“Again!” Zipp bellowed.
A collective moan resounded from the ranks of trainees as they expressed their eagerness for the exercise to come to an end. With her teeth clenched, she searched for the only reasonable way to make an impact on these ponies, muttering expletives under her breath as she donned her armor. She tightened the straps as her wings glided into their metal casings. With a satisfying metallic clink, Zipp unfurled her wings, revealing the lethal blades to the squad in their full glory.
“Contrary to how your previous regiments trained you, here we must be specialists in close-quarters combat as well as defense-of-the-asset.”
Zipp took a couple of steps to make sure she was clear of anypony before taking a few warm-up strikes. With the precision of a grizzled veteran, she sliced through the air as the swish of metal grabbed the squad's attention.
“Now first position.” She extended her wing in front of her creating a wall of steel that could easily conceal an average stallion. “This is vital as your first priority is to protect the asset.”
“Doesn’t seem like a very effective means of concealment, Captain.” A gruff voice chimed in. “Somepony can easily attack you from the rear where you’re exposed.”
“Correct,” she answered dryly. “Your goal is to avoid, delay, or stall the attack on the attacker or attackers long enough for your detail to remove them from the area, or worst case, do what you must to ensure the survival of your assignment.”
“Essentially you take on the brunt of the attack while the asset escapes.” The selectee scoffed. “Sounds like a death wish to me.”
“Lieutenant!” Zipp barked, causing Pipp who was fixing her mane with her helmet to come to attention. “Somepony would like a demonstration.”
Her sister nodded as she trotted over to one of the training dummies and rolled it into place next to Zipp. The lieutenant then motioned to one of the other instructors on the edge of the room. Following the command, the pegasus grabbed a rope, secured it to the training dummies platform, and started slowly rolling it forward. The captain took her position next to their makeshift asset as it started to part the sea of selectees.
“There will be missions in which you need to escort your assignment through a busy street or crowded district. Can anypony explain to me why this is highly dangerous?”
“Because the threat is unknown and it can potentially come from anywhere, captain!”
“Exactly!” Zipp watched out of the corner of her eye as her sister disappeared into the throng of ponies. “That’s why it's imperative that your head is on a constant swivel not only for the pony you're protecting but for your life as well.” Zipp parted a group of pegasi. “I promise you that at some point in your tenure here that you will find yourself in pairs or flying solo, what will you do then?”
“Not fly solo,” a higher voice added, causing her audience to chuckle.
Zipp slammed her hoof on the ground, causing the nearby pegasi to snap to attention. “That is not a luxury that we can afford, selectees. We will drill these signs into your head until you start to see everypony as a potential threat.”
A few grumbles emanated from the crowd, causing Zipp to dart in front of the first pony that broke eye contact with her.
“You won’t be grumbling when the pony you’re protecting has a knife in their head, selectee!” Zipp came inches from his muzzle as his eyes shook with panic. “Death is a real thing here, and ponies will do whatever it takes to complete their mission even at the expense of their own life.”
The pegasus remained frozen in place as Zipp's eyes searched for her sister.
“That’s why it’s imperative to not only the survival of the asset, but yourself to know the signs.”
Zipp took a hard turn into a group of selectees to mask their presence.
“They could have been trailing you for some time.”
She caught the faint movement of her sister pressing into the crowd that folded behind them.
“They could be wearing something that obscures their face or make them blend into the crowd better.”
Zipp watched as her sister leveled her head with the others in the audience as she stepped back disappearing into the sea of tarnished silver.
“One last thing that is not taught in a book.” Zipp felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “Trust your gut.”
A loud commotion broke out as Pipp, with her wings flared out, burst from the crowd, screeching like a banshee. Tracing her sister's eyes, Zipp lunged for the dummy as the lieutenant descended upon them with a lethal grace entrancing her audience. As her wings sealed them in a metal cocoon, Pipps metal wing found resistance, rattling Zipps teeth in her head from the sheer veracity of the impact sending her and the dummy backwards.
Channeling the energy from the strike Zipp twisted her hips to spin the dummy behind her shielding them with her wings . Zipp's hot breath steamed against the cold metal as she watched her sister warily, wondering what her next move would be. Pipp’s cocky grin made her nervous as something brash was about to happen. Suddenly, the lieutenant darted towards her leaping into the air. At the peak of her jump, Pipp arched her back and launched a silver dagger in Zipp's direction.
“Attention on deck!”
The barking order suddenly shifted the room into a standstill. Drilled instinct took over as Zipp snapped to attention along with the others, ready as her commanding officer entered the room. Only after clicking her hooves together did she remember the dagger hurtling towards her. With lightning reflexes, she lifted her wing, generating sparks that flew into her face as the dagger hit her wing and embedded itself into the wall behind her.
The room fell silent as Zipp watched the color drain from her sister's face. Despite the shock and fear she felt, she quickly regained her composure as Colonel Reckless Headwind made his way over to her. The sight of his imposing figure looming over her made her realize that she was in the presence of a legend among ponies - 'The Ursa'. This stallion was famous for his bravery and strength, having single-hoofedly held a fort against a full battalion of unicorns. His stature was equally impressive, rivaling that of the largest earth pony stallions that she had ever seen.
As Zipp focused her gaze on the far wall, the colonel began to circle her, grumbling to himself before reappearing in front of her once again.
“Captain.” The base of his voice caused Zipp to become a little more rigid as the fur on her neck stood on edge. “When are you authorized to use real weapon systems in a training environment?”
“Only with the approval of the commanding officer, sir.”
Colonel Headwind hummed as he leaned in close. “Did I sign off on you to conduct live weapons training?”
“No, sir.”
“So you took it upon yourself to conduct this extremely dangerous training?”
“Sir, I felt the best way to show the gravity of the situation was to utilize live weapon systems.”
The colonel paused for a moment considering the answer before scanning the room of selectees. “Captain, do you feel like you accomplished your goals?”
Zipp puffed out her chest. “Yes, sir!”
“Selectees, do you feel the captain has appropriately displayed the dangers this assignment could bring?”
“Yes, sir!” The room thundered in unison.
Zipp relaxed a bit as the breath she was holding finally escaped.
“Selectees, you will muster with Lieutenant Pipp after lunch, dismissed.” Orderly, the ponies began to file out of the room as the colonel strode past her.
Zipp watched with a mixture of apprehension and dread as the colonel closely examined the knife embedded in the wall. His eyes flickered as his hoof traced the sharp edge of the blade, noticing the faint trail of blood on it. As he turned to face her, Zipp felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew that this was a critical moment, one that could determine the course of her entire career. The colonel’s eyes bore into her, his gaze unyielding and intense.
“You’re lucky your sister wasn’t aiming for you,” he said evenly, retrieving the dagger and taking the tip to expose a tear through the center of the dummy's head. "You would have more than a cut on the ear."
As soon as the words left his mouth her adrenaline that had been coursing through her gave way to the scorching hot pain that enveloped her ear causing her to flinch. “I’ve had worse, sir.”
The colonel let out a hearty chuckle before flipping the knife to her. “If you’re going to do something stupid at least let me know. And for the love of the goddess, put on a helmet. I don’t even want to imagine the amount of paperwork that I’d have to do if my top instructor was killed in a training accident by her own sister.”
“My apologies, sir.” Zipp caught the dagger and swiftly sheathed under her wing. “I’ll give you a detailed report of future training evaluations for you to sign off on.”
“No need.” He gave her a warm smile patting her on the shoulder. “You know what’s best for the selectees.”
Zipp nodded, but something still felt off. “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking. Why did you show up to training today? I rarely see you outside of formal events.”
“Ah yes,” he replied, clicking his tongue. “You’re being reassigned.”
Zipp’s eyes went wide with shock. “What! Sir, what about Lieutenant Pipp?”
“She will remain with the training unit.”
"I'm failing to understand, sir. Why am I being punished?"
"Zipp, you're not being punished."
She was taken back when the colonel dropped her title which usually meant this was something of grave importance.
"Am I being deployed again?"
The colonel looked like he was about to say something, but turned and made his way over to a nearby window. Zipp cocked her head at the odd behavior but elected to follow him over to where he was.
"Zipp, I need you to understand that what I'm about to tell you is of the utmost importance and is a direct order from Queen Haven."
Zipp's eyes went wide. In all her years of service to the crown, she had never received a direct order from the queen. "She asked for me specifically?"
The colonel nodded, holding his gaze on a distant building. "You're being reassigned to a protection detail..."
"Oh, that's not that bad," Zipp cut in. "I mean, it's not high speed like what we used to do but it's still something."
He let out a sorrowful chuckle. "It's not for the queen."
Zipp cocked her head. "Who's it for?"
"The princess from Maretime Castle."
“A earth pony!” Zipp shouted, foregoing any military bearing. "Sir, I-I..."
"This is bigger than both of us grunts. It seems like the kingdoms are trying to broker some sort of peace and this was brought up as a way to show good faith or something."
"To have me protecting their dirt princess!" Zipp spat. "Do you know how many earth ponies I've killed?"
"Yes," the colonel said sternly before fixing his steely gaze on her. "Which is why it's imperative that you approach this assignment with an open mind. Failure to do so may plunge us back into another hundred years of war."
A flash of night filled the air with the chiling smell of blood. Zipp could feel the old cold of that dreadful evening skulk down her spine, jostling each vertebrae with every step. Her breathing hitched and her teeth clenched as she shook the memory away.
"Sir, I respectfully decline this position." Zipp lowered her head as the shame of being unfit for this assignment felt like a sucker punch to the gut. "I can't go forth and honorably serve with what has happened in the past. I need to be as far away from the war as I can until I can get my head on straight."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Captain," he said flatly.
There was an uneasy silence before the colonel returned to the window. Assuming that the conversation was done, Zipp decided to take her leave.
"Captain, one more thing." Zipp's ears perked up. "Do you know how your name even came up during the conversation?"
She paused in the middle of the training floor. "Because of my service record?"
"Fair guess, but there were other ponies with records that made you look like a filly."
Zipp stood there in confusion. Her spotless record spoke for itself, yet her age seemed to be an issue. She had outperformed and outshone pegasi that were twice her senior and yet she was still selected to be the lead instructor for the Queen's Guard. How did her name not naturally come up, she was literally right underneath their wings.
"I suggested your name."
Zipp turned back to the colonel who was now facing her. "Enlighten me, sir."
He chuckled at her brashness. "All of the available candidates were of the old guard, ones whom have fought in countless battles, and are steadfast in their beliefs. We needed somepony that has shown they are capable of change. The only reason your name wasn’t on the initial list was because you already have a position."
"Sir, with all due respect, Pipp would be more suitable for such an assignment."
"Yes, your sister is a very skilled warrior that could satisfy the requirements of this position. However, she lacks discipline." The colonel made his way over to her, placing a wing on her shoulder.
“So I’m the better choice, because I actually have military bearing.”
“Another reason, yes,” Reckless chuckled. "But, do you remember our reconnaissance mission we had in the Bridlewood forest?"
Zipp turned away as the heat and prickly pain of her coat hairs being singed dotted her back as she recalled the ear splitting boom and the blinding white light that engulfed the forest.
“The one that everything went horribly wrong?”
The colonel let out a haunting chuckle withdrawing his wing. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Well how else am I supposed to put it?”
Zipp recalled the chaotic screams as the forest burst into flames around them.
“That explosion came out of nowhere.”
“But you’re forgetting what you did.”
She remembered the eerie dark forest, the smell of mud and swamp water that permeated the air, and the laughter of children. “The foals and fillies.”
“Unicorn foals and fillies,” he clarified. “You shielded them from that explosion despite them being children of the enemy.”
“I did what anypony would do in that situation, colonel.”
He leaned down, leveling his eyes with hers. “You think others in our squad would have done the same for them?”
Zipp wanted to immediately say yes, but she remembered how they talked before the mission and how they degraded anypony that wasn’t a pegasus.
“This is why we need you, captain. You’re different.”
“I’m no different than any other pony on that squad,” she shot back.
“I never said it was a bad thing.” He lifted his head looking towards the window. “Our world needs somepony different, and I think you can start that change.” The colonel chuckled to himself. “You’re not here to save all Equestria Captain, this is just a sign of good faith that an earth pony princess can be protected by a pegasus soldier.”
Zipp took a moment as she weighed her options, but felt the nudge that he needed an answer now. "Alright, I accept."
"Good," he said cheerfully. "Because this was a direct order from the queen, so you really didn't have a choice anyway." With that, he strode off to the door. "Oh, you will need to report to the main hall this evening to review the details of your assignment."
Zipp looked around the room taking in what would be her last time as an esteem instructor. Now she would be reduced to a nameless guard that was essentially a shadow for another noble. Jetting off for the open door she needed to find her sister to vent her frustrations. Just as she broke the threshold, she came muzzle to muzzle with a purple blur.
"What in Tartarus are you doing here?" Zipp dug her hoof into her temple to quell the throbbing pain from the collision.
"Coming to find you dummy," Pipp scoffed. "Would it hurt for you to look before you gallop through the door?"
"I could say that to you!" She bit back. "Besides, how did you get here so quickly?"
The lieutenant chewed on her lower lip. "Umm."
"Pipp!" Zipp groaned adding to her already pounding headache. "Do you know how much trouble you'd get in if the colonel caught you?"
Pipp blew raspberries. "The colonel loves me, how else was I able to get away with attending that masquerade ball?"
"That's not something to brag about, lieutenant."
"Ah pish posh. Now tell me what the colonel said."
Zipp rolled her eyes. "Knowing you, you probably heard the whole thing."
"Okay, fine. You caught me red hoofed, but it was worth it!" Pipp bounced on her hooves as her wings fluttered with excitement. "You get to be with a real life earth pony princess!"
"I'm glad one of us is excited about this," Zipp groaned.
"I heard she is absolutely gorgeous with an orange coat that rivals the waning sun and a purple mane that smells of lavender." Pipp swooned using the nearby door to prop her up. "Oh, and I also heard that she has this very unique streak of mane that is rainbow colored."
"Rainbow mane, so she’s trying to be like Rainbow Dash?" Zipp chortled. "Sounds like a dream mare for you Pipp."
"Hey, a girl can dream."
"You fantasize about earth ponies?"
Pipp gave a licentious smile. "And unicorns too."
Zipp scrunched her nose up. "How are we even related?"
"Geesh, don't be such a drag. Just because the only thing you show interest in is your..."
"Pipp!"
"Ugh, are you going to be no fun Zipp the rest of the day because you're all flank-hurt?"
"No, because unlike you I'm taking this seriously."
Pipp flicked her mane as she headed out the door. "Hopefully, this princess will teach you how to not be such a bore."
Zipp followed her out the door. "Where do you think you're going, I wasn't done!"
"We're going to Medical so somepony can look at your ear, because it's already starting to get inflamed."
Zipp hesitantly reached up and felt the white-hot pain as her hoof grazed her exposed flesh. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."
"I know." Pipp nudged her sister with her wing. "Hey, cheer up, Zipp. I was just teasing earlier."
She gave a weak smile. "I know. I’ve just got a lot on my mind."
"And your love life isn’t one of them."
"Pipp!" Pipp erupted in a fit of laughter as she fought to breathe between her snorts. "It's really not that funny."
"It was too easy," she giggled, wiping a tear from her eye. "But, I’m sure you’ve pulled your fair share of stallions in your time, maybe you can add a princess to that tally."
"Oh yeah," Zipp scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I totally forgot about the story where a princess fell madly in love with her bodyguard and the whole kingdom was dependent upon their union."
"Har, har. Don't sell yourself short, you have a rugged beauty to you."
"Oh that's what you call it," Zipp teased. "Explains why no stallion has ever wanted to court me."
Pipp gasped in horror. “So everything you’ve told me was a lie! Are you…” Pipp looked side to side to make sure they were alone. “A virgin?”
Zipp batted her sister upside the head with her wing. “Where would you get an idea like that? I said ‘courted’, like taking me out to fancy dinners and bringing me fancy stuff, I’ve f…”
“Well excuse me for making an assumption that everypony was thinking.”
Zipp looked around. “Whose everypony? We’re alone!”
“Don’t get your feathers all bent out of shape.” Pipp fluttered a wing in her sister's face continuing down the hallway. “I didn’t know it was a crime to be invested in my sister’s love life.”
“Oh I didn’t know you had a scorecard of all the ponies I’ve bedded.”
“Do you need me too?” Pipp teased swishing her tail. “Or should I start a new one with the princess at the top?”
Zipp thought for a moment as a smirk form on her lips. “Sounds like someponies jealous.”
“Maybe,” Pipp replied without missing a beat. “But at least I’m not the one with a hole in my ear.”
“That you gave me!”
“Just a subtle reminder of who the better sister is.” Pipp turned back, giving a wink. “Plus, now you look more badass.”
Zipp scoffed. “Oh thank you for such a kind gesture.”
“You’re welcome! Now let's go get you cleaned up for your meeting with the queen.”
As Zipp sat on the edge of her bunk, her gaze was fixed on the polished helmet that rested in her hooves. Its mirror-like surface reflected the dim light of the barracks, creating a distorted image of the worn and battle-hardened mare that held it. She couldn't help but feel a sense of bitterness and disappointment as she contrasted the shiny armor with her appearance - tarnished, scuffed, and dull.
She longed for her old armor, the one that had been with her through countless battles and had protected her from the harshest elements. It was a symbol of her experience and resilience, a visible representation of the scars and memories that she carried with her. In contrast, her new armor felt like a mere facade, a hollow shell that concealed the unsavory truth of her past deeds.
She was just a tool that the nobles of Zephyr Heights used when they wanted to keep their hooves clean, everypony knew that. But, unlike the ‘special’ missions she was assigned, this would be in the limelight of the queen's scrutiny.
“Zipp?” Her sister called out tentatively, knocking on the open door. “You ready?”
Zipp turned to her sister with a smirk before donning her helmet. “Always ready.”
As she followed Pipp out of the door, not a word was exchanged between them, and Zipp was grateful for the silence. Her mind was in turmoil as they made their way to the main throne room. She couldn't help but feel nervous about the upcoming meeting, and her thoughts swirled around.
As they pushed open the doors to the throne room, the sight that greeted them was an empty chamber, save for a single golden throne, which was cushioned with rich crimson fabric. The room was decorated with the finest craftsmanship that Zephyr Heights had to offer, and no expense had been spared. The tiles on the floor were polished to perfection, and they shone like a mirror, reflecting the two ponies' images at them.
“The colonel instructed me to be here at this time.”
Pipp shrugged as she proceeded to inspect the throne room at her leisure.
“Pipp, for once, could you mind your military bearing, we are in the throne room after all.”
“Oh come on Zipp!” Pipp whined, waving a hoof. “The only time I get to see this is during those stupid ceremonies and this place is packed to the brim with ponies.”
Zipp grunted and elected to let her sister be stupid by herself. She had bigger things to worry about.
They didn't have to wait long until the sounds of hooves clicking on the tile echoed from the hallway. Quickly, Pipp darted over to her sister's side and readjusted her helmet, hiding the errant strain of mane.
"You know, if you had a regulation mane cut you wouldn't have to worry about that."
Pipp gasped in horror. "I would never!"
Before Zipp could give her two bits the doors burst open as Queen Haven was flanked by the colonel and her two personal guards Zoom and Thunder. Pipp and Zipp snapped to attention as the queen blew past them, barely acknowledging their presence before sitting upon her throne.
"Colonel, the delegation will be here in a matter of moments. Do you have everything in order?"
"Yes, your Majesty," he responded with a slight bow.
"Ah, Captain Zipp.” The queen looked past the burly pegasus, noticing the other sister. “And Lieutenant Pipp I presume?"
"Yes, your majesty," they responded as they bowed in unison.
"Interesting, I was under the impression that Captain Zipp would be the one taking this assignment, or was I mistaken colonel?"
The colonel fixed his eyes upon the sister’s expressing his displeasure of somepony’s added appearance. "No, your majesty."
Queen Haven descended from her throne, a boundless grace emanating from each stalwart clip of her hooves upon the marble floor. Her sheer presence commanded Zipp’s attention, transfixing her gaze upon the mesmerizing Queen of the Pegasi.
The queen leaned in fixing her brilliant icy blue eyes on them. "I was informed that you are sisters."
They nodded in unison.
"So, I can assume you're here for sisterly support?" She asked, turning her gaze to Pipp.
"Yes, your majesty," Pipp responded with a tinge of fear that only Zipp could hear.
A warm, motherly smile creased the queen's lips. "That is very admirable lieutenant. However, I must discuss the details with your sister in private."
Pipp nodded as she gave a salute.
"Zoom Thunder, please go with Lieutenant Pipp and wait in the hallway as we discuss the details of the captain’s assignment with her."
"Yes your majesty," all three echoed in unison as they flew out into the hallway.
As the throne room sealed shut the smile the queen had faded as she looked down at the Captain. "I am glad you have accepted this position. You’re on the forefront for something great and you should be commended for your open-mindedness."
"Anything to serve the crown, your majesty." Zipp gave a slight bow.
"You have an extensive record for your age from what colonel Headwind has told me."
“I’m just a simple soldier doing her job, your majesty.”
“Humble.” Queen Haven flashed a royal smile. “This is why you were the mare for the job.”
“Mare?”
"We needed a mare for the job and you were the best candidate," the colonel added as he joined the queen's side.
Zipp felt the pride deflate in her chest as her gender was a deciding factor in this position.
"Captain, the protection of this princess is of the utmost importance during this summit. As you know some pegasi still harbor deep hatred for the earth ponies, and this is a very lucrative target. You need to have eyes on the princess at all times, even when she is in her room."
Zipp chewed on her lip as she calculated the amount of time she would have to be on watch. When would she be able to eat, sleep, or rid her nose of the constant smell of unwashed earth pony?
"Captain," the colonel cut in. "You will eat with the princess and sleep in the same chambers as her. However, there will be guards posted outside of her room at all times."
"The delegation that will be arriving will have King Argyle and his daughter. It was his suggestion that we post pegasus guards so as to not draw unwanted attention to himself or his daughter as we start the discussion on how to broker a peace between the three kingdoms. Hopefully, you understand that we’re laying the groundwork and any slip up will set us back years."
Zipp nodded, but a question still burned in her mind. "Why would King Argyle bring his daughter into the heart of Zephyr Heights?"
"I will have to admit I'm at a loss for understanding his motives, but that does not deviate from your mission."
A heavy knocking echoed through the throne room. "My queen, the delegation is here."
"Send them in." The queen walked past Zipp and leaned in. "Remember you represent all of the pegasi in this moment, do not fail us."
A shiver ran down Zipp’s spine as she followed behind the queen and the colonel. The massive doors swung open with a loud creak, revealing armored pegasus surrounding two cloaked figures. The earth ponies Zipp had seen on the battlefield were not only larger but also physically impressive specimens. However, these lacked any of those defining characteristics as the guards broke off and they stood before them, their hoods still obscuring their faces.
"King Argyle, I assume your trip was uneventful."
"It was." The taller cloaked figure responded before removing his hood revealing a very plain light blue pony whose only defining features were his royal blue mane streaked with white and purple and the black-rimmed glasses that rested upon his nose.
"Good.” Queen Haven motioned to the captain. “King Argyle, this is Captain Zephyrina Storm. She will be in charge of the detail that is responsible for protecting your daughter during your stay here."
The King adjusted his glasses as he inspected the guard. "She seems pretty young to be an elite guard, not much older than my daughter."
Zipp held her stalwart stare.
"I assure you, she is as elite as they come,” Queen Haven leaned in, narrowing her eyes. “Or do you question my judgement?"
"Not at all, Queen Haven," he responded, giving her a measured smile. "I was merely caught off guard."
"Very well. Let me escort you to your chambers while the captain will take your daughter to hers."
"Oh? We’re staying in separate areas?" The King asked with some concern. “That was not conveyed to me in our letters.”
"Unfortunately, yes, your majesty. If somepony were to notice a significant increase in guards in one section of the castle it would cause unsavory parties to become more invested in what is happening."
The king looked tepidly between his daughter and the queen.
“Your majesty, you and your daughters safety is our top priority during your stay.”
The king gave her a pointed stare. "Very well."
"Thank you.” Queen Haven clicked her hoof on the floor. “Captain, please escort the princess to the east chambers and make sure Thunder and Zoom accompany you."
Zipp gave a salute as she approached the cloaked princess. She grinded her teeth at yet another demotion to be a common bag carrier as she slung the princess's stuff onto her back. "Please follow me, your highness."
Silently, the princess obeyed the captain's instructions and followed her out into the hallway door along with Thunder and Zoom. Zipp’s heart began to beat faster as the only sound echoing through the corridors was the soft clacking of hooves on the marble floor. Shooting a quick glance to the trudging princess was only putting her more on edge.
A thick veil of uneasiness had descended upon them as they cut through the castle’s winding halls to enter the diplomatic quarters. Faint lights flickered through the hallway as a shadowy figure moved towards them. Zipp readied herself and pounced at the assailant, pinning her to the ground.
“I-I terribly sorry, I-I was just following the queen’s orders to prepare the room.” The faint gray mare whimpered, shielding herself with her wings. “I won’t take as long next time, promise.”
Thunder and Zoom chuckled to themselves as Zipp stepped back from the maid. “Leave.”
“Yes, of course!” The maid bounced up and scurried past the party.
“Good job, Captain.” Thunder teased once the pegasus was out of earshot. “Way to scare the help.”
“Enough,” Zipp ordered. “We have a job to do.”
As they turned right the party was greeted with the same dreary hallway void of any life. Zipp groaned as the anxiety riddled march continued on. She stole another glance in the princess’ direction, catching the tip of her muzzle visible from the orange glow of the torch light, giving away her presence.
The party finally arrived at the designated room. Zipp noticed the worn stone that hasn’t seen the sun in years and the remnants of somepony attempting to clean up before they arrived. The metal hinges groaned as she opened the heavy wooden door, gesturing for the princess to enter first.
Once she stepped inside, she turned to Thunder and Zoom who nodded in agreement and took their posts flanking the door. The captain hesitated holding the cold iron handle in her hoof, she was about to be alone with the princess. Trepidation flooded her senses, before she silenced them with the shutting of the door. She was the one that the princess should fear.
The princess remained motionless in the center of the room as the agitated captain slowly surveyed the room. Caution and vigilance had to be paramount, running through her checklist. Windows, locked; shadows, checked; hallway, secured.
“Everything looks to be in order, your highness,” Zipp stated as she climbed back to her hooves. “Would you like for me to set your bags on the bed?"
The cloaked princess nodded as she continued to study her chambers.
Zipp made her way over to the bed setting the saddle bags onto it haphazardly. "Is there anything you need?"
She shook her head.
Zipp huffed and trotted towards the oversized armchair in the corner. Keeping her eye trained on the mare, she took a seat to keep watch. She checked her sheaths while keeping her legs primed for lift off at a moment’s notice. The captain had to be ready for anything, be it an attack on the princess, or the princess attacking her.
Meanwhile, the cloaked mare had ventured out from the center of the room and was preoccupied with a bookcase that was filled with detailed carvings of pegasi in flight. She ran a hoof over the intricate details, admiring the pulchritudinous craftsmareship. Zipp watched her intently, surprised by her reverent touch.
“These are beautiful,” a melodious voice cut through the room.
Zipp’s ears shot straight up, catching delicacies of the princess’ tone.
“We don’t have anything like this back home.”
Zipp scoffed. “You don’t have statues back home?”
“We do, but nothing like this.” The princess tracing the outline of a pegasus. “Any depiction of pegasi and unicorns are portrayed as mutated monsters or villainous ponies.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“I know,” the princess admitted sorrowfully.
“What do you have?”
“Oh, just simple statues of great earth ponies of the past. They’re grand in their own right, but they're not like this.” The princess turned the statue to reveal the brilliantly colored wings. “I’d never thought your wings would have multiple colors.”
Zipp looked down at her wings flaring them out enough to see the spectrum of blues, pink, and purple her feathers held.
“Amazing,” the princess remarked, causing her to clamp them back to her side. “It must feel incredible to fly.”
“Umm, yeah,” she muttered, taken back by the weird statement.
Zipp had always been taught that the earth ponies harbored a deep-seated resentment towards the pegasi because of their ability to control the skies. The mere thought of being captured by one of them sent shivers down her spine, as she knew that the first thing they would do is rob her of her ability to fly, leaving her vulnerable and helpless.
As she sat in the corner of the room, lost in thought, the princess suddenly appeared and started walking towards her. Uncertain of what to do, Zipp quickly rose from her chair and stood tall, ready to defend herself if necessary. She had one of her primary feathers firmly gripped on a dagger, just in case the princess tried to make any sudden moves.
Zipp was taken aback as the princess lifted her hood, revealing her vibrant purple mane with a rainbow streak running through it. The sight of her radiant turquoise eyes and bright smile left Zipp momentarily lost before the princess pointed a hoof towards the captain.
“May I look at your wing?”
Zipp had been in some of the most hostile situations, but this made her the most uncomfortable.
The princess looked at her concern before her eyes went wide. “I’m sorry, was that too personal of me. Where are my manners? Hi, I’m Sunny Starscout.“ She extended a hoof towards Zipp. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Captain Zephyrina.”
Zipp hesitated for a moment not knowing the protocol for this situation. Plus she wasn’t about to shake the hoof of a mud-trudger so she elected to do the courteous thing and give a slight bow.
Sunny’s smile began to wane as she lowered her hoof. “Well, it’s nice to meet you nevertheless.”
“Princess, may I speak freely?”
The princess’s smile returned. “You may.”
“Your highness, there is no need to get to know me personally,” Zipp stated flatly, leveling her gaze with the princess. “I will do everything in my power to protect you as it is my job to do so, that is it.”
Sunny’s ears flattened against her head. “But, it’s just that I like to get to know my guards.”
“There is no need for that, your highness.”
Taking the hint, the princess lowered her head and made her way over to the bed to start unpacking her saddlebags. Zipp, feeling confident that she had killed any potential to be ‘friendly’ with the princess, returned to her seat. As she watched the princess discreetly pull items from the bag she caught a glimpse of a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane.
“Where did you get that?” Zipp asked, causing the princess to jump.
Sunny quickly hid the dolls under her saddlebag. “W-what?”
“That.” Zipp flew over swiftly moving the bag. “Where did you get her?”
“I promise I didn’t steal it.” Sunny took the doll, pulling it to her chest. “She’s something I made when I was younger.”
“May I see it?”
The princess’s ears flattened as she tightened her grip on the doll.
“I promise that I just wanted to see it. I’m not going to take it away.”
She hesitated for a moment before relinquishing the doll to her guard.
Taking the doll, Zipp immediately noticed the quality of the material was better than anything that she was accustomed to wearing. “This is very good, better than what I had growing up.”
“Thank you.”
“So how do you know about this legendary pegasus mercenary?” Zipp asked, giving the doll back.
“We have books about her adventures in the library at Maritime Castle.” Sunny dug into her bag retrieving a purple unicorn cladded in ancient armor, a white unicorn dressed in queen’s regalia, and a yellow pegasus dressed in formal court attire. “I loved these stories growing up as a filly and I wanted to create more adventures with them, so I made these dolls.” The princess grabbed one of the dolls and offered it to the captain. “If you know her, then you must know her best friend, too.”
“Yes!” Sunny bounced on her hooves. “You know those stories too!”
Zipp had only seen images of Lady Fluttershy in books about Rainbow Dash and her amazing life as a fearless mercenary. Her best friends were always nearby to keep the brash mare primed and focused. The lady was kind, soft-spoken, and endlessly supportive. Despite how much of a grounding presence she was for a duchess, it always bothered Zipp how she caved to stronger opinions. Lady Shy was so calming, but sensitive, caring, but... vulnerable.
“Why are you here?”
The princess immediately stopped, cocking her head. “I don’t understand.”
“What are you and your king's intentions here?” Zipp tossed the doll onto her bed facing the deceiver. “Years of hate and war just don’t disappear overnight, your highness.”
Fear filled the princess’s eyes as she slowly started to back up. “We’re here for peace, that’s it. That’s why we came alone.”
“Then why are you here?” Zipp pressed closing the distance between them. “You have no legal pull when signing accords.”
“I wanted to see Zephyr Heights.” Sunny cowered and her back pressed up against the bookcase. “I wanted to meet a real life pegasus.”
“And then what? Become best friends so you can reenact your little fairy tales?”
Zipp leaned forward, coming just inches away from the princess's muzzle. She took a deep breath, expecting to smell the familiar scent of dirt that usually clung to the hooves and coats of the trainees, but to her surprise, Pipp was right about the lavender. Zipp breathed in again, searching for any hint of dirt, but all she could detect was the calming scent that lingered in the air.
Zipp stood tall causing the princess to slide down and covered herself with her hooves. “Please! I’m sorry!! I’ll leave you alone I promise!”
She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at the sight. She had always thought that dominating the heir to the earth pony kingdom would be satisfying, but now that she had achieved it, all she felt was hollow.
As she gazed at the princess, she saw the same fear in her eyes that those fillies had before the explosion. But, instead of pleading for protection these eyes echoed with betrayal and the fear of a cornered animal.
The princess's eyes darted around the room, searching for a way out, but there was none. Zipp had made sure of that. Slowly, the captain took a few steps back to give her enough space to bolt to the safety of her bed, taking all of her dolls with her and that’s what stung the most. The captain watched as the covers shook with the princess's trembling.
Zipp approached the bed tepidly, her mind racing with thoughts as she tried to come up with a way to make amends. As her shadow loomed over the bed, her training kicked in. Her job was to protect the asset not befriend her, once the meetings concluded she would be back to her regular post and all of this would be behind her. Turning sharply, Zipp marched off to the chair ready to put this event behind her.
As the golden hues of the waning sun yielded to the silvery streams of moonlight, Zipp knew she was beyond screwed. She’d royally messed up her duties, making her assignment, or rather Princess Sunny, go silent for hours. She’d been hiding under the covers from her, and Zipp couldn’t blame her. The more she replayed the events, the more glaring her mistakes were.
Zipp tightened her strap on her wing. They were just stupid dolls. Something that Pipp and her had long moved on from and it wasn’t like the princess was going to win her over with dolls. Even if it was a weakly veiled attempt to get her to lower her guard, she had to double down and get her in line, like she did with her unruly subordinates. This was just another test of her resolve and she was going to leave this alive, no matter what.
Looking out the window Zipp figured it was close to dinner and the pit that was forming in her stomach all but confirmed it. Soon, they would be summoned for dinner and her exploits of making a good first impression would come to light. A sickness started to swirl inside her as it would be apparent that the princess would not be willing to be accompanied by her in any capacity. Would the princess be hungry? Would she just go along just to appease her assigned captor?
Growl…
Zipp frowned as she covered her demanding stomach. She wasn’t sure if it was her hunger or her stress being more vocal, but she had every right to punch it for falling out of line.
“Are you hungry?”
Zipp nearly jumped out of her seat from the sudden question. Looking towards the bed, she saw the glint of the moonlight reflecting from one of the princess’s eyes. Had she been watching her from under the covers the whole time?
Zipp cleared her throat. “Your highness, they’ll be calling you for dinner soon.”
“Okay.”
The familiar silence settled between them as Zipp settled back into her chair, watching the princess as she continued to study her through the thin veil of her sheets just drove home the guilt. After a few more seconds, Zipp averted her eyes.
“What’s for dinner?” Sunny asked.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t given an itinerary for your stay, your highness.”
“Oh. Well, what do you normally eat?”
“Grounded alfalfa with specklings of vegetables for flavor. But your palate is too refined for that grunt food.”
“Alright, so then what do pegasi normally eat?”
“Probably the same stuff you do. Salads, sandwiches, maybe egusi soup.”
“What’s egusi soup?”
“You know, egusi soup. It’s got tofu, mushrooms, greens, and bonnet peppers.”
“We don’t have that back at Maretime Castle.”
“Oh,” Zipp said in slight shock, but quickly killed the curiosity. She couldn’t afford to upset the princess again if she exploded. It didn’t help seeing that she was still buried under her sheets for safety.
“Is it spicy?” Sunny asked.
“Oh, yes!” Zipp answered succinctly, letting the curt answer hang in the air. As she thought about it, she worried if the princess could even handle the spice. The last thing she wanted to do was wait on the princess as she cycled through meals. “Do you like spicy stuff?”
“I don’t know. Most of our food is usually savory with added sweetness here and there, but rarely have I tried something that was spicy. I want to try it though if it’s a local specialty.”
“I don’t know if it’s special or not, but I ate it a lot growing up. Don’t really get much of a chance now.” Zipp shrugged. “I hope you like it.”
“You do?”
“Sure. Why not. You said you wanted to experience what Zephyr Heights had to offer.”
“Oh yes!” Sunny clapped her hooves together bouncing on the bed. “The food, the sights, and to meet new ponies.”
“That last one might be a little difficult given your presence is supposed to be a secret,” Zipp pointed out.
“Oh yeah. But, we can always see the sights!”
“Unless the sights are completely out of sight, then the best I can offer is a tour of the castle.”
Zipp watching the princess enthusiasm deflate made her realize the position she was in. Traveling hundreds of miles to a land that you’ve never experienced to only be confined to the castle grounds, well sucked. At least when they went out the group was given some leave to explore their surrounding area or towns allowing Zipp to see more of the world than most pegasi.
“Come with me.” Zipp stood up from her chair and trotted over to the door.
“Umm, what?”
“I would like to show you something, your highness.”
Slowly, Sunny slid off the bed and followed her guard out the door. Without a spoken order Thunder and Zoom followed in lock step behind them. Zipp knew the perfect place to take her so at least it wouldn’t be a wasted trip. Taking the back channels that cut through the main castle because she knew no pony would be venturing in them. Plus, it was the most efficient way to reach the center of the castle as they were designed for guards to quickly gather if something accorded. Luckily there was a hallway that went from the east wing to the surprised location. A few moments later the group stopped as two solid doors blocked their path.
“Wait here,” Zipp ordered, pressing her hoof onto the door.
Thunder and Zoom eyed her suspiciously. “Where are you taking her, Captain?”
“Where do you think?” She shot back trying to keep the surprise a surprise. “I would expect somepony who guards the queen to know every inch of this castle.”
“Whatever, it’s your flank not mine,” Thunder snarled, taking his post next to the door.
“Good.” She turned back to Sunny giving her a reassuring smile. “Now follow me, your highness.”
Hesitantly, she followed the captain through the threshold avoiding the dirty looks Thunder and Zoom were giving her. She made a mental note to reprimand them later for their complete lack of military bearing and allowed Sunny to enter the courtyard before sealing the door behind them.
Zipp noticed that Sunny's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of the castle's gardens. Despite the muted colors in the faint moonlight, the vibrant flora surrounding the central pond was still a sight to behold. The massive tree that loomed over the pond was the main reason for their visit, its heavy branches forming a natural canopy over the crystal clear water. The leaves rustled softly in the gentle breeze, casting shadows that danced across the surface of the pond and the surrounding stones. The air was thick with the fragrant scent of blooming flowers, and the distant sound of a nearby waterfall added to the peaceful ambiance. It was a serene and tranquil setting, one that enveloped them in a sense of calm and relaxation.
“T-this,” Sunny stammered, at a loss for words.
“This tree always reminded me of the tree that Lady Shy and Applejack would sit under. You know those hoof drawn pictures at the beginning of each chapter.”
“Yes! It’s a picture perfect copy!” Sunny galloped off, letting her inner filly free. “It even has the pond that Applejack threw Rainbow Dash into when she caught her napping.”
Zipp couldn’t help but smile as she watched the princess take in the sights and smells knowing that for a moment she would be able to live in those tails.
“Do you think that this is really where Lady Shy went?”
“Hardly,” Zipp answered, walking under the willow tree. “I think somepony just created this by accident.”
Sunny trotted over to join her, unable to contain her excitement. “Do you come here often?”
“Rarely, but there are times I pass through here while on duty.”
“I would be here all the time, just to have that feeling of being in one of those stories.” The princess sat down, closing her eyes as a gentle nightly breeze swept through. “May I ask you something, captain?”
“Umm, sure.”
“How do you know about Applejack? I thought you would only hear pegasi stories.”
Zipp chuckled. “One may think that because I’m just a soldier that does things that others would look down upon. But just because I follow orders doesn’t mean I can’t be curious or question what I see around me.”
“I didn’t mean to offend.”
“No harm done, your highness. I blame my sister for even getting me into those stories.”
Sunny cocked her head. “You have a sister?”
“Yeah, she’s in the military as well.” Zipp sat down, leaning up against the tree. “I remember being back in the barracks after a routine patrol through one of our border settlements and she had her muzzle in this book anytime we were off. So after like two weeks of this I had to find out what she was reading. So late at night, I snuck over to her rack and carefully pulled the book from underneath her pillow and it was over from there.”
Zipp looked up into the tree as a gentle breeze jostled its branches.
Sunny followed her eyes up trying to find what she was looking at before becoming restless.
“That’s the end of the story?” Sunny asked, slightly offended.
The captain leaned forward, wrapping her hooves around her forelegs. “Nah, I just got lost in the story. How a princess was doing everything she could to make her bodyguard's birthday the best. Over the course of a week I silently read in secret how this unicorn was just being constantly reminded how amazing her guard was and what she meant to the town. It was nice to see a portrayal of a soldier that wasn’t a mindless killing machine and was curious, well read, and always put the ponies she was protecting before her.”
“Did you read anymore?” Sunny asked, shooching a little closer to her guard.
“I did. My sister confronted me about how stupid I was being for sneaking around trying to read her book when all I had to do was ask. After that we made a pact to try to find as many stories as we could when we went out.”
“Did you find a lot?”
“We found a few more, like the story about a masquerade ball, one where they find an illusion spell, and my favorite is when Twilight thwarts an assassination attempt.”
“Wow, you’ve found quite a few. How did you find them?”
Zipp rubbed her hoof on her leg. “Normal means, like vendors who weren’t afraid to trade with other ponies. And others, I would rather not discuss.”
The sounds of the rustling leaves filled the silence as they stared into the pond, watching an orange and yellow fish glide through the water.
“Thank you for taking me here.”
“It’s nothing, your highness.”
“Do you think we can come back here?”
“I don’t know,” Zipp answered, honestly. “They haven’t provided me with a schedule of where you need to be.”
Sunny hummed as she ran a hoof through the silky green grass. “If it’s like the times before I won’t even have a moment to myself.”
Zipp rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m probably not making it any better having to constantly have eyes on you.”
“I’m fine with that.” Sunny gave her guard a warm smile. “Because even though it’s nice to be alone it’s still nice to have moments like these to share with somepony.”
Zipp stared into the pond lost in thought, thinking about the legendary guard and her beautiful princess who had captured her heart. The sound of the nearby waterfall provided a soothing backdrop to those stories. She glanced over to the princess wondering if she was thinking the same thing.
“Captain, it is time for dinner!” Thunder announced, throwing open the door.
“Understood.” Zipp turned to the princess. “Ready?”
The princess nodded as they both climbed to their hooves. “I hope they’re having egusi soup tonight.”
“I would be surprised if they do. It’s a commoner's dish so nobles usually turn their noses up at it.” Zipp trotted off to the exit. “You’ll probably be having something different.”
“What will you be having?”
Zipp shrugged. “They didn’t give me the details on how I would be dining tonight.”
“Well, I hope we at least get to eat together.”
Zipp slowed her pace, turning back to the princess. “Really, umm why?”
“Because you probably had some incredible adventures to distant lands. I would like to hear about them.”
She thought back to the days of flying over scenic vistas with her sister as they went to their next post. The late night ventures with her friends going from tavern to tavern drinking all that they could and talking with other ponies that had very different lives than her own. But, those moments only showed one side of the coin and it was the other side Zipp feared the most.
“With all due respect, my place is watching over you, not sitting next to you.”
“You’re place is where I need and that is next to me,” Sunny stated, trotting past Zipp. “Plus, it would be good for appearances for us to be seen eating at the same table.”
“How so?”
“To show that there is no ill will between us.”
“Oh,” Zipp muttered, thinking back.
“Let’s hurry so they won’t decide to ask questions about our detour.”
“Agreed.”
Zipp's heart longed for more time under the willow as she closed the door behind her, wishing that the moment of peace could last just a little longer. In the garden, far away from the oppression of war, a peaceful oasis where she could enjoy the simple sound of her own breathing. The stinging pain of her ear reminded her of what failure would bring if she was not focused on her orders, protecting Sunny. She took a moment to collect herself before hurrying to catch up to the princess, who was already making her way to the dining hall with Thunder and Zoom in tow.
Author's Note
I don't know what, but this song help me power through a lot of this story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5BSxgjiQ7E
If you find a simple mistake in the GSP (Grammar, Spelling, or Punctuation), please let me know through a private message rather than leaving it in the comment section.
