Kessandra

Celestia sat under the awning of a veranda and looked out the palace gardens in my Equestria dreamscape. The morning had been particularly rainy but it was scheduled to end in about half an hour. In the meantime the steady rain shrouded the gardens in a silver-grey veil.

    While Celestia is Princess of the Sun this did not mean she finds rainy days to be an affront to her glorious, fiery orb. On contrary she often found these misty, rainy days to be rather soothing as the steady curtains of the rain washed away all the dust and dirt that settled on the world, it also muffled the sound of the bustling palace. With a smile on her face she sipped her coffee and awaited her guest.

    The clock in the main tower had just finished chiming ten when a junior secretary stepped out on to the veranda and bowed.

    “Your Highness. Kessandra has arrived for her ten o'clock appointment. Shall I have her come out here?”

    “Yes Cornflower. Please bring her out here, and please inform the servants that we will be taking refreshments out here as well.”

    The blue unicorn bowed again and then departed. A few minutes later she returned and once again bowed. “Your Highness. Professor Kessandra of the Black Feather nation.”

    At her announcement a female griffin stepped on to the veranda. She had markings similar to those of an American Kestrel.

    The griffin stepped forward the prescribed number of steps and bowed. “Greetings Princess Celestia, Co-ruler of Equestria. I Kessandra of the Black Feather Nation and professor griffin anthropology at Canterlot University have received and answered your summons. How may I assist your Highness?”

    Celestia rose from her cushions and stepped toward the griffin. “Arise Kessandra of the Black Feather Nation and be at ease. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me with a problem.”

    The Kessandra stood up and looked up at the alicorn. The griffin had a smile that was infectious and caramel brown eyes sparkled with life and curiosity. “So what urgent, pressing, matter; besides eating cake does the Princess of the Sun require my expertise?”

    Celestia smiled at the griffin. “Even on a rainy day you're a shaft of sunlight that pierces the thickest clouds!”

    She nuzzled the griffin and then escorted her over to a collection of cushions and had her sit down with her. Servants soon arrived and in a short time a spread of tea sandwiches, a selection of cheeses and fresh fruit along with a small three layer, white cake with orange cream filling and whipped cream icing had been set out for them to enjoy. thermal carafes of coffee and small decanter of black currant wine provided beverages. Set amongst the sandwiches was a small, covered silver tray.

    Celestia smiled at her guest. “And since I know how much miss this from your homeland.” The princess's horn glowed and the cover was removed revealing paper-thin vermillion slices of smoked salmon. The griffin squealed with joy.

    “You remembered! Thank you your Highness!” With a talon she skewered a shimmering translucent slice and popped it into her mouth and closed her eyes.

    “So good!” Squealed the griffin.

    “Yes I have to thank you for introducing it to me.” Said Celestia as she wrapped a slice around a honeydew melon slice and took a bite. “To think I had lived for centuries and never tried this until recently! However I fear I did not summon you just to enjoy an early lunch.”

    Over the next few minutes she explained the case surrounding the griffin being held in the palace dungeon. I'm afraid I have to stop you Kessandra listened to Celestia's proposal for enlisting her aid.

    “So you're hoping that perhaps he'd be more willing to speak to another griffin? Not an invalid tactic. What are exactly the charges he's facing?”

    Celestia levitated a piece of paper from under a cushion and read from it.

    “Breaking and entering a Royal property. Attempting to steal Royal property. Attempting to steal confidential state documents. Attempting to resist an Agent of the Crown. Attempted assault on an Agent of the Crown. Drawing a weapon on an Agent of the Crown. And interrupting my dessert at a State dinner.”

    Kessandra winced at the last charge. “Ouch! State dinner, ah let me guess, ah, one of Golden Egg's five layer cakes?”

    “Yes.”

    “Chocolate?”

    “ Yes. With raspberry puree filling and dark chocolate fondant icing.” Said the Co-ruler of Equestria with a serious tone. “By the time I'd returned I discovered that Luna had eaten my slice!”

    “I'm surprised you didn't send him to the moon.” Grinned the griffin. Very well I have an idea of how I might be able to get him to speak!”

    The griffin laid on his right side and stared at the wall. The ponies had tended to his broken wing but refused to use magic to accelerate its healing. Obviously they were doing this to discouraged him from contemplating escape and undoubtedly as a reward if he cooperated. He'd seen similar tactics used before and he wasn't falling for it.

    He'd been in worst prisons and dungeons, but one thing all of them had in common was crummy food. Especially in this case since all he was getting was pony grub. Gah, he was craving Gomak Stew so badly he could smell it! No wait he actually could smell it. Then he heard hoofs and feet approaching his cell.

    Rising from his cot he watched as a guard pony and a female griffin walked up to his cell. The unicorn unlocked the cell and admitted the griffin. She was carrying a large picnic basket in her bill. She set the basket on the floor and then turned to the guard.

    “You can close the door now. If I need your assistance or need to leave I'll call you. Okay?”

    “Yes m'am.” said the guard. “If you need me I will be at my post at the end of the hall.” He then walked away.

    Kessandra proceeded to roll out a large, brightly colored wool blanket. The other griffin noticed that while it had the colors traditionally found on trade blankets, it lacked any specific nations or clan's markings. Kessandra spotted him looking at the blanket.

    “I chose this blanket specifically because it is not associated with any particular nation or clan. Since we do not know your affiliation. I did not want to risk offending you by laying the mark of a nation or clan yours might be in conflict with.

    With her task completed she addressed him. “Greetings. My name is Kessandra of the Black Feather Nation but I now call Canterlot home. I am professor at Canterlot University but I was recently informed of your arrest by members of the court. There are not many griffins in Canterlot and even fewer ponies who truly know how to properly prepare griffin cuisine. So I thought I'd bring you some proper griffin cooking!”

    Kessandra proceeded to set out bowls, spoons, and plates for the two of them. She unwrapped a bright red cloth and removed a couple fresh loaves of sourdough bread. She then carefully lifted a large tureen with a latched lid. She opened and the cell was filled with a steaming aroma that made the prisoner's stomach rumble.

    Carefully Kessandra filled two bowls with the thick stew, which was full of chunks of firm, white, flesh fish, clams, wild leeks, potatoes, white mushrooms and minced sage. All swimming in a broth thickened with sourdough bread crumbs and simple yogurt cheese.

    The Professor then carefully set the two bowls on the blanket and looked at the prisoner. “Would you please honor me by joining me in a meal. This food comes with no conditions, or expectations attached to it. Your company is all I ask, you are a griffin a long ways from home and, in a lot of trouble I just wish to make you feel a bit better.”

    She then proceeded to tear a large chunk of sourdough bread off from a loaf with her talons and dunk it into the thick soup. Then she ate it and looked again at the prisoner.

    “Also, it is not poisoned .” She smiled as dunked another piece of bread in the soup.

    The male griffin slowly climbed off the cot and sat down on the blanket. Slowly he lifted the bowl with both of his taloned hands until they were shoulder level. Then he bowed his head and held it for several seconds. It was traditional gesture of thanks for griffins.

    “Thank you for the food.” Said the male griffin in a surprisingly soft voice.

    Step one completed. Thought Kessandra.

To be continued.

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