The Road Goes Ever On

by Thrawn1800

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“The Players assembled...”

My day began at 5:00 AM.

I woke up automatically, at the time I’d grown used too. Immediately, I climbed out of my bunk, stretching out my back and legs. Then I went to the showers.

The showers were located inside the main barracks, down the hall from the rooms. The walls were lined with shower heads, and covered in grey-white tiles. The whole thing was meticulously clean, and kept that way by whoever was on cleaning duty.

Again, I wasn’t alone. Several other guards of varying tribes occupied the space. My own coat was tawny gold, and my mane a dark shade of brown. Sometimes, I wished the camouflage spell didn’t last quite so long as it did. It took several hours for the effect to wear off, and until it did I looked exactly like every other guard. Grey coat, white mane.

If you were a captain, though, your armor was always better quality. The spell on those was either instantaneous, or if you were high enough rank, not even there.

I scrubbed myself down, then went to eat.

I got my breakfast in the mess hall, then sat down. Eventually, I was joined by Gilded Arrow, one of the only female guards.

“Morning.” she said.

“Guess so.” I said. “You hear about Captain Hoovesfield?”

"Yup.” she said, swallowing a mouthful of hay that was very un-ladylike in size. “Shame to see him retire.”

“Suppose he’s earned it though.”

“Definately.”

Then Stave sat down next to her.

“Hey.” he said. “‘sup Shield?”

“Hello, Stave.” said Gilded in a resigned tone. She didn’t like him, but he didn’t return her sentiment.

“Morning sugar.” he said, smiling toothily at her.

I restrained a groan. Stave was convinced that Gilded Arrow and he were perfect for each other. Gilded was forced to endure a series of advances, which were increasingly uncomfortable. And which Stave refused to acknowledge as pointless.

Trying to ignore Stave, Gilded ate her food. I followed suit, but Stave jabbered through the whole meal.

After I’d finished eating, I went to get my armor. It was simple enough to put it on, but difficulty arose in securing the straps. I didn’t dare use magic, since my accuracy was desiring improvement. Many of the buckles were in difficult to reach places, especially on the breastplate. When I put the helmet on, sliding my horn through the hole in the forehead, the spell imbued in the armor started working. It felt like a gentle brush of warm air across my fur. I watched as it dulled to a shade of grey, and knew my mane had lost all of its color.

Ready for duty, I went to my post. Today, the main hallway of the mansion.

_____ _____ _____

Guard duty was monotonous, dull, and boring.

As repetitive as that sounds, it was a very accurate way to describe it. Everyone knew the Guard was just a formality, but that didn’t stop us from doing the our best.

The day went by painfully slow. When the occupants of the house woke up, I’d already been in place for several hours. Training had prepared me for the stresses of standing in place that long, but over time even the most experienced guards got impatient with the endlessness of the job.

“Morning, Sterling.”

I jumped, instincts fighting against restraint. I whirled around, to find Polaris standing next to me.

“Sorry.” he said. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

I opened my mouth to speak, then shut it again. Guards weren’t supposed to speak unless necessary. And how did he even know it was me? All the guards looked the same.

Sensing my hesitation, he sighed. “You have permission to speak.”

“Uh… thank you.” I said. “Good morning, Polaris.”

He nodded. “It is. But I think it might rain later.”

“O-okay. Um… how did you know it was me? The armor’s spells-”

“Aren’t much challenge for the inventor.”

I stared at him. “Inventor?”

“Um… yeah?” He looked embarrassed. “It wasn’t my idea, but Celestia asked, so…”

He shrugged, then tapped my shoulder-plate. It clinked faintly when he touched it with his hoof.

“Here it is.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Well, I have to go now.” he said. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

I nodded, even though I had no way of knowing that. “Bye.”

The brown unicorn wandered away, in the general direction of the Princess’s chambers.

I mused over the conversation I’d just taken part in. Polaris had switched between cheerful, sad, bored, and cheerful so fast, my head hurt a little. But when I compared him to Starswirl, whom I’d met once, he was definitely more reserved.

He was a nice, if strange guy. And he’d used my name, which very few ponies did now. I was either “Private,” or “Guard,” or even “Shield” once in a while. But no one had called me Sterling since I’d joined the guard.

About ten minutes later, the rest of the old palace stirred to life. Soon, the hallways became busy roadways for the many members of the temporary government Celestia had set up in lieu of the former diarchy. Delegates to and from the other cities of Equestria. Administrators of Trade, the Mayor of Canterlot. I even glimpsed the Duke of Manehattan, talking to his secretary. An army of aides and couriers ran back and forth through the building, relaying the messages and paperwork entrusted to their care. And the main hallway was in the center, where everyone passed through on their way to somewhere else.

A royal guard has a unique perspective on all of this. It was my duty to protect all of these ponies, and ensure their safety before my own.

On top of all this, no one seemed to consider guards when having conversations. As such, I was privy to all manner of private conversations, hallway meetings, and brief chats. I’d never heard anything to cause alarm.

Not yet.

Towards the afternoon, a considerable change took place in the palace. Almost everypony disappeared into the meeting hall, directly adjoined to the entryway and main hallway. This meant Celestia’s court was in session. All manner of issues would be discussed, and knowing many of the court’s members, at least by reputation, it would be at least four hours before they came out.

During this time, I took my lunch break. I returned to the mess hall, and ate my meal. After an hour was up, I returned to my post.

_____ _____ _____

After the four hours I’d predicted were up, the doors opened, and everyone exited in a flash flood. I spotted the Duke of Manehattan and the Mayor of Canterlot, deep in conversation as they walked by my post. Then I spotted Polaris, who was conversing with Celestia. While I’d sort of expected it, it was still a surprise to see the stallion chatting happily with the monarch of Equestria. As they passed, he smiled at me. I gave a slight nod in his direction.

Hours later, when I got off duty, I returned to the barracks. After removing and cleaning my armor, and returning it to its place, I went to my room to relax. But this blissful attempt was foiled by Gilded Arrow.

“Oh, no you don’t.” she said. “You’re going to get out of this place for once.”

“I’d rather not.” I said. “Why don’t you ask Gareth? I’m sure he’d be happy to go with you.”

Gareth was a griffin, who’d come to Equestria on exchange from the Griffin Kingdoms. While many thought it to be merely a gesture on Celestia’s part, the silver griffin fulfilled his duties.

“I did.” she said. “He’s meeting us at the bar.”

“Gilded, you know full well I don’t drink.”

“Maybe so.” she said. “But you’re not hiding in your room, either.”

I grumbled, but when she threatened to order me to go - which she could, as a senior guard - I was forced to follow her.

She lead me to one of Canterlot’s higher-end bars, in the old quarter of the city. On the way, she took a delight in telling me about all of the “wonderful” things I missed out on when I “hid” in my room.

Inside, she practically escorted me to the bar, where the large griffin was waiting for us. Gareth was already on his second drink, the empty first glass on the polished wooden bar. He looked me over with his slit-pupiled eyes. I felt a little intimidated by his golden stare, but I held his gaze.

“Never expected to see you here.” He said. “I thought you didn’t drink, Shield.”

“I don’t.” I said.

“I made him come.” Gilded interjected. “He was going to hole up in his room, but I… insisted.”

“That so?” chuckled the griffin.

“Yes.” I said, a little defiantly.

“Bartender!” shouted Gilded. “Get me what my buddy’s having!”

The burly stallion complied, then looked over at me.

“What’ll it be?” he asked in a gruff voice.

“Just water.” I said. The barkeep looked a little offended, but he got me the water.

_____ _____ _____

In the end, I didn’t stay long. When Gilded got a little too drunk, I had to pull her off of me. I got up, thoroughly fed up by their behavior, and with the entire situation.

“Yer not leav’n already?” she asked, hiccuping a little.

“Yes, I am.” I said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I put a bit on the counter, then left them to their insobriety.

After the long trek back to the barracks, I did what I’d intended to do in the first place. I picked up my book, and laid down to read. I buried myself in the words contained between the covers, and did my best to block out the sounds of my room mates.

Nimbus had come in soon after me, and had climbed onto his bunk above mine. He didn’t say anything, which wasn’t unusual.

After him, both Dagger and Stave had come in. They made the usual amount of noise, making the room’s windows shudder a little in their frames. I made myself tolerate them, but it was a near thing when I was feeling as irritable as just then.

Gilded had probably thought she was doing a good thing, dragging me out of my comfort zone. In truth, I hadn’t been. I just didn’t like places like that.

“Hey, Shield!”

I sighed, and lowered my book.

“Yes?” I asked.

“How’d your first trip to the bar go?” asked Dagger, in what was supposed to be a normal voice. But it undermined by his grin.

“Fine.” I said.

I rolled over, turning my back to the pair of them.

“Oh, good.” he said.

“Its just.” said Stave. “I would’ve thought you’d be a bit more… drunk.”

I ignored them.

“Couldn’t hold your own against Gilded?”

“Something like that.”

I could hear them sniggering to themselves, but I just kept reading. Probably some joke about not being able to beat a mare, or something. But to my knowledge, none of them had been able to outdo her. So I brushed it off.

When it was time for the lights to go out, I put my book back in its place underneath the bed, where I kept my personal belongings. Then I pulled the covers over myself, and slowed my breathing.

Comments

[Thrawn1800]

4278461
He already does that in The Story of North Star. This is sort of a "what-if" where he doesn't go 1000 years into the future :)