Instating the New Captain
Author's Note
Sorry that this one was slow. I was having trouble figuring out how I wanted to start it. I think it might be shorter than most of my other stories... but I think that's ok. I hope there aren't too many inconsistencies in this first chapter.
Instating the New Captain
I stared at myself in the mirror. My mane was hidden by the polished iron helmet. My coat was hidden by the polished iron armor and exceedingly plain saddle blanket. The enchantment on both made what little of my mane escaped through the crest of the helmet and my tail appear a dull blue color. What little of my coat could be seen was dull grey. I looked like your standard guard apprentice. Or I guess Trainee would be more accurate.
I heard one of the other trainees call out to me and acknowledged. Today was the day. Today, one of us was getting a very special position. Those who weren’t chosen would be added to the Celestial and Lunar guard.
Thirty stallions and mares trotted out of the barracks. Our armor glinting in the sunlight. Princess Celestia looked radiant as always, glowing in the sunlight. Princess Luna looked tired. I didn’t blame her. These weren’t her usual hours. I wanted to offer her some of my mother’s special pumpkin spice coffee, but I didn’t have any. Princess Twilight stood between them. She was adorned in a crown and nothing else. She still didn’t have regalia befitting her position.
All of us snapped to attention, turned to our left, and faced the Princesses. I was positioned directly in the middle of the recruits. Right in front of them. Due to this, I couldn’t see Celestia. I saw Twilight lean to her mentor and mouth a question. The answer must have surprised her because her eyes were on me and only me. Bulwark walked between us for a moment, breaking line of sight. He was giving a speech. I couldn’t hear it. My eyes were on the Princesses. Specifically, on Twilight. Who was directly in front of me. Glancing at Luna, I caught her look and mentally shook myself. Captain Bulwark was addressing me.
“Sir, yes sir. I apologize sir. I didn’t hear you.” I said as loud as was respectful.
“I said step forward and remove your helmet, recruit. Princess Celestia wishes to see both of your eyes.” He said. I froze. I hadn’t shown anypony, not even Bulwark, my right eye. “Recruit. Are you ignoring an order from the Princess?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. Stepping forward, I sat down and raised my hooves to remove my helmet. No magic would work on recruit armor. The iron was enchanted to be resistant to any form of magic. My hooves stopped just before they met my helmet. Internally, I was panicking. If they saw my eye, they’d know. Wouldn’t they? It wasn’t exactly a secret that I had a mutation due to the circumstances of my birth. It was rather hard to hide needle sharp canine teeth when you ate with a group of twenty-nine other ponies.
I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. If they knew my heritage, would they exile me? Would all of that training be for nothing? Would they turn me to stone? Display me in the garden as the failed infiltrator? Thoughts swirled in my head. A pair of purple hooves alighted on mine. My thoughts froze. All there was, all there needed to be, was her. Princess Twilight. Together, we removed my helmet. My red eye came into view, the slit pupil contracting as it met the sunlight before expanding again.
There was silence. I wasn’t sure if it was because Princess Twilight had to help me take off my helmet. It was probably because of my eye. It had to be. Bulwark and Celestia were talking. Luna had taken over interviewing the recruits. Twilight hadn’t moved. We just stared at each other. After what seemed like forever, her hooves left mine and she returned to her mentor’s side. Luna returned to the platform a moment later. Bulwark returned to the rest of us. “All recruits, remove your helmets.”
An echo of metal sliding over fur sounded around me. Off key, off tempo. Everyone moved differently. I heard murmurs around me. They were questioning why my eyes were different colors. A gentle clop on the platform silenced them. “You. Explain why your eyes are different.” Celestia said, pointing at me. I stepped up, now fully resigned to the hatred and shunning and fear I would get.
“Princess. I am Arcane Sigil, only son of the singer Lavender Heart. My eyes are different…” I paused. I couldn’t lie to a Princess. We were trained to obey any and all orders given by the Princesses. “My eyes are different because my father is a Changeling.” The expected sounds of anger came from the recruits behind me. Demanding I get chased out. If my father was one of “those bugs” I couldn’t be any better. I moved to put my helmet back on.
“Why do you wish to be a guard?” Luna asked. I looked at her, grip on my helmet tightening so much I felt the metal shift.
“To prevent what happened to my mother from ever happening to another pony again. I will not see another pony lose their livelihoods because of an unwanted child.” The murmurs stopped. Luna visibly flinched. I knew my mother was in the crowd somewhere. I knew she didn’t think that way. This event was public, so families could congratulate the new guards. I also knew that it was because of my conception that my mother lost her job as one of the premiere songstresses in Equestria.
“Please return to the line.” Celestia said. I bowed, lifted my helmet and put it back on and stepped back into the line. None of my fellow recruits would even look at me. They stared either straight ahead or at the ground.
~~~~
One by one, the other recruits were chosen. Their armor turned gold or silver, the shields on their chests gained either a sun or a moon, and they stepped to stand beside their Captain. I was last. I wondered if I’d even be chosen. The crowd finally went silent, the last of the cheers from the last chosen pony’s friends and family dying down. “Guard Recruit Arcane Sigil. Remove your helmet.” Celestia ordered. I took my helmet off and set it on the ground in front of me.
“We have deliberated amongst ourselves, as have our Captains.”
“I don’t want him in the Night Guard. That helmet is a weakness we cannot afford.” Captain Noctis said, his words harsh but ultimately fair.
“I trained him, and I can already tell you that his hoof-to-hoof combat needs work.” Captain Bulwark said. My shoulders slumped. That meant I wasn’t going to be in the Celestial Guard either.
“Given thus, we have decided to instate a new guard regiment. As you know, there are three Princesses in Equestria, with Princess Cadance ruling in the Crystal Empire with her husband, Captain Shining Armor. One Princess does not have her own guard Captain, let alone guards. From this day forth, Guard Captain Arcane Sigil, you will lead the Twilight Guard as the Captain of the Guard for Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia said. I looked up at her as a beam of light emanated from her horn and hit my shield. It turned a shade of purple only slightly darker than Twilight’s coat, her Cutiemark appearing in the center. My helmet followed suit, turning a metallic purple color.
“We expect you to fill your Twilight Guard regiment within a month with ponies you trust. They will be trained here in Canterlot and returned to you to aid you in defending Princess Twilight Sparkle and her sovereignty of Ponyville.” Celestia continued. The crowd remained silent for a moment as Twilight stepped up in front of me and took my helmet in her hooves.
“I am trusting you with the protection of my home and my friends, Captain Sigil.” She said. I bowed for her as she put my helmet on me, her Cutiemark appearing on the side and the silver trim turning dark blue.
“I take the honor with gratitude, Princess Twilight. From this day forth, your safety is my first priority as your Captain of the Twilight Guard. I will not fail in my duty to keep you safe.” I said, standing straight and proud.
The ceremony was over moments later. Twilight had joined the other princesses at a table near the doors of the castle. Twilight’s friends were at a table closer to theirs. The other newly appointed guards were with their families. I sat alone, my helmet on the table in front of me. I hadn’t exactly made any friends among the recruits. Was I really worthy to guard the Princess of Friendship? My mother joined me, with food and drinks, and I smiled. For now, I’d have to be worthy. I’d have to be enough.
