There were many ponies who speculated on the life of ‘Queen Rarity’s Shadow’, what it was like to be the Queen’s personal bodyguard. Some ponies, usually those younger than her, imagined it much like an adventure novel, full of action, excitement and fights for justice. Other ponies, usually those older than her, tended towards a more cynical outlook that focused on how annoying it had to be for a guard of her skill to spend most of her day following around a mare who was as certainly a wise and fair ruler as she was a difficult and demanding pony. And yet another group of ponies, usually those older than but pretending to be younger than her, wondered why anypony would give a second thought to a commoner when they could be talking about the Queen herself instead.
Twilight Sparkle pondered and weighted the opinions of those first two groups against each other (while pointedly trying to ignore the third), and as the clock struck the third full hour of standing guard in front of the door to the Queen’s personal bathroom while said Queen partook in her morning ablutions, she couldn’t help but note that she was most decidedly not heading towards the younger demographic.
Speaking of, she heard the familiar sound of light and cheerful hooves galloping down the hallway towards the Queen’s chambers. Twilight silently counted down to the moment the hoofsteps abruptly stopped, just far enough from the door and the two ponies guarding it that the owner of the hooves could still attempt to regally stride past them.
A second later the door opened to let in Princess Sweetie Belle, closing behind the filly. The young Princess looked around the room for a moment before focusing her attention on Twilight and the door she was guarding. “Is my sister still in the bathroom?”
Twilight gave a curt and professional nod. “Exactly three hours now by my count.”
Princess Sweetie Belle giggled, a light and melodious sound that had already gotten her quite a few admirers. “Then we have at least another hour before she comes out of there.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, keeping up the neutral expression of a guard and holding back a knowing smirk. “Then what would you suggest we do while we wait for the Queen to join us again, Your Majesty?”
The Princess was right in front of Twilight with a speed that would have made any potential assassin proud, looking up at her with big sparkling eyes and a far too innocent voice coming from a far too innocent smile. “Tell me a story?”
Twilight chuckled, finally dropping her mask as she smiled at the Princess. “And what kind of story would you like to hear?”
Princess Sweetie Belle feigned a thoughtful look for a few seconds, then grinned and looked up at Twilight again. “What is the sweetest and most romantic thing my sister has ever done for you?”
Twilight scrunched lightly, sitting down. “I’m quite sure that is the fourth time now you have asked me that question since the Queen told you about our… relationship.”
Princess Sweetie Belle countered with a cheeky grin, sitting down as well with her tail swishing behind her in anticipation. “And every time I’ve asked you told me a different story. As long as it works, why would I stop asking?”
Twilight blinked, then sighed in defeat, smiling. “Touché…” She hummed and looked up in thought, then turned to the Princess again. “Oh, I think I know a good one.”