Chamber Guard

Chapters

I.
II.
III.

I.

Just another roll call. That was all this morning was supposed to be, like all of the mornings before. For seven years, Vigilant had lined up every morning along with his fellow guardsponies. The stallions that stood on either side of him haven't always been there. His squad was supposedly a transitive unit, a holdover for guards moving in or moving out. But Vigilant had stayed. He was the squad's oldest member, both in age and years of service in that same unit. He was never the captain, there was always somepony above him. Everypony else respected him in the unit, and they treated him more like the captain, even the captain that had been promoted. That was fine with him. He got to enjoy the benefits of leadership without all the official accountability.

The list of units rang out over the courtyard, each call answered "ready!" by the unit's captain. The quartermaster progressed through the familiar litany at his usual, methodic pace, as if a drum that only he could hear pounded out a steady beat. Argent Will, the squad's current captain shifted next to him, anticipating the call for his new command. Vigilant let a tiny smirk onto his face, green officers were strange creatures.

"Red Banner Squad, Guardspony Vigilant!"

Both he and Argent looked at each other as Vigilant stepped forward. "Ready, quartermaster!"

"You are to report to miss Sharp Quill at the southeast colonnade offices in thirty minutes. Understood?" The grizzled white stallion gave him a heavy glare. The quartermaster wasn't a pony that did anything lightly.

"Yes, sir."

"Don't be late." The quartermaster snorted, and moved down the line of perfectly square guard units.

Vigilant stepped back into line, questions spinning in his mind. Not just another roll call.

Thirty minutes later, Vigilant stood patiently at the door to the offices, the light of the early morning sun glinting off of his burnished silver armor. Patience was an attribute Vigilant had in plenty. You didn't last long in the Royal Guard if you couldn't wait for something. As the minutes ticked by, he silently mused at this strange turn of events. In the walk over to the offices he had already ruled out several possibilities. If he had simply been reassigned, he would have gotten a letter detailing his new position. He hadn’t been promoted. Those were handled with a little more flair, even a simple one such as a rank advancement or emeritus titles. Thinking back on his career-to-date, he couldn’t recall anything that would have him discharged or promoted. His record was as spotless as his grey coat and free of tarnish like his armor. Why then was he summoned here?

The minutes dragged on, and Sharp Quill still didn’t show. He tried to push his questions out of his mind and assume his normal mode when guarding: mind clear, not empty or wandering, just open. But his questions kept intruding. He found himself silently rationalizing with the closed door. He had always followed the rules. He never disobeyed orders. He filled his shifts, performed his duties and quietly accepted change. As far as he was concerned, he was what a Royal Guard should be. Sure he would go out on weekends and on his off time and enjoy himself. What soldier that breathes wouldn’t? But he never let himself get out of control. He was always in control. He was always aware. He was Vigilant.

He started to wonder if he should have gone inside. That would be a great way to mess up whatever it was this summons was for. Moments from lifting his hoof to knock, the door swung inward. Vigilant snapped into a rigid stance faster than a whip. The red mane of Colonel Firewall seemed to blaze in the morning light as he left the office. He was dressed only in the sharp jacket of the City Watch but walked as if in full battle armor, like a moving fortress.

“At ease guardspony,” he said in a clear tenor. “Don’t worry, son, she doesn’t bite...” He smiled as he turned down the airy colonnade. “Often,” the Colonel added over his shoulder.

Vigilant paused at the threshold, but shook his head and walked in, pulling the door shut behind him with a little magic. The office of the Royal Secretary was neat and orderly. That was the very first thing Vigilant noticed. Everything had a place, each quill, every scroll, candle, jar, chest, chair and cushion was precisely arranged to be as functional as possible. The shelves and scroll racks were placed opposite each other. He was sure that if he read the labels on the fronts of the shelves and on the sides of the cases, that they were alphabetized and grouped by relation. Sharp Quill herself sat behind a sturdy oak desk just as orderly as the rest of her office.

She didn’t seem to notice that he had entered so he stood quietly and admired her for a moment or two. At the moment, she poured over documents laid out on her desk. Her quill darted from page to page almost as quickly as her sharp hazel gaze. She really was a very beautiful mare, with her vanilla-creme coat and shimmering black mane and tail. She wore a simple starched collar, snow white and just as clean, with a narrow, lacy, red ruffle dangling over her chest. Her pleasant face and kind eyes would deceive the unwary into thinking she was easy to impress. Sharp Quill lived up to her name. Direct, cutting and ruthless, she didn’t work her way to the top on smiles and simpers. A pity she never seemed to leave her work. He would have liked to see if, on an occasion where their jobs didn’t factor, he could take her out on a date.

The quill scratched one last time in a flourish, and her eyes snapped up to focus on his. It was a good thing he had trained his face not to reflect what he thought, even so, he quickly put any ideas of evening with her out of his mind, just in case she could read his eyes. Better to be safe than sorry.

“Ah, yes,” she said in a pleasant but clipped tone, “You must be Vigilant.” The quill softly joined its fellows in a shallow jar as a ream of papers floated from a stack of bins on the corner of her desk. “I apologize for the delay, my last appointment ran over a trifle. There are times I wonder why we use so much paperwork.” Her words were quick but meticulously formed, giving the impression that she just told you a great deal in as few words as possible.

Vigilant only nodded to her.

She smiled. “Hmm, the silent veteran. I like that. Makes things run smoother. Now,” she glanced at the papers in front of her and flipped through a few with little bursts of her rose magic. “I would say congratulations but that is hardly fitting for the magnitude of your new assignment, should you choose to accept.”

The guardspony blinked. “I didn’t know I had a choice,” he said simply.

“Normally, you don’t. However, this is a special assignment, one not extended to many, so the nature and responsibilities you are asked to undertake, require your entire devotion. As such, the Princesses feel that the commitment would be stronger if it were a choice afforded rather than an command given.”

“What is this assignment?”

“Are you familiar with the Chamber Guard?”

“The personal bodyguards of the Princesses, yes, I have seen them.” Vigilant replied promptly.

“But have you spoken with them?” she asked, placing a hoof next to her chin.

“I haven’t.”

She leaned back in her chair. “There is a reason for this. The Chamber Guard are the final line of defense, the very best and, presumably, the strongest. Should all other means of protection fail, the Chamber Guard cannot. There is more that they do but I am bound not to divulge it. If you were to accept this assignment, you would be placed under that same binding. The Guard does not speak of their work in any capacity because they cannot physically make themselves betray their Princesses.” She leaned forward once again, placing her hooves to either side of the ream of papers. “Should an enemy of Equestria capture you with the intent to gain information, they will be sorely disappointed. No amount of torture, no quantity of poison, and no form of magic will force you to betray your Rulers’ trust. You will die before such things left your lips. You will carry a heavy burden. Have I made myself clear as to what will be expected of you?”

“Perfectly, ma’am.”

“Knowing this then,” she relaxed in her seat once more, “can you commit your life to the task?”

Vigilant thought for a small moment. The decision was clear and already made, but he spared a moment to think on what his life would have been like if he wasn’t given this opportunity. Death by horrific torture didn’t seem much worse. “Ma’am, I would gladly give my life for my Princess. I accept this assignment with the whole of my heart.” He bowed his head formally to show his absolute submission.

“The road you have chosen is not an easy one,” Sharp Quill said, summoning a cloud of magic to envelop his horn, “but it is for the best. Now repeat after me these words:

Through doubt and darkness, through fire’s blaze,

In times of bliss or endless pains

I will honor the trust in me placed,

Body and soul to Their grace

And should the Royal Ones decree,

I gladly offer the life of me.”

Vigilant chanted the words after Sharp Quill’s resonant voice. As soon as the last word left his lips, a blinding flash of light seared his eyes. He felt magic course through him like never before. Glorious, terrifying, burning, freezing, all of that and more beyond what he could even describe. All of it flashed in an instant that lasted days. He opened his eyes, to find that the world had not melted away neither had it been scoured to dust. He looked at Sharp Quill. For once, the secretary was surprised.

“Interesting,” she said to herself.

“Wh-what is interesting?” Vigilant managed to say.

“Well most who take this oath faint from the experience and require an hour or two in order to recover.”

“Really?”

“I think you will do well, Guardian,” she said, picking up the papers and straightening them on her desk with a loud snap. “Your initiatory test will be tomorrow at sundown, Vigilant. Report to the secondary dungeons not a moment before or after. The rest of today and tomorrow is yours to spend as you see fit. You are dismissed.”

He blinked again. “The secondary dungeons?”

“Yes, for your testing. Your abilities will be assessed there and a training schedule fashioned accordingly.”

“Do I need to bring any--”

“No weapons, armor or uniforms are necessary, in fact, they are discouraged. Arrive presentable and alert; this is all that I am allowed to tell you.”

He started for the door, that opened for him with a burst of rose magic, but he paused before leaving. “I have just one question, ma’am, if I may.”

The secretary nodded.

“If I declined, would I be given a second chance?”

She shook her head. “This was your only opportunity. Enjoy your time off, Vigilant. You won’t be getting much in the near future.”

II.

Enjoyable was not what Vigilant would have called the passing two days. The effects of the spell and what exactly he couldn’t say about his new job became evident the moment he returned to his quarters. He didn’t know what he went there to do, it was just something that every guardspony did when he got reassigned, but he realized that he didn’t have to clean anything out, or pack it up. His fellow squad mates bombarded him with questions. Stallions he never spoke to were suddenly very interested in what he reported for. He tried several times to sate their thirst for gossip but found that he was powerless to even say the name of the Chamber Guard. His voice would falter or an imaginary gnat would fly into his throat every time he tried to explain. He quickly made do just by simply saying he had been reassigned, that he had been given two days’ leave, and anxious to take advantage of it. All of it was the truth, yet he couldn’t help feeling guilty for keeping secrets from Argent, one of his few friends in the guards.

As soon as he could shrug out of his armor and stow it, he trotted from the barracks, eager to clear his head. A walk through the palace gardens didn’t help. All of the guards on patrol recognized him, out of the norm. He fled the castle grounds after yet another failed attempt to explain his new status. The grey unicorn wandered deep into the city, letting the flow of the other ponies around him guide his path. He didn’t care where he went. He didn’t even think about his old haunts, anxious to avoid more awkward conversations. He passed one or two of the several mares he had grown quite friendly with, avoiding their eyes and ignoring their invitations to join them for an early evening.

Vigilant knew what was happening. He had seen other ponies go through it before. He was in shock. The hours blended together, his mind in a haze. Nightfall found him stumbling back to the barracks, exhausted. He vaguely remembered grabbing something to eat while out in the city proper, but it was much less than his usual fare. Luckily the palace kitchens were always open for the guards. He must have looked a wreck because the cook’s aides fawned over him quite a bit when he finally navigated his stupor to the smell of food. He caught one or two thinly-veiled invitations from several of the mares to follow them to their rooms and make him feel better. He managed to decline, wonder of wonders, and wandered the grounds back to his quarters.

“The servants moved you out already, Vigil,” Argent was saying through a pillow, even though the other pony was wide awake.

“Wuh... whhuddayamean, moved, out?” Vigilant drawled.

“I mean they came and moved all your stuff. Are you alright Vigil?”

“‘M fine, fine,” he said, blinking bleary eyes at the dark barracks. He swayed in a circle, turning back to the door. “Yahmight wannaget thatdraft... uh, looked at, Argent. Walls’ a-whistlin’ like a changeling’sss, uh, legs... in a hurricane... don’t mind me, nottryin tatellyahhowta... do urjob or anythin...”

“Really?”

A hoof ran into Vigilant’s chest. He glared at it, dumbfounded.

“That’s just the other ponies sleeping. I don’t think you’re fine. You never get drunk, Vigil. What happened?”

The grey unicorn moved his glare from the hoof on his chest to the pony it was connected to. “Hey, I... I’m not drunk, atleast, I don’t rememmerdrinkin’... kinda thirsty actally.”

“Hookay, buddy. Here.” Argent sighed, shouldering the older pony over to his former bed. “You just have a little lay down, and I’ll get you something.”

“MmmMMummm,” Vigilant grumbled. He was out in an instant.

The next morning, Vigilant wished he was dead. It all came crashing back to him, the assignment, the oath, the uncertainty, the looming mystery test. He almost preferred the delerium. He might have wanted to die right then and there when the bugle sounded just before sunrise, but instinct told him to get up and join his squad for morning exercises. They seemed surprised, as he was, that he was there at all. It was supposed to be his day off. He ignored them and focused on the routine instead. Soon he was lost in the movements, working out the aches of having walked all night and sleeping on an empty stomach.

He ran his usual two miles on the oval in the training grounds, working up a pleasant lather and losing his troubles in the beat of his hooves. His muscles were sore but his head was clear and things felt right again. After his run, vigilant decided to be adventurous and try out the full-service ferrier that the guards had. He ever used it before, always more comfortable with doing his own grooming than leaving it to somepony else. He was sorry he hadn’t gone there sooner. He was greeted by two lovely mares, one a soft pink and the other a dusty blonde, and they gave him the best rub-down and curry he had ever had. They balanced, ruffed and shined his hooves and even reshod him with shiny new shoes. They brushed out his mane and tail, trimming them to length and taking out snarls. The best part though, was they didn't ask him questions. The two mares barely spoke at all, they smiled and complimented him, gave him soft instructions on how to care for his mane, but other than that, blessed silence.

Vigilant emerged from the ferrier a few hours later, happy to see that most of the day was already spent. He felt like a new stallion, no longer dreading the coming test. He looked forward to the challenge. Whistling a little tune, Vigilant went to his favorite secluded spot on the castle grounds; the hedge maze. It had been a few months since he wandered its verdant walks and the gardeners were good about changing it every now and then, aided by magic of course. The sign in front of the maze's arched entry described the course, the challenges hidden inside, and the estimated time to complete it. He smirked at the estimate, two hours. He could do it in one.

Bells tolled in the castle clock tower, echoed by others out in the city, farther down the mountain. The maze could wait. He joined up with his squad for their lunch rotation, enjoying their company for a time. Argent was wary at first, having been the only one to see him in his delirious state, but Vigilant put him at ease with a few jokes and friendly conversation. Another hour of daylight spent, Vigilant bade farewell to his squad as they left for their shift of the Watch. It was probably the last time he would see many of them.

Alone again, he trotted back to the maze. With plenty of daylight to burn, he decided to amble through and explore. No rush. His nerves surfaced again, however, as he walked the fragrant, twisting paths. He was already bound by this spell, but they wanted him to take some sort of test. No weapons, no armor, not even a uniform was needed. What sort of test was this? He was expected to be a personal bodyguard to the princesses. Wouldn't they want to see what he could do? Sharp Quill never mentioned what would happen if he failed.

On several occasions, Vigilant intentionally took a wrong turn. Walking through the maze helped, but not as much as he hoped it would. The sun began to set. Vigilant began to worry. He left the maze in a huff, trying to keep his nerves in check. He stopped by the kitchens for a quick bite, then forced himself to walk to the secondary dungeons. As he made his way to the entrance of the rough cut access tunnels to the dungeons, fewer and fewer servants passed him, the walls held faded tapestries, paintings disappeared and metals darkened.

Bright torches hung to either side of the narrow hall he turned down, alternating left and right and spaced to dispel any shadows. As the halls went deeper, the torches grew farther apart and the air turned stale. He thought that the secondary dungeons were only used for storage these days, but the princess had found another use for them apparently. He passed several stout wooden doors, locked with heavy iron latches. His hooves, with their fresh new shoes, rang out at every step, the echoes of his hoof falls bouncing down the corridor.

The narrow, dark passage suddenly ended in a huge vaulted chamber. His hoof steps thundered through the enormous space, nearly covering his surprised intake of breath. Sconces holding blue-flamed torches lined the wall to either side of the opening to the narrow passage and stood in straight rows of tall, wrought-iron stands to the center of the natural cavern. Tiny pinpricks of light winked back at him from the black expanse beyond the glare of the torches. He could make out the outlines of massive stalactites, growing out of a ceiling lost in darkness. Not at all the sight he expected to see.

“Right on time,” a soft voice mused in the gloom.

He looked around for the source but it was hard to tell where it came from.

“Over here, Vigilant.” Sharp Quill stepped into a pool of light from a standing torch to his left, in front of a wide double-door made of heavy timbers. “Your test will begin shortly.” She turned to the huge door and opened a smaller one, just wide enough for one pony to pass through, that was cut into the one on the right. She held it open with a little cloud of rose magic. “Just follow the instructions of your examiner, and everything will be fine.”

Vigilant nodded and ducked through. The door shut solidly behind him and he heard the rasp of metal on metal as Sharp Quill locked it from the other side. It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust to the change in lighting, but he didn’t need to see the room to know that it was special. The air was crisp and fresh, unlike the dry, musty air of the cavern and halls. It was flooded with a soft, ambient light that bathed the room in a glow like moonlight without the harsh shadows and seemed to just be there. The light and air were obviously the work of magic, it wasn’t hard to understand. What froze him and his brain to the spot, however, was the copious distribution of cushions, and satin sheets in the room. They were all different colors, he couldn’t find any two that shared the same hue, and they all looked terribly comfortable. What in Equestria was going on?

“Hello, Vigilant.” An earth pony mare, who had managed to blend in with the cacophony of color amidst the cushions, rose to greet him with a dazzling smile. Her coat was a startling light turquoise that was almost dimmed by her bright amber eyes. She smiled at him through a thin veil of long, blonde hair that fell gracefully over one side of her face like a waterfall of gold. “I am Love Knot, and I’ll be your examiner this evening.”

“Hm, I could have thought your were a unicorn,” he said under his breath.

“Oh? And why is that?”

Vigilant smiled. “I seem to be enchanted.”

Love Knot laughed, a dusky sound that made his ears tingle. “Ahh, what a charmer. Fits your reputation, I must say.”

“Reputation?”

“Yes. I know a lot about you, Vigilant and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to our meeting.” She walked past him, giving him a little nudge in the rump with her shoulder. “C’mon, let’s go over here where it’s more comfortable, hm? I need to get a good look at you.”

He let himself be directed to what appeared to be the center of the room. A plush mat on the floor softened his hoofsteps. He was about to quip about how the light was the same in the whole room, but swallowed his remark when it gradually grew brighter the closer to the center they came.

“Hmm...” she said, circling him. “Very handsome...” She stopped at his flank and ran a hoof down his back ever so softly. “Good tone to the croup, excellent line on the back,” the hoof slid back to his tail, “firm dock and well-kept tail.” A pause followed but then she suddenly slipped her hoof under his tail, pressing against the base. He stiffened. “Hm, sensitive are we?”

Vigilant cleared his throat. “Nopony usually touches me there,” he said through his teeth.

“A pity they don’t,” Love Knot replied softly. The hoof slid down farther, then gently lifted one testicle and the other. “Oh, a very nice pair you have here. Good weight, and size, proper reaction to stimuli... a little firm though. Do you discharge very often, in the company of a mare or otherwise?”

Vigilant fought to keep his voice even. “Not as often as some of the other guards do, I suppose.”

“Hmm...” She circled around again, lightly touching him with the tip of her nose on his shoulder and neck. “Firm shoulders, powerful chest a graceful and somewhat defiant arch to the neck,” she got up under his chin, pushing his head up and lightly touching his throat the same way, “warm jaw, healthy sheen to the coat,” she took a deep breath, running her neck along his, “Mmmmm, a pleasant musk... no wonder the mares find you so attractive. But I wonder, how is it that you have managed to go so long without one coming along to put you in her saddle bags?”

Vigilant patiently endured her inspection, it wasn’t much different from physicals he had received from the court doctors, albeit this one was far more... thorough, but her last remark made him narrow his eyes. “When you say you know a lot about me, how much is that?”

She squared herself up in front of him and looked him right in the eye. “Vigilant, twenty-nine years old, cutie mark of an eye with a beam of light issuing forth, relative rarity, high. Guardspony of the Royal Guard for twelve years, member of the Red Banner squad for seven. Perfect record, exceptional scores on all physicals, even got a special note from Prince Shining Armor as being ‘an exemplar of military discipline’. Holder of three commendations and the Iron Shield for distinguished service. Single, was engaged to be married three years ago, but the relationship fell through. Your parents were disowned by their families due to their unsanctioned marriage and an ongoing dispute over their competing businesses. They struggled financially. You have two siblings, a younger brother and sister whom you see perhaps once every five years. You joined the Guard soon after your father lost his business, and still send three fourths of your pay home to help your father pay your mother’s hospital bills and other debts. Your mother died three years ago following a long illness. You are a workaholic, brooder, loner, and something of a hot rod for hire, according to my contacts at your favorite pubs like the “Dancing Bunny” and “The Frog Pebble” though you are nothing close to a heavy drinker. You like creamer in your tea and lemon poppy in your salad. You sleep predominantly on your left side. Your favorite kind of flower is a tulip; favorite color is blue. You are partial to the sound of a lyre, especially when playing the melody from Marezart’s fourth symphony, and when you think you are alone at night, you stare at the sky and recite poems from memory that you dare not put on paper. Have I left anything out?”

Vigilant sniffed, but he broke eye contact. “I don’t think I’m a workaholic, I just like what I do,” he said gruffly.

“Did you know you have left the castle grounds thirty-two times in the past three months?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“So what if I have?”

“The average guardspony leaves the grounds one hundred and twelve times in three months.”

“Maybe, but that does--”

“Why did your engagement fall through and why haven’t you sought out a companion since?”

“It didn’t work out, we had more differences than we could recons--”

“She hurt you.”

“What?”

“She hurt you,” Love Knot repeated, stepping closer.

He didn’t know what to say.

“I am a professional breeder, Vigilant. I have many years of experience with helping ponies prepare for, mend, and even recover from, relationships.”

“I don’t see ho--”

“Shhh, you will.” She started slowly walking around him again, a note of pity creeping into her voice. “Most of my clients are the concerned parents of young, eager colts. It is my job to teach them what having a mate means, how they are to behave and how to make love. Others are young couples just starting out who might be a little afraid of their first intimate relationship. I coach them through the process and help them break free of their uncertainty. But far too many times, for only once would be too many, I have helped rehabilitate abused stallions.”

“I’m not... wasn’t abu--”

“That’s what they all say," she whispered into his ear. Her turquoise neck slid along his again in a soft and soothing motion. “She used you, to satisfy her appetites. She led you on, made you think you had something special, when all along, she was waiting for another. She used you to make her real target jealous. She betrayed your trust, wrung your heart, then left you out in the cold. While she went on to a successful marriage, you turned inward. You went back to work, hurting, mortally wounded where bandages can’t bind.”

“She cheated,” Vigilant replied, trying to keep those memories from surfacing. “But I got over it.”

Love Knot sighed a rueful laugh. “No, Vigilant. You didn’t. You have felt your life slipping away. Nothing else seems to matter to you. You fill the void the loss of your mother left with determination, and you cope with the scars she left behind by losing yourself in your work. I know a thing or two about what makes a stallion tick, you know.”

Vigilant pulled away from her, taking a few steps back. “What is this?” he demanded. “Is this part of the test? Are you trying to get a rise out of me?”

She flicked one of her ears and gave him a smokey smile. “Eventually, that is the idea.”

He waved a hoof in front of her. “No, not that, I mean...” He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. “I mean what does any of this have to do with being part of the Chamber Guard? What does my personal life have to do with protecting the Princesses?”

She blinked at him. “Everything, Vigilant.”

He growled in his throat. “How?”

“You are not to use that tone with me.” The rebuke hit him like a two-by-four to the face. A fire burned behind her brilliant amber eyes, intense and inexplicably terrifying. “The Princesses do not choose Guardians lightly. They have been watching you, thinking about you. They council for many hours about their Guardians. They care a great deal about you, Vigilant, even if you think nopony else does. By extension,” she stepped forward fiercely, making him step back in reflex, “I care about you. I will be more than just your examiner. Over the next few months, based on how you perform after this, I will be your counselor, coach, confidant and custodian. I will get you to a state in which you can best serve your Princesses.”

“That sounds fine,” he said stubbornly, refusing to be cowed by the beautiful mare, “but why go through all the trouble? It’s not like I’ll be making love to any of them. Why does it matter that I ‘recover’ from a bad relationship?”

The fire in her eyes was suddenly extinguished by a wave of mirth. “You notice all of the ants in a line, but fail to see your lunch running away. Open your eyes--open your mind, Vigilant. The Princesses are powerful and they may be nigh immortal, but they still have needs, just like any other mare. They eat, they sleep, they love. The bond you will share with them is what will make you a true Guardian. Love, compassion, loyalty, humility, courage... these are all things that you will need in order to be what you are expected to become. But you will not have them so long as you carry those scars in your heart. Fear, pain, distrust, anger, guilt... as long as you harbor those, you will not rise to your potential.” She reached up to his face, pleading with her eyes. “I want to help you, but you have to let me. I can’t force you to heal.”

He pulled back again. “So I am to join some convenient harem? What makes them different from the one who hurt me, then?”

The fire didn’t flare up as he expected it to, instead, Love Knot laid her ears back, wincing at his remark. “You can’t trivialize it like that. there’s more to it than just filling a physical need.” She tossed her head as if fighting with herself. “Look, I normally don’t tell anypony about what makes the Princesses notice certain stallions, but you should be grateful to them.”

“They have reason enough for respect,” he said, scowling at the wall, “they are our rulers after all.”

He caught her shaking her head from the corner of his eye. “No, Vigilant. This is different from running a country. The Princesses... they watch their servants, they know what goes on in their domain. I can’t really explain it, I don’t understand how they do it, but they do. They saw you were in danger, you were at risk of running yourself into the ground.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “You know what I’m talking about,” she said, not a question. “I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice and feel it when you breathe. I have a special talent, Vigilant, and no matter how crazy it may sound, I know when somepony is hurting. I can feel their pain in the same way others feel the warmth of a fire or the cold of ice. Sometimes I can see it like a cloud that hangs over and around them. It’s like a disease, it doesn’t always heal with time, usually, it gets worse. You have been strong and courageous...” She approached him again.

He let her come near, he could smell her scent wafting to him on little currents of air, feel the warmth of her body on his face and neck.

“...you don’t have to be alone,” she whispered, peering into his eyes. “If you don’t do something now, your pain will kill you. The Princesses want to save you, Vigilant. All that is expected in return, is a life. One to live, and if necessary, one that you would give for them. But with all of their powers and all of my gifts, we can’t help you until you want to live.”

Vigilant relaxed a little, lowering his head and letting her put her face up against his. “What do I need to do?”

She closed her eyes. “Love me.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

She nuzzled him just behind his cheek, sending little shivers down his spine. “I’ll help you.” She turned, running her side up against his neck, all the way down to her tail which she lifted to stroke his chest as she passed.

The stallion felt his heart quicken. His nostrils flared and he took an almost involuntary deep breath, drinking in the full of her scent. With her back to him, she walked to the center of the room, flicking her tail and giving him glimpses of her engorged vulva.

She turned her head to look at him through her golden mane. “I’m here for you, Vigilant.” A flick and a wink, and not with her eye.

Vigilant swallowed hard, his tongue suddenly dry. “I... it’s been a long time, since... I don’t know if I can really trust anypony again,” he babbled, stepping forward. He tried to control his breathing, but all he wanted to do was fill his lungs with her smell. She took a step backward, making him run into her, the heat of her vulva and expressed clitoris pressed into his chest. His eyes started watering and his head became light, so strong was her scent.

“You need this,” she told him, slowly bending her forelegs. “I can feel all that tension you have built up inside, the fear. I know it’s hard for you to trust me, we’ve only just met, but all I can do is promise,” she angled her hips up, ever so slightly, rubbing herself against him, “that I’m safe, that I won’t hurt you.” Down came her hips again, slowly stroking his chest. “You can do it, Vigilant,” she whispered. “Let go...”

He felt like his whole body was vibrating. If he didn’t release that tension, he was going to snap like a frayed rope. Vigilant reared up on his hind legs, catching a triumphant smile from Love Knot as she braced for his mounting. As he shifted his position, his member, fully extended, rubbed against her teats and clitoris, making her quiver with every movement.

“Don’t tease," she practically moaned.

“I... still don’t know... why mounting you, is supposed to help... anything,” he huffed.

She sighed. “It will help, and we aren’t leaving this room until I’m satisfied that you’ve worked out most of that tension, understand?”

“Yes ma’am.” He punctuated the last word with a hard thrust. Her gasp was deeply satisfying.

III.

Another evening meeting. Celestia could remember so many of them. But unlike the meetings she conducted with the various diplomats of her kingdom, these meetings were always much anticipated. Not too long ago, she dreaded this time of the day, for she was reminded of how lonely she truly was. When Cadence came into her life, she didn’t feel as lonely as before, but there was nopony who could replace Luna. The Princess of the night was speaking at the moment, relaying her progress with the recently reinstated night court. Celestia listened intently, savoring the sound of her sister's voice.

“Attendance has increased twofold in the past week, now that w--I, have implemented Twilight's suggestion of recruiting more of the younger ponies to hold important functionary positions. As a happy consequence, nefarious acts committed in the nighttime hours has dropped considerably.” She smiled at the purple alicorn, who blushed at the praise.

“Please, Princess, you're so good at convincing them, I hardly helped at all.” She said, dipping her head to Luna.

A chuckle escaped from Celestia. Seeing her former student doing so well always filled her with a deep sense of pride. “You can be far too modest, Twilight,” she said with a smile. “I believe that concludes state business. Now to the matter of considering next month's candidates for Guardianship... Yes, Twilight?”

The young princess had timidly raised her hoof, her blush deepening. “If I may, Princess, could I be excused?”

Celestia put on a pleasant expression to hide her disappointment. “Twilight, you may call us by our names, you are one of us now and more than welcome to participate. Why not stay and discuss this important matter?”

Twilight squirmed in her seat. “I...I don't, um... feel comfortable with the Guardians yet Pri--Celestia.”

“But Twilight,” chimed Cadence from the looking glass, “you know most of them very well. These stallions are hardly strangers.”

Twilight's ears drooped. “I know,” she sighed, “that might be part of it. I... may I go, please?”

Celestia nodded to her. “You may. Sleep well, Twilight.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Take care, Twilight. It was good to see you again. I have to say, this looking glass spell of yours is simply amazing. Beats reading letters any time.” Cadence smiled and waved from her crystalline image.

Twilight smiled back. “Thanks, see you tomorrow.” She briskly left her seat at the table with a final furtive glance at her mentor.

Celestia watched her go with an uneasy feeling settling into her stomach. “She can't avoid this forever,” she announced to the room.

“Well,” Cadence said ruefully, “this is a lot for her to take in.”

“Yes, but Celestia is right,” Luna said with a determined nod. “I will speak with her before I begin night court. Perhaps she will see the necessity of what we do when her situation is explained.”

Cadence giggled. “Really, Luna? Why shouldn't Celestia speak with her? Or myself, for that matter. We both know her better; don't you think it would mean more coming from us?”

“Luna has a point here, Cadence.” Celestia held up a hoof to forestall her sister. “We have both spoken with her on the subject, but her discomfort still bars her participation. Twilight isn't the kind of mare to have a compunction without reason, and in this case, I believe that she feels that way because she doesn't understand. You have been away for a while, so it isn't your fault you don't know, but Twilight has... attached herself to Luna.” She couldn't help but smile at her sister's severe gaze. “It's rather sweet, if you ask me, of Luna to take her under her wing during this time of change.”

“Um, can we finish soon,” Cadence asked, motioning to somepony unseen, “there is a certain stallion I'll need to see to.”

Celestia chuckled. “Very well. Let us hear how things have been going with starting a chapter of the Guardians there in the Empire.”

“Oh, I've spoken with Shiny about it, at length, and he seems to be okay with it, at least in theory. Until it starts happening, well, I just can't be sure. Though I bet he will see reason before the month is out.” She turned to smile fiendishly, probably at a Shining Armor out of earshot.

Luna tilted her head to the side. “Why is that?”

“He's decided that he is stud enough for me,” she replied with a wicked twinkle in her eye. “I plan to show him the err of his ways.”

“Ha, just don't break him. Twilight won't be very happy with you if you hurt her favorite brother,” Celestia teased.

Cadence put on an exaggerated expression of deep affront. “You know me, Tia. I'm the very embodiment of poise and control. I won't break him, but I will run him ragged... He asked for it.” She winked at Luna who only rolled her eyes in response.

“Truly, Cadence, exercise restraint,” Luna pleaded. “The last thing we need is for Twilight to further associate these things with negative consequences.”

“Don't worry, I know his limits. He just doesn't know mine.” She tisked at Luna's scowl. “Oh alright, I'll be careful. Is that all you'll be needing me for?”

“Yes, I think that will be all. Keep up the good work, Cadence. The Empire will be back to its former glory in no time.” Celestia said.

“Thank you. Same time tomorrow evening?” Both Celestia and Luna nodded. Magic appeared around the pink alicorn's horn. “Good night.” She said as her image began to fade.

“Good night,” the elder princesses replied in unison.

Soon the mirror was no longer a window to Cadence. Instead it reflected Celestia's concerned visage. “Are you sure you can convince Twilight to overcome this fear she has of intimacy?”

“With time, I'm sure, but we don't know how much time we have.”

Celestia nodded. “Then I entrust her to your capable hooves, sister.” Luna turned to go but a light touch from Celestia stopped her short. “Be careful, Luna. Twilight is possessed of great magic, even more so now that she has changed. I don't doubt your abilities, but she could hurt herself greatly if she cannot control her power.”

Luna gave her sister a soft hug, placing her head on the elder alicorn's withers. “Do not worry, sister. Twilight is intelligent and you have taught her well. I will be careful.”

Celestia finally let her go. As she watched the dark princess leave with her guards, she fervently hoped that Luna was right.

Luna walked purposefully to Twilight’s quarters, her two Guardians in tow. She cursed her old habits of keeping her emotions tightly sealed away as she scowled at the hallway, trying to think of what she could say that would break Twilight out of her self-imposed celibacy. Her sister’s warning rang in her ears. Indeed Twilight was powerful, she didn’t like to admit it, even to herself, perhaps more powerful than she. Whatever confidence she was able to convey to Celestia would be most welcome, if she had any in the first place.

“Princess,” said a deep voice next to her, “you're muttering under your breath again.”

Luna glanced to the side. Thunderhead, a charcoal pegasus with a shocking blue mane, dutifully scanned the hall, though she knew it was he who spoke. “Thank you,” she said flatly.

“I recall my Princess instructing me to make her aware of when she muttered under her breath.” He said out of the corner of his mouth, still watching the hall and every window they passed. “I was only serving my Princess.”

A soft chuckle escaped from Breezy, the other Guardian.

Luna shot a sly smile at Thunderhead. “You may come to regret that last remark, Guardian.”

“With you, Princess,” he replied, giving her his own sly grin, “I never regret anything.”

She could only laugh ruefully as they drew nearer to Twilight's rooms. She descended deeper into her own thoughts, nearly blocking out the richly decorated hall. Versions of her impending conversation with the young alicorn played out in her mind, every one ending in either disaster or awkward silence. Anxiety built up in her chest like a river behind a dam, threatening to overwhelm her weakening confidence. Her thoughts were suddenly derailed by the soft impact of a warm body with her chest.

“Princess,” said a concerned version of Thunderhead's rumble.

Luna blinked at the guard. He was standing in front of her, preventing her from walking headlong into Twilight's door. “Oh,” she whispered.

“Is there any way we can assist you, Princess?” Thunderhead asked, stepping back respectively with an apologetic bending of his neck.

Luna shook herself. “No, I'm afraid your presence would only aggravate the problem. Thank you for the offer, but there are some things you cannot protect,” she tried to smile for him, “no matter your bravery or prowess.” She turned back to the door, a suddenly foreboding portal. “Be prepared,” she said quietly, “I may require your aid, if this conversation goes well.”

“If it goes, well, princess?” Thunderhead furrowed his brow.

Luna only nodded as she raised her hoof to knock. With a final calming breath, she rapped sharply twice. “Twilight, may I speak with you? It is very important.” After a few moments of no response, she turned to the other guards, two veterans of the Royal Guard, “Princess Twilight has not left, has she?”

“No, Princess,” the senior guard replied.

“Thank you. You are dismissed,” she said kindly.

The guard blinked. “But--”

“You are no longer required to fill this posting, and you may resume your normal duties. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Princess.” The guard bowed, then jerked his head to his companion.

Luna waited for their hoof steps to fade from the hall before turning back to the door. “Breezy,” she said quietly, “fetch me Corderoy and Dawn, they will be the first set for Twilight’s rotation of Chamber Guard. Once you have sent them here, inform Miss Quill that I wish to speak with her in an hour. Be quick.”

The pegasus saluted sharply, took to a gallop immediately down the hall, then soared out of one of the balconies into the fading light.

With a burst of blue magic, the princess of the night entered the anteroom of Twilight's apartments. She shut the tall, ornate doors, ignoring Thunderhead's concerned gaze. The spacious anteroom was similar to her own, though Twilight's had been converted into a small library. Instead of seating, the room held several short book cases whose shelves sagged under the weight of old tomes. Wall runners of gold satin and purple silk fluttered in a soft breeze, though there were no windows. Luna could recognize the scent of the breeze, an imitation of the meadows of wildflowers that surrounded Ponyville. The faint gurgle of a stream out of sight, as if just beyond the next hill, accompanied the faint breeze. She could even hear the occasional bird song warbling in the background. The dark princess paused as she crossed the large room. The magic was simple, mimicking sounds and smells was something first year students at Celestia's school learned, but the subtleties and overlapping influence of Twilight's ambient spells were very effective. She could almost believe she was walking into Ponyville.

This was in no way a display of power, Twilight was not that sort of mare, this was far more concerning to Luna. She hardened her resolve as she approached the opposite door. Three sharp knocks rang through the artificial ambiance. “Twilight?” she asked in a loud voice.

A faint gasp slipped under the door.

“Twilight, are you well...?” Luna gently opened the door. The heavy scent of a mare in heat hit her in the face like a brick wall. The pheromones were so potent that her eyes began to water and her head to feel light. Twilight's bedchamber was devoid of torches, not a single candle lit. Luna had no trouble finding the crepuscular princess, notwithstanding the shadowed room.

The young alicorn lay sprawled on her bed, the covers roughed into a heap at the foot. She had her hind legs stretched to either side, her rump elevated and tail raised. The purple feathers of her extended wings trembled at her every gasp and shudder. Muffled moans escaped from teeth clenched, breath hissing in short bursts through her nose. A hoof moved vigorously between her legs, squelching softly betwixed the swollen lips of her vulva.

Luna was transfixed, the display before her robbing lips of words and mind of thought. With each successive whimper from Twilight, the elder princess drank deeper of the scent. She could feel herself becoming aroused, panting along with the mare on the bed. But then the cadence of her breath shifted, growing in intensity. Twilight stiffened, her legs drawing together and lifting her rump higher into the air. Her hoof moved faster, producing more and more moans. Luna was not prepared for this.

A final cry ripped itself from Twilight's throat as clear ejaculate erupted from beneath her hoof. So forceful was her climax that droplets of the sweet liquid dampened Luna's face. She flinched at the impact, but otherwise stood still. Twilight huffed on her bed, tiny convulsions rolling through her body.

Luna entered the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

The sudden change in lighting prompted a frantic gasp from the young princess. She scrambled to sit, a deep blush staining her cheeks as she turned to face her visitor. “P-princess,” she panted, “how... long were you--”

“Long enough,” Luna interrupted softly, approaching the bed. “How long has this been happening?” She sat at the head of the bed, next to a breathless Twilight.

“P-princess... I... I’m not that kind... of mare... it-it’s just that I-I..”

Luna placed a hoof on the young mare’s shoulder. “It is all right, Twilight. I will not judge you for such a small thing as this, but I must know how long you have been doing it. It is very important.” She spoke with a tenderness that surprised her. All thoughts of trying to emulate her sister vanished from her mind, clouded though it seemed from the heavy scent of Twilight’s need.

The purple mare got her breathing under control, her shoulder still tense under Luna’s hoof. “Two weeks... I think. Please, princess, don't take this the wrong way... I-I just, I needed to...”

Luna draped a wing around the young princess, pulling her closer. She still trembled, though from her pleasuring or embarrassment it was hard to tell. The nightly princess tried to give her what she hoped was a warm smile. “I understand, Twilight. This is quite normal. I am sure you have already studied the reproduction process...”

“Yes, princess, but... something's wrong. I've been in heat before, I mean, it's natural... but for it to last so long...” She shuddered, leaning into the elder alicorn. “It's so intense...”

“That is because you have changed. As an alicorn, your power is greater, your body is stronger, but your needs are also stronger and harder to satisfy. This is why we started the Chamber Guard, or at least one of the reasons. Why do you not feel comfortable around them? They are, every one, wonderful stallions.”

Twilight fidgeted under her wing. “I know... B-but, I've... never been with a stallion before,” she mumbled.

Luna furrowed her brow. “Truly? You have never taken a stallion?”

Twilight nodded bashfully.

“Hmm, and, because you never have, you are apprehensive. That is understandable. What frightens you about it, Twilight?”

“I don't know... I've asked my friends about it, you know, what it's like. Those were some, awkward, conversations but... they couldn't tell me, or I guess, I wasn't satisfied with their answers.” She bit her lip. “But if it feels this intense now,” she whispered, making a little squeak, “I'm afraid of what it will be like when it happens.”

“Twilight, you cannot go on like this forever. The longer you wait, the more unbearable it will become. Eventually, there will be no room for anything else in your mind. You will know only the craving for release.” She lifted the the other mare's head with a hoof under her chin. “New experiences can be frightening, but believe me when I say, this is perhaps one of the most important things you can do as a princess of Equestria.” Luna paused, deciding on what to say next. Twilight stilled her trembling, but breathed heavily under the midnight wing. “Did you know, all of the Guardians were once stallions without hope?”

Twilight shook her head.

“They have all been hurt, in one way or another. It is shameful that it could be this way in our fair kingdom, but ponies will hurt each other with wounds of the heart that cut deeper than a spear and pierce farther than a lance. For instance, do you know Thunderhead?”

“Yes, he joined the guard a few months before you returned. He was always very kind to me.”

Luna nodded. “Beneath the stoic and tough exterior he wants everypony else to see, is a kind and gentle soul. How anypony could hurt him is beyond my ability to comprehend, but, he was hurt. Before my sister brought him under her wing, he was happily married. He had a family that he loved dearly. After several years of what he thought was a good marriage, his wife left him. She left for work one day and never came home. He searched for her for many months, fearing the worst, only to find that she had flown off with another stallion. He pleaded with her, to find out what he did wrong and how he could do better, but she told him she did not love him, that she never had. Thunderhead was devastated, to say the least. He flew back to Cloudsdale a broken pegasus. He sank quickly into a deep depression, he lost his job, lost his home, lost his family. Everything that he held dear, taken from him. He tried to save himself. He came here to Canterlot, looking for work, doing odd jobs to feed himself, but he felt like he would never be able to be the pony he once was. He decided that he was going to end it all. He broke his own wings, and tried to throw himself from the North Tower, to the rocks below. Fortunately for him, Celestia happened to see him fall as she lowered the sun.”

“I... I never knew...” Twilight whispered.

“What we do, we do out of love. I know that it can be hard to understand, but I love these stallions, not out of pity or lust, but because they deserve it. We give them a new purpose and we give them hope. In return, they give us their love and if need be, their lives. There are more than changelings and ancient evils that wish us harm, Twilight.” She looked into the young mare's eyes. “The boon you will grant to them runs deeper than physical strength and binds tighter than any oath. But first, you must overcome your fear, and let them into your heart.”

Twilight let out a weary sigh. “How can I grant anything by simply loving them, or satisfying my own needs?”

“It is impossible to explain.”

Twilight flinched.

Luna moderated her tone, letting out a short breath. “This is deep magic, and it is different for everypony. You must experience to understand." Twilight scrunched up her nose in thought, then her face lit up with a new idea. She was doubtless on the verge of sharing, her mouth open and hoof raised, when Luna cut in. "No, there is no book beyond those you have already read to prepare you." The young princess's face fell, her ears drooping. Luna rested her head on top of the other mare's. "I have arranged for a rotation of Guardians, whom I know quite well, to be your first. They are kind, gentle lovers.”

Twilight leaned into Luna's chest with a frustrated sigh. “I... I don't know, Princess... I don't know if I'm ready to... To give them what they need.”

Luna furrowed her brow, grateful for the progress, but thinking fast for a way over this hurdle. “Would it help, if you were to have practice?” she asked slowly. “Perhaps with a stallion who is not in need, but one who is experienced with mating and breeding?”

“I don't know... There seems to be an awful lot that I don't know,” the young princess answered h hollowly. “I'm a lousy princess... too afraid to even--”

“Nonsense, Twilight. You are performing quite admirably. Confidence will come with practice and wisdom with time. We never expected you to be perfect, just to do your best.” Luna held the diminutive alicorn for a few moments more. “We will arrange for a breeder to give you lessons tomorrow, does that sound good to you?”

Twilight nodded forlornly.

Luna felt as if she should say more, but there was nothing else she could say. This was something Twilight will have to face, one way or another, and Luna was powerless to aid her. She beat down several doubts and misgivings as she left the dark bedchamber, making sure to not shut the door completely. The torches in the anteroom had been switched out for the night by a servant during their talk, so the room was now bathed in a soft blue light. The nocturnal matron stopped a short distance from Twilight’s bedchamber doors.

“Thunderhead,” she called firmly, loud enough to be heard on the other side of the door. A soft rustle came from Twilight’s room. Luna did not turn to look, but she knew that the young alicorn was watching from the door left ajar.

The door at the far end of the room opened slightly. Thunderhead poked his head inside. “You called, Princess?”

“Yes,” Luna said with a slight hiss, “I need you, now, Guardian.” She had not meant to be so forceful, but she was indeed aroused, almost to tears, from Twilight’s scent.

Thunderhead did not hesitate and entered the room, trotting to his princess. Luna removed his armor as he approached, setting it aside quietly. She lowered herself to the floor, resting on one haunch. Thunderhead was already almost erect, no doubt drinking in the scent of both Luna and Twilight, as the latter entered the room from the gap in the door. As he got close she motioned for him to bend an ear to her. “We are being observed,” she whispered, “take no heed of it. Be quick, but thorough, she has never observed a coupling before. I know you will not disappoint.”

The stallion nodded and took up his position. He was energetic as ever, soliciting quiet moans from the dark princess. As he worked, Luna could hear echoes of her moans trickling from the dark crevice of Twilight’s door.