//------------------------------//
// Chapter II 
// Story: The Fallen Emperor 
// by SirCarrot 
//------------------------------//

Grover was underwhelmed as Fulso informed him that they had passed out of the region of Herzland, which was currently a bloodbath, and into the neutral state of Ost-griffonia. It had been formed from the union of Hellquill and Longsword, two states famed for their lawlessness and knightly orders, and roaming mercenaries. The region had an odd mix of various cultures, and due to its straddling the pony-dominant River Federation, and the current chaos of the Griffonian Empire, lead to it being a neutral ground for settling both political and economic disputes. 

Perhaps this reputation as neutral ground should have made Grover feel safer, but he knew forces from every opponent nation were looking for him, half of them planned to kill him on sight. The party was relatively disguised, but a fortune that conservatively worked out to 20 years' wages had been offered as a reward for catching the young Emperor. Well, at least his life wasn’t cheap! 

A straight night and morning flying through the war-torn region had tired everyone, especially the servants, and Fulso called to make camp under a canopy of trees below. The guards and servants began to set up tents, and made a cold lunch, for a fire could not be risked. Grover took Fulso aside and asked how long the trip would take. “A week flying nights and sleeping at day should get us to Rijekograd, the capital of the River Federation. I’m thinking we should do our best to present ourselves directly to their congress, if we reveal ourselves to any lesser authority they may turn us over immediately.” 

Grover studied the middle-aged Griffon. “Do you think the congress will hand us over?”

“Your Grace, I-I don’t know. We could always break for Zebrica if necessary, but I think our best bet is in the Federation.” Grover had known the amber-colored Griffon for about a year and was able to see the uncertainty in his eyes. 

“I guess will see what happens then Fulso, but I think my chances of escaping from the clutches of the enemy are slim at best.” The statement surprised Fulso, who mumbled something about relieving himself and left Grover alone. Grover didn’t exactly know where the pessimism was coming from, but he supposed that it was to be expected when your kingdom is overthrown and most of the world was looking to see you dead.

The canopy their camp was in overlooked a small farm, two pony fillies were playing with a small ball while their parents looked on. Grover had both died years previously, and he had been mostly raised by the Archon after Grover’s aunt Gabriella had been forced into exile. Grover didn’t love the Archon as one might a father, but knowing he was dead shook him. The old man had been a constant in the young Emperor’s life, and now he was dead. As he looked on at the two fillies playing, Grover could not mask his envy, they were peasants, but for the thousandth time, Grover wondered what it was like to be truly loved and cared for.





Two more days of flying brought them to the town of Haarsingen. Fulso was of the opinion that the party should keep flying, but their stores of food were low. “I may as well go with you as well, I am a pair of hands and I would like to see what they say of me on the radio.” Such an idea was immediately dismissed by the entire group, and Grover was left at the camp with Loana, one of the guards. 

The camp was pleasantly placed on a small hillside, offering a pretty view of the town below. Not that the town was pretty though, at least to Grover it seemed as if a tornado had gone through it. Probably a remnant of its own civil war. Fulso and the others would be gone for an hour or two, and boredom consumed Grover after 15 minutes. “You have in family back in the Empire, Loana? I know it can’t have been easy to pack up and leave.”

She looked uneasy addressing her Emperor, but shortly afterward started, “My father was killed fighting for yours in the last revolution. My mother had just laid my egg, so I never met him. She died nine years later of the plague and I was raised by my grandparents. My grandfather was some bureaucrat but he died as well from age a few years after. Shortly after, I enlisted, and 11 years later, here I am.” She talked about all of the death pretty easily, but Grover supposed he did the same as well. 

“I’m sorry for your losses, your father was a loyal man.”

“My father was a fool, Your Highness.” Grover didn’t know where the hostility came from, and he was suddenly uneasy about being close to the Griffon. Thankfully, she left after a short, awkward, silence.

Such sentiments had been repeated time and time again after the republicans had been defeated in the last revolution. The loyalists had found afterward that their Emperor, Grover’s father, had been as ineffective as he was frail. Almost every scholar’s only praise for the Emperor had been that he had sired a strong and healthy son, of sound mind and relative handsomeness. Not that that son would ever be able to fix the trainwreck of his father’s reign. Eros had tried that and failed.

Loana had disappeared somewhere, and Grover thought he may as well get some sleep, Boreas knew they had a long night of flying ahead.





Their Majesties' Special Operations Unit IV, nicknamed The Trackers, had not had a terribly difficult job catching the trail of the exiled Emperor, and their experimental helicopter would have allowed them to outpace and capture the group easily. This was not their mission, however. 

It would have looked positively dreadful for the Princesses if they had let a thirteen-year-old get drawn and quartered, even if he was the leader of an enemy nation that did the same to thousands of its conquered peoples, and probably worse to many more. So a plan was hatched, Grover would be brought back to Canterlot for a fair trial. A capture would endanger too many lives, so extradition from the River Federation was chosen as the preferable method. A team would shadow Grover’s party to ensure his safe arrival, and that was that.

Rainbow Dash had been chosen to lead this team, given her possession of the element of loyalty, she was unlikely to turn Grover over for a bribe, and her exemplary service during the war made Rainbow the best choice. 

Not that Rainbow was happy about any of this. Five straight years of war had exhausted any reserves she had, and now she wanted to retire to Ponyville and never touch another gun. Not to mention her task was to protect a murderous brat responsible for the deaths of millions. Well, back to tracking the brat, Rainbow thought.

Her group was hiding half a mile from the canopy where the Emperor was also hiding. This made it very easy to hear the shouting and gunshots that suddenly erupted from the area. Shouting to the rest of her group, Rainbow dashed into the fray.