A guard's new life

The guards of the royal palace in Canterlot are known far and wide for their loyalty to the princesses, their hard work and their dedication. Guards had two jobs, follow all orders from the princesses and protect what they order to protect. They worked in eight-hour shifts, got well payed and got three meals a day.

That's the life a guard named Golden Lance loved more than anything in the world. He graduated knight school and trained hard to be accepted into the royal guards at 20 years of age. He loved the monotone daily routine and the simple job of standing guard. He didn't need much in his life. He had a nice income, a nice job, and friends among the other guards, with which he would go out into town for a drink or two on a day off. That is, he went out with the other guards to keep appearance and up to date with the outside world.

Living in the barracks of the castle made sure he didn't have to pay rent and to socialize with others as he was a work hard and scarcely play kind of pony. His way of thinking and life could be seen clearly simply by looking at him. He always kept his white fur immaculately clean, his royal blue main cut short and his armor and weapon sparkling. All the while his face was fixated in an emotionless expression while at work. When he was off work, he always had a light frown but otherwise kept the same face as during guard duty. Even when his guard friends tried to make him laugh, he kept his sour face. This earned him the nick name guard of stone.

That was his life for 20 years. All this time working in the royal guard sure took its toll on him. Especially since Canterlot got attacked more than once by villains. Not to mention the destruction of the palace on multiple occasions. As he is an earth pony, Golden Lance had to use his strength alone to keep the castle save, he sustained physical wear, far earlier than a normal pony should. Other guards during that time weren't much better of either. But that still wouldn't keep him from serving the princesses. It is his duty after all.

Or at least it was until princess Celestia and princess Luna resigned the throne and gave charge over Equestria to princess Twilight Sparkle. Golden Lance had respect for the princess. After all, she saved Equestria on multiple occasions from certain doom. He was content of serving in the royal guard until he dropped. He wouldn't have had it any other way, but princess Twilight Sparkle had other plans.

With more and more other creatures starting to get positions in the royal guard, pony guards which had to go through rougher times than others during major incidents, were sent into an early retirement. She called it "rent a guard" program. As most pony guards like Golden Lance still wanted to stay royal guards but wouldn't be able to be of much help during a bigger incident, they were given the option of becoming guards for other ponies but still retain the title royal guard.

Golden Lance knew for sure that he would have to be part of that "rent a guard" program, if he wanted to stay a royal guard and serve Equestria's now sole ruler. Even if it ment being stationed somewhere else besides the palace in Canterlot, Golden Lance would never even think about retiring. But not even princess Twilight Sparkle couldn't have known what his new position would entail. Not that she would have ever known to beginn with.