Chapter 3: Fealty with love, valor and honor

Looking at the clock, Luna noticed that it was time again. She left her room to bring the night once more. When she returned to her room the next morning, she put on some music and threw herself on the bed. Somepony knocked on the door, but she didn't hear it because of the loudness of the music. It knocked again.

"Excuse me, am I allowed to enter?" a familiar voice said. She winced as she heard somepony talking to her and quickly turned off the music. A well-known guard was standing in the open door way.

"Diamond?" she asked unsure.
"Eeyup, it's me," the stallion replied in a goofy way.
"Where did you come from all of a sudden? You startled me."

"It is Sunday, silly. I thought I let you know, that I am guarding you once more. I am sorry I startled you, Princess," he said smiling.

"So... you missed me then?" she nervously asked, curling her mane around one hoof absentmindedly.

"Duh! Of course I did. I really enjoyed our time together. Did you miss me, too?" he asked her with a slightly alarming sound in his voice.

"Yes - yes I missed you too," she replied shyly, her cheeks slightly reddening.
She was very relieved to hear that he had indeed missed her. An uncomfortable silence followed for a few moments until he asked:

"Sooo... What were you listening to before I entered?"

"Just now I was listening to Octavia's “Suit number 7”..."

"Octavia? That Cellopony from the Royal Orchestra? I met her once... she seems nice, but a bit stuck-up." He lifted his head, rising his nose as high as he could, obviously trying to imitate the pony in question. Luna chuckled lightly which caused him to beam at her.
"Yes, she does music on her own and often collaborates with other ponies. She even wrote a song for me..."

"She wrote a song for you? Wow! But I guess this happens all the time to a Princess, doesn't it?"

"No, she was the first..." Luna started but trailed off.
"But of course there will be more soon." Diamond finished her sentence with a smirk. "The beauty and grace of a Princess are always a popular topic of songs and art," he told her and grinned. She turned away so he wouldn't see her embarrassment. "So what else?" he asked.

"If I am up to something faster, I enjoy songs of Vinyl Scratch, I even got the newest album."

"Vinyl Scratch? Never heard that name before," he scratched his head with his hoof.
"Her alias is ‘DJ Pon-3’," Luna added lifting a brow. How couldn’t he know about Vinyl Scratch? It was one of the first names she got to know after her return.

"Ohhh her... yes I know her. She did a concert in Canterlot, about a month ago, didn't she? Isn't she in a relationship with a stallion, what was his name again?"

"She was, but they broke up recently for whatever reason. I don't know why. She seems to be very close friends with Octavia though." So the chit-chat she had picked up at the wedding had its use after all.
"I guess he couldn't stand all the bass wubs all day long," he said, grinning. Both ponies burst into laughter.

"It's good to have you back, I was very lonely the last week. Err... I mean... that other guard annoyed me, being so starchy - " she said turning her head and watched him out of the corner of her eye.
"Ah, he isn't that bad.. just a bit over the edge every now and then," he tried to defend his comrade.

"That reminds me... I have a surprise for you!" she yelled and jumped onto her hooves. She trotted to her desk and showed him her drawings. "It looks nice... what is it?" he asked, while viewing the pictures.
"It's a crest for my new private team," she proudly said.

"A private team?" he asked while taking another close look at the drawings, clearly amazed.

"Yes, like my sister’s Solar Flares... you know those with the golden armor."

"Oh yeah, I know those. I always admired their splendor - " his eyes became dreamy for a moment.

"I am very proud to say that I want you to be the first member of the 'Starlancers'," she said, beaming brightly.

“Yeah right… Wait what?!” He looked at her in shock and his mouth dropped open. Luna continued to stare at him, still smiling. "A - are you serious?!" he asked speechless.

"Well yes of course. If you accept, I will get you a new armor and you have to wear my crest. You will be my private champion and you will have to obey all of my commands and protect me from any danger and stuff."

"But why me?" he suddenly wondered after a moment of thinking. "You’ve only known me for a few days. How do you know that you can trust me with bearing such a position if you don't even know about my capabilities? It is safe to say, that you don't know me at all."

"It is true, I haven't seen you in action, yet. However, you were the first pony who cared about me and you were the first who wasn't afraid of me. You gave me some very helpful advice and made my life much more pleasant than it has been before. So that makes you courageous, sensitive and smart on my list. I know that I can trust you and that you will always support me, because I've seen it in your eyes. Even if it turns out that you aren't the best fighter, I know that you will always strive to get better."

She noticed the confused expression on his face and quickly explained:
"The way you spoke about your lance and why you've chosen it showed me your devotion and determination. It may sound strange, but I've got a feeling that the two of us are bound by fate."

Several moments passed with him just standing next to her, staring in her face flabbergasted. "It seems you actually DO know me... maybe even better than I know myself," he muttered slowly regaining his composure again.

Luna gave him a winning smile. "In this case it would be an honor, M’lady," he bowed down effusively in front of her.

"Then come, we shall inform Shining Armor about it," the Princess decided. He followed her through the doorways into the yard. On their way he asked:
"Why Starlancer?"

"Well, I’ve read that book and... I just like the sound of the name. It sounds so brave and noble. The white star on my crest... it actually represents you. I remembered that you liked lances and I imagined you charging an enemy with one."

"So you put a lot of thought into this, didn't you?" he smirked at her.

"Well yes, of course," she said, while trotting next to him through the long castle corridors.
Diamond looked at the old paintings that decorated the walls of the corridors. Seeing the heroes and knights displayed on those paintings he thought to himself: “Soon I’ll be one of you, too…”

After a quite long walk and after leaving the castle’s main building via a side entrance, they stopped in front of a durable building with wooden training-dummies alongside the wall. The crest of the canterlotian guard has been painted onto the sturdy wooden door. Diamond Sky chivalrously opened the door to the barracks for her, using his magic. They met Shining Armor in his office, while he inspected several maps on his desk.

"Commander Shining Armor, I have a request to relate," the noble pony said gracefully. He looked up from his maps, slightly bowed down and replied:

"Your Highness, what a surprise. I didn't expect you to come here. How can I serve you?"

"I want you to know and acknowledge that this guard here will join my newly formed team 'the Starlancers'," she said pointing at Diamond Sky.

"Him? But he is quite young, has not much experience and lacks combat expertise. May I suggest you other ponies that are more suitable for such a position?" the commander replied in surprise.

"No, we want him!" she said in her Royal Equestrian Voice.

"Do you agree with this, Corporal Diamond Sky?" he asked, turning to the stallion.

"Yes, Commander!" Diamond replied forcing himself to remain calm and collected although he was bursting with happiness on the inside.

"Well congratulations Corporal. It seems you got promoted by no other than the Princess herself. How could I refuse your request, your highness?" Shining Armor said smiling, turning back to Luna. "Did he swear his oath yet, your Highness?"

"No, he didn't." She turned around tensing up. She then looked at Diamond with a stern gaze. Diamond Sky took off his helm and knelt down before the Princess. This was the first time she saw his mane, she noticed. He had a dashing hair cut and his mane was silver colored with purple streaks, resembling his tail. Focusing on the actual vow she cleared her throat.

"Guard Diamond Sky, do you swear fealty and service to Princess Luna? Do you swear to speak and to be silent, to do and to let be, to come and to go, in need or plenty, in peace or war, in living or dying, from this hour henceforth, until I as Princess of the Night release you, or death take you, or the world end? Do you swear that you will always be faithful, loyal and honorable towards me and the ponies of Equestria?" she asked him in a serious tone.

"I swear!" he solemnly whispered and Shining Armor nodded his approval.

"Fealty with love, valor and honor. Night bless you, Diamond Sky. Now raise and be reborn as first of the Starlancers," she ordered him with a gesture of her hoof. He got back on his hooves and smiled like he never smiled before. He looked his new mistress into the eyes, grabbed her hoof kissing it while bowing to her.
He had never felt that happy before. Shining Armor stepped near and patted his shoulder, felicitating him, but he didn't even notice, since he was in a trance of perfect satisfaction. His new mistress beckoned him to follow her, which he was very keen to do.

That smile still stayed on, while Luna and he left the barracks and crossed the yard. After a short while of silent walking they heard the rhythmic sound of hammering as they approached the Royal Forge. The sound got louder with every step before they entered the building. This was the first time Luna visited the forge and she was quite surprised to see a minotaur working on a glowing piece of steel using a hefty iron hammer. He didn't seem to notice their arrival, so Luna cleared her throat and addressed him saying:

"Excuse me, are you the Royal Blacksmith?" Slightly startled, he turned around and blinked as he noticed who had addressed him and bowed to her.

“Oi! Yer grace whata pleasure. Aye, Ah'm the Royal Blacksmith. Iron Fist's the name. Well, what can ah do fer ya, ya grace?" He stepped near after he put away the hefty hammer he had used before.

He was indeed a Minotaur. A bulky bovine walking on two hooves almost twice the height of Luna. He had a dark gray fur, long curved horns and a golden ring in his nose. He wore a brown dirty leather apron and his arm muscles were almost as thick as Luna's head.

"Don't mind me asking, but why is a minotaur like you working in the Royal Forge?" Luna asked curiously.

"Heh, nah ah don't mind at'all," he replied with a chuckle, cleaning his massive hands using a rag he had taken from a pocket of his apron. He had a foreign accent, sounding almost like growling and he rolled the R exceptionally strongly. Obviously he wasn't from around Canterlot.

"Ya see, ever since ah was a lil' calf, Ah wanted ter become a blacksmith, but back in Glasscow there wasn't any ter teach me. No sir, so me an' me brother Iron Will came ter Canterlot ter make a fortune ‘ere."

"Iron Will? I've heard that name before. Isn't he a popular trainer offering assertiveness seminars?" Diamond piped up.

"Aye lad, he is. He's always been more skillful with 'is tongue than 'is arms. In fact, it'as him who encouraged me ter come here in the first place. Ah then took over the forge, when master Sledge Hammer retired. Oi, but enough of me, yer certainly didn't come ter hear me life story, eh?"

He burst into a short hearty laughter sounding like an avalanche. Luna knew that Glasscow was one of the major cities in the Minotaur Empire overseas. The city was well known for its crystal glass and general glass art made by local glassblowers. Luna was frequently awe-struck whenever she saw the marvelous mosaic windows the minotaur had created for the Canterlot palace. It astonished her that such bulky creatures could create such delicate and filigran masterpieces. She cleared her throat again and spoke up to the minotaur as his laughter faded:

"I need you to craft an armor for this stallion. And you need to craft this crest for him too. He'll also need a new lance. Here are the designs." She lifted her wing and several rolled up scrolls with her drawings fell to the ground. Iron Fist stepped near to pick them up. He then unrolled them to have a look at what she was talking about. She watched his eyes fly over the drawings and his slight nodding. He then quinnied his eyes, probably to measure Diamonds body size. She gave him another moment to go over all the designs before she asked:

"How long will it take you to craft those items?"

"Ah shall be finish'd by tomorro’, yer grace," he replied in his funny accent.

"Excellent, you may begin, Blacksmith!" Luna said pleased. She bid Iron Fist Goodbye and left the forge, closely followed by Diamond.

Back in Luna's room he couldn't hold on to it anymore:
"Wow, I can't believe it. You just promoted me… just like that, I am important now. You are so generous - how can I ever repay you? Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh! Did you see Shining Armor's face? Priceless!" he jumped around in excitement.

"Behave yourself Starlancer, remember you are an important dignitary now," Luna said faking an angry expression.

"Herm... Of course you are right. I am just so excited. Forgive me mistress. What will happen next?" he asked curiously after taking several deep breaths. "Well tomorrow we will get your new set of armor. You will officially come into office, once you are equipped properly," she yawned "but for now I am tired. I need to rest now."

"Of course mistress, rest well"

"Please stop calling me that, it makes me feel old," the blue mare said sulkily.

"OK got it, I won't do it again, Princess," he said still beaming. He didn't dare to say that she was much, much older than he was. Like a whole Millennium older. He left her room, closed the door silently and took his position in front of her door.

"I am her private champion.." he repeated to himself over and over again still smiling.

The next day was a very sunny one. Luna and Diamond Sky visited the Blacksmith again to pick up his new gear.
"Did you finish the Armor yet loyal Blacksmith?" Luna asked the sturdy minotaur.

"Aye, yer grace may hav' a look..." the Blacksmith said after greeting them. He went into another room and returned with a dark bluish and purple body armor. In the middle of the Chestplate, he had embedded her crest, just like Luna imagined. While Diamond Sky and Luna inspected the polished armor, the blacksmith fetched the corresponding helm and a saddle cloth. The helm and the saddle cloth were colored in a lighter purple and on top of the helm there was a discreet plumage attached matching the body armor’s tone.

"I've used the finest metal which 's light but durable," the blacksmith explained. Within minutes Diamond Sky changed into his new outfit. He looked fabulous and hunky and his chest measurement increased by a remarkable amount, just by wearing such a fine piece of craftsmanship.

"This armor is great, but what is that thing for?" Diamond asked Iron Fist, pointing at a leather mounting on his back.

"Oi, almos' forgot. That's the sheath fer ya new weapon, lad." Once again he went into that other room and returned shortly after holding a pole arm. It was a lance with a plated wooden shaft and a shining metal tip that looked like a crescent moon upside down. The shaft itself had two colors being cobalt blue and bluish silver. The tip of the lance looked very elegant. The crescent moon, which had quite sharp edges, merged perfectly with a longer spike. Iron Fist handed the weapon over to Diamond and he accepted it reverently. Iron Fist watched smiling how an awe struck Diamond Sky carefully stroked over the cold, smooth surface of the weapon. He then explained:

"Those leather bands on yer back are a mounting so yer don't hav'ter carry it all day long."

"Wow that's awesome. The armor is much lighter than my old one and the lance is perfectly balanced. You do understand your craft, Iron Fist," Diamond called enthusiastically after doing some testing moves. The giant bull only chuckled and chummily slapped his shoulder as a reply, which caused him to stumble a few steps.

"You did a very good job Blacksmith.. you shall be generously rewarded," Luna said to the Blacksmith smiling.

"Yer too generous, yer grace," the Blacksmith replied while bowing down.

After saying Goodbye, they left the forge and walked across the yard back towards the main building of the castle. On their way back, they met other Guards and ponies who examined Diamond Sky's new armor with curios and envying expressions on their faces. While entering the hallway they met Shining Armor who just left it.

"Your highness .... Starlancer Diamond Sky" he said nodding his head towards both of them. Diamond watched him walking away when he remembered something.

"I guess I need to return my old gear to the supplier at the barracks. It would only be fair to do so. Princess, could we meet in your chambers in ten minutes? I will pick up the old armor and drop it at the barracks. I'd like to do it personally."

Although Luna seemed unhappy about that plan she nodded her approval. "Don't worry Princess, when I am back I won't ever leave your side again," he beamed at her. She giggled and nodded again.

Smiling she made her way through the seemingly endless corridors of the palace. She could have flown to her place of course, but she was in no hurry since she'd have to wait for him to return anyway.

She also noticed a change in her attitude while wandering through the corridors. After her return the marble corridors of Canterlot had seemed dark and cold to her. It felt like the eyes of the ponies depicted on the countless portraits which hung alongside the walls were following and watching her with disgruntled expressions. That day however the corridors hadn't that threatening vibe they used to have. Instead they seemed bright and friendly and those ponies seemed to be happily smiling back at her.

Author's Note

OK guys, chapter 3. This one is a short one and may be viewed as an opportunity to catch your breath before the grand finale. I am quite excited and look forward to chapter 4. I hope you guys will like it. There will be a twist of fate...

I've put several reference to other media in the text. The "lazy pegasi" from chapter 1 refers to Rainbow Dash for example. The oath Diamond Sky swears was taken from Pippin’s oath he swears to Denethor in “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”. Iron Fist, the blacksmith was inspired by “Griswold the Blacksmith” from the Diablo series. I just loved that guy back in those days and tried to mimic his accent. He was supposed to have a scottish accent in case you didn't notice. I've never spoken to a scottish guy, though, so I don't know if I've pulled it off correctly. Feedback on that point would be appreciated.

Oh and one line in this chapter is extremely important for the next chapter, but I won't reveal which one just yet.

Again, special thanks to ArtWarrior for proofreading and correcting.