The princesses and the beast

The next morning, Princess Twilight was to accompany you to Celestia Castle in Canterlot to clarify your situation and what was to become of you. Understanding that your future would be played out today, be the orders that the princesses would reveal to you, you didn't sleep last night like many others.

You are used to staying awake after a battle, that it was long, tiring to see that you were seriously injured, your nervous systems are always awake and force you to stay awake as well. You are not here to sleep, you had neither the time nor the desire.

That is why when the sun was just beginning to rise above the cloud on which you have been sitting for a few hours, contemplating the horizon of plains and green fields below you that you had never seen before, you decide to leave.

And while all the inhabitants of Ponyville have been able to sleep soundly thanks to your intervention, they are once again surprised to see you wandering the streets. Princess Twilight hasn't mentioned where she lives, so you set out to find her and set off on your quest, which you would have done if you knew where Canterlot was.

Unfortunately, last night's guards left as soon as the gate closed, you ordered them to transmit the events of the night to Celestia. Perhaps you should have followed them instead of staying on the cloud, but you didn't want to risk another one of those portals appearing in your absence.

So now you are walking on your hind legs, your trusty spear in your hoof, and would like to ask for the location of Princess Twilight's house. You don't see any castle here and you were wondering about her habitat, why won't she have a building like these equals, or is it because it's new? It's true that your father just told you about Princess Celestia and Luna.

So, when Twilight finally decides to get up, clean up, have breakfast and get back to her daily routine, she suddenly remembered that she had other plans than to put away the books in her library.

"Spike!" Call her, spanking the strap came quickly. "I have to go see Princess Celestia and Luna today, so I'm counting on you to take care of the library while I'm gone."

"Count on me Twilight," he nodded, letting his mistress go. And it was when he opened the door of her house that a shadow covered her as she expected to see and feel the sun on her skin. It is while looking ahead that she saw you, on your knees, with your spear straight and your hoof against your chest, as yesterday in front of Princess Celestia.

Is he was not alone, you noticed that many other ponies were present around you, staring at you strangely. Probably because of your posture, which most of them found unusual. Indeed, few ponies knelt before the Princess of Friendship.

"Good morning Princess Twilight, did you sleep well?" You asked politely, which only increased the number of glances at you, finding the question very rude indeed.

"Er... yes, thank you!" She says she's embarrassed that everyone's watching your discussion.

"Do you think we can get going, is Princess Celestia busy at this time of day?" You ask again.

"No, she'll be free for us, don't worry," she said before she went out and closed the door. "We can go, just follow me if I'm not very quick," she warned you.

"All right, Princess Twilight!" You nod before you stand up and spread your wings, each the size of a whole pony, casting their shadows over those around them.

Twilight still blushes with embarrassment as everyone watches you both take off, your hooves creating a vibration across the ground as you leave. You finally set off, without having to answer any more questions from him.

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It took you about an hour to reach the city of Canterlot, although it would have been much faster if you knew the way yourself. In fact, you memorized it perfectly during your trip, which will probably be useful if you have to make round trips.

The buildings are much bigger and more imposing than those in Poneyville, especially when you finally see the castle of Princesses Celestia and Luna. It almost rivals the mountain you've lived on all your life. Except that the climate there has been hostile compared to the soothing warmth of the sun on your body right now.

Twilight ends up landing on the ground in front of the front door, completely exhausted from the trip despite the good night's sleep, she's not used to flying so much in such a short time.

"Are you all right, Princess Twilight?" Ask yourself when you see her almost staggering around.

"I'm... fine... let's... go!" She says, blowing very hard between each word.

The gate guards let you through when they see who's with you. You can see them from the corner of your eye staring at you attentively, wondering how such a creature like you could exist.

You enter and are quickly led into the princess' quarters at the top of the castle by other guards who are also impressed by your stature. You hope they do not mistake you for a potential enemy simply because you are strangely taller than any of the ponies here, except for Princess Celestia, who is about your size of course.

You finally get to the last door that separates you from her and open it by letting Princess Twilight in first. You follow the step and see the Princess of the Sun lying comfortably on a cousin, with at her side the other princess your father told you about, Luna, the Princess of the Moon.

Without waiting for any orders from them, you knelt down as usual and cheered.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, good morning, it is my great honor to converse with you today from your quarters!" Tell you first. "I hope we are not intruding!" Then say to yourself.

"Don't worry about it, Lance, there's nothing wrong with your visit," nodded Princess Celestia in reply. You're still on the ground when you hear a whisper, but with your head down, you don't know what it is. "Can you please come and stay here?" Then you propose to the Sun Princess.

You accept without further request and head for the red cousin Princess Celestia shows you, it's the same pillow as hers. You kneel on it and put your spear beside you and place your hooves on your knees. Your position brings some stunned looks from them.

"How do you get your joints reversed?" You asked the Princess Twilight who sat next to her fellow men, simply sitting on it.

Indeed, your front and hind legs have joints that work in the exact opposite direction of normal ponies. If even princesses are surprised by this, it is because you must be the first pony they see in this formation. Deciding to return to your usual chivalry, you answer them.

"I don't know why I'm any different from any of you princesses. My father has the same training, I suppose I must take after him!" Did you answer, hoping not to be too far from the truth.

"Well, that in addition to your size like the most imposing of minotaurs, you're a very unusual person, Lance," replied the Princess of the Moon.

You thanked her for her comment by nodding your head, and you couldn't help but notice the interested glances of the other two princesses. You seem to intrigue them very much, and since you are a strange specimen, you could understand their desire to know more about you.

"So, Lance!" Said Princess Celestia as she left her silence, "Where are you from?"

Without having to think more than that, you tell the Star Princesses what you told the Princess Twilight last night. Who you are, what your past was and how you ended up here, your father sending you for the first time out of the mountain you'd spent your life in.

"And finally, that scar was inflicted on me by one of those deformed, punctured creatures when I was very young, about five years old!" Finish your monologue.

The princesses, who until they listened to it attentively, took a face and eyes full of surprise. As it was in your last sentence, you deduce that it is this one that disturbs them. "Did I say something strange?" Ask yourself.

"Well, that's not what I would call a life personally," the Sun Princess tells you, her sister nods at once. "And so, you don't know what emotions are?" She then asked you.

"The Princess Twilight pointed me in the right direction, but I'm no expert," you said in reply.

"No, we're not asking you to be an expert on emotions," she clarified quickly. "Excuse us for a moment, please," she says next.

"As you wish," you reply with a nod.

You now see the three of them going out to the balcony to converse in the open air. You don't look at them once they are behind the window and look straight ahead, staring at the wall and waiting for them to come back.

You wonder if knowing your emotions would help you in any kind of combat, if your father never told you about them, it's good that they should be useless for this mission, to protect Equestria from all dangers. But on the other hand, the princesses of Equestria are your ultimate goal, to protect them at the risk of your life, you would do it without hesitation.

You hope that they give you the opportunity to protect not only their royalty, but also Equestria as a whole. You end up no longer wondering when you hear them coming back in your direction.

"We have thought about it Lance, and we have decided on many things," the Princess of the Sun told you, and then her sister spoke up.

"First of all, we thank you again for stopping Queen Chrisalice's attack, as my sister has done to me learned"

"I only did my duty Princess Luna, no need to thank me," you replied.

"Fine, but we've decided what to do with you," she said afterwards, spanking you to listen even more carefully if that was possible. "We understand your purpose and have decided to integrate you into the Royal Guard as a guard affiliated with Princess Twilight and Ponyville in its entirety."

At the understanding of this revelation, you prostrate yourselves as a sign of gratitude. "I can never thank you enough for the honor you have shown me, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight" with you says.

"The reason we have made this choice is also so that she and her friends can teach you the benefits of friendship and emotions, you will understand why they are indispensable for the protection of Equestria" Princess Luna tells you. No matter what one of her will ask of you, you will carry out your mission simply by thinking of fulfilling it. They are not the highest rulers of Equestria for nothing and you put yourself at their complete disposal.

That is your destiny.

"We have warned the captain of the Shining Armor Guard of your adhesion, he will visit you tomorrow, accept your mission, great warrior," Princess Celestia then says to you with joy.

"All your words are orders, Princess Celestia," you said again with your head bowed. Then you felt a hoof resting on your head delicately and decided not to move. Perhaps it was the moment of the oath that would proclaim me a royal guard to Princess Twilight.

"Come Lance, let's go back to Ponyville! I'll introduce you to my friends." Did you hear, acknowledging the sweet, shy voice of the princess you'll have to protect more than any other.