He supposed he should have seen this coming. Ivorybeak had been trying to talk about it. A young, unmarried king of Gethrenia? Opportunity! Traditionally, the kingdom of Gethrenia was not the most militarily powerful, nor was it the richest in natural resources in the High Kingdom. What it lacked in terms of hard power, it made up for with soft, clever manoeuvring of one of Joachim’s ancestors, who had landed the border kingdom as the first stop between Equestria and Griffonia for the Equestrian Express trade line. The kingdom exploited this advantage ruthlessly, thus explaining the degree of influence it held in the court of the High King it otherwise would not have. This was further enhanced by the Gethrenian kings’ tradition of siding with the High King on most matters of dispute amongst the kingdoms, making them literal kingmakers. In some cases, when their opinions could eventually be swayed, it usually went to the High King’s side. It was the primary reason why Joachim was taken along for the talks in Canterlot despite the other two kingdoms present being major powerhouses of the High Kingdom.