The Good, The Bad and the Princess

by BorealStargazer

One

“This way, Your Highness.”

Since the very moment they landed “Her Highness” kept stalking her wherever she went. Luna stifled a grimace. After all, she reminded herself, composure is a virtue of any successful sovereign.

“Tell me, captain,” she inquired with utmost negligence she could muster, “why do you keep addressing me as ‘Your Highness’?”

“'Cause you're a princess?” shrugged her guide, catching the more informal tone of their conversation. The answer was quick though. Too quick. As if it wasn't just formulated but was prepared in advance.

“True as it may be,” admitted Luna with a fleeting smile. She knew these games inside and out. And probably was slightly more experienced in the art than a captain of the guard of some mining facility. “Yet 'tis the land of Equestria that We rule. And Equestria is quite a walk from here, don't you think?”

She waited for the guard in his dark grey streaked armor to face her and graced him with her royal look.

“I am no Princess of yours, Captain Lash.”

“Yet...” the guard was saved by the clang of the elevator. He dived for the sliding doors. “...You are the co-ruler of an allied state.”

“The state you've never seen, captain.” the alicorn continued, examining the vestibule through the muddy glass of her protective helm. “War makes you treat things simpler.”

“Your sister...” Lash stumbled, “Princess Celestia... informed that You may fancy some traditions of old.”

Luna rolled her eyes. She should have guessed. The joke's been stale for a while. We're going to discuss it later, sis.

“And now I tell you I prefer to be addressed as ‘Princess Luna’,” her teeth glittered. “Is that clear, Captain?”

“Just so, Your Hi... Princess,” he stopped short so clumsily, Luna hardly suppressed a giggle. Sometimes even something this small is enough to lessen the tension. “A pity this storm hampered your plans, Princess.”

“How many times are you going to apologize, officer?” Luna snorted. “Once is quite enough. Besides, it's a perfect opportunity to make a tour.”

If only not for this armour.

This armour had a designation of "protective mining overalls” and captain of the guard insisted on Luna equipping it prior to descending to the bowels of the excavation. Luna herself considered her magic to be valid enough protection from any dust and stray bruises but captain proved to be unexpectedly uncompromising about the matter. A single scratch on her body, he pointed out, is a good enough reason for Serenity to flay him.

Eventually, she yielded.

Serenity, Captain of the Night Guards, standing in the distance like a shadow, had been imperturbable and mute during the whole conversation. But Luna'd felt his silent laugh echoing in her tail.

She could also swear on anything captain insisted on wearing "protection" solely for the occasion to later gift her a similar attire specially tailored for her frame.

“You could expect the pegasi of Meteoservice to learn their chores after all these years,” he grumbled under his breath. Something about his tone felt wrong but the princess could not put a hoof on it yet.

“The middle belt is still not terraformed, captain,” she searched for the words. “Blooming life is restricted to pockets. I've read the reports and geographical articles. How comes you earth ponies haven't turned everything into a garden of blossoms?”

“Trivial,” the guard sniffed. “Or, better say, not trivial at all. Nature is a tangle of things interconnected, not to be treated lightly. You can't just dig out the rivers and hope you won't break anything on the way.”

Princess gave him a thin smile.

“Then why, captain, do you expect Weather Control to be any different? Meteorology is pretty much the same ‘tangle of things interconnected’.”

This time Lash didn't think of a good answer.

They spent the next minutes walking the corridors. The lamps were dim but the rest seemed uncharacteristically tidy for the mine workings. Luna was ready to ask about how far their destination was when captain of the guard stopped in front of the door, swept the card he was holding in his mouth through the reader and turned to her. A warm yellow glow streamed through the folding doors sliding open.

“Welcome to the Amber Hall, Princess.”