“Well, since I seem to have quite a lot of time at on my hooves, why not start at the beginning? Well, what was really the beginning is hard to define. But, since I'll probably be thrown down the steps to the dungeon again if I step outside the door, or even better, kidnapped and by those vicious creatures, I don't see any reason to rush the story. Who knows what happends to those who get captured... I think the best place to start would probably be when the two princesses of Canterlot left the city in a hurry to deal with a dangerous creature in the North, while leaving the responsibility and safety of the city in the hands of Argus Armatus, the captain of The Royal Guards...”
A bright light pierced the outside of his eyelids, and woke Ink Draft from his slumber. He opened them, but regretted it quickly, feeling the burning sunlight stitching his pupils. He sat up in bed, and arched his back while stretching his hooves as far out from the sides as he could, and let out a loud yawn, before quickly falling right back with his head on the pillow. He looked up, and noticed the crack in the wooden ceiling, revealing the tiny hole where a small family of robins had made a nest, not more then a week ago.
With his thought drifting slowly while slumbering, Ink Draft suddenly remembered what day it was, and decided to get out of bed. He headed downstairs to the kitchen to grab some breakfast, passing the pictures of his family back in Baltimare hanging by the stairway. He prepared a sandwich in a hurry, grabbed his bag of equipment and ate while opening the front door, to the paved streets of Canterlot.
Ink had only been in Canterlot for a few months, but he was getting more and more used to the place each day. It wasn't that much different from his home back in Baltimare, but the city itself was absolutely beautiful compared to the city were he grew up. There was nothing he found ugly or displeasing about Baltimare, but somehow, he felt deeply drawn to about the paved roads, the gardens and the castle with its large white and golden towers, where the royal sisters and rulers of Equestria held their residence. But the thing he loved the most was the relaxing peace amongst all the citizens. From the sun rose in the morning, til the moon and stars summoned the darkness, everyone were always smiling and greeting each other. Naturally he had not seen every side of the city, during the short time he had lived there, but Ink found that what he had seen, had shown that Canterlot ponies were in fact very friendly to strangers.
Ink noticed something on the ground. At first he thought it was an object, but quickly he realized it was the shadow of something flying quickly above the city. He raised his head up and saw one of the flying chariots, and sitting inside it, two ponies. One with coat as blue as the night sky, and the other with a mane like a bright aurora of colors.
The princesses.. I wonder where they are headed, he thought to himself.
He shook his head and snapped out of his daydreaming. He didn't want to be late again, especially not when meeting with The Captain. He picked up the pace, regaining some of the lost time, as he headed towards the castle.
Captain of the royal guards
“It sounds so pleasant and peaceful doesn't it? Well it truly was. Sadly, that changed dramatically after the princesses left the city. As a great threat had appeared in the north, they had little to no choice but to leave the city in the hooves of Argus, The Captain of the royal guards. He was a pretty good Captain at the time. Great with spears and helmets, not so much with ponies. Well, he wasn't an annoyance to talk to, but he seemed very cautious, and didn't seem to trust anypony. Not even his own soldiers. At least that's the first impression I got when I first met him. But as many other people with him, he changed...”
Ink lifted his onyx-black hoof slowly, before making three loud knocks on the big wooden door to Argus's office. He flapped his right ear and heard a grunt from the other side of the door. He could hear the general swallow some liquid, before opening and closing a drawer in his desk. “Come in”, he heard from a loud, but relaxed voice.
Ink Draft pushed the door open gently, and entered the captain's office. He started sweating, partially because of the immense heat warming up the room from the sun outside, and partially because of the fact that he was supposed to be in his study classes at this time. Argus was sitting at his desk, writing some paperwork on a pile of parchment. Ink Draft moved up to the captain and stood before him. He tried stretching the corners of his mouth into a forced smile, but he soon gave it up as the captain was fully focused on writing on the documents on his desk. Ink lifted his hoof and coughed, trying to get the attention of the gray stallion. Stubborn as he was, Argus didn't move his sight at all. He dark coated pony started to feel anxious for standing there for so long, neither of them saying anything. Finally, after several minutes, Argus put down his quill and looked up.
“Yes, how can I help you, Mister …?” He raised his left eyebrow and looked at the young student.
“Ink, Captain. Ink Draft. I'm one of the castle's students, remember? I think we have met before, sir.” He avoided calling him by his first name, since many others had advised him against it. People often talk about Argus when no one else was around. He was rather mysterious, and kept his cards close to his chest. All Ink knew was that he had been a general officer, but was kicked out when he was younger. Now he ran the royal guard, and didn't do much else then write books and documents and occasionally help with the guardsmen's training.
“Yes, I know we've met before. I'm just not that good with names, see. I prefer sticking to numbers.” His statement made Ink confused, but he tried not to get distracted by it.
“So what can I help you with boy?”
“I just happened to notice the two princesses left the city earlier this morning, in a chariot.” Argus eyes went brighter, as he placed the ends of his hoofs together on the desk.
“Well, what about it?”
“Well, I was just wondering were they are headed. It just seems a little rushed, considering the events last month.”
“You're clever, I'll give you that. But I can't tell you anything else than what I've told the others; the princesses are headed north to settle some diplomatic difficulties.” His eyes flickered as he finished the sentence.
“Aha, and when will they be returning?”
“That, I do not know boy.”
“I see. But who's going to be in charge of the city while they are gone?”
“That would be me.” The captain's tone changed into a more serious one, as he looked at Ink, squinting his eyes.
“Oh. Alright. I just thought that-”
“You thought that an old, half-dead Pegasi, with only one functional wing, wouldn't possibly be capable keeping command over Canterlot, didn't you?” Ink then remembered the wound that Argus had from his younger years. His eyes slipped down, onto Argus's right side, where there was only a tiny stub laying against the gray coat, where the wing was meant to be. He thought that this was probably the first time he had ever seen The Captain without his uniform, which he always wore amongst other people. Ink had gotten so used to seeing him down on the ground, that he had almost forgot that he was a Pegasi. The young stallion quickly moved his eyes away again, seeing as Argus was staring at him, waiting for a response.
“I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean for it to sound the way it did...”
Argus grumbled. “Well, don't you worry about it kid. Celestia herself gave me the task to keep this city safe, and that I intend to do. If there is one thing that determines a pony's judgment, then that is experience. And believe me when I say, I know experience.”
Ink Draft nodded thoughtfully. The Captain might have had experience in battle, but there were other things that needed supervision when it came to running a city. He would just have to hope the princesses wouldn't be away for too long.
“Say...” Ink's thoughts were interrupted. “Don't you students have some sort of class with the librarians at this time of day?” He pointed his hoof at the big wooden clock hanging at the wall, next to the door. Ink's mouth opened slowly but no words came out. He was almost an hour since his classes had started. “Excuse me sir, I need to-” His fore-hooves stumbled forward as he leaped outside the room, barely catching the door with him in the process. Right before he slammed it shut, he heard The Captain open his drawer again, and open the same bottle.
