The princess and her guardby verse jumperChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1The princess and her guard Chapter 1 Nighttime had fallen upon the land of Equestria, the moon shining full as it hung in the air amongst the stars, providing those who were still awake the faintest of light. The light of the moon shone down on the land’s greatest and fairest city Canterlot. Many ponies had already gone to bed, locking their doors and adjourning to their beds for a good night’s sleep. Few lights lit up the city, street lamps and windows glowed faintly in the night, and many of these tiny glows could be seen on the monolith that was the silhouette of the royal castle on this peaceful night. Within the castle walls resided none other than the princesses themselves. The halls were patrolled by the royal guards, their sole purpose to protect the royal family at any cost, especially at this hour, for the Princess of the Night herself had returned to her bedchamber for a well-deserved good night’s sleep. It was pitch black in Luna’s room, the faint light from the moon shone down from her balcony and onto her bed, the moonlight softly illuminating the princess’ sleeping form. For that moment, one would say that all was well this fine night, until out of the shadows of the corner of the chamber crept out the form of a unicorn, dressed in black and perfectly camouflaged to the point where he could just melt into the darkness. As the unicorn approached the sleeping form of the princess, the moonlight glinted off the blade he was carrying in between his teeth. The plan was simple really, kill the princess and prevent the upcoming of nightmare moon, that was his objective. Many ponies feared Luna for this very reason, and one unstable unicorn decided to act on this fear. He would finally be the hero he always wanted to be, by killing the snake in the grass before it had the chance to strike, stop the coming of nightmare moon; at least, that’s what was going through the conspiracy filled mess that was the unicorn’s mind. Ever so quietly, the soon to be “hero” crept upon Luna’s bed, barely making a sound as he got into position, right at her side, the moonlight revealing only his hoof, and the blade in which it was holding. He aimed for her throat as he swung his hoof toward his sleeping target; he was so excited about how revered he would be amongst all of Equestria, so much that he never expected the blow to the jaw which felt like a freight train speeding out of control. The assailant fell to the floor, his knife thrown up into the air and sparkling within the rays of moonlight. The knife began to fall to the floor, only to be caught by a blue hoof, the body that it was attached to hidden in the darkness. As the dazed assassin slowly sat up, wondering where the powerful attack came from, he turned to see his own knife being caught by the blue hoof. Then, the mysterious figure stepped forward into the dim moonlight, revealing a blue colt with a black mane, the assassin’s knife clenched within his free hoof. The assassin began to back away, unable to get to his hooves. His eyes widened in fear as he gazed upon the colt, the colt’s strange golden eyes glowing in the moonlight. Before the assassin could scream, the colt dashed forward and put his hoof over the terrified pony’s mouth, the sharp silver blade pressed against his throat. The colt glared, then spoke in a quiet yet powerful tone “You… shall not wake the princess… or I shall end your life here… understood?” The assassin nodded rapidly, realizing his life was now on the line. The blue colt nodded, and with his hind hoof, stamped three times, making three individual clop sounds on the hard wooden floor. With that signal, the guards who were positioned outside the main entrance to Luna’s chamber entered, just as quiet as the blue pony, and without a word the assassin was dragged away. The guards shut the door behind them, leaving the blue colt alone with Luna once more. He turned to check on the princess, who was still sleeping peacefully, tucked under her covers, far off in the land of dreams. He was glad that the princess wasn’t hurt and began to trot back to his post, the balcony connected to Luna’s room. As he trotted back quietly, the princess stirred, turning over and looking in the colt’s direction, her eyes closed. She yawns “Verse?” she said tiredly. The colt turned to her at the mention of his name “Yes, princess?” She smiled softly “Thank you…” She turned over, seeming to return to her slumber once more. Verse smiled just a little, yet was curious why she had thanked him; she was asleep at the time… was she? He pondered this for a moment, standing in the silence of the darkness, and then returned to his balcony post, sitting down on a chair set aside for him, and began to gaze at the night sky once more, listening for any other intruders that would dare try to harm his princess. Chapter 2Chapter 2 Hours later, Canterlot began to bathe in the light that was Celestia’s sun as it rose above the rolling hilltops in the distance. Verse yawned softly, rubbing his tired eyes for a moment. It was yet another night shift, constantly awake and on high alert after the failed attempt on Luna’s life. His ears twitched at the sound of Luna rising from her bed, and with that he arose from his own chair and trotted into the bed chamber once more. He walked in to find Princess Luna sitting on the edge of her bed, covering her mouth with a hoof as she yawned softly. Almost by instinct, verse kneeled down and bowed to her “Good morning Princess…” he said, then rose to stand up straight with a small smile “Did you sleep well?” Luna nodded to Verse, returning the smile “Yes Verse, I did, it was a rest well needed, and verse… please, we’ve known each other long enough that you no longer need to be so formal around me, just call me Luna from now on.” Verse nodded “Very well, Luna” he replied as Luna arose from her bed, fixing her mane and putting on her royal attire. Verse tended to her bed, tucking and smoothing out her sheets. Verse worked two jobs in a way, protecting Luna, and being a type of butler to tidy up. Many guards would find this rather demeaning, but Verse couldn’t complain, protecting Luna was a great honor already, but to be part of her daily life, and to possibly make trivial tasks less tiresome for her was a personal bonus. As he finished making the bed, making sure nothing was out of place, he looked up to see Luna fully dressed and her magical mane now sparkling in the morning light. The quiet colt couldn’t help but smile faintly from her regal elegance, he had admired Luna immensely ever since he met her. Luna noticed Verse’s gaze and gave him a faint smile “I want to thank you again Verse.” she said as she approached the slightly confused colt “Thank me? For what pr- I mean Luna?” Luna’s smile endured as she spoke. “For last night, the colt that broke into my bedchambers and attempted to take my life.” Verse blinked in confusion for a moment “You were awake? Why didn’t you move if you knew the assassin was right at the side of your bed?” Luna giggled softly “Because, I knew that my most trusted guard would protect me, and I was right.” The blue earth pony was humbled and bowed at her compliment “Thank you Luna… I’m glad you believe I am worthy of that title.” he said as he raised his head. The Princess of the Night couldn’t help but roll her eyes slightly as Verse bowed. “Of course I do, Verse, I wouldn’t let some random night guard stay on my personal balcony, it must be somepony I can trust, and that pony is you.” Verse once again thanked Luna for the kind compliment and returned to putting the last few pillows onto the head of the large royal bed. As he did this, Luna noticed the bags under Verse’s eyes and his slightly more sluggish movements, she frowned with slight concern. “Verse… have, you been sleeping well?” Verse chuckled at the question as he looked up from the bed sheets “You needn’t worry about my sleeping habits, Luna, I’m sure there are more important things to focus on.” He began to trot towards the exit of Luna’s bedroom “I’ll inform the chefs that you’re awake, I’m sure they have something prepar-“ He was cut short as the alicorn’s hoof was placed on his chest, stopping him in his tracks. Luna lowered her head slightly; her eyes had a more serious demeanor. “Do not hide things from me, Verse. Now, why aren’t you getting sleep? I’ve made sure to give you nights off so the shift doesn’t run you ragged.” Verse averted his gaze from her prying eyes, looking towards the floor slightly “I’m… sleeping just fine, Luna.” He tried to take a step forward but was stopped once again, meeting Luna’s frowning face “You’re a great fighter, Verse, but a terrible liar. Now tell me what’s the matter, I trust you with my life, I expect you to at least trust me with the problems you are faced with. You are my friend first, and my guard second.” Verse sighs in defeat. “Ok ok… I’ve… missed a few nights of sleep.” He averts his gaze. Luna frowns and narrows her gaze, staring down the guard pony. “How many?” she asked with a prying tone. The colt shrugged, unable to look Luna in the eye. “Uhm, just a few nights… two… maybe seven?” Luna’s face shifted from one of a police interrogator to that of a concerned mother. “Seven nights without sleep? Verse… why are you doing this to yourself? What’s troubling you?” The sudden change in tone threw Verse off immensely. He took a moment to collect himself and to come up with a suitable answer, as it was obvious he wasn’t going to be able to lie to the princess. With a sigh, Verse took a step back and turned to look out the window which overlooked Canterlot “I’ve been… having nightmares, bad ones, the kind that feel… too real.” Luna took a step back to give Verse space, feeling slightly guilty for being so intrusive. “And what do these nightmares entail?” she asked. Verse seemed to stare off into the distance, the memories of previous nights coming back to him slowly. “I’m sitting on a bench in ponyville… that’s where it always starts. Everypony is happy, active, and my friends are there too. At first it’s a peaceful dream, but every time things go bad and it’s the same way every time. I’m glued to that bench, I can’t move, and time seems to be accelerate and pass before my eyes. Ponies grow older, friends leave, the town slowly decays and crumbles from poor treatment, and all the while I’m just sitting there, never aging, just stuck, forced to watch as I’m left alone and everypony else leaves or just dies. When there’s nothing left, when the town is empty and in ruin, I’m still there no matter how much I had screamed and shouted… nopony helped, nopony stayed, and I’m just…alone.” The colt heaved a sigh, he had just whined in front of the princess. He felt ashamed and unprofessional, and he once again made a move for the door, feeling awkward in the silence that followed his story, only to be stopped by a more gentler touch on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at Luna, who gave him a kind, heartwarming smile. “Verse, you’ve been lonely, haven’t you? After Candywing disappeared and Fireball left for Xenoir, is that why you’ve been running yourself into the ground? Working these nightshifts and refusing to go home?” Verse could only nod, she hit the nail right on the head with that. He hated that she knew so much about him, yet also felt humbled that she knew what he was thinking. Luna was silent for a moment, realizing that pushing it any further might be too much for the colt, she didn’t want to force him into revealing anything else. “Verse, I know that you have the night off, but I have decided you’re going to take the nightshift again tonight. You are to return to your daily duties as my personal guard for the daylight hours as well, understood?” Verse nodded in response, wondering why she wanted him to work another night, but he was grateful the awkward conversation was over. He cracked a small smile as he spoke. “Understood Luna, do you wish to attend breakfast?” Luna nodded as well. “That sounds splendid.” The princess and her personal guard finally adjourned from the royal bedchamber, Verse was unaware of what was in store for him this nightshift. Author's Note I'd really like to thank my editor Jordy H for going to the trouble of making sure these chapters are way more well kept Chapter 3Chapter 3 It was another day in the life of Luna’s usual schedule, enjoy breakfast with Celestia then talk to any delegates from other countries that wish to speak with Luna about the night hours, handle the concerns of other subjects, and the occasional meeting. All the while Verse had stayed by her side, keeping an eye out for rowdy subjects, any ponies that wished to take Luna’s life; and the occasional poorly mannered ambassador, he had added this to his list ever since he put that rude griffon in the hospital who had decided it was a good idea to call Luna “less royalty and more of a ticking time bomb”. Luckily nothing went wrong this time, Luna seemed to be happy and healthy, but at times she seemed to be off somewhere else, lost in thought, which was unusual for her, she always seemed to be on task. Verse decided to not pay this too much mind; perhaps she just did not receive enough sleep after the attack, which was a fair assumption. The hours continued to roll by, the whole day seemed to meld into one really long guard shift, unlike most days Luna was not as chatty with verse as she usually was. She was actually pretty quiet and kept to herself whenever she was alone with the guard pony in the royal halls. Soon it was time for dinner, in which members of the royal family and other guests that were present at the castle would adjourn to the spacious dining hall for a large feast. Verse stood at his usual post, right next to the guard assigned to guard Celestia for today; they were on constant rotation, unlike verse whose only shift was his entire job. At the table was a small group tonight, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Prince Blueblood, and Princess Twilight, who was visiting this evening. As the group was served their meal, Luna waved her hoof to call over Verse; he trotted to her side “yes princess? Do you require something?” Luna nodded “yes Verse, I wish to ask you, would you like to join us for dinner? I believe my sister would not mind, and you are a friend to all of us at this table.” Verse was a little token back, normally guards wouldn’t sit down and just have dinner with the royal family, he went to protest but was cut off by Celestia herself “I see no harm in that, please Verse, join us” she waved to a servant to retrieve a plate for Verse before Verse could even say no. He tried one more time to say no but was cut short once again, now by Twilight “that sounds great! It’s been a long time since we’ve talked Verse, I don’t see you around ponyville anymore and I really would like to know how your new job as a guard is working out for you.” With that Verse was defeated, three of the princess of equestrian just asked him to join them for dinner, he was worried if he said no he’d be tried for some form of treason. He sat down at an open seat, taking off his helmet and putting in on the floor beside him “thank you, I’m…rather surprised if not humbled by the offer” he sat right next to Luna, across from him was twilight and blueblood, and at the head of the table was Celestia, it felt so odd the be sharing dinner with some of the most important ponies in all of Equestria. The colt was able to crack a sheepish smile as a plate was set before him, a serving of what looked like the most intricate dish of rare fruits and fresh vegetables was laid on top. Verse was no stranger to table manners and ate and politely as he could, the fancy food tasted amazing but he wasn’t really used to all these exotic flavors, so he did his best to pretend he was enjoying it. As Verse ate his meal, Twilight spoke up “so Verse, why did you decide to work for Luna full time? I thought you liked living in Ponyville, you never seemed like the big city type.” Verse swallowed his bite and whipped his lip with a napkin “well, I guess I just needed a more full time job instead of freelancing around ponyville, and as things started to quiet down around there, I thought that working for Luna full time would be an interesting line of work at least” as he finished he heard a scoff come from the pampered Prince Blueblood. “Freelancing? What were you? Some sort of vigilante than ran around ponyville like some foal’s fictional character?” the prince asked in a slightly mocking tone, Verse never liked Blueblood; the colt just seemed to enjoy pushing pony’s buttons. Verse kept his cool all the while as he set down his fork, looking up at Blueblood, even though the pampered colt was a royal pain, he was still royalty and had to be treated as such “in some ways, yes, in reality myself including my friends at the time would find ourselves caught up in situations that Princess Twilight and her friends had sometimes found themselves in as well, usually these situations would involve forces that could harm Ponyville and its residents…so yes, in a way, I helped the town on more than one occasion”. Blueblood only rolled his eyes, not impressed for he was barely listening as he returned to his meal, Verse caught the eye-roll, his brow furrowing in annoyance, yet with one glance at the princess from the night he regained his composure and returned to his meal as well. It was Twilight’s turn to speak up again “but, if I’m correct you can’t just apply for the Lunarian guard, Verse, Luna picks out ponies from Celestia’s guards or from other sources, how did Luna accept you not only as a guard but as a high ranking one the day you were assigned?” Before Verse could reply, Luna spoke over him “that is a very good question Twilight, you see I was aware of Verse’s actions in Ponyville and kept quite a close eye on him, seeing as he was different from most colts, and his abilities in combat, I had offered him the job a quite long time ago, yet he refused politely”. She turned her head to Verse with a soft smile “I never actually revoked the request as I decided to leave the offer on the table, and lo and behold much later he takes me up on the offer, and thus I gladly accepted him into my guard detail” as Luna finished another scoff could be heard from the prince. Verse looks over at the prince once more, raising an eyebrow “is there a problem Prince Blueblood” he asked in a flat tone, holding back his annoyance towards the pompous colt. Blueblood flicked his mane to the side “I just don’t see what’s so special about you, you look just like a normal earth pony to me, a commoner even” he said with a chuckle, Celestia opened her mouth to scold her nephew, only for Verse to chime in before she could speak leaning forwards to shorten the distance between them “then perhaps I can show you what I’m capable of…” he said with a stern and almost threatening tone. Luna set her fork down, glaring at Verse “Verse, sit down and eat your meal, though I was kind enough to let you eat with us, that does not give you the right to speak up at the royal family” Verse frowned at Luna, hoping for her support in the matter, then he noticed the look in her eyes…it wasn’t one of scolding, but a look of pleading, pleading for him to play along. He sat back down and nodded “I’m…sorry for stepping out of line Princess…forgive me” he said quietly, quelling his rage. Blueblood proceeded to laugh mockingly “yes dear Luna, keep that dog of yours on a short leash” he continued his little laughing fit, finding this dinner very amusing “perhaps you’re right Luna, he does belong in your guard, sure, he looks like he won’t harm any pony, but give him a push or two and the real monster comes out to play” he chuckled as he looked at Luna “sound familiar?” the pompous prince said with a devious smirk. Luna’s eyes widened a bit, hurt by the comment, Celestia had enough, rising from her seat to set her nephew straight, only for a dinner knife to fly past Blueblood, taking off a tuft of his hair as it stuck into the wall, everypony turned their gaze to where the knife came from, only to see Verse standing next to his seat, seething in rage. Blueblood sat there in shock, his precious mane had been cut and he was nearly injured by this mongrel of a colt, before he could shout for the guards, Verse leaped over the table and tackled Blueblood, a fork pressed up against his neck. Verse leaned his head now, speaking under a growl “apologize….now” Blueblood’s eyes widened and he fainted with a whimper “VERSE! Enough!” Luna had shouted, yanking the colt off of the unconscious prince. The colt on the floor soon regained consciousness, the guards pulling Verse away from Luna, holding him firmly by his for legs, Blueblood looked furious as he shouted “guards! This barbarian tried to take my life! Arrest him! NO! Execute him instead! He must pay for his crimes!” A guard put a blade up to Verse’s throat, the blue colt growled, starting to resist and pull, the guards having a hard time keeping the colt still. Luna stepped forward and slapped Blueblood across the face “Thou will do no such thing! Thou will not harm our loyal guard!” she shouted in the royal canterlot voice, causing Blueblood to freeze up in fear. Twilight stayed back, unsure of what to do as Celestia stepped in between the middle of the slowly escalating mess “that’s enough from all of you” she said with a voice of stern and fair authority “guards, release Verse, my nephew stepped out of line, I believe Verse’s actions were just…” she said, looking at her pampered relative “a lesser colt would have struck you down outright nephew…you insulted my sister and mocked her friend and guest, it is you who has crossed a line…and you will be punished accordingly. Adjourn to your private chambers; we shall speak about this later.” As she spoke down to Blueblood the guards released Verse, dropping him to the floor, Verse was still enraged and tried to strike Blueblood again, only for Luna to wrap her for legs around him, stopping him “Verse, it’s ok, calm thyself…” Verse struggled for a moment in his princess’ arms, and then calmed down, staring daggers at Blueblood as he was walked to his room like a foal who had misbehaved. Twilight soon left as well as Luna held onto Verse for a little while longer, calming the colt down, she then stood up “thank you Verse for defending my name…but you must be careful…Blueblood may be foolish, but not ignorant, he won’t forget this.” The colt looked down, ashamed of his outburst now “yes princess Luna…I’m sorry” Luna shook her head and looked out the nearby window to see that night had fallen “come Verse, I think it would be best to try and rest, and for you to attend to your post.” Verse nodded and soon followed the princess of the night up the stairs into her bed chambers. Chapter 4Chapter 4 The two entered the dimly lit bed chamber, Verse trotting around the room, lighting two candles on either side, giving the room a soft enough glow to allow them to see in the dark. The colt didn’t speak a word as he soon adjourned to the balcony, beginning his night watch. All the while, Luna watched Verse move around the room like some sort of machine, repeating the same actions over and over to the letter, not missing a beat… she frowned as he trotted onto the balcony and into the cool night air. Luna climbed into bed, using her magic to un-tuck the covers to allow her to slip beneath them, covering herself up and resting her head on a soft pillow, looking at the silhouette of her silent guard on the balcony. An hour, maybe two, had passed, and Verse had not moved much, staring out towards the land of Equestria which was now covered in the soft light of the moon. Luna could only watch, seeing her once vibrant and alive friend now quiet and solemn, her mind racked with thoughts on how to help him. Silence filled the room, until Luna called out. “Verse… could you please come in? I… wish to ask you something.” Verse soon trotted inside. “Yes,Princess? Is something wrong?” he asked, expecting a lecture or perhaps an awkward conversation about his outburst at the table, he still felt foolish for losing his cool like that. Instead, the Princess sat up. “Nothing is wrong, Verse, I just wanted your company, for I am restless… please, sit with me.” The colt raised an eyebrow for a moment and then nodded, the blue colt clambering onto the soft quilt of the elegant bed. The mare smiled softly. “I want to apologize for Blueblood’s actions towards you, what I wanted to be a nice dinner between equals turned into a disaster due to his arrogance…” Verse was taken back for a moment. “There’s no need to apologize, pri-…Luna, the Prince has the right to say what he pleases. I’m just a guard, and I’m not supposed to have an opinion.” With that, Luna huffs in slight annoyance. “How could you of all ponies say that?” she asked, crossing her forelegs together. “The colt who was so hard headed he wouldn’t even let a king of demons push him around. The colt who voiced his opinion whether the world wanted to hear it or not?” she said with an annoyed, yet, somehow concerned look on her face. Verse stared at her for a moment, confused, not entirely sure what to say. The princess then continued as the colt stayed silent. “You used to be the colt that so many ponies despised or looked up to… now you’re just so quiet. Verse, tell me, why did you take this job? Look at what it’s done to you… you rarely go out; I never see you anywhere but here at the castle.” The blue colt sat there in silence for a moment, starting to look down as he spoke. “… I’m a danger to those around me, and without Candy or Fire to watch out for me, to keep me in check, I felt like it would be best to stay somewhere close to the mares with enough power to stop me before I could do any damage.” He shrugged a little. “I’m… not saying that I’m a ticking time bomb, but… there’s so many things I don’t know about myself or… my abilities, and I don’t want Ponyville getting damaged because of them. At least here I can keep myself from the world, so everypony benefits. Celestia can keep me under tabs… and I have a place to sleep.” The princess shook her head. “But this does not benefit you, Verse, you close yourself from the world as if you’re some sort of monster, that your abilities make you an outcast…” She leaned forward, placing her hoof on his. “While they do the exact opposite… they make you special, they make you unique and give you the power to help others, and you have, so many times over. Why would you waste that potential?” she asked, watching his hoof begin to glow a soft blue in hers. The colt grimaced at the sight of his hoof glowing again. “And who’s to say I won’t hurt somepony? Who’s to say that I’m just some kind of accident that doesn’t belong anywhere?” The princess sighed. “You’re not, Verse, you’re far from it…” She let go of his hoof, watching the light fade from it, leaning back into the cushions of her bed. “I just wish to help you, Verse, I have very few friends in this era, and you are one of them. I do not wish to see you waste your life, gifts or no gifts.” Verse climbed out of bed, nodding. “I understand, Luna, and I thank you for your kindness, but I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.” The colt turned to leave, trotting back towards his post. “Verse, wait.” Luna called out, the colt turning his head back to her. Luna scooted over to the side, making more space. “…I wish for you to lay with me.” she asked. Verse blinks, a small blush appearing on his cheeks. “I-I’m sorry?” he stuttered out. The Princess of the Night tilted her head at the colt’s curious reaction and then rolled her eyes. “Not like that, Verse… I meant I wish for you to join me in bed, and in slumber.” Verse shook his head. “Why?” he asked, confused. “I can just get some sleep when I get home, and it’s still my shift.” The princess sighed once more, perhaps he was still hardheaded. “Verse, there is a difference between sleep and rest… and from what I know from you, you’re a colt who hates to be alone in the waking hours, whether you want to admit it or not. Thus, I believe you will sleep more soundly in the company of a friend.” Verse nodded a little, understanding now. “That’s not necessary, Luna. Really, thank you, but I don’t think-“ Luna shook her head. “That’s an order, Verse. Join me in bed, you wouldn’t disobey an order now would you?” she said with a soft smirk. The colt was caught in a corner now, unable to disobey as he sighed… he climbed under the covers, turning his back to Luna in slight embarrassment, feeling awkward lying next to his Princess as she wrapped the covers around both of them. Verse laid there, unsure of what was going to happen next, his eyes staring into the darkness of the room, until a foreleg wrapped around his midsection, almost holding him. He gulped a little, unsure of his Princess’ intentions. Then, he heard a familiar sound, one he had heard many times on his night shift. Luna’s breathing had slowed into the familiar pace it always reached when she slept, the Princess of the Night had already fallen asleep, holding Verse close. At the sound of her slumber, he relaxed a little, realizing that this situation wasn’t as awkward as he had perceived… it was… rather peaceful as he felt a gentle warmth radiating off of Luna. His eyes soon fell shut, the colt drifting off to the first restful sleep he had experienced in a long while. Author's Note So chapter 4, a bit rushed i have to admit, but i'll be honest, i'm not the best at keeping the more slow and dialogue filled chapters on topic, so i wrapped up when i found my ideas starting to drift somewhere else, more chapters to come when i get the time, i kinda want to increase the size of this story, i've been thinking about it, and have some interesting ideas at least. till next time. Chapter 5Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 1The princess and her guard Chapter 1 Nighttime had fallen upon the land of Equestria, the moon shining full as it hung in the air amongst the stars, providing those who were still awake the faintest of light. The light of the moon shone down on the land’s greatest and fairest city Canterlot. Many ponies had already gone to bed, locking their doors and adjourning to their beds for a good night’s sleep. Few lights lit up the city, street lamps and windows glowed faintly in the night, and many of these tiny glows could be seen on the monolith that was the silhouette of the royal castle on this peaceful night. Within the castle walls resided none other than the princesses themselves. The halls were patrolled by the royal guards, their sole purpose to protect the royal family at any cost, especially at this hour, for the Princess of the Night herself had returned to her bedchamber for a well-deserved good night’s sleep. It was pitch black in Luna’s room, the faint light from the moon shone down from her balcony and onto her bed, the moonlight softly illuminating the princess’ sleeping form. For that moment, one would say that all was well this fine night, until out of the shadows of the corner of the chamber crept out the form of a unicorn, dressed in black and perfectly camouflaged to the point where he could just melt into the darkness. As the unicorn approached the sleeping form of the princess, the moonlight glinted off the blade he was carrying in between his teeth. The plan was simple really, kill the princess and prevent the upcoming of nightmare moon, that was his objective. Many ponies feared Luna for this very reason, and one unstable unicorn decided to act on this fear. He would finally be the hero he always wanted to be, by killing the snake in the grass before it had the chance to strike, stop the coming of nightmare moon; at least, that’s what was going through the conspiracy filled mess that was the unicorn’s mind. Ever so quietly, the soon to be “hero” crept upon Luna’s bed, barely making a sound as he got into position, right at her side, the moonlight revealing only his hoof, and the blade in which it was holding. He aimed for her throat as he swung his hoof toward his sleeping target; he was so excited about how revered he would be amongst all of Equestria, so much that he never expected the blow to the jaw which felt like a freight train speeding out of control. The assailant fell to the floor, his knife thrown up into the air and sparkling within the rays of moonlight. The knife began to fall to the floor, only to be caught by a blue hoof, the body that it was attached to hidden in the darkness. As the dazed assassin slowly sat up, wondering where the powerful attack came from, he turned to see his own knife being caught by the blue hoof. Then, the mysterious figure stepped forward into the dim moonlight, revealing a blue colt with a black mane, the assassin’s knife clenched within his free hoof. The assassin began to back away, unable to get to his hooves. His eyes widened in fear as he gazed upon the colt, the colt’s strange golden eyes glowing in the moonlight. Before the assassin could scream, the colt dashed forward and put his hoof over the terrified pony’s mouth, the sharp silver blade pressed against his throat. The colt glared, then spoke in a quiet yet powerful tone “You… shall not wake the princess… or I shall end your life here… understood?” The assassin nodded rapidly, realizing his life was now on the line. The blue colt nodded, and with his hind hoof, stamped three times, making three individual clop sounds on the hard wooden floor. With that signal, the guards who were positioned outside the main entrance to Luna’s chamber entered, just as quiet as the blue pony, and without a word the assassin was dragged away. The guards shut the door behind them, leaving the blue colt alone with Luna once more. He turned to check on the princess, who was still sleeping peacefully, tucked under her covers, far off in the land of dreams. He was glad that the princess wasn’t hurt and began to trot back to his post, the balcony connected to Luna’s room. As he trotted back quietly, the princess stirred, turning over and looking in the colt’s direction, her eyes closed. She yawns “Verse?” she said tiredly. The colt turned to her at the mention of his name “Yes, princess?” She smiled softly “Thank you…” She turned over, seeming to return to her slumber once more. Verse smiled just a little, yet was curious why she had thanked him; she was asleep at the time… was she? He pondered this for a moment, standing in the silence of the darkness, and then returned to his balcony post, sitting down on a chair set aside for him, and began to gaze at the night sky once more, listening for any other intruders that would dare try to harm his princess.
Chapter 2Chapter 2 Hours later, Canterlot began to bathe in the light that was Celestia’s sun as it rose above the rolling hilltops in the distance. Verse yawned softly, rubbing his tired eyes for a moment. It was yet another night shift, constantly awake and on high alert after the failed attempt on Luna’s life. His ears twitched at the sound of Luna rising from her bed, and with that he arose from his own chair and trotted into the bed chamber once more. He walked in to find Princess Luna sitting on the edge of her bed, covering her mouth with a hoof as she yawned softly. Almost by instinct, verse kneeled down and bowed to her “Good morning Princess…” he said, then rose to stand up straight with a small smile “Did you sleep well?” Luna nodded to Verse, returning the smile “Yes Verse, I did, it was a rest well needed, and verse… please, we’ve known each other long enough that you no longer need to be so formal around me, just call me Luna from now on.” Verse nodded “Very well, Luna” he replied as Luna arose from her bed, fixing her mane and putting on her royal attire. Verse tended to her bed, tucking and smoothing out her sheets. Verse worked two jobs in a way, protecting Luna, and being a type of butler to tidy up. Many guards would find this rather demeaning, but Verse couldn’t complain, protecting Luna was a great honor already, but to be part of her daily life, and to possibly make trivial tasks less tiresome for her was a personal bonus. As he finished making the bed, making sure nothing was out of place, he looked up to see Luna fully dressed and her magical mane now sparkling in the morning light. The quiet colt couldn’t help but smile faintly from her regal elegance, he had admired Luna immensely ever since he met her. Luna noticed Verse’s gaze and gave him a faint smile “I want to thank you again Verse.” she said as she approached the slightly confused colt “Thank me? For what pr- I mean Luna?” Luna’s smile endured as she spoke. “For last night, the colt that broke into my bedchambers and attempted to take my life.” Verse blinked in confusion for a moment “You were awake? Why didn’t you move if you knew the assassin was right at the side of your bed?” Luna giggled softly “Because, I knew that my most trusted guard would protect me, and I was right.” The blue earth pony was humbled and bowed at her compliment “Thank you Luna… I’m glad you believe I am worthy of that title.” he said as he raised his head. The Princess of the Night couldn’t help but roll her eyes slightly as Verse bowed. “Of course I do, Verse, I wouldn’t let some random night guard stay on my personal balcony, it must be somepony I can trust, and that pony is you.” Verse once again thanked Luna for the kind compliment and returned to putting the last few pillows onto the head of the large royal bed. As he did this, Luna noticed the bags under Verse’s eyes and his slightly more sluggish movements, she frowned with slight concern. “Verse… have, you been sleeping well?” Verse chuckled at the question as he looked up from the bed sheets “You needn’t worry about my sleeping habits, Luna, I’m sure there are more important things to focus on.” He began to trot towards the exit of Luna’s bedroom “I’ll inform the chefs that you’re awake, I’m sure they have something prepar-“ He was cut short as the alicorn’s hoof was placed on his chest, stopping him in his tracks. Luna lowered her head slightly; her eyes had a more serious demeanor. “Do not hide things from me, Verse. Now, why aren’t you getting sleep? I’ve made sure to give you nights off so the shift doesn’t run you ragged.” Verse averted his gaze from her prying eyes, looking towards the floor slightly “I’m… sleeping just fine, Luna.” He tried to take a step forward but was stopped once again, meeting Luna’s frowning face “You’re a great fighter, Verse, but a terrible liar. Now tell me what’s the matter, I trust you with my life, I expect you to at least trust me with the problems you are faced with. You are my friend first, and my guard second.” Verse sighs in defeat. “Ok ok… I’ve… missed a few nights of sleep.” He averts his gaze. Luna frowns and narrows her gaze, staring down the guard pony. “How many?” she asked with a prying tone. The colt shrugged, unable to look Luna in the eye. “Uhm, just a few nights… two… maybe seven?” Luna’s face shifted from one of a police interrogator to that of a concerned mother. “Seven nights without sleep? Verse… why are you doing this to yourself? What’s troubling you?” The sudden change in tone threw Verse off immensely. He took a moment to collect himself and to come up with a suitable answer, as it was obvious he wasn’t going to be able to lie to the princess. With a sigh, Verse took a step back and turned to look out the window which overlooked Canterlot “I’ve been… having nightmares, bad ones, the kind that feel… too real.” Luna took a step back to give Verse space, feeling slightly guilty for being so intrusive. “And what do these nightmares entail?” she asked. Verse seemed to stare off into the distance, the memories of previous nights coming back to him slowly. “I’m sitting on a bench in ponyville… that’s where it always starts. Everypony is happy, active, and my friends are there too. At first it’s a peaceful dream, but every time things go bad and it’s the same way every time. I’m glued to that bench, I can’t move, and time seems to be accelerate and pass before my eyes. Ponies grow older, friends leave, the town slowly decays and crumbles from poor treatment, and all the while I’m just sitting there, never aging, just stuck, forced to watch as I’m left alone and everypony else leaves or just dies. When there’s nothing left, when the town is empty and in ruin, I’m still there no matter how much I had screamed and shouted… nopony helped, nopony stayed, and I’m just…alone.” The colt heaved a sigh, he had just whined in front of the princess. He felt ashamed and unprofessional, and he once again made a move for the door, feeling awkward in the silence that followed his story, only to be stopped by a more gentler touch on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at Luna, who gave him a kind, heartwarming smile. “Verse, you’ve been lonely, haven’t you? After Candywing disappeared and Fireball left for Xenoir, is that why you’ve been running yourself into the ground? Working these nightshifts and refusing to go home?” Verse could only nod, she hit the nail right on the head with that. He hated that she knew so much about him, yet also felt humbled that she knew what he was thinking. Luna was silent for a moment, realizing that pushing it any further might be too much for the colt, she didn’t want to force him into revealing anything else. “Verse, I know that you have the night off, but I have decided you’re going to take the nightshift again tonight. You are to return to your daily duties as my personal guard for the daylight hours as well, understood?” Verse nodded in response, wondering why she wanted him to work another night, but he was grateful the awkward conversation was over. He cracked a small smile as he spoke. “Understood Luna, do you wish to attend breakfast?” Luna nodded as well. “That sounds splendid.” The princess and her personal guard finally adjourned from the royal bedchamber, Verse was unaware of what was in store for him this nightshift. Author's Note I'd really like to thank my editor Jordy H for going to the trouble of making sure these chapters are way more well kept
Chapter 3Chapter 3 It was another day in the life of Luna’s usual schedule, enjoy breakfast with Celestia then talk to any delegates from other countries that wish to speak with Luna about the night hours, handle the concerns of other subjects, and the occasional meeting. All the while Verse had stayed by her side, keeping an eye out for rowdy subjects, any ponies that wished to take Luna’s life; and the occasional poorly mannered ambassador, he had added this to his list ever since he put that rude griffon in the hospital who had decided it was a good idea to call Luna “less royalty and more of a ticking time bomb”. Luckily nothing went wrong this time, Luna seemed to be happy and healthy, but at times she seemed to be off somewhere else, lost in thought, which was unusual for her, she always seemed to be on task. Verse decided to not pay this too much mind; perhaps she just did not receive enough sleep after the attack, which was a fair assumption. The hours continued to roll by, the whole day seemed to meld into one really long guard shift, unlike most days Luna was not as chatty with verse as she usually was. She was actually pretty quiet and kept to herself whenever she was alone with the guard pony in the royal halls. Soon it was time for dinner, in which members of the royal family and other guests that were present at the castle would adjourn to the spacious dining hall for a large feast. Verse stood at his usual post, right next to the guard assigned to guard Celestia for today; they were on constant rotation, unlike verse whose only shift was his entire job. At the table was a small group tonight, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Prince Blueblood, and Princess Twilight, who was visiting this evening. As the group was served their meal, Luna waved her hoof to call over Verse; he trotted to her side “yes princess? Do you require something?” Luna nodded “yes Verse, I wish to ask you, would you like to join us for dinner? I believe my sister would not mind, and you are a friend to all of us at this table.” Verse was a little token back, normally guards wouldn’t sit down and just have dinner with the royal family, he went to protest but was cut off by Celestia herself “I see no harm in that, please Verse, join us” she waved to a servant to retrieve a plate for Verse before Verse could even say no. He tried one more time to say no but was cut short once again, now by Twilight “that sounds great! It’s been a long time since we’ve talked Verse, I don’t see you around ponyville anymore and I really would like to know how your new job as a guard is working out for you.” With that Verse was defeated, three of the princess of equestrian just asked him to join them for dinner, he was worried if he said no he’d be tried for some form of treason. He sat down at an open seat, taking off his helmet and putting in on the floor beside him “thank you, I’m…rather surprised if not humbled by the offer” he sat right next to Luna, across from him was twilight and blueblood, and at the head of the table was Celestia, it felt so odd the be sharing dinner with some of the most important ponies in all of Equestria. The colt was able to crack a sheepish smile as a plate was set before him, a serving of what looked like the most intricate dish of rare fruits and fresh vegetables was laid on top. Verse was no stranger to table manners and ate and politely as he could, the fancy food tasted amazing but he wasn’t really used to all these exotic flavors, so he did his best to pretend he was enjoying it. As Verse ate his meal, Twilight spoke up “so Verse, why did you decide to work for Luna full time? I thought you liked living in Ponyville, you never seemed like the big city type.” Verse swallowed his bite and whipped his lip with a napkin “well, I guess I just needed a more full time job instead of freelancing around ponyville, and as things started to quiet down around there, I thought that working for Luna full time would be an interesting line of work at least” as he finished he heard a scoff come from the pampered Prince Blueblood. “Freelancing? What were you? Some sort of vigilante than ran around ponyville like some foal’s fictional character?” the prince asked in a slightly mocking tone, Verse never liked Blueblood; the colt just seemed to enjoy pushing pony’s buttons. Verse kept his cool all the while as he set down his fork, looking up at Blueblood, even though the pampered colt was a royal pain, he was still royalty and had to be treated as such “in some ways, yes, in reality myself including my friends at the time would find ourselves caught up in situations that Princess Twilight and her friends had sometimes found themselves in as well, usually these situations would involve forces that could harm Ponyville and its residents…so yes, in a way, I helped the town on more than one occasion”. Blueblood only rolled his eyes, not impressed for he was barely listening as he returned to his meal, Verse caught the eye-roll, his brow furrowing in annoyance, yet with one glance at the princess from the night he regained his composure and returned to his meal as well. It was Twilight’s turn to speak up again “but, if I’m correct you can’t just apply for the Lunarian guard, Verse, Luna picks out ponies from Celestia’s guards or from other sources, how did Luna accept you not only as a guard but as a high ranking one the day you were assigned?” Before Verse could reply, Luna spoke over him “that is a very good question Twilight, you see I was aware of Verse’s actions in Ponyville and kept quite a close eye on him, seeing as he was different from most colts, and his abilities in combat, I had offered him the job a quite long time ago, yet he refused politely”. She turned her head to Verse with a soft smile “I never actually revoked the request as I decided to leave the offer on the table, and lo and behold much later he takes me up on the offer, and thus I gladly accepted him into my guard detail” as Luna finished another scoff could be heard from the prince. Verse looks over at the prince once more, raising an eyebrow “is there a problem Prince Blueblood” he asked in a flat tone, holding back his annoyance towards the pompous colt. Blueblood flicked his mane to the side “I just don’t see what’s so special about you, you look just like a normal earth pony to me, a commoner even” he said with a chuckle, Celestia opened her mouth to scold her nephew, only for Verse to chime in before she could speak leaning forwards to shorten the distance between them “then perhaps I can show you what I’m capable of…” he said with a stern and almost threatening tone. Luna set her fork down, glaring at Verse “Verse, sit down and eat your meal, though I was kind enough to let you eat with us, that does not give you the right to speak up at the royal family” Verse frowned at Luna, hoping for her support in the matter, then he noticed the look in her eyes…it wasn’t one of scolding, but a look of pleading, pleading for him to play along. He sat back down and nodded “I’m…sorry for stepping out of line Princess…forgive me” he said quietly, quelling his rage. Blueblood proceeded to laugh mockingly “yes dear Luna, keep that dog of yours on a short leash” he continued his little laughing fit, finding this dinner very amusing “perhaps you’re right Luna, he does belong in your guard, sure, he looks like he won’t harm any pony, but give him a push or two and the real monster comes out to play” he chuckled as he looked at Luna “sound familiar?” the pompous prince said with a devious smirk. Luna’s eyes widened a bit, hurt by the comment, Celestia had enough, rising from her seat to set her nephew straight, only for a dinner knife to fly past Blueblood, taking off a tuft of his hair as it stuck into the wall, everypony turned their gaze to where the knife came from, only to see Verse standing next to his seat, seething in rage. Blueblood sat there in shock, his precious mane had been cut and he was nearly injured by this mongrel of a colt, before he could shout for the guards, Verse leaped over the table and tackled Blueblood, a fork pressed up against his neck. Verse leaned his head now, speaking under a growl “apologize….now” Blueblood’s eyes widened and he fainted with a whimper “VERSE! Enough!” Luna had shouted, yanking the colt off of the unconscious prince. The colt on the floor soon regained consciousness, the guards pulling Verse away from Luna, holding him firmly by his for legs, Blueblood looked furious as he shouted “guards! This barbarian tried to take my life! Arrest him! NO! Execute him instead! He must pay for his crimes!” A guard put a blade up to Verse’s throat, the blue colt growled, starting to resist and pull, the guards having a hard time keeping the colt still. Luna stepped forward and slapped Blueblood across the face “Thou will do no such thing! Thou will not harm our loyal guard!” she shouted in the royal canterlot voice, causing Blueblood to freeze up in fear. Twilight stayed back, unsure of what to do as Celestia stepped in between the middle of the slowly escalating mess “that’s enough from all of you” she said with a voice of stern and fair authority “guards, release Verse, my nephew stepped out of line, I believe Verse’s actions were just…” she said, looking at her pampered relative “a lesser colt would have struck you down outright nephew…you insulted my sister and mocked her friend and guest, it is you who has crossed a line…and you will be punished accordingly. Adjourn to your private chambers; we shall speak about this later.” As she spoke down to Blueblood the guards released Verse, dropping him to the floor, Verse was still enraged and tried to strike Blueblood again, only for Luna to wrap her for legs around him, stopping him “Verse, it’s ok, calm thyself…” Verse struggled for a moment in his princess’ arms, and then calmed down, staring daggers at Blueblood as he was walked to his room like a foal who had misbehaved. Twilight soon left as well as Luna held onto Verse for a little while longer, calming the colt down, she then stood up “thank you Verse for defending my name…but you must be careful…Blueblood may be foolish, but not ignorant, he won’t forget this.” The colt looked down, ashamed of his outburst now “yes princess Luna…I’m sorry” Luna shook her head and looked out the nearby window to see that night had fallen “come Verse, I think it would be best to try and rest, and for you to attend to your post.” Verse nodded and soon followed the princess of the night up the stairs into her bed chambers.
Chapter 4Chapter 4 The two entered the dimly lit bed chamber, Verse trotting around the room, lighting two candles on either side, giving the room a soft enough glow to allow them to see in the dark. The colt didn’t speak a word as he soon adjourned to the balcony, beginning his night watch. All the while, Luna watched Verse move around the room like some sort of machine, repeating the same actions over and over to the letter, not missing a beat… she frowned as he trotted onto the balcony and into the cool night air. Luna climbed into bed, using her magic to un-tuck the covers to allow her to slip beneath them, covering herself up and resting her head on a soft pillow, looking at the silhouette of her silent guard on the balcony. An hour, maybe two, had passed, and Verse had not moved much, staring out towards the land of Equestria which was now covered in the soft light of the moon. Luna could only watch, seeing her once vibrant and alive friend now quiet and solemn, her mind racked with thoughts on how to help him. Silence filled the room, until Luna called out. “Verse… could you please come in? I… wish to ask you something.” Verse soon trotted inside. “Yes,Princess? Is something wrong?” he asked, expecting a lecture or perhaps an awkward conversation about his outburst at the table, he still felt foolish for losing his cool like that. Instead, the Princess sat up. “Nothing is wrong, Verse, I just wanted your company, for I am restless… please, sit with me.” The colt raised an eyebrow for a moment and then nodded, the blue colt clambering onto the soft quilt of the elegant bed. The mare smiled softly. “I want to apologize for Blueblood’s actions towards you, what I wanted to be a nice dinner between equals turned into a disaster due to his arrogance…” Verse was taken back for a moment. “There’s no need to apologize, pri-…Luna, the Prince has the right to say what he pleases. I’m just a guard, and I’m not supposed to have an opinion.” With that, Luna huffs in slight annoyance. “How could you of all ponies say that?” she asked, crossing her forelegs together. “The colt who was so hard headed he wouldn’t even let a king of demons push him around. The colt who voiced his opinion whether the world wanted to hear it or not?” she said with an annoyed, yet, somehow concerned look on her face. Verse stared at her for a moment, confused, not entirely sure what to say. The princess then continued as the colt stayed silent. “You used to be the colt that so many ponies despised or looked up to… now you’re just so quiet. Verse, tell me, why did you take this job? Look at what it’s done to you… you rarely go out; I never see you anywhere but here at the castle.” The blue colt sat there in silence for a moment, starting to look down as he spoke. “… I’m a danger to those around me, and without Candy or Fire to watch out for me, to keep me in check, I felt like it would be best to stay somewhere close to the mares with enough power to stop me before I could do any damage.” He shrugged a little. “I’m… not saying that I’m a ticking time bomb, but… there’s so many things I don’t know about myself or… my abilities, and I don’t want Ponyville getting damaged because of them. At least here I can keep myself from the world, so everypony benefits. Celestia can keep me under tabs… and I have a place to sleep.” The princess shook her head. “But this does not benefit you, Verse, you close yourself from the world as if you’re some sort of monster, that your abilities make you an outcast…” She leaned forward, placing her hoof on his. “While they do the exact opposite… they make you special, they make you unique and give you the power to help others, and you have, so many times over. Why would you waste that potential?” she asked, watching his hoof begin to glow a soft blue in hers. The colt grimaced at the sight of his hoof glowing again. “And who’s to say I won’t hurt somepony? Who’s to say that I’m just some kind of accident that doesn’t belong anywhere?” The princess sighed. “You’re not, Verse, you’re far from it…” She let go of his hoof, watching the light fade from it, leaning back into the cushions of her bed. “I just wish to help you, Verse, I have very few friends in this era, and you are one of them. I do not wish to see you waste your life, gifts or no gifts.” Verse climbed out of bed, nodding. “I understand, Luna, and I thank you for your kindness, but I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.” The colt turned to leave, trotting back towards his post. “Verse, wait.” Luna called out, the colt turning his head back to her. Luna scooted over to the side, making more space. “…I wish for you to lay with me.” she asked. Verse blinks, a small blush appearing on his cheeks. “I-I’m sorry?” he stuttered out. The Princess of the Night tilted her head at the colt’s curious reaction and then rolled her eyes. “Not like that, Verse… I meant I wish for you to join me in bed, and in slumber.” Verse shook his head. “Why?” he asked, confused. “I can just get some sleep when I get home, and it’s still my shift.” The princess sighed once more, perhaps he was still hardheaded. “Verse, there is a difference between sleep and rest… and from what I know from you, you’re a colt who hates to be alone in the waking hours, whether you want to admit it or not. Thus, I believe you will sleep more soundly in the company of a friend.” Verse nodded a little, understanding now. “That’s not necessary, Luna. Really, thank you, but I don’t think-“ Luna shook her head. “That’s an order, Verse. Join me in bed, you wouldn’t disobey an order now would you?” she said with a soft smirk. The colt was caught in a corner now, unable to disobey as he sighed… he climbed under the covers, turning his back to Luna in slight embarrassment, feeling awkward lying next to his Princess as she wrapped the covers around both of them. Verse laid there, unsure of what was going to happen next, his eyes staring into the darkness of the room, until a foreleg wrapped around his midsection, almost holding him. He gulped a little, unsure of his Princess’ intentions. Then, he heard a familiar sound, one he had heard many times on his night shift. Luna’s breathing had slowed into the familiar pace it always reached when she slept, the Princess of the Night had already fallen asleep, holding Verse close. At the sound of her slumber, he relaxed a little, realizing that this situation wasn’t as awkward as he had perceived… it was… rather peaceful as he felt a gentle warmth radiating off of Luna. His eyes soon fell shut, the colt drifting off to the first restful sleep he had experienced in a long while. Author's Note So chapter 4, a bit rushed i have to admit, but i'll be honest, i'm not the best at keeping the more slow and dialogue filled chapters on topic, so i wrapped up when i found my ideas starting to drift somewhere else, more chapters to come when i get the time, i kinda want to increase the size of this story, i've been thinking about it, and have some interesting ideas at least. till next time.
