“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
[Revelation 22:21]
[20 Years after Pandemon war]
As the carriage neared the Stablelot gate, I felt the air start becoming quite bitterly dry. It’s been 20 years since the war, 20 longs years… It was a cloudy early afternoon day and in the carriage only sat me, and my son and future Duke George (He was a earthie with a almost graying sand yellow coat and thick black mane, his wise eyes very much of his late father) I speak, it almost tiring just to do so.
“Nu can bewiebe am bwuddah an’ two sistews couwdn’t make it, an’ on dis day as weww!”
Even thinking about it made me upset, like really!? Albert, Natalie and Ember couldn’t find at least a few day’s to come to the war remembrance! I felt myself get madder by the second, George speaks seeing at I was upset.
“Mummah dewe’s nu nee’ to get upset, it’s bad fo’ am heawff. An’ fo’ them weww, 'ou know dey hab impowtant duties…”
Hearing this I speak, trying my best to hold back tears.
“Dey stiww, aftah am fathew’s funewaw dey couwd hab been wiff dewe mummah. Emiwy am suwe dey know these past months wiff him gone haben’t been doin’ me gud.”
Just as I finished saying this the gate of Stablelot appeared, not much changing in all these years. With the only real changes being the two inward orange banners and two outer Equestrian banners (Bright blue background with center Yellow sun) That were sprung by the sides of the entrance.
Us moving down the now paved roads of Stablelot, we were making our way to the Imperial Palace. Once there we’ll meet up with Empress Jasmine and begin the ceremony (It mostly just being a walk towards the former sight of the white tower, where the war memorial and Doe dynasty crypt are located and placing a bundle of flowers at the sight) The carriage now stopped at the palace and me and my son got off, heading inside. After a quick confirmation of our identities we headed inside, towards the Doe-StrongWing court. Even though it had only been a few year since I’ve been here, Just looking around the palace still left me in wonder. It was clear by the countless pristine statues, works of art, great historical artifacts, seeming endless servants and sheer grandeur that the Royal treasury had long recovered, truly a golden age… Arriving at the long double doors to the court, two Imperial guards sat at either side (After the formation of the Empire, it seemed appropriate that the Royal Guard received a new name) Instantly they recognize me, speaking with such honor and respect in there voice.
“Duchess an’ fiwst commandew!? wewcome tenfowd, dah empwess am weady to meet 'ou!”
Hearing that I almost cracked a smile, speaking to them.
"Y’know Emiwy wetiwed fwom that position some yeaws back wight?
A guard speaks, still the same tone.
“Eben stiww 'ou desewbe it!”
We enter, the doors closing behind as soon after.
Empress Jasmine and Emperor Vaastu were sitting on there thrones when we came in, Jasmine speaking in high regard we she sees us.
“Emiwy, Geowge, how gud to see 'ou!”
We both bow before her, getting up as Jasmine speaks.
“'Ou nu know how much it wiww mean to dah peopwe of Equestwia wiff ‘ou hewe Emiwy. Am a wibin’ wegend!”
I speak.
“Yeah, wibin’ wegend…”
This got me thinking of all the other people no longer living to see this day, the thought that the majority of those I once knew now are departed. Dar, Mother, Brother, Epi, Aubrey, Ix, Charles, Kri, Enoch, Roxy, Tethius, Quin, Mac & Dac, WingScratch, Vissarman, SourBeak, Madanak, Ozymandias, Ezekiel & Yoyo, and probably dozens of others my ageing mind couldn’t immediately think of. Jasmine realizing that her words had put me down speaks again, sounding much more somber.
“How am 'ou doing, since dah death of am husband Daw…”
I speak.
“Emiwy wouwd not wike to tawk about it, wet’s just get dis obah wiff.”
As we waited for others to arrive the time was spent with mostly Jasmine and George talking, it usually revolving around what the other’s children and grandchildren were doing. (Hearing both the words George and grandchildren does not make me feel any younger, is this what it must have been like for Quin? Dear Anu…) After what felt like forever I was startled when the door opened and a Imperial Guard spoke, looking over.
“GwandMastah Safeew has awwibed!”
Walking in was an elderly Griffon in GrandMaster armor, surrounded by two Talon Knights. Safeer speaks, a tone of sarcasm in his voice.
“If you’re wondering the other two aren’t making it. Birdy that religious nutjob seems to busy at some monastery to do his duties, and for Fellie well… She’s basically on her deathbed at this point.”
Emperor Vaastu speaks, the once charming colt I met long ago or the warm and confident stallion I had met during his and Jasmine’s wedding, now reduced to a sour old man.
“Hmpf of couwse! Am dah changewings comin’ at weast?”
Safeer gives a bow to Jasmine before speaking.
“I think so, of course it’s just a representative of Grand Queen Vela. She seemed to have gotten even larger the last time I visited Hive City.”
After that Safeer turns to me, giving a respectful bow as I give one back. I speak.
“Howdin’ up weww?”
Safeer speaks in a joking tone.
“Hey I’m just happy I still can move.”
For the first time in awhile I couldn’t help but crack a smile, Safeer smiles back as we both giggle. After a few seconds Safeer speaks to me again, much more somber.
“Heard about what happened with Dar, you have my condolences.”
I give a respectful nod and we wait, the other representatives coming in one by one.
Once all here we left the Palace and began the walk towards the memorial, the sun now slowly setting as we do. As we walked through the streets, massive crowds of people cheered us on like the war only ended yesterday, large Motor and Equestrian banners on almost every building. As we slowly walk Jasmine speaks, waving to the enthusiastic crowd with elegance.
“‘Ou know something? just few months back, when Jasmine had gotten dah empiwe’s census it webeawed somethin’ to me. We as of nao am at popuwation of 1 miwwion peopwes, amazing!”
Safeer speaks.
“Really? Head on down to Chicago and just trying to walk through it you’d think it was 2 million!”
Safeer and Jasmine laugh, I however was to busy looking at the crowds.
To me there was something quite disturbing about it, all these people just mindlessly showing devotion. Like once about a year back I heard someone refer to the Pandemon war as the “Glorious” War. Why would they think something lie that? There was no glory in it I saw things no person should ever see. But now with the majority of population having been born after the war, they seem fit to reinterpret the conflict like some glorious battle between good and evil, and not like us just having a job to do. Suddenly as I was deep in thought, I was startled by the sound of George’s voice, him looking at me.
“Mummah whewe hewe.”
looking up the memorial was infront of me, in all of it’s glory. In the center of it stood 4 perfectly crafted stone statues of me, Dar, Ix and Charles. And behind us stood the statues of soldiers, figures like Eti, Safeer, Hawkes, Somer and other figures that had fought during the second battle of Nickel City. After a moment of hesitation Jasmine takes a bundle of flowers and goes to place it, turning and speaking once done.
“May those who fought an’ gabe dewe wibes nebah be fowgotten, dewe sacwifice to be wemembewed fo’ aww etewnity. Today mawks 20 yeaws since that fatefuw waw, many things wost among dah way. Buh wet us awso wemembah what we had gained, a sense of unity, a sense of comwadeship, ouw own countwy! Buh awso dis, may we gib thanks to Emiwy DawkWing’. Who had defeated Ewohim an’ am hewe stiww awibe!”
The crowd erupts in cheers and applause, suddenly something clicking inside my brain. The crowds don’t cheer for me, they cheer for the idea of me. The hero that destroyed the evil Elohim, they one who had discovered Enoch in those long forgotten days. Than I realize I was doing the same exact thing for all my life. First with Motor’s hero’s, worshipping them as some sort divine figures. Than with Enoch, seeing a wise and good King instead of the stallion suddenly thrown the weight of the world upon his shoulders. And than finally my Husband Dar, still seeing him as my beloved hero instead of a broken man who dealt with inner demons from the war and thought himself responsible for Epi’s tragic accident. I felt myself brought to near tears from this, only keeping composure for the sake of appearance.
After the service we got back on the carriage and began heading back home, myself feeling get increasingly weak after the realization. I look at George who looked rather tired and spoke, a faint smile across my face.
“Gey Geowge my sweet babbeh boy, Emiwy wan’‘s to ask to somethin’.”
He looks at me slightly embarrassed, I hadn’t called him that since he was a foal. He speaks.
“Yes Mummah?”
I speak.
“Do 'ou think hewo’s am bown, ow am dey cweated? Ow wathah do dey exist at aww?”
George thinks, rubbing his chin in thought. Finally he speaks, I feeling more and more tired.
“Mummah, Geowge thinks hewo’s am us at ouw best’. Us when we wook past petty desiwes an’ wook towawds dah wite. A kind of fowm of enwightened bein’ 'ou sometimes heaw about fwom fowwowews of Dah One. What do 'ou think?”
I give the best smile I could muster and speak.
“Gud answah.”
With that I begin to close my eyes, in the back of my head I already knew. This would be a sleep I wouldn’t wake up from, and with peace of mind of knowing where I was going and my late realization, I was perfectly content with that. The End
After nearly a year it has finally concluded! From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all who had read this story from the beginning. This story has changed so much over the year, from being a pretty straight hero’s tale to being something a lot more personal and introspective (Both from me having changing taste, and personal tragedy) For what I will be working on next I don’t know, but one thing is for sure is that I will not be working on any long form stories for a good couple of months, I need a good long break before I can do something like this again. But still I might get out a one shot now and again, or maybe some art once and awhile. And for when I feel ready for my next big project, who knows what it will be! (Who knows maybe I might finally bring myself to get started on that Giovanni sequel I teased way back…) Anyway that everything on my mind, have a good day as always!