Shining Armor glowered at the reams of papers that stacked in piles across his desk. An inconvenient necessity of any position of authority, and these days it seemed more necessary and so much more inconvenient.
There came a knocking from his office door, hesitant at first, then more forceful. As much as he welcomed the distraction, Shining carefully rolled the open scroll in front of him and sealed it with hot wax before calling “Enter”.
“Sorry to disturb you, Your Highness.” One of Shining Armor’s junior officers, a newly-promoted pegasus Second Lieutenant named Flash Sentry, walked into the room.
Shining’s eyes narrowed. “I do still happen to bear the rank of Captain, Lieutenant Sentry,” he said in a slightly irritated tone.
There was a brief flicker of panic in Flash Sentry’s eyes, before he assumed a ramrod straight posture and snapped off a near textbook-perfect salute. “Yes, sir! Sorry, Captain Shining Armor, sir!”
Shining Armor’s expression softened slightly as he returned the salute. “At ease, Lieutenant; just save the 'Prince' and 'Your Highness' nonsense for when there are civilians present.”
“Yes, Captain.” The pegasus relaxed his stance, sweeping the helmet from his head and tucking it under the orange pinions of his left wing.
“Now, what can I do for you, Flash? I’m sure this isn’t just a social visit.”
“No, sir.” Flash Sentry hesitated for just a second, then reached into an inside pocket of his barding and plucked out a sheet of folded parchment with his teeth. He took a step forward and placed it carefully among the other paperwork on Shining’s desk, before stepping back and resuming his 'at-ease' stance. “I’d like to request a transfer, sir.”
Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you happy with your current posting, Lieutenant?”
“Perfectly happy, Captain. It’s just…” the pegasus swallowed nervously. “I, I’d like to request a specific posting, sir.”
Shining Armor glanced down at the parchment before him. A second eyebrow shot up in surprise, joining the first. “I see,” he said. He returned his gaze to Flash Sentry, who was now doing his best impression of the eyes-forward, steadfast Royal Guard stereotype. “My reports tell me that there are plenty of locals willing to sign up for this, and there are certainly plenty of other Guards that are more than suited for the post… tell me, Lieutenant, why I should consider granting this request? Bucking for another promotion already?”
“No sir! Just looking to serve the Royal Pony Sisters and Equestria to the best of my abilities, sir!” Flash Sentry barked.
The unicorn captain’s face grew dark. He stood up from behind his desk and started pacing back and forth in front of Flash Sentry.
“I didn’t fall to earth in the last rain shower, Lieutenant; and my parents didn’t raise me for a fool.” Shining stopped in front of Flash, his muzzle just inches from the pegasus’ own. “So stop trying to blow rainbows up my tail and tell me the truth!” he thundered.
Flash closed his eyes and gulped. When he opened them again, he stared directly into the face of his superior officer. “It’s because of... her, sir,” he said softly.
“Her?”
“The Princess, sir.” His eyes flickered to the framed picture that graced the corner of the Captain’s desk.
Shining Armor followed his gaze. “What about the Princess?”
“Captain Armor… sir… I don’t care if the assignment is just standing guard day and night by her castle gate, come rain, snow, or sunshine. Or even scrubbing latrines or peeling potatoes for the rest of her Guards. The truth is that I would lay down life and limb for her in a heartbeat, sir, and do so with a smile on my face, just to keep her safe... but the fact of the matter is that I can’t do any of that from here, sir.” Flash Sentry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “The truth is, I.. I love her, Captain.”
Silence. Flash opened his eyes and found Captain Armor sitting back on his haunches, staring at him intently, expression unreadable.
“Given my position, Lieutenant, that was either a very brave or very foolish thing to admit,” Shining said, voice carefully neutral. “Possibly both.”
“Sir.”
There was a long period of silence, broken only by the ticking of the clock on wall and by the steady trot of a troop of Guards marching past the window. Both ponies continued to stare at each other.
Flash Sentry broke first. “I understand perfectly if you reject my request, sir.” He took his crested helm from beneath his wing and slipped it onto his head. “Sorry for wasting your time.” Head hung low, wings drooping open, he turned towards the door.
“Second Lieutenant Flash Sentry,” Shining Armor intoned softly. “I didn’t dismiss you.”
Flash instantly spun around and stood to attention. No matter what else, for now at least he was still an officer in the Royal Guard.
Shining Armor stood and walked slowly back to his desk. He sat down in his chair and stared at the paperwork in front of him.
“I’m assigning you to her personal protection detail, Lieutenant.”
Flash’s jaw sagged open. “Sir?” he eventually managed.
“Are you hard of hearing, Lieutenant Sentry? Should I reconsider and assign the position to somepony whose ears actually work? Are you questioning my decision?”
“Er, n-no, Captain. Th-thank you, this is better than I ever could have hoped for; but I have to know, given everything I’ve just said… why?”
Shining Armor gazed fondly at the pony in the picture frame. “Lieutenant Sentry… Flash. It goes without saying that she is beyond precious to me. That’s why I need ponies to watch over her for which 'protect and serve' is not just a job description, it’s a way of life; ponies who I can trust to go that extra step to make certain she’s safe; ponies not afraid to tell me the truth.” The unicorn captain levelled his gaze at his subordinate. “Thank you for being honest with me, Lieutenant.”
Shining rummaged about his desk for an ink pad and stamp. He pressed the metal gently into the pad, then slammed it down onto the parchment with a solid *thunk!*. “Request for transfer approved, Second Lieutenant Flash Sentry. You won’t fail me.” He saluted, his tone of voice leaving no doubts that it was not a question.
Flash Sentry crisply returned the salute, then turned and walked on slightly shaking legs towards the door.
“And Flash,” Shining Armor called, causing the pegasus to pause just as he was about to leave the room. “Pack warm clothing; it’s called the Frozen North for a reason.”
Flash Sentry smiled. “Yes, sir. Thank you again, Captain.”
As the door closed with a gentle click, Captain Shining Armor turned his gaze back to the picture on his desk. He reached out a hoof and gently stroked the frame. “Ah, Mi Amore Cadenza,” he sighed. “Why must you affect us poor stallions so?”
