Memoirs of a Royal Guard

by Anzel

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Comedy, Royal Guard, Shining Armor, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe
Length: 85649

Silent Knight assumed his story would be complete once he achieved his dream of joining the Royal Guard. To his surprise, it was only just the beginning.

Everypony has a story. Some tell of heroic feats and grand adventure. Others tell of villainy against the forces of Harmony. The story of an average guard, however, is one of obscurity. They live in the background, unnoticed but ever-present.

Silent Knight assumed his tale would be like that of his father's: join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria. He would be just another helmet and spear, part of the rank and file. And that was all he ever wanted.

However, when Captain Shining Armor asked for volunteers to form a House Guard for the recently returned Princess Luna, it was Silent's hooves that stepped forwards to set his new life in motion.

Published 2014-11-17 17:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-05-11 16:51:50 UTC

8. The Gala

“I realize a lot of you may want to go to the Grand Galloping Gala tomorrow night but we’re going to need extra security so I’m asking for volunteers to work it. If there are enough I won’t have to assign ponies.” Shining Armor explained to the group.

My hoof went up. Iridescence shot me a look. Other ponies were also volunteering.

The captain started counting hooves and then cleared his throat. “We’re going to need about ten more. Any other volunteers? Otherwise I’m just going to have to pick some at random.

At my side Iridescence sighed and lifted her hoof. A few more ponies did the same but with less sighing.

Shining Armor counted again. “Close enough. I’ll post the rosters shortly. Thank you everypony. Next year I’ll give preferential treatment to the volunteers when it comes to leave. That is it for today. Dismissed.”

There weren’t a lot of “whole palace” meetings where both House Guards and the Palace Guard got together. The Gala was a special occasion though. The palace would be open to a large group of ponies. It was far more access than normal and that meant additional security concerns.

Volunteering was easy for me. I’d never been to the Gala, didn’t have a ticket, and didn’t really care. That seemed more like Iridescence’s thing and she seemed grumpy about it.

On our way back to our room she said, “We were off.”

“I know, you didn’t have to volunteer too.”

“We’re partners,” she reminded me.

“I appreciate that.”

That seemed to be the end of it once we reached our room. Iridescence removed her armor, set it on the stand, flopped unceremoniously on her bunk, and started to look through a magazine. She didn’t utter a single word.

While that was an unnerving thing there was something that needed doing. I went to the table and started to work on my response to Winterspear. It was probably passed time for me to do that.

Dear Winterspear

Yes, I’m having fun. Most of my off days allow me plenty of time to work out in the gym. That always relaxes me and gives me a sense of progress. It is work-like but I was doing that long before I became a Royal Guard.

Did you know alicorns have to exercise to stay in shape? I didn’t. They do though! Princess Luna likes to swim. I don’t think that is a secret but don’t spread it around. That would be a silly thing to end a career over.

Yes, I’ve made a friend. Her name is Iridescence. She’s my partner. Before you pick up the pencil to write that that doesn’t count, it does! We do things outside of work. We go shopping together, have an occasional picnic, and spend our off days together. That all counts.

I actually think she is mad at me right now. We have the Grand Galloping Gala coming up and I volunteered to work so other ponies could go. That seemed to set her off but I can’t understand why.

Mares aren’t as obvious about things as stallions are. No offense.

What about you? Is there anything new going on? Are you taking your job as sergeant serious enough? You may not be patrolling anymore but that is no excuse to loaf.

Tell mom I said hello if you get a chance.

Your brother

Silent Knight

That was another letter complete. I set the pencil down and lifted the paper up. “Could you help me fold this?” I asked Iridescence.

She shot me an unkind look but then sighed and did as I’d asked. She must have really not wanted to work that night. Still, she didn’t have to volunteer too. “Thank you.” The folded paper went into the envelope and I headed out to mail it.

Once that errand was done I’d go get Iridescence a treat. Ice cream or something. Mares like ice cream. Maybe that would make her feel better about having to work… or at least less angry with me. Our room was too small to hide from an angry mare.

☾

“Princess, are you certain you don’t want to go to the Gala? It is the biggest event of the year,” Iridescence said while I stood quietly behind her.

The princess waved a dismissive hoof and replied, “We are certain! We would not know anypony there. It would not amuse us.”

Well that was that. The princess didn’t want to go. We’d have a nice quiet night in her chambers.

“But you might have fun, Princess. You may even meet new friends,” Iridescence said over my thoughts.

Princes Luna paused, as if to think it over, and then replied, “No, thank thee for thinking of our feelings. Perhaps we can watch from the balcony? We three can make our own fun, can we not?”

“Of course, Princess,” Iridescence said and looped her hoof around mine and tugged me closer. “Silent Knight and I will be happy to do that. Right?” She gave me a look that read danger.

I had only one response to that: “Yes, Princess.”

“Huzzah!” She said before levitating a box from one of the shelves. “Shall we play a board game?”

“Yes, Princess,” we replied in unison.

Playing games on duty. That wasn’t procedure but we had a lot of extra security for the Gala. Two house guards and several palace guards. Iridescence could play while I kept an eye on things.

Princess Luna left her quarters and set out for the big second floor balcony that overlooked the main hall. We fell in behind her and followed. The whole area had been roped off and was relatively quiet in comparison to the noise coming up from below.

The princess set the game on one of the tables and took a seat. Iridescence sat as well while I went to look over the balcony. Things were just getting started and ponies had not been admitted yet. Then I went to look out the window. There was a mass of ponies approaching together.

“Come on Silent Knight, come sit down,” Iridescence said to me.

“There appears to be a mob gathering outside the gates. They are... singing... and dancing. They are also well choreographed. I don’t think they’re a threat,” I replied and came back over. Princess Luna and Iridescence were levitating pieces into place with their respective magic. Despite knowing better I settled at the table with them.

Sitting while on duty felt weird. Iridescence levitated the helmet off my head and set it aside. My hooves wiggled after it in a failed recapture attempt. I looked at her. Playing on duty and out of uniform? So it was to be a mutiny.

“Have thou played before, Silent Knight?” The princess asked me.

“No, Princess.” I replied

Iridescence spoke out of turn and said, “We are so surprised.” Both of the mares laughed.

An instructor had once told me that I could have had a career in comedy. Maybe he wasn’t just being a jerk.

Princess Luna smiled. “Fear not Silent Knight, we shall teach thee to play. Thou might even like it.”

The board was an old time map of Equestria and had colored lines all over it. The princess slid a group of pieces towards me. I took one in my hoof and peered at it. One of many blue train cars. She then slid four cards over to me.

“Thy goal is to complete the routes on thy cards. Pretend thou art riding the train and exploring our great land.”

Pretend. I used to do that a lot with my sister Winterspear. We played all sort of games. At least until our father got wind of it. He said we spent too much time with our head in the clouds. Which, at the time, my sister thought was hilarious. You know, since we’re pegasi.

Dad… well, Dad didn’t find that funny. Winterspear caught the worst of that. She always did. We focused more on our studies afterwards. Orders were orders, though.

“Yes, Princess. I’ll pretend,” I replied and she set about explaining the rules to me.

They were simple enough and I caught on quickly. It was a game about trains but there was a lot of strategy to how you laid out your routes and blocked others’. I had to win! I also had a job to do. On Iridescence’s turn I got up to look down on the ballroom. The Gala was in full swing but there was something out of place.

A pink mare with a cotton candy mane was making something of a scene. “There is a pink mare acting peculiar down there,” I said.

“That is fine Silent Knight, there are guards there. Come play your turn.” Iridescence replied.

I wasn’t sure. “She has a cannon,” I added. “Should I take her out?”

“No Silent Knight. It is thy turn.” Princess Luna said.

I put the crossbow down and came back over to the table. “Yes princess.” Much to the dismay of the mares I laid down six cards of the same color and placed my train cars. Were they expecting an easy victory over the new pony? Strategy is my middle name!

We played a while. Iridescence and Princess Luna chatted like two familiar ponies might. It seemed a little like fraternizing but I knew my partner. She was a professional. Between turns I would keep an eye on the ballroom below. Toward the end of the evening things seemed to get out of hoof.

“Is it typical for everypony to be running in terror at the Gala?” I asked.

Iridescence got up and replied worriedly, “What? Quit fooling around.” Both she and Princess Luna came over to look at the bedlam below.

Things had gone sideways for sure. The pink pony dove off the stage and sent a cake flying. As it approached the crowd a rather cowardly unicorn stallion used a beautiful unicorn mare as a shield. I’d been told he was a princeling. Not an actual prince that was in the royal succession.

The princeling bumped into the large statue of Princess Celestia that dominated the center of the room and caused it to topple over. To my amazement a blue pegasus mare managed to catch it and somehow support its weight.

Unfortunately she immediately bumped it into a support column, knocking it down. I was seriously starting to question the structural integrity of the palace. It seemed that relying on the lowest bidder for royal construction was not paying off. Celestia knows I’d seen some insane things going on with the ponies building over in Princess Luna’s wing.

Just a moment after the column went down a herd of animals burst into the ballroom with a yellow and pink pegasus mare chasing them and screaming “LOVE ME!” At that point all decorum broke down and the Gala descended into a riot.

I looked to Iridescence and she looked back at me. I’ve known her long enough to read her expressions. It was telling me: no, Silent Knight, this is not typical for the Gala.

“Should we move the princess?” I asked.

Iridescence considered that and then shook her head. “Not from the palace but certainly from here. This situation could spill upstairs in a hurry and we’d be overwhelmed. I don’t much care for the idea of knocking down regular ponies who mean no harm but are panicked.”

She was right. Of course, she usually was. I nodded and said, “Princess, shall we finish our game in your chambers?”

“Yes, we would not mind that at all. It is getting quite loud out here. Tis a silly event,” she said and, with little effort, levitated the board, all the pieces, and cards with her alicorn magic. That always amazed me but I didn’t have time to enjoy it or eye it wearily.

Taking the lead, Iridescence said, “If you’ll follow me Princess...” and started to head towards Princess Luna’s chambers. I took up the rear, keeping an eye behind me. There were still sounds of chaos and commotion coming from the ballroom.

Thankfully we reached our destination without any excitement. I closed the door behind us while Princess Luna and Iridescence set the game back up. When it was clear that it was safe I resumed my seat.

We played on quietly until I asked, “Should the columns have been that easy to knock down?”

Both mares looked up at me.

“What?” I frowned. “No pony finds that weird?”

37. Agent of the Night

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38. Hearts and Hooves Day

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39. Diplomacy in Force

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40. I'll Be Seeing You

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41. Into The Gryphon's Roost - Part 1

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42. Into The Gryphon's Roost - Part 2

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43. Into The Gryphon's Roost - Part 3

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44. Into The Gryphon's Roost - Part 4

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45. Into The Gryphon's Roost - Part 5

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46. All Good Things... - Part 1

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47. All Good Things... - Part 2

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48. Homecoming

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49. Some Measure Of Peace

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50. One Long Day

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51. Section Sergeant No More

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52. Happy Birthday Runic

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53. Silent Knight, Cadet - Part 1

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54. Silent Knight, Cadet - Part 2

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55. Silent Knight, Cadet - Part 3

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Epilogue

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29. A Gryphon Summit

Gryphons, unlike ponies, were not all united under a single flag. Historically speaking they’re a highly competitive bunch and they often resolve political differences with swords. For the most part their lands and kingdoms had been stable for the last two decades or so. They had divided their continent into the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Island Kingdoms.

The Northern Kingdom was, without a doubt, the most stable of them all. Those gryphons were primarily seafaring traders who were more interested in selling to ponies and other gryphons than fighting with them. They were the biggest market for pony exports on that side of the world. They also had not betrayed us… yet.

A few years before I was born there had been some major battling between the Southern and Eastern Kingdoms over a mountain range. It was rich with precious stones and other resources. Both kingdoms had sent settlers and when the armies got involved civilians found themselves trapped between them.

The Southern Kingdom had begged Princess Celestia to send pony peacekeepers to protect the non-combatants. In her endless kindness she agreed. General Ironhoof led that particular expedition. My father was there, too. In theory it was supposed to be easy. Go to the civilian outposts, fill them with pony soldiers, and make it unappetizing for either army to attack them. Nothing is ever easy when it comes to wars, however.

Stratus Knight was never the same after he returned from that operation… at least so my mother said. The leg wound was one thing but his mind wasn’t right. The ponies that went over there had seen horrible things. Things Stratus couldn’t convey to her or me. All he would say was that they saved lives and all they received in return was a knife in the back.

The army of the Southern Kingdom, the very gryphons that asked us to help, had attacked our peacekeepers without warning. He never forgave them and I didn’t trust them. Logically I realized that the gryphons from the Northern Kingdom weren’t those same betrayers… but a lifetime of your father warning you is hard to let go.

This meeting was going to be Princess Luna’s reintroduction to world politics. I could tell she was still nervous but she also had a resolve the likes of which I had never seen. We stood together on her rostrum awaiting the arrival of our guests.

***

The official meeting went off without a hitch. Princess Luna greeted the dignitaries from the gryphons, pleasantries were exchanged, all ceremonies were followed to the letter, and as a result our nations agreed to continue to live in peace. In truth, it was little more than a polite meet and greet. I would almost say there was little that was noteworthy… at least until the curve ball at the end. Duke Cassius had personally invited Princess Luna to visit his brother’s kingdom in the future and she had agreed. That was going to be interesting and a logistical nightmare.

Once the official function was over everyone, gryphon and pony alike, had moved to the reception hall where refreshments were being served. I never left the Princess’s side which meant listening politely to numerous stories about why this city or that town was worth visiting and what to do while there. It wasn’t bad conversation; it just wasn’t something I was interested in.

To be fair, Duke Cassius was quite polite and charming. He and Princess Luna seemed to be on the same wavelength and I imagine, as far as politics go, that they got more done in one meeting than most do in several. I actually found myself enjoying his company to some extent. He made the princess smile so that helped him earn my approval.

“Your aid is so stoic Princess Luna. The perfect image of royal guard pony professionalism,” the duke said as he motioned to me.

Princess Luna softly laughed and nodded. “That he is. Silent Knight was my first guard and has been with me ever since my return to the world of pony politics. He is a good luck charm and a confidant.”

My ears gave a slight twitch but I didn’t dare change my expression or look away. My eyes were set on the wheat-feathered gryphon guard captain that was strutting about the room. Unlike the duke I had immediately wanted to buck the guy in the beak.

Captain Alastair, the gryphon in question, had criticized our security efforts before the meeting. Now that it had been concluded he was personally going around to each of my guards and disparaging them individually. Politely of course… with backhanded compliments.  Secretly I hoped to one day meet him in battle so that I could politely stomp him. Celestia forgive me for having such dark thoughts.

“That is a delight to hear. I’ve had trouble finding an aid that suits my eccentricities,” the duke went on. “They keep sending me career soldiers. Believe me, I enjoy being safe as much as the next gryphon, but there has to be more. I need someone I can talk to and who helps with details outside of how many soldiers will be with me.”

“Perhaps in time one will grow to suit you? Silent Knight had required a tiny bit of polishing,” the Princess replied with a gentle laugh.

My ears were barely registering the conversation that was occurring near me. What I had heard was Alastair ‘whisper’ to one of his men while looking at Miley Hooves, “Look at this one. I imagine she is quite the adept warrior when she isn’t tripping over her own hooves.”

I wanted to leave the Princess’s side and go set the gryphon straight but I had already made that mistake once in my life so, instead, I stood there cool, calm, and collected. The perfect aid and guard.

Miley Hooves made me proud and did not react at all. She may have had some bad luck but she wasn’t a bad guard. She was the sort of pony that never gave up and she didn’t even offer a hint of notice to the rude gryphon.

“I love flowers! Especially the pale white ones… carnations, lilies, and the like. I’m so thrilled to see your wife’s flower garden. Is it large?” Princess Luna asked excitedly.

Duke Cassius shook his head. “No, she only has four bushes or so, but if you want to see one of the most amazing gardens in the whole world you simply must see my brother’s. He is so enamored with the hobby and tends it himself. Other than ruling our nation it is his greatest passion.”

It went on like that for a while but, eventually, Captain Alastair lost interest in his teasing because he was never able to get a rise out of any of Princess Luna’s House Guards. It probably wasn’t obvious to anyone in the room but I was filled with pride. My ponies were professionals even in the face of outright rudeness.

Princess Luna said, “I’m so excited about the opportunity to come and visit. Thank you for the offer. It has been a pleasure spending time with you.”

“The pleasure has been mine, Princess Luna. I shall return home and eagerly await your arrival. Perhaps in the mean time we should start exchanging letters? You could write my wife and share gardening tips as well,” the duke replied.

“Verily! It shall be so,” Princess Luna cheered before offering her hoof to the duke. The pair shook before the gryphon stepped back to bow.

The princess and I returned the gesture. I went lower than she did due to my station.

“Until we meet again,” Duke Cassius toned warmly before drawing his entourage close and leaving.

***

At the end of the evening, after we had bid farewell to the gryphons and everypony was finally able to relax, we had been ushered into the palace banquet hall. Princess Luna had set up a surprise party for us. Drinks had been poured and she lifted hers high.

“To our first successful negotiation! May we have many more!”

We raised our glasses as a unit. It was good to see the princess feeling confident and happy. She was still trying to find her place in Equestrian politics and it was a great start.

“And to my house guard. The finest ponies in all of Equestria,” the princess cheered and we lifted our glasses a second time… just a little bit higher. “And now please enjoy this gathering. It is my token of appreciation for such a fine group of royal guards and their commander.”

All of the ponies stomped their hooves in appreciation before heading over to the buffet to share a meal. The palace staff had been brought in to cater for us and the phonograph was playing some upbeat but quiet dance music.

“Did you hear what that nasty fellow said about my mane? Why I doubt he would know style if it slapped him in the beak. It isn’t my fault the helmet crushes all the work I put into it.” Lavender was saying in mock offense to Shadestar and Iridescence. The three laughed softly.

Mixer’s ears twitched as he heard that and he peered in their direction. “Who cares what they said. It was the smell that got me. That big silver-feathered one reeked of… Celestia knows what!”

Solar Flare replied, “Dead fish?”

“Spoiled fruit?” Blackblade put in.

Cog shook his head. “No… it was used diapers. For sure.”

Mixer asked curiously, “Why do you know what used diapers smell like?”

Before Cog could come up with a reasonable answer Night Frost caught me looking their way and asked, “What would you say he smelled like sergeant?”

“Probably a towel that was left on the locker room floor for a week, or a day if we’re talking about one of Mountain Stone’s towels. I’d say he was sweating, intimidated by all of you.”

The group laughed in response and Mountain shook a playfully angry hoof in my direction. It was all in good fun of course.

“You betcha!” Starry Spur chimed in. “Fierce is our middle name, y’all! Well… maybe our first name. Wherever it sounds the best in the unit name.”

I chuckled at that and went over to stand beside Radiant Orchid. Even at private functions it wasn’t appropriate for sergeants to mingle too much with regular guards. We stood in silence and watched the crowd of younger ponies.

Orchid looked over at me and asked, “Care to dance, sergeant?”

My brow lifted and I looked back at her. “I’m no home wrecker nor am I a foolish pony. Your husband is bigger than me.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “My husband is barely bigger than my oldest colt and you know it. Now come on stud. Humor an older mare with a dance.”

With a chuckle I offered my forehoof, “Humoring an older mare got me in trouble before but you look safe enough. Come along then. Let’s show these young ponies that I have four left hooves.”

Radiant Orchid took my hoof and we moved out onto the dance floor. She took pity on me and we danced slowly to the rhythm of the phonograph.

“You realize you’re barely older than any of those ‘young ponies’ you’re talking about. Actually, some are even older than you.”

Orchid had a point. I thought it over a moment and then shrugged, “Doesn’t always feel that way, does it?”

She shook her head as we went into a short turn. “No, being in charge has a way of aging you. You’ve been through an awful lot in a very short period of time. I worry sometime that you’ve taken on too much… but then I realize I’m being silly.”

“Is that so?”

“It is so. You did an excellent job today,” she told me quietly.

“It was a team effort.”

“Every good team needs a good coach, and you make a very good coach, Silent Knight. I’ve been a guard at least one day longer than you and I know a leader when I see one,” she replied as we took a slow turn.

“That means a lot coming from you Orchid and I appreciate it. I can’t help but wonder what you’re up to, though.”

“Iridescence told me that you once talked about trying to become an officer. Maybe you should consider that. Celestia knows you would do better than the last one, not that anypony would have much trouble with that achievement.”

The song drew to a close and I nodded. “Maybe I should… to be honest I have considered it but I couldn’t see leaving Princess Luna. It must have been hard for you to leave Princess Celestia and you only had to walk down the corridor. For all I know I’d end up in Cloudsdale.”

We walked together over to the punch bowl in silence. Finally she spoke up again. “I see your point and yes, it was very hard… I’d have never considered it if it wasn’t for Shining Armor. He said this unit needed somepony like me. Perhaps in time you’ll find a different unit that needs somepony like you. Just don’t keep blinders on, okay?”

“I hear you loud and clear,” I said. “You know, you make an excellent advisor. Are you sure you’re not wasted on this royal guard stuff?”

Orchid shrugged. “As I said, Shining Armor said you’d need somepony like me… for your unit.”

The way she phrased it gave me pause. The captain always seemed to have an angle. Not in the bad sense of course. Everything he did helped improve my abilities as a royal guard. This particular revelation would probably require a little thinking over.  After another moment, I nodded. “I bet he did…”

30. The First, First Sergeant

Captain Shining Armor had insisted I use the lieutenant’s office until we actually had a lieutenant. It was unnecessarily large for me but I did what I was told. He stuck his head through the door and said, “Great work yesterday. I heard the gryphon soldiers were being rude and that no pony even batted an eye.”

“That is correct, sir. It takes more than some feather-brained gryphons to get under the coats of my ponies,” I replied.

“That’s the spirit! Speaking of ponies, I’ve found a good candidate for lieutenant. He is still in the officer’s academy but I think he’s ready. Plus he’ll have a great unit sergeant to educate him on how the royal guard life actually is.”

I tilted my head. We didn’t have a unit sergeant. Our unit had not been big enough for command to feel that was necessary. “Who is that, sir?” I asked.

Shining Armor set a first sergeant pin on the desk and said, “You, obviously. You’ve been running the whole unit for a while and it is getting awkward with Sergeant Orchid and you being the same rank. Plus, after Lieutenant Haze, command and I agree that this unit is too important to deny a new officer the council of a unit sergeant simply because it is small.”

Looking at the pin, I set a hoof on it and pulled it closer. This one I didn’t feel was undeserved. Early? Sure… but I had been committing a lot of time to running the unit. Plus the captain was right, of course. Unit sergeants for sections had the responsibility of molding new lieutenants. At least the ones smart enough to listen. I nodded and said, “Thank you sir.”

The captain replied, “I know it is a bit fast but things change rapidly sometimes. Now, as your last task as unit commander I need three names of who should get your old position. Then you and I are going to go look this pony over and see if he is House Guard material. Understood?”

“Understood, sir!” I said. The captain left me alone to consider who I thought was ready to take on my old job. This was going to be difficult.

***

Radiant Orchid and I sat at lunch, eating quietly. I looked across the table at her and said, “Orchid, can I ask you something?”

Orchid looked up from her apple salad mid-chew. “Hmm?”

I took that as as yes. “Do you mind that I’ve been promoted so fast? I wanted to see how you felt about that.”

She swallowed and then softly laughed. “You’re sweet to be concerned. Listen, Silent Knight. I wanted to be part of Princess Celestia’s House Guard. I worked really hard to make that happen. You know as well as I do that when you make that choice promotion opportunities get really slim. Some ponies spend their entire career in the palace guard and never make sergeant. That is even more likely as a House Guard.”

Orchid paused to sip her drink. “I made sergeant. That is a big achievement. I also decided to move to Princess Luna’s House Guard. That is an even smaller unit. I’m glad I did. I certainly don’t begrudge you your success. Who volunteers for every extra duty? You. Who knows every regulation and protocol? You. Who looks out for every pony on the team? You. It was always going to be you.” She patted me on the hoof. “No, I don’t mind. You’ve earned it.”

I thought that over and then offered, “But you have more seniority.”

Orchid laughed and said, “I also have a husband and two foals I like going home to. The higher you go the more responsibility you have and, as a consequence, the less time at home. That is fine for you…” she winced. “That isn’t what I meant, Silent Knight. You’ll get there. For NOW though, it is fine for you.”

The comment hadn’t really stung and she had me there. Orchid had a beautiful family. If I had one like hers I wouldn’t want to stay late either. My life was all about the job. I smiled at her and nodded. “Then we’re good. That wasn’t why I asked you to lunch though. I need two names from your squad on who you think should make sergeant.”

Her head tilted and she asked, “From my squad? For your squad?”

I nodded with certainty. “Promotion opportunities are slim and the first sergeant can’t seem like he favors one squad over the other. Everypony should have a fair shot. I’m going to pick two, you’re going to pick two, and I’ll give the best three to the captain.”

“Look at you…” she teased. “You’re going to make an excellent first first sergeant for this unit. Just remember us little ponies when you make master sergeant and move up.”

I snorted at that idea. Ponies do not make master sergeant easily or quickly and I’d be competing against every pony in both house guards and the palace guard. No, this was going to be home for a while.

***

“You realize two of these names are from Sergeant Orchid’s squad right?” Shining Armor asked me.

“I do, captain. I considered everypony in the unit and asked Sergeant Orchid’s advice on who she thought was ready in her squad. I did the same for mine. I took those ponies and ranked them according to seniority, commendations, and their leadership qualities. These were the three top ponies.” I explained.

“And you’re not worried your ponies will be upset if we bring somepony over from Orchid’s squad?” He asked.

“Not at all, sir. We’re one unit. Everypony is close knit and knows the score. First sergeants can't play favorites and I’ve got a lot of rookies in my squad. Orchid has the more seasoned guards. I took her two recommendations and put them with the best I had.”

Shining Armor nodded and tapped my desk. “Well, you passed the first test. Not that I had any doubt. Now that you have the list, who should get the promotion?”

“I gave you the three as requested captain.”

“And I’m asking you to recommend one to me now, first sergeant,” he replied.

“That puts me in an awkward position, sir. The best pony for the job per the metrics and Sergeant Orchid’s recommendation is Iridescence. If I pick her the others may suspect it is because of my feelings.”

“Is she the best pony for the job?” the captain asked.

“Yes, sir. She has the second highest seniority of all of the first class ponies and the most commendations. Her interpersonal skills exceed everypony’s, mine included, and if this were a regular guard unit she would have made sergeant before me.”

“Then make the call, sergeant,” Shining Armor said pointedly. This was clearly the second part of the test.

I looked at the documents in front of me once more to be sure. Mountain Stone had the most seniority. He had a full year and then some more than Iridescence. At the same time, Mountain had less than half the commendations she did. Iridescence even had a letter of reference from her commanding officer from her time as a palace guard. Then there was Lightning Flash. He was the best of my squad currently but he really didn’t stack up.

From the group of three I slid Lightning away and looked back and forth between the two remaining. What would the other ponies think? It was my first decision as unit sergeant and I was going to pick my former special somepony? How could I face Iridescence if I sabotaged her career because I was worried that other ponies wouldn’t see the facts?

The captain just stood there quietly letting me work it out myself. I slid a piece of paper over to him and said, “Mares rule the world.”

He nodded in agreement. “That they do.”

***

It so happened that everypony on Princess Luna’s House Guard did know the score and how to read metrics. If anypony was upset about Iridescence making sergeant I couldn’t tell. The fact that they threw her a small party may have also been a hint.

I eyed the group and said, “No pony threw me a party.”

Iridescence was sitting beside me eating her cake. “Everypony had expected you to make sergeant,” she said between bites. “You want a reward for doing what you’re supposed to?”

I snorted and then asked, “And why is Winterspear here? She isn’t even part of the unit.”

That yielded a shove from Iridescence which isn’t strictly regulation but this was a semi-unofficial function and we weren’t in uniform. “I invited her and it’s my party. I’ll invite who I want to. Quit being surly.”

“Fine, fine,” I said before taking a large bite of cake. It was amazing. Crystal Wishes had brought it from Velvet Step’s family’s bakery. Those ponies knew cake. I was in a sweets-induced heaven until I saw impending doom. My eyes went wide. It was Miley’s turn to play pin the tail on the pony and she was way off course.

Princess Luna had her back to the rapidly approaching Miley. I opened my mouth to shout a warning but with all of the cake I had just bit into it sounded like the noises that fluffy pink pony from Ponyville makes.

Time slowed down and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Princess Luna was about to have a second tail. I pointed a hoof, it was all I could do. Iridescence followed my gaze and gasped.

“Cripes! My backside has been pinned!” Princess Luna shouted as she leapt straight into the air. Everypony in the room turned to look, horror on their faces.

“What happened?” Miley asked before pulling down the blindfold. For such a darkly coated pony she turned almost as white as me. “P-Princess! I’m so sorry!”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement. Everypony else was fawning over Princess Luna, who was taking it in good spirit. Golden magic levitated a slice of cake out the door and I distinctly saw a sun cutie mark on the white flank that was beating a hasty retreat. A set up then… the whole pinning had been a diversion.

I got up and went to check on the Princess. She was a good sport and we got Miley back on track. Thank goodness our alicorn rulers have a sense of humor… and a lust for cake.

***

Princess Luna and I walked side by side back to her chambers. Mixer and Cog were two paces back. As far as strolls through the palace went this was probably one of the most unnecessarily secure ones.

Speaking softly I asked, “Princess… before the gryphons came. You mentioned you were young before you were banished. If I could inquire… are alicorns ever fillies? You were born just like any other pony?”

“This is not something that we casually speak of, Silent Knight. Many ponies have certain… beliefs about us. Princess Celestia feels that certain things should remain behind the curtain and I agree.”

That made sense. Some ponies looked at the alicorns as living goddesses. “Of course, princess; my apologies.”

When we reached the doors I pulled them open for the princess and she walked in.

“Silent Knight, I know thou art off duty but join me for a moment please. I would like to speak to privately.”

“Yes, princess,” I replied before motioning to Mixer and Cog. “You two take position outside the door here for now.”

“Yes, sergeant,” they replied as I followed the princess in.

After pushing the door closed I made my way over to where Princess Luna had sat down. I took a spot next to her.

“Do thou believe that alicorns are goddesses?” The princess asked me.

That was a very philosophical question. “Well, logically speaking… alicorns are immortal, they have powerful magic far beyond unicorns, they can fly, and they’re larger. If they’re not goddesses they’re certainly more goddess-like than pony-like. I guess by being so close to you I don’t exactly… worship you. At the same time I know you’re not exactly like me.”

“Ageless.” Princess Luna replied.

“Pardon?”

“We’re ageless, not immortal. I won’t die of old age but I can be killed. Thus why thou art here to protect me.” The princess corrected.

My nose wrinkled and I shivered. The mere idea of the princess being killed creeped me out. “Ageless then. Princess, you’re as goddess-like as can be… so I guess I do think of you that way.”

“Do thou believe that Celestia and I have always been?” She asked.

“I did… but in working here you both talk about being younger and even foalhoods. It is confusing. I know you’re both older than well recorded history.”

“Indeed.” Princess Luna shifted and looked me over. “I was once a filly and we have not always been. Thou will keep that in confidence, wilt thou not?”

“You have my word, princess.”

The princess nodded firmly and lightly patted me with a hoof. “If thou will excuse me I’d like to take a little rest.”

“Certainly,” I replied as I got up and left the room quietly, leaving the princess to her thoughts.

31. Into the Darkness - Part 1

I stretched behind my desk. It had been a long day and there was still a significant stack of guard profiles on my desk. Each one hoped to fill the now vacant spot in Radiant Orchid’s squad following Iridescence’s promotion. I had finally narrowed it down to a short list. That had only eaten up half a day.

Miley was the other half. She had managed to trip, knock over a statue and, as a result, create a pony-sized hole in one of the palace walls. It was her biggest mishap thus far… except that it wasn’t. When the facilities ponies came to patch up the damage one of them noted that some sort of mites had been aggressively burrowing into and eating the local support beam.

Had there been no hole, facilities would not have seen the damage. I was told that the floor could have given way into the office below at any time should sufficient weight be applied to it.

It wasn’t abundantly clear on whether I should cite Miley, reward her, or just sweep it under the rug like usual. It was also getting late. The sun had been down for an hour or so and I was about ready to leave. “Tomorrow, Miley.” I closed the file and headed for the door.

There was a knock and said door opened suddenly. It missed my nose by half a hoof’s length.

“Oh, sergeant, I am so terribly sorry!” Lavender exclaimed.

“No harm done. What can I do for you?”

“Princess Luna is asking for you and… she is in a mood.”

My ears twitched. “A mood? She is never in a mood. What sort of mood?”

Lavender shifted. “If I didn’t know better… I’d say sad. She has us stationed outside her chambers. I’d have gone to Sergeant Orchid but the princess asked for you specifically.”

“Thanks, Lavender. I’ll handle it. You head back to your position.”

“Of course, sergeant.”

We walked to Princess Luna’s chamber together in silence. Risky Storm was outside the door and Lavender took her place across from him as I went inside.

The phonograph was playing one of the classical pieces that the Royal Canterlot Orchestra was known for. This one in particular was slow and melancholy. Princess Luna was on her settee staring off into space.

“Princess, you sent for me?” My tone was soft. Lavender was right; she looked sad.

There was no immediate reply. The princess just sat in silence until the song drew to a close. “Yes. Please, come here, Silent Knight.” I did so and she took my helmet off. “There is something I need thou to do.”

“Of course, princess. Name it.”

“I have a mission for thou. There is somewhere I want thou to go,” she said as she looked intently at my face. It was unnerving.

“A mission? Have you discussed it with the captain?”

The princess shook her head. “No, it is a mission for me. Not the royal guard.”

Most ponies assume that a princess can order a royal guard to do whatever she likes. That isn’t actually the case. We have policies and procedures to avoid that to make certain royal meddling doesn’t result in a systemic failure. The look on Princess Luna’s face made me care a whole lot less about those policies. “Okay… but we could tell him of it. I’m sure he’d agree.”

“He would but we will not. This mission is between thou and I alone. Can thou do that for me, Silent Knight?”

It was an awkward position for the princess to put me in but I wasn’t going to disappoint her. “Yes, princess. Can you at least tell him after I am gone that you had to dispatch me?”

“Agreed. I need thou to leave as soon as thou can. Fly east towards Filly Delphia. There is a mountain range between here and there. Look for the highest peak that parts the clouds. Thou will find a cave there. Go into it and report back thy findings.”

“A cave? What am I looking for princess?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I cannot say for certain but thou wilt know it when thou finds it. Now… thou will need a tool for this task.” Her horn illuminated and tendrils of blue magic reached out towards me. They swirled over my breastplate and for a brief instant it glowed. Then, as if nothing happened, the magic disappeared. “As long as thou wears thy armor, should thou find thyself in the dark, thou will be able to see.”

“That is amazing. Forever?” I asked.

“No; it lasts only a couple of days, I’m afraid. Now go, as fast as thy wings will carry thou,” she said, a hint of urgency in her voice.

“Yes, princess.” I reached for my helmet and she placed her hoof over mine.

“When thou arrive at the cave thou are, under no circumstances, to enter with thy helmet on. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.” The hoof withdrew and I put my helmet on. I had no idea what I was getting into but it seemed important. I hurried out to make one stop before leaving Canterlot.

***

It was a stroke of luck. Sunny Day was in her office still working late. Her door was open which was typical. I knocked and she looked up.

“First sergeant. Come in!” I did so. “What can I do for Princess Luna’s House Guard?”

“I need a favor, lieutenant.”

Her ears wiggled and she beamed. “Oh, Silent Knight needs a favor?”

I shook my head. “First sergeant.”

“Drat. Well, what can I do for you first sergeant?”

“The princess has dispatched me on something only I can do. Can you look after my ponies until the captain gets in?”

Sunny’s head tilted but her cheery expression didn’t change. “Dispatched? On what?”

“Classified.”

The mare pouted and sighed. “Fine, I’ll take care of your ponies…” She then put emphasis on the words, “First sergeant. BUT Silent Knight will owe me lunch.”

Extortion. Never trust the ponies that prance. “Agreed.”

“Have a safe trip then!”

***

Flying at night with Princess Luna’s vision enchantment spell was both amazing and strange. When she had said I’d be able to see in the dark she was correct but everything at a distance was washed out colorwise. There were just shades of grey and brown until I got closer.

Despite that fact finding the mountain the princess was talking about was not difficult. The range in general was not overly large but one particular peak truly did reach into the clouds. When I breached the cover it was probably around midnight and my body needed a rest.

For a pegasus I didn’t spend much time in the clouds… or even flying for that matter. I did it just enough to stay in shape so it was a pleasant treat to fly above and rest on a fluffy set of clouds.

I used my rest period to scan the peak and try to spot the cave. At first it seemed like a fool’s errand since I could hardly distinguish between grey mountain, greyscale vision, and shadows. Over time my eyes adjusted and the subtle differences became more obvious.

The moon broke through the cloud cover and illuminated the peak. In the pale light it became all too clear where I was going. The opening itself was large. Large enough for a pony to pull two wagons into side by side. Without a moment’s hesitation I dove off the cloud and flapped hard for the cave.

Curiosity had taken hold of my soul and I pondered what was going to be found. The distance got shorter and shorter. This was no ordinary cave; it was a grand entrance. Out before the arch was a landing platform wide enough for multiple wagons.

My hooves clattered on the stone as I landed. It only took a moment of inspecting the platform to realize it was not naturally occurring. The rock had the tell-tale signs of tool work. This had been done by ponies or some other species. There were no other hints of life and that meant it was time to delve into the entrance of the cave.

The opening was even larger than I had estimated. In fact I’d guess it was the same size as Canterlot’s main gate. It was smoothly hewn and was similarly artificial. Just before I crossed the threshold the wind blew across me and under my helmet, tickling the tufts of my ears. It was a pointed reminder that I took. My helmet would remain outside while I went in.

Thank Luna for the vision spell. Without it there was little chance of success in this cave, as the moon’s light barely reached a few meters inside. I wasn’t that far in before the floor shifted to a downward grade and started to spiral inward. The path was leading me deeper into the mountain.

The hair of my coat started to stand on end the further I walked. Even though I could see in the dark there was nothing but shadow behind me and even darker shadow in front. My vision wasn’t the only sense that was limited either. There was no sound other than my hooves on the stone. The place felt like a tomb and I quickly realized why.

In front of me that tunnel opened up into a massive catacomb. It extended out further than even my magically enhanced vision could process. I had just wandered into a village not unlike Ponyville buried deep inside a mountain.

Silence. Nothing but still silence. I was surrounded by empty streets, vacant buildings, and gloom. The wooden doors and windows to the stone buildings had long since rotted out. Many roofs had collapsed as the support beams gave way to time. In some cases whole walls had collapsed.

My pulse started to pick up and I reached under my armor. The feel of the hilt of my sword was comforting and I drew it. It rang like a bell as I did so and the sound of metal on metal echoed throughout the chamber. Softly I cursed my foolishness and held my breath. Anything here would have heard that. Into my battle stance I went, my ears twitching here and there to listen for any sound. There was nothing. Nothing at all.

Fear is good. Fear keeps a pony alive. I crept as quietly as I could into the nearest building. It had been someone’s home. Most of the furniture was still in place, rotting, but waiting for the return of its owner. There were no personal effects, however. No pictures, no clothing, no spoiled food. Nothing. Someone had packed before leaving… just not the large items.

A search of several other buildings confirmed my hypothesis. Big items had been left but dressers were empty, cupboards were bare, and there was not a hint of recent occupancy. Whoever lived here had not left in a hurry. It was almost as if the beings that had dwelled here had simply ceased to be. It was unnatural. Either that or scavengers had stripped this place bare over the centuries.

Slowly I pushed from the village exterior towards the center. There were shops and stalls to explore on the way. They were all equally abandoned. Neatly, of course. The denizens of this village were consistent if nothing else. That was something I was thankful for. I had expected to find the place littered with bones.

After clearing one more store my eyes were drawn to the largest building in the village. It was a small keep that rose in the center above all the other structures and I had been avoiding it. I’m not too proud to admit I was frightened. The whole structure had a dark and foreboding feeling to it.

Its spires were tall and sharp, with horrific stone creatures emblazoned on the various roof peaks. They were batlike and had yellow eyes that stared down into the city. At first I thought they were real but a closer inspection made it clear they were little more than stone. What sort creature would decorate with something so frightful?

The double front door was still intact but the left side of the pair was wide open. An inviting trap. It gave me pause. Once again I froze to listen. Any noise would give away an ambusher. A breath or whisper… the shift of a weapon. Anything. Please.

32. Into the Darkness - Part 2

There was nothing. I took a deep breath and leapt through the door ready for a fight… but no attack came and I felt foolish. Foolish but not foolish enough to lower my guard as I looked around. Rich purple carpet covered the stone floor and was still in relatively good shape. It ran off into the various narrow halls that shot off each side of the foyer. In front of me there were two curved staircases that led up to a balcony and I chose that path first.

Both staircases were in the shadow of the large balcony above. It jutted out over the foyer and was likely designed to allow a noble to address those below. It also resulted in the trip up being somewhat blind and that raised my hackles again. When I reached the halfway point on the stairs it suddenly dawned on me that there was a soft light emanating from above. It wasn’t much but it was light.

Light but no sound. I lowered my stance just slightly and crept up until I reached the top. A couple of meters in front of me was a big pillar that I couldn't see around. Light spilled out from the opposite side of it as if it framed a window. That light illuminated two large marble thrones that overlooked the foyer below. They were far nicer than the one Princess Celestia occupied in Canterlot.

For the second time I felt a wave of fear. Why did this place have thrones? Did somepony rule from here? Was Princess Luna concerned that they were coming back? The mission felt suddenly more important… and dangerous. I wanted to see what was on the other side of the pillar. I needed to.

I gave the pillar a wide berth as I crept around it. More light poured out onto the floor and I hesitated putting a hoof into it. Keeping my head down, I carefully tested the light. It was neither warm nor dangerous. I stepped into it and looked up…

Vaguely I heard the sword clatter onto the floor as my mouth opened wide and was no longer able to hold it. My legs weakened and on instinct alone I prostrated myself as I looked onward at the brilliance beyond the pillar.

This was, in fact, a window. A stained glass window the likes of which I had never seen. It put all of the windows in the palace to shame. By comparison they were nothing more than colored glass… meaningless. And in the center of this wonder she stood proudly: a dark purple alicorn more imposing than Princess Celestia. Her mane and tail were painted with the evening heavens in the same way Princess Luna’s were and on her flank was a perfect full moon surrounded by stars.

Even though I knew it was just glass it was as if I was in her actual presence. Perfect deep blue eyes stared directly into my soul and seemed to be looking at me. The light… all of it… radiated from the alicorn. A self illuminating window. She was awesome to behold… and not the awesome we throw around casually. Awesome in the way ponies of old used the word: she inspired in me an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, and fear.

Compared to her I was nothing. Compared to her we were all nothing. No pony could stand in her presence… except one. There was another pony in the stained glass! It took all of my effort but I tore my eyes from the alicorn to look at the other pony. A foal… or filly. Tiny by comparison. She was a deep blue unicorn with a smattering of black on her flank… black that surrounded a crescent moon.

“Luna!” I gasped.

What had I seen? I fumbled on the floor for my sword and hurriedly sheathed it. Backing away respectfully, I crawled down the stairs. Once all traces of the light was gone the grip on my soul released. I put a hoof on a wall to stabilize myself, my coat was covered in sweat and my breathing had turned ragged. “What sort of magic is this?”

I had seen all I needed to see and I wanted out of the crypt. With little regard to being quiet I galloped out of the keep and leapt into the air. Flying would be faster. I zipped down the main street and into the winding hallway that I knew would take me out. What was probably minutes felt like hours when I burst out into the moonlight.

My landing outside the cavern was not graceful. I crashed onto the platform sputtering and shivering. Rest wasn’t on my mind, however. It took a second to find my helmet and get it on before I started pumping my wings. I had to get back to Princess Luna immediately.

***

There wasn’t any time to go through the gate. The princess had to be warned! I flew to the balcony of Princess Luna’s chambers. The great glass doors were open and I zipped through them and the invisible spell that kept out intruders. Only the princess and her royal guards were keyed for it.

I had too much momentum and tried to pull back as best I could. It wasn’t enough and resulted in a rough, loud landing as I crashed into the princess’s sitting area.

“Intruder!” Lavender called before bursting into the chamber and charging at me. Risky was hot on her heels.

“Intruder?” It was here already?! I turned, ready to fight just as Lavender leapt at me. What was she doing?!

My instincts kicked in and I ducked out of the way. I took her by the forehoof and used her momentum against her to topple onto the ground.

Risky took a wild swing at me and I easily dodged. He got a one-two right in the helmet.

“What are you two doing?!” I managed to get out before Lavender jumped onto my back. She had her hooves around my neck to subdue me and that just wasn’t on my mind. Tucking my head in close I bucked several times and finally tossed her over me and back onto the ground.

“BE STILL!”

Everything stopped and the lights came on. Princess Luna was standing in the door of her bedroom.

Lavender and Risky Spur stared at me in surprise.

"Sergeant?” Lavender asked curiously.

“Of course, can’t you see…” I stopped. Of course she couldn’t. I could see in the dark. She couldn’t. “I’m sorry, you two did excellent on this little test. Please, take up position outside and uh… Risky, go see the medic. You’re bleeding.”

The pair looked at me like I was crazy. Then they looked at Princess Luna. She nodded and they left. Once they were gone the adrenaline wore off and the shivers started once more, forcing me to kneel.

“Silent Knight! What is the matter? What did thou see?” Princess Luna asked as she hurried over to me and pulled my helmet off. She cupped my face in a hoof.

“Gone… they were all gone. Nothing left but rotting empty houses bathed in silence and gloom.” My breathing became easier as the princess held me. The fear was starting to subside. “There was a keep and inside I found a stained glass window… it was so lifelike I thought I was staring at real ponies. You were on it with a purple alicorn.”

Princess Luna froze and stared down at me. My words lingered in the air before she finally stroked my mane. “It scared thou?”

“Terrified,” I admitted. “Is she dangerous?”

“No. I promise thee she isn’t dangerous. What thou are feeling… it is a magic of sorts.” She shook her head. "I can’t explain it other than to say that it will pass. Thou are in no real danger, I swear. Relax and breathe,” she soothed.

“Who is she? You were a unicorn?”

The princess leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Some secrets are best left buried Silent Knight.” She then fixed me with her eyes. “Thou are not to speak of this to any pony. Give me thy word.”

What was the princess trying to hide? Any pony meant every pony. Including Princess Celestia. Princess Luna never lied to her sister that I knew of… but I had to trust her. I was her protector and what did I know? “You have my word. I will not repeat it.”

She nodded and helped me up. Then she fidgeted. With a sigh she asked, “Were there many bodies? Were they well cared for?”

I blinked in confusion, the haze of the magic starting to wane. “Bodies? No, princess. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean gone as in departed… I meant gone as in… departed.” The second time I made a motion with my forehooves that looked like leaving.

In her eyes I saw a glimmer of hope and her expression changed briefly to joy before evening out. “None? No bodies, no bones?”

“No… whoever lived there had clearly moved away. They left nothing but what was too big to carry.”

Princess Luna brought a hoof to her mouth, a tear in her eye. “They left.” Her tone was joyous. “They left!” she repeated happily before hugging me. “Thank thou. I know that this was difficult but thy action has brought me great joy. Go and rest, Silent Knight. I give my word that by tomorrow thou will feel like normal.”

“Of course, princess… will there be anything else?”

She shook her head. “No. Get some rest.”

“Yes, princess,” I said before I bowed and headed for home.

***

By the time I reached my room I was feeling almost normal. Unfortunately even as the effects of the magic were wearing off the reality of what I had seen was starting to set in. That place had been some kind of pony village. Probably pegasi and they had an alicorn. An alicorn that dwarfed the ones I knew. There were too many questions and zero answers.

As quietly as I could I shut the door and removed my armor. Winterspear barely moved in her bed. She was a sound sleeper. I went over to my bunk and turned the sheet back. Another shiver went down my spine and I couldn’t get in.

Princess Luna had been a unicorn. A regular pony. Just like Crystal Wishes, Iridescence, or Sunny Day.

I turned and crawled into bed with Winterspear. That woke her up and through the haze of half sleep she asked, “Whatcha doin’?”

“Bad dream.”

“Okay.” She looped her hooves around me and nestled to my back. It took less than a minute for her to fall back asleep.

Taking the sheet in my mouth I pulled it up and over our shoulders before I settled in. The sun would be up pretty soon and I had duty. I trusted in Princess Luna. I’d be fine in the morning and I would never speak of what I had seen again.

***

Morning came awfully quick and I stretched out in Winterspear’s bunk. She was still asleep against my back. How that pony slept as soundly as she does I’ll never know. My mind was clear and, true to Princess Luna’s word, I felt like myself again. Yes, I had questions but they were rational now.

Slowly I rolled over and nuzzled my sister. “Hey lazy. The sun is up. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

My reward was a hoof covering my face. “Shhh. If you’re really quiet it will be like you’re not here.”

“Okay. Well I’m getting up. If you get up too we could have breakfast together, though. I’ll buy.”

“You don’t pay at the mess hall, Silent Knight.” She pretended to be cross but she was moving.

“Actually, since we’re both up early enough I wanted to take you to this great place Crystal Wishes and Velvet Step showed me. The breakfast menu looked awfully tempting when we had lunch there.”

Winterspear got up and started to brush her coat into place. “What is the occasion?”

My response was a shrug. “I don’t need one for my own family do I?”

“I suppose not. Let’s get going.”

33. Russet Rook

“Miley Hooves you’re not a black cat,” I said as the two of us walked through town. “You’re a good guard.”

Miley’s head hung a bit. She had had another accident that morning and was feeling low. Somehow she had managed to turn the filly’s locker room into a lake deep enough to sail on. “You say that sergeant but sooner or later I’m going to do something really bad.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. All of your… accidents are minor or they somehow have a positive spin. That couch had it coming, anyway.”

The little earth mare laughed finally. “Thanks, sergeant. Still… I’d like to at least try this. Are you alright by the way? You’ve been quiet all day.”

“I’m fine. I’ve just had a lot on my mind. As far as trying it is totally up to you. I don’t think it is necessary but if you’re sure I’ll support it,” I said as we reached Runic’s shop. “If anypony can help you, it is probably Runic. When he isn’t blowing something up he is quite good.”

That didn’t really give Miley a lot of confidence but we went in regardless. “Hey Runic,” I called.

“In the back!” he shouted. I noticed there was a somewhat familiar sage-coated pegasus stallion behind the counter ringing up ponies.

“Rossby Waves?” I asked curiously.

He nodded and replied, “In the feathers.”

“Aren’t you a specialist weather pony?”

“Yes,” he said flatly. “So specialist that I don’t have a lot of work to do so I take odd jobs now and then for bits.”

I shrugged and walked past him with Miley in tow. The workshop in the back was dark, illuminated only by glowing green coils of wire. “Runic?” I called out.

“Don’t move!” he replied.

Out of immediate fear I took Miley’s hoof in my own and we braced ourselves.

The coils faded out and then the regular lights came on. Runic was standing in the center of the room behind a big green box. He had on his goggles and a vinyl lab coat. “Hello!” he said cheerfully.

I relaxed and let Miley go. Suddenly the box in the middle burst open sending pink, yellow, blue, and green confetti plus balloons everywhere. Miley screamed and fell over backwards. I just stood there, covered in confetti.

“Party in a box,” Runic explained. “I met a pony with a party cannon. This seemed less violent. I finally got it to work!”

“Of course,” I said. “Listen, would you be willing to help Miley-”

“Yes,” he interrupted, then paused and asked,  “With what?”

Miley got up, a hoof on her heart. “With my bad luck. I go places and things seem to happen, kind of like that box. That is my luck.”

Runic and I said at the same time, “That was supposed to happen.”

Miley just stared.

“Bad luck, huh? Maybe I can help! We’ll need to do some research and investigation, though. Are you willing to do that?”

Miley steeled herself and nodded, “Yes.”

“Then let’s get to work.” Runic said before throwing a switch. All the lights went out.

“Runic?”

“Yes, Silent Knight?”

“Wrong switch?” I asked.

“Yup.”

***

After leaving Miley Hooves in the capable care of my cousin Runic Phial I took to the sky and flew towards the Royal Equestrian Officer’s Academy. I was meeting Shining Armor there to take a look at the officer candidate he had found.

The captain was early, which was no surprise. I landed next to him, saluted, and then we started towards the entrance.

“His name is Russet Rook. On the surface he is average in about every way. Ranking wise he is in the middle of the pack. No family history of service and he doesn’t come from a well-connected family.”

“What set him out in your mind, sir?” I asked.

“I think it is a ploy. The way he solves problems is ingenious but it seems his solutions work exactly half of the time. It is as if he doesn’t want to stand out. No pony can be exactly average. Cadet Rook has no extremes,” Shining Armor explained.

That was indeed odd. I had been near the top of my class but even I wasn’t always consistent with my scores. We’re all good at some things and weak at others. “Why would a pony not want to stick out?”

“Great question, sergeant. That is precisely what we’re going to find out.”

***

Russet Rook was an earth pony with a caramel-colored coat. His mane and tail were predominantly orange with a bit of white. Both were perfectly groomed to regulation standards. He stood at a disciplined attention across the room from us. Shining Armor had the cadet’s files spread out on the instructor’s desk.

“You’re right in the middle of the pack, cadet. If you don’t make any mistakes you’re sure to graduate and find a decent command.” The captain started.

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Cadet Rook responded.

I stroked my chin a bit. Why was Rook so mundane? By all accounts he was just an average stallion. My suspicion was that the captain had figured it out in part and that I was playing catch up.

“A decent command would likely land you in a city guard. You wouldn’t have much chance at some of the more desirable units,” I said.

Cadet Rook nodded. “I try hard, sergeant, but I think those units are for other ponies.”

Shining Armor finally showed his cards. “I don’t think you do cadet. In fact my belief is that you try just enough to ensure that you’re exactly average and we’re here to find out why.”

It was subtle but Russet Rook’s tail twitched. It was probably his tell. “I’m not sure what you mean, sir,” he responded.

I came out from behind the desk and approached him. “Oh, I think you do, cadet,” I said while slowly circling him. “You’re very good… but please don’t assume that we’re as easy to fool as your instructors. The captain is a proper officer, you know.”

Russet’s tail twitched again. He otherwise looked quite cool and confident.

Shining Armor caught on. “The first sergeant is right. He knows when ponies are lying. He can smell it and if I can give you any advice, Cadet Rook, you never want to lie to a first sergeant. Especially not one as hard as Silent Knight.”

I stood directly perpendicular to Russet Rook, put on my scariest sergeant’s face, and raised my voice. “What is the big secret, cadet? Do you think this is a big game?”

Russet Rook stiffened and said loudly, “No, sergeant! This isn’t a game but that is what I want to avoid!”

“What does that mean?” the captain asked.

Cadet Rook looked resigned. “Sir, you’re a unicorn and a Canterlot elite. The first sergeant is a pegasus with a warrior tradition. I’m an earth pony from a rock farm in the middle of no where. I am not equipped for the political games that accompany being outstanding. If I dared to challenge the others they’d see to it that I ended up below average. Average suits me fine.”

The captain briefly looked in my direction. It was subtle and I doubted Russet Rook would catch it. I moved in front of the cadet and went nose to nose with him, staring. “Cadet, are you saying good marks aren’t enough to get a good command? Are you saying you also have to play the political game here in Canterlot to succeed? Do I understand you right?”

“Yes, sergeant!” he said loudly.

“What do you think, sergeant?” the captain asked from over my shoulder.

“He’s our pony.” I replied, stepping back and returning to my place beside the captain. “He’ll care more about his duties than trying to impress somepony. That is the kind of officer we need.”

“Agreed.”

Russet Rook look confused. “Sir?”

Shining Armor said, “Welcome to your new command Lieutenant Rook. You just became commanding officer of Princess Luna’s House Guard. This is a huge opportunity for any pony. Doubly so for one that is just coming out of the academy. If you mess this up you’ll make a fool out of me and the first sergeant here. You won’t mess up though, will you?”

Lieutenant Rook looked surprised but he pulled it together and nodded, “No, sir. I won’t.”

The captain said, “This is your first sergeant. He’s been with the unit since day one. He has also been acting commander more times than I can even count. A little career advice for you: lieutenants that learn from their first sergeants tend to make it.”

“Lieutenants that have the roughest time are the ones that assume they learned everything they needed to know here. More importantly, I trust the sergeant here more than most ponies. If he says you’re a screw up the rank won’t save you. Am I being crystal clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Lieutenant Rook said.

“Sergeant, see that the lieutenant-to-be is briefed. I’ll do the paperwork to make his commission official. He can march with his class later. For now we have work to do. Make sure he doesn’t pick up any bad ideas in the brief time he has left in this academy,” Shining Armor said.

“Yes, sir!” I said firmly.

Shining Armor left and I stood there with the newly minted lieutenant. “Some career advice, lieutenant?”  I offered.

“Of course, sergeant.”

“Don’t worry about what the officers from the good families do. I’ve been through two already. A coward and an idiot. You’re your own pony… but, if you want to emulate somepony, emulate that stallion,” I said, pointing the direction Shining Armor went. “He’s the best officer I’ve ever seen and it has nothing to do with being a unicorn or a Canterlot elite.”

“That is good advice. I’ll take it,” he said.

***

Iridescence and I wandered up and down the game aisle of the hobby shop. It wasn’t nearly as impressive as the store over in Ponyville but it was close and we only had a lunch break to shop.

“What are you looking for?” she asked me.

In truth I didn’t have a clue and I said as much.

“How about this?” she asked, holding up a box with a bunch of zomponies on it.

“No… I think we have enough games like that already. I’m just hoping for something different to catch my eye. Plus maybe something that Velvet Step might like. I’m worried she won’t want to come if she doesn’t have fun.”

Iridescence laughed and said, “Okay, so we’re just trying to find something lighter and happier. Got it. How about for you, though? It has been a while since we got anything for you.”

My shoulders lifted in a shrug, “I guess I’d like one of those empire games. We don’t play them often but I know Princess Luna likes them. She’ll play with me.”

“Something like…” Iridescence looked around and then selected an extra large box that featured a star flaring and multiple alien races. “This?”

“Yes… exactly like that.” I wandered over to look at the back of the box, my other mission forgotten. There were all sorts of miniatures and I’m a sucker for that sort of thing even though I realize they don’t make for better games. “The princess will love this!”

Iridescence smiled. “You and the princess are so predictable. Come on then, let’s get this one and get back to work. You can shop for Velvet Step later. Maybe ask Crystal what she thinks she’d like.”

That seemed reasonable and I nodded. “Alright.” When I reached for my bits Iridescence set a hoof on mine and then pulled her own out.

“This one is on me. It is the least I can do.”

My nose scrunched up and I shifted uncomfortably, “I don’t know… I’m your superior now. That might look like currying favor.”

The mare sighed and rolled her eyes. “Alright… then it is a gift for Princess Luna and you can be the custodian of it. Come on, Silent Knight, we both know you’re not going to do me any favors over a board game. I’m paying.”

It crossed my mind to argue and then I just shrugged. “Alright.”

She made her purchase and we left the shop. There was a small crowd of fifteen or so  ponies across the street facing one of the buildings and more were wandering up.

“That probably isn’t good,” I said, shifting into royal guard mode and starting to make my way over.

Iridescence nodded and moved to my side as we crossed the street together.

When we reached the outskirts of the crowd it was clear they were amazed, not angry. From the head of the group I heard a lovely voice. It was clear, bright, and warm.

Slowly Iridescence and I worked our way to the front where we spotted a crimson mare with a matching mane standing on a box singing a love song. To her right there was a petite, blue Canterlot guard looking up at her very nervously. She was barely more than a filly in armor and I could see her hooves shaking.

Softly the guard said, “I’m sorry, miss… you can’t perform here. Maybe if you could move down the line a bit to a park? Please?” Her eyes were darting around at the crowd.

Iridescence whispered, “Where is her partner? She shouldn’t be here alone.”

A quick glance around didn’t answer that question. The guard was alone and it seemed to be working her up. Guards worked with partners for a reason. You’d always have somepony to watch your back. Thankfully Iridescence and I had been in the area. We’d be able to help if necessary.

The crimson mare didn’t seem inclined to end her performance in the middle of her song and briefly winked at the blue mare. That only seemed to make the guard more nervous.

“Please?” she asked again.

The other mare finally brought her song to a close and every pony stomped in pleasure. Hopping off the box she called, “Thank you everypony! Thank you. Now unfortunately we do need to move along. This nice guard is right and I don’t want to be on the wrong side of the law.”

There were some soft awws from the ponies in the crowd but they got the message and started to disperse. The crimson mare called, “My name is Scarlett Blade in case you want to look me up. Have a nice day, everypony.” She then made her way down the street.

The petite mare, who was a unicorn, sighed in relief and didn’t move. She stood there like a statue seemingly making sure that all the ponies were clearing out.

We made our way over to the guard. She was breathing quickly.

“Is everything alright?” I asked.

She blinked and looked up at me as if she hadn’t seen us near the front of the crowd. “What? Oh!” She stiffened. “Yes, sergeant! The crowd has been dispersed. I should go. Go patrol.”

“Very good, carry on then.” I replied. Iridescence and I took that as our cue that all was well and headed back to the castle.

“I thought she was a filly dressed up at first,” Iridescence said.

“She was even smaller than Miley. Maybe we’re just getting older and they all look like fillies now?” I mused.

Iridescence laughed. “Speak for yourself. I’m not old or older.”

With a mock glare in her direction I replied, “I see.”

34. What a Mare Wants

A pegasus stallion was standing at attention in front of my desk. He didn’t know it yet but he was my pick to fill Iridescence’s old spot. That was as long as he didn’t blow the interview and prove me wrong.

For the most part, physically speaking, he was no more remarkable than any other pegasus. His coat was white like mine and he had a subdued two-tone crimson and black mane. The only thing that really made him stand out was the braces on his wings. Evidently he had been injured on the job and the effects were permanent.

That wasn’t a concern for me. He could still fly and in our mixed unit we didn’t fly all that often anyway.

“You haven’t been a guard too terribly long but your record is solid. Your file says that your citizen comment numbers are good. Your commander finds you to be a dedicated and dutiful guard. He does mention that you occasionally have a temper though when it comes to your injury. Any thoughts on that?”

“It has never gotten in the way of performing my duties, sergeant. I know my job.”

“I see. Why do you think you’re better suited for this position than these ponies?” To emphasize my point I tapped a stack of files that stood almost half a meter high.

“Did any of those ponies work as hard as I did to get here? Have they ever been broken down and told they’d never be a guard again and still keep going?”  He stared at me square in the eyes. “What sort of pony do you want with you, sergeant? The kind you hope won’t quit or the one you know won’t?”

I’d pegged him right. “Welcome to the team Astral Bolt. You report to Sergeant Radiant Orchid. Her office is just a couple of doors down. Why don’t you go see her?”

His ears shot up and he had to fight back a smile. He did a good job of keeping it professional but I knew that look. I’d had it before. “Thank you, sergeant. I’ll do that.”

Closing his file I nodded and said, “Dismissed.”

***

I sat on my bed reading the rule book for the new game Iridescence had given me. It was a very complex wargame where everypony took on the role of a race of aliens trying to rule the galaxy.

Winterspear came home and asked, “You’re still up?”

Nodding, I tapped the rulebook. “I want to be ready for game night. You’re coming in a little later than usual again.”

She nodded at me.

“Another date?” I asked.

She nodded again.

“A nicer mare, I hope? Am I going to get to meet her at some point or is she going to continue to be a mystery?”

Winterspear waved a hoof. “She isn’t a mystery,” she said but didn’t sound sure of it, at least not to me. “I don’t know if it is going to work out. It probably won’t. What we have is nice for now and I don’t want to complicate it by bringing family into it. Not yet. I hope you understand?”

I didn’t but my sister was entitled to her privacy. “Sure.”

“Thanks, Silent Knight; you’re a great brother. I wish I was half the sibling you are.”

“What does that mean?” I asked curiously.

She flopped onto her bed, “Hmm? Nothing. Goodnight.”

“What an odd thing to say,” I thought and then shrugged. She’d tell me when she felt like it. I went back to the rulebook for a bit longer before going to bed.

***

“Is he handsome?” Sunny Day asked me.

“Pardon?”

“Is Russet Rook handsome? Your new lieutenant-to-be,” she pressed.

My brow arched as we walked down the hallway together. We had just finished coordinating a meeting with both princesses and the Canterlot City Council. Now we were on the way to the lunch I owed. “I don’t know. He is a stallion.”

Sunny Day huffed. “You’re telling me that because he is a stallion you don’t know if he is handsome? I know if a mare is pretty. Your sister is pretty… more in the cute tomcolt sort of way. Iridescence is beautiful. Like an amateur model.”

“Am I pretty?” I asked her.

The lieutenant giggled and replied, “No… you’re too stallion-like to be pretty. You’re not bad looking though and word in the shower is that you were a pretty hot little mare.”

My eyes widened and my head whipped to stare at her. Sunny Day started laughing up until the point I walked face first into an open door. As I crashed she peered down at me. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll live… but I’m going to murder Iridescence.”

***

“Runic? Miley?” I called into the pitch black room. The pair had been spending a lot of time together doing their research. “Hello?”

There was movement in the dark and then the light flicked on. Runic was dressed in his vinyl labcoat with his goggles on. Miley was next to him in an identical setup.

“Hi Silent Knight!” Runic called.

“Do those goggles let you see in the dark or are you two just sitting around without any light now?” I asked.

“Mostly the second one,” Miley admitted.

“Agreed.” Runic said.

“Any luck, then?” I asked.

Runic shook his head in frustration. “No… we can’t get any of Miley’s bad luck to occur while we’re together. It is almost as if whatever is causing it knows we’re trying to measure and study it.”

I tilted my head and looked at the pair. Miley was smiling and looking up at Runic. “Perhaps your good luck is counteracting Miley’s bad luck and as long as you’re together she won’t have as many mishaps?”

Runic looked down at Miley and then at me. “I had not considered that! Now we’ll need to measure my good luck and account for that. Too many variables!”

“Tell me this then… if you haven’t been able to study Miley, what have the two of you been doing this whole time?”

Miley bounced and said, “I’m helping Runic with his science and alchemy! We’re unlocking the secrets of the universe!” As she spoke I noticed that she was staring fondly at my cousin the whole time.

“Indeed,” Runic added.

I smiled on the inside. So that is how it would be then. Fair enough. I turned to go. “Oh, speaking about unlocking secrets. Runic, try to talk Winterspear into using a different one of your mare care products on her mane. She smells like Iridescence and that is a little weird for me.”

“I’ll endeavor to do my best but you know as well as I do that a mare wants what a mare wants.” Runic said.

I chuckled at that. “Indeed.” I winked at Miley and left. I certainly saw what she wanted.

***

There was a polite knock at my door and I looked up to see Crystal Wishes and Velvet Step peering in. I smiled. “Good morning, ladies. What can I do for you?”

Crystal Wishes smiled back and replied, “Hello Silent Knight. Velvet Step and I were about to go to lunch and Princess Luna mentioned you probably had not eaten yet. Would you like to come with us?”

Lunch time already? “Princess Luna would be correct.” Slipping around my desk I added, “As long as I’m not a third wheel I would be very happy to go to lunch with the two prettiest mares in Canterlot.”

Crystal Wishes arched an eyebrow. “And when did you learn about flattery?”

“Winterspear keeps leaving these Mares Monthly magazines around. I get bored sometimes,” I admitted.

Velvet Step said, “Well, I can assure you, you won’t be a third wheel. Come along with us.”

***

Crystal Wishes, as usual, knew the exact right place to go. Picking the best places in Canterlot just seemed to be one of her many talents. Today she had taken us to a small cafe down the block from Sunridge Sweets with outdoor seating. The food was wasn’t overly expensive and it had a great grilled vegetable selection.

The three of us sat quietly outside watching the crowd come and go. Canterlot was full of important ponies with important places to go… or so they said. I never paid it much mind but I knew the others did. It certainly had had the lieutenant all worked up.

“How do you like being… first sergeant, is it?” Velvet asked.

My ears flicked and I turned from pony watching. “I seem quite suited to the task. I’m really proud of my unit and it gives me more time to spend with everypony. Including the princess.”

Velvet stared at me with her head tilted.

“That means he likes it,” Crystal Wishes translated.

“Oh, good! What is a first sergeant exactly?” Velvet asked.

“It is my rank. My position is unit sergeant which just means I’m the senior most non-commissioned officer of my unit. I’m like the lieutenant’s second in command,” I explained.

Velvet looked at Crystal Wishes who just shrugged and smiled.

Civilian ponies don’t always share my interest in all things guard related. I changed the subject. “I understand your parents make the best sweets in town, Velvet. How is that going?”

Velvet clapped her hooves together and beamed. “They’re doing so well! The ponies of Canterlot love the treats and as new fads blow through Crystal is always there to steer the ship in the right direction.” She then sighed a bit. “In fact they’re doing so well I’m not sure I’ll ever be as successful as them.”

Crystal Wishes leaned over and softly placed her head against Velvet’s. “Don’t talk like that. You’re an amazing dancer and soon everypony that is anypony will have heard of you. You’re about to go on your first big tour! As long as you keep working hard you’ll make it.”

I agreed, “She is right. Hard work always pays off. What sort of tour?”

“Thanks, you two. Well, I’ve got my first part as the principal dancer with the Canterlot Ballet,” Velvet said.  “We’re going on tour across Equestria and dance at all the major cities.”

“Congratulations, then. It seems like your hard work is already paying off. I’ll see about getting some tickets sometime.”

The waiter returned with our lunch so I fell silent. My focus had shifted to the grilled zucchini and onion sandwich I had ordered. The mares seemed to notice and took an interest in their own food.

Midway through the meal Velvet looked over at Crystal Wishes. “Crystal, you have a little…”

“Hmm?” Crystal Wishes replied absently.

Some of the sauce had managed to get on her cheek. Velvet gave up trying to be subtle and wiped it off for her.

“Thank you,” Crystal Wishes said, looking my way and blushing a bit. I tried to look as if I hadn’t noticed. That was a trick I learned from watching Canterlot ponies. It seemed to work.

Crystal Wishes finished and looked to me. “I understand you’ve finally found a new lieutenant?”

“We did. I think he’ll work out just fine. He has a good head on his shoulders and most likely won’t be a hindrance to normal operations. I doubt he’ll interrupt any book discussions.”

“That was certainly awkward,” Crystal Wishes replied.

“Indeed. Awkward, inappropriate, and foolish,” I said. Looking down, my meal was already gone. I never intended to eat that fast but sometimes it happens in good company. “I should be getting back to work. I hope you two will forgive me?”

“Of course, Silent Knight. By all means,” Crystal Wishes said.

“Thank you for coming!” Velvet added.

I nodded to both and settled my tab. As I headed off, I looked back at the pair. They were hugging and I heard Crystal Wishes say, “I’m going to miss you so much! Write to me as soon as you can.”

Those two were good together and I was a little jealous. Jealous and a little guilty. Velvet was a sweet pony and occasionally I had to stop myself from looking at Crystal Wishes. Me and my unicorns. In any event, it was inappropriate and I owed it to Velvet to behave.

It was a shame that Velvet had to go off with her dance troupe but that was her career. She did her job like I did mine and I respected that a lot. I also made a note to check in on Crystal Wishes and keep her company, if she wanted, while her marefriend was gone.

35. Training Day

“Sergeant, I notice that this unit doesn’t write a lot of citations for its members. There was a brief period where you did and then it just stopped. Why is that?” Lieutenant Rook asked.

Maybe he wasn’t going to work out. “Citations are for guards that don’t do their duty at all or well enough. Without sounding arrogant, by the time a pony is brought into a House Guard they’re quite professional. Minor citations for little things are largely meaningless and just hurt morale. We save them for when we actually feel corrective action is necessary.”

Lieutenant Rook flipped through his manual and said, “According to the officer’s manual we should write at least one per month.” He then picked up a pencil and crossed it out. “Oh wait... now it doesn’t.”

Okay, maybe he would last after all. “So noted, sir!”

“Next question, sergeant. Almost every unit of the palace guard keeps different shift hours and some run three shifts. What is the thought process behind our shifts?” He asked.

“Princess Luna keeps different hours than most ponies and we’ve adjusted accordingly. She wakes around lunchtime and goes to bed shortly before the dawn...”

“When you don’t keep her up all night playing games,” Russet interjected.

I couldn’t help but smile, “Correct. I should note that having a personal relationship with the pony you guard is essential to success. We do not want to be detached. We must know our VIP so that we can anticipate her and protect her while also being transparent. We are not her captors. That is why our shift change occurs in the middle of when she is asleep. That way both shifts will get to spend time with her.”

The lieutenant tossed his officer’s manual into the waste basket and said, “I don’t think that is going to help me much.”

With a shrug I admitted, “I ran into the same situation, sir. Sometimes I still struggle with it. Manuals are black and white. Equestria is gray.”

“So I am seeing. I think if I’m going to truly learn how we do our job I need to experience it from the ground up… like you did. Sergeant, I want you to put me on the schedule.”

My brow lifted. A lieutenant pulling guard duty? That was largely unheard of but it was the best way for him to learn what we actually do and spend some time with Princess Luna. “Yes, sir.” I said, flipping open the schedule book. “You’ll take over for Harvest Moon. I need to train him up a bit for his guard 2nd class test anyway.”

“You do that?” the lieutenant asked.

“Of course, sir. A good leader makes everypony else look as strong as possible. If your whole unit looks strong there will be no doubt as to why… plus, don’t we owe it to our team members to help them excel as much as possible?” I asked.

“That we do, sergeant. That we do.”

At that point I felt confident that Russet Rook was going to do just fine. “Keep that up, sir, and you’ll be general soon.”

“Let’s just start with lieutenant for now, sergeant.”

“Aye, sir. Aye.”

***

I sat quietly at the secretary’s desk in Princess Luna’s office working on my sketches of Crystal Wishes. Lieutenant Rook was standing guard. He was doing well enough but officers’ training doesn’t really prepare you for standing still for hours on end. It was clear he was wearing out but from his expression I knew he was going to tough it out and learn.

Princess Luna was having tea with Lady Cadence. Her mood had dramatically improved lately and we had not spoken at all about my mission. She and Lady Cadence were discussing the upcoming Hearts and Hooves day. It was still a month or so away but I guess there is no harm in planning early.

“What doth thou and thy stunning captain have planned?” Princess Luna asked.

Lady Cadence clapped her hooves together. “He says he has a big surprise for me! I have been trying to figure out what it is. The suspense is just too much to bear!” It was weird hearing about the captain in such a way. I tried to ignore it. “What about you, Luna?”

Princess Luna replied, “I am not certain. Hearts and Hooves is not a favorite holiday of mine. Most ponies will be busy so I may catch up on some work.”

“Oh, Luna that is no fun! It is the most romantic time of year! I could help you. A pony that may already fancy you could just find the courage to ask for your hoof thanks to some love magic,” Cadence said with glee.

“Thy concern is most kind but I shall not be sad. It is enough to let the other ponies have a good time. Besides, it would be most inappropriate to just ensnare some poor pony with a crush.”

Cadence reached out to tap the copy of Princess of the Knight that was sitting on the coffee table. “Oh, you can’t fool me. I know you like romance. Perhaps I’ll cast my spell on Silent Knight over there.”

Across the room I saw the lieutenant’s eyes go large. He wasn’t accustomed to banter yet. I should demonstrate how it is done. Dropping my pencil I said flatly, “Oh were it possible for a pony as low as I to love the moon so bright. It is forbidden! It must not be! I could fly into the night sky to reach her and still fall short due to her magnificence. Alas, I must only admire from afar.” Yeah… I read Crystal Wishes’s book. Sue me! I got bored sometimes.

Everypony in the room stared at me and then Princess Luna started laughing. “Thou read the book! Silent Knight, thou never ceases to amaze and delight.”

“One of the many services I offer, my magnificent lady.” I said in an over the top way before I bowed.

Lady Cadence giggled and waved a hoof in my direction, “Now I know why you like him so much, Luna. He isn’t all stuffy. You’re safe and you can still be yourself.”

That seemed to ease the lieutenant’s mind. He had been looking pretty stunned. Just another lesson for the new officer’s manual.

“And how about you, Silent Knight? What are you going to be doing on Hearts and Hooves day?” Lady Cadence asked.

“If I have my way, I’ll be here playing a game or two with Princess Luna. Single ponies need to stick together. She owes me a rematch anyway.”

“Verily!” Princess Luna cheered.

Being single wasn’t so bad when you had a princess to play games with. In fact, I’d say that it was almost preferable.

***

“If you say no it is completely okay. I wouldn’t hold it against you at all… I just felt like I needed your permission,” Iridescence said.

“You DO need my permission,” I replied.

She huffed at me. “You know what I mean. Not for the schedule change… for the date. Are you okay if I have a date on Hearts and Hooves day?”

“I am,” I replied mostly honestly. Iridescence had met somepony and that was fine. We had been broken up for quite some time and her dating hadn’t impacted our friendship at all. I simply ignored that part of it.

“Can you cover for me that day then?” she asked.

I stroked my chin. “I don’t know… maybe I have a date too and I’m technically off.”

The unicorn mare glared at me. It didn’t work this time but I was playing anyway. She asked, “And who is your date with?”

“Princess Luna.”

Iridescence face-hoofed and said, “Then cover for me and have a date with her! It is the same thing.”

“It is hard to cuddle in armor.”

I could tell she wanted to pop me one but the beauty of this particular conversation was that she couldn’t. “Please, sergeant?” she asked.

“Oh, well, when you put it like that, yes of course I’ll cover for you.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” she exclaimed, happily leaning in to kiss my cheek. She then froze, her eyes going wide. Slowly she reached over, took my helmet off, kissed my cheek, and then replaced it. Leaning back she nodded. “Thank you, sergeant.”

“You’re welcome. Dismissed,” I said as I felt my face flush.

***

“Miley Hooves? You, too?” I asked incredulously. “Iridescence wasn’t in here but two hours ago.”

Miley squirmed and said, “I know, sergeant! I asked her first. That is why I’m here. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

I leaned back and templed my hooves. “I’m listening.”

“Runic and I are going to a show. I actually asked him and he said yes! The only tickets I could get were for Hearts and Hooves days. I really want to go,” she begged.

“Far be it for me to stand in the way of your passions Miley.” I said. Since Runic and Miley had been doing ‘research’ together she hadn’t had a single accident. I actually wanted that to work out for the both of them. “Okay. I’ll cover your shift for you.”

Miley squealed in delight, “Thank you, sergeant! You’re so sweet! I mean… you’re great.” She trailed, pushed my helmet up, and kissed me on the cheek.

“No problem. Dismissed.” Twice in one day…

***

“You said yes to both of them,” Lieutenant Rook said. He had been in the office the whole time just observing.

“I did.”

“But why? You had the evening off and now you’re going to be standing guard.”

That was a fair question. I sat quietly a minute before I explained, “Iridescence rarely uses her days off since she has came back on duty from her injury. They’re stacking up and when somepony else needs her to cover for them she does it. Sergeant Orchid has a family and I don’t. We’re the only two that can cover for Iridescence so I’m the logical choice.”

“And Miley Hooves?” he asked.

Lightly I grinned. “She is an honest and hardworking guard. She never changes her shift and has a perfect attendance record. My cousin Runic is an eccentric guy. If she had the courage to ask him on a date and he said yes I’m not getting in the way of that. I’m already covering and I actually like standing guard.”

“So in that case it is slightly personal?” he asked and I nodded.

“Exactly, sir. Personal feelings aside though, I’d have still said yes in her case. She’s earned that much.”

“It all makes sense. You did slightly miscalculate the situation, sergeant.” Lieutenant Rook said.

“Sir?” I asked curiously.

“There are three ponies that can cover for Iridescence. You, Sergeant Orchid, and I. It also so happens I don’t have any plans either so you will be working the first half of Miley’s Shift and I’ll work the second.”

“That sounds an awful lot like an order, sir.”

“It is,” the lieutenant replied.

I smiled. “Very good sir. Thank you. You’re most kind.”

“Please don’t kiss me on the cheek,” the lieutenant said hastily, leaning back.

Clearing my throat, I replied, “No problem, sir. I wouldn’t unless you bought me dinner first.”

***

I knocked on the door lightly.

“Just a minute,” Crystal Wishes called from inside after a few lights came on. The latch turned and she poked her head out. “Oh! Sergeant Knight… I’m a mess!”

In fairness, I had come by slightly later than intended. There had been a minor scuffle between Thunder Tumble and one of Princess Celestia’s House Guard. I handled it but it had made me late. Not that Crystal Wishes was expecting me in the first place.

Crystal Wishes stood in her door wearing her night robe. Her mane was pulled up but still showed the wonderful blonde and pink mix. I certainly couldn’t have agreed she was a mess. Yes, she may have not been done up like she is when she goes out but that made it all the more impressive. She was stunning even when she wasn’t trying.

“I apologize for disturbing you this late. I had intended to come over earlier. I know Velvet is gone and I wanted to look in on you and make sure you were getting on fine,” I explained, taking my helmet off.

She blinked and then said, “That is so sweet of you. Please, do come in.”

“Thank you,” I said, following her in as she stepped out of the doorway. I’d never been inside her condo before. It was nice. Well decorated of course but not overly so. Crystal Wishes was a pretty successful author but she didn’t live like one of the wealthy ponies. She was comfortable and that was one of the many reasons she was so approachable.

“How are you getting on?” I asked.

“Oh, I’m fine, honest,” she said, offering me a pillow. “Have a seat?” I did and she went on, “This is the new normal for Velvet and I’m growing accustomed to it. She is getting popular and she’ll be taking off with them a few times a year to perform in other cities. Sure I miss her but I wish all the success in the world for her.”

“You are one of the kindest ponies I’ve ever met,” I said quietly. “I have no doubt that you mean it. Besides, I’m sure she’ll be home soon.”

Crystal Wishes nodded and smiled, “Thank you… yes, she will. Now, isn’t it a little late to be getting off work? And to come all the way here just to check up on me. Who is the kind pony now?”

“Occupational hazard,” I said. “Staying late that is. Checking up on you is just being a good friend.” I rubbed my cheek a bit. “Thunder Tumble got into a little fight with a new rookie on Princess Celestia’s house guard.”

“Over what?” Crystal Wishes asked. “Isn’t Thunder Tumble the sweetest, quietest guard in the lot?”

“Only until the first punch is thrown.” I chuckled and then smoothed my hoof over my mane. “It seems that there was a debate over who had the best unit sergeant. Evidently I was described in less than flattering terms regarding my rigidity. Thunder took exception to that.”

Crystal Wishes laughed. “He was defending your honor? How did you handle it?”

I laughed with her. This wasn’t an everyday occurance and I couldn’t help myself. “It was tough, I have to be honest. I got them separated of course. Thankfully Sunny Day responded as well. We agreed it was a wash and that we’d handle our guards individually. Thunder was really upset. It took me a while to get him calmed down.”

“Will he be in much trouble?” she asked.

I shook my head, “Small slap on the hoof. He should have been the bigger pony… but he really knocked that other guard down a peg. Between you and I, off the record, I was proud of him. He won the fight hooves down.”

Crystal Wishes covered her mouth while she laughed again. “You’re proud of him for winning a fight? I don’t know that I understand stallions.”

“My father always taught me never to start a fight but, if I found myself in one, I had best be sure I finished it. That is what Thunder did,” I explained.

“I guess that makes sense in some way,” Crystal Wishes said.

“How is the writing going?” I asked. “Princess Luna is very eager to get her hooves on it. She just may be your biggest fan.”

Crystal Wishes looked over at her sofa. It was covered with pages. “It is coming along… it feels a little forced at the moment. I need a stallion’s perspective on something and since you’re here, would you mind?” she asked, looking back at me.

“Not at all.”

“If you were in love with two different ponies and had to choose between them, how would you do it?” she asked.

That was one heck of a perspective question. I also wasn't an expert in the matters of the heart. “That is tough… You might not like my answer.”

“Try me.”

“To start, I’d have to make a list of why I thought I loved each pony. If I truly did, couldn’t I say why? If I couldn’t that might make it easier for me to see I only loved one… or neither,” I explained.

“Alright, you have your lists. What if you could make them for each pony. Which one would you pick then?” she pressed.

I inhaled and thought about that. “I guess I would look for the pony with the more long term traits. When I imagine being in love I don’t worry so much about physical beauty and such. True love is long term. I’d love the pony that is patient and kind. The sort of pony that will put her desires after my own but would also know when to let me do the same for her. She would have to be my friend and confidant. The sort of pony I could tell anything without being judged.”

“It easy to be trapped in infatuation but I’d take the sweet pony every time. That is how I’d know she was the one. There can’t be two ponies like that, can there? Surely the lists would make it clear and I would know right away which was love and which was infatuation.”

Crystal Wishes was staring at me, her eyes big and soft. They were hazel and unique. No pony had eyes like hers. “You’re a romantic,” she whispered.

“Perhaps I am. Perhaps I’m looking for a pony that doesn’t exist. That is fine though. She’ll be worth the wait. I’d rather get the right one than settle for the wrong one that just comes along sooner,” I said.

“I’m sure she exists Silent Knight. I just know you’ll see her eventually,” Crystal Wishes promised me.

“I believe you’re right,” I said and then stood. “I should let you sleep. I’ve kept you longer than I should. Thank you.”

Her head tilted and she asked, “Thank you?”

“I came here to check up on you but instead I feel suddenly more hopeful about my prospects of love. Thank you, Crystal Wishes. You’re the sweetest pony I know,” I said.

I turned to leave and Crystal Wishes asked, “Oh, sergeant, what are you doing for Hearts and Hooves day?”

“I’m covering for Iridescence and Miley Hooves. They both had plans and I didn’t. How about you?”

Crystal lightly shrugged. “Oh, I’ll probably hang out with Velvet, I guess. She’ll be back by then.”

“I’m sure you two will have fun. Goodnight,” I said as I walked out into the night alone.

36. In Her Majesty's Service

I leaned against one of Runic’s work benches watching him work. Today I was prepared. I wore goggles, stood on a rubber mat, and had a lab coat on. With any luck I wouldn’t be on the wrong end of an experiment. “So I understand you and Miley Hooves are going to see a show?”

“Yes,” Runic said as he turned the crank on some sort of machine. “We’re going to see a rock show. I’m pretty excited!”

My eyes narrowed. “Runic, do you mean the new show in town, Pony Rocks?”

He nodded and continued to turn the crank. Slowly a barrel rose up towards the top of the machine. “That one, yes.”

“You do realize that isn’t about actual rocks, right? It’s a musical show. Ponies sing and dance to rock music,” I explained.

Runic stopped and stared at me. “But… it’s called Pony Rocks! Rocks for ponies?” He started cranking again and finally the barrel spilled over into the top of the machine. It began to whir and sputter.

Eying the device I went on, “I know, Runic. They’re trying to be clever. You may enjoy it, though, and Miley is really excited that you said yes. You wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings, would you?”

Throwing a switch, Runic replied, “No. I don’t like hurting other ponys' feelings.” A conveyor belt started to move, bringing bottles up to the machine that were then filled with pink liquid.

“Then you’ll still go with Miley?” I asked.

“Of course. Miley is a fun lab assistant. I’m sure we’ll have a good time,” he said, coming over to me and handing me a box of labels. He applied one to a bottle and I got the idea. We were making mare care products today it seemed.

“You think she is only a lab assistant?” I asked.

“That is certainly a step up from research project.” He chuckled at me.

I labeled more bottles and said, “I see… So Runic, I’m no expert on this sort of thing but I need to ask a favor, as a friend. Could you be careful with Miley? She may be a little sweet on you. If you don’t feel that way it is fine, but be gentle.”

“Sweet on me?” he asked curiously, putting a label on upside down.

“Yeah, you know… like ‘special somepony’ type sweet. I think she likes you,” I said as I apologized to Miley internally. I really did want the best for her.

Runic put another label on upside down. “Oh. Really?”

“Really,” I replied before starting to take his bottles and turn the labels rightside up as he continued to put them on upside down.

“Isn’t that interesting,” Runic said and then added, “Is this a date then?”

“I think to protect her heart she’d probably say it was an invite to a friend but deep down she’d like it to be a date, and it does happen to fall on Hearts and Hooves Day.” I continued to fix all of the bottles Runic was messing up.

“I haven’t been on a lot of dates, Silent Knight,” Runic admitted. “As I told you that one time, mares don’t like talking about rocks on the first date. What should I do?”

“Just be yourself.”

The labels were getting far more erratic. The bottle I was trying to fix had six on it.

“Miley already knows you. She likes you how you are. Don’t do anything silly like pretending to be another pony. Although maybe you should talk about something she is interested in at least once.”

“What is she interested in? She always seems interested in what we’re doing here!” he said worriedly.

“Slow down there!” I held a bottle in each hoof and tried to fix labels with my teeth. I sat down and stuck out a hindhoof to catch a third bottle. “She’ll prompt you, I’d guess. Just let her take the lead now and again if she tries. You’ll be fine. Please stop the belt, Runic. Runic!”

“Huh?” Bottles tumbled off the line and onto me. The top popped open on one and got all over my mane. “Oh right.” He turned off the line.

I stood up from the pile of bottles and shook my mane out a bit.

“You look great,” he offered.

After looking myself over and had to agree. Runic’s mare care products were the best and my mane had never looked shinier.

“Thanks… I guess. Look, I didn’t tell you this to get you worked up. I just wanted to be sure you didn’t miss out on something. I know a thing or two about missing the subtle signs that mares send. Actually, I could probably write a book about it. But I don’t want that for you. Just be yourself and you’ll do fine, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll just be myself. It will be fine,” he repeated. “Should I bring a gift? I know she likes quartz. “

I lifted a hoof. “Why don’t you just start with being you and see how that goes. If you have fun you can worry about gifts and such then.”

“That sounds fair. I wouldn’t want to overdo it. Mind helping me clean up?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t mind at all.”

We set about to cleaning up and fixing all of the bottles that had tried to bury me alive.

***

Princess Luna and I sat across from each other at her game table. She was staring me down. Her vicious gaze didn’t rattle me at all. I had her and she knew it. Her magic slowly levitated several pony figures forward by an exact, measured amount. They were perfectly painted and looked exactly like her House Guard.

“‘Tis thy turn,” she said darkly.

Her moves had been very limited thanks to my strategy of bottling her up between two hills. Princess Luna played very aggressively and in war that was dangerous. I moved one unit of ponies up onto the left hill. Then I carefully pushed a group of pegasi up on the opposite one. It would all be over soon.

I pointed to the unit on the left. “Those ponies have crossbows-” I then pointed to where the House Guard was exposed. “- and those are the targets.” Picking up fifteen dice, I gave them a little shake before dropping them. We looked them over and I said, “Twelve hits… minus two to your armor saves.”

Princess Luna wrinkled her nose in a sour look. She rolled the twelve dice. “Two saves…” Gently she turned ponies over onto their side. She was careful about whom she chose. She stuck her tongue out before turning the figure that looked like me over.

“Well, you’re certainly not going to win now,” I teased.

She snorted and waved a hoof at me. “I think there is little chance of victory now. Thou hast outmaneuvered me again. Wilt thou show me my errors?”

“If you would like. Thank you for the game,” I said before moving around to her side of the table. “It all starts with the terrain. Generally the high ground is always favorable. You seem to rely on the fact that your soldiers are better than mine. Never underestimate what unskilled warriors en mass can achieve under good leadership.”

The princess seemed to think that over. “What if both of our soldiers are highly trained?”

“It all comes down to morale, tactics, teamwork, and luck.”

“Luck?” She seemed surprised.

Slowly I nodded. “It may not seem elegant or comforting but luck will always matter. We do the best we can and hope everything works as we planned… but plans never survive the first contact with the enemy.”

Princess Luna sat her hooves on the table and replied, “I see. Perhaps it is best if thou beginest instructing me in the art of war?”

My head tilted. “Why would you want to learn something awful like that Princess?”

“The same reason that thou hast learned… just in case.”

That gave me pause and then I nodded. “Very well. A ruler of Equestria should know the basics of warfare, just in case.”

“Knoweth all royal guards as much about it as thou dost?”

I shook my head. “No, that is my father’s doing. That and my own interest. I’ve had a lot of time to study in the evenings.”

The princess lightly patted me on the shoulder. “I think thy time would be better spent looking for a new companion.”

“I’ve got plenty of companions,” I said, missing the point on purpose. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go over this with Princess Luna again.

“Thou knowest exactly what I meant. Thou cannot turn a blind eye to romance forever simply because of one…” She hedged. “...unfortunate experience.”

I cleared my throat and lowered my voice. I wasn’t particularly interested in Miley Hooves hearing this conversation. “Yes, I know what you meant, Princess. I’m the unit sergeant now. I’ve got a lot on my plate. There are a lot of ponies counting on me.”

“And what of thou? Is this not a life half lived?” she asked.

Softly I rested my hoof over hers. “Princess, I am truly grateful for your concern. That alone is more than I ever saw for myself in my life. I have friends, family, and ponies that are concerned for my well-being. It is enough for me. I would like for it to be enough for the rest of you.”

Princess Luna blinked and looked me in the eyes. “If that is thy wish.”

“It is.”

“Then perhaps we should go back to learning about warfare. We’ll save romance for another day.”

***

Sunny Day slipped out of the shadows to fall in beside me as I walked towards Princess Luna’s chambers. The princess had asked me to come back by before I went home for the day.

“As you were,” the unicorn mare said before I could properly salute. “That was some tussle the other night, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am. Again I apologize for that. I can assure you that it absolutely won’t happen again.”

Sunny winked at me. “Oh, I’m sure. They’re all terrified of you. If you tell them to straighten up, they’ll straighten up.”

My ear flicked. “Terrified? No pony is terrified of me.”

“You say that but they are. After the other night most of my ponies are too. You jumped into that fight, took some good licks, and still pulled the ponies apart like a professional. You didn’t even lose your cool, just gave that disapproving glare. I was impressed.”

It wasn’t clear to me where this conversation was going. “Alright, well, perhaps it is wise to be frightened by a first sergeant.”

“I’m not scared, though,” she said pointedly.

“You’re a lieutenant and, as best I can tell, nothing scares you anyway. What is your point?” I asked.

Sunny laughed a bit and replied, “No point. Just that I’m not scared. Bye!”

She made a right and took off down the hall as I reached Princess Luna’s chambers. I simply didn’t get Sunny Day.

The princess’s door was open and I went inside. Blackblade was keeping watch and the princess nodded towards him from her seat at her game table.

“Take position outside please,” I told earth pony and he did so.

After pushing the door shut I went over and sat across from the princess. She was painting some more miniatures. The current one captured in her magic looked exactly like her. “Her name was Nocturna.”

“The figure?”

“The alicorn thou sawest in the stained glass. She was going to be my mentor.”

“Going to be?” I asked.

The princess shook her head. “I do not wish to discuss that. I felt thou hadst a right to understand a little more of what thou hast seen. That way thou mayest make an educated decision on what I am about to ask.”

“Are you about to ask me to go on another mission?”

“I am. Thou art uniquely suited to this work even though thou wouldst be unaware of it. I know circumventing royal guard procedures will givest thou pause. Were this not important I would never ask but I must. Wilt thou be my agent?”

If it had been any other pony I’d have gone to the captain. Any other pony in all of Equestria and I wouldn’t give it a second thought. This wasn’t any pony, though. This was Princess Luna. My career would be in jeopardy and I certainly didn’t like keeping secrets but when she said ‘uniquely suited’ I didn’t take it as an exaggeration. She seemed genuine.

“Yes.” There was nothing else that needed to be said.

“Thou hast my sincere gratitude.” She took my helmet off and set it on the table.

From a drawer she produced a silver chain with a white crescent moon pendant. That went around my neck and my vision changed. It was the same as the last time.

“Fly west to the Smoky Mountain. Near the base on the western face thou wilt find a stone circle set into the cliff face. Press the talisman to it and it will open. Report back what thou findest.”

“Princess, is there any way you could be less cryptic about this? What exactly are you hoping for me to find?” I asked.

She straightened and looked at me sternly. “This is difficult for me, Silent Knight.”

We had a staring contest and there was little doubt that she was going to win. I did my best to hang in there, though. If I was to be her agent I needed to know more.

Finally, she sighed. “Thou art looking for ponies or any indication of where they may have gone.”

It caught me off guard. She’d had me and decided to tell me anyway. Perhaps I should go easier on her. “Ponies. Alright then, I’ll be on my way.”

When I reached for my helmet she sat a hoof on mine and shook her head. Evidently the princess wasn’t worried about me being brained.

Off I went to another crypt, most likely. Without my helmet I decided to exit from the balcony. If there were ponies to be found I hoped they were friendly. Friendly and willing to have a house guest.

1. Graduation Day

It was all worth it. The hard work, long days, pain, and stress were all going to pay off. Training would be over in a mere three weeks and I’d not only be a royal guard but a member of the Canterlot Guard. One of the elite. It was everything I had dreamed of and worked for since I was a colt.

The whole company was at attention on the parade ground waiting for inspection. This wouldn’t be a normal inspection either. At week nine the royal guard training regimen called for the Captain of the Canterlot Guard and other officers to come and personally take a look at us. We were the group that had not quit after being worked over for nearly two months. It was our time to shine since we were all that was left of the original 200 ponies that dared to try.

I stood perfectly still: eyes forward, shoulders square. I noticed some of the other trainees’ heads moving as they tried see if the officers were already on the way. It was poor form. My posture and stare were unrivaled. They were traits inherited from my father. He had drilled me since I was a colt to be quiet, speak clearly when spoken to, and never let anypony shake my cool. I’m sure he’d have been proud to see me that day.

The instructors left us out in the sun for about half an hour before returning. Walking alongside the senior instructor was Captain Shining Armor. There were a few other officers as well but he would be the one to impress if anypony wanted to be on the Palace Guard or the even more exclusive Princess Celestia’s House Guard.

Shining Armor took his time looking us over. He tried to make it look routine but nothing had been routine for my class. The whole royal guard had been on edge during and immediately after the Nightmare Moon incident. Princess Celestia had just simply vanished without warning and it wasn’t the royal guard that got her back either. It was hard for anypony to believe and the strain of it showed on the captain. It wouldn't have been obvious to most ponies but one soldier can read another.

It wasn’t long before it was my turn to be inspected. Shining Armor paused when he got to me. In hindsight I don’t think it was because I was a particularly impressive looking trainee. It was more likely the fact that he and I actually look somewhat alike. We’re both white-coated, blue-maned stallions.

My mane is darker of course and then there is the fact that I’m a pegasus and he is a unicorn. In any event, if you didn’t know any better, you may think that I’m a cheap knockoff version of him. That isn’t my fault! I wasn’t born too long after he was and have looked this way all my life, even before he rose to the lofty rank of colonel and took on the title of Captain of the Canterlot Guard.

Once the last trainee had been looked over and the inspection was complete things really got interesting. Shining Armor moved to the front of the formation and stopped to address us. That was highly unusual. Typically by now the captain and associated officers were on their way back to their duties. This was supposed to be largely ceremonial, after all.

He took a moment to address us. “Many of you know or have heard about the recent return of Nightmare Moon. You’re all also aware that she was defeated and that Princess Celestia was safely returned. What you may not know is Princess Luna has shed the guise of a villain and now walks among us for the first time in 1,000 years.”

When I say professional decorum was lost I’m being polite. The polished trainees let out a collective gasp and there were murmurs in the ranks. It was as if somepony had blindsided us all. It was what he said next that led me to the life I have now.

“It is by the royal decree of Princess Celestia that a new royal guard unit be created for the protection of Princess Luna. Who will volunteer to join her House Guard and protect her?”

That was what he said, word for word. The murmurs gave way to dead silence and blank stares. The captain was asking us to guard Nightmare Moon!

There was no sound or movement for what seemed like hours. It would have been comical if it weren’t for the fact that everypony was ignoring the Princess’s desires. That might have motivated me. It might have not. To be honest I’m not really sure why I did what I did but, in school, I had always felt like Princess Luna was more than just a villain. Things had been tough on her as a younger sibling. That happens sometimes. I think that played a role in my decision.

Without a word I stepped out of line looking calm and confident. In my head I was screaming, “Stop hooves, stop! You’ve got a chance to join the Canterlot Guard. Why would you do something so foolish?”

My hooves didn't stop, however, and I quickly felt like I had a hundred pairs of eyes on me.

The senior instructor walked over to me and Shining Armor followed. The captain asked, “You volunteer? What is your name?”

“Silent Knight, sir,” my senior instructor chimed in for me. “He doesn’t say much but he is an exemplary recruit. Always by the book and professional.”

Shining Armor stared at me. “Why volunteer for this? Everypony else seems to think you’ve made a mistake.”

Looking back, I sometimes laugh at the thousand different thoughts that went through my head. At the time, I had no idea why. Every fiber of my being said I’d done something foolish but, like Dad had always said, never make it obvious to an opponent you’ve made a mistake. Of all the options I had to choose from, I probably selected the one that makes the least sense.

“I have an older sister too, sir” was what I said. What does that even mean?

I guess at that point Celestia was watching out for me because he actually smiled at me. “Well, Silent Knight,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure what you mean by that but come along then. You’ve got a very important appointment that you don’t want to be late for.”

The captain turned and started to march off the parade ground. I fell in step behind him. At that point I was completely committed. “Go with your gut and never back down,” I heard Dad say in my head. I’m certain that advice extended to hooves.

We left the parade ground and crossed town to the palace. It was a route all recruits knew well. In the course of training any royal guard hopeful would march, trot, or gallop this road no less than once a day. I never appreciated the palace for its size prior. When you go by quickly it is just like any other building. When you’re going inside it is miraculous. Only a princess could live in a place so elegant.

Shining Armor led me to a small meeting room off of the main hall. “Wait here, please,” he said before disappearing.

Waiting is something I’m good at. I took my parade stance again. Eyes forward; shoulders square. There is always comfort in that.

It wasn’t long before he returned and in his company was Princess Celestia herself. To some ponies this may have been commonplace but, even though I had always prepared myself to be one of her guardians, I was awestruck. With only a second’s hesitation I bowed down and averted my eyes.

She was radiant, beautiful, and perfect. A flawless pony the likes of which made us all seem crude and mundane. Princess Celestia is also a lot larger up close and personal. I’m above average for a stallion but she still towered over me. Those were things that I caught at just a glance.

What struck me was that when she spoke I heard a slight melancholy in her tone. “Only one?” she asked the captain.

“For now, Princess,” he replied. “I thought it would be a good idea to go to the recruits first as we could train them differently and get to them before they had any biases. Unfortunately, they most likely have career plans that don’t line up with such a wild and sudden deviation like this.”

Shining Armor then shrugged. “Many of our active guards feel as if they failed you and are uncomfortable with the idea of guarding Princess Luna. For now though we do have one and I believe he might be a great one. May I present to you Silent Knight.”

At that moment my eyes had lifted to risk a peek up at Princess Celestia. She caught me doing so, too. So much for professionalism on my part.

“Silent Knight, do you not have career plans? Do you not fear Princess Luna?”

Always speak clearly when spoken to. Even to a princess. “I did and no, ma’am,” I replied honestly.

“Are you certain?” she asked. “You may still decline.”

Was I certain? How could I be? I could decline, play it safe, and probably end up in the palace guard. That felt wrong, though. That was the easy way out and a challenge has never frightened me. Lifting my head I said, “It bothered me that no pony stepped forward. Royal guards are supposed to look after their job before they look after their career. I still believe that even if no pony else does.”

She actually smiled. It was like watching the sun rise after the blackest night. At the time I had never seen something so beautiful. Of course I may be biased as I’ve always liked it when unicorns smile at me and the princess was a unicorn and then some.

“He will do fine. Please select current members of the royal guard that will also be suited to the task and reassign them. Perhaps if they set an example for their peers we’ll have less trouble filling the vacancies in the future,” she told the captain. “And see that Silent Knight is made a House Guard immediately, unless you think he’ll need the remaining weeks of training. He seems to have the appropriate attitude.”

Shining Armor nodded and said, “Yes, Princess.”

And just like that, she was gone. I stood up and back at attention. Alone with the captain.

“You handled that very well. I hope you honestly meant it.” He then asked me plainly, “Do you need any more training?”

What I said was what I meant. All I could do was nod that it was so. Then I replied, “No, sir.”

It was true. I wasn’t the best trainee in the company but I was up there. If you make it nine weeks the rest is pretty much learning ceremony and how to keep your mouth shut. I was the best pony in that department. Being quiet, that is.

The captain nodded and said, “Very good. Well, come along then. We had best get you situated. Since you were brave enough to volunteer I’ll give you the tour. By the way, the Princess’s best designers have put together something special for Princess Luna’s House Guard. I think you’ll like it.”

That seemed like an interesting thing to say. Armor was armor… or so I thought at the time. We walked together in silence. The whole time I started making notes about where things were in the palace. If I was going to be on the House Guard I would need to be very familiar with the Princess and her home. There would be research to do and facts to memorize. That didn’t bother me; it was my sort of thing.

The palace is a surprising place. It looks large from the outside but not ridiculously so. On the inside, however, it is almost labyrinthine. The captain showed me the commissary, the throne room, the gym, and all of the other support areas. Eventually our tour ended in a simple barracks room at ground level. It was exactly regulation: two beds, two foot lockers, two lockers, two armor stands, one table, and two chairs.

“This is all yours now. I’ll find you a roommate and you’ll be all set. For now Princess Celestia’s House Guard is keeping an eye on Princess Luna. I’ll be adding you into their rotation as soon as I get all of our paperwork straight. Any questions?”

With a shake of my head I replied, “No, sir. Thank you, sir.”

He nodded once and then left me alone. This day had not gone the way I had imagined. Not in the least but I was in the palace. Dad would be proud.

2. An Evening of Honesty

2. An Evening Of Honesty

Two weeks. It took a full took weeks just to find enough ponies to minimally staff Princess Luna’s House Guard. Captain Shining Armor had been careful and rightly so. Each guard was hoof picked by him, interviewed repeatedly, and had their entire guard file audited. The goal was to end up with a group of ponies that were as skilled and as dedicated as the ones that staffed Princess Celestia's House Guard.

Princess Celestia's House Guards were, without any doubt, the finest guards I'd ever met. While the captain was putting together the unit I got to know many of them since I was temporarily assigned to their commander, Lieutenant Astral Dyke, and worked with them to protect Princess Luna.

It was clear to me that the task was not exactly appreciated by them but they did the job without question. Despite that, I was an outsider. They only let me in so much and I understood that. Royal guard units, especially one so elite, are like that. New ponies have to earn their way in and all I had done was step forward on the parade ground.

Matters took a turn for the worse when my regular issue armor was replaced by a new set that was designed specifically for the new unit. The uniform and dress standards for Princess Luna’s House Guards were different than that of our peers. It was done that way to better reflect the princess’s style and give her something that felt uniquely her own. At least that is what the mare in charge of the design told me and to be honest it suited me fine. I was never a fan of gold.

My armor was byzantium with heliotrope highlights. That was the designer’s fancy way of saying dark and light purple. All of the segmented plates were light with the darker colors set into the breastplate. It looked rather impressive but also just a little bit sinister. At the time I didn’t really feel like it made a huge case for Princess Luna not being Nightmare Moon.

What did I know, though? I was just a rookie guardspony on his first assignment. It just so happened that my first assignment meant immediately guarding a princess.

☾

The door to my barracks room opened and the captain walked in. Immediately I rose to attention and he said, “At ease. Silent Knight, there is somepony here I want you to meet.” He stepped out of the way to let a unicorn mare walk past.

She was tall for a mare, silver in color, and had a coltish pink and turquoise mane. Her cutie mark was a silver shield with a rainbow on the front.

“This is Iridescence. She is your new partner. Pay attention to her alright? She’s been with the palace guard for three years. I’m certain you can learn from her experience.”

She was a guard? She seemed a bit too pretty for that but I certainly wouldn’t have said so out loud.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, levitating a few bags into the room and setting them on the bunk opposite of mine.

“Likewise.” I looked to the captain and nodded. “Will do sir!”

“Very good. You two get acquainted. You’ll be working opposite shifts.” He turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

Slowly I sat back down on my bunk.

Iridescence started going through her bags and unpacking. “Have you been here long?” she asked.

“Two weeks.”

“Ah, so not long.”

I shook my head.

She glanced over at my new armor and raised a hoof. “That certainly stands out a ton against everypony else’s armor. You probably get a lot of looks.”

It was true. I nodded.

“Alright… well, I’m just going to unpack.”

“That sounds good.”

She seemed nice enough. Slowly I rolled over into my bunk and picked up my procedures manual. It was the one used by Princess Celestia’s House Guard. We would be adopting it for Princess Luna and I wanted to make certain I knew it cover to cover. That sort of thing comes in handy.

☾

The first lesson that anypony has to learn as a royal guardspony is that even though you spend most of your career training for the worst possible situation your average day will be far more mundane. Guarding Princess Luna meant remembering two rules: keep your mouth shut and stand no further than two paces away from the princess at all times. If you can do that for twelve hours on end then you’re set.

That also sums up my first month on duty when I was on shift. Truth be told I was starting to feel like a pet. Wherever Princess Luna went I followed close. Breakfast? Me watching her eat from over her shoulder. Official meetings? Silent Knight against the wall. Late night skeeball at the palace arcade? Two paces to the left of the machine. Once I was almost struck directly in the face by a ball that went wide.

Twelve hours a day I was two paces away if we were anywhere other than her chambers. If we were, I was by the door so that I could stop any intruder that happened to wander in. That was, of course, assuming they got past the gate, two companies of palace guards, and all of the support ponies.

When you spend that much time with anypony you get to know them. My VIP (very important pony) was different than most though. Not because she was an alicorn or a princess, but because she had been stuck on the moon for 1,000 years.

Princess Luna was struggling to fit in. There is simply no polite way to put it. She didn’t know anypony, didn’t have any friends, and relied heavily on her sister to assign her duties. There wasn’t any royal function that was her own. The palace staff and royal guard also weren’t a big help either. They typically gave her a wide berth and it wasn’t out of respect.

On the face of it most ponies were polite to her but very few tried to get close. There were always rumors about her being evil or strange and, while she kept a stiff upper lip, when she thought no pony was looking I could see the pain in her as plain as day.

That is how it is sometimes. If you’re doing your job right the pony you’re guarding forgets you’re there. You’re just a piece of the background. At least, that is what I thought.

One evening, after raising the moon, Princess Luna was standing out on her balcony looking into the night sky. It wasn’t uncommon for her.

“Silent Knight?” she asked, catching me off guard. She’d never spoken at me, much less used my name. I wasn’t even aware she knew it.

Gathering my wits, I responded, “Princess?”

Turning from where she was gazing up, she made eye contact with me. “Is it true that thou were the only pony to volunteer for our House Guard?”

Speak clearly when spoken to. That part I had down. Never tell a lie. Got that too. The princess struggled enough with ponies not relating to her. Telling her that yes, only one pony wanted to be on her guard seemed like a bad idea. It would probably be a bad idea to mention that everypony else was voluntold to join the unit.

To be safe I thought I should gloss over the truth with an elaborate but believable tale but “Yes, Princess” is what my mouth replied while I was still working out the details. Stupid, honest mouth.

She turned away from me. “We see. And why did thou volunteer?”

Important ponies are always interested in motivations. It would be a lie to say I didn’t think for myself. I certainly did but I was also a guard. Guards follow orders and do what they’re told. Thinking is for their superiors. In this particular case, however, I knew I’d have to answer and answer carefully.

“I didn’t believe you were Nightmare Moon, Princess. Still, that is. You probably had a good reason, too. With all due respect, Princess. My preference is always to meet a pony and then make a judgement.”

The princess seemed to ponder that answer and I thought that I was in the clear. She was silent for a while longer before speaking up again. “And thou risked thy career just for the opportunity to meet us?”

No, that certainly wasn’t true. I couldn’t tell her that. Plus she might be thinking I was trying to fraternize and that was just not going to happen. I knew I’d have to take another stab at it.

“Not exactly, Princess. Royal guardsponies are supposed to stand up for the little pony. It upset me when no pony else stepped forward. When they didn’t it was clear I had to.”

What an elegant and great speech Silent Knight! Other than the part where you called the princess a little pony. That is what royal guards refer to as a resume generating event.

“Thou thinkest we are a little pony?” she asked. Her tone held a note of confusion. That was a step up from angry, at least.

Never let anypony shake your cool. That was certainly easy for my dad to say. He wasn’t staring down Princess Luna alone on a balcony. I could feel my cheeks turn red and willed them to stop. They won that battle.

“No, Princess. It is an expression. I meant no pony stood up for you so it was my duty to do so. Everypony should have someone in their corner.”

I could feel a bead of sweat running down my forehead inside my helmet. I had not strung together this many words since before secondary school.

Her head tilted curiously. “What dost thou mean, in our corner?”

Seriously Silent Knight, couldn’t you have made it another two hours until your shift ended? Stupid, honest mouth.

“Princess, it is another expression. It means having somepony that looks out for you. That supports you no matter what. Like a friend or sister.”

I made a mental note to spend less time in the gym and more time reading philosophy or psychology. Anything to make talking to ponies easier.

Princess Luna smiled just slightly at me. She didn’t do so often, so it was nice to see her smile. Frightening, like I was about to be tossed into a dungeon or off the balcony, but nice.

“And thou art in our corner, Silent Knight?”

Ah honest mouth, it was your time to shine. “Yes, Princess. Always.”

“This pleaseth us,” she replied as she walked past me and back into the palace. “Thou hast a clever way with words. Though thou mayst wish to report to the medic. It is not warm this evening and thou art looking feverish with all of the sweating.”

Never let anypony shake your cool. Easy for Dad to say. My shift was over in two hours. After that I would report to the medic. Just in case.

☾

Iridescence sat on her bunk familiarizing herself with my procedures manual. She didn’t have one herself. Who knew why. Not that I minded sharing and my thoughts were too focused on the letter in front of me to worry about where her manual was.

Dear Winterspear

You’ll never guess what happened. I’m not really sure I understand how it happened myself. Either way, and I know you won’t like hearing this, Dad was right. All that hard work was worth it.

Being left in Canterlot alone was frightening but it did a good job preparing me to deal with the type of ponies that live here. Plus all of that education and the chance to train at the central royal guard academy paid off.

I’m a House Guard! Can you believe that? My first assignment is to the House Guard. Princess Luna’s House Guard, but still. It was worth it.

Congratulations on making sergeant. Few ponies deserve it as much as you.

Your brother

Silent Knight

Carefully I started to try and fold the letter. That isn’t something easy to do with hooves but I usually manage. After struggling a minute it floated away from me, wrapped in royal blue magic.

“If you don’t mind, Silent Knight, I can do that for you.” Iridescence said, her horn illuminated.

Magic, unicorn magic. It wasn’t something I was used to even after all of these years. Truthfully I was weary of it but she was being helpful. “Thank you,” I replied and let her do the folding. Once she was done I stuck the letter in an envelope and headed off to mail it. It was a shame I’d waited so long. This one was long overdue… but Winterspear understood. She always did.

3. A Casual Conversation About Heroes

After the night on the balcony my shifts with Princess Luna were different. I wasn’t a backdrop anymore even if I wanted to be, at least not when the two of us were alone. When we weren’t at an official, semi-official, or casual affair she would talk at me.

I should clarify what I mean by talk at me. To say Princess Luna didn’t have a lot of friends would be putting it kindly. There was Princess Celestia of course and a hoofmaid or two. Outside of that, everypony else was all business.

That left a lot of time for her to be alone. At least as alone as a VIP can be, which meant being alone with a guard or two depending on the security situation. During my shifts she would talk at me. I would listen and be quiet unless she asked me something specifically. Which, mercifully, she rarely did.

My guess is that having a confidant gave her peace. She knew I would never repeat anything she said because I was obligated not to. Also, I’m pretty sure she got the impression that I’m not big on talking in general. I let my actions speak for me and, since I’m not good at interpretive dance, her secrets were safe with me.

Princess Luna spent a lot of time writing, even during her free time. Her work seemed endless and I wondered if she ever took a moment for herself. There were documents in her office, in her chambers, in her game room, and everywhere in between. It made me appreciate that my job was to stand there quietly.

One particular evening she paced back and forth in front of her desk with three pieces of parchment floating in front of her, levitated by alicorn magic. She looked at them and then at me. That look always meant I was no longer a prop and was about to be talked at.

“Silent Knight?” she asked.

“Princess?” I replied immediately. It seemed I was wrong. This would be a talking to and not at. I had somewhat become accustomed to being spoken to by that point.

One of the parchments glided down to the table and a quil rose in its place. She scribbled something and then asked, “Thou went to school in Canterlot, did thou not?”

Thank Celestia. An easy question with a straight answer. “Yes, Princess.”

“Why didn’t thou attendest school in Cloudsdale close to thy family?” she asked, scribbling something else. Was she writing down my answers?

“My father said I would have a better chance of being accepted into the royal guard if I was already in Canterlot and familiar with its ponies. It would be an advantage.”

“Is that so?” she asked, which was a very loaded question.

Was it so my father said that? Yes. Was it true? Possibly. I was now, in fact, a House Guard. How could I know for sure?

“So he said, Princess. Whether he was right or not I can’t know. I am a House Guard, however, and assigned to a princess. There must have been some wisdom in his mindset.”

Once more her quill scribbled on the parchment. Was she working and holding a conversation or was she taking notes? It was quite unnerving. “Were thou not frightened to come to Canterlot as little older than a colt?” she asked.

In that moment I really thought the whole speak when spoken to part of my upbringing was going to be the death of me. The princess didn’t know it but this was a sore subject in my family. My mother and sister had been against it. My father for it. He typically got his way so picked me up and dropped me off in a city full of ground ponies.

“Terrified, Princess. It was right before I started secondary school. I lived alone in a tiny apartment but I received the best education my parents could afford.” Terrifying was probably an understatement. It did allow me to learn to be self reliant though. That sort of thing makes a pony tough.

Princess Luna let a second parchment glide to her desk before levitating another one. “Thy father’s council is most wise though I may question his methods. He was a royal guard as well, was he not?”

Finally, a change of topic. I could talk about my dad all day. He was a hero. Well, a hero to me anyway. “Yes princess.” I paused, “Well, technically no princess. He was eventually but most of his career we was actually part of the Equestrian Army. He served Equestria well until he took an arrow to the knee in a battle with some gryphons.”

The princess brought a hoof to her muzzle and stifled a laugh. That was rather confusing and, honestly, a little agitating. “Princess?”

“Surely thou jests,” she replied, smiling behind her hoof.

“No, princess. A gryphon shot him in battle. He was wounded… in the knee… by an arrow. Is that humorous?” I was pushing a line but I take my father very seriously.

The princess looked at me with big eyes, the smile vanished and she shook her head. “Our apologies. That is not humorous. It is just that the situation reminds us of something we once saw in a story. Perhaps thou hast not seen such?”

Somepony wrote a story about my father being hit in the knee with an arrow? Nonsense. I shook my head and said, “My apologies, Princess. I’m unfamiliar with that of which you speak.”

Princess Luna looked a bit sheepish before saying, “Then this is not funny at all.” After that she quickly went back to her duties while I tried to work out what had just happened.

☾

The palace commissary makes better food than most chow halls. That was what I had been told. One major difference between the two, however, is that I had to pay to eat in the former. Bits were something I had to be careful with. Royal guards don’t make a lot and I sent most of mine to my parents.

Unfortunately for me there wasn’t a proper chow hall in the palace. There was one somewhat close at the Royal Guard Central Command Campus but, when pressed for time or worn out, it was just easier for me to go to the commissary.

As usual I sat alone quietly eating my dinner. It was some sort of noodles with carrots and peas. At least that was what I hoped it was. Again, just because somepony tells you the food is better doesn’t make it true.

From across the dining area a pink mare approached me. Her armor had princess Celestia’s cutie mark on the breastplate and a sergeant’s pin by the collar. Ponies tend to look alike under armor but she was somewhat familiar. She also didn’t have any food.

“Mind if I join you?” She asked.

I shook my head no and she sat down.

“Are you settling in okay?”

“Yes sergeant,” was my response.

Lightly she cleared her throat, “My name is Radiant Orchid. You and I met a couple of times when you were working with us. Prior to your unit being stood up.”

That was it. She wasn’t the sergeant that had been assigned to the duty but she’d filled in one day. “Right, yes sergeant. What can I do for you?”

Sergeant Orchid shook her head. “Me? Oh nothing. I’ve just seen you here eating alone a lot. I thought you might like some company.”

“That is very kind of you sergeant. Have you already eaten?” I waved a hoof to her empty side of the table.

“What?” She laughed. “Oh! No. No…” Lowering her voice, sergeant Orchid added, “The food here isn’t that great. I just wait until I get home. That is a perk of having a kitchen. You’re kind of on your own there I guess.”

My nose wrinkled and I whispered back, “I appreciate that somepony else noticed. I’ve been told repeatedly that the food here is better than the chow hall.”

“No chance of that. Personally I’m hoping that at some point the palace manager brings in a new staff or something. It is almost a crime that the palace should serve such awful food.”

A crime. Poisoning a royal guard was a crime. That could be a way to get things moving. Although that also involved the downsides of being poisoned. I pushed the noodle mush away. “Maybe I’ll trot over there tomorrow.”

“You’ll live longer if you do. Listen, I know you’re new and there aren’t any other green ponies in your unit. If you need anything you can come see me. Alright?”

“Yes sergeant.”

“Good. Have a good evening.”

☾

Silently I stood outside of Princess Luna’s chambers, guarding her door. She wanted some personal time and had asked me to step out. That was completely within regulations and allowable so I didn’t put up a fuss.

Princess Celestia had gone to a lot of effort to build an entire wing for Princess Luna. She wanted to be certain that her little sister had all of the same comforts that she did. Everything was still being hammered out… literally and figuratively. About the only rooms that were totally complete were Princess Luna’s private chambers.

Outside of them, however, was an entirely different story. It amazed me at how many construction ponies came and went. Lumber, nails, bricks, and other materials went by in carts and I had to give great respect to whatever pony had insulated the Princess’s chambers. None of this was obvious from in there.

Just after a brief squabble between an architect, foreman, and construction worker, Captain Shining Armor turned the corner and headed in my direction. He had an unfamiliar mare in tow. She was a petite earth pony with a dark brown coat and an almost black mane.

My body stiffened to attention as the captain drew close.

“What was that about?” He asked.

“The architect and the foreman had different opinions on what an arch is sir. The construction pony had a different opinion on physics than the two. The three of them all disagreed on whether the opening to the administrative wing should be an arch, doorway, or drawbridge. Then it got a little physical.”

The captain blinked, paused as if he was going to say something, and then just shook his head. “Not our department. Listen, this is Miley Hooves, the latest addition to the House guard. When you get off duty I want you to show her around and explain her duties. Can you do that?”

I could but why? Shouldn’t the sergeant do that? Was something wrong with the sergeant? Should I ask? The captain was staring at me, waiting. “Can do, sir!”

“Thank you!” Miley Hooves chirped happily before quickly falling silent when Shining Armor looked back at her. Typically you don’t interrupt a conversation between an officer and another pony.

The captain pressed on. “Good. Also, I audited your file this morning. Your scores at the royal guard academy were excellent. You should have graduated as a guard 2nd class. That got lost in the shuffle. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It had not crossed my mind sir. This posting threw me sideways.” That was true. It hadn’t even dawned on me. Being posted to a House Guard was exciting enough.

He nodded. “Fair enough. Still, a mistake is a mistake.” His horn illuminated and unicorn magic surrounded my 3rd class pin. It amazed me at how little unicorns used their hooves or mouths. From a pouch he levitated a 2nd class pin and attached it to my armor. “I also notified payroll. You’re entitled to the difference in bits between grades. That should be a decent little sum.”

Promoted. Granted, 2nd class is pretty much automatic, but it was still nice. It helped shake that “green pony” status a bit. Plus more bits would help my parents. That would be one less thing to worry about. “Thank you sir!”

“Don’t thank me. I just corrected the mistake. Carry on.”

“Yes sir.” I responded and settled back into my place outside of the door. Only now I stood just a little bit taller.

4. A Guard's Day Off

It was early evening. Iridescence arrived right on time: fifteen minutes before my shift ended. We stood at our posts in silence for a little while before she asked without breaking her forward gaze, “Anything to report?”

“Quiet day,” I replied.

Iridescence was a top notch guard. She was always buttoned up, on time, and dress right dress. Under her armor she was also an attractive silver unicorn. Of course I’m speaking professionally. I would never let that fact get in the way of our working relationship. We were partners working opposite shifts and traveling with the princess when necessary.

“I did your laundry for you,” she said quietly. Iridescence was nice. She was always looking out for me. Of course I also didn’t have a lot of laundry. Just the gambesons I wore under my armor.

Thank you. You’re a thoughtful partner.” Then we stood in silence for the rest of the shift change until it was time for me to go. “Good night. Hope you have a quiet shift.”

On the way back to our room I bumped into Captain Shining Armor outside. I saluted, he nodded, and I returned the gesture with the intention of heading inside. I guess he had something on his mind because he called me by name.

“Yes, sir?” I replied and stood at attention.

“At ease, I know you’re off duty.”

Officers… Dad always said that when they’re around, even if you’re off duty, you’re on duty. He didn’t raise a fool. “Thank you, sir.” I relaxed my stance slightly.

“How are things working out for you? Are you getting on fine?”

I quickly nodded and replied, “Yes, sir.”

He looked at me for a long moment, as if he was waiting for me to elaborate. I didn’t. The captain shrugged and went on. “Princess Luna has said very positive things about your professionalism and dedication. She is very pleased with your performance.”

“She is most kind, sir.”

Shining Armor sighed slightly. “Listen, Silent Knight. You’re an excellent guard. As your commander I’m proud of you. You stand out and you’re top notch. Even more so considering all your peers have a lot more experience… but, from one stallion to another, I worry a little. There is more to life than the job.”

My head tilted. “Sir?”

“I asked around. You seem to spend all your time on duty, practicing, doing physical training, or studying. That is commendable and in no way am I chastising you. I just feel like that sort of life isn’t sustainable.” He paused and shifted uncomfortably. “I should know. My little sister was… or maybe still is the exact same way.”

He elaborated and I could tell it was somewhat tough for him. “All she did was study her magic and worry about her next test or project. It was getting so extreme that her mentor, Princess Celestia herself, stepped in to help her. It was a kind thing she did. My sister made some friends and even has fun every now and then.” He smiled a bit. “So, as a mentor, I hope you’ll take my advice. Maybe actually take a day off now and then when you have your days off, ok?”

Shining Armor was my mentor? The Captain of the Canterlot Guard? Was this a test? He wanted me to work less? It didn’t make any sense to me. My father had always coached me on keeping my edge and staying focused.

I did sometimes wonder about what else was out there, though. Now the captain was telling me to relax a bit, and I shouldn’t disobey an order. I also noticed he was staring at me, waiting for me to in some way acknowledge what he had said. How long had I been standing there in silence?

“I understand what you’re saying, sir,” I started. “Order received. I’ll start using at least one of my days off to relax and find something fun to do.”

The captain laughed and shook his head. “It wasn’t an order, Silent Knight, but I’m glad you’ll take my advice. Be sure that the something fun doesn’t look too much like royal guard work,” he replied before patting me on the shoulder and heading off towards home. “Goodnight,” he called over his shoulder.

“Goodnight, sir.” I headed to the room I shared with Iridescence. We were off shift the next day. When she got back from her watch I’d ask her what to do. She knew more about these things anyway. Maybe we could go for a gallop together… no, that was too much like training. Sword fight? No. Archery? No, darn… hat shopping? Yes! We’d go hat shopping.

When I got to our room I noticed that Iridescence’s bunk wasn’t perfectly made. I set her pillow and accessories carefully aside and remade it for her. It was exactly how the manual stated. I replaced the pillow and then set her stuffed animal Wolf in front of the pillow. That wasn’t regulation but it made her smile and the officers never seemed to mind little personal touches.

I straightened up our room and put away all the fresh laundry she had done and left on my the bed for me while I thought about hat shopping. I really didn’t want to do that. I’m not a big fan of my helmet, much less hats. Plus spending bits on something silly didn’t make sense. Almost all of my money still went back home to my parents. Without Dad being able to work, my sister and I did everything we could to make them comfortable.

Tomorrow was going to be awful. I hate hats.

☾

“You want to do what?” Iridescence asked before placing her hoof on my forehead to check my temperature.

I lightly pushed her hoof away and repeated, “Hat shopping. We should go hat shopping today.”

“Why?” she asked, still eyeing me as though I was crazy.

I took a few moments to explain what had happened the night before and she started to laugh at me, which she may have exaggerated a bit because she fell back onto her bunk. “Silent Knight, he just wants you to relax and cut loose a bit. Do you really want to go hat shopping?”

With a very definite shake of my head I replied, “No, I hate hats. It was the only thing I could think of that wasn’t like being a royal guard.”

More laughing. She was actually in tears. Iridescence looked good laughing. Well, typically she looked good doing most things but she was my partner. No time for unicorn looking.

When she finally managed to get herself under control she said, “We can have fun and not go hat shopping.”

“We can?” I asked.

“Yes, we can. Good Celestia, didn’t you ever have fun as a colt?”

I quickly nodded. “Of course. I trained with my dad. I was on teams in school. Things like that.”

Iridescence gave me a look that seemed to border between mild amusement and pity. I had never seen it before and it unnerved me.

“I have a better idea than hat shopping. Why don’t we go out to the country, have a picnic, and watch the sun set? Would you like that better?” she asked.

“I would.” Which was extremely true. Of course anything was better than hat shopping.

“Good,” she said as she closed on me. The unicorn met my eyes and then they narrowed a bit. “I was going to ask you to get the food but I’m worried you’d go to the chow hall or something. I’ll handle that. You just stand here and not think about work. Okay?”

“Okay. Stand here. Got it,” I replied.

With a quick nod Iridescence was on her way. I just stood there contemplating what was wrong with the food in the chow hall. It was better than the commissary. I then shifted my stance to be more loose and casual since standing was technically work. I felt silly.

☾

It took about two hours for Iridescence to find everything she wanted and then another hour for us to find the perfect spot in the country. I laid out the blanket she had brought and inspected the area for ants while she set out our dinner. Unicorn magic is handy. Creepy, but handy. Getting out all of those fiddly bits with hoof and mouth would have taken a while.

Once it seemed everything was to Iridescence’s satisfaction we started eating. I am unwilling to admit that the chow hall food wasn’t good. I liked it fine. At the same time, wherever she found those sandwiches, fruits, and other things she brought must have been a world class restaurant. It was amazing.

While we ate she would occasionally look my way and we’d make eye contact. She had wonderful eyes. Hers were an icy blue and crystal clear. They were unlike any eyes I’d seen before.

It was also quiet out in the country. Very peaceful and beautiful to look at. So this is what relaxing is like. Sitting around with no purpose and enjoying what was going on around us. I could get comfortable with that. At least every now and then.

Iridescence finally broke the blissful silence. “You don’t talk very much.”

Ah, she had noticed. Being quiet was one of my talents after all. I nodded in agreement and replied, “Thank you.” That was, evidently, not the correct or expected answer.

“Thank you?” she repeated. “You’re proud of not talking much?”

I tilted my head and asked, “Should I not be? I was always told a good guard keeps quiet and peaks clearly when spoken to. It isn’t polite to brag but I’m probably the best pony at being quiet.”

My unicorn partner laughed again, which was good. She shook her head. “You know that you don’t have to be a guard 24 hours a day. You can just be Silent Knight when you’re not in the armor.”

It seemed like a lot of ponies had given me advice on not being a guard. I was starting to question if I’d been doing something wrong but I understood what Iridescence meant though. There is more to the pony than the job my mother had said. Dad always said free time could be used to get a leg up on the lazy. They never agreed about that sort of thing.

I ate my tiny sandwich and said, “I’ll talk to you. What do we talk about?”

“I’m honored,” Iridescence said with a slightly teasing tone. “Why don’t we start with something easy.” She pointed a hoof at my flank and said, “How did you get your cutie mark?”

My cutie mark was interesting. It had both obvious and curious elements to it. Like many ponies destined to be royal guards it featured a sword. A silver sword to be specific. The odd part was that it was set against a light blue crescent moon. That never made any sense to me.

It had been a while since I’d thought about getting my mark. “I used to carry a wooden sword and pretend I was a great warrior. Even before I knew anything about wanting to be a royal guard. My older sister, Winterspear, would pretend to be a villain and we’d spar like ponies in adventure stories. She always wanted to be the bad pony for some reason.

“Most of the time she would defeat me easily. She was four years older after all. One winter, however, I hit a growth spurt and ended up being large for a colt. We were playing a game where I was trying to rescue a princess that my sister, the evil queen, had hidden away. At… well I guess the climax of our little adventure tale, there was to be a sword fight. Instead of her winning, I did! I bopped her on snout with my sword and she dropped hers. I won! My cutie mark appeared right then. The sword makes sense but I never understood the moon.”

Iridescence was wide eyed.

Nervously I asked, “What?”

“You just strung together more words in the last five minutes than you’ve said in the entire time we’ve been partners,” she said with laugh. “Clearly you were just destined to protect Princess Luna.”

I thought that over. Could that have been it? I didn’t think so. I never really believed in fate. Besides, I got my cutie mark while Princess Luna was still trapped in the moon. It was somewhat convenient and coincidental though. “Maybe. “Thank you for not agreeing to buy hats with me. This is much more fun.”

Iridescence smiled at me and scooted a little closer. “You’re welcome. Is there anything else you like or think you might like?”

“Games. I’m pretty sure I’d like games. The kind with little pieces. When I was a foal I never had time for them.”

Her tone changed. “Oh, well then you should get some games. I think Princess Luna likes games too. Perhaps ask her?”

“Maybe,” was all I said.

We sat quietly, ate the rest of our dinner, and looked out to the west. It was just about time for the sun to set and I thought about how it was weird that I had never paid it much mind. It really was an amazing thing. All of the colors, the light disappearing, and the fact that it was all done by one powerful pony. Some ponies forget that Princess Luna and Celestia aren’t just nobles. They’re alicorns.

While I was distracted and pondering the wonders of the sun, sunsets, and alicorns Iridescence managed to sneak up right next to me. She moved silently. That was one of her talents. It was a little chilly out so it made sense. We lingered for a while longer. I didn’t move.

She asked, “Silent Knight, have you ever had a mare friend before?”

“Sure,” I said. “My sister.”

She shook her head, “No, that isn’t what I meant. I’m talking about a very special somepony.”

“Oh, no. I guess not,” I admitted.

With a nod she replied, “I can tell.”

“You’re a more perceptive pony than most. Reading others seems easy for you.” It was true. She was excellent at that sort of thing. I had seen it on some of our days off. Usually I just stood beside her while she did all the talking.

“Even an unperceptive pony would notice,” she said with a quiet laugh.

“Ah.” I said and contemplated that. Iridescence wouldn’t lie to me and I valued her insight. If she said it was so it was probably true. While I was thinking we just sat there quietly for another hour until it was time to head back. I liked relaxing. I made a note to do that more often.

5. Suddenly Sofas... and Quills

5. Suddenly Sofas... And Quills

“Pardon me, Princess?”  I asked for clarification.

“We would like to go out this afternoon and shop with our loyal subjects,” she repeated.

That was not a great idea. “Princess, perhaps you’d rather stay and discuss some games? We could play one together. It is a little irregular but it would still count as guarding.”

“We would rather not stay. We will go out shopping!” Her tone was rather insistent.

It was short notice and certainly against standard procedures. With a quick nod I replied, “Princess, I’ll need to run this by the captain. You’ll be exposed and procedure dictates for you to have a second guard to ensure your safety.”

Princess Luna stood from her desk and asked, “Surely thou dost not think that we would be in danger in Canterlot, Silent Knight? Thou wouldst not be enough security for us?”

She was right, of course, but we have procedures for this sort of thing. When the princesses go outside the walls we plan for it. We set extra security. We cover our bases. She wanted to go out on the fly. “I may be, Princess, but procedure-”

“Art we a prisoner in our own palace?” she asked, cutting me off.

“No, Princess. I was just-”

“Then let us away to Quills and Sofas.” She tossed on her saddle bags with a flare of alicorn magic and made for the door.

Her stride was much bigger than mine and she was on a mission. It took a near gallop to keep up while also staying one pace left and two paces back. This was bad. The princess had made up her mind and if I left her to follow procedure she’d probably go alone. If I followed her I’d break procedure.

The princess was clearly not going to give me enough time to work it out. She walked swiftly and purposefully through the palace, into the grounds, and out of the gates while I looked pleadingly at every other guard we passed. No pony left their post to help me. Gold-clad, Princess-of-the-Night-fearing jerks.

Once we were away from the palace and on the streets of Canterlot, Princess Luna slowed down to a normal pace. She seemed glad to be outside. The citizens of Canterlot were less glad. As she passed they bowed deeply and didn’t move until she had gone by. Many were trembling in fear and I heard unkind whispers. Thankfully Princes Luna didn’t seem to notice.

We strolled slowly by all the fancy stores, peering in the windows, and admiring the wares. I kept my cool on the outside. It wouldn’t help to let anypony know that something was amiss. Confidence would do more to keep away would-be attackers than anything else.

“What dost thou thinkest of this hat, Silent Knight?” The princess asked me as she looked in a window.

Hats. Why did it have to be hats? I couldn’t really see it from my position behind her but she had asked me to look. Oh what the hay. I’ve probably already lost my job, why not move closer and take look? That is exactly what I did.

It was an outrageously big white hat with a wide brim. There were also purple flowers on it and, in general, looked like it could shelter several ponies under it. I’m no expert on hats but I’m pretty sure this one was ugly. What if the princess liked it though? This would need to be a delicate operation.

“Flowers would be most suitable for a mare, Princess, and I believe you like purple.” Thank you stupid, honest mouth for not saying you thought the hat looked silly. Because it was a silly hat.

“We do,” she said but then turned and walked on her way. “We thinketh we might look silly in a hat so large.”

Knight one, hats zero. “As you say, Princess.” I fell back into my position.

We walked in silence until we reached the store she was looking for: Quills and Sofas. It was a strange combination of items and I thought Couches and Quills would have made more sense for a name.

The Quills and Sofas staff were shocked when Princess Luna strode in. I followed along behind her and found that the store lived up to its name. It was nothing but sofa after sofa and aisles of quills. Simple quills, fancy quills, and quills so large that I couldn’t imagine a practical use for them.

The manager approached and knelt down in front of Princess Luna. “How may I help you, Princess?” he asked.

“We are just browsing,” she replied loudly in the royal Canterlot voice and made her way to the quills. All of the customers and staff seemed too awestruck to move. All except one.

At the back of the store was a white-coated unicorn mare with a long blonde and pink mane that had been done up with some sort of heart-shaped braid. Normally I’d have paid attention to the fact that she was pretty and had big colorful eyes but I was too busy assessing her as a threat.

She was staring at us intently while hugging a notebook to her chest. The look in her eye was a little weird and overly excited. The same fear that had overcome the staff and other patrons seemed lost on her. It was unlikely that she was actually out to do the princess harm. Despite that, I still kept myself between her and the princess. Fanmares…

Princess Luna browsed the various quills in silence. I estimate she picked up and looked at no less than thirty boxes. I wasn’t sure if she was looking for something specific or just wasn’t ready to return to the palace.

After a time she settled on two different boxes and levitated them to the counter. “We would like to purchase these,” she announced.

The clerk stared at her with a mix of fear and indecision.

“How much do we owe thee?” the princess asked. Still no answer.

I walked up to the counter and lightly waved a hoof in front of the clerk. “How many bits?” That seemed to snap the stallion out his stupor. I guess I’m less intimidating.

“Twenty five, please,” he stammered.

Princess Luna levitated the bits to the counter while the clerk bagged up the quills. Once he had rang her up she settled her purchase into her saddle bag.

“Thank thee,” she said and we were on our way.

Thankfully it seemed like we were heading back toward the palace.

“Silent Knight?” she asked.

“Yes, Princess?” I replied.

“Dost thou thinkest that pony were afraid of us or of Nightmare Moon?” she asked.

I thought on that a moment and then replied, “I believe that those ponies were unaccustomed to having an alicorn shopping in their store. I am certain if that occurred more often they would not react as such.”

The princess nodded. That answer seemed to satisfy her initially but then she pressed on, “Then we shall have to be a patron to their store more often.”

Great. More last minute trips outside of the palace without proper security. Oh well, that will probably be the next pony’s problem. I doubted my career would survive the day.

“Of course, Princess.”

We walked the rest of the way to the palace in silence. It was drawing near the time for  Princess Celestia to lower the sun and Princess Luna would have her own duties to attend to. It was immediately evident word had gotten out when we crossed through the gate and into the grounds. I could hear some of the other royal guards talking quietly to each other as they stared.

Once we were inside, as expected, Captain Shining Armor was waiting for us. Well, for me, really. The princess would probably be unaware. Tomorrow there would just be a different guard working opposite of Iridescence. My hope was that I could at least remain her roommate. It would have been sad if we couldn’t be because some things were starting to make sense between us. I’d worked out that she and I were friends, not just partners.

“Princess,” Shining Armor said cordially with a bow. “Welcome back. Did you have a good trip into town?” he asked with a smile. Officers...

She smiled in return and gave a quick nod. She genuinely seemed happy and, at that moment, I was okay with losing my job. Sometimes it is easy to forget that even though the princesses are alicorns they’re also ponies. Ponies who get lonely or have their feelings hurt. If quill shopping made Princess Luna happy than by Celestia she would go quill shopping!

“We did, Captain. We found exactly what we were looking for and more,” she responded. “Perhaps next time we shall look at sofas.”

Shining Armor’s smile brightened a bit and he said, “I’m glad to hear that. That would be an excellent idea. I know your furniture is not something you selected. Cadence has expressed a concern to me that your space should feel more like your own.”

Princess Luna seemed to ponder that before nodding. “We agree. Perhaps we will indeed go look at sofas and other furniture. Thou hast my gratitude, Captain. If you will excuse us, we have duties to attend.”

The captain bowed again and replied, “Of course, Princess.” Then he looked at me.

Here it comes. He didn’t look particularly angry but anger wasn’t professional and you didn’t need to be mad to relieve a guard of his duty. Procedure had been broken. Policies were not followed. That was a fact and he was just doing his job.

It still put me in a bind. Should I stop to talk to him or continue with the princess? I was still on duty and chose to fall in pace behind Princess Luna like normal. The captain dropped into step close beside me. So close I was worried I was going to stumble over his hooves.

He spoke very softly to me. “Went out alone?”

“Yes, sir,” I replied, matching his volume, eyes forward, and completely in step. Never let anypony shake your cool. There would be no disputing of the facts.

“Anything to report?” His voice was little more than a whisper.

“Most town ponies were afraid and kept their distance. One unicorn mare was very excited to see the princess. Pretty, petite, not big enough to overpower me but could have been a distraction. Unlikely though. She seemed more starstruck than anything and kept her distance.”

Shining Armor nodded. “That is to be expected. Not the mare part, but everything else. Good work thinking quickly on your hooves.”

Good work? Seriously? What did he mean by that? “Sir?”

“The princess wasn’t going to take no for an answer. She needs to feel like she has some control. You stuck with her instead of trying to argue her down or let her go alone while you did the paperwork. That is keeping your eye on what is most important,” he explained in hushed tones. It gave me a lot of confidence.

“Thank you, sir. I would never leave her side,” I whispered back.

He smiled and nodded. “I know.” He then paused and added, “You did break procedure though.”

“Yes, sir.” What else could I say? Rules are rules and they’d been broken. There would have to be some sort of repercussion.

“Next week the senior instructor of the guard academy has requested that I send him a royal guard. He needs somepony to give a lecture on making quick judgment calls. There is value in giving trainees practical experience so that they know what to do when faced with a tough choice.”

Shining softly clapped me on the back. “You’re now that pony, Silent Knight. Enjoy.” I can’t say for certain but I swear it seemed like he was delighted by my misfortune. The captain smiled once more and immediately broke off before I could respond.

He wanted me to give a lecture? I think I would have rather been relieved of duty or executed. Either would be preferable. Officers…

☾

My room had never looked so great after such a stressful shift. Between the unscheduled trip out, the punishment assigned me, and just the normal day to day I was beat. All I wanted to do was nestled into my bunk and get some extra sleep.

After removing my armor and settling it on the stand I noticed that there was an unopened letter on the table. It had my name on it so I scooped it up, carefully tore it open, and hopped onto my bed.

Dear Silent Knight

Putting aside the comment about Dad let me say that I am proud of you. A House Guard? Right out of the academy? You must have done something right!

Thank you for the congratulations. It has been a long road but I’m glad to be here. Now that I have my own squad I have more time to do paperwork and write letters. Plus more time for fun!

Are you having any fun? Have you made any friends yet? I worry about that. You’ve been alone a while.

Your sister

Winterspear

Worry? Why would she worry? Iridescence was my friend and that was one more friend than I had had in school. I’d mention that when I wrote her back. For now though sleep was my priority.

6. The Lecture

Iridescence helped me polish my armor one more time as we stood in the hall of the Royal Guard Training Academy. She had volunteered to come with me for my punishment which says a lot about her character.

It was our day off. She should be out doing whatever it was she normally did in her free time. Probably getting her mane done. Her mane was always styled even after wearing the helmet. Most of the mares complained a lot about that. Somehow she’d found a way around it.

Very few things scare me but speaking in public was one of them. Despite how bad I felt for taking up my partner’s time I was glad that she had come with me. That is why royal guards always work with partners: there is always a pony to watch your back.

“It’s time. Are you ready?” she asked me in a soothing tone.

I nodded. “Yes.” Which wasn’t a lie. I was ready to go inside the classroom but not ready to speak. What could be worse than 60 ponies who idolize royal guards staring at you while you let them down?

Oh well, never let anypony shake your cool. Orders were orders and mine were to give a lecture. Iridescence bumped her flank against my own and pushed me towards the classroom door.

Being stared at has never bothered me. Royal guards are trained for that, but there were a lot of eyes looking at me. The instructor motioned in my direction and said, “And right on time, as all royal guards should be.”

“Listen up, ponies,” he said gruffly. “This is Silent Knight. He isn’t just a royal guard. He is one of Princess Luna’s House Guards and became so right out of this very academy. We should all aspire to achieve what he has. Give him your full attention. Silent Knight.” He indicated to me and stepped aside.

Great. Just great. I wasn’t any sort of special pony. I just did my job and happened to be on Princess Luna’s House Guard because I was stupid enough to volunteer. It wasn’t like I was part of Princess Celestia’s House Guard…

That thought gave me pause and my head tilted to think that over a moment. Actually, why would one House Guard be less than the other? That is what created Nightmare Moon in the first place, right? Ponies not giving Princess Luna her due.

I smiled ever so slightly at the thought. How about that? I am on a princess’s House Guard. My princess was as good as any other princess. The sisters were equals! It was in that moment that I felt satisfied. My dream had been achieved already. Right out of the academy too! Perhaps I was a special pony after all.

My ears twitched, catching the sound of a soft cough. “Silent Knight,” the instructor repeated, snapping me back to reality. How long had I been standing there without saying a word? I cursed my internal monologue and realized I was, in fact, some kind of special pony.

Okay, it was show time. Iridescence had helped me with my lecture by drilling it into me. “Just memorize this, stand there, and repeat it,” she had coached. During each shift change I had stood next to her and given the speech. It was all in my head so now it was time to repeat it once more and that is exactly what I was going to do.

I nodded at the instructor. No need for him to suspect me of daydreaming. My silence was just making a point about the weight of my lecture. That was only fitting. “Thank you.” My eyes fixed forward.

Looking out at the group of ponies that were not much younger than myself I began, “As a trainee of this academy you will learn many skills. You will also learn many procedures. Skills become muscle memory and procedures become routine. They make up two halves of a guard’s knowledge that you must be able to execute without thinking.” So far so good.

“What challenges us as royal guards is the fact that sometimes we’ll find ourselves in a situation where the hard-trained skills do not apply. As an individual you’ll face a problem where you must deviate from your routine. That is when you must use your most important weapon:” To make the point stick I lifted my hoof and tapped my helmet. “Your mind.”

I paused for dramatic effect and then paced back and forth in front of the room. “You will not be trained for every possible situation nor could you be. That is the true power of a royal guard: the ability to think. It is because of that very fact that you must prepare yourself by strengthening your mind. You must have faith in yourself that you can make good decisions with the information you have on hoof.”

“When you do face those challenges outside of the norm… and you will… always keep your eyes on what is most important. What is the basis of our duty? To protect!” I raised my voice for that bit just like Iridescence had and held that tone just a minute more. “Take responsibility and make a choice. Make the best one you can to ensure that whomever or whatever you’re protecting will be safe first and foremost. Sometimes that may mean deviating from procedure.”

That notion seemed to disturb the assembled ponies a bit. It was opposite from what they were taught day in and day out. In some ways the academy offered little more than a foundation. Everything else was learned on the job.

Pressing on, “That very idea was frightening to me and it should be to you as well. Fear is okay. Fear keeps you alert and alive. It heightens the senses. Terror is your enemy. Terror will paralyze you with indecision and no decision is the greatest danger.”

“Control your fear and as long as you use your mind and keep your eye on your duty you’ll know the right thing to do.” I paused once again to let that point sink in. “But, and I do want to stress this, do not make it a habit of breaking procedure. If you do so you could be relieved of duty, imprisoned, or even be required to speak in front of trainees. Although you probably shouldn’t say that last part.”

“Thank you.” With the lecture finished I turned and walked out of the classroom without looking back. There would be no question and answer session. My commitment was done. In the hall Iridescence was staring at me wide-eyed. She had both hooves against her mouth and looked like a pony that desperately needed to laugh but was holding back out of politeness.

“What?” I asked.

☾

My best attempts to blend into the wall were usually not productive. Royal guard armor just wasn’t the greatest of camouflage. That didn’t mean I didn’t try. The more I blended in the less I’d be engaged.

Princess Luna had been busy with decorating and making the space her own. Her office and chambers were now a light shade of purple. It didn’t quite match my armor but it was close enough and I willed it to be more so. That way I could blend in better. Of course it should also be noted that white pegasi tend to stand out against purple walls.

“Silent Knight?”

Blast, my camouflage attempt had failed yet again. Perhaps next time I’d stand guard from inside of a cardboard box. “Yes, Princess?”

The princess levitated a parchment my way and asked, “Would thou readest this and tell us what thou thinkest?”

What I thought? Who cares what I thought? I’m just a guard. I don’t have any opinions on official documents. It would be inappropriate for me to… “Yes, Princess.” I replied and then mentally swore at my mouth. The parchment arrived and I lifted a hoof to balance it.

The words on the page were intelligible but it certainly didn’t have the format of any sort of paperwork I’d seen before. That was as utterly confusing as the princess asking me to check her work.

“Well?” The princess asked, a hint of… nervousness in her voice.

I was quiet for a moment longer and then replied, “Princess, it seems like a very interesting account of somepony named Daring Do and a dragon. Are we at risk of dragon attack? When did this occur? I’ll inform the captain after my shift.”

Princess Luna floated the parchment back to her desk, smiling a bit. “Thou likest it then?”

Liked it? It was a report. Typically reports are either well written or not. “It was very accurate and clear. I don’t know that I like the idea that a dragon may attack. That is more concerning than anything else.”

The princess laughed. It seemed to me that a lot of ponies around me laugh when I speak. “Fear not Silent Knight, tis but a work of fiction.”

“A false report, Princess? Who would do such a thing?”

More laughter. It was nice to see her laugh since she was usually so serious. Although why she was laughing at me I didn’t understand. “Thou art too serious Silent Knight. We wrote this. It is fan fiction.”

Was the princess admitting that during all the time she seemed to be working she was, in actuality, just writing false reports? That didn’t seem right. Surely she did some work. I sensed that she saw my confusion, mostly because she said, “Thou still look confused. Perhaps we should elaborate?”

“Please, Princess.” It was time to get to the bottom of this. Filing false reports was a crime after all. Arresting the princess would probably not look good though.

“It is stressful for us now that our royal duties have been resumed. We also do not…” she paused and thought before continuing, “have many social engagements yet. As such we write stories to entertain ourselves. Tis truly for fun, not mischief.”

That made more sense and was far less treasonous than originally imagined. “You write stories like mothers read to foals,” I said in understanding… or so I thought.

“Nay, Silent Knight!” She said quite seriously. “Our stories are not for foals! They are for ponies of all ages who like adventure and intrigue. Even royal guards may read them and enjoy!”

Literature was not really my strong suit. When I was at the Canterlot secondary school I focused more on easily applied skills. Reading and writing are clearly important. I mastered them but never took an interest in poetry and fiction. There wasn’t a lot there that translated into royal guard skills but if the princess said they were for everypony then it was so.

It was sensible to just nod and, instead of just leaving it at that, for some reason I said, “You called this fan fiction princess but I did not recall a fan being in your story.”

“Thou art being quite literal,” she replied. “The character Daring Do is not our creation. Nay, a wonderful writer by the name of A. K. Yearling created her and crafted many books about her heroism. Those books are known and beloved all across our land.”

“We are a fan of these books and it is not uncommon for literary-minded fans such as we to take a character and write their own stories. It helps grow the fiction and many build communities around these stories.”

That was interesting to me, that you could take somepony else’s work and expand on it. “And that is acceptable to do, Princess? Even though you did not originally create this Daring Do and your stories may not be what the original creator wanted?”

The princess nodded happily and said, “Verily! This is so, thanks to Equestria’s weak copyright laws and the absence of a giant mouse corporation that compels bureaucrats to extend such rights well beyond what is reasonable.”

There were giant mice and they were able to form corporations? That was a frightening thought. Beyond that, to be honest, I didn’t understand half of what the princess had just said but I think I got the gist: “Score one for the little pony.”

7. The Phial and Filly Alchemist Supply

“Of course, I knew she was writing fanfiction,” Iridescence said to me. “What did you think she was doing all the time?”

“Official business,” I replied and paused to think about it. “Plus it doesn’t seem like it was any of my business to pry into her tasks. She does her work while I stand by the wall and keep any harm away.”

Iridescence chuckled at me while we walked down the street. We were out in town on our day off. “She does that too but she has to have a life of her own. Writing is currently her creative outlet and she is very good at it.”

That wasn’t a shock to me. “She is the princess, so of course she is,” I said confidently.

Iridescence bumped my flank with her own. “No… She is good at it because she is good at it. Being a princess doesn’t make you a good writer. Nor would I say she is good just because she is a princess. That would hurt her feelings.”

Ponies were complicated. Iridescence saw my confusion and asked, “What would you say if I said you were good with a sword because you’re a royal guard?”

“Thank you.” Which was clearly the wrong answer.

“No! Not every royal guard is as good with a sword as you are. Didn’t you learn to use yours before you were a guard? Isn’t it a matter of pride that you learned enough to best your older sister? Do you really want to boil it all down to the fact you’re just a guard?”

That phrase bothered me - “just a guard.” All I had ever wanted to be was a guard but when it was said that way it seemed meaningless. Iridescence had a point. Princess Luna wasn’t just a princess and I barely learned anything about using a sword during my time at the guard academy. My skill with the blade was well beyond the other ponies due to the fact that my dad had trained me since I was a foal.

That was a far different perspective than any I’d ever considered before. It was a revelation, actually. All royal guards aren’t the same. My cutie mark had a sword in it. Iridescence had a shield in hers. We did the same job but we had different talents. I’m not sure why but when Iridescence explained things they made sense. How could I express that to her?

“I see.” Nailed it.

“Good,” she replied before looking up at a street sign and then turning at a corner. “I heard there is a new store in town. The Phial and Filly Alchemist Supply. It sounds like a neat place. Why don’t we check it out?”

“Alchemy? Isn’t that magic? That sounds… good? Tell me one more thing. Princess Luna said she liked to write her fan fiction but some ponies complained because she didn’t like to ship in it. What does that mean?”

My unicorn companion looked over at me, ignored my reservations about magic, and asked, “Do you ever speak back to the princess or do you just listen?”

“She talks at me a lot,” I said, somewhat defensively.

“Of course. You know you can ask questions if she is engaging you. Perhaps even have a conversation? Princess Luna does very much need ponies to talk to, not just talk at,” Iridescence reminded me.

She went on, “Shipping means forcing characters into a relationship. Say Princess Luna was writing a story about you and I. A fanfiction writer likes that story and decides to write their own about us and, in that story, they decided you and I would become very special someponies even if that wasn’t the princess’s intent.”

“That would be silly.”

I’m not sure why but Iridescence gave me a look and it wasn’t a good one. It was something like the look an opponent gives you before a sparring match. “Why would that be silly?” She asked.

Finally, an easy question. “We’re partners.”

“You’re a special pony, Silent Knight,” she quipped before shaking her head. “Anyway. Princess Luna doesn’t “ship” her original characters with any of the main characters the original authors write about. She only puts hers in relationships with the other original characters she wrote. Some of her fans don’t like that.”

Thank Celestia for Iridescence. “You’re saying somepony writing a story might do something silly like have Princess Luna fall for me and then we would become very special someponies?”

“Exactly,” Iridescence said.

“That wouldn’t make any sense at all,” I said cautiously and looked over at her. I got a nod. Finally, I was catching on. What sort of pony would ship me with the princess anyway? That would just be weird.

“Wait, did you say fans? How in Equestria are ponies getting Princess Luna’s stories? More importantly, how is she hearing about what they think about her writing? I’ve never seen any ponies coming or going during my shift.”

Iridescence’s brow arched. “How can you be so observant and miss all of this? The green journal that shows up once a week? The princess reads it cover to cover. She sends her stories to the group that prints it, they publish them and other stories, and then forward all of the fan mail. They don’t know she is the author but it is still a pretty big deal for her. She converses with a lot of ponies via mail.”

“I’d never made the connection between the journal and the writing.”

“You’ve never asked.” Her tone was chiding. “Learn your VIP Silent Knight. Rookie mistake there.”

Conversing with the Princess wasn’t something I really imagined doing but Iridescence was right. Rookie mistake.

☾

After wandering around Canterlot we finally found the Phial and Filly Alchemist Supply store. It had a big grand opening banner hung over double doors that were propped open. The whole place was packed with ponies and most of them were mares.

Shopping is not a talent I possess. Iridescence, however, was a master and I was becoming comfortable with being her pack horse. My task was to carry the basket and hers was to fill it wherever we went.

I often wondered where she found all the bits to shop like she did. Royal guards don’t make a lot and she was the same grade as me. The price tags frequently caused my heart to skip a beat. It wasn’t my place to ask where the bits were coming from. That was just rude.

In our usual fashion I held the basket and walked behind her as she looked around. Iridescence took her time so that she could touch, smell, and explore the various potions and products. When we reached the section labeled “Mare Care” she stopped and started levitating bottles.

“Which one of these would you prefer I smelled like?” She asked me and started floating opened potions by my nose. It was like an assault on my sense of smell. I’ve crawled through mud and muck. I’ve showered with a bunch of sweaty stallions. I even fell into the sewer once. Nothing ever smelled as intense as the bottles floating by.

My vision went blurry and I was certain I was going to faint just before one particular scent went by. It was subtle and sweet. It smelled like berries. “That one,” I gasped before covering my nose with a hoof.

The bottle levitated into the basket and the rest went back on the shelf. I eyed them warily. It would probably be a good idea to check if these qualified as weapons and inquire if the proprietor had a license for them.

Iridescence picked out a few more things before we went to the counter. A grey pegasus stallion with green eyes was waiting to ring us up. He was wearing some sort of green flat cap. I kept an eye on it as I set the basket on the counter. Hats…

“Thank you for coming in today,” the stallion said warmly. “I am Runic Phial, the proprietor. Did you find everything you needed?”

“Yes.” I stated flatly

“Almost everything,” Iridescence corrected. “Would you happen to have any love potions?” Her tone was teasing and she nodded in my direction while winking at Runic Phial.

I nodded back. I’m not sure why. It just seemed appropriate.

Runic Phial looked confused and nodded too. “Love potions, hmm? Romantic scents for your special somepony? I make perfume, bubble bath, coat glitter, and hoof lotion. Something like that?”

Shaking her head, Iridescence replied, “No, real love potions. The kind that make a pony fall in love with you?” She nodded back at me again and looked from Runic Phial to me and back.

I wasn’t sure what we were doing so I just nodded again.

Runic Phial also nodded, clearly perplexed. He started ringing up Iridescence’s purchases and said cheerfully, “I’m sorry ma’am. Those aren’t something I can make. Ethics and all that. That will be 54 bits please.”

I was still nodding. She wasn’t so I stopped. Iridescence paid and looked a little grumpy. I’d be grumpy too if I’d spent 54 bits on toxic potions. Runic Phial gave me the shopping bag and I carried it out.

“Don’t worry Iridescence. You won’t need a potion to have a special somepony. You’re smart, attractive, and nice. Any pony would be lucky to have you.”

That made her smile and that made me happy. She leaned a little closer and asked, “Really?”

I nodded and smiled back. “Yes, really… and I promise I’ll help you find him.”

☾

Royal guards get a decent amount of days off because of our long hours. Most of mine were spent training. After a 12 hour shift I was rarely in the mood to go to the gym so off days allowed me to catch up.

Exercising was a passion of mine. Not because I had to do it for my job but because it made me feel good. Back in secondary school I’d been a hoofball player and had gotten bit by the “work out” bug. My teammates rarely spent as much time with the weights or on the track as I did.

It was a habit that had largely paid off as a royal guard since my fitness rating was always A. There was also the perk that the palace had a gym in the basement. I didn’t have to go far to indulge my passion.

My usual workout involved a lot of repetitions with low amounts of weight. That always got the heart going and kept me fit. Plus it is dangerous to do heavy weights without a pony to spot you.

That was what I was doing when I caught a burst of pink come through the door. It was Lady Cadence, the captain’s Fiancée. I’d heard she was pretty but this was the first time I’d seen her myself. The rumors were true. She was a magnificently beautiful unicorn. Good for the captain.

My tastes have always slanted towards unicorns and Canterlot had no shortage of them. They were usually smaller than pegasi mares and more elegant. It may have been a condition brought on by living around them so long. Either way, when Lady Cadence hopped up on the treadmill and started trotting it became more difficult to just focus on the weights.

“Silent Knight, I didn’t expect to see you here on your day off.” The voice was the captain’s and from behind me.

My head wiped in his direction and almost directly into the bar resting in the bench’s crooks. “Sir! I was… working out.”

“I see that,” he chuckled. “It is still your day off though.”

Maybe he hadn’t seen me looking. “Old habit. I played ball in school. Never looked at exercise as a chore.”

“Good stallion. You want a spot? You can use more weight that way.”

“If you’re willing sir.”

Shining Armor nodded and slipped two more plates on. “No problem. Just be sure you keep your attention on the bar when you’re lifting.”

White pegasi don’t hide blushes well. I’m certain my face was red… literally and figuratively. “Yes sir,” I replied meekly before we went to lifting weights.

9. The Game Store

“Iridescence?” I asked into the dark room.

I heard her roll over on her bunk to look my way. Royal blue magic illuminated around her horn and cast enough light for us to see without being blinding. “Easy there,” she said quietly. “Are you starting a conversation?”

Softly I snorted. I could start conversations. I just chose not to. “Maybe I am.”

“You must still be high on your victory. It was just a board game,” she reminded me.

“It is a game that requires strategy, planning, and tactics. It was a good exercise.” I said but then rolled over to face her. “That isn’t what I wanted to talk about though. How come you volunteered to work the Gala? You’d have fit in perfectly there. At least until the riot started.”

Iridescence laughed quietly. “We’re partners and I was waiting for a particular stallion to ask me to go. He never did.”

I frowned. “Really? That seems like a mean thing to do.”

“Oh, it wasn’t intentional. I just think he isn’t aware that I’m around,” she explained.

I laughed a little. “Wow, he must be pretty thick headed, then. What kind of pony could be so blind to the fact that you’re one of the prettiest unicorns in Canterlot?”

She laughed too, shaking her head and looking at me with amusement. Our eyes met and she answered, “Well, it takes all kinds you know… but thank you for saying I’m pretty.”

“One of the prettiest,” I corrected before rolling over onto my back again and tugging the sheets up. “That stallion must be pretty unobservant. I couldn’t imagine.”

Iridescence let the light on the tip of her horn go out and I could hear her giggling. “You might try,” she said with a snicker.

What did that mean?

☾

The next morning we slept in for a little while. Even though our shifts were exactly opposite Iridescence and I usually spent our days off together. “I have an adventure planned for us today,” she said.

I silently prayed to Celestia that it wasn’t another trip to the Phial and Filly Alchemist Supply. Iridescence loved to take me there and have me pick out scents for her. It was slowly killing me. I always thought she smelled just fine as is. “Oh?”

“Yes. You and I are going on a train ride. I’ve heard a new shop opened in Ponyville. Rumor has it that they carry all sorts of games. I thought we could go over, find something new to play, and get the princess a gift,” she explained.

That sounded like a great idea. Board games weren’t silly like hats. They kept your mind sharp.

“Okay. There are some letters I want to drop in the mail on the way out though.” I replied while she got dressed. She had been wearing dresses lately when we went out. Nothing fancy but more than the everyday mane and coat.

Today the one she wore was blue like my mane. I wonder where she found things like that or how she afforded them. By this point she had filled her locker, foot locker and my locker too. That was perfectly fine, though. I didn’t own much in the way of clothing.

Once she was ready we headed out to the train station after a quick visit to the mailmare. Typically we walked everywhere. A train ride sounded like fun but it also served as a reminder that I rarely flew anymore. I needed to do something about that.

Iridescence bought our tickets and we were off. I sat across from her, looking out the window and enjoying the scenery. She just seemed to watch me for most of the trip.

“You really are just yourself, aren’t you?” she asked.

That struck me as a strange question. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t pretend to be any other pony than yourself. You’re comfortable being Silent Knight. Is that you or is that your father’s doing?”

This conversation was getting even odder. I stretched my wings out and replied, “I like to think it is me. I realize ponies sometimes act differently depending on where they are or who they’re with. My mom always told me that if somepony doesn’t like me for me they aren’t worth worrying about.”

“You don’t talk about your mother much.”

I shrugged. “She and my father disagreed a lot when I was a foal. He just wanted to make sure I’d make out okay as an adult.”

Iridescence nodded in thought. “That must be nice. You wanted to be a royal guard so that is who you are.” She looked out the window and I had a feeling there was something else going on here. Subtext.

“Is something wrong Iridescence? You seem sad.”

That caught her off guard. I guess she was accustomed to me missing subtext. She got up and sat down next to me. “Maybe a little,” she admitted.

“Why?”

“You never pry into my business.”

I blinked a few times and quipped, “You’re sad because I don’t pry?”

Iridescence smiled a little, which was a good sign, and softly pushed me. “No, you dolt. I mean you never pry in general. You give me all the privacy and space I want. Why now?”

“You look sad,” I said plainly but that wasn’t enough. “It bothers me to think that you might be sad.” My wing slipped around her shoulder.

“Aren’t you sweet,” she whispered and leaned against me. “I miss my family even though I became a royal guard to get out on my own. Spending time with you reminds me how important friends are. I miss my parents and sisters… especially Dot.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I lo… really like hanging around with you. It doesn’t mean I miss my family and old friends any less, though. When it is just the job it is easy to forget what love feels like. Do you know what I mean?”

Yes. My father had sent me away from Cloudsdale before secondary school. I was alone day in and day out: terrified, sad, and without comfort. It made me strong but I wouldn’t do that to my own colt. “Yes,” I said soothingly.

“Manehattan just feels so far away lately.”

“Perhaps you should take a vacation and go home for a little while?” I suggested. “I’m sure the Captain can assign somepony else temporarily. He said it himself that we all need time off.”

“What about you? Don’t you want to go home?” Iridescence asked.

Did I? Who wouldn’t? It had not crossed my mind in a long time, however, and I wondered why.

I tugged Iridescence a little closer with my wing. “I am home.” We’d leave it at that. I guess my look said enough and she let it drop. We rode the rest of the way to Ponyville in silence.

☾

Ponyville was larger than I’d imagined. It wasn’t a densely populated town like Canterlot but without it being stuck on a mountain side there was a lot of space available to spread out. That meant there was a lot of breathing room and it was nice. Iridescence’s spirits had improved dramatically and we wandered around the town window shopping.

“The Captain’s sister lives here you know,” she said matter-of-factly. “In fact, all of the Elements of Harmony live here. It seems somewhat unlikely that six strangers could do what the entire royal guard couldn’t, doesn’t it?”

With a light shrug I replied, “I can’t pretend to understand magic. You amaze me when you levitate game pieces. It makes me jealous until I remember I can fly.”

She laughed. “Just game pieces, huh? How about my sword? Certainly better than clumsy hooves or mouth.”

“Those are fighting words.” I bumped her with my flank. While we were bantering we drifted off course and found ourselves in front of the pinkest cottage I’d ever seen. The mailbox was heart-shaped, as were the windows and the weather vane.

“We may need directions to the store,” Iridescence said as she turned up the walk to the little cottage.

I followed along behind her. She raised her hoof but, before she could knock, the door suddenly opened. A fluffy pink pony stood in the entry and gasped excitedly when she saw us.

“Oh, hello there,” Iridescence said. “We were looking for the new game store in town.”

“Pfft,” the pink pony said, her tongue poking out and flapping. She pointed vaguely in a direction and added, “Pfftbllblblbl.”

“I see,” Iridescence said, turning in that direction. “Around the town hall then?”

The pony nodded and replied “Pfft” again but that time it sounded different.

“Thank you.” Iridescence said and we turned to walk in that direction.

The door shut behind us and I asked, “You understood her?”

“Not a word. Now get your flank up in the sky and find the place!”

No additional coaxing was needed. It was time to fly! I leapt into the air, spread my wings, and soared high. Ponyville looked a lot smaller from that vantage point and it didn’t take too long for me to spot what looked like the store we were looking for. It was near the main street and had two large peeples, those generic wooden pony figures that are used in a lot of games, out front.

I circled longer than necessary since it felt wonderful to have the wind in my mane again. Keeping Iridescence waiting seemed rude, however, so I turned in and spiraled down to her. Landing at her side I reported, “It is on the other side of town.”

“Great, we should probably check it out before it gets too late,” she responded and we were off. “You know I enjoy watching you fly. You should do it more often to keep your wings strong.”

“You’re right.” We trotted along the wide streets of Ponyville looking at the various stores. “Sometimes I forget that I can fly. We just stand there all day,” I added as we reached our destination.

Iridescence smiled. “Well don’t! For now, however, it is time to find some new games and a gift for Princess Luna. Try to find something more thematic. You’re too into the strategy games.”

What was wrong with strategy games? Perhaps the princess and Iridescence were tired of my winning streak. I shrugged and wandered into the store.

If you’re into board games it was pretty impressive. Every wall was stocked with the latest and greatest games. There was even a section for small, independant titles. I started there. After all, a royal guard should look out for the little pony.

One game caught my attention with a brightly colored box. It had four colorful, young dragons on the cover. They were cute. Super cute, actually. I looked over at Iridescence. She liked cute and I didn’t mind that sort of thing. After all, a stallion can like cute things without being unstalliony.

I read the back of the box for more details. A light strategy card game where each player takes on the role of a baby dragon trying to build a treasure hoard. Light strategy. Light doesn’t count, right? I looked at Iridescence again and took the game over to her. Look at the cute dragons. Ignore the strategy part.

“What did you find?  Something off the independant table, huh?”

I held up the game box for her to see.

“Wow! That looks adorable. What is it about?”

“Baby dragons stealing treasure. There are four different kinds to choose from: darkness, fire, moonlight, and sunlight.”

She looked at me and then at the box. Keep calm. No emotion. I stared back at her blankly as if I were back at the academy.

“Okay,” she finally said.

Iridescence picked out a couple of games for herself and one for Princess Luna. Our gift. Which I use the word our loosely because she paid. It was a game about giant monsters fighting over Manehatten, which seemed kind of funny.

With our purchases in my saddle bags we headed back towards the train station. The train wasn’t due for another 15 minutes or so and we found ourselves standing there, waiting. A faded poster on the wall caught my attention. It featured a yellow pegasus with a pink mane all dolled up. She was holding a mug of cider; clearly some sort of advertisement.

“Do you think she is pretty?” Iridescence asked in my ear, suddenly right beside me. She moved too quietly for a pony. They didn’t teach that sort of the in the academy either.

Weighing my options I replied, “I think you’re prettier and I’m somewhat tired of shameless advertising and product placement in everything we read, see, or watch. This doesn’t make me want to buy cider.”

“Aren’t you a smart cookie,” Iridescence said, turning back to the train track. “You’re right though. Everything is about advertisment. The next thing you know it will start turning up in Princess Luna’s fan fiction.

I snorted. Advertisements in fan fiction. What sort of monster would do that?

10. Realizations

“Silent Knight!” came the captain’s voice in my dreams. It was extremely lifelike and I quickly realized that this was real.

I fumbled about, fell out of my bunk, and immediately sprung to attention. “Yes, sir!” I replied from under the blanket that had landed over my head.

Captain Shining Armor was standing in our doorway. I heard him come over before he pulled the blanket off. I didn’t move.

“I’m sorry; you’re normally awake by now. I realize it is your day off,” he said.

“No problem at all, sir,” I replied.

“I need a reliable pegasus right now. Are you up to the task?”

“Yes, sir!”

The captain looked me over and nodded. “I knew I could count on you. Get dressed.” He dropped a sealed scroll case on my bed. “Deliver this to the royal guard commander in Cloudsdale. Get there as fast as you can. Understood?”

Cloudsdale? I wasn’t thrilled by that prospect but I wasn’t going to let the captain down. “Yes, sir. Consider it done.”

With a nod he said “Good stallion” and left.

“Will you be alright?” Iridescence asked.

I blinked, rocked out of my thoughts. I had forgotten she was here. Looking over, I nodded. “I’ll be back in time for my shift tomorrow.”

Getting out of bed, she came over and patted me with a hoof. “You know that isn’t what I mean.”

I did but it was time to get my armor on and into the sky. Giving her the best smile my face would allow I replied, “It will be alright. I’ll see you tomorrow. Why don’t you go to the Phial and Filly today since we can’t go on our picnic?”

Iridescence gave me an evil smile and replied, “It isn’t as fun when you’re not there to grimace.” I glared at her just as she plopped my helmet onto my head. “Out, mister! You’re on the clock now.”

Tucking the scroll case into my bag I headed out of the barracks. It was early morning. Princess Celestia had not yet raised the sun. Orienting to the west, I lept into the air and started flying. It wasn’t a short trip and a wise pony would set a reasonable pace. I flew fast, pushing the limit to see how rusty I was.

Evidently I wasn’t rusty at all. Even with with the added weight of my armor and making occasional cloud stops to rest, I made good time. Cloudsdale looked different than what was in my memory. It was very bright and colorful. The weather factory was in full swing, too, which added even more vibrancy in the form of rainbows, storm clouds, and other weather patterns.

Flying through town, it became quickly obvious that the ponies of Cloudsdale had never seen one of Princess Luna’s house guards. Many looked out of idle curiosity but I could also sense fear in others. Perhaps in time they would forgive and forget.

After a bit of searching I located the royal guard headquarters and landed. More odd looks which was off-putting. Royal guards should know better. We would sometimes have a friendly rivalry with the “goldies” in Canterlot but we were all on the same team. These ponies gave me a wide berth as I walked into the building.

The Cloudsdale headquarters was somewhat ancient. It was once the Pegasus Warrior Hall; built right after the old tribal times. Pegasi have always been exceptional warriors and the hall showcased that fact. There were rows of carved statues honoring our greatest heroes from the most recent to Commander Hurricane. We loved our warriors regardless of what kind of ponies they were.

I paused at one of the somewhat recently finished statues. It was not as large as many of the others but we didn’t have great war heroes as often anymore. I hid my smile. They had done a good job capturing my father’s likeness. He looked as stern and proud as ever. Duty called, however, and it was time to report to the commander’s office.

The Royal Guard loves tradition. Most of the large commands have a special title associated with them. Colonel Shining Armor was the Captain of the Canterlot Guard. Colonel Tsunami was the Cloudsdale Commander. Both titles went back to ancient times.

“Message from Canterlot Command, sir.” Commander Tsunami's office had not been hard to find. All a pony needed to do was follow the statues. I produced the sealed case from my bag and sat it on his desk.

Commander Tsunami is what ponies call “old school.” He never liked the modern gold armor. Instead he wore a traditional pegasus set made of the finest Cloudsdale steel. It had been handed down along his family line for as long as anypony could remember. Soldiering was more important to him than guarding. If we ever had a real war he would be one of the ponies to lead us.

The commander focused his one good eye on me and nodded. “Thank you, son. Dismissed.” I turned to leave but he added, “Wait. You look familiar. Do I know you?”

I shook my head. “No, sir. I’ve never had the pleasure of serving with you. Canterlot only.”

Commander Tsunami stroked his chin with a hoof and then nodded. “That is a shame. That place is a waste of a real soldier and I know real soldiers when I see them. If you ever get tired of it I’ll approve a transfer. What is your name?”

“Silent Knight, sir.”

He repeated it and said, “Good soldier. Dismissed.”

Good soldier? If anypony could read a pony it would be him. Was I honestly wasting my potential in Canterlot? Should I be here? No, I was a house guard. I would miss the princess and Iridescence too much. Besides, living in Cloudsdale would have been complicated. I would…

I fell flat on my face when my hooves tripped over something.

“Good soldier indeed,” came the teasing voice of a mare.

I had been pretty lost in thought but had she deliberately tripped me with her spear? A quick look down confirmed it. What sort of childish, rude pony would… Oh.

“Still up to dirty tricks?” I asked before righting myself. Like any good soldier I straightened up to my full height and set my jaw. Our eyes locked beneath our helmets: she in her gold and me in my purple. We glared in silence.

Finally she laughed. “Wow, you’ve gotten good!”

I glared just a little longer before smiling, “How’re you Winterspear?” What were the odds?

“I’m doing well, little brother. I got your letters. A princess AND a unicorn. Aren’t you a stud?” she teased.  Always teasing.

“You’re one to talk… sergeant,” I said, mock saluting her. “Or if you prefer… your majesty the dark queen.” I knelt and she bonked me on the helmet.

“Oh get up you. Come on before somepony sees us.”

Winterspear led me back to her room. As a sergeant she had her own quarters which was considered a perk. I only saw it as a detriment. Less time with Iridescence. For my sister though, it was nice. Once the door was closed my helmet came off and I plopped into a chair.

“I have duty tomorrow.”

“I’m sure you do,” she said. “Surely you can spend some time with me though considering I haven’t seen you in who knows how long?”

Guilt. That was a new one for her. I smiled and nodded, “Of course. You could come visit me, you know. You have days off duty as well.”

She made tea and waved a hoof at me. “You know how it is. A sergeant’s work is never done. Cats, cradles, and all that.”

I did know how it was but I would have liked to see her more. She made really great tea.

“You should marry that unicorn,” she blurted out.

I blinked and stared. “What?”

“You clearly have feelings for her. You write about her in every letter. It is obvious to me she likes you and if she is half as attractive as you say you should do something about it before some other stallion does.”

I continued to stare. We’d never really had a conversation like this and she sounded crazy. “But… she is my partner,” I managed to say.

That yielded me another bonk on the head. “You’re so rigid. That. Mare. Likes. You. When has that happened before? Do something about it.”

Clearing my throat, I skillfully guided the conversation another direction. “What about you? Don’t you have a special stallion in your life? I don’t see you married and you’re older.”

“My barn door doesn’t swing that way,” she said. “And age has nothing to do with it.”

I tilted my head, pondering where she had a barn.

“What? You don’t approve?” She asked.

What was she even talking about?

“Silent Knight? Don’t tell me that is a problem for you?” She prodded.

“What?” I asked.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“With what?” I was confused.

“My barn door?”

“What is wrong with your barn door? If it only swings one way we can fix it,” I explained simply.

She glared at me. “Are you speaking metaphorically about fixing me or do you believe we’re literally talking about a barn door?”

“I can tell by your tone that if I say it was the second one it may result in another blow to the head.”

Winterspear face hooved. “It is an expression. It means I don’t like stallions.”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m a stallion.”

“Oh, Celestia. Please marry that unicorn before she figures out how slow you are,” she started before setting her tea down and reaching across the table to hold my cheeks with her hooves. She looked me in the eye and said, “I don’t want to marry a stallion. I want to marry a mare.”

Oh. Barn door. So that is what that meant in secondary school. I rolled my eyes. “Why didn’t you just say that? I don’t care if you want to marry a rock, as long as it loves you.”

Winterspear glared at me and then her eyes softened and she smiled. “You… you’re so sweet. I could always count on you.” She kissed my cheek and then hugged me.

We didn’t do that sort of thing much but it was nice. I hugged her back.

“How is Dad?” I asked and she went rigid in my hooves. That was a mistake.

“I wouldn’t know. Mom is well though. We have lunch once a week,” she said coolly.

“You two are still fighting then?” I asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it” was the reply. “Are you going to see them before you go?”

No, I wasn’t. “No… I have to be at my post. I’ve never missed a shift and don’t intend to start now.”

“Good soldier,” she replied, hugging me still. Those words had a lot more meaning.

Dad and I got along but I wasn’t thrilled about seeing him. Duty was a convenient excuse. We stayed in our embrace for a while. I was starting to see what Iridescence meant. I missed my sister.

“Do you have a special mare then?” I finally asked.

She parted the hug and was all smiles. “I do, but you wouldn’t approve. Caramel Mint is also a royal guard. Different ranks. She makes me happy though.”

That was against regulations. A pony could be relieved of duty.

“Keep it quiet then,” is what I said and I meant it. I think that caught her by surprise. No lecture. No mention of regulations. If it made my sister happy than it couldn’t be bad. She deserved happiness.

☾

The flight home felt as if it was all downhill. Nothing could darken my positive mood. My duty was done and I’d spent an evening with my sister. Even if she was a little strange with her ideas about my love life she was still my favorite pony in the world. What did she know about love? Probably a lot more than me actually.

Iridescence didn’t like me in that way. We were friends… partners. She was after some other stallion that never noticed how much she was into him. Some pony that was so oblivious that he didn’t see her for what she was. Some pony that was… never around. I’d never seen anypony else around her but… me. Oh Celestia, I had been an oblivious fool.

Spreading my wings I dove towards Canterlot, flying faster than I ever had in my life. It was almost time for my shift. I had to see her. She would be there, outside Princess Luna’s door, standing guard. I had to tell her what a fool I was.

The landing was rough and I broke into a gallop across the courtyard. The pace continued inside the palace. Down the hall, up the stairs, and into Princess Luna’s wing. I saw Iridescence standing there and considered all of the most romantic words the great poets had ever written about a mare. I would swoon her. I would dazzle her. I would crash into her in one second. Wait!

Bodily I collided with Iridescence, knocking us both to the floor and making all sorts of horrible noises. Armor colliding with other armor sounds like that. I knew we’d draw attention. She looked up at me shocked. As if I had lost my mind. I had.

I swallowed, thought back hard on those few love poems I had been forced read in school, and said, “You are relieved…” no, that was wrong “relieved to be my special somepony,” I quickly whispered.

Iridescence just stared at me in shock. Half of that was probably because I had tackled her. I knew the other half was my words.

Two guards charged around the corner and she waved them off saying, “Clumsy hooves fell but everything is perfectly all right now. We’re fine. Everything is fine, thank you. How’re you?” The pair gave us strange looks but took her word and left.

I panted as I laid there and she pushed me off and over. All that flying and galloping had done me in. Iridescence looked over at me and whispered, “You express affection in a very idiotic way.”

“Yes.” I huffed.

“I’m going to see the medic. You have 12 hours to think about how you’re going to make up for not noticing for this long.” She said.

“Yes,” I groaned as I dragged myself up.

Iridescence followed suit, keeping her professional decorum. She whispered as she went by, “But I’m glad you finally came around. I’ll see you at home.”

Yes. She would see me at home. I smiled briefly before I took my post and stood rigidly at attention.

11. Chocolate Rain

Fraternizing was a risky business for a royal guard. It was acceptable for enlisted guards to mingle but it was often looked upon as unprofessional if it was done within the same unit. This was especially true with partners.

The officers would worry that we’d look after each other more than our duty. It was because of that fact that Iridescence decided we would not actively discuss our relationship with others. We wouldn’t lie but we wouldn’t advertise the situation either. Those were her instructions to me. That made it seem wrong somehow but I trusted her.

It was our first time off together since we decided to be more than friends. Of course as my punishment for being so oblivious we went to the Phial and Filly Alchemist Supply. Iridescence loved that store and its curious, eccentric proprietor.

Our shopping was taking longer than usual and the heavy scents were starting to get to me. I could feel my eyes watering. Runic Phial came out of the back in a cloud of smoke. He had a pair of goggles over his eyes and was generally covered in soot. Wiping the grime from the lenses, he wandered over to us.

Iridescence smiled at him. “Good afternoon, Runic. Another failure?”

Runic Phial coughed and shook his head. “Complete success. I turned some quartz rocks into other rocks.” He looked at me, saw my discomfort, stuck his hoof into a bucket of white goo on the counter, and then plastered me right on the nose with it.

Anything that resembles a punch isn’t always a wise thing to do to a guard. My reflexes started to kick in, urging me to fight back, but then I realized the smells had subsided. I wiggled my nose and then nodded at him. He nodded back.

“Do you have anything new, Runic?” Iridescence asked, which was always a dangerous question.

Runic reached behind the counter and produced a purple vial. “I do! This new potion is excellent.”

I was skeptical.

“What does it do?” Iridescence asked cautiously.

“That is a great question,” he said with confidence, though it didn’t sound like he actually knew the answer. “You see I mixed together several things, including some great flowers that I found in the country. I’m pretty sure this combination will… oops.”

The potion fell from his hooves and shattered on the floor. A plume of purple smoke filled the back of the shop and sent many a pony scurrying out into the street.

I lightly coughed as the mist overpowered my senses.

Iridescence sneezed and looked at Runic wide eyed. “Are we going to die?”

Runic shook his head and replied, “Nooooooo… maybe!”

I took Iridescence by the hoof and started to drag her to where the potentially fatal purple cloud was not lingering thickly. Most of the shop was now inundated with the mist and everypony else had scattered. I knew I should have been more concerned but this was a pretty normal day for this shop. Thus far, the worst that had ever happened was me being transformed into a mare for six hours. I was pretty. It was weird.

Runic came through the cloud looking unconcerned. He took his goggles off and coughed. “Well, if it was going to kill us we’d probably be dead by now. We’re safe again!”

Safe was a relative term, of course. With Runic I followed a 24 hour rule but, in this case, I didn’t think I’d have to wait that long. Looking outside, I noticed the clouds were pink and it had started to rain brown liquid. Pointing a hoof I asked, “Do those clouds look pink?”

Iridescence looked, nodded, and then glared at Runic. “Why do the clouds look pink?”

The pegasus alchemist looked outside and then paused in thought. “Mild, shared hallucination. Happens all the time. Say, do you want to see my new rocks?”

“For how long?” Iridescence asked.

Runic shrugged. “I don’t know, until you get bored looking at them? I never do but you might. Silent Knight understands though. We didn’t have rocks in Cloudsdale.”

“She meant, how long will we be hallucinating,” I said. He was right about not having rocks. I just wasn’t as into them as he was. “Also, please define happens all the time.”

It had started raining pretty heavily now. Brown-looking water fell from the sky and pooled on the Canterlot streets. The smell of chocolate wafted in but surely that was part of the side effects.

“Oh, that,” he said, clearly sad about our lack of interest in geology. “Not long. A day or two tops. Are you sure about the rocks? They were quartz this morning.” There was no answer on the second question.

“We’re sure,” I said and patted him on the shoulder. “Maybe next time when we’re not seeing things. For today though I think we’re going to go and potentially see the medic. Take care, alright?”

Runic nodded. “Well okay then, if you’re sure. I’ll see you next time! Please come again.”

We left and for some reason I knew we’d come back. She always said the risk was worth it. Runic made the best mare care products in all of Equestria. By accident, I could only assume.

Walking out into the rain confirmed my suspicion. It was indeed the cause of the chocolate smell. I stuck my tongue out. Yup, chocolate. We started to head back to the barracks.

“It tastes like chocolate,” Iridescence said and I nodded.

“He really got us this time,” I replied. “Although I could think of worse things.”

“Yup.” Once we reached the palace grounds we walked in and headed to the showers. After all, we probably just looked wet to other ponies but as far as we could tell we were covered in chocolate. Sticky, sweet smelling chocolate. That kind of thing is murder on the coat and mane.

☾

I sat by our window looking out at the insanely different world my potion-addled brain had created. My stomach was fine and there were no other effects. Just the crazy hallucinations.

“Anything new?” Iridescence asked from her bunk. She had decided reading was the way to go. Less visual.

“The sun has come up and gone down sixteen times and a house just floated by,” I stated matter-of-factly.

Iridescence quietly closed her book, set it aside, and slipped under her sheets. “DONE!” she exclaimed and went to sleep.

She had the right idea and I followed her example.

☾

Shining Armor laughed from behind his desk. “Seriously, you thought a potion could do all that?”

Honestly, I did.  “Have you been to the shop before, sir?”

The captain’s expression went serious. “Once was enough. Cadence loves it, but it is no place for stallions. I’m glad you’re well, though. Only you would show up to duty under the effects of a potion and not complain.”

“I didn’t think it would impact my performance.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that. Pink clouds, chocolate rain, and floating houses aren’t necessarily security risks. Just be sure you keep me posted in the future if you’re feeling like you’re under the effects of something.”

“Yes, sir! Should I assume everything is now handled?” I asked.

He nodded, “Thankfully yes. My sister and her friends took care of the situation with the Elements of Harmony and things are back to normal. Discord is safely encased in stone and we don’t have to worry about floating houses.”

“It seems strange to me that all of our major problems are now handled by civilians,” I said frankly.

Shining Armor nodded. “I won’t disagree with that. It has been odd. Here I am, a royal guard officer, and my little sister is off defeating Equestria’s villains. The worst we get are over-excited ponies that want an autograph or something. Still, somepony has to keep law and order on a daily basis. Six mares can’t protect the whole nation on their own.”

He had a good point there. We might not be heroes but heroes didn’t have time to help little old ponies across the street. They also couldn’t be everywhere. That was our job. “New recruitment line?” I asked.

The captain waved a hoof across the space in front of him. “Join the Royal Guard: we’re not heroes but we’re almost as good.”

“Needs work.”

“I’ll let the ponies in the press ministry work on it,” he replied with a chuckle. “Anything else to report?”

In my mind I was fidgeting. On the outside I’m sure I looked the usual calm, cool, and collected that I always did. Was the captain asking specifically about my relationship? How could he know? “Nothing of consequence as of yet, sir.” I replied and then paused. “If you return to the shop with Lady Cadence, the shopkeep has a vat of goo by the desk. Rub some on your nose and it dulls the sense of smell.”

“That might save lives,” Shining Armor said in a serious tone.

I nodded gravely and then stood in silence.

“Alright, dismissed.”

I left him alone in his office. In general you had to be careful around officers but Shining Armor wasn’t like that. He always seemed to be interested in what his ponies were up to and that was going above and beyond. The Captain of the Canterlot Guard had a lot of responsibilities. Taking the time to check in with individual guards wasn’t one of them.

It made not telling him the truth feel even worse. He had not asked specifically though, and I decided that it wasn’t exactly a lie of omission. If things got serious I’d tell him myself. That is what an honorable pony would do.

☾

Miley Hooves stood in our room dressed in her armor. I was looking it over before a routine inspection. “What do you think?” She asked.

“You’ll pass. If you want I could give you some tips though.”

“Please! I need all the help I can get.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Miley got on well enough but she wasn’t an exceptional guard. She tried really hard at everything she did. It just didn’t always work out well. “You polished your armor in long strokes, didn’t you?”

“How can you tell?”

“The streak marks. It looks good but if you want to get that high gloss shine you need to make small circles on each plate. That will also eliminate all the streaks.” My eyes shifted to her sword, it hung just slightly below her armor. “I’d have the armspony take a look at your scabbard too. If you take an inch off the belt your weapon will be better concealed.”

She turned a circle trying to see it for herself. After three turns she gave up and just nodded.

“Other than that you’re in good shape. Certainly good enough to pass routine. Those suggestions are just for you to go the extra mile.”

Miley smiled, “Thank you! Where did you learn all of this stuff anyway?”

“From my Dad. When I was a foal there were weekly inspections.” Punishments were also a lot more severe than a minor citation but she didn’t need to know that.

“That is interesting. My Dad is a farmer. He doesn’t know anything about guard stuff. He knows a lot about farming though. If you ever need tips on raising pumpkins I’m your filly.”

With I shrug I replied, “Everypony has their own talents and I’ll keep that in mind. You’re all set though. I’ll see you out on the parade grounds later, okay?”

“Okay!” She chimed before heading out.

It was time to get my own kit in order. Just enough to pass wouldn’t do for me. It certainly wouldn’t do for Dad. Everything had to be perfect. The model guard. An example to others. Those are the ponies that make sergeant quickly.

Of course if I made sergeant that would also make my situation with Iridescence all the more difficult. Dating your subordinate was strictly prohibited. That was something I could worry about later. For now all I had to do was be certain that my armor was the best looking out of every other pony on the parade ground.

12. The Plague

It seemed that having a very special somepony was not that much different than having a close friend. Iridescence and I still did the same things as before but now we had a shared secret. There was also a higher percentage of time spent hugging, cuddling, and the occasional kiss. Beyond that, I now had the charge of “being more considerate,” whatever that meant.

That day Iridescence and I sat at the small table in our room playing a game. We were trying to ensure that four deadly viruses didn’t infect all of Equestria. It was going okay but it was the sort of game that creeps up on you. Everything seemed to be fine and then everypony suddenly died.

There was a knock at the door and then it opened. Our Sergeant, Windchaser, came in and said, “Good morning ponies.”

She was a pegasus like me and had been a royal guard for ages. Her mane and coat had long since started to grey and most of us saw her as more of a den mother than a sergeant. That isn’t to say she wasn’t good at her job; she was. Her style was just far more friendly.

I smiled and Iridescence said, “Good morning sergeant. What can we do for you today?”

“I hate to interrupt game time but I was actually looking for Silent Knight.” She pointed a hoof at me for emphasis. “Miley has come down with with a nasty case of the flu. Would you mind starting your week early and working one more shift to cover for her?”

Of course I wouldn’t mind. I never minded doing my job. In fact, I liked it! Then I caught a look from Iridescence. We had a quiet picnic planned for that day. Our last day off before we went back at work. She had gone to great lengths to set it up. She was also the one that said we should keep our relationship quiet. If I said no the sergeant may ask why.

I thought, “I’ll make up an excuse. Something believable like: I have an appointment.” That wasn’t made up. It was true- “No problem, sergeant.” No! Stupid, honest mouth. I felt the withering look of my unicorn companion.

Sergeant Windchaser didn’t seem to notice. She smiled and said, “I knew I could count on you. Thanks.” Then she abandoned me to face Iridescence alone.

Once the door was closed Iridescence said, “No problem, sergeant?”

Navigating this conversation was going to require strategy, care, and bravery. I calmly laid my cards down. “Had I said no she may have questioned me and you know better than any pony that I’m incapable of lying. I was following your instructions.”

“My instructions, huh?” she asked.

“Yes. To keep things quiet. Especially in front of the sergeant and officers.” A reasonable defense. One thing I had learned about having a special somepony was that being more considerate also meant not necessarily being logical.

Iridescence gave me a look and then said, “In this case I agree. Although I feel like you always put the job first.” She sighed. “It is also really a shame. We had such fun plans.”

Of course I put the job first. It was our job! Picnics could wait. The princess needed protection. I didn’t say anything besides “I agree. Can we move it out a week?”

She smiled. I loved that smile. “I think we can. Everything but the food will keep. Just don’t volunteer for any extra shifts if you can help it.”

“No problem,” I said and at the time I had meant it.

***

Miley Hooves, it seemed, was not the innocent flu-stricken victim. She was, in fact, the harbinger of the plague. By midweek three fourths of Princess Luna’s House Guard were sick, including Iridescence and Sergeant Windchaser. I was filling in for every pony I could, plus tending to Iridescence and, on top of that, they made me acting sergeant.

By technicality I had not volunteered for any more shifts. At that point our officers pretty much expected those of us that had not yet fallen ill to pick up the slack. Things were getting so tight that they actually brought over trainees to do some of the basic guard work. Those ponies loved that. It was a dream come true, I’m sure. At least until they caught the flu.

I stood in the background of Princess Luna’s chamber while she and Princess Celestia discussed the recent business with Discord. Typically I make it a point not to eavesdrop on official business which was easy that day since I was half asleep. I think they were discussing the possibility of rehabilitating someone but then that didn’t make a lot of sense.

The discussion went on a while and then I felt myself sway. I quickly stiffened back to attention. It was unprofessional and I felt ashamed but also somewhat confused. Princess Celestia had just vanished. Alicorn magic was amazing! Princess Luna was laughing softly and looking at me.

“Princess?” I asked cautiously.

She smiled and said, “Fear not Silent Knight. We shall not tell.”

Tell what? The sun was substantially lower in the sky and it dawned on me. “Princess, was I asleep?”

“Verily. It looked as if thou needed it desperately and we did not wish to disturb.” She said warmly. “Be not ashamed. Thou has taken on too much for one pony.”

I was incredibly ashamed. Falling asleep on the job was the most embarrassing thing ever. A reprimand was in order. I would report myself to the sergeant as soon as my shift ended.

A hoof lightly landed on my shoulder and I found Princess Luna looking at me with concern. “Thou are a most diligent guard that has not been able to take the appropriate time to sleep for days. Promise us that thou wilt go sleep tonight.”

The thought to argue procedure and duty briefly popped into mind but one look into the Princess’s eyes told me she would hear none of that. “Yes, Princess,” I said. I’d report myself then go to sleep.

***

The guard that relieved me, whoever he was, showed up right on time instead of early. I was too tired to comment on it. He looked pretty worse for the wear, too. On the way to our room I kept my head up, doing my best to look 100%. I still had to set a good example.

Coming through the door, I found our room to be lightly lit. Iridescence was awake and reading.

“How do you feel?” I asked her as I came over. Softly I felt her forehead and then picked up her pillow to fluff it.

“Better. Still fatigued, but better.” She looked at me with concern. I finished her pillow and set it behind her.

“I’m glad.” I smiled and went over to our table. I set out a parchment and started to write out my report.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

I set the pencil down with my mouth and explained, “I fell asleep on shift. I’m reporting myself to the sergeant.”

Iridescence tilted her head. “You’re the sergeant right now.”

That was true, I was acting sergeant. “That will save some time, then.” I replied.

***

I awoke the next morning with a blanket over my shoulders, my head on the table, still in my armor, and completely stiff. Softly I groaned and shifted out of the chair.

“Good morning,” Iridescence said to me from her bed.

“How long was I out?” I asked, worried that I was late for my shift.

Iridescence lifted a hoof and said, “Easy there, champ. Only six hours or so. I slept most of it, too. I wasn’t strong enough to get your armor off. Sorry about that.”

Six hours. Thank goodness. I had plenty of time to do the sergeant’s work and then get back to my post. “It is okay. You’re sick. Thank you for the blanket. I’ll go get your breakfast for you.”

She smiled and said, “You don’t have to do that.”

“No, but I want to,” I said, and I did. I picked up her breakfast, snuck a quick shower in, filled out all the paperwork for the sergeant, and left her a note about falling asleep. I didn’t have time for a formal write up. She could decide what to do with that when she was well.

On my way up to start my shift Shining Armor stopped me. “Silent Knight. A moment please,” he said and I was concerned he knew about me sleeping. Although I highly doubted Princess Luna would have told him.

“You’re putting in a ton of hours lately. Taking up the slack for almost every other pony,” he said.

“I’m just doing my part, sir.”

He smiled and nodded, “I know and now I’m doing mine. I requested some additional guards that can be trusted. They’ll fill in for the House Guard for a few weeks. Effective immediately you’re off guard duty. You’re acting sergeant and a sergeant doesn’t have time to stand guard for 12 hours a day.”

I liked standing guard. Being with the Princess never felt like work. She was a wonderful pony. At least it was only temporary. I nodded, “Yes sir, understood. Who is taking my shift today then?”

“The ponies won’t arrive until tomorrow. So today it will be me.” He said.

“You, sir?” I asked surprised.

He laughed, “Yes, Silent Knight, I still remember how to do the job.” He winked at me and said, “Get some rest. You look awful. Your temporary guards will report tomorrow and you’ll need to be on your A game to ensure they are up to the task.”

“Yes, sir.” I said and he turned to go. He was a good officer. “Thank you, sir.” I called after him before heading back to our room. I snuck in quietly, which was unnecessary because it was still day time. Iridescence looked up from her book.

“Did you quit?” She asked knowing perfectly well I never would.

Struggling to get my armor off, I huffed, “The Captain took my shift. Bringing in new guards temporarily. Still sergeant.” Kicking off the hoof guards I decided I’d worry about where they landed tomorrow. I crawled into my bed. It had never felt so wonderful.

“That was nice of him.” I vaguely heard Iridescence say followed by my response of “uh huh.” We discussed a few more things. I don’t really recall what. The sweet talk from my pillow was much more interesting and I fell for its siren’s call.

***

The next morning I felt wonderful. I was fueled by a full night’s rest and the fact that Iridescence was feeling much better. She still wasn’t able to work but she was back to her usual self at home. She even helped me put my armor on.

“There, you look perfect,” she said before straightening my helmet. “Ready for your big day as sergeant?”

I frowned a little at that. “It is only temporary. Then I can go back to being your partner and guarding the princess.”

She actually bonked me in the nose with her hoof. “Temporary leads to permanent and Windchaser will retire sooner or later. You don’t want to stand guard forever do you?”

I wriggled my nose and shrugged, “I wouldn't mind. You’re more of a sergeant than I am. You can talk to ponies.”

Again she bonked me. “I’m not going to be a guard forever but I suspect you are. Now go out there and be the best sergeant ever.” For emphasis she gave me a little kiss. I preferred that to being bonked.

I flushed, put on my sergeant’s face, and went out to meet the temporary replacements.

The group was clearly comprised of some of the best royal guard ponies from around Equestria. They were also completely missfit. No two had exactly the same armor. Each was slightly different based on their region and unit. It may have looked a mess but it didn’t make sense to issue armor only temporarily.

“Good morning. I am Silent Knight, acting sergeant. You’ve been selected to temporarily fill in as House Guards for Princess Luna. We have three simple rules here. As long as you follow them we’ll get along just fine.

“One. She is not Nightmare Moon. Don’t mention that name. Don’t joke or ask about it. Forgive and forget.

“Two. You ARE a House Guard. This is no different than Princess Celestia’s House Guard. It carries the same honor and responsibility. Act accordingly. Set a good example for the others.

“Three. My door is always open. If you need me do not hesitate to ask. Do you understand our rules?”

The group of ponies said in unison, “Yes Sergeant!”

I nodded, “Good. I’ve posted your shift schedules outside of my office. You start tonight. If you’re not on shift be sure to take in the sights of Canterlot. It won’t be time wasted. Dismissed.”

The group filed off to do their jobs. Perhaps being a sergeant might be for me after all. I could always look in on Princess Luna. Of course that also meant more danger for Iridescence’s and my career. You can't be with a pony of a different rank that you supervise. Especially one that reports to the exact same commander. I frowned at that and turned to head to my office. Shining Armor was right behind me.

I sprung to attention and saluted instead of crashing into him. He saluted back. “Nice work.” he said. “You’ll make a fine sergeant.”

“Not yet, sir. Haven’t gotten the pony skills down yet. Still learning the life outside the job part,” I replied.

Shining Armor looked a bit surprised by that. Surprised and impressed. “Everypony does things differently. You’re just more by the book. Sooner or later your chance will come. Today, however, acting sergeant is fine. Acting sergeant and guard first class.”

He levitated a small box out of his pack and opened it. There was a small silver pin inside that featured two dark blue diagonal bars. He replaced the single bar on my breastplate with the new one and set the old into the box. Closing the lid, he offered it to me and said, “Congratulations. You’ve earned this.”

I accepted and said, “Thank you sir.”

The captain headed off to his commitments and I made my way to Windchaser’s office to do mine. Silent Knight, Guard First Class. That had a nice ring to it.

13. Nightmare Night

For two full weeks I was acting sergeant. Even after the temporary replacements went home, I held onto the title. Sergeant Windchaser was hit particularly bad and the captain saw it fit for me to continue on. I thought it would be awkward being responsible for my peers but nopony seemed to have an issue with it. They did their job, and I did mine… well, Sergeant Windchaser’s.

As a reward for my hard work and dedication I was given a few mandatory days off. The captain was worried I had worked myself too much. The sergeant even tore up my note about sleeping. “Extraordinary circumstances,” she said before commending me for my honesty. Oh well, I could see their point.

I was standing guard quietly in Princess Luna’s chambers the day before my mandatory vacation was to start. She was excited and antsy. For most of the day she had been pacing and finally she said, “Silent Knight, we cannot wait for tomorrow eve!”

“Princess?”

“Tomorrow is Nightmare Night and we have decided that we shall grace the citizens of Ponyville with our royal presence and show them we are not to be feared,” she exclaimed loudly.

Tomorrow? No, tomorrow I wasn’t on duty. She couldn’t go without me. It isn’t that I didn’t trust the other House Guards. I did. They weren’t me though. Sidelined when Princess Luna wanted to go out! “Tomorrow, Princess? Perhaps it can be delayed until next week?” I suggested.

Princess Luna looked at me strangely. “The day has not changed in many years Silent Knight. Did thou not celebrate it?”

“No, Princess,” I said. My father thought it was frivolous, but I did not volunteer that information.

“Then thou should celebrate this year! Go forth on thy vacation and enjoy,” she declared.

“Yes princess,” was my reply and I meant it. That is exactly what I’d do.

***

“You want to WHAT?!” Iridescence asked me as if I was crazy.

I repeated the plan calmly, “Disguise myself, infiltrate Ponyville, and keep an eye on Princess Luna to ensure she is safe on Nightmare Night.”

“On your MANDATORY vacation.” Iridescence reminded me.

“The Princess said to go and celebrate. I choose to do so in Ponyville where I can keep an eye on her. Will you help disguise me or not?”

Iridescence frowned at me and then sighed. “Fine… I’m on duty here anyway so it isn’t like we could spend time together.” She went to her foot locker and pulled out a potion.

My eyes narrowed. “What is that?” I asked.

Pulling the cork out with her teeth, my very special somepony said, “The potion that turned you into a mare. What could be a better disguise?”

She had a valid point. Very few people would recognize Silent Dame. “It only lasted six hours last time. I need it to last all night.”

“Runic reworked it. It should last until you take the antidote.”

I nodded and then paused. “Wait. Why do you have this?”

Iridescence waved a hoof at me and said, “No reason! Mind your business.” She flicked some of the potion onto my face.

“Am I a mare?” I asked.

“No…” Iridescence said, trying not to laugh. I walked over to the mirror and thought, “Runic my friend, you and I are going to have a talk.” My coat was pink. I was still a stallion but now I was pink. I looked like a cotton-candy Silent Knight. “This does not work for me.”

The laughing started then. I went to the water basin and tried to wash the color off. That didn’t work. Iridescence kept laughing but was ultimately helpful. She took an old sheet from her trunk and threw it over me. With her unicorn magic she made two eye holes.

“Good enough?” she asked.

“I guess I am now ready to be under cover.” Lightly I pressed my sheet-covered nose to hers and added, “I’m off to protect the princess, don’t wait up.” I ran out into the hall and headed for the train station. I would be there before the Princess and she would never know.

***

Ponyville was in full swing for Nightmare Night. They evidently took the evening very seriously. I walked alongside the hay ride to scout the area. It is hard to tell who was out of place when everyone was dressed in costumes. One particular pony looked suspicious. He was dressed like a ninja and also kept staring at me. Was my cover blown?

The stallion approached me and I shifted my weight onto my back legs so that I could leap into action.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked me.

Oh… Oh, that was not what I had expected. Not at all… but blending in was important. I nodded at him and he led me to the area in front of the stage.

I’m not much of a dancer but I held my own. I bopped up and down under my sheet while he asked me about where I was from. All of my answers were in the form of yes or no via nod or shake. He seemed okay with that. Once the dance was done I excused myself and headed back on patrol.

One pegasus pony was pushing around a storm cloud and scaring others with thunder and lightning. She thought it was funny and, in general, it was harmless so I let it slide. It was also the time for the mayor’s address. Everypony collected in front of the stage. Looking around I spotted two other ponies dressed identically to me. That just seemed lazy.

On stage the mayor greeted everypony and introduced a zebra named Zecora. Zecora, it seems, was going to tell the legend of Nightmare Moon. She related the story and I couldn’t help feeling it was in bad taste. Nightmare Moon was gone and Princess Luna was a far different pony. I realized that it was only a story meant to frighten foals into going easy on the candy. I couldn’t fault pony parents for that. I just wish they had come up with something new.

Thankfully the princess missed the retelling and just as it ended she showed up on her chariot in grand fashion. She was shrouded in a robe and had her guards pulling her. They were dressed up like bats for the evening. It was a clever costume but, again, this didn’t seem to further the impression that she wasn’t Nightmare Moon.

The ponies of Ponnyville and I hurriedly followed the chariot back into town. We arrived just in time to see Princess Luna leap from it. To my surprise, the two guards pulling it simply flew on without her. The princess was alone! I would speak to them later but thank Celestia I was there.

The ponies of Ponyville knelt immediately and I followed suit. It would have been too obvious if I remained at attention. It may be disrespectful to say but in my opinion Princess Luna came on a bit strong.

In a loud royal Canterlot addressing tone the Princess said, “Citizens of Ponyville! We have graced your tiny village with our presence so that you might behold the real Princess of the Night! A creature of nightmare no longer but instead a pony who deserves your love and admiration! Together we shall change this default celebration into a bright and glorious feast!”

“Oh Princess...” I thought.

A pink pony dressed as a chicken shouted something and all of the foals ran away screaming. My eyes narrowed. I recognized that pink pony: she was the one with a cannon.

That caught Princess Luna’s attention and she exclaimed, “What!? No, children, no! You no longer have reason to fear us! Screams of delight is what your princess desires, not screams of terror.”

Even I could tell that this particular event wasn’t going to go wonderfully. The ponies were still cowering as Princess Luna offered them her hoof. Even the mayor was too frightened to speak.

“Very well then! Be that way! We won’t even bother with the royal Canterlot farewell!” Princess Luna said before storming off.

Another pony, dressed as Star Swirl the Bearded, followed after her. I got up from my position and followed at a safe distance.

Creeping along in the bushes while under a sheet was not easy. Iridescence was the stealthy pony, not me. I was close enough to keep an eye on the princess but slightly out of earshot. The two conversed and I heard the princess say “Twilight Sparkle.” Wasn’t that the captain’s sister?

The princess started to float and her voice carried through the area. “It was thou who unleashed the powers of harmony upon us and took away our dark powers.” Then she was quiet again. It went on like that for a bit longer before the pair headed off. I followed as quietly as I could. We all ended up outside a cottage on the outskirts of town.

To my surprise Twilight Sparkle pulled a yellow pegasus mare out of the cottage. It was the same one that had been on the poster at the train station. She was clearly terrified of the Princess. The goal seemed to be training Princess Luna to speak quietly which made my job even more difficult.

From over my shoulder I heard the sounds of the chicken-clad pink pony approaching with all of the foals. My eyes narrowed. She was the ring leader. If I could take her out the Princess might have had a chance of blending in. I shifted in the bushes, ready to pounce.

She must have sensed me because she screamed and ran off, taking to foals with her.

Behind them, Princess Luna shouted, “Nay children wait!” and then looked sad once more.

It hurt me to see her like that. I knew that it was time for me to take the chicken out of the equation. I hated to leave the princess alone but she as in the care of the mare I believed to be the captain’s sister. Carefully I backed out of the bush I was hiding in and made my way back to town.

Quietly I moved along the alleys between the houses of Ponyville until I could get a good view of the village square and the festivities. This was going to need to be a quick snatch and subdue. I was going a little outside of the manual but royal guards learn to defend against this sort of attack. It also made us experts on how to carry them out.

The chicken was going door to door begging for candy, surrounded by her posse of foals. Extracting her would be a challenge. I pressed myself up against the wall of a house and hid in the shadows. A distraction was exactly what I needed, something to get everypony’s attention right when the chicken passed by the opening of the alley.

It was right around that time when Princess Luna returned with Twilight Sparkle. As expected the villagers fell to the ground before the princess. This was my chance to grab the chicken. When I turned to look for her she had somehow moved from the house next to me to one down the street. No pony moves that fast.

My plan would need to be adjusted… or so I thought. Something had suddenly changed. Princess Luna was happy and the ponies did not seem to fear her. I crept out from my hiding place and blended back into the crowd. She was having fun! Everything seemed to be getting on the right hoof.

“I ask that thou call us... me... Luna, fair Applejack. Hear me, villagers! All of you! Call me Luna!” she declared.

Call her Luna? That was a high level of familiarity but the Princess was allowed to make such decisions. In my mind it was better familiarity than fear. There were smiles all around and I relaxed. “What could go wrong?” I thought and immediately regretted it.

The colt that was dressed as a pirate tipped forward and almost fell into the apple bobbing tank. Princess Luna saw the danger and rescued him. Only instead of sighs of relief we were again met with the shrieks of the chicken. Celestia take that chicken!

The fragile bonds between the Princess and her subjects broke down at that point and chaos reigned. Ponies ran in all directions with little regard for caution. It was the Gala all over again. The difference this time was Princess Luna and I were in the middle of it. I started to push my way through the crowd towards her. If I could get to her side I could protect her.

It seemed my services would not be required that night. Protecting an alicorn princess is not exactly the same as protecting anypony else. We treat them the same and sometimes it is easy to forget that they wield seemingly endless power. Princess Luna demonstrated that. Lighting arched across the sky and her voice echoed in my very soul.

“Be STILL.”

Everypony was immediately compelled to stop and kneel before the princess. Despite all of my training even I found myself on the ground without a second thought. It was an impressive feat of magic. Princess Luna was swift and direct with her decree: Nightmare Night was canceled forever and she was leaving. It was not the outcome I had expected but I didn’t blame her. This night was a reminder of her dark times.

The ponies of Ponyville were picking themselves up, their expressions a mixture of sadness, fear, and confusion. I looked on, angry that the chicken’s actions had offended the princess. Alicorn or not, she had feelings, too. I turned to go and find the princess but it seemed Twilight Sparkle had beat me to the task. Perhaps she would be better able to handle the situation.

I lingered in town and casually helped straighten things up a bit. I was shocked at the amount of damage that the ponies had wrought in such a short period of time. These ponies didn’t do anything halfway. They also looked miserable as they went about the tasks of cleaning. What an awful night.

In the distance I swore I could hear the sound of the chicken squawking, mocking me and my Princess of the Night. “Squawk on, chicken,” I muttered under my sheet. “One day we will have a go.”

The mayor and Zecora started consoling the foals and advised that perhaps a candy offering could turn the night around. I doubted some sugary candy could improve the Princess’s mood but it wouldn’t have been the first time I have been wrong.

By some miracle Princess Luna, Twilight Sparkle, the chicken, and all the foals returned to town not long later and the celebration was back on. From that point on the evening went perfectly. The princess played games, smashed gourds, and even enjoyed some pranks. I loosened up too and danced with that stallion again. Don’t judge; I was on vacation and he kept asking.

Everything went great until it was time to call it an evening. I turned to head towards the train station and catch the overnight express. Princess Luna had been behind me, now blocking my path. Casually I moved to go around her and she said in a new, softer, but no less commanding voice, “Silent Knight.”

I wasn’t Silent Knight right then. I was a pink pony dressed as a ghost. All I had to do was pretend I was acting out the role of a ghost and stay in character. It was a brilliant plan. Now to just get into character- “Yes, Princess,” I said. Stupid, honest mouth! We would have been fine.

“Pink is not thy color.”

“Yes Princess,” I said softly. She was right of course. I had not meant to be pink. That was Runic’s mistake. I wonder if she would have known it was me if the potion had worked correctly.

“Doth thou need a ride home?” she asked.

“Yes, Princess.” I wasn’t sure if what I had done had broken the rules. Princess Luna didn’t seem upset.

The other two royal guards arrived with her chariot and we got on. She went first of course. My sheet came off and I sat as proudly as I could with my pink coat. Once we were airborne and halfway home she turned and suddenly hugged me. It was shocking but sweet and I hugged her back.

“Thou are most kind to have been so concerned about us that thou came here.” She said.

I smiled. “I promised I’d always be in your corner, Princess.”

She smiled brightly back and corrected, “Luna.”

I repeated, “I’ll always be in your corner, Princess Luna.”

She shook her head, looked me in the eyes, and pronounced it slower. “Loooonuh.”

“Princess Loooonuh,” I repeated exactly.

The Princess sat up and said “Thou frustrates us,” but kept a wing around me for the ride home.

14. The Equestrian Writers Convention

Completely refreshed from my extra long and mandatory vacation I was more than ready to start work again. Mercifully the pink coat potion wore off without any kind of antidote. Leave it to Runic to have a potion not work as advertised. Not that I would have complained in this case.

“You seem awfully excited about getting back to work,” Iridescence said from across the table. She had a great poker face and was using it on me then. I wasn’t sure if it was because we were playing a game or for some other reason that I didn’t understand.

I smiled a bit and moved my figure closer to a couple of zombies and rolled the dice. “Two hits,” I said and then added, “I am. I love my job.”

Iridescence nodded and moved her figure. “It will be nice to have you come relieve me again. It is odd working with another pony.”

That was certainly true. Not seeing Iridescence at work was strange. I had been seeing her more at home as a result but somehow we had less to talk about. We ended up playing a lot of games. “Agreed. Getting things back to normal will be great.”

“Normal indeed,” she said, rolling the dice. “Speaking of which. We’ve been doing a lot of the same things lately. Would you mind if we did something different for our next date?”

Looking up, I nodded. “Of course not. You let me know what you’d like to do and I’m on board.”

Iridescence smiled and winked. “Great! Also, tomorrow you’re taking Princess Luna to the Equestrian Writers’ Convention.”

“I’m doing what now?” I asked, my attention pulled from the game. “A convention?”

My unicorn companion was grinning widely. “Oh yes. Princess Luna’s favorite author is going to be at the show and she let the Captain know she wanted to go. They both felt like you’re the perfect pony to take her.”

“What exactly does a convention entail?” I asked.

“Oh, you know, nothing too exciting. Just tons of ponies going to panels, booths, and dealer tables. They’ll be chasing autographs from authors. Your mission is to keep the princess safe and, more importantly, be sure she gets to meet C.W.” Iridescence explained. “The rest of us will make sure the venue remains secure.”

I pondered that a bit. Social events were typically Iridescence’s place. If I was there I always just sat in the background. Me alone with the Princess seemed like a strange plan. “Why me?”

Iridescence explained, “Princess Luna feels that in this type of setting one guard is more appropriate and that if it you aren’t chosen to be that guard you’ll probably show up in a silly costume to protect her anyway.”

I blinked. “Really?”

She laughed and shook her head. “No! She just feels safe with you and we both agree you could use more social experiences.”

“We agree? We who?” I asked.

“Luna and I,” she said plainly.

“Princess Luna and you? You discuss me?”

Iridescence got up and softly patted me with a hoof. “Of course. We’re friends and friends discuss their relationships.”

This was getting confusing. “You and Princess Luna are friends? When do you have time to spend time together and discuss me?”

“When I’m on shift of course. You may just stand there all day but when she talks to me I talk back. We’ve really hit it off,” Iridescence explained.

That wasn’t against the regulations but there were dangers in getting too close to the pony that you’re guarding. Of course you could also get in trouble being your partner’s special somepony so who was I to throw stones?

“Very well then. I’ll escort the princess to her rendezvous with this C.W. pony.”

Iridescence laughed and said, “She is just going to go to C.W.’s booth and get an autograph. Try to keep it light.”

Keep it light. It was a social event. I sat quietly, looked at our zombie game, and then planned tomorrow out in my head. I would need a map of the layout, a schedule of events, and information about where the guards would be patrolling. Tomorrow was going to be busy.

***

The Equestrian Writers’ Convention, or EWC as they seemed to call it, was being held in the Canterlot Convention Center. It was, more or less, controlled chaos. There were ponies everywhere navigating narrow thoroughfares trying to get a few minutes with their favorite authors. Some wore costumes and others seemed to have forgotten to bathe. It was a lot to keep track of as I trailed behind Princess Luna.

The Princess seemed to be completely in her element. She stopped at booth after booth meeting ponies and talking shop. Much to my relief most ponies were more interested in the convention than the princess. Several asked to get pictures of her “great Princess Luna cosplay,” whatever that meant. Some ponies even insisted I be in the pictures as well.

“Princess, shouldn’t we be getting to the rendezvous point with C.W.?” I asked.

Looking over her shoulder, the princess said, “She will be there all day Silent Knight. We… I am enjoying the convention. Can’t we simply enjoy it a while longer?”

The look was something I’d never seen before. The Princess was really having fun and I think the idea of rushing through it made her sad. I stuffed the schedule into my saddle bag with all of the Princess’s “swag” and smiled. “It would appear, Princess, that your schedule was just cleared.”

“Thank you,” she said softly and went back to the convention experience. I kept behind her and collected the various things she bought or was given. It was actually kind of fun to see all the colorful booths. There were posters, banners, and displays featuring all types of literature. It was impressive to see and I realized I should probably look into reading more. Being a soldier meant having a sharp mind, not just a sharp sword.

Eventually we found C.W.’s booth and stood in line to meet her. C.W. was a white unicorn with a brilliant blonde mane. There were little hints of pink sprinkled throughout and she had it braided in the back. As I looked at her I couldn't help but think she was somehow familiar. It was as if I’d seen her before but I knew we had not met. I’d have remembered a pretty unicorn with a blonde and pink mane.

When we were about three ponies back C.W. spotted us and seemed to get really concerned. She started hurriedly placing some of her books behind the booth’s table while also signing copies for other ponies. As our turn came she looked up in horror and said, “Princess Luna! What a wonderful surprise.”

Princess Luna was looking past C.W. at a big banner announcing her new book, The Princess of the Knight. Her mouth hung open. The cover featured a white pegasus royal guard holding a blue alicorn princess in his arms, wings spread wide. He even held a sword high in the night sky and was looking rather dashing. It was clearly like one of the romance novels I always saw Iridescence hide in her foot locker.

About that time I noticed Princess Luna looking from C.W. (who stared on in horror for some reason), the banner, and me.

“Princess?” I asked softly since she looked distressed.

“Do thou not see Silent Knight? That is clearly thou and I!” she exclaimed, pointing a hoof at the banner. I looked again and didn’t see it.

“No princess... ” I raised a brow. “That stallion clearly has violet eyes. Mine are silver.”

C.W. stuttered, “P-princess, it is loosely modeled after you. I hope you don’t mind, I’m just such a big fan! Everyone is so tired of the typical ‘Princess of the Sun’ romance. I felt like it is your time to shine, so to speak!”

“Thou are a fan of ours?” Princess Luna asked. “We… I mean, I am a fan of thou. I brought a book for thou to sign. Silent Knight?”

I dug around in the saddle bag and pulled out Princess Luna’s first edition, hardcover copy of The Mare’s Temptation.

C.W. took the book and opened the cover, her cheeks still flushed. “This is a real honor, Princess.” She levitated a quill with her unicorn magic and started to sign.

“What does C.W. stand for?” I asked curiously.

There was a chorus of gasps and I’m pretty sure a mare behind me fainted. Suddenly everyone was staring at me, including Princess Luna.

“What?” I asked, looking around and preparing for an assault.

C.W. laughed softly and shook her head. “No, it’s all right. I’m sure you don’t know but it isn’t normally appropriate to ask an author what their real name is. It helps to protect our anonymity,” she explained.

Tilting my head, I asked, “Anonymity. Like an alias? Like a criminal might have?”

Princess Luna put her hoof over my muzzle and laughed nervously. “Nay, Silent Knight. Authors are celebrities and they don’t have overzealous house guards to protect them.” With her other hoof she tapped the book. “If you could just make that out to Luna…”

C.W. did just that as I stood there quietly.

“Thank you,” the princess said before adding, “Come along. Silent Knight. We would like to see some more booths before we leave.”

I nodded and we started to make our way off along the booth. As we did, C.W. leaned across and offered me a copy of The Princess of the Knight. “Just for you,” she said softly.

Later that evening when I got home, I took a moment to open the book. She had written inside the cover, “Thank you for being a good sport. This will be our secret.  - Crystal Wishes.”

She was right about that. I hid the romance novel in my foot locker.

***

Acclimating to the idea that Princess Luna and Iridescence were friends was proving slightly difficult. The part of my mind that focuses on rules, regulations, and best practices kept tingling. It also didn’t help that the two of them started to spend time together while I was on duty.

“You should invite her to the palace! Make it an official function to honor one of the up-and-coming ponies in literature,” Iridescence said.

Princess Luna shifted on her couch. “I don’t want to come across as a fanmare. It seems too eager to invite her so soon after the convention. There is also the matter that her latest book is clearly about Silent Knight and I.”

Iridescence laughed softly and waved a hoof. “Loosely based. I’ve read about halfway through. She gets Silent Knight all wrong. He is a passionate swashbuckler who makes mares weak in the knees.”

Speak only when spoken to. “I’m right here,” I said quietly.  No pony seemed to notice and that was fine with me.

“Come now, Luna,” Iridescence said so casually. It set me on edge. “If you’d like to meet her, meet her! Give her some small award. She’ll be flattered.”

“Do thou really think so? Would it not be abuse of royal power?” Princess Luna asked.

“Why don’t we ask the expert?” Iridescence mused, turning to me. “Silent Knight, if the princess invites C.W. here to meet her but also gives her an award, would that be an abuse of power?”

I thought that over a bit. “If the award is solely given for the excuse to meet C.W. then yes, it is an abuse. If the Princess intends to create a new award and give it at a regular interval it is perfectly in line. Perhaps an annual award for the best pony author?”

“Verily!” the princess exclaimed as she levitated her quill, ink, and parchment. She leapt from her couch excitedly and crossed to her desk. “Ponies should be rewarded for work well done. We shall create the Equestrian Authors Award to honor one pony each year for their achievements.”

Iridescence got up and went to the desk to watch as the Princess worked. “You could form a committee after this year to help choose the most important literary works of the year and then vote on a winner.”

“That is a wise idea Iridescence,” the princess said as she scribbled away. “We will invite scholars and critics to help… After this year of course.”

It only took a moment before she lifted the parchment and said, “Done! C.W. will be the first Equestrian Authors Award recipient. We must get this into the mail immediately.”

I softly cleared my throat and added, “And create the award.”

Both mares turned to stare at me and then the princess quickly nodded, “Yes, and create the award. I think a medallion shall do. Come along, we have much work to do.”

Iridescence walked next to Princess Luna while I stayed one pace left and two back. It was weird but I supposed times were changing. Who was I to question the magic of friendship.

***

The reporter ponies loved Princess Luna’s idea to create a literature award. It was her first press conference and it went extremely well. Iridescence and I were assigned to keep an eye on the event but there really wasn’t anything noteworthy security-wise.

Everything worked out and within the week C.W. showed up at the palace to accept her award. The ceremony was elegant, brief, and low key despite being held in the throne room. Princes Celestia, Captain Shining Armor, and his fiancee Lady Mi Amore Cadenza were some of the most notable guests. There were also a handful of reporters, critics, and Canterlot elite.

I couldn’t help but notice that C.W. looked pretty nervous throughout the whole thing. Perhaps crowds bothered her. Not every pony is accustomed to being stared at by royalty. She was gracious, however, and her acceptance speech was most kind. She even thanked Princess Luna and I for being inspirations. I’d never been an inspiration before and to be honest I liked the idea of inspiring unicorn ladies.

Eventually the official functions wound down and Princess Luna invited C.W. back to her office to talk shop. That was the goal after all. Iridescence and I followed along for security. Once we were inside I took my position. Iridescence didn’t take hers. Instead she went to the sitting area in uniform. I said nothing.

“With your permission, Princess.” Iridescence said and was quickly given the nod. She took her helmet off, set it aside, and sat down. I guess that was okay.

C.W. looked a bit confused and stopped mid-seat to say, “With your permission, Princess.”

Princess Luna softly laughed and said, “Thou may call me Luna and you may be seated.”

C.W. finished taking a seat and said, “Thank you.”

Iridescence cleared her throat, “As a royal guard I need her permission to deviate from protocol. As her guest, you don’t need to do so. You see some royal guards are strict and completely by the book. They might take exception.”

“Oh I see. Silent Knight won’t be joining us?” C.W. asked.

Princess Luna smiled and started setting out tea. “Silent Knight is one of those by the book royal guards. He likely feels somepony must be on security right now and should I invite him over he would be most uncomfortable. Is that not correct Silent Knight?”

“Yes, Princess,” I said confidently. Somepony had to be on watch.

“Oh,” C.W. said. “What a shame.” Turning back to the princess she added, “Thank you so much for this award. I was worried you would be angry with me after you saw The Princess of the Knight.”

“Angry? No. Confused initially. I am not very accustomed to being… well… included. Fitting in has been a struggle,” Princess Luna admitted.

C.W. nodded knowingly. “That is something I understand well. I almost never published a book because I was worried no pony would understand or like it.” She accepted a teacup that floated to her, taking it over with her own magic. Unicorns made everything look easy.

Princess Luna smiled a bit at that and sipped her tea. “I am glad thou decided otherwise. We rather enjoy thy books, Iridescence and I.”

C.W. looked confused. “Iridescence?”

With a gasp Princess Luna said, “My apologies. How rude of me to forget proper introductions. C.W., this is my friend Iridescence.” She motioned to Iridescence. “Thou also know Silent Knight already.”

Iridescence and C.W. shook hooves while C.W. said, “It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Crystal Wishes.”

That knowledge seemed to please both the princess and Iridescence.

“If you please, Crystal Wishes, would thou share how thou comes up with thy stories? I write a bit as well, but it would be amazing to learn about thy process.”

Crystal Wishes shifted a bit and said, “I don’t think I do anything special, Princess. I just look for inspiration around me to start. What is something perfectly normal that I can just slightly tweak? Then I build interest in a character and write organically.” She sighed softly and smiled. “I idealize a bit. I write about guards or knights and I hope that one day I can meet a real one like the ones in my fiction.”

Princess Luna tilted her head and pointed a hoof at me. “But thou can. He is right there.”

Iridescence softly snickered and Crystal Wishes blushed. “Oh, no, I mean like the way I make them out to be in the book. I doubt Silent Knight is anything like the brash, passionate, and dark stallions I write about.”

“You’ve certainly got that right,” Iridescence said and then giggled. They all giggled, in fact.

“I’m in the room,” I said softly. No pony seemed to have heard.

15. Opposing Forces

“You turned me pink, Runic,” I said as seriously as I could.

Runic’s head tilted. “What color did you want to be?”

“White!” I didn’t quite shout but Iridescence did look up from her shopping.

Runic looked me over, studied my coat, and then said, “Well there you go.”

I brought my hoof to my face and said, “I realize I’m white now. I’m normally white. Could you just be a little more careful with what you sell to Iridescence? I don’t want to end up with acid in my sports drink.”

“One time...” Runic trailed off as he went back behind the counter. “By the way, I have some lovely new rocks. Would you care to see?”

I started to argue that point but then I noticed he had a pile of precious stones as big as a foal on a table in the back. “Wow!” I said quietly, coming over. “You’ve managed to turn rocks into diamonds, emeralds, and rubies?”

“What? Oh, these?” Runic said with disdain. He pushed the priceless pile of gems into a bag and tossed it by the trash. “Those are failures. Look at these!” The pegasus set a box full of black rocks where the ‘failures’ had just been. “Volcanic!” he explained.

In all fairness, they were pretty cool rocks. At the same time, there was a pile of treasure two feet away that could allow me to retire. Let it never be said that Runic Phial obsessed about money.

“They’re great,” I said, giving Iridescence the ‘time to go’ look. She ignored it.

“Oh, by the way. We’re cousins,” Runic said while I was looking towards the mare.

“Pardon?” I asked.

“Yup, just got back from Cloudsdale yesterday. Same great grandparents on your mother’s side.”

I was skeptical to say the least but, in truth, my mother’s parents were a bit strange. “You were researching me?”

“You? Oh, no. I was looking up a favorite geologist of mine. At any rate I found the Phial family tree and I noticed a couple named Wintermane and Dawn Chaser. I also remembered that one time when we all got lunch and you told Iridescence that your sister was named for her great grandmother. That had me curious so I followed that line in the Cloudsdale archives and sure enough, we’re second cousins. Family, as it were.” He hastily added with a look of disappointment, “Unfortunately I’m not related to that geologist. Nor are you, so no luck there. Anyway, I thought you’d be interested.”

“I am.”

I didn’t know any family outside of my parents and sister. My father’s line was a string of only stallions as far back as anyone could remember. All Knights. Winterspear was the first mare. She didn’t get the family name, though. Dad saved it for me.

I forgot about the potion and patted Runic on the hoof. “Glad to know you, cousin,” I said before turning to collect Iridescence. The longer we remained the more likely it was that we could be melted, exploded, or in some way altered.

***

On our way back home Iridescence looked pensive. It wasn’t like her and we were close enough for me to sense when something was off. Gently I bumped my flank into hers to draw her attention.

She looked over at me and smiled slightly. “You know that you’re frequently two different ponies? One who knows when something is up and one who is totally oblivious.”

“I try my best,” I said quietly. “What’s on your mind?”

Iridescence walked along beside me a while long before saying, “I’m concerned you’re taking us for granted.”

“Us who?”

With a slight grumble she said, “You and I. As a couple. Since we’ve been together you haven’t really changed much. You still treat me like your friend.”

I have never pretended to understand relationships but treating your special somepony as a friend seemed right to me. “I’m not supposed to treat you like a friend?” I asked. “Aren’t someponies best friends?”

“Yes, of course we’re best friends. I more mean we don’t do the things that couples do, you know?” she asked and I didn’t. I had no clue.

“I see,” I said quietly. “You want to do things that couples do that friends don’t? We can do that.”

She smiled and we walked on quietly. “I’m glad you’re willing to try.” She then added after a pause, “You have no idea what those things are, do you?”

“No clue.” I replied and she laughed.

“I sometimes forget that you are you and nothing you do is malicious. I’ll take the lead on that then. You just follow, okay?”

Nodding quickly I said “Yes, sergeant” and Iridescence shoved me with a hoof. She may tease but when it came to relationships she was the boss.

***

Later that evening Iridescence and I sat on our respective bunks staring at each other as she tried to educate me in coltfriend etiquette.

“And you’re certain there isn’t a manual for this?” I asked her after an hour of confusing and somewhat contradictory information.

Iridescence rubbed her nose with her hoof. “If there was everypony would be matched up and we wouldn’t have this sort of conversation. All I am asking for you to do is be a little more romantic, spontaneous, and at least consider my feelings before the job. Okay?”

This was going to be my toughest assignment yet. “I will try my best. If you came off shift and I had your favorite flowers waiting, would that count?”

“The first time yes. Although less now so since you’ve told me about it. Good for romance but not high marks on the spontaneity side,” she explained.

“How about if I…”

She got up and poked her hoof against my mouth. “No more hypotheticals.” She sighed. “This is what I get for chasing younger stallions.”

I wrinkled my nose and stood up thinking, “I can do spontaneous.” I wrapped my arms around her in a sudden hug. She gasped and laughed. She squirmed, I lost my balance and the two of us fell over onto the floor with a heavy thud.

Iridescence continued to laugh as I lay on top of her. She had not been expecting that! Of course neither of us expected the door to open and for Shining Armor to walk in.

He stared at us. “What are you two up to?”

It was clear Iridescence was in shock but I’m a professional. “Spontaneous attack training Captain. I tackled her. She wasn’t expecting it. She’ll need to be better prepared next time.”

Shining Armor gave me a dubious look but then seemed to accept that explanation. He, like everypony else, knew I didn’t lie. I got up, helped Iridescence to her hooves, and stood at attention.

“What can we do for you captain?” I asked.

The captain said, “I need a courier right now. Someone fast. I know you’re off tomorrow but I was wondering if you could take an important letter to the royal guard eastern commander in Manehatten.”

It seemed tonight would be filled with all sorts of tests. Here was the captain asking me to work on my day off again right after Iridescence coached me on being more considerate. I paused to consider my options. “You need a flier captain? No chance a train is fast enough? Iridescence is from there. Maybe she could see some family.”

Shining Armor shook his head. “Not this time I’m afraid. Command needs it there immediately. Pegasus speed. You’re one of my few pegasi around here and you never let me down.” He paused and then added, “Not that Iridescence would if speed wasn’t an issue.”

I kept my eyes forwards, trying not to look over at my unicorn companion. I could sense her irritation and trepidation. This was not going to be fun. “You can count on me, sir,” I said, stepping forward to take the sealed container.

“I have no doubt,” Shining Armor said before leaving our room.

I tried not to look back immediately and could hear the sounds of Iridescence moving. Slowly I turned and found her in her bunk with her back to me. “I’m sorry… I just…”

She cut me off. “Don’t. Just go do your duty. I knew what kind of pony you were.”

That stung, though I wasn’t entirely sure why. I dressed in silence and pulled my helmet on. On my way out the door I said, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” and really hoped that was true. She might still be mad.

***

My reputation as a fast flier was getting around in the Canterlot royal guard circles. It wasn’t surprising that the captain had asked me. I wanted to enjoy that and the fact that he knew he could count on me. Unfortunately all I could think about was Iridescence. I was up in the sky flying east as fast as I could while she was back home alone, angry, sad, or all three.

I had to make this right. Somehow I would need to balance my job with my responsibilities to Iridescence. Perhaps it was time we told the captain about our situation? He was a good pony. He’d understand.

At the same time, I didn’t want to risk my career again. What would I be if I wasn’t a royal guard? It is everything I wanted to be and more. What would my dad say if I was relieved of duty? The only son of Stratus Knight drummed out of the guard. Generations of uninterrupted service broken. It would kill him. Actually, prior to his death, he would hunt me down and kill me first. Dad always finished what he started.

That thought darkened my mood substantially. Dad wouldn’t let anything get in the way of his career. Of course no matter how ignorant I was of anything outside of the guard I knew that my parent’s relationship wasn’t great. Neither was my relationship with them. I didn’t even want to think about Winterspear’s relationship with Dad.

I banked through the clouds and flapped my wings harder. This kind of thinking led to mistakes and I couldn’t afford to make any more. It was time to focus on the mission: get this scroll to Manehatten as fast as possible. Command was counting on me. The captain was counting on me and that was all that mattered. He was worthy of loyalty.

Loyalty, honor, duty, and integrity. Those were attributes that lasted forever, even once a pony had passed on to the next life. How could doing my duty be wrong? I tried not to dwell on it as the lights of Manehatten were starting to draw near. It was time to make my delivery.

Eastern Command was one of the largest royal guard installations in Equestria. It was one of the few places where you could still find what we’d call professional soldiers; that is to say, ponies whose sole purpose was that of waging war, not defending others. Ponies like my father.

The trouble with that concept is that Equestrian ponies aren’t the sort to engage in wars lightly but we are the sort to be ready for anything. That meant still keeping professional soldiers around. There is a delicate balance to training warriors that may never see a war but keeping them ready for it.

The compound itself was far larger than what we had in Canterlot. There were multiple barracks buildings, chow halls, and command buildings. I dropped out of the sky and came to a rest on the parade ground just as Princess Luna raised the moon. As I trotted towards the large headquarters it started to dawn on me how fatigued I was. In all of my musings I had barely stopped to rest. Oh well, I could rest when the job was done.

I approached the main door and the guard lifted a hoof to challenge me. I produced the sealed scroll from my saddlebag and said, “Missives from Canterlot Command.”

He took a look and nodded. “All the way down, turn right, third door on the left. Knock first,” he said.

“Thank you,” I replied as I headed inside.

The headquarters interior was spotless. It was made out of some sort of smooth grey stone. Runic would have known what it was. It had the feel of an old Equestrian Castle. The kind you read stories about from the tribal days. I followed the guard’s instructions exactly and ended in front of a wide, metal door. After knocking three times I took a step back and waited.

The door opened and I found myself looking at a brown-red earth pony in uniform. Not armor, but one of the old Equestrian Army uniforms. He was a lieutenant so I snapped to attention.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Missives from Canterlot Command, sir,” I said, offering them to him.

He took them, nodded, said, “Thank you. Dismissed,” and started to close the door.

From behind him a strong, stern voice said, “Hold on just a moment. I don’t recognize that uniform. Come inside.”

The lieutenant pulled the door open and stepped out of the way. As he retreated I advanced into a spartan office. The walls were practically bare other than a map or two. The only furniture was a single desk at the very back and everything was arranged in a functional, efficient way. Standing behind that desk was General Ironhoof.

The general and I had never met but I knew him instantly. He looked exactly as my father had described him: tall, stocky, and pristine. He had his signature flat top mane but its legendary jet black color had faded to almost all gray at this point. His coat too, actually, but he looked as fit as any royal guard I knew.

I stood quietly and confidently as the general looked me over. On the inside I was excited beyond reason. Generals were a rare commodity. Legendary generals that actually had experience in battle were practically non-existent. Ironhoof was both.

“What unit are you with, son?” he asked as he came around his desk to get a closer look.

“Princess Luna’s House Guard, sir,” I responded clearly. I kept my eyes forward as he circled me.

“House Guard, huh? So you’re some sort of elite pony?”

I didn’t move and replied, “No, sir. I was in the right place at the right time. We are trying to build that reputation though, sir.”

General Ironhoof snorted. “A lucky pony, huh? That is fine. Soldiers need luck. You have a familiar look. Are you the normal courier?”

“No sir, but my father did have the pleasure of serving with you and I look like him. Stratus Knight, sir.”

The general laughed and slapped me on the shoulder, “You’re Stratus Knight’s boy? How about that. I’ll have had the pleasure of serving with three generations of Knights. How’re you liking the Guard?”

“Everything I hoped for, sir,” I said honestly.

The general chuckled. “Oh you’re most certainly a Knight. Good stallions, good soldiers. How is your father? I know he hated to retire after that bad business with the griffons.”

“To be honest, sir, I haven’t seen him in some time but when I last did he was as well as could be expected.”

“As well as could be expected?” The general asked. “He could still fly, still move, and train. It was just the running and fighting that the bad knee hindered.”

The general had not heard… well, why would he have? There was no harm in telling him.

“I’m sorry, sir, I should elaborate. Dad… Stratus Knight lost his eyesight completely about three years after he got home. He is a fine instructor but it has made flying rather dangerous.”

All of the air seemed to be sucked out of the room and General Ironhoof just shook his head. “What a waste. I’m sorry son, I didn’t know.”

“Not at all sir. Stratus does his part still. Commander Tsunami has him working with the Cloudsdale guards. They think a blind pony can't use a sword and quickly find out that underestimating an opponent will yield bruised flanks and egos,” I said, pride creeping into my voice.

General Ironhoof laughed. “That is the spirit! Well son, you’re the Knight now. What did you say your name was?”

I hadn’t but you never correct an officer. “Silent Knight, sir.”

“Silent Knight. I like that. I’ll remember that,” the general said and I’m confident he meant it. “Keep up the good work, son. Someday Equestria is going to need the service of the Knight family again and when it does I’ll be asking for you.”

That sent shivers along my spine. Did he mean he’d want me to be a soldier like my father? In a war? “Thank you, sir. I will,” I replied, stuffing the feelings I was having deep down inside me.

“Very good. Dismissed,” the general said.

I drew myself to full attention and saluted. That isn’t something you normally did inside but who knew when I’d have the chance again. The general took the cue, stood at attention, and returned the salute.

“Dismissed,” he repeated but I saw him crack a slight smile. I backed out of the room and waited for the lieutenant to shut the door before I made my way out.

The exhaustion I had been feeling when I arrived seemed to be gone. I felt like I could fly home immediately but knew only a fool would do that. I checked in to the guest barracks and crashed into a bunk. I’d head home tomorrow. I was so excited to tell Iridescence about the meeting. Then I remembered that she might not be in the mood to hear that sort of thing. In that moment I figured sleep first, problems tomorrow.

***

Tomorrow came a little too quickly as I awoke to an unfamiliar pony shaking me just before sunrise. “Missives for Canterlot Command,” he said, dropping a heavy satchel on me.

I gasped a “Thanks” and rolled out from under it. Those were going to slow me down. I trotted over to the chow hall and got some breakfast before heading out.

In truth, I flew slowly and the reason wasn’t the weight of the satchel. It was the weight of the conversation I would have to have with Iridescence. She had every right to be mad, as she wouldn’t be mad without a good reason, but I still didn’t understand why. We were both guards. We both had our duty. Why was it wrong that it was so important to me? Maybe she could explain it once she calmed down. That was assuming she was still there waiting to see me.

***

In my entire life I had never been so dreading the sight of Canterlot. Not even when my father brought me there the first time and left me. I think all stallions have an inherent, base, instinct to fear an angry mare. Mares rule the world and we are their minions.

The captain seemed pleased when I dropped off the satchel with him. He gave me some sort of positive compliment. I barely heard it. I just smiled, nodded, and thanked him before heading back to my room.

Cautiously I pushed the door open and peeked in. I had once seen my mother wing a dinner roll from the kitchen, across the living room, and right into my father’s snout when they had a spat so I knew the danger of projectiles.

“What are you doing?” Iridescence asked, looking up from her book. She was sitting on her bed looking surprisingly calm.

“I’m not entirely sure per the normal,” I replied as I came inside and started removing my armor.

Iridescence closed her book and looked at me. “How was your trip?”

“Lonely,” I said in all honesty. Placing my armor neatly on its stand I turned to face her. “I’m sorry.”

My mare companion tilted her head and asked the dreaded question. “Do you know why you’re sorry?”

I shook my head. Lying isn’t something I did. “Not entirely. I realize that our job encroached on our time together. I also understand that I should value that time equally as job time.”

“You may understand better than you think then,” she said softly. Iridescence crossed the small room to me, “Look, I may have gotten a little angrier than I should about this. Part of me had to realize that you and I are in different places in life and have different goals and that is okay.”

My ears pinned back and I couldn’t help stop my head from drooping. That statement gave me a chill I couldn’t explain at the time. Call it instinct. “What does that mean?” I asked, fearing the worst.

Iridescence blinked at me, “Wow… you’re really upset. I… honestly didn’t expect that.” She set her hoof on my shoulder. “Look, nothing worth having is easy. I’m not giving up, I swear. We’ll both just have to try harder. Okay? You try to be less you. I’ll try to be less me. We’ll meet in the middle. Compromise.”

Rearing up, I threw my hooves around her and hugged tightly. I think that caught her by surprise because she gasped. I’m not saying that I cried that day but I will say I couldn’t look at her.

I whispered, “Iridescence, promise me. Promise me that no matter what you’ll still be my friend. It wouldn’t be worth having anything else if you weren’t.”

She cried against my shoulder and hugged me back. “Yes, I promise. We’ll always be friends.”

That gave me peace. Iridescence wasn’t the sort of pony to break promises. We stayed like that a while. I guess sometimes a little fighting isn’t bad if this was the result.

16. Runic Phial, Expert Alchemist

I sat quietly in my bunk watching Iridescence getting ready. She looked amazing. Her mane was done up, her tail braided, and she had on a dress I had never seen before. It was long, slinky, and had all kinds of sparkling sapphires on it. Once everything was just right she headed for the door.

Pushing off the bed I fell in step behind her. She paused, looked back and asked curiously, “Where are you going?”

“With you,” I replied in confusion.

She shook her head and said, “Oh, no no. It is mare’s night out with Princess Luna and Crystal Wishes. You’re not a mare.”

My eyes shifted to her foot locker and she took my face between her hooves, “Don’t even consider it.”

I snorted. I wasn’t really. “What should I do then?”

Iridescence shrugged. “I don’t know. It is mare’s night! Why don’t you go hang out with Runic?”

Frowning, I said, “So you don’t want me to come with you AND you want me dead?”

She laughed and patted me on the shoulder. “Silent Knight, he is your friend and cousin. Why don’t you go spend some time getting to know him better, okay?”

“Okay…”

“Good,” she said before sweeping out of the room looking the nicest I’ve seen in a long while. “Mare’s night out. It was more like... stallions… not invited,” I thought. Yeah, I wasn’t very clever back then.

***

Runic had closed the shop for the night but I knew him pretty well. I went around to the side door and knocked on it a few times. There was no answer. I knocked again and waited. Still nothing. “Well, that was easy,” I thought as I turned to leave but as I did so every window in the place was suddenly illuminated by a blinding flash.

The door burst open and Runic tumbled out, landing on his back in front of me. He stared up at me through his soot-covered goggles and said, “Hi Silent Knight.”

“Hi Runic,” I replied. “Success?”

Runic rolled over, stood up, and brushed himself off. “Still in one piece so I’d say yes. What can I do for you?”

I brushed one hoof against my leg and said, “I thought you might want to hang out tonight. You know... like friends?”

“Great!” Runic exclaimed and walked back into the shop. “Come on in!”

Following him proved difficult as the whole back room was clouded in smoke. “Goggles,” I heard Runic say and then felt when he slapped them on my face.

“Thanks,” I coughed.

Somewhere in the darkness Runic flipped a switch and fans kicked on. The cloud vented out of the room, revealing the surroundings. I had never actually been in the back-back room. It was all work benches, shelving, and science experiments. To my surprise, it was actually in relatively good order.

Runic pointed to the bench nearest the door. “I’m trying to grow river rocks on beanstalks,” he explained, as if it made sense.

“I wasn’t aware that river rocks were so explosive,” I said playfully.

“They’re not. It was the beanstalks,” Runic deadpanned. “Would you like to help out?”

Friends aren’t something I’m familiar with. Iridescence was different of course. She had always taken the lead. I felt out of my depth standing there and I am a diligent worker so I just nodded. “Sure, what can I do?”

“Hold this,” he said, offering me a metal rod attached to a wire. He had a similar one in hoof. “Could you pick up that beanstalk too?”

I saw which one he meant and picked it up. “Sure.”

“Great!” He smiled and flipped a switch.

***

I awoke an hour or so later, my coat standing on end. Runic was next to me on the shop floor and I lightly shook him. He coughed, sat up, and looked at the beanstalk. I had not realized it but I was still clenching it in my hoof. It was unbelievable, smooth river stones had replaced the pods. I’m not kidding.

“Great!” He exclaimed. “You must be lucky. Well… that was my mission for the day. What’s next?”

Was he seriously asking me? I had not thought to bring any games and I wasn’t sure he would be into royal guard stuff. I found that most ponies were bored by us. Then I had an idea. “Runic, do you think you could help me make a bracelet for Iridescence?”

Runic stroked his chin, “A bracelet? There isn’t a lot of challenge to that. Mostly metal work. I doubt we’d even need potions.” He looked at me and then said, “But for you, why not.”

“Thank you,” I replied and we sat down to work.

It all started with some plain wire. It had the same shine as silver but it was something far more sturdy and less expensive. Runic’s invention of course.

I selected a thinner, pink spool of wire, and asked Runic, “Mares like pink, right?”

Runic shrugged and said, “I know what they don’t like: rocks on a first date. Alchemists aren’t always known for their ability to swoon ladies.”

I frowned. Runic was a good guy. He should have a nice mare. If, as my sister taught me, his barn door swung that way. That was a different problem though so I looked at him and repeated “Mares like pink, right?” and nodded a little.

Runic nodded back. “Yes,” he said, nodding in time with me.

“Great.” I wound the pink wire around the silver, making two separate, compact coils in the front. It looked fairly well done for a stallion without any magic. Laying the bracelet on the table I couldn’t help but feel like it needed more. “Hey Runic?” I started.

“Yes?”

“Do you have any of those sapphires left? The ones in the trash bag?”

He shook his head. “No, sorry Silent Knight.”

I smiled. “It is okay, no problem.”

“Would any of those work?” He asked as he pointed a hoof to a small mountain of sapphires. It was literally large enough for me to leap onto and climb my way to the ceiling.

“Yeah…” I said, blinking. “I think I can find one in there.” I added as I walked over to sort through them all. Eventually I found one that was the right size and even somewhat heart shaped. I brought it back. “You know these are worth bits right? Lots of bits?” I asked.

Runic shrugged. “Not to me. Those are failures in my book.”

I rubbed my nose with a hoof. “I understand that but if you needed bits you could sell these and buy things you needed to make rocks. They have real value. I can’t just take one and give you nothing.”

Runic smiled at me. “We’re family, you can have that one.”

I shook my head and replied, “That is kind but family can’t just take. I can’t pay you now but…”

“I turned you pink and then electrocuted you,” Runic said flatly.

“Right. Even then?”

Runic nodded sagely, “Even.”

“Thank you Runic, you’re a good pal,” I said and got back to work.

Runic helped me shape the sapphire into a perfect heart and even built a custom metal fastener to hang it from the bracelet. He was really excited about that bit because it allowed him to fuse the metal directly into the sapphire. The final touch was to add a clasp. Runic wanted to attach it with a torch. I convinced him that his tiny soldering iron was a better plan.

It is important that I don’t give the impression that Runic and I were jewelers or that this particular bracelet was the best one ever made but it did look like something you’d buy in a store. It was special because we had made it together and it meant something. It felt like magic.

“Runic, we’ve done a good thing,” I said to him.

He smiled. “Yeah, I think we did. Fun too.”

I agreed, “Yes. We could do similar things again sometime… if you like.”

“Sure, stop by any time. I’m sure we could come up with a ton of things to do,” he said.

I put a hoof around his shoulder and smiled. “I’ll do that. Just try not to kill me okay? I’m attached to my body.”

“Fair enough,” Runic said cheerfully.

”Now... How about we go get something to eat? I’m really hungry and for some reason I’m craving those pods from the bean stalks.” I said.

Runic nodded. “Me too… I bet we could find those in town.”

We left through the side door and Runic locked up. I placed the bracelet in my saddle bag and we headed off into the night to find beans.

***

I was asleep when Iridescence burst through the door that night. She staggered ever so slightly as she then closed it behind her. “I’m home,” she whispered loudly. In the dark she fumbled around a bit on her way over to our beds.

“Are you okay?” I asked her quietly. I wasn’t sure why she had whispered… although not sure it qualified as a whisper anyway. I’m pretty sure the ponies in the next room heard her.

Iridescence smiled in the darkness, the only light in the room provided by the moon outside the window. “I’m great,” she said. “Goodnight Silent,” she added before tossing the sheets back on my bed and slipping under them.

“Hey, you realize that...” I started and then shrugged. I pulled the sheets back up around us and went back to sleep. She’d figure it out in the morning.

***

The next morning I woke up feeling less rested than usual. That was probably due to the fact that Iridescence kicks in her sleep. I rolled over to face her and her eyes opened. She looked at me and said, “Good morning.”

I smiled back and replied, “Good morning.”

Then the color drained from her face. Her eyes got big and she leapt from the bed. Ah, she had figured it out!

“You?! Me. Us!” She exclaimed, not quite forming coherent thoughts yet. “What happened?!”

Stretching out a bit in my newly recovered bed, I looked at her and said plainly, “You stumbled in late last night and jumped into my bed.”

My plainness was rewarded with a pillow to the face which was immediately followed by a second, fluffy blow to the head. “And what did you do?” she demanded.

“Slept awfully,” I replied, holding up my hooves to fend off further attacks. “You kick in your sleep.”

Iridescence dropped the pillow and stared at me. Finally some form of realization dawned on her face. She leaned down and kissed my cheek. “You’re a gentlepony and an idiot,” she told me.

I clapped my hooves lightly together and said, “I’ll allow it. Though my feelings are hurt that you’d think the worst of me.”

Iridescence’s cheeks burned red in a blush. It was cute. I let THAT realization set in. Yes, Silent Knight isn’t clueless about everything.

“Then you’re just a gentlepony,” she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. “Did you and Runic have fun?”

“We did. Although he did electrocute me in the name of science. All told though it was a pretty successful evening. It looks like yours was as well?”

Iridescence shook her head. “It may have gotten a little out of hoof. No harm was done though… that I can remember.”

“I’ll be sure to check the warrants after breakfast. If there are any for you I’ll have to take you in,” I said sternly while looking up at her. “Oh, and then there is this.” Reaching over to the nightstand we shared, I tugged open the top drawer and took the bracelet out of it. I offered it to her.

“Where in Equestria did you get this?” Iridescence asked as she looked it over. As I said, it was magic.

Proudly I replied, “I made it with Runic’s help.”

“You… you made... THIS?” She asked and I deflated a little.

“I did.”

“Silent Knight, it is amazing. How did you to do it without magic? I thought you had bought it!” she gushed.

I reinflated and shrugged. “Hard work, dedication, and a semi-crazed but exceptionally talented alchemist cousin.”

Iridescence slipped it on and leaned down to kiss my cheek again. “Aren’t you full of surprises this morning,” she said.

“Mission accomplished,” I thought and rolled over onto my side. “You are too. You kick like a mule,” I teased before being immediately rewarded with additional blows to head with a pillow.

17. Winter Comes

Days off are fun but there just isn’t anything like putting on your armor and getting back to work. I considered my job a privilege. What could be better than being a young pony in the house guard?

My career was well ahead of many other ponies. It may be arrogant to say but I was proud of myself and of the unit I was a part of. That unit pride, however, also made my life difficult for a couple of weeks.

Iridescence, however, may not have loved the job as much as I did. Lately it seemed she was more interested in being Princess Luna’s friend than her guard. Her professionalism on shift had slipped at a few inopportune times. Unfortunately it didn’t go without notice and both Sergeant Windchaser and Captain Armor had spoken to her.

It seemed that on this day a new issue would be added to the mix. She arrived for her shift half an hour late. “You’re relieved,” she said, getting into her place beside me.

I nodded and stepped forward to head back to our room. As I did so, the captain came around the corner. He looked surprised to see me.

“Silent Knight…” he started. “Don’t you ever get tired of working?”

“Never, Captain,” I said warmly.

“Haven’t you been off shift for a while now?”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Shining Armor looked suspicious, fixed his eyes to mine, and asked, “Anything to report?”

I stared back while standing at attention. Any motion and he would know. “Nothing of consequence, sir,” I replied but added, “Though I can do an exhaustive, written report in this case if you prefer.”

The captain looked at Iridescence and then at me. He shook his head. “No, that won’t be necessary. Carry on.” And with that he made his way down the hall to continue his rounds.

When I was certain he was out of earshot I breathed a sigh of relief. That was a close as I’ve ever gotten to lying to an officer. I truly believed this wasn’t of consequence, because Iridescence wouldn’t let it happen again.

I briefly looked at her. She seemed shocked. I guess we were all acting a little abnormal lately. I’d been working on speaking more and trying to be a more outgoing pony. It put some ponies off, but I was trying to be a bit more well rounded.

Iridescence had been… well I’m not even sure what. The look I gave her said, ‘Don’t put me in this position again.’ Quickly she nodded and with a light shrug I left her to her duty. It was time to do something different and I set course for the small tavern near the barracks. I needed a drink.

The air was chilly and there was still snow on the ground. I never quite understood what the purpose of it was or why the weather ponies still worked during winter. It made more sense to me that if it was cold you wouldn’t want water falling from the sky… but what did I know. I kept a brisk pace as I headed to the Spearhead Tavern where there would, undoubtedly, be a big fire and warm food.

☾

The Spearhead Tavern was a royal guard favorite. The owner, old Silverwind, had been a guard for years. When he got too old to do his duty he opened the tavern and made it royal guard friendly. Eventually it was exclusive to us for the most part.

It had taken me far too long to figure out it existed. That wasn’t a surprise though. Palace guards often went out for harder beverages after work but Princess Luna’s House Guards were fairly separate. Ponies still gave us sideways glances. Somepony had mentioned it though so I checked it out.

I settled on a stool by the bar and set some bits down. “Cider, please.”

I’d never sat at the bar before. Usually I was at a table catching a meal outside of the chow hall. Tonight felt like a “sit at the bar” kind of night. Just like it was a “something other than water” night.

“Rough day?” a familiar voice asked from behind. I turned to find Shining Armor there. He had followed me? I immediately stood up to attention and he lightly pushed me back onto the stool. “I’m not on duty Silent Knight and neither are you. Switch it off.”

Switch it off? I eased back onto the stool and said, “Perhaps a little, sir… er… captain?” I tilted my head and referenced the regulations. Officers and enlisted ponies don’t typically mix. “Mr. Armor?”

Shining Armor laughed and sat on the stool next to me. “Shining Armor is fine. Just Shining Armor when we’re in here and our helmets are off. Okay?”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.” He slightly opened his mouth and I corrected, “Yes.”

“Rough day, then?” he repeated. Was this a test to see if I had lied? Did he know? I looked at him and I saw fatigue under his eyes. It wasn’t just that. He looked worse for the wear. Similar to when I had first met him right after the Nightmare Moon incident.

Setting more bits on the bar I motioned to him. “Cider for the ca… Shining Armor. Please,” I told the tender. Looking back at him, I deflected, “Not as rough as yours. Is there something wrong?”

He snorted and accepted the cider. “You’re too observant. Something has been off between Cadence and I. I can’t put my hoof on it but she is different lately. Things have been a little stressful,” he explained.

Cadence, his unicorn bride to be, was one of the prettiest, sweetest ponies I’d ever met. We’d not spent much time together but she was often around the palace as she was Princess Celestia’s adopted niece. It seemed implausible that she was causing the captain grief.

“Iridescence, too,” I said without really thinking it through.

The captain’s brow went up. “Oh? You two are together?” he asked me directly. Stupid, honest mouth.

“Not like you and Lady Cadence, no.” That wasn’t a lie. Their relationship was far more serious and tangible. “We’re close, though. I know when things are off. Partners… well… friends are like that. She’s my best friend.”

“I noticed, too. With Iridescence, I mean. She hasn’t been herself as of late,” he said. “I think Cadence may just have wedding jitters but I feel something in the air. I think Princess Celestia feels it too.”

That was disturbing. When Princess Celestia worried about something it meant a call to action was soon to follow. “We’ll handle whatever it is. Have no doubt about that,” I offered confidently. “How about you? Do you have jitters as well?”

Shining Armor grinned a bit, obviously glad to change the subject. “Not in the least. I’ve wanted to marry Cadence since our school days. I’m actually shocked it took this long to get it settled but in situations like ours things take time.”

Taking a sip of my cider, I asked curiously, “Your situation?”

“Marrying royalty,” he said plainly and without a hint of ego. It was just fact. “There are protocols of course. Cadence is Princess Celestia’s niece after all. She is destined to hold a noble title of some form or fashion. She may even rule for all I know.”

“That makes sense,” I agreed. “She is a unicorn noble in multiple rights, is she not? Her family line goes back to that of Princess Platinum.”

The captain’s brow lifted. “She is… How do you know that, though?”

“Perhaps I may have crossed a line, but I wasn’t certain who I would be protecting when I started in at the academy. I simply narrowed the list down and did all of my research to ensure I’d be a good fit. Princess Luna, of course, was a total surprise. There wasn’t any research available.”

Shining Armor laughed. “Your research included looking back through years of my fiancée’s family tree?”

“Of course. Know your very important pony as best you can. It helps you anticipate how they’ll act and make life easier for everypony. Princess Luna loves to read and write, as an example. I’ve made it a point to learn all of the bookstores, libraries, and news stands in Canterlot so I would know where to look if she disappeared unattended.”

“I appreciate that level of dedication, Silent Knight, but you seriously need a hobby.”

That made me laugh a bit. “I’ve been goofing off more than I ever have in my entire life thanks to your mentoring. I play board games and help my cousin with his wacky experiments.”

Shining Armor looked at me quite seriously and said, “Well it is good to know I’ve been such a bad influence on you.”

My stomach dropped and I said, “Captain, I’m sorry, I…”

He lifted a hoof. “Joking!”

I drank my cider and peered at him over the rim. “Oh, well good, then.”

“Listen,” he said, leaning in closer. “I didn’t come to discuss business but I am worried. You notice a lot more than most ponies even if you don’t say anything about it. I’m going to rely on you to keep your eyes and ears open. If something out of the ordinary happens you let me know even if it seems insignificant. Understood?”

“Crystal clear.”

“Good stallion.” He stood. I started to stand with him but he put a hoof on my shoulder while adding, “Thanks for the cider. We should do it again sometime.”

“Stallion’s night out, sir?” I asked.

He chuckled and headed for the door. “Sounds good.”

I turned back to the bar and drained my cider. If Shining Armor was worried then I was, too. Tapping the bar with my hoof, I ordered another mug. I had musing to do.

☾

“You lied for me… I can’t believe you lied for me,” Iridescence said softly when I returned the next morning to relieve her.

Shaking my head, I replied, “No, I said nothing of consequence occurred but would write a detailed report if requested. Nothing of consequence did occur because I know my partner wouldn’t show up late without a good reason and she certainly wouldn’t make a habit out of it.”

We stood together in silence. Per the usual I had arrived fifteen minutes early for shift change.

“You took a risk for me,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“I promise I won’t do that to you again,” she started and then sheepishly toed the floor. “My relationship with the princess has been clouding my judgment. I was starting to think I could get away with things… at least until you had to put your neck out for me. I don’t want to turn into the type of pony you have to do that for.”

With a slight nod I said, “Please don’t… but everypony makes mistakes. Don’t worry about it.”

She promised earnestly again, “I won’t.”

“The captain and I had drinks at the Spearhead last night after I was off. He thinks something might be going on around here. It may just be prewedding nerves but I think we should take him seriously and keep an ear out.”

Iridescence shifted slightly beside me. “Around the palace or around here like you and I?”

“Around the palace. Princess Celestia is also concerned. He was pretty serious.”

“Oh… well we’ll just have to keep an ear out won’t we? Besides, with you around I’m not sure what could possibly go wrong. Mr perfect guard.” She teased.

Under my helmet I gave a slight smile and replied, “Sure, sure. You are relieved.”

“Thank you,” she whispered sweetly before heading home.

The universe was back in order it seemed. Thank Celestia for that. If we could all just make it a hoof full of weeks more without any weirdness we’d be able to sit back, celebrate Hearth’s Warming Eve, and then enjoy a royal Canterlot wedding.

18. Hearth's Warming Eve

Shaking my head, I sighed, “What a shame.”

“What is?” Iridescence asked from her bunk.

“My sister and her marefriend broke up. She is really upset about it too,” I explained as I read the letter on the table. Setting down a fresh sheet of parchment, I picked up a pencil in my mouth and started on a response.

Iridescence rose and came over. She slid the letter over to read it herself. Normally they’re private but I had brought it up so it seemed alright to let her see.

“Did she say why?” she asked.

I just shook my head and tried to focus on my writing.

The unicorn’s expression darkened as she read on. “Poor girl… They had been together a while, too. Be sure you’re extra nice to her in that letter. Maybe even take some time to go see her?”

I nodded in agreement and continued to scrawl across the parchment my condolences. One thing I had learned was that when these things happen there is a litany of standard responses: there are other pegasi in the sky, it is always darkest before Celestia’s dawn, and so forth. All of that sounded so forced to me. I certainly knew I wouldn’t want to hear anything like that if Iridescence and I split up.

While we contemplated the best response there was a knock on the door. It was followed by a brief pause before the door opened. It was Captain Shining Armor. Usually he didn’t knock. That was new.

We stood at attention and I spit the pencil out onto the table. “Good evening, sir,” I said.

“Good evening you two,” he replied, looking to where the pencil had landed. “Silent Knight, I wanted to put on a bit of extra security for Princess Celestia tonight. Can you help me out?”

A spot on Princess Celestia’s House Guard for the evening was a huge opportunity. I smiled and said, “That is most appreciated Captain. May I ask, is there no pony else? You know I would never refuse if you were in need… but if somepony else can do it, I’d like to pass.” I nodded to the letters on the table. “I’m behind on writing to my sister and she is in a bad spot… plus Iridescence and I have tickets to the Hearth’s Warming Eve play. I don’t want to let her down.”

Shining Armor looked a little surprised. He shook his head and smiled a little. “Oh, no, I won’t have trouble finding somepony. It is a huge career opportunity and I wanted to offer it to you first. You’ve earned that.” He tapped the table and nodded. “But family comes first. Have fun you two.”

The door closed behind the captain and Iridescence looked at me wide eyed. “What?” I asked.

“You could have been on Princess Celestia’s House Guard tonight. You just turned down something you’ve cared about your whole life.”

Mares are confusing creatures. I tilted my head and said, “We had plans. You said I was supposed to meet you halfway.” Quickly I leaned down to snag my pencil and started back to writing.

Iridescence watched with a strange look on her face. Was it guilt? Guilt didn’t make sense but it looked like guilt. We could talk about that later. For now, Winterspear was the most important pony to me. Maybe I should go see her. I had tons of holiday time due.

***

Later that evening Iridescence and I attended the Hearth’s Warming Eve play. The Canterlot production was the largest in all of Equestria and getting tickets was hard. Being a royal guard, however, had its perks and I was able to acquire two well in advance. We didn’t have great seats but they were what I could afford.

That was my gift to Iridescence. Well, I guess the tickets and me not working security. She had gotten me a wonderful scarf. It was white and blue like me and really warm. I’m not certain what it was made out of but if somepony asked I would say “the softest love available.” The scarf was also extra long which meant I could share it with her.

We sat together at the play with her hooves around my left foreleg. She still had that guilty look on her face but I hoped the show would change that. The playbill had stated that Twilight Sparkle and the other Elements of Harmony would be taking on the starring roles. I wasn’t aware that they were actors but it was still an exciting prospect.

The lights fell and a dragon came out on stage to narrate. This was going to be a great evening. First a show and then off to meet our friends. I slipped a hoof around Iridescence’s shoulders and we settled in for the show.

***

“I’m not sure Commander Hurricane was that stubborn is all that I’m saying,” I explained.

Iridescence laughed softly as we walked, “Spoken like a true pegasus warrior. It was creative license, Silent Knight. All of the leaders were made to seem completely unreasonable.”

“I suppose that is true. Still…” I trailed off as we arrived at Runic’s shop.

The outside was completely done up in Hearth’s Warming Eve decorations. A sign outside read “Closed For Private Function.”

We headed on inside and found ourselves in a holiday wonderland. Runic Phial did not do anything halfway. The shop was completely decked out in Hearth’s Warming cheer. There were colorful streamers, hanging ornaments, and everything else you’d expect plus some things you wouldn’t. It appeared he had somehow glued fake icicles to the ceiling… at least I hoped they were fake.

“Wow Runic… this is just amazing,” Iridescence said and I nodded in agreement.

Runic smiled. “Thank you. I wanted it to feel special for our first Hearth’s Warming Eve together. Just like my parents do back home.”

That was a nice gesture. We helped ourselves to some punch and chatted quietly.

It wasn’t long after that when the door opened and Crystal Wishes came in. “Good evening, all!” she called cheerfully. “I hope no pony minds… I brought a friend.”

“The more the merrier,” Runic said earnestly.

She had indeed. An earth pony walked in behind her. She was light pink and had a mauve mane pulled up in a bun in the back.  Two curled strands hung by her ears in the front. Her cutie mark was some sort of pink shoe. The kind dancers wear, I thought at the time.

“Hello everypony,” she said softly, glancing around.

“This is Velvet Step. We’ve been friends since we were fillies and she is in town for the holiday,” Crystal Wishes explained with a bright smile before going around the room with introductions. “That is Silent Knight, Iridescence, and Runic Phial.”

“Pleased to meet you,” I said as we all exchanged casual pleasantries.

Velvet looked a little pensive but that didn’t surprise me. She was being introduced to new ponies in a new place. She asked, “Is it true that Princess Luna may be coming? I won’t know what to do if she does!”

It was true. Crystal Wishes and Princess Luna had hit it off pretty well. Iridescence too, of course. I was glad to see the Princess making friends. It made work weird sometimes though.

Crystal Wishes smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Velvet. She is sweet. I’m not sure if she’ll be able to make it, anyway. She has a lot of duties as a princess. Why don’t we have some punch?”

I took that opportunity to chat with Runic. I was a bit excited. “Runic, I got a gift for you,” I started. “I don’t know much about these things but I think you’ll like it.”

Runic tilted his head and asked, “What is it?”

The gift, a rock, was hidden in my scarf. I pulled it out and offered it to him. “About three weeks ago Princess Luna was on her balcony looking through her telescope. She saw something fall from the sky and pointed it out to me. I’m not exactly sure how but she tracked where it would land and we went out to see it the next day. It was a rock that had fallen from the heavens. This is a piece.”

Runic’s eyes went wide and he took the rock in both hooves, cradling it like you might a foal. “You got me an extraterrestrial rock?” he asked, tears welling in the corner of his eyes.

I was pretty certain they were good tears and I nodded. “The moment I saw it I thought of you and Princess Luna allowed me to have it. I’m glad you… huugh!” I grunted as Runic crushed me into a hug. I hugged him back. It was cool; we’re family.

When my vision started going black around the edges he let go. “I have something for you, too. Give me a second though,” he said, turning to go to the back of the shop.

He set the rock down on the counter and brought out a small lockbox with a glass lid. Runic unlocked the box and set the stone in it. Securing it, he put it on the shelf right behind the counter in prime viewing space. I was proud that I had found the right gift.

His gift for me, it seemed, was much larger. From the back room Runic produced a long, rectangular box wrapped in brilliant blue paper. He offered it to me and I had to take it in both hooves. Whatever it was, it was heavy. “Thank you,” I said, setting the box on the table. I tore the wrapping off and revealed a wooden box.

Curiously I pushed the lid off of it. “Wow!” I exclaimed, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Typically I’m not loud but this was amazing.

“I made it,” Runic said sheepishly.

From the box I pulled the most impressive sword I’ve ever seen. It was shiny and new, giving it a silver look. The hilt and tang had sapphires set into round baubles but the most amazing bit is where the hilt met the blade: Runic had crafted two crescent moons that looked like my cutie mark out of a pale white stone and attached them.

Holding the sword in my hoof I marveled, “Runic… this is a masterpiece.” It was well balanced. I shifted it and took it in my mouth. Balanced there too… I set it back into the box carefully, turned towards Runic, and tackled him. It was cool; we’re family.

“Stallions,” I heard Iridescence say as she and the other mares exchanged gifts. I didn’t care. This was amazing.

Helping Runic up, I asked, “How did you do it? It’s perfect and it’s just right for me.”

Runic smiled and shrugged. “I’m friends with a blacksmith. We worked on it together. From all the experimenting you and I do I was able to figure it out. I did the stones and imbuing. I’m glad you like it.”

I shook my head. “No… I love it.”

“Great!” Runic cheered.

I made a mental note to request special permission from the captain to carry a non-issue weapon. It was a common request and one unlikely he’d deny.

It was also just about that time that the front door opened and two of Princess Luna’s house guard came in. Miley Hooves the Plaguebringer (our affectionate term for her), and her new partner Harvest Moon. Harvest was the second trainee ever to come out of the academy and go directly into Princess Luna’s House Guard. That was a good thing. Ponies were starting to see this as a good career move.

Our group fell silent and I cleared my throat, “Miley. Harvest.” They both nodded at me, looked around, and separated to reveal Princess Luna. She smiled brightly.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve ponies!” she exclaimed, coming in. “Who is ready for the fun to be doubled? I have brought games!”

And she had… two saddle bags full. I noticed that Velvet Step looked a little shocked but the rest of us knew this side of Princess Luna well.

I remember thinking ‘tonight was, in fact, going to be the best night ever’ and up until that point I was right.

19. Hearth's Warming Day

Captain Shining Armor was a very positive role model. He was still working in his office the morning after Hearth’s Warming Eve when most ponies were still asleep. His door was always open. I knocked anyway.

“Come in,” he said, levitating his quill down to the desk. “Silent Knight, what can I do for you?”

I took my helmet off a moment and he caught the message. He took his off too. I nodded a thanks. “I brought you something for Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“Oh?” he asked.

Nodding, I set a pair of cufflinks down on his desk. “For your uniform… at least for the wedding. I know they’re not regulation but my cousin and I made them. It is an old pegasus custom. If you make a gift, fill it with positive wishes, and present it to a groom, the ancient ponies will bless the marriage.”

Shining Armor accepted the cufflinks and peered at them. “That is a wonderful tradition,” he said and then sighed slightly. “I’ll need them.”

“Sir?” I asked. Wrong title but still.

“Cadence and I are just going through a little rough patch before the wedding. She really hasn’t been herself. More than what I mentioned before,” he admitted.

“The strain of the wedding, I imagine,” I offered.

He half-smiled and said, “Yes, I think that is it too. Thank you Silent Knight. This was most kind.”

“Gladly,” I said, then I put my helmet back on. He did the same.

“Sir, I’ve a lot of holiday time piling up. I know this isn’t the perfect time to ask but I think my sister needs me. Could I have a few days off to go see her? I can take any missives to Cloudsdale as well.”

The captain nodded. “Of course. I’m sorry to hear it is that bad. Take care of her.”

“Thank you, sir.” I turned to leave but then stopped. “One more small issue, sir.” I shifted and slipped the sword Runic had made for me from the scabbard that was hidden under may flank armor. “My cousin made this for me. It isn’t standard issue. May I have a waiver to carry a personal weapon?” I asked as I set the sword on his desk.

Shining Armor looked over the sword before lightly lifting it. “This is a miraculous blade,” he said in awe. “A fine weapon for a fine guard.” He offered it back. “Approved. I’ll do the paperwork later.”

I accepted it and nodded. His word was good enough for me. I slipped it back into the scabbard. Most ponies would never know a royal guard carried a sword. Concealing them made everypony more comfortable.

“Thank you, sir.” I said, standing to attention.

He sat up straight and said, “You’re welcome. Dismissed.”

***

After saying my goodbyes to Iridescence I headed off for Cloudsdale. It felt weird to do so out of uniform. The captain had not assigned any missives and that meant it wasn’t an official trip. I was just Silent Knight, private pony citizen.

When I arrived at Winterspear’s room I had a moment of trepidation. I had not been able to let her know I was coming. It was a last minute thing. I knocked on the door and hoped she was there.

“Just a minute,” she called. Thank Celestia. After another moment or so the door opened and her face went from confusion to joy. “Silent Knight! What are you doing here?”

I hugged her. She was a little surprised. I guess I had become a hugger. We hugged more and then I came in.

Shutting the door, I said carefully, “I got your letter. More importantly, it is Hearth’s Warming Eve. I missed you.”

Winterspear stroked my mane and peered in my eyes. “Who are you and where is my little brother?”

“Growing up a little, I guess. How’re you?”

She smiled a brittle smile. “I’m managing. It was sudden. I think there was somepony else.” Winterspear shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. It is over now. How is your romance going?”

“Romance is hard,” I admitted. “We are doing okay. Just okay. I get the feeling I’m messing up or that maybe something is off… but I really don’t know anything about relationships and anyway, I’m here for you.”

My sister nodded sagely at me. “Yes it is and this is your first one. It gets a little easier the next time. I promise.”

I frowned at that. “The next time?”

Winterspear winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out.” She took my hooves in hers. “Look, some ponies get it right in one try. Others have to try several times. Every time it doesn’t work out you get better at it. You understand more. I’m not saying you won’t stay with Iridescence. I just mean it gets easier.”

We held hooves for a while and I nodded. My expression didn’t betray the small amount of fear that had put into me. I replied evenly, “I understand. Thank you… and you’re going to find a great mare too. You’re too sweet not to.”

“I know. It just hurts right now. Pain is temporary though,” she said and meant it. I had never heard her use one of our father’s sayings. I wondered if they had made up.

Clearing my throat lightly, I changed the subject to an even less fun topic. “Not today but… while I’m here. I should probably go see Mom and Dad. Do you want to come? It is the holidays.”

Winterspear wiped her eyes with her hoof. “Yeah… I guess I should too.”

“We’ll be together. United,” I said firmly.

“Yes, okay,” she replied and it halfway sounded like she meant it.

***

My parents’ house was almost exactly the same from when I had left it years ago. That was partially so my father could find his way around and partially because he was stubborn and didn’t like change.

Mother kept the house immaculately clean even if the old warhorse couldn’t see it. That was her way. We had hugged when I arrived. My father and I shook hooves. Then we all sat, somewhat quietly.

“Winterspear tells us that you’re part of Princess Luna’s House Guard,” my mother said over dinner.

“That is true,” I replied. “We’re a brand new unit and we’re building a lot of credibility.”

“What about Princess Celestia’s House Guard?” my father asked. “Won’t you be trying to get into that unit? They’re the best around.”

I shook my head, which is a silly thing to do in front of a blind pony. “No, sir.” I proceeded cautiously, “Command’s goal is to ensure both House Guard units are viewed as the best of the best. We have the same commanding officer.”

My father stroked his chin. “I see. Well… I guess that is alright. You haven’t made sergeant yet?”

“No sir. Winterspear has, though,” I said with a bit of caution.

“I’d heard,” was all he said which may have been an improvement.

My sister and I exchanged glances and I shrugged. My father was who he was. There wasn’t much hope in changing that.

Mother cleared her throat, “I hear you’re dating a unicorn, Silent Knight.”

That generated a chuckle from my father. “I guess he integrated into Canterlot a little too well.”

I ignored that. “Yes ma’am, Iridescence. She is good to me. I’ve also found a cousin in town. On your mother’s side. Runic Phial. He is a little eccentric but he is a good friend and he is family.”

My mother clapped her hooves together lightly and said, “Oh that is good. You need little friends. You never had a lot as a colt.”

“He had more important things to do as a colt,” my father cut in.

“Yes, dear…” my mom said patiently, “Which is why it is important that now that he has some time he makes friends. Networking is important.” My father snorted but held his tongue. “What about you Winterspear? What about that friend of yours, Caramel Mint?”

Winterspear stiffened in her chair and under the table she set her hoof on my knee, as if bracing. I worked it over in my mind why mom had called Caramel a friend. They were… oh. OH. I sat quietly and said nothing.

Shaking her head, Winterspear shrugged. “We had a pretty big fight. She met a special somepony and was spending all her time with her.”

“With HER?” My father blurted. “Is she one of those fillyfoolers? That just isn’t natural. Back in our day we knew how to handle those kinds of ponies. You’re better off without a friend like that.”

“I’ll agree with that,” Winterspear said darkly.

“You know things are different now sir. That sort of thing is more common,” I said and I have no idea why.

“That doesn’t make it right” was his response.

I opened my mouth to say something else but my mother and Winterspear shook their heads. It was the holidays, I guess.

“Heard you came through here not long ago on official business,” my father said, moving on. “Didn’t even stop to see your old parents.”

“It was courier duty, sir. I had to make a quick turn around and had a short period of time to do a long list of things I wanted to.”

He shook his head. “I’m not complaining son. I’m proud of you. Mission first.”

When I was younger that would have meant a lot to me. For some reason that night I didn’t care. “Thank you, sir,” I said and went back to eating my dinner. We all did and that was probably for the best.

***

“Right in front of you! He basically called you a monster right there. He said fillyfooler!” I was hot. I’m not prone to anger but I was hot that night as I paced back and forth in Winterspear’s room.

“It is fine. Dad will never cease to find ways to tear me down overtly or by accident. I’m used to it,” she said.

I shook my head. “No it isn’t, Winterspear. Ponies shouldn’t treat ponies that way. Princess Luna isn’t that way and she’s an alicorn. Princess Celestia would be embarrassed.” I paced for a while more before she stood up, came over, and got in my way. She cupped my cheeks with her hooves.

“Listen, little brother. I’m glad you want to defend me. I don’t need it. I really don’t care what he thinks anymore. He has his life, I have mine. Eventually I’ll tell mom. Maybe she’ll accept it, maybe she won’t. I hope she does. All that matters is that you didn’t care at all. It didn’t even phase you. The only thing that you cared about was my happiness. So much so you even came here now when I needed somepony. Thank you. You’ve done plenty.”

I swallowed and the anger started to wane. I wasn’t even sure why I had gotten so upset to begin with. Part of it was probably being old enough to see my dad as something other than my hero. “Okay,” I said and then tried on something new. “I love you.”

She looked at me and smiled. “I love you too. Now come on, bed time.”

We headed over to her bed. The perk of being a sergeant was you had your own room. The downside was that you only had one bed which made it rough for visitors. “You better not kick like Iridescence,” I said without thinking.

“Oh, so you two are sharing a bed?” she asked scandalously. Stupid, honest mouth.

Slipping into her bed I grumbled, “It isn’t like that you…” I searched for an appropriate, teasing insult. She waited patiently. “...clop-minded mare.”

“Bravo,” she said cheerfully, slipping in and laying on the other side of the bed, if you could really call it that. It was a bed for one and we were pretty much back to back.

“Thanks,” I said. “I’m learning new words on the street every day.”

“Don’t,” she teased.

Everypony was a critic.

***

I stayed with my sister another couple of days to make certain she was back to her usual self. It was nice and how I imagined most families are. More importantly, it was how we had been back when I was a foal. As you grow up I think you never realize how much you miss something until you get a taste of it again. Evidently I missed having family.

Having a big sister was great and I planned on spending more time with her in the future. Unfortunately, however, it was time to fly home. We said our goodbyes and I dropped out of the clouds to head east to Canterlot. After almost a week away it was time to get back to regular life and the job I loved.

There was no reason to hurry. I had the entire day off and wouldn’t go on shift until the following morning. That made for a prime opportunity to just fly and enjoy it. There was time for loops, banks, and dives. Freedom is a wonderful thing and even though I was excited to get back to my structured life I paused for a moment to consider what it would be like if this was my everyday.

My spirits were high as I approached Canterlot. The sight of it, however, immediately filled me with worry. The city was surrounded by a protection spell. A massively powerful one too. What had happened? I dove towards the city gates and landed outside the barrier.

The guards posted there nodded to me. There were twice as many as usual. That was a bad sign. I galloped through the streets towards our headquarters as fast as I could. When I reached the palace I was moving faster than I ever had before. As I barreled through the hallway I made a hard left towards the captain’s office. A little too hard, actually.

I sailed around the corner and crashed into two of my fellow guards. I knocked them both down, lost my balance, and fell. Thankfully my training kicked in and I tucked and rolled while allowing the momentum to carry me down the hall. With a heavy thud I landed right in front of Captain Armor, a wide-eyed Princess Celestia, several officers, and some really surprised palace staff.

I sprung to attention. “Reporting for duty, Captain!” I said clearly.

Without missing a beat, Shining Armor said, “And this is Silent Knight, the guard I was telling you about. He’ll be taking the lead on Princess Luna’s first watch. Welcome back, Silent Knight.”

“Thank you sir,” I said and stepped aside as the gaggle of important ponies went by.

Watch lead huh? That meant we were going to have at least two ponies per shift. Something was up. I made a note to find out later when the captain wasn’t busy. Plus I should probably make certain I hadn’t just killed two fellow guards. That is the polite thing to do in this situation.

20. A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1

“Listen up ponies!” Shining Armor called from the front of the room. “As you all now know an anonymous threat has been made against Canterlot. Princess Celestia has requested extra security and we are obliged to provide it. We’re not certain when or if an attack will be carried out but command is inclined to think it will occur near the upcoming wedding. It is a high profile event which makes it a prime target.”

That also meant that the captain, his bride, or both could be the target of the anonymous group’s aggression. Royal guards stick together and this was starting to feel personal. An attack on our captain and his family was an attack on us all.

Shining Armor continued his briefing. “We’re doubling up on security everywhere and in some places tripling it. We’ve called in guards from other cities to temporarily help with security. They’ll handle city perimeter duties and other lower level functions. You all know this place better than anypony else and I want my top players in key position.

“Princess Celestia’s House Guard has enough depth to handle the double shifts and then some. Princess Luna’s House Guard is still growing which means I’ll be assigning some PCHGs to her unit. I realize a lot of you have more seniority but I’m keeping the PLHGs in charge there. Princess Luna is different and they know her well. Be a good teammate and follow their lead.

“Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Report everything and do your duty. This is what we get paid for boys and girls. Dismissed!”

We all started filing out into the hallway. For the time being I was a watch leader. That meant every pony during my watch reported to me. In this instance that was Miley Hooves and myself. I reported to the watch commander, Sergeant Windchaser, and she reported to the officer on duty. It was all very efficient and I would have loved it if I weren’t concerned about the fact that it meant we were in danger.

***

Miley Hooves was an efficient enough guard. She had been one longer than I but had not been promoted to guard first class. I think it was because calamity seemed to follow her. Prior to being on Princess Luna’s House Guard she had been a Canterlot Guard. She was responsible for keeping the city safe from invaders. That she did pretty well. Keeping it safe from herself, however, was a different story.

Minor incidents and events always seemed to follow Miley. They were never big, dangerous, or even noteworthy. It was just that they happened frequently: a broken table here, a smashed window there. I was amazed at how much collateral damage the little earth pony had done in her career. It made me shudder when I thought about her insurance premiums.

“I’m sorry Silent Knight,” she mumbled as we swept up a broken tea cup in Princess Luna’s chamber.

“It is okay. It was an accident,” I soothed.

Miley frowned a bit under her helmet. Her coat was a dark chestnut color and her mane was black. When she was in her armor she almost blended into it. I suppose that is why when she was a filly the other foals teased her and called her “black cat.”

If it wasn’t her coloring, the others also teased her about her size. Miley wasn’t just petite for a guard. She was petite for a mare and was commonly mistaken for a filly in secondary school. There was a list of “short” nicknames for her, too. Those were just a couple of stories she told me while we were working together. I never had a nickname… much less several. Oh well.

We had the mess squared away just before Princess Luna wandered in from her private bedroom. “Good morning,” she said to us.

“Good morning, Princess,” we responded in unison.

“Your breakfast has just arrived,” I added and indicated to her table. It was all there minus a tea cup.

“Thank thou,” she said before sitting down. The princess looked around and then under the table. “Silent Knight, the tea cup appears to be missing.”

Miley’s shoulders slumped a little and I approached the princess.

“Small accident, Princess. The steward will be right up with a new one. Until then, we have this…” I sat a mug on the table that I normally used on breaks. It was from the Canterlot Palace gift shop. It was dark blue and ‘My favorite princess raises the moon’ was written on it in white letters.

Princess Luna looked at the mug, looked at me, and then laughed. “Very well, this will do.” She then proceeded to pour her tea into the mug.

I went back to my spot next to Miley and patted her on the hoof. She perked up a little and whispered, “Thanks, boss.”

Boss? That was a weird thing to hear another pony say to me… but not in a bad way. I nodded at her and we stood quietly while Princess Luna ate her breakfast.

***

Shift changes had been extended to half an hour. That was done so that the oncoming guards could be fully briefed. Unfortunately, since nothing was happening, it led to us with far too many ponies in one place. I stood quietly with Iridescence while Miley stood with Harvest Moon.

When the princess was out of earshot I asked Iridescence, “How is it being watch lead?”

She shrugged and said, “There isn’t much to it. He stands there most of the time and if we can talk we mostly discuss his family’s farm.”

I hedged a bit and then said, “What would you think if I said I might want to try for officer school someday?”

Iridescence blinked and turned to look at me. “Really? You never were much on officers before… but you’d be good at it. Of course that complicates our situation a lot. That isn’t just inappropriate. It is completely against the rules.”

Right… fraternizing. How could I have forgotten about that? “Ah you’re right,” I said with a shrug. “Oh well. It was probably a silly notion anyway.”

“What? Are you kidding me?” Iridescence asked, turning to face me. “What has gotten into you lately? You’re not just meeting me halfway; you’ve leapt way over the line. It is like you’re a different pony.”

“I thought you wanted me to think about us,” I said, trying to stay faced forward. “If I become an officer it will be really hard to have an us.”

“Yes but we’d deal with that then. You can’t give up on your dreams and ideas because it might have an impact on us,” she said in ever increasingly loud whispers. “This job is important to you. You love it. I don’t want you to wake up one day and feel like you gave it all up for me… and then hate me for it.”

“Impossible,” I said plainly. “I could never hate you.”

Iridescence poked me with a hoof. “You’re a young stallion. You need to learn a little about moderation Silent Knight. First it was all the job. Now it is not about the job at all. Find a middle ground.”

With a snort I replied, “I feel like regardless which way I go you’re telling me I’m doing the wrong thing. I can’t sort it all out… why don’t you just…”

“Boss?” Miley broke in. She and Harvest Moon were right there. How had we missed that.?

“Yes Miley?” I asked, turning back.

“It is time to go. You know… unless you’d rather… um...” She trailed off.

Iridescence said with a scowl, “You are relieved.” That was good enough for me. Harvest Moon took my spot and Miley and I headed off duty.

***

“Captain?” I asked nervously. “Captain, are you okay?”

“Huh, what?” Shining Armor rubbed his eyes with his hooves. “Silent Knight? Yes, I’m sorry. It is another migraine. I’m getting them more often now. What can I do for you?”

I hated to tell him so I stalled. “Do you think I could be a candidate for officer’s school, sir?”

Shining Armor nodded. “I don’t see why not. You’re an excellent guard with a perfect record. To be frank you’re already on the sergeant list. If you were willing to take a transfer you could be one immediately. I know you like your position, though.”

“I do, sir. I may want to discuss my options with you at a more appropriate time. If that is okay.”

“Of course… but that isn’t why you’re here, is it?” he asked.

“No, sir, I’m afraid not. It is time for you to refresh the barrier. I’m sorry, sir.”

The captain drug himself up from his chair with some effort. He looked rough. Professional, but rough. “Lend me a hoof?”

Without question I moved to his side and let him subtly lean against me. It looked like we were walking in tight formation. It kept morale high. Most guards didn’t know the state Shining Armor was in and we were going to keep it that way. He could lean on me today. Perhaps some day in the future I’d have to lean on him.

We moved together out onto the balcony and despite his fatigue, pain, and strain, he did his duty. Carefully we returned to his office and he slumped into his chair. “Thank you, Silent Knight,” he said quietly.

I nodded. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, sir. I see you have some reports to catch up on there. About twelve. I estimate it will take exactly two hours to do them. I’ll close your door and check in on you then.”

“Very good,” he said, already half asleep. “Dismissed.” I swept the reports into my duty bag and walked out, closing the door behind me.

Miley was outside waiting and I motioned to the door. “The captain is doing reports and is not to be disturbed. If anyone calls for him who isn’t an officer do not let them in. If it is an officer, knock loudly three times, wait five seconds, and then open the door. Understand?”

“Yes, boss,” she said and moved in front of the captain’s door. I headed off to the library to review the reports.

***

The other watch leaders for Princess Luna’s House Guard and I stood at attention in the Captain’s office.

“I’m sorry, sir. We won’t be attending the wedding?” Iridescence asked.

We stood next to each other but the two of us hadn’t been speaking much this last week. Everypony was a little stressed and we had been… snippy with each other. I didn’t like it but for some reason I kept doing it.

Shining Armor shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Command has decided that having both princesses and Cadence all in the same place is too dangerous. Princess Luna and her guard will be on watch while Princess Celestia officiates.”

“Who will be the officer on duty, sir?” I asked.

“Lieutenant Dyke will be,” he said. “I’ll obviously still be in overall command if something happens. It would interrupt the wedding anyway. And I shudder to think at what would happen to anypony that interrupted Cadence’s special day.”

We laughed. The captain knew how to keep our spirits up at just the right time. He was a great officer that way, all smiles and confidence on the outside while being personally exhausted on the inside.

I didn’t have the same level of confidence in Astral Dyke. The lieutenant was efficient and all but I just didn’t get the same vibe off of him that I did from most other officers. At least the captain would still be around.

It made sense to keep the princesses separate. The plan was a solid one and most of us didn’t mind missing the wedding. It was supposed to be a joyous day but we weren’t really feeling it. Well… at least I wasn’t.

“You’re dismissed. Silent Knight, a word,” the captain said as the others filed out to their duty. “Door,” he added.

I closed it.  “Sir?”

The captain staggered a bit and braced himself on the desk. I stepped forward but he held up a hoof. “I’m fine. Listen, we need to talk. Do you believe in a soldier’s gut instinct?”

I nodded, “Absolutely, sir.” Soldiers get feelings. My father taught me that and, more importantly, he trained me to listen to them.

“Good. I’ve got a big one. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen today at the wedding. I’m not sure what it will be exactly but every fiber of my body says it is going to be bad.”

The room seemed to chill and I frowned. “Perhaps we should cancel the event, sir.”

Shining armor shook his head. “No… it is time to end this. The game of cat and mouse has gone on too long. We need to face it and I’m not sure how much strength I have left.”

“What do you need me to do?” I asked, feeling inspired.

“Sergeant Windchaser is an exceptional guard but her days of fighting are long over. When we get into the thick of it you need to remember that. She might not be able to keep up and the ponies will be looking for someone to lead them.” The captain walked to me, wobbling slightly. He set his hoof on my shoulder and looked me dead in the eyes. “I’ll have your word that they won’t be without someone to look to?”

“You have my word, sir,” I promised solemnly.

The captain gave me a nod and said, “Dismissed.”

21. A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2

Princess Luna stood on the observation platform looking through the telescope. Iridescence, Miley, Harvest, and I were behind her. “They’re attacking the barrier but it is still holding,” she said, concern clear in her voice.

“What are they, Princess?” Miley asked.

“I am not certain. I have never seen beasts such as these… but I have also been gone for quite some time.”

A new threat it was to be then. “We should warn the captain,” I suggested.

“The wedding has already started… It is too late,” Iridescence responded.

She was right. “That is true, but we have to try. Miley, get down to the throne room and try to warn the captain. If you can’t, find the lieutenant. Harvest, go inform the sergeant. Princess, I think we should go inside.”

Miley nodded and took off. “Yes, boss!”

Harvest followed after her on his own mission.

Princess Luna nodded. “Agreed,” she said as she made her way into the tower.

Iridescence followed and I took up the rear so that I could close and bar the door. We headed down the stairs thinking it would be best to get the princess to her chambers. They were closer to the rest of her House Guard.

We were halfway down when everything started to fall apart. From the windows we saw the barrier suddenly collapse and the creatures started raining down into the city and onto the palace.

“Move!” Iridescence shouted and took off down the stairs to clear a path in front of the princess.

Speed was the critical factor here. We needed to be where all of the other guards were. Thankfully the palace walls were keeping most of the creatures at bay but the windows were proving to be a liability. When we reached the ground floor and came out into the hallway it was pandemonium.

The row of glass nearest the stairwell had been shattered and more than a dozen of the creatures had gotten in. Starry Spur, Risky Storm, and several other guards there were struggling with them and things went from bad to worse. In a swirl of fire the beasts assumed the shape of the pony they were fighting. Knowing friend from foe would be near impossible.

“Stay close to me, Princess,” Iridescence shouted over the melee and her horn ignited into a brilliant royal blue flame. From the aether a dome appeared and surrounded both mares. It was a protection spell not unlike the one the captain used but much smaller. Translucent silver shields danced along the mystical energy and protected the two of them from harm.

Iridescence led the way, pushing aside ponies and beasts alike while concentrating on her magic. I followed close behind and helped who I could but our priority was to get Princess Luna to her chambers. That is the tough part about being a guard… knowing when to leave your brothers and sisters to do your duty.

We cleared the hall and found Miley, Harvest, Lavender, and a few of the others staring at Lieutenant Dyke. He was looking out the window as the creatures rained down on Canterlot.

Miley called out to me, “I told the lieutenant. He hasn’t moved…”

I rushed over and shook him. “Sir, orders?”

Lieutenant Dyke looked over at me. “We’re doomed,” he said. “Look at the city. There isn’t any hope.”

The first word out of my mouth shouldn’t be repeated but after I said it I wheeled on the others. “Listen up. We still have a job to do and we’re going to do it. Iridescence and I are taking the Princess to her chambers. Miley, take Harvest and two others and get to the captain. Whatever it takes. The rest of you bring up the rear behind us. There are a lot of these things in the palace. I need to know they won’t be nipping at our flanks. They can transform to look like us so when you address another guard use the phrase, guard the moon.

“If someone says guard the moon to you, you respond, and the cookies. Pass the word to anyone who seems trustworthy and hope that these things can’t talk. If anyone doesn’t use the right code assume they’re the enemy. Are we clear?” I said sternly.

The group nodded and hurried off to their new assignments.

“What about the lieutenant?” Iridescence asked me.

“No time for him,” I said and moved on. That seemed good enough for the Princess and Iridescence because they both followed me. A few of the remaining guards followed slower, watching our backs.

We reached Princess Luna’s chambers and got her inside. Iridescence and I pushed the large doors closed and locked them. I breathed a sigh of relief and then started to look around to make certain none of the creatures had beaten us there and hidden somewhere.

Iridescence let her spell drop and huffed. Magic takes a lot out of you I’m told and she had held that spell for a while. “What do we do now?”

Certain we were alone, I gestured to Princess Luna. “Stay here and protect the princess no matter what.”

Princess Luna was strangely silent. A shiver ran along her spine and she murmured, “I fear my sister has been injured. I felt it when it happened.”

Gravely, I nodded. “Then it is that much more important that we protect you, Princess. Equestria will need their lady of the night.”

Both Iridescence and I crossed the room to the alicorn and stood close to her. Probably too close but personal space wasn’t a concern at that moment.

The chamber was silent which allowed us the unfortunate opportunity to hear the horrible sounds coming from the city below and the palace itself. The roar of battle and, oddly enough, an explosion or two. My thoughts briefly turned to Runic but I quickly focused back on the task at hand.

Across Princess Luna’s chambers the large glass door leading to her balcony shattered and a dozen or so of the creatures flew in. A dozen was too many for the two of us. I placed myself between Princess Luna and the beasts and called to Iridescence, “Go get help. I’ll hold them as long as I can.”

“No, what about you?” she asked.

“We’re not arguing now; go!” I shouted and that got her moving. She galloped to the door and started to work the lock.

The creatures started to close on me and Princess Luna. Twelve against one… that was beyond my training. From over my shoulder I felt a sudden heat. A pure, blue beam of light blasted past me and swept across eight of the creatures, throwing them hard against the wall. They landed with a loud thud and fell to the floor.

It is easy to forget that not all very important ponies are the same. My VIP was an alicorn with devastating powers. “Great work princess,” I cheered as I charged the four remaining beasts.

“Verily!” she shouted and reared up. From her horn another blast shot out and caught one of the invaders that was moving too slow.

In my charge I bowled over two of the creatures, knocking them aside, and locking up with the third. We went chest to chest and I quickly brought a hoof against the side of its head and sent it reeling.

“Protect the moon,” I heard Iridescence gasp. I stole a quick look to the door. There were three palace guards walking in and they weren’t responding. We were trapped. They set on Iridescence immediately.

One of the creatures I had knocked down got to its feet behind me and clearly thought it had the upper hoof. With all my might I leaned forward and bucked. Both hindhooves caught it right in the chest and sent it sailing across the room.

Iridescence’s magic flashed on and off. Silver shields burned into reality to block blows but she was facing three attackers who had caught her off guard. The odds were stacking up against us.

Two more creatures flew in through the window and I leapt into the air to tackle one. We crashed into a chair and I clocked it hard enough to knock it unconscious. Over my shoulder I heard the sound of horn screeching across armor and then a surprised yelp.

I watched in horror as Iridescence went down. The three creatures standing over her were stomping and seemed ready to finish the job. Two others were making their way towards Princess Luna. My heart raced and my eyes met hers. I tried to apologize as I turned from her and charged the doorway.

With all my might I threw my weight against the three creatures. I hit them so hard the room spun and my vision went black momentarily. When I came to I grabbed Iridescence by the collar of her armor,drug her into the room, and then slammed the door.

It only took a few seconds but I knew the beasts would have reached the Princess. She had a hoof up and deftly smashed it down on a creature in front of her. Thank Celestia she wasn’t hurt. The other was getting ready to attack but I was too fast for it. Being a pegasus has its perks. I was able to fly from the door and crash into the would-be attacker before it could even get started.

With a quick strike of my hoof the last creature was out cold. I panted as I looked around to see if there were any left. Things were relatively quiet again and I hurried over to Iridescence to check her injuries. I couldn’t even look at Princess Luna but I felt her eyes on me.

Iridescence’s armor had been damaged near the back. It was gashed by one of the creature’s horn. Near the back of her flank they had gotten her. I grimaced a bit at the wound. It would be painful but probably not life threatening. Other than that she was dinged up and bruised from the stomping and her foreleg did not look quite right the way it was bent.

Pulling my small first aid kit out I set to work and stopped the bleeding. She was breathing heavily and in pain but she stared at me, her eyes reminding me of my failure. I finished up and rose to check the princess. I trotted over with my head down. I didn’t want to look her in the eyes. I had abandoned her to save Iridescence. We’re just lucky nothing happened.

“Are you uninjured, Princess?” I asked her.

Her mane shifted in my vision, clearly a nod, “I am fine, Silent Knight. You fought valiantly.”

“Thank you,” I said numbly and moved about the room. I dragged the unconscious creatures to the balcony door and pushed them out of the room. Some stirred and I gave them a quick stomp to ensure they remained out cold.

Princess Luna tended Iridescence while I tried to focus on the task at hoof. I needed to get a plan together. I was the only combat-ready defender left there. If these things made another push I would have to rely on the princess’s magic until she tired. Alicorns are very powerful but they needed rest like anypony else.

It was a futile gesture but I pushed a couch across the room and in front of the balcony door. It barely covered half of the opening but it would work for the time being. I stood on it and prepared myself to stop any creature from entering. From that vantage point I could see Canterlot. It was in bad shape. Chaos was reigning.

My eyes focused on Runic’s shop. All around it I could see smoke clouds of different colors and the occasional explosion. I almost felt sorry for any of the beasts that took on my cousin. Explosions were his calling card and he knew how to create some pretty volatile and possibly illegal stuff. I hoped I’d get to see him again. I’d need a job after I was relieved from duty, assuming anypony survived.

Sadness hung over me like a cloud and I started to see Lieutenant Dyke’s point of view. Maybe he had known something I didn’t? Quickly I shook my head and chased away the bad thoughts. “No,” I mumbled darkly. Mistakes or not I still had a duty.

Reaching under my armor I produced the sword Runic had given me. I hefted it to my mouth and glared out of the broken door, daring anything to come towards me… but nothing did. I felt Shining Armor’s barrier pass over me and watched as the invaders were thrown from Canterlot. Cheers broke out in the city and the hallway. It was over… we had won.

I returned the sword to its scabbard and hopped down from the couch. Crossing the floor to Iridescence I checked on her once again. Princess Luna was sitting over the mare and stroking her mane. They both looked pale. I trotted over to the door and unlocked it. Pulling it open, I shouted, “Medic! Medic to Princess Luna’s chambers.”

The cheers of joy went silent and I heard other voices calling for medics. Too many voices. Despite that it wasn’t long before two of them showed up and carried Iridescence away to the infirmary, leaving me alone with the princess. I turned to her and walked over.

I finally met her eyes with my own. There was no accusation or anger there. I saw no disappointment but I felt it in my heart. I knelt down onto the floor, laid my head by her hooves, and whispered meekly, “I’m sorry, Princess. I failed you.”

Princess Luna placed her hoof under my chin and lifted it, forcing me to look at her once more. “Thou did not fail me Silent Knight. Thou assessed that I was in less danger and saved thy companion. Iridescence may very well have died had you not intervened.”

“My duty is to you,” I said softly.

“Thy duty is to protect the little guy. Learn this lesson well, Silent Knight: duty is important but if it blinds a pony and causes him to act foolishly he may not be able to live with the consequences. Would thou rather Iridescence have died?”

The words were cold against me and my heart ached, “No, Princess. Never.”

“Then thy duty has been fulfilled. She yet lives and I am unscathed. The spirit of thy code is as important as the writing. Rise now. We would not want the others to see you in this state. Thou have inspired them and a good leader keeps their own doubts hidden and shared with only the appropriate audience.”

She was right. I could feel sorry for myself later. Rising up, I straightened my armor and wiped my face off. I went to the door and called, “Two guards to Princess Luna’s chamber. Now.”

Miley Hooves came around the corner with… one of the archive guards? I didn’t have time to figure out what he was doing here. Miley was limping a bit but otherwise looked well. “Yes boss!” She responded.

“Are you alright?” I asked her.

“Well enough boss, I’ll see the medic later. There are too many others worse off. Two guards, reporting for duty,” she said proudly, stiffening to attention. The archive guard did the same.

I dared to smile ever so slightly. “Good. You two stay with Princess Luna. I need to find the sergeant and an officer.”

Miley’s head ducked a bit. “The sergeant is in the infirmary. She got banged up pretty bad. The lieutenant too… not that he was any help.”

The captain’s gut had been right. “Alright then. Until proven otherwise I’m in command.” I said confidently even though I felt anything but. “Don’t leave the princess’s side.” I then lightly clapped a hoof on the archive guard’s shoulder. He was a fellow pegasus and straw-colored. “Congratulations, welcome to Princess Luna’s House Guard.”

The pegasus blinked and nodded, “Thank you…”

I left the room and went out into the hall. It was a mess. Furniture was overturned, glass was broken, and it was clear there had been one hay of a fight. All of the wounded were gone, leaving the bewildered guards aimless and without direction.

Approaching the first gaggle of guards, I stomped a hoof down to get their attention. “You three.” I pointed at the group on the left. “Guard duty outside of Princess Luna’s chambers. Right now. Go.” They did so and I pointed at the remaining ponies in order. “Lavender, get to the throne room and see if the captain is there. If he is, tell him I have things under control but need an officer immediately. Risky Storm, courier duty. Get to the city command building and ask for the damage and casualty reports. Starry Spur, up to the observation tower and make certain the creatures are gone. Sound the alarm if you see any.”

I may not be a sergeant or an officer but I’ve found that guards listen when somepony takes charge. They all did just that and hurried off to do what I had told them. That freed me up to make my rounds and collect guards to assign to positions on the floor that the two princesses occupied. That kept me busy and focused on the here and now, not the future.

22. A Canterlot Wedding - Part 3

It was two hours before I got that officer I requested: Shining Armor himself. That gave me some peace of mind. His expression was a mix of concern and relief. The clean up was just underway and he came to my side.

“Are you married, sir?” I asked him, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

The captain shook his head. “No, turns out the bride was a changeling queen that feeds off of love.”

“We’ve all been there, sir,” I said dryly and he actually laughed.

We stood there in silence for a while and then he sighed. “What a mess. Is it true Astral Dyke froze up when it counted?”

Ending another pony’s career is a tough thing to do. Having bad officers was even worse, however, so I nodded. Besides, what did it matter? A dozen ponies had been there when he froze and my career was over, too. I defended my mare instead of my princess. It was not exactly a banner day for the royal guard.

“You saved a lot of ponies today,” he went on, snapping me out of my funk.

“Sir?”

“You kept your promise, Silent Knight. When all the cards were on the table you rallied everypony and kept them focused. Dyke froze up. You did your duty and that saved lives.”

Did my duty? I had done nothing of the sort. No, I’d acted like a fool. Certainly I had filled in for the lieutenant but any of the others could have done that. I stood silently. I should just tell him now and be done with it.

“Are you okay to hold the floor here while I handle everything else? The whole city is a mess, there is a lot to take in, and I don’t have anyone to spare. The injury list just runs on and on.”

“Yes, sir,” I said. Better not to burden him with one more thing now. It could wait until the more pressing matters were handled. He was responsible for the house guards, the palace, and the city, after all.

Shining Armor nodded and said, “Good. Thank you… Oh, you’ll need this.” There wasn’t much ceremony to it. We didn’t have time. He took the rank pin off my armor and replaced it with a sergeant’s pin.

Looking down at the pin I shook my head. “I don’t deserve that.”

The captain looked at me, confusion playing across his face. “Well… I don’t have time to argue it with you and I don’t have enough guards so you’re stuck with it. Carry on, sergeant,” he said before heading off to attend other matters.

“Yes, sir.” I said once he was gone.

***

“Sergeant, huh?” Iridescence asked me from her bed in the infirmary.

It was the first time I had been able to get down to see her… two days later. We had been busy filling in our gaps, going over security, and getting things back together. Canterlot was a mess and all of the extra guards were trying to handle that. That left a whole lot less of us for the palace and the princesses. There was all of that and the fact that I simply didn’t want to face her.

“I guess,” I said, looking her over. She was on her back with a hoof up in a sling. She was bandaged around the body, both legs, and on her head.

She reached out and took my hoof in hers. “Princess Luna isn’t going to say anything.”

I shook my head, “I don’t care if she does or not. I made a decision. Part of me regrets it but the rest of me is overjoyed I did. Let them relieve me. You’re safe.”

Iridescence nodded and smiled… but it was a sad smile. “About that. Listen, Silent Knight, please don’t take this as me being ungrateful. I am very grateful…” She squeezed my hoof. “I… I don’t want to be a burden to you nor do I want to be the reason Luna gets hurt.” Slowly she shook her head. “I don’t think you can do your job with me around.”

“What?” I blinked. “Iridescence, what are you saying?”

She swallowed. “I’m saying you had to make an impossible choice that no pony could win. You made it and it worked out. Next time it might not... but there can’t be a next time. I don’t want to be responsible for ruining your career. When I’m well enough to travel I’m going home. I need to use my holiday time. After that I’ll probably put in a transfer.”

Gently I let her hoof go and set mine down. “What about us?” I asked, already suspecting the answer.

Iridescence didn’t say anything for a while. I just stood there. If we were going to do this we were going to do it now. “I don’t honestly know if I’m coming back,” she started. “It wouldn’t be fair to you anyway. Long distance just doesn’t work and then there are the regulations… I… I think we should call it quits. Okay?”

My chest hurt. Even though I knew it was coming it felt like somepony had hit me right in the gut. I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I finally said blankly, “Okay.”

“Are you okay?” she asked, concern creeping into her voice. “Silent Knight?”

“Okay.” I repeated. I backed out of her room and then trotted quickly away from the infirmary. Under my armor I was having trouble breathing. I had to get away and hide. None of it was worth it. The hard work, long days, pain, and stress hadn’t paid off. I had been one of the elite. Now I had nothing. This was nothing like I had dreamed of.

My heart pounded as I galloped into the palace, half blinded by pain. I found somewhere to hide. A small room off of the main hall I think. Desperately I tossed my helmet off before I collapsed behind a couch. My body shook and I laid my head on the floor.

“Hello? Is someone in here?” A voice called.

“Oh, no…” I thought. I was going to be found in this sorry state. What did it matter? I tried to be still behind the couch but my armor rattled as I shook.

Hoof steps came closer and the couch illuminated with golden magic. Gently it slid away revealing Princess Celestia. She raised a hoof in surprise. I must have been the most pathetic pony she had ever seen. “You are… Silent Knight, are you not?” She asked, her voice full of concern.

Words failed me at that moment. I just nodded at her and to my surprise she settles onto the floor at my side. The princess wrapped her wing around me and asked, “What has gone wrong, my little pony?”

I told her everything. Every last detail. At least what I could manage as I fought hard not to sob. It was the confession of a pony with nothing to lose.

Princess Celestia just listened. The ruler of a nation, a living goddess, just held me while I unloaded my petty concerns on her. That was just the sort of pony she was. No judgment, no anger, just love. That is why I had wanted to protect her so badly and yet she was protecting me.

Eventually the shaking stopped and I wiped my eyes. The princess lightly stroked my mane and finally said, “I can forgive you but it will be meaningless if you can’t forgive yourself. Will you do that for me, please?”

“I still have to face what I’ve done,” I said quietly.

She agreed, “Yes, but that is only part of it. Can you forgive?” She rose and I did the same. I squared myself away and looked up to her.

“I will princess. Whatever it takes, I’ll move forward,” I promised her.

Princess Celestia smiled and replied, “I’m glad. We’re better off with you than without. Good day, Silent Knight.”

“Good day, princess.” I bowed deeply. She left me to my own devices and I put my helmet back on. I was still shaking but some things in life are like a bandage. They’re easier to deal with if you rip it off quicker.  I decided then and there that it was time to inform the captain.

***

My account to Captain Armor was similar but lacked the sobbing and most of the shaking thankfully. He listened to it all without any expression. When I finished, he looked at me and said, “I’m honestly surprised.”

I nodded and said, “I’ll clean out my footlocker, sir.”

The captain shook his head. “Ease up there. You made a mistake or two. A few mistakes that have to be weighed against all of your accomplishments. Dating your peer isn’t against regulations. You also didn’t lie about it. You just didn’t mention it was as serious as it was. Obviously now that you’re a sergeant you couldn’t be together…” He winced. “Sorry. Poor choice of words.”

“It is fine,” I said, but it was like throwing salt on a fresh wound.

“As far as I’m concerned you made a decision that needs review. The regulations say we investigate it and decide if you acted in a fashion that makes the most sense. Nothing is as black and white as you seem to think. You weighed saving a life against protecting the princess from a clearly smaller threat. Even if your judgment was clouded by affection, it was still a decision any of us would have to consider.” Shining Armor paused a moment and paced back and forth.

“Furthermore, the investigation would likely agree that you saved Irid… a fellow guard’s life without exposing Princess Luna to too much danger. Over and beyond that Princess Luna did not report this incident which means the investigation would have to agree that she did not feel at risk or that your decision was wrong. Finally, you could have said nothing. You could have hidden this. You had every incentive not to come here and tell me and yet you did. Your personal integrity is without question.”

This was not going the way I had imagined. It sounded like the captain was proud of me. Maybe he just didn’t want to kick me while I was down.

“Silent Knight? Are you paying attention?” he asked. I had gotten lost in thought again.

“I’m confused, sir,” I admitted. “I feel awful and like I let you and the princess down. You’re not angry. You’re… making excuses for me.”

“Is that what you think?” he asked sternly, a bit of temper rising in his voice.

I stiffened and blinked. “I-I don’t know,” I stammered. He had broken my cool just like that. I wasn’t accustomed to the captain being angry with me. It was startling but I managed to recover.

“Listen up and listen good. Mistakes are part of the job. I made them and I’ll make more. You’re not going to last long if you let every small thing eat you up inside. Is it just that you want to give up? Is that it? That certainly is easier,” he continued, his tone firm and unyielding.

“No, sir, I couldn’t imagine life without being a royal guard.” I replied.

He stamped a hoof. “Then act like it!” he shouted. Not angrily, but like our instructors had in the academy. “The ponies that make it are the ones that make mistakes and learn from them. You have to do better the next time. It is the ponies that keep making the same mistake that concern me. Which sort are you? Are you going to make these mistakes again?”

I shook my head. “No, sir, never again. I learned a hard lesson.”

“You’re right, you did.” he said, his voice dropping. “Now I could refer this to command for an inquiry but that would be, in my professional opinion, a waste of time. The princess would speak for you. You’d get through without even a mark on your record. Do you want me to waste my and another officer’s time or do you think I’m making excuses for you?”

“No, sir,” I said loudly.

“Very good. Then would you agree it is time to actually get to work? I’ve got a laundry list, I need a sergeant to handle it... ” his tone changed slightly. “...and I imagine you need something to keep you occupied for now.”

“Yes, sir.”

“About time then.” Shining Armor said before motioning me over to his desk. He had schedules and rosters there. Sergeant Windchaser was injured and I was taking over her squad temporarily… or so I thought. Over the next hour I found out life was going to be different after today.

Sergeant Windchaser was retiring, Iridescence was going on extended leave, and we were getting a new lieutenant that was solely assigned to Princess Luna’s House Guard. Over and beyond that, high command had decided it was time for additional expansion to ensure our unit was close to the same size as Princess Celestia’s. That meant new faces and a lot of training.

I looked it all over and then across the desk to the captain. “Perhaps we could revisit the part about me quitting?”

“Too late now Silent Knight, you’re in the thick of it,” he replied and I was glad. The royal guard was there for me and I was going to go back to giving myself wholly over to it.

23. A Fresh Start

“Miley Hooves?”

“Here, boss!”

“Harvest Moon?”

“Here!”

“Lightning Flash?”

“Here!”

“Lavender?”

“Here, sergeant!”

“Risky Storm?”

“Here!”

“Starry Spur?”

“Here!”

“Good.” I said as I read through the names on the list of eight. Only one pony was missing… I pushed the thought away. “That is everypony. I want to introduce you all to Thunder Tumble. Formerly of the archival guard. He showed true bravery during the battle of Canterlot and has been assigned to our unit.”

Thunder Tumble stood beside me and took a moment to wave. He looked uncomfortable. Archive guards were largely ceremonial. They were different than us but I had a feeling he’d work out fine.

All told, my squad consisted of myself and eight ponies. That allowed for plenty of coverage for Princess Luna. Miley and Harvest would be working my old rotation while Thunder Tumble and Lightning Flash would be working the other. I put the last two together because I thought it would be clever. The first two, well, Miley and Harvest were already partners, so it didn’t make sense to split them up.

The other four ponies covered other areas of Princess Luna’s wing and could fill in when the personal guards needed some time off. Every three months the roles would switch. It was an efficient system.

“I’m glad to see you all well again,” I started. “I know it has been a rough two weeks. We’ve pulled through, however, and everything is mostly back to normal. All I ask is that you do your job just like you used to. If you need anything, you know where to find me. Since I’m new to this sergeant business, I hope you’ll forgive me if I look in on you more often than necessary for a little while. You’re dismissed.”

***

“Silent Knight, you know Radiant Orchid,” Shining Armor said to me before motioning to the unicorn mare. She had a delicate pink coat and a braided red mane that had just the subtlest hint of grey in it.

“Yes, sir. Sergeant, Princess Celestia’s House Guard, correct?”

Shining Armor and Radiant Orchid nodded in unison while she added, “Formerly.”

“Formerly?” I asked.

“Currently of Princess Luna’s House Guard bravo squad.” Shining Armor explained.

I offered Radiant Orchid a hoof and said, “Welcome aboard.” We shook before looking back to the captain.

“We’re going to build a new squad. Eight more ponies to grow the unit out to an undersized section. I’m going to leave the who in your capable hooves. I want you two to work together and hammer out a list of names. Ideally this should be done before the new lieutenant arrives. I prefer that this House Guard retain its identity before bringing in an outside officer,” Shining Armor explained.

The two of us exchanged glances before I shrugged and said, “Yes sir. We’ll have it done.”

Shining Armor continued, “I know you will… Silent Knight, you’re in command until the lieutenant arrives. If you feel something would need my attention go see Lieutenant Day on Celestia’s House Guard. Now, if you two will excuse me it is time for me to get going on a long overdue honeymoon.”

“Have a lovely trip, sir.” Radiant Orchid said with a smile.

I nodded in agreement and added, “Leave everything to us and don’t worry about work at all.”

“I’ll take that advice,” he replied before heading out and leaving the two of us alone.

Sergeant Orchid looked at me and asked, “So, how do you want to do this?”

With a shrug I admitted, “There hasn’t been a huge list of ponies clamoring to join the House Guard. Most have been voluntold thus far. I guess we can make an announcement and see if there are any volunteers.”

“That seems reasonable. What if there aren’t or they aren’t suitable?”

“I guess we go start voluntelling ponies. I’m sure you have some in mind from Princess Celestia’s House Guard. Most of our current ponies came from the palace guard,” I explained.

The mare tilted her head. “You trust me to give you a list?”

“Why wouldn’t I? It is your squad.”

“You’re in command and it is your House Guard. Some ponies would take advantage of that.”

I shook my head and replied, “Well then those ponies aren’t team players and are short-sighted. The fact you’re here means you stand a better chance of convincing ponies from Princess Celestia’s House Guard to join. I can’t help but imagine that is exactly what the captain had in mind. Not to say you’re not a good sergeant in your own right as well.”

Radiant Orchid smiled at me and winked. “Well aren’t you a clever pony.”

“I have my moments…”

***

Much to our surprise the “Princess Luna Wants You” posters went over pretty well with the Canterlot Guard. We received a long list of ponies that wanted to join. Unfortunately most of them were from the bottom percentile of guards but it was an improvement over the last recruitment drive.

It took us about a day to compile a list of ponies we agreed were right for the position and then we added the ones we had in mind. Radiant Orchid and I stood by my desk looking at the files on each of them. “Well… all they can do is say no. I think this is a good list, though.”

She nodded in agreement. “If we can get Mountain Stone I’ll be thrilled. He is as solid a pony as they come… both literally and figuratively. I’ll go ask him myself to help grease the wheels.”

“That would be appreciated. Well, that is eight: Mountain Stone, Night Frost, Solar Flare, Incognito, Mixer, Gear Grinder, Blackblade, and Shadestar. It is a good mix of veterans and rookies… as long as we can convince them.”

Radiant nodded. “I think we can. Shame though, only one mare and two earth ponies. Not exactly diverse.”

“Yeah… I was surprised that we didn’t attract more mares. The amount of unicorns was interesting. More than average. We did our best though. There is one more thing I’d like to discuss…” I trailed.

“Yes?” She asked curiously.

I shifted. “Please don’t take this the wrong way but I don’t want to have all eight of these ponies on your squad. I thought I’d move Lavender, Risky Storm, and one other pony over so they can help educate everypony on how we do business… but they certainly won’t second guess you. I’d take three of the new ponies myself.”

She laughed and waved a hoof. “Is that all? That doesn’t bother me. Look Silent Knight, I know how serious you are about this House Guard. After the changeling attack I saw you were all professionals so when Shining Armor offered me the position I jumped at it. I’m not trying to bring Princess Celestia’s House Guard to you. I promise. Who is the third pony?”

“Thanks Orchid, I think we’ll get along just fine then…” I stopped and shifted a bit. I knew exactly who the third pony was going to be. “We’ll sort it out later. For now I’m one short so I’ll take on nine… so to speak.”

“Fair enough. Well… we better get out there and start making offers. Want to take four each and meet back here tomorrow?”

“Agreed,” I said and we went off to do just that.

***

It had been a long week and I was finally going off duty. At least as off duty as an acting commander could go. Not that I could really complain at the time. Radiant Orchid had been a blessing. She was an experienced sergeant and the two of us had little issue splitting responsibilities. We made a good team.

Together we had convinced eight new ponies to join Princess Luna’s House Guard and they would be starting next week. We’d have to get them up to our standards but I didn’t imagine that would be difficult.

I was sitting alone at in the Spearhead Tavern drinking a cider. With all of the work I hadn’t had much time to think about my personal life… which was good. Unfortunately by being off duty I had the ability to reflect on it. Of course cider helps make reflecting hard.

While I was alone with my thoughts the door opened and a sage colored pegasus stallion wandered in. He wasn’t in uniform and looked rather confused when he found a bar full of royal guards staring at him. It isn’t that regular ponies don’t come to the Spearhead… it is just rare.

The staring was followed by general dismissal and everypony went back to their conversations and drinking. The pegasus went over to the bar and ordered. He didn’t seem too out of the ordinary as his mane was two tones of brown and braided. I didn’t understand his cutie mark, however, it looked like a symbol from one of my math classes.

I guess I was the only pony still staring because once he got his drink he looked at me and asked, “Is something wrong?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all. I just didn’t recognize that cutie mark.”

“Oh, and royal guards keep a list of every cutie mark? Some sort of profiling, no doubt?”

That made me chuckle and I just shook my head again. “No. I don’t have the memory for that sort of thing. I more meant I don’t understand the symbol.”

“Well, I’m a weather pony and it is a weather symbol. Not like the usual rain cloud or snowflakes. It is a thunderstorm symbol because the weather I dabble in is very specialized. When Equestria needs some serious inclement weather they come to me,” he explained.

I scratched my head and asked, “Why would we need serious inclement weather?”

“Why do we need dark-clad royal guards that ask strangers questions?” he retorted.

My ears went up and I shrugged. “To protect Princess Luna. I meant no offense. I’m a pegasus but I don’t know anything about being a weather pony. My father groomed me to be a royal guard from birth.”

The stallion seemed to have another witty comment but he bit it back. “My family too, actually. It didn’t stick though. I’m Rossby Waves.” He offered a hoof.

We shook and I replied, “Silent Knight. Warrior family too, huh?”

Rossby nodded very seriously. “Completely. Mother, father, everypony… Not me. I liked the weather and I’m not so good at taking orders. Evidently I have an aptitude for the more violent forces of nature. Seemed like a shame to waste that talent.”

“Well… I don’t know what you do exactly but I’ll certainly agree with that. You should never waste the talent you were born with.”

The weather pony sat quietly for a while before asking, “Do you really guard Princess Luna?”

“I do… I’m actually in charge of her whole personal guard right now. It is temporary though until we get a new officer.” I explained.

“Neat.” He finished his drink and stretched a bit. “Well… nice to meet you. I’m just passing through. Perhaps we’ll come across each other again in the future.”

“Maybe so. Take care Rossby Waves and if you’re ever bringing serious inclement weather to Canterlot maybe do me a professional courtesy and let me know in advance? I’ll do the same and make sure royal guards profile your cutie mark.”

He laughed a bit and said, “Deal.”

***

My office formerly belonged to Sergeant Windchaser. When she inhabited it she had filled it with decades worth of mementos and personal effects. My version was barren. I had a desk, a chair, and some file cabinets. It suited me for now.

Sitting was a new trick for me. I was accustomed to standing for twelve hours and more often than not I had my chair pushed to the side so that I could stand behind my desk. That was the case that day as I worked on the few reports I had.

The door opened and a dark-coated pegasus royal guard I didn’t recognize walked in. That unfamiliarity was odd since he had armor that matched mine. I knew every member of Princess Luna’s House Guard. Then I caught it, the silver bar on his breastplate. I was already standing and stiffened to attention.

“Sergeant Silent Knight?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

He crossed the small office to the other side of my desk. “I’m Lieutenant Haze. The new commanding officer.”

“Yes, sir,” I repeated. “We’ve been expecting you. Welcome to the House Guard.”

The lieutenant looked around my office and then back at me. “I was looking for the captain and was pointed in your direction.”

I nodded, “Yes, sir. The captain has finally left for his honeymoon. I’m acting commander of Princess Luna’s House Guard until you relieve me.”

Lieutenant Haze looked surprised. “He left a sergeant in charge?”

“Small unit, sir, and I’ve been here since the beginning. I’m only responsible for the House Guard. Actual officers were his delegates for Princess Celestia’s House Guard, the Palace Guard, and the Canterlot Guard.” I explained.

“I see. Where is my office?”

“You’re in it, sir… at least for now. Command is trying to ensure both house guards are in parity. They’re doing a little remodeling to ensure there is proper space for us. You’ll have a brand new office in a week.” I moved out from behind the desk and collected my reports and writing utensils.

The lieutenant did not seem thrilled by that. He looked around again and said, “Alright… Where can I find you then?” That was a good question. I had no idea. The lieutenant had arrived a week early. I had to think quickly.

“Princess Luna’s chambers, sir. She has a secretary’s desk there but no secretary and is accustomed to having me around.” I said and hoped she wouldn’t mind.

“Very good. Dismissed.”

24. Couching Pony, Hidden Miley

Princess Luna was more than happy to oblige me with my need for office space. In fact, I would dare say she liked the idea. To be perfectly honest, I did, too. Being sergeant meant spending less time with her and that wasn’t something I was ready for just yet. She had been looking after me when I had my… weaker moments.

Miley Hooves stood at her post like a professional. We had discovered that the less she moved the less likely something was to break. It was a win-win situation for everypony. Her reduction in accidents may have also been due to her newfound confidence. She had finally made guard first class and I knew that made her proud.

I stood quietly at the secretary’s desk working on my reports. At least that is what it looked like. We really didn’t have much going on and the ponies under my supervision were model guards. That meant there was little to no paperwork to do. It made me wonder what Windchaser had actually been up to. When I helped her clean out the office there had been a suspiciously large number of knitted scarves, hats, and socks.

That day Princess Luna was having tea with Crystal Wishes and I was trying to sketch the two of them together. They were having a heavy discussion about some new book about vampires. Evidently it wasn’t exactly a promising love story. Drawing is not something I’m good at but what else did I have to do? Here I had the opportunity practice on an alicorn and a unicorn that weren’t moving a lot.

Princess Luna was easier to draw than Crystal Wishes strictly because I had known her longer and didn’t need to stare. I tried to be subtle and look at the unicorn mare when she was busy discussing. She caught me a time or two but I just made it look like I was keeping an eye on the place.

She had a braid in her mane that was shaped like a heart. It was an enigma because she had somehow blended the blonde and pink throughout so that they alternated loop over loop. It was clever and unique. It was also a heck of a thing to try and replicate in pencil. I had a lot of time on my hooves though, so I tried.

“Silent Knight?” Princess Luna called.

I looked up and dropped my pencil. “Yes, Princess?”

“Would you be able to escort Crystal Wishes home? It is getting late out.” she asked.

That was an odd request, although typically Crystal Wishes had left by now. A sergeant is never off duty, more or less, but we do have specific hours where we’re expected to be around. Mine had passed. I just had not noticed. “Of course, Princess. I am off hours now. I’ll leave you in Miley’s capable hooves.”

Quietly I rolled up my ‘reports’ and made my way to the door. I opened it and said, “After you, Crystal.”

We walked quietly together through the streets as I escorted her home. Finally she broke the silence by asking, “How do you like being a sergeant?”

I shrugged and said, “It is weird. Being a sergeant is a completely different job than a guard. I’m kind of jealous of Miley.”

“Sometimes success isn’t what we want it to be,” Crystal Wishes offered lightly.

“Wow, that is an elegant way to sum it up. That must be your writing superpower.”

She softly laughed and shrugged. “Here we are.” She pointed at a building that looked like a set of nice condominiums. I walked her to the door and nodded.

“Goodnight,” I said.

“Goodnight,” she replied before shutting the door.

That had been enough ‘work’ for the day. I headed back to my room… which was my old room. I just didn’t have a roommate now. Sort of.

“You’re late,” Winterspear chided me as I came in the door.

I went to my armor stand and started to undress. “I know,” I said softly. “The Princess asked a favor and I knew you’d forgive me.”

Winterspear had come to stay with me after Iridescence and I broke up. It was nice having her there. She was also being a pain in the flank. I hopped onto my bed and stretched out.

“You’re not just going to sleep again are you?” She asked, flapping her wings and floating between the two beds.

“It had crossed my mind. What did you want to do?”

She frowned. “You’re being mopey. I get being sad but why mopey?”

I shifted and put my back to her. “You’ll just make fun of me.”

Winterspear flew slowly so she could hover over me. “Why don’t you try me before you get all judgy? Hmm?”

Rolling onto my back I looked up at her. “I miss Iridescence. Not in the special somepony sort of way. I just miss my friend. We did things together and now that she is gone we don’t. You can’t stay forever so I don’t want to get used to doing things with you and then losing that, too. It is just better if I focus on being a guard.”

Winterspear held her wings still and landed on me in a graceful bellyflop. I huffed at the sudden weight and she poked me in the nose with a hoof. “You had best treat me nice or I won’t come visit. It is better to have fun and then not than to never have fun at all… or something similar.”

“It doesn’t feel that way but, out of fairness to you, why don’t we go over to the Spearhead Tavern and have a good meal?” I offered, rolling her over and off me.

“Now you’re talking!” she exclaimed, hopping off the bed and tugging me after her with a hoof. She dragged me halfway across the floor before I shook her off and got up.

“Okay, okay! I’ll be fun,” I promised.

***

The Spearhead Tavern was in full swing when we got there. Following the battle with the changelings a lot more ponies than usual had started coming in to ‘live it up.’ There was nothing wrong with that and it certainly was good for morale.

Winterspear sat across from me and looked at the wide assortment of ponies inside. “This place is great! I wish we had something similar back home.”

“I don’t come here often but I enjoy it when I do. Also, you should try the hot sandwiches. The one with grilled zucchini and onion is amazing.” I said.

“Okay…” she said, clearly distracted.

Following her gaze, I found myself looking at an earth pony mare. My eyes rolled and I took Winterspear’s chin in my hoof and pointed her back at me. “Hey, talking here.”

She blinked. “Right, sorry. It so isn’t like this back home. Canterlot is a lot more progressive. So listen… about the not doing things with me because I’ll be leaving soon. What would you say if I said I was staying?”

“I would say I appreciate it but that I’ll be fine.”

Winterspear shook her head. “Not for you. Honest! There is a sergeant position opening in the city guard I heard about and I’m sick of Cloudsdale. At least here I’d be close to you and you just so happen to have a free bed right now… but I wanted your permission first is all.”

“Why would you need my permission?” I asked curiously.

“Oh you know… me horning in on your town, your thing. I realize we’ve been closer lately but I didn’t know if we were that close,” she said plainly but I could tell she was nervous.

I shook my head. “You won’t be horning in. It would be nice to have you here.”

She clapped her hooves on the table and cheered, “Great! I’ll put in the paperwork tomorrow and send for my things.”

“If you’re going to live with me there will be rules, though,” I said.

“Of course. Let’s negotiate.”

“First rule: no bringing mares home unless you also bring one home for me. Is that clear?”

“Done,” she said seriously.

My eyes went a bit wide and I lifted my hooves. “I was kidding. Please don’t bring any random mares home.”

“You’re no fun.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

***

“I’m sorry sergeant, I don’t know how this happened,” Miley’s voice came from the other side of the couch. Her back half was on the side I was on. How she had managed to crash into the thing and go through it I’ll never know. Princess Luna wasn’t telling either.

Slowly I circled the furniture trying to figure out the best course of action. When I got behind it Miley shrugged at me, her front hooves dangling. She was wedged pretty tightly. I stood on my hindhooves and looked over the furniture to the Princess.

“Princess Luna… permission to put the couch out of its misery and free Miley?”

The princess’s hoof was to her mouth. She was trying very hard not to laugh out loud and make Miley feel even more embarrassed. Raising her other hoof she waved at the couch and giggled, “Off with its head.”

Dropping back down on all fours I looked at Miley and said, “Be really still, ok?” Reaching under my armor I drew my sword. It had not yet been named and I hoped it wouldn’t be couch-slayer.

Miley gasped and covered her eyes with her hooves.

First I made two precise cuts, forming an inverted V from the back of the couch to where Miley was stuck. Then I set my hooves onto each side of the gap and pushed hard. “Okay, try to get out.”

Miley wiggled and pushed against the seat of the couch with her back hooves. The furniture groaned and gave away with a loud crack. My earth pony companion tumbled forwards and took me with her. We landed with a thump behind the couch… or what was left of it.

Princess Luna came over to inspect the damage while I stood up and helped Miley to her hooves. “Silent Knight?”

“Yes, Princess?”

“What sort of paperwork covers this?” she asked with a hint of mischief in her tone.

“Form 35G, page two, section seven,” I said with certainty.

Princess Luna looked surprised and asked, “Really?”

I shook my head. “No.”

***

Sergeant Orchid and I stood in the lieutenant’s office. I should note that it was his brand new office which had finally been finished. He’d returned mine to me, which was kind of him. It was one of the few kind things he did.

“I have a hard time taking these reports seriously,” he said, motioning to the parchment on his desk. “Both of you seem to insist that your guards are perfect. No unit is that efficient. You’re just being lazy.” From his desk drawer he produced a book and tapped it. “Officer’s manual. Every squad should have at least one write-up a month. Try again.”

“Sir, if I may just…” Orchid started.

Lieutenant Haze glared at us both. “You may not. You’re dismissed.”

I turned and walked out. Orchid lingered a minute and looked like she may try to argue. She seemed to think better of it and came out with me. We walked down the hall and when she was sure we were out of earshot she snorted, “That is the biggest load of gryphon feathers I’ve ever heard.”

Quietly I walked beside as she ranted on for a few more minutes before she finally looked at me.

“Surely you don’t agree?”  she asked.

“I agree that it is in his book. I’m not sure it is necessary for our squads but if that is what he wants it is exactly what he’ll get. Then, when the captain gets back, we’ll see if it persists,” I explained.

Orchid stomped lightly. “How do I give good ponies write-ups? That will break their hearts.”

“My plan is to just sit them all down and explain the situation. Then I’ll put together a rotation and give it to them. When they get a write-up in their rotation month they’ll know it is just because I have to and not because they did anything wrong. One write-up every eight months won’t really hurt a pony’s career. If they actually need a write-up they’ll also know it wasn’t a fake one.”

The unicorn mare stopped and stared at me. “You’re a devious mastermind.”

I shook my head. “No, I just know how to work a manual. If Lieutenant Haze wants to go toe-to-toe with somepony on policies and procedures he just met his newest opponent. That road goes both ways.”

“You’re frightening me. I’m not sure I even knew this side of you existed,” Orchid said.

“No pony messes with my ponies,” I said coolly and turned the corner to go into my office.

Orchid just stood there outside looking shocked. “I’ll keep that in mind…” she called.

25. Bachelor Party

Night Frost stood at attention in front of my desk. He was the third pony ever to graduate the academy and join Princess Luna’s House Guard immediately. I felt like we were kindred spirits.

“So you’re saying you prefer the night shift? As in, you actually want to stick with it?”

The blue-coated unicorn nodded. “I honestly do, sergeant. I know most ponies don’t so I thought, why not?”

He was right, of course. Most ponies preferred to work the first shift and I hadn’t ever had a volunteer otherwise. “That won’t be a problem,” I replied. “How are you settling in?”

“Things have been great!” Night Frost said cheerfully. “This was a huge opportunity and all of the ponies here have been so nice. Plus Princess Luna is awesome…” He trailed off and then sheepishly asked, “Why? What have you heard? Is there anything I should work on?”

That made me chuckle a little and I waved a hoof. Night Frost had been shy around the others… even a little rough in social situations but certainly no worse than I had been. “Nothing like that at all. If you do want to work on something though I had an idea. You can manipulate ice, right?”

He nodded.

“It could be awfully handy if you had the ability to pull together an ice shield. Something to protect yourself, other ponies, and Princess Luna. Why don’t you work on that?” I suggested.

Quickly he replied, “Why not! I mean… yes, sergeant!”

“Excellent. I’ll change the schedule so that you’re on nights. I doubt Starry Spur will complain.”

Night Frost smiled. “Thank you.”

“No problem. Dismissed.”

***

Runic Phial was standing in my room. That was a first. He had actually taken the time to come over to the palace and check in with me. “I heard about what happened from Crystal Wishes.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, it isn’t exactly a secret.”

Winterspear was sitting on Iridescence’s… no, her bed reading a fashion magazine. Runic asked, “New roommate?”

Right, these two hadn’t met yet. I stood up and reached over to pluck the magazine out of my sister’s hooves. “Yes, my sister Winterspear.” Motioning to Runic I added, “And this is Runic Phial, our cousin.”

Winterspear shifted and hovered off the bed and over to Runic. They shook hooves and she smiled, “Silent Knight says you’re a true friend. I’m glad to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Runic replied.

“I heard you gave the changelings one heck of a fight, Runic. I saw some of the explosions from the palace.”  I said.

Runic nodded sagely. “They were after my rocks. I wouldn’t stand for that!”

“What?” Winterspear asked curiously and I just shook my head.

“What brings you out today Runic? I’m sorry I haven’t been by lately. This whole thing has had me somewhat preoccupied,” I explained.

“Bachelor party,” Runic said simply.

Winterspear’s head tilted and I asked, “You’re going to a bachelor party?”

Runic shook his head and slipped a hoof around my shoulders. “WE are going to YOUR bachelor party!”

When it comes to romance I don’t know much but I knew what a bachelor party is. “My bachelor party?”

“Of course. Now you’re a bachelor. I’m a bachelor. Bachelor party at the shop. Everything is set up,” he explained, letting me go.

I shrugged. A party sounded fun. “Can Winterspear come, too?” I asked.

Runic looked confused by that. “Well… my understanding is it is for bachelors. There may be some ‘mare looking’ and the likes.”

I took a leap of faith and trusted my instincts. “It is okay; she likes mares, too.”

Winterspear looked at me, clearly shocked. I had just blown her secret casually.

Walking over to Winterspear, Runic eyed her up and down and then nodded. “That checks out… okay. You’re a bachelor, too, then. To the store!” he shouted and then charged out.

Holding up my hooves I said, “He is family and I knew he wouldn’t care. I had thought it through.”

Winterspear loomed over me with a stern face. Then she nosed my cheek. “Yup, it’s fine. I trust you. Now let’s go have a party!”

***

“He… really doesn’t do anything half way, does he?” Winterspear whispered to me as we stood inside the door of Runic’s shop. The “closed for a private function” placard was outside and the shop floor was decorated to the extreme.

Runic had lined the shelf tops with large potion bottles that seemed to glow the color of the liquid contained within. It really made the shop feel like one of those nightclubs in town. He had also set out an impressive buffet and some really comfortable pillows.

What unnerved me a bit is that he had built a stage on the longest wall of the shop. Where all the shelving and goods had gone I’ll never know.

“Come in, come in!” Runic said as we walked through a door. “Welcome my guests of honor.”

We made our way over to the pillows and sat down. “That is a stage,” Winterspear whispered to me.

“Yup,” I replied.

There was an explosion of green smoke and Runic appeared on stage with a tophat on. I looked to where he had been beside me and then back up. “How the…”

“Fellow bachelors. In honor of our independence I am pleased to present DJ Pon-3 and the Ponyville Dancers.” Runic announced before leaping down and settling on the remaining pillow.

The lights dropped, a mixing table popped up on the stage, and a white and blue unicorn started spinning records. I’m not going to lie, it was amazing. Not so much her music, but more just that my cousin could put this together.

Midway through the first song three mares appeared on stage in a similar puff of green smoke. They stood on their hind hooves, linked forehooves, and started doing some sort of high kick dance. I sat up straight. The one in the middle was the pink fluffy pony we had met on our trip to ponyville. For a fluffy pony… well any pony really… she had great moves.

Winterspear’s eyes were big. “Th-this is unbelievable,” she stammered.

“Welcome to the family,” I replied and put a hoof around both her and Runic.

***

DJ Pon-3 and Winterspear were chatting over by the punch while she was ‘between sets.’ The music was just on a simple mix while the dancers were resting. I hugged Runic tightly and said, “Seriously, Runic… thank you for this.”

“You’d do the same for me,” he said plainly and I knew he was right. He then pointed a hoof to the dancers and added, “Why don’t you go talk to them. You should… practice?”

I scrunched up my nose at the thought of that. “I… I guess so. You don’t mind?”

Runic lightly pushed me in their direction. “Nope! I’m going to get some punch anyway.”

“Alright…” I trailed. Picking up my cup of punch I downed all that was left. Liquid courage. I’d gladly march into battle to face gryphons, dragons, or anything like that. Mares, on the other hoof, were far more dangerous. Pushing up off the pillow I swayed my way over to the three dancers.

“You three are extremely talented. I can truly say I’ve never seen dancing like that.”

The first dancer, a cream-colored earth pony with a pine mane and tail cheered, “Well thank you! We don’t get to play Canterlot often… even if this is a small venue.”

The second dancer, a violet unicorn pony with a mauve mane snorted, “I wouldn’t call it a venue.”

“Berry…” the first said hurriedly. “Be nice to the customer.”

“I need a drink.” Berry said before wandering off.

“I’m so sorry. She isn’t normally mean. I think she just expected us to be playing a big hall. Puff didn’t really explain the job very well.” The first dancer said.

The pink fluffy pony replied, “Pfbbt.”

“Well you didn’t!”

Softly I cleared my throat. “Well… hopefully my cousin at least took care of you. I’m Silent Knight by the way. You don’t have to call me the customer.”

“Oh! How embarrassing. I’m Lighthoof and this is Fluffle Puff. Nice to meet ya! If you don’t mind though I’d like some punch too and Berryshine probably needs a little kick.”

I nodded. “Sure… sure…”

Lighthoof hurried off, leaving me alone with Fluffle Puff. I stared at her before lightly brushing my hoof against the floor.

“I think I’ve been to your house before. We were lost and you gave us directions.”

Fluffle Puff gasped and then nodded. “Pfbbt, pfft pfft pffffft.”

“Exactly,” was my reply. “So… you’ve been a dancer for a while?”

The pink fluffy pony quickly nodded and went on, “Pfft, pfft.” She then gestured wildly above her head.

My head titled as I tried to track what she was explaining. With a shrug, I figured this would probably be the easiest conversation with a mare ever.

***

Winterspear and I walked home slowly. It was really late and I thought flying might be unwise. “That was amazing.” Winterspear said a little too loudly for the middle of the night. “What were you talking to that pink fluffy pony about?”

“I have absolutely no idea,” I said honestly.

My sister tilted her head. “You two talked for almost an hour.”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. It was good to laugh. “I couldn’t understand a word she was saying… she didn’t actually use words either. I was nodding politely and she didn’t seem to mind at all. She was nice… At least I think she was.”

Winterspear just shook her head. “Look at you, mingling. Are you going to be able to work tomorrow?”

Tomorrow was going to be rough but I nodded. “I’ll manage.”

When we got back to the barracks, Lieutenant Haze was waiting outside our room.

“Sir?” I inquired as we approached.

“Where have you been?” He demanded.

“Out at a private function,” I said plainly, falling back into work mode.

“I was looking for you.”

“I apologize, sir. I was off duty. Sergeant Orchid was on watch.” I replied, stating the obvious.

He shook his head. “I didn’t need Sergeant Orchid. I was looking for you and you weren’t here. That is a problem for me.”

To my right I felt Winterspear bristle but I lightly swayed to bump her. She settled down and I eyed the lieutenant. “I’m here now if you need me, sir. If you feel I was somewhat delinquent in my duty I’m certain the manual has text outlining this situation.”

Lieutenant Haze stomped a hoof. “I’ll look into that. I needed next week’s roster. You didn’t submit it. I can’t find out which guards are on shift at the last minute. If command asks I’ll look like a fool. You’re sloppy, sergeant. Making a roster is basic. If you don’t think you can handle it I can…”

He went on like that for about ten minutes. Winterspear and I just stood there at attention.

When he finally finished I said, “Sir, the roster was posted to the unit board per your instructions in last week’s memo. A copy was then posted in both sergeant Orchid’s and my offices for back up. Was it not on the board when you looked?”

“I want a copy sent to me directly,” he said.

“Then I should assume we should disregard your memo, sir?” I asked.

The lieutenant scowled at me. “No! Follow the order as written.”

“Then I’ll continue to post the roster to the unit board, sir,” I replied.

“You’re not listening. I want a copy sent to me too!”

“The memo as written does not make such an order, sir. Perhaps you’d like to draft a new memo?” I suggested.

Lieutenant Haze stood there seething. He hated when I outplayed him on following the rules. He also couldn’t do much about it. One thing that every member of the royal guard knows is this: new lieutenants are a dime a dozen. The vast majority of them have never served prior. They go to a military academy and come straight into the guard as an officer.

The good lieutenants are the ones that realize they’re placed with sergeants to learn from them. The ones that don’t last are the ones that can’t get it through their heads that they don’t know everything and that some ponies may just be smarter than they are. I suspected Lieutenant Haze wasn’t going to last.

We stared at each other a while longer. He was waiting for me to flinch. “Keep waiting, chief. I can do this all week,” I thought. I also thanked Dad for that talent.

Finally he gave up. “Draft a new memo tomorrow and bring it to my office. I’ll sign it. Dismissed,” he said, walking off in a huff.

Winterspear and I went into our room and flopped onto our respective beds. “He is the biggest pony butt I’ve ever met,” she said. “You should have let me kick him.”

I chuckled. “Sergeant Winterspear, I’m surprised at your short-sighted view of this situation. It is much more fun to teach him about the rules and regulations. Besides, if you did that they’d never approve your transfer and you’d rob yourself from hanging out with Runic and I.”

My sister pulled her sheets up and said, “I’m not sure I approve of this new, devious you.”

“Being a sergeant has opened my eyes to a lot of things,” I admitted. “I’ve also got a lot of extra time on my hooves to look over the manuals. It is a totally different job but if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right.”

Winterspear turned out the light and said into the darkness, “Well, Celestia help anypony that gets in your way then.”

Mmmm, I quietly hoped Celestia wouldn’t help the lieutenant.

*25* ☾ *25*

26. Four Sisters

“Silent Knight?” Princess Luna called from her gaming table. I was still using her secretary’s desk during the day. I liked being closer to her and able to keep an eye on my squad in action. Plus I flat out didn’t like spending time alone.

I set down my pencil and came over. “Yes, Princess?”

The princess was levitating a tiny paint brush and a model pony. It was one of many figures she was painting for a new war game.

“Does this look like thou?” she asked, floating the figure close enough for me to see.

Never let anypony tell you that Princess Luna isn’t artistic. The tiny figure looked exactly like me, down to the silver eyes and blue wingtips. She had captured me perfectly. Every detail was right: my coat and mane colors, the dark armor, and even the cutie mark. I admired mini-Silent Knight and then said, “If you did any better I might question which one of the two of us was real, Princess.”

Happily she clapped her hooves together and levitated mini-me down to dry. “Huzzah!” she cheered. I nodded and started to head back to my work. “Silent Knight?” she called again.

I turned back to her. “Yes, Princess?”

“Can we speak a few moments? Thou and I?” she asked.

“Of course, Princess,” I replied and looked over to where Solar Flare stood. “Give us the room, Solar Flare. Take position right beyond the door.”

Solar Flare nodded and went outside, leaving the two of us alone. Princess Luna walked over to the sitting area and I followed. We settled on two pillows, then she reached over and took my helmet off. My brow went up. How did she know about the helmets?

“How are thou doing, Silent Knight?” she asked softly.

I smiled at her. “I’m doing well, Princess. I’m finally adjusting to being a sergeant, my sister is moving to Canterlot, and I have good friends to look after me.”

She nodded and gently touched her hoof to my heart. “How is this?”

That made me a little uncomfortable. I hadn’t really discussed my feelings with anypony but Winterspear… well that, and my blabbering confession to Princess Celestia. I swallowed and noticed Princess Luna was waiting.

“I was sad… Now I’m angry, Princess. A lot of the time. I keep it bottled up but it spills out sometimes. In little bursts. Mostly to frustrate the lieutenant,” I admitted, looking down.

“Why are thou angry?” she asked. “Is it the pain of love lost?”

I shook my head and I meant it. “No, Princess… I’ve mostly gotten over that. I guess it was puppy love. I had never been in a relationship before and it was silly to assume ours would be like some fairy tale. Winterspear says that real love isn’t like that.”

With a sigh I admitted, “Honestly, we didn’t work great as a couple. We had different goals… but now I’m angry because she left. She just up and left me and you and Crystal and Runic. Everypony! She was supposed to be my best friend! It isn’t fair for her to just take that away from me.” I said louder than I meant to and stomped a forehoof. “Sorry…” I hurriedly added, feeling foalish.

“And thou doesn’t think she is thy friend anymore?” Princess Luna asked rather pointedly. It gave me pause and forced me to consider the thought.

With a shrug I said, “She doesn’t write, she doesn’t visit. Her injury and personal leave time has almost run out. I don’t know what is going on…” I sighed and ran a hoof along the edge of the pillow. “I want my friend back. I had never had a friend before her.”

Princess Luna smiled at me and softly patted my hoof with her own. “That is something I understand all too well. Have faith then, Silent Knight. If thou can forgive her, maybe that is all it will take to bring her back. To be honest, I’ve found myself missing her as well. If thou needs to talk I hope that thou can consider us friends. Iridescence may have toed the line a little close but I am confident that thou can find a balance.” She picked up my helmet and set it back on my head.

I smiled at her and nodded.

***

“No, I’m sorry; that doesn’t work for me,” Lieutenant Haze said.

“Sir?” I asked curiously.

He shook his head. “Your leave request. I have some important Canterlot social functions to attend and I can’t miss them to do your job for you.”

“That was that then. Walk away,” went through my mind. My mouth, however, said, “I’m sorry, sir, that is not a regulation answer. You can deny leave for a security-related reason. That is within your right. Denying leave because you have someplace you’d rather be is against the regs. They’re very clear on that.”

Lieutenant Haze snorted and said, “Allow me to rephrase then. It is also within my right to assign less than desirable duties to any pony under my command. If I miss my functions due to somepony insisting that they have leave I’ll know where to assign those duties. Is that clear?”

“Crystal clear, sir,” I said and then pushed the leave form over to him again. “Just sign here and here, sir. I look forward to receiving my new duties when I get back.”

The lieutenant lifted a hoof as the paper came close. The look in his eye seemed to suggest he was considering taking a swing at me. That would be a mistake on his part. A painful mistake. He looked in my eyes and seemed to come to the same conclusion. Setting his hoof back onto the paper, he picked up a pencil and signed it.

“Thank you, sir,” I said.

“Dismissed,” he replied.

***

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Winterspear asked me.

“Without question,” I replied and she nodded.

Winterspear hugged me and said, “Okay… well… go tell her then.”

I didn’t need any more motivation than that. It was time to put things off my chest and have life get back to the way it was before, if possible. I tugged my small satchel tight against my armor and leapt into the air when I got outside the barracks.

Turning to the east, I set course for Manehatten. I spread my wings wide and started to push the limit. Before I left I had pulled some very important paperwork: Iridescence’s leave forms. She was running out of time and no transfer request had come in. Technically I was her sergeant. Her name was on my roster and I was going to hold her accountable. That was my job… even if I had used personal leave to make the trip.

The address on file was listed as outside of Manehatten’s city proper. I was flying into countryside blind but I had confidence that I’d be able sort it out. In the worst case I’d stop into the local mail depot and have them show me how to get there. Mail ponies always helped out the royal guard. Our organizations were like sisters.

My flight was largely uneventful. I spent the whole trip keeping calm, cool, and collected. Letting feelings creep into what I had to do wouldn’t work. This was business. I just had to keep it that way.

When I arrived outside of Manehatten I realized finding the address would be easy. There were only a few dwellings out this far and all of them sat on huge tracts of land. I spotted the right place and came to a perfect, professional landing in case anyone was looking out the window.

Iridescence’s house, if you could call it that, was massive. It was the second biggest home I had ever seen next to the palace in Canterlot. The manor was crafted out of pure white stone and glass. I guess that explained all the bits she had.

I approached the large, heavy wooden double doors and knocked. It wasn’t long before an older stallion answered. He was dressed in tuxedo coat with long tails. “Good afternoon. How may I help you?”

“Sergeant Knight, Princess Luna’s House Guard. I am here to speak with Iridescence. Is she here?”

“Miss Iridescence is indeed. May I inquire about the business you have with her?” he replied.

From my satchel I produced the leave papers. “Official business. Her leave is almost over and she is expected to report back for duty. We haven’t had word from her and I’m here to ensure she is not planning on going AWOL.”

“AWOL?” the pony asked.

“Away without leave. It is a crime,” I said plainly.

The pony lifted his nose a bit. “Do come in. Welcome to Eminence Manor, sergeant.”

I did so after carefully wiping my hoof guards off. There was no reason to be a bad guest. The butler led me through the foyer and into a large sitting room just off of it. “Miss Iridescence, a royal guard is calling for you,” he announced.

To be perfectly honest I had not prepared for this. Iridescence was sitting on a fancy pillow and she wasn’t alone. The room contained three other unicorn mares that were clearly her sisters.

The first had a coat of spun gold and a shimmering silver mane that seemed to radiate light. She looked older than the others but was, without a doubt, what you’d call a classic beauty.

The second was closer in age to Iridescence. Her coat was more pearl colored with a mane that was streaked with fiery orange, bright green, and pale blue.

The final was more of a filly than a mare. She was light green in color and had a simple, verdant mane.

Iridescence rose suddenly, the shock of seeing me clear on her face.

The first mare looked over and asked, “Iridescence, you know this pony?”

She nodded a blankly. “This is Sergeant Silent Knight. He was… is my superior in the royal guard.”

The second mare waved a hoof. “Oh, is that what this is about?”

The third said, “He looks angry.”

I shook my head and said, “Not angry, miss. We look like this to discourage ponies from mischief.”

Iridescence shifted and said, “Sergeant, allow me to introduce my sisters.” Motioning to the golden mare she said, “Luminescence.” She went on to the second. “Opalescence.” Finally, the last. “And Dot.”

“My pleasure, ladies,” I said and added a light bow.

“Why are you here… sergeant?” Iridescence asked nervously.

I still had the papers out. I walked over and set them down in front of her before backing off. “Your leave is almost up. You’re expected to be back on duty and I wanted to make sure one of my unit members wasn’t thinking about shirking their duties.”

Luminescence looked over at me. “Is that all this is about?” she asked with a huff. “Do you always hound ponies like this? She can’t be bothered with that.”

I didn’t move. “I’m sorry ma’am. She made a commitment and signed a contract. If she isn’t bothered with that she can be imprisoned.”

All of the mares other than Iridescence laughed. Opalescence waved a hoof at me. “You are just too much. Our father is the biggest real estate investor in Manehatten. If you think your little contract will stand up to his lawyers, you’re silly.” She looked over at Iridescence and said, “He sounds like that pony you were telling us about. That one you left. What was his name?”

“Silent Knight.” Iridescence and I said at the same time.

“Oh? The jilted lover?” Luminescence asked, suddenly very interested.

“Scandalous!” Opalescence added.

“A stallion?” Dot asked curiously.

Opalescence rose from her pillow. “You’re just here because you’re angry. The lawyers will love that. Why don’t you run along. Iridescence is staying here.”

I ignored her and looked at Iridescence. “You know this isn’t personal. Why didn’t you ever put in your transfer paperwork?”

Iridescence’s ears fell and she replied, “I didn’t want to think about it. Now I’m thinking about just asking for a special discharge. My father can make that happen.”

I snorted. “I see. So you’re just going to quit, come back to all of…  this, and act like these ponies? Maybe I shouldn’t have come then. I’m not sure I’d want to work with a pony like that. That isn’t the Iridescence I knew.”

Luminescence humphed and said, “How rude!”

Opalescence walked a circle around me. “Oh aren’t you feisty. It is cute that you think she would want to go back with you.”

Dot nodded. “Yeah! We have cookies here.” I’m not going to lie. I thought Dot was adorable trying to act like her older siblings. I didn’t let it show though.

Iridescence just sat there while the other three berated me with various insults about my stallionhood and my station in life. I barely heard them. I just stared at her. She wouldn’t look at me. Finally I stomped a hoof. It was loud and echoed in the expansive manor. The mares gasped and drew back.

“Enough,” I said with all the authority of a royal guard sergeant. I approached Iridescence.

I ducked my head and forced her to look into my eyes. “You made a promise. Are you the kind of pony that breaks a promise? If you are just let me know. I’ll leave and make certain you get that discharge.” I stood up and took a few steps back.

Iridescence rose gracefully and lifted her head in defiance.

“Iridescence, surely you’re not listening to this brute?” Luminescence exclaimed.

“You may like to hide behind daddy but I don’t. I did make a promise and I’ve had my time off. It is time to get back to work,” Iridescence said, filling me with pride.

Dot hurried up and over to hug her. “But I’ll miss you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll come home a little more often,” Iridescence said, looping a hoof around her little sister.

“You’re making a mistake,” Opalescence sighed.

“No… the mistake was running away. Royal guards don’t do that. Do they sergeant?” Iridescence asked me.

“Never. I’ll see you back in Canterlot.” I said, bowing slightly before turning to leave.

Iridescence took a step forward and said, “Sergeant. If it is all the same to you… meet me at the train station. I’ll need you to bring me back up to speed on what I missed. If… if that isn’t an inconvenience.”

“Train station it is,” I said flatly, walking out of the room and leaving the manor. ‘Why would anypony need a house so large?’ I thought.

***

“I can’t believe you came for me,” Iridescence said, looking out the window of our train car.

“Why?” I asked curiously. We must have seemed like an odd pair to the others on the train. A royal guard in Princess Luna’s colors and a high society Manehatten unicorn. We were getting some looks but I didn’t care. I just kept looking at my friend across the row.

She shrugged. “After what I did to you, who would blame you for hating me?” Her voice turned into a mockery of herself, “Oh thanks for saving my life. By the way. We’re breaking up and I’m leaving. See ya!” It was painful to hear.

“Water under the bridge,” I said flatly.

Iridescence blinked and looked at me. “And it is that easy? You’re over it? Just like that?”

I shook my head. “No. It wasn’t easy. It was actually awful but thank Celestia I had friends to help me. My heart was broken. I was sad and mopey. Then I was angry.”

Iridescence shifted uncomfortably. “So… now what?”

“We get back to work,” I said.

“No… what does that even mean? You didn’t just come get me so I could work. There is more to it than that.”

I got up and moved to her side of the car. Plopping down beside her I said, “You promised me you’d always be my friend. You’re supposed to be my best friend Iridescence… my first friend. Maybe we thought that also meant we had to be special someponies and I guess we were wrong. I don’t know and I honestly don’t want to think about it for now. I can’t.”

“I can deal without a somepony. I need my best friend though. We go back to work and we start to try to be friends again.” Shifting, I added, “And not to add any guilt, but the others miss you as well. Did you really want to be like your sisters? Other than Dot I mean. She was adorable.”

Iridescence wiped a hoof across her eyes as tears welled in the corners. “Of course not. They’re awful, mean, and entitled but I felt like I had burned the bridge.”

"Friendship is stronger than that.” I replied.

“I guess it is.” She said, levitating a handkerchief to dab her eyes. “So what is going to be different?”

I thought that over and then said, “You’ll be reporting to Sergeant Orchid… and you’ll need to find a new dorm room. Sergeants don’t share rooms with subordinates and I sort of gave your bed to my sister. When we’re off duty we can be friends just like before. Plus all the others will be waiting for you when we arrive.”

Iridescence frowned, “What do you mean? How could you have known I would come back?”

“You’re my friend and I’m a good judge of character. I had faith,” I said plainly.

We chatted the rest of the way back. It was awkward but it was a start. I told her everything that had happened and she shared what was going on with her. It was like old times and it felt good. The hours flew by and the train was pulling into the Canterlot station before I knew it. True to my word, everypony was on the platform waiting: Crystal Wishes, Runic Phial, Winterspear, and even Princess Luna with Miley Hooves and Harvest Moon.

When Iridescence stepped out of the car there was a cheer before she was mobbed. Princess Luna looked past the group of ponies at me and nodded. I nodded back and joined in the happy reunion.

27. Lieutenant Haze

“Miley Hooves? Seriously?” I called up.

Miley clung to the chandelier as it rocked slowly back and forth at the top of Princess Luna’s chambers. “I’m sorry, Sergeant!” she called back.

I flapped my wings, flew up, and offered her my hooves. She chose not to take them and instead hopped off the wrought iron and crystal fixture while throwing her own around my neck.

I grunted, caught her, and slowly brought her to the ground. “How?”

“There was a mouse. I jumped,” she replied honestly.

I looked at her and then up at the chandelier. That had to be some kind of earth pony record. “You’re afraid of mice?” I asked. “But you’ll fight a changeling?”

“We all have our weaknesses, sergeant.”

“Okay, fair enough. Back to work, ok?” I ordered and she nodded. Shaking my head, I returned to my seat at the secretary’s desk.

Princess Luna was in her seating area with Crystal Wishes and they were both catching up with Iridescence. She was off duty and the group had a lot to talk about. I wasn’t paying attention. Call it a professional talent.

I went back to drawing. Occasionally I drew Miley but to be fair, most of my drawings of her were documenting the pony’s bad luck. I had drawn her stuck in the couch, stuck in the door, stuck in the… let me just say she got stuck in a lot of things.

Today, however, it was Crystal’s turn. I had probably been paying a bit too much attention to her lately. She was nice to me and very easy on the eyes. Her barn door didn’t seem to swing my way and Velvet Step was one of my friends so thinking that way was a little awkward. It was still okay to look, though.

The door to Princess Luna’s chamber opened and Lieutenant Haze walked in without knocking. Miley and I straightened to attention. He looked to me and then proceeded to advance on the princess.

“Sir, can I help you?” I asked, stepping around the desk and blocking him.

The lieutenant looked down his snout at me and said, “I wish to speak to the princess.”

“The princess has an appointment right now, sir. If you like, I can look at her schedule and find an appropriate time.” I suggested.

Lieutenant Haze said, “Sergeant, you work for me, not her. You do not keep her schedule and you’re not her secretary. Act like a royal guard. Now move.”

“Yes, sir.” I moved out of the way and allowed him to pass.

He walked right up to the princess and lightly bowed. “Princess, I would like to discuss the state of your House Guard now and some suggestions I have to improve it.”

Crystal Wishes and Iridescence stared at him wide-eyed as he trotted right over their conversation.

Princess Luna stood up, her regal mane shimmering like the evening sky. “Of course, Lieutenant,” she started. “As you can see, however, I have an appointment right now. If you’ll check with Sergeant Knight, I’m certain he can find an opening for you. As I’m sure you’re aware he receives a copy of my schedule every day so he can best leverage our security assets.”

The lieutenant took a step back. “Princess… I think it would be best-”

We all caught the look Princess Luna gave him at that moment and he took two more steps back.

“Yes, I think that would be best,” he amended before hastily retreating. “Sergeant, put me in on the next available opening, please,” he called as he sailed by me on his way out of the room.

“Yes, sir!” I called before opening up Princess Luna’s scheduling book.

“Silent Knight?” Princess Luna called.

“Yes, Princess?”

“We shall not have any openings for at least a week,” she remarked, her voice booming in the room.

“Aye, aye, Princess.” I said and started flipping through the book feeling a little smug. I passed up several openings and penciled the lieutenant in for 15 minutes three weeks from the day. I muttered as I looked down where I had written his name, “I know who I work for. Do you, you pompous gryphon-flank?”

“What, sergeant?” Miley asked.

I looked up and around. Had that been out loud? Oh… it had. I had four mares staring at me. Quietly I closed the princess’s scheduling book and softly clapped my hooves together. “Flank, Miley. Always go for the flank when engaging a gryphon. Wound their pride first!” I said before returning to my art project.

***

The heavy bag loomed in front of me. I stood up on my hind legs and flapped my wings to help keep me upright. Quickly I started to batter it with my front hooves, working on my boxing skills. It was a great workout and I really liked to cut loose.

“Is the lieutenant just a jerk or is he really as dumb as he seems?” Iridescence asked me.

We were off duty, but badmouthing an officer wasn’t a great idea in general… even if every word was true. “He is new,” I panted as I continued to hit the bag.

Winterspear was next to Iridescence doing yoga with her. The two had gotten along fairly well after an intense ‘how could you do that to my little brother’ conversation. My sister said, “That is code for huge gryphon rump.” She evidently wasn’t worried about bad mouthing somepony else’s officer.

“He sucks all of the fun out of the room.” Iridescence said, holding an impossible pose. She had one hoof down, one tucked against her thigh, and her forehooves pressed together. “When is the captain getting back from his honeymoon?”

I dropped down to all fours again and went over to the standing targets. Lining them up, I started bucking them fiercely. “Three... days,” I huffed each time my back hoofs landed.

“I hope Shining Armor sets him straight. He certainly turned you around,” Iridescence said in my direction.

My eyes narrowed in a glare before I bucked the targets harder. That went on a bit longer before I felt like I’d worked hard enough.

Grabbing some water, I came over to the other two. I laid down at the edge of their mats while both them stared at me upside down. They had managed to get their fore hooves beside their heads and their hind ones were stiff and straight up in the air. They looked ridiculous and were not very complimentary.

“I could push you over right now,” I teased Winterspear.

“You had best not. I like her better than you,” Iridescence said.

“Mares!” I huffed before getting up and heading to the showers.

***

My shower had run a little long. I had been enjoying the feel of hot water on sore muscles. There wouldn’t be time for a proper lunch but Princess Luna kept snacks in her chambers. Quickly I trotted down the hall and made a quick right and crashed right into another guard.

“Oww!” the mare exclaimed. Her coat was the same color as gold and she had the most cheerfully colored yellow and orange mane.

Quickly I helped her up and stood at attention. “I’m sorry, lieutenant, I wasn’t being mindful.”

Sunny Day, the lieutenant that replaced Astral Dyke, was what ponies call a perpetual optimist. She was always happy, positive, and cheerful. The word around the palace was that she was also an amazing officer and always took her job “all the way.” She waved a hoof. “Oh you’re fine, Silent Knight. I wasn’t looking where I was going anyway. I just needed to get some air.”

I remained at attention and nodded. Then I tilted my head. “Air, ma’am? Down in the gym and similar pony-sweat soaked areas?”

The unicorn laughed, her nose scrunching up a bit. “Figure of speech, sergeant.” Her voice lowered, she looked around to see if there were any ponies in ear shot, and then leaned in. “Your lieutenant is frustrating and doesn’t understand what collaboration means. We have an event that includes both princesses soon and he is insisting that we each do our own security plan.”

“That doesn’t make sense. ma’am,” I said. If we did that we’d have guards stumbling over each other.

“Good luck getting him to see it that way” was her reply but then she smiled. “I shall endeavour to do so, however! He will see the light… or I’ll go tattle on him.” Cheerfully she trotted on down the hall while I remained at attention. Royal guards typically don’t prance but I’m confident that was the only way Sunny Day moved.

***

The day before Shining Armor was supposed to return home I was standing with my squad at our morning meeting. We were just about to rotate off with Sergeant Orchid’s squad and I wanted to get them briefed.

Before I could get started Lieutenant Haze walked in. We all stood at attention immediately.

“Listen up ponies!” he called. “I just learned through a friend at the command intelligence group that there is a dragon located near Canterlot. The brass is worried and I want first crack at the beast. We’ll be heading out immediately to handle it.”

“Sir. Command has assigned us to this duty?” I asked.

“What? No. I just said I learned it from a friend. We’ll be able to get down there and show initiative,” he explained.

I nodded. “So you want all of us to go with you, sir?”

“Yes, this is a dragon! Every one of you.”

“To clarify, you’re ordering every one of us to leave with you to engage the dragon?”

The lieutenant looked at me like I was some kind of idiot. “Yes, sergeant. You, me, all of these ponies. NOW!”

“I’m glad to hear you say that, sir!” I said.

“That is the spirit,” he replied.

I shifted to face him and stated matter-of-factly, “Lieutenant Haze, I hereby relieve you of command.”

The lieutenant’s jaw dropped. “On what grounds?!”

“Derelictions of duty, issuing illegal orders, misappropriating royal guard resources, conduct unbecoming an officer, inciting mass desertion, unnecessarily endangering lives for personal gain…”

The lieutenant took a swing at me and I ducked. In one quick move I punched him in the gut, then swept his legs out from under him. He collapsed and while he was trying to catch his breath I continued, “...assaulting a fellow royal guard, and anything else I can find.

“Miley, Harvest, take the lieutenant to the stockade while I do the paperwork. Night Frost, go inform Sergeant Orchid that I’m assuming command until the captain returns.”

There was a thunder of “Yes, sergeant!” and they all set off to do their tasks.

***

The following morning I was working quietly in my office. There was a knock at the door and then it opened immediately. Captain Shining Armor stepped in and I rose to attention.

“Welcome home, sir!”

“Thank you, Silent Knight. It was a great vacation but I’m honestly glad to get back to work. Everything seems to be running smoothly. Where is the lieutenant?”

“In the stockade, sir,” I replied cheerfully.

“Alright then,” he said before slipping out and closing the door behind him.

It was good to have the captain back.

***

Not all of my charges against Lieutenant Haze stuck but the damage was done. Even though command has a way of protecting officers, Obsidian Haze still spent more than two days in the stockade. It also became clear to everypony that he had questionable decision-making skills. The final straw was that Princess Luna just plain wasn’t thrilled with him and said so.

As such, command gave him a nice quiet job commanding a supply depot somewhere out west. They also gave me a medal for being brave enough to stand up to him. All of that suited me fine.

The captain was in my office again and I had brought him up to speed on everything that had happened in his absence both with my helmet on and off.

“I wasn’t even gone that long!” he complained.

I shrugged and said, “The palace never waits.”

Shining Armor nodded. “That is true. Listen, I’m going to go personally find a new lieutenant for the unit. I’ve made it abundantly clear to command that we will not be accepting another important pony’s nephew, son, daughter, niece, or love foal. You need somepony that will fit with the culture. Until I find one you’re in charge.”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

He turned to leave and then paused. “Any issue with that putting Iridescence under your authority?” he asked.

“No, sir, that won’t be an issue at all. The job stays first from now on,” I assured him.

The captain nodded, paused for a moment as if to say something, and then shrugged before he left the office.

Alone again I started to straighten up my desk a bit in preparation for being in command again. It was something I was starting to enjoy. ‘Will we ever have a decent lieutenant that I could trust?’ I thought.

“Knock knock!” came the cheerful voice of Sunny Day in my doorway.

My body stiffened to attention and I replied, “Come in, ma’am. What can I do for you?”

Sunny pranced in with an extra spring in her step. “Oh, you already did it! At ease, by the way.”

“Pardon?” I asked as I settled into a more casual stance.

“Helping Lieutenant Haze find a new position. I knew he was a silver spoon, arrogant, son of an ‘important pony,’ but I never guessed he would make such a rookie mistake. Especially around a pony like you.”

With a flick of my tail I asked, “A pony like me?”

Sunny Day approached my desk and set her forehooves on it. She stood and looked down at me. “You’re a tactician Silent Knight. I’ve kept an eye on you. You’re always six moves ahead.”

I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of what she had said or where she was going with it. “Thank you?” I replied curiously.

“Yup!” she practically chirped before hopping back down. “Well played, sergeant. Looks like it is you and me again when it comes to joint meetings. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Yes, ma’am…” My eyes followed her as she she left. Peering down at the rock Runic had given me I asked, “What was that about?”

If the rock knew it wasn’t telling.

28. Game Night

I slid my card to the edge of the table and lifted it slightly so that I could peek. Timberwolf. My eyes narrowed swept across the others at the table. It was game night and we were all crowded around Princess Luna’s game table.

“I’m not sure I understand the point,” Velvet Step admitted.

Crystal Wishes explained, “If you’re a townspony you’re trying to figure out who the timberwolves are. If you’re a timberwolf you’re trying to cast suspicion on some poor townspony.”

Winterspear nodded. “Exactly! And I’m no timberwolf. We need to get them!”

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Princess Luna looking my way. She was a timberwolf too. It was us against the table.

Runic pointed a hoof at Iridescence. “You’re being quiet. Too quiet!”

Iridescence held up her hooves. “Don’t look at me! I’m a regular townspony. Look at Silent Knight; he is clearly a timberwolf.”

I was but my face didn’t show it. I used my royal guard blank stare on them all and said, “You’d think so, but I’m actually a hunter and if you mistakenly kill me, the pony I point out will be killed, too… and if I’m wrong that means the townponies stand a better chance of losing.  Personally I think it is Velvet. She is playing too innocently.”

Velvet gasped and Princess Luna nodded. “I agree! The innocence is a deception!”

“No! It isn’t me. I swear! Please!” Velvet said hurriedly as she looked to Crystal Wishes for support. It only made her seem more guilty. She was about to argue further just as the last sands of the hourglass fell.

“Vote now, ponies!” Princess Luna called.

Hooves were pointed everywhere. Four at Velvet, one at Iridescence, and only one at me.

Velvet frowned and flipped over her card: townspony.

“Mmwahaha!” Princess Luna cackled, flipping her card. I did the same. “Timberwolves win! The night is ours!” Behind her thunder shook the palace and lightning arched across the sky seen through the window. Velvet dove under the table and I heard somepony in armor tumble over with a squeal.

The others laughed and Crystal Wishes sweetly went to retrieve Velvet. Those two were good together. I went to my own task and crossed the chambers to help right Miley Hooves.

“I’m sorry boss, that was really scary,” she said before tugging herself up by my hoof.

“That’s fine, and precisely why the Princess does it.” I winked. Turning back to the group, I called, “Who is ready for a game of the Canterlot Express?” and was met immediately by groans.

Winterspear exclaimed, “No! I’m not playing a detective game with you. I’d rather play spin the bottle with gryphons.”

Every other pony at the table nodded.

“I’m wounded, but fine. What do we play then?”

Velvet, who was in Crystal Wishes’s hooves, said, “Something that isn’t scary! Or where I can at least be on somepony’s team.”

Runic suggested, “Shadows Over Canterlot?”

That was met with general agreement and we settled back down to play the game. I looked around the table and smiled. Yes, this is what life was supposed to be.

***

The evening went late… really late. That tended to happen on game night. We all had had so much fun that no pony wanted to call it quits. I was beat though and Princess Luna and I had a big day tomorrow. The Princess was hosting some visiting dignitaries and I was running all of her security.

“Iridescence, Winterspear, would you please escort Crystal Wishes and Velvet Step home?” I asked as I slid under the passed out Runic Phial and hefted him onto my back. He laid over me limply and snored.

Winterspear looked at me and asked, “Who rolled over and made you boss?”

I deadpanned, “Technically Lieutenant Haze.”

My sister snorted. “Point taken, but I don’t report to you… but you can owe me a favor.”

Crystal Wishes waved a hoof in my direction and said, “We don’t want to be a bother Silent Knight. Velvet and I can get home alone just fine.”

Slowly I shook my head and replied, “I have no doubt but that still won’t do. Humor me a little and allow me some peace of mind?”

The unicorn nodded softly. “Well… we can do that for you. Right, Velvet?”

Quickly Velvet chirped, “Anything for S.K.!”

Winterspear’s ears wiggled and she motioned to the door, “Come along ladies. I think we best get you home before we all turn into pumpkins.” There was general agreement and the four left together.

Once they were gone I looked to Princess Luna. “I’ll see you around noon, my lady.”

“Verily, my timberwolf brethren!” she replied.

Under the weight of Runic I decided it was better to just take him home with me. We got in and I contemplated tossing him on my sister’s bed and then thought better of it. I heaved him into my bed and slide in next to him. He mumbled something about sedimentary rocks and then went quiet. I yawned and did the same… minus the rocks, before finding a peaceful rest very quickly.

***

The next morning I woke up to find Winterspear sneaking in. “Wow, are you just getting in?” I asked.

She went stiff and looked at me guiltily. “Oh, you’re up. Yes. I am. I don’t have to go on shift until later.”

I didn’t understand the look. I wasn’t her keeper. Winterspear then looked past me and smiled slyly. “And who do you have in bed with you?”

Runic popped up and yawned. “It’s me. Where am I?”

Winterspear frowned and snorted, “Hi Runic. You’re in our room.”

“Oh. Good.” He flopped back into my bed and pulled the sheets up.

I got up and shook myself fully awake. Winterspear was getting into bed to go to sleep.  “My family is full of lazy ponies.” It was time to don my armor and get to work.

Today we would meet the gryphon dignitaries from their northern kingdom. I always try to be an open-minded pony but I have never trusted gryphons. My dad had made sure of that. Equestria had assisted them in their internal struggles and they had turned on the very ponies that were sent to help them. Carefully I strapped my sword into its hidden position and tightened the buckles of my armor.

Before I put my helmet on my eyes caught sight of my standard issue sword where it hung off the armor rack. It only took an extra minute to strap it in on the other side. It never hurt to have a backup. I looked over my shoulder once more at the sleeping ponies and headed off to finalize the arrangements. They seemed so peaceful and careless. My thoughts were slowly working through all the dangers that might be faced today.

***

“Sergeant Orchid and her squad, minus Iridescence, will handle perimeter and door security. Sergeant, I want your two best ponies on the door. You and Mountain Stone will remain close enough to Princess Luna where you can personally protect her if need be… but I want to make certain you keep the lane to the back door clear.” I motioned to the small door in the back of the meeting room. “That is safety.”

“You’ve got it, boss,” Sergeant Orchid said.

“Lavender, I want you just inside the door to greet everyone. Disarm them with your signature charm… and actually disarm them if they have a weapon. You may have to be forceful in that but we’re not going to negotiate over it. The duke will be allowed his security but they will not enter this chamber with weapons.”

There was a shared chuckle from the ponies in the room and Lavender winked at me. “But of course, sergeant.”

“Thunder Tumble and Lightning Flash. You will stay two steps back and one to each side of Princess Luna at all times.”

“Yes, sergeant!” they responded.

“The rest of you at the back of the room. Iridescence in the middle. She’ll have her protective spell ready. Miley Hooves, Night Frost, and Harvest Moon, you protect Iridescence so she can focus on the spell,” I ordered.

The three nodded and said, “Yes sergeant.”

“If anything does go sideways our primary duty is to get the princess out of the room. Don’t worry about getting into a fight. Just whisk her through the back exit and as far away as possible. There are more than enough guards in the palace to ensure they don’t escape. Our duty is only to her safety and ourselves,” I explained.

Princess Luna watched quietly. I realized that there was little chance of any trouble but I liked being thorough and she tolerated that. She cleared her throat. “And where will you be, sergeant?”

I turned and walked over and took up position exactly at her left. I said, “Glued to your hip, Princess.”

The Princess looked over and smiled at me. “Very well then,” she said and then added teasingly, “boss.”

That drew giggles from the guards around the room and I glared at them. They quickly fell silent and I said, “Okay, one more time from the top everypony.”

***

Princess Luna paced slowly back and forth in the antechamber as we awaited the arrival of the lead gryphon dignitary Duke Cassius and his entourage. The two of us were alone and I felt the nervous energy radiating from her. She was tense and even fidgeted. At first it was easy to ignore. I didn’t want to embarrass her but eventually it seemed as if she was getting worked up.

“Are you alright, Princess?”

Slowly she nodded before responding, “This is the first major function that my sister has trusted me with. Silent Knight, I haven’t done anything like this in a long time… to be honest I never really did. When I was banished I wasn’t that experienced in being a ruler. By thy standards I was little more than a filly. What if this goes wrong? We could find ourselves in a war!”

“Princess, you’ve spent a lot of time preparing for this. Your strategy is excellent and you’ll execute it masterfully. Of that I have no doubt at all,” I replied.

“Yes, I have prepared but thou knows as well as I do that that barely applies to the real world. Perhaps it is too soon for me to do this?” she asked. “It wouldn’t be too late to ask Tia.”

It only took a second to cross the room to the alicorn’s side. Setting my hoof on her foreleg I asked, “Princess, do you know the difference between fear and terror?”

She shook her head no.

“When it comes to battle or competition every pony should be afraid. Fear keeps your senses sharp. It gives you the extra second of pause before you do take action. Fear is what helps keep you alive in those horrible situations. It even keeps us extra careful in far more mundane situations. It shouldn’t be viewed as an enemy. It is a friend."

“Terror, on the other hoof, is when you let fear start calling the plays. Instead of allowing it to heighten your sense you let it consume them. All you can see is failure and you’re paralyzed. You freeze up and ultimately that gets you killed."

“You are a far stronger pony than you give yourself credit for. I can see it in you in the same way I can look at a line of guards and know which ones will keep moving forward in a crisis. It is in your eyes. It is in your heart. Princess if you do want to take your rightful place as the co-ruler of all ponies you’re going to need to start somewhere. How else will you learn?”

With a deep breath I pushed on. “Luna, I know you perceive the large shadow your sister casts as all-consuming. I empathize completely. Trying to live up to my father’s reputation and my family line seems insurmountable some days. In time I may reach the standard that has been set. I may also not. The most important thing is that I had to start somewhere.

“I’m not going to let my fears turn into terror. Each day I take a step forward. One hoof in front of the other. That is what keeps me going and I know that you can do this. You will do this. This is what you’re meant to do. Do you know how I know?”

She shook her head no once again.

“If you told me I had to walk into a fire with you I’d do it without hesitation. If you told me for the good of Equestria I had to stand and be slain I’d do it without hesitation. If you asked me to lay down my sword in the face of the enemy I’d do it without hesitation. Princess Luna, you represent half the leadership of all ponies. Own that role and be the pony that you know in your heart that you are.”

Princess Luna straightened to her full height and looked down at me. I felt as though I could see her resolve strengthening. “Perhaps it is time that I started casting my own shadow then. Thank thou Silent Knight. I am glad that thou has such confidence in me.” She took a deep breath and settled her crown on her head. “Alright, they should arrive to the palace soon. We had best go and take our positions.”

“Yes, Princess,” I replied before heading to the door and opening it for her.