//------------------------------// // 44. Buying Time // Story: Trials of a Royal Guard // by Anzel //------------------------------// Shining Armor had taken the news about what was going on pretty well. Better than pretty well, actually. There was little doubt in my mind that he was shocked, but his keen military mind and calm demeanor gave me confidence that we’d pull through. He looked around the room, sizing up my makeshift unit. Two alicorns, three unicorns, two earth ponies, and two pegasi. Plus himself, now. “Alright. Suffice to say, that briefing was quite detailed, Silent Knight. I appreciated the use of the wing puppets. It is a lot to absorb, though, especially without any paper trail.” “Yes, sir. I thought it better that way. We only discuss the operation verbally and as a group. No new ponies without royal consent. I said we needed you.” “I appreciate that,” he said, looking back at me. “Don’t you think this group is a bit too small for an operation of this size?” I shrugged. “I started a war with only a few more ponies.” Princess Luna grimaced. “That was tasteless, Silent.” “Apologies, Princess. It wasn’t a joke. I more meant that we should never underestimate a small group of determined ponies with the right skills. I suspect our enemy is in the same situation.” Shining Armor nodded. “Agreed. It is unlikely there is a widespread conspiracy. The major issue we have is that we believe these ponies can control and influence others. How far does that reach? Was Captain Alistair being controlled? Were you?” Exemplar Ferrel’s ears twitched. “We cannot say. I have facilitated Silent Knight in reviewing the memories Nimbus Knight left him. He does not talk extensively on the limits of the power, just how to steel one’s mind against it.” Shining Armor sighed and rubbed his forehead. “We need more intelligence than that, Silent.” “Yes, sir. I agree.” Princess Celestia tapped a hoof on her pillow. “Shining, I’m thinking we may want to have some ponies you trust watch the temple in the Crystal Empire. They won’t need very many details to do that. They can start to track the comings and goings.” “Yes, Princess, that is a good idea,” Shining agreed. “Silent Knight, perhaps it would be better if I sent Myree,” Exemplar Ferrel said, intentionally looking away from the princesses. “Her presence would go wholly unnoticed. If the temple guards realize they are being watched by royal guards, this may tip off our adversary.” Shining Armor’s head tilted. “Who is Myree?” Princess Celestia sighed. “Exemplar, you can address me directly. We are far past the normal bounds of your orders.” The exemplar didn’t respond, so I answered instead, “Myree is a young temple priestess. She was with us during the war. She seems extremely loyal to the exemplar and is accustomed to her… peculiarities. To be honest, if she was confronted and simply explained she was doing it at the behest of her exemplar, I doubt anypony would pay her mind… no offense, Exemplar.” “None taken. I am known for my peculiarities, as you say.” Shining Armor looked at me. “Do you trust her?” “I trust the exemplar,” I replied. He smiled just a bit and nodded at Ferrel. “Very well. Exemplar Ferrel, if you’ll arrange that. Now, before we get too far into planning I’d really like to see all of the memories for myself. Your description and puppetry was excellent, Silent Knight, but I might see something the rest of you missed.” Sunny swishes her tail. “I don’t miss anything, chief! Neither does Midnight Snow. She’s annoyingly good at observation.” Shining Armor chuckled. “Is that so?” “It is!” Sunny protested while Midnight Snow nodded. “Well, that is good to know. Especially since everypony in this room has already missed one vital detail.” My ears shot up. “Sir?” “Come now, Silent, I expect better from you. Think about it. According to you, we have a memory crystal showing the conspirators planning their attack. We don’t see the attack itself, just the preparation,” Shining Armor began. He then motioned a hoof to exemplar Ferrel. “The exemplar found that same crystal in possession of Exarch Glory. Further, when confronted with it, the exarch indicated that the temple leadership had known about the betrayal since it occurred. Which, coincidentally, is why our ancient unicorn companion won’t speak directly to our princesses.” I was starting to see what he was getting at. In the emotion of seeing the crystal, I’d missed this. He hadn’t seen it yet. That emotion wasn’t there. Just logic and curiosity. “So…” Sunny said impatiently, waving her forehoof in a circle. Shining Armor tapped the mare on the nose. “So, Princess Celestia said that during the attack, she galloped off, defeated some dark priests, grabbed Princess Luna, and accidentally sent the whole city and everypony in it into limbo.” My mentor shrugged. “One of these three facts can’t be true, or there is a puzzle piece we’re missing to explain it.” He then cleared his throat and added, “And, Princess, I’m not suggesting you’re lying.” I looked to Ferrel. “Any thoughts? When you grabbed my memory, we had to touch. We were all physically there.” The exemplar’s head tilted. “The spell, as I know it, requires physical contact. Brigadier Armor is quite correct. These things cannot be as they are now, though we do know that the Crystal Empire disappeared, the alicorns were murdered, and we have a memory crystal.” Dream Pop happily clapped her hooves. “It’s a puzzle! No, even better! It’s a riddle. I love riddles.” Princess Luna frowned. “Each time we meet, I feel as if we take a step back. This would be far easier if Nocturna had let anypony in on her plan.” “That wasn’t her way,” Princess Celestia replied. Evidently, Nocturna’s way was to subtly tweak a few things and hope it all worked out. I wonder what she’d think of this little party. Shining Armor cleared his throat. “We just need a lead to get started on. I’d like to see the memory now, if I could.” Exemplar Ferrel’s horn lit and circled the crystal hanging from her neck. She reached out a hoof to Shining Armor. He took it and reached the other towards me. “Silent Knight, perhaps you should have another look.” On instinct alone, I leaned back and held my forehooves up. “No, sir. No… I’ve got it.” Shining Armor looked at me curiously, but the exemplar empowered the spell and his eyes glossed over. Sunny softly patted me on the back. “It’s fine. So… do you think we can do stuff to him while he’s like that?” Princess Celestia snickered. “You’re awful.” “Somepony has to keep things light,” Sunny replied. Exemplar Ferrel let go of Shining Armor’s hoof. He staggered and looked at me with wide eyes. Was he alright? Did the memory call out to him as well? My brow furrowed. “Sir? Shining? What?” He sat a hoof on my shoulder to stabilize himself. “The archon… I know her. She was one of the two sisters that was murdered. The other had hooves as dark as the one from the memory.” The words rang in my ears. She’d made it to the future just to be slain mysteriously. The fact that he recognized her was unnerving. A bit of shock crept into my voice. “Murdered… the two from your letter?” He nodded, sweat on his brow. “Yes. We never had anything to go on. Two dead mares in a locked home. The investigation is still open.” Sunny perked up. “That’s good, right? That they’re dead?” Dream Pop gasped. “Bad Sunny!” Sunny glared lightly at her. “What, they’re the bad ponies! Maybe they’re dead and this is all over?” Exemplar Ferrel shook her head. “Unlikely, but this may be fortuitous in the fact that some of our enemies may be no more and that we now have something to pursue.” “I think Silent and I should go take a look with fresh eyes,” Shining Armor said. “I think that is a good idea. Silent can take Crystal. It will not be suspicious if they visit with Cadence,” Princess Luna put in. Tranquil cleared her throat. “I would like to go as well. Nopony will pay me any mind.” I took a deep breath and thought it over. “This is a good plan, but we have one small problem. We have soldiers coming home in a mere week. My absence will be greatly missed. I can’t go until after.” Midnight Snow nodded. “That event actually prohibits almost everypony in this room from going.” Dream Pop chimed in, “Yup! Actually… everypony but Tranquil and Ferrel. Although Miley could probably sneak away, too.” Miley folded her hooves over her chest. “Are you saying I’m not important?” Dream Pop trotted over and slipped her hooves around Miley. “You’re very important. You’re just fortunate to be in a position where your absence will not be highly obvious.” Shining Armor tapped a hoof. “Actually, this could work to an extent. The investigation is still open. We could send a couple of investigators to review the scene. Sergeant Hooves, and detectives White and Dusk.” “Pardon me?” Tranquil asked. “Midnight,” Shining said as he looked at her, “you could get some House Guard armor for the exemplar and Tranquil, right?” Midnight’s brow lifted. “You’re asking me to wrongfully requisition armor and allow two ponies to wear it so that they can impersonate house guards?” Shining Armor and I both nodded. “Alright, then. Do you think those two can pass for house guards?” Midnight Snow asked, gesturing at them. I nodded again. “Tranquil was around me and Nova enough to do so. Exemplar Ferrel is a soldier in her own way. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Plus, Miley can do all of the talking.” Midnight Snow muttered, “I can’t see how that could possibly go wrong, but fine. Let me go fill out the paperwork, unless this meeting is not adjourned?” “I think we’re done unless anypony else has something,” I said. “We send our preliminary investigators while the rest of us go through the motions like normal. Finish up with the return ceremony and then focus on the investigation there.” Princess Celestia stood and looked at us all. “Very good. Thank you, ponies. Your support is truly appreciated. Come along, Sunny. I’m certain we’re late for something and Raven is pulling her mane out.” Sunny grinned. “Oh, we’re late for a little meeting. Nothing too important. Just cake tasting for the ambassador’s party.” The alicorn groaned. “You did this on purpose.” “I did!” Sunny singsonged as they trotted out. Princess Luna leaned down to nose my cheek before saying, “Come on, Miley, let’s take your new detectives and give them a crash course in working for me.” “Yes, ma’am!” Miley cheered before taking Tranquil and Ferrel by the hoof and pulling them with her. Dream Pop looked around at the empty room and then threw herself onto one of the empty alicorn pillows. “I’m going to solve the riddle!” “Aren’t you and I supposed to work on the house later?” I asked. “Yes? We’re behind schedule. I think Crystal is starting to notice, too. She and Rarity were upset that you and I didn’t finish the powder room like we promised.” “She didn’t say anything to me.” Dream Pop giggled. “Why would she? You’re working on super important stuff. She secretly wants you to hire a contractor but she thinks the therapy is good for you so she’s torn. She’s ready for the house to be done.” “She told you all that?” I asked. “Nope! I pick things up, though. I’ll go solve the riddle while working on the powder room. See you later!” I waved a hoof before sighing after she left. Shining Armor’s head tilted. “You have assembled an irregular unit.” “Irregulars are what you need sometimes. I’m honestly not sure I assembled them.” He nodded. “Two unicorns, two earth ponies, two pegasi.” “Yes, sir.” Shining set a hoof on my shoulder. “Have you thought about contacting Twilight? Why hasn’t Princess Celestia?” “She hasn’t said one way or the other. Perhaps you could talk to her about it? I don’t think she usually involves them when it comes to murder and such. They’re more about the big things. Angry dragons, giant squids, and such.” He chuckled. “Yeah, perhaps so. We’ll need to keep them in our toolbox, though. If we’re going up against something like Nightmare Moon, you and your irregulars aren’t going to be enough.” “You’ve got that right,” I muttered. “Why don’t we go take a look at this house of yours? I’m decently handy with a hammer and I wouldn’t mind seeing Crystal. Unless you can’t get away from the minister?” I shook my head. “No, I can. At this point, most everything is done. I’ll finalize the last details tomorrow.” “Good, let’s go then. Enough work for one day.” “Aye, sir!” ☾ Minister Sombra sat across from me, staring. I’d been reviewing his final guest list and seating chart for General Ironhoof’s welcome home ceremony. A ceremony that was to take place one week after the soldiers arrived and started processing back into civilian life. There were a lot of names on the list. All of them made sense, too. Governors, nobles, ambassadors, and a laundry list of high ranking officers that had participated in the war. These were all the ponies I expected to be there. Unfortunately, given our current predicament and our assumption that the Night Mares targeted veterans, the list was full of potential adversaries. We’d settled on the word ’adversary’ since it was unlikely any of these ponies would be our enemy. They wouldn’t be fully in control. The seating chart was also an issue. The higher ranked an officer was, the closer to the princesses they’d be. That was normal but, again, same problem for me. Brigadier Hammer was quite close and whether Princess Luna could see his nightmares or not was hit or miss. She wasn’t certain if she was being blocked or if he was not having them since she couldn’t physically watch him as she had me. A lot of Ironhoof’s staff was with him, too. That was a whole menagerie of ponies I didn’t know well that had been fighting in the war. Some of them included Nordanver gryphons and while I no longer had a visceral, irrational hatred for all gryphons, it wasn’t lost on me that a previous assassination attempt had been carried out by one. “Major, you clearly have a problem with this. If you didn’t we’d have moved on by now. What are you seeing that I didn’t?” the minister asked. Lying was never my strong suit even if I had gotten better at it over time. This was going to be difficult. “Nothing is wrong with it, sir. I just have a few concerns that I’m having a hard time articulating without sounding…” Come on, Silent. “Well, frankly… somewhat bigoted and perhaps inappropriate?” Minister Sombra’s head cocked. “Explain.” “Well, sir… you see, we have some Nordanver gryphons with Ironhoof’s staff and the staff is quite close to the royal dais.” His brow arched. “Silent Knight, I’m ashamed of you. You’re telling me that even after working with them, you still have trust issues?” It took a lot to keep my ears from wilting. I felt horrible saying those words. “No… well, yes, sir. Not with all gryphons but I don’t know many of these. I’ve never met them. Have they all been with his staff a while or are some of them new? “Truly believe me when I say I’d put any of my gryphons right next to them but, again, I don’t know this group well enough to make the same claim. Couldn’t we move the staff table back a row?” Minister Sombra wagged a hoof at me. “We can, and I will as a courtesy to you, but you really need to work on your tolerance.” “Yes, sir,” I said sheepishly. “Anything else?” “You have Brigadier Ironhoof in the front row,” I said without pausing to think about the implications. “Of course I do. You wouldn’t put him there?” the minister asked, brow raising again. Backpedal time! “Oh, yes sir. I absolutely would.” Then what is the problem, Silent? Oh, I don’t know, he might be controlled by dark unicorns. What? Tick tock. An idea crossed my mind. “Remember sir, he’s blind in that eye and you have him on the opposite side of the room.” Minister Sombra lightly set his hooves on his cheeks. “Yes, that would have been thoughtless. He’d have to turn completely to see. Reverse the tables.” “Yes, sir.” Well, that at least put him closer to the doors where we’d have more house guards. It was time to quit while I was ahead. I had a copy of the list. Sunny and Midnight could use it to plan their security strategy. “Honestly, that was it, sir.” He nodded. “Very good. I’m sure you’ll see to it.” Instead of getting up, he sighed and settled deeper into the chair. “Is something wrong, sir?” “Officially, no. Unofficially, yes.” Could there be any chance he was about to admit to being complicit in a plot? That would make life easier for me. “Anything I can do to help?” I asked, keeping my cool. “I doubt it but if you could listen and swear to be discreet I’d appreciate it.” “I so do swear,” I replied, using a bit of ancient pony speech. There was a grunt of appreciation before the minister sat up. “I don’t understand dating and mares in this time. In my time, ponies like me would often be betrothed. A powerful mare’s family would send an envoy, your parents would make a deal, and then you had a wife or wife-to-be. Simple.” This was not the direction I saw this conversation going. “I follow.” “I was betrothed you know. She was beautiful and kind, too. Radiant Hope, daughter of the Duchess of Trottingham. We were to be wed when she turned of age. Unfortunately, before that could happen…” He sighed and wiggled his hooves. “Poof.” I winced. The pain was obvious in his voice. “If you don’t mind me asking, what was that like?” “In a perfect world, I’d say it was like going to sleep. You lay down, lose consciousness, and then wake up and it is a thousand years later. This isn’t a perfect world, though. It is hard to explain how it was. I’ve talked to some of the others and it seems that ponies experienced it differently. “For some, it was like lying in bed awake, waiting for the dawn. There are periods when I’d fade in and out but, eventually, I’d always wake up but unable to leave. The hardest part was coming back. “When I could eventually leave the bed, so to speak, the weight of all the time started to crumble on itself. The memories of what happened in the past started to dim even though, from my perspective, they were only a day past. It was very disorienting.” “I can’t even pretend to empathize. Was it in real time? Did you sit idle for a thousand years?” Minister Sombra shook his head. “Mercifully, no. It was a long wait but not so long as to drive a pony mad. And, as I said, as soon as I came out of it, the memories started to dim.” He waved a hoof. “At any rate, that isn’t what I wanted to complain about. What I’m getting at is that I was never prepared to date. To catch signals. To go to dance halls and dance with commoners.” He then blinked. “Sorry, I think I need to work on tolerance, too.” At that point, the chuckle just slipped out. I couldn’t help it. Thankfully, the minister took no offense and started to do the same. “Sir, if I can give you any advice, no stallion has ever understood a mare. You just need to find one that is more suited to a fine stallion like yourself. There are still some legacy nobilities out there. I’m certain any of them would be interested in having a king court their daughter.” The minister bobbed his head a bit. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt. Can you arrange for some sort of dossier to be built on those families and their single daughters? Just public knowledge, of course.” I took a note and set it to my right. “I wouldn’t be your… whatever it is my position is if I couldn’t.” He chuckled again. “Thank you and, as I like to remind you, if you’d just make up your mind, you can have an official title. Especially since your medical review came back clear.” Had it? Dream Pop and I hadn’t even talked about that. That was probably something I should have kept up with, but at least now it was fine. “Yes, sir. I promise to let you know as soon as I get back from that leave you promised me.” “Fair enough. I’ve got to get back to my office. Big day soon.” I stood as he did. “Yes, sir. Take care.” When he was gone, I sat back down and looked at my notes. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out which noble families had single mares. It was one more thing on my plate, though, and if I wasn’t careful I’d be a single mare… stallion soon. Beyond not working on our house, I hadn’t been spending much time with my wife. Secret plots, major troop movements, and other things were cutting into our personal time. That wouldn’t stand. Tomorrow was going to be all about Crystal. That was tomorrow, though.