The throne room was empty except for Princess Celestia, her aide Raven and two royal guards. Celestia was looking through some papers, holding them with her magic, frustration evident on her face. It hadn’t been long since an incident happened in Ponyville. One where her former student had nearly been assassinated. This had caused a lot of commotion both in Ponyville and in Canterlot. Ponies were talking. Rumors flew in the air. Of course, this incident had started a series of investigations too. Investigations of which reports Celestia was holding onto right now.
Without any warning, Celestia threw the papers at a wall in anger with her magic, startling others in the room.
”Same thing! Everypony is saying the same thing!” she yelled. ”’No clues found, no information, dead end’. Is it too much to ask for ANY good news in this matter!?”
The royal guards glanced at each other in worry. Princess Celestia was not happy. And why should she be? They knew why. It wasn’t exactly a secret.
”Your Highness…” Raven said, her voice trembling a bit. ”They have done all what they could.”
”And it wasn’t enough!” Celestia said. ”After all the investigations we have NOTHING. We are right where we started two weeks ago. An assassin manages to slip by our defenses and nopony notices anything until it’s too late. Haven’t we learned anything from…”
The double doors opened and everypony saw Princess Luna walking in.
”What is all this racket about?” Luna asked. ”The nobles are giving you trouble again, Celestia?” She noticed the scattered papers and picked one up with her magic. It only took her one glance to know what they were about. “Oh.”
Celestia rubbed her own forehead. “Sergeant Lance Shield and his family deserve justice and I can’t give it to them at all. And they’re not the only ones.”
“Princess Twilight?” Luna asked.
Celestia nodded. “When I wanted to post a guard for Twilight, this was not what I had in mind.”
“Yet if you had not, Twilight might have perished.” Luna said. “The condition she was in when we arrived was not good. Not to mention she is lucky her friend Rainbow Dash was there to save her.”
Celestia looked at the floor, sighing. “I know, Luna. But it doesn’t change the facts. I should have posted two guards instead of one. At least then the assassin wouldn’t have overpowered anypony.”
“You do not know that. You could not have possibly known it would happen.”
“But I should have, Luna.” Celestia said, tears forming in her eyes. “In all the years I’ve ruled Equestria, I have experienced plenty of attempts of assassinations. It was the only reason why I wanted Twilight to have at least one guard for now, even though it hasn’t been that long since she ascended.” She stood up and walked to the recently restored glass painting depicting alicorn Twilight wearing her crown. “And now… she suffers the same thing I once did.”
Luna also looked at the glass window. “She is a strong mare, Celestia, and she will only get stronger from here on.”
“Or she’s going to feel uncontrollable fear and doubt.” She suddenly hit the wall right next to the glass window, making the wall crack. “A thousand curses to whoever sent that assassin!”
Luna looked at Celestia. “Do not forget Twilight’s friends. They are there for her.”
Celestia stayed quiet for a moment. “And how are her dreams, Luna?”
That made Luna lower her head and close her eyes. Over the last two weeks she had made sure to check on Twilight’s dreams as much as possible. What she had seen was the same thing over and over again. Twilight in a cage, watching as the assassin battled the guard… and won every time. She had even talked to Twilight once. It wasn’t enough. After that she had appeared to her every night, erasing the nightmare, and silently just comforted her. It was all she could do for her and she hated that fact.
Luna’s silence was all Celestia needed to know and she hit the wall again, making the cracks bigger. “Same nightmare every night. She’s unable to forgive herself even after everything we’ve said.” Celestia lowered her head, crying now. “Just like I can’t.”
The two guards glanced at each other, worried.
“It was the first time she witnessed somepony perishing like that, was it not?” Luna asked, looking at Celestia.
“It… was.” Celestia said. “I suppose I can only blame myself for that too. She has lived a sheltered life.”
“Again, you do not know that, Celestia.” Luna said. “Even if she had not lived like she had, she could have still ended up like this. Not to mention Equestria had not seen or heard of somepony getting… murdered for ages.”
“Take a good guess who the previous pony was. Or the pony before that.”
Luna didn’t need to think long and hard. “Your guards.”
Celestia nodded, her tears falling on the cold floor. “All of them. You would think… that I had learned from my mistakes by now. But it seems that’s not the case. This whole thing proves that. It’s so frustrating, Luna.”
“You would rather they do not do their job?” Luna asked, looking a bit angry. “To just stand there and look intimidating? To do absolutely nothing they should?”
“At least they would be alive then!” Celestia yelled. “Who are we to deny that? To demand they give their lives to me? To us?” She sighed. “I’m so tired of this, Luna.”
“You say it like it is you who ended them.” Luna said.
“I might as well have been. None of them are different from this.”
“But Sergeant Lance Shield did not perish by protecting you, but by protecting Twilight.” Luna said.
“On my orders, Luna!” Celestia yelled, looking at Luna. “On MY… orders…”
The room went quiet. Only Celestia’s tears hitting the floor could be heard.
“I’m sorry.” Celestia said.
Luna shook her head. “Don’t be. I understand, Celestia.” She looked at the glass painting of Twilight. “But you should believe in Twilight as you always have ever since she became your student. Was that not the reason why you taught her? Because you believed she could pass every… test you gave her? Overcome the trials she would face?”
Celestia looked at the glass painting. “I do believe in her, Luna. She’s exceeded all of my expectations, but this… … I guess I was fooling myself, thinking this would never happen to her and it hurts. It hurts so much.”
It was then they both heard hoofsteps. When they looked towards the throne, they saw the two royal guards approaching them. The princesses turned to face them, confused. The guards suddenly bowed at them, rose up and saluted.
“On this day, in front of the Sun and the Moon, we vow to protect our home, our Equestria, from those who would destroy it. We will become the shield and we will become the wall. Forever will we follow our Sun and Moon. Forever will our lives be theirs. Today we become royal guards.”
The room went silent as both Celestia and Luna and even Raven looked at the guards. It didn’t take long for Celestia to understand what they had uttered.
“What are you two doing?” she asked.
Neither of the guards moved as one of them spoke. “Reminding you why we are here, Your Highness, and to say we have no regrets.”
Celestia closed her eyes, remembering the first time those words were uttered. How the entire then small Equestria heard the battle cry of the first royal guards. None of them doubted, backed off or showed fear. They were ready and willing. Willing to protect Equestria, their loved ones, and to serve them.
Celestia shed tears as she opened her eyes, weakly smiling, “Arise. Arise and be proud of what you have become. Today, you have made a sacred vow. A vow to serve this land. A vow to protect this land. Today, we are proud to call you our new royal guards.”
The two royal guards bowed and returned to their posts. She could never forget that day. She could easily remember how she stood on a balcony, looking down at the first royal guards. She remembered using the Royal Canterlot Voice back then and the sound of the spears hitting the ground at the same time, making the ground shake.
“No regrets… huh.” Celestia muttered.
Luna smiled. “I will never grow tired of hearing that. It is so nostalgic and inspiring. Immortal.”
“It is indeed immortal, Luna.” Celestia said. “Not once has it changed since it was first uttered.” She looked at her throne, wiping her tears away.
Luna looked at Celestia. “They know what that vow means to them, what it can mean for their fate. Yet they are all loyal to you, Celestia. Just as my night guards are loyal to me.” She then looked at the glass painting of Twilight. “Just as Sergeant Lance Shield was loyal to Twilight Sparkle, however short that was.”
Celestia lowered her head. “It doesn’t change the fact that he deserves justice and we are failing to deliver that.”
“It is still too early to give up, Tia.” Luna said. “You are honoring his memory just by trying to find the vile creature who orchestrated this whole thing. Do not give up until all the doors are closed.”
Celestia looked at the glass painting of Twilight for a while. The memory of Twilight hugging her while crying came back to her.
“You’re right, Luna.” Celestia said as she looked at her secretary, Raven, and nodded. “Have all the teams investigate one more time. I need to be absolutely sure we are not missing anything.”
Raven nodded. “It shall be done.” and she began to write a message.
Celestia looked back at the glass painting, deep in thought. “Whoever you are, we will find you. However long it will take.”
