Chamber Guard

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.”