choke me, and I was barely keeping another griffon from sinking his blade into my heart. I did the only thing I could think of-" She paused for dramatic effect, the stallion leaned forward slightly, clearly on the edge of his metaphorical seat.

"Oh jeeze, I'm acting like Dash." Gilda lowered her head slightly, in shame.

"Who?" The stallion questioned, to which Gilda shifted her arm to better present her sky blue friend. She hadn't realized just how well hidden dash was tucked against her body and under a wing.

"Oh that Dash." The stallion smiled knowingly, "She's been in here a few times herself. She's a good pony, but you're far from being as bad as her in any respect."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean? I'm awesome!"

"You're awake?" Gilda asked, a touch annoyed that Dash's outburst had startled her.

"Yeah, but I uh-" The rainbow maned pegasus was clearly trying to come up with a good excuse, "I was comfortable and you were telling a story, and stuff."

"Right." Gilda said with a roll of her eyes.

The bandaged griffon tried to release the pony in her embrace; Dash simply held on tighter to her friends chest.

GIlda drew in a sharp breath through a clenched beak as a new wave of soreness swept through her body.

Rainbow Dash reacted very quickly to her friends pain and spouted an apology as she released her grip. She fell out of the bed and collapsed onto the floor unceremoniously.

Gilda grunted and took in a few shaky breaths. "I've had worse." She muttered in response to her friend's multiple statements of how sorry she was.

“That’s what it was sounding like, but I didn’t mean to make it worse.” It was clear to both Gilda and the yet unintroduced stallion that Dash was beating herself up over her mistake.

“Dash.” Gilda said forcefully. The mentioned mare straightened up to attention quickly, “Don’t sweat it, it’s not like I warned you or anything anyways.”

“Alright G, that’s uh- Thanks.” The flustered mare finally accepted that Gilda wasn’t upset with her.

"You're cute when you get like that, Dash." Gilda said with a smirk.

“Yeah?” Rainbow Dash replied somewhat excitedly, before her expression soured.

“I’m not cute.” She corrected, indignantly.

“If you say so.” Gilda chuckled, casting a knowing look to the stallion in the room.

The janitor wisely shrugged to stay as neutral as possible.

A fairly awkward silence descended upon the room. Gilda seemed lost in thought during the extended silence and the stallion in the room went back to his work.

In reality Gilda was studying Rainbow Dash, almost sizing up her oldest friend.

“So listen Dash.” Gilda started up again, “I’d just bail, but doctors don’t particularly like that. Could you fly back to your place and get my pack. I need a few things out of there. Unless I landed on you too hard.”

“No I got it.” Dash insisted suddenly, “Just- uh... Be here when I get back.”

Gilda nodded and smiled in response. She watched as Rainbow Dash stretched her wings before pushing the window open and taking flight. The sound of many ponys’ daily activities drifted into the room through the now open window. Gilda found herself both calmed and set slightly on edge by the sound; she couldn’t begin to guess the cause of the latter emotion.

“When does the doc’ make his rounds?” Gilda asked as the janitor was finishing his cleaning.

“Probably already started. He should be along soon; your room just happens to be near the end of the hall on this floor. Surprised there hasn’t been a nurse in yet.”

“I’m sure they’re scared and doing rock paper scissors to see who has to come in here.”

She received a blank look from the stallion.

“Right, pony. It’s a hands thing.” She explained, showcasing her flexible digets. The explanation seemed to be good enough for him.

It wasn’t long before his cleaning was done and the janitor had to excuse himself.

“Name’s Clean Sweep by the way, miss. When you’re up to it I’d like to hear the rest of that story.”

“Sure thing.” Gilda wheezed out as she tried to fight back a laugh.

Seconds after the janitor’s exit both he and Rainbow Dash were missed sorely by the bedridden griffon. Briefly she considered escaping through the still open window to stretch her stiff muscles. Letting her wounds heal naturally had never been a problem in the past and probably wouldn’t now.

It wasn’t long after Gilda had resolved to go through with her escape plan that the door opened and in walked a doctor accompanied by a mare with a red mane and wearing a nurse outfit. The mare seemed particularly steel faced as she came in, and the doctor looked tired. Gilda guessed she’d been told the story from last night and was expecting some kind of gruesome scene. When she saw a clean room and and large bandaged griffon her expression softened considerably.

“Hey doc, so when can I get out of here?” Gilda started up, still eyeing the window.

“With the injuries you had when you came in it could be a week or so before you’re released. This is nurse Redheart by the way, is it alright if she helps me change your bandages?”

“Yeah, whatever. ‘A week or so’ isn’t going to work though. I need to be out of here by tomorrow at the latest.”

The doctor picked up a clipboard at the end of the bed while Nurse Redheart started on the bandages.

As the white mare worked she said, “I’d like to apologize for the behavior of our nursing staff last night. Ponyville is a small town, and none of them have ever had to take care of a griffon before. A patient is still a patient, though, and they seem to have forgotten that last night.”

“Didn’t even notice honestly. Too much blood loss and stuff.”

“Multiple lacerations and knife wounds. The doctor on call last night patched you up but I’d still like to make sure you aren’t going to bleed out internally. It’ll take some time.”

“It’s fine doc.”

“My goodness.” Redheart said suddenly.

A pile of discarded bandages lay next to Gilda on the bed. What the bandages had been covering up was apparently slightly raw skin and a few thin patches of missing fur. If it weren’t for the stitches still there from the previous night, it would’ve seemed as though Gilda was simply very aggressive about scratching itches.

“See, it’s fine.” Gilda repeated.

“I’ll admit to not knowing too much about griffon physiology, but this seems like an exceptionally fast rate of healing.” The doctor started, clearly fascinated. “Is this typical of griffons?” He asked carefully, hoping he wasn’t offending the large griffon with his questions.

“If I answer your questions will you take my money and let me leave today?” She answered his question pointedly.

“It may not be the most professional thing I’ve done, but in this case you apparently know more about your body than I do. I think I can discharge you today.”

Gilda thought for a moment unconsciously twirling the dirty bandages between two talons.

“Griffons recover from wounds faster than ponies do. So I’ve noticed. It’s why I’ve tried really hard in recent times not to get into fights with ponies. I've actually taken up hunting prey again."

She made a mental note to get some food at some point.

"This though," she said indicating the newly healed skin. "this is unique to me and my blood. This kind of 'healing' runs in the family."

"It's also the reason I'm bigger than an average female griffon." She paused in thought, and then shrugged.

"You do that whole doctor-patient confidentiality thing right?"

"Of course." The doctor said without pause.

"Her?" Gilda asked pointing to the nurse.

"Yes she as well. So long as I don't believe it likely to bring harm to anyone else I will tell nopony what you say here."

"I'm what’s left of the last true royal blooded griffons. According to someone in Canterlot, guessing it’s a unicorn since the letter that told me so just appeared one night.” Gilda shrugged to conclude her story, stretching out her muscles as she started rolling off the bed.

“Tell nobody.”

“It won’t leave this room.” The doctor said, holding a hoof over his heart.

“Yeah it will eventually. Just don’t be the one to let it slip.”

Wonder what’s taking Dash so long. Gilda looked out the still open window with a frown.

“Before I discharge you there is the matter of the-”

“Yeah, bill I got you.” Gilda interrupted him, “I have the number for an account in Canterlot that you can charge.”

The doctor waited expectantly.

“It’s uh- in the bag my friend went to get. I hope.” Gilda sighed awkwardly. “I’ll just go get it myself actually. I’m starting to think I didn’t finish off the griffons from last night. I hope they didn’t follow me.”

Gilda was then next to the window in two powerful, though fairly stiff strides. Before the doctor could protest at all she was out the window.

And falling to the ground, as her wings refused to obey her immediately. Only after she had safely landed on all fours from a second story fall did it register that her entire body ached from the previous night.

GIlda decided to stretch before trying to take off again, as the hospital receptionist came out to see what had hit the ground. When the powerful griffon raked the ground with her talons the mare wordlessly retreated back to the safety of her desk.

Quick stretches found Gilda much more able to flap her wings. Satisfied that she could actually fly now she took off towards her friends house as quickly as she could. Her ascent was slow, but after a few powerful beats she was tearing through the skies towards the cloudhouse just on the outskirts of town.

When Gilda arrived she saw the door to Dash’s house was open, but everything was dead quiet. She didn’t know whether this was good or bad, but decided it was both until she found her friend. Unarmed and unarmored she was increasingly concerned about having to face off against the assassin’s that had attacked her, if the were indeed here. Her concern for herself was overshadowed by her worry for Dash’s safety.

Talons at the ready Gilda charged into the house to find…

Rainbow Dash reading the second page of a three page letter.

Gilda relaxed instantly.

“I was going to tell you about that today. I would’ve told you last night, but saying sorry seemed more important in case-” Gilda didn’t finish the thought. From the way Rainbow Dash cringed, she’d finished it in her head.

“I’m fine now though, and since you’ve read through that I bet you have some questions.” She concluded.

Rainbow Dash held up what Gilda recognized as the envelope the letter had come in and said, “This letter is stamped with the royal seal. You knew that, right?”

“I’d never looked into it, but that explains where the bits were coming from.”

“What bits?”

“There’s a series of numbers at the bottom of the last page. It’s apparently for the account of whoever sent me the letter. They told me to go ahead and buy stuff for my trip back home.”

“So then what the letter says is true? You’re actually royalty?” Dash asked excitedly.

“Something like that. Whoever the griffon king is now is only in power because nobody can challenge him. Since you’re sort of in-the-know now I have a question for you-” She paused as though she expected Dash to already refuse her request.

“Yeah?”

“The end of the letter is encouraging me to go home and take back the throne since I have ‘the right to rule,’ but I can’t do it on my own. So…” Again Gilda hesitated, waiting for the moment when her friend would catch on and say she was crazy.

“I mean feel free to say no any time.” Gilda rubbed her arm awkwardly.

“Spit it out, G.” Dash urged.

“I want your help starting a revolution and taking down the current griffon king.”

As Gilda expected, Rainbow Dash was speechless.

Author's Note

This is the end of this fic. When I close up some of my larger multi-chapter fics I'll be working on the sequel this is setting up. Right now the title of the sequel is "Gilda and Dash's Glorious Conquest." Obviously a working title.