Author's Note
So, this is my first story. I am not asking to be gentle. But constructive critisism or correcting grammatical or vocabular issues are wanted as English isnt my first language. Other than that, enjoy.
Well, Buck
Being the Queen of the Changelings sounds pretty good, but most of the Time its rather boring. After the Disaster at the Wedding, where this miserable purple nusiance destroyed my grand scheme, I had my peasants rebuild our hive somewhere safe, somewhere ponies wouldnt find us. But whilst this is happening, my job is literally waiting. Although I could steer my people through the Hivemind, I prefer let my skilled commander drones oversee the work. But there is something I could do. I could watch my subjects without interfering with their duties. Hmm, lets see what is happening. Is that, what I think it is ? Oh yes, it is ! Marvelous. One of my spies seems to have gotten hold of one of the royal guards. They look the same anyway, an enchanted armor, that I learned while being "princess“ mi amora cadenza. Silly name. So what does he do, lets gaze into my spies mind.
"Attention“
Shining armor is assembling us for the second time today, for what reason ? Could they have noticed me ? No, impossible. The guard whose place I took is safely stored away.
"Princess Celestia has given orders to double the nightly patrols, so some of you will have to assist the night guards. Any volunteers ? "
Surprisingly not.
"Extra bits will be issued to the auxillary guardsmen“
Maybe it will be a good Idea to join the night guards, Celestia will have a reason for doubling the patrols. I step forward.
"Thank you, guardsman. Meet with the Commander of the Nights Watch at sundown in the guards office, he will show you your patrol and hand you your payment !“ "For the rest of you sorry folk, I will have to select volunteers !“
As Shining Armor proceeds with picking out poor ponies for night duty, I think about possible reasons behind this order. A threat for Equestria ? Have they discovered the Hive ? Propably not.
Maybe Celestia just gets paranoid as she ages. The thought of that brings an unwanted grin apon my stern face. I make a good guardsman, atleast in my opinion.
"Everypony, back to their duties.Dismissed !“ A last shout from Shinig armor brings me back to the task at hoof. Guard duty.
So this is the Commander of the Nightguard, huh. A bulky pegasus stallion with batwings. Wears an ornate armor with moon emblems, looks as anonymous as the rest of the force. Contrary to Shining Armors, his uniform is enchanted to alter his looks but not the rest of his pysique. Wouldnt want to force a fight with that fellow, he will most likely crush me with his weight.
"So, You are the lousy dayponies ? Ever worked nightshift ?"
Deep voice, and he doesnt leave a single doubt on his thought regarding me and my fellow "volunteers“. "Well as long as you are not afraid of the dark...“ He doesnt finish that sentence. He probably doesnt need to.
"Well, you four,“ he points at the guys to my left, "you will walk the inner courtyard. “ "And you,“he studies me with his head turned sideways, "you will stand guard at the door to Princess Lunas chambers!“ "Normally only an elite Nightguard will do this, but they are busy at the moment.“
"Just remember one thing, private,“He degrades me, or rather the guard im impersonating, three ranks,"Dont speak to the princess except she asks you to and dont grin if she refers to herself as "We“. But I believe she wont be interested in a conversation with you, she will be busy anyways, regarding such an extraordinary event“
"Commander Shining Armor told us that Celestia gave order to double guards, not that we should be out there alone ?“, that came from the mouth of one of the others volunteers.
"You do as you are told, soldier ! If you have time to think about your orders, you clearly arent paying attention to the situation, as good guard should“, the commander yells at the guardsman, who shrinks to a quarter of his size.
He turnes to the rest and assignes them to their posts and rounds and after a look to the clocktower seemes to be in a hurry.
After he dismissed the new "Nightguards“, I make my way to my post. I should atleast be there, If only for a short period of time. I need to find out whats going on.
I assume position at the door in the upper levels of the Castle. Nopony is there with me. Strange enough. I lean my head towards the door and listen carefully. Someone is pacing in there. Oh, the trots are getting closer to the Door. I assume posture, seconds after, the door is opened by magic and a dark blue mare with a mane like the night sky trots out. She looks at me, smirks and continues to walk away while whisteling some tune. So, that is Princess Luna. By the looks of it, she doesnt seem the kind to be worried about. Time to act. I check the hallway, the princess is gone.
I try to open the door but it seems to be locked. Double check the hallway. Still nopony in sight. I switch into my true form and use my magic to unlock it. I quickly step inside the darkened room. It is a rather small one, atleast from what I thought a princesses accommodies whould look like. I walk further into the room. A ladder reaching some space in the tip of the tower stands in the middle of the room, a large bed next to the glass door leading to a balcony, that looks away from Canterlot and into the far lands of Equestria. To my left there is a table, layered with books and scrolls and what seems to be some letters. A large pillow lies on the ground beneath it. I approach the table in search for valuable informations. A freshly opened letter with the words „urgend“ and „secret“ catches my eye. I raise the letter with my magic, but can't make out the rest because of the absence of light in the chamber. I trot over to the balcony and light from the full moon bathes the letter in pale white light.
You really thought, we wouldnt notice it, did you ?
Smart for a changeling, but not smart enough to fool the princess of the sun.
A sudden Bang, and the chamber was brighter than the sunniest day. As my eyes adjusted to the sudden change, I see Princess Celestia descent from the space with atop the tower, followed by shining armor, the captain of the nightguard and several other stallions in heavy armor, that needed to use the ladder to reach the ground.
"Were you really dumb enough to assume we wouldnt bring spells in place to warn us from your kind impersonating our guards ? Well, bad enough for you we did,"Celestia looked really proud of herself as she stared down on me. I carefully gazed across the room to the other ponies, that looked like they were about to tear me apart. Also they had blocked all my ways out.
„You have nowhere to run, spy !“-that bold statement came from shining armor, and was very true.
I quickly think about my strategy and notice to balcony and its glass door behind me. That would probably hurt and its probably enchanted. I still use my magic to levitate the scroll and stretch it out to stealthly unlock the door. Sweet Chrysalis, it worked. But some wind blows around the tower and opens the now unlocked door. And suddenly a rather surprisingly loud voice asks from the chamber entrance: „Dear sister, what are you doing in our chambers ? Celestia and the other ponies quickly turned around to who I assumed was Luna but I didnt look as I was to busy to make my escape to the balcony and jump over the railing.
Wind rushing around me as I feel the euphory from my little victory. I look up to the balcony and see the two princesses looking over the handrail and down on me. But not with angry faces, but with a rather questioning look. And then I notice that I didnt change my form into the pegasus guard I was impersonating, thus I was missing something rather important: Wings !
I turn my face towards the ground which is getting closer really fast. The last thing I am able to process is,"Well, buck". Then, darkness.
My hoof hits my forehead hard and nearly misses my horn. As gifted as some of my children are, changelings arent always the brightest bunch.
